Before I forget, I got a late invite to MICE, the Massachusetts Independent Comics Expo in Cambridge October 29-30! This is a show I've always wanted to go to since it seems ideal - indie self-published comics only! Sorta like a smaller version of APE(Alternative Press Expo) or SPX(Small Press Expo), but within driving distance!! So please swing on by and say hi if you're in the area!
With family time and conventions behind me, September and October have been prime drawing time! I'm trucking along nicely and up to page 32 into Book 5, with another 10-12 to go. The climax of the issue is ahead of me so I'm hoping it means I'll be giddy and draw faster...but honestly I half expect instead I'll just stuff a lot more detail in:)
As soon as that's done I'll need to draw the cover, send that off to the colorist, and then start writing Book 6!
The original plan for my year off was to release the books as soon as they were done, but a part of me is now questioning whether I may do better getting a bit further into Book 6 so I don't leave too big of a gap between the final issues. You see, they sorta run together a little more than the previous books, so I don't want to leave readers hanging too badly:)
Book 6 I'm hoping will be a little shorter than the last two books. I was getting a bit indulgent in my writing and world building and tried to stuff a lot of things into Books 4-5, but I think Book 6 will be closer to the 30-40 page range. Book 7 though...no clue how long that'll be!
Getting back to Book 5 though, one interesting thing I find funny is the extreme difference of working on a comic in your living room vs a typical office job. Your life formats very differently I find, and you don't even realize some of the strange office habits you establish. It makes it strange to change that rhythm sometimes(at least for me).
When I drew Books 1-3 I had had time to settle into whatever schedule worked, which eventually morphed into a strangeness of working until 4-6am every day and then going to bed. Somehow I've always been more productive late at night. When I went back to a desk job my body never really liked it, and I was constantly exhausted no matter what time I went to bed and would find my creative spark igniting just as I went to bed most nights.
I'd expected that when I went back to full time comic work I'd happily slip back into that schedule of staying up until 4-6am every day...but sadly I haven't. I'm still generally up until 2-4am, but those last two hours have eluded me. Maybe this is age catching up! I still find it interesting though. I expect over time I'll shift later and later, just in time for running out of money and having to go back to an office job:)
But for now, things are happily moving along on Farlaine and all the folks who have patiently been waiting for the next book should have one on the horizon! And then two more! Exciting times are afoot in the land of Farlaine...
To tide you over, here are a few more in-progress tidbits from Book 5: The Vaultlands!
