Covers usually take the longest to do, especially if it’s a commission. Every author wants their baby to look good, and my own projects are no exception. I’m very pleased how this turned out and excited to start some of the inside illustrations soon!
Progress – Concept Art. I was curious to see what Vlanders would look like with a little more realism to him.
The Mierna series gets capped at book 5 after Vlanders realizes the Fae’s protective barrier is growing thin because of his growing powers. It’s a bittersweet finale but I find it quite pleasing in a sense. The summary is a work in progress because it sounds too busy. There’s so many directions to take a fantasy story and mingle magic with modern life. So far, we have this:
Now that Mierna and Troy have settled, with a potential new Dreamer on the way, Vlanders faces the most difficult decision yet. The Veil that protects the Fae from outside chaotic energy is growing thin due to his continuous visits through the barrier. Not heeding the warnings, Vlanders runs the risk of exposing his own world to non-believers and those who want its power.The warping fabric also draws attention to those of the Faerie Wilds, who want to claim its dreams and better take control of humans.
Realizing that his very existence has grown too strong for the Veil to handle, the púca must make a decision that every creature of the Fae dreads most. He must convince Mierna to not believe….
From the latest writing in No’va.. They got jokes..
The new layout of the city was going strong. As Jenario stood back to examine their progress, he was pleased to see more members gaining housing opportunities, especially those with larger families than his own. Part of the wall was now in place, eliminating the need for enchanted stones. At present, the mage could seen collecting up what was not needed and discarding them in a large basket. He had to, for no one but himself could physically move them.
“Imagine the strength of having an enchanted wall instead of a single stone!” Shafari said when his companion approached. He picked up a smooth, brown rock and tossed it in his basket. It settled with a clink on top of the others. “Better protection.”
“Sure, if you want a funeral every day,” Jenario teased.
“Oh, posh!” Shafari grumbled. “It’s merely a prick, a bug bite, a slap on the hand!”
“Times how many other stones in the wall?” Jenario dodged a throw. He was all grins until the stone rolled next to another worker and tapped his shoe. It was just enough to get a yelp of pain when it zapped through the material.
“What is wrong with you?!” came a shout.
“Oh, for the love of…” Shafari brushed past his friend in a huff to retrieve it.
Jenario just shook his head just as the doctor came beside him. He nodded in greeting.
“What’s the issue now?” Nickademis asked.
“He got excited about an enchanted wall.”
“We’d kill him,” was the doctor’s unemotional reply.
“Probably.”
“What was that?” Shafari returned to collecting the rest.
“Nick was just wondering what you wanted on your gravestone,” Jenario replied, receiving a chuckle from some of the workers nearby.
“Funny.”
“I was thinking we could just dig a deep pit.” Nickademis tugged on his beard in thought. “Dump everything in it.”
Coming up with a second book…
It’s been several years since Mierna has last seen Vlanders. With his promise to return one day, she waits in anticipation. Both her room and office are decorated with the paintings she keeps to remind herself that what she has witnessed was real. On the eve of her first nightmare, her belief is stronger than ever. But the ones that follow start to give an uneasy feel that the puca’s return will be less than charming. She awakes to her supervisor’s phone call to head into the office. Upon her arrival, she’s bombarded with questions concerning her art, particularly about Vlanders. Fearing that her supervisor is not who he claims, she attempts to hide in a back room, but a dark substance slithers into the lock and opens the door. With nowhere to run, she prepares to fight when Vlanders knocks the man aside and grabs Mierna up into a portal. Together, they enter the Fae.
Although Vlanders keeps a world of secrets, Mierna learns through a series of mishaps that dreams are being corrupted. They are what ties Dreamers to the Fae and keeps its inhabitants secure. Without them, a Dreamer can lose belief, causing the world to cease functioning and release harmful creatures held by the Tree of Eternity. Mierna cringes at the possible thought of Incubus, along with other oddities, roaming between worlds unchecked. But something is working hard to see it done, and time is running out.
In a world where truth is often times obscure, Mierna must rely on a her own set of nightmares to help secure the Fae for future generations. All eyes are turned to the mountains of Tall Cliff, where the Keeper of Nightmares awaits their decision.
Written
on August 22, 2019