I currently have 65 sketched for sale on my new Storenvy storefront -- http://rickgriffin.storenvy.com/col.....6-all-products

If there's something not here you can definitely ask for it (Though I have already sold several of my popular pieces). Also, originals of the Housepets comics will eventually be up but since those will take a long time to sort, just wait for those.

Storenvy uses paypal, so if you do not want to use paypal just email me about a particular piece and I'll disable it from the storefront off and we can arrange something else.

I KNOW who even uses deviantArt anymore, huh? Well they do have a print service for which I have lifetime membership so I might as well use it!

http://rickgriffin.deviantart.com/store/

So you know, you can go there to watch me

https://www.weasyl.com/profile/rickgriffin

If you still want a slot there's still plenty, see here: http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/4199205/

I had a procedure earlier this week (endoscopy) that sort of ruptured my plans, not to mention having a new (gift) computer I've been attempting to beat into submission for a few days, I haven't started on the Iron Artist yet like I hoped I would; however, I'm currently creating a backlog for Housepets that will hopefully give me a week's buffer so I'll have one less thing to worry about next week.

If you've emailed me and I haven't responded, please do so! The commission money has been very helpful so far as the endoscopy copay and a somewhat late-coming bill were unexpected in their size, not to mention taxes are coming along soon, but I'm gonna be able to nail them with this Iron Artist. Thank you so much for your patronage, guys!

Okay if you don't have a slot I can put you on a list just in case anyone has to back out, and you can take their place.

Please read this entire thing!

I'm gonna start taking commission slots today! All inked pictures, similar to the ones I just posted.

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/9608297/

One character - $50
Two characters - $75

If you want a slot, post below and I will give you a number, like [01]. Make sure it appears like that with the brackets in the subject line of your email. When you have a number, email me at rickpgriffin[at]gmail.com

If you need to defer, just say so when you post below. It's fine as long as you're not expecting to defer more than a few weeks. I'll put you at the end of the list in that case.

I'll try to have at least one batch of these done every week (~8)

Um, no slot listings for now, because that'll be a pain to update constantly--but there are 100 open slots, so just get to it!

I'm still going to be hurting for cash for a while, so I'm gonna begin another Iron Artist run tomorrow. It will probably be in the same b&w style as the commissions from last month I just posted. Still trying to decide on a few things though.

Based on my recent medical bills and insurance premiums I need to begin paying for, I'm not doing terribly well money-wise at the moment. So, I'm offering small commissions. These will be drawn and inked entirely physically and can only consist of one or two characters and small props.

If you are interested, reply below. I can't promise any of these done by Christmas but I still have my week open to do work.

1 character - $50
2 character - $65

1.  lostcat461
2. kensaro
3.  rooth
4.  kevshepherd
5.  gamer101_123
6. +rooth
7.  tenkri
8.  tsarin
9.  graedius
10.  daswuetend
11.  togepi1125
12.  aresues
13. +kensaro
14. the-hapless-enigma
15.  sonicfox
16. zero-torne

I was asked to be the guest of honor for Rocket City Furmeet next year, which I loved doing at MFF, so I'm looking forward to it!

--Rick

For people who were wondering what happened to Housepets and don't keep up with site news, I was hospitalized last Sunday night. Crohn's finally caught up with me and I had to have a chunk of my intestines removed. The comic will likely not resume until closer to the end of November, but my friend  dissension is organizing guest strips to tide the fans over until then.

I've maintained from the beginning that Housepets has been an experiment in storytelling. It still is, and yet it's repeatedly a difficult lesson about what is important to an audience. I have these ideas in my head about what I need to make a story good and palatable, and yet I fall into those same pitfalls a lot of writers do. The part that makes it difficult is that I can only realize the mistake after it has been made, and "fixing" the problem feels doable, but as though it won't change any damage I've done.

For one, I'm almost obsessive about my minimalism. That needs to change. While I personally feel as though I only need to be told things once, I forget that I'm still waist-deep in my own story and the stuff that feels like annoying rehashing to me is necessary for most of the audience. I thought for a while that not explaining it completely would make the story tighter--and while it does, since Housepets is a serial, being TOO tight makes it a difficult hunt-for-the-plot-point for many readers.

For two, my emphasis on plot has taken away from my emphasis on characters. While it has been in the past I have massive trouble with plot arcing, I used to doodle around with characters instead . . . and then I started cutting that stuff in favor of plots. I need to reassert emphasis on characters and interactions and figure out ways to make them stronger.

For three, the big cosmic arc started eating away at the OTHER stuff that makes the comic fun and interesting. I need to find a point of stability in that plot and then stay there for a while, so that I can reassert what the comic started out being--and I hope I can do that in this upcoming Christmas arc, which I have been planning since last Thanksgiving.

I've learned then that just because I have the means to do something in a story setting doesn't mean that I ought to--I did need a bigger something for an overarcing plot but I could have done better than the cosmic arc. So, I think I ought to shift things so that I can wrap up the cosmic arc in the fewest number of steps possible, and get to an overall arc that fits in with the theme of the strip better, which will carry on to the finale.

I think I'll feel better if I do this, and while I worry that the problems its cause can't be taken back, I do at least hope that I can apply the lessons I've learned to my prose stories. Already I've learned what an important thing strong character voice is and have applied this to fix issues in my upcoming story Bravo Charli.

Perhaps I'll make a new jumping-on point for Housepets soon, as a story of refresher rather than a reboot.

So yeah, due to a change in how Createspace manages distribution, I'm able to put the Housepets books on the European Amazons

Book 3

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Housepets-Can.....dp/1479100897/

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Housepets-C.....dp/1479100897/

Amazon Germany: http://www.amazon.de/Housepets-Can-.....dp/1479100897/

Amazon France: http://www.amazon.fr/Housepets-Can-.....dp/1479100897/

Amazon Italy: http://www.amazon.it/Housepets-Can-.....dp/1479100897/

Amazon Spain: http://www.amazon.es/Housepets-Can-.....dp/1479100897/



Book 2

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Housepets-Hop.....dp/1466428465/

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Housepets-H.....dp/1466428465/

Amazon Germany: http://www.amazon.de/Housepets-Hope.....dp/1466428465/

Amazon France: http://www.amazon.fr/Housepets-Hope.....dp/1466428465/

Amazon Italy: http://www.amazon.it/Housepets-Hope.....dp/1466428465/

Amazon Spain: http://www.amazon.es/Housepets-Hope.....dp/1466428465/



Book 1

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Housepets-Are.....dp/146365152X/

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Housepets-A.....dp/146365152X/

Amazon Germany: http://www.amazon.de/Housepets-Are-.....dp/146365152X/

Amazon France: http://www.amazon.fr/Housepets-Are-.....dp/146365152X/

Amazon Italy: http://www.amazon.it/Housepets-Are-.....dp/146365152X/

Amazon Spain: http://www.amazon.es/Housepets-Are-.....dp/146365152X/

(these two are only here due to a reduced rate distribution, I don't get much money from either of these)

Amazon CA: http://www.amazon.ca/Housepets-Are-.....dp/146365152X/

Amazon Japan: http://www.amazon.co.jp/Housepets-A.....dp/146365152X/

Going to be dealin'! Also given the size of the room, probably dying of heat exhaustion

I'm in need of work to do. This is also going to be my new price chart.

Reply here first. If I confirm you, email me at rickpgriffin@gmail.com, do not attempt to pay me until I have confirmed you there.

RCFM Conbadge -- Style same as MFF conbadges. Must be pickup, unlimited slots -- $45

One Character Full Body (not Housepets style)
Pencil - $45
Digital Ink - $65 (heavy style preferable)
Cell Shade - $90 (Includes simple background)
Full Color - $120 (Includes simple background)
Complex stuff extra (~+$30)

Housepets Style Character - $45 (no background, no mixing styles)

One Character Bust
Pencil - $30
Digital Ink - $45
Cell Shade - $60
Full Color - $75

+1 Character (all characters must be interacting/in the same scene to count), or complex object (feather wings, motorcycle, etc)
B&W - +$40
Color - +$60

+Background
Ink - $40
Color - +$60

Array of Sketches (Like so: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/3855526/ and http://www.furaffinity.net/view/3685345/ One or two character w/variations only), ~10-15 sketches
$100
+Digital Ink any sketch in array -- $30
+Color any sketch in array -- $70

No character sheets this round, had too many requests for those and I really want to do other things.

One Three or Four Panel Strip (Not in Housepets Style)
Digital Ink - $150
Flat Color - $200
Full Color - $250

Full-Page Comic, Per Page (Not in housepets style, must negotiate length)
Digital Ink - $220
Flat Color - $280
Full Color - $340

Large Commissions (>$90)
1.  taki
2.  Shiranai225

Small Commissions (=<$90)
1.  vanier
2.  lostcat461
3.  foxfireattack
4.  huskytime

HP-Style Commissions
1.  auva
2.  tiberiusrings
3.  tamatitheninetailedfox

Badges
1.  ijustwantlove
2.

I think it might go too far for now, I would much rather finish the rest of it privately without having the anxiety of knowing how much and if I'm giving too much away, especially since the parts after everything I've already pasted are the parts that need to be retooled the most.

I'll be posting the preview parts for Ten Thousand Miles Up soon.

In case you were waiting for it THERE for some reason or other

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007PUXGZY

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/146211

Go buy it!

I don't post here very much because this isn't a terribly good platform for me to just talk. So I have a tumblr. You can see me rant about the Nostalgia Critic right here: http://alabastermenagerie.tumblr.co.....ent-is-a-theme

Yaaaaay thanks a bunch everyone!

Of course it's going to flux for whatever reason for a few days still but okay

I was not at FC but I was informed someone at the table selling Tales From the Seventh Blade left the copy they had bought while they were showing the table owners a copy of Housepets. Ring any bells?

Okay guys I am still not quite sure how I am going to handle this

From what I could estimate, there were about 25 or so sales of Book 2 before I corrected the misprint. Here is what I am going to do.

If you have a misprinted copy, please mail it to me. Contact me at my email address (rickpgriffin@gmail.com) and I will give you my mailing address. I will not ask you to sink any more of a cost than this; in addition, it does not matter what condition it arrives in when it gets to me.

I will then mail you a fixed copy of Book 2, along with a full set of the Housepets bookmarks that I made for MFF, and also sign your copy if you like. Please note that this is only for the misprinted copies of Book 2; if I receive a fixed copy in the mail, you’ll have to pay postage to get it back.

HOW DO I KNOW MY COPY IS MISPRINTED?

It’s missing this comic: http://www.housepetscomic.com/2009/.....to-understand/

This was fixed by condensing art of King walking through the snow into the space of one comic height instead of two a few pages later.

In addition, the misprinted copy is 65/66 pages long, while the fixed copy is 60 pages long, as I took the opportunity to condense the story’s font size.

Hey Guys! Christmas times are here again, so why don't you buy a couple dozen copies of each book for your family? But wait, there's more! Use one of these codes when you purchase on Createspace to get $2 off each book!

Book 1: https://www.createspace.com/3640453
Book 2: https://www.createspace.com/3705440

Use code: LST4JYZD

This deal will end on December 15

I can't finish this month. I have 20,000 words to go and I am in absolutely no mood to do any writing given my dog was injured on Saturday night immediately following my coming home from vacation where I was completely exhausted all the time. I'm STILL exhausted, and I would much rather continue this story when I have a better idea of the direction it's going.

I'm probably going to be disappointed for a while, but that's probably better than feeling even worse because I worked myself in a stupor with something I'm not even remotely okay with instead of paying attention to my dog.

Okay so

FRIDAY, cont.

Now, I had invited  astolpho over as my guest (Guest of Guest of Honor?) and it was a really good setup because, for the most part, water runs through me like an open faucet, and he actually planned on being places other than the dealer's den. He is also super awesome, and made of win, and best of all, willing to hang out with me.

So okay, an hour after opening I had the GOH panel, which was the first panel I ever did, and it was somewhat rattling except that there was only maybe 20 people at most so it wasn't absolutely terrible. I had fun! And it was about this point that I started loosening up and actually talking to people.

So then I was BASICALLY in the dealer's den until 5. During that time I was swamped by people throwing me money and it was awesome actually meeting so many people who were fans or who just wanted my things. (I also took probably too many commissions because I didn't finish them all until the middle of the afternoon on Saturday.)

And the Comics panel was at 5:30, which was me,  astolpho and  mitti and it went really well; we had a good turnout I think despite the fact that most people were probably still expecting  blotch who was unable to do the panel. We were all pretty much unprepared, but it was basically talking shop so we had a lot to fill an hour.

So after that, the dealer's den had already closed so I was looking around for the art jam room. Did you know that MFF doesn't have an art jam room? I was exasperated and not a bit disappointed, even after asking all, like, four of my contacts if they knew where it was. So it ended up  astolpho, Quilrynn and Sleet and even though astolpho and I were the only artists we had like a fun time, cause I had brought my MST3K dvds.


SATURDAY

So okay, I was late again, though this time only for the opening of the dealer's den cause this time I got into the O'H. Their eggs benedict was good, but not as good as the corned beef hash version I had the day before. Anyway again it slipped my mind that there was a Sponsor Brunch, and it sucked and I was feeling bad because I felt like I was snubbing pretty much every cool thing the staff was providing for me.

Saturday was slightly slower business, but I stayed in the dealer's room pretty much all the time again because it was FUN. Guys, I like being busy? And even if you were interrupting me I didn't care because I really like meeting you guys and it's important.

Oh I don't even remember who all showed up on saturday. I know I saw  falconmccooper who gave me an original sketch he had done for me a few years ago and he was real cool. I remember I saw  strype either then or on Sunday and I feel bad because I was so completely tongue-tied I didn't get a chance to thank him for the commission he'd done for me.

After all that, I had dinner with  tahoetaxidinae and  greyloch at the Red Bar, where Tahoe and I had sushi. Despite the fact that we're located in, like, Chicago, the sushi was REALLY good.

 astolpho and I then went to  mitti's room for an art party, but she had like one of the standard double rooms and it was too cramped, so we ended up going to  thornwolf's room a bit later and oh my goodness it was so fun. I remember besides her and  skorzy there was  westly and  mbala and  foxfeather and  ironfeathers and it was SO COOL. I actually felt like part of the cool people group for once!


SUNDAY

Dealer's den opened later. There was, apparently, a miscommunication and some people thought it was opening even later, but eventually we were let in.

Apparently, more people buy the small trinkets on Sunday. In hindsight, this makes sense.  astolpho was away most of the time and a lot of people were throwing money at me for his stuff, which only ended up doing once through  thornwolf because the girl in question was in a hurry.

I only ended up making a very quick once around the dealer's room and I wish I had a little more time because I had an itch to get furry things, but you know, maybe next time!

That evening after dinner,  tahoetaxidinae had invited me to a game of Once Upon a Time with  greyloch and  jdpuppy and a few others who came and went, and also Sleet tagged along saying he didn't want to play but he ended up doing it anyway! Once Upon a Time is one of my favorite card games, it is basically an in-joke generator. Here are just a few!

The (foreign-local) Kingdom of Georgia
Who is going to play the Boat card?!
This Plan Can Fly
Orphans like to congregate at the well, of course
The orphans are also Aquarians
It was all the dream of a hobo in a magical cardboard box

Sometime near the end of our game,  joeysparkz came around in suit and he was, uh, tipsy. He was also pretty funny, though, and despite being drunk he was awfully nice (except maybe to  tahoetaxidinae but I have been told that was in jest. He came around again later just before we played a game of bananagrams and threw his glowsticks at Tahoe, which we then promptly hid before he remembered they were missing).


MONDAY

This day sucked. Less because the con was over (I finished up three commissions and delivered!) and more because I was stupid and needed to get a duffel bag, and thought I could walk at least part of the way. I ended up spending 2:30-5 being stupid because I didn't want to pay for a taxi twice. At least I didn't get lost. Well I finally got on a bus at O'Hare and now I am in Napanee for Thanksgiving so I guess it wasn't too bad.

Thanks a bunch to everyone who came by my table, and I'm sorry I'm not super talkative, but I am trying to be moreso! Maybe I'll see you guys at a future convention, because now I'm pretty much convinced these can be worth it!

Okay so! Let me break this down for you

WEDNESDAY

The day before my flight I was packing ALL DAY (except for working on Friday's comic). Since I was leaving on Delta I needed to minimize my luggage, but it still ended up that my two suitcases were each forty pounds. As it would later turn out, I massively overpacked. If you were at my table, you saw the sign that I had; it was only laminated that night.

My business cards had arrived JUST IN TIME and thank goodness because they were really cool and I ended up giving a bunch away.

THURSDAY

My first flight left 20 minutes late, which sucked because my connecting airport was Atlanta (flight crew was held up by their driver who had overslept). In that one you have to ride a subway to get anywhere, and I'd gotten to my connecting flight with like five minutes to spare. I was surprised that, it being a Delta flight, I still got a full package of pretzels. I don't think there were any furs on the plane because it was still rather early.

Anyway, I managed to lug everything through the airport to the bus station and eventually the hotel without anything being snatched off me (this is a perpetual fear of mine in big cities). So, when I got there I noticed that all the hotel staff were already wearing the pins I designed (uploading later!) which was neat. I had to wait around in the lobby for a while; at the time I was still nervous because it had felt like the other conventions I had gone to where I didn't quite belong, up until  Takaza showed up and gave me my room keys, then I felt a little better.

I felt a LOT better when I saw the gift basket the staff had given me; including lots of sodas, snacks, and what was most awesome was the new cashbox that was much, much better than the one I had brought.

So, I had previously ordered the books to arrive at the hotel and they had come without any problems, especially considering the misprint in book 2 had been fixed. Whew! I had like 70 copies of book 1 and 90 of book 2.

Anyway, I had the GOH dinner at about 6:30 that night and it lasted a very long time; I don't recall exactly who all was there, but I think there were six members of the staff, and also  thornwolf and  skorzy and it was really nice despite the fact that I felt so shy and didn't end up talking a lot.

Later that night my roommate Sleet showed up (I don't think he has an FA and it's not the one who has that name); I had not planned on having a roommate but the one who was planning on hosting him had to bail at the last moment and I really didn't want his time there to suck, so I let him stay over. So, I was all ready for the con when it started the following day!

FRIDAY

Then I totally sucked and missed the Opening Ceremonies. I'm sorry guys! But Sleet and I were going to have breakfast and we missed it at the O'H, so we looked at the restaurant guide and figured the super nearby Pancakes Eggcetera was close enough to walk to--and it was, but it took like a half hour. Gah. This would come back to bite me again later. (However, I had their Eggs Benedict with corned beef hash, and it was the BEST EGGS BENEDICT EVER, seriously try it)

So, I was back afterwards for opening of the Dealer's Den where I was seated between  astolpho and  thornwolf and I was like completely swamped immediately by people wanting to buy my books. Holy crap.

I'll need to get to this later! Check back for part 2!

I really need to wait a bit to give the full report because there was just so much and I had such a good time that I will need more time to explain it all.