Tag: folk music

Song of the Week

Clannad, “I Will Find You”

Good morning! (Pretty sure it’s still morning.)

I had a lovely time at What the Hex! Hello to everyone I met there, as well as old friends. I think I still have enough books to take to Bookoween in Kenosha on the 31st.

I didn’t get as much work on Last Watch Before Dawn done over the weekend as I had hoped, between the market and having to draw three new panels (and make room for them on the page), but I’ve finished 61 of 90 pages and should be nearly done by this time next week.

A couple of petitions for today:

Via Action Corps: The people want peace with Iran

Via Oxfam: Gaza’s reconstruction must be led by Palestinians

Via National Campaign for Justice: Children must have lawyers in immigration court

I’ll be back with an update on Friday. In the meantime, have an excellent week.

Song of the Week

Kate Rusby, “Sir Eglamore” (traditional)

Good afternoon!

The day has kind of gotten away from me, but baby is napping directly on my chest, so I have some time to provide the customary weekly update.

I have completed 41 of 90 pages of Last Watch Before Dawn, Vol 1! That means I’ve finished the first two (very short) chapters and almost finished the third (much longer) chapter. I’ll be back on Friday with another update.

This Saturday is What the Hex: The Moon! 3-9pm at Dresden Castle on Underwood, Cudahy, WI. I’ll be there with Brooke, who will have some new cards! I’ve got the same books, but if you haven’t grabbed a Last Watch bookmark yet, be sure to get one before they run out. Also grab a book while you’re at it!

Brooke has also very generously painted a beautiful cover image for the comic, and I’m excited to show it to you once I have it formatted. That will be after edits are done.

My email is pretty low on petitions this week, so instead of that, I’ll encourage you to check your voter registration. myvote.wi.gov has everything Wisconsinites need, and I’d imagine other states have similar sites.

Thanks for being here! Stop by again soon, and I hope to see you at What the Hex!

Song of the Week

First Aid Kit, “Winter Is All Over You”

Good morning!

I am happy to report that I have completed edits on sixteen pages! I’m hoping to be done before the end of the month, and release Volume 1 in mid-November.

On October 17, I’ll be at What the Hex: The Moon, and on October 31, I’ll be at Studio Moonfall’s Bookoween. More on those as we get closer, but in the meantime, mark your calendars!

A couple of petitions for today:

Via Faithful America: End child detention

Via The Workers Circle: Protect Haitian TPS

Via IMEU Policy Project: Stop land theft in the West Bank

Thanks for being here! I’ll be back Friday with another update. Have an excellent week.

Song of the Week

The Paper Kites, “Willow Tree March”

Good morning!

In case you missed it, Last Watch Before Dawn, Volume 1 is complete! You can now read it all the way through. Start here or visit the table of contents here. I’m working on taking notes on a printed copy for editing, so now’s the perfect time for you, dear reader, to let me know what you think about it. Comments are open on each post, including this one, but you can also reach me on Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, or by email (madeline @ spacewhalespress . com).

A note on email: if you are instead intending to send me yet another AI-written proposal asking me for money so that your book club that definitely exists will read one of my books, I’m not going to read it and I am going to put some sort of curse on you.

I’ll be back on Friday with a progress update. In the meantime, here are some petitions:

Via Win Without War: Block the bombs

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

Via Save the Children: Resume lifesaving aid for children

Thanks for being here, 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

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!