The Fear Behind the Smiles

The Insomnia Monster Strikes Again, Producing Digital Men and Monsters

The night is stormy, which would usually be a great opening for an intense story somewhere out there in literati land. Sadly all it means for me is a sleepless night.

I'm definitely not afraid of a good thunderstorm. Quite the opposite. I love them. Dark and stormy nights are my bread and butter, after all.

The downside to a really good thunderstorm (or upside, depending on how optimistic I feel at the time) is that it's like sticking my finger in a socket, pure energy rush and buzzing with creativity.

I have had zero caffeine today in hopes I could sleep tonight at a normal hour. The storm rolled in around 9pm and that was it. I've been supercharged ever since.

Rather than play the woe-is-me card and mope, I decided to do something - dare I say it? - productive. The digital image you see here is made with a combination of Poser and Photoshop. The main meat and potatoes of the Big Guy's face, head and background were all done initially in Poser. Finishing touches, such as pallor, hair, eyes, and shadowing were all hand drawn in Photoshop. It's not as easy and effortless as it seems, but it is a labor of love.

I'm a regular Pygmalion when it comes to my characters. One of these days I'll have to summon up the rest of the characters into digital format. So far they only exist as the initial concept drawings, sketches, and rough paintings I did back in 1993 when I wrote the first draft of NEMESIS (aka Book 1 of the Immortal War Series).

So on this particular dark and stormy night, I'm listening to a fun and extremely eclectic mix of music from Lycia and Lady GaGa to Grendel and Fields of the Nephilim. Issues? No way. I have subscriptions and franchised newsstands for my blend of problems. I've created the digital art gracing this post, and gotten some writing done. The Moleskine has even seen some ink tonight, which will eventually find its way into a digital form of dark comedy story. 

Oh yeah, the dark comedy. Inspired by, of all things, eBay. I thought I had seen everything til I saw ghosts, djinns, and vampires bonded to jewelry and sold on the cheap in a digital marketplace. After sorting through page after page of items, I found myself wondering how the inhabitants of the jewelry/objects felt about their lot in life. Most importantly being stuck in jewelry, dolls, or in some cases even just a box, and sold at auction. And so the story was born.

Feel free to get up-to-the-damn-near-second updates on my Facebook fanpage. Feel free to post something and say hello, too. I talk to my fans because I'm a friendly sort.

Speaking of fans... got recognized by titles and storyline in my fave local yarn store a couple of weeks ago. It was my first recognition. I was so in awe I asked them for THEIR autograph. Based on the experience, I've decided to start an autograph album of people who've read my novels. To hell with famous people autographs, I want the folks who admire my work enough to say hello to me.

Feel free to join the fun on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/manage/?act=37195941#!/pages/Suzi-M/54616181082

Tip the Dancer...

I know I shouldn't be so attached to anything I intend to sell, however... I'm absolutely gaga (possibly even Lady GaGa) over a new yarn that I spun up and will be posting to my BizarreYarns Etsy shop called 'Tip the Dancer'. Yes, 'Tip the Dancer', shown here to the right.

It may possibly be that I'm thinking back about the days when I still very much had my Devil-may-care attitude firmly in place and would actually attend such establishments what where the dancers may or may not have been clothed. But in all seriousness, I really can't get over the beautiful mess this yarn is. It's got golden yellow mixed with black and glitter, aqua, pink, and deepest purples. I know, I know... I'm a yarn geek. I admit it.

I even listened to stripper music - well, my idea of how stripper music should sound, anyway, i.e. lots of grinding industrial beats that are just slow enough to do some awesome dips and seductive twirls - while spinning it up. It was really hard to not slap on a whole lot of black eyeliner and redder than red lipstick and go out to the nearest goth club and dance til dawn instead of spin yarn, but there you have it. And there I was, spinning yarn like a good grown up instead of partying til dawn.

Just looking at this yarn makes me giggle and want to hand it a dollar.

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Other updates in the mundane existence of an undergroundly popular writer (over 200 copies of my novels have sold to date, so thanks there, Kindle Krowd!)... well, the garden is happening. I built a retaining wall over the past week, and got a nice sunburn doing it. Today I'll be heading to Lowe's while all the good people of town are at church. Downside is we'll be hitting after-church breakfast crowd on the way home.

I also have some cool antique typewriter key jewelry posted to the Smiling Goth Etsy shop. 

So get over to the shops, buy my novels, and feel free to drop me a line. Always happy to meet a fan! Speaking of hearing from fans, met my first person who knew me by my novels while I was out shopping for fiber.

How. Friggin. Cool.

I've Been Bad....

 Instead of using my birthday weekend to update my Etsy shops and get stuff done, I did exactly the opposite. Epic win for fellow Etsians, as I splurged ALL over your shops. I think I may have bought an item from almost every Etsy shop this past week.

Mind you, the majority of my shopping spree was actually FOR my Etsy shops in way of supplies and such. I'm cool like that, and I try to keep prices in my shop as affordable as possible, since it's that kind of economy, I don't care who says it's getting better. If you're an artist in the US that isn't splashing paint for millions, then you're probably either poor or have a day job and a closet full of your art addictions. I can relate, totally.

So in an effort to support my fellow artists/Etsians, and keep my stash of fiber and jewelry-making supplies well-stocked with choices and various color palettes, I splurged. There was one purchase I made for me, though, as a happy birthday, and that was a little leather journal necklace and two leather journals from the Artreasury. I had been coveting both shops' wares for some time, and finally found a reason to break out the cash. 

For those who have yet to take the handmade plunge, it's something I highly recommend. We're out of the plaster hands and paste-dripping paper plates zone here, and the stuff posted to Etsy - the majority of it, anyway - is fantastic. Many shops will even do custom orders, so you get a truly unique gift at a usually decent price.

I also got a skein of INSANELY bright purple yarn to make socks for my mother. She's going to love it. I can just tell. If not, I'll distract her with the purple wind-up pinwheel pen I got her.

New shop updates on Etsy!

For those who have become fans of my work, be it on the printed page, on a canvas, entwined in metal around your body in some way, or wrapped two ply style in your latest fiber project, thank you!!!

At the Smiling Goth Shop, there's been a bunch of new stuff for both men and women to adorn their prettiness. Pictured at the left is one of two adjustable antique typewriter key rings.

There are also two new tie tacks available for the menfolks, and of course cufflinks and various other goodies.

There's also perfume oils and art. So hurry up over before someone else gets it!!

At Bizarre Yarns,  there's a bunch of new nom-worthy yarns. Now that the weather is finally clearing up and WARMING up, I was able to set the twist to all the yarn I've been spinning up during the cold snaps. Pictured to the right it a sproingy, smooshy newbie to the shop I call Blue Hawaiian after the uber yum drink of the same name. Can't wait til I can start getting out into the yard again, being able to lay under a tree in the shade with a good book.

Not sure why, but this winter seemed longer than usual. At least in a few weeks I'll be able to head back out into the yard and get the garden underway again, as well as pull out my canvasses, spinning wheel, and laptops and sit in the fresh air. Ahhh... bliss!

Like Clockwork Orange....

The latest creation in the Smiling Goth Shop on Etsy.

It features an antique skeleton key and a working reproduction of an 1882 pendant watch. Roman numerals, swirly watch hands, and a skeleton clockwork back displayed under a glass magnifying crystal. 

It really is a working piece of art, melding Victorian style into a grittier steampunk base.