hellkitty.com

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Doctor Who pages are coming along. Started inking this evening and though harrowing at first I think I'm getting it.

We got back from Seattle on Monday after a very nice weekend at the Emerald City Comic Con. Spent most of it furiously scribbling sketches but I did manage to get some time away from the table for some geek shopping and chats with good friends Moritat, Richard Starkings (up from L.A.), Gail Simone, Ed Brubaker and his wonderful wife Mel (who makes the meanest cupcake this side of the 1950s).

While there I heard this interesting bit of news (rumour perhaps?) from across the pond: apparently Russell T. Davies had this to say about our Doctor Who story which promises to feature all ten doctors: "Let them hang themselves. It can't be done."

Now some might take this as disheartening but I on the other hand see this as a wonderful challenge. Ask anyone who knows me, spite has always been a huge motivator in my life, put an obstacle in my path and I'll bust through it with ten times more verve than were there none. If I had a fire in my belly before, well now it's an inferno. And I can't be happier.

And how's this for heart-warming? Vic and I stood in line to meet Wil Wheaton and learned he's a huge fan of Y! Keeeeen!

Oh, and more Y pages are going up for sale today.

Pia Guerra @ 5:37 AM
1 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #

Saturday, May 03, 2008

Our first 4 pages are up for offer. Go to the Hellkitty Store to see them.

Claims should be sent to hellkitty.studios@gmail.com.

Pia Guerra @ 3:35 AM
0 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

At Earl's for a late dinner this evening when we heard some banging coming from the kitchen followed by the chef shouting "DAMNIT! WHY WON'T YOU DIE!?"

Yep.

Pia Guerra @ 1:37 AM
0 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #

Monday, April 28, 2008

We're getting close to selling pages! Vic has offered her services and is presently scanning away on the crappy Mustek I found on e-bay. It's a good scanner, just takes a bitch of a long time to run.

Here's how it will work.

We're going to be putting up a few pages at time here on the site. What goes up is what's for sale. Period. I don't want to hear any whining about such and such a page not being up and can you please dig through all those boxes to find my dream page? Nope. The main reason being this: I don't have all the pages. Jose and I had an arrangement where a certain amount from each issue went to him and another amount to me, based on even or odd numbered issues... yep, it's complicated. So I can't tell you what pages I have here or in storage without going into the boxes themselves And yes, a few, just a few, were sold over the last few years at local shows. That doesn't mean there aren't some nice offerings here, there are plenty, just that I have deadlines and don't want to put my sister through hell right now dealing with drama.

And seriously dudes, give her any flack and you'll be dealing with me. And a girl dragged away from her good Doctor is a very angry girl indeed.

Pages will be posted here, first one to send an e-mail claim (based on the time stamp) gets it. A confirmation e-mail will be sent within 2 days with shipping and insurance costs totaled in, Paypal info etc.

Payment will be in Canadian dollars through Paypal, money order or certified cheque. Be advised, sending a personal cheque to Canada from outside the country will require 30 days to clear. That means your purchase will remain in a box near the door until that cheque clears. This will make both of us cranky so just do it the other way.

All sales are final. If you request a personalised autograph and then don't like what you get, you're hosed. If there's some kind of problem with an unpersonalised page we'll sort out how to make you happy. Please be sure to ask any questions before you agree to buy a page and we'll do our best to answer it.

There you go. Good hunting.

Pia Guerra @ 10:48 PM
0 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Friday was tax day.

Blurgh.

Just a quick note for those looking for pages to buy: I'll have some up soon. Stay tuned.

Pia Guerra @ 5:32 AM
3 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Okay, I'm back from a frustrating couple of weeks.

After that month-long flu in February, extended no doubt by the intense LA trip, followed by a nuclear stress bomb of a tour through Europe only to get sick again on the return home from London, I'd had it with everything and was very lucky to get through customs in both Seattle and Vancouver without attacking someone in a sleep-deprived, fever-ridden, back-spasming, asthma-triggered panic. The virus itself burned off pretty fast but it was still a huge, mucous-y pain in the ass. Damn near drowned in bodily fluids. And poor Vic! She caught it with lightening speed and ended up with Bronchitis! She's doing much better, antibiotics really helped.

So after a week in bed I was faced with even more stress in the form of that stubborn CBT story still not being done. Never have I found 7 pages to be so fraught with problems, made more difficult by the Doctor Who gig I was trying to start. When I worked on the short story all I wanted to do was work on Doctor Who, when I worked on Doctor Who I felt guilty for not clearing away old business and couldn't focus my energies properly. With the CBT deadline looming I took this last weekend to finish the bloody thing once and for all, and sure enough, Kinkos had to turn it into an outright nightmare...

Once the pencils were complete my plan was to scan the pages and fiddle with the levels in Photoshop thereby avoiding the hassle of inking in the smaller format. Naturally, my scanner decided to quit working and the used wide-format one I found on e-Bay last week was still en route. I called Kinkos, asked them if they had a wide-format scanner and if they could do the job that afternoon, they said sure on both counts. I had been up all night finishing the pages so I handed the set to Ian with the necessary instructions attached and went to bed at 3pm (Saturday).

I got up a couple of hours later (5pm), because, wow, my brain doesn't know when to stay asleep sometimes, Ian was back and let me know the scanning job wouldn't be done until 8am the next morning (Sunday). No idea why it takes over 12 hours to push a few buttons but okay, we'll deal with it. At around 2am I called Kinkos to see if the job can be pushed up, the best they can do is 5am. Okay, great, I'm off for a nap.

5am, I wake up to find Ian and Vic have gone to pick up the scans. I jump in the shower to get ready for a morning at the office getting the files finished.

The scans arrive and they're not TIFF files (as requested on the order) but PDFs. And oh yeah, they don't have a wide-format scanner, only a regular one so the scans had to be stitched. That's why it took them so long.

Looking at the scans in Photoshop something didn't seem right, after consulting books on colouring comics (because I'm a total noob to digital comics formats), waiting for the editor and Mark the colourist to wake up so I can ask what they think, I also learn the scans were bitmapped, in other words, they're completely useless.

Sweet Jeezus!

Lucky us, as we're working through options (it's now noon Sunday) I find out Mark is in Surrey! I arrange to drop them off after some sleep.

They're out of my hands, and on their way. Here's hoping it turns out okay.

Monday.

Eisners are announced and how stunned am I to read Jose and myself are nominated for inking/pencilling team?! We've never gotten this before! Holy shit! And how was Frank Quitely not in there? Or John Cassaday?! Regardless, there's no way in hell Chris Ware doesn't walk away with it. And yes, I'm so happy just to be nominated. Again I say "Holy Shit!"

Adding to the euphoria is the news of both Ian and myself being nominated for Shusters! Double whammy!

On my first fully devoted Doctor Who day, 6 pages laid out and feeling so damn excited, it's interesting to see how the Universe decides to toss in some humility...

On the way home, 5am, happy and eager to get back to the table, I hear something in the bushes by the front door. A lot of scrambling in the branches, clearly a raccoon, possibly two. I'm about to leave when I hear something else, a tiny, steady, distressed chirping. I carefully looked around the bushes, trying to locate the disturbing noise without running into the raccoons. Just as I'm about to give up, there it is, a yard from my foot, an injured bird, small like a chickadee only brown with a dart of bright red on her head and it's chirping in rhythm with it's fast breathing.

Oh dear.

I reach out and it has no problem with perching on my fingers. It settles into my palm, wheezing/chirping non-stop, peep-peep-peep-peep, it's head tilted heavily to one side. I bring it inside and show her to Ian. Remembering what happened the last time I tried to rescue a bird Ian tells me not to touch my face unless I want another eye infection to deal with. We decide to try for the all night animal hospital and I call Vic (she also barks at me to not touch my face). We meet up in the car, the bird seems to gain a little strength, lifting her head, fluttering slightly in my hand, still chirping in rhythm. I think maybe the heat of my hand has helped. She might make it. We drive two blocks, the bird flutters once again... and stops chirping.

I ask Vic to stop the car and turn on the light.

"She's gone."

We turn back and after parking, we all say goodbye and I find a spot in the underbrush to lay the still warm bird down.

Well fuck.

Pia Guerra @ 6:54 AM
2 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

My bag showed up three days before we came home.

Somehow, I caught another bug while over there and have spent the last three days shivering, sweating and barely sleeping under numerous blankets.

I'm exhausted, pushed to the damn limits and all I want right now is to heal.

I'll post photos and stories from the trip shortly.

Pia Guerra @ 3:41 PM
1 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

In London this evening, Ian and I were hanging out with Tony Lee and friends at the Fitzrovia Pub for the Hope Falls wrap party. At one point someone answers a text message on his cell and exclaims "Arthur C. Clarke just died!" As most of those present were writers and artists the news had an unexpectably profound impact, as if a cold little hole suddenly appeared in the world.

Thinking about it now I'm reminded of images of Great Blue Whales caught on film, so rare and palpably present, their passing leaves you shuddering in awe as that impossible mass fades into the depths, never to be seen by human eyes again.

A giant has passed. We raised our glasses in salute.

There's more to report from the trip of course (including a possible luggage sighting!), very sleepy.

Pia Guerra @ 6:06 PM
0 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #

Saturday, March 15, 2008

I would like to take this opportunity to thank British Airways for completely fucking up our trip.

After our signing yesterday we had a bit of time to go out to the strip mall across this big honking field to buy some more clothes to get us through the weekend. With the walking at the show, slogging through aisle after aisle in store after store, stressing over what size was what, trying to communicate what should be simple things to staff, and then dragging ourselves back across the field to the hotel only to learn we had to go back to get my phone left behind at the Nokia store after buying a charger, there was no energy left for the after-show party. I was in a lot of pain, hip, back and feet, and just drained of strength.

And today I get to hear how wonderful that party was, taking place in the catacombs of a centuries old castle. Apparently there was a brilliant buffet, great music, some well known Japanese artists with many lovely stories. Which ones? I have no idea BECAUSE I WASN'T THERE!

I was in our hotel, lying in pain, eating Pringles.

Fuck you British Airways. Fuck you for not returning e-mails, fuck you for calling after 5 days of nothing just to tell us my bag wasn't at Franfurt.

Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you.

Pia Guerra @ 2:14 AM
3 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #

Thursday, March 13, 2008

It's Thursday, we just finished signing on the first day of the Leipzig Book Fair.

Still no luggage. No response yet to e-mails on British Airway's site. My cell is about to die since the charger is in the missing bag. Same with the camera's battery.

Hannover went nicely, the weather was crazy cold and blustery but the fans were warm and friendly. We headed out early this morning and got in to Leipzig with just enough time to buy another pullover and a warm hoodie before the signing.

I think there's something weird about the water or the soap or something because the hair colour I had done before the the trip is now turning a bit orange. Guh.

There's a music video on television right now featuring a CGI bunny singing to his carrot. It's called Kusschelsong.

The book fair is HUGE. We've only seen one hall so far, more tomorrow.

Pia Guerra @ 10:46 AM
2 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Germany is wonderful.

Yesterday went really well. After breakfast I did a lightning shopping trip and found a decent wardrobe thanks to more stores carrying plus sizes than they do back home. I usually hate buying clothes because there are only 3 places in Vancouver to find stuff in my size, but here... wow, I am woman, hear me whip out the credit card! I've become a stereotype! Love it. Found some great jeans, nice t-shirt, socks (had to get the ones with Snoopy on them, no idea why, undies and hair stuff. Still need a hoodie or something to warm up, but the cold is not that bad at all. The rains were prety light though the pressure changes in the air have been doing a number on my back. That'll get better with more sleep and some tylenol I think.

After the shopping we met up with Joe and Steffen and toured about the neighbourhood a bit. Found this stunning chocolate shop where Ian loaded up. Then we checked out an amazing church (I think it was St. Bartholomew's). They were tuning the pipe organ at the time, very eerie because of the sustained notes filling the enormous space. We wondered why it was so strange and then it was obvious, it sounded exactly like old Doctor Who episodes with the incidental music. I took some video, will try to post it soon.

After a brief break at the hotel we were off to the signing where we met many fans, signed many books, and drew many sketches. It was a lot of fun. And everyone speaks fantastic english so there was much yapping about comics.

We crashed early after a sweet meal of Indian food.

And Ian's bag turned up! Finger's crossed for mine making an appearance soon.

Today, we're in Hanover. I'm not sure about the Stuttgart situation, whether there was a change or not, but more as I learn it.

Bunche just wrote to me with news of the Passing of Dave Stevens. Awful beyond words. He was an incredible artist.

Pia Guerra @ 10:25 PM
0 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #

9 hours to London, slept maybe an hour on the plane, arrive to learn our connecting flight was cancelled due to weather. 6 hour layover in a depatures lounge with no place to lie down. Arrive in Franfurt at around 1am. British Airways lost our luggage. Still trying to track them down, we have no fresh clothes, no 'folio (with scripts to work on), no personal items, no HAIR PRODUCTS for hair the guy at Suki's INSISTS now requires styling until it grows out some more.

And icing on the cake, the ultimate irony, woke up this morning to the perfect, and I mean perfect, bed head. My hair couldn't have looked more amazing with the putty and gel and stuff put in on Sunday . And then I had to wash it all out.

Well fuck.

Signing at a comic shop this afternoon at 4pm.

Gotta find something to wear.

Pia Guerra @ 12:58 AM
0 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #

Saturday, March 08, 2008

Okay, I've tried gel, gel spray, moulding putty, something called "surf hair" and it's still not working out. I like the top but the neck is a mess. I have an appointment with a different stylist tomorrow, hopefully he'll have some good suggestions.

So much to do yet and the hair thing is sucking up all my time.

Pia Guerra @ 5:59 AM
0 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #

Friday, March 07, 2008

You ever have those moments after a lengthy struggle with brush and gel and water where not only can you not get your hair to style like it was out of the salon the day before but you can't even get it to sit normal instead of the weird Frankenstein's monster meets Hilary Clinton thing it wants to do, and then, seeing the straggly rat tails, fuzzy crooked bits and weird chunks hanging off your ears have you ever stood there in front of the mirror, brush and gel in wet, sticky hands, and just CRIED?

Not since getting the Peggy Flemming cut from aunt Hillu when I was 6 years old have I felt this miserable.

I'll try again tomorrow before deciding on some kind of solution.

On the very upside, found a copy of Bryan Talbot's Heart of the Empire at the comic shop tonight. I actually gasped out loud upon seeing it. I think the Universe is being nice to me, or maybe it just wanted to pass along a "nice try" for the hair thing.

Sunday we're off to Frankfurt. I don't yet have locations for the signings both Ian and I will be doing there and in Stutgart, but if you're in that neck of the woods try asking around, someone must know. From the 12th to the 15th (?) we're in Leipzig for the book festival so I hope to see you there.

And as a special treat you get to see me completely butcher the German language, but not for lack of trying, I've been working very hard with a Berlitz book to remember as much of my high school Beginner's German as possible. So far, I can give good directions, ask for a pen, and request that Herr Schmidt send off many letters by fax machine. I'm sure it will come in handy somewhere.

Pia Guerra @ 1:39 AM
1 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #

Thursday, March 06, 2008

My hair is so short.

I need to get used to it before taking photos.

Pia Guerra @ 2:54 AM
1 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

I don't usually watch late night talk shows but I'm getting so hooked on Craig Ferguson's monologues. I know!

Nearly four years ago I announced to friends and family (okay, Ian and Vic) that I was going to grow out my hair in order to donate it to Locks of Love, a charity that provides wigs to kids who need them. Tomorrow (okay, later today) I get the big chop. Weird thinking that soon I will no longer have this long hank getting caught in car doors, tangled in collars, tugging my head into painful angles while I slept or taking forever to dry.

Photos forthcoming.

Two pages done on CBT. Five more nearly there. I've also been working on the first page of Doctor Who. Makes me giggle just thinking about it.

Getting psyched for Sunday's flight out.

Pia Guerra @ 3:38 AM
2 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #

Sunday, March 02, 2008

And in keeping with the weekend's theme, while at the Comedy Death Ray show tonight at the Commodore we were besieged by the cacaphonous chatterings of yet another gaggle of spoiled idiots. What the fuck is wrong with these people?! They get all their friends together for some birthday party or secretaries' night out or some shit, gather at their table (near the bar of course) with their cell phones out and just YAMMER ON AND ON all through the headliner's set!

Do they wait for the show to end before getting out the cameras to pose for their farewell hugs? NO! RIGHT FUCKING THERE, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ACT THEY FIRE AWAY THEIR FLASH CAMERAS! We're ACROSS THE ROOM from these fuckers and we can hear all their banal twitters and squeals. There's even a security guard STANDING RIGHT THERE, but does he do anything? Hell no!

How fucking much do you have to pay for a ticket to make you sit and shut the fuck up and just listen to the fucking show?! Where the hell does this inflated sense of entitlement come from that you can go to a live event and act as if you're still in your living room having a slumber party?!

For fuck's sake! This isn't your local sports bar with Seinfeld playing in the background while you rehash your day at perfume counter! It's something we all paid money to attend because we want to hear what these performers have to say! We're not interested in your car troubles and gossip girl crap you boring pieces of shit! Grow the fuck up!

Fuck.

Pia Guerra @ 3:14 AM
1 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #

Friday, February 29, 2008

Just got back from the Patton Oswalt show at the Vogue! Fantastic sets from Patton, and openers Dana Gould and hometown hero Graham Clarke.

The only way it could have been better was if the 6 people at the end of our two rows weren't such total douchebags. This skinny pseudo-emo dressing couple were right next to us, their bridge-and-tunnel-rat friends (judging by the excessive mall make-up) in front of them and Christ they would not shut up. Everyone in our group, including many of Ian, Riel and Vicky's stand-up buds who all happened to get seats together were shushing and yelling at these assholes to keep it down but clan Yak Yak McCud-chewers kept at it. Then towards the end of the night when Patton brought out a couple of his more well known bits (the ones about the 67 year old new mom and the KFC bowl) the emo's actually called out the punchlines before he even said them, waving their arms to punctuate each word like they were conductors at some fucking Dane Cook concert. When the material turned to newer stuff they couldn't repeat by rote they would then rattle their chip bags or loudly ask each other shit like "Is that funny? I don't get it, is that supposed to be racist?"

When the lights came up it turned into a bit of screaming match as all the comics in our row took turns hacking into the un-original frat-fucks while they whined about how we weren't really fans "because that's what Patton would want to hear!" I guess we just missed that fridge post-it. Riel and I sang them out with "You lucky guys! Look what you get to take home! Wooo!"

And still despite those hick, no taste, no talent, fashion victim losers from thicksville, the show was stellar. Loved it. To top it off with a sweet lil' maraschino cherry we got to say hello afterwards to Mr Oswalt who laid down some lovely praise on Brian which I'll be passing on shortly.

Itching to get some work done. Ian is cooking up the most amazing smelling steak. Vic is playing Bejeweled.

Yep, life is nice.

Pia Guerra @ 10:18 PM
0 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Up to page 7 now in progress. Coming along.

Pub quiz tonight!

Pia Guerra @ 6:59 AM
0 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #

Monday, February 25, 2008

A little more headway made into the CBT pages this weekend. Layouts are done, page one is done and up to page four in progress. More this week.

Throat and ears are still bugging me but at least I'm awake.

Pia Guerra @ 3:10 AM
0 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Okay, time for some updates.

Y the Last Party was unforgettable and amazing and raised eleven grand for CBLDF. Here's some video recapping the night (WARNING! If you haven't read the last issue you may want to avoid the massive spoilers contained herein!):

Y: THE LAST PARTY

Add to My Profile | More Videos

I'm still stunned whenever I think back on that night, all the amazing things said about the book, meeting fans who actually camped out to get tickets, and of course that monkey (couldn't get enough of her!).

It took a few days to really recover from all that, both physically and emotionally. Physically because I was still pretty ill despite the soothing effects of antibiotics, the dusty LA air really didn't help, and sleep was crazy wonky. Emotionally because, well, that's a lot of excitement to deal with out of the blue after spending two weeks in bed. Saturday I was spent (watched Juno in the Hotel room) and Sunday, after an incredibly grueling day dealing with some bad directions, blazing sun and unco-operative cabbies I flipped out. It took a trip to Griffith Observatory and a lovely encounter with some honest-to-goodness infinity to set me right again.

And then on Monday we got stuck at LAX for ten hours.

We've been back in Vancouver for a couple of weeks now and I'm still dealing with this fucking flu. The worst of it is gone but the fatigue and ear thing is a lingering pain in the ass.

Still working on the Leah Moore short story. This should have been done weeks ago, Christ! I'm just getting back into the groove here aaaand...

Once that story is clear I get to start on that formerly-super-secret project. If you haven't heard yet, on the night of Y - The Last Party in LA I got the go ahead from the editors to announce the next book I'll be working on:

IDW's Doctor Who.

Wooo! So happy about it.

And how did all this come about?

Last year I was on the Bendis Board chatting with fellow Who maniac Alysha McK about whether a Doctor Who comic would be a good idea. Alysha of course wanted to write it and I jumped in saying that I'd have to draw it. As we giggled on about that, writer Tony Lee joined the thread asking if we were serious about this and to write him.

He e-mailed me about how IDW was working on acquiring the rights and asked if I'd be interested in drawing an arc. At the time I was already stressed from the Y schedule and wasn't sure about committing to another book so soon. It was also at this time that I got some contact info for Doctor Who Magazine. They run a 9 page strip every month and that, to me, seemed much more manageable. I talked with Alysha about pitching a story for the strip instead and we put together an outline.

The story, which we kept short thinking it would have a better chance as a little fill-in, was not well received. They wanted a bigger, juicier storyline and that would require a lot more work to flesh out. After squeezing out what little free time I could getting the pitch together there just wasn't any left to work this out into something more expansive and still get Y out so I let Alysha know that I had to hold off for a while.

And that was that, or so I thought.

A few months later we're at SDCC and hanging out with our Bestest-Friend-in-the-Whole-Universe, Aussie writer Shane McCarthy who's all excited about landing a gig on IDW's Transformers. At some point during the weekend Shane introduces me to Chris Ryall and we all get to talking about Doctor Who which is looking like it's going ahead. I still wasn't sure if I would be able to do a whole arc for them but then the conversation turned to doing a Who story with Shane. Well, that I couldn't resist. I let Ryall know that I was interested all right but it would have to be some time after Y ended. He said there was already a team put together and (BBC approval willing) Shane and I could do a fill-in arc later and that would be great.

So a few more months go by. I hear from Shane how the Transformers arc is booming into a beautiful, sweeping epic and he probably will have to focus on that for the rest of the year. No Who until some time later. No problem, I need to focus on Y anyway and time off afterwards would be sweet.

After the Dublin con (where I met Leah) we're in London and I'm signing books at Forbidden Planet when I meet a gentleman with a message from Chris Ryall to contact him. That night I hear back from him via e-mail that there's an arc by Tony Lee being put together and was I still interested? Sure, but after Y.

Another month goes by and Tony Lee is letting me know that a script is nearing completion. It would be ready by New Year's, only a week after Y ends. Well that's a little freaky. By now I'm exhausted and really wanting some time off. A few more e-mails and there's word that this could start in March. That could work. And Leah's story should fit into that time frame nicely.

Our flu/pneumonia month has made all that a bit more challenging of course but that's how it goes sometimes.

And here we are.

And I still want to work out the bugs on the DWM story damnit!

;)

Pia Guerra @ 12:51 AM
2 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #

Friday, February 15, 2008

A few night ago, Ian, Vicky and myself were hanging out playing Bejeweled when we heard a powerful explosion outside. It sounded like it came from Cambie Street and our first thought was maybe a propane tank blew at the RAV line construction site. Soon the neighbourhood was filled with the sounds of sirens and we figured we'd find out what happened on the news the next day.

Sure enough, all over the headlines is the story of the Taco Del Mar on Broadway getting firebombed.

The blast took out the Starbucks next door, sent debris across the street into the London Drugs' windows and even blew in a window at the Holiday Inn down the street, inside was a sleeping soldier on leave! She was okay, just shaken up (poor thing).

It was interesting to note the reactions to the bombing, most people saying "Yeah, it looks like arson" "Some guy did a pretty lousy job of it" "Witnesses saw the jerk running from the scene" "Probably an insurance job or disgruntled employee" and so on. Not once did anyone bring up the word 'terrorism', even with the Olympics only two years away.

And that's why I like living here.

Oh yeah, a very burned suspect was picked up earlier today. There's some talk about the guy being connected to other acts of vandalism on the west side.

Pia Guerra @ 3:26 PM
1 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #

Still fighting this bug! It seemed on it's way in LA but as soon as we got back it decided to pull a last gasp (not unlike Gudonov's character in Die Hard bursting out from under that blanket with an uzi or whatever it was). Not as bad as the week before, mostly a stubborn cough and lack of energy. I did manage to get out to the office today for some work, most of the pencils on page one of the CBT story are done with starts on page two and three. We'll see how tomorrow goes.

Of course there's a lot to talk about from Y the Last Party and a certain announcement but damn if I'm about to pass out here.

More soon.

Pia Guerra @ 3:02 AM
0 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Despite some really, reeeeeally bad moments this weekend (ticket problems on the way down, wandering lost in Hollywood, choking on smog, dehydration, sunburnt eyeballs, and getting stuck at LAX 12 hours of our last day in LA) it was all worth it for this:

Meeting 'Zoonie' was one of the highlights of my life.

Getting a dumptruck of praise from fans, a speech from Joss Whedon, and having a page of Y go for two grand at the CBLDF auction was pretty sweet too.

More pics soon. I need sleep so bad right now.

Pia Guerra @ 2:47 AM
0 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #

Thursday, February 07, 2008

Antibiotics! Oh how they make me happy!

Got some good sleep and now I'm up and packing. Or at least I will be as soon as I coax a very sweet cat off my lap.

More when we get to L.A.

Pia Guerra @ 7:08 AM
0 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

I really feel like punching something.

I was feeling better this morning. The sinus stuff was gone, I was coughing less and overall it seemed what was left of this flu was just a weakened immune system sparking up my asthma/allergies a bit. No need to see the doctor, this train is leaving the station! Yay! We went out for some lunch to get some fresh air, clear the lungs of triggers and fuel up for the final farewell to the last 2 weeks of fucking misery.

And then on the walk home I was hit by a huge wave of tired so I figured "okay, time for bed anyway, I'm hitting the sack."

I wake up 4 hours later (y'know 'cause I love not getting a solid 7-8), I'm coughing up crap, my throat is on fire, my eyes are burning and squinty and I'm EXHAUSTED!

I'm so done with this! I need to be on a plane on Thursday and I'm fucking done already! So on top of all the other last errands I have to get caught up on tomorrow now I have to cram in a trip to the clinic.

Fuck.

Pia Guerra @ 12:38 AM
0 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #

Monday, February 04, 2008

I really should be in bed but I just got this link

Tipping the Glass to Y : The Last Man

Holeee...

Pia Guerra @ 2:46 PM
0 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #

Sunday, February 03, 2008

I am officially sick of being sick. Last night I missed the Jim Gaffigan show because of a wracking cough that scared Ian silly. My throat feels all scratched up, my chest is raw and I'd really like to sleep more than a few hours at a time.

sucks.

Watched a bit of Spartan this morning on cable. How much do I love that movie?

Back to bed...

Pia Guerra @ 11:06 AM
0 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #

Saturday, February 02, 2008

Urban Rush was a hoot. Some of you Vancouverites may have caught it Friday evening but if you missed it, the episode will rerun on Monay morning. Mike and Fiona are always a blast and it was so cool to talk to them about the book at the very beginning of its run years back, then again in the middle and now at the end.

And another link.
An interview on Newsarama with two creators who made huge impacts on this book: A Good-Bye to Y: Massimo Carnevale, Jose Marzan Jr. Lovely!

Got this note from David Hyde, DC's PR guy extraordinaire:

MTV is prepping a segment looking at women in power via the prism of pop culture, specifically what's the fantasy (like in Y the Last Man, "Commander in Chief," etc) and what can Hillary Clinton learn from that?

(too bad I'm an Obama fan)

Thanks again to everyone writing in about the book. It's really great to read all the wonderful feedback!

And just a note about Facebook...

I am on this network but I've limited it to people I deal with on a regular basis, family, friends, colleagues and such. It's my address book where I can quickly access these people and also have a quick glance at how they're doing (via the mini-feed). I don't do applications like Gifts or Growing Things or Compare Your Friends or whatever. If you've been sending and re-sending friend requests (or Gifts, Growing Things etc.) and not getting a confirm please don't feel snubbed, I just want my Facebook page to be small and relatively uncluttered.

Please check out MySpace if you'd like to join my open network there.

Trying to sleep. Not really succeeding.

Pia Guerra @ 3:16 PM
0 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #

Friday, February 01, 2008

Radio interview went well, I haven't listened to it yet but I'm guessing I sound weird. I went through several Ricolas to get through it in case there's a lot wrapper crinkling going on. Afterwards we went home and I crashed for a bunch of hours. Around midnight I was up again, checking e-mails, having some dinner but now I have to get back in bed so I can be up for an inteview on Urban Rush at noon. I can't remember if the show is live or recorded a day ahead. It'll be fun to chat with Mike and Fiona again.

I still have a mess of work to do too. Ugh. Want this cold done now.

Pia Guerra @ 4:33 AM
1 comments
------------------------------------------------------------------ #