New Dear Creature Website!

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And whaddayaknow, a second new website is here! Along with my new store, today I'm launching an updated version of my old Sea Freak site under its new title, Dear Creature. Check out a fresh version of the polished first chapter, still free to one and all. I'll also be keeping Dear Creature specific news and promotions up to date over there, especially in these months leading up to the October release from Tor!

New store

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It's high time I had an online store. With Dear Creature only a couple months away from release, it made sense to have a way to start taking preorders. Everyone else is doing it! It's been available for preorder from the major and indie bookselling sites, but I now have a place where you can order from me personally, and even get a copy signed and delivered in October with a bit of original art to boot! I also have a few prints for sale and a section for taking commissions. Soon enough I'll probably have some original art up there too.

Have at it!

People's Pets in Paintings

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Here's a fun one. An anniversary present for a guy who has a black cat named Mifune, after Mr. Toshiro Mifune of Japanese moviedom. The girlfriend wanted something in the vein of a monster movie poster (what a girlfriend, eh?).

Another note: the recipient of the electric fire is none other than Tendril, from the 80s cartoon show Inhumanoids. Another bit of nerd lore. Now the madness is complete.

Dark Horse Book Announced!

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It's official! The press release for the Green River Killer graphic novel from Dark Horse just came out. It's a fabulous creator owned story from writer Jeff Jensen, profiling his father's experience as one of the lead detectives on the Green River case. Heavy stuff, but also a great look into the life of a family man living out the 'impossible dream' of capturing one of the most notorious criminals in history. Oh, and I drew it! I'm just into the last few pages as we speak. I'm likely not approved to show art yet, but at any rate, the cat's out of the bag, and I'm looking forward to talking more about the project very soon.

Japan Relief Auction - Get Some Original Art!

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Hey art lovers! I'm finally getting on board the Periscope auction for Japan relief. Now's your chance to get some fabulous original art and feel even better about where your dollars are going! All monies go to Peace Winds Japan via Mercy Corps. Check out Aaron McConnell's fantastic Super Frog piece! So what ever am I going to do, I asked myself. What could compete with Dustin's Akira, or Ben Dewey's Seven Samuari?

 

Well, for my money, you can't beat that dearly benevolent Mothra and his Mothra twins. Yes, remember them? Creepily small and mysterious. And who better to serve as a symbol of hope in Japan's hour of need?

My Mothra Twins watercolor here will be going up for auction right here on Monday, April 4th.

 

Start your bidding engines!

 

Emerald City Prep

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Today I received a very exciting package in the mail, just in time for Emerald City Comic Con. 28 pounds of lovely postcards announcing my first book, Dear Creature, and its release date of October 2011, from Tor Books. It's really happening! I'll have these with me at the show, along with a bunch of new art prints and goodies at my corner of the Periscope Studio table. Number 122! Also, I'll be doing commissions galore- watercolor washes, inks, the whole bit.

It's the place to be!

Get Down with the Sickness

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I'm stuck in bed right now with some sort of bug. But does it stop me from inking? Nay! Just have to remember to lift up the brush before I sneeze, turn head away from artwork, ka-bam, and I'm back to mustaches and suits. For that is what I am inking today. Lots of mustaches.

The plus side of being sick is the crazy dreams. You get some of the best material- or at least it seems like it's the best at the time. Like the one I had about my friend Felipe turning into a paint-tube lizard, lying in a field next to a 60s waitress in a pink dress.

Who was it that said only bores talk about their dreams? Was that in an Antonioni movie? I think you're boring, Antonioni.

Must be out in the world again. Maybe this is just me getting it over with before the upcoming Emerald City Con. Usually it's post hundreds-o-handshakes that I get like this. Which reminds me, I have to buy my train ticket.

Then back to the march of mustaches!

Classing it Up

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Here's a little sample from my book, Dear Creature. I decided to name the chapters from classic Roy Orbison songs, since I listened to a lot of Roy while working on the book. I had a whole soundtrack worked out, with Sam Cooke, the theme from La Strada, The Flamingos, etc. Roy rose to the top though— his melodramatic take on romance and heartache seemed to fit the book best.

Growing up, I spent hours upon hours traveling with my parents, in the car or on our boat, and Mr. Orbison was a frequent accompanist. I learned to love him even before he was all gen-X ironic via Blue Velvet!

The weathered canvas is also taken from memories of being on our sailboat, leafing through the old hardbound books on navigation, knots, and other seafaring stuff. The water and mildew would eventually get to everything, and those old books were especially susceptible to the salt air.