Author Blog Update 5/6/2024

Editing hell. I rewrote Chapter 1, Scene 1 of Todd and the Fae from third person to first person. It seems to flow better, and I feel more connected to my main character as a reader, so going to keep this version. With that decision made, I continued on and rewrite Scene 2 as well. They both need the rest of the normal editing process, but the primary rewrite was a success. My word count for the week for that project is 2410. I’ll be finishing the edits and fine tuning this week, and plan to publish those scenes here on the website as a serial.

TMI Week, but this will explain why we are so very proud of every thing we did get done this week. This week was a disaster, the Cat killed my computer at some point and I had a melt down about it. I just got it back in March, after not having a computer for 4 months. Keith to the rescue, computer is repaired. Some of the usb items are dead, including my mic apparently. I’ll have to look at those later see if it’s cables or the devices.

Then the dryer was not heating anymore and Keith worked on it for a couple of days, luckily it looks like he was able to fix it, so working on sorting the laundry out again. The dishwasher keeps leaking on the floor, he’s patched it. The jeep is still being a punk. It’s really been a week.

Took a road trip with the family, business and personal. Visited a friend and her Mom, and stopped at a couple stores. We picked up some storage containers for my art supplies and planner supplies. Saved about $200 by checking Goodwill first. I need some more containers only sorted about 1/3 of my supplies that are here in the office, the rest are in the closet up stairs in boxes, from when we moved from the classroom/office setup to the basement, then the basement to the living room. I need a way to organize and see my paint tubes, and all the alcohol markers where I can get to them. We are a disorganized mess. We also scored lots of blankets for the dogs, the old “dog” beds have been destroyed and I didn’t see the point in spending 30 to 60 on the dog beds, when I can spend $10 on blankets at good will, and get a better item for them, and I can wash it.

I need a rolling shelf of some sort so I can move the supplies to the different seating areas I’m setting up this year. No rush on the shelf, as I currently have a cardboard monster in the corner that has to be slayed first.

I do need a trip to Blick or possibly Micheal’s, if in person. I need to see if any are nearby. If not I might see if Jerry’s Artarama my favorite art store when I lived in FL can ship what I need to me. I’m looking for some good metallic or iridescent calligraphy inks to use to visualize the colors of magic in the web comic. Dr Martin has a set that’s not to bad, but it’s $79, if I can find a Micheal’s, and if they still do that coupon for 50% off a single item, that would make it affordable. Other wise I might just pick up one bottle a month, as I need the color. I need gold for the lamp posts, and the trolley, black for the shadows, and green for the druid magic that Todd casts, and that’s it to start out for the first scene. The second scene I need gold for the wagon, and purple for Elf magic, and blue for the Fae magic. I’m thinking that I will use regular inks for low power magics, and the glitter or metallic for high powered magics. My ideas are solidifying.

On Sunday we went to the beach it was nice to get out of the house, and the family walked in the sand and picked up some rocks and glass. In the realm of exercise, the weights I needed to buy to move forward with with my health goals (the smallest exercise weights), we found a set at GoodWill on our outing. We are on track for slaying the cardboard monster in the garage so we can dig out the bikes which is part of our exercise plan.

This year has been nuts for mice (the electronic ones), I’ve killed one, I have one that needs to be cleaned and repaired. I just bought a new cheap one, I drop things so I don’t bother with the expensive ones. Anyway the cat decided while I was sleeping the same day I bought it to knock it on the floor, so it’s broke too. It scrolls automatically no matter what I do. If I hold the CTRL key down to copy and paste things, it automatically shrinks the font in just about any program I’m using. Very annoying, hopefully the replacement will be here tomorrow. On the note of mice, this time living ones, Keith mentioned he has a living mouse, living in his computer. Are you confused, cause I am. Yeah, he will have to sort that one out on his own.

Health update, had a visual aura migraine for about two hours on Wed. When they hit I can not see, the colors flashing in my brain override my visual processing, and I can’t focus my eyes. I just say with my eyes closed and waited. On the up side these migraines are not brain melting painful so that’s the upside. The visual is sort of like watching a rotating neon fractal pattern in the shape of Dr. Who’s crack in reality and time in the center of your brain.

Quick links:
Serial is here: https://kandesouthworth.net/index.php/category/serial-todd-and-the-fae/
Author blog is here: https://kandesouthworth.net/index.php/category/blog/
Webcomic updates: https://craftedbylittledragons.net/