SeaHeart

My sister (who happens to be an amazing photographer AMONG MANY OTHER THINGS) took new author photos of me yesterday because I now have my NATURAL HAIR COLOR going forever. <3 It was BITTERLY cold out, and POURING at intervals, so she was a trooper beyond imagining, and got some amazing shots, even though the conditions were terrible. <3 <3 <3 I was so grateful and so happy. SHE MADE ME LOOK LESS OF A DORK, YOU GUYS. *hearts forever* <333333

OFFICIAL AUTHOR PHOTO:


( And then some happy/artistic/SPARKLE WORLD COLORFUL ones! )

(Originally posted at Muse Rising~)

When Jenn and I first began dating, we bonded over many things, but none were so strong as our mutual love of Shakespeare. We each had our favorite plays, sonnets, characters, and we each had gotten so much out of his plays, and would talk for hours about the metaphors and magic of the comedies and tragedies. When we were finally able to live together after a long (and heartbreaking!) long distance relationship, we began to go to see Shakespeare plays together as often as we could.

Years ago, we were walking home after a play put on by Shakespeare in Delaware Park (our absolute favorite production company~ <3), and we were laughing about something or other, and Jenn said "you know, you should write a TRULY LESBIAN 'Twelfth Night.'" We both love "Twelfth Night" together, but the gears in my head began to turn, and I replied: "but my favorite is 'A Midsummer Night's Dream...'"

When Jenn and I were married (in fairy wings, at a fairy wedding), much of the wedding ceremony was lines from "A Midsummer Night's Dream." So much of my life has been, in some way, shape or form, marked by that play...it holds incredibly deep meaning for me, and is my favorite of the Bard's work. The seed had been planted. I wanted to retell "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

Years went by, and a very dear friend of mine, who is an incredible artist, Stephanie Blackwell (fizzystickss) approached me a few months ago. She wanted to collaborate, and I'm deeply in love with her work, and absolutely adore her. It was the opportunity of a lifetime, and I eagerly said yes~ <3

"The Rose Cottage" by Stephanie Blackwell. YOU CAN SEE WHY I ADORE HER ART.


You see, many years ago, when The Dark Wife was in its original version--then called Hymns for Her (I KNOW YOU ARE GLAD I CHANGED THE TITLE), Stephanie did an exquisite piece of art for me, to encourage me to finish the story. <3 (It helped. <3 I did finish it, as you can probably tell. ;D)

Persephone and Hades~ <3


Well, one of Stephanie's obsessions in life is Titania. As we began to talk about collaborating, everything began to fall into place. <3 We talked over some ideas for a lesbianized version of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" over a few months, and it is now official~ <3

The Dream Queen, written by me--Sarah Diemer--and illustrated by Stephanie Blackwell, is a lesbian retelling of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in comic format. It will be released as a free web comic beginning--fittingly enough!-- on Midsummer, June 20th, 2012, and will be updated twice (or more!) weekly, until the story is ended. It's a set story, so there will be a limited number of pages. Once done, we will also be offering it in book format, which should be released sometime this coming late autumn/winter.

I am so excited about this project, and can't WAIT to share it with you. <3 Stephanie is an exquisite artist, and I am so grateful and excited to be able to work with her to bring this story to life. <3

What's it about? Well, all I can tell you is that you are going to see Titania, Oberon and Puck as you have never seen them before. <3