When in Doubt, Include Things

in which our hero nerds out about his version of Rumplestiltskin

Dear Readers,

How is December treating you? We’re in the middle of a two-week break from work and school over here in the Clarkwoods and I’m chugging away at issue #3 of The Blood of Seven Queens. I’m also 25,000 words into WorldEmber, the annual worldbuilding community event held by my pals at World Anvil. And I’m trying to spend time with family, find time for an additional writing thing with my brother, somehow catch up on all the reading and viewing I’m behind on, and attempting to stay sane in the process.

It’s a little too much sometimes, but this is life for someone who’s been afraid of running out of time since he watched Orson Welles narrate Nostradamus over footage of a nuclear holocaust when he was 10 or 11.

At any rate, I’m enjoying putting the finishing touches on issue #3 quite a bit. There’s an evolution of the artistic style here that I’m really enjoying. Plus, there are some interesting story things happening along the way.

For instance, in the script, the family in the flashback was supposed to disappear after the first few pages. Marnie Miller was supposed to be totally alone when she called for help from Rumplestiltskin. But then I had so much fun illustrating the family and thought that their disappearance felt so unnatural, so I brought them back for this next scene.

That’s meant that every scene taking place inside the old mill has been a logistical nightmare. But I’ve ended up with some bits of comedic gold as a result. This stuff is often in the background, often small enough that only the careful reader will spot it, but it’s this stuff that has helped get me through the creation process.

In his book Ron Carlson Writes a Story, Ron Carlson writes:

Our rule for now shall be: include things. Not because we’re trying to clutter our stories up so that the sheer catalogues of clothing, furniture, drinks, sporting equipment make their own kind of effluvial music, or because we want to select the most symbolic or meaningful element in a character’s life, but because we’re looking for a way to survive the writing of the story. When in doubt, include things. We may have (our character) over the sink trying to get the lid off the espresso maker while not getting water on the sleeves of her silk blouse, and we may not know her state of mind, but at least we have that small appliance, the running water, and her sleeves to help us into the next sentence.

He’s talking about writing short stories, and these days I’m working on a comic book, but I think the message still applies.

I think the big thing I’m learning when it comes to comics, especially an ongoing series, is that the side characters are everything. I’m illustrating Frieda Jacobs (Red Riding Hood) dozens of times per issue for 36 theoretical issues. Frieda’s cool and all, but I need new characters to keep me interested. And this issue, the character that’s kept me most interested is my version of Rumplestiltskin. His name is Rumapa Stiltskin; he’s a halfling native to the land of Eden (where our story takes place); and instead of being a stranger to the miller’s daughter as he is in the original fairy tale, he’s taken her on as his sorcerer’s apprentice.

I first wrote about him for Worldbuilding Summer Camp in 2023 and ended up winning a custom illustration for my efforts. When I was asked for some guidance on what he might look like, I remember joking “Patton Oswalt as a hobbit” and I was thrilled with what Marcelo Vitacca and Conquest Publishing came up with. Eventually, I sculpted a 3D model based on that initial design and left it around for myself to use when I got to the illustration of issue #3. But then I got here and I wasn’t satisfied.

And so, a few weeks ago, I took the model I had, brought up a photo of my favorite comedian’s face, and I got back to work. I wasn’t looking to create a perfect likeness. After all, I’d like to not get sued. What I was trying to do was to give him some more character. And boy did it work! Rumapa has made me laugh every time he’s popped up this issue, and I sure hope I find a reason to bring him back someday.

(Spoilers: I already did.)

That’s all for now. Paid subscribers, keep scrolling for your sneak peek at the next four pages of issue #3. Everyone else, I’ll see you back here next week.

Yours,
Chris