It calls to me ...

Well, well. It has certainly been another while since my last update here. In that time, I’ve been experiencing the very incredible task of becoming a mother. To sum things up, I am still recovering in some regards and have next to no time for myself, but I love being home with my little one. What’s more is that at long last, my energy reserves for creative endeavors are returning – and demanding to be set loose. So, here I am, attempting to gather together my thoughts and notes on what projects face me for the next decade (wow).

I actually bothered to make a New Year’s resolution this year. My goal is to complete the first draft of any one of the writing projects that I have in progress at present. It’s going to be a pressing goal under my current time constraints, especially since I’m still adjusting to caring for another person and the term “sleep deprived” is only mildly describing my state of consciousness. But, I need to write. After more than a year long dry spell, the drive to complete and publish more of my stories is strong.

So, cut the chatter. Here’s a list of the items vying for my attention. And reader beware, there are spoilers ahead!

Path of a Hero (revision)

My current progress on this is sitting at a scant 3,100 words – which leaves about 197,000 words for me to read through and revise, yet. Like Wings of Fate, I am revising Path of a Hero by completely rewriting the manuscript as I read through it. Very, very few sentences are left just the way they are, if any. It’s a grueling task, but very much worth it to me. I am still enormously pleased with the rewrite of Wings of Fate and hope to find similar satisfaction with this book, despite the fact that there are a couple of particularly messy hang-ups I know I’m going to have to contend with in the manuscript.

Book 9

Sitting at a little over 67,000 words, Book 9 is still a project I’m very much looking forward to completing … when I can devote enough time and attention to it. Becoming a mother was not something I had planned on just yet. Be that as it may, I know that this is a project I will return to, most probably within the next few years. I really don’t have a choice – the story is burning in my soul and begs to be finished.

This book is the first half of a duology. In the very early stages of conception, this was planned as an installment in another trilogy, but due to story concepts and symbolism that has to do with the over all plot of the books, this was better suited as a duology. In the past year or so, I’ve been able to gather my thoughts and plan out a lot more detail for the second half of the duology than I had since completing the original drafts of The Rebirth Trilogy. So, here’s a little blurb for you:

Roughly a year after the events of the Rebirth War, the world of Gaia is still feeling the cooling effects of an evil god’s return. While the issue of war is nothing new, other problems are cropping up – one of which is particularly alarming: For reasons unknown, the Nethbane is once more roving the lands, though his presence is far from that of a god-sent savior. Leaving a trail of death and confusion, his name is quickly turning to a curse on the lips of Gaia’s inhabitants.

When news of her friend’s strange shift in behavior reaches the paladin Lotus, she sets out to find her friend and stop him, if possible. Despite all that she’s heard, Lotus knows in her heart that Kuma could never truly turn evil, but the disturbing question must be asked: If this is not the work of the Nethbane … then who?

Taloner: Reima (revision)

Revision work for this book has already been started, but I’m not quite 6% of the way through the first rewrite. However, this manuscript is much smaller than Path of a Hero, so it feels more doable at the moment.

Taloner: Moa

An unassuming and quiet researcher finds her peace disturbed and herself the target of a dangerous creature when she unearths an ancient weapon in the ruins of Godrealm.

Taloner: Dio

A seafaring Taloner stumbles upon a stranded ally, one connected intimately with an issue of the empire’s safety. Time is limited, and there are details that run deeper than they first appear on the surface.

Taloner: Blue

Someone is laying lethal traps for the Laiune in southern Kura-Cora, and the design appears to be that of an ally. When a mechanically-minded scout tries to find out why, she finds herself suddenly entangled with the military and a sinister truth that threatens a friend.

Taloner: Wekthusia

So this is an older one I had started to write years ago out of boredom, and it now requires an overhaul before completion. For anyone who’s familiar with the stories in Wayside Tales, a certain sassy young Illismonah also makes an appearance in this one.

Wekthusia is a decent sort of guy who believes in honesty and being responsible first and foremost. So when a brash young maiden shows up and drags him into a personal dispute with a sorcerer, it’s bound to cause some issues.

Predecessor

An exotic new race calling itself the Neth has appeared in Gaia, and its foremost goal is the destruction of the Laiuna people. With a sudden shift in the very powers that created the world, once-faithful followers are now left anchorless and confused. Heeding the will of his master and going in the face of hopelessness, a lowly warrior named Meng chooses to undertake a seemingly impossible task – destroy the god Zemose.

Nethbane

Surprised to see this one on the list? I’ve hinted (rather obviously) that this was going to go through some more work in the future. I mainly just need to do a little more revision and add in a crucial detail toward the end of the book – a detail that was scribbled down on a scrap of paper and then got lost and forgotten in the early stages of the book. Nethbane never did feel quite right when I was trying to wrap up the first draft, and when I rediscovered this scrap of paper, I felt like an idiot for having forgotten what was written on it. Of course … isn’t that why we write things down?

Foreign Lands

Here’s one that’s a little different than the rest. Why? Because while it is connected with the Legends of Destiny series, this is actually a series all its own. For about a decade, now, I’ve been plotting out details for a fantasy-scifi crossover that I’d like to write. Foreign Lands began with a dream I had one night where I saw a fairly detailed map of a new continent. When I woke up, I recorded as much as I could remember, then began to develop the story behind this land. As things stand now, the series will contain five books total, a number that’s symbolic with some elements in the story. It will be a big shift for me from the usual material in Legends of Destiny, but the more time goes on, the more I’m able to develop the plotlines in this series and the more eager I am to make it my main project.

One item that did not make it to this list is Sovereign Soul, which I still do not feel I am ready to complete – much to my frustration. With that being said, I fear that if I do not force myself to at least attempt to churn out a sizeable portion of this book within the next four to five years, I may lose my drive to work on it, altogether. This is totally unacceptable. But, I have to be realistic here and weigh my options for the year, given the sparse time available to me to work.

Unfortunately, it’s very unlikely that any of the larger projects will make it to the finish line this year. This means that one of the Taloner books will almost certainly be my winner for being completed in draft form, if I am able to actually pull off this goal. But, that doesn’t mean that I can’t sneak in a little work here and there on one of the larger projects. Wish me luck. I’m going to need it.

And while we’re talking about book details, don’t forget the Legends of Destiny wiki at http://legends-of-destiny.wikia.com/wiki/Legends_of_Destiny_Wiki. I’m still updating it periodically as the need arises. Until next time, happy reading!

Simple Laiuna Color Chart

Quick post tonight, since my laptop no longer gets ANY internet from my phone and I'm piggybacking on the wifi at work. Whipped up a color reference chart, yay. Done in Krita, assembled in Gimp.

More commission info

(NOTE: This is more of a technical blog post for my personal reference, and not so much an art post. Thanks!)

For the sake of reference, I decided to put together a price sheet to help me with any future commissions I might have the chance to do. Feel free to toss in your thoughts on this, as the design is a work in progress. And for the sake of further reference, I've been working out some Terms of Service, as follows:

WORK PROCESS

-Payment is required in full before I will start work on your image. I prefer Paypal, but can accept money orders or checks. Please be aware that I cannot start work until your check has cleared. If you are sending your payment via Paypal, I would prefer it if you send it as a “payment of services” for digital commissions, or “payment of goods” for traditional commissions. I ask this because it offers more protection for both you, the commissioner, and for myself.
-Digitally drawn and colored artwork will have a rough sketch sent to you for approval before work proceeds to the inking and coloring stages. Badges will not have this approval stage and are considered “as is”.
-Once I have received the details for your image (references, written description, etc.) I will work from those details. If you change your mind on something while I am partway through your piece, you can certainly let me know that something needs to be changed - I can usually do minor tweaks like making a muzzle longer or shorter, but be aware that there will be an extra charge of $5 every time you need to make a MAJOR change (like adding wings or making your character a wolf instead of a griffon, something big like that). If however you receive the final image and there is an error on my behalf (ex. “You made my character hot pink and they are supposed to be baby blue!”) I will fix said error with no charge.
-I make it a point to get artwork done in a timely manner. Time of turnaround can vary, but work is normally completed anywhere from 48 hours up to one week of payment. Depending on my work schedule, it may take up to three weeks to complete an art piece, though this is uncommon. This is part of why my work availability is limited at any given time to only a few slots. If for some reason there will be a delay on my end, I will notify you as soon as possible to apprise you of the situation.

-Traditional media badges will be laminated and mailed out upon completion. In order to do this, I'll need a valid mailing from you, so be prepared! Both digital and traditional art requires a working email address where I can contact you.
-Understand that while you retain ownership of your characters, I still own the copyright to the original artwork. As such, I retain the right to repost the image on my art blog and keep it in my personal portfolio at my discretion. If you would prefer that your commission not be posted to my blog, please clearly state this during consultation.
-I would ask that if you repost an image I’ve drawn for you, you credit me as the original artist. I’m fine if you do something like coloring linework I created for you, but I would ask that you do NOT alter the linework. If there’s something that needs to be changed, it’s up to you to let me know at the sketch stage.
-I reserve the right to refuse any commission for any reason. If you have already paid me and I am required to cancel the job before beginning work, you will be refunded in full and notified of what has happened. If for some reason you’ve had something come up and would no longer like the commission, please talk to me about it. If you’ve already paid me and I have started work on your piece, I will keep a portion of the cost to cover what I have done and refund the remaining amount to you.
-Due to legal restrictions, I won't draw copyrighted characters (Lion King, Pokemon, etc.) I WILL NOT draw any mature material, including violent, gory or suggestive pieces. I prefer to keep the rating of my art at G, perhaps PG at the extreme highest. I also cannot draw anything of a homosexual nature, for personal reasons. If you’re unsure if I will draw something or not, or if you're interested in something not listed here, feel free to ask me about it :)
-Please be aware that any reference images you ask me to work from should be kept in the bounds of "Safe For Work".
-By commissioning me, you agree to these terms. Terms are subject to change.

And for even more reference, here's my work availability (slots):

1. "Woman of Virtue" - Inking
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