rj_anderson | *stares*

Lots of times, I look at some artist's conception of a character from a book I enjoy and think, "That's beautifully drawn, but not exactly how I pictured him/her." I often feel that way even about my own pictures of characters -- no matter how much effort I put into them, no matter how much tweaking I do, they never quite seem to match up with the images in my mind.

But on very rare occasions, I find a picture that makes all the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and my first reaction is "Gah! How did this artist get into my brain?!" And then I can't stop staring at it because it's so amazing, and so incredibly satisfying, to see my imagination translated into reality.

friede's latest drawing of Paul McCormick, the embittered paraplegic hero of my fantasy novel Knife, is that kind of picture. I've already made an icon (which doesn't really do the pic full justice) and desktop wallpaper out of it and I still can't stop staring at it.

O_O I think my eyes are stuck this way now. I may need medical help.