Feb152020: Ask Me Anything

Several questions from the crowd while I wait for my birthday to come. On favourite books, movies, comics, music; on freelance.

“what’s it like to work as a freelancer? i am still at that part of life where im not sure how things will turn out so im asking in curiosity.”

Oh I totally get where you are in life. Good luck with that!

Freelancing is a trial in discipline and not going bonkers. It’s very easy to get consumed into work, working 7 days a week, being stuck at home, and having no boundary between work/life. At the same time, it’s also easy to waste the day online with unrelated nonsense.

But it is a lot of work though. You’re always constantly in the search for a client, and when you secure them, you’ll have to manage deadlines and workload and admin, WHILE searching for the next opportunity. You’re mostly doing things like taxes and contracts yourself, unless you hire another freelancer or an agent.

Personally, I love doing freelance and working from home. Ironically (this is in the context of my workaholicism) I am given a lot of time to just be, and to procrastinate, read, do whatever in my own time. If I am tired, I rest. If I want to watch a musical on Wednesday, I can. I feel more myself in this setup.

I’d recommend you have a good financial net (in the form of a dayjob or family or a partner or savings) and/or evidence that you’ll continously get opportunities, before you become a fulltime freelancer. As it can get very stressful if you don’t feel secure in some level.

“What kind of music do you like? What are some of your fav musicians?”

asked by misiotis

I vibe with anything that vibes with me. Though if I think about it, I gravitate towards feminine voices with either 1) well-fleshed out poetry as lyrics, like Florence and/or 2) poppy and interesting music production, like Paramore or The Aces. Then again, some jazz or electroswing or classical piece comes to disturb that.

I like Florence, Diane Birch, La Roux, Oren Lavie, Sara Bareilles, Kimbra, Andreya Tiana, Esperanza Spalding, and Carly Rae Jepsen.

The ultimate lifetime favourite is Josh Groban.

“Do you have any favourite books of myth or folklore?”

asked by ulyssesulixes

Thank you for the birthday wish (in another ask)! And hm, I don’t have a favourite book in particular.

I am obviously very interested in the folklores of Alexander the Great lol. Outside of Alex, I like the katabasis of Orpheus; the Epic of Gilgamesh; that anecdote in John Polidori’s vampire novel about a vampire that leaks blood from every pore and orifice whenever they feed; that bit in Ancient Egyptian myth about “an ocean of stars”; and folklores about memento moris and liminal spaces.

“Top three social medias and why. (Which are you on the most, on which are you more “popular”, which are important, anything)”

asked by rubbersoles19

I thought there aren’t more than 3 socmedias nowadays, considering what the internet has become in the last 10 years.

I use Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram. I use Twitter the most (because that’s where the publishing/comics industry is, and more importantly, where my online friends are), so I have more engagement and more “content” there. But I like Tumblr more because it’s quieter and everything is chronological, and I have a more substantial relationship with my followers here, the ones who are still trapped on this site with me.

I am kinda tired from being in Web 2.0 so I have been slowly retreating into blog-like places.

“Do you have any favorite animated movies?”

asked by bluemist17

Yes!!

1. The Prince of Egypt
2. Spirited Away
3. Millennium Actress
4. Tokyo Godfathers
5. The Illusionist
6. Coraline
7. The Goofy Movie
8. Spiderverse

“the prince of egypt is such an awesome movie tho. the animation…where do i even start with how awesome it is”

I could go on and on about its art direction and cinematography and storytelling and AAH… my goal whenever I make historical fiction is to get the reader to feel the grand artistically beguiling scale the same way they do if they watch The Prince of Egypt. ;____;

“Oh that’s why all the asks! Happy birthday!! How about a book or three that have changed the way you think about something?”

Asked by thedreadpiratematt

Hm this question is hard because I can’t quite place a single book for things I believe in over the years (also, as mentioned before I have gotten very bad at remembering names). I will try my best. These are just the books I remember:

1. Ursula K Le Guin, The Carrier Bag Theory of History
This one is a recent find, but a really great piece on seeing history as a mixed candy bag of (pasts, presents, futures), rather than a linear chronology of past -> present -> future
(there’s a free pdf in Google)

2. Neil Gaiman, The Graveyard Book
Opened very young me’s mind that the kind of stuff I like can be a story! And that I can write that stuff too. And make it emotionally satisfying.

3. Edward Said, Orientalism, and EM Forster, A Passage to India
This one is weird because they were part of my English Literature classes in college (the classes and the lecturer himself were influential). We had to study A Passage to India and that was fun! (mango memes, everything and nothing, etc) I learned about Orientalism as a concept and how it was applied in fiction. Years later, that led me to making The Carpet Merchant of Konstantiniyya.

“Do you like the act of cooking? Is there any dish you enjoy making, irrespective of how it tastes?”

Oh ho ho you hit on something here. I am developing a passion for cooking and the art of food, and it’s a knowledge base I want to get better at (growing my own herbs! identifying flavours! remembering spices etc).

Since I am workaholic (at home as a freelancer) and I am lazy, I usually throw food into the oven. But I really like making my own peasant bread and dinner rolls. And my signature dish, orange roasted chicken.

“if there were two guys on the moon and one killed the other with a rock would that be fucked up or what”

asked by qapleulia

There are no laws against murder in space.

#I forgot if this was a meme???

“Ooh, question time! Are you reading any new comics or GNs lately? Any new artists catching your eye these days?”

asked by pilferingapples

COMICS AND STUFF:
I just finished El Deafo an hour ago and I really like it.
My publisher (Random House Graphic) sent me advanced reader’s copies of their books coming out this spring and summer, so that’s most of the new comics I have been reading.
I read a sample of The Golden Age illustrated by Cyril Pedrosa and it’s the kind of comic that has me furious in envy at the colours and draftsmanship.

I am highly anticipating Evan Dahm’s new book about Christ’s journey into Hell.

NEW ARTISTS:
I am very bad at remembering names nowadays, but you can look at my art inspiration reblog tumblr to see what I am interested in: http://artsyambitions.tumblr.com/

I’m very into early or mid 20th century illustration at the moment. I used to have a more obvious vintage influence as a teenager, and it’s something I want to reintegrate back into my current work.

“Ok, distraction. Do you like any Jane Austen novels /adaptations? A new Emma adaptation was released yesterday (UK) and we went to see it, and they sure went to town on the visuals & sound”

asked by eireniart

Oh I didn’t know Emma was out! For movie adaptations I’ve only watched Sense & Sensibility, and seen bits and pieces of Pride & Prejudice. I read S&S and Northanger Abbey; the latter being my favourite.

#i am not yet at that place where I truly appreciate austen
#but I get it