What's New? March 2025
Welcome back to Sketching Details, where things are constantly in motion at this point.
First, I now have physical copies of the Tick: A Short Musical Libretto/Vocal book. Unfortunately, there is no reasonable way to expand the manuscript to justify mass commercial printing, so I’ve taken the plunge to invest in a bookbinding heat press kit so I can handle manufacturing for this and many other projects that are now possible. The physical copies will still be $4, same as the digital copies, as I don’t believe the varied price points between digital and paperback books make sense. These will be listed this weekend at the Ko-Fi and available at future convention/show appearances.
Second, the digital sheet music pack and XML/Musescore pack for “Quiet (The Eye)” from Tick: A Short Musical is now available. This contemplative conclusion to a twisted little rock retelling of “The Tell-Tale Heart” plays on the reality of dreams crumbling apart through your own actions. It’s probably my favorite theatrical moment in the play and one worth exploring.
Third, we’re ALMOST there with the release of the last song from the show, “Hope (A Chance).” This is the moment where Jamie and their boss go back and forth over the terms of the contract, allowing Jamie the opportunity to dream of a better life. There’s a lot that goes into this style of musical theater composition, as you need to establish how to allow the timing of spoken dialogue in the middle of the song without cutting the flow of the music itself. Recitative did not make sense for the overriding concept of The Sublime Method–the larger work Tick is a part of–as The Sublime Method calls on the narrators to share their story through music, not the other players in their memories.
Regardless, “Hope (A Chance) and the entire piano/vocal/bass score (plus part books, if you so desire) will be available by April, just in time for my Author Alley appearance at CycloneCon at Centenary College on April 5. Tickets available now!
Fourth, art prints are available online now. Probably the only downside to Ko-Fi is not being able to list more than 12 options at once, so there are two listings for these. These are 5x7 prints on archival photo paper of some of my favorite mixed media pieces. There’s more coming by the fall with these, but it felt silly to just let them sit and wait between events where it makes sense to bust out the horror/fantasy/sci-fi art.
There are other things in the works that are a bit too local to share online. Crafts by Carolyn/AV by RG have a new partnership with a local business for in-person sales and events, and the ceramics are really taking off. We’re lining up our spring craft fair appearances and I’m applying for more convention appearances throughout the rest of the year. I’m really hoping a couple of these work out as they seem like great opportunities for what I’ve been doing with my writing and art.
