I had a terrific time in Portland, once I got there. It is one of the nicest conventions around. I think I gave a number of examples of where ideas come from, including my editor Diana who was sitting in the audience. I am deathly afraid of her, and when she says I have a deadline you better believe I get the work in on time.

For my own (short) con report, go on over to my Live Journal. There are other reports, such as one to Poland just a few days after getting back from Oregon.

http://usagiguy.livejournal.com/17306.html#cutid1

You know what’s weird? I do know where I get my ideas, for the most part. I usually just think about pop culture I’ve seen, and what it would be like if it were different.

Which can leave you with derivative things, but for one thing I’m okay with that, and for another you can actually come up with some weird ideas if you work long enough.

The comic I’m working on now for a class is about a cyclops cowgirl. I was thinking of cartoons like Naruto, where some kid has to prove himself in spite of opposition and bias, and I was trying to think of the stupidest handicap I could come up with. So I thought, “What about a cyclops? They have poor depth perception.”

And then from there I figured she should work for Geryon, the three-bodied herdsman from Greek myth. I thought a cattle drive would be a premise that lent itself to episodic, short stories.

So, I can actually explain pretty well where my ideas come from.

Maybe it’s because I’m not a professional.