More Art in 2011!: Ifra

One of my New Year's Resolutions this year is to post more art!! Of course, part of the reason I haven't posted much is because my computer doesn't have a scanner or Photoshop. Bit of a deterrent. But I'm getting around it, even if the art doesn't look that polished. Oh, well. I like to think of it like a 19th century tinted picture.

Anyway, I got some Pitt brush pens for Christmas so I've been playing around with them, and I drew this picture of Ifra, because I also got a book about clothes around the world, and Ifra has the most colorful male dress in the book, for sure. He's also my favorite character in Magic Under Stone. He looks a little intense here, I must say, which is not really OUT of character, but also isn't quite how I think of him. But he's pretty easy on the eyes I think. Poor Erris is probably jealous (although I'm not sure he should be, since Ifra has plenty to be an angst-puppy about himself).



(Click for larger image)



Also, NEWS FROM SPAIN, for my Spanish readers: I am told the Spanish version of Magic Under Glass will be released in February! I'm so excited!

The agony of the sequel

Magic Under Stone is coming close to the denouement (a word I can spell but likely not pronounce!). I'm feeling a bit of panic.

Writing a sequel is really weird. With Magic Under Glass I had no fan base, no idea how anyone would respond to my work, what people would love and hate about it. Now I have voices in my head: People who want X, people who want more of Z. People who hate Z.

Well, I can never please every fan. But I'm my own first fan. I'd like to please myself, at least! Sometimes I worry if I've even managed that. You know, as a fan, I have my own expectations for the sequel. Certain characters I want to see more of, certain things I want to happen, and as I write, sometimes the characters don't cooperate, sometimes a certain character has turned out to be the kitchen sink--you know, there's everything in it BUT them.

It's the hardest thing when I really WANT something to happen and it just isn't fitting in. Augh. Fan me is so disappointed! Damn that Jaclyn Dolamore!

On the other hand, there have been some marvelous surprises. I'm loving two certain new characters a lot more than I expected. And I didn't think character X was going to turn up much, and they did, and they are awesome.

Either way, it's definitely going to be my longest and most ambitious work yet, and it's always nice to feel like you've moved up a notch in what you're capable of.

My upcoming projects

This has been a busy summer, as far as writing goes. Which is good! I realized I have not properly updated this blog on Between the Sea and Sky, so I thought I'd do a general Update of Projects.

Between the Sea and Sky is my next book! I feel a little bad for it sometimes because of course everyone wants Magic Under Stone. All in good time! I hope you'll love Between the Sea and Sky anyway. It's a love story, much moreso than Magic Under Glass. A love story between smart people with shared interests and mutual respect. Who also happen to be a mermaid and a winged guy. So if you like that kind of story, hopefully you will enjoy this.



I've been wanting to write about a mermaid since I was a wee thing who loved the movie Splash, and a winged guy almost as long. I first attempted the mermaid/winged guy pair up in a big messy novel I tried writing in my early twenties, against a backdrop of war and a zillion things going on. In Magic Under Glass, mermaids and winged folk are briefly alluded to, so in this book I had a chance to flesh out their culture.

I hope Alan doesn't feel too bad, being a skinny lightweight bat dude among all these winged angel/demon hunks that are coming out. ;)

Anyway, Between the Sea and Sky will be released in April or May 2011.



Then there is my story for Corsets and Clockwork, an anthology which should also be a Spring 2011 release. (I am SO EXCITED for Spring 2011.) I wrote half a story and then found out it needed to be more steampunk-y, so I'm back to the start again, with a story I am currently calling The Airship Gemini. If you're curious what it's about, here's a clue...I've been reading about Violet and Daisy Hilton for research... The Airship Gemini = conjoined twins + magic + love!

Finally, Magic Under Stone is coming right along. It will be released presumably in 2012. If Magic Under Glass was all whirlwind starcrossed lovers, Magic Under Glass is about the emotional repercussions. It's too early to tell exactly what will happen because I might change things and then my editor will suggest other changes, but I do think everyone who felt the villains in Magic Under Glass were underdeveloped and the romance too rushed will be pleased. Unless you just don't really like my writing, in which case, you will not be pleased. ^_~