IVY Chapter 4 is out!

I cried. I pulled my hair. I paced. I fretted. I ground my teeth in my sleep, so much so that I had to get a night guard. But mostly, I drew. I drew my ass off, and the morning of my reading at Powell's, I finally finished the last page of my new chapter. And now it's hot off the printer and ready to land in your eager hands!

Riding the momentum from this furious burst of output seems to be the wisest thing for me at the moment. I'm dealing with the final aftershocks of personal turmoil, but overall my life has finally quieted down and opened up a little breathing room for the first time in 2009, and I want to jump in and wrap this book up in a powerful way. Going over my thumbnails from years ago, I realize there's so much more I know now about comic storytelling and concise, layered visual impact than when I initially plotted out the finale. I'm going to retool this last chapter and trust me when I promise it will deliver.

Signing at Powell's. (photo stolen from Tugboat Press's Flickr)

In the meantime, here is chapter 4 of 5... the Road Trip and Sex chapter. Reading this aloud in front of a full room at Powell's with Derek and Jesse was something of a potentially embarrassing moment for me - I guess I'm not as comfortable standing up and putting my face next to my drawings of partially-clad teenagers as I thought I would be - but it went well, I survived, and Powell's now carries my minis. I'm gonna try and get them into all Portland-area stores at least, and maybe even ship some out, so I'll let you know where you can find em. Of course, you can always get them straight from me. I have a PO box now!

PO Box 5532
Portland, OR 97228

Send candy.