T-shirt #339: Dead Can Dance

T-shirt #339: Dead Can Dance

This shirt came from the concert that Liesel and I attended in Chicago at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park in August of 2012.

This was a memorable time as we had just met our baby, our boo-boo, Satchel, the tiny runt who was hiding away from the rest of the litter and when she climbed out from behind some old farm equipment, Liersel tossed aside the puppy she had been holding and decided to adopt our Satchel booness. However, we could not take her home right then because we had already planned to go to Chicago, and so I convinced Liesel to wait until we returned.

We actually stopped on the way home to pick her up and adopt her into our family. Neither Liesel nor I will ever forget it.

We were already fans of DEAD CAN DANCE WIKIPEDIA.

This is something Liesel and I had in common from before we met. I love that Liesel and I share a great deal of mutually loved music. She does not like the Cocteau Twins later years, about which she is clearly in the wrong, and she did not like THE SCHOOL OF SEVEN BELLS when I discovered them last year, though I think she would have liked them had she discovered them first. I like to tease her about these opinions, though my wife, Liesel, has incredible taste in all things. I like that we do not intersect in every way. How boring that would be.

DEAD CAN DANCE OFFICIAL SITE.

Dead Can Dance are described in Wikipedia as a English/Australian, neo-classical "dark wave" band. I guess this as good a description as any. Songs have a medieval style or are actual medieval songs re-imagined.

Though Dead Can Dance formed in the 1980s, I did not discover them until the early 1990s, probably around 1993.

This next video isn't from the show we saw, but it's from right around the same time during the course of that tour, so it's close enough to what we actually saw in concert.

This next video is one of my favourite Dead Can Dance songs.

Dead Can Dance Host of Seraphim Live Montreal 2012 HD 1080

I was not too impressed with the new Dead Can Dance material from the band's 2012 release promoted during the tour we saw: Anastasis. It's good because it's Dead Can Dance. But it's not great.

Many fans are clearly more heels over head in love with Lisa Gerard than Brendan Perry. The best Dead Can Dance song featuring Brendan principally is "American Dreaming," which I will add to the collection of videos that I share at the end of this entry.

Lisa Gerard also has produced solo work and has contributed to movie soundtracks.

Lisa Gerard's voice is like something from another world. The sound of an angel both beautiful and fierce, both lovely and frightening.

I think Dead Can Dance is a good subject to explore some other material, notably, the following PODCAST.


WELCOME TO NIGHTVALE

Okay, I know. It's about time I started listening to WELCOME TO NIGHTVALE. Actually, Josh Hall at Fanfare recommended it to me months ago, and it has sat on my "to do" list since then. I was reminded of its existence, again, by WARREN ELLIS, and opened the link to

COMMONPLACE BOOKS: WELCOME TO NIGHTVALE

in my browser, vowing to start listening to these podcasts once I finished my current audio book, GONE GIRL.

Welcome to Nightvale is described as

WELCOME TO NIGHT VALE is a twice-monthly podcast in the style of community updates for the small desert town of Night Vale, featuring local weather, news, announcements from the Sheriff's Secret Police, mysterious lights in the night sky, dark hooded figures with unknowable powers, and cultural events.

WELCOME  TO NIGHTVALE is a wonderful pastiche of mixed genre satire and fiction. As one reviewer characterized it: ""Welcome to Night Vale" is relentlessly witty, morbidly hilarious, chaotically unique and often unexpectedly profound. I'm pretty sure the restless soul of H.P. Lovecraft ..." I would add that Lovercraft's restless soul is propelling them onward, watching on with rapt but silent approval. I did not like the rest of what the reviewer wrote.

There are currently 41 episodes of twenty minutes each in length, so it's not too difficult to catch up as I am doing.

Here's some more information if you need to read up on it to be convinced.

Do Not Approach the Dog Park: Welcome to Night Vale
by ALEX BROWN: a snippet:

In the darkest spaces between nightmares and hallucinations is a place unlike any other. The town is populated by hollow-eyed messenger children and ominous hooded figures, haunted by non-existent angels and towers of roaches in deer masks, and tormented by a tiny underground army and wheat and wheat byproducts. A hellscaped sky stretches its gaping maw over the Sand Wastes and Desert Flower Bowling Alley and Arcade Fun Complex, and citizens who aren’t busy battling their evil doppelgangers or being converted into buzzing shadowpeople defined only by the absence of light in the vague shape of a torso and limbs go about their daily lives and try not to get on the bad side of the City Council or the Sheriff’s Secret Police.
Welcome to Night Vale.

WELCOME TO NIGHTVALE WIKIPEDIA

THE STRENGTH OF NIGHT VALE'S LIVE SHOWS

WELCOME TO NIGHVALE: Where David Lynch meets the Twilight Zone

WELCOME TO NIGHTVALE: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Check it out!
Trust me.
I'm a doctor.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Since I just wrote about the Lovecraftian inspired WELCOME TO NIGHTVALE, I also wanted to promote another Lovecraft influenced art thing I recently discovered: CTHULU SLIPPERS.

I must confess that Lovecraft is one of those authors at which I have taken several runs but have not fully invested. I have read a few stories, started and failed to finish others, but also I have not really applied myself. I am determined to rectify this oversight. It's time for some LOVECRAFTIAN absorption.

This comic, CTHULU SLIPPERS, is a very divertisement. Updates every Monday. Here's the latest reprinted without permission. I am sure creators Andrew Jack and Natalie Metzger would not mind. I am spreading the good word of the great work. ENJOY.

It's really good stuff.

Trust me.

I'm a doctor.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

GONE GIRL by Gillian Flynn

I liked Gone Girl. I did not consider it "misogynistic." Fatal Attraction is misogynistic. But even so, ascribing to feminist politics does not mean never writing a woman as a villain. Sometimes I think reviewers write criticism just to stir up controversy and sell papers not because they actual believe the crap they espouse. Though it's overwritten and a bit too kitschy in places, Gone Girl is a taut and gripping thriller about the murder of Amy Elliott Dunne, Nick Dunne's wife, and what happens as Nick tries to defend himself as evidence consistently points to him as the lead suspect. The sound of the basic plot may not inspire, but the book is so full of twists and "gotcha" moments that I really want to share nothing about the plot beyond the one sentence I wrote. I am disappointed to read that Gillian Flynn chose to rewrite the ending of the story for the film. I may not even read these articles to get any sense for why she did this rewrite. "The ending is perfect," which is what my wife said to me when we discussed the book (as she recommended it to me), and I happen to agree. Great thriller, great page turner, a very strong read by a fresh new novelist. I will definitely read her other two books when time permits.

VARIOUS GONE GIRL REVIEWS AND ARTICLE LINKS

Gone Girl - NY Times review

Gone Girl - Chicago Tribune review

GONE GIRL on GOOD READS

GONE GIRL ON WIKIPEDIA

MARY GAITSKILL HATES GONE GIRL

Gillian Flynn on Gone Girl and accusations of misogyny

Gone Girl to be a movie

Gillian Flyyn rewrote book ending of Gone Girl for film

DEAD CAN DANCE VIDEOS

Sanvean (I am your shadow) - Lisa Gerrard

Dead Can Dance - Yulunga (Spirit Dance)

Dead Can Dance - The Arrival and the Reunion

Dead Can Dance - American Dreaming

Dead Can Dance - Towards the Within

Dead Can Dance - The Spider's Stratagem

COUNTDOWN TO END OF THE BLOG YEAR - 26 shirts remaining

- chris tower - first published - 1402.23 - 18:23
updated - 1402.24 - 20:32
final publication - 1402.25 - 10:04

T-shirt #322 - Curious George Space Monkey

T-shirt #322 - Curious George Space Monkey

I clicked on the 1970s Nostalgia simply because I discovered Curious George with my sister when she was little starting in 1969. I do not recall having Curious George stories prior to her birth (though I may have) even though Curious George was published from 1941-1966 by "H.A. Rey," aka Hans Augusto Rey and Margret Rey.

I was never a huge fan of the TV adaptations or films.



But I do rather like the Jack Johnson album Sing-a-Longs and Lullabies for the Film Curious George (2008). This is actually a good impetus to post some videos. Check them out farther below. I was a fan of this album even before meeting my wife, though she is a huge fan because is from Hawaii.


I have been in delay mode because my friend the Lord of Chaos has been visiting (seen in in pictures today and yesterday).

Because of his ties to the chaos realms, the Lord of Chaos also likes Curious George. When he was last here we reveled in our mutual affection of Underdog -- T-shirt #288 -- and it was from him that I obtained my QUISP shirt -- T-shirt #90. I group Curious George in a similar category of these types of childhood things.

Once again, I add to my category about letting go and growing up. Being adult does not mean that I stop liking Curious George.

In fact, Curious George is an excellent template FOR BEING ADULT. Many of the lessons that we need to guide us in life our found in our stories that are enjoyed by BOTH children and adults: Curious George, Winnie the Pooh, and Calvin and Hobbes.

Today's entry (mostly written two days later) is dedicated to things about which I am CURIOUS. Or more accurately, things about which I have been curious and sated my curiosity by investigating.

Or another way to express this theme is just all the stuff open in my browser right now and a few comic book covers.

Because there always must be comic book covers on this blog.

Is that a surprise?

Various thoughts....

I like pictures of the stuffed animals in the extreme foreground.

Liesel already owned a Christmas Tree ornament of the picture on the back of this T-shirt.

Right now, I feel like typing the following title because it pooped in my head (a typo I am not fixing):

The Unbearable Lightness of Being.

My dog just barked randomly. This happens sometimes. It should not happen when I am trying to take a drink of a full glass of liquid.

I am easily startled.

I have a spilling disorder.

I do not like dishes in the sink.

I often do not like to go buy groceries.

Today, the day I am writing this, which is Saturday, I had a massage.

The little stuffed Curious George has been stationed atop the daredevil toy box to the right of my current position in my office for sometime.

The larger Gund Curious George now sits atop the Kingdom Come Hawkman toy the left of my position.

I need little shelves high on the walls of my office to perch these toys. Once perched with toys, I will need the spray cans of air to blow dust off the toys.

I have not yet unpacked my small bobble head and plush beanie collection.

I have four bobble heads in my office: A Sleestak from The Land of the Lost, the Vision from The Avengers, Robby the Robot from Forbidden Planet, and The B-9 Robot from Lost in Space (mint in box). I have a Harry Houdini and an Albert Einstein bobble among those packed in a box downstairs.

And now more curious items.

AMC Sets ‘Preacher’ Drama Adaptation With Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg & Sony TV

I have not read Preacher, so I am not sure how I feel about this. The news item simply provokes me to read Preacher. I have the first volume around here somewhere.

From the link above: "Preacher follows Reverend Jesse Custer, a tough Texas preacher who has lost his faith, has learned that God has left Heaven and goldbergrogenabandoned His responsibilities. He finds himself the only person capable of tracking God down, demanding answers, and making Him answer for His dereliction of duty. Accompanying Jesse on his journey is his former girlfriend and a friendly vampire who seems to prefer a pint in the pub to the blood of the innocent. On his tail is an immortal, unstoppable killing machine named the Saint of Killers – a western lone gunman archetype whose sole purpose is to hunt and kill Jesse."

Did I mention The Vision already?

Paul Bettany Cast as The Vision in THE AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON

I am super excited that the VISION is going to be in the next Avengers movie. As I have already claimed, the Vision is one of my top five favorite non-franchise Marvel heroes.

As explained here: T-shirt #119: Doctor Strange.

The Doctor Strange blog entry was so huge that it bears repeating.
 The superhero list I made in that blog is important to this item and my excitement about the prospect of the Vision in the Avengers movie.

The story of the Vision and the Scarlet Witch falling in love and all the ramifications this pairing had in the Marvel Universe is the kind of story that the current Avengers comics are all lacking.

Trusting Joss Whedon to execute this properly as I do, I am thrilled to learn that these characters (plus the Witch's brother Quicksilver) will be in the movie as reported by your source for all that is nerd (and more): the blog of Charles Skaggs as linked above.

MARVEL TOP TWENTY NON-FLAGSHIP SUPERHEROES - MEN
Yes, here it is, the list you have been waiting for. It was difficult to make this list. I had to confine myself to male Marvel heroes who either did not have their own books or who had/have solo books but are not considered the pillars of the Franchise (like Spider-Man and Captain America). Doctor Strange heads the list.

1. Doctor Strange
2. The Silver Surfer
3. The Black Panther
4. The Vision
5. Adam Warlock
6. The Black Knight
7. Son of Satan
8. Iron Fist
9. Killraven
10. Falcon
11. Ka-Zar
12. Deathlok
13. Hawkeye
14. Black Bolt
15. Ghost Rider
16. 3D Man
17. Machine Man
18. Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu
19. Quasar
20. Captain Marvel

While I am delving, I noticed that the entry for  T-shirt #119: Doctor Strange also contained some content about the great game Magic the Gathering, which I have played three times in the last week due to the visit of the Lord of Chaos and my step-son Ivan's enjoyment of this particular game. I think that content bears repeating too.

MAGIC NOT MAGIC THE GATHERING

Given that I have written about my affection for and current playing of Dungeons and Dragons on this blog before, it should come as no surprise that I also played Magic the Gathering, the customizable "trading card" game. Though I think re-sale is a more accurate term as I have not seen so much trading where this game is concerned. I am not going to write about also playing Magic the Gathering, at least not today. In the mid-1990s, I was quite obsessed with the game. I made decks. I planned strategies. It all ruined a relationship (which was best in the long run).

So, at this point, I do not own a Magic the Gathering shirt, but you never know. If you have not figured this out, I like T-shirts.

Now, why am I mentioning MTG? Well, Dr. Strange is one of the most magic-oriented of superheroes, and magic makes me think of Magic The Gathering as well as the magic spells in D&D, the latter I borrowed many of the greater spellcaster/creators, such as Oshtur, Hoggoth, and the Vishanti for magic in the game. I mean, really, the "Crimson Bands of Cyttorak" and the "Flames of Faltine" are just too cool not to swipe and use in D&D.


DO NOT READ THE FOLLOWING LINK OR CONTENT IF YOU HAVE NOT READ RED SHIRTS.

FX Adapting Sci-Fi Novel ‘Redshirts’ As Limited Series

I am very amused that Scalzi's book about how a 21st century TV show warps the reality of a future starship and its crew will be made into a 21st century TV show.

Is your mind blown, too?

OKAY YOU CAN START READING AGAIN.

For safe content on Red Shirts, check T-shirt #13 or read on. I am reprinting again.

If you have read to this point, then you are to be thanked. Whether you are a new reader or a returning reader, I am thankful for your patronage and for following my project. I promise not to keep you too much longer.

Scrolling back through the blog, you will find T-shirt #4 (The Gold Command shirt) and T-shirt #11 (The Blue Science/Medical shirt). As I confessed in those blogs, when the ad from NoMoreRack on Facebook snared me, I bought all three shirts. And, so, today April third, I feature the red shirt.

This shirt has special importance as I am just now finishing the audio edition of John Scalzi'sRed Shirts, which is  narrated by Wil Wheaton. The novel has been nominated for one of SF's most prestigious awards: the Hugo Award for Best Novel. Scalzi is an excellent writer. With a fusion of influences from Star Trek to Heinlein, he is a funny, original, entertaining, and deftly-skilled writer of some of the best science fiction being published today. He is releasing his latest novel, The Human Division, as a multi-part series of episodes released via Kindle each week on Tuesday. I am also reading those and enjoying them immensely. Check out my Good Reads page for more information and mini-reviews.

Red Shirts, the novel, is hilarious on its own. Wil Wheaton's narration amps up the hilarity to 11 (on a scale of 1-10). If you take my recommendation and check out this book (and audio), then you may also love the retread of the inspiration for the Ewoks: Fuzzy Nation (also by Scalzi and also narrated by Wheaton).

For more from SCALZI himself and his fun blog called "Whatever" (and please note, Scalzi enjoys pie), look here:

SCALZI ON RED SHIRTS TV SHOW

It's actually safe to read the Scalzi bits if you have not read Red Shirts because Scalzi, unlike FX, does not SPOIL plot elements of Red Shirts in his blog post.

Okay, here's the last thing. I am burying this here because I am concerned about offending people. I don't think what I share should offend people. But I did not post to Facebook because I am just not interested in comments or fall out. Though do not let such an admission stop you, if you want to leave a comment here. I get so few.

I am just being lazy and pasting in the Wikipedia entry on Porpentine (which is archaic for porcupine).
It also provides contrast to break up my sections as it's the Wiki page. For references, follow the link to Wikipedia.

Porpentine (game designer)From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Porpentine is a feminist video game designer, writer and curator. She is primarily a developer of hypertext games and interactive fiction.^[1] Alongside VVVVVV developer Terry Cavanagh and several others, she is an editor for freeindiegam.es, a curated collection of free, independently produced games.^[2][3] She is a columnist for online PC gaming magazine Rock, Paper, Shotgun.^[4]Game design[edit]Porpentine's games are mainly built using Twine.
Howling Dogs[edit]Porpentine's 2012 Twine game Howling Dogs incorporates themes of escapism, violence and religious experience, though she has stated that it should be open to interpretation.^[5] It won the 2012 XYZZY awards in the "Best story" and "Best writing" categories.^[6] The Boston Phoenix listed it as one of their "Top 5 indie games of 2012".^[7]During the 2013 Game Developers Conference, game designer Richard Hofmeier vandalised the booth he had been given to showcase his award-winning game Cart Life, spray-painting the words "Howling Dogs". He stated he wished to give greater exposure to Porpentine's game.^[8][9]Jump up

I came across the following via, who else, WARREN ELLIS. This person, who goes by the Twitter handle of PORPENTINE is selling a "cute cyber book" called MY WITCH ANCESTORS DIED FOR MY RIGHT TO FUCK SATAN, I think, mainly, just to get your attention. Did it work?

The book itself (at least so far) is a strange collection of art images and writings that meld computer game lingo, strange colors, sex talk, and other ephemera into an eclectic and quite strange whole. I was curious so I purchased.

Check it here: LINK TO CUTE CYBER BOOK.

"WRONG TURN" - JACK JOHNSON

"THE SHARING SONG"- JACK JOHNSON

HIATUS TEXT: I am taking a short hiatus. A "hiatus" for the 365 T-shirts Blog does not mean that there will not be shirts or that I will skip posting on any forthcoming day. There will be shirts. But the shirts will not be exciting or the featured shirts will not require me to write a small novel to properly generate the content I feel is sufficient. I created a category for my hiatus so as to group together those "easy" shirts that I consider to be "hiatus shirts." The goal of the hiatus is to fill in many blog days with easy shirts in order to complete longer love letters to beloved popular culture icons on more special shirts and to write more complex entries AHEAD OF TIME. The daily grind is becoming too much and causing me to fall behind and to be forced to post incomplete entries. I am hoping that a series of hiatus shirts will allow me to catch up, get ahead, and stay ahead. Ideally, I would like to be writing the bulk of each entry three days ahead while always working on at least one other. I have a lot of great shirts to share before the end of my blog year (after all I was just given SIXTEEN shirts for my birthday). Stay tuned. I promise to post the more interesting and longer T-shirt entries as I finish them. Thanks for reading. BTW, this is the standard HIATUS TEXT that I will include in every "hiatus shirt" entry.

COVER GALLERY

These are just covers (and one splash page) that I downloaded lately from various sources. Random set. No theme. CURIOUS? Enjoy.

Iron Fist #11 - John Byrne art - today's posts - Blogger

Jan 20, 2014

Iron Fist v1 #11 - John Byrne art: Rating and review by Pencil Ink, a vintage comic book artists blog & checklist.

http://pencilink.blogspot.com/

NEW AVENGERS (2010) #11 (THOR HOLLYWOOD VARIANT)
Published: April 13, 2011
Rating: T+
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Penciller: Howard Chaykin
Cover Artist: Amanda Conner
The past comes crashing into the present as the secret history of Nick Fury and the Avenger Initiative has come to haunt the New Avengers in the modern day. As one of the Avengers lays near death ... more

Power Man and Iron Fist #50 - John Byrne art - today's posts - Blogger

May 10, 2013

Power Man v1 #50, 1978 - The masthead heralds the beginning of a new partnership between the two heroes. Having his innocence finally proven, this special issue briefly retells Power Man's origin from Luke Cage, Hero for ...

http://pencilink.blogspot.com/

X-men #63 - Neal Adams art & cover - today's posts - Blogger

Feb 03, 2014

X-men v1 #63, 1969 - Magneto reveals himself as he begins his conquest of the Savage Land. In response, the X-men join forces with the jungle lord Ka-Zar. Neal Adams' cover hints at the birth of a newly created mutant ...

http://pencilink.blogspot.com/

Jim Starlin cover - today's posts - Blogger

Nov 23, 2011

Astonishing Tales v1 #16 featuring Ka-Zar, 1972 - Bursting through a comics page, Ka-Zar and his saber-tooth tiger Zabu reach out towards the reader in true heroic fashion. Jim Starlin's figures appear more cohesive due to ...

http://pencilink.blogspot.com/

House of Mystery #203 - Nestor Redondo, Bernie ... - today's posts

Jun 08, 2008

House of Mystery v1 #203, 1972 - Nestor Redondo's lengthiest DC tale yet tells of a crooked real estate tycoon and a rotund, mysterious old woman. Nicely illustrated in his classical style, the story's highlight is a montage ...

http://pencilink.blogspot.com/

Iron Fist #10 - John Byrne art - today's posts - Blogger

Jan 30, 2014

Iron Fist v1 #10 - John Byrne art: Rating and review by Pencil Ink, a vintage comic book artists blog & checklist.

http://pencilink.blogspot.com/

Witching Hour #21 - non-attributed Nestor Redondo art - today's posts

Jan 28, 2014

Witching Hour v1 #21, 1972 - After finding treasure in an old Italian church, two GIs vow to return after the war to claim it. Nestor Redondo opens with an exceptional opening splash. The incessant barrage of enemy artillery ...

http://pencilink.blogspot.com/

COUNTDOWN TO END OF THE BLOG YEAR - 43 shirts remaining

- chris tower - first published - 1402.06 - 9:59
Final Publication - 1402.08 - 20:22

T-shirt #320 - Back-to-Back-Dogwood-Updike&Oates

T-shirt #320 - Back-to-Back - the Dogwood Festival - John Updike & Joyce Carol Oates


Today's shirt comes from an event held by the Dogwood Fine Arts Festival in 1994, which means the shirt is now twenty years old. The Dogwood Festival is a great arts event that is primarily known for its annual writer in residence program, in which a famous and well-published writer is brought in to give a talk and participate in various community events, including some classroom visits in the schools of Dowagiac, Michigan, where the festival is located. This feature a back-to-back event the Dogwood hosted in 1994 hosting both John Updike and Joyce Carol Oates within days of each other. I was lucky enough to attend and to write coverage for the Kalamazoo Gazette. The Dogwood gave me this T-shirt as part of the promotional materials to help me write my features and reviews.

Over the years, I have enjoyed the privilege of seeing many great writers at Dogwood, including Kurt Vonnegut, Michael Cunningham, Jonathan Franzen, Sara Paretsky, Michael Chabon, and my favorite author Margaret Atwood. One of the things I LOVE about the Dogwood Festival is that the authors are not allowed to read from their work in their public address presentation. The only caveat is that the talk must be about something of interest to the author.

Vonnegut's talk is one of the most memorable. He explained that we are put on this earth to fart around. He gave many examples of running errands in his neighborhood in New York, chatting up the store owners and postal workers and others he encounters in his stroll around the few blocks near his apartment. Because of her father's career and background, Atwood talked about science, mainly entomology, which was wonderful. Peppered with her experiences taking summer vacations deep in the northern Canadian "bush," Atwood painted lovely pictures and provoked all kinds of interesting things to think about.

I was disappointed with Michael Chabon's talk as he pontificated about his achievement of reading James Joyce's Finnegan's Wake and his study and contemplation about its slippery meaning. I was not very engaged with his content, which had little resonance for those of us (and I would guess nearly everyone if not strictly everyone in the room) who had not read Finnegan's Wake. Like most English literature students, I had tried to read it in college but soon gave up because of the daunting, seemingly indecipherable, text.

Throughout Chabon's twisty, erudite, somewhat inscrutable lecture, I kept thinking to Vonnegut, who had made us laugh with his simple and very true aphorism: we are here on this earth to fart around.

I was going to write about more books, but I am keeping with the shortness.

A WONDERFUL BOOK I HAVE READ RECENTLY

I just finished Gadget Girl by my friend Suzanne Kamata. It's a year for friends with books as another friend, Helene Dunbar, has a book coming out this spring, and then Suzanne has a second book coming out. I was excited to find out from Suzanne that she is already working on another book following the success of this one, a sequel of sorts.

I loved Gadget Girl. Once I really got going with the book, it was a real page turner, and I could not put it down. Aiko Cassidy is smart and sassy, and a real inspiration for young artists finding themselves. The story moves along, and Kamata's deft, literary sensibilities craft a riveting yet well-told story.

Here's text from Suzanne Kamata's website about Gadget Girl:

Aiko Cassidy is fourteen and lives with her sculptor mother in a small Midwestern town. For most of her young life Aiko, who has cerebral palsy, has been her mother's muse. But now, she no longer wants to pose for the sculptures that have made her mother famous and have put food on the table. Aiko works hard on her own dream of becoming a great manga artist with a secret identity. When Aiko's mother invites her to Paris for a major exhibition of her work, Aiko at first resists. She'd much rather go to Japan, Manga Capital of the World, where she might be able to finally meet her father, the indigo farmer. When she gets to France, however, a hot waiter with a passion for manga and an interest in Aiko makes her wonder if being invisible is such a great thing after all. And a side trip to Lourdes, ridiculous as it seems to her, might just change her life.

Gadget Girl began as a novella published in Cicada. The story won the SCBWI Magazine Merit Award in Fiction and was included in an anthology of the best stories published in Cicada over the past ten years.

"With GADGET GIRL, Suzanne Kamata beautifully captures the essence of what it feels like when you're learning to be who you already are."
                                 --Andrea J. Buchanan, author of GIFT and coauthor of NY TIMES best-seller THE                                                                                                                    DARING BOOK FOR GIRLS

"Anyone who has ever longed to come into their own will love Gadget Girl."
                                                                              -Leza Lowitz, author of Jet Black and The Ninja Wind

THE BOOKS I AM READING NOW

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Story - Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting by Robert McKee

Rama II - The Sequel to Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke and Gentry Lee

BOOKS I AM PLANNING TO READ

For the Win by Cory Doctorow

BOOKS I AM PLANNING TO RE-READ

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

Children of Dune by Frank Herbert

Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card

Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson

HIATUS TEXT: I am taking a short hiatus. A "hiatus" for the 365 T-shirts Blog does not mean that there will not be shirts or that I will skip posting on any forthcoming day. There will be shirts. But the shirts will not be exciting or the featured shirts will not require me to write a small novel to properly generate the content I feel is sufficient. I created a category for my hiatus so as to group together those "easy" shirts that I consider to be "hiatus shirts." The goal of the hiatus is to fill in many blog days with easy shirts in order to complete longer love letters to beloved popular culture icons on more special shirts and to write more complex entries AHEAD OF TIME. The daily grind is becoming too much and causing me to fall behind and to be forced to post incomplete entries. I am hoping that a series of hiatus shirts will allow me to catch up, get ahead, and stay ahead. Ideally, I would like to be writing the bulk of each entry three days ahead while always working on at least one other. I have a lot of great shirts to share before the end of my blog year (after all I was just given SIXTEEN shirts for my birthday). Stay tuned. I promise to post the more interesting and longer T-shirt entries as I finish them. Thanks for reading. BTW, this is the standard HIATUS TEXT that I will include in every "hiatus shirt" entry.

COUNTDOWN TO END OF THE BLOG YEAR - 45 shirts remaining

- chris tower - FIRST PUBLISHED - 1402.04 - 19:46
Final Publication - 1402.05 - 19:26