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nanowrimo · 4 years ago

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A Step-by-Step Guide to Self-Publishing a Middle Grade Adventure Book

It can be so exciting to share your story with the world! While everyone’s writing journey is different and there’s no right way to seek publication, here’s a guide from middle grade author RJ Vantalos detailing the steps they took to get their novel published:

Back in November 2018, my writing partner (my fiance’s 11-year-old daughter!) and I wanted to craft a middle-grade fiction book during NaNoWriMo. We decided to write about a family that has magical powers that they use to save a romp of Sea Otters in Monterey Bay.

That NaNoWriMo journey created the first draft of the book we just self-published called The Magical Mystical Mirror under our pen name RJ Vantalos. Why a pen name?

As artists, we want to focus on our art and write some great stories together. RJ Vantalos gives us the space to collaborate as co-authors in this adventure series under a single banner, without blurring the lines with other aspects of our respective lives. Besides, RJ Vantalos is just an awesome pen name and was begging to be put to use.

We wanted to share how we did it so that if you might have a book you want to self-publish, you’ll at least have one experience to guide you.

Know Your Genre and What Readers Expect

At the time, we wanted to write a middle-grade story that had some roots in our lives. Since we take trips to Monterey Bay often (at least before COVID), we decided to make that the setting of our story.

Since one of us is a middle-schooler who loves both Scooby-Doo and Nancy Drew, it was decided that she would guide what a middle-grade reader might want to read about. This was invaluable and allowed us to fill in a lot of the story as we took our trips to Monterey Bay Aquarium, Mission Carmel, and Cannery Row.

We also knew that we wanted to have some magic, mystery, and a “crime” to solve. That led us down the path of Fantasy/Adventure that’s a cross between Scooby-Doo and Harry Potter.

What this also did was make us realize that we needed to have illustrations for the book. The middle-grade chapter books we are fond of, such as Boxcar Children, Nancy Drew, to name a few, all had illustrations.

So the first step in our process (after we finished our Draft 0 during NaNoWriMo in 2019) was to find an illustrator. You can skip that if you don’t need them.

Step 1: Find an Illustrator

We needed to have illustrations for the cover and beginning of each chapter. That was an essential part of what a middle-grade chapter book must provide for the reader. We worked with a local San Francisco artist named Julia Geller who writes books as well.

We had to make sure that our draft was not going to change too much since the illustrations will be based on what’s in each chapter. That’s why we needed to make sure it all made sense. This brings us to step 2.

Step 2: Have Friends and Family Read It

Thankfully, we have a wide variety of friends and family in our target reader group, so they served as our “beta readers.” This is an essential part of creating a story that works for your readers. As we had them read the close to final drafts, we got a lot of great advice on how to refine the story. This refining process is a good way to know when you’re ready to hire an editor.

Step 3: Hire an Editor

Hiring an editor is a great way to ensure that your final book makes sense and does not have typos. Since we already had the structure of the book nailed down, we only needed to hire a line editor as opposed to a structural editor.

For what, we used Kerrie McLoughlin, who not only is a great copy editor but also has kids in our age demographic. Win and double win!

Step 3b: Rounds of Editing

Editing a book is such an art and it’s also something that feels like it’s never done. After we got the edits from Kerrie, we went through them to make sure they worked from our perspective. Even after that, we got others to look at it just to make sure.

If you don’t have someone awesome like Kerrie, there is a marketplace for editors on Reedsy.

Step 4: Create a Cover

Julia also did the cover illustrations for the book but not the cover. For that, we used 100covers. At first, you might be tempted to try and do a cover or use an automatic cover generator from one of the self-publishing tools (more on that later). We’d recommend against that.

One thing we found is that automatically generated covers tend to be a little off and that makes the paperback look a little weird. For eBooks, that’s not as true. We’d say experiment with it and see how it looks. The beauty of self-publishing is that you control the process and can iterate over and over again. Which we did.

One upside with having 100covers do your cover is that we got a lot of marketing images to use as well since we picked that package.

Step 5: Format the Inside of the Book

Since we have images in our book, we hired Formatted Books to do both the paperback and the eBook. This worked out extremely well. At first, we tried to use the Reedsy formatting tool to create the print version. This did an okay job.

The problem was with the images and how we wanted them to look. We wanted the images to be above the first page of the chapter. The Reedsy tool did this but not on all of the chapters.

If you have a book that is not image-heavy (or no images at all), then you could save a bit of money on formatting. Again, play around with it and see how it turns out.

Step 6: Setup the Book on Blurb

We used Blurb.com as our “publisher” for the print version. It’s an easy site to use and also allows independent bookstores to order books as well. This was an important part of our promotion plan. We LOVE independent book stores and want all our friends and family to be able to buy them there.

Of course, with Blurb, they can also buy it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble if they so choose.

NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program participants also get a special Blurb discount by using the code YWP30

Step 6b: Setup the eBook on Kobo

Blurb.com does offer eBook distribution but you have to create an eBook from your print book pdf. This did not work out for us.

The formatting of The Magical Mystical Mirror turned out awful when we ran it through Blurb’s converter. It also gave us an error that we could not use the font that was in the print version. That was the main reason the formatting went wrong. When the tool tried to swap the fonts, everything went sideways. That’s why we went with Kobo.

Kobo.com allowed us to upload the eBook we got as part of the package from Formatted Books. This worked out awesome.

Kobo is easy to use and is a great way to sell the eBook (and audio if we had one) all over the world. We first heard of Kobo from Joanna Penn, whose podcast and books on self-publishing we relied on for help and guidance. She’s even done NaNoWriMo several times!

Step 7: Review Print & eBook

We did several rounds of galley copies of the print book to double and triple-check it. A galley copy is what publishers call the first book(s) “off the press” that is used for final checks.

We did find a couple of typos and mistakes in the galley copies that we had to feedback to Formatted Books. It’s hard to find every typo or misspelled word when looking at an electronic copy. We’d highly recommend getting a couple of galley copies to look at before officially hitting publish.

Step 8: Hit Publish!

On both Blurb and Kobo, you can keep your book in “draft” while you’re reviewing all the versions. You’ll also have to set pricing for all of your versions and if you’re selling to bookstores, the discounted price. Both tools have good guidance on this and we would recommend looks at “comps” in your genre. “Comps” are books that are similar to yours.

Congratulations! You just self-published your book. Have a party to celebrate while you think about how to promote your book.

The Promotion Plan

We love independent books stores and a big concern of ours was whether or not they could carry our book. Thankfully, if you use Blurb, they can.

Our promotion plan is centered around local independent bookstores and creating demand for the book via friends and family. Of course, writing a blog post on NaNoWriMo does not hurt either!

Research All Your Local Bookstores

We used bookweb.org to find our local books stores. This only works for U.S. based bookstores. They have a great search feature that gives you a URL for the search results. This URL is what we’re going to email to all our friends and family along with instructions on what to tell them.

We know this is a bit “old school” but it’s important to us that we try and promote our local independent bookstores to help our local economy. We’re not sure how successful it will be yet but it’s worth a try.

Thanks for Reading This Far

If you made it this far, thanks for reading our journey to self-publishing The Magical Mystical Mirror. It was a lot of work but also a lot of fun. There is something magical about seeing and feeling a book you worked on. For us, it’s a matter of pride and a job well done that we had an idea and it’s now a reality.

If you’d like to read The Magical Mystical Mirror, why not try and pick it up at your local independent bookstore. The ISBN number is 978-1034384199. Tell them RJ sent you! If you’d like the eBook version, then try Kobo.

RJ Vantalos is the pen name of the collaboration between an entrepreneur and his fiance's middle-schooler daughter who one day said "why don't you write books for kids?" So we did! RJ wants all young writers, their friends, and their adults to create more together. It's through creation that we can all learn more about each other and thrive. RJ lives in San Francisco, CA.

#nanowrimo #writing #amwriting #ywp #young writers program #now what #publishing #self-publishing #by nano guest #rj vantalos

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juanitaheart · 4 years ago

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Self care weekend with @oiaskin Anti Wrinkle patches. This pack is a complete make over for all your wrinkle concerns and is an safe and effective alternative to Botox. So excited to get my hands on these and do some Selfcare. Easy to use you just put on the Medical grade Silicone patches and sit back for a hour and let them do their magic. Use overnight for even better results. I have used these twice now and they have left my skin plump, smooth and super soft with dramatic results. They really helped my fine lines on my neck and chest area. . I love how i can do this easy routine at home and these patches can be used up to 15 times so that is value for your dollar. The patches are thick & strong without being sticky. You just press on and smooth out getting rid of any air bubbles then leave on for a hour. They come off very easy, wash then store for another use. Looking forward to many more uses and will be using overnight tonight 😀. . @oiaskin . Use code IMJUANITIAIG for a 10% discount. . https://bit.ly/3uS0xXD. . #oiaskinfluence #oia #oiaskincare #oiaantiwrinklepatches #antiwrinklepatches #selfcare #selflove #juanitaheart #skincare #brandedcontent #skincarecommunity #beauty #naturalskincare #lovemyskin (at Byron Bay, New South Wales) https://www.instagram.com/p/COT3UJdllU0/?igshid=1m3w4zphfvckv

#oiaskinfluence #oia #oiaskincare #oiaantiwrinklepatches #antiwrinklepatches #selfcare #selflove #juanitaheart #skincare #brandedcontent #skincarecommunity #beauty #naturalskincare #lovemyskin

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rosemaryhelenxo · 6 months ago

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I've had a few major collaboration updates! (PR - Affiliated)

Over the last few months I have been working on building and securing new collabs and discounts for you to use! So enjoy! 💸 Here’s my current personal exclusive discount codes 💸 Remember: If I don’t use it or trust it – I won’t promote it! ~ Beauty & Make Up ~ Cult Beauty are online beauty curators. Rather than selling full beauty lines, they’ve created a shop where every product is chosen…

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roaringdandelions · 5 years ago

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INTRODUCING || Laguna Vista

because everything sounds better in Spanish, hee hee

|| About Laguna Vista

Welcome to Laguna Vista! This multi-functional lot features several fun activities for your Sims to partake in as they enjoy their time in the Sulani sunshine. Scroll down to learn more!

LOT DIRECTORY

|| First Floor

Seaside Serenity Yoga Studio SUNBURST Cap’n Carole’s Bakery & Cafe Shelley’s Paint Studio - feat. NEW! Paint Nite dates & paintings! Koko Krab Tiki Bar

|| Second Floor

Laguna Bay Apartments

Click below to see MANY screenshots and learn more about the lot’s many amenities!

NOTE: This is a no-CC build located at the Lagoon Look location in Sulani, in the bottom-right corner of the map. I am still making additions to this build in the way of decorations and details but the basic structure will remain the same. If you are interested in downloading this, please let me know in the comments below! Please enjoy my lot descriptions and screenshots, I had a lot of fun working on them and I hope that they make you smile, or even laugh :D

|| Seaside Serenity Yoga Studio

Are you feeling a little tense? Have you had your body weight in kava and it still isn’t doing the trick? Head to Seaside Serenity Yoga Studio, where yoga classes are held throughout each day. This tranquil studio is guaranteed to make you feel relaxed, re-invigorated, and definitely limber. On-site lockers and showers allow you to sweat like a pig right before a public roast and still walk out fresh as a bougainvillea blossom!

LOCAL TIP: Wilhelmina Torriance, the studio’s primary owner and leading instructor, is a true believer in the idea that fish should not be hunted for recreation. If you happen to catch one while out fishing and decide not to eat it, you can bring it by the yoga studio and Wilhelmina may add it to her sizable aquarium! Your contribution may earn you a discount, while your behavior may earn you a disapproving glare.

|| SUNBURST

If you’ve just realized that you woefully under-packed for your vacation, or have a burning desire to spend your Simoleons on some new fashion and souvenirs, then look no further than SUNBURST, the area’s premier oceanside shop designed to meet your every need!

PLEASE NOTE: This famous retail mega-chain is still stocking its shelves and will be open to the public in the coming weeks - stay tuned to @SUNBURST for more details and tag us in a selfie using the hashtag #SunburstSelfie to win fabulous merchandise vouchers!

|| Cap’n Carole’s Bakery & Cafe

Carole Cunningham is a longtime member of the Sulani community and regarded as one of the sweetest, most personable ladies that you will meet during your stay in Sulani. A former captain in the Brindleton navy, she retired a few years ago and happily settled in to island living, where she harnessed her passion for baking and started her own bakery and cafe. Tourists and locals alike come to relax at her counter-top seating out of the hot, hot sun and enjoy delicious snacks and treats all made by the great captain herself. You haven’t truly experienced paradise until you’ve tried Cap’n Carole’s notorious “raspberry ridicules” - the exact recipe is a secret, but a recent write-up by a widely-acclaimed San Myshuno food critic’s blog has everybody rushing to get one for themselves!

LOCAL TIP: Looking for a discount? If Carole is behind the counter (and she usually is), say the phrase “oh Captain, my Captain!” at checkout for a ten percent discount off your total purchase - twenty percent if you can recite the poem to which that line refers!

|| Turtle Bay Paint Studio

Have you ever wanted to try your hand at painting, but do not own an easel, paint, or an ounce of talent? Have you ever wanted to use someone else’s supplies to give it a shot anyway AND mix in delicious local Sulani nectars while you make a fool of yourself on the canvas? Well, look no further than Turtle Bay Paint Studio! Shelley Makaheli is a locally-famous artist that finds great joy and passion for art in general and loves sharing her gift with tourists and locals eager to try their hand at creative expression. Sign up today for one of her super-fun Paint Nites and paint along with a professional artist while sipping on gorgeous nectar blends made right in Sulani! Why spend money on souvenirs when you can get juiced and make them yourself?

LOCAL TIP: Use promo code WINEABOUTLIFE for twenty percent off two or more Paint Nite tickets - perfect for a date night or a night out with your girlfriends!

|| Laguna Vista Marina & Watercraft Rentals

We get it: when you gotta go, you gotta go... out on the water, that is! Head to the back of Laguna Vista and rent one our high-caliber canoes and water scooters. Perfect for families of all ages looking for a little adventure in their day! Laguna Vista’s close proximity to nearby beaches and lagoon-side dining make rental use a breeze!

PLEASE NOTE: Locals and tourists with appropriate marina paperwork may also dock their personal watercraft at any available hitch post at one of our three docks.

||Koko Krab Tiki Bar

Tiki Time is all of the time! Recently opened by Sulani native (and local heartthrob, me-yow), Makoa Kealoha, this fun outdoor tiki bar is perfect for a quick drink out with friends, a date with a traveling stranger, or even a place to drown your sorrows when a dolphin rejects your offer of friendship. Enjoy lagoon views and ice cold drinks in the hot sun and dance the night away on the back porch and the marina docks - just try not to fall in the lagoon!

LOCAL TIP: We realize that yes, Mister Kealoha is handsome. Criminally so, some may say. We also realize that the hashtags #HubbyGoals and #ManCrushMonday were most likely inspired by him, and that he should play every romantic lead ever put on stage or in cinema, ever. But we hate to break it to you, ladies (and gentlemen) - he’s happily married, and in a frustrating turn of events, she’s absolutely lovely and they’re blissfully happy and they have a sweetheart of a son and a freaking adorable dog and it’s just so darn infuRIATING--

Ahem. So please, try to avoid sexually harassing him during your visit to Koko Krab Tiki Bar. It’s beginning to get a little out of hand.

|| Laguna Bay Apartments

Laguna Vista is proud to welcome you home to Laguna Bay Apartments, a beautiful new rental property now available to tourists looking for a downtown vacation home-away-from-home with immediate access to local flavors. Featuring two cozy apartment spaces, these unique rentals are perfect for a couple’s getaway and each come with a full kitchen, dining and relaxation spaces, bedrooms with lagoon views, and outdoor access to second-floor patios overlooking the shimmering waters of the lagoon. Traveling with your little pirate or mermaid? One apartment features a child’s bedroom with plenty of room for one child! Shared common areas and laundry service areas complete this lovely island escape.

PLEASE NOTE: Book your stay now for the best deals! We can’t wait to welcome you home!

#ts4 #the sims 4 #sims 4 build #Laguna Vista #before you click that link-SIT DOWN AND GET READY #BECAUSE THAT'S A WHOLE LOT OF INFORMATION #y'all can really tell that I had waaaaay too much fun working on this #and honestly it's not done?#but I still like it?#let me know what you think!

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ofstormythoughts · 4 years ago

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What Happens at the Toy Box Part 1 with @OneCheekyGal

Raine

••I wasn't quite sure what to make of my non-grand-opening Grand Opening, but Birdie's had done surprisingly well in the first few months, even considering the challenges that came with 2020. I had sorely lacked in marketing myself but it seemed I had garnered enough local fanfare by word of mouth, I’d even sold out of some of what I had on offer. I felt greedy in my happiness despite all the effort it took to realize this dream that spanned more than my own lifetime. The only way in which I had announced my arrival into the scene was via introduction to the surrounding business owners and shop managers. There was a sole location that had evaded me. The Toy Box had managed to both pique my interest and stoke a sadness when I tried to stop by. Clearly it was not a store for children as the name would imply by a glance from afar. Thankfully it was in my nature to cast a deeper line into the sea of curiosities. I wondered the story behind its extended closure and during some lulls in my own foot traffic, I was prone to imagining its caretaker had been swept up into a torrid love affair and was sailing around the world with an incomparable lover. The wind held the secrets of The Toy Box at bay, sadly, so I was left to my own musings. It had become a habit to glance across the way before I opened and I held a silent yearning to see the sign switched from “Closed” to whatever elusive welcome alerted the passer by the store was open for business.

This was why when I stepped out to tend the garden and saw the door open that hadn't been since my arrival, excitement quickened my pulse. It was silly, really, but I wouldn't feel my induction into the local scene had been completed until I met this last neighborhood retailer.

My next appointment wasn’t scheduled for an afternoon and I could use a technology break. Setting up the online store was not on my list of favorite things to do. Locking up Birdie's temporarily, I sprung into action, lest I miss my chance and face that closed sign. I nearly skipped across the street before happily crossing the threshold that had been to date a gatekeeper to my curiosity. A bright but genuine smile curved my lips as I approached the petite and pretty girl behind the register, sure to keep a proper distance since I wasn’t wearing a mask. Maybe it had been my daydreaming of her whereabouts, but on sight of her alone, I found my interest in her story piqued even more than all the wares for sale. I tried to keep my gaze from wandering and my eyes from widening at all the things, some which I wasn’t completely naive to, others that had me clueless about their potential use.••

Camille:

*The decision to temporarily close my shop so I could take a vacation had given me heaps of anxiety and a weight of worry on my shoulders that felt heavier than the Costco sized bag of cat food I liked to buy for Betty. I had considered hiring someone temporarily while I was away, but the efforts of training them for such a short period of time seemed like more of a hassle than losing the week’s worth of sales.

What had started out as being closed for a short holiday had unexpectedly turned into something much longer. I had been out of the country enjoying the sand and sun when the travel restrictions and the COVID pandemic had been declared, and upon my return home, a mandatory quarantine had been instituted which meant the shop doors would unfortunately be staying closed.

Fortunately, my online shop was already well established and after an emailed Newsletter to my customer list indicating orders could still be placed during the brick and mortar closure, the lull that my vacation created gradually picked back up. My rainy day savings had helped during the months where in store purchases were entirely obsolete. In my time away and then the subsequent closure, the small cluster of businesses in the area surrounding mine seemed to stay fairly stagnant, with the exception of a new shop that I had completely missed opening, I could only assume it happened while I was away. I hadn't planned to make the time to introduce myself. New businesses tended to avoid mine. God forbid someone admitted to knowing the owner of a sex shop...not that it phased me anyways. The day I had been phased to re-open the shop, I used a wedge of wood to prop the door open to help get rid of the stale air while I dusted for the first few hours. I didn't expect a rush of customers even though I had made a re-opening announcement on the shop’s website with the new hours, and had sent out a discount code to my email list in the hopes of drumming up some more sales and maybe even some foot traffic. It felt good to get back to my old routine of keeping busy and taking pride in what I had built up over the years. It was while I was in the middle of organizing a new countertop display of novelty single condoms that someone walked through the open door. My smile, the one that was reserved just for customers came back to my lips easily, just like old times and as I angled the stand next to the cash register just so, I greeted the lovely looking redhead and tried to guess in my mind what she might be here for...a game I sometimes liked to play with myself just for fun.* Hello, how can I help you today?

Raine

•• I was immediately disarmed by the friendly body language of the girl that I was meeting at long last. My eyes betrayed me by stealing glances at the various displays which were successful in drawing the attention of a complete sexual novice, hoping the color of my cheeks was not as evident as the warmth I felt there. I could only imagine that someone with more experience would be quick to spend their savings based on the appealing presentations alone. I felt oddly at ease and out of place all at once, perhaps the impressive and colorful water wall behind the shop’s mistress was at work. I couldn’t help but appreciate that her store had its own water feature befitting its personality just like my own at Birdie’s.•• First, apologies for my barging in without paying mind to whether or not you were actually open. I saw from across the street that you were no longer shuttered and I was too excited for any patience. I’m Raine and I just opened up across the way. •• As I smiled, I caught a glance of a beautiful and fluffy white cat circling her legs, wrapping its tail around her, perhaps to state “She is mine.”•• I have been eagerly awaiting your return, there was a void because you’ve been nowhere to be found. Maybe the universe wanted me to save the best for last.

Camille

*The way the girl looked around with wide eyed curiosity as she approached had me titling my head and feeling momentarily stunted when it came to a guess of what she might possibly wish to purchase. She had the look of uncertainty until she spoke and then surprise took hold of my features before I could school them back into place.* Oh! You don't have to apologize. *As I peered through the window in the direction of where she indicated, I mumbled to myself how I hoped the welcoming committee had been nicer to her than they had been to me before I turned back to her and extended my hand to shake hers out of habit before I could stop myself, I laughed awkwardly and pulled my hand away, remembering to keep my distance.* It's very nice to meet you, Raine. I'm Camille and this here is Betty. *I bent down to pick up my cat and lifted her up into proper view.* Usually she hides away in the back but since today is the first day back after closing, she hasn't left my side. *As Betty nuzzled against me, I smiled for the comfort she brought then sat her back down and made my way around to the other side of the counter.* It's very sweet of you to want to introduce yourself...so did you open pretty recently, then? I was closed briefly for a holiday before the pandemic started and had to stay closed.

Raine

•• Nodding in immediate reaction as not to interrupt Camille before she was done speaking.••

Yes, three months ago, but we must have just missed each other for your sabbatical because I have been here for about five renovating. If you need any help settling back in, I’d be happy to volunteer. I haven’t made too many acquaintances and I am just getting my bearings, really so there are no social distractions to be had.•• I hoped I hadn’t been too forward. I had never much been desperate for human contact, but there was a smidge of isolation seeping in on the year anniversary of losing my Birdie. I tried to concentrate on the sweet of the bittersweet at my opening, but of course had been confronted with pangs of my loss. Daring another peek around, smiling as another blush warmed my cheeks. •• Not that I think you and Betty don’t have it handled. Do you mind if I take a look around? •• I was a mermaid out of water but that didn’t mean my curiosity was not at a healthy level. The range of items in my immediate view offered plenty of options for my perusal without my naivety making me completely foolish in front of my new kitty-corner shop neighbor.••

Camille:

*I couldn't help the smile that took hold of my lips when Raine offered to help me settle back in...and it clicked in my mind that I should have been the one to make that offer given how long the shop had been opened. I was starting to feel like I didn't deserve her kindness for how oblivious I had been to the renovations across the way. Thankfully her question brought me out of my mind and the pondering of what else I might have missed while my toes and head were in the sand.* Please, take your time and browse as much as you’d like. *Not wanting to make her feel like I was hovering or being one of those nosy shop owners, I moved back around to the other side of the counter to continue with the display I had been working on, speaking loud enough for her to hear without being intrusive.* I don't have much to do in the way of settling back into things, but I’d love to take a look around your place when you're not too busy. *As I waited for Raine to reply, the sound of a vehicle pulling up outside the shop demanded my attention, and an old familiar feeling of what it was like to be busy returned along with a pang of guilt for being away so long. That feeling slowly faded and was quickly replaced with interest as I watched the gentleman exit his truck and begin to walk across the parking lot, headed straight for the shop Raine had pointed out as hers. Turning back to see if she noticed, I called out to warn her.* Hey, um...Raine...I think you might have a customer…

Raine:

••My reaction of a sigh to the call to duty was uncharacteristic, but spoke to the fact I instinctually would like to get to know Camille and the setting of her shop was too perfect to urge me out of my hermit comfort zone. With the slightest reluctance I turned towards the door. I also knew whoever it was hadn’t made an appointment. While I was still allowing walk-ins, I had to limit the number of people in Birdie’s to three.••

You’re welcome to come across the way with me, if you’d like? I am not done exploring your shop, so either way, I will be back.

••With a little more quickening in my steps, I exited, hoping Camille might follow. I passed the man as casually as possible, but was greeted with thoughts that made my nose crinkle, as it was plain he was looking at my ass with graphic intentions of what he’d like to do to it. I flushed again, this time in embarrassment and anger, and not at all out of flattery. My eyes pinched closed just before I unlocked my door, the sanctuary and water feature running through the floor calmed my wild emotions and allowed me to form a smile that though unauthentic, would fool the man when he caught sight. He didn’t hesitate to return the smile, though his was dripping with sleaze. “Just back from lunch? Maybe next time I’ll get here earlier so you won’t have to eat alone.” I gagged at the back of my throat and wished to shove politeness aside, but with a little more cleverness than the man deserved.•• Too bad my lunch table is reserved for one and booked months in advance.

••I focused on the blessed sound of the water while he honed in on my chest with beady eyes, I turned out of view when he pestered me with more intrusive questions. “Boyfriend? Husband?” His pause was not long enough before he added, “Girlfriend? I’m more than willing to share.” I ignored his utterly insulting insinuations, refusing to satisfy any of his base curiosity, instead I fetched a bottle of Camphor essential oil, known to be used by monks to suppress sexual urges, smiling as I took his hand, dotting the top between middle and ring fingers with the oil.•• This is on special today. ••winking, though I felt like I must immediately return home to scrub myself clean for providing him any kind of returns to his advances•• Just for you.

••I made a show of using my own, house made blend of hand sanitizer as his smile somehow got creepier. It seemed like at least an hour had passed since I left the Toy Box, though I knew for certain it has been a short few minutes. “Oh, I didn’t come here to make a purchase. I’ve been watching you come and go and… decided today was the day I’d let my fiery little redhead crush in on the secret.” My eyes flared wide and the creepy crawlies multiplied from head to toe. Stupefied and appalled, I shook my head vehemently.•• I suggest you leave, go home and clean those binoculars you’ve been using, that way the next time you look you’ll see I’m not interested.

••”I wasn’t using binoculars --” Pointing out the door, my lips in a set in a stern line, frustrated with myself for entertaining any of this stupidity.••

Camille:

*I nodded at Raine when she excused herself with haste for her customer. I understood completely. New businesses were hard to turn a profit the first handful of years and each sale was important toward ensuring one’s livelihood. Not wanting to encroach on her sale, I took my time gathering my keys to lock the door but before I could, Betty snuck her fluffy white self out, circling my feet and curling her tail around my leg. With a smile, I scooped her into my arms and locked up my own shop, not at all concerned about missing out on a customer. There hadn't been any all day while I had been cleaning anyways.

As I approached Raine’s store front, I could see her speaking with the man then pointing toward the door with a look on her face that was unmistakable. It was an expression I had used more than a few times, I had perfected it, really. Generally it was used on under-agers, and despite my petite size, worked very well. I was no pushover. But this guy was old enough to know better and to know he wasn’t welcomed.* Oh man, Betty. I wonder if our new friend needs some reinforcements. *Squaring my shoulders, I pushed the door open and painted on my brightest smile.* Hey, Raine. *I took my time looking around while holding Betty, her purrs from being in my arms and having her head scratched slowly began to fade with each step I took closer to the man who still couldn’t take the hint.*

I just adore the water feature you have here, it’s so lovely. *Satisfied with being close enough to my new friend, I picked up a jar on a nearby table, pretending to look at the label as he spoke again. My nose scrunched at his blatant disrespect and I waited to hear how she would handle herself. Betty, ever the excellent judge in character, hissed in warning from my arms, and I caught Raine’s gaze briefly, winking as I quietly let my guard cat jump down from my hold. It seemed she had very quickly taken offence on Raine’s behalf and moved to circle around her legs as she always did with me. From my spot out of the guy’s view, I mouthed at Raine to pick Betty up, if he got any closer, I knew the claws would come out.*

Raine

••I knew we’d only just met, but Camille and Betty were both quickly becoming essential to my survival. Their audience reinforced my backbone, especially when I witnessed Betty hissing. Animals were the best judge of character and I caught Camille’s wink and easily read her lips.•• I’m afraid you will have to go now. I have a private consultation. ••I wasn’t prone to lie, but I also wasn’t an idiot. I needed to ensure this man got the message the first time lest he think there was any question in my denial. The encounter was new to me, I hadn’t ever really been in this position, but I was in a new locale and I was certain it wouldn’t be the last time.•• I’m so sorry, Camille, he was just leaving…

•• “Before I go, can I set up a private… consultation?” My stomach absolutely turned over, most especially for the way he rolled over the words private and consultation.•• Consultations are for customers intending to make a minimum purchase of five hundred dollars. You can call to set it up when you decide you are interested in my inventory. Now please leave.

••I watched as Betty sauntered closer to me, stopping right by my feet. I was flattered by my newfound feline friend’s quick warming up to me. When she nudged my calf with her nose, I dipped down, gingerly picking her up and surprised when I was greeted with a purr of her approval before she turned her head to the man and let loose a low growl. I watched as the sleaze put his hands up in relent and started backing towards the door. “I’ll see you soon, beautiful.” Disgusted, once he left I let out a sigh of exasperation.•• Please tell me they aren’t all like that here? And thank you, complete lifesaver. You too, Betty.

Camille

*As I waited for the jerk to get the hint Raine was trying to send his way, I found myself biting my tongue. She was being too kind, in my opinion. And if this guy was in my shop acting like this, I wouldn’t hesitate to tell him off and kick him out. Then again, I could recall when my shop was new, years ago and I had to have a few similar experiences in order to find my grit. Raine would find hers, too, I was certain of it.

Setting the jar I had picked up back down, I slowly made my way closer to Raine, just in case dickwad decided to do something dickwad-ish. Fortunately, Betty had done exactly what I had hoped, and helped reinforce Raine’s request that he leave. As he moved past me on his way to the door, I smirked when he made eye contact, which probably wasn’t the greatest idea as we were left with his promise to return.

Ew. Gross.

I really hoped not. Moving toward the door, I smiled over my shoulder at Raine as I twisted the deadbolt...just in case and watched as he climbed into an older truck and slowly left the parking lot. I’d make sure to keep an eye out for him over the next week or so. Something about him felt...off.

Raine’s voice brought me back from my thoughts and I laughed lightly at her question, giving a small shake of my head.* Not all of them. Usually I get the creeps at my store given what I sell... and even then, it’s not very often. *Moving closer to Raine, I reached out to scratch behind Betty’s ears* A casual mention of knowing how to use a whip is enough to get them to leave pretty quick. Want me to show you how in case he returns? *My offer was mostly a joke...mostly.*

Raine

••I laughed at the offer while simultaneously blushing. I liked Camille, a lot, but to say I wasn’t intimidated by all her wares would be complete fabrication. Still, my world was fairly lonely and my desire to branch out and make friends well outweighed any embarrassment over my naivety. For truth, Camille was the first person I’d felt comfortable with and conversation was coming too easy. It had always been Birdie and me and I’d never had true friends, only passing acquaintances. I couldn’t live a cloistered life anymore, and though it made me nervous to open up, I had already made the first steps with Camille, I could only hope she wasn’t just being polite.•• Do you offer beginner courses or something that comes before beginner?

••Laughing again, I sat Betty down on the counter top and turned to reach for a bottle of a special elixir that I didn’t typically share with someone I’d just met, it was more reserved for requests of a special nature. I couldn’t help but recall that I’d blushed, too, when Birdie had first brought up the idea of concocting this particular blend of extracts, mostly for the reason behind it. She had gently encouraged me, in a way only she could get away with, to come out of the nunnery and embrace my sexuality. She’d imparted her blunt wisdom, insisting I didn’t need a partner to learn what I liked myself. I probably didn’t quite crack the mold of my prudishness in a way she had hoped I would, but I dared to believe that my entry into a sex shop and making an acquaintance of its proprietor would have both made her laugh and proud.

I snapped out of my happy reverie back to the present before turning to face Camille with the bottle in hand.•• Since you so kindly served as my protector and have additionally offered me whip training, perhaps you will indulge me in sharing something of mine with you?

Camille:

Pre-beginner course? Hmm. Let me think...maybe a paddle or a soft flogger to start with before we get you yielding a whip then. *My laughter joined hers and it left me feeling good despite the lingering creepiness that she wasn’t afraid or too intimidated to joke around with me. Sure I had a handful of friends, but it had been a long while since I could claim anyone as a close friend or a best friend for that matter. And after the encounter with the disgusting guy, I felt a bond of sorts with her, and had already decided she was someone I wanted to be around. Her humour, while it skirted the edges of an obvious innocence gave me the impression she already appreciated my brand of unapologetic crass. It wouldn’t take long before I would help break her free of that shell, and I was confident it would be without much effort, too.

When she put Betty down on the counter, I reached out to run my hand over her arching back, scratching through her white fur all the way down along her tail, letting it twist around my fingers the way I always did as I watched Raine grab a small bottle. My head tilted in curiosity at what the contents might be. A smile grew easily at her offer and I nodded without hesitation, not caring in the least what it was.*

You know you don’t have to pay me back for doing what any friend would do. That guy was gross on so many levels! *laughing with a shudder, I shook my head continuing on so she didn’t think I was being rude.* But that doesn’t mean I’m going to say no. What is it?

Raine

••Laughing openly at the softened suggestions, I continued to be at ease in Camille’s company. It had been too long since I’d laughed in such an organic way, the feeling rising with a genuine rush. Even if I had no use for anything at all in her shop, I was interested in what more I could discover from her expertise. Though I was verging on a comfort level that had me wanting to leave the mask down, I pulled it up out of respect for her and in order to share a more intimate distance. Leaning across the counter, circling my fingers around her wrists and turning her palms upward, I smiled behind the silk of my mask.•• This is called… Awakening. Think of it as a bridge from my world to yours. ••My brow lifted to communicate the intrigue I hoped was translating. I twisted the top of the bottle off, the scent of lavender and ylang ylang blooming in the air. Retrieving a dropper from my sanitized tray and filling it with the oil. I dabbed each of Camille’s wrists and then circled my thumbs over each drop, gently massaging it into her skin before another application to my own fingers. Leaning slightly closer, I brought my fingertips up and behind her ears to dab just behind them before the last application to either of her temples. There were other pressure points for full effect but asking even her permission to do that would not be appropriate and would involve removing clothing.••

The effect will be subtle but this blend should allow you to clear out stale energies while refreshing you and opening you up to new and arousing potential. ••I could feel my cheeks warm again as I struggled to find the words to basically say what it was without blurting that it was basically like opening up a dam for energy that could block a libido. I wasn’t being presumptuous about her circumstance, my intention was to have fun.•• It will leave you attracting complimentary energies to your own. ••Betty meowed and butted her head against Camille’s arm, drawing another laugh.•• Looks as though Betty approves, unless I am reading her wrong. ••Lowers my voice though we are alone in the store.•• You can use it in other erogenous zones… the dimples on your back, the sternum, the inner part of your knee…

Camille:

*I found myself slightly surprised when Raine pulled her mask back on and leaned closer. Seemed I was getting an up close and personal demonstration of whatever this “Awakening” stuff was. My grin grew as she spoke and began to massage the small drops of oil into my skin. It smelled lovely and light, which was nice.

As soon as she moved her hands to my ears I couldn’t help the soft laugh which was immediately followed up with an apology and explanation of being ticklish there. My laugher was short lived however because the gentle circling of her fingers at my temples earned her a sigh for how nice it felt. I was so focused on the beginning of what felt like a slight warming tingle on my skin that I nearly missed when she explained what the oil was meant to do.

Now. I wasn’t normally someone who lived any kind of holistic lifestyle but damn if Raine didn’t have me rethinking that with the way she spoke and the way the oil felt as she applied it to my skin. I wanted it to do exactly what she said it would. I needed a complete and thorough cleansing of all stale energies. The whole world needed it really, but I didn’t think she had that many bottles of her oil.*

Complementary energies? Hmm.

*I was considering just how that could ever be possible given the whole social distance pandemic thing, but Raine’s laughter at Betty’s usual demand for affections drew me from my thoughts and I laughed with her as I gave my cat a scratch beneath her chin and returned my full attention back to Raine. Her lowered voice despite the fact that we were the only people in her shop had it dawning on me. Suddenly the warm tingling sensations on my skin and her mention of erogenous zones had me laughing. Loudly.*

Oh, Raine. You are quite the surprise. I just clued into what you’re trying to say this stuff is. *laughing some more and giving my head a shake, I lift my wrist to my nose to give the oil a proper smell.* You just put arousal oil on me. How forward for you. *winking with a teasing grin so she knows I’m not bothered at all, I point at the bottle* I hope it works with the whole complementary energies. And if not, I do enjoy the way it feels.

Raine

••I beam for the compliment of being a surprise, while I twist the dropper into the bottle, sliding it Camille's way•• I insist you indulge in the rest of the bottle. Maybe not all at once. ••laughs again, finding the atmosphere having lightened considerably from just earlier.••

Dare I suggest you try it somewhere I didn't? ••bats my lashes in acknowledgement of my less than innocent rhetorical••

If you're open to it, I think you may find it delivers on its promise with time and in its own way. Match.com it is not. ••a laugh bubbles up for how silly I feel talking this way and about things I've never conversed about.••

I only ask your honest feedback. ••biting my lip behind my mask before I pull it back down for a reprieve•• And maybe we could get together socially some time? I would be grateful for your company in the expanse of my wide open calendar.

Camille:

*Giving Raine a bright smile, I take the bottle and laugh with an understanding nod.* I promise not to dump the whole thing on my nipples in one go. *My snort is loud as I laugh again, entirely unable to keep a straight face at the idea.*

I also promise to give you any and all honest feedback and I would be happy to be your guinea pig for anything else in the future. Unless it’s meant to dry me up like a prune in which case, no thank you! *While still holding the bottle in one hand, I reach for Betty, holding her in my arms as I consider Raine’s question to hang out.* I can do you one better than just getting together some time. Which, let's be honest here...people only say that to be polite and never actually plan to follow through. So, there’s a food truck that usually parks about a half block away, it’s amazing! Let me buy you lunch for this?

*Giving the bottle a little wiggle, I let Betty down next to my feet and nodded firmly, not leaving her an opportunity to decline.* There are even a few scattered tables we can eat at. I will just take Betty back to my shop, lock up, and meet you out in the parking lot in a few. And then you can tell me all about the other kinds of concoctions you have made.

*Moving to the door, I twisted open the deadbolt I had locked earlier and opened it for Betty to walk through first.* See you in a few! *Giving a quick wave as I let the door close behind me, I grinned when I saw Raine nodding back at me, not that I had given her any choice to object.* Look at us making a new friend, Betty. And on the first day back at the shop.

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swampstriderart · 5 years ago

Photo

I drew this ship for my Spaceships and Starwyrms campaign. They’ve been saving up a lot of credits to upgrade their starter ship (which I’ll be posting next), and this is what we’ve come up with!

~~~

A new ship has a certain… silhouette. In the light of the stars and air-dock halogen, they glimmer, they shine. They don’t have the scuffs that cause light to catch and dull across their surfaces, their barrier is completely active and is almost invisible, but visible just enough to change the light quality as it passes throug, bounces off the glimmering hull, and then reflects back out. It is beautiful, in the way all things new are beautiful.

This ship is not new. This ship is scratched, dented, scarred. To many, this ship is far more beautiful, because it clearly works. It has been tested. It bears the signs of traveling through a meteor storm without serious damage. There’s a curious starburst, a splayed burn that runs across the top of one of its wings, that anyone with any understanding of weapon systems would recognize as the mark left when a Plasma Cannon hits point-blank but doesn’t punch through the hull. This ship is not new. But it is badass. It has been through the ringer, and it came out blasting.

The vessel looks sort of like an axe blade with a truncated handle. It has a wingspan of over a hundred and fifty feet and is about two hundred feet long. The shortest point is the tip of the wings, which are about thirty feet tall at the ends. From the bottom of the hangar bay in the rear to the top of the command deck, the ship’s almost a hundred feet in height. On the top of each wing and nestled just behind the command deck are the three weapon systems of the ship, and dotting the top of the wings are the various communications and scanning arrays the ship utilizes.

The twin engines sit at the back of the wings, and the sweep of the ship’s rear is interrupted by three large doors: one in the middle that accesses the hangar, and the two smaller ones that open onto the cargo holds.

~~~

The ship’s interior is retro-fitted to fit a curious aesthetic. The deck-plates beneath your feet have been altered to resemble wooden floorboards, and the doors, while still opening upwards into the bulkhead like most saguarin doors, look like carved oak. The window portholes have been altered to have actual sills and to be square or rectangular, and much of the furniture is either made from actual wood, with the stuff that couldn’t be bought like that made from cleverly-disguised metal or plastic. The air is rather dry and warm, and the lighting system has a slightly-harsher glare than you might be used to.

Individual Room Descriptions below the cut

The Life Deck: Bottom Floor

1 - The Mess Hall: The mess hall is loaded with outdated but functional equipment. Along the front wall is a refrigerator, a reheater, and a coffee pot, and drawers sit under the countertop. Along the back wall is a sink, complete with food-waste incinerator and next to it an electric stove top. A tall pantry sits in the corner. On the other side is a stair-case leading up to a balcony overlooking the mess hall (see area 12).

2 - Crew Quarters: These rooms are all furnished more or less the same. There’s a tall dresser with drawers in it, a desk, and a bed. The bed mattresses are old and dusty but perfectly usable, and the furniture has scuff marks, likely from wherever it had been stored before it was hastily thrown into the room. There’s a single window looking out into space, and the door can be locked from the inside.

3 – The Sonic Cleanser: This small room has a rack for hanging your clothes and a retractable table for doing whatever else needs doing immediately before or after bathing. The sonic cleanser, similar to but less wasteful than a standard shower, takes up the back half of the room. This room uses sound to force off dirt, dead skin, and other undesirable coatings. Special soap sits in cubbies on the walls.. The cleanser has controls for different settings, and it is currently set to its maximum force. The cleanser can be set to use water, but it is a severe drain on water supplies: the water generator can only work so fast.

4 – The Food Waste Room: This small room has a single sink that can be set to use water or sonics for cleaning, some soaps, a cupboard full of recently-purchased toiletries of all kinds, and a toilet. The room has an air of being completely unused until very, very recently.

5 – The Medbay: This room comes equipped with a rolling cart, a bunch of cupboards for the storage of medical supplies, and a large table that could have a mattress secured to it if one needed to remain in medbay for a long time. With the upgrades to the ship, the Medbay is now equipped with a toilet and sink, and a second bed platform folded up against one wall.

6 - The Central Ladder: This open space is dominated by a large, reinforced ladder that goes up to the next floor. It leads up through to Deck Two and then further up to The Bridge (see areas 15 and 19).

7 – The AI Core: This room’s door is labeled “Ship Habitation Interface Technology: Unit 33 Control Room.” Inside is a massive computer system, a single small desk, and a chair. The room is exceptionally cold.

8 – Storage Rooms: These rooms are for storing small, non-essential but useful goods. Back-up rations, extra tools, and spare parts are just some of the eclectic things stored in these spaces.

9 - Hangar: This massive room is mostly empty space. The Hangar is meant to store multiple ships, and currently you’ve only got one shuttle. Even with the free modification making it larger, the shuttle looks miniscule in the cavernous space. Doors dot the walls, and a big one on the back wall opens up into space.

9a - Lifts: The two lifts here lead up into the Engineering level on Deck 2 (see area 18).

9b - Tiny Ship Dock: The Hangar has four locations within the hangar to dock a tiny-sized ship, or a vehicle of huge-size or smaller. If two of the docking slots are empty, you could use them to secure a small sized ship.

9c - The Shuttle: The shuttle itself is docked here. When upgrading the ship, there was enough left over material and credits to bump up the shuttle to fit a few extra people.

9d - The Hangar Doors: These huge doors are almost three feet thick. It takes almost thirty seconds for them to open fully, though they open just enough for a tiny ship to fit through in about six seconds. A large ramp can be extended from the back of the hangar when the doors are fully opened, to allow vehicles or passengers to come up from the ground.

10a - The Left Engine Room: The left wing of the ship is filled with one of the massive engines that propel the ship through space. At the front of the wing is the Atmosphere Apparatus and Water Generator system. The door out of 10a does not function if the Hangar is without atmosphere, unless the engine compartment is also without atmosphere or you override the controls. There’s a steep staircase leading up from the lower level to Deck 2 (See 18a).

10b - The Right Engine Room: The right wing of the ship is filled with one of the massive engines that propel the ship through space. At the front of the wing are the Heating Controls, the Power Distribution system, and the Solar Emitter Core that allows the lights to function as sunlight. The door out of 10b does not function if the Hangar is without atmosphere, unless the engine compartment is also without atmosphere or you override the controls. There’s a steep staircase leading up from the lower level to Deck 2 (See 18b).

11 - The Cargo Holds: There are two distinct cargo holds on either side of the ship, snug between engine and hangar. They’re reinforced rooms, the doors have powerful locks that can be coded to open with a three, five, or seven digit code. There are large doors that fold down to form a ramp along the back of these rooms.

The Work Deck: The Middle Floor

12 - The Balcony: A balcony runs the width of Deck 2, looking out over the mess hall and through the massive window that makes up the slanted roof of the mess hall. To the right of the balcony is a staircase leading down to the mess hall (area 1), and behind it is the hallway leading to the rest of Deck 2 and the Primary Airlock.

13 - The Primary Airlock: The airlock here is larger than it was before, with small lockers inside to store emergency gear. Currently the lockers are empty. From the airlock door, a thirty foot umbilical of metal can be extended outwards to connect to another ship’s airlock or another ship’s umbilical. This umbilical can curve up to 90 degrees, and can double as a ramp out of the ship.

14 - Storage: Another storage room, much like those on deck 1, this room is for storing the miscellaneous equipment one might need on deck 2, but doesn’t want to have to run downstairs to get it.

15 - The Central Ladder: This open space has doors on its three walls and a tunnel leading to the front of the ship. A ladder leads down to Deck 3 and up to the Bridge (see areas 6 and 19 respectively).

16 - The Science Lab: This room is full to bursting with state-of-the-art (but discounted) lab equipment. While in this room, researchers and scientists have advantage on Science skill checks that may benefit from such equipment.

17 - The Mechanics Workshop: The room here is filled with tools, spare components, and other useful gadgets and doodads for crafting and maintaining equipment and the ship itself. The mechanics workshop is considered to be stocked with the average tools needed for a Wisdom (Mechanics) skill check and also contains a built-in repair kit. Having a mechanics workshop onboard a ship cuts the time required to fix a damaged vessel by half, and allows you to speed-repair equipment. You can choose to cut the time it takes to repair a piece of damaged equipment in half, but doing so increases the DC by 5. If you fail by 10 or more while speed-repairing equipment, it becomes useless junk.

18 - Primary Engineering: The Primary Engineering room has tools and equipment for general ship maintenance, and provides quick access to all the integral systems of the ship. Two lifts descend into the Hangar (see 9a), and the computer on the back wall provides access to all the internal diagnostic and control systems necessary for running the ship.

18a - The Barrier Core: In the upper part of the left wing is the powerful barrier core that projects the protective energy field around the entire ship.

18b - The Power Core: In the upper part of the right wing is ship’s generator and power systems. The generator is what generates all the power in the ship.

The Command Deck: The Topmost Floor

19 - The Bridge: The bridge is slightly larger than before, but hasn’t changed too much. There are some extra seats to make the additional crew members a bit more comfortable when in a dog fight. The ladder leading down to area 15 and then to area 6 is still in the same place a few feet behind the captain’s chair, and can be lowered, covered with a trapdoor, and locked off.

20 - Escape Pods: With the larger ship came larger and more escape pods. Instead of two narrow, cramped pods that required you to climb up and down to get to the seats, these pods are built more like a shuttle.

21 - Communications Suite: The communication’s suite allows one to monitor communications, scan for signals, and project a secure network for all of your devices to interact with. The large comm arrays on either side make this possible, and all of the systems can be manipulated from the control computer on the desk along the back wall.

#sci-fi #spaceships and starwyrms #spaceship #digital

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wellesleyunderground · 5 years ago

Text

Wellesley Underground’s Holiday Guide to Wellesley-Owned Businesses: November 2019

The Good Supply / Image Credit: The Good Supply

Looking for your holiday gifts? Check out Wellesley Underground’s crowd-sourced list of Wellesley-owned businesses (updated for 2019)! Compiled by Hoi-Fei Mok ‘10, WU Managing Editor.

Pinterest Board of the Shops (incomplete)

Jewelry

Alumnati Jewelry by Stephanie Christie ‘00: Handmade Wellesley lamppost earrings

Ecru Collection by Kara Templeton '12: Jewelry, home decor, and stationery

Kindred Spirit Studios by Michelle Davis Petelinz '78: Jewelry, home decor

Lauren Wimmer Jewelry by Lauren Wimmer ‘98: Jewelry

Mala Shah Design by Mala Shah ‘98: Metalworks and Reiki-infused jewelry

Ready-Made by Jenn Meng ‘13: Materials-focused jewelry brand offering minimal, everyday pieces that are affordable, hypoallergenic, super strong, and tarnish-free.

Porcelain and Stone by Kimberly Huestis '05: Nautically inspired jewelry

Space Mermaid by Stephanie Carbone '93: Sky and sea inspired jewelry

Urban Witchcraft by Elena Gauvin ‘13: hand fabricated sterling silver gemstone jewelry with a gothic feel

Wellesley Voices For Disability: Wellesley earring and necklace set, scarf and hat set, fountain pen, bookmark, keyboard covers and more.

Art & Crafts

A Riot of Color by Susan Eiseman Levitin '85: Hand-dyed yarns

Achiaa Paper and Pen by Rebecca Amponsah ‘08: Handmade paper goods and lettering

Alyssa Sketch’d by Alyssa Torres ‘09: Original illustrations/art and jewelry

Art Without A Frame by Hoi-Fei Mok ‘10: Original illustrations/art from the Dragon Fruit Project, an oral history project of queer and trans Asian Pacific Islanders

Cardiology Cards by Tamar Zmora ‘11: Break up Cards

ChemKnits Creations by Rebecca Brown ‘06: Hand dyed yarns

Connie-Chen.com by Connie Chen ‘17: Calligraphy commissions, prints, bookish apparel, oblique holders, penmanship lessons

DisaporicArts by Jenny Jean ‘13: Modern digital art prints

Fran Decker by Fran Decker '80: Original paintings, prints, tiles and notecards

Genevieve Calligraphy by Genevieve Goldleaf ‘12: Botanical illustrations and custom calligraphy

The Grey Fox Studio by Katherine Grey '08: Printmaking, drawing & painting

KT Obermanns by KT Obermanns '07: Illustrations, portraits, pinups, and caricature

Leslie Ordal Fibre Arts by Leslie Ordal ‘04: Handspun yarns, handwoven scarves, and other fibre arts. Lessons and workshops in the Toronto, Ontario, area.

Map Attic by Alex Azzi ‘15: Block-printed holiday cards, resin jewelry, vintage map crafts, ceramics, and abstract fluid paintings.

Misc Midwest by Marie Clymer Sarnacki '13: Wooden coasters and fridge magnets with a Wellesley design

Miyun Makes by Gena Hong ‘12: handmade pottery inspired by Korean traditions.

Monica Starr Creations by Monica Starr Feldman ‘14: Leather luggage tags, metal flower bouquets, embossed stationary, scarves, mason jar cozies, metal & wood working

My Big Pink Crafty Box by Sophia Giordano '09: Feminist crafts

Pick Two Pottery by Dana Lamb ‘99: Pottery

Singing Whale Stained Glass by Amy Putnam ‘90: Handmade stained glass art and shattered glass pins, plus chainmaille bracelets and earrings, including Wellesley inspired pieces.

Stephanie Hessler by Stephanie Hessler ‘84: Wellesley inspired prints, apparel, homewares

Tiny Small Joys by Alyssa Kayser-Hirsh '14: handmade books, calendars, notebooks, and planners

Wear I’ve Been by Samaa Ahmed ‘13: Art designs on throw pillows, prints, mugs, tote bags and more.

Kacie Lyn Martinez by Kacie Lyn Martinez ‘09: fiber artist who weaves tapestries and other fiber art

Photography

Az Bulutlu by Eylul Dogruel ‘07: Skyscapes, travel and abstract photography, prints and merchandise.

JezRebelle by Jess Planos '10: Wellesley photos on prints, apparel, homewares

Meera Graham Photography by Meera Mohan ‘09: Nature Prints for Sale, Headshots & Candid Portraiture

Vero Kherian Photography by Veronique (Chau) Kherian ‘05: Professional Portraits and Headshot Photography in the SF Bay area

Health & Skincare

Beautycounter by Jen Askin Pollock ‘99: Safer, high-performing products for the whole family

Box Naturals by Irene Kim ‘99: Luxe towelettes with organic essential oils

Cocofloss by Chrystle Cu '05: Flavored dental floss

EmmGerri by Karen and Kristi Jordan: Skincare lotion

Eu’Genia Shea by Naa-Sakle Akuete ‘08: Shea butter

Just Botanicals by Sonya Funaro ‘00: Handcraft organic, ethically-sourced skincare

Hubba Hubba by Megan (MJ) Pullins `94: The oldest alternative adult store in New England, stocking everything from corsets, club clothes, lingerie, and all sorts of sex toys.

Lioness by Liz Klinger: Smart vibrator

Maum Goods Co. by Helen (Tak) Kingery ‘01: Handmade essential oil products for wellness and balance

TATCHA Beauty by Victoria Tsai ‘00: Japanese based skincare products

Fashion and Apparel

A Gifted Baby by Amelia Gray ‘03: Online boutique for babies and little people focussing on small and emerging designers, ethical production practices and women-owned labels. Alums are friends and family, use code “weloveyou20much” for the 20% f&f discount:).

Baby Blast Off by Emily Bennett: Baby clothes

Catie’s Natives by Jennifer Roesch ‘92: Shirts, hoodies, and accessories that show city pride. Developed and designed by Jennifer’s 10 year old daughter. Featured in Time Out NY. 10% of profits support Hartley House which provides social services to residents of Hell’s Kitchen, NY.

Charlotte and Asher by Laura Hahn ‘06: Fashionable diaper bags

Cliobags by Alejandra Zambrano: Handmade bags

Emma Finney by Kristin Bunce ‘00: Bags and clutches

Orange Soda Baby by Dorothy Hsiung '05: Whimsical children's clothing

The Outrage by Claire Schlemme ‘06: Feminist clothing and accessories with a portion of profits to women’s empowerment orgs.

Satya Twena by Satya Twena ‘05: Hats and millinery

Stoptiques by Olga Vidisheva '07: Apparel and accessories

Wellesley Class of 1990: Purple W capes! Made of durable material - great for wearing as a cape, using a picnic blanket, keeping your car seat clean, etc.

Wellesley Class of 2003: Wellesley lamp post shirts, baby apparel, and accessories

Wellesley Class of 2007: Wellesley apron (“We can stand the heat!”), baby and kids apparel

Wellesley Club of Columbus, OH: Wellesley insignia whistle

Swells Swag by Sarie Hale-Alper ‘04: Wellesley-themed designs on a variety of apparel and accessories.

Food & Care Packages

ChocolatesU by Amy Camargo ‘94: Chocolates

Ice Cream Jubilee by Victoria Lai ‘01: 6 ice cream pints, shipped nationwide

Montecarlos Estate by Carlota Batres ‘09: Coffee

Off The Beaten Path Food Tours by Lizzie Bell '03: Food tours in MA

Sky Vineyards by Skyla Olds ‘99: Wines

Sunny Exchange by Connie Su ‘09 and Jennifer Lim ‘06: Care packages

Takeout Kit by Rachael Blanchard Lake '07: Shelf-stable meal kit

Tranquil Tuesdays by Charlene Wang '03: Tea and teaware

Toys

My Muse Dolls by Torlisa Jeffery ‘06: Customizable dolls

Animal Care

Newbury Paws by Andrea Fowler '07: Harnesses for large dogs

Wellesley DC Club: Wellesley pet bowls

Domesticat: Rocío Garza Tisdell ‘07: modern-design cat furniture and accessories

Books & Zines

DefinitiveLeigh by Leigh Morrison '15: Feminist zines

Children’s photo books by Cristi Carlstead ‘01: Colors, alphabet and numbers from various countries around the world Romance Novels by Kate Broad ‘06, writing as Rebecca Brooks: sexy contemporary feminist romance

Jambo Book Club by Mijha Butcher Godfrey ‘98: Receive two-three age-appropriate children’s books each month that feature a child of color as the star. Jambo books show children of color in situations where children’s literature rarely places them - making friends, raising pets, loving grandparents and fighting dragons. The books arrive with a personalized letter in boxes beautifully decorated with art that celebrates the joy of childhood. We serve children aged 0-13.

General Home:

Domesticat by Rocío Garza Tisdell ‘07: posters, more products in development

TAIT Design Co. by Audrey Elkus ‘18: Toys + Homewares designed and assembled in Detroit and 100% made in USA. Minimalist, mid-century modern, built to last and make great gifts. Thanks for checking us out : )!

Professional Services

Abilities Dance: Boston-based physically-integrated dance company. Able to perform at holiday parties, fundraisers, and all types of events. Always willing to negotiate rates for W alums.

Grace Astrology by Elisabeth Grace ‘83: Professionally certified astrologer; life strategist. Astrology is a powerful tool for understanding why you are the way you are; what you need in order to feel fulfilled and why things happen when they do. Improve your timing and your relationships. Based in New York -- available for parties, fundraisers, speaking/teaching engagements.

Leslie Ordal: Writing and editing, with a specialty in medicine and science but other fields also welcome. Ad copy, journal manuscripts, etc.--my clients have ranged from Big Pharma to artisans to graduate students. Discount on my usual rate for W alums! Makefast Workshop (Maura Atwater ‘08): Prototyping consultancy; hardware, software, and musical instrument design.

#wellesley underground #hoi-fei mok #wellesley owned businesses #wellesley entrepreneurs #wellesley entrepreneur series

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