Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Get to know this small fictional town

From a new book review of The Acorn Stories at Goodreads: “I found myself not wanting to put this book down because I quickly felt like I belonged in this town.” #Texas #ShortStories

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Tuesday, January 07, 2020

Artwork Needed for Gay SciFi Project

Please visit the tweet below and tag suggested artists (maybe yourself) to create commissioned artwork for online posts about my novel Sons of Taldra: A Science Fiction Adventure 🏳️‍🌈. Character gifs or jpgs.

Sons of Taldra features gay characters in major roles, so I don’t want anyone who would object to drawing a same-gender couple. On the other hand, the book contains no sex scenes, and the pictures should be strictly SFW (Safe For Work).

I’d like to commission at least one work, but might order more, from a few different artists. The characters should look human, but the realism might vary. They should not look like puppets, talking cats, etc., but it’s fine if they look cartoonish.

The artist(s) will, of course, receive acknowledgment wherever I post the picture(s).

The main setting for Sons of Taldra is Valchondria, which is simply Earth in an alternate reality. Technology had advanced more quickly there, but stagnated when the Valchondrians abandoned space travel and banned contact with anyone outside their atmosphere. A cyberpunk look, or something similar, would be ideal if we see it, but we’re focusing on the people. (This book is a stand-alone spinoff from my earlier book Degranon.)

>>Possible images (mostly close-up or waist-up):

1. Argen or Telius alone. Or both of them, back-to-back, waist up, Telius in a black T-shirt and Argen in a bright green one. They’re identical twins, 19, with black hair, but Argen has a buzz cut, while Telius has shoulder-length hair. Native American. Flat nose bridges and high cheekbones.

2. Central to the book. Telius and his fiancΓ© Jase-Dawn. (Remember that Telius is Argen’s long-haired twin.) Jase-Dawn is black, twenty, with dark brown eyes. He’s slender but well-toned. They could be cuddling, holding hands, leaning against each other, embracing, or just looking at each other, as long as the viewer is likely to see them as a couple. This excerpt at Queeromance (near the bottom of that page) can provide inspiration.

3. General Sydra, one of the Maintainers, the group that serves as the military, police, and judges of Valchondria. Gray military uniform with black arms. No headband, earrings, or hat. African American, late thirties, just over six feet tall. A look of confidence and strength in her dark brown eyes. Short hair.

4. Taldra, the mother of the twins. Native American. A year ago, she became Leader of Valchondria’s one-world government, after working two decades as one of Valchondria’s leading (but most controversial) scientists. She’s short, a little over five feet. Long black hair, usually pulled to the left side and discretely fastened behind her head. She likes colorful dresses or other outfits—maybe a 1970s look. Light brown eyes. Hoop earrings in right ear. Stunningly beautiful.