Tag: 2026 events

Song of the Week

Kíla & OKI, “Topattumi”

Good morning!

Here is something I didn’t know existed: a collaboration between Celtic pop group Kíla and Ainu musician Oki. The language you hear is Ainu, pronounced very carefully by the Irish gentlemen. There are only around 300 native speakers left, if memory serves.

I got my meds and am feeling much better! I just have to finish this course of antibiotics. I’ll have new pages of Last Watch Before Dawn tomorrow and Friday.

My next market will be Slay the Lake’s Pride Book Fest on Saturday, June 27: Noon to 5 at Soundgrowler Brewing, 8201 183rd St, Tinley Park, IL. More on that as we get closer!

Some petitions for today:

Via Block the Bombs: Block the bombs

Via USCPR Action: No War on Iran, No Weapons for Israel, No ICE in Our Communities

Via Save the Children: Unlock lifesaving aid for families

That’s all for today. Stop by again soon!

Song of the Week

The Cure, “The Hanging Garden”

Good morning!

This is earlier than I usually post these, because I have been awake since 4AM. All of my children, human and feline, decided that was the time to wake up. I disagreed, but I was apparently outvoted.

Chocolate cake was a hit, but baby seems to still like fruit better. Her ability to pick it up with her hands may be a factor.

New pages of Last Watch Before Dawn this week, and I’ll be at the Spooky Frog Horrifying Book Fair on Saturday! 11-4 at the Sheraton Brookfield, and entry is only $5. There will be DJs, free snacks, a cash bar, and of course indie horror authors and artists. I am looking forward to going back!

A couple of petitions for this week:

Via Action Network: Fund SNAP, not bombs

Via All Out: Ensure shelters in Lebanon are accessible to everyone

Via the Institute for Middle East Understanding: Recognize the ongoing Nakba

Via Win Without War: End war on Iran

That’s all for now. Thanks for being here, stop by again soon, and I’d love to see you on Saturday!

Song of the Week

Aquila Young, “Vagabond”

Good morning. I am writing to you from underneath one baby and one cat. Please send help. Or maybe snacks.

What the Hex was a lovely time, as always! It was great to catch up with old friends and meet some new ones. Now I have a bit of a break before Spooky Frog on the 16th.

In addition to being nap trapped, my wi-fi keeps kicking out, so I’ll call it here before I lose this post for the third time. I’ll be back tomorrow with a new page of Last Watch Before Dawn.

Song of the Week

Heidi Talbot, “Bedlam Boys” (traditional)

This song originates from when Bedlam House (and its counterpart, Maudlin House, for women patients) was a thing, and it serves as a reminder that 1) the Renaissance was really, really weird and 2) mental healthcare has come so far!

I had a lovely time at the Kenosha Book Festival yesterday! It was a bit chilly, but the rain stayed away, and lots of people came out. I learned my lesson to dress in layers at the very first one I attended in April of 2024. If you missed it, there will be more–one a month from now through September, plus Bookoween in October–but I will be elsewhere.

Speaking of, I’ll be at What the Hex: The Magician this Sunday! 11-5 at Dresden Castle on Underwood, Cudahy, WI. I’m excited to rejoin Brooke and all the other magical artists and vendors. Here’s the Facebook event, if that’s helpful.

I’ll have a new page of Last Watch Before Dawn for you tomorrow. Friday is May Day, and it’ll be quiet around here in solidarity with various May Day actions taking place across the country. After that, we should be back on our regular schedule for the foreseeable future (which, to be fair, is not all that far these days).

Also, newsletter this week! It’ll be out on Thursday. If you want updates delivered to your inbox along with pictures of my cats, you can put your email into the box at this link. Be sure to check for a confirmation email afterward.

A couple of petitions:

Via Oxfam: Prioritize Gaza’s recovery

Via Kids In Need of Defense: Investigate indefinite detention of unaccompanied minors

Via Just Foreign Policy: Support the Lebanon war powers resolution

That’s what I’ve got for today. More soon! Take care of yourselves this week.

Song of the Week

Otyken, “Tundra”

Good morning!

It’s very rare that I listen to (and therefore feature) music released this year, much less this week, so enjoy.

New pages of Last Watch Before Dawn this week, and don’t forget about the Kenosha Book Festival on Sunday! I’ll have new bookmarks and plenty of books to sign for you (or you can bring me a copy you already have, and I’d be happy to sign it and write you a note). Here’s the Facebook event, if that helps. In addition to all the local and indie authors, there will be a huge used book sale, story time with Belle from Beauty & the Beast, and a food truck bringing something called “pizza cones.” I’m not sure what this means, but pizza is pretty good no matter what shape it comes in.

In May, I’ll be at What the Hex: The Magician (Sunday, May 3) and another Spooky Frog Horrifying Book Fair (Saturday, May 16).

A couple of petitions:

Via Demand Progress: No war on Cuba

Via USCPR Action: No war on Iran, no weapons for Israel, no ICE in our communities

Via Save the Children: Send lifesaving aid to Afghanistan

I think that’s all I have for today. Stop by again soon, and I hope to see you in Kenosha on Sunday!

Song of the Week

Paris Paloma, “Miyazaki”

Good morning! The world is cursed, but the sun is shining, and we’re still here.

New pages of Last Watch Before Dawn this week, as per usual.

Mark your calendars for the Kenosha Book Festival on April 26! I’ll be there, and so will some more fantastic local and indie authors, from 10 until 3 in the parking lot outside Studio Moonfall, 5031 7th Ave, Kenosha, WI. From 11 until 1, there will be storytime for kids with Belle from Beauty and the Beast. There will also be a food truck, but I don’t know what it is off the top of my head. I’ll post more about it as we get closer to the date.

After that, I’ll be doing another What the Hex on May 3, and another Spooky Frog Horror Book Fair on May 16.

A couple of petitions:

Via Demand Progress: No war on Cuba

Via Just Foreign Policy: Block support for the invasion of Lebanon

Via Nextgen America: No war with Iran

I think that’s all for today. Take care, and stop by again soon.

Song of the Week

Shawn James, “Burn the Witch”

Some disturbing imagery in the video, just so you know.

Hi. It’s Monday again.

If you’re in Wisconsin, please turn out tomorrow for the Supreme Court election! myvote.wi.gov has all the information you need about your registration, polling place, and ballot.

The new chapter of Last Watch Before Dawn began last week, so we’ll be continuing with that this week. I usually draw when my baby naps–on my chest, which is good for her getting a nice long nap in, but not great for my posture. I’m teaching her to nap on her own this week, so I hope you’ll be patient if comic pages are a little delayed. Right now she’s sleeping soundly, so we’re off to a good start.

At the end of the month, I’ll be going to the Kenosha Book Festival again! Sunday, April 26, from 10 until 3, at the parking lot outside of Studio Moonfall, 5031 7th Ave., Kenosha, WI. See you there!

Some petitions for today:

Via Civic Shout: Pass a federal ban on conversion therapy

Via Demand Progress: Block 20,000 bombs

Via Win Without War: No more money for war

A note: I always try to remove UTM tracking tags from any links I post. If I’ve missed some, please let me know. I think we don’t need to be tracked everywhere we go online.

That’s all for now. Stop by again soon! And don’t forget to vote!

Song of the Week

Peter Hollens, “I See Fire” (Ed Sheeran cover, from The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug)

I like this version better than the original, so here you are.

I’ve just ordered many books in preparation for going out to events again starting next month. I’d love it if you would come see me and take them off my hands! First up will be the Kenosha Book Festival on April 26.

This week, we’ll be finishing up this chapter of Last Watch Before Dawn, with a page on Tuesday and one on Friday.

A couple of petitions:

Via Win Without War: Not one dime for Trump’s war

Via Just Foreign Policy: No troops on the ground and no draft

That’s all for today. I love you, take care, and stop by again soon.

Song of the Week

Devon Gilfillian, “Troublemaker”

Good morning!

I have another event for this year’s calendar: Slay the Lake’s Pride Market! Saturday, June 27, at Soundgrowler Brewing Co. in Tinley Park, IL. I’m also on the waitlist for their Kenosha event this spring, but in any case, I’m looking forward to it.

The newsletter will be going out on Saturday, so if that’s something you’re interested in and you haven’t signed up yet, here’s the signup link again. Be sure to check your inbox for a confirmation when you’re done.

Other than that, I’ll have new pages of Last Watch Before Dawn for you tomorrow and Friday. This chapter is long and depressing, but we’re moving through it, and then things will start looking up! Sometimes you have to make your characters miserable.

A couple of petitions for today:

Via the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights: Block the bombs, again

Via Demand Progress: Block ICE’s warehouse prison expansion

Via The Workers Circle: Protect Haitian Temporary Protected Status

That’s what I’ve got for you. Thanks for being here.