Head First

Perhaps it is the path of every artist, be they musician, writer, or other to be susceptible to depression and anxiety, but I wonder too if we're all destined to hit rock bottom as we suffer for our right to express ourselves.

Many artists have suffered through their lives: Edgar Allen Poe was poor, Kirk Cobain killed himself, and Virginia Woolf had episodes and mood swings due to sexual abuse and the deaths of her relatives, and these are just three out of the oh-so many who have come before and after them.

Having to deal with my own issues involving depression and anxiety, I have been told that it is because we artists are all right-brained. Poets, painters, and sculptors, pianists, singers, and actors, all of us are either partially or mostly right-brained. Instead of functioning mostly on logic, we experience through feeling and have a larger degree of empathy.

I am also told that most people are left-brained, functioning on logic and the majority. It is this reason that can make it hard for a right-brained, artistic person, to make it in this world, because we are often taught that our way of thought or our way of life is "wrong." It isn't easy going day to day, living in a way that does not feel right to you or constantly trying to change the natural way you do things to please others. I feel this struggle daily and sympathize with all those poor souls that cannot live as life intended them.

It's when we break away from the daily grind of the mainstream and strike out on our own that we take the biggest risk. Most artistic jobs take years to build a reputation and business. Authors need to travel to conventions and bookstores to promote their material, artists often start out doing work for free or for friends to build portfolios, and musicians need to travel, play gig after gig at bars, working day jobs and playing at night to try to get to the next small town bar in the hopes that someone, someday will discover them.

I guess that's why I'm homeless. I took a risk. I left the full-time salary job with benefits and I started working part time jobs. When I worked full time, sure I had money, but I had no time and work always followed me home. I could not write a damn thing. I didn't draw and I couldn't feel anything but sadness. My depression was eating me alive. I had to stop or I'd have been lost to it.

So, here I am two hundred or so books sold later, two conventions, a book party, and who knows how many in store promotions, and I'm homeless. Sadly, I placed my trust in the wrong person, moved out of my apartment and into a house with a woman who decided after a month to kick me out, penniless and no where to go. On June 1, 2013 I will be putting my life into storage and spending a couple months with a good friend of mine until I can find a place to live.

Strangely, of all things, it was work that came through for me. My family wouldn't take me and my boyfriend... well, he could not help his feelings-- he sadly does not love me anymore. After almost six years, I've lost my best friend. There is a large sense of not belonging and this overwhelming heart ache that can only be felt when you realize that you people you thought you could count on, don't want you anymore. But I have many blessings too, like wonderful friends who have been making sure I have something to eat and a place to stay until I can get back on my feet. Not the sad woman who's kicking me out of her place for her own selfish reasons, but real friends. Honest and good people that show you kindness when no one else in the world will see you-- and my job.

Along with stress, often comes illness. I apparently have allergies again (I have not had this problem in years) and have had several bad sinus infections and migraines. I have been struggling to make sure that I come into work, but sadly have had many sick days, and yet, when I thought work would have let me go-- they promoted me.

I cannot say what will happen to me or how to proceed from here, but I can say that I will be all right. I may not become the next J.K. Rowling or Opera, but I will be able to keep a roof over my head and feed myself and my dog. I can only hope to keep selling and promoting my book and I will work everyday to finish my second one, because that is what makes me happy. Not the clothes I wear or the car I drive, not the approval of peers or the amount of soy lattes I drink (though that's a close second), but the feeling of being with a good friend and writing the stories I want to share with the world. The joy of my characters and the beauty of  their words and art... without it, a right-brained person like myself feels hollow and that's no way to live.

We right-brainers, we take risks, we dive head first, and even if there's a rock at the bottom, at least we know we lived.

.99 Cents

In honor of Spring, Earth Day, and cute puppies everywhere, Detective Docherty and the Demon's Tears is on sale for .99 cents for the rest of the week!

Available on Smashwords, iTunes, and Kobo, and Barnes and Noble.

Download Detective Docherty in all available formats from this link:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/217471

Hope you enjoy!

Cheers,
WaterRaven

Ad Astra

Um, yes. Very much yes. Ad Astra was a blast, more than a blast-- a profusion of fun, hilarity, and one hell of a good time.

Note the sheer passion in my reading.

I enjoyed every panel I sat on and participated in. Disney Karaoke made my Friday and I can't say I've met so many intelligent, kind, and creative people in one weekend ever. Sf Contario was a great time too-- and I plan on going back next year, but Ad Astra has stolen my heart!

The thrill of having people come to my reading without being hog-tied and gagged was incredible. I went to the room at the designated time and Mike and Ann were there waiting for a reading. I signed a book for them and wrote that they have a special place in my heart because they do, damn it. Thank you again to Ann and Mike for your support and for being my  very first real listeners!

Don't worry Filkers, I haven't forgotten you. I will never forget how kind you were when I not only stole your panel room, but coerced you into listening to my reading and buying my book, hah! What great sports and what great people!

I am sad to say I only got to catch up with the members of Filk Ontario briefly, but I hope to see them at more events soon.

Next year I'd like to rent a room, not only because I want to be able to party, but also because I missed out on so much. My wonderful friend, Laura, put my dog and myself up for the weekend and while I am ever so grateful for her generosity  I'd like to bring Faloan with me to the hotel so that I might partake in as much as I can and have a room for Faolan to retire if gets to be too much for him.

Random interview, booyashaka!

Speaking of Faolan, he was more of a hit than I was. I decided to bring him with me the last day (as he almost destroyed my friend's apartment) and could not get more than a foot at a time! People stopped me to ask if they could pet him, what breed he was, and what his name was. At first he seemed to flourish in the attention, but later it became clear he was over tired.

It just so happened that my last panel was called Animals in Fiction, it could not have been more perfect for me to bring him along! Naturally my fellow panelists had to get their pats in too.

Having sold out of books, sold some through The Book Scouts, and met so many amazing people and contacts, I'd say the weekend was more than a success.

Thank you again to everyone at Ad Astra who put this great convention together and made it what it was!

Cheers,
WaterRaven

Comics and Conventions!

Hello my darling minions! It has been too long. Now that I am happily living out of boxes in my new home, I am ready to attend to the important things. Like playing around with the idea of a new comic:

The idea being that I like unicorns and I need to practice drawing and colouring in photoshop.

The process so far:

1. Draw line art on a piece of paper
2. Take a picture of it
3. Trace on the computer
4. Colour on the computer
5. Take an old photo, make it look cartoonish and make it the background.

Viola! Now you have the picture above. I really like the way it looks and am thinking I'll create a comic about this unicorn who takes care of the animals in her forest; drawing the characters, but using photos from real places to create the background images. When I turn Detective Docherty into a comic book, I fully plan on using this method. I absolutely love it. Taking pictures around Toronto would not only be fun, but really add some spice to the story.

Speaking of Detective Docherty, I am attending Ad-Astra! I am STOKED! Thanks to James Bambury, the fiction writer, I was invited to join in on the fun this weekend. I'll be doing a reading and sitting in on some panels for discussion. Thank you, James!

I shall have some partners in crime tagging along with me to help get set up and to put me up while I'm in town doing the convention. It's always a pleasure having the comfort of friends when attending a public event. I love crowds and connecting with people, but am always grateful for backup.

I plan on bringing a fabulous magnifying glass I found to represent Docherty's own, a test tube set for Ares, and a window prism for Alex. Thanks to my family, I now come with a 6 ft banner with my book and name on it for display.

Here's my tentative schedule for the weekend:

Friday 7 pm Franklin - What Is an eBook Worth?  

Friday 8 pm - Floor 2, Suite 2 - Reading (to 8:30)

Friday 9 pm Ellsemere East - Cross Promotion and Networking in the Age of Social Media

Saturday 3 pm Franklin - Hey Come Back Here!  

Sunday 12 pm Arctic - Animals In Fiction

For information on the programming, click here.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Cheers--
WaterRaven

Ponysona

A My Little Pony WaterRaven :D

Not much to report at the moment. Moving this weekend and getting settled into my new place. Once I'm done with that I'm hoping to get into making some custom my little ponies for fun, maybe to sell, maybe to keep, we'll see. I love the ones I've seen online so far.

Once I've moved I have more exciting news on the way, involving the Hamilton Spectator and Ad-Astra.

Hoping everyone is well!

Cheers,

Sarah WaterRaven

February Skies

Neil Gaiman is taking art submissions (sketches, paintings, and photographs etc) for a new Calendar of Tales project he is working on. In response to the February story, I painted this :) A Skymaid and Sky whales. 

Acrylic on canvas. 

Sea and sky are together in a February sky. 

To read the inspiring story and see the other submissions, click the link below:

http://keepmoving.blackberry.com/desktop/en/us/ambassador/neil-gaiman.html#Feb

WaterRaven

February Skies (C) Sarah WaterRaven 2013. All Rights Reserved. 

Amelia

My first official (paid!) commission! BOo yA! It took me a couple months to complete, but that was mostly due to the fact that I have been busy with other projects. The client wanted a fantasy background, so I placed her Amelia amongst the stars. 

It was very exciting to produce something this realistic. It has encouraged me to continue with my art and I've decided to enter a contest. I hope to surprise you with that piece soon ;) 

Toodles--

WaterRaven