Lost in darkness, trying to shed some light...

I came across this in a friend's journal and was lucky enough to be featured. I thought it was a great idea and am keeping it up!

The first 10 people that replied this journal have 3 of my favorite pieces from their gallery featured here. In return they are required to make a similar journal with me in 1st position. That was the deal, now I hope they keep it

=rakastajatar



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Just a sampling of the wonderful photography by a wonderful friend. There's something there for everyone.

*JadeJenkins



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Though I chose these three, there is a plethora of amazing shots in her gallery.

*TalentedChild



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A deviant of many talents, her name is most fitting. An accomplished writer and photographer. Please delve deeper into her work!!

*mstargazer



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A lovely and dear friend with a kind heart and amazing eye! Please take a peek!

*DragonnessMekolai



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A sample of work from a very talented artist. Come enjoy her drawings and poems!

Beginning to lose my mind...

And away we go...

Well, I can't seem to find a good place to self-publish a hardcover book available for mass distribution. So we're going to go with this.





I am published. Available for purchase in hardcover. Working on resizing the cover for a paperback to be available also. That will take some time. The paperback may also be available mass-market.

I am proud of my accomplishment but am continuing to press forward in an attempt to complete the project in the fashion I dreamed.

I am quite happy with what I've got though. It was worth the time and effort put in.

I am still working on the special edition. Going to shop it to a few real publishers and see what I can come up with. Hopefully someone will have something good to say. But only time will tell.

Thank you for all the support and help with these projects. It is wholeheartedly appreciated.

Beginning to lose my mind...

There is some good news and some not so good news.

Good news first. My book is about ready for print and should be available before the end of the month barring ISBN acquisition. I am happy and proud of this fact. It has been a long time coming and thanks to several friends, is almost come true.

The not so good news. As I've said before, I am working on a Special Edition of this project to be sold to generate proceeds for a local domestic violence charity. In looking into this project it has become increasingly more difficult to find an affordable avenue for this project. I don't doubt the quality of my work, or people's want to be charitable. I doubt the feasibility of someone paying over a certain amount for a book of art and poetry, no matter the contents. It appears the lowest price I've been able to find without putting a large sum out of pocket is $51.49. It would be 250 pages and full color trade paperback. Hardcover seems to be upwards of $75.00

This is very disheartening. I'm holding out hope that some of the people I've contacted today will be able to do better, but it doesn't look that great.

If anyone can be of assistance, I'd greatly appreciate it.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~EDIT~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~EDIT~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~EDIT~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I may have to sacrifice hardcover, but I may have found a place that can publish for me for a reasonable cost. I am in communications with a new company. There is some upfront cost, but nothing too bad. Cross your fingers for me. It may be a year for completion, but it will be well worth it.

Channeling the darkside of the Force...

Finally!!! Brian has come BACK to dA!!! :laugh:

I hope everyone's holidays have been fantastic. Mine have been good to say the least. Now that I finally have my laptop back, I'm doing ok. My book didn't make the Jan. 1st deadline I was shooting for, but it will be ready to go before the month is out. I lost 3 weeks due to a faulty laptop keyboard. The Special Edition will be a bit longer in coming do to some issues I've discovered along the way.

I hope to catch up with everyones deviations now that I've got my beast back. I've got several hundred to get through. I haven't been ignoring anyone, just been lacking computer access. It's good to be back.

I have to thank Ang, for helping with my wishlist and giving me permission to use her art for my book. Thank you sooo much! I owe you a deep debt of gratitude for being so kind and generous. In the very near future I will be doing a feature Journal on all of the artists that have allowed me to use their work to accomplish my goal.

I am always keeping an eye out for new pieces that would fit well. if anyone else would like to be featured in this project for charity, please let me know!

Hope everyone has a Happy and Healthy New Year!!!

Channeling the darkside of the Force...

CHRISTMAS WISHES!

taken from


Step 1.

Make a post in your dA journal. The post should contain your list of 10 holiday wishes. The wishes can be anything at all, from simple and fandom-related ("I'd love a Snape/Hermione icon that's just for me") to medium ("I wish for _____ on DVD") to really big ("All I want for Christmas is a new car/computer/house/TV.") The important thing is, make sure these wishes are things you really, truly want.

If you wish for real-life things (not fics or icons), make sure you include some sort of contact info in your post, whether it's your address or just your email address where Santa (or one of his elves) could get in touch with you.

Step 2.

Surf around your friends list (or friends friends, or just random journals) to see who has posted their list. And now here's the important part:

If you see a wish you can grant, and it's in your heart to do so, make someone's wish come true. Sometimes someone's trash is another's treasure, and if you have a leather jacket you don't want or a gift certificate you won't use--or even know where you could get someone's dream purebred Basset Hound for free--do it.

You needn't spend money on these wishes unless you want to. The point isn't to put people out, it's to provide everyone a chance to be someone else's holiday elf--to spread the joy. Gifts can be made anonymously or not--it's your call.

There are no rules with this project, no guarantees, and no strings attached. Just...wish, and it might come true. Give, and you might receive. And you'll have the joy of knowing you made someone's holiday special.

Step 3.

The list:

This is really hard to do, I was never good at making a list of wants.
Some of these might not be possible for others to get, but it's what I'm shooting for for myself.


1. Acquire more art to include in my special edition book to print for charity.

2. Sell many copies of my special edition book to help support victims of domestic violence.

3. A trip to AZ to see some very important people.

4. A Happy New Year

5. A new computer to help create more

6. a small photography studio

7. My debt paid off

8. An affordable apartment

9. A new car

10. My friends home from the front safe and sound.



Onto some more news. The standard edition(non-illustrated) book has gone to proof. I was hoping to have had it in my hot little hands before I updated, but some people have been asking what is going on. If it turned out right, all I need to do is get my ISBN and it will be ready for sale. I'm a bit torn at the moment as to what to do though. I have made great progress on my Special Edition (illustrated) version but it is a bit of a ways off from finished. I would like to release them at the same time, but I also want to make what is done available to everyone. Kind of a catch 22 I suppose. I'm sure I'll make a decision when the time comes.

Thanks to everyone for your support! Hope the holidays are magical for you!!! Merry Christmas!!