Last week the lovely and talented Alicia Jamtaas was the big winner of the Mike Allegra Win A Doodle Contest. Her prize was a custom made doodle of anything she wanted.
What she wanted was raven shape-shifter.
I had never heard of a raven shape-shifter before. Fortunately, Alicia clarified things:
“A raven shape-shifter is a woman who is able to shape shift into a raven. Like a selkie – woman to seal.”
“Ah!” I replied. (I decided not to mention that I had never heard of a selkie, either.)
Fantasy stuff is not really in my wheelhouse, but I figured I’d come up with something. I visited Google Images. There I discovered that no one on earth seems to agree on what a raven shape-shifter looks like.
So I winged it (so to speak).
Here’s your doodle, Alicia! I hope you like it.
***
This is my last post before shutting down the blog for the summer. Before I go, however, I wanted to give you one last bit of doodle-related news:
DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND, I AM NOW ACCEPTING DOODLE COMMISSIONS!
That’s right! You no longer have to win a contest to get your very own doodle. You just need to pay me. Click on the Hire Me! menu above for rates and details.
***
Have a great summer everyone! I’m going to miss you!
Here, lemme give you a big hug.
See you in September!
Hey, Look! A Writer Fellow! 
Awesomesauce, Mike!
See you in September!
Catch ya later, alligator!
With a smile, crocodile. 😀
its soon september yay fall is coming op
lol, yes! The sequel we’ve all been waiting for! The Return of the Doodler!
XD
Brilliant! Turnabout’s fair play, right? Even though it—ah—flies in the face of all I hold near and dear to my heart. Poor, poor kitty….
You and the other cat fanciers are safe (for now). The victim is a squirrel.
Don’t you know how I draw a cat by now?
Yes, I was explaining to Laurel that I have a cat bias. I should have noticed the difference in the face and tail. It’s easy to see now that my blinders have been removed. My bad. But I’m pleased that no cats were injured during the creation of this doodle. Only pesky squirrels. How could you do this to one of your own?
Sadly, the poor little squirrely angels do it to themselves.
Please support my crowdsourcing campaign to create a network of elevated rodent crosswalks to prevent future tragedies.
I’m sure the squirrels would give you an endless supply of nuts to support the campaign. The vultures, OTOH, will take a dim view of having a major source of their meal tickets eliminated.
I’m not my vulture’s keeper.
Oh, my friend, you are brilliant and a little evil. I’m sort of speechless at how screamingly funny this naughty doodle is. I love that there’s a Whatcom County sign too! This is a moment to celebrate. Now there are not one but two original Mike Allegra doodles in our darling little county. This bodes well for the Allegra Doodle Retrospective we are planning.
Yay! I always wanted a doodle retrospective!
But, hey, I’m not a little evil!
*Tents Fingers, Twirls Mustache*
MWA-HA-HAA!
We will have to come up with themes, including the “More Evil Series”!
I fear that would be a very easy series for me to draw.
That pleases me. There’s enough cute and cuddly stuff in the world. Bring on the evil doodles!
All I can say to that is another MWAH-HA-HA!
And Whatcom County gets a shout out! You can’t be implying that shapeshifters in the form of crows regularly dine on cat roadkill in Whatcom, can you? They’re much more likely to be dining on salmon and oysters sans the tire marks.
Here I must defer to Alicia as our resident expert on shape-shifters. I also think the fluffy tail implies squirrel. Oh, Writer Fellow, what did the car run over? It looks like a squirrel but knowing your unlove of cats, is it a cat-squirrel shape-shifter?
Good point. Shows I have a distinct cat bias. I also assumed that the bird would love to get back at a cat. Not so much a pesky squirrel. Although the red squirrels in Maine are a cheeky bunch. They’re happy to give you a piece of their mind whenever you saunter into their territory. So maybe the raven would look forward to getting back at one of those red squirrels…
Well, there has been a lot of cat doodle talk on this blog, so I can see where that bias may have originated. I have never met a Maine squirrel. That will be on my list of critters to check out next time I’m on the other side of the country to stalk Mike for more doodles.
You are right, Laurel; the drive by victim is a squirrel. Considering that Jilanne has two (Can you believe it? TWO!) Allegra cat doodles, she would know what one would look like by now.
*sigh*
She does live in the Dogpatch though, so cats there might look a little different by default.
I’d like cats, too, if they looked and acted like squirrels.
Man, you are admirably consistent in your detestation of kitties.
The only time I see ravens in nature is when they’re noshing on dead stuff along the side of the road.
So this shape-shifter is in her natural habitat.
Mike, you have done a magnificent job. I absolutely love my doodle (and secretly suspected you knew nothing about selkies). And to do all that research to boot! Thank you! for my Whatcom County shape-shifting raven-woman-raven-woman-ra . . . P.S. Contrary to popular belief, I think the dead critter is a squirrel ~ not someone’s pet.
Yay! You like it! I’m gonna mail it out to you tomorrow.
You and your Whatcom cohort are correct, of course. The poor, dead fellow is a squirrel.
Goody! I can’t wait to have it in my hot little hand. And I don’t just like it I
L-O-V-E it!
Awesomesauce.
Of course it had to be a cat depicted as road kill…..oh well. Have a great summer Mike! You deserve it.
I shall savor the extra time to write and doodle. Catch ya in September, Tiger.
Have a great summer. I look forward to the returning doodles.
I shall be sure to replenish my doodle reserves during my absence. See you soon, Michelle!
I love the doodle! You are getting better and better with each doodle! Have a great September and by the time you come back I’ll be able to tell you what I want commissioned. 😀
Excellent. The more doodling the better.
I would NOT have known what a raven shape-shifter was either. First thing I figured was that it was a raven that could morph into “whatever.” But I love the look of your doodles, my dear, however “sick” they are! lol Of course, when I saw a cat as roadkill, that’s what cracked me up. THEN you have the nerve to say it’s a SQUIRREL?!! This was clearly a pointy-eared cat with a severe case of Squirrel Tail Envy 😉
Have a fanTAStic summer, Mike, and I think it’s great that you’ve actually decided to do doodles on commission! 😀 If I could afford one (I can’t afford much of anything, even if it IS a Mike Allegra original! lol), I’d get one. Trouble is—I really don’t know what I’d ask for! lol Anyway, my dear, see you in September—or would that be October or November? 😉
Oh, a Mike Allegra original is a smart investment, sure to increase in value! Act now!
And this year I promise to *actually* be back in September.
…and some time in September I’m sure this will dawn on me and will probably begin haunting and taunting you ’til you do! 😉
I eagerly await your pestering.
WOWWWWWWWIE!!! You really out did yourself with Raven Shape Shifter. And a dead cat too.
Thank you for the bone crushing hug too.
Dead squirrel.
Dang, I better go back to art school!
Wonderful shape-shifter. Love the added meal. Nice touch.
Thank you, my friend. I do like to put a little dose of silliness in my doodles.
I am so sorry that I mentioned the word “cat” when it’s really a squirrel. Very sorry Mike. It is quite obviously a squirrel…..
Oh, pish, Jilanne. I just like ta give you a hard time.
BTW: Your book is on its way!
Woohoo! Will have to tell Rem and Liam to look out for it while I’m gone. Thanks!!!
Enjoy your summer, my friend. I shall look forward to seeing you again!
Take it easy, Commish. Enjoy the tourist season!
Why am I smiling so much at your doodle? Maybe because we’re having a squirrel battle here in our little neck of the woods. No one is winning but the squirrel, though, not the ravens/hawks/owls, not the cars, not even my guy, who chases Mr. Squirrel up a tree with claps and bad words. I think I’ll share this Allegra original with my guy – bring a squirrely smile to his face.
Gonna miss you this summer, my blogging pal. But at least I have a fabulous Allegra doodle to stare at while I write (and there’re no dead bodies in mine – whoo hoo!!)
Do let your guy know that going head to head with a squirrel is a futile exercise. Those critters are clever and ornery. I think that’s why I like them so. I have always been a big fan of clever and ornery herbivores; that’s why I also like goats.
Oh, and have wonderful New England summer, blog buddy!
A raven shape shifter? Is there really every day something new I learn? Oh, yes, it is.
You and me both, Cecilia!
Have a rad summer, Mike!
You too! Don’t vandalize and park benches while I’m gone.
Enjoy your summer!!
I’ll do my best. I’ve already cranked the AC up to 11.
11 as in 11 degrees, or 11 out of 12 on the cool factor? lol Some like it hot, I like it cool!
Mike, the raven shape-shifter arrived today. Oh my, she is more beautiful in person than she was on-line. The red highlights on her wings are – well – perfect!!! Thanks. Thanks. Thanks. Have a wonderful summer. Alicia
I’m so glad you like it!
That Whatcom County art exhibit is gonna happen, so help me!
Just came across your blog, very fun! I’ll be looking forward to your return!
Thanks, Minca. In the meantime, do feel free to check out the 180-or-so posts I’ve already written — ’cause, well, someone’s gotta do it!
Yikes, I had to scroll through all the comments to be able to add my own. Worth the complete detour from work related business though, as I am left decidedly amoused (my typo made me giggle further so I’m leaving it right there) mostly I’m *amused at your post, but also the witty banter in the comments. I’ll have to ask your opinion of a doodle I’ve been working on (once finished). Thanks for the diversion mister! 😉
Bella, you sure came to the right place for diversion! lol
I can’t believe how talented you are! Keep it up, my friend!
My blog: booksaregifts.wordpress.com
I just discovered your blog, and you seem to be a nice person, too!
Actually though, I love the work on here; I’m a 21-year-old student and I’ve always loved writing, but I want to become a writer! I would love it if someone who does what I would like to do (i.e. make words and get money) would check out my work! (fromtheinbetween.wordpress.com)