Connections

Tonight I’ve been watching “Grayson’s Art Club” with my husband and daughter.  After it we got talking about art and artists, bear in mind through this that my husband and daughter are both very good photographers, so they understand images better than I do, while I as an author understand words better than they do.

So, my husband threw us a curve ball with a question about autographs.  His point was that signatures on paintings are the authentication of the painting. When a book gets signed, is it about a connection to the artist? He asked me as someone who had has been on both sides of the experience, how did that need for authentication translate to books?

Now the oddity for me has always been that I enjoy the art, but can’t give a toss about the artist. So I’ll enjoy the book, but not care about what the writer went through. I brought “The Great Writers” series when I was in my teens, and as much as I enjoyed the books, I didn’t care about the authors. The books were great, the magazines were average at best.

I do have some books that have been signed, and as an author I have signed book.  But the reality is if I’ve got £50 to spend and I’m torn between a signed comic and a signed book, there’s a pretty good chance I’d pick the comic.

I think the is a thing about art is the limited edition, where are books are constantly reprinting.  Also I think writers pour their souls more into the word than the artist do into their pictures, but what do you think?

Keep on running (even if late)

I’m running late again this month, unfortunately running is the thing the I’ve stopped, one terrible experience at a Park Run and I’ve been right put off.  Still, I will get back into it some time.  This is really just a quick note to tell you all is well.  The depression is under medication  (which I hate taking) and fortunately, these are helping me sleep, but they are dulling any emotions.  Not great downers but no ups either.

I’ve also been very busy.

I’ve finally finished editing an anthology which goes on sale on the 25th.

I have finally finished writing “Locked In”. Yey!   Had some major issues with this.   This is in fact, a full rewrite  – i.e. I threw the first version in the bin and rewrote from scratch. I’d had an edit done on the first version and boy did it tear me apart!

After the rewrite I went back to the comments to check I’d done everything  – and I hadn’t.   So I was in a quandary as to what to do. This was all about a secondary plot line that wasn’t working. So I took some advice that I disagreed with.  Then I ignored the advice and decided to delete all references to the second plot line – and after I had, I’d only lost less than 1000 words. So that’s it, gone.  Sometimes you just have to cut out the deadwood.

And, of course, I’ve been reading and reviewing comics.

So life continues and I hope to blog again soon.

Cardiff Comic Con – Nov 2014

Spent way too much at Cardiff Comic Con today, but that’s what comes of (a) liking comics, (b) liking books, and (c) having a fan-girl daughter.

Walked through the main floor, only lost the family twice in the melee, and was rather disappointed not to find the Lou Scannon comic stand.  I’ve got all issues so far, and was hoping to get the next. But the stand was not to be found.  Photo-loving fan-girl was busy clicking plenty of the Cos-play costumes and some of the attendees had really gone to town on their appearance, well done to all of them.  A little disappointed, we went out for lunch, at which point fan-girl daughter, mentioned that all the games and comic stands had been up to the first floor, something that I hadn’t know.

Refreshed after launch we trudged back to the CIA and eventually found the stairs up, and there was a whole plethora of various original comic book sales, artists and authors.  And bang in the middle, Lou Scannon.

Well, Lou Scannon’s usual three suspects anyway, Dan Harris (co-writer and pencils), Kris Carter (co-writer, colourist and letterer) and Jim Bampfield (co-writer, back-up strip artist and assistant shader).

The good thing about the separate area were that it was quieter and less packed that the more ‘merch’ oriented ground floor, which meant that there was actually time, room and volume control to talk to the guys.

To Hull And Back, issue 7 isn’t ready yet so no copies to buy, slap on the wrist for that, though proofs were in and the two cover designs do look great. The GTA version is cleaner, but the other is up to the usual high standards.  I could order No 7 from the web site (which would make a change from Boots – but that’s a reference for Crysta and the girls).  Thing is, I have brought every other copy at various shows over the years and they are all cover signed by the guys, I can’t break that loop now and will simply have to wait till the next conf, though unfortunately I can’t make Wrexham at the end of the month.

Had an interesting chat with Dan, who had given up the day job of drawing indelibly on human skin (he was a tatoo artist before anyone gets any creep ideas), to become a full time illustrator.  I was rather surprised and pleased to discover we both like Micheal Turner’s work, that’s Witchblade, Fathom and Soulfire to name but three.  He also mentioned that they might be starting off a KickStarter project, can’t give any details away, so I asked if they had a mailing list to announce when it was happening and almost saw that classic comic moment when the light bulb went on over Dan’s head saying, ‘we should have a mailing list to let people know what’s happening!’

After a bit more wandering, I stopped at Victor Wright’s stall to have a look at his novels, and be mocked by fan-girl daughter for not being able to read the small print without my glasses on.  Okay I know, age doesn’t come alone.

Anyway, brought the first two of his “Light of Darkness” series.  Impressed by the quality of the finished article, I also had a chat and some interesting pointers for self-publishing my own work – really must get my butt in gear and get on with that.

My eye was then caught by “Bearlands” a collection of comics based in the post apocalyptic world of undead teddy bears. The real ‘live’ teddy’s Jeremy Biggs had on display were just so cute!

Lastly, which was actually the first purchase, I also picked up “Soft Target”, a Sarah Stone Adventure, by Ian Rob Wright.

So, four books and no trip to Waterstones or Amazon.  All I have to do now, is find the time to read them!

If you want to find out more about any of the titles here are the websites, but remember, I like these books and lots of other books, but some of these are graphic and can be unpleasant, there, you were warned, I am not responsible for any upset or offence you might find:

http://www.louscannon.co.uk

http://www.victorsbooks.co.uk

http://www.subversivecomics.com

http://www.iainrobwright.com