Apologies for the long wait guys but unfortunately the comic doesn't pay the bills and I had to deviate to earn some money instead last week. We should be back to normal next week though. :)
Fred: I agree. lost my brother to cancer 8 years ago. It was quite a shock at the time as it was only about 3 months from diagnosis to burial and mentally I found his sudden absence very surreal. I would have felt creepy talking to him with anyone else present but I did just a few times when I was totally alone in the house as it was at these few times I just had the curious feeling he was there with me.
I wasn't suggesting creation of a 'real' forum...just saying how nice it was that this had become a kinda de facto one. Hmmm....I mistyped that at first as defecto-what a great superhero character name ! B-)
DV: Thankyou. I agree about keeping the comments here. It feels much more homely to me to have any discussions directly linked to the page or part of the storyline that prompted them and much easier for me to jump back to if ever I want to be reminded about specific remarks or thoughts at a later date too.
You probably remember the 'True to our Hearts' forum we started with Rei some years ago which was a lovely idea and very lively to begin with but got very messy at times with people going off at tangents onto totally unrelated topics, so I wouldn't want to see anything like that again.
Personally feel the comments section is enough as it keeps the discussions focused primarily on the page (forums would just get 'messy' and have to make yet another account) ... Just thought of something: Sarah with and without glasses on this page makes me think of the "Supergirl" program, how Kara looks so different from Supergirl simply with the use of glasses that you can tell why people, even those close to her, don't know it is her (it took Kara overhearing the Chairman of the board for Cat to put the last pieces together) ... regarding the last four panels: you did a great job, panel six gives the impressing of her getting closer in a 'first person perspective'
Bear: Good point about the forum side of things. It's hard for a writer to be judgemental of their own work as it goes down with a bias towards our own pleasure. But I try to think from a readers POV as well which is the hardest part, so the comments are invaluable at times in determining if any part of the storyline is not working as we hoped or expected.
Infected: lol Yea, I can see how bad it looks but all I can say is that for Lucy the loss was great and the circumstances traumatic so she's still got issues but then when you lose someone really close like a parent or child I'm sure it's quite natural to want to feel that connection with them still
whether it's talking to their grave or in a room one feels was a favourite haunt. Many millions talk to God so it feels the belief in any spirit world has the same values.
DV: Haha It's definitely easier to do Sarah without them as they mess with her eyebrows which buggars up her expressions sometimes. Soon as this weekends over I think I'll get her eyes lasered!! *remind me!!*
As for the page, I had originally planned three panels of Sarah getting closer to the door and trying to see round the corner but only being able to see the arm of the chair, but the jump from the top of the stairs to a first person view of the door seemed too much so I felt I had to show her at the bottom and then make the best of the remaining two panels.
Hi guys, It'll be quicker to reply to most of you all at once this week if that's okay: Firstly hehe those of you who are a bit disappointed this all turned out to be a birdcage and a mirror will not be disappointed for long. This was quite hard for me to write because I like to keep things RL as you know but at the same time my long life love of creepy tales enticed me to do this section in this way and I've been too enthusiastic about the way it unfolds to abandon it, so I've tried very hard to compromise and rewrite this whole section to leave it open and for the readers to make up their own minds about what comes next. It's not all going to turn out to be a dream I can assure you but as with the birdcage and the mirror I want the doubt of what you witness to remain. ;)
Dear Sky, Thanks DV for pointing out its OK to talk to ourselves. Infected Blood, think Lauras ghost was really up there checking out Sarah BearinOz good point out wouldn't you want your loved one to be with a girl like Sarah ?tommym
Plenty of people do it, specially if the relationship was a very close one (technically, being 'in love' there is "something off with their brain" :P ) 'Love' is the ultimate irrationality ... Talking to someone who isn't physically with you isn't 'irrational' (having a two-sided conversation with them on the other hand... :P)
Well, I realize that saying "something is off with their brain" may sound too harsh, but honestly, well, while it can be understandable, because it may help coping, it's also quite irrational. But to each their own.
Well thanxalot, I.B. - I talk to myself. A lot. NO you don't ! Yes I do ! Nothing wrong with that/me ! ...and anyway, I DO always ignore that particular voice that keeps saying " KILL'EM ALL ! " B-)
May just have been a 'trick of the low light', but the image used in the mirror is real ... No, there is nothing 'off' with someone talking to a dead loved one, specially when they have found a new person, seeking their blessing is normal, and, sometimes, it helps the one left behind to move on and let the one who went ahead go. Just hoping Sarah handles it well (have some ideas how Sarah could react, but won't say anything as that is me and not Sarah)
Oh, so that was an optical illusion, then! Awesome twist, I love it :D Although Lucy worries me quite a bit, now. I'd freak out if I heard anyone talking like that. Maybe I'm just too much of a rationalist, but... I'd think something is off with their brain.
And welcome back, it was worth the wait ;)
Still believe that Sarah looks _more_ beautiful without her glasses (not that she doesn't look beautiful _with_ glasses, but the way you draw her with and without is different)
We don't know that it is only her talking, for all we know, Laura may be sitting on the couch Sarah and Nikki had been sitting on earlier, or maybe "Michelle Pfeiffer-ing" on the piano
Hey y'all had me worried for a bit...:) Okay, so while I'm a little disappointed I didn't get to meet a spook :) I'm pleased that Sarah go to eavesdrop on what sounds like some closure, and a happier future for both of them!
Hmmm...O.K., you're forgiven B-) It's O.K. for the likes of me - "home alone" day after day, to paint and shovel in pages... B-) anyway, nice to get it up at last (as the Bishop said...). A disappointing result, but so typical of things that happen to us all, eh? I did like Lucy's dialogue though.
skyangel at 9:19AM, Feb. 4, 2016
Fred: I agree. lost my brother to cancer 8 years ago. It was quite a shock at the time as it was only about 3 months from diagnosis to burial and mentally I found his sudden absence very surreal. I would have felt creepy talking to him with anyone else present but I did just a few times when I was totally alone in the house as it was at these few times I just had the curious feeling he was there with me.
DarkVisor at 7:42PM, Feb. 3, 2016
Ideas are good, just not all ideas need, or should, be carried out :D
fredhedges at 11:54AM, Feb. 3, 2016
Of course people talk with the beloved absent - it's normal, healthy, and helps the pain of loss subside over time. I know from long experience.
skyangel at 1:50AM, Feb. 3, 2016
Bear: I know, I thought maybe DV was just worried you were giving me ideas!! lol
BearinOz at 8:25PM, Feb. 2, 2016
I wasn't suggesting creation of a 'real' forum...just saying how nice it was that this had become a kinda de facto one. Hmmm....I mistyped that at first as defecto-what a great superhero character name ! B-)
skyangel at 10:32AM, Feb. 1, 2016
DV: Thankyou. I agree about keeping the comments here. It feels much more homely to me to have any discussions directly linked to the page or part of the storyline that prompted them and much easier for me to jump back to if ever I want to be reminded about specific remarks or thoughts at a later date too. You probably remember the 'True to our Hearts' forum we started with Rei some years ago which was a lovely idea and very lively to begin with but got very messy at times with people going off at tangents onto totally unrelated topics, so I wouldn't want to see anything like that again.
DarkVisor at 8:57AM, Feb. 1, 2016
Personally feel the comments section is enough as it keeps the discussions focused primarily on the page (forums would just get 'messy' and have to make yet another account) ... Just thought of something: Sarah with and without glasses on this page makes me think of the "Supergirl" program, how Kara looks so different from Supergirl simply with the use of glasses that you can tell why people, even those close to her, don't know it is her (it took Kara overhearing the Chairman of the board for Cat to put the last pieces together) ... regarding the last four panels: you did a great job, panel six gives the impressing of her getting closer in a 'first person perspective'
skyangel at 5:29AM, Feb. 1, 2016
Bear: Good point about the forum side of things. It's hard for a writer to be judgemental of their own work as it goes down with a bias towards our own pleasure. But I try to think from a readers POV as well which is the hardest part, so the comments are invaluable at times in determining if any part of the storyline is not working as we hoped or expected.
skyangel at 5:20AM, Feb. 1, 2016
Infected: lol Yea, I can see how bad it looks but all I can say is that for Lucy the loss was great and the circumstances traumatic so she's still got issues but then when you lose someone really close like a parent or child I'm sure it's quite natural to want to feel that connection with them still whether it's talking to their grave or in a room one feels was a favourite haunt. Many millions talk to God so it feels the belief in any spirit world has the same values.
skyangel at 5:15AM, Feb. 1, 2016
DV: Haha It's definitely easier to do Sarah without them as they mess with her eyebrows which buggars up her expressions sometimes. Soon as this weekends over I think I'll get her eyes lasered!! *remind me!!* As for the page, I had originally planned three panels of Sarah getting closer to the door and trying to see round the corner but only being able to see the arm of the chair, but the jump from the top of the stairs to a first person view of the door seemed too much so I felt I had to show her at the bottom and then make the best of the remaining two panels.
skyangel at 4:35AM, Feb. 1, 2016
Hi guys, It'll be quicker to reply to most of you all at once this week if that's okay: Firstly hehe those of you who are a bit disappointed this all turned out to be a birdcage and a mirror will not be disappointed for long. This was quite hard for me to write because I like to keep things RL as you know but at the same time my long life love of creepy tales enticed me to do this section in this way and I've been too enthusiastic about the way it unfolds to abandon it, so I've tried very hard to compromise and rewrite this whole section to leave it open and for the readers to make up their own minds about what comes next. It's not all going to turn out to be a dream I can assure you but as with the birdcage and the mirror I want the doubt of what you witness to remain. ;)
Phantomduck at 12:26PM, Jan. 31, 2016
It was worth the wait.
tommym at 11:23AM, Jan. 31, 2016
Dear Sky, Thanks DV for pointing out its OK to talk to ourselves. Infected Blood, think Lauras ghost was really up there checking out Sarah BearinOz good point out wouldn't you want your loved one to be with a girl like Sarah ?tommym
BearinOz at 3:35AM, Jan. 31, 2016
I DO like the fact that the S.S. "comment" facility has turned into a forum B-)
DarkVisor at 9:11PM, Jan. 30, 2016
Plenty of people do it, specially if the relationship was a very close one (technically, being 'in love' there is "something off with their brain" :P ) 'Love' is the ultimate irrationality ... Talking to someone who isn't physically with you isn't 'irrational' (having a two-sided conversation with them on the other hand... :P)
Infected Blood at 8:17PM, Jan. 30, 2016
Well, I realize that saying "something is off with their brain" may sound too harsh, but honestly, well, while it can be understandable, because it may help coping, it's also quite irrational. But to each their own.
BearinOz at 7:55PM, Jan. 30, 2016
Well thanxalot, I.B. - I talk to myself. A lot. NO you don't ! Yes I do ! Nothing wrong with that/me ! ...and anyway, I DO always ignore that particular voice that keeps saying " KILL'EM ALL ! " B-)
DarkVisor at 8:37AM, Jan. 30, 2016
May just have been a 'trick of the low light', but the image used in the mirror is real ... No, there is nothing 'off' with someone talking to a dead loved one, specially when they have found a new person, seeking their blessing is normal, and, sometimes, it helps the one left behind to move on and let the one who went ahead go. Just hoping Sarah handles it well (have some ideas how Sarah could react, but won't say anything as that is me and not Sarah)
Infected Blood at 7:25AM, Jan. 30, 2016
Oh, so that was an optical illusion, then! Awesome twist, I love it :D Although Lucy worries me quite a bit, now. I'd freak out if I heard anyone talking like that. Maybe I'm just too much of a rationalist, but... I'd think something is off with their brain. And welcome back, it was worth the wait ;)
DarkVisor at 11:52PM, Jan. 29, 2016
Still believe that Sarah looks _more_ beautiful without her glasses (not that she doesn't look beautiful _with_ glasses, but the way you draw her with and without is different)
DarkVisor at 11:47PM, Jan. 29, 2016
We don't know that it is only her talking, for all we know, Laura may be sitting on the couch Sarah and Nikki had been sitting on earlier, or maybe "Michelle Pfeiffer-ing" on the piano
BearinOz at 11:27PM, Jan. 29, 2016
....actually "monologue" us probably more accurate - but then I am an atheist B-)
KimLuster at 7:54PM, Jan. 29, 2016
Hey y'all had me worried for a bit...:) Okay, so while I'm a little disappointed I didn't get to meet a spook :) I'm pleased that Sarah go to eavesdrop on what sounds like some closure, and a happier future for both of them!
BearinOz at 7:16PM, Jan. 29, 2016
Hmmm...O.K., you're forgiven B-) It's O.K. for the likes of me - "home alone" day after day, to paint and shovel in pages... B-) anyway, nice to get it up at last (as the Bishop said...). A disappointing result, but so typical of things that happen to us all, eh? I did like Lucy's dialogue though.
tupapayon at 7:08PM, Jan. 29, 2016
A ghostly three way?... wait, what am I saying?... and thinking?...!!!