Just a reminder that our comic, the Legion of Molly Doves, comes out Nov 27th to a comic book store near you!

Graphic novel to debut at Comic Con of 2014!!!

I haven't been posting as I've been focused on getting our comic book, The Legion of Molly Doves, ready for Comic Con, where it debuts July 17th. :)

Here's a sneak peek of the comic book cover. Again, a bit of Sherlock Holmes, a bit of Charlie's Angles, and a bit of The Time Machine, is what best describes this comic.

If you happen to make it to Comic Con, our booth is #5533. Hope to see you there!

The Three Stooges: Hollywood Filming Locations
 

Off topic, but crazy cool stuff just seems to happen to you when you live in Los Angeles. I randomly met Jim Pauley today, author of The Three Stooges: Hollywood Filming Locations, while at Just Tires in Hollywood, getting my oil changed and new tires. He was in town from Philadelphia for the Turner Classic Movies festival, and a tire on his rental car had exploded, so there he was. 

He didn't have to go far with his book pitch before I had him grabbing a copy out of his rental car. After flipping through a few pages, I bought it right then and there on the spot.  You should really check out his book, it's AMAZING! Besides, he was a super awesome guy, and I feel like I could have talked to him about old school hollywood forever. Pity my car was ready too soon. I did manage in a quick pitch about my book, Before the Strand, and he seemed genuinely impressed. Hoping that's the general response!

Here's his book, and I highly recommend it if you're a Three Stooges fan!

http://www.amazon.com/The-Three-Stooges-Hollywood-Locations/dp/1595800700

Before The Strand

Yet another unrelated post. Well, somewhat. That is, the subject matter is Victorian, but it's not necessarily about history. No wait, that's not right either! Oh dash it all! Well, I may as well 'cut to the chase' as they say.

For several years, I've been working on a novel called Before the Strand. It's a Sherlock Holmes story, but not your standard fair of pastiche where Sherlock Holmes and Watson solve yet another mystery. Instead, the story is centered around Jonathan, the 14 year old son of Sherlock Holmes, who sets out to unravel his mysterious past, and to learn why his existence was omitted and erased from Sherlockian history. There are many dark secrets and shadows that exist for the famous flat on Baker Street, and Jonathan is determined to discover what they are. 

My lovely agent is currently shopping the story around, so hopefully, there will be more news soon, but I felt the time was right, to finally announce it. The few I've coerced into reading it, have really enjoyed it thus far, so....hoping others will to! The game is afoot!

Well, this isn't exactly a Victorian historical blog post, as it more concerns fiction and steampunk and time travel, but what the heck. Shameless self-promotion.

Here is a comic book I'm involved with called 'The Legion of Molly Doves' that will be available at the San Diego Comic Convention this coming July, 2013, at booth #5533, and will also available for purchase online.  Think Charlie's Angels, meets The Time Machine, meets Steampunk, meets Sherlock Holmes.

More info will be posted as it's available on the publisher's blog,....

http://blissontap.blogspot.com/

We also have a facebook page...

https://www.facebook.com/TheLegionOfMollyDoves

oh, and a twitter page, but more updates soon!

 https://twitter.com/MollyDoves



Thanks!

So much for a weekly blog. Hah! Admirable attempt I must say, but yet again, a proven, bitter failure in terms of me being able to maintain something as a consistent distraction. I honest to goodness have the best of intentions, but that annoyance of all annoyances called 'life,' tends to intervene at the most inconvenient and intrusive times. Alas.... However, as they say, once more into the breach!

Jumping back in, here's a little advertisement for Pears' Soap from 1896.  Lovely illustration isn't?


 
I knew nothing about Pears soap previously, but upon researching it, discovered that the English soap has been around since 1789, and is still being manufactured! Granted, the soap's formula was altered in 1971, but the original composition of the soap certainly had a good run of it!













It was also the product that the already famous (or infamous, as her affairs with royalty, and her acting career had already placed her in the public eye, much like a Kardashian of today) Miss Lilly Lantry endorsed during the Victorian era, and she then became the first woman to earn income by advertising a product. And truthfully, if you think about, she was one of the first celebrity endorsements. 

 Interestingly enough, she claimed she was given the nickname of 'Lillie' because of her lilly-white complexion, so who better to sell a soap product they allegedly use, than a pale, ethereal beauty, with long neck, sharp lips, and slate blue eyes to suck female consumers in who wanted to be like her? Things haven't changed much in 150 years have they?

Our Night at the Academy Awards

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This is a slight deviation from my normal posts, as it doesn’t involve anything Victorian or Edwardian (except perhaps a few vintage-y–ish dresses) but I thought it might be fun and interesting enough to share.

My fiancé and I had the honor of attending the 85^th Annual Academy Awards last night. Granted, this wasn’t my first time, but it’s always fun to dress up, and look the part of a celebrity, and walk on the red carpet, for just one night.

For those who aren't familiar with how the Oscar's red carpet works, and have only seen it through coverage on the tv screen, let me tell you a little bit about the behind the scenes of the Academy’s iconic red carpet. 

First, there are actually three lines, or rows, to the red carpet, each roped off by red velvet leads. The far left row, is the one reserved for A-list actors, directors, writers, and various other ‘well known’ celebrities (or the occasional Academy governor). Those who passed by me, and walked down this particular lane, were Jennifer Lawrence, Steven Spielberg, Hugh Jackman, Reese Witherspoon, Queen Latifah, Steve Guttenberg, Tom Hooper, and Philip Seymour Hoffman, and several others.

The thin middle row, is meant for those who wish to get to their seats pronto, can’t be bothered with being held up by the press line, and would rather bypass all the cameras and interviewers of the red carpet, to retreat to the sanctuary of the Dolby theater, where there is no press except in the Green Room.  Those who utilized this line yesterday evening that I observed, were Chris Pine (Star Trek, People Like Us) Kristen Stewart (Twilight) on crutches, Sandra Bullock, and Jennifer Garner.

The far right row, is left for those who are still important, but may not be as well known, or know at all in the public eye. This includes academy members & their guests from the production side of film-making & animation folks, (like us).

Once we were up the steps of the Dobly theater and into the main foyer, that’s when things got exciting.  The highlights of our night were as follows…

We met Peter Lord, the director of Pirates from Ardmann Animation, and he was a riot. I adored him. Such a great sense of humor and personality, we really enjoyed speaking with him.  My fiancé had the chance to speak with Mark Walberg, and tell him how much he enjoyed ‘Ted’ and really thought he was hilarious.

What I had been most excited about, was getting to speak with Tim Burton, and Helena Bonham Carter, whom I both love, and I was also able to discuss with Helena how much I really admire her, and that loved her dress that evening. It was very ‘Victorian/Steampunk in nature, perfectly ‘her’.

We also had the chance to congratulate Brenda Chapman on her dual win with Mark Andrews on winning the best Animated Feature category for directing Pixar’s Brave. I had to tell her how much I loved her blue corseted gown, which was absolutely stunning in person.

After that, we saw John and Nancy Lasseter and were able to tell them as well how happy we were that Brave, won, and also that the animated short Paper Man took the Oscar. I also talked to Nancy about their winery, which, she said, is her greatest passion. Well, who can blame her? Who doesn’t love wine?

The real treat was meeting Tommy Lee Jones, and telling him what a wonderful job I thought he did in Lincoln, and that I truly thought he would win the Oscar, as he was my personal pick and favorite.  He and his wife were incredibly gracious and sweet, and thanked me for my kind words. They were both a joy to chat with. 

The Oscars, or Academy Awards, are really a very special event, and it is truly an honor to be able to attend such a prestigious affair, and meet or speak with such incredible, talented, and gifted people.  Every year, I know how fortunate I am to be able to sit and stand amongst the giants of this industry, and it reminds me of all the reasons why I love this business.