The Lone Prairie...

Isn’t a brain just a well of contradictions? Confusing emotions and swells. I sometimes think we’re little more than vessels overflowing with seasons and changing weather.

That’s an odd welcome to a newsletter, isn’t it? Sorry about that. It’s there now. I could delete it, but I also like it when the weird human bits show through.

Anyway, I was at The Lakes Comic Art Festival on the weekend, at Bowness-on-Windermere. It was a really lovely weekend, I got to meet and spend time with many good people, old friends and new. It’s always such a privilige to be able to do that. It was also the International Rights Marketplace, as part of the event, which meant I was able to book meetings with European publishers to discuss translation rights for Haru. Another privilige to be able to do. Time will tell how successful these meetings were, but all I can say is that each person I met was very kind and friendly.

Also, check out this guitar I got to doodle on, next to way better and more famous artists…. cool huh!?

Returning home from a convention always hits me with an emotional crash. Going from spending every moment socializing, seeing old friends and making new ones. I get to have such heartfelt and moving conversations at conventions that are quite rare throughout the year, and when I get home I struggle to even find a friend or family member who will even answer their phone for a chat. It’s such a stark contrast and highlights the true loneliness of this path. And what a funny thought, how solitude and loneliness are so similar but one is fraught with longing, while the other seems so full already.

I heard a quote today; ‘The moment you start wondering how much space you occupy in a persons’ heart, give them space, and see how long it takes for them to fill it.’ and it’s got me thinking, a lot.

Anyway, back to business… how about with bullet points….

• I’ll be at Thought Bubble in a few weeks.

• I’ll have copies of Haru Book 1 with me there. (A reminder, Haru Book 1 is 6 chapters long, the self published comics I released previously only cover the first 3 chapters, I had to say this a lot at the lakes. The Graphic Novel is more of the story).

• Haru Book 2 will be released in Paperback at the end of November. (There is a hardback coming out sooner, possibly the end of October - I need to double check dates.)

• I’m going to be doing a limited edition Bookplate print for a small number of Bookshops in the UK, for the launch of Book 2.

• I’m also going to be painting in the window of Mr B’s Emporium in Bath (UK) in January, to promote Book 2.

• I’m currently neck deep in working on Book 3. Working on Script edits with my Editor, as well as Thumbnails for the entire book. It’s coming together. The cover is finished (pending approval).

Anyway, I should go and carry on trying to piece normal life back together after the Lakes. It really does take me about a week to recover from a show.