Week of Jane Day 2: Art

Jane was crazy talented. One time, Mom and I were making Christmas tree ornaments out of that inedible bread dough stuff when Jane came over. Mom and I were making stars and candy canes and such. Jane formed a figure and used her fingernails to finish it. It was Ebenezer Scrooge. As I watched, jaw unhinged in awe, she detailed his scarf, gave him a frown, and showed coins bulging in his pockets.

Amazing.

Jane and I went to different high schools, and to different colleges for my first year, after which Jane transferred. My high school friends and I had so much fun writing serials together, passing them back and forth and adding to the story each time we had it, Jane and I did the same thing by mail. This was postal mail, children. Jane created the character of Tetra, who was a Vulcan. When I started writing the Bel Schuster stories, Jane gave me the character. When I turned the first Bel Schuster Star Trek fanfic into an original novel, I kept Tetra but made her a gilled Gilhoolie from the planet Gilhoo.

The fanfic stories were published in Devra Langsam’s fanzine, Maziform D (not a bra size, as Devra pointed out). I don’t know how we missed doing the first one, but Jane illustrated the subsequent stories. I’ve posted the stories on my old WEBLAHG. Here’s one of Jane’s illustrations, to whet your appetite. The fuzziness comes from the texture of the cheap paper fanzines were mimeographed on. Ah, how we loved the smell of corflu in the mornings.

Jane wrote for Masiform D, as well. In fact, someone who published a collection of fan fiction picked up one of her stories for it. Alas, I never got a copy of it! But Karma has a way of delivering; That book will fall into my lap some day, because Karma.

As always, I invite you to visit my regular Tuesday post at Fatal Foodies. I forget what it’s about.

A WRITING PROMPT FOR YOU: Write about a friend lost and found.

MA

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About

I was born in Louisville, Kentucky, but now live in the woods in southern Indiana. Though I only write fiction, I love to read non-fiction. The more I learn about this world, the more fantastic I see it is.

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One thought on “Week of Jane Day 2: Art

  1. dan antion

    October 17, 2017 at 9:10am

    Jane sounds like she was an amazing person. It’s hard to lose a friend, but even harder when they’ve been with you through so many parts of your life.

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      Marian Allen

      October 17, 2017 at 1:44pm

      I know, Dan. I feel like something has been pulled out of my heart by the roots. Eventually, I’ll realize that the roots are still there and still nourishing me, but right now I feel her absence more than I feel her ever-presence.

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  2. Barbara Greer

    October 17, 2017 at 12:42pm

    I love your stories about your dear friend Jane. They remind me of my Jane.
    Hugs,
    Barb Greer

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  3. Pete Laberge

    October 17, 2017 at 4:26pm

    Keep on writing. Jane would like that! Keep on sharing. A Vulcan would like that!
    Take care. and LLAP. I sent Holly some story ideas. Get her to share them with you!

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  4. Alicia Butcher Ehrhardt

    October 19, 2017 at 11:55am

    Obviously a talented artist. I consider myself incapable of drawing human faces – and real artists do it so acurately. Cpt. Kirk looks like Cpt. Kirk. Wow.

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