Back in Action(ish)

Okay, so I've had two blissful weeks wherein I did not stress about creating, scanning, or uploading any illustrations.  It's been pretty nice.  But I find myself formulating blog entries in my head as I walk/drive around, which means it's time to get back in the updating-saddle.  Not that I have anything stellar to say (or post) today- I just wanted to break radio-silence (and update the "About" section to reflect the current lack-of-theme).

The theory was that this year's 365 project would be bettering my Spanish (with an eye to a 2014 trip to Spain)- but so far that hasn't happened, um, at all.  And to be frank I'm not surprised- having completed two 365 projects now, I feel pretty secure stating that I'm not cut out to do them back-to-back.  So.  Sporadic-Spanish-brush-up, at best.  And probably not much chatter about it here on the blog.

I'm thisclose to finishing rewrites on Sleeping Beauty- which means it will go off to my lovely Betas soon (although honestly what I want to do is immediately begin another round of re-writes... ugh I need to let it go), at which point I'll return to Treachery's world and see what new things my subconscious has come up with while I let the story lay fallow.

There are other developments in the writing-world-of-Jenny-O, but I think I'll hold off on talking about that until they're a little more firmed up.  Wouldn't want to blow all my excitement on the first entry of the new year...

Revisiting Saga Best

Treachery's mother, dressed for walking in the desert:

Her "skirt" is actually a pair of very full pants (better air circulation).  As for the gun, all Faithful are raised to handle weapons of all sorts- one of the better points of their religion, in my opinion.  There are other, less admirable points... but then, aren't there always, in all things?

Give 'em the Boot

Treachery's boot, that is.

Today is the last day of NaNoWriMo, and guess what- I win!  Woo!  Which means I am putting Treachery and co. away for a while (to simmer and gain depth of flavor in the back of my brain) and will come back to them in a couple of months, with fresh eyes.  In theory I will get some more rewrites done on Sleeping Beauty during those few months- but I think, perhaps, I may take a break from writing fiction for a week or two.  You know how the holidays are- always overfull of Things to Get Done...

All that being said, I must say that I'm pretty impressed/amazed at how far I've come with my writing since the first time I tried my hand at NaNo (in 2010).  Not, perhaps, the craft so much as the ability to make myself sit down, shut up, and write.  The ability to tell my Inner Editor to Suck It long enough for me to get something, anything on the page.  Multiple authors have made comments along the lines of needing to write a million bad words, or three bad books, or whatever, before you can start churning out the good stuff.  I believe I am getting ever-closer to that goal.

Father Issues

Today is That Day.  As such, I did a doodle of Treachery meeting a man who may or may not be her father.  I haven't decided yet.

Her boots, they bug me.

A Couple of Characters

Part of the outlaw crew Treachery runs with for a few years- Boss (not nearly there yet) and Kid Savage (pretty damn spot on).

Just bein' cool.  You know.

They are both very fun to write- Kid especially.

Calitoph in a High Wind

Doodled this really quick at work this morning- probably going to be a week-long radio silence while I'm visiting family for Thanksgiving, but I'll catch up when I'm back (just finally bought a new sketchbook to replace the now-full moleskin- huzzay!)...

Done in more of an animation style

In the meantime, may your holiday be full of all the things you love best!

Hope's Glossy Gold

Since The Consequence of Treachery Best is a western (of questionable origins) you knew that horses had to show up sooner or later.  Here's the one I wrote about today, Hope's Glossy Gold:

Horses am hard to draw, guys.  For reals.

He goes by the  name of Gus, because of course he does.  He's a dun stallion, of a breed called "Sander" in that world, because they were developed to do well in the deep desert.  Hence he is an object of desire for a young Treachery, who needs to make an escape into said wilderness...

(There is also a horse called Seeming, with black and white pinto markings, but those markings need more consideration before I can draw her with anything resembling accuracy...)

Storytellers Within Stories

I'm making some pretty good progress on NaNo this year, with the idea that I'll not have to worry about it so much while I'm traveling for Thanksgiving.  Fortunately my muse has been cooperative, and provided me with plenty of fodder for the writing.

I'm something of a discovery writer- I often go into things just trusting that the story is there and I need only uncover it.  Thus I was absolutely delighted when a character I'd tossed out as a "need more siblings for Calitoph" name turned into someone I'm ridiculously fond of.  And he's a story-teller, to boot, which is a difficult calling in a town where lying is tolerated only during one small portion of the year.

Ansan's hair cannot be tamed.

Needless to say, he makes the most of it.

The Best Treachery Yet

This is by far the closest-to-my-mental-image of Treachery I've drawn to date:

Nice scar.

And the second-best part of this is that today's sermon led me to some excellent passages to use as chapter headings!  Woo!

Saga Best

(Saga being Treachery's Mother)

She has Secrets.  Capital S Secrets.

NaNoWriMo 2012 Gets Underway

...and new characters are popping up out of the scorched earth like stubborn little weeds.

More adorable than he might like to be represented.

This is Calitoph Blessed.  Apparently it is his POV from which the novel is being told.  Who knew?

More Post It Character Doodling

Still trying to nail down Treachery's look:

Not there yet.  But getting closer.

More Treachery

Stiff breeze

Sketching Treachery

So the other day I finally came up with an idea for this year's NaNo, which is exciting, but also a little frustrating because I can't start writing it up just yet- and so I've been doing world-building, and some character sketching.  Here is the main character, Treachery Best:

That is a "Boss of the Plains" style cowboy hat she is wearing, and I am learning how damn hard it is to draw someone in a frickin' hat.

If you so desire, you can go here and click on "statistics" to watch my word count go up and up and up (not until November 1st, of course).  I may even put up a cover this year, which I did the first year but didn't do last year.  We shall see...