SO I'm re-lettering all the balloons in Charm School (well, with the pages I've discovered having *really* jagged digital lettering for some reason), editing my writing for more concise dialogue, and re-touching some bits of art ( a hand I'd always disliked, a bit of eye direction touch-up, some subtle balloon re-direction). I am *not* going to re-draw. I have to tell myself not to do that. The art has a true charm all its own, as drawn by the more younger Me, and that's something that can't be duplicated or preserved once I start re-drawing.

But there is something I've realised as I do the labour I hadn't anticipated: I am a DIY, Indy creator Snob. And I'm not the only one (though that's not much of an excuse). There's a whole generation of comic book artists like me, who were independent, wrote everything, drew everything, coloured everything, lettered everything, maybe went so far as to publish and sell the darn things (I had a publisher for Charm School, but I still did most everything regarding the creation of the book except send final files to Quebecor, the printer in Canada). That also means the publicity hustle, which is the convention circuit, getting tables and booths to tout the books and meet one's growing (and often) loyal readers. When you make the leap to 'just Do It', there's no questioning that this is what you have to do if you want the Stories inside of you to come out and reach people.

Whether one actually makes a living doing this is another sober issue. Frankly, the public attitude towards this much hard work is to devalue it. Yet the new indy writer of today will still leap out of the comfort zone to shoot videos, to learn video editing software, how to obtain music for tracks, hire cover models, create book covers, hire editors, learn how to create e-books, launch Kickstarters, spend lots of money, effort, tears, and labour that may go no where, just because she really believes in her book(s). I may be olde school DIY and nearly comfortable with all that needs doing in this creator-business (though marketing is another issue entirely), but I totally salute all these indy book writers who take the Leap of Faith. You don't know what the heck you are doing or whether it will work, but you are trying. Learning to fly is worth it.

(From the Museum of Science and Industry Chicago site):

"Colleen Moore

Silent film star Colleen Moore was always fascinated by dolls and doll houses. She owned several elaborate doll houses as a child, but later in life her father, Charles Morrison, suggested that she should pursue her passion for miniatures and doll houses by creating the "doll house" of her dreams. Her position as one of the most popular actresses in Hollywood gave her the resources to produce a miniature home of fantastic proportions. Beginning in 1928, Moore enlisted the help of many talented professionals to help her realize her vision.

Creating the Fairy Castle

Horace Jackson, an architect and set designer who worked for First National Studios, created the floor plan and layout of the castle with the basic idea that “the architecture must have no sense of reality. We must invent a structure that is everybody's conception of an enchanted castle."

Moore also enlisted the help of art director and interior designer Harold Grieve. Grieve had designed the interiors for Moore's actual mansion, so he was a natural to create the interiors of her fantasy castle.

By 1935, approximately 100 people worked on the Fairy Castle. The price tag for this 8'7" x 8'2" x 7'7" foot palace, containing more than 1,500 miniatures, was nearly $500,000."

And about the castle's Library:

The library is done in a sea motif. Over the fireplace stands Captain Kidd with his treasure behind him. The door to the right shows Robinson Crusoe and his man Friday. Above the other door is Gulliver, pulling the Lilliputian ships through the gates of the city. The furniture has a sea motif and is verdigris copper. Sea horses and sea snails hold the shell-like furniture. This furniture is made for fairy folk who like to read in different positions. That chair turned up in front is made for a little elf who likes to read with his feet in the air. The books in the library are all real. There are more than 100; many of them are handwritten by some very prominent authors.

On the reading stand is a dictionary. This was given to Colleen Moore by her father when she was only 5 years old, and it began her whole miniature collection.

Read more here and enjoy the gallery (and of course, purchase the book):

http://www.msichicago.org/whats-here/exhibits/fairycastle/the-exhibit/library/