Kate Beaton's Blog, page 2

Hark, A Vagrant: American Manners

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Just a little one, from my trusty book of manners. I don't know about Americans, but I love puttin' my feet up! I won't do it on your kitchen table though.



Well I have had a very busy year. I finished two books, and published two books, and toured them with four different publishers. I'm writing to you now from my new Nova Scotia home, where I moved to at the end of December. Farewell Toronto! I will miss all my lovely comics friends. If you go to Toronto, be sure to take in The Beguiling comic store, or the Toronto Comic Art Festival (TCAF) in May.



Again, I have everyone here to thank for my books coming off of any bookstore shelf in the first place. Thank you for sticking with me, and my work, all this time. Here's a cheers, to many more years together. *Clink!* (that was two wine glasses)



xoxo



kate

Hark, A Vagrant: Gorey Covers Part 7

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More Goreys!



Shipping deadlines are coming on hard for the Topatoco store, so get your orders in!

Hark, A Vagrant: Turner

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I was asked to do a little promo image for the AGO's Turner exhibit. Of course I jumped at the chance!



There is a bit of who's who going on here, go to the AGO site for more!



And be sure to go to the AGO for J.M.W. Turner: Paintings Set Free. Details here!

Hark, A Vagrant: Gorey Covers Part 6

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Did you miss Gorey Cover Comics? They are a favourite I know! But there are only so many Goreys to go around. You'll be seeing more here before year's end! And if you are unfamiliar with the man himself, you won't be disappointed by looking into his work. But I feel like everyone knows his work anyway, that's like saying, "if you like living, try breathing."



Hey thanks to my sister Laureen who has been writing some of these Goreys with me! We are blood, we honour the sacred family compact of writing dumb jokes.



I update the store here about once a year, so it is a big deal!



So here is the link for the store, please look around at your leisure! There is lots there, even aside from what is new. And there is lots on Topatoco from many of your favorite creators as well!

Hark, A Vagrant: merch 2015

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Hello from the wilds of Scotland! Where I am staying in between Thought Bubble in Leeds and the Bristol Ideas Festival. Thought Bubble was amazing, as always.



I update the store here about once a year, so it is a big deal!



So here is the link for the store, please look around at your leisure! There is lots there, even aside from what is new. And there is lots on Topatoco from many of your favorite creators as well!



A note on merchandise, and the ponies especially:



I know that shipping outside the US is expensive. I wish there was an alternative for places like the UK and Canada where many of my readers come from! I am interested in a distributor for those places, if they are interested in me. I'm keeping my eyes and ears open, and hopefully something will come about to solve this. It would take a while to set up I'm sure, but it would be really nice to have a good sales set up outside the US, and then everybody wins.



xoxo,



Kate

Hark, A Vagrant: coxcomb

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I've been reading this book of manners and enjoying it very much! It is actually pretty progressive for its time.



It's rare you see the scripts flipped like this isn't it? So I ran with that. But poor old fellow, everyone deserves respect and should be allowed to wear what they like without abuse. Isn't that right?



Here's a little postscript for you, for our friend. An alternate ending, if you will.




The store is updated for the holidays! Including PONIES PONIES PONIES! I only really update the store once a year so expect a bigger post on that. A gal's gotta make a livin', eh!



<33333

Hark, A Vagrant: Young Goodman Brown

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While on book tour, I visited Salem and got to see the House of Seven Gables! So I am pumped on Hawthorne. How many people have had to read this and suffer essays over the pink ribbons and etc? I used to think that for literature to be REAL it pretty well had to be chock-full of allegory and symbols. But for real, I do love it when my comics get used in a classroom setting, and I often hear from teachers who do that to warm the class up to a topic. That's great! I should ask for a list of books to cover for this reason. Feel free to email, teachers!



Now for some store news!



We ordered 1200 of these fat little stuffed ponies, and they finally arrived at Topatoco! They will go on sale MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2. I don't know how fast they will sell, but we do anticipate them to sell out, so get there early! And if you miss it, don't worry, there are 1200 more on the way, except they won't be in time for the holiday season. It took a while but we are so happy with how they turned out, they are 100% cuddly and adorable and I have first hand seen kids go crazy for them. The best.



Here is the link to my store, check it out on Nov. 2!



And here is the star of the show!










The Princess and the Pony is selling so well and I'm so pleased! Thank you all! xoxo

Hark, A Vagrant: VP drawing

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I'm still velocipeding around the country with Step Aside Pops! Many thanks to those who just came to the Lake District's comics festival in Kendal, UK! Now off to London, and soon to Thought Bubble in Leeds, and Bristol too.


Would you like to read some historical comics in the meantime?



Delilah Dirk by Tony Cliff is one of my favourite comics series, so the news that it is coming from book only to web syndication is GREAT news! I got to read The King's Shilling (for blurb purposes) and I adored it. Now it is being updated on a regular schedule at delilahdirk.com. Delilah and Selim adventures forever!!







After a little hiatus, The Dreamer by Lora Innes is back online and updating! It's a really fun historical time travel adventure romance! And the research is right on. I met Lora while in Columbus for CXC, and it was a thrill, she was so nice!



Oh one more item, this Drunk History about Harriet Tubman with Crissle West and Octavia Spencer is the best thing, ever.



Hope you enjoy! See you on my travels maybe!

Hark, A Vagrant: Baby in a Corner

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I'm still on book tour with Step Aside Pops! We hit #1 on the New York Times graphic novel bestseller list! Thank you! Ahh you are the best!



Soon there will be the annual rollout of TOPATOCO merchandise so I'll be sure to let you know when! There will be some fun new shirts as well as PLUSHIE PONIES! I hope they get here soon! They look great.


Check them out here! I've been waiting so lonnggg for them to commmee (we hear November from the company).



The North American leg of this fall tour is over, and I was really lucky to meet a lot of great people! SPX was great as always, and the brand new CXC in Columbus was a delight. Now we are off to the UK! Dates here:



October 16-17: Kendal

Lakes International Comic Art Festival



October 20: London

GOSH! Comics

launch party 7-9pm



November 9-15: Leeds

Thought Bubble Festival




November 23: Bristol

Bristol Festival of Ideas

Cape Comic Creations Night

Hark, A Vagrant: Mega Team 3

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You do the first one at home. Don't deny! WE ALL DO THE FIRST ONE.



Step Aside Pops is OUT IN STORES!! Buy yours now! The reviews have been lovely, thanks everyone who has a hand in that business! How can I not be pleased with things like this NPR review? I have also been showing up in interviews, like at the Guardian, or best of all, talking with my old pal Lisa Hanawalt over at Jezebel.



I'm neck deep in a book tour!