Welcome, knitters! If you’re new to the comic, click here to start from the beginning of the story. (We’re not so far along that you can’t catch up easily.) This isn’t the only time knitting will make an appearance in Eleanor’s tale.
Last week, made helpless by his daughter’s struggles with recovery, Eleanor’s father took her to visit a therapist. Unfortunately, in Anchor Bend, the therapy community is understaffed and unprepared for a case like Eleanor’s. Her doctor listened to her whole story: the beautiful dive that turned into a terrible fall, her life-threatening injuries, her lovely hair still growing back after being shaved to care for her broken skull.
She even told him, just a little bit, about meeting god. (Or whoever that was she was talking to.)
He listened to all of this very carefully. And then he recommended she take up a hobby.
Well, Eleanor hasn’t any ideas. And neither does Paul, her father. But grandma sure does.
Last spring my wife and I traveled to Washington. Felicia was going to enjoy a week with the talented Cat Bordhi. I was going to tag along, and continue to work on Eleanor. And that’s what we did. We stayed in a beautiful, spacious cabin on San Juan Island, right next to a lake, and while Felicia knitted up a storm with a small posse of knitting ninjas, I penciled and inked the first pages of Eleanor’s next chapter.
Cat, a writer herself, was quite interested in what I was doing. When I suggested that my character was being told to take up a hobby, Cat said, enthusiastically, “She should take up knitting!” To which I was able to turn the page and show her that, indeed, Eleanor would be learning to knit.
I made enormous progress that week, and Felicia and I had so much fun that we’re going back next year. She’ll knit and hang out with other knitters, and I’ll continue working on Eleanor — hopefully by then we’ll be several chapters into her story — as well as hang out by the lake with our new baby, who by then will be a) actually born and b) close to a year old.
Meanwhile, here’s me wearing my lucky Felicia-knit hat while posting today’s update!
One of my two lucky Felicia-hats!
Other bonus fun illustrations:
Eleanor's tumble.
Felicia and our zoo!
Sad Steampunk Clara from THE GUILD!
As usual, particularly for new readers, you can continue to support Eleanor by becoming a fan on Facebook, following me on Twitter for sneak peeks and such, and by sharing today’s comic with your friends! Thanks for helping to spread the word about my little comic book.
Happy Thursday, everyone.
This is my first graphic novel to read and I find myself fascinated by the story and by the wonderful artistry of the book. I was drawn in right from the first and am awaiting more exciting and beautiful pages. I am a knitter and am familiar with Cat Bordi’s work and hope to join her on one of her retreats. I am probably going to be one of your oldest fans, age 67, but I have added your site to my RSS feeds and look forward to the future adventures of Eleanor.
Thank you and welcome! Cat’s retreats are phenomenal, so if you get a chance to go, take it!
I am hooked and can’t wait for the next page. But, did E fall or was she trying to fall (in the beginning)? Or will we find all that out as time goes by?
You’ll definitely learn more about her fall as the story unfolds! I’m so happy you’re enjoying it!
holy crappers! This is freeking gorgeous! I’m so glad I stumbled on this!
Thank you!