News (February 2019)

Back from my hiatus!

The past few months have been a challenge. I finished my season (in case you don't know, I draw caricatures for a living) and scrambled to find a job to cover me as I attempt once again to survive the always grueling winter season. I landed on a maintenance job thanks to a good friend, where I was employed primarily to handle snow removal duties. Needless to say, that job got hard quick. The hours went from too short, to too long in a heart beat, and my old knees just weren't cooperating with me. Throwing 50LBS bags of salt rock all day for fourteen hours starts to breakdown any immortal fantasy I might have had about my age and abilities real fast. I went from being excited to have a regular job, to finding out just how much work is required when the snow does finally come down, to somehow dismantling a snow blower (which I never used before in my life), to getting a golf cart stuck in the mud, to trying to give my job away to some random guy, to quitting, to feeling bad about quitting, to getting back at it, to not liking it again, to discovering I can make more in two days drawing cartoons, and to quitting again. It was quite a trial. So unfortunately I had to move on from that business. Good job, but one for the young, and not me anymore. However I did score a couple of pet expos, and dog shows to draw at, and that was a lot of fun. I hope to do more of those soon.

As for writing, I have been working very hard on that. Been studying and practicing my craft every day. I have some stories set aside, made specifically for my blog, which I do plan to share in the very near future after some touch ups are made. I also have a continuation to my Bassy's Basilica sketched out. That will go up probably closer to Halloween, though, as it is a horror and I want everyone to be in that sort of morbid mood when reading it. I have also begun to write some stories I want to send in to competitions, and started a new fantasy that I will be taking very seriously. I am 34 now, and I have been writing since I was thirteen years old. It is well past time I had a book listed in my achievements, so that is my main focus right now. Getting one done, and doing it right. But writing well is a learning process and I have a lot to learn. My biggest revelation this year is finding out that I was never doing enough to get better at it. Now I am, and already I see big changes. For now, Its just going to be a lot of senseless babble until I have the story I was born to write in an agent's hands. Until then, Just got to keep on working at it. Write every day, and don't quit.

News (Jan 29 2018)

Today I spent some time working on an untitled science fiction/fantasy project. Put in about 1000 words covering a suspencful sequence that I am quite proud of. With my busy schedule traveling and drawing, it’s hard to squeeze in the time for my writing, so I’m very thankful I stole a moment to sacrifice on my new story. Wasted five years on a previous project that just slumped into a boggy, dark forest of complexity, and I’m trying very hard not to make the same mistakes this time through. As I said before, I have gone back to my original love which is science fiction/fantasy, and for the moment I’m just having fun. If anything will come of it in the end only time will tell. I am currently at a word count of 21000 and I’m only maybe a third of the way through my core idea, so I’m going to have to take care not to over do it as I continue into this world. All of this is a learning process, and I am a slow learner. My end goal is to create the foundation for an episodic like story where we can explore as much of as we want in the future, but first I’ve got to lay down the floor plans for a sellable base. It’s harder than it may seem when we get lost in our romantic perceptions about what crafting an original story means. The basics always turn out to be your best course in action to begin with. Pave a pretty path with guide posts here and there  to set a reader on a familiar path so not to lose them, but then, after they are at last committed to the adventure unleash the dangerous, exciting, and new wild twists, making it all the more fun. That’s what I’m doing. The beginning of the adventure is always the hardest part. I will share more as I can. Hope you all love what I am building so far. 

News (Jan 13 2018

Back in Florida again. Had one day in the sun before the cold found where I was hiding. Now it’s been slated skies, and fuck-your-comfort kind of weather since. So my 2018 has become a positive set of goals thus far. Been working out every day, even in this 9th circle of hell winter blast sent by someone dead that hates me climate endeavor. Also focused on writing a book; praying I can get something finished before the end of the year, but that is a up-hill battle through a jersey rush hour traffic kinda venture... in short: writing is hard as fuck. Out here drawing caricatures with icescicles hanging like polar bear Jack, but I’m enjoying life. Going to be sharing some new art soon and hopefully some more writing shorts, and essays. Take care, y’all 

NEWS (Nov 29 2017)

On our way to December. Finished a Dragon Themed Caricature drawing for a new customer, and got scheduled in for two drawing gigs for the holiday season. Its fun having time to do your own thing during the winter, but my favorite part about this time of year is having the availability to write, and study. The new project I am working on takes on conflicts involving the many social struggles that which we are battling now in our real world today. I was always told to write what I know, and in doing that I am mirroring the insane circumstances unraveling in the news: the many plights, and slimy scandals taking over every facet in our societies. Art is watching, art remembers, and perhaps this story will give us a bitter taste of our own humility when it is said in done... But it takes place in another world, so if its too much, you can just pretend that its all fantasy. Im trying to force myself to write as much as possible without my brain over heating, while I still have the time to do so. Yesterday it was a 1000 words, today I hope to do more. I will also update my blog more often, trying to do that adult stuff, you know. We shall see what tomorrow brings. Until then, back to work. Write, Study, Workout, Draw, Highfive each other. Happy Holidays!

News (Nov 25 2017)

I have to put aside my historical fiction to work on something new. Been studying for over five years now trying to sculpt that project and it is still nowhere near ready. Now I'm exhausted. Started writing a science fiction thriller and it is a breath of fresh air to be working on something that doesn't have so many rules to abide by. I have so much yet to learn in this art. Reading every day, and learning new techniques. Now I am trying to apply what I have learned. Science fiction was my original love. However much I so enjoy history, any dramatic telling can get tangled up in the details of what was happening then very quickly if one tries to pursue it too carelessly. So I am taking my time with that. Might even salvage elements from the projects I was working on in the past, and work them into other pieces to come. Nothing is a waste of time; everything we do in the pursuit of our goals is worth it. Every now and then one must plant new seeds and watch it grow from all of the rich ingredients one has collected over the years. That is what I am doing now. Time builds strength. Nothing is a waste of time. Keep studying, keep writing, lay down the story, shine it up later, and worry about the business of it all when the time comes to burn stress on that. For the moment, just have fun. If you lose the joy, you lose the heart, and your story will begin to fall apart quite quickly.

News (Oct 10 2017)

I had wanted to publish one story per week for the month of October, but my working schedule interfered with those plans, sadly. however, I have finished one hell of a solid short story that I will be sharing before halloween. It is a 4,300 word story in the horror/suspense category, but I added a few elements of fantasy because that is truly my genre by nature. I don't want to give away too much about it, but it will be fun, sexy, and dark. I wanted to step away from my very serious Historical Fiction to write something completely different,  something with fewer restrictions—I really needed the break. So I went and created a world that we could explore ever deeper should we be interested in such a journey in the future. Short stories are exciting for me, but my demanding lifestyle and all-consuming primary projects make it a difficult task to complete, and to polish a single story in a short window of free-time. As some of you may know (those of you who are probably actually taking the time to read this, and I thank you for it) I travel the country for a living. My big road trips are a full-time job all on their own, but then I spend much of my life on this planet sitting at an easel drawing caricatures, and however I do love the job, between it and travel, and writing, and studying, I get a tad bit inundated. My ambitions are hungrier than I can even handle half the time, but I will keep trying to produce and share new work wherever I can break away from my life to do so. My next live drawing event will be in Georgia, and then I get to go back home to finish some drawing commissions, and polish up some stories. After, I will finish my work season in Jacksonville Florida, and begin a grueling month of writing in November: attempting to complete the first draft of a new novel in thirty days. This Halloween I will be sharing my last short story until I finish all of that. If you guys like it, give me some feedback and perhaps we will develop that universe further. Some interesting side facts about the upcoming short: it was inspired by a song by one of my favorite rock bands, In This Moment, and the book by Laurell K. Hamilton Guilty Pleasures. Hope you all enjoy it. Thanks again, Blessed Be!

Sincerely:
Jarce ArtThor (author)
Jeffrey Arce

news!

So I have unintentionally started a new novel last week. A powerful story that follows a young girl as she struggles over the loss of her best friend in a tragic car accident, and the man responsible for the death as he tries to reconcile with the families of whom he has damaged as a result of his reckless actions. A tale about love, anger, loss, and the greatest challenge to those whom have lost everything; forgiveness.
More info on that project as it develops. The working title is Heaven's Valley.
In other news, I'll be taking a break from the Chronicles stories to really focus on the development of my upcoming historic fiction, Goddess in Flames. I'm hoping to have a few more short stories ready to post in a week or two. I want to creat at least ten Chronicle stories which are all set in the world of GIF, but it all boils down on the spare time I will have available to me from now and until the deadline of my historic fiction. However, that is not to say that once I free up some space in my schedule after I finish the book, that I won't continue to write more Chronicle stories. I have tons of ideas for that. I may even release a book later that will contain all of my short stories that were set in that world.
This week I am also beginning an all new pinup sketch. I'll post the snap shots of my progress here on my blog.
Speaking of art! Next week on the 5th of February, I will be heading out to Tampa Bay to draw live caricatures at the Florida State Fair, which starts on the 6th. I hope to see you all there!


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