reading and other escapes

[asakiyume]

I finished a review of A Sinister Quartet just 45 minutes late of being able to post it on the day the book launched, which was yesterday. The review is on Goodreads; people reading here have heard my reactions to the first two stories in any case.

Those two--"The Twice-Drowned Saint" (CSE Cooney) and "An Unkindness" (Jessica Wick)--were right up my alley thematically and writing-wise. The remaining two, "Viridian" (Amanda McGee) and "The Comforter" (Mike Allen) were both excellent tales, slightly (or in the case of Mike's, very) outside the circle of what I normally enjoy reading, but both did what they set out to do with finesse. I think anyone who's drawn to any of the four stories will enjoy some of the others a whole lot as well, and possibly all of the others.

Next I'll reread Aster Glenn Gray's The Time-Traveling Popcorn Ball so I can do it justice in a review. I'm also going to read The Headless Cupid, a Zilpha Keatley Snyder story I somehow failed to read as a child. I absolutely adored her Green-sky trilogy and The Changeling, and I enjoyed many other of her stories as well.

I also drew another chalk thing. "Be the frog-riding, moth-and-dandelion-wielding hero you want to see in the world"

Comments

[okrablossom]

LOVE THE CHALK ART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also, can I get a tshirt with that and the quote, please??!?!?!

[asakiyume]

Hahaha, you know, I think we probably **could** make a T-shirt, thanks to the miracles of modern everything--let me see about it!

[okrablossom]

:)

[rachelmanija]

I want one too!

[asakiyume]

Hahaha, I'm glad you like it!

Here's the image with words on it. If you click through you can get to it at high resolution:



And also, if you click through the other image, you can get *that* at high resolution--in case you wanted to put words on in a different style (I like the stencil look, but it's not everyone's jam.)

Then feel free to slap that baby on any T-shirt you feel like--you can do it at Cafepress and other places. That way you get the style and color of T-shirt you want.

I think for me to offer it, I'd have to have like an Etsy shop or something? And... well, I just don't have one? But I'd love it if people want to put the design on a shirt.

[okrablossom]

Do you want to sign it in some way, so it's clear it's your art?

[asakiyume]

Thank you for asking! I appreciate it. I'm fine with letting people use it unsigned, though. ^_^

[shewhomust]

Be the frog-riding, moth-and-dandelion-wielding hero you want to see in the world

Words to live by! (Can you see that I am wielding a dandelion in that icon?)

[asakiyume]

Yes I can! You are clearly one of the founding members of the Dandelion Brigade!

[noachoc]

The Headless Cupid is pretty great.

[asakiyume]

Looking forward to it!

[ellenmillion]

I love this!!

[asakiyume]

Yay! I'm so glad :-)

[light_of_summer]

I also like your vivid chalk art and playful slogan! Is the rider of the frog a snail?

It's interesting to be reminded of Zilpha Keatley Snyder's works. As a kid, I read what my local library had: The Egypt Game, The Velvet Room, and Black and Blue Magic. The Egypt Game was my favorite of those. It hadn't occurred to me to see what else she might have written, now that the Internet gives us easy access to so many more books. I'll see what my libraries have available online—thanks!

In the process of writing this comment, I discovered that I had Zilpha Keatley Snyder mentally mixed up with E. L. Konigsberg, who wrote Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth and From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Do you know those books?

[asakiyume]

He has a snail cap! Well observed.

I liked Black and Blue Magic and The Egypt Game too--I didn't read The Velvet Room

I did read and enjoyed From the Mixed Up Files [etc.]--I liked how it made running away to a museum seem plausible. I never read the other, though!

[pameladean]

Your chalk art is EPIC. We have quite a lot in my neighborhood and it is cheery and funny and occasionally inspiring, but it's not so elaborate and whimsical. We just had some torrential downpours, so the artists will be out again; maybe one of them will feel extra inspired.

P.

[asakiyume]

That's what's wonderful about chalk art--wait a while, and you have a chance to work with a clean slate ;-)

[pameladean]

Yes! The mix of ephemerality and persistence is variable, depending on the weather. But sooner or later mistakes are washed away and there's a tempting square of concrete again.

Some blocks where I often walk have such elaborate chalk art that I just walk in the street to spare it a little longer. This is sometimes necessary for social distancing as well, but mostly I do it because of the art. A lot of it is laid on fairly lightly and doesn't photograph well, sadly.

P.

[asakiyume]

I have a new chalk thing to share today or tomorrow--rain washed the frog rider away, but some hints of color remains, which made for interesting photography when I tried photographing today's thing. I agree, it can be hard to photograph--there's the paleness of a lot of the chalk and also the problems of shadows.

[sartorias]

Heh, that is a delight!

[asakiyume]

Very glad you like it!

[amaebi]

I love that drawing, which embodies the very essence of world-healing.

[asakiyume]

Dandelions, moths, and frogs are the vanguards of world-healing :-)

[wayfaringwordhack]

I love that drawing. So fun and vibrant!

[asakiyume]

I'm really enjoying my chalks! I may have to invest in more :-)

[wayfaringwordhack]

When did you start with them?

[asakiyume]

Just since the pandemic. I've always enjoyed drawing with chalk on the street, but it helps to have really bright colors.

[wayfaringwordhack]

If we had concrete around here, instead of just asphalt, I would look into getting the kids some. :)

[asakiyume]

I do it on the asphalt!

[wayfaringwordhack]

AH, it doesn't eat them up too bad?

[asakiyume]

It does... so it makes it an expensive hobby...

[wayfaringwordhack]

That's what I was afraid of, and with three wee ones....

[asakiyume]

Yeah--maybe better wait, enfin.

[wayfaringwordhack]

Sprout says, "That's BEAUTIFUL!"

[asakiyume]

Tell Sprout THANK YOU!!