Behind the Cover – Get to know artist and author Melissa Lettis

Among my many projects, one of my favorites is the Daydreams on the Sherbet Shore. These whimsical short stories take place in the world of Draem and how this project started and what it’s become is why it’s so special.

The idea for the Daydreams came from a random chat and I wrote two or three of them before a friend of mine actually had to undergo surgery. When that happened, I wrote a Daydream as a get-well card and started inviting people I know from around the world to visit Draem. For the first volume of the Daydreams, I knew pretty much what I wanted for the cover but for the second installment, I was stuck. 

 

Enter Melissa Lettis. Talented, diligent, sharp as anything you can imagine, patient, and kind. These are just some keywords I can use to describe her and my experience working with her. Which is why I wanted to invite her to the blog, so you can get to know her, her work, and possibly help you connect with her if you need an artist for your cover.

 

 JD: So welcome to the blog, Melissa. So lovely to have you here. Care to tell people who you are, where you’re from, and all that jazz?

 

I like jazz! I’m an illustrator and author living in Pennsylvania. I grew up in Alaska and Seattle, studied music and English, and now I freelance with illustration and design. I also drink tea. Lots of tea!

 

JD: Blessed be the tea and jazz then! Talking a bit about your career, how long have you been designing and what would you say are some of your most notable works? (You know, besides a certain short story collection about daydreams.) 

 

I’ve been doing art for most of my life, but I only started working as a full-time freelance artist in 2021. I’ve worked on several picture books with self-published authors, but I don’t know how to choose which is most notable! You may have to check out my projects on my website, www.MelissaLettisArt.com , and decide for yourself! (Yes, shameless marketing - it’s part of the freelance life).

 

JD: We encourage the shameless marketing! :) Here’s a tricky question, what would you say is the specialty that sets you apart from other designers?

That is tricky, as there’re so many amazing artists and designers out there! One thing I like to focus on is how everything comes together. From the very beginning of the project, I’m already thinking about how all the pieces will fit into place. It’s not just the illustration. It’s not just the title and the font. It’s not just the text. It’s not even just the page for the interior of a book. It’s how they all relate to each other, and I think keeping that in mind from the start can really help shape the project and help everything click together in a really natural way.

 

JD: Daydreams on the Sherbet Shore 2 was a project that was challenging for me. Can you walk us through the process on your side of this creative equation?

Sure! I started by reading the text (which is always a pleasure!) and jotting down some of the more dynamic visuals that I thought might work for the cover - and there were a lot! Daydreams is such a visually rich world. Once we chose which direction to go, I did a few thumbnail sketches for the layout and planned out where to place all of the elements on the cover. I knew we wanted a similar color palette to the first book’s cover (and I love that peachy-coral color so much), but we still went through a number of color options. As the different stages of the artwork were approved, I kept refining and adding details, and then finally we settled on the title fonts and laid in the text.

 

JD: I can attest to the exploration process and although each artist is unique in their approach., I really enjoyed how you went about it. How about the biggest challenge for the Daydreams?

 

Haha, probably the dragon scales! I never know how much detail to add to textures like that, so it definitely went through a few different versions there. I’m quite happy with how they turned out though. I can’t say I ever expected to draw a dragon-train-teapot!

 

JD: Well the Falkori will invite you to imagine and draw some pretty interesting things. I also really loved the detail in the scales and all the tidbits hidden. Going back to your process, what are some things people who work with you could do to help the process?

 

So much of it is about communication (isn’t everything?). It will always be easier to make changes in the early stages of a project than once the art is close to finished. So, if you really like the direction something is going, or if there’s something that isn’t working out as well, definitely say something!

 

 

JD: Communication was definitely key in our process and I’m so thankful for you and your patience. You really were pivotal in helping me find my way and helping identify the soul of the book to get it the covered it needed. Now to throw you a random question, if someone designed a font in your honor, what would it be called and how would you describe it?

Enchanted Tea Time - magical, legible, and swirly. It would pair well with cozy little hand-writing serif fonts.

 

JD: What sort of projects really call out to you and you’re interested in working on?

I love drawing fantasy characters and nature. Give me something with cozy magic, and I’m 100% there for it. On a more technical end, I mostly do picture books and illustrated book covers, but I’m also branching out into comics.

 

JD: Your fav restaurant called and they’ve noticed all the times you’ve had a meal there. They want to do a Lettis Special as a small thanks. What would that special include and how would it taste?

It’s a brunch special. It has a fancy bacon-egg-cheese biscuit with your choice of mushrooms or avocado, a side of breakfast potatoes (crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside), and a mini pastry that rotates daily (today’s pastry is a cinnamon roll, but the gooey pecan rolls are popular, so come back on the weekend!). Served with a tea latte.

You’re asking the important questions here, I see.

 

JD: ALWAYS ask the important questions lol. But swinging back to work: How would an ideal project roll out for you?

The short answer is good communication and no bugs in my art programs. And both parties walk away happy with the product.

 

JD: Succinct and so well said. Now to wrap things up and roll out the blogs red carpet, tell us: how can people get in touch with you if they have cover, character, or other design needs?

 

My website, www.MelissaLettisArt.com , has a contact page and links to my social media platforms (I’m currently on Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, and LinkedIn). Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or are looking for a freelance illustrator and designer!

 

* * * *

 

And there you have it folks. Once again, my thanks to Melissa for visiting the blog and taking from her busy schedule to chat it up with us. Ever thankful to have crossed paths with her and a perfect example of how the writer community sticks together. I had not one, not two, but three artists that weren’t able to take this project on when fellow author Mike Jack Stoumbos was kind enough to recommend Melissa and not only was she able to do the project, she was a perfect fit. Here’s to connecting creatives so we can all thrive and bring our dreams to Raelity

 

Peace, love, and maki rolls

 

Are you content?

There is no shortage of quirks in regard to the English language. Among the many fascinating details we have to manage while we do our best to communicate, there’s a term called heteronyms. That’s what happens when you have two words written exactly the same way but not only does the pronunciation vary, so does their meaning.

 

When you read the title of this post, do you read content as in “a state of peaceful happiness or satisfaction” or do you read “the material discussed within a book, speech, or stuff we share on social media”? It’s easy to confuse the two, especially in these times since so often the production of one should lead to the production of the other.

 

So often, people seem to post content instead of enjoying the experience. Some insist they’re capturing memories, though too often it feels as if there's an ulterior motive, as if it's performative to a large degree. It’s not to share, for sharing’s sake. It’s because you want your experiences to resonate, to inspire, or even to compete and win against those of others.

 

Social media is an odd beast in so many ways, but among its most dangerous aspects is how deep it seeps into our reality and behavior. Even if you don’t post, the odds are still heavily in favor that you consume content, scroll, like, share, and comment until you’re kind of content.

 

I’ve shared thousands of posts on social media. Pictures, screenshots, memes, videos, songs, text, poems, silly pictures, jokes, and the occasional scream into the void. I try to be mindful, but FOMO (fear of missing out) can be very real, even if what causes that sentiment is probably manufactured.

 

So often, people share things and you can feel the underlying competitive aspect of what they share as if saying things like:

• My selfie has more likes than yours.
• My video from my trip has more views than yours.

But sometimes this behavior backfires, because the person doesn't get the response they want. No likes or loves. No comments. No shares. Nothing. The algorithm swallows the chance at a shot of dopamine that comes in the shape of validation. Or maybe people honestly don’t care what you do, share, or have to say…which clearly shows the risk you run by putting your joy in the hands of other people.

 

Content by itself doesn’t make us content…maybe it can be the means to get there from time to time, because like it or not, many people often hunger for that reaction and to feel relevant. But what you share by itself is actually pretty harmless. This changes when you tie social media to your passion or means of income. In short, the risk further escalates. Creators question the worth of their output, whether music, writing, art, or anything. They sometimes stop listening to the voice that is telling them what they should create. They forget how to play in the sandbox of their soul. All of this in favor of switching things up to get results.

 

And results come from content…even if it doesn’t leave you feeling content. The Internet is flooded by how-to’s, step-by-steps, guides to success, and professionals who focus on the generation of material to get the results you need. By the way, a word to the wise: careful with whom you trust your time, energy, and money, because some people are just interested in their bank accounts and agendas.

 

A brief scan of social media and you’ll see people who have their style down to a science…and too often it feels as if people lean on formulas to feed the algorithm instead of feeding their souls and doing what brings them joy and fulfillment. They need to “win” either by increasing their sales, their engagement, or their views, even if it costs them their enjoyment.

 

Then there are those who say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery…which isn’t the whole quote, but let's start there and go over a possible scenario which could be something like this: someone sees a page that has a lot of views, they see what the other person is doing, then they either do their version of it, or basically do a carbon copy of what other people do…just to get results. It reminds me of bands that aren’t paying tribute to other bands, but basically ripping them off if only to get a quick way to gain success. By the way, the full quote from the line that starts this paragraph comes from Oscar Wilde and goes thusly: Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness. And alas, some people are too happy to engage in mediocrity if it gives them the results and validation they crave.

 

However, it’s not just mediocrity, some people also adopt personas that are engaging to others and that people respond to, even if they’re a far cry from how the person is in real life or even if they wear a smile even if inside they feel horrible. This happens all the time on social media and with famous people who could be sponsored by their preferred brand of artificial sweetener.

 

But what happens when you’re not famous? What happens when you don’t get the likes and engagement you want? There’s a real risk with your emotional state and general mental health.

 

I am old enough to remember doing stuff with friends or by myself just for the fun of it and to a great extent it felt as if we were consistently doing our best to create memories or dare I say, just having fun. If there was an algorithm it was internal and although the fear of missing out was still there, there was no fear of missing out on sharing every bit of what we experienced to demonstrate that our lives were awesome.

 

SEO has geared people to do all sorts of things thinking about their perceived audience. Alas, too often we forget that we are more than content and we should strive to feel more than just content.

 

Peace, love, and maki rolls.

The Tale of 42

Beyond 365 days (occasionally 366), what’s in a year? There are ups, downs, segues, side roads, detours, dead ends, adjustments, long hauls, short bursts, bright moments, dark times, and everything in between. We so often try to capture what happened in that year, yet the reality is that for however good our memory is, even with a journal, we’ll miss things or misremember things.

Year 42 was actually a very good year. It had some very important and necessary life and career changes, it had two new books and progress in others, it had good food, great company, and me finding my ground again, after a shaky ride in my 41st year. Yet somehow, last year I forgot to write a birthday post...and I just fully realized this by checking my backlog on the blog.

It’s curious because for me, posts like this are important and it’s also curious because I do tend to overthink and overstress when I miss something for whatever reason. And I didn't even remember. In the last year, I’ve made several events and I’ve had to cancel a few. I’ve pivoted, I’ve improvised, I’ve said “screw it, I’m doing this because I want to,” and I’ve also said, “screw it, I don’t want to do this because I don’t want to.” I've also said no, because I couldn't, and that's OK too.

Thinking about last year, I think it makes sense that I didn’t write about it because I was still in the middle of a journey of sorts. Of relearning, of unlearning, of forgiving, of speaking kindly to myself, of challenging false narratives, and highlighting truths that we tend to overlook because negative events and things tend to weigh a bit more and actually bring us down.

If it sounds like it’s been a bit intense, well it’s because it has been. There’s been a lot of lessons yet also a lot of enjoying and plenty of smile. I’m still in the process of clearing up a few things in my path, though I have a better idea of things I want to do, things I don’t care for, and things I will continue to work on, because life is a continuous stream.

It doesn’t matter if we confuse the year of something funny or memorable that happened. It’s important to remember the event and how it made us feel. That’s because memory is the one type of story-telling we all share. Yes, even those who say they aren’t creative and can’t write a story. We can talk about how false that is later, but yes, even you tell stories through memories. 

And that’s more important than you can even begin to imagine.

Because it means you’re in control of your story. 

I’m not saying to fabricate things, even though we all have those friends with tall tales that are as plausible as pigs suddenly learning how to fly. I’m saying that life happens and it’s always up to us the light we use to remember things by. 

For years, I’ve focused on trying to use every experience as either inspiration or a learning experience and in the last year and a half, that has included reframing some pretty intense times I’ll write about later. Yet I was able to. I was able to mine silver linings where you would only think to find a septic tank. I’ve been able to learn new things in my 40s that I’m sure will be with me until the day that I die and it was a kind reminder that there’s so much to live, learn, enjoy, share and be thankful for.

So here’s to finding any and all means to always be able to quote Monty Python and sing, Always look on the bright side of life.

Thanks for joining me for a new year and here's to all the stories and lessons ahead. Bring on 43.

Peace, love, and birthday cake

At peace with a goodbye

Four years ago, Mom passed away.

 

During her last days with us, my brothers and I took turns staying with her at the hospital. We knew it was nearing time and we wanted to be with her and each of us poured our love for her as we often did, because that is our way. I was with her on the night she passed away and when I came to switch places with my brother, we both kind of knew it would be that night

 

Some people have asked me, how do you get ready for something like that? And all I’m sure of is that the answer will change from person to person, because what your heart dictates is unique to you.

I’d been in touch with my brothers and I had that feeling, so I did my best to get ready for that evening. I would take some books to read. I would talk to her. And sometime during the day, I got the notion in my head that I needed to write her something...So I got on the computer and wrote a short story.

 

For a frame of reference, it was like one of my Daydreams but in Spanish. In the story, I kind of guide her to her happiest moments and bring in person after person to send her off not with tears but with smiles. I bring in special people that had meant the world to her and described her at peace, a bit surprised, but at peace. In the story, me and my brothers took her along a little tour and led her to a place where there was a rainbow bridge. I wrote that all the dogs were waiting for her along with her Mom and Dad and that she could go in peace, because we would be OK. I also wrote that she did absolutely brilliant and that if at any point we cry, it’s for the right reasons, but that we’d continue to say cheers with love and keeping her present always with plenty of smiles in tow, as was her way.

 

I cried all the way as I wrote the story and I’m fully aware I did it for her as much as I did it for myself. So often in life, I can only make sense of life and what I’m feeling through what I write, and this was no exception. I finished the story, printed it, and took it with me to the hospital.

 

When I got there, I saw my brother and we exchanged that look of knowing. I gave him a hug and told him she’d be fine and that I’d be in touch. To not worry and try to get some rest. I love both of my brothers and I’m proud to be an Estrada boy because of Mom and because of them.

 

My brother leaves and I take a breath, smile, and turn around to say hi to Mom. I let her know I brought a bunch of things to read and share and that I was just there to hang out. I knew she wasn’t feeling that great and that was OK. I just wanted to let her know that if she so happened to want to shut all of us up and miraculously recover, we wouldn’t mind one bit. I also told her that if she wanted to stay a bit longer, that was OK too. Finally, I did mention that if she wanted to leave that night, that was also fine. I was there and would do my best to keep her company.

 

I spoke to her with as much gentle love I could. I wanted my voice to be as soothing as possible, again, for her as well as for me. I talked to her so much that night...about everything and nothing. I told her so many random things just to chat. I played her some of her favorite music as well as some tracks I’d found that were helping me a lot and I thought they could help her too. I read poetry to her and some of my essays. Then I pulled out the new story and apologized for the typos and things that I could improve, but that I did want to share that first draft with her. I kissed her head often, and stroked her hand, and did my best to let my love flow to her gently and freely. I wanted to stay awake though eventually, the long day got to me, so I went to sleep holding her hand a bit after midnight.

 

Sometime around two in the morning, I wake up and I feel her breathing’s changed. I’ve never been in a situation like that, but out of instinct I knew it was her moment so I stood next to her, took her hand in mine and told her it was alright. I did my best to soothe her, to comfort her, to hopefully help guide her to the light, and even cracked a joke that I hoped I wasn’t talking too much or being too annoying. I told her how good of a mother she always was and how much of me had been molded by that love. I thanked her for everything. I told her, “If you see a light and want to go there, it’s OK. We’ll be OK.”

 

I felt her breathing becoming more short and intense and I still held onto her hand, being there but not wanting to crowd her. Her breathing started coming in slower gasps and I held onto her, saying I’d be with her there and always. Slower she breathed and I held her throughout, never squeezing, just being there, and letting her go on her terms and when she was ready.

 

I don’t know how long that moment truly lasted. Could have been five minutes or an hour. Doesn’t matter. What matters is that I was fortunate enough to have the honor to be there and do my best to show her the love that will stay alive as long as I live.I said, "You were beautiful, you were beautiful," until I finally corrected myself and said, "You are beautiful."

 

It’s been four years though parts of me feel like it was yesterday. I don’t think that feeling will ever go away either, by the way. Part of me shall always be open to keep her alive and present because spiritually and genetically, she is a part of me. I feel her from time to time. I feel how she joins in a celebration or to soothe and comfort me. It feels like yesterday, because in some way or another, she’ll always be there because I make that choice every day to keep her present. 

 

So, to the question of how you say goodbye to someone you love, your answer may be a little different, and that’s how it should be, but here’s mine:

 

With as much love as you can...and always leaving the door open.

 

Mama, te amo and we’ll be toasting to you in a bit and actually any chance we get.

 

To you dear reader, who were kind enough to read this, my love to you and thank you for helping me keep Mom alive through these and many other words. If you're going through a hard time, I wish peace upon you and to call on those angels in your life, because they're always there for you. Trust me.

 

Peace, love, and Cheers Mama Estrada

Right turn: A #CheersMamaEstrada Post

I think about Mom often. Sometimes I wonder what she’d think of the world as it stands and the things that are happening. But if I’m honest, more often than not, I wonder what random bits of conversation we’d stumble into during our countless chats.

 

We talked so much and I continue to talk to her every single day. I’ve spoken about how I still write letters to her, letting her know about all the adventures I’ve been experiencing, and when it comes to my books, either the final proof or the first copy of each continues to be kept for her. If you’ve seen my socials, you see that I continue to say Cheers Mama Estrada at every opportunity and you should know that I toast to her and to our family every single time I raise a glass.

 

During this week, I’ve thought about Mom a lot and I remembered the time I spent with her at the hospital among countless other memories. Like many patients, she had her ups and downs. Throughout all of that, I did all I could to put a smile on her face and spend time with her.

 

I also remember when she took a turn for the worse.

 

I think about these days because the hospital had a chapel and I remembered how I always meant to go to pray for Mom. The funny thing is that as soon as I got to the hospital and literally came to the crossroads where I could turn left to go to the chapel or go right to go straight to Mom, I always turned right.

 

Always.

 

Consciously, subconsciously, out of instinct, or what have you, something pulled me that way.

 

Mom left me a treasure trove of love and memories and from her I learned that every second, every shared moment, and every bit of contact are all gifts. She left me riches to last a lifetime and I remember her in big moments as well as small ones. There’s magic in those small moments and I invite you to have as many of them as you can with the people you love. Be generous with your small talk. Be abundant with silly phone calls about trivial things. Find the magic in the every-day things you’d normally overlook, because when it comes to someone you love, nothing is trivial.

 

There are many angels that light our lives. If some have passed, it’s OK. Share a cup of coffee or tea with them. They’ll appreciate it. If they’re still around, look for any excuse to get in touch and talk about silly little things that will stay with you for the rest of your life. It'll always be the right call. Because when you add love to any recipe or experience, that’s when you begin to understand the beginnings of forever.

 

Peace, love, and Cheers Mama Estrada

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Si tú te creías que yo no venía...

Saludos, mi gente y comencemos una semana de ¡PURO Comic Con! Este viernes estaremos de vuelta en el Centro de Convenciones para el Puerto Rico Comic Con del 7 al 9 de abril. Esta será mi séptima vez en el Comic Con mientras también celebro mi décimo aniversario como autor publicado.

 

Como saben, marzo fue un mes bien fuego a la lata con dos libros nuevos: el segundo volumen de los Daydreams on the Sherbet Shore y Penumbra, mi primera colección de cuentos oscuros en español. Estoy muy orgulloso de ambos libros y está muy curioso que publique el libro más oscuro e intenso y el libro más dulce de mi carrera a la misma vez. 

 

Las portadas, de show y estoy muy complacido con el contenido. Espero que se los disfruten. Además, tuve la Marcha de los escritores en donde desarrollé temas para hacer posteos para cada día en el mes de marzo y tengo que quitarme el sombrero a todos los amantes de las letras de PR que le metieron con todo. Se lucieron y espero que se lo hayan gozado. Aparte de eso, pues muchas más aventuras de la vida.

 

Eso dicho, me siento como todo un súper saiyajin que le dieron con TODO durante el mes de marzo. Ya que lo superamos, vamos a llegar a un súper nivel porque lo que viene este wikén es pura gozaera. Estaremos en el exhibidor 134 y abajo les comparto el mapa para que me encuentren.

 

Además, ¡LIBROS NUEVOS!

 

Penumbra Cuentos oscuros

Daydreams on the Sherbet Shore 2

Como siempre, tendré MUCHOS OTROS TÍTULOS DISPONIBLES, aunque ojo, CANTIDADES LIMITADAS así que asegúrate darte la vuelta por el exhibidor tempranito.

 

Hay muchas ganas de verlos y espero que de aquí hasta el fin de semana tengan una semana bonita para cerrarla con broche de oro.

 

Un abrazo,

 

JD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nice to dream you - Daydreams on the Sherbet Shore 2 is here

I’ve been promising the follow-up to 2015’s Daydreams on the Sherbet Shore for a while now...and I can finally share with you the cover for Daydreams on the Sherbet Shore 2.

A draemy project

When I wrote the first Daydream book I was pretty much discovering what the project was and what it would be for me and anyone who would give themselves the chance to have a daydream or three. I included people I knew and then when I wrote one particular short story, it became a fantastical way of sending a get-well card. And it continued to grow and evolve until what it has become.

The stories within Daydreams on the Sherbet Shore 2 continue to explore the land of Draem, one of several countries within the Lucid. Stories this time around are much bigger and although these are independent stories, it’s best to read them in sequence, even if they aren’t necessarily chapters. Think of each short story much more along the lines of being an episode in your favorite show or cartoon. Each story is meant to fill up more and more of the map of Draem and the Lucid.

Closer look at the cover 

 

 

If you’re wondering who’s riding that Dragon Teapot locomotive, then wonder no further: IT ME. In these stories, I go on adventures with people I know from all around the world who have agreed to go with me on a daydream. We then get up to all sorts of quirky and whimsical adventures in stories that are meant to soothe and let you escape from life for a little while.

The locomotive on the cover is actually the Falcori, a shapeshifting dragon ship that can take to the skies, the slopes, the rails, and all manner of terrain to help us get from one point to the next. He shifts shape and is such a kind friend in all our stories that he definitely deserved to be on the cover of this second installment.

As for the flying light bulbs, those are some of my ideas that got caught in the cover (they also appear in some of my stories).

Speaking of which, if you like this cover, please check out Melissa Lettis. Although sometimes I am crystal clear on what I want for a cover, this was an instance where I was lost and needed help big time. Working with Melissa, she not only set my mind at ease, she helped me talk things out until we landed on something that would capture the spirit of this project. Seeing as the sketch transformed into a layout and then into a cover was wonderful and I credit this cover for rekindling my love for this project to give it the love it needed to make each daydream shine.


I also want to give a special shoutout to fellow author Mike Jack Stoumbos, from The Writing Tribe group from facebook. At one moment I was lost with this project and he took it upon himself to help me find the right artist. Ever thankful for his generous nature and perfect proof that the writing community is there for each other.

As for the Back Cover...

 

 

At the top left, you’ll see a large building shaped like an orange...which is actually the Mandarin Museum, one of several new locations we explore in detail. So, if you’re looking for something to escape Raelity for a while and to warm up with the coming Spring, then by all means, take this as your invitation to dream a little Draem.

Peace, love, and daydreams

Marcha de los escritores día 20: Curiosidades como escritor

El tema de hoy es para compartir detallitos curiosos de ti como escritor. 

Aquí te comparto 5 de los míos y a ver cuán diferentes me salen a los de inglés.

1. Escribo mayormente en inglés. Aunque soy puertorriqueño y mi primer idioma es el español, sólo tengo dos de mis veinte libros que son en español. Aunque finalmente me siento más cómodo escribiendo en español, por mucho tiempo he tenido complejo y no he estado seguro de mis habilidades como escritor en español fuera de lo profesional ya que MUCHO de lo que he trabajado en mi carrera profesional ha sido en español. Por suerte, ya me he soltado y con Penumbra, el mensaje es claro: prepara tu librero :)

2. Nunca he tomado un curso de escribir. Estudié psicología, publicidad y mercadeo y nunca he tomado ni un taller de escribir. Todo lo que he logrado como autor ha sido autodidacta y a pulmón. Por MUCHOS años escribí en un blog y eso me ayudó más de lo que te imaginas. El detalle es que AMO escribir. Claro que quiero fama, dinero y éxito, ahora ante todo AMO escribir y es una parte integral de quién soy.

3. Incluyo muchos personajes basados en personas de mi vida. Mrs. Fawn se basa en Mama. Captain Jane se basa en mi esposa. Fäet es mi representación literaria. Así hay un montón de personajes y siempre es divertido tener a la gente adivinando quién es de mi vida y quién es de mi imaginación.

4. El nombre Odstein es recurrente en mis obras como el apellido de Fäet. Por si no lo sabías: Fäet = Fate y Odstein = Destino ;)

5. Me encanta incluir detallitos y tributos a música y artistas. En español muchos de los capítulos y personajes de Penumbra salieron o fueron influencia directa de la música de Robi Draco Rosa.

Y ahí tienes 5 curiosidades. ¿Qué te parecen? Y ¿Cuáles son algunas de las tuyas?

Espero que te estés gozando la Marcha de los escritores. Un fuerte abrazo.

JD

March of the Writers Day 20: Quirkety Quirk

I actually haven’t used the blog to explore a prompt yet for this year's March of the Writers, which is so odd lol. Fortunately, I think this is a great one for that. 

 As a writer I have several quirks, but instead of exploring them all, here are 5:

1. I write most of my work by hand and later transcribe. There’s something beautifully intimate about writing by hand, even with the challenges it brings. Namely, my handwriting. Plainly put, it isn’t great and definitely is a challenge in regards to legibility, although it is an interesting exercise because it forces me to start editing. Also, Fun fact: Only Human took 6 notebooks of varying sizes.

2. Different size papers. Sometimes to get the right feel for what I'm writing I switch up the size of the paper I’m using to write on. Although I love composition notebooks and find them extremely comfortable, I’ve known to switch to legal notepads, sticky notes, and notebooks of all sorts of sizes. It’s curious how it impacts the writing. For instance, small paper FORCES you to be concise, while long-winding papers can do the opposite. I seriously recommend you give it a go because you don't know if something can work until you give it a go.

3. Different writing materials. I’ve said this before but I’ll say it again. I write poetry/lyrics in pencil, non-fiction and short prose in blue/black ink, and prose in red ink, although I’ve taken to use other colors and it’s been super refreshing. Again, it's all about mixing it up.

4. Love writing during flights. I used to love writing during long appointments but post pandemic things have definitely changed. I do still enjoy writing during long flights because I have no interest in wi-fi at 35,000 ft :)

5. I sometimes write with my non-dominant hand. I’ve journaled and written short verses or inspirational texts with my left hand. It actually improves your handwriting, and forces you to breathe and slow down, something I DEFINITELY need from time to time and you might need as well.

And there are PLENTY more where those came from, but those are my five for today :)

How about you? What are some of your writing quirks? What did you think of mine? 

Peace, love, and maki rolls

Lo prometido es deuda – llega Penumbra

Por años me llevan preguntando si voy a publicar algo en español.

Por años he dicho que "ya mismo".

Ya puedo cambiar la contestación.

El "ya mismo" se ha convertido en AHORA y les presento: Penumbra – Cuentos Oscuros

6 cuentos cortos + 1 novela corta.

Todo oscuro.

Si se preguntan porque el tono oscuro, le pueden dar las gracias a mis amigos de Libros Eikon que cuando me invitaron a contribuir a No Cierres los Ojos 2. Algo soltó en mí que aunque me sospechaba que estaba ahí, no es lo mismo sospechar que verlo en acción. Doy las más sinceras gracias a mis colegas por la invitación y el apoyo.

La portada fue diseñada por la gran Karelys Luna, una de mis vecinas en el comic con y una amiga artista con talento de sobra. Si quieren conocer más de ella, en confianza visiten su página aquí.

De la colección, hubo mucha inspiración del Viejo San Juan ya que me crié ahí pasando mucho tiempo en las tiendas de mi abuelo y mi madre, además de mis años formativos de janguear en un sinnúmero de locales. Además, hubo inspiración de algunos de mis autores favoritos incluyendo HP Lovecraft y Neil Gaiman.

Por mucho tiempo he prometido algo en español y espero que disfruten Penumbra. Ahora, no es lo único que viene en español, así que pendientes. Pero por ahora, si son de los que disfrutan leer algo un poco oscuro para que el sueño no le llegue, pues adéntrense en la Penumbra.

Ah, y para los que quieran una copia firmada...nos vemos en el Puerto Rico Comic Con.

Pronto les cuento más, por ahora...

Un abrazo,

JD

A year full of promise

 

Last year I had big plans and a lot of them crashed and burned because I was not able to deliver on what I wanted to. Sure, we can have plans. Doesn’t mean they’re guaranteed to come through. That’s fine and dandy. That was also 2022...This is 2023.

I have been promising several projects for years and March has me delivering on two of those promises. Do I have to be a bit cryptic because we’re building up to these releases? Of course. But it doesn’t I have to stay mum about both.

What’s in store for March?

Two releases.

One in Spanish. One in English.

Both are short story collections.

One is light. One is dark.

They are polar opposites yet very much represent who I am as a writer.

First up is Spanish, which is getting revealed this week. I’ve been promising Spanish for years and I’m finally delivering. Now don’t expect something lighthearted or sweet. We’re going dark and broody.

6 short stories + 1 novella. All dark but in different ways. I am very happy with the end result.

Afterwards, we have English. Another short story collection I’ve been promising for years and one that means a lot to me. While the Spanish book is very me because of style and that dark aspect of my psyche, this book is very me because it is rooted deeply in kindness. 5 short stories in a world that we’ve visited before.

In terms of content and style, I’m proud that I’ve hit all I wanted to achieve with each project. I’m also super proud of the work I was able to do with two different artists. It’s been a busy year so far, though I’m happy, motivated, thankful, and healthy. Thank you to everyone who has shown me such unconditional support and thanks also to everyone who is participating in the March of the Writers. Here’s to all the good times and stay tuned, MUCH more news VERY soon.

Peace, love, and maki rolls.

JD

March Of the writers 2023

It’s that time of the year again, dear writer friends. Unlike previous years, we’re doing this a bit earlier so you can get the explanations of the prompts and have a chance to ask questions. Also, you don't need to participate every day. You can skip, miss, or just pass on the ones that don't call to you.

 

Expect videos on my BookTube / AuthorTube channel and without further ado, let’s check the prompts!

 

1.    New month: who dis? Present yourself

 

Self-explanatory. It’s March, it’s March of the Writers, tell us who you are in video, picture, blog post, or however you prefer.

 

2.    Feed the Playlist: Writing music you recommend

 

For years, we’ve been growing the March of the Writers playlist so feel free to check it out in this link. If you have great writing tracks you’d like to recommend, go for it.

 

3.    WIP it, WIP it good! Whachu working on?

 

We all have plans though sometimes it’s good to share what’s in the pipeline to get those readers excited by what you’ll unleash later on.

 

4.   Talking ‘bout my genre-nation. Genres you write in.

 

What genres speak to you and do you feel most comfortable with? Any genre you want to tackle? Tell us that too!

 

5.    Shelf consciousness: What have you published?

 

Are you published? Have you been featured in a magazine or anthology? Have a blog or Wattpad? Whatever you got, share it!

 

6.   I am; therefore, I write: Why do you write?

 

Why are you inspired to write or what was the first reason about why you started writing?

 

7.    Trio: 3 fav movies, albums, books

 

The March of the Writers is all about sharing. What are some movies, albums, and books that normally don’t get much TLC or which are your faves?

 

8.   Drive you very much: What drives you?

 

Why you write and what drives you are two different things. Drive is all about going for it after you capture your words on paper. What is your driver?

 

9.   Secret Identity: what’s your day job?

 

For many people, writing pays for only part of the bills and we have day jobs. What’s your day job while you keep chipping away at your next manuscript?

 

 

10.                  It’s Al-true: what causes do you regularly support?

 

Many of us have causes that are near and dear to our hearts. What causes to you consistently support and why?

 

11. 3 Failures

 

Life isn’t easy and life as a writer sure as hell isn’t easy either. Sometimes we fall though we always get back up again. What are some of the most intense failures you’ve had and what did you learn from them?

 

12. 3 Victories

 

Now the flip side! Share them wins!!!

 

13. Manifestation Nation: Manifest your dreams

 

Some people say if you share a dream and visualize it, it can manifest. Some people think doing so jinxes you. Which team are you and any dream you’d like to share?

 

14.Plotter, pantser, plantser, prefer not to say?

 

Which are you and is it because it’s what works the best for you or because you don’t know any better?

                                        

15. Good luck charms?

 

Any magical inspirational talismans when you write or have an event?

 

16.Feeling Tipsy – 3 tips for any new writer

 

Share the wealth. What tips would you offer someone about writing?

 

17. Say wha? - Weird goals you have

 

Not everyone wants to make it to the New York Best Seller’s list. What are some whacky goals you STILL want to achieve.

 

18.Digging deep - How do you go about research?

 

We have a knack of falling down some pretty interesting rabbit holes. What’s your process like?

 

19.Set the date: 3 living authors you’d love to meet for lunch

 

There are some people we really would love to meet. Who are yours and why?

 

20.                 Quirkety Quirk: Writer quirks

 

Some people are methodical. Some are quirky. Some are certifiable. What are some of your most notable writer quirks?

 

21. Writing Desk Tour

 

Show us where the writing magic happens!!!

 

22.                  Time suck: apps that take a lot of your time

 

Procrastination happens. What are some apps and things that are super powerful at sucking up any loose time you have lying around?

 

23.                  Recurring currents: Recurring themes in your work

 

Are there any themes that consistently pop up in your work?

 

24.                  Comonn Me-steaks – Common errors in your writing

 

Typos scuk. They skuc real bad. But some just have a way of making their way into our manuscripts. What are some of your most common typos that are SO common that you have to keep an eye out for them.  

 

25.                  Life balance: what do you do for physical/mental health?

 

SO often we see fellow writers struggling and we also struggle, which is why it’s so important to stay healthy of body and mind. What are some things you do to cope and stay healthy?

 

 

26.                  Tough “love”: Roughest critiques you’ve received

 

Some people mean well but have no tact and pull no punches. What are some rough critiques you’ve received that stung but still helped you out in the long run?

 

27.                  Best compliments you’ve gotten

 

How about some of the best compliments you’ve ever received?

 

28.                 What are you thankful for on your writer journey?

 

The prompt says it all. What do you want to say thanks for?

 

29.                  Pals of pens - Writer Friends

 

I absolutely LOVE connecting with people. Give us a sample of people who we should check out their work.

 

30.                 How social of you? Where can we follow you?

 

SHARE THEM LINKSSSSSS BAYBEEEEE :D

 

31. In next week’s episode: What’s next for you?

 

What’s up next for you this year and beyond?

 

 ****

 

And there you go! As a reminder, let me include a pic of all the prompts.