About

Jennifer de Guzman is a writer and comics editor living in the San Francisco Bay Area. She writes stories about sad girls, seawater, bottomless wells, airborne plagues, and horses. You can find links to some of them them in the Selected Works section or read them at her Scribd page.

She also writes "Life in Comics," a monthly column for Publishers Weekly Comics Week, and collaborates on "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now," a comics column on Robot 6, with her husband, artist Brian Belew.

Portrait by Brian Belew.

What Are Possible Impossiblities?

“The Poet ought rather to chuse Impossibilities, provided they have Resemblance to the Truth, than the Possible, which are Incredible with all their Possibility.”
- Henry Fielding, quoting Aristotle in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling

Vegetarian Empanadas

I know I said that vegetarian lumpia would be the next recipe I posted, but I haven’t had the chance to make them to get accurate measurements of what I put in them. So I’m doing vegetarian empanadas instead.

I learned these empanadas as an Ecuadorian recipe (my maternal grandmother is from Ecuador), but I’ve since learned that there is a version of Filipino empanadas that is exactly like this. That’s what colonialism will do.

Anyway, I love these, as I do any food that involves fried dough. (I’ll add pictures when I make them next.)

Vegetarian Empanadas

Filling
1/2 pound of  soy crumbles (I use St. Yves Meatless Ground)
1/2 cup raisins (I like golden raisins)
1/4 cup sliced black olives (optional)
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

2 hardboiled eggs, sliced
Swiss cheese (or any other white cheese you like), sliced

Brown the meat, onions and garlic, season with salt and pepper. Add raisins. Put eggs and cheese aside.

Dough
2 cups flour, sifted
2 tablespoons cold butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
About 1/4 cup water

Oil for frying
Sugar for topping

Mix salt and flour. Cut the butter into the flour — I just use my hands — until the mixture looks crumbly. Add enough water to work into dough , a tablespoon or two at a time. (Again, I just use my hands to work it in.) Roll the dough out, about an eighth of an inch thick. Cut the dough into about eight four-inch rounds. (I just use a bowl and a paring knife.)

Put about two tablespoons of filling on half of each round. Top with a slice of hardboiled egg and a slice of cheese. Fold over the top, seal, and then press edge with a fork.

Fry empanadas in oil until golden brown, flipping over of course. Take out of oil and sprinkle them with sugar while they’re still hot. Eat, but be careful not to burn your mouth. Delicious.

July 28th, 2010 | Tags: , , | Category: cooking | Leave a comment

Free Range Comic-Con

Brian, Mateo, and I returned from Comic-Con Sunday at five p.m., after spending three great days at Comic-Con. Mateo was a champ on his first plane rides and the overwhelming experience of Comic-Con. I spent most of the convention doing the legwork for some of my personal projects. I didn’t get to do the movie about creativity as I had planned because of that, and the only panel I got to was the one I thought I wouldn’t be able to get into (we wandered into the Scott Pilgrim panel after it had already started), but I think my time was well spent:

  • I met with an editor at a book publisher about my novel Sliver of Light (working title — I also call it Half a Person). She gave me some notes for my next revision, which will be the third one, and gave me some encouraging feedback about what the other editors thought of it. They’re quite excited about my writing but want to help me get the structure and content to be as strong as possible. Everyone loved my supporting characters — the exuberant Luci, who is the best friend of my protagonist Chi, and the introverted Juan, Chi’s brother — and want me to make them more of co-protagonists, so I’m telling the stories of these three characters almost equally. They also want me to streamline the interstitial chapters that tell the story of Chi’s and Juan’s dead sister so that they don’t repeat any of the details that are already in the main narrative. I’m excited to get started.
  • I talked to Eric Stephenson at Image Comics about an anthology I’m getting shaped up. I just need to get the contracts squared away and I’ll be ready to start inviting contributors.
  • I talked to Meredith Yayanos and finally met her fellow creative powerhouses behind Coilhouse, Zoe (with whom I have shared mutual acquaintances for about a decade) and Nadya. I am so impressed with what these three women have accomplished with their exquisitely-designed “love letter to alternative culture.” Once I get Fascinator closer to a final stage, I’ll be contacting them to pick their brains about distribution.
  • I talked to Mariah Huehner at IDW about a graphic novel I’m outlining. It’s been rolling around in my head for a while now, and I’m trying to inject it with the most energy and emotion as I can. The concept is a little gimmicky (I call it a cross between The Prince of the Pauper and Pygmalion), so I want the characterization and details to be as strong as possible.
  • I lunched with some friends and they offered to get my comics writing portfolio out to some of their contacts.

Comics we picked up: The Last Unicorn #1 (for me), Bumper Boy and the Loud, Loud Mountain by Debbie Huey (for me and Mateo), Droids (for Brian). And of course Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour — I even waited in line to get Bryan Lee O’Malley to sign it, to which he said, “What are you doing in line?” It has spot varnish. Fancy!

As always, the amount of creativity surrounding me at Comic-Con was a great inspiration. I’m ready to get to work on my projects. If only the days had more hours or I didn’t have to sleep! Now, I’m off to shower and crash out. (Mateo’s been asleep for a couple of hours now, and I’ll regret it if I don’t get to bed soon.)

July 25th, 2010 | Category: Comics, Pop Culture | Leave a comment

The Fascinator Plan

I’m heading out to Comic-Con in the morning, so I thought I’d tell you all about this project I’m developing: Fascinator Magazine, a literary journal for comics and prose. That’s its temporary home and design. One of the ideas behind Fascinator is to make the creative process as accessible as the finished product, and that includes the process of trying to get the magazine up and running.

More information to come, if all goes well.

July 21st, 2010 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Comic-Con Panels

My latest Life in Comics is up at Publishers Weekly!

I did something for Comic-Con that I haven’t done in a long time: I made note of those I’d like to attend. Because of baby-imposed limitations, I probably won’t get to some of those that will require standing in line for long periods of time, but we’ll see how it goes. Here are the ones I picked out:

THURSDAY

10:00-11:00 The Spark of Imagination— Peek inside the minds of leading authors and filmmakers to explore how imagination informs the creative process. New York Times bestselling children’s author Tony DiTerlizzi (The Spiderwick Chronicles) details the precedent-setting augmented reality used in his new Simon & Schuster novel The Search for Wondla; LAIKA president/CEO Travis Knight (lead animator, Coraline) explains his studio’s commitment to bold subject matter; artist/writer Mike Mignola (creator of Hellboy) pinpoints how and where inspiration strikes; director John Stevenson (Kung Fu Panda) explores how creativity is enhanced by artistic collaboration in moviemaking; and graphic novelist and Comic-Con special guest Doug TenNapel (Earthworm Jim) describes exactly how a blank page comes to be inhabited with his compelling imagery. Join moderator Geoff Boucher, reporter and HeroComplex.com blogger with The Los Angeles Times, for this fascinating panel discussion and Q&A. Room 25ABC

MY NOTES: I would have liked to see some women on this panel, to perhaps see  how women and men develop their creativity differently. Being creative is often very self-centric — you have to believe that what your mind invents is engaging and important enough for others to be interested in it, and I think that boys and men are often socialized in such a way that makes it easier for them to accept such a belief. (I won’t be able to attend this panel because I won’t arrive in San Diego until 3.)

10:30-11:30 Danny Elfman— From Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure to Alice in Wonderland, composer Danny Elfman discusses his 25-year collaboration with director Tim Burton. Their legendary partnership includes such films as Beetle Juice, Batman, Edward Scissorhands, Nightmare Before Christmas, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Joining Mr. Elfman will be Warner Brothers Records executives to announce their plans to celebrate this quarter-century milestone. Room 6BCF

MY NOTES: I’ll have to choose between this panel and the preceding one. Honestly, this is the one I’d drop. I love music, but I’m not a musician (I play the piano at a shaky intermediate level), so I think the other panel will be more relevant to my interests.

1:30-2:30 Spotlight on Dusty Higgins and Van Jensen— Pinocchio the Vampire Slayer creators and Comic-Con special guests Dusty Higgins and Van Jensen are spotlighted in a panel moderated by Heidi MacDonald. The pair talk about the origins of their project, their reactions to the positive feedback — which included having their debut graphic novel from SLG Publishing named as one of the top 10 best graphic novels for teens by the Young Adult Library Service — and show art from the upcoming sequel. Room 3

MY NOTES: I’ve mentioned before that when my boss told me about Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer I was a little dubious. It sounded so high-concept. But then I read the story, and was pleasantly surprised to find it full of heart — and the art is great. I’m really into young adult literature these days, so having Pinocchio named as one of the 10 best graphic novels for teens by YALSA made me very happy. I won’t be able to attend this one, either.

6:00-7:00 Universal: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World— Genre-bending filmmaker Edgar Wright (Hot Fuzz), graphic novel author Bryan Lee O’Malley, and the cast of Universal Pictures’ Scott Pilgrim vs. the World provide a sneak peek of summer 2010′s epic of epic epicness. Joining Wright will be our hero, Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera of Superbad); Scott’s two current girlfriends, Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead of The Thing) and Knives Chau (Ellen Wong of Unnatural History); his band, SEX BOB-OMB: Kim Pine (Alison Pill of Milk) and Stephen Stills (Mark Webber of Broken Flowers); SEX BOB-OMB super-fan Young Neil (Johnny Simmons of Jennifer’s Body); Scott’s awesome roommate, Wallace Wells (Kieran Culkin of Igby Goes Down); and four of Ramona’s seven evil exes: Matthew Patel (Satya Bhabha of Fair Game), Todd Ingram (Brandon Routh of Superman Returns), Gideon Graves (Jason Schwartzman of Funny People) and Roxy Richter (Mae Whitman of Parenthood); plus Scott’s younger sister, Stacey Pilgrim (Anna Kendrick of Up in the Air), and the obnoxious Julie Powers (Aubrey Plaza of Parks and Recreation). Q&A to follow. Hall H

MY NOTES: I don’t anticipate being able to get into this one, not even if I say something like, “C’mon, I liked Bryan Lee O’Malley before it was cool! I have the first printing of Lost at Sea!”

FRIDAY

10:00-11:00 From Fan to Creator: Goal Setting for Creative Types— Which side of the convention table do you want to be on, artist or fan? And what’s keeping you from getting there? If you have a project in mind that you’ve had trouble bringing into reality, you might benefit from this fun and practical goal-setting workshop, designed specifically for the Comic-Con crowd. Hailed as the “Tony Robbins of Geeks,” motivational speaker Douglas Neff will give you simple, proven techniques for achieving your most important goals. Whether you want to write your own screenplay, draw your first comic, or shoot your independent film, you’re sure to get something useful from this informative and energizing workshop. Room 24ABC

MY NOTES: I’m not so keen on someone branding themselves the “Tony Robbins of Geeks,” but we’ll see how this goes. I like workshops. I have an MFA, after all.

5:00-6:00 Girls Gone Genre: Movies, TV, Comics, Web— Meet and talk with women who write, read, game, and perform in arenas that are historically and statistically dominated by men. What’s it like to try and get a job in a field where most of your competitors and colleagues are guys? Can women write men, and vice versa? And what happens when traditionally “male” genres are reinvented by female writers and embraced by female fans? Sex and the City it ain’t! Meet the women who like to play with trucks and Barbies…and Wolverine action figures. And flux capacitors. Featuring Felicia Day (writer/producer, The Guild; actress, The Guild, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog), Kathryn Immonen (writer, Patsy Walker: Hellcat, Runaways, Heralds), Laeta Kalogridis (screenwriter/producer, Shutter Island, Ghost in the Shell, Avatar), Marti Noxon (screenwriter/producer, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Mad Men, I Am Number Four, Fright Night), Melissa Rosenberg (screenwriter/producer, Dexter, The Twilight Saga), and Gail Simone (writer, Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey).Moderated by Io9′s Annalee Newitz. Room 24ABC

MY NOTES: Oh, so there are the women I hoped would be on that first panel! I do think giving women their own forum to talk about creative work in male-dominated industries is smart, but wouldn’t it be nice if it weren’t necessary?


SATURDAY

12:45-1:30 Futurama— Celebrate Futurama‘s triumphant re-return to the airwaves! World-premiere footage will offer an exciting and informative glimpse of Comic-Con in the year 3010. Panelists include executive producers Matt Groening and David X. Cohen, cast members Billy West, John DiMaggio, Katey Sagal, and Maurice LaMarche, director Crystal Chesney-Thompson, writers Ken Keeler and Patric M. Verrone, and animation producer Claudia Katz. Ballroom 20

MY NOTES: I went to the very first Futurama panel at Comic-Con way back when (at least I think it was the first one), and it was loads of fun. They had an advance screening of a new episode. “These balls are making me testy!”

1:30-2:30 Comics Criticism— Comics are a staple of the arts and book review sections of everything from The New York Times and Publishers Weekly to a current golden age of published biography and history, such as Gerard Jones’s Men of Tomorrow, R. C. Harvey’s Meanwhile…, and David Michaelis’s Schulz and Peanuts. Some of the nation’s leading critics discuss the state of the art and the state of its journalism, 2010. Panelists include Gary Groth (The Comics Journal), Douglas Wolk (Reading Comics), Brian Doherty (Radicals for Capitalism), Ben Schwartz (editor, Best American Comics Criticism), and R. Fiore (Funnybook Roulette). Room 4

MY NOTES: Mmmm… seriousness. I’ve been considering how to get started at writing comics criticism professionally. My background is in literature , so I know how to read and analyze. I’ve been wary about conflict of interest because of my job, but I’m starting to think that doesn’t matter.

3:00-4:00 Spotlight on Ray Bradbury— He was at the very first Comic-Con and we kind of think he’ll be at the very last one, too, far off in the future. Science fiction author Ray Bradbury is literally a national treasure. Ray talks with biographer Sam Weller and moderator writer/producer Arnold Kunert in his yearly visit with his fans at Comic-Con. Room 6DE

MY NOTES: Ray Bradbury!

3:00-4:00 NBC’s Community Cast and Creative Team— The cast and producers — Joel McHale (The Soup), Chevy Chase (Hot Tub Time Machine), Donald Glover (30 Rock), Yvette Nicole Brown (Rules of Engagement), Danny Pudi (Greek), Gillian Jacobs (Choke), Alison Brie (Mad Men) and executive producers Dan Harmon (The Sarah Silverman Program), Joe Russo (Arrested Development), Anthony Russo (Arrested Development), Neil Goldman (Scrubs), Garrett Donovan (Scrubs) and Russ Krasnoff (The Soloist) — are on hand for an animated discussion and Q&A session about what’s in store for viewers this fall. Indigo Ballroom, San Diego Hilton Bayfront

MY NOTES: God, I love Community. It’s streets ahead any new show out there. It taps into pop culture in a way that’s funny and sweet, and somehow it reminds me of the best parts of John Hughes movies. (With the improvement that the people of color aren’t there just for… well, color.)

3:30-4:30 Comics in the Classroom— Comics are becoming increasingly common in elementary and secondary classrooms. But how can teachers incorporate comics into their course curriculums? This panel provides practical strategies for teachers to do just that. Presented by Anastasia Betts (UCLA), Christina Blanch (Ball State University), Deborah Ford (San Diego Unified School District), and Tracy White (NYU). Moderated by Chris Butcher (The Beguiling). Room 26AB

MY NOTES: Once upon a time, my ambition was to be a college professor or high school English teacher. My interest in academia is long-standing, but I’m not sure what I might get out of this, seeing as I’m not a college professor or high school English teacher. Maybe I will be someday, though, who knows.

July 21st, 2010 | Category: Comics, Life in Comics, Pop Culture | Leave a comment

Great Convention Moments

Conventions aren’t always about falling into humiliating pitfalls, no. Sometimes, there are small, great moments that make it all worth it. Here are a few, again in chronological order:

Devouring a homemade loaf of bread on the floor of the hotel room. You live a kind of in-the-moment existence when you’re at Comic-Con as a fan. The first year I went, my husband and two of our friends drove down from the Bay Area. Our friend Igor had a loaf of bread that his mother had made for us. By the end of the first day, we were so exhausted and hungry that we collapsed on the floor and tore it apart with our bare hands, leaving nothing but miniscule crumbs.

Praise from Will Eisner. I never got my wish of shaking Will Eisner’s hand, but one year he stopped by the SLG booth and praised our comics, telling SLG Prez that he was the “future of comics.” It was a great moment.

A compliment from Noel Neill. Despite my indie-comics credentials, I love Superman. Specifically, I love the innocent, fun Superman as embodied by the 1950s TV show The Adventures of Superman. (A recent topic on “Talk of the Nation” on NPR was about making Superman more relatable — I didn’t hear it all, but I wish someone would have mentioned the best way to accomplish it: To remember that Superman is actually Clark Kent.) I also adore Lois Lane, who was played in the TV show by Noel Neill. Brian is even more of a fan than I am, as he grew up watching the show. When we went to get Ms. Neill’s autograph at Wondercon one year, Brian was too thrilled to say much of anything, so I told her how much we enjoy the show and all that pleasant chit-chat you try to make at conventions. Ms. Neill replied, “You’re so pretty!” I was elated. (Oh, vanity!)

Talking stories with Lynda Barry. Lynda Barry has a profound understanding of creativity and storytelling, and is so friendly and easy to talk to that you wish you could just hang out with her all day. (Don’t do this, though. I am still mad at the Canadian guy who talked in line to Guy DeLisle for so long that I didn’t get to have my books sign and talk to him.) Somehow, when she was signing my copy of What It Is, it came up that I had be re-reading The Epic of Gilgamesh. We exchanged a few words of how primal that story is, how it touches on the heart of human doubts and desires, and then parted. It was great.

July 19th, 2010 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment
 
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