Maternity Leave and Disclaimer

[ellenmillion]

I am now on indefinite maternity leave! ETA: See below for updates.


By "leave", I mean I'm shutting down ordering at most of my sites, delegating projects, and automating as much as possible. The amazing customer service that people have come to expect from this one-woman show... is not going to be so amazing, and I'm not going to feel bad about it. I may reply to emails, if you need to cash out your credits, or want to order something I happen to have in stock, or need some kind of project help. I may also not check my email for a week or two at a time, or not have the spoons to deal with your request immediately. I may help one person and not another (this is not a reflection of favoritism, I promise). Basically, I reserve the right to be incredibly flaky.

By "indefinite", I mean I'll be back in business whenever I like - perhaps in May, perhaps in August, maybe in October. Chances are good that I will phase back into things - picking up various projects and catching up on emails as I feel ready for them, taking on more projects gradually as I figure out how to deal with my new life order.

And by "maternity," I mean BABY!

*ahem*


Status and points of contact


EMG-Zine will continue to be aptly run by Jennifer Broschinsky. The form at the site and the editor email will go to her. Keep submitting work! I've left her my best whip! Hard-copy anthologies are not available for now. ETA: Anthologies are available again! EMG-Zine has shut down, but the site remains available.

Fantastic Portfolios is in the capable hands of Janet Chui. Contact at that site goes through her, and she's taken the reins and is running with things. Check out the new blog, and there are some sweet features in the pipeline.

Sketch Fest is closing for March and April at least, including sketch sales... these will automatically time out on Friday at noon, so grab available sketches while you can. There may be a Sketch Fest in May. Stay tuned for that. ETA: Sketch Fests are running monthly again! Check the site for updates!

Coloring books are closed up for now. You may find them available through other sellers through their Amazon.com pages. ETA: Coloring books are available again! Orders may take up to 10 days to ship, not my usual two-day turnaround, sorry!

Torn World will continue to update... as I get to it. As there is work that is reviewed by the canon board for me to post, I will. They just won't be as evenly spaced as updates have been in the past. Deirdre Murphy will be running the Critters of Torn World contest and organizing Muse Fusions over the next few months. Anthologies and coloring books are not for sale for the time being. ETA: Coloring books and anthologies are available again! Contests are running again! The site is updating semi-regularly!

Portrait Adoption will pretty much continue on auto-pilot, though approvals of both submissions and adoptions will be delayed like everything else. I've already got the system set on 'vacation' so that claims will NOT expire until I can deal with them. ETA: Standard adoptions are available, but take approximately 10 days to ship.

For all money issues (subscriptions, credits, royalties, orders, etc.), contact me. And then be patient, please. ETA: I am answering emails again and doing all the usual business upkeep. As full-time Mom, it may take me a few days to reply and my inbox is always a bit of an adventure - if you haven't gotten a reply in a few days, you are welcome to nudge me again. You may also contact me at Facebook or elsewhere on the web, but email is most reliable.


Important Disclaimer

I reserve the right to blog and not be "back". I reserve the right to post photos and not be back. I reserve the right to write and do artwork for myself, and share it, and not be back. I reserve the right to do a sudden madcap programming update and not be back. Appearing in social media, including commenting on posts or 'liking' things does not obligate me to resume my crazy-mad work schedule, answer emails, or conduct business in any fashion. In general, business will resume when I'm ready for it, and I will announce in no uncertain terms when that time is. Don't be fooled by any gushy enthusiasm, rambling, comments, or random blathering, in the meantime.



PS: No, the Guppy is not here yet. I will update this post when she is, never fear.

ETA: Guppy was born Feb 28th, weighing 7 lb 11 oz, 22" long, and is perfect (according to her mother) in every way.

Comments

[jeliza]

You are clearly taking a sound and sensible approach to dealing with things in light of impending baby. I commend you.

Also, sleeping when the baby sleeps saved many scraps of sanity for us, if you can manage it.

[puffbird.livejournal.com]

Woot! (And boy, do I feel powerful now -- I have a whip!)

[jenny heidewald (from livejournal.com)]

*wonders if she can crank out a centaur article in time* ( crazy with moving here, alllmost done.)

[jenny heidewald (from livejournal.com)]

Jennifer, check your editor EMG-zine e-mail! I might be too late, but I was determined to finish the centaur thing last night.

[puffbird.livejournal.com]

Done! Thanks for sending the heads-up! :)

[octoberdreaming.livejournal.com]

Good luck to you and hubby and guppy!!! ♥

[taralphiel.livejournal.com]

You are 100% right - you don't need to explain yourself. Maternity leave isn't optional, especially with all that you do!

My thoughts are with you for the amazing journey ahead. I hope that we hear about your healthy arrival soon! <3

[curvature.livejournal.com]

Yay! also, one of my friends had a friend of hers update her journal with little status updates after she went into labour, which was cool because it meant we could share the excitement vicariously, and also people stopped texting her and the husband every five minutes to find out if the baby came yet :)

[haikujaguar.livejournal.com]

Good for you! Rock on woman! :D

[pers1stence.livejournal.com]

Good for you!

[minor-architect.livejournal.com]

Random blog entries simply let me know that you, Jake, and the baby are okay and nothing's gone sideways. That's all I expect until you're ready to be "back." :)

Good luck and best wishes!

[jenny_evergreen]

Excellent. *settles in for the new-mommy ride from afar*

[thrivis.livejournal.com]

Sometimes it feels like only a couple of weeks ago you posted about a new guppy, any buying curtains or whatever for a nursery, lol. Good luck with everything and congratulations!!! I hope you and your family are healthy and happy! You and Jake sound like you'll be kick ass parents, lol.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

*makes a note*
*cheers you on*

[raventhourne.livejournal.com]

Very well put!

Will look forward to updates as they happen on your schedule.

[flower-star.livejournal.com]

Enjoy your leave until Elsa gets there and all the best to you and your family =)!

[polarbee.livejournal.com]

Oh enjoy! I love new baby smell in particular. :)

[dark-phoenix54.livejournal.com]

Wishing a safe and easy delivery for you and Elsa. Take care of yourself; the business will be waiting for you when you feel up to it!

[sylvia heidewald (from livejournal.com)]

Love the Important Disclaimer! Have a fun and relaxing time with your little bundle of joy. Now about a day before Elsa decides to make her entrance into this world, you may experience what I call 'The Nesting Syndrome'. This consists of an extreme alertness and a frenzy of rearranging house things and re-cleaning etc. You'll wonder where all the energy came from. Have a wonderful bonding time!

[jenny heidewald (from livejournal.com)]

(((♥*HUGS*♥)))Good luck Ellen and Elsa and Jake!!! How can it be 1 week to go, it seems like you were just announcing the announcement! I look forward to the random blathering, and baby photos! :D

Hey do you have a shot of you and Jake together before Elsa arrives? :)

I am still trying to think of a super cool present...I'm such a slacker! :\

[serenstar.livejournal.com]

I say, just enjoy motherhood, enjoy art and other things just for you. New babies take a lot of adjustment, and post of the benefit of your own business is leave of absence whenever you want.

[pixiewildflower.livejournal.com]

Best of luck. I'll be praying that all goes smoothly!

[metasilk.livejournal.com]

Hooray! Yet again you demonstrate your fabulous practicality and sense.

Welcome to maternity leave!!

[cereus-sphinx.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! :)

Hope everything goes well for you! (It's a big adjustment.)

[mieaga.livejournal.com]

Belated Congratulations Ellen! I wish you and your family the best future possible!

Darci Gibson (Pathfinder's project)

Ohboy... :)

[cdrakenborg.livejournal.com]

Oh boy have I missed loads! First of all CONGRATS on the Baby :D Is it a boy or a girl?! Mine just overgrew me by a few cm. & turning 13 jan. :) But I so understand what your saying! Life & you sometimes have to come first.
& Sometimes we simply need a break cause we've just done to much of it, year in & year out & the risk with that is the lust, tho passionate about it, may fade.
Both of the above made me take a vacation from actively create to sell. & hard work has its price; hand movements + time spent = carpel tunnel. Still drew/painted, but in my pace.
You know when its needed for your own good, otherwise it wont do anyone good in the long run. & I my spark has lit again & are slowly raising, so checking out the sites I have, updating info ect. & planning on updating with a new portrait or two here soon :)
I do hope all is good with you & the baby & having a good life in general?! If its your first, you better enjoy, all of the sudden she is a teen & beginning her own adventure, with all it holds :)
Take care for now hon :)