What Is

Alright so I've done a shitty job of keeping up Retribution this month, but I'm fine with that b/c a weekly fanfic post was extremely ambitious. I've learned that posting a novel-length story in serial fashion is a pretty dumb big grind. Also, I've decided to add some plot twists and that means changing/shuffling/rewrites. Retribution in Ravnica was envisioned as having 3 acts, and right now Book 1 is nearly done, and I have a couple of Book 2's chapters written. This fanfic has like a GoT size ensemble cast, and that's another lesson I've learned: maybe keep web fanfics simpler and shorter. So my new goal is to finish the one or two remaining chapters in Book 1, which gives us a nice resting point. With the PT, GP, family expansion and preschool all in the immediate future, it's likely I will have to take a break from Ravnica updates for awhile to get a backstock of chapters written again before I start posting Book 2. I really appreciate everyone who's been reading my fiction and keeping up with the doings of Liliana, Venser, and Bolas.

In the meantime, you can enjoy all the cosplay work I've been pouring myself into. With two big events in Portland this August, it was a great excuse to work out my costuming muscles again. And a great excuse to get a new camera, get back into photography. I'll be doing Marchesa the Black Rose for GP Portland, and am at this very moment wracking my brain for what I want to trot out to the PT NEXT WEEKEND. Got the opportunity to attend last minute, so this yeah, omg! Very excited for the coming month's MTG activities...


I'll also be turning out a bunch of visual art... more new tokens for Brew Box, plus some lands for Gathering Magic's "We Make the Plane" project that's going on right now. At my age it's just painfully obvious that you never get better unless you just go out and do it. Griseldamned, just fraggin' do it. It feels good to see myself improve in areas where I've historically just taken my "natural" talent for granted and not put any time or rigor into it as a discipline.

And lastly, I'm considering starting a small shop on Etsy or StoreEnvy or something to hawk some of my creative spawnages. This could range from like alters and tokens to cosplay glossies to 'walker-inspired accessories to Guild wedding dresses. If there's anything you really want, let me know.

True riches are found in the mazes of the mind,
-MJ