Callidus

Somewhere in this lengthy email I’m reading from Tabico is an offer to collaborate. She’s working on a manip series, it involves Middle Urth mythology, a hot young thing, and a large book. That’s how it all started. An email out of the blue. She was going to go off on another adventure and wanted to know if I’d care to join her. I imagine it must have been the same for Sallah. Sitting around, enjoying the simple life in Cairo when a telegram from the U.S. arrives. Dr. Indi-Tabico-ana Jones is off hunting fortune and glory again. Wanna come?

Four more paragraphs to go before I can reply and say ‘YES.’

That was three months ago. Tabico and I just finished (as in six hours ago) the aforementioned new manip series and I have the distinct pleasure of unveiling it in public for the very first time. In typical Tabico fashion it involves several (though one in particular) brilliant ladies messing with things that they oughtn’t to be. But of course, they’re going to mess with them to their (and our) eventual delight. You know how these things go.

So, without further delay or oration, allow me to introduce Lieder: A Fable of Middle-Urth.

On behalf of both of us, I do hope you enjoy and, as always, your comments, questions, and suggestions are always welcome.

Hmmm still reading? Well you paid the cover charge, you might as well get your money’s worth.

I’d like to take a moment to say that I absolutely love fruitful collaboration. Since I was in my first band, that sacred act of co-authoring something with others is a part of me that will never shake loose. However, one must be careful about whom one chooses to work with. I’ve put myself in more than one or two really crummy situations because I wanted the juice but wasn’t careful enough in the people I choose to throw in with.

Which is why I was so very excited to get an email from Tabico. Because she and I have a beautiful working relationship. I’ve never collaborated with anyone who makes the process so effortless. She gives clear direction when she knows what she wants and she’s completely open to suggestions when she doesn’t. The real joy is in those back and forth moments where I’d throw out a couple ideas and get back “That’s awesome! We must do that!” or “That doesn’t quite fit, but it gives me an idea to do this…” and then blow me away with a left turn I’d never even considered.

I absolutely love that; seeing something new take shape from the exchange of ideas. That’s the juice, and I’m hooked on it.

There’s another part of me that is just flattered at the notion that someone thinks enough of my talent to invite me into their creative endeavor. That in and of itself is a rewarding thing, but it does get turned up to eleven for me in this instance because I’m a fan of Tabico…a lot. There was a time when I just knew her as a word above those incredible stories at The Archive. Hell, it was years before I even knew she was a ‘she.’ To have been an admirer of her work for so long and to now be in the position to work alongside her is…well its pretty cool.

So, since I don’t think I’ve taken the opportunity to do so privately, let me say here: Thank You Tabs. Thank you for inviting me along to the fortune-and-glory. It was an absolute blast and I do look forward to our next adventure. After all, those goddamn Nazis aren’t gonna kill themselves.