By: Paula Becker,
on 10/27/2014
It’s been a while since I updated! Time to do so, and I’ll begin with a Halloween piece I worked on recently. The main piece and closeups are below. I can always add and tweak, but there is a time to call an illustration “Done!” Happy Halloween, everyone!
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By: Aaron Blecha,
on 10/16/2014
Inspired by Kenn Nesbitt’s, “My Brother’s not a Werewolf”. Hope you enjoy. Tale of the WeirdoWolfBy Donna Earnhardt He transformed in the daytimeavoiding moonlit nightsHe cringed at his own shadow,fear brought him no delight He was a vegetarian.He loved to draw and paint.And when he howled,No one was cowed*,Except for him… He’d faint. …
By: Heidi MacDonald,
on 7/25/2014
By David Nieves
At SDCC I had the privilege to sit and talk with the master purveyor of words Steve Niles himself. It was a brief chat about what went into one of the best books to come out of Dark Horse’s stable, Breath of Bones: A tale of the Golem. Along the way we managed to get into the philosophies of true punk rock.
CB: How are you enjoying Comic-Con?
” I’m enjoying this one [laughs]. It’s become such a commercial machine and so different from the hang out with your friends good time it use to be for me.”
**CB: Agreed, so with WW II stories the best seem to have a personal connection with the writer and this was a great one. What was your personal connection to Breath of Bones, if any?**
“Probably the relationship. I mean I have no connection to WWII, I was born in 1965. But what I do have is I never knew my grandparents, I knew one of my grandfathers for about ten minutes, never had a relationship with my father that whole thing. It’s sort of writing in absence, writers do that to. Everybody’s always write what you know well I spend a lot of time writing what I don’t know. I don’t know functional
relationships, families. I don’t know about these things where families pass down traditions that’s amazing to me. I was writing about wish full thinking and what I see in other people. A grandfather passing down a thing to his grandson to protect this town.
**CB: It’s gorgeous that you can do this story looking in from the outside in a way.**
“We all feel the same things, all have the same feelings. Even though I didn’t grow up with a functional family I have my own version of a family now. My wife and I, Monica, have nine animals. My life is ruled by animals. I think Gil has a bigger audience than I do [laughs].
**CB: Were you working on Eyes of Frankenstein at the same time as this story because they both feel similar in tone?**
It has that element because of the sympathy for the Frankenstein monster. [His] eyes are giving out after hundreds of years and his one enjoyment is reading, its a nightmare. There’s always something about a big giant guy that has the heart of a child.
**CB: if you could pick between Karloff and Lugosi to appear at Comic-Con should would you choose?**
I just love Karloff, there’s something about him that makes me feel comforted. I watch Thriller every night… not that I dislike Bella, I have different feelings for him there’s something very tragic and sad about Bella and part of that is the drug thing. He had this great career and then it was down. Borris Karloff started Frankenstein when he was in his 50s or 40s, he was already an older guy. He seems more modest kind of guy I’d like to talk to.
**CB: When do we get your punk rock story?**
I don’t know that I could ever do it. If I did it I’d leave the music out of it. I don’t want to see panels of a band playing. Nothing embarrasses me more that seeing musical notes with lyrics behind as they do the play thing. Somethings just don’t translate to other mediums. If I could tap into it… I’d wish I’d kept a journal through all those things. To me it’s more about the little moments than the big ones. First time I got to talk to Ian McKay or go to his house. There’s all these things that happen in a punk rock existence that moment you realize you don’t have to wait for anybody. You can do anything in this world on your own, to me that’s what it was always about.
**CB: To go back to BoB for a second, at the end of the book was the Golem the spirit of his grandfather?**
” A lot of people think that because of the timing but no. Here’s my reasoning, if it was it would have been a different departure. That’s also his wife sitting there, I feel like he would try and communicate that… my idea was just supernatural force.
**CB: Are there any monsters left you want to tackle?**
“Werewolves! I want to figure out a way to do werewolves.”
**CB: What draws you to that?”**
” Cause I hate every f***king one[laughs]. There’s always apart that makes me go ugh. I love the original Wolf man although I hope my dad would wait a little longer before beating me. I love the Howling but not the overall concept, the idea of a twelve step program for werewolves was a little silly to me.
**CB: Do you think it would be hard to do in a modern era?**
“It’s like the Golem, I thought about it for years till I found the right one.”
Needless to say Steve Niles is an eye opening creator to talk to and we’ll have full the audio from our interview later on.
Breath of Bones is available now in trade both in stores and digitally through Dark Horse. Visit their website for more details.
By: Mayra Calvani,
on 4/16/2014
Mind Games is the much awaited third installment in the new adult mystery series, Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective. Talented author Christine Amsden keeps delivering a great story filled with interesting characters, romance, mystery, and the paranormal, lots of it.
By: Aaron Blecha,
on 10/25/2012
Dracola! Special-edition, glow in the dark, blood-red Halloween label for RC Cola UK.
At Asda stores throughout England. Or order online HERE.
By: Mark Miller,
on 7/20/2011
.
named Alfred. I like people, but cannot always eat a whole one all at once." - The first book in the MonsterGrrls series! When the new girls at Clearwater High turn out to be MONSTERS, something strange is bound to happen! But Emily and Theo, two lonely social outcasts at Clearwater, soon make friends with Frankie, Bethany, Punkin and Harriet--the MonsterGrrls. When the Grrls are challenged by the spoiled Jessica Hardin-St. James and her Clique to spend a night in a supposedly haunted house, they accept... but something is already ther
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By: Terry Lee Wilde,
on 1/17/2011
The birthday bear is done with her very own autographed The Vampire...In My Dreams! I still need to finish the Scottish bear once the fabric gets here, for the other bear in the order. And then they'll be ready to ship!
For the silent auction at Australia Romance Readers, I'll be shipping a couple of mohair bears, their tags autographed, and these autographed books:Legend of the White Wolf, To Tempt the Wolf, Destiny of the Wolf, Seduced by the Wolf, Wolf Fever, Winning the Highlander's Heart, and The Vampire...In My Dreams.
And another copy of an autographed
0 Comments on The Vampire...In My Dreams is on the Move! as of 1/1/1900
By: C Matthews,
on 11/24/2010
AHA! - I FREEKIN' TOLD YOU DOUBTERS! It's all over the headlines - the new Artist of the Year. *WARNING* - if you're a Vampire, do not look directly at this link.
And you thought I was just being paranoid - making up some ridiculous story about J.B. Now what do yo have to say about it? Do you really think it's just coincidence that he was named Artist of the Year right after I let the Vampire secret out about him? I'm telling you - this is all part of a mass conspiracy to wipe Vampires out!! I'm keeping tabs on you J.B.
But enough of that phony. Like I told you last week, I'm living at Garth's house now and have to share a bedroom with the dweeb. He's a major league slob! The room completely wreaks of bottles that are half filled with old blood. I bet you didn't know mold could grow over blood if it's left out long enough. Plus, that idiot has nightmares every night about the clinical trial he signed up for that turned him into a Vampire. He wakes up screaming and crying, like a little girl. You'd think he'd be traumatized about accidentally turning ME, but that he is just fine with.
By: Onno Knuvers,
on 10/1/2010
By: Mayra Calvani,
on 8/5/2010
Please welcome my special guest, YA paranormal author Judith Graves. Her first novel, Under My Skin, was published by Leap Books last March. Besides being an author, Judith works as a library technician and is also a singer/song writer. In addition, she keeps a popular blog called, rather appropiately, Wolfy Chicks: The Blog with Bite.
A reader's guide for Under My Skin can be found here. The second book in her series, Second Skin, will be published early next year by Leap Books. If you want to take a peak at the cover, click here.
Thanks for this interview, Judith. What was your inspiration for Under My Skin?
I’ve always been keen on the folklore from different regions. I enjoy discovering the similarities, and the variations, between our cultural / mythological gods and monsters. After reading about the Windigo, a shapeshifter creature from First Nations lore – one that was once human, turned cannibal, and can be destroyed with silver to the heart – I marveled at this alternate version of a werewolf. What would happen, I began to speculate, if these beasties from around the world were to battle over one last bit of unclaimed territory? What then? And from that, UMS (and the Skinned series) developed.
Tell us three words that describe your protagonist.
Feisty. Tempted. Powerful.
I understand the story went through 6 versions during a 4-year period of writing and rewriting. That shows a lot of dedication and commitment. How did you understand that the book was finally ready for submission?
Yeah, lol…UMS was my first novel and I refused to give up on it. The book went through several drafts with my critique group – at which point I sent it out to agents. I received some excellent feedback and revised again. Subbed it out. Got a contract. Then UMS was further revised under the guidance of my editor, Susan Yates. So, while it had been contracted, it still needed tweaks. The moral of the story is…the end really is just the beginning.
What was the most challenging aspect of writing this novel?
For me, voice, dialogue and setting the tone came easily. What I consistently struggled with was plot – choosing the best scenes to show, rather than tell, the story. I learned a lot about increasing impact and drama by deciding what was worth keeping and what was mere filler.
What is your writing schedule like?
I’m religious about my writing, because I have to be. I write at 5:00am un
By: Eric Orchard,
on 5/6/2010
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By: Dejah Leger,
on 1/12/2010
Basic idea: boy turns to wolf every time it gets too cold.
Imagine if Twilight's Jacob character was an emo teen who turned into a regular old wolf (instead of a werewolf) and eventually would get stuck forever as a forest-dwelling howler and you've got Sam, one of two mains characters in Shiver. Grace has watched a certain yellow-eyed wolf roam outside her home ever since she was bitten by a pack of wolves as a child. The affinity she feels for this certain wolf becomes realized when she discovers that he is, in fact, a shape-shifting boy named Sam, and the two develop a plodding smooch-filled teen relationship that largely involves him waiting in Grace's car while she goes to high school. As is my major complaint with most teen books, the parents are conspicuously infantile or absent. In this case, the parents are artistic dingbats who are never home and when they are home tend to do weird things like paint in the nude and forget to make dinner, which makes it very easy for Sam and Grace to develop a lets-play-house relationship. Maybe there really are parents like this. I don't know. Even being raised by a single mom as a teen I wasn't allowed to have my bedroom door closed with my boyfriend over, so maybe it's just outside of my reality.
Anyway, the language is lovely and the first half of the book is especially well-written. It invokes the feel of the stark northern mid-west (think Leif Enger's Peace Like A River>. While not fully developed, the characters are thoughtful and interesting and the premise of the wolf transition is a new take on the ever-popular werewolf theme. If you're on Team Jacob and need some good werewolf filler, go ahead and pick it up!
By: mike r. baker,
on 11/20/2009
M. S. Corley!
Congratulations to M. S. Corley. I chose M. S. Corley's "Werewolf" (Lycaon) as the winner for the Werewolf challenge. Why? Because it's AWESOME! M. S. Corley is a fantastic illustrator and designer. I've actually been a fan of his for sometime. Many of you may remember his incredible redesign for A Series of Unfortunate Events, made to look like classic Penguin Books. Check out his blog and enjoy!
By: Master Nil Esquire,
on 10/28/2009
By: Gregory Falta,
on 10/28/2009
Wouldn't want to meet this fella on a dark night.
Werewolf, 4x7 watercolor
gregfalta.blogspot.com
By: the space wanderer,
on 10/22/2009
By: mike r. baker,
on 10/20/2009
The new challenge is:
Werewolf!
Illustrate a Werewolf! Here's some Warren Zevon to inspire you.
The "Vampire" challenge is over. The new challenge is "Werewolf" and ends on November 2, 2009. The "Jack-O-Lantern" challenge continues for another week and ends on October 26, 2009.
By: Catherine J Gardner,
on 7/17/2009
The anthology 'Dead Souls', containing my story 'When the Cloak Falls', is now available to pre-order from Morrigan Books.
Peter Stubbe, a 16th century German man who was known as the Werewolf of Bedburg, is the inspiration behind When the Cloak Falls with dashes of red added to spin it into a dark fairy tale.
By: Evil Editor,
on 6/29/2009
Guess the Plot
Hybreed Rising
1. Geneticists create wolf/man "hybreeds." Also known as werewolves. One thing leads to another and soon an inter-species war looms, threatening to destroy all life on Earth. Also, the usual shadow organization with its own agenda.
2. The secrets of the industrial metal music neoplastic underworld are revealed with interviews and historical notes of some of its greatest contributors: Low Distortion Unit, In-Fused, Dual Proform, Skinny Puppy and Ooomph, as well as some up-and- coming new artists like Frequency Construct and Luser Dazed.
3. All the farmers around Oskaloosa Iowa told Frank he was crazy to let them put a chemical storage facility on his land, but with his vegetables dominating the fair circuit, it looks like Frank will get the last laugh . . . until the deer start growing fangs.
4. Four vikings set sail across the Atlantic hoping to establish their new strains of sweet peas in the new world. But when the manuscript containing their research falls into the hands of an Imperial agent, the last Roman legion rows out after them.
5. Geneticist Judith Fancher perfects the world's fastest growing yeast, but when she uses it in her chocolate souffle recipe, she--and the entire town--get an unpleasant surprise. Now it's up to the National Guard.
6. Mankind destroyed the world, but from the ashes and stew of chemicals and poisonous air rises a new breed, the hybreed...who will stop at nothing to search out and obliterate the remnants of man. Can one reporter from the Galaxy News Network save us from an army of mutants?
Original Version
Greetings,
I am seeking representation for my novel, Hybreed Rising, the first in a series called The Hybreed Chronicles. [I can tell you've formed a strong attachment to the word "hybreed," but if you can't somehow manage to break free of it, this project and your writing career are essentially doomed.]
By the 22nd century the American Empire has ruled the Earth for two hundred years, and now it is on the brink of a paradigm shift. [According to my calculations, this means that by the 20th century, the American Empire had started ruling the Earth. Which is pretty much how Americans see it, but not entirely accurate. So either the math is off, or this is planet Earth but with a completely different history--which makes it Rigel IV.] Christopher Hansen can do a little 'shifting' of his own, but he doesn’t know how or why. When he is forced to put aside his version of community service to find answers, help comes from a most unlikely source: Department 118 of the American Empire. With their aid Chris discovers an inner threat to the livelihood of his kind [His kind has a livelihood? What is he, a shapeshifter? I can think of many livelihoods shapeshifters would be good at: hitman, female impersonator . . . Elvis impersonator.] and an outer threat to their very existence – both of which are set against him. What’s more, exposing the threats may lead to the destruction of life on Earth through inter-species war. Can Chris neutralize the dangers to his kind while keeping his life and values intact? [When the stakes include the elimination of all life on Earth, screw values.] What are the true intentions of Department 118 and the Empire toward his people? Will Chris ever find a place where he can belong? [And most importantly, will I ever clarify what the hell I'm talking about?]
Hybreed Rising is the first book of an epic tale wherein werewolves play an integral part, but don't be fooled: This is not part of the horror or paranormal genre. The story is set in the future where America is an empire, so it might be considered Commercial Fiction or Alternate Reality. [I've had the feeling I'm in an alternate reality for some time now.] It is told in two parts which correlate fluidly and offer further installments. Part One (38,364 words) sets the stage, introduces the main characters, and allows them to meet and overcome challenges. [This sounds like a new season of Survivor.] [Part Two is the Tribal Council, right?] Part Two (50,892 words) brings in lycanthropic cultures [Wait a minute . . . Did you say lycanthropic cultures?!] (you read it right: lycanthropic cultures), a shadow organization with its own agenda, and a grand battle between tribes of werewolves. [Survivor would be much more interesting if it had tribes of werewolves. Or maybe one tribe of werewolves and one tribe of zombies.] The story addresses moral and ethical issues, [Like, is it wrong to vote off a tribemate just because there's a full moon during tribal council and he tears out Jeff Probst's throat?] and also offers mystery, action, and humor (bad puns included). [Bad puns are never a selling point.] The full manuscript (97,615 words) and a synopsis are available upon request. Novellas which explore the adventures of Chris and his comrades are also available, [as are flash fiction pieces and limericks,] and a novel-sized sequel is currently in development.
My name is ______________, but I use the pseudonym _______________. I’m nowhere near as interesting as this story. [Anyone more interesting than his story should trash the story and write his autobiography.] I believe wolves and werewolves are among the most misrepresented and misunderstood creatures in literature and cinema. [I might buy that about wolves, but werewolves? How do you misrepresent a werewolf?] 
My aspirations include discussing these subjects [You aspire to discuss the misrepresentation of werewolves?] and other related storylines, seeing my works published, and perhaps building a fan base. [For you or for werewolves?] One of the short stories based on this storyline appeared in the final issue of Fang, Claw and Steel, and another appears in beginning issues of Is this Reality? Magazine. [Hard to believe a magazine that publishes werewolf stories can't come up with a better name than Is this Reality?]
I posted queries and excerpts on internet forums to gain feedback on my innovative take on werewolves. Many readers commended my portrayal, which incorporates self-awareness, unique cultural aspects, and authentic wolf characteristics [like fangs, claws, lungs that can blow a house down, and an uncanny resemblance to Red Riding Hood's Grandma] into the creature. Hybreed Rising effectively re-envisions werewolves while telling an endearing, entertaining story with strong, relatable characters. Testimonies from readers are available upon request. [It's always helpful, when a query is too long, for it to have a paragraph like that one, where I can just say delete the whole thing.]
Further research proves audiences are tired of the same old 'Jekyll-and-Hyde' storyline forced upon the werewolf mythos. [If you think audiences are tired of it, you should hear what the werewolves have to say.] [It seems to me that if audiences are tired of the same old wolfmen, instead of giving them different wolfmen you might give them kangaroomen or cowmen. Maybe it's not the mythos people are tired of, maybe it's the fact that it's always a wolf. If you're reading about a hybreed, why must it be man/wolf? Yes, I know it's sometimes man/dingo, but that's only slightly better.
Geneticist 1: We have the means to create a hybrid of a man and any animal in existence. Which animal should we use?]
Geneticist 2: How about a wolf?
Geneticist 1: That's what I was thinking, too.] Fortunately, Hybreed Rising takes this classic back player of monster stories and brings them into the limelight from the direction of soft genetic science, addressing many never-answered questions of werewolf existence. [For instance, Q: Do werewolves exist? A: Yes.] Hybreed Rising investigates the coexistence of the dual natures such a creature would inherit, exploring what a merger between man and wolf might create under individual circumstances and life experiences.
I hope this short explanation [Short? My Masters thesis was shorter. (But hey, how much can you write about the religious symbolism in John Grisham's novels?)] captures your interest. I give my sincerest thanks for your time and attention, and stand ready to send my work at your request. I can be reached at _________ or __________ for your convenience.
Kindest Regards,
Notes
There's a pretty well-known Chris Hansen who's claim to fame is entrapping Internet sex predators and ID thieves for Dateline NBC.
The first long paragraph, which is your plot, is too vague. What is meant by paradigm shift? What is meant by "shifting"? What is meant by "his version of community service?" What is the inner threat? What is the outer threat? Tell us specifically what's going on. Focus on Chris. If he's a werewolf, say so.
Most of the rest is more likely to hurt your cause than help it. Get rid of everything that could be construed as bragging about your book. Every author thinks his book is innovative and original. An agent can't tell which ones really are until she reads them, so just make the plot sound intriguing/exciting/fun/whatever. That's the way to get her to want to read it. Not by declaring it great. The author is the last person she's gonna believe.
By: Eric Orchard,
on 7/23/2008
Here's a werewolf sketch I did for a more finished drawing. The last week or so, I've been thinking about trying to get into the adult book cover market. I would love to do some fantasy and science fiction work. It's interest that I worry about these decisions. Everyone knows I do picture books, so a shift into another market would be bad for business. I don't think it really works that way though. It's hard to say " this is my career path" when you're in the middle of it, and it's dark, and drizzly. It's only when you look back that you say " so That's where I was"
By: Rebecca,
on 3/4/2008
Edward A. Zelinsky is the Morris and Annie Trachman Professor of Law at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law of Yeshiva University. In the article below, Zelinsky discuses the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in LaRue v. DeWolff, Boberg & Associates, Inc. In LaRue, the Court twice cited an article by Zelinsky. That cited article was an earlier version of several chapters in Zelinsky’s new book, The Origins of the Ownership Society: How The Defined Contribution Paradigm Changed America.
In the pension community, the recent decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in LaRue v. DeWolff, Boberg & Associates, Inc. is widely perceived as a watershed development. In LaRue, a participant in his employer’s 401(k) plan claimed that the plan failed to execute the participant’s investment instructions. This failure, Mr. LaRue alleged, resulted in a lower account balance in his 401(k) account. The U.S. Supreme Court held that Mr. LaRue, if indeed harmed by the inaction of the plan’s fiduciaries, may sue for relief under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). (more…)
CUTE!
Donna,
Just the kind I’d like to meet and invite to our annual family hayride.
I hope we learn about his friends.
This is so cute!
Thanks, y’all! It was fun. I’m working on another one, now, about one of his friends. :)
Fun!
That was adorable and funny! I loved the last line!
A fun way to sharpen your writing skills, huh?