http://search.deviantart.com/?q=by:Snitter&section=today deviantART RSS for by:Snitter en-us Copyright 2009, deviantART.com Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:10:44 PST deviantART.com http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://s.deviantart.com/minish/widgets/apple-touch-icon-precomposed.png http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/28331380/ http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/28331380/ Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:22:29 PST
I want to get rid of some of my old DS games and wondered if anyone would like them! I don’t really want money for them…I’d rather trade for something else, like art or books or something! Would any of you guys be interested? Lemme know and I’ll tell ya about the games I have! Even if you aren’t interested, please share this journal with anyone you know who would!

Thanks!!

EDIT

Okay, folks, here are the titles I have available for trade!

Phoenix Wright 2: Justice for All
Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis (and omg, this is so much fun!)
Nintendo Internet Browser (I don't have wifi at home, so this doesn't work for me!)
Trace Memory (bought used at GameStop)
Indiana Jones: Staff of Kings


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/28265331/ Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:05:02 PST
Sorry, but this is a rather pointless journal entry as I can’t think of anything specific to talk about. Hmmmm…how about updates in my life?

1) I’m not going anywhere for Thanksgiving. Don’t really have the money for an international/out-of-state trip and don’t have anyone to stay with! So looks like I’m chilling at home! But it allows me to focus more on paying of credit cards and saving up for a possible European trip next year, so all is good!

2) I keep thinking something good is just around the corner, which I know probably translates into something good ISN’T around the corner but I just want it to be so I’m unconsciously psyching myself out. After all, the agent who is interested in Elevator totally surprised me when I got her email! I was not expecting that at all! So do good things come when you least expect? Or can you anticipate the good suff? Hmmm…there is so much I’m looking forward to, so maybe something awesome will happen soon!

3) Finished reading the Artemis Fowl series and now I’m going through awesome-series-withdraw, a very serious condition. I bought “The Artemis Fowl Files” at Borders this weekend and it felt like I was meeting up with old friends. Still need to finish it but I’m enjoying any little bit of AF I can get my hands onto! So now I’m kinda going through books quickly, unable to find any that can keep my attention!

Aaaaaaand…I think that’s all! Hopefully I’ll have a more exciting and meaningful journal entry soon!


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/28103326/ Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:51:17 PST
Because my family doesn’t have any plans for the Thanksgiving break, my idea was to travel – once more! – abroad! However, the plans I had didn’t go through the way I wanted them to, so once again I am back to square one with Thanksgiving plans.

Does anyone have any ideas of things I could do or places I can go? (i.e., omg, can I stay with you? ;__; ) I’d really like to go somewhere I haven’t been before: somewhere overseas (Europe, anyone?) or places in the U.S., like NYC or Atlanta or Hawaii or California.

I also heard Panama City is nice. And American Airlines Last Minute Deals has a really good last-minute deal. :/

Anyways, anyone have any ideas of where I could go? Anyone willing to put up with me for a few days? If you already have plans, I'd really hate to intrude, but maybe some of my nonAmerican watchers/friends won't mind? Send me a comment or a note!!!

THANKS!


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



*Snitter http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/27973218/ http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/27973218/ Mon, 26 Oct 2009 07:12:10 PDT with this cute and wonderful meme, so let's all try it out, shall we?

Give me a comment and...

1. I'll respond with something random about you.
2. I'll tell you which song or movie you remind me of.
3. I'll pick a flavor of jello to wrestle you in. (Actually, I won't...I hope you aren't disappointed...I have a strict no-wrestling-in-jello lifestyle D:< )
4. I'll say something that only makes sense to you and me.
5. I'll tell you my first memory of you.
6. I'll tell you what animal you remind me of.
7. I'll ask you something I've always wondered about you.
8. I'll tell you my favorite thing about you.
9. I'll tell you my least favorite thing about you.
10. Post this in your own journal if you like! (only if you want to...tagging is WAY out of fashion nowadays)


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/27924560/ Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:34:53 PDT



AWESOME.


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!




http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/27850062/ Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:44:45 PDT GnomeLiberator created and I so had to do it!

Are you reading a book right now? How far are you into it and what do you think so far? If you're not, what was the last book you read and how did you feel about it?
I am currently reading four books. I have about 100 pages left of the 800-page Curse of the MistWraiths by Janny Wurst, which is really good and exciting but the writing style is definitely something I’m not used to, so it takes a few pages to really get into it. But the characters are awesome and the action well-done. I’m on page 247 in Mistborn ((the mist theme was not intentional!) and have been debating whether to stop or continue reading. While I had enjoyed it up to a point, it’s losing my attention fast and every time I feel like reading it I reach for something else. Also just started The Dark Lord of Derrhelm by Diana Wynne Jones…on the second chapter right now and enjoying it. Lastly, I am about 100 pages into the first of the Artemis Fowl books, which I had given up on about a year ago, but enjoying it much better this time around.

Do you have a favorite book?
Yes, Catch-22 is my favorite book. Every time I think there might be a contender to my “favorite book”, I reread Catch-22 and fall in love all over again. Although I must add that Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell is a close, close second!

What would you say is your favorite genre to read? What to tend to steer away from?
I have read a novel in pretty much every genre out there: westerns, mysteries, African-American lit, world lit, etc. I usually read fantasy or literature/fiction books, although recently I have been on a huge thriller binge and have been eating up those books a lot! I have headed back into the ‘epic fantasy’ genre with Curse of the Mistwraith and back into kids books too. I move around a lot. There isn’t really genre I steer clear from. I usually don’t read romance, unless it’s more literary driven (i.e., Outlander, etc.). I am also not too fond of military fiction where main character fights terrorists or where an author’s ideologies are too present in the book. I also don’t really like main female characters. :/

Do you read more fiction or non-fiction/information books?
Definitely more fiction! When it comes to non-fiction, though, the Civil War is really the only topic that’ll keep my attention! I always want to branch out and read more nonfiction subjects, but I never remain interested long. Thankfully there is a wealth of Civil War books out there!

How about a favorite author, or perhaps a few?
Albert Payson Terhune is my favorite author to date. I also will pick up anything written by Diane Wynne Jones knowing it’ll be good. My most current fav. author is Lawrence Block.

Have you read any terrible books? Something you'd recommend staying away from?
I’ve read too many really terrible books, alas! I am so picky when it comes to what I read that I usually don’t finish most of what I buy.

Do you reread books, or is once enough? Any exceptions so far?
I reread books all the time! This year I reread Catch-22 for the sixth or seventh time and – having bought my fourth edition of Jonathan Strange – I want to reread that one as well. Also this year, I reread Dracula (which I got as a super amazing edition), The Last Unicorn, Necroscope (which I had to buy because one of my friends let me his books originally…and I had to buy my own after I loved it!), Watership Down (LOVE!!!) and a few others I can’t remember at the moment. In any case, I do enjoy rereading books a lot!

What were some of your favorite books as a child?
I was a very pretentious child and would only read super important adult books. Now, as an adult, I really enjoy reading kid’s books. Hmmm. Plague Dogs was one of my favorite books as a kid…now I don’t think I could get through the whole thing again. I also adored Victorian novels as I believed ‘modern’ writing – with those shorter, choppier sentences – was too stupid. Honestly. H. G. Wells books were nearest and dearest to my heart as a kid…I still own nearly all of his books, which is saying something! As for real, honest-to-goodness kids books, I really loved There’s a Boy in the Girl’s Bathroom which I need to reread again!

Do you usually pick books from the kids, teen, young adult, or adult books? How old are you, if you don't mind?
I’m 27 and am currently reading two books intended for the 10-12 crowd. I am also reading two books intended for adults. So I am all over the board: from kids, to teens, to YA to adults…as long as it has an interesting concept, GREA... ]]> *Snitter http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/27638672/ http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/27638672/ Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:58:54 PDT






Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/27502568/ Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:01:38 PDT

Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!




http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/27280191/ Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:57:43 PDT Honestly, I’ve always loved her art and her characters intrigued me like crazy, but the story itself is so much fun!! I adored reading this little comic and cannot wait – CAN NOT WAIT – for the next volume!!

So where do I come in? Sure, I’m a fan and everything…but Maaria also asked me to proofread the script prior to printing! So if you are inspiring to become a die-hard Timian fan/collector, I guess this’ll go down in history as the first printed project I contributed too!!!

Anyways, it’s a great story – funny, angsty, actiony – and I totally suggest you guys pick up a copy!!!

Ordering info can be found in this pic’s descriptions. Happy reading!!




Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/27108843/ Wed, 09 Sep 2009 06:29:23 PDT journal and totally wanted to do this!! If you like this meme, do it too!!!

The rules:
Write out the names of your characters and explain
1) how you thought of their name
2) what made you create the character in the first place
3) how the character has changed over time (if they have changed)
4) any random fun fact about that character

JASON
1) The names Jason and Samantha appeared in a short story I wrote while in college for a creative writing assignment. Jason’s name meant “to heal”, which meant something to the story. While the characters were totally different than the ones in Elevator, I liked the names of Jason and Samantha so much, especially together, that when I decided to start writing Elevator, Jason’s name stuck. Carus is the name of a mansion in my area that I really enjoyed visiting years ago. While he’s French and has a French-Canadian accent, his unFrench name is explained in Book 2, which I’m writing now.
2) While sitting shotgun on a rainy ride from the vet, I was looking outside into the storm and wondered what would happen if a girl picked up a strange hitchhiker. The whole story of the Elevator came from there. While the novel developed over time (as stories tend to do), I knew from the get-go that Jason traveled to other worlds. I also knew that the Elevator was the way he got around…and that it has 10 levels.
3) Jason has only been more deeply defined as time goes on. His basic description as an ambitious action hero has never changed, but his background and drives and past pain came in later. Nothing very large changed about his character.
4) He never used to be French, or even French-Canadian. When I started to work on Elevator the novel (not even in the comic was he French!) I realized I needed to do something to make him seem like an outsider to suburban American Samantha. The French-Canadian accent is, need I say, quite lovely to listen to, so I gave the accent to Jason!

SAMANTHA
1) Samantha was given the most important name in my “I need to use these names for a character in a book someday” list. If any of you are mega-nerds like me, you’ll remember that Samantha is the name of Agent Mulder’s long-lost sister in the X-Files. The name was a very dear one and I wanted to use it for a very important character. Funnily enough, I never thought – at the beginning, of course – that Elevator would be an “important” book to me….so I didn’t want to use the name Samantha at the get-go. Eventually I decided to use the name…I’m very glad I did!
2) I needed a main character for my novel idea!
3) Every time I write Samantha, I learn something new. Amazingly, being she’s the main character and the story is told mainly through her perspective, I did very little planning on her character, backstory and drives. Whenever I write her, she becomes a very organic and three-dimensional character so, while she never got the attention hot men like Jason and Riley got, you wouldn’t know it from the book!
4) I wanted to involve her character with flowers somehow, as I had just started to garden seriously when I wrote Elevator. The fact that she becomes the “flower goddess” came in later!

RILEY
1) The name for Riley came, of all places, from a Monty Python sketch; the science fiction sketch with the blancmange impersonator and cannibal named Riley. With the numerous times the name was said (“Hello, Riley! Come to give yourself in, eh, Riley? Riley?! Aaaaaah! It’s not Riley! It’s an extraterrestrial being!”, the name stuck!
2) I created Riley because I needed a villain for the story and a foil for Jason.
3) Originally, Riley was much different…he was a rather silly-minded fool from an alternate universe and mistook the current fashions of the day to be those from the 1890s. While Riley’s fashion sense stuck as the story developed, his personality – fortunately – changed into a much more driven, haunted and well-rounded character. While he’s still silly at times, there is, so to say, a method to his madness!
4) He really likes ham sandwiches. I gave him this taste because I /hated/ ham but always felt I should like it. Hey, it looked good, it smelled good…but it never tasted good to me. Fortunately, I became vegetarian and that solved my problems. And, years later, I gave Riley a particular fondness for ham.

*Snitter http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/27089218/ http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/27089218/ Tue, 08 Sep 2009 07:01:49 PDT
First thing was the line (more like crowd…no one queued!) outside…they sold tickets for every four/five minutes of the exhibit, so you could only go in at your allotted time. So while we were waiting for 2:45 to come up, there was a trivia question game. Then, we handed in our tickets and went /outside/ of the museum to a huge tent area (although you would have never believed it was a tent from the inside….and as far as I know some of the exhibit was inside, only we needed to go into the tent outside to get into the exhibit…so I don’t really know!) where we went through some tent-like tunnels to a British-accented fellow who stood on a small platform with…the sorting hat!

He asked for volunteers to try on the hat, which announced what House the volunteer should go into. I was happy to see some teens try it out but, after four volunteers were Sorted, we were ushered into another room. This was pretty cool…we all stood and in front of us were about 9 flat screen tvs, all playing different clips of the movies in unison…very well done. Only I started to get claustrophobic in there because…there was no exit! No exit sign, not even a door! So the whole time we were watching the clips, I was wondering how we were going to get out.

Then the answer presented itself in the awesomest way possible.

One of the walls was /raised up/ to show the Hogwarts Express in a darkish room, with its lights on and a fog machine surrounding it. While that in itself was pretty amazing, there was also a very tall fellow with a lantern (beautiful in the darkish room!) calling out, “First years, this way!!” AND HE BROUGHT US TO THE EXHIBIT!!! Omg, so wonderfully done….and it was that moment when my sister whispered to me, “I can see why it’s $18!!” Seriously, I think that moment was so magically and fun that I was sold…and we haven’t even gone inside yet!

So we got to a wall with the portraits….some real paintings and other ones were tvs with the painting scenes in the movies. There was the Fat Lady (when she was trying to break the glass with her voice) then you WALKED THROUGH HER PORTRAIT to enter to Common Room. There was everyone’s outfits and miscellaneous items (Harry’s glasses for example), which was all beautifully displayed. Then we went to the classrooms, with all sorts of other goodies from the movies, etc.

Then the best part…Quidditch! They had a lotta Quaffles and – like mini basketball shoot outs at, like, bars and arcades and such, you had to throw the Quaffles into three hoops. It was SO MUCH FUN!!!

Then there was Hagrid’s Hut, a life-size model of Buckbeak! various Voldemort and Dark Wizards stuff, the Great Hall and…the gift shop!!! I had to buy a book on the exhibit as you couldn’t take photos inside.

All in all, I had a great time!! The exhibit is only in Chicago until September 27th….and I don’t know where it is going after that (will this be the only U.S. stop on the tour? I don’t know!) so I do hope that you will be able to see if you want to! Definitely a worth-while exhibit!!!


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!

http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/26922089/ Sun, 30 Aug 2009 18:18:41 PDT any county or state fair before, so this was a real treat! There was a carnival (which was avoided entirely) as well as a lotta 4H tents, with sheep, chickens, pigs, dairy cows, beef cows and horses! It was really cool getting to see all of the animals….one of the huge beef cows even gave me a lot of licks, wanting to get all of the salt from my hands. And his tongue was even more rough and sandpapery than a cat’s! The sheep were all very friendly and very, very soft. And the horses were nice too! Couldn’t really pet the pigs or the chickens, but the pigs were very vocal…I had to make a movie with my camera to capture their sounds!

There was also a Blues Brothers cover band...LOVED 'EM!!!!

By far the best part, though, would have to be the three-hour rodeo that we saw. Seriously, I was bummed out when I wasn’t able to see a good ol’ Texas rodeo when I went to go visit *CapnFlynn in May, so I was really excited with the chance to go to the rodeo here in Illinois! It was mega fun…with all of the rodeo staples: calf roping, steer wrestling, barrel racing and crazy bucking horses and bulls!! The bull riding came at the very end, after most of the audience had left and it was the best and most exciting part! Those poor cowboys!! A lot were able to hang on, but a few got toppled off and a far few were limping off to the sidelines!

It was a really great time and I was so glad I was able to go visit the County fair! I hope to go again next year…or maybe even get to see a few more elsewhere!

As always, I took a lotta photos…I hope to have my regular computer up and running soon so I can post those…and the pics from my Galena trip!

So!!! Have any of you guys ever been to a County/State Fair? What was your favorite part? Did the fairs you visit have something different than what I got to see? Lemme know!!!


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!


http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/26791553/ Mon, 24 Aug 2009 08:26:55 PDT
In any case, my question/problem is this:

Would anyone from the UK be willing to pick up some books from me and send them my way? Of course, I could always use [link]….but I’m just seeing if anyone out there would be interested in helping me out!!!! Send me a note if you are interested!

Thanks guys!


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/26707833/ Thu, 20 Aug 2009 07:16:17 PDT
So Monday morning, bright and early at 7:30, my sis *DekeNicki and I walked from her apartment to the car rental place. It was raining that morning, which was rather stressful, as we both were afraid that it was going to rain during our trip! We got our car and headed out of the city by 8. Very heavy traffic, with the morning rush going on and everything, but once we headed past O’Hare and the borders of the Chicagoland area (or once we hit the tollway) traffic lightened up a LOT and the rest was smooth sailing (except for missing a turn-off and driving in the wrong direction for a good 15/30 minutes!). The majority of the time driving was spent looking for an oasis…we finally found one which had a Starbucks inside! So that and a never-eaten box of Nila Waffers was our breakfast.

Around noonish we hit Jo Daviess County, which was where the wonderful scenery started as well. Immediately, the area became beautifully hilly and the roads were windy and such. I tried to take photos but none of them really captured the scale of the area. Very expansive and lovely! There was a huge observation deck overlooking a very beautiful area, but it was closed (maybe a good thing? The stairs looked painfully high/long). So, yes….around noon we got into Galena and pulled into our Bed & Breakfast. No one was home, so we left our car in front of the house and headed out to Main Street. There was a tall bridge overlooking the Galena River (more of a creek, although we learned that the river had been much larger in the past and the lack of trees allowed slit/dirt to reduce the size of the river) and the railroad station, which was the one General Grant used to head to Springfield. Lots of photos were taken up there!

When we finally reached Main Street, we saw a strange sight: an enormous gate, like, as Deke put it, a walled city in Europe. Rather strange! We later found out that flooding was so bad in Galena, that the doors were a flood gate and not used to keep people out of the shopping district!

We ate lunch at a really good Italian restaurant that had about three levels….after having to climb a huge hill to get to it in the first place! The pasta I had was covered in a hot sauce sauce, which was really good!! I’ll have to make my own sometime! Anyways, after that we went shopping! I bought a book about the Monitor (of Monitor vs. Merrimack fame) and my sis bought loads of yarn! That was basically all of the shopping we did. Most of the stuff catered to older people with more money than us, so it wasn’t really our style. But the Main Street was very beautiful and cute! It was fun just walking around!

And we also picked up chocolate at a chocolate store that received their goodies from France, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland!!! So I had a bit of the international thrown into this trip!

By 3, we returned to our B&B, met our host and got a tour of the house…it was a very beautiful Victorian style place which we basically had the run of. There was Internet as well!! Which was very nice as my sis was waiting for agent news. So after dropping off our suitcase and backpack, we headed back out to the Main Street. Ate at a good restaurant for dinner with veggie options (there were quite a few places with vegetarian food and it was all very good!) and my sis and I did a wine tasting (even me! I was disappointed that the “General’s Red” – with Grant on the label – wasn’t my fav!).

It was around then when the crushing news hit. Grant’s home – the main attraction for a General Grant-lovin’ freak/nerd like me – was closed. Only on Mondays and Tuesdays. It sort of took me a while to recover. But we walked to the house and took photos and I peered into the windows. Alas!! I’ll have to go again in April, when the town celebrates Grant’s birthday!

Before the sad trip to Grant’s house, my sis and I went to Grant’s Park, took a photo of the statue of Grant (I’m going to start a collection of me-standing-in-front-of-Grant-statues photos) and then called it a night. Almost. After an hour lounging at the B&B, I arm-twisted my sis into taking us on a drive for an hour. Then we headed back “home”, where we watched the first hour of the Mummy.

DAY TWO!! So this was my fav of the two days we were there! We woke up around 8:30ish, I took a shower, and then we had breakfast with our hosts. We both got a plate of fruit and this amazing pancake thing that had hot peaches with cinnamon and wiped cream. Delicious!! We chatted with our hosts for a while, mainly about... ]]> *Snitter http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/26584071/ http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/26584071/ Fri, 14 Aug 2009 06:46:29 PDT DekeNicki and I will be traveling out to Galena, IL!!! Okay, so it isn’t Paris (Galena was my tradeoff for not being able to afford to go to France), but I am very much looking forward to this trip!

The best part being, of course, that this was where Ulysses S. Grant lived so for the first time in my life, I’ll be able to nerd out about the Civil War general and people won’t tell me “Who the hell is that?” or “Shut up!” Aaaaaaah, history nerddom, here I come!

Most of all, I’m looking forward to totally relaxing, being away from stressful work, the city/home, and the computer…to just chill out with my sister, go shopping and see someplace new! Going to be a blast!

See you all on Wednesday!!!!!


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/26520906/ Tue, 11 Aug 2009 06:35:08 PDT
THANKS in advance!! I’m looking forward to your answers!

Also, even if you haven’t been to any of these places or can provide advice/info…lemme know which one you think would make a better vacation!!!

TRIP ONE: Berlin (two full days), Prague (two full days), Vienna (one full day), Slovakia (short stop…only there for an hourish), and Budapest (one full day).




TRIP TWO: Moscow (two full days), Novgorod (one day), St. Petersburg (one full day), Helsinki, Finland (two days), Stockholm, Sweden (one day).


http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/26488895/ Sun, 09 Aug 2009 17:25:47 PDT albone will testify to that!!! Or at least confirm that I said I was tired – and wanted to hunt down the Tony Stark and Pepper Potts cosplays – for most of Saturday), I enjoyed every minute I was there!

For the first time at a comic con (or any con for that matter), I came home loving everything that I got! So here’s the run through of my new goodies!!

COMICS

Rival Angels: I FINALLY was able to get my hands on this comic! I’ve been waiting for an in-print collection for ages! I am so glad that I was able to start reading this comic. It’s insanely huge and for me, I can’t sit at a computer for too long and read a comic. In print is the way for me! In any case, was able to purchase ~albone comic about four girls trying to get into wrestling. It’s loads of fun with some of the best fighting sequences I’ve ever come across….I never want to stop reading! The dynamics between all of the characters are incredibly well done and every character is well developed and believable. I love it!! If you aren’t as anti-online reading as I am, you can read all about this surprisingly refreshing and utterly fun comic at: [link]

Paradigm Shift: Another online comic I was glad to find in print. This one actually came as a surprise…I was walking around Artist’s Alley on Saturday, browsing the tables, and instantly recognized this one! Set in Chicago (which means it’s already got my approval!) this is an excellent researched (as told in wonderfully fun footnotes in the back, complete with photos and one of the most in depth tutorials I’ve ever seen) cop drama. It’s 100% manga, as well….but more like old school manga. So, we got Chicago cops and a freaky murder…and werewolves??? It’s one hellova exciting read and my biggest disappointment came when I finished the two books…I’ll have to wait to get my hands on the next one! You can read this comic online at: [link]

Sullengrey: Sacrifice: Not for the faint of heart, this comic (a sequel to a collected graphic novel I didn’t have the money for…and I like the coloring and guy characters way more in this one!) is a grizzlier version of Johnny the Homicidal Maniac. Less of a commentary on the evils of society, Sullengrey is darker, grosser but just as amusing. I feel in love with all of the characters and want to read the graphic novel and the second part of this series. But a warning, it’s incredibly anti-Christian and very disturbing. But it’s got a grim reaper who enjoys girl scout cookies…who can refuse? You can buy this one at Ape Comics: [link]

The Trouble with Katie Rogers: Another Ape Comics production and probably my one disappointment (especially after I giggled and gushed over this with the table staff), this is a story about a publicist who has to clear her client’s name. I was turned off mainly because the story didn’t click for me…mainly because this was written by a guy who admits that the woman’s mind is a confusing area for him…but I ADORE the layout and sheer beauty of this comic. Seriously, every page is laid out differently and is pure eye candy. Even with a story that didn’t quite make it for me, I enjoyed this comic for the art. Hot gals, utterly handsome guys (when will male comic creator realize we women want hot men???) and lovely manips of New York City. Every page gives you something different…fun stuff!!! Take a look here: [link]

Wolves of Odin: I was so incredibly when I saw that ~grantgoboom comic was available for purchase at his table. I think much silly giggling ensued. And getting to FINALLY read this comic was such a joy!!! A story about a Viking who must defeat werewolves sounds like a pretty awesome story…and it was! The printing itself was gorgeous, with lovely colors and nice glossy pages. The writing was quick-paced and informative….I enjoyed every moment of this book! It’s so much like the heroes stories and legends of old that I must commend Grant for evoking the sense that he has discovered some old tale no one else knows of. You can feel the wonderful ancientness of this story! I can’t wait to see more of this story arc from Grant! Oh, and did I mention... ]]> *Snitter http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/26374686/ http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/26374686/ Tue, 04 Aug 2009 08:04:01 PDT
That’s right, lads and ladies…I am going to be attending the Chicago comic convention this weekend, chilling out with my main man Alan who will be selling his graphic novel Rival Angels. We’ll be at table….hmmm, not sure what table we’ll be at, to be honest!!! Anyways this will be the first convention I’m attending where I won’t be pitching any of my comic book projects, so I’m looking forward to having fun and buying loads of commissions and other goodies! //wallet permitting//

Are any of you guys going to be there? Let me know!! Ha ha, I need to make a list of all the tables I want to visit, so I won’t mistakenly forget someone!!

See you all there!!!!


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/25823837/ Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:17:17 PDT
In one year, I was able to start and finish the first book in the series at 104,000 words, then start the sequel. I’m nearing 30,000 words on that (okay, to be fair, I’m at 27,000 right now) and I hope to have it finished by the end of the year.

Wow!! 1 1/4 books done in one year!! Now, I’ll always be the first one to beat myself up for not getting more writing done…but that’s not half-bad!!

And really, the best accomplishment is how far I’ve come in the way I’ve pictured Elevator. Seriously, the characters, the storyline, the emotional depth, everything has become much more intense, dramatic and FUN! I so dearly adore this story of mine and thinking back on how far I’d come is a treat!

So to celebrate, here are some of my favorite commissions, fanarts and gifts I’ve received for The Elevator!!!







*Snitter http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/25702923/ http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/25702923/ Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:47:32 PDT
Well….better luck next year!


Anyways, on to better things! tagged me with this book meme to write down the first sentence of your favorite book, and I haven’t done it yet. Then tagged me again, only she went a step above and listed two books! So now, feeling competitive, I’ve added a new catch:

I’ve listed a few of my fav first lines…only I didn’t say which books they came from. Can you name them? Let’s see who can guess the most, okay?

1) “Cadel was in a very sour mood when he first met Detective Inspector Saul Greeniaus.”

2) “The primroses were over.”

3) “It was love at first sight. The first time Yossarian saw the chaplain he fell madly in love with him.”

4) “Some years ago there was in the city of York a society of magicians.”

5) “He rode into the dark of the woods and dismounted.”

6) “When Mr. Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would shortly be celebrating his eleventy-first birthday with a party of special magnificence, there was much talk and excitement in Hobbiton.”

7) “Amerigo Bonasera sat in New York Criminal Court Number 3 and waited for justice; vengeance on the men who had so cruelly hurt his daughter, who had tried to dishonor her.”

8) “Scarlett O’Hara was not beautiful, but men seldom realized it when caught by her charm as the Tarleton twins were.”

9) “Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.”

10) “Lady was as much a part of Lad’s everyday happiness as the sunshine itself.”


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!


http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/25666832/ Wed, 01 Jul 2009 06:22:18 PDT something , I might have to put this in my “travel here once I have money” list of destinations.

That said…anyone have any ideas on less expensive places to go? Or cheaper ways to do Paris/France? I really do need to go on another vacation this year, only I can't figure out where I want to go!

Thanks all!


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!




http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/25602319/ Sun, 28 Jun 2009 08:54:59 PDT




That’s right! I might be going to…
PARIS!!!

I still need to see if the trip is doable money-wise. I am going to go on some pretty awesome tours, too!! To places outside of Paris, like Versailles, Normandy (D-Day beaches!), Belgium, the Somme (WWI battle site) and to see some castles. As for Paris, I am going to sign up for a chauffeured trip around the city as well as a night cruise down the Seine, then to a show at the Moulin Rouge! The actual Moulin Rouge!! Then I’ll spend the rest of my days in Paris, um, SHOPPING!!

Anyways, that’s what I’m thinking of doing!

Has anyone ever been to Paris/France before (Jo, I’m looking in your direction!)….or live there? Can you offer me any advice on things to do, etc.?


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



... ]]> *Snitter http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/25537424/ http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/25537424/ Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:11:58 PDT


Isn’t she the cutest thing ever! Almost makes it seem impossible that her hobbies include shooting people and getting drunk.


This was done by the very friendly and awesomely talented :iconAntipaty00: if anyone else is interested in getting a super-cute commission of their own!


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!




http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/25308078/ Sun, 14 Jun 2009 11:47:53 PDT
However, as I house-sat for *DekeNicki this week, I got reacquainted with Gankutsuou. I remember watching this like crazy back in 2004 and seeing the episodes again, I realize what a great show it was! So much that I bought myself a shiny new copy of “The Count of Monte Cristo”!

In celebration of this rediscovery, I decided to do a feature for my top fav animes and some excellent fanart I’ve discovered!

What are your fav animes?

1) Cowboy Bebop



2) Monster



3) Wolf’s Rain



4) Gankutsuou



5) One Piece

... ]]> *Snitter http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/25218810/ http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/25218810/ Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:38:46 PDT
The Elevator cameo

First on the agenda, Jason and Samantha from my novel “The Elevator” turned up in ~albonia comic “Rival Angels”. Check them out!

[link]

Alan nailed Jason so perfectly well with that expression!!

The Wedding!

On Thursday last week, I met up with *DekeNicki =jisuk and =holls for a night on the town, bachelorette style! We ate at Chicago’s Tizi Melloul [link] had deserts and drinks at the John Hancock’s 96th-floor Signature Room [link] and stayed the night at the Drake Hotel [link] My sister cried a little when she realized we were staying at the Drake! It’s such a beautiful and totally fabulous place!

Then, Friday morning, holls and Jisuk headed out with my sis and I met *stressedjenny and her boyfriend Ben at the train station! This was my second time meeting Jenny, but my first meeting Ben…he was such a nice fella! We talked mainly about England on the train ride…I was telling her all about my visit to London earlier this year!

When we arrived in New Lenox, we all met together at Chili’s for lunch (American food!!), where we were joined by Holls’ husband Chris and *Dubhghall Then we made a mad dash to Starved Rock [link] where the wedding was held. While I got my hair done, Jenny and Ben explored Utica, a very tiny, totally American town. Then we rushed to the Park and prepared for the wedding…we only had 1 ½ hours to get ready, so it was very intense for a while! Greg forgot the accessories to his kilt! Chris passed out with a migraine! We couldn’t find the placement cards for dinner! But all was well (except Chris, who got his lunch delivered to his room!)

The ceremony itself was, dare I say it: perfect. Absolutely perfect weather, bright and sunny but breezy and cool too. Nothing unexpected happened and everything went without a hitch! I cried quite a bit too.

The rest of the night went awesomely, expect that I felt like I had to crash at 8 but stayed up until 10:30 (I got paid back for this by having a headache all day Saturday). A raccoon crashed our party, the ringbearer turned out to be the most hilarious dancer on the floor (beating out the drunken family members!) and I….I caught the bouquet! /ahem/ Any eligible bachelors out there?

Anyways, it was so wonderful and I had such a great time!!!!

As for the party-goers…anyone want any photos? I took A LOT! And I’ll post some up here when I can!


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!

http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/25113219/ Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:39:44 PDT
[link]

*swoons* Yes, Sargent Pepper's is my favorite bit! And I am the Walrus! This is seriously cool...I only wish they were making a full-length animated film!

I want an XBox now!


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!




http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/24869547/ Thu, 21 May 2009 07:42:19 PDT
The Elevator is finished, expect for a few edits I add in here and there. I’ve been working full steam ahead on the sequel. I’m about 40 pages into it, which is quite good news, especially since I finished The Elevator in four months. Although I’ve heard advice on writing sequels before the first book is published – mainly not to – I think it’s a very good thing to do. Kat has been sending me several articles from writer’s blogs (published writers) on their woes and complaints about having to put together a sequel and finding themselves unable to write. The pros of writing the sequel ahead of time – even if it’s just the first few chapters before the first book is published – I find is that all of these pressures following publication would simply not be there. And besides…wouldn’t agents and publishers be excited that a sequel is already in the works? Maybe I need to add that to my query letter...

Plus, I’m starting a new journal (a handwritten one I carry with me…not the electronic versions, which I really need to update more often than I do now) and that always gives me this feeling of newness, of the thrill for the future and a whole lot of enthusiasm! Something about a book filled with blank pages. What is the future going to hold? Where will I find myself when it’s done? Will I have a contract…even a published book? I’m terribly excited to find out!!


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



*Snitter http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/24717880/ http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/24717880/ Tue, 12 May 2009 09:48:32 PDT CapnFlynn and her hubby and her friend Joyce was loads of fun…the only problem was that I think I had /too/ much fun, because now I’m majorly tired!! And cold. I miss with 90 degree weather!!

So yes…got to go see the site where JFK was shot, see real, honest-to-goodness cowboys at work, and attend my first Renaissance Fair!! And chat a lot about writing, agent woes and books with Kat!

I will post some photos soon!

Also, I got to see Star Trek Friday night…it is such a fun, exciting and uplifting movie!! Plus, Spock rocks!

So yes…I had such a great vacation in Dallas!!





In other news, this Saturday is my birthday. Not sure yet what the plans for that is (although a positive response from an agent would be an excellent gift! ) I think watching Star Trek with my sis is part of the plans! Whoo hoo!!


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/24581211/ Mon, 04 May 2009 10:04:22 PDT
I am SO pumped about my upcoming vacation that it’s hard to focus on things that I should (working on Elevator, bk. 2, for example) so while I’m in Dallas for the next couple of days, I thought I’d leave this meme up for you guys to read/respond to. Stolen from Kat’s LJ…I’d love for you to fill it out as well, even if it’s responding to a few in the comments!



1. What author do you own the most books of?
Albert Payson Terhune with 32 books, including two which are worth over $500 each. I also own everything J.K. Rowling wrote, the books of the Pendergast series and a lot of Wodehouse.

2. What book do you own the most copies of?
I own two copies of too many books to mention. I have four copies of “Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell”, three of “Lad of Sunnybank”, both the US and UK sets of Harry Potter, and four different sets of “Lord of the Rings”. Also, I have four copies of “Call of the Wild” even though it isn’t my favorite book!

3. What fictional character are you secretly in love with?
Yossarian, even if he’s a smart-ass. Bertie Wooster, even if he’s a dumb ass (but see, I’ll get Jeeves in the bargain and what’s wrong with that? /Someone/ has to marry Bertie!). Pretty much any hero in an Austen book. Magicians like Jonathan Strange, Schmendrick and Howl. I love Sherlock Holmes very much. Recently, Saul Greeniaus of “Genius Squad”.

4. What book have you read more than any other?
I usually reread a book twice, so I’ll count only those I’ve read more than that. I’ve read “Catch-22” seven times now, starting in high school and rereading it a lot during college; it was such a great novel to have in the dorms! Also, “The Last Unicorn” was the only book I reread immediately after finishing it the first time; I’ve read it two other times since then. “Lad, A Dog” has been read more times than I can count (maybe eight or nine times?)…it’s due for another reread. Not counting the time my Dad read it to me when I was a kid, I’ve reread “Lord of the Rings” six times. I’ve read the entire Preston’s & Child’s Pendergast series twice (until the more recent novels). Read the Harry Potter series twice as well (which went EXCELLENTLY the second time round).

5. What was your favorite book when you were ten years old?
I first encountered Terhune’s books when I was in grade school. I didn’t realize that “Wolf”, my favorite (read in 2nd grade), was by Albert Payson Terhune until I started to collect/follow his novels more seriously in college. But I was a HUGE fan of “Lad, A Dog” and read the other Lad books when I was in grade school. I also really, really liked “Watership Down” and “The Plague Dogs” by Richard Adams. So…lots of animal books! And I didn’t care for Jack London even then.

6. What is the worst book you’ve read in the past year?
Probably too many to mention; I’m terribly picky with what I read. And it’s usually all personal preference, not due to horrible writing or what have you.

7. What is the best book you’ve read in the past year?
See below.

8. If you could tell everyone you tagged to read one book, what would it be?
As much of a fan I am of “Catch-22”, I recommend the Genius books by Catherine Jinks, starting with “Evil Genius”. The sequel, “Genius Squad” has just come out in paperback. This is an amazing series and quite deep for young adult. It is entirely character-driven, which is what I adore so much about it, and it’s stocked with incredibly well-developed and well-liked characters, even the villains. Prosper is a fav of mine as well as Saul.

9. What is the most difficult book you’ve ever read?
James Joyce’s “Uylsses”. I also tried “Houses of Leaves”.

10. Do you prefer the French or the Russians?
Can we compromise and say English? Oh, very well. I am too fond on Dumas to say anything but “French”!

11. Shakespeare, Milton or Chaucer?
I relate more to Milton (“On His Being Arrived at Age 23” speaks to me!) but I like Shakespeare more.

12. Austen or Eliot?
Two words: Mister. Darcy.

13. What is the biggest or most embarrassing gap in your reading?
Mystery, Westerns (tried to fill that gap two years ago), and Science Fiction (need to read more). Also, male-focused thrillers, which I haven’t gotten into on account that I’m not a man. Also also, I really need to read more world literature, starting with Indian books. The few books out of India I’ve read I’ve adored. And books from Afr... ]]> *Snitter http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/24458413/ http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/24458413/ Mon, 27 Apr 2009 07:18:07 PDT CapnFlynn as we celebrate our birthdays! I am SO excited over this trip! I’ve never been to Texas before and have always wanted to…and the chance to chill with ~CapnFlynn and see the awesome cowboyish/historical sights of the area is going to be such a blast!

And I’ve leaving in less than two weeks!! I seem to have developed a habit of deciding to go on vacation and then immediately/as soon as possible leaving for said vacation…I can’t stand waiting for months to go somewhere!!

Anyways, by next Wednesday I’ll be out of here!


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/24261369/ Wed, 15 Apr 2009 17:36:13 PDT kreugan mentioned these youtube videos to me as she was taking my photo in front of famous places. When I got home, I looked these up and they seriously took my breath away. Incredibly beautiful, inspiring and amazing stuff:

http: //www. youtube. com/watch?v= bNF_P281Uu4

((delete spaces to get the link!))

Seriously, such a great vid! Brought tears to my eyes at the power of traveling and seeing the world.

BUT WAIT! It gets better:

http: //www. youtube. com/watch?v= zlfKdbWwruY

The joy of travel, now with solidarity! The fact that SO MANY people came together for this is such a delight. You can just feel the fun these people had here.

So...

How many places showcased have you been to?
Have you seen any of the famous places?
Where, of all the places Matt's been, would you like to go?




Ugh...this makes me want to travel again!


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/23793862/ Fri, 20 Mar 2009 09:34:44 PDT
Thanks everyone!!

Also, I am super excited about getting some commissions from who I’ve been following for quite a while! She still has a few slots open for commissions, so you should check her out!


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



... ]]> *Snitter http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/23743723/ http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/23743723/ Tue, 17 Mar 2009 09:33:18 PDT


drew such a great pic of Jason that it got a daily dev! I really, really adore this commission of Jason, so I’m really excited and pleased to see it get recognized!

And, in celebration…more Jason pics! Because we can’t get enough of the man!




Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



<... ]]> *Snitter http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/23088748/ http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/23088748/ Sun, 08 Feb 2009 17:57:54 PST ...it was too cool of an idea for me not to use!

"All you have to do is write one of my OCs names and I will reply telling you one random fact about that character.

Also, If someone took the character you wanted to use, have no fear! There is no limit to how many times a characters name is brought up. I will still give one random fact.

Also, also you can ask more than once, with the same character or a different one."


Okay, guys GO!!!

I also got my footer back, with all those fun icons! I love ya guys!!


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



*Snitter http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/22862372/ http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/22862372/ Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:45:58 PST to Tee hee!!

Seriously, this is just another mark on how awesome this year has been for me already. Like, this is the line-up:

Traveled overseas, to LONDON of all places, meeting my goal to leave North America at least once this year! Huzzah!
Paying off credit cards and canceling them for good. Hurrah!!!
Got my braces taken off!
Been incredibly happy all the time! Like, nothing is getting me down!

Um...it's cold?

I'm sure there are other good things, but really, it's been an amazing year!

]]> *Snitter http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/22828648/ http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/22828648/ Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:02:45 PST and such! So enjoy!

I also read journal here [link] and it got me thinking about MY top animated movies, so here they are, complete with links to the first part posted on youtube, for your viewing pleasure!

I think it goes without saying that all of these movies are highly recommended and that I suggest you all watch these opening clips?

HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE [link]irFcaZOq7g

One of my favorite movies in the “animated film”, “Studio Ghibli” and “overall” categories. Inspired me in a lot of ways. Howl, as a character, is just a delight! The colors especially are beautiful in this film, as well as the backgrounds. I wish this film was a bit more like the novel, and that Howl’s mysterious “black” door led to Wales, not the future. And Christian Bale was very well-cast, I think…I must have been the only person who giggled in the new Batman movies, thinking “that’s his Howl voice!”

PRINCE OF EGYPT [link]

This movie is incredible, whether you like animated movies or not, or whether you are religious or not. The animation is simply stunning, the story tight, the character insanely well developed. I usually have a soft spot for villains, but this film is astounding for the way it dealt with Rameses. And I even like the songs! Alas, Dreamworks was never able to meet or exceed the levels they reached in their first animated film (and I like Road to El Dorado!). Prince of Egypt is simply one of the best!

GREAT MOUSE DETECTIVE [link]

Okay, I’m not going to joke with you guys. This movie…isn’t very good. It’s clunky, got stupid songs and exaggerated, kiddy moments. But it never stops my enjoyment and pure LOVE for this movie. It got, in my opinion, the best representation of Sherlock Holmes’ insane personality, from the mood swings, violin playing and spastic energy. All Basil needed was his “seven percent solution” and it’d have been perfect. In any case, this was my first introduction to Sherlock and I’ve never stopped loving him since.

P.S. Lora, you need to seriously stop what you are doing right now and at least watch this first part. Or Basil’s intro, at 7:00 minutes. You just need to watch this movie!!!

WATERSHIP DOWN [link]

Despite the film’s heavy use of bloodshed and strong “this isn’t for kids” marketing back in the day, I used to watch this movie continually throughout my childhood. I adored it then and still do…it’s got a good message and the unique, rather realistic style of the film makes the film stand out.

PLAGUE DOGS [link]

Not for the faint of heart. Animated by the same folks who did Watership Down, this film is dark, depressing and incredibly down (for starters, a man gets shot in the face ON SCREEN). Just the opening credits make me shudder. For all it’s despair, it’s still a beautiful film in my opinion….in fact, I loved it so much that my screen name comes from one of the main characters.

ALL DOGS GO TO HEAVEN [link]

What I love so much about this movie is how much controversy it’s had: images of hell, drinking, gambling, criminal behavior…all stemming from the hero of this movie. This movie can still make me cry, I’ll admit…a very well-crafted movie!!

BAMBI [link]
*Snitter http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/22709366/ http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/22709366/ Wed, 21 Jan 2009 08:27:07 PST
Huge, HUGE thanks to fellow traveler and Sherlock-nerd =kreugan for being such a total SWEETHEART and coming up to see me. The day we hung out together was a real highlight of the trip, especially the insane sight-seeing, double-decker-bus-riding and Holmes-related stuff we did, like discussing Waston's upsetness as Melissa and I flirted with Sherlock. Aaaaah, good times!

And thanks, dear, for not minding that I took SIX HUNDRED PHOTOS OMG while I was there! Seriously, I was an insane shutter-bug! And, Melissa-bebe, I need your better-quality-than-mine photos!

Anyways, everyone, I had an EXCELLENT time!! I shall put up more info and some photos after I settle in!

]]> *Snitter http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/22601375/ http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/22601375/ Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:52:03 PST and seeing the sights!! I am SO happy and excited about this trip!!!

So I won't be answering comments/notes until I get back! See ya!!

]]> *Snitter http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/22482816/ http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/22482816/ Fri, 09 Jan 2009 06:39:18 PST
Anyways, in other news, life has been going very well for me lately! I haven’t received any news about The Elevator (a query letter was sent to Ace publishers at the end of August) so that’s giving me a tiny bit of stress. But I’ve been working on the second book in the series, which I’m rather excited and happy about. If things keep going the way they have been, I am going to be on track to ending a few of the things that have been giving me financial problems in the past….plus, I’m heading to London in a week, which some of you may know how much I’m looking forward to my first international/overseas trip!!

So life has been very amazing to me! I only hope the good times keep on rolling!

]]> *Snitter http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/22314315/ http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/22314315/ Wed, 31 Dec 2008 20:02:28 PST

And to celebrate...London features:






And for total LOL factor:



Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/22258976/ Mon, 29 Dec 2008 11:05:14 PST
So how was everyone's holidays? Got any New Years plans? I don't, but I'm really glad about that because my past few weeks have been very busy! Hurray, relaxation!

I also seem to be on track for launching the second "Elevator" book, as new ideas keep coming to me and I'm putting everything together more and more easily.


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/22010715/ Tue, 16 Dec 2008 07:06:54 PST
So that means it’s time to focus on my next project! I am in need of some good young adult series…got any good, non-mainstream suggestions for me? I’m searching for something with a bit more fantasy than modern stuff. And, no, I don’t want any books about vampires, werewolves, etc. So, yeah, if you’ve read anything good in that genre, please let me know!!


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/21965323/ Sat, 13 Dec 2008 14:33:14 PST ) rather than think of the year ahead. But one of my friends asked me yesterday what I wanted to get done next year and if I’ve set any goals for myself. She’s a huge planner, so she’s always thinking of things like this! I’m not one for the usual resolutions (dieting? what for?) but I do have some aspirations for 2009. So here we go, in order of importance:


1. Get published or die trying. ‘Nuff said.

2. Travel the world. Seriously. If I don’t leave the U.S./North America soon I think I am going to lose it. It’s eating away at my heart…I must travel…I HAVE to!!! I already have a pile of brochures to pretty much everyplace on the globe and I’ve been saving up money like a crazy, stringy woman. Except for getting a story of mine in print and in book stores, this is the most dire goal for 2009.

3. Find a new job. I’d really like to go someplace where I could get paid more and where upwards mobility is a possibility.

4. Move out of my parents home. Yeah. Eventually this will happen. And hopefully it’ll be a nice place in Chicago, though it’d be neat to move somewhere else too. My above-mentioned friend told me about apartments for cheap in Tinley Park, which is a ‘burb outside of Chicago.


The first two are the most important to me…the ones that’ll really make a lasting impact on my long-term happiness and contentment. I can only work so hard at getting something published, though – it’s rather out of my hands after I submit something to a publisher (as past experiences have proven). But traveling is a real possibility…all it takes is the cash, really. And a travel buddy.

Do any of you guys have any goals, plans or aspirations for 2009? Please share if you’d like!




I wanted to showcase some lovely gift-art and commissions I’ve received recently.

I got this one this morning from What a cute gift! She captured my lovely Diamond’s personality so well and I adore the fact she isn’t wearing her customary hat! Lovely, lovely hair! And *Sins-Of-Angels is accepting commissions of chibis now, so if you like my bebe, get a chibi of your own!

Another Diamond! drew this pic of his favorite “sassy assassin” for me a while back and I adore this pic so much! ~albonia is such a great guy, giving me all sorts of awesome feedback on El. His enthusiasm is so inspiring for me as a writer!

My pal http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/21764305/ Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:56:05 PST Feel free to respond to these questions in your comment! I’m very curious to see what you guys think!

1) How often do you read new books?
I pretty much read constantly…there are very few times in my life when I don’t have a book to read. I have found it rather difficult to read lately, because so much of my attention is on writing my own book…so hard to focus on someone else’s novel when I have one of my own!

2) Do you consider yourself a fast reader?
Quite fast. The only time I read slowly is when I love a book so much I don’t want it to end!

3) Can you read more than one book at a time?
That’s the norm for me. Outside of college, I’ve read up to 4 books at once.

4) Are you reading anything right now?
Just finished reading “Darkly Dreaming Dexter” and “Marley & Me”…a fantastic mix of subjects! I have been trying to read Fellowship of the Ring again but can’t get into it yet.

5) Do you reread books? Why/why not?
I usually do, especially if it’s a book I like a great deal. “The Last Unicorn” was the first and (so far) only book I began rereading the instant I was finished.

6) Do you stop reading a book if you don’t like it?
All the time. Most books I pick up are never finished. I’m a very picky reader!

7) Do you prefer buying books or getting them through the library? A related question: do you like new or used books better?
I like owning my own books, so I avoid the library. Borrowing books also bother me…I want my own!
I had a used book kick in college, but now I like to have new books.

8) How many books do you own?
Too many to count.

9) Do you ever write in books or mark favorite passages, etc.?
I don’t like writing in books but I do dog-ear pages I like.

12) Recommend a book!
I really, really enjoyed reading “Darkly Dreaming Dexter”. If you don’t mind reading a book that puts a serial killer in a positive light, I suggest you read it.


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!


http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/21588390/ Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:20:33 PST


Okay, guys, I’m gunna level with ya. This week has been rather gawd-awful. With a funeral to go to tomorrow and an insanely inhuman work schedule (our standard/expected workload is 5 resume per day…I had to write 14…ouch), plus no time at all to work on Elevator, I’ve been rather down in the dumps. I stayed the night at my sister’s last night just to “get away from it all” and while that was refreshing, coming back to a heavy workload and I’m also expected to work a full day while I’m at a funeral the stress levels are back up.

But then, there came a package in the mail.

Filled with stickers of chibi Samantha, Jason and Riley from Elevator

I had NO CLUE was doing this, except that she asked for my address. Oh yes, everyone, I got a package of a handful of stickers of my characters, which has got to be the FINEST gift in the world! A surprise…and what a surprise!!! I was…100% blown away! Not only because I thought they were the complete set of this: until I opened the plastic baggie and thumbed through them, not only because it was so thoughtful and sweet and NICE, but also because she captured the character’s personalities so well that I was giggling in pure delight.


All I gotta say is *weem YOU ARE MY HERO!!!

Seriously, bebe, you made my day….no, my MONTH! These are so amazing and beautiful and I’ve got a handful of them to put up everywhere and on everything! I love, love, LOVE them!!

Are you gunna post the drawings on DA? So I can link to them??

Thank you, thank you, thank you darling!!!!!


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!


... ]]> *Snitter http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/21248485/ http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/21248485/ Fri, 31 Oct 2008 12:31:53 PDT Audley I’ve been thinking about writing and printing up a collection of short stories (or one longer short story) and selling them. What do you guys thinking about that?

I also have some questions! I am wondering about:

…Whether to write more than one story or have one longer story. ((would you guys like many or one story?))

…Have other DA writers join in. ((would you prefer to have other writers’ stories as well?))

…Try to get some artists to participant and add some drawings. ((would you prefer seeing some art?))

If anyone is interested in joining, btw, for either art or writing, lemme know!!


I have a poll set up here: [link] So please let me know your thoughts!!


I am going to start thinking about different stories I’d like to tell and set up a new journal/poll at that time.

Thanks in advance for all your suggestions!!


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/21108089/ Wed, 22 Oct 2008 10:08:56 PDT

Seriously, check this out.


GUH! The hotness! I swear, this is my FAV picture of Riley ever. Kat perfectly captured his character!!

And look at Samantha here:


Tee hee, such a sweetie! did SUCH a great job!

And look! My dorky sis tagged me on a meme! Feel free to steal and fill out as you will.

1. Why did you decide to fill this out? Were you bored?
Yeah. That, plus I needed to update my journal!

2. How many people on here do you actually know in reality? Post their avatars.
I’ve meet these people in person: and some others. People I chat with online who I haven’t met include everyone who is in my “Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!” list below

3. What do you typically post on deviantart?
Writing and photos of my BJD dolls.

4. Tell everyone your favorite song, and why it's your favorite.
Right now I’m listening to a comp CD of French-Canadian artists that sent me. *Snitter http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/20974448/ http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/20974448/ Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:41:55 PDT
"You could tell a Chicagoan in any city in the world, for he would not talk a minute scarcely until he would let you know he was from Chicago."

Those who know me well enough know how true this statement is! I've had a few of my online friends tell me that everyone they talk to from Chicago are so incredibly (and vocally!) proud of their city.

And I'd like to say that we have a very good reason to brag about Sweet Home Chicago!

***

Once again, I've been trying to think of a new journal subject, especially a writing-related one as I've had so much fun writing those and reading everyone's responses.

While I haven't been able to think about a good subject yet, I was wondering...is there anything about me, my writing, my projects, my characters or my ideas that you'd like to know about?

To make it fair, if you ask me a question, I'll ask one back! Bring 'em on!!


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/20869886/ Tue, 07 Oct 2008 06:40:51 PDT for catching it!

I've been rather silent on my end, I think...I intended to use my DA journal and LJ to update my watchers/friends on my writing progress and I've been rather awful at letting people know what I've been up to...but I HAVE been writing a great deal lately! A great, great deal! My comic-book-turned-novel "The Elevator" is coming along *excellently*!! In fact, its going so well that I should be spending more time on that than writing journals. :/

I'll update you all later (knowing my past entries...much, much later!!).




Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/20747597/ Mon, 29 Sep 2008 18:17:24 PDT
Best of luck, everyone!


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/20669761/ Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:14:10 PDT
When you are reading a book in which a lot of heavy, dark things happen/will happen, do you like having a lighthearted, fun chapter in the middle? Or do you feel like the mood and the building tension is thrown off?

(for those of you who aren’t familiar with “The Elevator”, it is a rather fun and lighthearted novel, so it won’t be totally out of the blue to have a more silly/laid-back moment)

This scene, I must add, does further the plot and reveal more about the characters.

Anyways, just let me know if you’ve had experiences when reading books where these sort of things occur…and what you feel about them.

/and, omg, a journal to showcase my recent gift-arts is in the works! you guys are AWESOME!!/


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



*Snitter http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/20580730/ http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/20580730/ Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:34:21 PDT in a very, very, VERY cool meme created by ! (which I edited a tad to make it more writer-centric)

Name a character that you know I write or have written, and I'll tell you:

a. What initially prompted me to write about them.
b. One of their best traits.
c. One of their worst traits.
d. How easy/difficult I find it to write the character.
e. The moment where I feel that I truly captured the character.
f. My plans to write the character in the near future.

Sounds like fun, right? If you are unfaimiliar with my characters or someone else picked someone you wanted to ask me about, check out my folders in my favs. The "Elevator", "Animusians" and "Other Commissions" all have info about my other characters!!

And because I don't tag people often enough, here I go (Audley, if you still maintain a no-meme rule, ignore this part of the journal )





....and yes, I do realize I've tagged a crazy amount of people. But these kind of memes are great...love the chance to talk and hear people chat about characters!

Even if I didn't tag you....feel free to say I did anyways!!


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!

http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/20534949/ Wed, 17 Sep 2008 10:01:32 PDT
* Do you feel like your flagship/main original character represents you as a person? Do they share your appearance, dreams, fears, personalities, etc.?

* What is it about your flagship/main original character that makes them so important or focal for you, especially if they are not the main focus on your stories (this, I’ve found out, happens more often than I would have thought it would!)?

* Do you create original characters as a way to ‘exorcize your demons’ or overcome difficulties you cannot face in person?

* Have you ever ‘acted out’ your original character’s thoughts and feelings? Do you, in effect, pretend to be them?

* Do you prefer having good or bad things happen to them? Does their story have a happy ending…or beginning, for that matter? Is it important to you that they should have a good/bad life?

* Have you ever bought clothing/accessories solely because your original character would, or if it is similar to their main/usual outfit?

Yeah, I’m just curious again! So many people I know have their own original characters and I’m wondering how many writers/creators experience the same things that I do with my characters.

And if anyone really likes chatting about their characters, my sis and her friend mod a DA club ~oc-art which I really need to get involved with more. >__<

Okay, now to get back to writing! For those of you who are curious, I've been working on the novelization of my comic book "The Elevator" and I'm currently 1/3 of the way finished with the book!


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!


http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/20369911/ Sun, 07 Sep 2008 06:58:04 PDT
Billions of hugs to *scruffyronin for the incredibly beautiful picture of Diamond!!



Seriously, guys, this has got to be my top fav pic of her!! *swoons* I'm so full of love! She turned out so lovely, so in-character! Garter? Check! Briefcase of guns? Check! Points for sheer awesomeness?? Very check!

Random fanart-y surprises =

Thanks so much, *scruffyronin for the great picture!!


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/20338773/ Fri, 05 Sep 2008 11:22:05 PDT What books do you read again and again? Why do you constantly read them?

I’m just curious again, per usual!


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/20096929/ Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:55:43 PDT has posted her character sketches of the main characters Makenize, Breana, Wyatt and Elaine! Enjoy!





Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



*Snitter http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/20077150/ http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/20077150/ Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:54:01 PDT excellent team: ~tinkerbelcky doing pencils and inks and with *blix-it on colors. Right now I’m hard at work writing and editing the 88-page graphic novel which focuses on two rival brothers who are seeking the subjects of their parents’ experiments.

Animusians will be published by Arcana Studios, here: [link]

A lot of you know how long I’ve been working on this comic and how much I look forward to its approaching publication. I’ll post more updates concerning the comic in the weeks to come as more progress is made.


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/20054945/ Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:15:57 PDT
Florida was amazing!! was such a great host, so sweet and fun! I feel totally relaxed and chill now. I suppose I should chat about my vacation a bit, but I have so many emails/notes/work-related things to get to that I don't have the time right now. I'll summarize:

+ got to feed a giraffe!
+ chilled at the beach, chilled at the beach, chilled at the beach
+ effectively avoided sunburns...Jack did not. ;__;
+ watched the live action Death Note movie!
+ throlling rolls <__<
+ overall awesomeness


And now, the 64 degree weather of Chicago feels sooooooo nice!

Thanks so, so, SO SO SO much Jack for the wonderful vacation! It was exactly what I needed...I feel so relaxed and de-stressed today! Thanks dear...you were a fantastic host!


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!



http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/19931662/ Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:01:51 PDT

♥FOUR MOVIES YOU´LL WATCH OVER AND OVER:
1. The Great Mouse Detective (because I already do. I swear, I get withdraw when I haven’t watched this movie in a while)
2. Howl’s Moving Castle (pure, pure joy and a complete inspiration)
3. 12 Angry Men (my favorite movie and executed sooooo well!)
4. Bon Cop Bad Cop (LOVE this film…watched it, like, a dozen times since I’ve seen it with Sara in QC)

♥FOUR PLACES I´VE LIVED:
1. New Lenox, Illinois
2. Chicago, Illinois
3. Pekin, Illinois
4. Lockport, Illinois

♥TV PROGRAMS I WATCH/WATCHED:
1. House
2. Doctor Who
3. X-Files
4. Monster (the anime)

♥FOUR FAVORITE CHARACTERS OF ALL THE TIME:
1. Jonathan Strange (from Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell)
2. Sherlock Holmes
3. Mordred
4. Can I say my own?

♥FOUR PLACES I´VE BEEN:
1. Grand Canyon
2. Disney World
3. Quebec City
4. Yellowstone

♥FOUR PEOPLE WHO REGULARLY SEND ME MAILS:
1. Audley wins the award for most emails sent!
2. Sara (daily notes and msn chats nightly)
3. Lora (quite a few times per week)
4. Deke (a few times per week)

♥FOUR OF MY FAVORITE DISHES:
1. Mutar Paneer
2. Yellow Curry
3. Vegetarian Duck at Alice and Friends
4. Jerra Aloo

♥FOUR PLACES I WISH I WERE RIGHT NOW:
1. Fort Walton Beach, Florida!
2. Visiting my out-of-state friends
3. Visiting my out-of-country friends
4. Anywhere but here, really, although I do adore my city of Chicago!

♥FOUR REASONS TO KEEP ON LIVING:
1. Writing
2. Writing
3. Writing
4. Writing

♥FOUR THINGS I´LL NEVER DO:
1. Give up on writing, even when its easier to do so
2. Suicide…its just an utterly horrible to do to the people you care about
3. Um…bungee jumping. No thank you.
4. Get rid of this souvenir t-shirt I bought at Sunnybank

♥FOUR FAVORITE DRINKS:
1. Dr. Pepper
2. Starbuck’s Frappicinos…but the wussy version they put out in glass bottles
3. Lemonade
4. Water…for real

♥FOUR WISHES:
1. To become a successful writer
2. To become a published writer
3. To finally move into the city
4. To leave North America

♥FOUR THINGS I´LL DO BEFORE I DIE:
1. Travel around the world
2. See something of mine in print
3. Finish writing “All the World in a Rage”, gawd!
4. Hopefully get to see some people I’ve love to meet

♥FOUR TRAUMAS IN MY LIFE:
1. I’m sure living in an incubator for the first 9 months of my life was rather traumatic
2. Almost choking to death +__+
3. Watching someone pull a knife on someone else on the el train
4. Taking my sister to the ER ;__;

♥FOUR THINGS I´LL SAY TO THE ONE WHO SENT ME THIS:
I just took this, but I can say four things to those who comment me!

♥I CRY WHEN:
1. I think too much about things beyond my control. I worry…a LOT!
2. When people shout at me or are angry/annoyed with me
3. During my mum’s “I hate you” speeches. x__x
4. After those mega-mushy Mutual Life commercials. Responsibility is my policy too, guys!

♥FOUR WORDS THAT DESCRIBE ME:
1. Creative
2. Optimistic
3. Spazzed
4. Thoughtful


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!

*Snitter http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/19841831/ http://Snitter.deviantart.com/journal/19841831/ Fri, 08 Aug 2008 08:55:29 PDT in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. I’m looking forward to hanging out, chillin’ on the beach, visiting museums and going to this really interesting restaurant in Alabama!! Thanks so much, Jack, for giving me a place to stay!!

Here are some devs I found of my destination.




I’d also like to thank for being such a sweetheart towards me during the change of plans!

So on Thursday, August 14th, I’ll be heading out of town!


Amazingly talented artists and very good friends!