[checks watch] Oh good lord, Happy Halloween!

There’s so much to catch you up on. Good thing I have a blog on my website that updates weekly so you can read more in depth about what’s been going on in my world.

Since last we spoke I… 1) tabled at Portland Zine Symposium and had a lovely weekend, 2) started getting into a rhythm at my new print shop job, 3) orchestrated a secret double lesbian proposal and went camping with my friends, 4) finished my pitch packet for my next book!

Not to mention all the other side projects I started that will be ongoing for the next couple months (there’s a tarot card in my future, and a short comic, and maybe some commissions). The last time I sent out a newsletter I announced that I had slept in for the first time in a while. The same can be said for today. I felt like I was falling behind in my newsletter writing, but really I think I just need extra sleep to organize my brain before I can even think of writing these things.

I’m still in a hermit mode, feeling a little antisocial these days as I recover from a busy season. With the chilly weather, I turn my thoughts to carrot-beet soup and playing video games.

Amira the Van Life Cunt

Issue 2 is coming soon! It’s about half penciled right now and it’s nearly twice as long as the first issue, so thanks for your patience. If you want to help support the series and get first looks at it while I’m drawing, sign up to Patreon! Horn Dog tier gets you access to all my 18+ stuff, including PDFs of my completed comics and some things that are absolutely Patreon exclusive. “Amira in Barrel’s Bottom” (aka: Amira 2) has a lot more drama than the first one, which was more of a romp. Issue 2 is where the plot starts to come in, so brace yourself!

The Shepherd’s Sword

I’m finally feeling like I’m hitting my stride since returning to this series after finishing How Could You. Chapter 5 features the young lovers Robin and Jo who are meant to go to Granny’s house deep in the forest, but Robin is scared of the woods. Good thing some Adventuring Swords happen to be in their village just in time.

I’m working on something special with Kevin Wilson for The Shepherd’s Sword. I won’t say anything else just yet, but I’ll leave this link here and maybe you can follow the trail through the forest of the internet and find out where you can read The Shepherd’s Sword right now!

How Could You

Have you pre-ordered your copy yet? Have you requested your local bookstore and/or library carry my book? It would be the sweetest Halloween treat of all if you did 🙏 How Could You comes out December 17, and it’s my very first graphic novel. I re-read it recently after ignoring it for months and you know what? It’s pretty good! Dare I say, I like my book!

If you like annoying young adults in university and their terrible decision making skills and their queer drama and antics, you will love How Could You, too. (Oni Press if you are reading, PLEASE let me release new preview pages. The people are HUNGRY!!)

Reine #65: Daily Dose

This month’s Autostraddle comic is dedicated to everyone who braves allergies in the name of their lil freaky guys. Read all my Autostraddle comics here!

These Puppies Are Muzzled

Originally designed as a t-shirt for Threadless, I’m making this medieval wolf the subject of October’s mail club! Stickers and prints are all made locally here in Portland, OR and will be sent out in November.

What else did I do this month, hmm…

I began drawing on my Cintiq and it’s changing my whole art style. I can’t explain it, it’s like, infecting me. It’s a physical, chemical change in my body. The lightness of the pen, the previously-imperceptible latency now gone and loud in its absence, the ability to draw quickly with all the power of my PC. I’m furious. I can’t believe I drew for 5 years, including a whole book, solely on an iPad. What the hell, actually. This will probably save me money in the long run, too, because now I don’t have to pay the recurring subscription of Clip Studio on the iPad 🙄 I’m excited to see how my style changes and grows in the next year.

It’s been a couple weeks since camping and there’s still sleeping bags airing out in our apartment. I’m having a hard time between the new side gig and my art tasks making time to actually take care of these things around the house. But En goes to Lightbox this weekend, and I’ll have all the room and privacy to play scary podcasts and refresh our space. (Huge shoutout to En who has been keeping up with the laundry/cooking, as always. I wouldn’t be able to do anything if it weren’t for them.)

Ok that’s it for this newsletter. Onto the fun links!

Here’s some sweet treats for you to check out:

• Pre-order my book! How Could You comes out this December.

• I did a guest comic for Fawnduu while she healed from bone surgery. Read My Dragon Girlfriend!

• I also did a quick guest comic for Sastreon for their comic Starchy since they flew all the way from Germany for camping.

• Cartoonists for Palestine and Crucial Comix are putting together an anthology whose proceeds will be donated to Palestinian aid organizations.

• Character idea generator by loveletterworm

• Kevin Wilson has started Black Candle, which is how I’m making improvements to The Shepherd’s Sword. Subscribe to them for more updates!

• T-Boy Wrestling, please come to Portland. Please please please please please please please

• Copies of Succulent are available right now via Discord Comics! If you missed the campaign and want to read the really hot plant girl comic that Mel Gillman and I worked on together, here’s your chance to get your copy!