I neither drink nor draw, but have somehow managed to be invited to this event and I am totally going:

I am SWAMPED and everyone in our house is sick, so this is going to be a bit of a drive-by post, but I have been seeing stirrings on the interwebs about the dearth of female writers in the DC re-boot and while I agree that, you know, MORE THAN ONE WOULD BE BETTER, I feel like I should mention that I was approached. (I’ve seen my name at least twice on lists of ‘folks DC should have talked to.’)

They did talk to me. I was approached twice.

The first was to pitch on an ongoing. I declined because I was hip deep in work at the time and the turnaround they needed was just impossible for me. (I can’t remember exactly, but I think it was a day or two for the pitch and then a week and half for the first script–which would have been doable if I could have dropped everything and started immediately, but I had Castle pages due, another project you don’t know about yet, and Supergirl still on my plate!) And I wasn’t sure I was ready for an ongoing anyway. (It was later pointed out to me that an “ongoing” in the current marketplace is seldom much longer than a long mini, so… you know. I’m an idiot.) I’ve kicked myself every day since, but short of having fermata powers, I don’t think could have done it.

The second time, I was approached to pitch on a 6 issue mini. This time I decided to make it work. I pitched. I swung for the bleachers aaaaand… I didn’t get the gig. It happens. It ain’t personal. They told me that there were others pitching and though I was also told mine was an early favorite, in the end they went another way. As far as I’m concerned, it was fair and square and there’s no shame on either end of the deal.

So there you go. HELL YES, I do wish there were more female creators in the DC reboot, but in my case anyway, it’s not like I wasn’t given a shot. Or two.

Things! Stuff!

• First up, remember that project with “BMB” I teased a while back?  BAM! Castle: Deadly Storm
• Also in announcements, Fraction and I are going to Brazil in November as guests of Belo Horizonte. We’ve never been there before and we’re super-excited about it.
• And INSANELY HUGE thanks to everyone who has thus far donated (and those of you who are considering donating later) to my Run for Congo fundraising efforts.  As of right now, I’m over 10x my goal–$2,000+!  I’m not sure how much two grand buys in Congo, but I’m hoping it buys one woman some peace and a lead on a future.  If you looking for something else to do, you might consider writing to your representatives about a special envoy for Congo.  That would make every dollar we send more effective.  More ideas here and here.
• As a reminder, I’ve got two signings coming up–one in Chicago and one in Wisconsin. The one is Chicago is looking like it’s going to be HILARIOUS, as I was just sent my script for the Dramatic Osborn 5 reading.  No… No, I’m not kidding and I have to say I think it’s going to be awesome.  If you’re in the area, I’d love it if you came.  I’ll even let you read Norman.  (Also, I hear there will be cookies.)  Also I believe Siuntres will be coming by to do an episode of Wordballoon.

Hey, soooo… this got announced:

Norman Osborn went from being maniacal super-villain the Green Goblin to the most powerful man in the Marvel Universe as the director of H.A.M.M.E.R. and Iron Patriot, leader of the Dark Avengers. Then he pushed his power a little too far during Siege, and ended up in The Raft, Marvel’s maximum-maximum security prison.

But being locked up isn’t going to stop someone like him, as readers will find out in five-issue miniseries Osborn, starting in November from writer Kelly Sue DeConnick and artist Emma Rios, with covers by Ben Oliver. Osborn may be incarcerated with the worst of the worst, but it turns out they’re fans of his work.

Judging by the responses on Twitter, Fraction’s spotlight panel went swimmingly.  Henry went to a birthday party and ate some cake–and Tallulah hasn’t spit up on anyone yet.  So today’s been a pretty amazing day for us.

You can find out what books Matt and I have coming out from Marvel and when they’re expected by clicking on these Marvel.com links:

Kelly Sue DeConnick

Matt Fraction

It’s very simple, I think: 

• Thursday, 12:00 – 1:00 pm Signing at Image Booth, #2729
• Thursday, 6:00 – 7:00 pm Signing at Image Booth, #2729
• Friday, 5:00 – 6:00 pm Signing at Image Booth, #2729
• Saturday, 11:30 – 12:30 pm COMIC BOOK TATOO PANEL, Room 6B
• Saturday, 6:00 – 7:00 pm Signing at Image Booth, #2729
• Sunday, 4:00 – 5:00 pm Signing at Image Booth, #2729

My husband has posted his appearance schedule, appropriately, at Matt Fraction dot com.   Eisner Info is here. General Con schedule info is here.   I forgot to pack a sweater and a belt, so at some point I have to hit the Gap.  Just in case you were wondering.  

I just finished a podcast interview that wasn’t really a podcast interview with Fraction with me popping on for a minute.

I was so nervous about it that I got up this morning and made a list of things to talk about… I opened links in browsers in case names escaped me, got prepared, you know? Then I drank too much coffee, and ended up pacing in the kitchen the whole call, completely ignoring my list. What did I talk about? Poop, farts, sharts, dog vomit and health insurance. [Not for the faint of heart, btw. It's called Cringe Humor for a reason.]

I’m not even kidding.

WTF is wrong with me…? Le sigh.

Fraction says I did fine [That's his job, yo.], but I’m sitting here staring at my list with regret. So here’s what I didn‘t talk about, everything I jotted down and meant to bring up:

• What I’m reading: Dakota North Investigations, CBR file of Sweet Chastity, Screamland, Young Avengers;
• UClick – comic books on cell phones [because of something I'd heard them say on a previous podcast; I had a great opening too -- they asked me about my friends having multiple jobs. I could have brought up Harold and plugged SCREAMLAND at the same time. Coulda/Shoulda/Woulda... Didn't.]
• Fraction — Iron Fist Special coming out w/Lewis Larossa and Russ Heath. [Russ. Heath. And I've seen the Larossa pages. Damn.]; Chaykin starts PWJ with #16; Order #7 — the Namor issue — is out next week; Casanova #12 goes to the printer next week;
• 1987 Wonder Woman reboot;
• Kathryn Immonen at Marvel;
• Girl Farts project;
• The War of Art by Steven Pressfield;
• Don’t believe everything you read on the intarwebs; and
• the Tori Amos Anthology.

…That’s what it said on the page THAT I NEVER LOOKED AT. There was another note about a Fraction book but we figured out later that he’d promised that news to Siuntres and his most recent Wordballoon interview hasn’t posted yet, so it’s actually good that I didn’t get to that bit.

Yay…?

Henry Leo did wake up and coo into the phone though, so that’s delightful.

Oh, and after some thought: my favorite word is “yes.”

• 
• I need to work on Black Cat Vol. 15 today.
• The editor on two of my as-yet-unannounced Viz projects is leaving.  I’d be more bummed, but KIT FOX is taking over at least one of the titles.  I heart Kit Fox.  So… yay.  Here’s hoping Kit’s got room in his schedule to take both.
• Speaking of Kit, I just got the comp copy of our last project together — Portus — in the mail yesterday.  [Thank you, Kit.]  For some reason the Amazon pre-order page lists Annette Roman as the editor… it was Kit though.  Huh.  I wonder how that happened.  (Don’t get me wrong — Annette’s great; we’re on a different title together right now in fact.)
• Pregnancy Progress: 37 weeks, as of yesterday.  What does that mean?  We made it to full term!  The kid’s not due until September 21st, but could come any time now.
• What else?  I’m freaking out.  A little.  Here’s a tip: don’t try to tell me I shouldn’t be worrying — I’ll rip your head off.  Apparently, it’s hormonal, but honestly, even when I’m not pregnant I’m not fond of having my concerns poo-poo’d.  Who is?  Also:  I’m mean.  Probably meaner than you are.  I will hurt your delicate feelings.  I will find your button and I will smoosh it… I wouldn’t risk it.
• Last night I dreamed not of Manderlay actually, but of the kid’s impending birth.  Suddenly in the middle of everything, I realized I’d been given an epidural.  I didn’t remember asking for one or having one placed and no one would answer any of my questions.  I wasn’t exactly disappointed that the birth was painless, but I was angry that I wasn’t given the chance to even try the low-intervention approach.  As merely the vessel, I wasn’t consulted.  When the kid was born I was informed that Fraction had changed its name from what we’d agreed upon.  …Think I’m having some control issues?
• Mom and Frank are here, helping us with the nursery.  [Read: Mom and Frank are working on the nursery while I work downstairs, avoiding the wallpaper stripper fumes and Fraction remains chained to his desk cranking out scripts.  I feel horribly rude, but that wallpaper stripper stinks.]  Hopefully we’ll have something like a closet for the kid by Tuesday.
• Speaking of Fraction and cranking out scripts, we’ve GOT to get him a new set up. Poor guy’s wrists are about to explode.  I think the desk is the problem.  One day, when we have money again [Buy comics, you bastards!], we’ve got to get him a set up that will allow us to mount they keyboard on some kind of pullout drawer.  We should probably invest in one of those ergonomic keyboards, too.
• As I write this I’m drinking half a mug of coffee and a non-alcoholic beer.  From separate glasses.  Fraction is nonplussed.
• 20th Century Boys is being adapted to anime.
• I feel bad for Barklage’s ass, but this made me laugh.
• I’m so far behind on thank you notes I should be shot. (Speaking of, does anyone have a mailing address for Lolokickyou? Han? Jill?)
• Fat Cobra Strikes!! on Facebook.

So, So Happy: As I write this, I am caught up* on work deadlines for, I think, the first time since March. Despite the fact that I have 9,000 other things to do and I am generally overwhelmed, it feels goooood. At least at this moment, I owe apologies to zero editors, which is nice. I want to go get a pedicure to celebrate, but alas, there’s busywork to be done.

(*I may have been caught up at some point before but not with any real chance of staying caught up. It’s realistic this time. I also feel compelled to confess that I am still over deadline on one project, but as it’s unpaid and only 8 pages, I’m giving myself permission to declare me “All Caught Up.”)

Mark Your Calendar: August 25th signing at the Star Clipper in St. Louis.

Counting Down: 6 days till next deadline, 6 days till birthday, 12 days till baby shower, 16 days till Nerd Prom, 74 days till due date. (The American Pregnancy Association sent an e-mail this morning to worn me that I might start experiencing mood swings and a short temper in the coming days and weeks… I think I’d figured that part out. Thanks.)

The Kitchen: The cabinet guys finished up today — hardware is installed, as are trim and toekicks. I’ll post pictures tomorrow.

The Nursery: Fraction and I are very seriously considering getting a few of ashley g’s bearded men prints for the kid’s room. In addition to adoring Ashley and Drew, we’re utterly charmed by their weird little hairy men. We’re also thinking about taking down some of the shelves in that room. It’s more work, which is a real bummer at this point, but it would make space for a glider, which would be grand. (Especially since Tobi and Michael offered us their old one and you can’t beat that price.)

Knitting: I’ve done none of late. Wah. Nikol, on the other hand, has been knitting up a proverbial storm in preparation for the Naughty Needles Burlesque Revue (details in link) on the 13th. I really want to go if I’ve got the energy on Friday night. Alas, my body kind of gives out around 9:00 these days and I’m not good for much more than hanging out on the couch. We’ll see. (We’ve talked to another couple about going with us, but they’re pregnant with TWINS, so they’re playing it by ear too.)

Pownce: I haven’t quite figured out what it is just yet, and I haven’t tons of spare time to explore, but if anyone wants an invitation, I’ve got four.

Tomorrow: I’m going swimming, dammit. I also need to hit the bank, run a few errands, answer a shit-ton of e-mails, do some filing, finish the laundry, do a translation check, merge calendars, install QuickBooks, fill out some paperwork and hit the post office. When I started writing this part I thought I’d carve out some time for that pedicure, but it’s not looking good, is it?

Well, $!#!@$#@!

I just made the decision that I’m not going to go to Charlotte for Heroes Con after all. (We have the tickets and everything!) Sniff. Heroes is my favorite con (by a long shot) and it’s near Fraction’s family so I’m brutally disappointed, but I think it’s for the best. Despite getting close twice — I still haven’t managed to get caught up from the month of work I missed for a death in the family in March. The kitchen remodel just got started. Claude is still acting a little funny, so I’m not sure I feel comfortable leaving him here for the contractor’s to deal with and, perhaps most-importantly, I’m just pooped. The pregnancy, the garage sale and clearing out the kitchen combined to wipe me out physically. And even though San Diego isn’t nearly as fun as Heroes, it’s our last trip before the baby comes — we’re springing for a nice hotel, all our nerdy friends will be there (including Warren Ellis, who, I suspect, will never be there again) — I really don’t want to miss it. (With any luck, the kitchen will be done by then.) And I fear I will if I don’t err on the side of caution now.

So… Fraction’s going without me. Sniff.