Writing RASL
I'm out in the Arizona desert. Part of my next book, RASL, takes place here and I want to look around; get some reference photos. But that's really an excuse. After the World Tour and a series of side projects, I wanted to escape from the jangle & clutter of everyday life and just think - -get some writing done. I'm not exactly sure what I'm looking for.
it's hotter than blazes out here. It's over a hundred and the air feels like a hot weight on my face.
Cactus are everywhere, and even when you step clear over them, stickers mangage to hook a ride. But it's worth it.
Dead quiet. An elemental landscape full of rough, jutting shapes.
The saguaro cactus. It's one of those symbols of the old west that goes deep. I like it.
The shadow of a huge bird passes over me.
He loops over me a couple of times and then veers off, leaving me alone in the dead quiet.
Saguaro bones bleached in the sun.
This little cactus with its yellow, almost fur-like prickers is the worst offender of all. Eight to twelve slivers get into your skin at a time. I quickly learned to stay away; and yet, right in the middle of those nightmare stickers is a bird's nest!
I'm standing on a boulder that must be fifteen feet in the air, but this ancient saguaro towers over me. You can feel the timelessness of the place.
Harsh and beautiful.
There's so much life, but somehow it feels so empty.
I start to write.
First off, I can’t wait for RASL. Secondly, I am so jealous of the ability to head off to Arizona, walk around, get a feel for life, and just write. Hopefully one day I’ll be there. I am proud to be one of the early followers of Bone (starting at issue 12 back in the early 90’s) and it is still to this day one of my favorite stories. Thank you for enriching my life, and the lives of all who I’ve shared your stories with. I look forward to all your future work, and I also look forward to getting to finally meet you at a show. One day I’ll be able to get off work long enough. Thanks again and good luck with RASL!
Comment by Derek — October 4, 2007 @ 2:41 pm
Great writing (makes me wonder how would some longer longer prose narrative from you read). In many ways, reminded me of Hemingway.
If the desert is as much a character of RASL as it was on this post, or like Old Man’s Cave was on Bone, then I can’t wait.
I can’t wait already, but what can I do?
Thanks for writing and making us a part of the “backstage”.
Comment by Fábio Moon — October 4, 2007 @ 3:19 pm
Reall cool landscape. it is pretty serene. If the desert scene with Bone was pretty good so I’m sure you’ll find the something your lookin for.
Comment by Marcus — October 4, 2007 @ 4:41 pm
Hope you brought your sunblock.
Comment by whitey — October 4, 2007 @ 7:31 pm
The landscapes are amazing - may you be inspired! Thank you for continuing to share your process with us. It is truly exciting to think that, in the timelessness of the hot day or the dead of a cold night, in the middle of the desert, something is being born!
Comment by Brandon — October 4, 2007 @ 8:30 pm
[...] Go look. [...]
Pingback by adistantsoil.com » Blog Archive » These photos of Jeff Smith will make a girl feel a little funny in the pants. — October 5, 2007 @ 9:35 am
you look like a male mode!
can’t wait for rasl.
Comment by edc — October 5, 2007 @ 2:32 pm
Jeff…
Having just completed an eight year stint out in the Arizona desert…all I can say is “I hope you were wearing some industrial strength sunblock!”
And be glad when you were picking up stones and looking under them that you didn’t get zapped by a scorpion–an experience that is quite beyond description.
Anyway…I, like everyone else, look forward to RASL–the preview was one hell of a teaser
Comment by Larry Marder — October 5, 2007 @ 2:56 pm
Hey Jeff (and hi, Larry!) -
Interesting photos and prose… and I know what you mean. It’s one of the reasons we chose to come back here.
We live in Eastern AZ, and slightly cooler climes…but I drive through the desert every few weeks.and the burst of hot air feels like turf. Like home.
Looking forward to RASL.
Best,
James
Comment by James Owen — October 6, 2007 @ 7:16 pm
Wow, I can’t believe you braved the blazing hot dessert. I have some family out in Arizona and have never gone to visit because I am very heat intolerant and winter travel always seems a bit more complicated to get a ther, but knowing it’s cooler there during that time of the year I’ll get there eventually.
I’m way super happy about that, and about how thorough the book really is; such thought and detail went into it, and I was very pleased to see a few excerpts from “Thorn”. I remember you being a bit hesitant about that, but you’ve gotta admit it was sooo worth it other wise the books just wouldn’t be complete with out it. Thanks again for all of your fabulous work and I look forward to seeing what RASL is all about. Sorry I rambled on for so long it’s late and I tend to do that when I can’t get to sleep. lol It’s 1:29 here by the way. I get hooked watching all of the late night anime 
Not sure what RASL well be about, must have missed that preview someone mentioned above. But coming from you I’m sure it’ll be good.
I can’t believe and am very amazed at the patience you have to study the landscape. I was never able to sit still for very long just drawing a horizon. It’s a shame though growing up on a farm and I never took advantage of my surroundings in writing. Although the sibs (4 out of the 5 of them) and I had plenty of fantasy and make believe games to play when our cousins came to visit.
I finally took the time to take a closer look at “The Art of BONE” Copy I had picked up at the Chicago Wizard World convention. The dealer gave me an awesome deal, scored that baby for $32 bucks!
Comment by Jeanette — October 7, 2007 @ 2:40 am
Hi Jeff! I love Bone so much and I was wondering if there’s ever going to be a movie.
Comment by Liam Scanlan — October 8, 2007 @ 4:21 pm
ooh, you’re in our backyard!!
I moved out here to the desert from Pennsylvania and I just love it. So different, and the beauty is often in the little things (the small yellow flowers, the tiny pink flower on the cholla).
And yes, cholla are nasty things! (the big fuzzy cacti) We have many in our yard and it’s a pain to walk around since the pieces of them are everywhere.
Comment by Harvi — October 8, 2007 @ 8:28 pm
Hey Larry,
Looking forward to seeing you at SPX next week!
I definitely had my sunblock, but I was out in AZ for two weeks, so I got used to the sun. I was very nervous about rattle snakes and scorpions, though. Every now and then a grasshopper would flutter out of a cactus and scare the heck out me.
Comment by Jeff Smith — October 9, 2007 @ 12:38 pm
Why weren’t you even commenting about the Bone movie? There’s something you’re not telling.
Comment by Liam Scanlan — October 14, 2007 @ 10:43 am
[...] Auf Jeff Smiths Website http://www.boneville.com kann man derzeit schön sehen, wie Jeff Smith einige Umgebungsrecherchen in der Wüste Arizonas für seinen Science Fiction Comic RASL macht. [...]
Pingback by Bone-Blog » Blog Archiv » …:::RASL Recherche:::… — October 24, 2007 @ 2:39 pm
wow! u rock …but im writting an essay about my favorite author and i chose you! and …. i need 2 know who the names of your parents are (they werent on http://www.wikipedia.com or http://www.jeffsmith.com or anywhere else!!!!!! please i need to know!!!!
–thanku!
Comment by leslie — January 15, 2008 @ 10:40 pm