Clueless, part 6
Clueless, part 5
This is part of a series about being pregnant and diabetic in NYC. You can also read parts 1, 2 and 3 in the April archive, and part 4 here.
Clueless, part 4
Do you remember how in April I was telling the story of my first pregnancy in New York City? I stalled because I realised it was a far more complex story than I had initially anticipated. But I’ve decided to start again, and I’ve backed up a little. But here’s a recap. In Clueless, part 1, I talked about living in Park Slope and being in denial about having a baby. In Clueless, part 2 I went to France, the Guggenheim, a Chelsea writing group and a Yeah Yeah Yeahs concert. In Clueless, part 3 I grappled with trying to get my diabetes under control, and then I had a mini story-meltdown. Now onto part 4…
New comics in print!
This one is about the forthcoming film festival, and the Civic in particular. There are guest appearances from Freda Stark and Florian Habicht. And me, of course. You can buy it from the shops next week.
I have also been doing some illustrations for the technology page. These are meant to lure in non-technofile readers. I based my picture on the right on a photo I found in this article.
And in more commercial cartooning news, here are a few clips from forthcoming Little Treasures comics. You”ll have to buy the magazine (or sneakily look at it in the supermarket) to see what happens next.
And to finish, an old comic intended for Little Treasures – back when Violet let us sing her to sleep (now we’re told to shut up.)
Horse before cart
Yesterday I was working on some quick cover concepts for my book so my publisher had something for the Frankfurt Buchmesse catalog. It’s weird being a designer and a writer – it means you can make the cover before the book is actually finished:
But now, since it does have a cover, it’s feeling more like a real book. Part novel, part graphic novel, I’ve done a lot of illustrations and written a lot of words. It’s coming together. Maybe.
Haircut
I’m doing this post by special request of Steve Braunias, who kindly included me in the finalists of the ‘country’s most coveted media awards’ for my last week’s comic.
Did any of you read Beverly Cleary? She wrote the Ramona series as well. She was a precursor to Judy Blume – one of those amazing writers who can tap into children’s emotional states. We just finished Rachael King’s ‘Red Rocks’ and she has that knack too. Otto (9) stayed up late finishing it, and Gus (6) has declared it to be his new favourite book, knocking Harriet the Spy out of its top spot.
Oh, and in other news, I am appearing on a Public Address panel on creativity in the age of the internet – get your free tickets here!
Other people’s success
You must read Emma’s story – it is very good and it is in one of the most illustrious of literary journals, Granta.
It’s been a big week for my very clever friends – Sue Orr was named amongst the NZ Post fiction finalists and Rachael King launched her new children’s novel, Red Rocks. And next week, Bianca Zander’s The Girl Below will be published in the United States. So I am feeling very proud and excited on their behalf, and only a tiny bit jealous.
IQ84 – a funny sort of book review
I’m feeling a little bit guilty because you all said such encouraging things about my Clueless story and I still haven’t finished it. But I will – I’ve just been busy and it requires a certain kind of concentration which has been elusive lately.
Here is a NYT review of 1Q84. I always like to read the criticism after I’ve read the book, because it clarifies my murky feelings, my half-formed doubts and theories. But in some ways I don’t like criticism because it takes away from that waking-dream sensation of reading that I love so much. It deflates the book, pointing out that it is nothing but a pack of cards. But I also love having conversations about books, and that’s what reviews provide – conversation starters, ways into the text. I wish we could have longer conversations about New Zealand books. The great thing about reading Murakami is that you can search and uncover hundreds of reviews, each offering a different take on the book.
Bending spoons
I started out drawing this comic because there was a silly article in the Herald, about how children under 7 were more likely to be psychic because the bones in their head hadn’t solidified, and they were therefore more open to spirits. After 7, your skull closed over and you entered the age of reason. I wasn’t that reasonable after the age of 7, but thinking back, a lot of my obsessions were fueled by books that I got out of the school library. The College Street Normal Library had both the Uri Geller and the Olga Korbut book. I also remember reading a book about writers – Judy Blume’s Starring Sally J. Freedman as herself, and Louise Fitzhugh’s Harriet the Spy. I’ve always been impressionable.
Oh, and I’ve had a haircut. I was planning on drawing a comic about it, but I might not get round to it. Anyway, the woman with the flicky bob – that’s me.
New Metro!
Yay! The latest Metro is out with my comic, in which I lament not getting tickets to see Flight of the Conchords at the Auckland Town Hall. I do have tickets for Vector Arena, but we’re right up the back, sob. We are taking the boys because they have always loved FOTC. When Gus was four, he loved Bret so much that I made him a Bret doll that he took to bed every night:
The concert’s on the 29th of June – can’t wait!
LET ME BE FRANK 