Because Santa Cards are Way Better with Zombies

The Grinch Avatar

I want to get rocking on my Make Art Not War 2017 Challenge, and as part of that one of my “wish list” items is to squee about something cool that I really enjoy. Today’s squee is timely, and it’s about Michael Spradlin’s Zombie Christmas Cards. I found out we had a couple of these left, and off in the mail they went with braaaaaaiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnsssssss.

Anyway, I dig Michael’s illustrations and the jokes for these cards. Zombies are a nice, geeky way to share the holiday spirit for those who appreciate the undead with their candy canes and nog.

Here’s a picture of one of the cards; if you click on it, it’ll take you to www.zombie-cards.com where you can see both illustrations, their interiors, and buy a set for next year.



December 21, 2016
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The Big Catch-Up on 25 Squees (and other Musings)

Darth Vader Masked Avatar

I have Avengers on in the background as I’m writing this, and thinking back (for some bizarro reason) to the Ewoks television series, and how much I don’t like Hydra and would like to Monica Smash them into oblivion. See also: lamenting the fact that I let the Squee project lag, but scrambled to take vacation, so there you be. And, to top it all off? I’ve been obsessed with the concept of resilience as of late, and how important that is for writers.

Let me rewind that last statement, because it’s something I want to reinforce. Writing is a hard job, because when the words don’t flow? Yeah, we only have ourselves to blame. No amount of [insert real life b.s. here] can excuse a lack of writing, because we can do that anytime, anywhere–even if it’s for half an hour. Fifteen minutes. Something. Resilience, though, isn’t about writing. It’s about the lifestyle and all the other peripherals that come with it. The contracts that fall through. The projects that we don’t get credited for or we’re forced to take to pay the bills. The good reviews, the bad, and the ugly. The pressure we receive from friends, family, fans. Etc. Etc. Etc. And then depression starting with isolation, then an over-reliance on the Internet, then a loss of perspective…until? The things we say online don’t seem to have an impact in real life, because we’re not grounded in real life enough to know that words can hurt other people.

Anyway, deep thoughts ahead of squees. There was a point where I got discouraged, since there’s so much going on right now, so many real world issues…but now that I’m back from a wonderful vacation? I feel like these squees really are another way to hold back to the darkness, another method to be resilient in addition to be grounded in real life.

On to the 25 squees! This’ll bring me up-to-date through Tuesday, December 16th.

1.) The Star Wars trailer was released! No, I haven’t seen it. I’m very excited for the new films, but want to enjoy the movies when they debut in theatres. I’m a little old school that way I suppose, and don’t want to let the dissection of every nuance ruin the experience. Star Wars is, and has been, a huge part of my life and I couldn’t be happier that the property is in great hands.

2.) This design. Because it’s true and awesome. Don’t Read the Comments by miski

3.) I’m done with holiday shopping. WOO. Not done with cards or shipping, but soon. SOON!

4.) Throwing a party. Excited!

5.) My trip out to the Bay Area could easily take up the rest of these squees. Plus, we took a trip out to the Redwoods and up the coast to Eureka.

6.) Science is awesome. Congrats to the space team that landed on an asteroid, then got this data! Rosetta Instrument Reignites Debate on Earth’s Oceans

7.) I’m a guest at Mo*Con X. Pretty cool!

8.) A time capsule in Boston has been found, buried by Samuel Adams and Paul Revere. SO FREAKING COOL!

9.) Finished another Firefly RPG supplement. Announcement to come VERY soon!

10.) Christmas cookies. Mixing, baking, eating. Need I say more?

11.) Blue Man Group is coming to a theatre near me in February. WOO!

12.) Time for the annual MDK (Murder Death Kill) holiday photo. Let the shenanigans commence!

Christmas Rimmon and Zak

13.) I don’t put up loads of decorations, but this 8-Bit Wreath is one of my favorites!

14.) I never get sick of watching The Avengers. So impressed with the connected plots that weave in and out of the movies and the S.H.I.E.L.D. TV show.

15.) Put in an order from JetPens.com for this calligraphy pen. Here’s the awesome part about this pen: the colors BLEND.

16.) Managed to clean our place before we left for California, so came back to a fresh pad. After one load of laundry, I’m totally caught up on maintenance-type crap. Woo!

17.) Starting to get some reviews for my latest project. Geist: Ready Made Characters. Glad fans are digging them!

18.) Two unannounced projects are moving forward, I’m getting caught up on other projects, and I’m making progress on my own stuff, too.

19.) Combat boots have been acquired. I’ve been looking for over a year, ever since my old ones got irreparably damaged on a trip. Opted to go with a convertible pair of Doc Marten’s and I’m really anxious to break them in.

20.) I mentioned earlier that I was starting to Couch to 5K program. Due to the pressure on my joints, I wasn’t ready for the speeds I was aiming for. I’ve since modified the program, but I’m keeping up with it. Really anxious to build some endurance and continue on the health train. It feels great to get my heart pumping again!

21.) A squee for Phil Reed and Sam Mitschke from Steve Jackson Games. They’ve been promoted!!! YAY!!! Well-deserved.

22.) Another squee for discovering Joseph Bruchac, a Native American author. Really powerful stuff.

23.) Happy that Constantine is getting some rave reviews. It’s a GREAT show and I’m thrilled for the cast and the team that put this together.

24.) Heading to a holiday party tonight to see some friends I haven’t seen for a while. Pretty excited about that!

25.) Last but not least, I’ve already made my New Year’s Resolutions and am diving into the pile. So grateful for my co-writers and editors to be able to do what I do. Thanks for seeing 2014 through and cheers for a BIG 2015!

106/365

    Mood: Go, Go Gadget
    Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: Managed. (Sort of). I had 3.
    Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: 30 on the elliptical
    In My Ears: Computer fan. (It’s loud!)
    Game Last Played: Mah Jong
    Book Last Read: An encyclopedia about demons and fairies pulling from global folklore.
    Movie Last Viewed: The Avengers
    Latest Artistic Project: Beading!
    Latest Fiction/Comic Release: Last Man Zombie Standing.
    Latest Game Release: Things Don’t Go Smooth
    What I’m Working On: Primarily tie-in games work, original comics, and novels.


December 12, 2014
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Two-Weeks Update on the Squee Update

Maleficent Queen Avatar

Halloween and other hilarity has pushed me back from the weekly squees, so here’s two weeks’ worth. I posted this today on FB, but I think it bears repeating since this is partly why I started this blog squee’ing project.

Here’s what I said:

“Just because our political leaders are divisive and have tried to lump our entire populace into red vs. blue, I don’t feel we have to follow suit. People cannot be summed up in one word, and the reality of living and breathing in a complex society means that we’re ever-evolving characters in our own stories, not one-trick ponies, who have to work and live together.

That’s why I try to be positive when I can, even though it’s hard some days, because I work and live with all kinds of people–not stereotypes.”

Here’s 14 Reasons I’m squeeing… To catch me up.

1. Once Upon a Time is shaping up great this season!
2. December will be a NaNoNetMo for me. (National No ‘Net Month.) I’ve found some great projects to set up beside me to MAKE ART on five-minute breaks. Huzzah!
3. Had a fantastic meeting with my comics collaborator. Progress!
4. Doctor Who. “Dark Water” FINALLY!
5. Had an anthology approved. Can’t wait to tell you about what I’ll be working on!
6. Halloween was fantastic! I dressed up, scared my friends, made some good eats…
7. Just found out that Hulu Plus allows me to see Constantine and Gotham, plus a mega-ton of documentaries. WOO!
8. There’s apples with oatmeal calling my name… MMMMM… Fresh, cinnamon apples and oatmeal…
9. A productivity trick I’ve learned is to change my desktop/phone wallpaper to black-and-white photography. Further reduces noise and distraction.
10. Family visits—two of them!
11. 80% off Halloween decorations… WOO.
12. Bead workshop this weekend!
13. We started fires! In our fireplace! For the first time ever!
14. This is the results of a few weeks’ worth of folds.

Origami Folds

60/365 through 74/365

    Mood: Hungry. OBVIOUSLY.
    Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: Managed!
    Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: A walk plus stairs.
    In My Ears: White noise. ZZZZZZ…
    Game Last Played: Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
    Book Last Read: Work-related. Still.
    Movie Last Viewed: Manchurian Candidate
    Latest Artistic Project: I folded a thing.
    Latest Fiction/Comic Release: Last Man Zombie Standing.
    Latest Game Release: Things Don’t Go Smooth
    What I’m Working On: Primarily tie-in games work, original comics, and novels.


November 3, 2014
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7-Link Salad for This Week’s Squees

Black and Tan Cats

Good morning! Well, I suppose it might not be morning where you are, but the sentiment is there. As you may recall I started the 365 Days of Squee over a month ago, and I have to admit that some days are more challenging than others–especially when reading the news. News poisoning is especially problematic, in my mind, to writers like myself who take inspiration from words that come into our brains. If it’s all tonally negative? Yeah, it can get depressing super-quick.

Though it initially took a concerted amount of effort for me to focus on what’s positive, I feel that I’m starting to train myself to look for those things now. That doesn’t mean I prefer every topic or work to be sanitized; I do feel that we should need to address problematic issues. It’s just that there’s so many problems–humans are very good at bitching about everything, even the small stuff–that I want to focus and pick my battles more carefully. When I don’t “battle” persay, I would rather be on the ground and doing what I believe instead of simply saying it (if that makes any sense).

On to the squees!

1) Applewood Books recently made over their website. I was poking around a bit when I saw a book written by the Stowe sisters called American Woman’s Home Or, Principles Of Domestic Science: Being A Guide To the Formation and Maintenance Of Economical, Healthful, Beautiful, and Christian Homes. If you’re into history, being able to read books written by people from the time period is a great way to get a hands on feel for what went on. This is pretty cool!

2) Unbelievably talented, I love the figurines designed by Virginie Ropars. Her dolls are fantastic! Be sure to check out her website!

3) If you’re looking for women writers to read in science fiction, I found a monthly column by A.C. Wise called “Women to Read on SF Signal.” It’s a great way to build a list and find new writers you haven’t heard of before.

4) Mouthwatering recipe for apple crisp in the crockpot. Need I say more?

5) Cartoonist Roman Jones is offering a printable version of the insightful How to Live with Introverts comic. It’s spot on!

6) 30 Second Films with Bunnies is a site that basically sums up films with… erm… bunnies. In 30 seconds. Anyway, it makes me giggle and they’ve got a huge variety of movies on there, like The Cabin in the Woods (With Bunnies) and The Princess Bride (With Bunnies).

7) These pumpkin earrings from Beadaholique are really cute! The wirework at the top really nails it for me. They have a ton of other instructional videos on their website, too.

44/365 through 51/365

    Mood: I think I’m finding my zen.
    Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: Lower than normal.
    Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Yesterday was my day off.
    In My Ears: Dance with Wolves by Inca
    Game Last Played: Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
    Book Last Read: Work-related.
    Movie Last Viewed: Constantine
    Latest Artistic Project: An origami crane
    Latest Fiction/Comic Release: Last Man Zombie Standing.
    Latest Game Release: Things Don’t Go Smooth
    What I’m Working On: Primarily tie-in games work, original comics, and novels.


October 14, 2014
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3 of 365 Squees: Puppets!

Fizgig Avatar

There’s a lot of artistry that goes into putting on puppet shows, and I’m fascinated by a puppeteer’s ability to create props, to bring a lifeless doll or sock or what-have-you into a state of being. Now, that said I’m pretty specific about my squee’ing for puppetry in general, because I don’t like many forms of ventriloquism or stories about reanimated dolls like Chucky and the like. For me, it’s about the immersion into a world of wonder or a strong character via the hands of a talented artist or troupe. At some point, I’ll post my thoughts on this topic a little more clearly, but that segues from squeeing and goes into how I feel about American horror.

I have fond memories of The Muppets, and when I eventually got around to watching E.T., Gremlins, The Dark Crystal, and (my personal favorite) Labyrinth? Well, I was in love. The thing about The Muppets, though, is that this show is how my family realized I had a musical aptitude. Their grand musical numbers? I picked out the melody line and played them by ear. Many, MANY hours and lessons and performances later…

Anyway… I’m in awe of puppetry and the work that goes onto recreating an experience whether that’s through the use of modern dance, shadow puppets, or building set props or using (what my limited hindbrain thinks is puppetry, but is likely not) stop motion photography to recreate a story. For live performances, I used to go to more when I was a student because of the discount I got to go see shows–and I remember specifically and still have feelings about the art-as-educational performance put on by a troupe of Brazilian dancers that told the story of kids living on the streets of Brazil and the fantastical legends they believed. Another one, was a Japanese tale I responded to about a couple, a pot of gold, and the morals about greed therein.

So yes, this does mean I’m not a fan of green/blue screen technology when I can “see” the seams as a viewer. Flash and shock and awe don’t create wonder for me; it’s about pulling me deeper into the story as opposed to yanking me into it and giving me mental whiplash. It’s not because I’m against technology, mind you, or that those artists don’t have mad, impressive skills in their own right—I’m exactly the opposite when it comes to video games because there I can sit back and immerse myself into a longer story on my own schedule without feeling like I’m on a rollercoaster ride. Pacing is everything to me, and an art form like puppetry really focuses on the minutia, small details to bring that character or world to life.

I feel like one of the reasons why I appreciate physical set design more for performances specifically, is because I can imagine an empty stage. I’ve been on them before and after shows I’ve been in. Logically, I can “see” the elements required and wonder at how much time it took to put those pieces together. That said, movies like “9,” mini-scenes illustrated in movies like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Snow White (the Julia Roberts version) and whatnot… I really dig using all kinds of methods to tell stories as opposed to being married to one style.

So that’s today’s squee! To “get your puppet” on, here’s a nifty little site called “Short of the Week” that shares loads of short films in all kinds of genres. For puppetry, check out the haunting Cicada Princess. Thanks to the site, the films are free to play!

3/365

    Mood: Well, I’m rested NOW!
    Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: On my second cup.
    Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Had to unpack boxes. Erg.
    In My Ears: “Crossing the Goon Sea” by Eric Serra from the Lucy soundtrack
    Game Last Played: Age of Reckoning: Kingdoms of Amalur
    Book Last Read: Re-reading His Dark Materials trilogy by Phillip Pullman
    Movie Last Viewed: Lucy
    Latest Artistic Project: Um…
    Latest Fiction/Comic Release: Last Man Zombie Standing. See also: need to write more flipping comics and exercise my art skillz again. Feh.
    Latest Game Release: Hunter the Vigil: Mortal Remains
    What I’m Working On: Primarily tie-in games work, original comics, and novels.


September 3, 2014
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