I know I've been sort of hinting at a "book project" with a tease of character ideas popping up from time to time on my facebook. So I thought I would actually clarify on the subject. I'm writing... a book series!!! Yes I said a book series and yes I know... I'm an artist. Why would I attempt writing? Well I'll tell you... some artists actually write for one thing. Secondly, all artists have worlds that they create and this is just one of mine.
So this was a project that I started back in early 2007. It was going to be a 40 page children's book that basically resulted in the concept of loss being a natural part of life where a girl loses her beloved, eccentric grandfather after staying with him and hearing his epic stories of his relations with creatures only found in folklore. After losing said adult figure, she discovers that the eccentric, story-teller wasn't just telling stories when she using the key he gives her to open a room full of things that support his claims. Well turns out that it was simply too large of a concept for a 40 page book. A lot can happen in the mind of an eccentric, old man; and a lot can happen in the mind of an eccentric, old me. So why limit myself to children's book format?
What was going to be a 40 page book, turned into wanting to make a book that crossed novels and illustrated books (and it would change the world). Then this morphed into extended story elements and optional reader participation (and it would change the world). Which this all then morphed into a novelette series with prequels and optional interaction (and it would change the world). After that, I thought that this all couldn't be done or released, plus whom am I to attempt a project like this? Suddenly, one of the illustrators that I highly respect released a book called "The Search for Wondla"; and this verified that my dream world could in fact be possible. It may not change the world now BUT after 4 years of planning this story world... I have a little more courage and a little more hope that this project can and will be done.
So right now it's organized as a book series of 7 books for the main story line and 2 book "prequels" (written in that order); and when I say prequel, I mean prequel/ spin off. The book lay outs have been hatched out on various papers, typed documents, and sketchbooks; and the writing of the books are being done in pairs because I want the books to be consistent to one another. So yes, this means I know what happens through the entire series. I've already allowed the story to mature; and at the moment, I'm rather proud of it. The prequels have also been hatched out. While the series is very much "children are the heroes", there are two supporting, adult characters that make appearances and are especially important in the story. These two characters were intended to have stories of their own and also wove themselves into the story (I know I'm acting like this story has a life of its own but... it has).
So just to give you a better understanding of this world and making it brief (no... I'm not going to give you the entire run down and spoil it). The series is about the world of two girls, Sarah and Phoebe MacLachlan; and how they discover that what they thought was their family... well isn't.
I'm hoping to convince my best friend to get in on the action... like I'd write the series and pass it on to him to over look and make all fantastic (because I love his writings), and I already have two people that have said that they were up for being "edit eyes". But yeah!!! There you go.
Soooo yeah... book series project YAY! Finally!!! More updates soon to come!!!
Ummm anyways... outside of this... I also have a list of projects (as usual). Just a couple major ones are (those I have quite a list):
- Illustrating "Elliot's Little Big Adventure" (another 40 page children's book I wrote a little earlier this year and also one of the stories I had planned actually in 2005)
- Re-re-illustrating "Dark" (not happy with some things... but it was written by Tory Chang)
- The visual WoW story (a gift)
- a few sculptures
Dryewvett Has- Kelpie/ nugel variety. And he's actually one of the bad guys. Master shapeshifter and known as the water horse, he can shift into maidens and a white pony. Regardless of his appearance he is ALWAYS wet even when he looks dry which is why they have called him Dryewvett Has (pronounced hos). He's basically used as a knapper. When he has found what he was sent for he will snaps his tail like a whip as well as excrete mud like fluid out of the glands in his pads on his webbed feet so that when he grabs his catch it will slide without and struggle when pulled. Though he can also excrete a natural adhesive through the pores of his skin so that his find can't escape from his grasp.
