So the main question people keep asking me is: when is "Girl" going to launch?
The answer is one you will probably find as unsatisfying as I do: I don't know.
Firstly, the way it works: syndicates launch 2-3 strips every year, and at any point they have a number of strips under development, waiting for the green light. I was hoping to get the fall launch slot, but I didn't.
The syndicate let me know, in August, that they were launching "Thatababy," one of the strips I beat in the contest last year, ahead of me (and ahead of several other strips that had been in development longer). They said there were several reasons, one of which was that they had launched two "talking animal" strips in a row, and didn't want to launch a third.
So if I'm lucky I might get in in spring 2011. Cross your fingers for me. In the meantime, I'm getting paid to send them 20 roughs a month, which come back to me with commentary written all over it by several editors.
They also let me know, though, that they wanted me to try some changes to the strip. The title, for one thing. Too generic.
Also, I'm experimenting with the cast. In the most recent strips I've given my protagonist a name and paired her with a little boy.
Here's some sample art: