Wood burning is an art that 9five7 Pyrography (Facebook, Twitter, website) has perfected. We are in awe of their work and now Dragon has this beautiful piece on her wall! You can see them (and buy or commission from them) at CON Creative Ottawa Nerds on November 26!
Hello My Imaginary Friends,
Some people put a lot of effort into a baby’s room. They pick out the right colours, paint the walls, murals, get special thingies, using those small room décor tips etc. Jen and I decided that was all awesome, but felt less personal. What we did instead was ask some fantastic artists to make things for the baby’s walls.
They are all fantastically talented and you should go buy their stuff.
Lindsay Coderre is a talented and versatile artist. She primaraly works digitally, but painted this amazing image of Hiro and Baymax that Dragon will always love. Her online store primarily has photo manipulation and design.
Lindsay is Dragon’s Aunt and one of her Godparents.
This was given to us as a baby shower present from one of my in-law’s sisters. It’s great when even your extended family’s family know you well enough to get something so perfect.
It was made by the Art Shop. They have some fascinating pieces.
My wife has an amazing super-power; it seems to run through her whole family. It’s the ability to make friends easily and anywhere. Jen met Rebecca on the bus and loved her TARDIS hat. They struck up a conversation and became friends.
She’s an extremely versatile crafter which can be seen on her Tumblr.
This is from Jen’s room when she was a child. We have no idea where it’s from, but it’s adorable.
The beautiful baby dragon print was painted digitally over our first ultrasound. It was done as a beautiful surprise. The Tardigrade we tried to commission, but she gave it to us as our baby shower present. Don’t you love the detail in the spacescape? So beautiful!
I’ve commissioned her to design me my first tattoo. I’m both excited and a little scared.
S. M. is Dragon’s other Godparent. She’s a talented author, artist, and all around wonderful person. Her newest book was written by votes on her blog and the profit goes to charity. Go buy it and read for a good cause!
This soft and adorable TARDIS was given to us by the wonderful Nerdy Needles. She has a wide variety of knit and crotchet items. All wonderfully geeky.
Check out their facebook for all the cool stuff.
We commissioned this piece, and boy did 9five7 do an amazing job. It has the Hogwarts motto on it, Dragon’s name, and her date of birth. The dragon in the middle is really awesome and designed especially for her by the artist.
They do a huge variety of fandoms and I’ve never seen woodburning done so well. Check out their Facebook page and their Deviant art page for more amazing work.
So many talented people. Dragon is extremely lucky.
Later Days,
Éric
You can read the first part here.
There are some things that I’ve only recently realized were weird during my pregnancy, like that hair grows abnormally fast. Armpit and leg hair included. Or maybe it just grows slower now that I’m nursing.
Contractions don’t necessarily hurt very much at the beginning. It took mine about 7 hours to start being anywhere near the realm of what I would call painful.
Then there’s all the weird delivery stuff that happens:
There’s also some pretty strange things that nobody tells you about having a newborn, like cluster feeding – this is what helps the milk to come in, and it happens over the second day and night. It’s exhausting, and would definitely have made us think we were doing something wrong, because she woke up every hour to feed a tiny bit and then go back to sleep. Every time the baby has a growth spurt, this happens again, except on a slightly smaller scale.
If you’re enjoying the Blush blogs, consider learning more with Blush: The Card Game from Renaissance Press.
Hello Imaginary Friends,
With Dragon, we received a lot of gift cards and we bought a lot of things online. This led to some serious frustrations. Small stores were easy to deal with but some of the big box stores were not.
I’m sure this isn’t their fault. There are severe restrictions to what you can sell over the border, but I really wanted the Tactical Diaper Bag. It’s a real pain to constantly deal with restrictions and seriously… a diaper bag?
Baby things are a niche market, but some of the re-sellers on Amazon Canada go one step too far. I saw diapers for over $100 that I can buy from the creators for $35.
Unfortunately these re-sellers flood Amazon’s listings and it’s near impossible to find what you’re looking for without being flooded by overpriced versions.
Best Buy has a decent online store and an ok points program, but the two are not compatible. The points let you get certificates that can be used like money, but only in a physical location.
For Canada’s largest electronic retailer, that’s pathetic.
Not taking coupons or certificates is one thing, but Walmart won’t even take their own gift cards. That’s right – a Walmart gift card cannot be used online.
Are you looking for something? Maybe it’s under “Pregnancy Essentials”, “Gift Ideas”, or “Parent Tested Parent Approved”.
Seriously, just label your categories in a simple, easy to understand way. Stop trying to be cute, and instead be useful.
Do you have any online stores that do dumb things and make you angry?
Éric
I was five months pregnant with our little Dragon at this point! Costume created by and borrowed from Mysticfae.
Happy Halloween!
The emperor didn’t break character the entire time he was at our booth. He was so fantastic!
Hello My Imaginary Friends,
My first novel A Study in Aether, and Jen’s game Blush will be launched this Saturday the 29th of October at a Monster Launch (We’re launching books not monsters, but feel free to come dressed as a monster.)
Come by and say hello and get a signed copy and meet lots of amazing Authors.
See you there,
Éric
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE by Renaissance Press
Join us for our MONSTER LAUNCH party!
Eight authors. Seven books.
One revolutionary game.
The celebration will be held at the 3 Brewers pub (240 Sparks St., Ottawa)
Saturday October 29th, 2015, from 5:00 – 7:00 PM.
There will be readings by the authors, prizes to win, special prices and of course, the opportunity to get your books signed. The authors will be wearing costumes, so please feel free to dress up as well!
With 250 questions (and their answers!) this trivia game is the perfect tool to initiate important discussions about all aspects of sexuality. With subjects like reproduction, general health, gender identity, and sexual orientation, Blush aims to help parents and teachers approach the topic of sexual health with their teens and pre-teens, and to give kids the opportunity to ask the questions they have in an atmosphere of fun and comfort.
ISBN 978-1-987963-11-3 – Available now!
A supernatural suspense which follows Adam Godwinson, the main character of The King in Darkness, as he tries to save the children in a small northern Québec town.
ISBN 978-1-987963-14-4 – Available October 29th!
This science-fiction comedy follows the adventures of Virj Ofreesin, a lovesick writer who goes on a foolish adventure to save the half of the bigender being he loves… in all the wrong places.
ISBN 978-1-987963-16-8 – Available now!
A spy thriller which delves into the dark spaces we have within our own souls, all the while taking us on a thrilling adventure which follows an unusual girl trying to solve the murder of the only person she ever really cared for.
ISBN 978-0-9952932-1-2 – Available October 29th!
An undead woman, a scared boy who can manipulate machines, a nefarious laboratory trying to find the secret to eternal life… and did we mention zombies?
ISBN 978-1-987963-08-3 – Available now!
Chased by wraiths of dark smoke, without knowledge of the land in which I found myself or memory of my life and purpose, I became embroiled in a perilous quest to restore the throne of a fading Empire. Little did I know how dangerous a task that would prove to be.
This is my story; the tale of the Sky Road Walker.
Sky Road Walker is the first of the democratically created Your Very Own Adventure books by author S.M. Carrière.
Proceeds from the sale of this book will go to The Ottawa Caring and Sharing Exchange, a charity which provides relief and dignity during difficult times of the year.
A Sherlock-Holmes-obsessed girl detective, a bunch of disappearances, a witch, and… mittens? Dive into this highly entertaining Young Adult paranormal mystery set in a small Ontario town!
ISBN 978-1-987963-12-0 – Available now!
Wolf ice disinhibits werewolf brains: it makes them act like animals. Lusty, angry, hungry animals. Wolf ice drives Leila straight into the arms (and on to other anatomical parts) of her ex-boyfriend.Wolf ice could slay all Montreal wers–in fact, all wers around the world–unless Leila stops him. Will she fight past the lust in order to save her species?
ISBN 978-1927341520 – Available now!
For more information, please contact Renaissance Press:
You may not know it, but we live in city which offers amazingly rich history filled with scandal, scariness, and intrigue! We are even more fortunate that there is a business to tell these stories in such an engaging and vivid way. The Original Haunted Walk of Ottawa is a 90 minute tour, led by lantern light to some of Ottawa’s well known haunted spots, including: the Bytown Museum, the Fairmont Château Laurier and Ottawa’s haunted high school.
Since this was our first time taking one of their tours, we opted for the ‘Original Haunted Walk of Ottawa’. Louie, our tour guide, was fantastic; he related the tales with confidence and flair and kept the entire ninety minutes intriguing. I’m fairly used to ghostly tales and can be somewhat jaded, however, with the combination of the locations and the stories, the story telling was truly goose bump inducing. A few of the younger participants even seemed genuinely creeped out. The tour was not all serious the entire time; the walk was spiced up with occasional stabs at humour which also kept things interesting. The outing was a great way to share some history, campfire tales and get a wonderful tour of a truly beautiful city.
I will admit, before we started I was unsure if this tour really was for me. I’m not particularly superstitious and paranormal stories had never previously caught my full attention. The Haunted Walk has now changed that for me. The combined atmosphere of being on location and the expertise of the tour guide make it an exciting experience for anyone involved.
If you are looking for something to bring you straight into the Halloween spirit or you have never experienced The Haunted Walk – we highly recommend that you enjoy one of their tours (before it gets too cold!).
Dylan McEvoy is a writer for Ottawa’s very own The Nerd is the Word (website, Facebook, Twitter). The Nerd is the Word is a fantastic place to catch up on nerdy news, indie spotlights, reviews, and local events! Follow them and bookmark their website for more awesome content.
List of Characters | Part 1| Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9
A cold wind blew into the kitchen, waking up Riko who’d tried hard to stay awake but failed. It was no surprise she’d been exhausted and working on adrenaline, which wasn’t sustainable. Sandrine, Blane, Zane, and Kate were all unconscious on the floor, the bottles of tequila laying empty between them.
The breeze carried the scent of fresh air that comes the day after a rain storm. The breeze reminded Riko of her summers camping. Wait… where was the breeze coming from?
Pulling out her gun, Riko stood, looking over the metal island they’d overturned the night before. The door to the dining room was open and two large barrels had been placed in the middle of the dining room. There was something with wires on top of it.
“Guys wake up!” Riko yelled. The others drowsily started to wake. “BOMB!”
The other four woke up quickly after that. “What? Really?” Sandrine sounded annoyed more than worried as she lifted Kate into her wheelchair.
They left by the kitchen’s back door, and starting running over the smooth field towards the forest that was behind the hotel. They almost made it to the treeline when their cellphones rang. As they rang, an explosion rocked the hotel. Gouts of flame erupted from the roof in multiple places.
It took a few seconds for the shock wave of heat and debris to reach them. Riko turned to look at the explosion and barely had time to see a piece of glass, the size of a butter knife, flying towards her. She tried to move out of its way, but it embedded itself into her right forearm.
It took all her self control to not rip it out of the arm.
“Holy shit,” Zane turned white then green as he rushed to a bush to puke.
Blane was much calmer and came up to her saying, “Don’t touch it. Let me look.” He held her arm still and looked at it.
Shooting flames of pain raced up her arm as he poked and prodded at it.
“Can you flex your hand?” She could but it hurt like crazy. “I don’t think it hit an artery. We should get it out but without bandages or antiseptic I really don’t want to.” He ripped a piece of his shirt off and wrapped it around the glass and her arm. She knew it was to prevent it from moving and causing more damage. “There was a first aid kit in the boathouse.”
“That’s on the other side of the flaming building,” Kate said sounding exasperated and winded. “It might be a flat field but it’s not exactly easy.”
“I know this is what people say in horror movies when I stop watching, but we should split up,” Blane said.
“She needs to be patched up,” Zane agreed, after wiping his mouth.
“I’ll stay with Kate,” Sandrine offered.
“Me too,” added Zane. “We’ll head to the garage and look for gas to burn the rest of this place down.”
Blane looked like he was going to argue but instead he leaned over and pecked Zane on the lips. He said, “Don’t die,” and turned around towards the burning house.
“Are you sure?” asked Riko as they walked towards the path that would lead them by the burning house and to the boathouse. “I could get the kit and bring it back.”
“No. I’m not letting you go alone when there’s a psycho out there.” Seeing her raised eyebrow, he continued, “I wouldn’t let anyone go alone and I won’t let anyone else die.”
They walked in paranoid silence expecting every breeze or rustle to be the killer. “You really don’t think it’s Ethan do you?” asked Blane.
“No. I’ve worked with him for years and he’s been fair, almost to a fault. He wouldn’t just start to kill people.” She didn’t sound convinced even to herself.
“At this point I really don’t care who. I mostly want to know why.”
“I don’t know. It must have something to do with high school.”
“Do you think it’s something to do with the grad party? It keeps coming back up,” Blane sighed.
The two of them stopped and at the same time said, “Kingsley.”
Riko continued with, “She hated us for that night and not inviting her. This seems a little excessive.”
“Unless we wiped out their entire family, any motive would seem excessive.”
The boathouse was filled with gardening tools and boat paraphernalia. An old motor was on a cart in the corner with its propellers in the air.
The first aid kit was on the wall and Blane pulled it off, quickly taking things out. Riko turned her head away, not wanting to see what he did.
When he said, “This will hurt.” She braced herself and tried not to clench her arm. The pain was blinding and caused a roaring in her ears.
Her vision cleared but the roaring didn’t. The engine across the boathouse had turned on and was slowly moving towards them. She reached, with her good arm, for the gun, but she jarred her bad one and dropped the gun.
Blane finished wrapping her arm, took a rake and pushed the engine into the water. It sputtered and sunk.
“Where did you get a gun?” Blane asked.
“It was Ethan’s,” she replied and told him about where she’d found it.
“Seriously? What if he tinkered with it or something?”
“He wouldn’t,” she started, but remembered that he’d been the one to teach her how to cause a gun to backfire. He’d done it to teach her how to make sure her weapon was safe and she hadn’t checked this one.
She picked up the gun and looked it over. It seemed clean. “It’s fine. Lets get back to the others.” She tried to put it back in her belt and flinched.
“I’ll take it,” he said forcibly. She didn’t argue. With her arm now in a sling and bandage, she was useless with a gun.
As they walked back, the fire had started to smoke and with almost no wind to blow it away, it was impossible to see more than a few feet away.
They were nearly next to the house when a dark shadow ran towards them in the smoke. Blane gestured towards the left to avoid the figure just as they heard a loud clicking noise. He’d stepped on a landmine. He gestured for her to leave.
“I’m not leaving you,” she said. The person in the smoke seemed to be holding a bat or something else similar.
“I’m already dead. Get out of here.” He lifted the gun and aimed it at the shadow.
Riko kissed him on the cheek and ran the other way. As she ran, she heard multiple gunshots followed shortly by yet another explosion. She raced back to where the others had been. They weren’t there and she made her way to the garage. Standing outside the garage were Sandrine and Kate.
When she came close enough, Kate asked, “Where’s Blane?”
“He stepped on a landmine…” Riko cried quietly, she was tired of crying for her friends.
“And where’s Zane? When we heard a boat motor, he went out to find you.” Riko started to sob when she saw that they were both holding baseball bats like the shadow in the smoke.
At Can-Con over the weekend of September 9-11, 2016, we had the opportunity to meet some incredible people. Éric Desmarais (Facebook, Twitter, website) is one of those. He is a young adult urban fantasy/mystery author published by Renaissance Press (Twitter, website), and incredibly amazing to talk to! You can meet him at the Mega-Multi-Author Launch happening Oct 29, 2016.
