Calvin & Hobbes was the greatest thing ever

Calvin & Hobbes was the greatest thing ever

Posted inComics & Graphic Novels, Geek Stuff, Random Musings
Is there anything in the world that was better than Calvin & Hobbes? I'm not sure there was. Sure, sure, there is eating and sex, but Bill Watterson's masterpiece of a comic strip is right up there. Far more than three panels of humor each day, the full scope of the work will long stand as one of the great achievements of sequential art. And no, I don't think I'm overstating the case.   In 10 years, Watterson evolved his strip from a quirky and funny comic strip that was a slightly edgy, modern version of Peanuts into something wholly…

Balancing enjoyment and WORK

Posted inRandom Musings, Writing
I write because I love to write. But sometimes I write because it provides a check. I don't apologize for that. We all need to eat. Still, taking assignments you don't love can be a slog. You take a freelance assignment because it will make you a few extra bucks -- always welcome in this economy -- but if it saps all the joy out of being in front of the keyboard, is it worth it? I don't have an answer to that. I still throw my all into each project, even if it bores me to tears. I always…
Tearing down your own work

Tearing down your own work

Posted inRandom Musings, Writing
Sometimes you have to take something you've created and stomp it to pieces in order to make it work. Earlier this week I began writing a novel I've dabbled with on and off for years. I've made a few aborted attempts to write it, but other things have always gotten in the way. It has remained incomplete, sort of taunting me from my files. I like the story and world of the novel. I've always intended to finish it. So now I'm doing exactly that. At the moment, I have eight chapters completed out of a projected 30 to 40.…

It’s odd to see your name…

Posted inRandom Musings, Uncategorized
I'm used to seeing my byline. Over the last 10 years it has appeared on thousands of news stories, photo credits, film reviews, and various other pieces of writing. At this point it's really no big deal. Just part of the job. Still, it's odd to see yourself listed at Goodreads.com. Hell, the book is even listed on Living Social, that Facebook app people have been using for top 5 lists. So that's pretty neat. Two other quick side notes: 1) You can see four preview pages from a comic I'm doing with artist Rick Lundeen in this gallery. His…

Rejection letters ain’t so bad

Posted inRandom Musings, Writing
Rejection letters. If you're a writer, aspiring writer, wannabe writer, whatever writer, you're going to deal with them. I don't care how good you think you are, you will. That's just reality. But here's the thing: They need not be painful. Not even a little. Rejection letters are many things, chief among them something no writer likes to get, but they are more than a necessary evil. They are a sign that you're an active writer. Proof that you're actually writing, not just talking about writing. I mean, let's face it, how many so-called "writers" do you know who never…