Month: February 2012

Hitchers

Stefanie Snider


Illustration ©2011-2012 *WolfesClothing

This is the cover art for Hitchers, a book by Will McIntosh. To be honest, I hadn’t heard of the book before, but when I came across this illustration I was immediately interested. It’s one of those pieces that grabs (HAH! GET IT?) your attention right away. The contrast between the eyes of the character, tinged red, against the glowing eyes of the ghost (?) is fantastic. Click on the picture to visit the original source and see it in a larger size.

This kind of art always makes me a little bummed that I can’t draw anything recognizable, and intensely jealous of those who can.

(via Fuck Yeah Illustration)

New Story, FEED, Now Available!

Stefanie Snider

“He’s got that look in his eyes again, the one that only brings trouble. “Buddy,” I warn him, “cool it.”

I know he can hear me, at least on some level, but the part of him I can see is all glassy eyes and stiff body. He’s just like a hound, when he gets like this, and I get that feeling in my gut again. I know something’s going down, and soon.

My brother bobs his head absently to the music from the juke. It’s some of that C&W bullshit he’s always playing on the truck radio. I can’t stand it, myself, all heartbreak and such. Life has enough problems, believe you me, without adding more.

I know all about that.

Buddy’s leaning forward on his stool a little. His massive gut pushes up against the high table but he don’t seem to notice. The bar’s crowded tonight, men drinking off the week. Some came with their own woman. Some came with another man’s.

I get that feeling, and I know he’s seen her.”

Click on the cover to purchase, 99¢ on Amazon.

Romancing the Moleskine

Stefanie Snider

If you’re not a huge stationery dork like I am, you may not have heard of Moleskine notebooks. (You also may have seen their exorbitant price tag and walked away, like the sensible person I am not.)

The story goes that they were the notebooks used by the greats (Hemingway! Van Gogh! Picasso! Matisse!), although the story has been refuted.

Regardless, I love love love them. The paper is smooth and lovely and not a terrifying white that screams I AM BLANK! YOU WILL NEVER FILL ME! but rather a mellow yellow that whispers Relax, you got this.

Why am I blogging what amounts to a product placement?

BECAUSE

without a Moleskine, I would have nothing to put inside THIS:

copyright engraveyourbook.com

I needs it. I needs it bad, Precious.
(Click to view other styles, but never, ever tell me if you get one before I do. I’m not a pretty crier.)

“Aspiring” Writers Take Note

Stefanie Snider

…Chuck Wendig has a bone to pick with you.

Anything that comes out of the delightfully filthy Wendig mouth is worth listening to, whether you write for fun or money (or both, please God). His ebooks on writing make you want to pick up a pen and wield it like a sword. (If swords weren’t a little…you know. You know.)

Anyway, I catch up with Chuck’s blog, Terrible Minds, now and then when I need a good kick in the writerly ass.

And the other day, he delivered. Hoo boy, did he deliver.

“No More Aspiring, Dingbats
Here are the two states in which you may exist: person who writes, or person who does not. If you write: you are a writer. If you do not write: you are not. Aspiring is a meaningless null state that romanticizes Not Writing. It’s as ludicrous as saying, “I aspire to pick up that piece of paper that fell on the floor.” Either pick it up or don’t. I don’t want to hear about how your diaper’s full. Take it off or stop talking about it.”

So begins his list of 25 Things I Want to Say to So-Called “Aspiring” Writers.

Coddling, it’s not.

Motivating? Oh hell yeah.

Hire Me!

Stefanie Snider

Hey you! I’m looking for a few good writing gigs.

Maybe you came up with a great story idea, but you’re lost on how to flesh it out. You have all the bits and bobs, but maybe your grammar isn’t the hottest. Maybe it needs a little twist or a fresh perspective. I can ghostwrite it for you. You keep all the rights, any future profits, and you get to tell everyone you wrote it yourself. I’m a good secret-keeper.

or

Maybe your ad copy needs a little flair. You want something that will have customers clamoring like ravenous zombies for your product. You need someone who can give you punchy, vivid copy that’s concise and accurate. Know who can do that? This girl. Let me take care of your copywriting, so you can focus on your next project.

I’m fast! I’m precise! I’m awesome! You need me in your life.

Contact me at stefnsnider at gmail for rates.

On the Inside, Looking Out

Stefanie Snider

“When Canadian researchers recently conducted an ultrasound to examine a growth on a patient’s testicles, they expected to look at the mass, but didn’t expect the mass to be staring back.”

Photograph by: Handout , Queen’s University

That? Not a Photoshop. If you need me, I’ll be in the corner, whimpering.

Click the pic to read the rest.
(via The Montreal Gazette)