THE GUNSLINGER ON THE BEACH (1982)
Acrylic on Illustration Board - 28" x 18"
The winter months of 1980-81 were tough. My wife and I became parents with the arrival of our daughter in November, and I needn't tell anyone who has children what that means in terms of lifestyle changes...like lack of sleep. 1/4
I finally gave up on the very dull historical murder mystery I was listening too on my commute, and replaced it with Jack Campbell's 'Dauntless' (1st book of the Lost FLeet series).
Excellent choice! Within five minutes we have a space battle, a desperate mission, and a ruthless massacre leaving the unlikeliest person in charge! I was literally cheering as I biked along the river path, punching the air and shouting, 'Yes! A MacGuffin! We have a MacGuffin!'
DARKNESS OVER HAYHOLT (2016)
Acrylic on Gessobord - 24" x 36"
When DAW contacted me 35 years ago about illustrating the cover for a high fantasy novel by Tad Williams, an amazing relationship began with THE DRAGONBONE CHAIR. 1/4
After being blown away by The Saint of Bright Doors, I'm very very eager to read Vajra Chandrasekera's next book, Rakesfall--and not least because of @chloroform_tea 's very favourable review on Nerds of a Feather!
DRAGONFLIGHT (1978)
Acrylic on Masonite - 20" X 30"
For the first book in Anne McCaffrey's now legendary Dragonriders of Pern series, I wanted to create a literal visualization of the title. I selected an aerial point-of-view and tilted the horizon to simulate the dizzying sensation of flight. 1/4
THE DARK TOWER: WALTER (2004)
Oil on Panel - 12" x 9"
I rarely use people I know as models, but one night my friend Jack Koffman was visiting the studio and I noticed that when the light hit Jack a certain way, he looked like a perfect model for the character Walter in THE DARK TOWER VII. 1/2
Rakesfall, a new novel by Vajra Chandrasekera, author of the excellent, nebula award winning: The Saint of Bright Doors, is about to be published on the 18th of June.
It is now available for preorder on audible for $8.80.
This sale price is available until the 17th of June.
TIL: Ray Bradbury wrote Fahrenheit 451 on a coin-operated typewriter he found in the basement of UCLA's Powell Library:
“So, exhilarated, I got a bag of dimes and settled into the room, and in nine days I spent $9.80 and wrote my story; in other words, it was a dime novel,” Bradbury said.
I'm trying to read This Is How You Lose The Time War, but I'm struggling to understand what is going on, and I'm not sure if it gets better. It feels like a dense read. I heard so much about it, but perhaps I'm too impatient?
ELISTE (1991)
Acrylic on Watercolor Board - 28" x 38"
I'm used to being pigeonholed by my clients, who often hire me to paint only certain kinds of subjects. So I admit I was thrown when I started reading Paula Volsky's novel ILLUSION. 1/5
THE GUNSLINGER FOLLOWED (2005)
Oil on Canvas - 25" x 40"
The second painting based on the famous opening line of The Dark Tower books by Stephen King: "The Man in Black fled across the desert and the Gunslinger followed." 1/3
Dang, y'all, I know I'm late to the party, but in case anyone else is even later than me, @vajra 's Saint of Bright Doors is ASTONISHINGLY GOOD.
Or, at least, the first half is. I presume the second half is too, but I haven't finished it yet. It has definitely shot to the top of my Hugo best novel ranking. (One more to read!)
THE TIDES OF KREGEN (1976)
Acrylic on Illustration Board - 18" x 16 ⅝"
A cover and B&W interior illustration from very early in my career, this is one of three Dray Prescot novels I worked on. In total, there were 52 books in the series by Kenneth Bulmer writing as Alan Burt Akers.