UPDATE: STORY IN THE WORKS

Happy Friday the 13th everyone! (Belated, since I'm actually publishing this on Saturday. THAT'S THE MAGIC OF WRITING, BABY)

I'm very pleased to announce that I'm currently writing a short story that will be published in a compilation of horror art and writing. This will be the first collection released by the writing group I belong to. I can't tell you the title of the collection yet, but I can say the theme of this release will be "Feast & Famine." There's bound to be a lot of interesting interpretations of that theme, for sure.

My story's premise: A true crime obsessed candy maker gets a front row seat to their hobby when a torn up corpse is discovered in their little beach town plaza. Sort of thinking it’ll start out "cozy mystery" and end up "splatterpunk," but we’ll see where the story takes me.

Love me some bright neon highlighters. Intimidating blank index cards, not so much. Time to get coloring.

I have the "what happens" part pretty much figured out. Now I'm working on organizing the timeline of events so I can lay them all out and see which character is doing what and when. Then I'll be able to outline exactly what our main character gets to find out about and when.

I don't have anybody named yet, but I do know our setting is a quaint little seaside town's plaza. The candy maker shares an alleyway, where the corpse is found, with the main suspects: The Butcher, The Baker, and the Crossfit Instructor. (You see, their candle making friend went out of business a few months ago. It's been a rough adjustment.) Needing to get all the details of this grisly murder leads our protagonist to become haunted with paranormal visions of the attack. They must find out the killer before the plaza is visited again by this sick monster.

Is this Shel Silverstein's impression of "Saturn Devouring His Son?" No, it's just what happens when I doodle with inerasable ink.

My notes for this story include this weird little sketch of Francisco Goya's "Saturn Devouring His Son," which lead to me titling the piece, "Saturnalia." I love the title, and I think it fits the story so far, but that might change when the actual writing begins so don't get too attached to it. Seriously, don't get attached. Stop it.

I also might have some art included in companion to my story, but that will depend on whether or not I can finish it in time, and also whether or not it turns out well.

The concept is to draw a sort of candy bowl still life that has a piece of taffy with a skull on it, kind of reminiscent of mystery novels that have little skull still life art on the cover. (I have this memory of a book my grandma had with a tea cup spilling tea shaped like a skull. I cannot seem to figure out what heckin' book that was!)

A rough, preliminary sketch of the toxic taffy

I will make a black and white block print of the drawing which involves carving into rubber or linoleum to create a block stamp, and then rolling ink on it to press the print onto paper. Maybe I'll make some bookmarks to give away and lure unsuspecting readers to our collection. That may just have to happen.

First, though, I need to actually draw the thing, so I'll need to pick up some fancy candy to arrange and doodle.

By the way, do you know a good place to get some old fashioned candies (especially salt water taffy and ribbon candies)? If so, please drop me a comment. I'd love to support an independent artisan, while using my art as an excuse to have tasty treats.

Cure All, my hot pink slime extravaganza novel, is still in the works. I've just had to set it aside for a bit as I'm still working on getting a few different parts of my life settled and organized. But don't worry, I will write it. I will get it published. You will all love it, and I'll be famous forever. Until then, see ya later moods!