Vexations Art Acquisitions: Xin

We originally commissioned this artist to do the cover for the upcoming volume named The Shattered Violin; but after another artist became available who we had originally wanted for it we decided to have her do the work instead. Xin, of course, has been paid but as this won't be the cover for that volume we are going to release it for our fans to see.

Be sure to visit Xin's Love an Artist thread on Mill Avenue Vexations.

PETS 911, PetPoint, Houston SPCA Responding to Hurricane Ike

In the wake of Hurricane Ike, the areas around Galveston and Austin, Texas have suffered notable damage—and with that families have been separated from their pets. The Houston SPCA has set up a Disaster Hotline in response to this sudden crisis:

The Houston SPCA has activated its Animal Response Hotline. Operators will be accepting lost and found animal reports, rescue reports and offering other animal related information. The hotline will be staffed from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call notes are available so those who call in after hours may leave a message which will be returned first thing in the morning.

The number is 713-435-2990.

In addition, PETS 911 and PetPoint have banded together to take information from the Hotline to create the Disaster Response Pet Portal. PetPoint software is being used by Houston SPCA to input information about pet intakes from the disaster areas and that information is synchronized with PETS 911 lost & found listings.

PETS 911 & PetPoint Present

the Disaster Response Pet Portal

This project represents an amazing synergy of programming and data sharing between multiple sectors of the animal welfare community. And, I have to say, I’m rather proud of how well it has come together. I have spent the last two days working on this project trying to get it to work as it should and now we have something people can use.

The database is still in the initial stages, but reports are already flowing in. Last check there were 340 reports—a number rising by almost 40 reports an hour.

If you know anyone who has lost a pet in that region they might want to go check out the database to see if their pet has been picked up. The Hotline (713-435-2990) can also be used to report a pet lost in the region. All reports can be searched on PETS 911 Lost & Found.

More as this develops.

Fanboys: An unfortunate take on Star Wars

I'm blogging it. Believe it. Oh, my face hurts from smiling. Coming out sometime in November 2008. Fanboys IMDB page.

Two more rejections

Ah well, this is the way it happens. Sotto Voce finally got back to me after a weekend of tense anticipation that both of my submissions have been rejected for their upcoming issue. C'est la vie. This is the way that a lot of my stories go (I have over 300 rejection letters although they used to mostly be paper, the e-mail rejections are slowly tipping the scales.)

It isn't uncommon for me to get a message that my work is being seriously considered for the final cut. Then my story enters the Thunderdome and doesn't return.

If nothing else it means that I have two stories freed up for submissions to other venues.

Now if only they'd stay open!

Project Updates

This is just a rambling update.

Mill Avenue Vexations editing and preparation continues apace. The comic should be coming out next year as it’s 1/3^rd lettered and completed and more panels are coming in weekly. All five next volumes are 95% done and artwork is 90% completed. We are in the middle of the editing phase. Should be pretty exciting. Especially with the favorable reviews in Web Fiction Guide.

Helljammer has the teaser site and a few short stories and series are being written up for hype. It will depend largely on funding and advertising to hopefully support a web comic and a novel. People who would like to be part of the launch of Helljammer are welcomed to provide suggestions and contact information.

People eager to see more about Helljammer can visit the Non-theist Nexus Webzine and see a short story from the series published there: Red Cross’d Bones.

Even beyond these there are still more projects I am working on including a suburban fairy tale novel.

Magick is in the air. Wait and see!

Kingdoms of Grace

If you are into total Internet cheese, then you’ll be with me on this one. I found this awesome little animated, live-action, comic-book Internet miniseries: Kingdoms of Grace.

It’s totally cheese, do not get me wrong on this, in fact you’ll know it really quickly once you watch the first episode—but, it’s also become my dirty little secret. Apparently I really like cheese when it’s presented in Internet miniseries form.

My heart was stolen by the amazingly effective animation methodology but really what brought the smirk that makes me a viewer happened to be right at the live action sequence. I had to pick myself up off the floor after laughing; then I had to rewind a little so that I could re-watch what I missed.

I found this wonderful work via ALT: Rock Culture and Lifestyle Magazine.

You should really check it out, come back and let me know if you agree. Good cheese?

Link to Kingdoms of Grace.

Vexations Art Acquisitions: Kesiah M Gaffney

Have some lovely artwork to show off from Kesiah M Gaffney, displayed also on the Mill Avenue Vexations site right now.