Well, I’ve just stumbled onto the best resource EVER if you are writing about warfare in a time with mounted artillery. The King’s Troop is a ceremonial unit in the British Army which King George VI decided to maintain following the mechanization of the last of the horse drawn artilleries. So what we have here […]
The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery Read More »
So, I have my audition slot. June 17th next week from 2:30-5:30. There will be eight other people in my slot and they are calling it a workshop. This means I can make some guesses about the format, although they are just guesses at this point. I know that one of the horses will be
I know my audition slot now + more video Read More »
I’m heading off to do yoga and spend time with a trainer at the gym. I’ve been doing this since finding out about the audition, actually. This is an interesting experience for me. I’d already been talking to Rob about feeling like I wanted to go to the gym because I was uncomfortable in my
Heading to yoga plus more video of War Horse Read More »
I was talking with one of my theater friends the other day and told him about this very cool audition I have lined up. I realized as I was talking that there’s a difference in the way theater people approach auditions and the way writers approach submissions. Granted, every person is different, but for the
Why rejections make me laugh. Auditions are good prep. Read More »
I’m doing some research for a potential puppetry project and actually need to hang out with horses for a bit. Does anyone in the Portland area have a horse or know someone who has a horse that I can come visit? I don’t need to ride so much as watch. If you do, would you
Do you have a horse I can visit? Read More »
Modern Mechanix always has the coolest things. Here’s an article from 1933 called Odd Figures You Can Form with Your Hands You gotta wonder if Señor Wences saw this article when he came up with Johnny or if Otto Croy, the German artist credited with these figures saw Señor Wences. Or if these are just
Modern Mechanix: Odd Figures You Can Form with Your Hands Read More »
I am fatigued. We did this today. There’s my beloved, manning the camera in his role as director. I limited my input to art direction and occasionally movement coach. Interesting factoid… the table that the vase and flowers is sitting on is not a real table, although the vase and flowers are real. It’s
Successfully shot the trailer Read More »
This is badly keyed because I’m shooting the camera at an angle to the wall, but this is one of the shadowmasks we’ll be using when we film the Shades of Milk and Honey trailer tomorrow. Once I survive that, I’ll show you how they are made. For now, though, I need to make sure
One of the shadow masks Read More »
There’s this thing people do called a book trailer which may or may not be helpful in selling books. I’m a visual person, and both Rob and I work in film and television so I figured, why not. There are a lot of elements that go into the making of the Shades of Milk and
Making shadow scenery for the Shades of Milk and Honey book trailer Read More »
This year marks my 20th year as a professional puppeteer and the more I write, the more I realize how beautifully puppetry works as a metaphor for describing the writing process. There are four basic principles of puppetry and they all tie in fairly neatly to writing, or at least to how I approach writing.
Focus indicates thought Read More »
I’m flying out to Penguicon today and will be having a whole slew of fun-filled adventures while I’m there. I’m taking a red-eye so I won’t actually arrive until EARLY Friday morning. Here’s my schedule while I’m there. Friday Author Reading – 6pm Three authors for the price of one! Cherie Priest, Mary Robinette Kowal,
My schedule for Penguicon 2010 Read More »
When Rob and I moved into the apartment, we had a lot of boxes. I kept wishing that there was something I could do with them and, at some point, stumbled across this cardboard DIY cat scratching pad. Unlike most of the ones you see out there, this actually looked pretty stylish plus it was
The most beautiful cat scratching pad in the world Read More »
Back in 1998 I spent several weeks as puppeteer on Elmo in Grouchland filmed in Wilmington, N.C. After the film wrapped and I was back in Portland, I got this package in the mail. An Elmo in Grouchland Cast and Crew camping chair. It was the perfect thing for going to the beach, except I
Elmo in Grouchland Cast and Crew chair Read More »
While going through ye old portfolio shots, I found this one of me in college. Based on the puppet I’m holding, my guess is that I’m 20 or 21 here. So, two years before The Horror of the Glamour Shot. and 20 years before the new author photos. I’d gone into the studio to have
Me at age 21 with opposum puppet Read More »
My brother, bless his heart, wanted to give his girlfriend an Elvis garden gnome as a gag gift on her birthday and discovered that no one makes them. This was actually a little surprising. So he turned to me. To begin, I found an existing gnome in a position that would work for my needs.
Building an Elvis Garden Gnome Read More »