Christmas Letter 2013

When I thought about what I want most for Christmas this year, the only thing I could think of was peace.

It's been a year that's gone quickly. I think I've grown out of saying 'glad it's over' because it's not really over, is it? 2013 may be coming to a close but my life goes on. December turns into January the same way that March becomes April. I'll get a new Alphonse Mucka calendar the same way I bought a new pair of shoes in June. And life will go on.

Life goes on.

drawing on St Cyrus beach - Angus

That's been the strangest and most marvellous sensation considering that on 14 January 2013 I lost my best friend, Ryan, to cancer. She was only 30. But, despite this, she married her husband, Ben on 5 January and it was beautiful. I shortly thereafter lost my Uncle Reg who died very unexpectedly from a heart attack on 22 March. These deaths coupled with the effect Ryan's friendship had on my life has created a profound and haunting feeling: I feel both grateful and a bit sad every day (surely the Welsh or Germans have a word for it - gratestrista?). Grateful that Ryan was in my life, sad that I'm going on without her. We always left parties together (except when we didn't) and I'm angry she got to leave before me. But, in some ways I feel like I've been passed something that I'm now responsible for carrying, and that's the memories, the love and the laughter she gave me.

West Brewery - Glasgow

So, 2013 had a start that passed in a blur and I honestly can barely remember the first 6 months or so. I did stuff. And then I kind of woke up somewhere around the end of June. Thankfully I remembered to take photographs and have pictures of visits to London, Oxford, Montrose, Glasgow on trips with friends, etc. I went to the Edinburgh Zoo (which I haven't done since I first moved here) to see the Pandas with Ray and Craig. Made it down to London to visit them twice as well which was a welcome relief away. Got to see sights and explore London town, visit friends (met up with Margaret Pritchard-Houston who I've known since I was 10!), visited museums and galleries and did the usual London tourist business and saw Shakespeare's 'The Tempest' at The Globe Theatre. It was epic!! I also so my first live international rugby match at Murrayfield and watched as Scotland trounced Italy! Wooooooo!

Ray and Craig for a visit to Edinburgh Zoo

I went on some dates, made some new mates, bought some new shoes (which was a major thing as one of the reasons I was having back problems was because my shoes fit improperly), got nominated for a magazine award again (we didn't win but it was a great night out!), went on Stonewall Authentic Role Model training (which was amazing for many reasons), did lots of chicken sitting (like dog sitting but with chickens), made lots of journals, visited the Royal Yacht Britannia, grew chillis, and spend a lot of time with my friends who have been so much fun, support and generally all around aces and kept me on the right side of life and laughter.

I had a few visitors from home which was awesome. Lauren Howard and Downstairs Dan came to visit with their respective partners and it's always a boost to see old friends (I just realised I still have Lauren's copy of David Sedaris' Naked which has orange dust in it from her trip to Africa. I must return this). It strikes me how we all remain the same people we were at heart and the only big change is that we seem a bit more comfortable in our own skin. I guess that's maturity!

I was in a show, Sweet Charity, this Autumn and I think that's where things started to pick up. I had fun, lots of fun. I met new people, got some exercise, made new friends and having a reason not to be inside of my head all the time did me a world of good. In the show I played Johann Sebastian "Daddy" Bruebeck (which was played in the film version of Sweet Charity by Sammy Davis Jr). I would love to say I did it as well as SDJ, but I did it better, because I did it the Harry way! Big, over the top and with just a little bit of sex-appeal (who am I kidding? A lot of sex-appeal). In my head I was channelling Dr Teeth from the muppets but probably came across more like my dad than anything else. :-/ The wig alone was phenomenal (thanks Caroline) but the glittery cape was the bees knees. And the whole cast were just awesome to sing and dance and be bumbling jackanapes with. By far my favourite show to have performed in!

Then came... the book! I published my first novel (*ahem* available in print and Kindle on Amazon in the UK and US ), Black Star, in November. It's been amazing and scary and exhausting and amazing. The launch itself was overwhelming in that sort of 'OMG, people are here to support me and I'm all emotional and happy' way. I went with Shug and Andy (who were super stars organising ME on the night) to Mamma's (my favourite pizza restaurant) for dinner which is next door to the Beehive Inn where we had the launch. My mate Eilidh made fantastic cupcakes and we held a silent auction for a hand-bound copy of the book, framed map and drawing! I was so overwhelmed by the love and support of everyone there and those who showed their support by pre-ordering special edition copies of the book. So far from my launch and sales of the book we've helped donate almost 150 books to school reading programmes in Africa through Book Aid International!! All of the other figures like numbers sold fall away when I think about that. Thank you so much to everyone who's bought a copy or made donations. It's unreal to have a book published but it makes it all the better for knowing that it's doing some good! I've already had to start in on Book 2! Watch this space.

Two new wains have popped out of my sisters and into my family. Stefanie had a little girl, Talia, who is the cutest thing you've ever seen. And Love had a little boy, Hunter, who's just a smiley ball of adorable.

Early next year I'll be taking the 'Life in the UK' test in the aim of getting residency in Scotland (I say Scotland because I live in Scotland. That is not a comment on the referendum for Scottish Independence in 2014. Yes, it's a big issue, but you know what, I have to sort myself out and make sure I don't get chucked out of the UK or Scotland first before I consider how to sort the entire freaking country, so bleh!). It's scary and exciting to think I've lived in Scotland over 8 years. If nothing else, I've seen in the last few years that this is just as much my home. I've got as much wonderful family here as I do in the states and that's really seen me through a year that could have gone either way. But I'm happy to say, having come through it, everything is good and happy and I'm looking forward to the days ahead.

I hope you're all happy and healthy and that this holiday sees you right.

All my love,
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PS: You can buy 'Black Star' on Amazon in the UK and US
Check out Themo on Twitter and Facebook

Tatt-t-tatt-tat-too

In preparing to get stuck in to Book 2 I'm reviewing the outline.

I'm super super excited to get to work on it. It's definitely much more action packed from the first book and *spoiler* we see a lot more of Mhetli.

You're going to find out a bit more about who he is and what exactly happened to him in Black Star labs. He's going to spend a good lot of the time scrapping and scraping and we'll get more than a few flashes of his nasty tatts that were embedded under his skin to help him control his powers.

I decided to spend a while exploring exactly what that would look like so here's a sketch of exactly how extensive Mhethli's metal network of subdermal tattoos is.

Enjoy!
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Mhetli's subdermal tattoos

Buy the book on Amazon in the UK and US
Check out Themo on Twitter and Facebook

Bumble bee-ginings - my guide to self-publishing

Things are ticking along nicely with the book and the magazine has been short-listed for another award!! I've been a busy bee setting up radio interviews, reviews and attacking the social-media sphere with my work. And, I suppose the biggest draw back of self-publishing is how quickly the admin/PR stuff takes over the creative side of this work. It's totally gratifying - I can see the results already of all the hard work I've put in to promote the book  in sales and feedback. But, it does mean that work my creative side suffers as I'm not producing as much 'tangible' work (this is why I'll never be a project manager).But, maybe the work I'm doing is producing tangible results if I just look at it in a different way?

Here are some of the things I've experienced so far in my adventures in self-publishing - ideas that, I hope, will help you see the fruits of your labour a bit more clearly when it starts to feel exhausting. (There's a reason for the bee theme. Keep reading)

Bee clear - set objectives:
I have a set of overall objectives for the next six months. Putting my book out there on my own means I need to decide how I define "success". Getting on the New York Times best-seller list is not a reasonable goal. If it happens, I'll be elated. But realistically, I need to define my success by accomplishments that are within my one-man-band's grasp.

I chose not to go the traditional route of finding an agent and a publisher (that is serious hard work in itself). So, I have to be reasonable in what to expect. Targets like units sold, number of FB and Twitter followers and reviews received are all within my ability to influence. Social networking is king if you don't have a publisher's budget for PR! Don't undersell yourself, but be honest with what you on your own can achieve in a set amount of time.

Also, do some research. There are great books out there on how to do this stuff, so don't reinvent the wheel with the basics.

Bee focused - set milestones:
Setting milestones on the road to my objectives has been helpful. For example I took a 'long-weekend' once I had completed certain tasks. For me, getting the launch done, selling all my advance copies and sending out 50 requests to reviewers was a target. My moment to 'take a breather' was not dependent on the responses I got from those requests but the work I accomplished.

Ultimately, getting a certain number of reviews is one my targets and I can affect the outcome by sending out more and more requests until I get there. But I can't make it happen right at this minute. But, the effort I've put in so far on the road to get there should be honoured. *Well done Themo*

Bee relaxed - take a break:
My long weekend meant getting out of my flat away from my computer which meant I couldn't send out emails, etc. The downside to being self-published is social media has also become my job.

I did Facebook and Tweet while in transit to places but getting out and about with friends meant I wasn't sitting at home at my PC plugging away at PR requests, etc. You can only handle so much. And friends are always happy to put forward ideas, but be realistic about what you can take on and when. Just say 'Thanks, that's really helpful. Now let's talk about something besides work'. Remember, if you burn out, your project burns out. Your mental health and well-being are your greatest asset. Respect that and you'll continue in the game. Don't sell yourself short - this is hard work.

Bee a social butterfly - get out there:
Be creative and talk to people about what you're doing. Half of the ideas I've had for promoting my book were suggested by friends. Even if it's just 'stop into this independent book shop and ask questions' it can only yield good things - experience, connections, leads or just a good chat. But, most importantly, always be genuine.

Bee patient - plan your campaign:
There are lots of good ideas out there. There are lots of different and exciting and inventive ways to get your name out there. But, the whole point of having a time scale is because you can't do everything at once. I keep track of all the brilliant ideas I have or friends' suggestions that I think will really make a difference. But, I've given myself six months to reach my overall objectives. There are certain things that I want to do before the Christmas season like pop into bookshops and get some physical copies on shelves. But there are some ideas like 'having a signing at the story-telling centre' that won't really help me get to where I need to be in the next six months. That will be a great idea once the books are in people's hands. So, take time to plot out (and talk out with a friend) what and when you should try out different marketing techniques.

Bee shrewd - evaluate:
Once you've stuck to at a tactic for a bit go thru and see how well it's working. My book has been out for a week. Right now, every thing I've accomplished is purely word of mouth (Thanks sooooooo much to all of my mates! You've all been super supportive and the best). So, I can't say for certain if my quest for 500 FB likes is the way to go. But, I'm sure by the end of November I'll see what way things are going and consider trying out new ideas. That's where you whip out those ideas your friends have given you and can play about.

Bee on the look out - have fun:
We self-publishers are artists. This PR admin stuff can be a drain, but there are still spots of fun creative work in between. So, you get a bit too caught up in designing the wee logo for the press release you're sending out or choosing colours for a spread sheet. It's what we do. Enjoy it! No, the 'business' side won't last forever. But while you're working away out of your comfort zone take pleasure in the moments of creative comfort.

For example, today in the office, someone needed a picture of a cartoon wasp. We couldn't find the right image on a stock website and it just needed to be quick and dirty so I thought, 'Hang on... I'm an illustrator!' My easy-peasy fill work for Redshirt Dead meant I had a quick technique for getting the buzzer that was needed for the job. A drawing that should have taken me five minutes took about 20 while I got the 'shiny bits' just right in Photoshop. But, I found it so satisfying and it inspired me to write this post!!

Here is my 5 minute wasp - combination hand drawing and digital render.

Not a Bee

So, I hope in your self-publishing journey this has been some help. And when in doubt, remember the bee... er... wasp.

Enjoy!
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New Adventures in publishing

Lots going on this month. Very exciting things happening.

Firstly, it's official!!! I'm having a book launch party on 1 November, 8 pm at Beehive Inn in Edinburgh. If you're in the area and free come on down. I'll probably give a wee reading and have some promotional items for the book to give out so make sure you get there. Find out more on my Facebook page.

I'm using the book to help raise money for Book Aid International by donating a percentage of all profits from my first book to this amazing charity. So, check out their website and buy my book when it's out on Amazon Kindle on the 1st November.

Secondly, I started a new project - Redshirt Dead - with my mate Dizzy Cochrane. It's an all expense paid trip to lampooning all things Sci-fi (primarily Star Trek). Check us out on Tumblr, Twitter or Facebook. It's epic y'all.

Thirdly, I'm in a show "Sweet Charity" at Church Hill Theatre. Come see it. It's fab!!

Enjoy!
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Redshirt Dead

I'm having a cracking time getting back to cartooning. Might mate Dizzy Cochrane and I have started a cartoon series, Redshirt Dead. I'm working on a fair few of our ideas at the moment but here is the first sneak peak at a completed panel and the process.

Drawings for Black Star are finished pencil drawings (which I love). But there's something nice about the stark thick black lines of a cartoon that just can't be beaten.

Also, with transferring the drawn images on velum with ink I can cheat and not go back over incorrect lines etc. I've drawn with a tablet before but it doesn't have the same physical reality and presence as something that's been drawn by hand and scanned in.

Enjoy!
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For the base drawing it's just pencil on paper. This is I think draft 7!!! 

 

I trace the drawing onto velum using a medium Stabilo permanent marker. I use a fine tip for smaller details. I find the fine creates a bit of 'texture' in the final drawing and I really like the bold blocky outline.

Final product: I then take the final outline and block in the infamous redshirt and add block shading to key items to highlight the joke. I've used a bit of crosshatching to give a wee bit of depth but not so much it detracts from the ultimate punchline. 

Sci-fi fans... can you tell what it is yet?

Check us out the Redshirt Dead Tumblr where new comics will be published and also follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

New frontier

It's been ages since I did cartooning and with the book the aesthetics of my visual art have been firmly dedicated to Arbea in the past few years.

However, a mate of mine came to me with an idea for a project that I just couldn't pass up. Here are some sketches for an up and coming project that I just couldn't wait to share!

I think having a partner in this venture will keep the project fresh on all frontiers. I find working with others on creative projects to be incredibly rewarding. You have someone to bounce ideas off of and help sharpen and refine them. You also have ideas that otherwise might not have come to light. It also means that the load of creation be shared.

Enjoy!
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Jack and Jane

Some aliens

Krytasian sketch in my notebook

Another opening...

In between working on books I do do other work. Recently I designed the flyers for a show by an Edinburgh AmDram company Allegro for their up and coming production of Sweet Charity.

 

Here's a bit more about the process.

Enjoy!
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Here are two sketches for original concepts that I came up with. I wanted to draw on the colour and vibrance of the 60s and the flower power themes in the show.

 

We liked the idea of using a silhouette in front of a funky background. But thought something black would let the figure in the foreground stand out while allowing a busy background to shine. So, we went back to the original stage poster for inspiration and went with the iconic Gwen Verdon pose.  

 

I lurve the silhouette! We had to add the lines to really define that she is looking over her shoulder. Bob Fosse moves are really great for silhouette because they're so sharp and stylised. I played with a few other Fosse poses but they were too identifiable as other shows, this one being Chicago:

Anywho, go see Sweet Charity (15 - 19 October at Church Hill Theatre, Edinburgh). Check out the Allegro website for ticket and time information. 

Buy 'Black Star' on Amazon in the UK and US to support Book Aid International.
Check out Themo on Twitter and Facebook

Plating up

The final plates for the book are finished. What do you think?

Enjoy!
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Begging you for Mercy

Mercy is one of Gemmy’s classmates who we meet in Chapter 2 at the scientics fete.

“She had straight black hair that was cropped just below her ears. Her eyes were a deep violet and were always wide as if she were expecting a surprise.”

  

She’s one of my favourite characters, but sadly this illustration won't make it into the book. We get just two short chapters with young Gemmy and a lot of other characters are more integral to the plot. But, I just had to draw her.

Though it's a brief meeting, Mercy is one my favourite character for several reasons:

1. The young Mercy is mostly an amalgamation of two girls that I actually went to school with when I was five, both named Carol. 
2. In my head she looks and acts like one of my little sisters when she was that age – a bit shy but mostly because she’s a lot wiser than her years.
3. Writing her and Gemmy’s interaction was so much fun for me.
4. She’s just adorable. And who doesn't like adorable characters?

Even though this picture isn't in the book, it may not be the last we see of Mercy Valdein.

Enjoy!
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In a Manek state of mind

Manek is an affable young man introduced in the second chapter of the book. He helps Gemmy set up his infamous science project.

  

Manek is a student at the University where Gemmy's parents work, and works part-time as a driver and minder for various University families. He ends up watching Gemmy most evenings after school and is the only person that Gemmy feels pays attention to him. Gemmy looks up to Manek and imitates him every chance he gets to try and seem more 'grown-up'.

I wanted the drawing of Manek to reflect the congenial nature of the character. As someone who looked after children in my teens it takes a lot of humour to keep kids entertained and to get them to listen to you when you're not their parent. Above all, you have to be their friends, and I wanted Manek to look like the type of guy who would be able to earn the trust of a very cynical young Gemmy.

Enjoy!
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Up front

I decided to create a frontispiece for the book. Although, traditionally it's used on the title page this will sit on the dedication page. It's more meaningful to me there. So to hell with convention!

 

I was glad to find a use for the drawing that I had developed as a very early cover concept, which was actually an idea for my 30^th Birthday invitation! (Oh, how these things get re-appropriated) Once I realised that Sem should be part of the drawing all of the pieces really clicked into place.

The drawing was conceived as Gemmy sitting on a window sill reading. And I thought the Mucha inspiration was fitting for the frontispiece which, classically, is very decorative and florid. I just thought it would be cool to set Sem and Gemmy in a kind of yin and yang formation. I think it adds to the dreamy aspect of the illustration. But, by placing Sem upside down it gives her an ethereal quality, almost as if she is watching over Gemmy while she hangs out in the sky reading. I didn’t plan it that way, but it’s particularly poignant for me given the dedication.

This will also be the only official colour plate in the book (for users with KindleFire). 

Enjoy!
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Final chapter header design

Formatting for the kindle is a pain. But, now that I've gotten the hang of it I'm steaming ahead with adding in finishing touches like graphic chapter headers to get the glyphs in. It's a lot of repetitive work but so far totally worth it!

  

So far so good. The headers are in and the formatting has held so I can forge ahead with the rest of setting the images. I'm thinking of giving all the character drawing a classy border that will compliment the style of the headers.

What do  you think?

Enjoy!
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Bully for you!

One of Bansho Island Prep's number one sparrein players and endless tormentor of Gemmy, Schugh Penbeck.

  

We first meet Penbeck - The Chug - when Gemmy and Sem get to school.

"Sem looked about wildly to find their assailant. As expected, she spied Schugh Penbeck huddled in a gaggle of boys guffawing under one of the large pery trees. He was facing away from her and Gemmy, but she knew it was him from his hulking shoulders, pointy ears and close cropped hair. That and he was the only one who persisted in calling Gemmy ‘mop-top’ and had a predilection for hurling apples instead of oranges."

He's not the bonniest but doesn't have to be as he's the school's premier defender on the Sparrein field. Secretly he has a massive crush on his teammate, Sem, and is constantly seeking her company to discuss 'tactics'. Needless to say, she's not really interested.

This is another character where I asked my mates for suggestions. I didn't find any I liked and actually ended up creating a mish-mash of two of my friends' names to create something intimidatingly off-putting  (Sorry guys!). But rest assured, I did no borrow any of his features from them.

Enjoy!
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Baddies: Wurmstab and Grubskirm

Well, not really bad guys. But the two characters you'll love to hate. I won't go into too much detail but the first is Ixtilton Wurmstab, the director of Morgengarde research facility. There's a sinister edge behind the dashing looks.

  

This next guy I've already blogged about. This is Gemmy's scientics teacher, Mr Grubskirm. He's a real nasty piece of work who enjoys making Gemmy's life a living hell at school.

  

Enjoy!
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