I have been enjoying my break from Z&F.. taking some time to soak up the summer, relax, play games, watch some TV I have been missing, experience life outside of the easy chair & my Tablet Laptop. I’m am addicted to Law & Order SVU episodes at the moment; why I never bothered to watch before is beyond me. I always tend to get into something far after the popularity wanes and it’s probably not even ON the air anymore, LOL. THEN… I find it, obsess over it. I predict in 5 years I’ll start watching that “Lost” show everyone was babbling about. What’s your TV addiction?
But I honestly don’t just sit around watching TV and eating twinkies. I am still plotting out ways to promote Z&F and Abby’s Adventures kids book series, and thinking up new storylines and mmmaybe even a new character. I am writing up fun articles and doing podcasts over at the Webcomic Alliance. And starting in August, I’ll will be in FULL CONVENTION MODE… hitting another East Coast con every other weekend through October. WHEW!
Speaking of conventions….
Coming Soon….
Here’s something I worked on already during my so-called “break”. At conventions, I typically have a $5 “mini-book”, for kids and for people who are interested but don’t want to spend the $15 on a full volume. Well, I have been running out of my original mini-book, with comics from volume 1, and a kind customer made the suggestion of doing a PREVIEW of volume 3. This was a perfect idea! Not only does it serve the $5 “small purchase” need, but it also offers past customers a new option, as they patiently await volume 3! (Which, BTW, I plan to have done in maybe 6 months or so).
Look for this new mini-book ONLY at comic cons or book fairs or craft shows on the East Coast starting in August!
Z&F Making the Rounds Again!
Z&F Cameo by "CrazyJon"!
Fred sketch by Ryan Fisher!
Yay, fanart! I’m one lucky gal, even on my break Z&F continues to receive some awesome guest pieces, cameos, and fanart. First, a piece from twitter buddy Jon, whom is always willing to help promote Z&F, and for that I am super gracious! As you can see, Z&F, AND the Weird Kid(!!) make an appearna cr in his comic “Mike and Mindy” which you can find on his website. Click the image above to read the entire comic- it’s a hoot if you ever attended a comic con! (I have, and yes… there sure are a few Annoying Angelica’s!)
Secondly, good friend Ryan Fisher of the adorable and witty (and ALSO family-friendly!) Sometime After, does a warm-up sketch he posts online from time to time, and to my delight he posted this great take on ol’ Fred! I LOVE it, don’t you? Check out Sometime After, for a fun trip to fairytale land, after the tale is over and we can see all the fuzzy quirky creatures in their own habitat… one of the 3 blind mice, a prize turtle, even Peter Rabbit!
Helpful Affiliates for Fellow Creators
You may have noticed the “In Kahoots With” section of my sidebar. I’d like to take a little bit of this post to share with you what I do outside of this website.
I am a co-founder and contributor to the Webcomic Alliance. If you are a comic creator, be it just starting out, or trying to find your way down the path to success, this is a great resource for you! We offer tons of FREE stuff! Articles, tutorials, videos, tips & tricks, contests, interviews, a Pick of the Month (you hafta READ other comics too!), as well as a popular podcast… all geared towards helping you draw, wrote and promote your comic! While we don’t claim to be the end-all-be-all of comic success, as we’re still en route ourselves, we share the mistakes we’ve made, the good decisions, and the resources we use. Plus, we’re a bunch of nice peeps.
Another similar affiliate is The Comic Academy. Phil Hampton is a great guy with boundless knowledge on comic creation, and offers free articles on his site. Check out THIS ONE, which includes a bit on ME and my comic con table display! He asked me to be apart of the Webcomic Marketing Masterclass project, which is a 2-part program full of information from interview and video tours, all available in a digital download, for only $37 (and yes, I get a cut). Or, you can opt for the Comic Creator’s Handbook for just $5! Either way, you’re gaining a ton of knowledge from people who have found different levels of success in the world of comics.
