Mother Christmas is a Locus Finalist!

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I’m honored to share that Mother Christmas, Volume 1: The Muse is a finalist for the Locus Award for Illustrated and Art Book along with the nine other books listed below!


THANK YOU so much to everyone who voted in this year’s Locus Poll, and congratulations to all of this year’s finalists!!

Speaking of Mother Christmas, for anyone who attended Worldcon in Chicago (Chicon8) last year or has a membership to the Chengdu Worldcon (purchased before Feb. 1), TONIGHT is when nominations close for the Hugo Award nominations. Mother Christmas is eligible to be nominated in the category of Best Graphic Story or Comic.

If you have/had a membership, you can nominate the stories, magazines, authors, editors, and artists from 2022 that you love on the Chengdu Worldcon website:

https://hugo.chengduworldcon.com/hugo-awards/#/index

Thank you!

Ukrainian Poets at the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art

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I was honored to return to the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art in Chicago, to read with Olena Jennings, Krystia Nora, and Virlana Tkacz from the Ukrainian Poets Respond anthology. It was a lovely surprise to hear Waldemart Klyuzko talk about his experience working on the set and design for Radio 477! which just closed in NYC:

Inspired by the 1929 Ukrainian avant-garde jazz musical (the first jazz musical in Ukraine), Radio 477! has original songs and text by New York City-based Yara Arts Group in collaboration with artists in Ukraine, including Serhiy Zhadan.

  
Another the wonderful projects created by Virlana and Yara Arts. Thank you to Marta Farion for taking and sharing the following photos from the reading, and thank you to UIMA for providing us with the space, surrounded by inspirational art. Thank you also to everyone who came out to hear us read!
It is always an honor to share the stage with these remarkable artists and writers, and to be gifted with an audience that is so present and open-hearted.
We are a force when we join our voices with those across the ocean—past and present—and we are stronger together.

Come Discover the Secret Origin of Santa Claus – An Interview in Comic Book Yeti

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“It was the way that Santa inspires generosity that led me to connect his mythology to that of the ancient Muses. From ancient times, the Muses have helped to direct people toward their creative potential. It seemed to me a perfect pairing: Santa as the spirit of generosity and wonder partnered with a Muse, the personification of encouragement and inspiration.”

~Valya Dudycz Lupescu

I really enjoyed being interviewed by Ty Whitton for Comic Book Yeti about Mother Christmas, and I’m delighted to share it with you here:

https://www.comicbookyeti.com/post/come-discover-the-secret-origin-of-santa-claus-an-interview-with-valya-dudycz-lupescu

Here’s a sneak peek, but I hope you’ll follow the link to read the rest!

These are the ornaments I referenced in the interview (and in the previous screenshot).