Hey, y’all! So for the 11th year in a row, I’m taking part in NaNoWriMo! It’s been different for me each year…first year? Started about halfway into the month and panic-wrote for that second half. Second: Sequel to the first year’s novel, and perhaps the one time I did a traditional NaNo (50K on one novel in a month). Other years have involved scripts, short stories, multiple projects at once, last year I tried all 50K in a day (only managed 25K in a day, and about half of that was coherent).
So what’s this year’s plan?
Scripts and thumbnail sketches for 6 comics, all based around stories I’ve had published in anthologies/have regained the rights to thus far.
Sketch a 187-panel comic. None of it will be scanned/digitized just yet, though; I want to upgrade my storage space before that.
As many writing prompts as I can manage. There are about 194 of the things on my list. I don’t anticipate getting anywhere near all of it done, but if I can get a good chunk in? That’d be ideal.
The art prompts I hadn’t finished from prior Octobers (or this past May). Most are from 2017. I have 7 sets that are ready for inks, 5 in the sketch stage.
No idea how I want to break it all up, but the intent is to reward myself with some Hero Forge figures at the end of the month if I happen to win.
So, once again, I threw my hat into the 24 Hour Comic ring. This time around, I decided to take the pitch for a comic I’d hoped to get into an anthology (but it was rejected; the pitch can be found here: Plans For This Year.
The work for it started at 7:30PM on Saturday, and was completed at 5:57PM Sunday. It’s something of a mess, but I’m still kind of proud of it.
Anyway, here’s “Did Not Get The Memo” (which may one day get a digital remaster).
A note: Yog’s body was portrayed by orbs drawn in highlighter. Which didn’t get picked up by the scanner, and it seems a bit of text also got cut off. But either way, the comic’s done.
And since I’ve been doing author showcases for the past few days, it’s time to go into mine. So here’s a little excerpt from my entrant into this collection.
Somewhere In The Atlantic Ocean
If Travis was being honest with himself, this wasn’t the first time he’d woken up wondering where he was. No, this was a sensation that came to him far too often for his liking. In his teens, there was a point where he was unnerved by it, but he became used to it by his mid-twenties. And now, in his early thirties, he had shifted from “getting used to” to “Alright, whose fault is it this time?”.
Most of the time this had happened, there would be a cold metal table against his bare back, leather straps holding him down. But this time, he felt weirdly free…for the most part. His legs felt like they were stuck together, and he couldn’t feel his prehensile tail. He tried to grab at his arm with it but couldn’t feel it respond. He reached to grab ahold of the tail and nothing.
He waited for his vision to return, as everything had been dark even after his consciousness kicked in again. And that was when he saw it.
A school of fish passed him. Well, this was new. He was entirely underwater. It wasn’t his first time being underwater, but for some reason, he didn’t feel any sense of urgency to get above the surface. He scratched at his neck, finding a few slits that weren’t there before.
“…When’d I get gills?” he muttered to himself.
Well, that certainly explained the lack of drowning on his part. He looked down to see what his leg situation was, his green eyes becoming even wider than their usual. He no longer had legs as he knew them. Rather, it was a huge, scaled fish-like tail with a fin at the end, all of it the same red as his hair.
Well, damn…
This certainly explained why he couldn’t feel his usual monkey tail. Of course, he still lacked an explanation as to how, exactly, he became a merman. He had some idea. There was likely a scientist involved in this whole thing.
But that was just the thing: he was from the city of Hell Bent, PA. If one were to throw a rock in that city, they’d likely hit either a lab or someone that worked in one. So just to say that there was a scientist at fault in his current predicament did absolutely nothing to narrow things down.
With a sigh, he decided to start moving. His natural inclination was to walk, but with the current lack of legs, that wasn’t going to happen. He did manage to move himself forward a bit with the new tail, though.
Something he noticed right away was that he was able to move quicker underwater than he ever could on land. Running on both legs could be a hassle sometimes. Running on all-fours, perhaps a bit less so. But down here, he was able to cut through the water like butter.
Travis may have been curious about why he was the way he was now, and where he’d ended up. But even more than that, he was wondering what capabilities this new form would give him.
Want to see where this goes? Just click that link at the top (or go for the universal link here: books2read.com/fromthedeep)
One more day before the anthology goes live! If you haven’t pre-ordered it yet, check out the universal link https://books2read.com/fromthedeep and you can find it just about anywhere books are sold (might have a few issues with Amazon, just as a heads-up, that may or may not be resolved by the time this post is live).
Anyway, today’s featured author is Lisah Walden, with a story that sounds like one hell of a read!
A Breaking and Crushing of Your Bones
Blurb:
Jonathan’s ultimate desire is to be a best-selling author, and he will stop at nothing to achieve that goal. Perhaps kidnapping his muse was not a wise decision. Afterall, what belongs to the sea must return to the sea.
Author’s Note:
I have always been intrigued by fairies, especially those from the sea. Two of my favorite creatures are the Leanan Sidhe and selkies. This anthology provided a wonderful opportunity to weave a tale regarding them. My particular niche is in the horror genre; however, I am branching out to other genres and hope to put together a collection of short stories involving fairies and other magical creatures.
Meet the Characters:
Jonathan is an aspiring American writer who just can’t seem to get out of the writer’s block funk. He travels to Ireland for inspiration hoping to craft his first novel. It is there that he encounters a beautiful woman who emerges from the sea. Jonathan knows full well that this is no ordinary woman. Will he accept her influence of inspiration for the exchange of his life or will he outsmart her and keep her as his personal muse?
The Leanan Sidhe is a water fairy who inspires artists while draining their life force. These artists may create the most amazing works but are always doomed to die young. In this tale the Leanan Sidhe is ensnared by the writer she sought to drain. Will she be able to escape his prison, or will she be trapped and bound to him in servitude?
Once Jonathan enslaves the Leanan Sidhe his appetite grows for more mystical creatures. He becomes a collector of these creatures. Meet Katie, a selkie, who with her daughter are forced into servitude. As mild-mannered Katie is, her and her daughter have a few tricks up their sleeves.
Ian was once a handsome fisherman who crafted beautiful songs of the sea. The Leanan Sidhe did cross his path but chose not to bring him to an untimely end. So smitten by him she allowed him to live. Their souls being so tightly bound together, Ian felt her disappearance and started his journey into the fairy realm to find his lost lover—a taboo which brought a swift punishment. His handsome looks were stripped from him, and poor Ian was transformed into a Fir Darrig. The Fir Darrig resemble rat-like creatures possessing snouts and long tails. They are covered in rags and smell of the sewer. Should a Fir Darrig cross your path asking for a favor, one should oblige them. Should one refuse, the repercussions could be dire. Ian persisted in his quest for the Leanan Sidhe bringing him to the front door of Jonathan’s estate.
Other Works:
About the Author
Lisah Jayne Walden resides in upstate New York with her two children and three cats. She received a double BA in History and English from the University of Rochester and an MA in English from the College at Brockport. She is also a judge for the Portland Horror Film Festival and the Portland Lovecraft Film Festival. Her hobbies include reading and writing horror, watching movies with her kids, and gardening.
Just a couple more days until release for this baby! Today’s author is L.B. Carter, with her siren tale “Death Song”.
Death Song
Her songs may sound beautiful. But they’re a death knell. And she’s tired of it.
When death is life, there is no escape.
Jessica is drop-dead gorgeous. Literally. Being a siren of myth, the southern blond bombshell can’t help but lure in romantic partners — and victims. After years of working with the Harbingers of Death, escorting recently deceased souls across the veil, Jess is tired of losing those she could grow to love.
Having lost his love, Stone finds his only solace in reprieves from the Ferry, engaging in mind-numbing one-night stands. Losing himself to the music of whatever club he is in and ending the night with a bedroom tango is about all he’s good for anymore.
When Jess lays eyes on the hellhound shifter while on forced vacation, it seems like a perfect match to dive into. Two supernaturals are more than capable of keeping up with the other. And unlike a human, they aren’t likely to kick the bucket anytime soon.
But a harbinger is never free from death.
And a bit about the author herself: L.B. Carter is a multi-award-winning, internationally bestselling author, bookworm, scientist, and cat-mom who loves hot chocolate, fairy lights, and foxes. Her books are a mix of haunting paranormal urban fantasy, gripping suspense, chilling horror, and dark humor with a dash of light romance. Expect unique contemporary twists on magical lore told by quirky anti-heroes. Follow L.B. Carter on social media, join her reader groups, and subscribe to her newsletter at LBCarter.com to learn more about her books and download an exclusive free novella. Find all L.B.’s links at https://linktr.ee/lbcarterauthor.
Hello, hello, and welcome to today’s spotlight! This time, it’s Rosa Marchisella’s turn, with a blurb for a story that sounds like a great read!
First off, a bit about Rosa.
Bio:Â Rosa Marchisella is the author of the gripping Touch of Insanity series and bone-chilling novella, The Greatest of Books. Her stories focus on fantasy, paranormal, and thrilling adventures, however Rosa also writes romance under the alias Ramona Mainstrom. A dynamic and prolific story-teller, Rosa has earned critical praise as a writer, stage actress, vocalist, public speaker, and artist. Her hobbies include gardening, playing games with her kids, and dancing around the house while singing made-up lyrics to vaguely known songs.
Black’s Lair by Rosa Marchisella
Twenty years ago, Gilroy Vance and Miranda Danesbury embarked on a journey to the Caribbean which was intercepted by the deadly Captain Black and his crew. They thought they were the only survivors, leaving Miranda as the sole person who knew where the pirates hid their treasure.Terrified of what dangers the treasure might bring if they claimed it, they decide to live a humble life under a false name.When Miranda is kidnapped for her knowledge, Gilroy and their son, Gregory face vengeful cutthroats and an ugly past which has hunted them for decades.
Today’s author is one James Rickett, who has provided a blurb for his story and a couple pieces of artwork done by himself and his daughter.
Blurb:
Kayli Starbell is a quiet young woman who grew up in a sheltered village, so when her friend Tala talks her into signing up with the boisterous crew of a freelance airship as their cook, they both get more adventure than they expected. The airship’s latest escapade involves traveling to the dangerous Sky Ocean and finding the fabled Astrolabe, a device that has the power of locating whatever treasure its holder desires. Naturally, they’re not the only ones looking for it–their chief rivals also want this valuable artifact for themselves. After a confrontation between the two crews threatens to turn violent, Kayli finds herself in an unexpected alliance with Jerad, a young man from the rival crew. Separated from the others, Kayli and Jerad must survive the ancient city they’re trapped in, while their courage and loyalty to their crews are tested.
Kayli
James’s author bio and links:
Bio: James Rickett lives in Texarkana, Texas with his wife Catherine and their three children. He works as a software developer to pay the bills. In his spare time, he enjoys writing fantasy and sci-fi stories. His other hobbies include playing the piano, digital art, cooking, occasional stage acting, contemplating deep theological and existential issues, and video games. His favorite writers are C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and G.K. Chesterton. His favorite films and television include the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Firefly, Kimi no Na wa, and most Studio Ghibli movies.
Okay, next up on the list is Melissa Joy! She’s provided a couple of pics for this, some playlists…
Velantiir: Lost City of the Ancients
Author Bio: Melissa A. Joy is a new fantasy author with autism who challenges the conventional expectations of fantasy and takes them to a whole new level. It is no secret that she believes in the existence of all things fantastical, and that anything is possible. She began building the world of Aeldynn and started writing seriously aged approximately 13, and has since developed it into something truly magical worth sharing. From the glorious winged Drahknyr and wise and fearsome dragons to pirates of the high seas and a world rich with history and lore, her imagination could be said to be limitless. When she isn’t locked in a reverie about what’s going on in the world of Aeldynn, she’s probably out sailing the high seas on a tall ship, training at Kung Fu, gaming, or perhaps dressed up in costume at an anime convention.Â
About the setting: Velantiir was once a city of the ancient Nays, flourishing over three thousand years ago in the world of Aeldynn in the furthest reaches of the Lands of Elinda. Little is known about the Nays in the present day; though they still exist, they long ago withdrew into their homeland and have remained secretive following a war that caused cataclysms the world over, and reducing much of their history to myths and legends.
Protagonist:Larkh Savaldor is a wily and sarcastic young pirate captain with a tragic past and a penchant for recklessness. He is a prodigy in more ways than one, which is what allowed him to take up such an important role on board a ship in the first place. For all his bravado, he’s a fair and just captain to his crew, and wastes no time getting to the point.
Hey, there! So, the newest Fiction-Atlas Press anthology is coming in a few days! With each of those I’m involved with, I like to do something to promote the other authors involved. If you haven’t already, you can snag a copy: books2read.com/fromthedeep
Today’s author is Emma Shelford, who was nice enough to let me draw something for her story..
Emma Shelford is a marine biologist, cold water diver, bookworm, and now author of urban fantasy books that bring together her love of magic and the ocean.
In the anthology From the Deep, her story Sea Start follows half-siren Lune as she is caught at the scene of a murder. She must flee her underwater home for a new life on land. Can she escape her relentless pursuers before they drag her screaming back to the depths?
So, with this anthology coming out soon, I wanted to do a post to spotlight the characters in my story. I’m also going to post a little reminder about the giveaway (https://clcannon.net/2021/08/30/fromthedeepgiveaway) that’s still going on that’d enable you to find the book AND the links to all of the authors’ social media (as well as giving a chance to win some cool stuff).
So, first up, we’ve got Travis. Has he featured in about 99% of my stuff? Oh, most certainly. But he’s fun to mess with. In this story, he finds himself changed from a half-monkey/half-human hybrid to a merman. It’s not the worst change he’s ever experienced, but he’d still very much like to find his way back to land and to his family. His new form’s ability to communicate with sea creatures is probably what he likes most about it.
Next up: Dr. Spencer Abbot, Travis’s closest friend/brother-in-law. In addition to being a primary care physician, he’s also a mage and has two goals in this story: to locate his best friend, and to be a good father to his young son Daniel. And given how much some might like to test him, that “being a good influence” thing can be difficult.
Next up, we have Daniel, son to Spencer, nephew to Travis. He’s got his father’s nearsightedness and hair color, his mother Gemmy’s eyes and monkey traits. This time around, he’s spending some quality time with his dad. And since his dad couldn’t find anyone else to watch the boy while he went out to find the kid’s uncle, he gets to go on this particular adventure.
Underwater, Travis makes a few new friends. The first of those is little Roly, a juvenile hammerhead (or to be more specific, a bonnethead). Roly’s a curious little one, and had lost their sister to an orca attack not too long ago. I named Roly after a barn cat that I’d become very attached to…and I’d learned that he died while writing this story, so it only felt right to name a character after him.
Next, we have Requin, a female Great White. She’s mainly driven by food, and has seen some shit over time. She has two scars from orca attacks and a few mating scars, and I mostly just chose that name for her because it was French for “shark”.
And now, we’ve got Deb, an orca that’s not overly thrilled about what some of her pod had done (in their defense, there was survival involved). But she (as well as Requin and Roly) could potentially help Trav reach land. Or at least people.
Mara (left) and Lila (right) Burke, two of the scientists of Hell Bent. These two are the ones responsible for Trav’s transformation. Why? Because they could, pretty much. When one knows that a guy can’t die, it piques their curiosity. And sometimes, curiosity leads to excitement which leads to such little errors as, say, not tagging the test subject before releasing them into the ocean. Also, Lila is responsible for a few of the more horrifying experiments created in Hell Bent. She regrets nothing.
And finally, a quartet of VERY minor characters that don’t show up for much of the story. They’re something of a pirate/smuggler crew, comprised entirely of entitled bored rich dudes. My initial thought for their shirts was more pastel…but somehow, my brain went into “colors of the TMNT” mode, and this happened.
Check out “One Strange Fishing Trip” in “From The Deep: A Fiction-Atlas Press Anthology” when it releases on September 29th!
Welcome to Hell Bent 