Max (W)

Another day, another writing contest. This one got me first place in my group. The prompt (genre - location - theme) was "love story - pet store - common courtesy." Enjoy!

"Max"

    The scorpion was gone. Well, he wasn’t gone, he was somewhere in the world. Somewhere in Max’s shop, most likely. But he was not in his terrarium, where he was supposed to be. Max had looked. Carefully. He’d used a trash grabber to lift out the branch with its flourish of desiccated leaves. With his arm so fully extended it was painful, he’d taken out the wooden half dome shelter, holding his breath the entire time. Nothing. Well, a perfect rectangle of sand. The heat lamp. Nothing poisonous. Nothing with clicking pincers or chitinous plates or surprisingly thoughtful eye beads...

To read the rest, click here.

Kickey! Chapter One: For Love! (V)

I never knew having a cat would be this weird. Click on the pic below to watch the first chapter of my Kickey series! And click here to watch the Shining-inspired trailer. Featuring the incredibly talented and seriously kickass Carody Irish. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CARODY!

Bomb Hills (I)

Commissioned sticker art. I did the "bomb head" version first, then the client told me it was for his kid, so I did the jack-o-lantern version. As an added bonus, there's a little video of my process down below. I don't usually keep the recording on for these things, but I forgot about it this time, so you get like...four hours of work, maybe? in 2 minutes of video. Enjoy!

It's Jordan! (I)

One of my favorite night shift coworkers is now a daywalker. Whatever, I don't care - THOSE AREN'T TEARS I HAVE SOMETHING IN BOTH OF MY EYES!

Wedding Card Design (I)

A wedding card design for two wonderful people getting married today! CONGRATULATIONS!!

Dog Painting (P)

A birthday present for one of my favorite people. This one I actually started about six years ago. I made a grid on the canvas, drew in the figure, and promptly got intimidated by the fact that I'd never really painted before. I dusted it off last year when I took the oil painting class. I was actually quite proud of it. (Oil on canvas, 3' x 2')

Under the Innocent City (W)

I entered another flash fiction contest, this time through Writing Battle, and I did fairly well. A few thousand people entered, I made it to the top 32! Woot! The genre was "Dystopian Utopia", and the story had to include a "magician" and a "spear."

"Under the Innocent City"

    The Elders had just finished torturing him when the flicker of movement on the stairs caught the Magician’s attention. He gave no sign, eyes down, feigning heaving pain, watching the blood run along his chains to pool on the polished stones of the floor. 

    The Elders, all women this time, muttered to each other in their private language, rough consonants and strangely fluted breaths at odd intervals, nonsense. They touched the bloody spear tip to each link of his chains, a maddeningly long process; by the time they’d hung the spear on the wall again, the point was nearly clean.

    They left without looking at him, shuffling up the far stairs. The Magician missed the early days, centuries before, when the Elders had feared him. These hooded women were not afraid. They were simply done. The Magician heard the oaken doors scrape open and then closed again. The silence in their wake was welcome...

To read more, click here.

Ascending Tattoo!

Wow, this has never happened before! (And part of me hopes it never happens again!) Here's a photo of a tattoo someone got from a picture I made! WOW!! 

Paintober: Lemons (P)

Dabbling in watercolor...

Mock Rock Poster (GD)

A friend commissioned this piece to celebrate his friend - happy to help!

Paintober: Croissant (P)

 

Paintober: Mustard Flower (I)

Last year I had this great idea to make a little painting for 31 people, a small work for every day in October. Clearly I'd had too much coffee - it definitely didn't happen. So now the goal is to get those out "by the end of this October," and I'm not even stressing over that. Here's the first one - a mustard flower for a good friend in Los Angeles! Stay tuned for more...probably.

Super Secret Super Power (GD)

My wonderfully talented friend is back with her latest creation!

ZOOBIRD! (I)

A commissioned piece for a friend, who previously commissioned this one. Glad I could make this happen for one of the most creative dads in the industry!

Happy Lunar New Year 2024

Looks like this is shaping up to be a series, starting with last year's design. Happy Year of the Dragon!

Troll Love Commission (I)

There's really no better reward than a friend loving a commissioned piece - I'm so honored to be even a small part of this! Congratulations to these two!!

So Blue (W)

This is the second round of the writing contest I entered last year. I did really well on the first round - second place - but I missed advancing to the third round by ONE point! Argh. The prompt (genre - location - object) for this one was "drama, commuter ferry, charcuterie board." Enjoy.

"So Blue"

    “This is not well,” Jane whispered into the wind, “rash and unbridled boy. To fly the…” Her eyebrows drew together gently, concentrating. “This is not well, rash and unbridled boy. To fly the…fortunes?” 

    The sea drifted past the ferry and it caught her attention for a long moment, its deep blue, the massive ripples. The sparkle of the water was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. There were swallows, and they seemed of similar mind, lunging through the crisp winter morning, wings flashing with that slippery feeling of fragile airborne creatures, spun into being and then gone as suddenly. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky; clouds hadn’t been invented yet. This is not well, she thought happily, rash and unbridled birds…Her body seemed pleasantly full of that deep, blue weight...

To read the rest, click here.

Holiday Card Design 2023 (I)

I hope you're all happy and safe. Thank you for your support, and I'll see you in 2024!

Sam's Clam Disco (I)

A sticker design for a fantastic coworker of mine. Don't ask him to tell the story - trust me, you don't have the time.

Ice or Steam (P)

The latest assignment in my painting class was "Ice or Steam." Not incredibly inspiring, but painting glacial ice was an interesting process. The decisions to paint a very simple pyramid instead of an iceberg, and then to invert the whole, came late in the process. Just keeping things interesting, I guess...

Holiday Cards and Wrapping Paper Now On Sale! Get Some!!

I put a few of my past holiday designs on cards and wrapping paper in my Zazzle store. There should be a way to edit them to however you'd like them to look, but if you need my help please let me know! Happy Holidays!

 

Flash Fiction: "The Reaver Princess" (W)

I recently did two rounds of a flash fiction contest (1000 words max), this is my first round entry. There are always three prompts: genre, setting, and object that has to be featured. Mine was "fantasy, desert, bracelet." Kind of right in my wheelhouse, and I scored second place in my group. Thanks NYC Midnight!

“The Reaver Princess”

The eyes of the undead army caught the pale light of the desert moon and glittered like some strange ocean, gently undulating in the windless night. Their numbers stretched as far as the little group of thieves could see, standing in a silence so absolute a blind man might have thought himself alone, were it not for the stench. 

            “I’ve never seen so many ghouls in one place,” whispered the princess. It was, as usual, difficult to discern her tone, if she’d meant to convey one at all.

            “With all due respect, my liege,” said Hollow Tree, at her elbow as ever, “You still haven’t.”

            Hollow Tree was among the few who could – who dared – contradict the Reaver Princess. But the princess, without turning to her Most Trusted Advisor, said only, “What mean you?”

            “These are det-kessin, my lady,” she said softly. “Desert ghosts. Lonely souls hungry for company. And living flesh, of course...”

To read the rest, click here.

13 Halloween Musts (According To Me!)

If you know me, you know I watch a ton of horror/sci-fi/fantastical movies and series. Here's 13 of my favorites (honestly just the first 13 things I thought of) to get into on All Hallow's Eve - or any time. They're all stunners, yo! (Click on any title to see where to stream it.) HAPPY BEST MONTH!! 

1. INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1978)

2. INFINITY POOL (2023)

3. SMILE (2022)

4. PONTYPOOL (2009)

5. WHEN EVIL LURKS (2023)

6. MARIANNE (2019)

7. THE RENTAL (2020)

8. SINISTER (2012)

9. TALK TO ME (2023)

10. THE RITUAL (2017)

11. THE OPEN HOUSE (2018)

12. THE THING (1982)

13. THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER (2023)

Halloween Radness 2023! (I)

And it's time again for the best day of Best Month, friends! That's right, it's Adam and Mike Day! I've been doing these portraits of me and my birthday twin for a few years now - check out last year's by clicking HERE. Can you guess our costumes? 

Halloween Wrapping Paper Design (I)

I'm a big Zazzle fan, and I recently opened a storefront there. Below is a quick drawing I made of some classic movie monsters, available as wrapping paper for purchase by clicking HERE. Woot! Best Month!