BookLust

Art Imitating Lit 7

I'm still crazy busy, but had to squeeze in some time to whip up my latest Art Imitating Lit strip. There's nothing like staying up into the wee hours of the morning, pencilling, inking and erasing like mad to help you keep perspective on things! Like the fact that eventually you gotta stop when the fingers just won't move anymore! But I digress...

There's been an interesting conversation going on for about a year now, this whole serious women's fiction vs chick-lit. I think it started with some article written by Curtis Sittenfeld who made a comment something to the effect that having one's book labelled 'chick-lit' was akin to being called a slut. And then Elizabeth Merrick edited a book of stories by a group of women entitled This is not Chick-Lit, which naturally pissed off some of the chick-lit writers out there, people like Lauren Baratz-Logsted, Jennifer Weiner and Rachel Pine. There's been some interesting discussion about this subject ever since, and I'm sure it will continue for many years to come, 'cuz let's face it, chick-lit is not going away. And earlier this month, Lauren Baratz-Logsted produced an anthology of short stories basically in response to Merrick's collection. Lauren's book is entitled, This is Chick-Lit. What else would it be called?

I knew that eventually I would devote a strip to this subject matter, it was just a matter of finding the right kind of inspiration. Often times I will be reading a newspaper, or a blog, and some word or phrase will light a fire under my ass. It was while I was reading Edward Champion's blog that the muse struck. He got into the whole chick-lit discussion too, providing as always, great wit and insight. But it was one of his comments that stuck in my brain and wouldn't go away. He wrote in his post: there is, as of yet, no estrogen answer to the Jonathans. I have to agree with him, which kind of pisses me off. It's not that there aren't great women writers out there, but they just aren't being promoted like those goddam Jonathans. With that idea in mind, and the whole chick-lit discussion, I got inspired. So there you have it. I now have an official muse, and his name is Ed.

I did want to add that I, too, used to hold my nose up at all chick-lit, but over time my attitude has changed. I see no reason why this genre (is it a genre?), not unlike mysteries, science fiction and thrillers cannot exist without all this criticism and hostility. There's a wide gamut of fiction written by women, from extra light to very deep and serious (and really, who decides what is deemed light and what is serious?), and you should be allowed to read whatever the hell you want. It really does beg the question, can't we all just get along? But then, if everyone got along in the publishing world, I'd have nothing to draw now, would I? Heh.

Oh, and a few words about the strip. I was once again very rushed, so the body of the strip hasn't been coloured yet, and yes, the brush strokes are quite frantic at times. My apologies, but I really wanted to get this damn fool thing posted, and if I waited any longer, well, it would never happen.

Enough blather. Enjoy the strip.

Now I gotta get back to work!

Swamped!!!

I am unbelievabely freakin' swamped with work. Four book illustration projects all pretty much due at the same time. Be careful what you ask for, right? Ok, if I start complaining too much I give permission to anyone who hears me bitchin' to slap me good and hard.

Anyway, this is my way of saying that blog posts may be sporadic for the next week or so.

Now... back to work!

TRANSITory Reading 6

Cute young guy slouching in seat on subway, casually holding a copy of Robert Bringhurst's The Elements of Typographic Style.

Call me old-fashioned, but if you're gonna be holding that book, then you should sit up straight, sonny.

Labours of Love

My day today:

Got up, drank strong hot coffee, read the paper with breakfast then went out for an hour-long power walk.

Once back home immediately got to work in the backyard, digging out the grass around the garden shed, so as to make it easier to paint the darn thing. Also began digging the grass out in the square corner in front of the shed (eventually, I hope it will be nothing but lovely flowers, perhaps a red bud tree and a reading bench surrounded by some container gardens. Eventually). Also pulled out eight large square garden stones on opposite side of grass square, and dug out all the weeds. The plan for this rectangular spot (which is in front of one side of our back porch), is lots of cosmos and black-eyed susans. Eventually.

A quick lunch and clean-up, and then upstairs to do some of my freelance work. At the moment I'm doing pencil sketches for a gift book which will be published by Chronicle Books. Lots of fun to do! Also reading manuscript and getting ideas for a Halloween children's book to be published by Scholastic Canada.

Eventually downstairs to cook chicken fricassee for me and the hubby. While chicken is simmering for an hour, back outside to continue digging out grass in backyard.

Eat dinner with hubby, sit back and watch football with him briefly while sipping coffee, then once more outside for some last minute digging before it gets too dark.

Back upstairs for more pencil sketch work.

Some inking for a monthly children's comic strip I illustrate.

Some writing for a fun comic strip I'm working on.

And hopefully, before bed, some reading. And maybe something else, if I've any energy left.

Damn, life is good.

One of the Many Reasons I'm Never Having Kids

The hubby told me this story today:

Last week when the hubby was working at the library, a mother and her six year-old daughter came up to the desk to sign out some books. The hubby sparked up a conversation about some familiar TV show, and asked the mother if she'd had a chance to watch said show the previous night, to which the little girl happily replied,

"Mommy was humping last night!"

I Got Posted 17

Here's a bigger version.

The illustration is accompanying an article written by Alan Dershowitz, which was originally published in The Spectator. Here's a link to the Dershowitz article I found online. It's an important subject to discuss, I think. I have no answers, and am still digesting Dershowitz's thoughts. Would welcome what others have to say on the matter.

I don't think that political editorial illustration is my forte, and I was a bit anxious when I was told the subject of the article, but I must confess that considering that I had yet again another tight deadline with this, I don't think it turned out too bad. Especially considering that it's the first time I've ever drawn the Statue of Liberty. I hope the old gal ain't offended.

Back to School

I couldn't resist posting this. It's one of my mom's old school pics – a collection of the prefects for her high school, St. Andrew School for Girls in Jamaica. Can you imagine dressing like this for school every day? Can you imagine a teacher like that gal in the centre? I understand she was one tough Scottish broad you didn't want to cross. They had a funny nickname for her – something like "Pommy" if I recall. Oh how very British.

Oh, and here's a close-up of my mom. Cute, huh?

Misty Water-Colored Memes

Memed yet again! This time by the very clever Vanity of Duluoz.

A book that changed my life:
Ehhh.... I kinda hate questions like that, so I'm gonna be a pill and answer it this way: Every time I read a book it changes my life. Every book I encounter, be it good or bad, alters my perception in some way, so I simply could not name just one. Heh.

A book I've read more than once:
Oh that's easy. Geek Love by Katherine Dunn. Some people must be sick of me mentioning this book, but I'm not. Oh, and of course Fifth Business and Rebel Angels by Robertson Davies.

A book I would take with me if I were stuck on a desert island:
How To Get The Hell Off A Desert Island. That's probably not the answer you want, but too bad. I hate those kind of questions, too.

A book that made me laugh:
Oh, so many. But off the top of my head, I'll say Home Land by Sam Lipsyte.

A book that made me cry:
Once again, so many, but I'll mention Tempting Faith Di Napoli by Canadian author Lisa Gabriele. It's a beautifully written book (funny, too) by a very talented author, whom I wish would hurry up an get her next book finished soon, please and thank you very much.

A book that I wish had been written:
Anything by me. How's that for a healthy ego?

A book I wish had never been written:
Oh, I dunno... how 'bout all those shitty kid's books by Madonna? Or better yet, how 'bout every goddam children's book ever written by a Hollywood Celebrity?

A book I've been meaning to read:
Everything written by Graham Greene. I'll get there, eventually.

I'm currently reading:
All that stuff you see on my sidebar. Any other questions?

Instead of picking people, I'll just send it out to anyone and everyone who feels so compelled to meme yet again!

Back to Books

I love this old poster. I confess that I copied the idea from Bookpuddle, who was beginning to make me really jealous with all his book-themed images, so I did a little googling, and lookie what came my way!

Ahhhh... September. Where have you been all my life? (Or at least for the last 11 months). I have said it over and over and over again – Fall is my season. We're not into it offically yet, but you can feel it in the air and see it ever so slightly in the subtle change of colours, and the subtle change in everyone's mood; a light, warm brown blanket is slowly covering the city.

This morning when I went for my morning power walk (with my walking companion, the oh-so-attractive leg brace), I saw little children and their parents on their way to the first day of school. Such a wonderful time in life. Mind you, even though I loved school, I always started September with a great deal of anxiety, because I was a shy, funny-looking chubby kid who was branded a "browner" and a "teacher's pet". I didn't have the gift of gab back then, so could not provide any witty combacks when I was called Fatty Patty. Ah well. The rites of passage, I suppose, for so many. And besides, Fall is a bittersweet time – sadness mixed with joy.

Sometimes I think back on that anxious, chubby kid who always dressed in stretch polyester, and dreamed of the day that she could wear a pair of real jeans and be considered cool, and I want to weep. But at least she had her books!

Tell Me Something I Don't Know

Well, duh.

From What Type of Writer Should You Be?

Thanks to Alexandra, of The Whole Story for the contest link!