One of my favorite additions to the world of Impyrium is the homunculus, a type of creature that serves as familiars to the mystics, sorcerers, and mehrùn aristocracy. Among the various domanocti – “night servants” – the homunculus is both the most common and unique. The secret behind this apparent contradiction can be found in their weird and wonderful origins. Bred […]
One of my favorite characters from the upcoming Impyrium series is Sigga Fenn, newest member of the Red Branch and a native of the savage Grislands which lie beyond the empire’s borders. No longer mystic knights, the Red Branch have become cold-blooded assassins who report only to the Divine Empress. When enemies infiltrate the palace, Sigga is assigned to protect […]
While I’m writing a manuscript, I’ll take a break now and again to sketch some of the characters. Here’s a drawing from two of the main players in Impyrium: Hazel Faeregine and Dame Rascha. Hazel is one of the Faeregine triplets; direct descendants of Mina I and the granddaughters of Mina XLII (informally known as “The Spider”). Dame Rascha is […]
As I’ve been working on character studies for various illustrations, it occurred to me that we needed one for the mysterious, mercurial David Menlo. Here is our favorite one-handed Sorcerer looking intently at something unnameable while holding an antique thurible (a device for burning incense and used in many holy — or unholy! — ceremonies…. We’ll be spending lots of […]
Still working on illustrations and recently did this character study of Max for one of the interior plates. We haven’t scene an entire drawing of Max like this in quite some time and thus it was fun to do. I’m working on one of David at the moment (as part of another, larger drawing) and will post it shortly. The […]
Now that my editor has the manuscript for The Maelstrom, I’m diving into the illustrations. At this stage, I’m working on pencil sketches for the chapter opening drawings. I used to just really rough out my basic premise, but I’ve learned that the more time I spend on the sketch, the better the final product and the less likelihood of […]
Scathach is one of the more intriguing and mysterious characters in The Tapestry. The warrior maiden plays a prominent role in Irish mythology and it’s been fun to incorporate her into Max’s story. One of the more common questions I tend to get from readers has to do with Max and Scathach’s relationship. We’ll be learning more about that relationship […]
Here’s another creation that you’ll be meeting in The Maelstrom. This fearsome fellow’s name is Grendel and he’s a cheshirewulf that also happens to be William Cooper’s charge. Like the Cheshire cat of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, the cheshirewulf also has a gummy grin (albeit considerably more savage) and the ability to disappear and fade in with his surroundings. […]
In the fantasy genre, heroes enjoy the spotlight, but villains inevitably steal the show. A compelling villain can terrorize, dominate, and even seduce our sensibilities as they lurk in the background or emerge to play havoc with the narrative. Let’s be honest – the Joker is much more intriguing than Batman. Without Darth Vader and his iconic mask, wouldStar Wars […]
One of the most enjoyable aspects of writing a fantasy series is the opportunity to create new characters and creatures. The smee is a one of my latest creations and readers will be meeting him in The Fiend and the Forge. Here’s their description: Harmless but incurably lazy, the smee is a master of mimicry. In their natural state, the […]