Realmscapes

Found in Translation

by KMR

Some time ago, I wrote a journal entry of the fact that my story is 'lost in translation'. Due to the fact that english is my second language, it never seemed to matter how often I rewrote my story... it was never good enough. Things were getting better - but simply never 'right'.

A story is a story, and it can be told in many means. As a book, by the spoken word, and it can be a comic... After the last years of listening, my husband sat down and wrote the first part of my story as a comic-script, in hope it would sell easier than the book.

Almost two and a half years ago, I met Kat online and asked her, if she wanted to make my story into a comic. ... I don't remember why she agreed at the time. That was January 06. Now, we have May 08, and Kat has become my penciller and my story - seemingly found in translation - is going to be available to the public worldwide...

Please check out our website www.grailquestbooks.com for details. New things will be uploaded over the next weeks, so keep looking!

Met Stephen King

by KMR
He is all that I heard people say about him and more. We met by now a few days ago in the supermarket and talked for a couple minutes at register #13. He asked me if I felt strange about that and I did not know if to laugh or to drop the salad I was holding. All I remember thinking at first was "wow, you're huge!" ... glad that did not fall out of my mouth since I am rather on the short side of people...

I heard people talk about him being in the store a few minutes before I met him and therefore had the chance to watch him interact with people around him. It was funny how he glanced at some confused and spoke rather shyly with others. Friendly towards all, until he held up the line with somebody at the end asking him to get moving. That person later told me that he knew him... based on Stephen King's expression I'd say it was a 'distant knowing'.

Considering that he wore nothing but a jeans and a black pullover... I'd say that you could have taken him for an average class guy... not a world famous writer. I really hope that was not the last time.

Faith in a Story

It is the strangest thing for me to listen to or read words from another person about my story. I have three friends I never met. Kat, Dan and Steve. They live in Texas, Washington State and Virgina. With Kat, I've been on the phone once, Steve I've chatted online with and Dan... Dan is pretty much impossible to reach, even via e-mail. :-D

All three of them are older than me. Two of them have their own families and they all have their full-time jobs. Yet, these three people sit down, give me the little free time they have and turn my story into a comic... And they are excited about it!

Looking at what they produce and searching for my approval... I sometimes just sit there with a lack for words. Not only because of their art and skill, but simply by the faith they are showing. It leaves me speechless and all I can say is Thank you! and I hope that I can return the favor somehow one of these days... 

About Inspiration (KMR)

I just spend a good amount of time online, looking at pictures from artists (mostly unknown). I like looking at pictures, but when I noticed that I viewed them faster and faster, I wondered what I was doing. Am I not wasting time? I know my husband tells me that very often when he finds me doing the very same.

So I thought for the last months (if not longer) that I was browsing these pictures for inspiration. I love to draw scenes from my story, but at times I just like to view pictures to see if I can find a similar field of emotion or event that I have in mind to see what other artists portray it.

Well, I think I finally realized why I was skipping from picture to picture faster than ever. There were none. Everything I looked at did not show what I was looking for and then I remembered why I had sat down as a young teen and started to write my story... because I was never content with what I looked at. It was not what I was interested in...

I have no idea what that makes me, but I think my time of looking at other people's pictures to find inspiration is going to shorten. Especially since I have the proof that I get nothing of my own stuff done and after all, it will make my husband very happy. :-D

Terrified of Change? (by KMR)

Over the last years, I always wondered about if I had a problem with success - and it was never in anything particular. Every time, I was given an opportunity to have a better life with less problems, I had the strangest feelings of wanting to withdraw.

Once again, I was given an offer for a better life. A new job, better money and free college. Who would not take that? :) I would and I want to. But I have to do a few things to get there and THAT is always what holds me back. I never want to do the extra work. Get the extra information... Does that make me lazy or stupid? Probably both.

No. I know what I need to do... and I will find a way to do it - despite the fact that I am seemingly terrified of change.

Job experience 2 (by KMR)

As daunting as a bad experience can be, as uplifting is it when something bad is confessed, apologized and forgiven.

I was rather startled when my supervisor called a meeting and told everyone that he had been confronted about certain issues... He said that he would be more than willing to step down from his position due to his negative behavior and its effect on us.

Funny thing is, everyone gaped at him in disbelief, including myself - because he was the last I expected to come out with this. I had totally different people in mind, yet he, who was in charge, took the blame and punishment for us all in front of his boss...

Unreal, I usually only read of things like this. :)

Job observance (by KMR)

People you work with make or break your job experience. I always knew that and I always fought such feelings. I mean, if I like what I am doing, why should I feel unmotivated just because of some people around me who feel like that? What does that show about myself?

Yes, it is hard to work with people who have lost or do not have passion about what they are doing, but that is no excuse to buckle as well...