The Well Below the Valley, Episode 13: Daybreak

A bleak, leafless tree against a sepia-toned sky. Text reads: Space Whales Press presents The Well Below the Valley, an audio drama

Table of Contents

Dramatis Personae
(in order of appearance)

KURT Cross, private investigator who has already seen too much. Male, early 30s, New York accent.

Inspector ISKANDAR Meshkia, who still remembers how to use a sword. Male, late 30s, strong Turkish accent. 

Father John WHITNEY, slayer of sacrifices and summoner of monsters. Male, early 50s, Northern English accent.

Eloise “ELLIE” Westmont, who always comes prepared. Female, mid 20s, posh British accent.

Three or more CULTISTS and residents of Whitmoor. Male or female, 30s or 40s, Northern English accents. 

Sheriff Norbert OAKS, unofficially the second in command of the cult. Male, mid-40s, Northern English accent.

MARIE Campbell, not quite sacrificed. Female, early 20s, Northern English accent. 

Dr. ERNEST Wilde, determined rationalist. Male, early 30s, Northern English accent. 

JASMINE Indrani, staunch defender of the women’s shelter and its residents. Female, late 20s, could have a British or Indian Accented English accent.

JONATHAN Martel, butler and caretaker of the Westmont estate. Male, mid-50s, Northern English accent. 

MARJANI Kaur, physician and practical optimist. Female, early 30s, could have a British or Indian Accented English accent.

CLAIRE Cooper, holy vessel. Female, late teens, Northern English accent.

Scene 1: Ext. Fields outside Whitmoor – Night

MUSIC: OPENING THEME.

The music fades into the howling of the wind over Whitmoor’s dry fields. In the distance, a copse of dead trees shake and rattle. Underneath the noise, a drone is present, steady and pervasive. 

Something enormous and heavy is coming into being among those trees. A heavy footfall shakes the ground, and a dry branch snaps. 

Continue reading “The Well Below the Valley, Episode 13: Daybreak”

Event this Sunday!

This Sunday, August 17th, I’ll be returning to Dresden Castle on Underwood for What the Hex: Arbor & Alchemy! I’m very excited to finally be back, and also to be rejoining Brooke of the Figuratively Speaking Tarot. What the Hex is one of my favorite events, and I try not to miss any of them (I did miss their Pride market right after I had my baby). The people are so kind, the music slaps (as the kids say, or did at one point?), and there is so much cool stuff that if I didn’t confine myself to my own table, I’d spend all my money.

Dresden Castle can be found at 3775 East Underwood Ave, Cudahy, WI. Entry is $3 for anyone 12 or older; kids get in free. In addition to entry, your three dollars also gets you access to the classes in the last image. Doors will be open from noon until 5.

I’ve restocked all my books, and I hope I can see you there!

New episode next week

Hi!

Episode 10 of The Well Below the Valley is just finished, but I think I want to stick to the Wednesday schedule for the time being. It will go up on Patreon next Wednesday and here the following Wednesday. This will give me a little more time to work on the comic. My baby has had the worst time napping 4/5 days so far this week, and I didn’t have the time to work that I thought I would. As I type, she is asleep on my chest, because she will scream if I try to put her down.

Thanks for your patience. I’ll have new stuff for both Patrons and blog readers soon.

Quick check-in

A baby wearing a black dress with gold hearts lies on a stack of books, including the Edge of the Empire RPG sourcebook, the D&D Monster Manual, Player's Handbook, and Dungeon Master's Guide, The Art of War, the Norton Shakespeare Anthology, The Golden Compass, Dune, The Night Circus, and Gulliver's Travels. She is turned toward the camera, eyes closed, her hands in her face.

This is Miranda. I made her out of love and…mostly cheese (I had gestational diabetes). She is here and real and healthy as can be–almost a month old now.

I’m not quite ready to get back to regular posting, but I wanted to let you know that I’m still alive and slowly picking my work back up. I’ve finished the script for the first volume of Chrysanthemum Dawn! I’ll have some sketches for you soon. I’m also outlining the next episode of The Well Below the Valley today, and should start writing it this week.

I’ll check back in again soon. In the meantime, happy Pride, and thanks for stopping by!

What the Hex: Fates & Fae

What the Hex Witches Market
Fates + Fae
a marketplace featurin gover 30 vendors offering unique products that celebrate the enchanting worl dof fairies, fates, and magical realms. Explore a curated selection of free mystical workshops and whimsical creations. 

Sunday, April 27th 12-5pm
$3 entry, Kids free
Dresden Castle
3775 E Underwood Ave
Cudahy, WI

This Sunday!

If you’ve never been to a What the Hex market before, you’re missing out. The venue is gorgeous (converted church with stained-glass windows), the people (vendors, performers, and perusers alike!) are lovely, and the vibes are excellent. There will be some tasty food and storytime for kids! If the image above isn’t cooperating, admission is $3 (kids are free) and doors will be open from 12-5. The address is 3775 E Underwood Ave., Cudahy, WI.

As mentioned before, this will be my last in-person event before I go on maternity leave, so I hope to see you there.

Somewhat relatedly, I haven’t managed to get the next episode of The Well Below the Valley ready for you (it’s about halfway done), so I’ll have it up next week. Thanks so much for your patience.

Tomorrow! Author Night at Studio Moonfall

Studio Moonfall Meet the Author: fantasy author Madeline Crane

Friday, March 28th, 4pm to 7pm at Studio Moonfall, 5031 7th Avenue

www.studiomoonfall.com

Includes the cover of Journey to the Water: Companion to Beyond the Frost-Cold Sea

I’ll be hanging out at Studio Moonfall at 5031 7th Ave in Kenosha from 4 until 7 tomorrow evening. It’s a very chill time in a lovely little shop, so I hope you can stop by!

Here’s the Facebook event if you need more information, and here’s Studio Moonfall’s website if you’d like to see what else there is on offer. It will also be Free Book Friday, so you can pick out a secondhand book while you’re there!

Sketch – comic protagonists

Sketch in red of four characters: a tall man with pointed ears dressed as a Buddhist monk, a woman with traditional Ainu tattoos holding a giant caterpillars, a man in a topknot kneeling with a bow and arrow, and another man with pointed ears playing a shamisen

Special thanks to my D&D group for the very good boys

Working on anatomy and proportions here, as well as making the faces distinct. In the days to come, I hope to practice enough to make my linework less shaky. I turn the smoothing on in Photoshop, but it isn’t enough.

More info on these characters and their world will be forthcoming!

New Patreon post: some concept art

You can see all of this image, unblurred, on Patreon. My Patreon is only $3 a month, and you can support an independent creator and her cats while getting some bonus art, new chapters/episodes a week before blog readers, and some other stuff that’s still in the works.

I’m on Bluesky!

Let me know if you’re on there! I need people to follow. You can find me at spacewhalespress.bsky.social.

Scorpio Market Tomorrow!

I’ll be at the Wisconsin Masonic Center in downtown Madison from noon until 4! In addition to plenty of cool writers, artists, and craftspeople, there will be some fundraising raffles and sales for Palestine. Be aware: this is a fully masked event, so don’t forget your mask. Here’s more information.

It’s been a hell of a week, but Journey to the Water has reached 121,618 words, and I’m about to start on Eske’s last voyage (Chapter LXIII in the serial version, chapter XXIX in the rewrite). I have four more chapters (three chapters and one interlude) to go. Wish me luck!