*waves at Tokyopop*

I just discovered today that my blog is actually working in syndication over at Tokyopop! Hi manga readers!

Since I'm reaching the comics crowd, I'll take a moment to talk about Cowboys and Aliens: Worlds at War. We're back to the story now after a couple of weeks of concept art, and it's just thrilling to see my scripts turn into actual comics. Sometimes it's interesting to see how the artists take ideas and run a slightly different direction with them. On Monday and Tuesday of this week, Rick (Hershey) ended up giving much more focus to the facial close-ups than I'd realized I'd put forward in the script. The result is stunning--getting right up close to the characters' faces carries emotion better than I'd imagined.

It will be interesting to see how people read today's page, when it goes live. My intention had been to imply that the room was full of noise--and I don't know if we succeeded in that. The second panel shows definite argument in the background--but does it come across as hushed? Noisy? How do you show widespread noise in a comic without resorting to "bang" and "pow"? (Even that doesn't really cover it.)

I'm learning more and more as we go, and loving the whole process. I hope those of you who are along for the ride are enjoying it also!

Departure Review

For those of you interested in reading the reviews of my novels, Matt at Flames Rising just posted a great review of Departure. Thanks Matt! I feel like Matt really got what I was trying to do with the novel, and that's thrilling. ;)

Oh, for those who have read Departure and are as frustrated as Matt with the cliff-hanger, I promise I didn't know Regaining Home was going to be delayed! I had no intention of being quite this mean! As soon as I hear word on when Regaining Home will be back on the schedule, I'll let you all know.

Post #3...

So, I really should write down somewhere all the things I intend to blog about so I don't post three short entries in the space of two hours. (Maybe less. I'm not actually counting.)

I meant to mention that Ilona Andrews wrote about her connections to the funeral business over on League of Reluctant Adults today.* For the first time in what seems like ages, I actually dug someone else's description of the funeral world (I've mentioned before my love-hate feelings toward Six Feet Under, and how I'm not particularly keen on either My Girl or Fun Home, despite both being very well liked). There's a certain sense of humor required to work in the funeral business, and I love that she's drawing on that sense of death having to be funny in some way in her fiction. I've got Magic Bites out from the library--it's just behind Making Money, the first Hallowmere novel by tltrent, and the jfic I'm reading in hopes of coming up with a brilliant essay by the end of the month on my to read pile.

*Yes, I am plugging the League pretty much every day. They're bribing me with potential to win cool stuff. Thus, I cannot help myself. Free books is too good a possibility to pass up.