Caffeine & Sleep Deprivation

New website & blogsite!

2009-03-12T18:09:00.004-03:00

The new website is still under construction but not unlike a certain battle station is fully operational! I'll begin blogging more often from the blog on the site and posting news, artwork and all sorts of goodies so be sure to update your bookmarks and start looking there for all the news!

I'll leave this site up for you to dig back through and enjoy. Now ONWARD!

WWW.MEANWHILESTUDIOS.COM

I, Troy Little, will be the best 36-year-old... EVER!

2009-03-07T11:35:00.000-04:00

Book signing in Halifax!

2009-03-03T15:45:00.001-04:00

CBR and new website

2009-02-23T21:26:00.002-04:00

Not too long ago I was approached by the good folks at Comic Book Resources for an interview. It's now online and you can check it out by clicking HERE!

Now that the Angora Napkin cartoon is winding down I'm going to start working on a new website shortly as the old one has fallen by the wayside and my crappy website builder quit on me sometime last year. Don't expect much as I hate building these things but hopefully I'll have something semi functional up soon.

I've received a few email from people who have picked up the Angora Napkin graphic novel and heaped great praise upon me. I thank you for the support and I send good Karma to your door.

10 Questions

2009-01-25T09:15:00.002-04:00

Kirk at Comics Career has started an ambitious project where he ask comic book professionals a set of 10 questions and posts the responses every day. Today you'll find my contribution to the project by clicking HERE!

ANGORA NAPKIN graphic novel in stores now!!

2009-01-22T11:17:00.002-04:00

AT LAST!!!
Available everywhere!! book stores, comic shops and online!!

Chiaroscuro: Best Graphic Novel of 2008!

2008-12-12T14:53:00.004-04:00

At least according to Suvudu, and who am I to argue? In case you missed out, the TPB edition is out now!

Also, my website is on the fritz and I am currently unable to update it so all news will show up here until I can get around to fixing that... Like in March or something...

Why must I care so much?

2008-12-01T11:58:00.002-04:00

Episode #22 in the Bond franchise. Arguably the worst film I've seen in some time, and that's saying something. It was hardly even a James Bond movie, more like some 'The Bourne Identity" crap that's shot too tight by someone in the midst of an epileptic fit. I don't think I've seen a worse edited film - totally unwatchable. Don't get me started on the story... Frankly I'd be hard pressed to tell you what it was about it was so well defined.

Why do I care so much about film and cartoons these days? They only get me angry and make me bitter. This world makes no sense to me - How can QoS be so bad and make 20.1 million in 5 weeks? Why do people like Shrek? Then I spin off into: Why did "The Force Unleashed" have to cheap out on the PS2 version in such a big way? Why does the Christmas shopping season kick into high gear the day after Halloween? What lame excuse did you use to not vote in the last Federal Election? Who is the jackass that came up with reality TV and why has no one killed him yet?

Then I start to think: WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE??? Have you no integrity? No sense of personal accountability? No concept of potential? Why do we take the notion that 99% of everything is crap as acceptable?

And then finally I wonder - why the fuck should I care about any of this? Why do I let these things ruin my day and make me a rotten, surly, sarcastic bastard? I'm being played like a sucker no matter how hard I try it would seem. I'm sure there's a lesson I'm hard pressed to learn in all of this but I have difficulty with the idea that I should stop caring.

Angora Napkin graphic novel: Update

2008-11-24T12:33:00.003-04:00

The book is finished and off to the printer!

Previews has listed Angora Napkin as "Certified Cool" in the November catalogue!

How to pre-order your copy:

1) Local book store - give them the name and ISBN 978-1600103391

2) Comic Shop - Name and Diamond Code NOV08 4158

3) Click the Amazon link

The book will be shipping and available in stores world wide in January 2009!

(Most online shops seem to have listed the book as paperback, but it's actually a hardcover.)

NIN - Montreal, Nov. 12th

2008-11-14T10:43:00.003-04:00

I've been a rabid NIN fan since '94 but have only managed to see them once before this on the Fagility Tour in 2000 where I was regrettably stuck in a seat in the nosebleeds. Not this time my friend!

Thanks to my friend Jean we scored GA floor space and when March of the Pigs came on I was four people away from the front and center of the show. Now THAT is how to see a NIN concert.

(see me down there?)

Setlist:

999,999

1,000,000

Letting You

Discipline

March of the Pigs

Head Down

The Frail

Closer

Gave Up

Me, I'm Not

The Great Destroyer

5 Ghosts I

14 Ghosts II

19 Ghosts III

Ghosts Piggy

The Greater Good

Pinion

Wish

Terrible Lie

Survivalism

The Big Come Down

31 Ghosts IV

Only

The Hand The Feeds

Head Like a Hole

Encore:

Echoplex

Reptile

God Given

Hurt

In This Twilight

SPX 2008: There and Back Again

2008-10-11T18:22:00.032-03:00

I've been trying to get to SPX for years now but something always seemed to crop up and I'd put off the idea for a year or two. This year I finally made it and it sure was worth the wait.

SEPT 30TH, 2008

My pal Patrick and I rented a car (thanks Jay!) and hit the road for Moncton to catch Blue Man Group playing at the Moncton Colosseum.

I've been a big fan of these guys for years, but Patrick knew very little about them and was rather indifferent until the show started. I knew he was going to love it and I was not wrong - how could you not? Our floor seats sucked so we took to the high ground for a better view. I'd seen the show before on PBS and knew all the music so it wasn't too much of a surprise to me, but very enjoyable none the less. Great crowd.

After the show, a few friends had backstage passes to meet the BMG, so me, Pat and my nephew Josh were waiting around for them to get back. Out of no where my cousin Craig Wilson from St. John greets me. I haven't seen him in decades! What I remember most about Craig was him giving me his Star Wars toys one time when we visited (I still have them too).

We crash at Carol's uncle Dave's house that night. I have trouble sleeping because Pat bought me a coffee just before the show.

OCTOBER 1ST, 2008

Woke up early the next morning with a mild headache, fueled up on coffee and hit the road! We had a few days travel time so the plan was to not have a plan. Stop at interesting or weird places and take back roads where possible.

Just outside St. Stephen, NB we find our first weird stop.

The next stop was the US border where I learned and interesting thing: A Canadian can not go into the US and sell stuff. We were stopped and whisked into the Department of Homeland Security building, the watchful eye of George W. Bush grinning at us from a large framed poster while border guards went through our car and belongings.

An elderly woman, attempting to bring 8 peaches across the boarder was stopped and her fruit confiscated. Pat had a peach while we waited.

I was mildly concerned when the officer came in with a handful of books from the car, one of them Dave Sim's Judenhass. I half expected them to flip it open, see a drawings of Hitler and Jews from Auschwitz and charge us with distributing hate literature. Thankfully that was not the case. In fact, the officer was as helpful as she could be but in the end told us to go back to Canada and get rid of all but 2 copies of my books and I could keep the free preview comics.

We grabbed lunch at a nearby Pizza Delight and tried to formulate a plan. I'd be damned if I wasn't going to SPX this year! My salvation came in the form of Brenda Matheson, a kind and trusting soul who manages the Tourist Information Building in St. Stephen. She kept my books in her office for a week and I can't thank her enough for helping me out!

We breezed back through the US border without anyone bothering to make sure I'd done as told. None the less, The US is justly safe from Canadian comics and peaches - well done!

Pat wanted some Marlboros and happily smoked away when the fancy struck him. We stopped at a Tim Hortons, curious as to what passes for Tim Hortons coffee in the States. I ordered a medium and got a large. Pat ordered a medium and got a large. When he commented on that, the woman serving us said, "Oh, you must be Canadian. Everything is bigger in the US". Sadly (but not surprisingly) the coffee sucked.

We drove until it got dark and rainy, stopping outside Boston around 9PM. We found a dark parking lot and decided to save a few bucks and sleep in the car for a few hours. It was almost impossible to sleep, and when I did finally fall asleep for a few hours, it was on a sharp plastic corner of the armrest. I still have a baseball sized black bruise on my thigh from that.

OCTOBER 2nd, 2008

By about 4AM I'd had enough and started driving again in the pitch dark and in a downpour through Boston and onto the I95. By dawn we were pretty hungry so we pulled off and found this amazing little German styled restaurant filled with teddy bears, aptly called Pat's Kitchen. Breakfast was awesome.

Our first sight of NY signage! We debated if we should go for the day but rightly decided against it in favour of hitting Philly for the day tomorrow.

Pat veered off and we took a pit stop in Port Jervis, an awesome little place filled with neat antique shops. We started off at an Army Surplus Shop.

This would have made an excellent Halloween costume!

We decide to go for a walk.

Pat finds himself a nice Hawaiian velvet Elvis painting at a great antique shop. I find this book I had and loved when I was a kid, so I bought it to read to Alice & Hayden. Good coffee house called Port Java in this town too.

We drive and get to Philadelphia in the early evening. Driving into town was interesting; litter everywhere! The place was dirty and looked very old and poor. It took a long drive to get down town and then it was like night and day - huge, beautiful buildings everywhere! Such a contrast.

We found a hotel after a good deal of insane driving around the busy core of the city then we went out to find some food and a good pub. I guess the Vice Presidential Debate was taking place in town; every TV was tuned into the debate. It seemed to be about the only thing anyone would talk about was the Election everywhere you went. So very unlike Canada.

OCTOBER 3rd, 2008

Next morning we're up early after a much better nights sleep and we start to hoof it around Philly.

The architecture, fountains and statues everywhere are truly amazing!

Trick photography at it's finest.

Randomly walking around the city we find ourselves in the Free Library of Philadelphia. A sign indicates there is an Edgar Allen Poe exhibit on in the Rare Books section of the library. We go check it out and are truly floored by the things we find:

To show but a fraction of what we saw:

A hand written copy of "The Raven"...

..."Grip", the actual raven owned by Charles Dickens (featured in his book "Barnaby Rudge" and the inspiration for Poe's poem....

... Original artwork by Arther Rackham...

... 4000 year old Cuneiform tablets (not shown) and 2500 year old Egyptian scrolls on papyrus...

... 12th Century hand painted illuminated Book of Hours (each page is made of real vellum, it took the dried flesh of two calf's to make a page)...

... A page from the Gutenberg Bible...

... The list goes on and on, from the desk that Charles Dickens wrote in (he etched his initials into the wood) to letters from Columbus to the King telling of his discovery of the Indies (we were not actually allowed to see that one, but they had it there!). It was completely mind bending.

Our next find was the Rodin Museum!

The imposing "Gates of Hell" greet you.

Detail.

On our way to the Art Gallery. The steps leading up to the building were made famous by this movie called "Rocky".

Amazing sculptures outside the museum.

Patrick attempts to spar and fails.

I just want to be his Adrian.

And here is the moment you've all been waiting for:

We never made it into the museum as time was running out and we had to get to the convention. We hailed a cab and got an enlightening history lesson from the cabbie (who was about to go home and put a big rockfish in the oven). "We call this place the City of Brotherly Blood. All those pretty buildings you see are thanks to 400 years of free slave labour". We asked him about the upcoming election and he was convinced that America was not ready for a black President and should he get elected he would be killed. I hope he's wrong.

We hit the road and make it to the hotel without incident. We find our show passes and in the evening have drinks with a few of the other comic creators who've arrived (Hi Ben, Lamar, Chris and Mike!)

The meet and greet moves to the hotel lounge and I get to meet a few of my IDW brothers, Pat Lewis and Kevin Colden and a slew of other. It's been a long time since I've been to a comic con and I'm really enjoying it.

OCTOBER 4th, 2008

Pat and I went breakfast hunting and found an awesome place called the Silver Diner. The menu had a special "Vote With Your Breakfast" item: The Obamalette and the McCainlette. As a Canadian in the US at election time I had to cast my vote, and I'm happy to see that the Obamalette is way ahead in the polls at silverdiner.com

Show Time! I neglected to take many pictures at the show as I was so busy meeting people and dealing with legal issues surrounding the Angora Napkin cartoon. Pat snapped this one at my table just after the show started. Thankfully, IDW had sent my advance TPB copies of Chiaroscuro to the show! Thanks Ted!!

The blurry view from my table. Ignatz Award winner Nate Powel l and his book Swallow Me Whole at the bottom left. I got so many books to read it's going to take some time to get through them all. Pat took off to check out Washington and I didn't see him again until later that night.

This photo was lifted from Brian Heater's Flicker page. After the Ignatz Awards everyone made their way to Karaoke. I was in the loud room where James Kochalka and Liz Baillie belted out Quiet Riots "Come on Feel the Noise" as best they could (the screen text was in Korean).

I got a lift back to the hotel with the great folks from the table next to me (Hi Joe, Maris, Duddits and Tim!). I found Pat hanging out in front of the hotel with Danielle from Girls With Slingshots fame.

OCTOBER 5th, 2008

Last day of the show. I'd gotten Pat hooked on Scott Pilgrim a week before the show and he showed his good taste by buying a page of original artwork from Brian O'Mally. Sales were pretty good, I handed out hundreds of preview comics and had a great time. Now the big debate is what to do next year: SPX or Mocca....

That night after the show Pat and I took the subway into Washington to check out some sights.

The White House is much smaller than I expected, especially in comparison to all the gigantic Romanesque buildings everywhere else. I asked a security guard if the President ever plays frisbee out in the front yard and I guess he doesn't. Too bad.

Directly across the street is a tent and a man by the name "Start Loving" who (with others) has been holding a 24 hour protest against war and US policies since 1981. He gave us grief for putting Stephen Harper (Bush jr.) as our Prime Minister, I don't disagree. The Canadian Federal Election is on Oct 14th, I hope we see a change in our Government.

We walked down past the Washington Monument, the city seems nearly deserted of people. The long walk down to the Lincoln Memorial is truly one of the most amazing things I've ever seen, I'm glad we went at night as it was lit so nicely.

Photos do not do justice to this monument. It is huge and very somber. Standing on the steps looking towards the Washington Monument was where Martin Luther King gave his "I Have a Dream" speech. Etched on the inner South wall is the Gettysburg Address.

On the trek back to the subway we passed by the Vietnam / Korean War memorial wall. Dimly lit it's a very somber view. Pictures of families, stuffed toys and little flags sit here and there at the base of the wall. A old man in a military jacket flips through a book that catalouges the names of the dead and where to find them on this long wall of names.

OCTOBER 6th, 2008

Breakfast at Rotten Ronnies and we hit the road. The plan is to hit Boston tonight, find a hotel and get up early and pound the pavement. On the road we discover we're passing through Gettesyburg. There's no question we're stopping there.

Patrick has a big canon. Take that you Confederates, that's how we roll in the North!

This is the actual spot where Lincoln gave the Gettesyburg Address. Being at the Memorial last night and here today gives a nice symmetry to the trip.

We drive on to Boston, stopping at a the Blue Colony Diner in Connecticut. We arrive in Boston late, driving past the brightly lit Fenway Park where a game is in session. We zip around the city a bit, and in trying to find a cheap hotel outside the city we discover we're not far from Salem. And we're off!

OCTOBER 7th, 2008

We have a hell of a time trying to find the place, expecting it to be some spooky cedar-shingled little warf town. Not so! We decide to skip the hotel as it's 2:30am and try sleeping in the car again, but with a bit more success than last time.

Up early again we hoof it around Salem only to find out that nothing opens until 10am. I have to be on the Canadian side of the boarder by 6pm to get my books or well be staying the night in St. Stephen. None the less, Salem is too cool not to check out.

At 10 we are in the Salem Witch Museum, which is cheesy as hell and all the better for it. We skip the "What is a Witch" tour at the end and check out the town. (Mike, you'd love it there).

They have an awesome comic shop there, tons of goths folk and and amazing graveyard in the middle of town. I found a stone with "Little" on it.... Could it be that I'm decended from a clan of Salem Witches?

Magnificent, twisted oak trees are everywhere.

Statue outside of the Witch Museum.

I was "Bewitched" in Salem. (ouch, sorry)

We left later than planned and high tailed it for the boarder. We were just on the other side of the border at 5:45 and I was afraid we'd be held up crossing so I called Brenda at the Tourist building and got no answer! I tried again and finally the cleaning lady answered. She said she would hang there for me to get my books.

I noticed crossing the bridge that the time zone changes! It was 6 on one side and 7 on the Canadian side; we were an hour late! Anyway, I got my books, thanked the lady 1000 times and went and had dinner at The Red Rooster.

I'm really glad I took this trip. We drove nearly 3000 KM and saw a side of America I wouldn't have seen traveling by plane to and from my destination. I have a greater appreciation for the country and understand better where this deep sense of American pride comes from. Everyone we met was helpful, or at least what I call "Aggressively Friendly" (in a good way). Even the homeless were more polite than those I've encountered in Toronto. We only got the Evil Eye once and that was outside New York, so I take it with a grain of salt. What a great trip!!!

Now the trick is to figure out what to do next year: SPX or Mocca....

Off to SPX!

2008-09-28T23:01:00.002-03:00

This is my first time attending SPX and I'm really looking forward to it! If you're planning on attending, I'll be at table B13B.

I still have some Angora Napkin Previews to give away and if everything goes smoothly I should have a few advance copies of the Chiaroscuro trade paper back for sale!

I'm driving with my pal Pat down to the show, so hopefully I'll have a good collection of pictures and stories for the 'ol blog when I get back.

Hope to see you there!

"Hide Your LIfe Away" is now available!

2008-09-25T22:02:00.003-03:00

Meanwhile Studios is proud to present the release of Carol Little's novel "Hide Your Life Away"!

The book was officially released on Tuesday, Sept 23rd and can be ordered through the handy Amazon link on the right side of this page. I hope to soon have a paypal link set up on my website so you can order direct and get a signed copy!

We are having the book launch and party this Saturday night, starting at 7 PM at Vere Studio & Gallery in Summerside. Carol will be reading from her novel as well as selected poems with musical accompaniment by Patrick Brunet. For full details on the event check out Vere Studio website.

"Hide Your Life Away" is available in bookstores across PEI and we hope soon to expand distribution throughout North America. If you simply must have a signed copy and can't wait until I find the time to update my web site just drop me an email and I'll send along info on how to get a signed copy.

Happy reading!

Angora Napkin update

2008-09-13T20:43:00.003-03:00

Alas, Angora Napkin is forcing me to ignore my poor blog and website but the Production Blog is starting to pick up speed! Lots of new and behind the scenes fun will be showing up there as we ramp up to full production.

We also have a Facebook Fan page you can join:
Angora Napkin on Facebook

Fear not, I will return to this humble url as the girls allow me.

Get you Preview copies now at SDCC!

2008-07-24T23:15:00.003-03:00

IDW has a limited number of FREE Angora Napkin / Chiaroscuro promo comics for you at the San Diego Comic Con! Drop me a line if you picked one up and let me know what you think!

New book from Meanwhile Studios!

2008-07-02T21:37:00.008-03:00

You've read all about Carol's adventures during the International 3 Day Novel Competition, now you can read her work yourself! (If you missed it, click the links: Part1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8.

Earlier this year Carol received a PEI Council of the Arts grant to work with an editor (the talented and indispensable Lisa Cole) a photographer (the brilliant Artist / Photographer Shayli Vere) and book designer (your's truly) to produce Carol's first novel, "Hide Your Life Away".

So what's it about you ask? Here's a brief synopsis:

Thirty-two-year-old Jason Mahoney is a commitment-phobic grocery store clerk who finds himself at an inevitable crossroads. He is confused about his path in life, and is hiding from a potential romantic relationship. He can’t understand what cashier Debra Springer could possibly see in a lazy, unkempt, stock boy like him, but she wants him. Bad. And she wants the whole deal: marriage and kids.

Between Debra’s offers of unprotected sex and a late night roofing contract with his friend Random Michaels, it doesn’t seem like Jason will get to do the only thing he really cares about this weekend: watching his new Star Trek DVD.

Hide Your Life Away is a satirical, fast food, weekend romp that might just end up with a trip down the aisle.

The book is scheduled for release on September 23, 2008. You can pre-order the book from Amazon.com (just click on the link to your right).

Carol has started a blog too! Check it out at: www.carollittleauthor.blogspot.com

Carol is planning a book tour in Ontario and the Maritimes this fall, be sure to check back for more details soon!

This is a really funny and well written book by a talented new Canadian author, and don't just take my word for it, early reviews are already showing up:

Hide Your Life Away takes place in a world of lousy jobs, food, and junk culture, and out of this unpromising material Carol Little has fashioned (as I see it) a work about commitment, and how it can offer a certain amount of salvation from that world. Read it. It is diverting, informative and artful. Thanks Carol. --Lorne Elliott, Writer / Comedian

Book Info:

"Hide Your Life Away" by Carol Little
ISBN 978-0-9739971-1-8
156 Pages, Retails $12.99 US
Release date: September 23, 2008

More reasons to loath TV.

2008-06-13T21:32:00.005-03:00

“You want a dark, Goth version of Tweety Bird? Have at it,” said Lisa Gregorian, executive vice president for worldwide marketing at Warner Brothers Television.

Please, if you can stomach it, read this great article from the New York Times on network execs bringing cartoons into the 21st Century.Some brilliant creative highlights include:

Artists produced nearly 400 drawings depicting new looks, then American Greetings asked licensing partners for feedback. With the drawings hanging in a single room, he told focus group members to put Post-it notes on the 20 that they liked. “We refined it from there,” he said.

And how about this:

On top of her new toy line, Strawberry Shortcake is getting a new computer-animated movie and a new TV series, starting next year. This time, in keeping with contemporary nutritional concerns, the franchise will downplay the sugary dessert theme and move, as Mr. Conrad put it, “fruit-forward.”

“It’s also about creating a cohesive line,” Mr. Conrad said. “We’re downplaying characters that were part of Strawberry’s world but who didn’t immediately shout out fruit.”

(Oh, I can't wait to see the characters that did "shout out fruit".)

Recently I've been watching a lot of old Mickey Mouse (1930's) with my kids and, while not particularly funny, they are none the less well animated, beautifully designed and created with care and attention by real people.

Few things make me so angry as viewing the state of modern animation. Shit like Family Guy and King of the Hill make my blood boil.

Pop in Sleeping Beauty (my favorite Disney film) and try and imagine what that will look like done in Flash for the imminent straight to video sequel. Oh, it gives me ulcers.

Why won't Broadcasters, executives, producers, lawyers, marketers and their ilk trust in the ability of an artist to create without interfering? Is it too much to ask? I suppose if that were to happen we'd never have stuff like this:

What a loss.

Anogra Napkin Cover Preview

2008-05-25T08:06:00.001-03:00

Hey gang, I need your help!

I have two versions of the cover for the up coming Angora Napkin graphic novel and I can't decide witch to go with. Visit the website to check out the options and cast your vote!

www.angoranapkin.com

Frye Festival notes

2008-04-29T22:50:00.007-03:00

I'm back from my sojourn to the Frye Festival in Moncton and I had an absolutely amazing time! The streets were plastered in Frye Fest advertising. The event was huge, well organized and well attended, up over 25% from last year I over heard. This was the 9th year for the event and unfortunately the first I've attended. Had I known about it I would have gone last year to see Harvey Pekar speak.

There were plaques all over Moncton with qoutes from Northrop Frye. I read a recent poll on literacy in P.E.I. and evidently 42.8% of the working age people on P.E.I. (16-65) are not literate enough to read a box of asprin. I had a hard time believing that until one day I spent a few hours in the Tim Hortons downtown Summerside trying to do a little work. Now I believe it.

As a guest author of the Frye Fest I was put up in a swanky hotel (the Delta Beausejour) in the heart of downtown Moncton.

The view from room 333.

The Festival got an early kick off on Tuesday with the monthly Pop et Frye talk featuring yours truly. Talk about trial by fire! My talk lasted about an hour and was the first of many. By the end of the Festival I had spoken at 6 schools over 3 days (10 sessions), acted as MC at Cafe Underground with author Katia Canciani and ran a storyboard workshop with Rob Anderson from Fatkat. My voice was so raw I sounded like Leonard Cohen choking on Tom Waits. I had my speech crafted, refined and nailed down by the end of the week.

So serious.... I won a free coffee 3 out of 4 days by getting the Timothy's trivia right. Yay, not Tim Hortons.

It's nice to see the wild life has adapted to city living. This timid creature has taken on armor plating to protect itself. It scampered off moments after I snapped this picture.

My picture taking ceased pretty quickly into the event as I found myself too busy to even think of reaching for my camera.

Highlights:

- Getting to know some of the other authors at the Festival, like Katia Canciani and Christopher Lirette.

- Hearing readings from Russell Banks, Heather O'Neill and Darryl Whetter.

- "Midnight Howl" poetry readings at Mexi's.

- Chatting with Russell Banks about "Rule of the Bone", graphic novels, publishing rights and drinking Mojito's.

- Meeting lots of amazing people; musicians, Festival organizers and many interesting locals.

- Carol showing up for the Frye Jam on Saturday night.

I was like the bee girl in Blind Melon's video for "No Rain" all week; I had found my people. It was so refreshing to be surrounded by people who love to read and are into all things creative. I'm looking forward to next years event so I can take in some of the lectures and readings I missed while I was in the schools. Too much fun!

Fyre Festival Schedule

2008-04-19T14:07:00.003-03:00

The Frye Festival is starting in Moncton this week and I have a slew of events going on:

April 22, Timothy's Cafe, 7pm
Pop et Frye

Press release:

Troy Little, author and illustrator of the critically acclaimed graphic novel Chiaroscuro will be speaking about the evolutionary process in creating his book. From it's simple beginnings in his sketch book, through numerous creative mutations and finally into the world of both small and big press publishing, Troy will talk about what it takes to be an independent graphic novel creator. Troy will give his talk at 7pm at Timothy's on Main Street.

School Visits:

April 23, JMA Armstrong High School, 8:30am - 11:15am

April 23, Bernice MacNaughton High, 1:00pm - 3:30pm

Mentor workshop; grades 9 - 12:

April 23, Cafe Underground (Aberdeen Cultural Centre), 7pm

School Visits:

April 24, Caledonia Regional High School, 10:45am - 11:45am

April 24, Moncton High, 1:00pm - 3:30pm

School Visits:

April 25, Riverview High School, 11:00am - 12:15pm

April 25, Harrison Trimble High School, 1:00pm - 3:20pm

Book Signing:

April 26, The Comic Hunter, 11:00am - 1:00pm

Storyboarding workshop:

April 26, Mad City Comics, 2:00pm - 5:00pm

Comic Jam:

April 26, TBD

Whew! And from what I'm told there's other events I may be taking part in but won't have that information available until I arrive. Hopefully I'll find access to a computer and be able to update my Blog with any new information.

I'm really looking forward to this event and hope to take in some of the other events going on through out the week. See you there!

Angora Napkin @ IDW!

2008-03-31T18:40:00.003-03:00

Animation? Graphic Novel? I told you, it's the year of
ANGORA NAPKIN!

Angora Napkin: the graphic novel as been picked up by IDW Publishing!

It's Go Time!

2008-03-15T16:59:00.000-03:00

Long have you waited, now all your dreams are coming true...

ANGORA NAPKIN: THE CARTOON!

Bookmark the official Angora Napkin Production Blog for all the news, updates and behind the scenes chatter from your pals Trick and Noy!

Stickers and gum for all!

Angora Napkin: Graphic Novel Update

2008-03-04T22:27:00.005-04:00

As of right now I am half done adding the spot colour to the book. I started on January 17th, so that's clocking me in at about 1 and 1/4 pages a day. At this rate I should be finished around mid to late April.

By the end of this month it will have been 2 years since I started this project.

I have yet to collect and scan all the additional artwork, miscellaneous comics and draw the cover so it looks like I've still got a bit of work to do before I throw a wrap party for myself.

*sigh*

Button fun!

2008-02-28T15:15:00.005-04:00

Cute As A...

My button will be one of 50 picked for the big button trade at the Confed Centre tomorrow night. Click the link to find out more about the event, and if you're in the 'hood why not stop by!

UPDATE: The Walrus blog has a write up on the event and it's history. There's a small blurb near the end from yours truly about my contribution.

The Story of Little Jimmy Cardboard

2008-02-26T11:36:00.001-04:00