So, I failed at 30 posts in 30 days, my personal variant of NaNoWriMo. I could blame the vacation, but the truth is I simply failed at the discipline. I was already behind when we left. Some of it was that I started having trouble coming up with new topics. Some of it was that the whole "produce something, anything, and don't worry about quality" attitude was really grating. There are a couple of those posts that seriously need at least one rewrite. A couple of them were rewritten from scratch, putting me behind schedule. And, I have a couple here that I couldn't even get into a form that I was willing to post just for the word count.

For those who are interested in seeing those posts:

I did a few posts on a new game system concept:
Concept Overview
How to Make Checks
The Basic Stats
Skills
I have posts on Professions and Aspects partially done.

A couple pieces of fiction:
A Maverick is Born, Pt. 1 and Pt. 2
Concept for a dark sit-com
Cat-hattan

And, of course, random stuff:
Is Science a Religion?
11/9, a Date of Remembrance
A second version of magic for my 7 Kingdoms setting
A dedication to our Armed Forces
Review of Dan Brown's "The Lost Symbol"
Memories of being The Smartest Guy in the Room
Bits of science that baffle me.

Oh, and the cruise updates here (though, there is a better version, with photos, here.

I've got one story that is insisting on going the wrong direction. I've got another that I'm blocked on. An article on alignment in RPGs that is still in the "rough sketch of ideas" phase. I'll try and get them up soonish.

I think the whole thing was a good experience for me. For one thing, it reinforced that writing is only a hobby for me, and I'm not really interested in going pro. I think I might try it again next year.

Boneshaker (2009)
Written by: Cherie Priest
Genre: Steampunk/Alternate History
Pages: 416 (Trade Paperback)

If you've followed this journal for any length of time, you should know I'm a serious Cherie Priest fan. I've read all of her books (save for Fathom, which I own but haven't been in the mood for yet), and I've re-read her debut, Four and Twenty Blackbirds (first review here and second review here). While all of her stories are a little bit different, I would say a defining characteristic of her fiction thus far is the element of horror. Sometimes it's straight-out horror, as found in Dreadful Skin and Those Who Went Remain There Still. Sometimes it's more of a dark fantasy/urban fantasy horror, like the Eden Moore trilogy, which starts off with Four and Twenty Blackbirds. But it looks like Priest is going to do a different kind of horror with her Clockwork Century books, of which Boneshaker is the first, and that type of horror?

Steampunk.

I'll be honest, I don't get it. Steampunk, that is, not Cherie Priest. I just don't get the appeal of steampunk, and I'll admit I was one of the few who wanted to die a little when Tor.com announced that October would be Steampunk Month, because that meant I was subjected to TONS OF STUFF about a sub-genre that 1) I didn't get and 2) didn't care about.

Do I "get" or "care" about it now that I've read Boneshaker? That is actually not a fair question, because anyone who knows anything about steampunk will tell you it's incredibly diverse. Priest tackles it through the horror/alternate history lens, and because it's Priest, I can handle it. Because it's Priest. Give me the exact same book with a different author's name on the cover? I wouldn't have looked at it twice. That's how much I love Cherie Priest.

The premise: in order to truly appreciate what Priest is doing, I'm giving you not one, but TWO premises. The first is the overall premise for the series/world-building, and the second is the actual premise of the book. I think that's fair.

The Clockwork Century: explanation plucked from Subterranean Press's website, the preface for Priest's short story, also set in the Clockwork Century universe, Tanglefoot.: Stonewall Jackson survived Chancellorsville. England broke the Union’s naval blockade, and formally recognized the Confederate States of America. Atlanta never burned.

It is 1880. The American Civil War has raged for nearly two decades, driving technology in strange and terrible directions. Combat dirigibles skulk across the sky and armored vehicles crawl along the land. Military scientists twist the laws of man and nature, and barter their souls for weapons powered by light, fire, and steam.

But life struggles forward for soldiers and ordinary citizens. The fractured nation is dotted with stricken towns and epic scenes of devastation–some manmade, and some more mysterious. In the western territories cities are swallowed by gas and walled away to rot while the frontiers are strip-mined for resources. On the borders between North and South, spies scour and scheme, and smugglers build economies more stable than their governments.

This is the Clockwork Century.

It is dark here, and different.

Boneshaker's Premise: Rumors of gold in the frozen Klondike encouraged the Russians to seek a machine that could actually drill for it. Leviticus Blue took up the challenge and built the great Boneshaker. But before the Russians could get a hold of it, it went on a test run through the city of Seattle, not only destroying several blocks of the city, but it released a blight of gas that turned anyone who breathed it into a rotter (aka the living dead). Now, years later, the son of Leviticus Blue is determined to prove his father wasn't a criminal for his actions, and he sneaks into the now-walled city of Seattle to get that proof. His mother, Briar Blue, terrified for her son's safety and what he might find, goes after him. But nothing easy within the walls of Seattle, as there's more than just the undead to outwit and outrun, and Zeke and Briar will need everything they've got to survive those who have a peculiar and deadly interest in them.

Review style: No spoilers. I'm going to talk about, and I may say some things that might lead you to figure out certain plot points, but I won't outright spoil anything. :) If you're paranoid, just jump to the "My Rating" section of the review, and you'll be just fine. :)

( BONESHAKER: no spoilers )

My Rating

Worth the Cash: it's definitely an entertaining read, and a well-written one. For anyone curious about steampunk as a sub-genre, it's a great place to start, because Priest has a sensible, practical approach to it, all the while telling a fun story. Fun might be an odd word to describe a book that reeks a bit of horror, but it's all good. I could easily see this made into a movie, and to be honest, I hope it happens. There's something wonderfully visual about this book, and the story lends itself to the big screen. While it's not my favorite Priest book (that honor goes to the Eden Moore trilogy, but that may be bias talking as the trilogy's setting is two hours from where I live), it's very good and I'm happy to have another Priest book under my belt.

For those of you still not sure if Boneshaker is right for you, you can sample the Clockwork Century universe by reading Priest's short story Tanglefoot. The only relation to Boneshaker is the world itself, as no characters overlap and nothing references the events, let alone spoils the events, of the book. It's a good little read, with shades of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, and I think you'll enjoy it. You can also check out her Clockwork Century website, which features news of all the books and short stories taking place in the universe. Priest is an entertaining blogger anyway, so you shouldn't be disappointed.

As for my part, Priest remains one of my favorite authors, and I'm happy to continue with her books, steampunk or no. She hasn't kindled a great love within me for steampunk or anything, but I'll read whatever she writes provided it's well-written and entertaining. She hasn't let me down yet.

Cover Commentary: very eye-catching, and very appropriate for the book. I particularly like the design and placement of the author's name and the title of the book, as well as the fonts used (surprising, since people tend to complain about Tor's use of fonts). I also like that splash of yellow and gold in the goggles and its lens. Nicely done.

Next up: Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews

I am chugging through some data analysis, which involves a lot of data processing. This is very very boring work. I've been listening to things like podcasts, but I'm rapidly running out of content. That being said, anyone have any recommendations? Here are my requirements:

1. People talking. I'm okay with some musical podcasts but I need to hear someone talking while I do this on a semi-regular basis or my mind drifts off.

2. An emphasis on audio. I can run a movie or something in the background, but I obviously can't watch it. If it's a movie/show with a lot of dialogue and won't suffer from not being watched, I'm good with it. Movies with copious explosions clearly don't work.

Here's what I listen to on a fairly regular basis:

- The Rachel Maddow Show (American politics)
- Crimson Sorrow (Houses of the Blooded fiction podcast)
- D&D podcast (sometimes - depends on the show)
- Brilliant Gameologists (slowly starting to update again after tech difficulties)
- Radio Free Hipster (nerdy music 'cast)
- Stuff You Missed in History Class (Discovery Channel history 'cast)
- Stuff You Should Know (Discovery Channel random stuff 'cast)
- Narrative Control (gaming 'cast; I only listen if the topic interests me)

Things that have not updated recently but which are on my list:
- Master Plan
- That's How We Roll
- Theory From the Closet

So, clearly, a lot of gaming podcasts. But I'm open to almost any topic. Help?

So I'm Christmas shopping... My brother, like me, is a huge Dresden fan and I know he would kill for a black leather duster. Does anyone know where I could find one for $50 or less? Maybe not leather, but just any sort of black duster. I've seen leather ones for triple-digits but I just can't afford that!

Originally published at Deadly Fredly. You can comment here or there.

Origins Game Fair introduced me to Jeni’s Ice Creams in its original North Market location. In other words, bliss.

I love these “cow to cone” guys, but they’re local to Ohio, and while I do consider them reason enough to travel to Origins, it only happens once a year.  So we’ve taken to making the occasional delivery order — affordable within their closest delivery area, at least, as you can get 9 pints packed in dry ice shipped to you for all of a $10 charge, making each pint cost between $9 and $10. That might sound pricey, but Jeni’s quality is completely worth it.  That’s not to say that every flavor is an instant hit for me, but the quality and craftsmanship of each one is undeniable. This is the sort of ice-cream that I like to shallowly skim with a spoon, so I can put just the right amount on my tongue to melt before going to the next. Jeni’s flavors lends themselves to savoring.

Here’s a quick tour of the flavors I’ve tried from the two shipments we’ve had so far.  I’ll include their descriptions, then my comments.

Read the rest of this entry »

Indigo Springs (2009)
Written by: A.M. Dellamonica
Genre: Fantasy/Contemporary
Pages: 317 (Trade Paperback)

How did I come across this book? Wherever it was, it was the cover that caught my eye. Gorgeous. Then I recognized the author's name as one I'd read before, and the title was appealing too. I wasn't really planning on picking it up right away, not until I'd seen some reviews come in. However, that willpower went out the door when I saw it in the store, and since it was my birthday, I felt I had a good excuse for picking it up. :)

The premise: plucked from BN.com: Indigo Springs is a sleepy town where things seem pretty normal . . . until Astrid’s father dies and she moves into his house. She discovers that for many years her father had been accessing the magic that flowed, literally, in a blue stream beneath the earth, leaking into his house. When she starts to use the liquid "vitagua" to enchant everyday items, the results seem innocent enough: a “’chanted” watch becomes a charm that means you're always in the right place at the right time; a “’chanted” pendant enables the wearer to convince anyone of anything . . .

But as events in Indigo Springs unfold and the true potential of vitagua is revealed, Astrid and her friends unwittingly embark on a journey fraught with power, change, and a future too devastating to contemplate. Friends become enemies and enemies become friends as Astrid discovers secrets from her shrouded childhood that will lead her to a destiny stranger than she could have imagined . . .

Review style: should be short and sweet, with no spoilers.

( INDIGO SPRINGS: no spoilers )

My Rating

Worth the Cash: but close to a "must have." Any fan of contemporary fantasy (fantasy that takes place in today's world that is NOT Buffy-lit) must pick this up. The magic is creative and enchanting, and the characters are so very human in their motivations and interactions, and the story itself pays off very nicely, even though it's obvious there's gonna be a sequel. That said, I was very pleased and very satisfied with this story, and I happily await said sequel. This is one of those books that lives up to the beauty of the cover art, so aside from a few bumps in the opening, you're gonna be fine.

Cover Commentary: gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. Not only does this cover fit the book, it just really matches some of the scenes that the author paints for the reader (bonus points if you've read the book and can appreciate the word choice of "paints"). I just hope the sequel's cover is just as beautiful.

Next up: Boneshaker by Cherie Priest

http://www.publishersweekly.com/blog/400000640/post/1780050978.html?nid=4381

Pardon me while I turn into a squealing fangirl for a moment. When agent Joe Monti emailed us and suggested that Charles Vess would be a great arti...

GM: Travis Lindquist
Players: Sean, Eric, Erik, Alec, Steve, and Omar
System: L5R, 3rd Edition

Death

Last night was a great game. We started with a recap of the previous game. So much has been happening each week (especially last week when we finished Winter Court) that we couldn’t recall all of it, but the one thing that stuck in all our heads was the disgrace our lord did us by using our false testimony and stolen wares to gain a personal victory over another clan.

That was an important point because Travis gave us all and option of how our characters could protest this dishonor. Commit seppuku and denounce your lord in your death poem. Cool! It made me think of the death curses from the Dresden Files. I sat for about ten minutes thinking is this something worth dying for? I had been an active participant in the deception which betrayed my clan of birth. More importantly my honor got used as a tool for his own dishonorable act. It would be one thing if we were serving the Emperor, Rokugan or even the Sapphire Magistrates but this was pure selfish advancement. Finally I decided that I’d rather stand for what my character believes then have him live on in shame. Seppuku it would be.

The scenes leading up to and including the ritual were cool, if a bit focus on a single player. Yoritomo Miyazaki, our Chui, the next champion to be, tried to dissuade Hojatsu (Al-Saleen’s name after marriage) and for that effort earned the thanks of being my second. Yay. I also had audience with my Father-in-Law, who beamed with pride and Nadu who was relatively unconcerned with the affair. He was worried that Hojatsu knew about his peasant family, find out that he was only objecting actions with the Kitsuke did not faze him much. He was losing a magistrate but truth be told Hojatsu/Al-Saleen was never a particularly good one. I didn’t have a poem prepared for the Seppuku but a rolled a high enough storyteller roll to make a passable one. The Seppuku itself was a challenge I wasn’t prepared for (mechanically speaking). Stamina + Etiquette, TN 40. I makes a lot of sense, you’ve got to disembowel yourself. No easy act. I got a LOT of help on this one. First I spent all my remaining XP to raise my Etiquette from 1 to 3 and took and Etiquette Emphasis in Seppuku. As I walked in Isawa Yoshi gave me a blessing of the Kami, raising my Stamina, finally I invoked “no thought” and used a void. With all that it was still going to be a very hard roll. And somehow my dice were just kind enough to get me over the TN. I died with a 42. Here was Tsi Hojatsu’s death poem:

I’ve known Shourido
Now I cleanse her from my soul
My lord walks with her.

After his death, which had the desired effect of making Nadu lose some face in eyes of honorable samurai and a nice side effect for him of making him gain credibility in the underworld, winter court ended and each samurai went their separate ways.

After Winter Court

Ikoma Tso-Lou returned to his father’s shiro and was welcomed by the family. His father teased him about being a pawn of the Crane (as he was now Daimyo of the Shiro Sapphire’s Honor) and told him of his brother’s further disgrace. He had abandoned his post amongst the death seekers. Undoubtedly to plot his revenge against Tso-Lou. He also saw Ikoma Li who still had it in her head to be a Matsu Bushi. Upon hearing that Hojatsu killed himself she struck even more, bullying those around her, and got a friendly (if somewhat punitive) visit from my now ancestor spirit.

Sodano Shiko went home to pray at sensei’s grave. When there, from the shadows he saw Kokujin who first berated him for leaving him to die and then introduced Chuda Sagoten. Greatly distressed Sodano told the Pheonix of this. While they insisted that he was seeing things and should drink a special tea so as to stop seeing images of Kokujin, they responded to the threat of Chuda Sagoten in earnest, starting with changing all of their defenses.

Sezume Shimizu (now a Sparrow) spent some time with his wife in a cottage just a step above a peasants before receiving an invite with his sister to stay at their shiro, where they have little luxuries, like say… floors. Benten visited his wife and told her they would have twins. He also visited the shrine to Hojatsu and Kakita.

Yortimo Miyazaki held the Sapphire Magistrates tournament (by himself) and recruited a handful of new Sapphire Magistrates. He also spent time setting things straight (as well as horizontal) with Mirimoto Akimoto, who Tsi Hojatsu handed over to his custody after his death.

Isawa Yoshi went to the dragon lands to face his challenge, a meditation contest under the melt from a glacier. Both contestants endured such pain as not thought possible by others. Togashi was protected by his stomach of fire, while Yoshi was warded by the kami. Even so the freezing water eventually broke down their defenses and Yoshi lost his concentration. In a fit of anger he call out the Fires of Osano Wo and melted a large of the glacier, losing both honor and glory.

After the Magistrates returned to their duty they attended the Topaz Championship. Seeing it this time as one of the staff rather than a participant. During the championship a stranger appeared and told one of Tso-Lou’s companions “It is time to wake” suddenly the “sleeper agent” woke and attacked Tso-Lou, along with the stranger’s allies. The fight was brutal, enough so that we played it twice to see how a tweak in the power of our opponents would work. My nebulous shade of a Matsu character was introduced, full of range about her aunt so-and-so and her grandfather Matsu run-away-chicken.

What rocked

If I didn’t say it clearly enough before, the Death scene and residual agency was awesome.

I loved some of the down time scenes, specifically Isawa’s meditation contest and Shiko’s encounter with Sagoten. Great stuff all around.

What could have been improved

I wasn’t prepared to die. I was happy that I did it but I didn’t have another character in mind. What this meant is I spent most of the night figuring out what kind of character I would play, settling on a Matsu Berserker but still looking fondly at the Akodo Bushi and Akodo Warmaster.

The skirmish was rocky. The first time around the NPCs predominantly had the initiative. The second time we rolled it, we were more staggered but the players got pretty lucky about attacking the folks who hadn’t already acted and therefore got a higher effective initiative. The sad result seemed to be that whoever wins initiative murders the other side. We threw out some ideas on how to make the battle a little more tactically interesting with more options that just kill the other guys as fast as you can but nothing stuck as the definitive fix. I’m sure we’ll keep looking at this. Some ideas I have:

Contests that work really well are duels based on rolls with escalating TNs. I think this helps eliminate the riff-raff and leaves only the serious contenders. Not sure if this could be applied at all to combat.

I’d like see the special maneuvers being at least as interesting (if not as effective) as taking raises for damage. The current character I made is a big hammer to smash things down on the anvil of the Lion’s honor. She’s not a great candidate for trying out feints or knockdowns, but if I do end up playing an Akodo Warmaster, they are specifically good at exactly that kind of stuff.

Where did 2009 go? How is it December already?

Anyway, list:

The DriveThruComics Holiday Sale continues this month with an additional 10% Off tons of titles from folks like 2000 AD (Judge Dredd), Green Ronin (Wild Cards RPG), Nifty Comics (Cadre), Apex Book Company (Harlan County Horrors), 12 to Midnight (Buried Tales of Pinebox) and more.

Flames Rising has a new preview of Keith Pyeatt's novel Dark Knowledge available now.

Flames Rising also posted the first several parts of the Winter Holiday Gift Guide this past weekend.

darkshiver has started the December Writing Marathon over on her site.

Noble Knight Games has a new fan page over on Facebook so stop by and join up.

Since it's December 1st, I thought I'd give you the BIG REMINDER that this month's challenge is the following:



The Last Unicorn (1968)
Written by: Peter S. Beagle

I adored the movie when I was a child, and I'm thrilled to finally be reading the source material. Especially since I loved the sequel, "Two Hearts," to pieces. :)

Anyone who'd like to participate, just read the book! I'll post my review on December 31st for you to comment, or at least, fill out a poll saying whether you participated or not.

If you're looking for links to buy the book or want more challenge details (and next month's theme!) just click here.

I'm going to borrow a little more shamelessly from Book Love Affair when it comes to the structure of these posts. First, we'll have a book topic/discussion/random poll, then I'll get to the technical nitty-gritty in terms of reminders and lists and whatnot. Also, I'm going to stop listing the reviews I've already posted. Unless you suggest otherwise, I don't think you need to be reminded of a review you've already seen. ;)

---

Approaching Book Reviews

darwinstorm asked me recently how I approached book reviews, and I thought that would be a great topic to discuss here. Not just for those of you who like to do the same thing, but so for you readers who might want to know my thought-process when I post a book review.

First and foremost: everyone's different. Everyone has something different that works for them. Ultimately and always, do what works for you. Book reviews don't have to be a long essay. I've seen some that "interviewed" the book in question, so when it comes to approach, if the traditional blogging method doesn't work for you, think outside the box! You never know what'll come to you!

Personally, I try to write reviews that would help me if I were the reader. So I don't like reviews where the bulk of it is summarizing the book. All I need is the basic premise, but I want to read the book to experience the story. I don't want it summarized before I ever get around to it. That said, in the sections behind the LJ cut, I do talk plot. Sometimes I bet that comes off as summary, but I do my best to not mention a plot point without in turn discussing my personal reaction to it. You know, because reaction is part of the journal name. :)

But seriously, that's how I view my reviews: my reactions to the books I read. My experience as a critiquer (I've been seriously critiquing unpublished work since spring of 2002) keeps me from getting overly fangirly, but it doesn't tame the ranting beast either, so I always strive for objectivity, even though there are times I fail. I strive for objectivity because I hate having other people's opinions handed to me as if said opinions were FACT. I hate the condescending tone of it, and it makes me resent the item reviewed and the reviewer. So when I have strong opinions, and when even though it's obvious that my reviews ARE opinions, I try to explain where I'm coming from. And when I can't, I try to point out that I may be acting irrational.

Like I said, I don't always succeed, but I try.

A basic rule of thumb, though, is this: when reviewing, talk about the stuff you thought was good and why (do you like character-driven stories? Rich world-building? Action-packed plot?) and talk about what didn't work for you and why (grammar make you crazy? Was the heroine a bitch?). And while I always aim for balance, sometimes that's not possible. Sometimes I have more good to say than bad, or sometimes I have more bad to say than good. And in the case of the latter, I always try to look for the good and think about the type of reader who WOULD like what I'm reviewing. Because while I'd like to believe otherwise, I am not God, so what my likes and dislikes do not and should not reflect that of the rest of the reading population.

And while this might be a crippling reminder, always write as if you know for a FACT the author will read your little review. ALWAYS. This means if you're going to rant like a bitch (I've done it), you better be able to stand behind that review if the author does come knocking (in his/her blog or your own). You better not put yourself in a position of apologizing for your position. It's one thing if you misread something, but it's another to bash a book and then fawn all over the author and say the author is awesome just because they read your review. Trust me when I say, there's been more than a few times when an author has commented to my review of their work. Trust me when I say that good or bad review, my blood always drains from my face, because I'm human, I want to be liked, and the author's human too. I feel bad about bad reviews, but I stand by them. You should too (but don't be bitchy defending those reviews either, even if the author is a bitch first).

I think that's more than enough. I hope this helps anyone who was wondering, and if you have questions, shoot them to me in the comments.

---

Book Club Selections

December: The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
January: The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

Book Club Discussion: the review/discussion post for Racing the Dark is up! Don't forget to add your two cents and vote here. (Seriously, I need to know what my participation stats are). :)

EPIC POLL OF DOOM!!! Okay, so it's not OF DOOM, but it is an EPIC POLL and I really, really need your opinions and comments. If you haven't filled it out, just click here.

Upcoming Reviews: Indigo Springs by A.M. Dellamonica, Boneshaker by Cherie Priest, Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews, and Give Up the Ghost by Megan Crewe

Currently Reading: Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

Book Meter: I might make this a regular feature for 2010, but I tallied up my completed reads and I only have 8 books to go before I hit 100 for the year. Can I do it? I sure hope so. I was well beyond 100 last year, but I'll be happy with 100 this year. What's your tally for the year so far?

http://www.publishersweekly.com/blog/400000640/post/1450050945.html?nid=4381

We've eaten a lot of great food in the past week, but that hasn't stopped us from mulling over the possibilities presented by your mushroom-related...

(yoinked from ysabetwordsmith)

An amusing (NSFW language) exchange about someone trying to get a graphic artist to do (more) work for free.

Originally published at Deadly Fredly. You can comment here or there.

Part of what I do in my freelance work is art direction. As briefly as I can put it, art direction is the process of conceptualizing the art used for a project, then commissioning and coordinating the artists contracted to execute on the concept.

I’m a very email-driven guy — my inbox is my to-do list — and I tend to get pretty wordy when I communicate.  As such, I put a lot of effort into clearly communicating the needs of the project to the artist or artists.  I expect a reciprocal effort on the artist’s part, and when I get it, the artist tends to get my loyalty as a repeat customer, going into my list of “usual suspects” for my subsequent projects.

For example, early on I had the fortune to find Christian N. St. Pierre when I needed art for Spirit of the Century (and the Dresden Files RPG, though that particular art buy turned out to be more than a bit premature).  He delivered quickly, and communicated throughout the process of work.  I didn’t have a lot of art direction experience at the time, but my interactions with Christian formed a lasting basis for how I want to do work.  Later, in working with Hero Games and on other projects, Brett Barkley and Storn Cook (and several others) have also shown this kind of work process.  It’s a good one.

A sidebar: This does mean that my stable of artistic talent tends to grow slowly.  Once I hit a critical mass of artists who are regularly available and rate as usual suspects, there’s not a lot of incentive to reach out for new sources.  All the same, I try to give a chance to one or two artists I haven’t worked with before with each new project, if the project calls for enough art that multiple artists are needed.  If someone knocks this “audition” out of the park, they tend to move onto the usual suspects list.  If they flub this critical first impression, it’s damn likely I won’t come knocking again.  It’s not that there aren’t some good reasons for a flub, and it’s not that I won’t give second chances on occasion, but to be frank about it there is a greater supply of artists out there than there is demand for art, and my usual suspects methodology doesn’t provide a lot of openings for bringing in new folk.

So as an artist interested in getting more work, you should always keep loyalty-building in mind.  Even an artist who doesn’t execute the most technically correct or excellent work can get repeat work by showing a strong loyalty-building work ethic.  With loyalty building as the goal, I’m going to dig a few simple principles for building it in the art director/artist relationship.

Read the rest of this entry »