News, events, and general discussion

Concur with Her Greatness. Is it because these include a person?

And this is the first I noticed your journey pictures are up in this thread. Looks like you and TSOTNW had a great time. Congrats and when are you going back?
 
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Thank you both. :)

I debated about having a person on the cover, since as you know from other threads here on SFFWorld people seem to have strong views one way or the other about that. But in the end, the evidence I see seems to be that people do respond more to pictures of 'people' rather than 'things.' And even though in this picture there is a person, scale-wise she's a 'part' of the scene rather than the dominant feature.

Also, of course, I hope the quality of my art has improved a bit since the first covers. The building models available to me now are much more detailed and complex, and I've figured out a lot more about lighting and shadows.

As for going back to England, we'd love to. However, the kitty has to get replenished first, which may take a little while...
 
At last, some news! :)

The third book in The Tales of Tonogato series, The Pool of Shikama, is officially out (I should be receiving my own copies in the next few days). The covers are the same as my earlier post from July (a few up from this one). Whew! Been a long road...

To celebrate the release, I have completely re-built my website from the ground up. In addition to a new look, it features a much-improved art gallery, expanded links, a FAQ page, and a brand-spanking new blog. Since there's only one post there at the moment, and no comments yet, hurry on over there and leave a comment! :D

Oh, and the extra special little goody at the new website is that I created a book trailer for the whole series. KatG has kindly referenced it in the Marketing thread there at SFFWorld, but it might be a fun thing for folks here to go take a look at too.

And a big thank you to all of my friends and watchers out there. My "circle" may be small but I appreciate each and every one of you, and hope I can just keep on going entertaining you with my words and with my art.
 
Congratulations all around: for release of books, for new web site, for producing animated trailer, and instituting a blog. You are going to be a very busy person. Hope your employers don't notice how distracted you may become or have you decided to convert to full time authorship?:D
 
I'm assuming you know this, Kevin, but your interview at SFFWorld is up and running HERE.

And very good it is too.

Mark
 
HE - Thank you, sir. Most of the busy has already happened in getting this far! And so far the employer has been kept compliant by continuing application of normal working hours by their wordsmith employee. And alas, writing and/or art is not in the cards as a replacement for the normal paycheck. However, as the next book is shaping up, and as you say with the new blog as well, I should be kept busy, busy, busy...

Mark - Yes! Thank you for posting it up, and for the link. I'm glad you like it!
 
Kevin will be on panels, selling artwork and books and such at Norwescon, April 9-12, in Sea Tac, WA, http://www.norwescon.org/ So if you're in the area, check it out. (Silly boy forgot to put up the announcement.)
 
Oh! Thank you - I posted something in the Going to a Con thread but forgot to do so here! (It's been a bit busy, trying to get the books in the door, website up, etc. etc.)

Today was the first day of the con, and I've already sold one set of The Pool of Shikama, along with a set of The Road to Kotaishi. I usually don't get any sales on the first day, so that's a good start! I had one panel this evening (about book series that never end), plus made a good update contact with a bookseller with whom I hope to arrange for a reading.

Tomorrow is my busy day, with a writer's workshop, three panels, and a reading from The Pool of Shikama (the latter has been scheduled opposite the awards ceremony, so attendance may be iffy...)

I have two of my art pieces in the program book! That's certainly a good way to get exposure. I also have a large, glass-framed piece up in the art show along with my usual matted works, so that oughta get some notice as well.

I'll keep y'all informed as I go along here...
 
Has TSOTNW been feeding you martinis? Where's your report? How many copies did you sell of books and art? How many autographs did you sign? Do you have a fan club yet complete with groupies? What's going on?
 
My only groupies are in here... :D

Well, the reason you're not getting regular updates is because I've been there (the con) rather than here (home, where the computer lives). As today was a shorter day of activity, I can stop and catch my breath and provide updates.

I have so far sold two sets of The Road to Kotaishi and three sets of The Pool of Shikama, so things are looking good in that department. I have also sold at least three pieces of art, with folks doing the "quick buy" option at the higher price rather than waiting to try and bid. So that's looking good so far as well (it may be hard to match last year's total of selling eight out of sixteen, given the economy, but we'll see.)

I did sign some autographs, both for some of the folks who bought my books, and for some just in the program book where my art is. There was a line stretching out the door for Salvatore, the guest of honor; in fact, the longest line of seen at one of these things. I did get a few takers who wandered over from that line to pick up postcards or check out my program book art (I opened up the program to my pages and laid it on the table next to my books).

TSOTNW has not been fixing me martini's, but she did assist me in getting the art show display set up on Thursday (a slightly bigger deal than usual, since I have a framed-with-glass piece this year that's a bit awkward to carry around along with all the other art). She also came down last night to attend my reading, which otherwise had one other attendee (one of the people who bought The Road to Kotaishi; thank you, Natalie!).

Today I had only a couple of writer's workshops and the aforementioned autograph session. Tomorrow I have one more panel, the only art-related one I'm on. Then I just need to hang around until things wind down and I collect unsold books, unsold art, and remaining postcards and bookmarks that are lying around (as well as book signs I've plastered around).
 
Whew! Long weekend…

Okay, the con is finally over and the dust seems to have settled (meaning, I’ve misplaced the dust cloth yet again…) Today was an art panel on different programs for folks to use. And a lot of rain, which came down in buckets.

Final sales tally on the book front: two sets of The Road to Kotaishi; one set of The Sands of Sabakushi; and two sets of The Pool of Shikama. I believe one entire set of all three books may have been purchased by Natalie, who came to my reading (you’re a real trooper!) Also, lots of bookmarks and postcards were picked up, so hopefully folks will be going to my website to look up the books later.

Final sales tally on the art front: four pieces were sold (A Fairy Kiss, The Law, Sweeping in the Magic, and What Shall I Create Today?) My all-time art fan, Laura, bought Sweeping in the Magic. She now has five of my works! I hugged her then, and I’m virtually hugging her now. :) Also, while I was taking down the remaining works, the nice young woman who bought What Shall I Create Today stopped by and said some very kind things about my art, which was quite sweet and a nice way to cap off the con!

In the news front, I’ve obtained postings for the Tonogato book trailer at BlazingTrailers.com and at BookScreening.com. Both of these should have the trailer up on their front page for another few days, after which it will slide off but still be searchable on their sites. With luck they’ll help drive some more traffic to my site.

And, for those of you looking me up in multiple places, most of what I just posted above I've also posted in my spiffy new blog. So just so I don't feel like I'm posting to the wind over there, go stop by and leave a comment!
 
On the news front: I have my first bookstore reading for The Pool of Shikama lined up, at the University of Washington Bookstore in Seattle, Washington, on July 15th. For anyone in that neck of the woods then, feel free to stop by, listen to me chatter, and pick up a signed copy of the book! :D
 
Would that be the same UW - evidently pronounced U-dub - whose young women just won the NCAA Softball World Series thereby upholding the reputation and honor of the Pac-10 conference and proving once and for all that your models are all home grown? Well, two of "em are imports from Canada but they play like "mericans so who pays any attention to where they come from them except them?
 
Yep, same U-dub, from where, incidentally, TSOTNW is an alumni. While she did not attend the main campus, but a satellite campus up here in Bothell, it lends credence to your assertion that my models all spring from a common source... :)
 
Wow, no news since June? You'd think I'd fallen off the face of the planet...

So, let's have some good news! Over the holidays I was approached by a role playing game company to produce illustrations for a new game they have in development. It looks like I may have up to a dozen or so illustrations to produce for them, which will be reproduced on the playing cards in the game as well on on promotional materials, and perhaps a character book down the road. This seems to be a pretty solid company, and I'm quite pleased to be involved with their project. And thus the fledgling art career moves up a tiny notch. :D
 
Congratulations again, Kevin! It will probably be awhile before we get to see the mock-ups, but we'll be curious.
 
Thank you! I'm not sure when I can post them either, but I will ask. One nice part of the arrangement is that I retain the rights to the pictures aside from commercial use in games and printed commercial products (i.e., I can still display them and sell them as art prints). But I don't want to jump the gun either and post them before he'd like them to see the light of day. Once I get the green light I'll start tossing them up here (or rather, probably over in my Computer Art thread).

I've already delivered (and been paid for) two images already, with a third in the works. He's assigned me at least five others to complete so far.
 
The games publisher has given me a green light to post the works as I complete them. So, I think I shall start a new thread here in my forum to house them. The name of the game is Duel of Ages 2, so that's what the thread will be called.
 
Nice, I always check out the art when it goes up. It'll be nice to see what the whole set looks like, if I'm not into the card games.

I was just over at your sight and saw The Pool of Shikama. Is that another novel out in your series?
 
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