The Rema Chronicles update

  

Hello! I noticed a lot of people landing on this page, searching for news on The Rema Chronicles Book 2: The Kingdom Of Water. All I can offer you is the above image from book 2, which features yet another story from the Reman religious and historical book, The Remanora.

I've been working hard on book 2 every day, and I cannot wait to share it with everyone! I'm roughly halfway done, so there is no release date yet. Once I have a solid release date, I will announce it loudly on my Twitter, Instagram, and at Boltcity Productions.

The reception for book 1 of The Rema Chronicles was greater than I expected for my dorky little fantasy story, especially considering this is a brand new series that is just starting. It stayed on the Indie Bestseller list for roughly six weeks! You all are incredible! I'm so grateful to anyone who gave it read and shared it with friends and family. The idea that this story I carried for forty years is out there in the world, being enjoyed by people who were the same age I was when I first dreamed it up...well it means more than I can say.

For those who do not follow any of my socials, I also want to share these Rema Chronicles coloring pages. They feature actual linework from the book (plus 1 random illustration.) Yes, this is what the inks look like before I lay down color, with help from assistant Audra Furuichi. So, if you want some coloring practice, have at it! Simply click on the thumbnail of your choosing to open the hi-res version in a new window. Make sure to print in landscape mode. All of these are also archived over at Boltcity Productions under "activities", where you can find an FAQ and a Rema Chronicles pronunciation guide.

And of course, I can't update you all without mentioning the Realm Of The Blue Mist book trailer, animated by none other than good friend Denver Jackson. He did an amazing job bringing Tabby and Philip to life, and I know it helped signal boost The Rema Chronicles a lot! Follow his incredible work over at Cloudrise Pictures.

A special word of thanks to those of you who followed this blog for several years, who were there as I posted chapters back when this was just a prose novel. I lost hope for this story for a long time, but your feedback and encouragement really helped keep the dream alive. I met a handful of you while signing books on the road. Every time I do, I lack the words to express my deep gratitude. Just know it is there, and I carry your encouragement with me as I dive into the last half of book 2 which features some of the most challenging pages I ever had to draw.

I hope if you find the graphic novel version that you enjoy it, and it brings back memories of those fleeting years. For now, it's time for me to get back to the drawing board (or Photoshop, in this case!) I hope to see you again when I have updates on book 2. Until then, I wish you peace, love, and prosperity.

The Rema Chronicles

I am so pleased to announce Rema's new title and release date. There were some hiccups due to technical issues, but it looks like March 1, 2022 is the final release date. This means the first book in the new The Rema Chronicles graphic novel series, Realm Of The Blue Mist, is available for pre-order. The cover is still being finalized, but if you'd like, you can order from your favorite independent bookstore (like Brick & Mortar Bookstore in Redmond), Indiebound, Barnes & Noble, or Amazon.

It feels so good to finally type that, to have a place where these characters actually have a home. This is truly the book it was always meant to be, and I can't wait to share it with everyone! Hope you are well, whoever reads this, and life is treating you kindly! <3

Still writing, still inspired

These past couple weeks have been very interesting for me in terms of inspirational material.

Firstly, everyone should watch/listen to/read J.K. Rowlings commencement speech at Harvard on "The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination" (link via Laurie Halse Anderson's blog):

J.K.Rowling's commencement speech

"One of the many things I learned at the end of that Classics corridor down which I ventured at the age of 18, in search of something I could not then define, was this, written by the Greek author Plutarch: What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality.

That is an astonishing statement and yet proven a thousand times every day of our lives. It expresses, in part, our inescapable connection with the outside world, the fact that we touch other people’s lives simply by existing."

It is so true. She will forever be one of my heroes.

Another one of my new heroes is the Wachowski brothers. If anyone has been reading my livejournal or Kazu's blog, you know how inexplicably obsessed Kazu and I are with the new Speed Racer movie. When I think of the film, I think of extremely satisfying movie-going experiences like Forest Gump, Star Wars, Shawshank Redemption, Pride & Prejudice, movies that exist in their own perfect circle which I can watch over and over again without ever losing their impact.

Just when I thought it was impossible to come up with something new, something fresh, and something emotionally honest, the Wachowskis come along and blow my expectations out of the water. This movie has completely schooled me, humbled me, and gave me something to strive for again. There is not one moment in the whole thing that doesn't feel deliberate, they had complete control and it shows. Watching Speed Racer is like being served a masterfully crafted gourmet meal. It may not be to everyone's taste, but man... did they ever make something with all their hearts, whether anyone likes it or not. It is the real deal!

I have seen this movie six times in the theater and counting, I just cannot get enough of it! The storytelling is impeccable, the synergy between visuals, music, and emotion is spot on. If you haven't seen the movie yet, give this gift to yourself and see it while it's on the big screen before it's goes to the small screen.

Watching and studying this movie has helped me immensely in my own storytelling, and for that I'm forever grateful to the people that worked on Speed Racer. I cannot tell you how helpful it's been for me with figuring out the crux of Tabby's story, and keeping it confident and clear. I just hope I have the focus to hold onto it through to the end of the trilogy.

Also, I'm out of my mind ecstatic that Barack Obama is the democratic nominee! The general election is going to be very interesting indeed.

Anyway, these are things that have made my life richer recently, so I thought I'd share it all with you. Writing goes well on Rema now that I got a good wake-up call from Speed Racer. All I need to do is hunker down and do the work, work, work... and that's the fun part, isn't it?

(added later) By the way, I forgot to mention... aside from Speed Racer you should all check out Kung Fu Panda, which opens this weekend. A few friends of mine (also fellow Flight artists) worked on it, including our studio mate, the ever-enigmatic Phil Craven. Kazu and I are probably seeing it tonight, I can't wait! The Art of book is simply beautiful! The Character Design blog has a good video preview of the interior art, mostly sketches by the mind-blowingly talented Nicolas Marlet.

New York trip and lessons learned

Hello everyone! Long time no blog. Recently, Kazu and I got back from a trip to NYC. It was great to see old friends and say hello to colleagues. I only wish we had more time to stay and see more people!

Check out my flickr stream if you're interested in how it all went down...

I'm still trudging my way through the book, but I'm very excited about it. I lost track of how many drafts I've done, but with each one I get closer to something I can be proud of. That's the thing about writing, there really isn't much to show until the whole thing is done. Aw, heck. Here's a paragraph I just wrote a couple hours ago:

"Tabby faced the quivering blackness in front of her, her heart pounding in her ears. Terrible fear gripped her, and she tried to focus on what lay on the other side. Her home, her friends, her school, her mother. She took a deep breath in an attempt to calm her nerves. She closed her eyes, then extended her fingertips, and reached through the darkness."

Looks kind of silly out of context. Quivering blackness, what? Will it be in the final draft? Probably not. It's funny, because it isn't the craft of writing that's been so hard for me, it's the storytelling. The storytelling is the hard part. Rema has become such a huge world in my imagination with so many parts of it I want to tell, it continually pushes in unexpected directions. It's been difficult choosing one direction to stick to and go all the way to the finish line with.

Well, needless to say, writing has been and still is an adventure. I also recently quit my retail job, and I've learned (or re-learned) several things from it.

1) The value of money. Seriously, I don't know how anyone can get by on minimum wage. I don't want to waste my money on things I won't use.

2) The value of time. Time is precious, more precious than money. It shouldn't be wasted.

3) The value of kindness. If you give people a little love, you can change their day.

4) the value of my own talent. I am so incredibly lucky to be able to do what I do, and to be able to do it well enough to get published. Most people cannot do what I do, and being surrounded by nothing but artists, I completely forgot that. I need to be grateful for my talents, and not let them go to waste. If you're someone out there who is talented, show your gratitude for your ability and make something with it!

5) A reconnection with my love for books. I love books. I love all kinds of books. I love how in the book world, variety is embraced and encouraged. I love how in the book world, there's room for everyone. I love how books make you feel included, encourage opinion no matter how controversial or marginalized, and foster the imagination. I love how anyone who can read is welcome to a good book, that the imagery within the pages is at the whim of the imagination that reads it. I love books.

I learned a lot working at the bookstore, but it's time to wrap up this novel. It's been almost a year now...

Fun with watercolors

Did the above watercolor here and there over the past week (click image for full version). It's a character from the book who's new, and not in the webcomic version.

I got a job working retail part time, and having a blast. It really makes me value my time more, plus meeting all the customers and co-workers has been a great exercise in character study. I've also been really obsessed with the democratic nomination race, which has been just fascinating.

My dearest Kazu gave me an awesome 4' tall Orion Skyquest xt8 telescope for my birthday. Boy, does he know me, or what?! I've been looking through it on almost every clear night. It's been a big source of inspiration for me these days. I just love looking at the stars and daydreaming about them! Of the objects I've managed to locate (Saturn, Venus, the Pleiades...) the Orion Nebula is without a doubt my favorite. You can actually make out the features of the nebula, which just takes my breath away. Seeing the rings and moons of Saturn is also pretty inspiring, and a crowd-pleaser (when strangers walk by asking what I'm doing, I like letting them look through and share the wonder!). And of course, seeing the moons craters is always a trip. I can't wait to use the telescope in a really dark sky though, because the skies of Alhambra have a lot of light pollution.

Also, for those interested, I updated my flickr page with some photos of Kazu's Amulet signing at Nucleus, the Warner Bros. Studio tour with my family, and more.

Speaking of Kazu, he just wrapped up the lineup for Flight 5 last night. Man... all I can say is that you're all in for a real treat!

Working on chapter 16 of Rema now, and everything's going well. I love writing, and with each page written, I love it even more. It's really freed my imagination in unexpected ways. Life has been awesome these days. Hope everyone else is doing just as well, if not better!

First Kiss, Then Tell and a drawing

Just out, this anthology features a number of popular YA authors spilling the beans about their first kiss. It ranges from sweet, to romantic, to downright disgusting (and judging by author Justine Larbalestier's blog, she'd know I'm talking about her story!). It's a fun read to share with friends, a great gift for Valentine's Day, and for a good cause as a portion of the proceeds go to NPR's Youth Radio.

As for my contribution to the book, I made a comic documenting my precarious path to true love. If you ever wondered what went on in my brain when Kazu and I first met/decided to get married, this comic is for you. OR... if you've lost faith in the idea that true love can exist, this comic is for you too. OR... who am I kidding? I made this comic for anyone willing to listen. I hope you like it!

So check it out, First Kiss, Then Tell edited by Cylin Busby. Be prepared for warm fuzzies!

Things on Rema are progressing slowly. I was stuck on chapter 7 for a good two months. That's right. Two months on one chapter. When I save versions of my chapters, I label them version A, version B, etc. The version that worked is chapter 7, version Vb. Don't laugh... I'm just happy to be off that merry-go-round!

Since then, things have been running smoothly (knock knock), and I approach each page with an eager heart. I'm up to chapter 11, and realizing this book is taking me way longer than Kazu or I could've predicted. Remember back when I was hoping to finish by December? Ha ha ~

I think it might be time to go hunting for a part time job. Ironically, the prospect of getting away from the studio and working on set, non-creative tasks sounds like a vacation. Writing sure requires a lot of mental gymnastics...

Speaking of Rema, I drew this picture of Philip last week, and I wasn't going to share it with anyone because I'm so used to keeping my work to myself now that I'm writing. I shared it with the Flight folks, I might as well post it here too. It's so much fun drawing this character now that I've been through so much story with him! Anyway, click if you want to see the bigger version. And I mean big.

Sketches from Japan

Did everyone have a good Christmas? I got a big ol' pink scarf from my Mom. I'd never where pink on my own, but now that I have it I think it's pretty awesome. :)

While in Japan, I started a new sketchbook. These are all done straight with the hi-tec C 03mm pen. I love that pen. There's more, but these are the best ones. I need to draw more! It clarifies my writing and helps me visualize things more easily. I noticed that there's an economy of storytelling in comics that I love, and want to carry over into my writing too, if I can. We'll see how it goes.

Anyway, click the thumbnails to see the full image:

Have a great New Year's, everyone!!!!