55. Buy Me a Coffee And a Bear Gets Pants
The Case of the Cosy King
Hello, friend - hope you’ve had a great week!
We finally got our living room and kitchen lights replaced, so - much like everyone’s favourite 11th century wizard Catweazle - I’ve been blinded by the light and marvelling at the wonders of electrickery for the last few days! Hang on, our TV unit is alarmingly dusty … *turns lights off again*.
Now that I’ve harnessed electricity, I’ve been thinking about how much I’d like to be independently wealthy, with more time to create weird junk. Being a Fully Funded Lady Artist isn’t quite as easy to accomplish as calling ‘man’ to change some lightbulbs though.
I asked electricity if it could help, and it suggested setting up a ‘Buy Me a Coffee’ account. Who am I to disagree with power!?
So if you find some coins down the side of your couch and think “Gee, I really enjoyed that sketch Jen did of a bear wearing trousers” or “Man, that newsletter changes my life every week and people have been wolf-whistling at me in the street as a direct result of how amazing I look now” - there’s an easy way to help a Jenny out without being locked into any kind of ongoing subscription.
Going forward, my nonsense will remain free and won’t sit behind a paywall like some kind of creep, so don’t worry about that. That bear I sketched won’t have a change of pants until you cough up though. But in fairness, he lives alone and frankly appreciates the breeze. He does love slacks though.
Fishbird Catch of the Week
We publish articles twice a week on the Fishbird Central website - every Wednesday and Saturday! This week’s included:
Read or Remove: 5 Oldest TBR Books!
I currently have 863 books on my ‘Want to Read’ shelf on Goodreads. This post marks enoughs enough as we embark on a challenge to Read or Remove them! The first 5 books in this series have been on my to-be-read list since 2019! A period of time that's impossible for anyone to math out! We now have 3 months from the date of this posting to either Read or Remove these 5 books. Can it be done!!!! Yes, probably.
Check out the latest post here - Read or Remove: 5 Oldest TBR Books
June Sketching: Week One, 2025!
In this post we'll show off our sketchy wares in the form of EVEN MORE very useful and hard to find greeting cards! All greeting cards are 100% guaranteed to improve your life, enrich your romantic entanglements and buy you a puppy. If they don't, you might be reading them wrong - in which case we recommend buying a second card. Now that’s a turnip!
Check out the latest post here - June Sketching: Week One, 2025!
Long Days and Pleasant Nights
And may you have twice the number, dear reader.
With the new Stephen King novel ‘Never Flinch’ in my hot little hands, it got me thinking how long I’ve been a Constant Reader of King’s (since my teens) and how much comfort his writing brings me (a lot!).
King is synonymous with horror writing, and even though Pennywise will forever haunt my dreams in the best possible way - historically, my favourite King offerings have been when he dips into dark fantasy.
The Dark Tower series is an 8-book epic western fantasy that is wonderful and heartbreaking and will become your whole personality while you’re reading it - so make sure to have all volumes at hand if you’re lighting out on that adventure for the first time. You’ll adore it - I’ll set my watch and warrant on it.
I’m rarely a re-reader of books, but I always make an exception for Roland and his ka-tet. All things follow the beam, even this Jen. This series has arguably one of the best opening lines I’ve ever read:
“The man in black fled across the desert and the gunslinger followed.”
Word of warning, if you’re buying a ticket to mid-world, don’t ride with Charlie the Choo-Choo. Maybe take the bus.
I was also excited to read recently that King’s working on Book 3 in The Talisman series!! Swoon!
King originally penned ‘The Talisman’ with the late Peter Straub - a story about a 12-year-old boy named Jack Sawyer who goes on a cross-country journey to save the life of his mother – a journey that takes him not just through the American heartland but also through a parallel universe called The Territories. They later wrote the sequel ‘Black House’ that revisits Jack as an adult.
Are you a fan of King’s work, and if so - what’s your favourite? Let me know in the comments.
Quick Fire Wrap Up
Currently Reading: ‘Never Flinch’ by Stephen King. Detective Izzy Jaynes is investigating a case involving 14 citizens about to be slaughtered in an unhinged act of retribution. As the investigation unfolds, Izzy turns to her friend Holly Gibney for help. Meanwhile Holly has also been hired to be a bodyguard for a headstrong employer with their own determined adversary driven by wrath and unhinged righteousness.
Currently Watching: ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 on HBO. 20 years after modern civilisation has been destroyed, Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal heartbreaking journey as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.
Currently Singing Along To: ‘King of the Road’ by Roger Miller. ‘… Ah, but, two hours of pushin' broom buys an eight by twelve four-bit room. I'm a man of means by no means, King of the road. Third boxcar, midnight train - destination Bangor, Maine …’
Have any book, song or show recommendations? Let me know in the comments! :)
Wishes for the Week
Sometimes life makes you take a step back. You’re suddenly revisiting ground you thought was well in your rearview mirror.
Just remember that while the ground might be old, you’re also older. Which is to say, you’re pretty old. Hang on - what I’m meaning to say is that old dogs are full of new tricks. Yeah that’s it. Phew!
You have more skills in your kit bag than a grizzled Indiana Jones and you’re twice as cute. This is an opportunity for you to dazzle the ground with the diamonds that are your eyes.
Hmm … nope. Lost the thread again.
In summary, diamond eyes, give ‘em hell. You got this. And if you don’t? Its just ground, fly away from it and forge your own path … in the sky … *coughs*. Totally a thing.
Stay cool, punks.
‘I only drink Nozz-A-La Cola’ - Jack Torrance (probably)
Jen x