You all know how I hate mirrors. And how much MORE I hate the rear view! But I am delighted that 2011 is behind us. Every bit of good that happened has been nearly run over by the bad that followed.  I have lived long enough to know that after a couple of those kinds of years, there will be good years to follow. It’s just keeping yourself together so you can be ready to enjoy the good when it comes. *staples self together*

The upshot for the comic is that the real world will still take priority and updates will continue to be very sporadic. However, my resolution is to make more time for the comic. I find I am more energized when I am being creative, and I lost my zest in 2011, the whole time I wasn’t doing the comic or at least drawing *something* every day.

It is so rewarding to make comics for you. I enjoy writing and drawing, but my enjoyment grows when I can share the comics with you.  Talking with you in the comments and on facebook and twitter adds to the whole experience.  That’s why when I’m counting my blessings this year, I include those of you who read and enjoy Life’s a Witch.

There are still copies of WEBCOMICS WHAT’S COOKING left!  Check it out:

All the profits from this book go to food banks in the US and Canada. In it, you will find recipes and comics from some of your favorite webcomic creators! INCLUDING a wonderful breakfast recipe and a little Life’s a Witch comic from ME.

Click for larger image

In order to sell the last few, they’re letting the creators offer a 7.5% discount!

You have to use the discount code: Samantha to get the sale price. (This code is case sensitive.)

This is such a great little cookbook. It would make a wonderful gift for anyone and you know the holidays are coming up.

I understand that there aren’t that many of these books left. Let’s see if we can clear the warehouse before the holidays to give the food banks a boost and cross some things off our Christmas lists!

Remember: for the 7.5% discount, use the coupon code Samantha.

Ready to Comic!

STRIP this past Saturday was a blast! I had SO MUCH fun. Husband Michael was there to help me with the table while I flitted around the floor visiting old and new friends. Touching base with the comics community is so wonderful.

I got to see the best uber fans EVAR: Adminderella and Mr. Posslq! (Links to their own write-ups on the con.) They buttered me up by bringing liquid refreshments. *wink wink* Unfortunately, I didn’t get their pics to show you, but I did get these to share! Check them out, posted in no order of particularness:

Read the rest of this entry »

Awesome Awesomeness

Look what I found in my mailbox this morning! Dutch (a/k/a Mr. V), creator of the Spiderforest comic “School Spirit” sent me this wonderful pic of Zelda and Wendy (who happens to be my favorite character from School Spirit, btw.

THANK YOU so much, Dutch!

And if any of you STILL haven’t checked out School Spirit after my many suggestions to do so, now would be a great time to get with it! (Check out the “Strine” link at the top of the page. That’s where I go for Australian-English translations or just for a chuckle.)

But what’s the hold-up on Life’s a Witch you ask? We’re sending our oldest off to college and then we’re moving to Dallas (we promise to give oldest our forwarding address). The husband is already in Dallas working at his new company and I’m down here getting things in order for college admission and the house ready to go on the market. Unfortunately, the comic MUST take a back seat to all that.

HOWEVER, I will still be at STRIPCON in Dallas in AUGUST! Even though I’ll have nothing new to show, I will be meeting and greeting and drawing and having fun. Come join me and a whole bunch of fun folks from the webcomic community. Admission is only $5, so you’re anywhere near Dallas in August, you’ve no excuse not to come over and say hello!

Thank you for your nice notes and continued interested in the comic. I can’t possibly describe how much that means to me. There is so much going on here that keeps me from getting back to the comic, and your notes tell me it’s not just ME that wants to get back to it. I am grateful from the bottom of my heart.

I have been drawing whenever I can, as well as experimenting with new media. I thought you might like to see excerpts from my sketchbooks. My sketchbooks are mainly “brain dumps” which range from aimless doodling, experiments for new comic things and sometimes quick sketches from scenes from tv or real life.

Don’t laugh.

Bunny Pez

Sometimes I draw things that are on my desk or in my field of view just to warm up.  The bunny pez dispenser that is currently next to my monitor has been drawn more than once, usually in pencil or ball point pen.  This picture of Bunny Pez was done to try out a new set of colored pencils. (Derwent’s Inktense pencils with a light wash.) Hmm… I need to get a sketchbook specifically for watercolor pencils if I’m going to do this regularly.

Doodle Page

Yes, I’m saying I need another sketchbook even though I already have several. I like keeping them handy and, well, I just like them. My current favorite is a giant hardback one that I keep next to the couch. I doodle in it with a ball point pen (Pilot G-2…I do not recommend for final art as it smudges, but it has a great ink flow.  Excellent for writing, though.)  I love opening up the big book and just doodling while watching TV or sitting outside or while chatting on the phone. On the right side of the page, I had made a series of squiggles and forced myself to make a picture out of them, something I’ve been doing since elementary school. (In school, I’d do this with a friend: One person would make a squiggle and challenge another person to make a pic out of it, then that person would make a squiggle in return.)

You won’t see too many images from the big doodle book because it’s too big for my scanner. I had to scan the Doodle Page image twice and merge the images together in Photoshop. Even so, the left side of the page was cut off a bit.

Here are some experiments with Zelda’s younger look. Many readers have said they’d like to know more about the adventures of Zelda and Bill when they were a bit younger and there are some stories I would like to tell.  There are also sketches of  “fantasy” Zelda, for stories which take place in a fantasy version of the comic, which will also crop up from time to time.

Finally, if you aren’t a reader on our facebook page, the below image of Zelda as “Sleeping Beauty” will be new to you:

This was done completely with ball point pen (that smudgy Pilot G-2). I had so much fun with this one, I intend to redo it along with a series of our regular Zelda as famous fantasy princesses. All of which will be as unflattering as this one, of course!

I hope you enjoyed these glimpses into my sketchbooks.  You and your comments are always welcome.