Month: September 2016

A DreadPennies Comic

Hi guy and gals.

The loading bar of my life is currently at 32%. (I mean to live to 100.) I have been working toward a career as a full-time writer (and artist!) for over a decade now, with varied levels of intensity and focus. I think that’s plenty of time to kick my work into a higher gear.

In 2013 I decided I didn’t want to wait any longer for someone else to make that dream come true, so I got to work on my Engines of Liberty trilogy. I’m so lucky to live in a time when self-pub has never been easier, and that I can connect with artists and editors who can make my work better. But Engines was just the starting point. I have so many other stories to share with you.

Granted, I am still self-publishing. I am also still querying agents. And when I feel like I can do it well, I am doing art on the side.

Some of it will be commissions, other stuff will be for books, and some will be for this site. As to the methodology of it, and the approach I’m taking, well, see below 🙂

And thank you for reading. I have to get back to building the dream.

 

dp-i1-v1

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(Howard Tayler: www.schlockmercenary.com)

(Matthew Inman: www.theoatmeal.com)

You should read the “Matt Cruse” novels, by Kenneth Oppel

It’s a trilogy, set in Canada, somewhere in the early 1900s. Some of the history has been tweaked and fictionalized–airships abound, as do unnatural creatures. That being said, in each of these books, Oppel manages not to do what you think he’ll do.

These are stories that set the table quickly, serve up a few different dishes, and then pass the plates around so that you get a little bite of everything, enough to make you want all of it.

They are written very smoothly, they read very easily, and the characters just pop to life on the page. Each of them has a clear and unique motivation, and these motivations clash and drive everyone in adventurous–yet believable–directions.

You’re not just reading airship fantasy. You’re reading a fine tale of young love, rampant imagination, swashbuckling villains, impossible creatures, and fascinating science, all put together in a way that makes it seem so normal and real.

Frankly, I don’t know why they aren’t more popular.

And I recommend the audiobooks of each, because they are narrated by a full cast that adds to the immersive quality of the storytelling.

One final bit of praise: while this is definitely a trilogy, each book is remarkably self-contained. No cliffhangers, no “tune in next week!!”, none of that. Each volume is thorough and satisfying. I think I should like to read them again.

Try them out! Start with Airborn, then Skybreaker, then Starclimber.

 

 

What Have I Been Up To?

Hi guys and gals. A few notes here:

  1. Charity Auction Results
  2. Drawings
  3. Forthcoming books

–THE AUCTION

A few weeks ago, my friend Lisa Mangum (the chief poo-bah editrix over at Shadow Mountain) invited me to chip in for a charity auction on her brother’s behalf. I say “invited” instead of “asked to” because while I now have to provide some free swag to the winners, participating was really a privilege. Tons of other writers, agents, and editors contributed, and the winners raised over five grand for the family.

If it’s true that Mormons “take care of their own,” it’s especially true of the LDS writing community out here in the Mountain West. Most of us believe in rugged individualism, but we also believe in giving someone a hand when their boat is sinking.

It’s really cool that Charity Auctions Today put together a great website, and that Lisa reached out to so many of us. I personally could not have afforded to donate $200, but the items I put in ended up selling for that amount, which still surprises me.

Hats off to the bidders and contributors. What a great two weeks that was. I love you all!

–THE DRAWINGS

One of the auction items I put up was a 24×18 commissioned piece, and I’ve been going over the details with the winner. It’ll be a unique piece, as well as a challenging one, and I want to do it really well. It’s meant to be a birthday gift for an octogenarian.

I’ve also been commissioned to do a Star Wars family portrait, which I’ll have to do right after the aforementioned piece is done. I expect each one will take about two weeks, given how life has gone lately.

After that I have a third commission on deck, but it’s small. And somewhere in there, I have a piece of digital art to render. Also small, but time-consuming nonetheless. If you follow me on Instagram (@grahamberad), I posted some work-in-progress shots of a comic I was drawing, and that will get finished soon, I just don’t know when.

–THE WRITINGS

My next releases! Currently I have one book out on submission to agents. It has been rejected 11 times. I’m aiming for 100 submissions. If I get 100 rejections…I’ll buy myself something really cool, I guess.

I’ve finished a draft of a sci-fi novella, and I have set it aside to write a fantasy novella, which was part of the charity auction: the winner purchased naming rights to a side character, and I’m trying to do justice to the whole concept. Both of these novellas should be out by January of next year.

And that’s about it, really. It’s nice to be busy, and nicer to have fans. Thanks to those of you who read this, who have read my books, and who have supported my work. Thank you!

Now get back to it.