Dialogue! Finally!
Edited to add: WordPress’s suggested tags on this were “Bible,” “Jesus,” and “Christianity.” Why, WordPress? Your AI is drunk.
Below the cut to spare your RAM:
Continue reading “Last Watch Before Dawn: Volume 1, Page 5”Tag: fantasy
Last Watch Before Dawn: Volume 1, Page 4
I tried all those fancy brushes last page, and I honestly think I like the simpler look better: just the one brush, using cross-hatching for texture and in-between shadows. I’m interested to know your thoughts.
Here we have a big sci-fi reveal. Image below the cut:
Continue reading “Last Watch Before Dawn: Volume 1, Page 4”Last Watch Before Dawn: Volume 1, Page 3
This page kicked my butt and adding text in Photoshop is not exactly a nightmare, but more like one of those frustrating dreams where you’re trying to do a simple task and your brain keeps generating obstacles.
I’m still working out the art style and used some fancy brushes for this one. Let me know what you think.
Below the cut to save your RAM:
Continue reading “Last Watch Before Dawn: Volume 1, Page 3”Last Watch Before Dawn: Volume 1, Page 2
I think I’ve been threatening you with this page for like two weeks now. Maybe three.
Below the cut to spare your RAM:
Continue reading “Last Watch Before Dawn: Volume 1, Page 2”Last Watch Before Dawn: Volume 1, Page 1
So it begins!
To avoid gumming up your scrolling with a huge image, I’ll put it below the cut:
Continue reading “Last Watch Before Dawn: Volume 1, Page 1”The Well Below the Valley, Episode 7: The Souls of the Heathens
Dramatis Personae
(in order of appearance)
Eloise “ELLIE” Westmont, probably the best investigator of the group. Female, mid 20s, posh English accent.
Detective Chief Inspector ISKANDAR Meshkia, lender of a small degree of official authority to the operation. Male, late 30s, strong Turkish accent.
KURT Cross, actor, veteran, and car-haver. Male, early 30s, New York accent.
The FIRST CULTIST at the scene, Milton’s enforcer. Male, any age, London accent.
The SECOND CULTIST at the scene, perhaps one with more focus on the magic and mysteries. Male, any age, London accent.
Dr. ERNEST Wilde, a logical person about to be plunged into an illogical world. Male, early 30s, Northern English accent.
Sebastian MILTON, custodian of arcane lore and hidden mysteries. Male, mid 50s, London accent.
JASMINE Indrani, the late professor’s missing assistant. Female, late 20s, could have a British or Indian Accented English accent.
Henry CARLTON, Ernest’s longtime friend and practical grounding influence. Male, early 30s, London accent.
EMILIA Niyazova, one of the only people in this Godforsaken city who can make a good cup of Turkish coffee. Female, early 20s, slight Russian (actually Kazakh) accent.
NIGEL Blackthorne, believer in magic. Male, early 30s, posh British accent.
Scene 1: Ext. South Bank market – Night
Continue reading “The Well Below the Valley, Episode 7: The Souls of the Heathens”Chrysanthemum Dawn: comic script preview
Here’s what I’ve been working on in between episodes of The Well Below the Valley. (The text is recreated below, for screen readers and/or people who don’t want to squint.)
Right now, I’m still learning how this process is going to work. For a traditionally published comic, the writer would hand a script like this to the lead artist(s), but since I am a team of one, I just need to have enough information that future me can remember what I was thinking. I also haven’t started storyboarding yet, so I’m guessing on layout and panel styles. Pacing in sequential art is a complex process of guiding the reader’s eye around the page, and it’s something I’m going to have to learn by doing.
Thanks for coming along on this journey with me! I hope this little snapshot intrigues you.
Text is recreated below the cut:
Continue reading “Chrysanthemum Dawn: comic script preview”The Well Below the Valley, Episode 4: Lost Daughters
Dramatis Personae
(in order of appearance)
Professor Josef DIETRICH, colleague of the murder victim. Male, mid 40s, German accent.
Detective Chief Inspector ISKANDAR Meshkia, a man who has held many titles in his life but none more important than “Baba.” Male, late 30s, strong Turkish accent.
Dr. ERNEST Wilde, botanist and puzzle enthusiast. Male, early 30s, Northern English accent.
Eloise “ELLIE” Westmont, a private investigator of many skills. Female, mid 20s, posh English accent.
FREYDÍS Emundrsdóttir, the late professor’s next of kin. Female, late 20s, slight Icelandic accent.
The memory of MUSTAFA Effendi, Iskandar’s childhood friend, now deceased. Male, early 30s, could speak with a Turkish or English accent.
The memory of HALIME, a princess in her father’s eyes, now deceased. Female, about five years old, could speak with a Turkish or English accent.
Mrs. JUDITH Rosenfeld, who was very proud the day she installed a telephone in her building. Female, late 40s, slight Yiddish accent.
EMILIA Niyazova, flapper and velocipedist. Female, early 20s, slight Russian (actually Kazakh) accent.
Constable John TAYLOR, just doing his job. Male, early 20s, London accent.
Constable ANTONY St. John, fencing enthusiast and important alibi. Male, early 30s, London (specifically Estuary) accent.
Chief Superintendent Winston PEMBROKE, Sr., a representative of the system. Male, early 60s, English accent with audible mustache.
Scene 1: Int. Oxford Faculty of History – Day
Continue reading “The Well Below the Valley, Episode 4: Lost Daughters”Journey to the Water is now out in the world!
Today’s the day! Thank you so much for your support and patience. I hope you enjoy the book!
After a thousand years of tyranny, the holy city of Phyreios is free. Its freedom comes at the cost of many lives, among them the healer Khalim, beloved by many but none more than Eske of the Bear Clan, the warrior from the North. Now Eske is alone, and a new king, a god in Khalim’s guise, presides over the city’s survivors. Of Khalim himself, nothing remains but a memory and a riddle: in order to follow him, one must travel beyond the edge of the world, breach the gate of bone on a day without a sun, and cross the river of memory, deeper than the sea.
Armed with his strength, his wits, and a good tale or two, Eske sets off across the known world, encountering priests of forgotten gods, great beasts of ancient times, and sorcerers of uncanny power. He will perform any task, make any sacrifice, for the chance to see his beloved again.
Inspired by Robert E. Howard’s CONAN THE BARBARIAN and Ursula LeGuin’s EARTHSEA novels, JOURNEY TO THE WATER concludes the epic story begun in BEYOND THE FROST-COLD SEA.
Barnes & Noble (paperback & ebook)
Bookshop.org (coming soon!)
Thriftbooks (paperback only, usually discounted)
If you don’t see your favorite place to buy books, let me know! I’m on most platforms and am working on getting my books into brick-and-mortar stores.
And when you finish it, be sure to leave a review! It’s the best way to help new readers find my work.
Tomorrow!
Eske’s long travails are finally coming to an end on Friday, December 20. I am so excited to finally get this book into your hands! Thank you ever so much for your support and patience.
After a thousand years of tyranny, the holy city of Phyreios is free. Its freedom comes at the cost of many lives, among them the healer Khalim, beloved by many but none more than Eske of the Bear Clan, the warrior from the North. Now Eske is alone, and a new king, a god in Khalim’s guise, presides over the city’s survivors. Of Khalim himself, nothing remains but a memory and a riddle: in order to follow him, one must travel beyond the edge of the world, breach the gate of bone on a day without a sun, and cross the river of memory, deeper than the sea.
Armed with his strength, his wits, and a good tale or two, Eske sets off across the known world, encountering priests of forgotten gods, great beasts of ancient times, and sorcerers of uncanny power. He will perform any task, make any sacrifice, for the chance to see his beloved again.
Inspired by Robert E. Howard’s CONAN THE BARBARIAN and Ursula LeGuin’s EARTHSEA novels, JOURNEY TO THE WATER concludes the epic story begun in BEYOND THE FROST-COLD SEA.
Get the paperback of Beyond the Frost-Cold Sea for 20% off through December 23 (Monday)
Space Whales Press 