The pin up and Page X are both done for Fala, and they look just gorgeous thanks to the artist Patricio and editor Julian. The shine, the vibrant color, mixed with the playful eeriness of panels yet to come. It's amazing seeing what's in your head come to life in such a beautiful way, and I'm absolutely addicted.

The characters for Fala, obviously an urban fantasy Native rendition of Alice in Wonderland, are inspired by friends of Myron (Rubente Dextera) and myself. Cowboy Smithx, a colorful performer and filmmaker who is one of the only people who can beat Myron at NHL08 when he visits, is Trickster, because I can totally picture him wearing something ridiculously purple (heehee). Duane Howard, a stunt coordinator, is definitely Badger. I remember the first time I met Duane at a coffee shop when I had my flute with me to show it to D'Arcy O'Connor, a very good friend of mine (a real Aboriginal from Australia mixed with Irish, myself being Irish and Anishinaabe, an Irishnaabe Myron says). Duane asked if he could play it and he was amazing. I've neglected my flute lately, shame on me.

Ace and Spade are Justin Rain and Shane Zwack, who both starred in Myron's first short film Mihkoh out of the Indigenous Independent Digital Filmmaking program at Capilano College. Justin is one of those actors you can see playing a creepy serial killer or an innocent college student. Shane is just a kick, and we found out a guitar Myron has from his Uncle Jerry out in Alberta actually used to belong to Shane. The world is so small.

Fala herself is Senaqwila Wyss, the daughter of Cease Wyss (a Squamish herbalist, activist, and new media artist). Senaq has all the qualities I'd love to see in a future daughter. She's quick witted, cute, talented, and she kicks ass at Wii Sports. I've never had so much fun with the Wii as when we visited Cease's place during filming Myron's documentary on Native representations in film and we grabbed footage of Senaq and her friend playing games.

All of this is beautiful, and I say this with a heavy heart since Myron and I have decided it would be best to leave Vancouver for Edmonton due to expenses and our life direction. We will miss all of our friends very much, but at least I get to see them take on new life in the comic book Fala.

So it turns out there is another comic out there named North Wind. That figures... I need a new name, but I'm having a really difficult time with it. North Wind was THE name for me. Like in the way something comes to you in a dream. I'm debating over other options and need opinions.

Andrew suggested Northern Wind, but it doesn't have quite the same ring to it for me. The Sovereign would work if this is definitely going to be a series, but there's no promise there, so I'm not sure how much I should bank on that as a basis for a book name. Then there's doing something like "North Wind's Cry" or "North Wind's Calling" or something or other.

I'm wondering if I can legally get away with "A North Wind." Or does that lose the ring to it as well?

I'm hesitant to name it something too overtly obvious like Windigo Wind or even just Windigo. Windigo West. Hmm... 

So right after the contest announcement, Rubente and I finished up the script for North Wind, but I hadn't bothered posting it until recently.

Andrew is a hilariously kickass editor (very entertaining), and he's going over the draft this week. Before we finalize the script, I'd love feedback from the community. There are no real transitions in this piece, and I'm hoping that goes over well. Does everything seem to make sense in it, from what you can gather? Some of the references I'm guessing are sort of inside to Aboriginal people, but hopefully nothing is too confusing (say, the representation of the Windigo, which is not a "monster" as has been portrayed by so much mainstream media).

Thoughts? 

The script for Fala is finalized, the artist has been selected (great watercolor work, very excited to see what he does with this story), and the panels are well on their way to thumbnailing. And what was the hardest part for me so far? The freakin' sound effects! Chainsaws, police sirens, alarms, timers, car crashing, all that fun stuff. The challenge for me was trying to keep it from looking too silly.

Having said that, the most difficult sound effect was the flute music that Badger is playing. "Doo dooo doo" or "toot toot toot"? Forget that! I went with musical notes, which are up to the letterer to interpret. I may need to send some music sheets over, but most written music for the Native flute is in special six note pictures instead of western musical notes.

So! After that minor kerfuffle (is that how you spell kerfuffle?) we have sorted out the standings and have discovered that yes, in fact, the People's Choice for this final APTN Comic Creation Nation slot is...

 Beth Dillon - for North Wind!

 It was a tight race this time around, but once again, Beth and her intriguing and original stories seem to have struck a chord with the community. Congrats again Beth. A baby and twin book deals - not a bad haul for you this month! ;) We all can't wait to see North Wind begin production... Speech! Speech!

Don't give up on me just yet! I have the script written but I'm doing major edits. Since it's non-linear, it all needs to be written first then reorganized in a sense. I'm planning to get up as much of it as possible today right after this midwife meeting thingy to weigh the baby.

I don't know about the rest of you out there but it feels like Friday around here (Saturday soon as the minutes click towards midnight).  So what? you ask.  So plenty!  Isn't there supposed to be a new winner of CCN:APTN this evening?  I mean I think I read that somewhere, though maybe that's been changed and I just didn't get the memo.  Anyway, if the contest is over for the week, congratulations to someone, and if it isn't than keep trying!

Oh yeah, and one more thing.  Keep watching.  That is all. 

As Beth Dillon begins her new life as a published comic creator this week (oh yeah, and new mom ;) the floor is open for the next People's Choice to emerge... Once again, this Friday morning we'll see a new pitch glowing gold on the charts. Make sure your favourite pitch gets through - vote!

1. go to "Story Pitches" and read all the pitches with the APTN logo in the bottom right.

2. Collect your favourites by dragging them up to your swag bag in the top right of this website.

3. Head on over to "my... votes" and vote for the best!

BigDawg looks like the front runner now, but who knows? Beth's got another book on the charts... is she looking for twins? (twin books that is!) 

About a week ago on Thursday, I was getting a routine check-up with my midwives and my blood pressure had spiked. No surprise, I thought, been really busy working to get things done before the baby's due date anywhere around July 5-10. They ask for blood work, and a wild adventure begins, one of crisis and recovery. It turned out I had/have (still recovery) Hellp Syndrome, and needed induced labor to save both myself and my baby. Thankfully, a week later, we were released from the hospital, both healthy and on our way back up. Walked out today into a beautiful Vancouver sunny day with my little boy Malcolm (Mal for short) Leonard Lameman and when the chaos settled realized... Omg! The comic book contest! It's been a whole week!

 I'm so glad people liked Fala and I'm looking forward to developing it. Life is beautiful.

 Miigwetch.