Kay Iscah's Blog, page 14
April 12, 2013
Horse Feathers Ch 3 and Sovereign: The Most Amazing Comic Ever
I posted Chapter 3 of Horse Feathers this morning. The story is getting more active now. I remembered that people judge a book by the cover, so I created one by modifying some art the very talent KMC had done for the main character back when we were in highschool. (egads I've been working on this novel that long...)
For story reasons I decided to cut Thunder's head out of this cover, which is a shame cause it's the best part of the original artwork. But over all I'm pleased with it. Fictionpress "covers" are pretty tiny on the screen.
Speaking of fictionpress, a review exchange there led me to the discovery of "Sovereign: The Most Amazing Comic Ever" which is pretty delightful. The art style is perhaps not top quality, but it's nicely consistent (important for comics) and fits the style of the story very well. They get high marks on character design, storytelling, and humor.
For story reasons I decided to cut Thunder's head out of this cover, which is a shame cause it's the best part of the original artwork. But over all I'm pleased with it. Fictionpress "covers" are pretty tiny on the screen.
Speaking of fictionpress, a review exchange there led me to the discovery of "Sovereign: The Most Amazing Comic Ever" which is pretty delightful. The art style is perhaps not top quality, but it's nicely consistent (important for comics) and fits the style of the story very well. They get high marks on character design, storytelling, and humor.
April 7, 2013
Horse Feathers Ch. 2
Posted Chapter 2 of "Horse Feathers" on fictionpress. It's a bit of a slow start, but I think it works within the larger story set. I wanted to explore daily life for peasants (Phillip's specifically) in storybook land a bit. Since "The Girl With No Name" was basically about building up a legend, I like playing with some more average Joe characters. I also think there's a bit of a meta-joke to Phillip's mundane life on the unicorn ranch...
I put a version of my "The Girl With No Name" cover art up on cafepress on bags and cell phone covers and stuff. Yay, merchandising!
I put a version of my "The Girl With No Name" cover art up on cafepress on bags and cell phone covers and stuff. Yay, merchandising!
March 31, 2013
MTAC
Two panels at MTAC. It was fun, but I was too tired to enjoy it as much as I have other cons (or previous MTACs). I wore boots with 3.5 inch heels cause I thought I'd be sitting in panels most of the day on Friday, and instead I ended up volunteering to be a runner for the Artist Ally. I don't regret volunteering. I do regret wearing those heels while doing it. For some reason, my Friday Night panel "Mastering the Art of Game Mastering" didn't make it onto the printed schedule, but somehow I still got a really good turn out. That was a big relief.
Saturday morning's panel "Ending Your Story" started out with 5 people, but it grew to have between 15-20 about midway through. (Not too strange since it was first thing in the morning and people were still in line waiting to get in). I have a weird version of stage fright. The more people there are the more comfortable I am.
I was tired, so I don't think I was quite at my best for presentation, but I still got compliments on both panels. People said they appreciated that I had actual content and wasn't just winging it.
Apparently there's a Brony con coming up this summer, Sweet Apple Acres. My nephew is a huge My Little Pony fan, so I thought I'd try to do some panels there too.
Saturday morning's panel "Ending Your Story" started out with 5 people, but it grew to have between 15-20 about midway through. (Not too strange since it was first thing in the morning and people were still in line waiting to get in). I have a weird version of stage fright. The more people there are the more comfortable I am.
I was tired, so I don't think I was quite at my best for presentation, but I still got compliments on both panels. People said they appreciated that I had actual content and wasn't just winging it.
Apparently there's a Brony con coming up this summer, Sweet Apple Acres. My nephew is a huge My Little Pony fan, so I thought I'd try to do some panels there too.
Microhome
I'm fascinated by the idea of microhouses, and at 128 ft. this one is definitely tiny. But a good layout makes a huge difference.
Article: http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2013/03/28/tiny-house-for-sale-arkansas/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl12%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D291403#photoID-5776117
It's listed $22,900 and sitting on a acre of land. Has all the basic necessities (bathroom, kitchen, bed, table, even a little storage). Places like this make it viable for minimum wagers to own property. Now whether the property is a good investment is a decision that must be made on an individual basis.
But I am fascinated by the idea of the one person house.
Article: http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2013/03/28/tiny-house-for-sale-arkansas/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl12%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D291403#photoID-5776117
It's listed $22,900 and sitting on a acre of land. Has all the basic necessities (bathroom, kitchen, bed, table, even a little storage). Places like this make it viable for minimum wagers to own property. Now whether the property is a good investment is a decision that must be made on an individual basis.
But I am fascinated by the idea of the one person house.
March 25, 2013
New Design for Pretty Little Liars Fanportal "Red Coat"
I've known about the Pretty Little Liars fanportal for a while now, but this is the first time I could think of a good image/design for it. You can buy T-shirts and stuff with the basic design at cafepress now: http://www.cafepress.com/amoebaink/9955041
I've got to get ready for MTAC next weekend, but when I have time, I'm going to go back and add a background. Probably not for the t-shirts, but possibly on things like phones and wallets...maybe do it in such a way that I can resize it for purses, etc.
I've got to get ready for MTAC next weekend, but when I have time, I'm going to go back and add a background. Probably not for the t-shirts, but possibly on things like phones and wallets...maybe do it in such a way that I can resize it for purses, etc.
Horse Feathers
Hello internet,
I've started a new free to read fantasy serial on fictionpress called Horse Feathers . It's about a boy named Phillip who works at the unicorn stables with his dad and dreams about adventure and owning a pegasus. Phillip's essentially a young nerd living the life of a medieval peasant in a storybook world.
Phillip's story takes place after
For me the hardest thing about writing a story is summarizing it. I'm really struggling to find a pithy way to describe Seventh Night. It's kind of mash of everything I love about fairytales and fantasy adventures. There a princess and a prince and a farmboy (technically a stableboy) and a sorceress. There's an evil wizard king, magic, romance, humor, swordfights, monsters, sea voyages, rescues, intrigue, quests, twists, betrayal....Forget love triangles, this story has a love pentagon.
But I'm kind of lost on how to squeeze that into a one sentence summary. At least in such a way that makes it distinctive from any other really good fantasy adventure and doesn't give away too many of the twists up front.
I've started a new free to read fantasy serial on fictionpress called Horse Feathers . It's about a boy named Phillip who works at the unicorn stables with his dad and dreams about adventure and owning a pegasus. Phillip's essentially a young nerd living the life of a medieval peasant in a storybook world.
Phillip's story takes place after
For me the hardest thing about writing a story is summarizing it. I'm really struggling to find a pithy way to describe Seventh Night. It's kind of mash of everything I love about fairytales and fantasy adventures. There a princess and a prince and a farmboy (technically a stableboy) and a sorceress. There's an evil wizard king, magic, romance, humor, swordfights, monsters, sea voyages, rescues, intrigue, quests, twists, betrayal....Forget love triangles, this story has a love pentagon.
But I'm kind of lost on how to squeeze that into a one sentence summary. At least in such a way that makes it distinctive from any other really good fantasy adventure and doesn't give away too many of the twists up front.
March 23, 2013
I got my taxes done, did you?
I've done these reminders the last few years, so why not this one? I hope everyone is well. By now, you should have gotten every form you need for your taxes and hopefully you filed them together for easy access. If you've already filed your taxes this year, good job. If you've been delaying, it's time to get to it and at the very least get your forms filled out and the numbers crunched before Easter. If you get a return, this will help you get it faster. If you owe money, this will give you more time to figure out how much you need to scrape together.
I know I've been kind of perky about tax time in previous years, and I don't really mind the forms too much. (Doesn't hurt the EIC means I usually get a refund.) But my AGI was under $4000 this past year, and much of that went to insurance. Ouch. I'm doing okay, basically trading organizing and babysitting for my room and board right now. Picked up a carpooler from my nephew's new school to help out with gas. On the upside, the PoD side of my business has slowly been growing, and I'm nearing the finish line with my first novel.
This is my new blog to announce writing related things: http://kayiscah.livejournal.com/
It may be after Easter before you see much in the way of actual posts. I'm sick this weekend and busy with MTAC next weekend.
On the personal side, my grandfather died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 91. So it was kind of a relaxed funeral because he was ready to go. The family's been reshuffling rooms and belongings while my dad is wrapping up the financial matters that must be dealt with when someone passes. My other grandmother sold her house and moved in with my aunt, so half her household belongs are down in our basement. I'm planning a massive yardsale/semi-estate sale for next month.
I know I've been kind of perky about tax time in previous years, and I don't really mind the forms too much. (Doesn't hurt the EIC means I usually get a refund.) But my AGI was under $4000 this past year, and much of that went to insurance. Ouch. I'm doing okay, basically trading organizing and babysitting for my room and board right now. Picked up a carpooler from my nephew's new school to help out with gas. On the upside, the PoD side of my business has slowly been growing, and I'm nearing the finish line with my first novel.
This is my new blog to announce writing related things: http://kayiscah.livejournal.com/
It may be after Easter before you see much in the way of actual posts. I'm sick this weekend and busy with MTAC next weekend.
On the personal side, my grandfather died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 91. So it was kind of a relaxed funeral because he was ready to go. The family's been reshuffling rooms and belongings while my dad is wrapping up the financial matters that must be dealt with when someone passes. My other grandmother sold her house and moved in with my aunt, so half her household belongs are down in our basement. I'm planning a massive yardsale/semi-estate sale for next month.
March 18, 2013
This is my new blog.
Nothing fancy, just trying to find an easy way to update when I have new creative things to share.
February 8, 2013
Weird Medicine: Leg Dents
It's important to be actively involved in your own health. There are many things your doctor can do and will know that you can't and won't, but doctor's are not omniscient, so it's good to arm yourself with information and get to know your own body.
I love WebMD for helping me figure out if I need to see a doctor, but I managed to stump that particular website this time.
My left leg has recently developed a dent and started tingling (no other symptoms). It tingled like this once a few years ago (without the dent), and I realized my cell phone was culprit. I've been careful not to carry my phone directly on my body since then, so that didn't explain things this time.
My first attempt at online research pulled up nothing, probably because I was using the word "recess" instead of "dent" or "indent". After a week or so I decided to make an appointment with my doctor "just in case". The woman scheduling the appointment asked if it was like an "indent", which gave me the word I needed for my google search.
Apparently this is a "new" but not unheard of condition. It seems some leg "dent"s are cause by repeatedly leaning against a certain counter. However that didn't fit my case. There is a newly discovered/studied condition called Lipoatrophia Semicirularis which appears most often in office workers (one site said also in a disproportionate number of young women). I thought my lack of exercise recently might be the culprit (still possible), but many people who had regular exercise routines and of various weight sizes were experiencing the same strange symptom.
The current theory is that Lipoatrophia Semicirularis (fancy way of saying the fat deflated strangely in your leg) is caused by low level electromagnetic and electrostatics fields, like from a computer. The dents in many of these people's legs seemed to match the line of shielding their desk would give them from such fields. The good news is that changes to the environment or leaving the environment, cleared up most of the cases. So it may be as simple as not sitting my laptop on my lap so often. (I'd been doing this a lot recently for writing.)
I wanted to share the story, because it seems to be uncommon but not rare and many people on the message boards said it was new to their doctors.
There are other and more serious conditions that can effect your fat layer, but this is one of those things that you could experiment with on your own to see if electronic equipment may be the culprit. I'll still be keeping my appointment with my doctor to be on the safe side, but at least now I feel like I can talk to them more intelligently about what might be going on.
P.S. Just to be clear I advocate educating yourself, not jumping to conclusions. Some home remedies are very safe to try to see if they solve the problem, others should be approached more cautiously.
I love WebMD for helping me figure out if I need to see a doctor, but I managed to stump that particular website this time.
My left leg has recently developed a dent and started tingling (no other symptoms). It tingled like this once a few years ago (without the dent), and I realized my cell phone was culprit. I've been careful not to carry my phone directly on my body since then, so that didn't explain things this time.
My first attempt at online research pulled up nothing, probably because I was using the word "recess" instead of "dent" or "indent". After a week or so I decided to make an appointment with my doctor "just in case". The woman scheduling the appointment asked if it was like an "indent", which gave me the word I needed for my google search.
Apparently this is a "new" but not unheard of condition. It seems some leg "dent"s are cause by repeatedly leaning against a certain counter. However that didn't fit my case. There is a newly discovered/studied condition called Lipoatrophia Semicirularis which appears most often in office workers (one site said also in a disproportionate number of young women). I thought my lack of exercise recently might be the culprit (still possible), but many people who had regular exercise routines and of various weight sizes were experiencing the same strange symptom.
The current theory is that Lipoatrophia Semicirularis (fancy way of saying the fat deflated strangely in your leg) is caused by low level electromagnetic and electrostatics fields, like from a computer. The dents in many of these people's legs seemed to match the line of shielding their desk would give them from such fields. The good news is that changes to the environment or leaving the environment, cleared up most of the cases. So it may be as simple as not sitting my laptop on my lap so often. (I'd been doing this a lot recently for writing.)
I wanted to share the story, because it seems to be uncommon but not rare and many people on the message boards said it was new to their doctors.
There are other and more serious conditions that can effect your fat layer, but this is one of those things that you could experiment with on your own to see if electronic equipment may be the culprit. I'll still be keeping my appointment with my doctor to be on the safe side, but at least now I feel like I can talk to them more intelligently about what might be going on.
P.S. Just to be clear I advocate educating yourself, not jumping to conclusions. Some home remedies are very safe to try to see if they solve the problem, others should be approached more cautiously.
January 21, 2013
To 2013 and Making New Mistakes...
I had intended this as a New Years post full of surviving the Mayan Apocolpyse jokes but couldn't get myself to sit down and write it. So here's the meat, a little belated...
The most important epiphany I ever had was that it is easier to learn from other people's mistakes so I didn't have to make them myself.
Yes, everyone makes mistakes, and it's better if we learn from them. But I'd like to challenge you for 2013 and the years beyond, to not make the same mistakes made over and over by society, your family, or yourself. Break a cycle and go make a new mistake.
I'm not suggesting you do anything knowing that it's a bad idea or likely to cause trouble. That's not independence or exploration; that's just dumb. But when we try new things and pursue new goals, we will undoubtedly make some mistakes along the way. Knowing this, go forward boldly and let them come. Be careful and wary but do not fearful of mistakes. They will happen, and some of the best discoveries come about through accident.
So at the end of 2012 and start of 2013 I had another epiphany, that it's time for me to go make some new mistakes. I have enjoyed writing this blog and may comeback to it when I have something worthwhile to say. But the whole point of a simplified budgeting approach is that it's simpler, and there's only so much to say about it.
I'm in a point in my life where it's more starving artist financials and family economics than proper single-focused minimum wage budgeting, so I don't feel like I have lots of great, real life examples to pull from like I did when I started.
I will leave the blog up and try to properly tag all the posts, so info on the various topics is easy to find. I would like to do some videos on this eventually, but I need to tighten up my video skills and get a better camera before I'm going to be happy with the quality of them.
I'm glad my co-author and I wrote the book. I think it's a good book and hope it will continue to help people. However my first love and where I want my career to focus is on novels. I've been working hard the past few months to get my novel Seventh Night fit for public eyes. It's getting there, and I'm excited about it.
I will come back and post here when I have something worth sharing. But I realized it's a struggle for me to write blog posts on regular basis because my heart is in my fiction and song writing.
Thank you for reading. Now, let's go out and make some new mistakes.
The most important epiphany I ever had was that it is easier to learn from other people's mistakes so I didn't have to make them myself.
Yes, everyone makes mistakes, and it's better if we learn from them. But I'd like to challenge you for 2013 and the years beyond, to not make the same mistakes made over and over by society, your family, or yourself. Break a cycle and go make a new mistake.
I'm not suggesting you do anything knowing that it's a bad idea or likely to cause trouble. That's not independence or exploration; that's just dumb. But when we try new things and pursue new goals, we will undoubtedly make some mistakes along the way. Knowing this, go forward boldly and let them come. Be careful and wary but do not fearful of mistakes. They will happen, and some of the best discoveries come about through accident.
So at the end of 2012 and start of 2013 I had another epiphany, that it's time for me to go make some new mistakes. I have enjoyed writing this blog and may comeback to it when I have something worthwhile to say. But the whole point of a simplified budgeting approach is that it's simpler, and there's only so much to say about it.
I'm in a point in my life where it's more starving artist financials and family economics than proper single-focused minimum wage budgeting, so I don't feel like I have lots of great, real life examples to pull from like I did when I started.
I will leave the blog up and try to properly tag all the posts, so info on the various topics is easy to find. I would like to do some videos on this eventually, but I need to tighten up my video skills and get a better camera before I'm going to be happy with the quality of them.
I'm glad my co-author and I wrote the book. I think it's a good book and hope it will continue to help people. However my first love and where I want my career to focus is on novels. I've been working hard the past few months to get my novel Seventh Night fit for public eyes. It's getting there, and I'm excited about it.
I will come back and post here when I have something worth sharing. But I realized it's a struggle for me to write blog posts on regular basis because my heart is in my fiction and song writing.
Thank you for reading. Now, let's go out and make some new mistakes.
