Why me?

I. HATE. COMPUTERS.

Why is it that whenever I get something new for my computer I get all exited? I know that whatever it is I am trying to do won't work. Why do I always think, surely this time the computer gods will be watching over me. Right?

Yeah, they're watching alright. Laughing their collective beards off!

I'll fill you in.

So my CS3 Design pack arrived in the mail a few days ago. Yippee! I did a little dances because this means that not only do I now have the latest version of Photoshop, but I also have InDesign, Illustrator and a few other bits and pieces that I'm not overly worried about atm. Because I got the student version I needed to apply to get my Serial number so that I could run the programme. No problems. I got that today. Me-2, Computer Gods-0. Things are going well.

So I open up the pack. There are 3 disks (gone are the days of downloading 30 disks, YAY!!). One says Application, one says Content and the last says Video Workshop. There are NO instructions anywhere, what-so-ever. So I pop in the Application disk, purely because it was the one on top.

Now just because I've purchased a computer programme doesn't mean that I instantly know how to install it. I assumed from previous installations that I just put in the disk and a install wizard would pop up ... ha ha ha, she laughs sarcastically.

Nothing. I try the Content disk. Nothing. (me-2, computer gods 1) Damn, the bastards are catching me.

Of course, why am I not in the least bit surprised.

I decide to visit the Adobe web site. Surely there are some basic instructions on how to install my disks? It may be there somewhere but obviously it is buried in amongst the 'techy' language that my eyes automatically skim over. So of course I'm getting more frustrated by the minute. All I want to do is load my programmes and play. (me-2, computer gods-2) Agh! We're even now.

I then spend the next hour or more reading every word on the disk box, the dismal flyer inside that tells me what I'll be able to do with the programmes (providing I can get the damn things to work!) but still no installation instructions.

Do I need to activate something? Register? Silly me thought that the disks would prompt me to do these things. (me-2, computer gods-3) Typical!

So here I am a good 2 hours later and I still haven't worked out where I'm going wrong. I've left a message with my computer guy, I've left a support message with Adobe AND I've joined the CS3 forum to try to work out what the problem is.

I am so deflated and frustrated that I just want to cry. Why can't something just go to plan for once. Why does anything relating to my computer always take endless hours for me and a few minutes for everyone else? I swear to god (obviously the wrong one) that this happens every time I do something to my computer, whether it's internet installations, upgrades, new programmes or new bits of hardware. I mean, something as simple as my wireless mouse/keyboard. I have to change the batteries in my mouse EVERY DAY! Yes they're rechargeable but WTF? My brother-in-law's last for a good six months!

I just don't get it.

Computers suck!

The Set Up

Now released over at Total-E-Bound
























The Set Up by J. P. Bowie. A relatively easy cover to do. The only time-consuming part of this was finding the 'right' character to portray the Native American Indian movie extra. I chose a different image of this guy but apparently it had been used quite a bit so I had to find someone else. Turns out this image is the same guy LOL! Just a different photoshoot. Unfortunately he had some quite ridiculous glasses on his face so I had to chop off his head. I must say that the did give him that air of 'budding LA Moviestar', but, the glasses had to go. Oh, and I also had to add the long hair.

The other fellow was pretty straight forward. I touched up his eyes to make them a darker blue. I tried something a little different with the font this time. A dark colour got lost and a light colour seemed to be too much. So I added a 'style' which is available in CS2. I'm pretty happy with it.

Aaah .. it's been quiet around the blogs with a lot of the Authors that I frequent heading off to the RT convention. I'd love to go to one of these conventions one day and meet all these wonderful people. I doubt that I'd be heading off to the US or UK though, it would have to be a home grown Romance Writers of Australia get together LOL! Maybe when one comes to Sydney or Brisbane I could escape for the weekend. Gee, I wonder if Total-E-Bound needs an Australian liaison officer LOL. Probably the ONLY way I'd make it to one of these shin-digs.

Got the kids home on school holidays. YAY! (not). We're off to the Dentist today. All three of us. YAY (not). Then we'll hit the shops to buy some much needed shoes for the kiddies. So all in all it's going to be an expensive and very frustrating day.

Wish me luck!

Orphaned Works Legislation

I've always had trouble understanding legal jargon. Sit me down to read a legal document and I'm off on another plant within seconds. Just doesn't sink in. Doesn't interest me in the least. Even if it works to my advantage. I just have one of those brains I guess.

So, I'm going to post a link on The Orphaned Works Legislation for you to listen to. (here)

Please listen to this. Pop it on in the background as you do other work on the computer. Yes it takes a good 50 minutes, BUT it is very interesting. Especially if your an artist or know someone who is an artist. Actually, interesting isn't the word to use. SCARY would be more appropriate.

Basically what it is saying is that this law will effectively remove all rights of ownership to ANY artistic visual that you create.

So. For example, let's say that I doodle a picture of a tree. I post it up on my blog saying 'Look how clever I am'. Someone spots this and decides to us it for an add campaign for a kids cough syrup (yes a bit far fetched I know, but bare with me).

Suddenly someone is making money off my work. I decide to demand compensation for the company's use of MY artwork. However, under this new legislation it is no longer considered to be my artwork. It's been deemed Orphan. Why? Because I have not registered it with a privately run Register.

Now, at the moment there are no limits on how many registers there could be. There could be 5 or there could be 1000. AND may I add that these will be run by the private sector. So you may have 5000 images that you create a year. You will need to register EACH AND EVERY PIECE OF ART YOU CREATE. And if you really want to cover your butt it will be not once but possibly 1000 times. Yeah, like the starving artist can afford to do that.

SO. Back to the story at hand. All the Company needs to do at this stage is state that they 'had made a concerted effort to find the owner of the image'. They may have only searched 5 of the 1000 registries. However, because they could not find your image (because you could only afford to register at 3 of the 1000), all of a sudden your artwork is considered Orphaned.

Plus. What if they did find that particular piece of artwork registered. With so many other registries available they could easily pretend that they didn't find your work. Still claiming that it had been Orphaned.

As usual, the Artist is left high and dry without any form of compensation, despite having registered the artwork in the first place. Big Business is the winner of the day, because they can afford to be.

Anyway. I hope you see where I'm coming from with this blog today. It's certainly something the art community should be seriously looking into. So if this doesn't effect you please link it to someone you think may be interested.

Here are a few more links to get a more detailed overview on the situation:
Illustratorspartnership
DeviantArt
OrphanWorks Blogspot

There are lots of good links within these articles as well as some Petition links.

Also, big thanks to Melissa Findley (or as we know her over at DA, Mercuralis ) for the use of her poster. She gives permission for it to be used on blogs, etc so we can spread the word.

The Big O

Another cover released over at Total-E-Bound.
























The Big O by Lyn Cash is the 2nd book in the Kinky Kruising series.

Another sunset and more boobs! LOL. The hardest part was the life preserver. I needed to cut it from the background and change it's perspective, add writing to it and hang it on the rail. It still looks a little off to me. Yes I can see the spelling inconsistency. Shhhh ... don't tell anyone ;) I really should go in and fix it.

I've noticed that I'm starting to dislike some of my previous covers. I guess as I grow, my tastes change. It's funny that it seems to be the covers that I spent the most time on. I was quite proud of those covers at the time. I guess I felt a sense of achievement. Now I seem to look back and think they're overdone. I wonder if that will continue or if I will 'find a happy place' with my covers. Don't know.

That's about it for me. I've got the guilts because I need to get stuck into my Assignment for my Graphic Design course and I've got a few banners to create. All I feel like doing is reading my book Dead after Dark by Charlaine Harris. Well. I guess I'd best get on with it :D

A Bikers Vow

Another cover has hit the TEB 'coming soon' page.
























A Bikers Vow by Carol Lynne is Book 9 in the Campus Cravings series.

This cover required a Harley Davidson on the cover. However, as many of the Bikes available as stock tend to remove the badges (for copyright reasons I presume), it was a bit of a guessing game. I ended up with something that looked 'Harley-ish'. As a reader looking at a cover, a bike is a bike is a bike LOL! I get the idea. If it isn't a Harley I don't think I'd throw the book down in disgust.

Aaaanyway, the Tatts and Piercings were a big part of this cover. Thank goodness the Tattooed male came as is. I really only had to add his long hair and nipple ring. Not that you can really see that. The little fellow at the back was more tricky. He had to be 'small' and slim but well muscled. He also had to have nipple rings and a belly-button piercing. Not much thought process used in these covers as I'm limited by the series template. Just a lot of fiddling to get the characters to look right.

Been a busy month for covers. My publisher/editor at TEB is heading off to a conference so I needed to have the months covers back to her early. I've only got one to go, so I'm on track. I also had to re-do some older covers that will be going to print very soon. Originally I used to create three separate files (cover, spine, back) instead of the one cover-spread that I do now. So I just had to pull all the parts together into one file. It was all pretty straight forward thank goodness :D

And as you can all see I've been getting my Blogger account back up to date. I think I've worked out the kinks and I've managed to add some personal touches. Thanks so much to Amarinda Jones for helping me with the slideshow!!

I'll be working on some banners that I've promised people once all the covers are out of the way. I haven't forgotten ladies!! :D

Back with Blogger

Okay. I've donned my battle fatigues and am back with blogger LOL!

I've been working out the kinks, copied over a few of my posts from Wordpress, got some snazzy little widgets happening and all's good.

Let's hope there's no more moves :D

Hunting Diablo

So I spent most of my evening checking out the available Blogger templates. I want a 3 column template with a custom header. Apparently these don't exist. Well, I did find some but for some reason Blogger can't read them. Kinda makes the search for Free Blogger Templates pointless. I might have to resign myself to a 'classic' blogger template/layout, which I seem to recall being one of the reasons I hightailed it over here to Wordpress. *sigh* Man this internet thing is SOOO time consuming.

Of course I say to myself 'Damn-it woman! You should be able to put a simple template together'. So I start fiddling around and the next thing I know it's midnight and I've accomplished NOTHING other than getting myself extremely frustrated. Yeah, so I'm no closer to getting my Blogger account looking professional so we're still here for the time being.

Anyway, on to other things. Hunting Diablo has hit the 'Coming Soon' line-up over at TEB.

Ellies other covers by me ;)

Hunting Diablo by Ellie Tremayne. Ellie has done a little sidestep away from the rugged British highlands and thrown us into the Carribean full of Pirates!

It's actually be quite a while since I did this cover and I was beginning to worry that it may never be released LOL! I was rather pleased with the outcome. I love the colours. Can you tell that the couple are actually two different stock photos? I'm pretty chuffed with how they came together. Actually I think it may have been 3 stock photos in this. I think I added someone's chest hair and shoulder so that their heads weren't just hanging there :D

How nice would it be to spend a week on that little island, eh? Provided Mr Pirate up there was waiting on me hand and foot ;) LOL.

I seem to recall there was a lot (a LOT) of cutting out on the ship. Not something that I want to repeat within the near future. However, it came out surprisingly well. I just had to add the Jolly Roger flag and get the ship to sit in the water without looking odd. I think I managed it, provided we don't look tooooo closely ;)

Hmmm ... very odd. I've come back to finish off this post and something's changed. I've all of a sudden got a personalised Dashboard. There also seems to be a few bugs. I can't put in any links for some reason. I like the new look but I don't like being able to do what I want, when I want. Also I don' like things changing without a bit of fanfare. If something is going to be up-graded I want a small note saying something along the lines of 'Look what we've done'. So I'll finish this post off because I can't really do any more to it. Let's see if it is going to be difficult next time around. If so, Blogger, here I come!