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Some Links and a Video!

First of all, here are some of the artists Michael and I really loved and commissioned.  I’m putting two here now, but there’s a few others who will be added later because I don’t want to link dump on you guys :)

Serena Guerra was probably my favorite, not only because her art was fabulous (to be honest, we have one pic from her… but I’m totally in love with it.) but also because her and the person who was at the table with her (and now I am horrified to realize I didn’t get his name) explained the process of creating a comic, an idea Michael and I have been developing for the bits of The Athele Series which won’t fit in the book proper, but we still really want to see the light of day.  Check out her coloring on The Mice Templar.

The other Artist I was a total fan of, did several commissions for us (bless their hearts, these artists who put up with our gigantic list of characters…) was Grace Allison.  It was pretty funny, Michael had mentioned he had a commission for someone.  I walked past her booth and thought “Yes.  That artist has a style I love.” and went to ask her about commissions.  She said that she was open for it, though she did have another colored piece to do ahead of mine.  As I glanced at the description of it, though, I found it was none other than Michael’s commission.  Ha!  

Finally, and possibly most exciting, I’ve got the youtube video for the Nanowrimo panel!  It’s really fun and enjoyable, though it’s 30 minutes long.  Still!  Please feel free to share with all your friends who don’t know what Nano is, and even those who do!  

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Coming Back to Blogging

Hi everyone!  I’m going to make Michael do his Tidbit on Thursday this week and post today.  First of all, thanks for sticking around, everyone.  I’ve been working hard on writing, editing, and expanding our twitter base, so blogging sadly fell to the side.  My bad, I know better!  Thanks goes to Michael for keeping focus on the blog, life is way easier with a partner.

This last weekend we went to Anime Central.  It was fabulous, so much fun on all accounts. I only wish I didn’t need that pesky thing called sleep so I could have stayed up for all the amazing panelists.  ACEN, if you didn’t know, is some 15,000 anime and comic fans getting together in Chicago, and given the sheer number of people who were there, the organizers did an amazing job, so hats off there.

Lots of exciting things happened!  First off I want to talk about the Artists.  Michael and I are drawing/painting challenged, so we spent most of our allotted money on commissions from various artists for characters of The Athele Series.  I’m not certain of our rights on those pictures, so I can’t post them just yet, however, I do want to direct you to some of the artist’s websites, since they were so kind to accommodate us!  

Second were the cosplayers.  I did some cosplay, but there were some really awesome folks out there who dedicated a lot of time, funds, and talents to their costumes.  Among them was one of my own friends, who made a truly jaw dropping Chun-Li costume.  I did go as Melissandre from Game of Thrones for a day, but otherwise I was generalized steampunk (a pic which I will get for you all).  

Finally, and most excitingly, was the panel which Michael and I did; Nanowrimo!  A crash course.  It was so awesome to have our own panel, and the guests were awesome, just for showing up, but they also participated.  I had a blast talking about my favorite time of year, and hope to do it again next year.  The video will be on Youtube whenever it finally uploads… which could be awhile, the panel was about 45 minutes long.  Keep an eye out, though, I’ll post it! :)  

Have you been to any cons this year, or are you planning to go to any?  I’m thinking I should take myself to a writer’s convention, which do you suggest?

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Tidbit Thursday, 5/16/13

Hello, everyone!  I’m actually writing this only a few minutes from walking out the door to head to Chicago for ACEN.  It promises to be a rather spectacular weekend, so you can be sure that both me and Kate will have plenty of stories to tell when we get back!

The prompt  for this week is #41: “Blood.”

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“The child should be thrown from the ramparts.  You saw what her mother did!”

“It’s true that her mother’s crime was heinous.  Still, at most, the child should only be sent back to the commons.”

The man in the center stood and the room fell silent. The silence remained until he departed, at which point the man who had been to his left murmured.

“The emperor has spoken.  The child is of blood.  None other exists before or after.”

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Tidbit Tuesday, 5/7/13

Hello again, everybody!  I hope that everyone has been having a good week.  As usual, this week has had it’s interesting moments, and, of course, continued work in all areas.  It’s all good, though.

Today’s prompt is #22: “Growth.”

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There were some who proclaimed her a goddess.  A beacon of life, growth, beauty, and grace.  They said that she was everything that existence had to offer: everything good, everything pure, everything right.

There were so many ways she wanted to show them their mistakes.  They said that life and growth were a cycle, but they had the arrogance and sheer, blinded stupidity of the sure to think that they had a handle on it, that they could control which way it would flow.  They’d see, soon enough, the reality of the situation.  They see what became of the world when life and death were seen as they truly were, in the eternal battle between fate and free will.

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Tidbit Tuesday, 4/30/13

Hello, everyone!  In case you didn’t see, my wife’s new book, Pandora’s Ring released last well.  I happen to think that it’s pretty darn swell, so take a gander, if you will.

The prompt for this week is  #72 : “Numbers.” Enjoy!

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Magic, to him, was a matter of numbers.

Six: points of magic, scars on his right arm, nights spent without peaceful sleep in any given week.

Five: claw marks etched over his heart, nightmares whenever he fell asleep, years training till his back broke with the effort.

Four: journals filled with the names of those close and dead, tiny holes in his left calf, fingers broken in the last week alone.

Three: methods to channel magic, gods that dictated will, masters fallen before their time.

Two: parents deceased, eyes bleeding from the strain of more eldritch power than a human should muster, obvious paths to follow.

One: hope to salve his wounds, anger that scorched him worse than regret, face which asked him quietly in dreams to remember that which was lost under the weight of eternity itself.

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Pandora’s Ring

Hi guys!  It’s me!  Work has gotten a little insane lately, but I got some great news!  Pandora’s ring, while originally coming out May 6th, is actually early!  Hurray!  Want to help a fledgling author?  More than buying the book, reviews are the best of the best way.  Love it or hate it (I mean, I hope you love it, but if you don’t, I want to know!) saying something, even a quick something, is always gold!

Pandora's Ring by Kaitlin R. Branch

Harvesting the soul of a first-born should be an easy mission for Eli Tawson, Scavenger of the Damned. But when he meets Samantha Parker, he finds there is more to his mission than meets the eye. Samantha can see through his illusions and, after some instruction, creates the most powerful binding spell he’s ever experienced. Eli is intrigued and makes it his mission to find out why she was not collected by the demon who should own her soul.

Samantha wants nothing more than a normal life and to be left alone. She is both leery of and attracted to the strange Eli. The young woman finds herself thrust into a world she never knew existed of magic, angels and demons and nothing is what it seems. Pursued by another powerful demon and discovering her own hidden abilities, Samantha must discover the truth of her mother’s ‘death’. Her mother’s ring proves to be the key to her past and her future, leaving her straddling two worlds.

Eager to protect his newfound love, Eli soon finds Samantha might be the one who has to protect him.

You can find it here!

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Tidbit Tuesday, 4/16/13

Hello, everyone. I’d like to start things off by expressing Kaitlin and I’s thoughts of condolence to those affected by the Boston attacks.  To the dead, may you find peace.  To the wounded, may you find succor.  To the guilty, may you find justice.  To the innocent, may you find solace.

The prompt for this week is #47: “Vision.”

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It was a desperate cause, but there was little enough anyone could do, as how does even a Demigod reignite the fire of an entire plane without also remaking it?

His ascension to the vacated post answered the question and saved the world, with all of its residents.  The people of Kovin had collectively lost their hope and he returned it.  Kovin subsequently experienced what is still referred to, many years later, as ‘The Age of Peace.’  Its denizens turned their eyes to the future, and having lost sight of it before, pursued it all the more joyfully.  Cities were built, treaties forged, and villages thrived.  All of this was because that one needful thing, hope,  returned.

- The Red Book, Chapter 15, Page 283, Anonymous