Tag: 2026 events

Song of the Week

Dolly Parton, “Jolene” (33 rpm)

I guess it’s good afternoon, now. Here’s something fun.

Brooke is going to be at the Milwaukee Mature Indie Literature Festival (MKE MILFest) on Saturday the 29th! As the name suggests, it’s an adults only event, and it will be at The Sugar Maple, 441 E Lincoln Ave, from 2 until 7 in the evening. Her gorgeous Dancing with Death set of cards will be available for purchase for the first time!

In the meantime, I’ll have a new page of Last Watch Before Dawn for you on Tuesday and Friday. We’re down to the last eight pages! One more month before this draft is finished!

The newsletter will come out on Monday the 31st. Here’s the signup link if you’re interested. Be sure to check your inbox afterward for a confirmation.

A couple of petitions for today:

Via Just Foreign Policy: End the illegal blockade of Cuba

Via Amnesty International: Close family detention centers

Via Save the Children: Protect children from war

Thanks for being here. Stop by again soon, and have an excellent week.

Song of the Week

The Decemberists, “Down By the Water”

Good morning! ETA: Wisconsin folks, the primary election is tomorrow! myvote.wi.gov has everything you need.

The Book Gymboree is this Saturday!

The Book Gymboree 2026 RecPlex Author Book Fair Indoors Pleasant Prairie, WI Free Admission Sat Aug 15th Calling all readers Looking for your next book? Come spend the day with dozens of talented local authors at The Book Gymboree at the RecPlex! Check out local authors and shop books! Saturday | August 14th 10:00 AM | 4:00 PM Contact us: info@bloodmane.com

I’ll be one of MANY local authors, so I’m sure you’ll find your next favorite book! See you there!

New pages of Last Watch Before Dawn will be up Tuesday and Friday. According to my outline, we are 12 pages from the end.

Some petitions for this week:

Via Amnesty International: Save Dr. Abu Safiya’s life

Via New/Mode: No war on Cuba

Via IMEU Policy Project: Bring Sama Safi home

Via Campaign for a New Myanmar: Support TPS for Burmese refugees

That’s all for today. Stop by again soon, and I hope to see you Saturday!

Song of the Week

Renee Christine, “The Body and the Blood”

Good morning!

Chapter Five of Last Watch Before Dawn begins tomorrow! I am busy drawing a town and hating every minute of it. Buildings are both difficult and boring to draw, especially in groups. Regardless, new pages will be up Tuesday and Friday.

I’m headed out to a book fair on the 15th! The Book Gymboree is organized by Wisconsin author AJ West, and it will take place at the RecPlex in Pleasant Prairie. Admission is free, and there are more than 40 authors who will be in attendance, so you’ll be sure to find your next favorite book!

A couple of petitions:

Via Win Without War: No funds for Trump’s wars

Via Civic Shout: Stop the illegal boat strikes

Via No Business with Genocide: Support peace, accountability, and human rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Thanks for being here. Have an excellent week, and stop by again soon.

Song of the Week

MAREWREW, “Sonkayno”

Good morning! More Ainu music for today.

I am so sad to have missed the Chicago Pride Book Fest. My car stopped working on the way out of Milwaukee, and despite trying very hard (we got a jump from roadside assistance, but it didn’t help), we ended up having to head home. Fortunately, it managed to make it there (at like 35 miles an hour, max), so we didn’t get stranded. I’m taking it in to the dealership today.

If the newsletter is something that interests you, it’s going to go out at noon tomorrow (Central time). You can put your email in the box at this link. Be sure to check your inbox right after for a confirmation. This edition has garden and cat pictures, plus a bunch of Brooke’s new paintings.

New pages of Last Watch Before Dawn this week. This coming month will finish up Chapter Four, and then we’re on to the last one!

A couple of petitions:

Via Native Organizers Alliance: Save the Equal Access Rule

Via Action Collective: Drop the 30-year charges against ICE protestors

Via All Out: Stop deporting LGBT+ people into danger

That’s all for now. I love you, take care, and have an excellent week.

Song of the Week

Mozart Gabriel, “Road Drum”

Good morning!

Slay the Lake Pride Book Fest is this Saturday! Noon to 5 at Soundgrowler Brewing, 8201 183rd St, Tinley Park, IL . It’s free to enter, all ages, and all genres. Here’s the Facebook event and here’s the website. See you there!

New pages of Last Watch Before Dawn this week. By my new count, we’re ten pages from the end of this chapter, and there is one chapter left after that.

A couple of petitions:

Via Cosecha: Free Martin Soto

Via US Campaign for Palestinian Rights: No pride in genocide

Via No Business With Genocide: Pass the Uyghur Forced Labor Disclosure Act

Thanks for being here, and I hope to see you on Saturday. Happy Pride and have an excellent week.

Song of the Week

Ajeemama, “Thillana”

Good morning!

I mostly do the same things every week these days, so this I know this space doesn’t really offer much in the way of news, but I do enjoy the opportunity to bring you some new music.

On that note, two more pages of Last Watch Before Dawn this week. We’re about to get our protagonists, and the plot, moving along again.

Don’t forget about Slay the Lake’s Chicago Pride Book Fest on the 27th!

A couple of petitions:

Via Save the Children Action Network: Keep kids fed and thriving

Via Win Without War: Stop the boat strikes

Via Fòs Feminista: End the global gag rule

I’ll be back tomorrow with a new comic page. Thanks for being here and have an excellent week.

Song of the Week

Yaelokre, “Bird cage blue and yellow”

Good morning! Happy Pride!

Not much to report this week. I’m working on a dense (eight-panel) page of Last Watch Before Dawn for tomorrow, and there will be a hopefully less dense one for Friday.

At the end of the month (the 27th), I’ll be at Slay the Lake’s Pride Book Fest! It will be at Soundgrowler Brewing, 8201 183rd St., Tinley Park, IL. I’m excited to take this show on the road.

Petitions:

Via Just Foreign Policy: Support the Lebanon War Powers Resolution

Via Win Without War: End war on Iran

Via Indivisible: Solidarity with hunger strikers at Delaney Hall

That’s all for today. I love you, be safe, and have an excellent week.

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.