Random artwork

Happy Chinese New Year and an Elf painting

Hello all,


Just sketching in Photoshop. Happy Chinese New Year to all of you. I've written roughly 60 pages of In the Shadow of the Black Sun book 3. Can't wait to publish it. Many more characters, new settings and the conflict that everyone has been waiting for.

Now going downstairs for some breakfast! Man, is it raining outside.


William

Sorcery in all its detail

I am currently reading my first Brandon Sanderson book (Mistborn) and I really enjoy his writing. The magic system of the Allomancers is a great idea and I wish I had thought of it first. His descriptions are very well done. I can see the people and places in my mind as I read. I strive for the same thing in my writing though I am not sure if I am as successful as Sanderson. This brings up a question:

How many readers enjoy having the system of sorcery within a story explained in detail? Is it better to leave it a mystery?

In Mistborn, I love the whole idea of different metals giving different powers, etc. At the same time, in Tolkien's work, he doesn't explain the extent of Gandalf's powers or how he goes about casting a spell, right? This makes the reader wonder about old Mithrandir. How powerful is he? How does he do what he does?

Both methods work, I believe.

What is your preference?

Snowed quite a bit overnight and into the morning here in the St. Louis area. Took the opportunity to give our little boy his first experience in the snow. Little bit of sledding, snow angels and a sad attempt at snowman-building. He enjoyed it immensely as did my wife and I. Everything's melting outside now, the sun shining very bright through the windows. Snow looks nice, but I very much dislike the cold. I know, what am I doing in St. Louis? Yeah, I ask myself that question frequently. Lol.

Have a great day,

William

An excerpt: In the Shadow of the Black Sun, Book 3

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For nearly three hours they descended. The touch of the ice tore the flesh from their feet on occasion, leaving smeared crimson prints behind them.

They felt nothing.

The chattering of unseen things sounded out around them, hiding in the dark recesses of the pit, watching the newcomers as they entered their world. The call of their father was so strong here in his home that it blinded their senses, pulled them along like a river's current.

At long last, the crystalline stairway came to an end, a wide translucent floor spreading out in all directions. The light from far above cast a circular shape at its center and at its edge the darkness began to deepen. All was silent, only the whistling of the frigid wind reaching them this far into the earth.

The boy hesitated, his eyes full of uncertainty as he studied the black areas around them. His sister grabbed his hand and moved ahead, skipping out of the light and sinking into the thick shadow. Their eyes adjusted immediately, an apparent gift from their father and all was clear to them. The way ahead led through countless pillars of ice, formed when the waterfalls had frozen. The bones and skulls of beast and man were embedded inside, their shapes distorted by the nature of their tomb.

Among these tall columns, thin figures stood watching, pale and fleshy wings hanging from their shoulders like a cloak of dead skin. There was death here. The smell of it filled the air like a long-slaughtered army of thousands. They soon noticed the shapes of unrecognizable things entombed within the walls of the place, mythic creatures only spoken of in fictional tales. They were preserved perfectly behind the transparent surface.

"Almost there," the girl encouraged, leading her brother down a narrow side passage. "Father is very close."

They passed scores of the Inquitis, the hissing breath of which emanated through the corridors. Their cancerous flesh was as grey-blue as the sky outside, yet the cold seemed to have no effect on them much like the siblings. Vaporous clouds hovered about their skeletal faces for, unlike the children, they breathed. Mournenhile had imbued them with the spark of life or a semblance of such.

The odor of decay grew much stronger and ahead they could see that the corridor opened up into an immense chamber. Then, the screams reached them, faint at first, thousands of voices shouting in agony. They glanced at one another, puzzled. The girl shrugged with an evil grin and pulled him along with a tug.

When they reached the end of the corridor, the floor dropped off and the roof rose to dizzying heights. At the edge, they carefully peered over, the overpowering smell and cacophonous noise sending them back a step. Far below, in the dim light, countless naked bodies thrashed, struggling to stay afloat in an icy underground sea of slush. Even from afar, it was apparent that they had been returned from death's veil, skin hanging like paper upon their bones. Sightless eyes looked to the ceiling of the chamber as they climbed upon each other in a futile attempt to escape the biting water.

They pulled and scratched with nails long rotten, intertwined hopelessly in a mass of broken limbs and ruptured organs.

Kripplemourn, the keep of their father, melted from below.

Thank you for stopping by,

William

Characters from In the Shadow of the Black Sun

Baenstrom the Dwarf from Shards of S'Darin

Gorin Grimandin the Stone Troll

I've decided that I will be providing more artwork from by books. Let me know if there is a certain character or scene that you would like to see and I'll see if I can get it done. I always loved to see drawings and maps from my favorite fantasy stories and I hope my readers feel the same.

New cover painting

This one was created in Photoshop. I really like the way the Dwarf's face came out and the 'stache. I hope you enjoy it as well.

Comments or questions are always welcomed.

William

The Eve....

As I write this, it has begun to snow in the St. Louis area. It's really rather beautiful as long as I'm not driving in it. The flakes are piling on top of one another and now completely covering the surface of the deck out back. And it's New Year's Eve.

It's always a time of reflection, isn't it? Another year ending, a new one beginning with so many possibilities, so many goals. I have promised myself that I will finish Book 3 in my In the Shadow of the Black Sun series. It may be the conclusion to the series, I'm not sure yet. I won't be one of those authors that stretch out the story just to have more books. Not a fan of that technique. At this point, I've written the first chapter and have started on the second.  Honestly, there are still times when I feel like I don't know what the Hell I'm doing with the story. Thankfully, as it has every time in the past, the pieces fall into place, the characters tell me where they are going and the tale unfolds in a satisfying manner.

There are times when I wonder who is really reading this. Is it a waste of time to add to this blog? Are there readers out there just waiting for the next installment? Some days I like to think so. Anyway, I'm glad that you are here, whoever you are.

I've started reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman and highly recommend it. He has a magic in his words without doubt. The sentences seem very natural and unforced. I like the observations that the characters make, the odd things that they notice. This is the way most people observe things, I think. I look out on the snow-covered deck and notice the white blanket of flakes, but what strikes me are the three dead and shriveled tomatoes that rest there in the cold.

I discovered Neil's writing when I worked at a local comic book store. Customers kept recommending Sandman to me and our store had every volume on our shelves. On a slow day I decided to crack open Preludes and Nocturnes and I literally could not stop until I had finished every book that we had. I loved the mythology that he had created. In a shop full of Superheroes, it was a welcome escape. The stories seemed so much more meaningful to me. When I finish American Gods, I will most likely read another Gaiman book. Any suggestions?

To you, I wish a Happy New Year. I hope that the obstacles standing in your way, fall to the side and dissolve into nothingness. I hope you have great success in whatever goal you have set for yourself. If you are a reader of the things that I write, I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your support and feedback. There are so many more stories that I will publish. I can't wait to show you what is in store. I have a great futuristic story waiting to come out. All of the characters are fleshed out and the basic story as well. It'll be a fun ride.

Lastly, I would like to wish a Happy New Year to my brothers of Skulldust Circle. All great writers that you should be checking out. Visit the Skulldust blog. Links to all of their books can be found along the right side column.

Have a great night and be safe.

Walk with the Wind.

William