Howdy Brave Being,
It’s the beginning of May! I’ve got a few life updates to share and some recommended reads that I think you’ll enjoy. Firstly, I’ll be taking most of May and some of June off from my newsletter, due to a European vacation that has been three years in the making. I hope to get back to a semi-regular schedule in mid-June. In the meantime, here’s the latest from yours truly.
What I’m Working On
To be honest, I’ve been recovering from running the DEAD DREAMS campaign. I over-extended myself by juggling my day job and managing a crowdfunding endeavor. So, I’ve been practicing self-care. Speaking of the campaign, while it’s over, things are moving forward with it behind the scenes. All the funds have been received by Zoop. The creators who were waiting for the funds to be released have been paid. The evil doppelgänger portraits by Rio Burton are finished and they are absolutely amazing. I’ve also been working with Zoop to get the cost of printing the book down so we can at the very least break even, and we’ve finally found a printer who isn’t going to break the bank, so I’m very grateful for that and hopeful that the next phase of fulfillment will go well.
While I’ve been trying to take it easy and taking care of my yard, lots of crazy and amazing things have happened in my life and in my family personally. My husband and I met our new niece Rory Ruth who is the most precious baby. A pipe burst at my mom’s house so my husband and I had to manage that situation. Everything is fixed (phew!). I celebrated my birthday and have entered my late 30s! Woohoo! It was also a fairly rainy month here in the Pacific Northwest, so I’ve seen a million rainbows lately.
I'm also excited to tell you about a few other things I’m working on! I’ve recently started editing a prose novel by Elle Lauryn and a new comic book series with Adam Cahoon. Both are outstanding so far. Elle’s book is about a popular band that breaks up and has a fantastic structure so far that I’m obsessed with. Adam’s series is fulfilling my sci-fi genre needs, and some of it is reminiscent of Planet of the Apes and Interstellar, which I’m all about, and I cannot wait to see Adam’s art for it and share it with you. In case you missed it or forgot, Adam is the same artist who created that phenomenal vintage-inspired ad for DEAD DREAMS.
I’ve also added a new client to my editing list, who I’m excited to work with this summer. More details to come. Furthermore, I’ll be editing the final installment of SUPER BEST FRIEND when I get back from my vacation. I’m quite sad that it’s ending but extremely proud of Jason Inman, George Kambadais, Taylor Esposito, and our work together, and honored to have been part of this comic. Get caught up on the first two issues before the third comes out here!
Editing Commissions Open
While I’ve got work lined up after my vacay, I’m actively seeking additional work upon my return. So, if you’re in need of an editor for that script you’ve been toiling over, whether it’s comics or prose, my editing commissions are open. Be sure to check out my services and rates on my website using the button below. Granted, I’ll be out of town for the next few weeks but I’m available to set something up come mid-June and onward. Hope to hear from you!
Alternatively, if you’re looking for some advice about the comic book industry or are interested in reading some of my short comics, I’ve opened up a Ko-fi store here.
Tips & Tricks of the Trade
I was recently asked what gets me excited in terms of books that I like to edit, and I answered with something like, “Anything that’s emotionally resonant and within the sci-fi and fantasy genres—sometimes those two smashed together.” I could have expanded but felt nervous and pressured by time constraints, so I’m expanding my answer here.
In terms of what’s emotionally resonant, I love comics (and books) that make me cry and tug at my heartstrings. Some that come to mind are David “DB” Andry and Paul Schultz’ THE WILD UNCERTAIN—it follows a couple that faces a lot together, and it’s beautiful, real, and heartbreaking. Check out this free chapter from it!
Also, DB’s RESONANT with art by Alejandro Aragon and Skylar Patridge was also phenomenally written, drawn, colored, and executed from Vault Comics. It’s about a family who gets separated in a dystopian setting and contains perfectly-timed drama with thoughtful pacing and is balanced by quiet moments of determination with A++ character-building.
BLACK WIDOW by Kelly Thompson and Elena Casagrande with cover art by Adam Hughes also took me by surprise—I never thought a superhero comic would make me cry, especially one about the gifted spy and assassin Natasha Romanoff. I was wrong.
The common thread between these stories is that the characters have an established and consistent voice, and the art is allowed to make space for these pivotal moments that ultimately opened the floodgates. Consider that to be my tip of the trade for creators this month: To make your story emotionally resonant, think deeply about how to keep your character’s voice consistent (or hire an editor wink wink) and outline their arc—plot out all the things that build up to the moments that you want to land a specific way, especially to draw out a particular emotion in the reader.
As for the sci-fi and fantasy genres, I love them with all my heart. Stories like A Wrinkle in Time, Foundation, and V for Vendetta taught me about the world through another lens and helped me understand things in real life, like politics and grief. In terms of fantasy, the list is long but it started with The Hobbit, anything by Neil Gaiman, particularly Neverwhere, and Harry Potter. Fantasy comics that get me excited include RAT QUEENS and THE WICKED AND THE DIVINE.
Then there are the supernatural stories that are just off the hook, like THESE SAVAGE SHORES, I WALK WITH MONSTERS, and BEAST. These are all big name books and comics. I’d be remiss not to mention is THE GHOST BUTTERFLY and pretty much everything by Rick Quinn and Martyn Lorbiecki. So basically, I love any story that I can be fully immersed in, that’s set in another world sometimes akin to my own and coupled with the fantastic or otherworldly—that’s totally my jam.
Combining the sci-fi and fantasy genres, SAGA, MONSTRESS, SHE SAID DESTROY, and ANGELIC come to mind. I had the pleasure of editing MIRANDA IN THE MAELSTROM, which is mostly a sci-fi adventure but features prominent fantasy elements in it as well. I suppose looking at that list, I see strong female leads and expansive worlds, so really, that’s what gets me excited—plus, any story that explores repression and female rebellion, I’m down.
Things I’m Digging
This Saturday, May 7 at participating comic book retailers in the United States and across the world is Free Comic Book Day (FCBD)! What does that mean? It means that these shops will be giving away free comics to anyone who pops in their store. Find a participating shop near you using the FCBD Shop Locator, and learn more about this annual event here.
While you’re there, consider purchasing comics as well to support a local business. I can recommend the following books, some I’ve read and others I’m interested in reading (and if they don’t have them, ask them to order them for ya):
Season of the Bruja #1-3 by Aaron Durán and Sara Soler has two issues in stores, published by OniPress, which follows Althalia Cabrera, a bruja by birth who works at an oddities museum in Portland, OR. Durán weaves in his Mexican-American heritage into this tale to reconnect with his roots and Soler brings fantastical and supernatural art that pops off the page. While you’re there, reserve issue #3, which will be available on May 18.
Bylines in Blood #1-4 by Erica Schultz, Van Jensen, and Aneke, published by AfterShock Comics, is about the fearless private detective Satya—a former journalist turned gumshoe who tracks down her editor’s killer. Issue #4 just came out this week and if you’re behind, see if the shop has ‘em or can order the series!
My Brain is Different: Stories of ADHD by Monnzusu and published by Seven Seas Entertainment. I haven’t read this one but it’s a manga anthology that caught my eye. Like the title says, it’s stories about ADHD, something that millions of people have (including myself—self-diagnosed) and I’d really love to read it. Here’s an excerpt of the solicitation but be sure to read the whole thing at the link above: “This book illustrates the anxieties and triumphs of people living in a world not quite built with them in mind.”
Heart Takes the Stage: A Heart of the City Collection by Steenz and published by Andrews McMeel. This book has it all—drama, heart, friendship, ghost stories, and real-world issues featuring a diverse cast and catered to younger readers, grades 3-8 and above.
Oh My Gods! 2: The Forgotten Maze by Stephanie Cooke, Juliana Moon, and Insha Fitzpatrick, out by Etch/Clarion Books, and it’s the second installment of their middle-grade graphic novel. It’s ripe with Greek mythology, following Karen and her group of friends into a maze underneath their high school!
If you’re not able to go in stores, all my recommendations above are available online at Amazon, for order through IndieBound, which locates your local bookstore, and wherever books are sold online.
Merry Musings
While April marked the beginning of the season of renewal, I feel like it’s really happening now. Maybe it’s because I did some weeding in my yard, and I’m seeing the fruits of my labor. Literally all the ferns at my house are sprouting fronds and they’re unfurling in such a sweet manner. All the birds are chirping (sometimes annoyingly so at 5:00am) but I know they’re just looking for a mate. Good on them. Then there’s the squirrels, who are digging up all their stored nuts, and the chipmunks who are coming out, and well I don’t know what they’re doing but they are so dang cute. Take some time to look away from your screens and enjoy the abundance that is nature.
Thanks for reading!
Mercy buckets,
Brittany