Publishing Monday: Ack, it’s August!*

As you can see in the above photograph, the Wall of Projects has been quite full this season. That’s the only excuse I can give for allowing this blog to go dormant for a full month. I don’t think I’ve gone this long between updates since, well, I don’t know when. My semi-lame excuse: I’ve been overwhelmed with trying to finalize several major projects before going on summer break.

Did I accomplish everything I wanted to? No. But I got quite close.** A quick recap to bring you up to speed on some of what’s going on in my studio:

1. THE LILY MAID. Goal: To finish revising and workshopping Part 1 and Part 2 (about 75k words) of my novel. Accomplished: Revised all but one chapter of Part 1; Part 2 semi-revised. Once I finish this, I’ve just the last third to edit. On the plus side, I’m very pleased with the feedback I’ve gotten so far on my revised chapters. My readers have been so supportive that I’m feeling so much more confident about my writing these days. And I’ve gained several astonishingly good critique partners and beta readers through the HNS conference and my novel-writing workshop at Sackett Street Writers.

Here’s a post-revision excerpt from the first page of THE LILY MAID, which I’m quite happy with:

A painting undermined my father. And, as you will see by the end of my story, a painting nearly destroyed me. Art is dangerous like that, an unruly thing. I used to consider it as superfluous as those who dedicated their lives to creating it. But I no longer do—I’ve learned this lesson, along with so many others, over the past months. During this period my life has become as foreign to me as another land.

When a life is about to be turned upside-down, there should be some sort of sign so you can prepare yourself. In my case, I received it about a year ago as a communication from beyond the grave. The message was so obvious that I ignored it. I couldn’t believe that fate would be so inelegant.

It was on the first anniversary of my father’s unexpected death in the July of 1888 that my maternal great-aunt Georgiana decided to contact him in a séance. The truth was that my father, while a respected scholar, was not the most practical of men. While Aunt Georgiana was better off than we were thanks to an advantageous marriage, she was reluctant to financially help us from a fear of making us dependent. Instead she claimed my father’s spirit would guide us to some undisclosed funds. His family had been wealthy in Italy, but less so once they’d fled to England for political reasons. Having little experience with the frisson of the darkened room, Aunt Georgiana decided that the Bloomsbury Proper-gandists of Spiritualism would be the vehicle for my family’s liberation. She knew nothing about this group beyond the claims of their London Times advertisement—Novel and Marvelous Manifestations in Full Light. Daily at 3 and 8. The address listed was near the Strand just off Fleet Street.”

2. GODDESS TAROT ANDROID APP. Goal: On the market by the end of July. Accomplished: Almost finished—one last round of revisions and it should be ready for submission to Android Market. The good news is that the app has been designed to work on Android phones and tablets. It’s exactly the same as the Goddess Tarot iPhone app with a few very minor modifications for the Android platform. (On a related note, I’m hoping to put the Goddess Tarot iPad app into production this fall.)

3. SACRED WORLD ORACLE. Goal: Finished and to the published. Accomplished: Three cards left; the booklet text underway. This project is definitely a case of “so very close”—I’ve been trying to finalize it since the end of 2010. Sometimes my time in the studio seems like a giant game of Whack a Mole.

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On top of all this, my website needs a major overhaul, I’ve several design jobs underway—I’m helping the lovely and amazing Sandra Gulland launch her new e-book imprint!—and the new gallery show needs to be hung. I’ve decided this time ’round to present a selection of my books and art—something I haven’t done in some time.

We’re also moving forward with scheduling new events for this fall. Our first event will be a feng shui workshop with author Tisha Morris on September 17th. Spaces are limited; registration is required. Learn more here.

And how was your summer so far? Feel free to post about it in the comment section. In the meantime, I’ll be catching my breath before diving in again.

*So much for my HNS recap “coming soon.” Sigh.

** In tarot, the Nine of Staves traditionally represents a brief break for rest before jumping back into the fray. Completion is so close, yet feels so far!

• Filed under The Novel, news & muse, publications, publishing, tarot and oracles, the world around me | 2 Responses

On Sale: Goddess Tarot HD for iPhone 4

I’m pleased to announce that Apple has just released the HD version of the Goddess Tarot app! Like the “regular” Goddess Tarot app, it’s available in a free Lite version and a paid Full version. To celebrate, the full version app is on sale this weekend for $0.99 (regular price $3.99). Now’s the time to upgrade if you’re currently sporting the non-HD version on your iPhone 4 or iPod Touch with a retina display.

You may be wondering what’s the difference between Goddess Tarot HD app and the “regular” Goddess Tarot app. The only difference are the high definition graphics which have been optimized for the iPhone 4 and iPod Touch retina display from the original art and design. Otherwise, the apps are exactly the same.

So, if you have an iPhone 4 or iPod Touch with retina display, go forth and enjoy the sale!

Goddess Tarot HD app

• Filed under goddesses, iPhone apps, tarot and oracles | No Comments

Reminder: Tarot Salon Friday night!

In time for Valentine’s Day, our most popular gallery event returns! As featured in Time Out New York, the Village Voice, Brooklyn Based, the New York Post and more. Here are the details:

Friday, February 11, 7-9:30 pm
TAROT SALON – VALENTINE’S DAY EDITION
Free admission and refreshments.

Have a love or relationship question? Or just looking to gain inspiration and insight? Treat yourself to a tarot reading on the question of your choice! Readings available at a variety of prices from urban shaman Mama Donna Henes and Lover’s Path Tarot creator Kris Waldherr. Feeling stressed? Fran Dunston of Fusion Therapy Spa will offer massages at $1 a minute.

We’ll also have an array of last minute Valentine’s Day gifts available for purchase: romantic books by local authors and artists, gorgeous prints, card decks, and more. So come have a glass of wine and unwind!

This event takes place at
KRIS WALDHERR ART AND WORDS
1501 Newkirk Avenue (entrance on Marlborough Road, across from Rite Aid)
Brooklyn, NY 11226
347-406-5811

Click here for additional directions.

(Psst: Because of Kris’s book deadlines, our next tarot salon won’t return until later in the spring. So hope to see you there!)

• Filed under events, friends and colleagues, studio and gallery, tarot and oracles | No Comments

Publishing Monday: Announcing….

… Art and Words Editions, my new digital imprint.

Our mission statement:

An e-book is more than the sum of its words. At Art and Words Editions, we’re dedicated to ushering in a golden age of digital publications for children and adults. Our e-books and apps are impeccably designed and gorgeously illustrated. They’re also written by some of the most inspiring and empowering authors around.

Our publications are available in a variety of formats for iPad, Kindle, NOOK, and other e-readers. Want to play it safe? We also publish in plain vanilla PDF which can be read on any computer. Check our Tech Specs page for installation information for each format.

Think of us as providing wit, wisdom, and wonder to your iPad—and beyond!”

As you can imagine, I’ve been hard at work on this big secret project for much of the summer and this autumn. I’m so pleased that I can finally unveil Art and Words Editions to you!

Oh, and if you sign up for our newsletter, you’ll get a free e-book. It’s in PDF format, so you can enjoy it on any number of e-book devices, including your computer. Click here for the details. Too much commitment? You can also “like” us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

• Filed under e-books, iPhone apps, new projects, news & muse, publishing, retail therapy, tarot and oracles | 2 Responses

Creativity Friday: Creative Women’s Networking Salon—and a great review

This has been a crazy week here for me work-wise. I’m in the midst of a giant iPhone 4 Goddess Tarot app which necessitated my enlarging every single graphic for the retina display. There are over 500 graphics in the app—need I write more on how labor-intensive this is? However, the good news is that, along with this graphics update, I’m adding a new feature to the Full version. Soon users will be able to e-mail their Goddess Tarot app readings to each other!

More to come on this soon, along with news about the Goddess Tarot iPad app. But one can’t be all-work-and-no-play all the time: The Creative Women’s Networking Salon is back from summer hiatus tonight.

Here are the details:

Friday, October 8, 7-9:30 pm
Creative Women’s Networking Salon

Are you an artist, writer, or creative entrepreneur and practioner? Come out and meet other like-minded women for conversation, inspiration, and wine. At previous salons, we were joined by photographers, crafters, publishing people, designers, artists, writers, and illustrators. Suggested donation $5 for food and wine.

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In other good news, my two new Doomed Queens-themed card decks just received a euphoric review from The Magical Buffet, a website where spirituality, politics, and pop culture collide most entertainingly. For example, they titled their article about  my decks,  “We Are Not Amused, Actually We Are.” Fun!

Here’s what they wrote:

If you’ve been a regular reader of The Buffet for any length of time you have no doubt heard me shout about how (insert item/person/event/other) is the most awesome thing ever. Every time I feel I’ve encountered what will surely be the coolest thing to ever cross my experience, something new comes to light. That said, today we will be looking at what is surely the coolest, most awesome, most fan-freakin’-tastic thing ever! The Doomed Queens Royal Playing Cards and the companion Ask the Queens Advice Card Deck, both by Kris Waldherr and published by US Games Systems…. Both “Doomed Queen” decks are unique and so much fun! Alone or together, they would truly make gifts that keep on giving.”

Read the rest of the review here. Learn more about these card decks here.

• Filed under creativity, events, queens, tarot and oracles, the world around me | One Response