THE LINGERING HALLOWEEN
(Working title)
Part 1 - THE TOY
It was a dark and stormy night...except it was daytime and the sun was out. I’d stepped outside, an ominous chill was in the air. I went back inside, and came outside with a coat on. There was less of chill in the air, but it was still OMINOUS.
I had a newsletter that needed to be posted on Tuesday, and so was on my way to a local spot where I could quietly work without distraction. Perched between the pavement and the local estate, I spotted what appeared to some kind of Frankenstein care bear. Supposedly a toy from Halloween that had been discarded, now that the holiday had passed. It’s cotton eyes peered up at me, almost as if to say: “Boo. I’m some kind of Frankenstein care bear.”
I looked at the care bear and shook my head, saying plainly “I do not care, bear. It’s not Halloween anymore.” And ventured onward; this was surely the last of remnant of all hallows eve I would have to deal with.
Part 2 - THE GRAFFITI
Chapter 1: CATS
On the the wall, I then spotted a tiny scribble. A doodle. I was convinced it was a cat, but I couldn’t PROVE it was a cat, as it had been abstracted to the point of…what’s the opposite of clarity? Abstracted to the point of UNclarity? Is that a sentence? Sorry, I’m tryna do like atmospheric old-timey writing, but I’m only half committed.
It was at this point it occurred to me that I could no longer see something that even REMOTELY appeared like a cat, without my mind drifting to my graphic novel. (The protagonist is a cat, I’ve said that already right?) Even abstract scribbles on the street make me think of endless hours drawing that silly feline.
Tuft was a character born essentially out of my love for drawing little angry dudes with big eyes. And cats, obviously. I basically invented the character to just be a tormented version of Garfield. Like instead of hating Mondays he hates…well, he just hates. Despite how lazy and terrible of an idea that was, a cute design and funny jokes made Tuft Luck the character which seemed to have resonated the most out of all my characters.
That’s not saying much for the star of a book that’s isn’t released yet, but still. Turns out I’m a natural at writing deadpan sarcasm and cynical, witty remarks. Who knew?
