I have now put fiction writing on hold and have dedicated myself to doing artwork. My art uses Turing Patterns (look it up!), a generative digital artform that I then combine with drawing, painting, and paper/wood cutouts. While I still get ideas for my stories, I simply don't have the time to dive into the process of rewriting them and submitting them for critique. I'm still saving the writeup below though it's out of date (my mom died 8 years ago, and we no longer have a home daycare business) as a kind of time capsule.

My artwork can be found at jswebster.com.
Peace out, Jim


Wandered everywhere, but never got lost. Still chasing down a novel, no matter what the cost. Dreamed of the rain, but settled for the sun. Looked death in the eye, but death hasn't won. Has another day ended, and another just begun? Tough to see him go, but Dad Sam's gone; meanwhile Mom Kim's still hanging on. Working with kids puts a tickle in my bone. Working on a story means I gotta work alone. When I dive deep gotta still come up for air. When I see friends I remember why I care. Try to remember that I gotta be real. Screens are never gonna let me know how to feel.

Breathe stretch climb sigh run instead of buy. Try before you die, try before you die. Think smart, act brave, love through the pain. Look 'em in the eye and then tell it to 'em plain. Sitting on a pile, gotta give some back. Keep on shoveling, there's still light upon that track. Leap like a leopard, then spring like steel. Screens are never gonna let me know how to feel.

Screens are never gonna let me know how to feel.

I remember when my girlfriend at the time, Laurie Rolin, took me out to the parking lot and gave me a big ol' honkin' Valentine she'd made out of wood with groovy painted paisleys and everything on it. I just stared at it, 'cause I had nothing in my experience to tell me how to react to this thing. But would it have killed me to say "Wow, that's beautiful?" My lack of response pretty much chapped her hide. Learned my lesson that day: even if you don't appreciate another's effort to please, sell yourself on it and try again. Don't cost anything, even if it is faking it.

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