Because Art is about Connecting

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Haven’t been blogging lately and I do apologize for that. I’ve been dealing with life, the universe, and everything in the form of GenCon deadlines, upcoming move, getting ready for C2E2 and Mo*Con, and thinking the mighty thoughts about my personal work. Also, trying not to get pissed off about things like this (while this happened), this, or the 1,000 other things that are happening right now. Because, let’s face it…there’s no shortage of crap to get pissed off about.

This article, however…this is good.

Social equality activists argue for more representation of minorities in fiction. There are many good reasons to do this, but for any creator, the biggest reason should be “to make better art”. When the same old characters are dancing to the same old plots choreographed with the same old tropes and the same old twists, only the same old segment of society is allowed to see themselves reflected in art. And even that segment is only allowed to get the same messages they always have about themselves. The mirror is cracked and the reflective backing is faded. It ceases to be useful even for the intended audience. — SOURCE: Reflected in Ice: An Aspergers Review of Frozen

Somewhat related to the topic, sharing a few links. This is awesome. (Explore the site, by the way, there’s a series shot for Women’s History Month, too.) And this, which was a recent discovery, followed by this (which probably means more to me than to you).

And now that I’ve shared a few links that aren’t Hulk smash-y smash-y, that are worth checking into? I need to get back to writing, to reading, to creating instead of consuming, by falling into the TRAP that is social media. TRAP! After all, I am here to write my proverbial bum off. Either way, I rather like sharing kick-ass things to check out that aren’t a) viral, temporal b.s. and b) rage-inducing. Hrmm…note to self: do more of that. Also, wear a mood ring. APPARENTLY.

Well, butter chicken first…because really, what is life without butter chicken? This may be the greatest mystery in the history of the modern era.

    Mood: [F-bomb] times 1,000. Pissed at self for getting distracted. Then double-pissed because I got distracted because I got pissed. [F-bomb] squared!
    Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: Um…do I REALLY NEED TO DISCLOSE THIS?
    Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Um…
    In My Ears: Too much peripheral noise caused by panicked screams. Yes, those are coming from me… Really… NO RY’LEH.
    Game Last Played: Eternal Sonata
    Book Last Read: Love is the Law by Nick Mamatas
    Movie Last Viewed: In Time
    Latest Artistic Project: National Craft Month
    Latest Fiction/Comic Release: Last Man Zombie Standing
    Latest Game Release: Firefly RPG corebook
    What I’m Working On: Primarily tie-in games work and novels.



Monica Valentinelli is an author, artist, and narrative designer who writes about magic, mystery, and mayhem. Her portfolio includes stories, games, comics, essays, and pop culture books.

In addition to her own worlds, she has worked on a number of different properties including Vampire: the Masquerade, Shadowrun, Hunter: the Vigil, Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn, and Robert E. Howard’s Conan.

Looking for Monica’s books and games that are still in print? Visit Monica Valentinelli on Amazon’s Author Central or a bookstore near you.

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