When real things happen to imaginary people

Yesterday, one year ago, the Gothic Charm School book was released.

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to everyone who has bought a copy, who has recommended it to people, who supported me through all the craziness, and who reads this LJ and the Gothic Charm School site. All of your support and enthusiasm mean the world to me.

(There are times when I still can't quite believe it's real.)

So yes. Thank you to all of you, happy bookaversary to me and the Stroppy One!

Thank you to everyone who voted and gave suggestions about my skeleton handbag! I ended up flipping the bow 90 degrees and making it smaller. My fingers are very glad that I did not unpick all the stitches and re-sew it. (Helpful Hint: once you find your thimble, actually use it on this sort of project. You will save yourself from injury.)

Today is a day of taking photos for the upcoming clothing sale, and talking with my friend Eric about the celadon CD release party (clicky-link!) (Bitter Sweet has two different mixes of "Dark Decorum" - the Gothic Charm School theme! Wheee!) Tonight is going out dancing with the Stunt Husband and Toady, more wheee! Then the weekend has more socializing with friends, and working on shifting my body clock to a daywalker-type schedule in preparation for the new job on Monday. (!!!)

Today is ALSO a day of waiting for email. I sent the proposal for the second Gothic Charm School book off to my agent yesterday, and now I nervously await her feedback. ::twitch::

Today is the next-to-last-day of my current work contract. On the one hand, looming unemployment and job-hunting, ugh. On the other hand, time to work on the novel I started writing on New Year's Day, time to finish clearing out the Storage Heap Room o' Doom, and time to make stuff to sell at Mourning Market and my eventually-to-be-launched Etsy store. So, mostly yay, I think.

---

My Dad, because he is a helper and an enabler, made the brilliant suggestion that I need to find an oversized bird cage to keep my doll in. Like this, or this, or this! (yes yes, clicky-links to eBay.) My friends who have long listened to me talk about my need for decorative cages to keep decorative people in understand why this suggestion is so appealing to me.

Speaking of my Evangeline Ghastly doll, I realized that I'm not entirely decided on her name. I thought it was Lucretia, but then the Stroppy One suggested Pandora. But neither of those seemed to stick, which I think means I haven't found her name yet. Vexing, very vexing.

---

Awwww! Jake von Slatt over at Steampunk Workshop wrote a very nice review and article about the Gothic Charm School book! (clicky-link!)

---

Everyone needs to go read the newest law of the Internet, because it is BRILLIANT: http://www.racialicious.com/2009/12/21/and-we-shall-call-this-moffs-law/

---

And finally, here, have a SFD photo (EDIT: bah, I don't like my expression or how I was tilting my head in this picture, but it shows the details of the outfit):

Posted via LiveJournal.app.

Shameless self-promotion:

My post about the Innocente Seraphim convention is up at the Lip Service Webzine! (You should know the drill by now, but that's a clicky-link.)

You peeps know about the tie-in Gothic Charm School merch that's available, right? The Rocklove Gothic Charm School Batty Heart Pendant and Starborn Alchemy's Gothic Charm School Body Butter (which smells like chocolate cupcakes!). I'm extremely happy to be working with such talented people. Follow those clicky-links, look at the pretty things! Better yet, buy the pretty things!

And to wrap up the shameless self-promotion part: hey, you should go buy the book! Available at book stores everywhere, and online retailers like Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

---

Oh, a quick review of the MAC event last night: Insanely crowded, and the colors, while interesting, didn't excite me enough to make a purchase. After fleeing the crowds, Minim and I wandered over to Sephora, so she could look at nail polish. And so I could be recognized as the Lady of the Manners by one of the staff, hee! I was very flattered, and had a nice chat about Gothic Lolita and J-Rock with her and another of her co-workers. Also, curse you, Kat Von D! I don't want to purchase any of your makeup, but I think you may have made my perfect lipstick. (I got a sample to try. A color called "Homegirl"? Oh dear.)

---

Clicky-links of coveting! (Which are strictly of a window-shopping nature for me for a while, because I went into debt yesterday to purchase my long-coveted Fluevog Babycake boots. SO worth it, tho'.)

The Gothic Corseted Military Jacket from Retroscope Fashions. I have a handful of garments from Retroscope (including a gorgeous custom jacket), and I've been delighted with all of them. Plus, I have a ... weakness, shall we say, for military-style jackets with lots of buttons.

The Antoinette Mini Tricorn from Hey Sailor. B&W stripes! Pink edging! A miniature pirate ship perched on the crown! Oh lord, I have been slavering over this hat since last year. Yes, I know it's over the top. That's the point.

Dr. Marten's "Skelly" boot. Yes, I just bought boots. But again, I've been pining after these for a while. Boots with glow-in-the-dark bones! How cute would these look laced up with pink ribbons, worn with knee-length fluffy skirts and severe jackets? Very cute.

Gothic Victorian Sterling Ermine Skull Black Feather Fascinator Brooch from Loved To Death. I constantly go back to Loved To Death's Etsy shop and whimper quietly and paw at the laptop screen. Why yes, I would wear that on the lapel of all sorts of jackets. Pink and black striped ones, actually, for maximum sartorial impact.

Today, we head to PDX for a reading & signing at Powell's. Ooooh, Powell's. Time to look for more vampire books I haven't read!

So, don't destroy Seattle while we're out of town. Also, stop summoning the orb. No more heat wave, please Cool and cloudy, that is what we want.

I guess I should go find all my summer gothy dresses now ...

::looks at To Do list, starts giggling nervously::

Yeah, I may not be around much. Writing, emails, and laundry own my time right now. So here, have some clicky-links!

Video of the Gothic Charm School picnic, from NY Post: http://www.nypost.com/video/?channel=NY+Post&clipid=1458_549884&bitrate=300&format=flash

Photos from the picnic, from Time Out New York: http://newyork.timeout.com/articles/own-this-city/76595/gothic-charm-school-tea-party-picnic

The Gothic Charm School Flickr group! (Please add photos if you have them!) http://www.flickr.com/groups/gothic_charm_school/pool/

And, because it wouldn't be a proper post of clicky-links from me without this sort of thing, the hat I'm currently coveting: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25204541

In New York!

We had an uneventful flight, rode subways, and met up with our host. We had yummy yummy fish & chips for dinner, which made the Stroppy One happy. Like, almost beyond words happy. Then we went for a walk, and are now flopping around the apartment. Tomorrow is meeting (face-to-face for the first time) my agent, my editor, and my publicity person! And then the reading.

Everyone keep your fingers crossed for NO RAIN on Saturday. That would be very helpful.

This is a REMINDER (ahem) that I am going to be reading at the Mysterious Bookshop in New York on July 17th at 6:30PM. If you are planning on attending, could you PLEASE leave a comment here? The bookstore has asked us to give them an estimated headcount. Also, please spread the word about the reading, tell your friends, and bring everyone you know!

The other fantastic fun thing in NYC is on July 18th!


Cut and paste the code for the flyer below to invite all you wish.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaborwhalky/3645506235/" title="Gothic Charm School by jaborwhalky, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3386/3645506235_e9f3641565.jpg" width="500" height="396" alt="Gothic Charm School" /></a>
July 18th,
1 to 4 PM
A tea party picnic at www.green-wood.com/ around Green Wood's neo-gothic
Historic Chapel and the nearby pond, Valley Water. An afternoon tea
with the Lady of the Manners, Jillian Venters, to celebrate her
book, Gothic Charm School www.gothic-charm-school.com/.
All are welcome. Free tea, cakes, cookies and fun
for all.
We welcome you to bring your own food and to dress well however you
wish and enjoy the day with the Lady of the Manners, her book www.gothic-charm-school.com and this wonderful
space.



Remember! If you are going to attend the reading at Mysterious Bookshop, please leave a comment here.

So, crawl out of bed late late late (tho' I slept well last night), and discover that NEIL GAIMAN HAS TWITTERED ABOUT ME. About Gothic Charm School!

::insert squeaking and flailing here::

I ... words fail. Words gone. NEIL GAIMAN!

I'm going to be giddy about this all day. Hell, all weekend! Perhaps for the rest of my life!

Do such things even exist, anymore? I'm not looking for one for Seattle, by the way; I'm looking for gothy mailing lists/forums for SF, L.A., Portland (OR), and NYC. Yes, this is all about promoting the Gothic Charm School book tour. ::grin::

So! Anyone have any leads or suggestions?

---

Gothic Charm School postcards!

I know I've asked this before, but we now have the postcards in hand and want to get specific details from those of you willing to distribute some Gothic Charm School postcards. We'll call you "GCS Ambassadors" for short...

Anyway, what we'd like to know is:

• Where are you?
  


• Where are you planning on distributing the cards? Stores? Clubs? Events? Can you give us specific info?


• How many cards do you need? We have lots, so just tell us and we'll worry about whether we have enough.

If you are able to be a GCS Ambassador, post a comment here with your answers to those questions, and I'll send you a PM with more info and to get your mailing address.