What's In A Name

A rose by any other name might smell as sweet (though I am not sure Romeo would have smelled all that sweet what with all the running around and so on he did, no matter what he was called), but our Dragon painting needs a name. And he will be just as awesome, yes, not matter the name, as will his friend, the girl who would rather be out on the moors with him than back at home (a role model for all of us), but still... a name AT ALL will make him easier to talk about.

My husband wants to call this painting 'Bob', which is, of course, a classic which must be seriously considered. However, if you have a different, less Bob-related name, then wander over to the Random Writers Facebook page, or to the Randon Writers  twitter, and suggest it by the end of Thursday 6th August. Not only can you name a dragon (a rare honour) or at least a painting of him, but you could get a mention in the acknowledgements of our anthology. It is just one step down from being made immortal.

Something Rich and Strange

You may remember that the Random Writers, or RASSSA (because why not make your group name into something that sounds like it should work with S.H.I.E.L.D. or The Man from U.N.C.L.E.?), put out an anthology a while back. 

A Seeming Glass was fun, albeit the kind of fun where it is hard and tiring and Matt and Jules both wailed 'Never again!' many, many times. So, naturally, our next anthology should be out at the end of this month. 

This one is called Something Rich and Strange and the cover reveal is up on the site now. It has been painted by Mat Sadler, a wonderful artist who Jules and I met and befriended at Uni in Welshy Wales, amongst drinking and karate and wondering how one place could contain so much rain.

It's been marvellous seeing the painting come along, and Mat has created a video of the process. Even more exciting for me is the fact that it is based on my story for the anthology, 'Walls'. 

You can even buy a signed print. I'm certainly getting one. In fact, I've ordered it already. Given that when I asked Mat to illustrate my last anthology story for me it set him off on the process of buying new painting tablets and changing his career officially to 'illustrator', I feel I should tell everyone about this. Also, it is a great painting. (And if I am claiming too much responsibility for Mat being so active with his illustration work these days, don't tell me. Just let me feel smug...)

In any case, this anthology is based around the idea that the ending of a fairy tale is really just the beginning. Or of an historical event. Or of a legend. Or of... Well, anything is really just a beginning, so we have taken various examples and written what happens later. 

Did I mention I'm excited? Because I am. :)