Frustration Nation

 So... I'm more than frustrated.

...What does that even mean anyway? 'More than frustrated...'

Anyway, so, our book contract only accounts for grey-scale images. :( So, our pretty little pictures are now ruined into grey-scale. Sorry, guys! Matt and I are no happier about it than you are...

 Just the same, it's not what I'm most upset about. I'm already sure we aren't going to catch the Christmas print... I mean, maybe if we rush thought he last of it, we can get the books published by  the New Year. That's the hope and plan atm...

But, there's good news in all of this! So don't be mad... </3

We're editing page 175 of 280. :D

It might actually be more pages than that after it's scrunched into the book format, but we're hoping it won't be too long. We don't want to freak you guys out, after all. I mean, Harry Potter and the Sorcerers' Stone was 309 pages (or 320 if you're counting the library edition), but I think shorter books are less intimidating.

Just the same: length (when well written) can make a reader feel like part of the story for even longer, so we'll see.
I just know I'm ready to get the first book out there! I'm already excited about editing the second book (which is already written, I might add. :3) As it's a literal continuation of the first...eek.

What's more is--the odd spacing of the images blogger is making me use for these images is awful.>.>; Seriously  wtf... Oh well. Back to the editing table!

Again, working on another reference image... Chrono, Seal, Justin, baby Tilly, and teen Seal and Chrono. Plus, I now have to finish Julia and Madelyn before mid-November. ...Oh Emm Gee.

The first book has become a 250+ page monster that spans approx. 20 years. :O We're currently done proof reading on up until page 150, with another 100+ left to go; now within less than two week. ;-;

Oh well... Hopefully, it'll all be worth it, and you guys will like the work. :D Need to re-size some things, fiddle and tweak--but I'm a much better digital artist than traditional, so I'll get it looking like it should. :D

New images coming soon

Nothing much to update you on when it comes to the book, but in other news, I figure you guys thought I'd just stop doing art until the next book needed it's reference images worked on, ne?

Wrong! :3

Here's a preview on what I've been working on lately. A pretty big moment in the...sixth book? A moment that, for whatever reason, destiny decided would change lived forever. :O Hope you enjoy the preview. Now, late as always, I'm off to bed. :3

References: http://fav.me/d4t0a12 http://fav.me/d51aj12

Longer Book?

Well, work toils on. No rest for the weary.

As many of you already know, Matt (BluSilvrPaladin; the 'M' in M.A. Bartsch) has decided we should add more back story to the first book. I really couldn't argue with him, and the more we write, the more I can see people giving a damn about the characters later on in the book--after a 20 year skip. And, again, it's so far made our 150 page book into a respectable 200 page novel; which makes me happy. Just the same, I don't want it too long. Even Harry Potter saved the more lengthy books for closer to the end. And as this is a seven+ book series as well, I find that J.K. is a more than adequate person to model (slightly) after.

But, as always, my problem is time. I promised this book out in time for the Christmas season, which is quickly coming upon us, and it takes approx. 45 days from when I send in the manuscript, to print. 45 days is about a month and a half, and the Christmas season starts in earnest mid-November (technically, it started mid-September, but that's the early rush. Since I missed that, I'm aiming for the last minute rush.) That means I have to have it in to my publisher's office by October 15th, no later. I'm told there's a time right before the last minute Christmas rush that they do rush publishing, but I'm not going to reply on that. Mid-October is about 2 weeks away. This must be done by then.

I have hope for that. Every waking moment that Matt isn't at work, and we aren't eating or spending time with our son, we're writing. We've made it past the big kissy moment for Caos and Drego, as well as emphasis on Madelyn, the first vampire fight, and how that whole situation plays out with Mairtin. (No, I'm not making another reference for her in this book;. You'll have to wait for the second book, when she's a more important character anyway. ^_~)

All in all, things are moving as smoothly as one would hope, and I'm just trying to work fast, hard, and well to get this to print. It's weird... At this point, I'm not working hard to get it out for myself anymore--but to keep a promise to the few fans we already have. Those of you, who based on look and general ideas alone, have come to like characters like Chaotica, Rose, and Crimson (so far, seemingly the favored characters. :3) It's...validating, after having worked on them as characters for 15 years already, and their story for 6. ...Thank you. <3

Finally finishing

So, we're finally actually finishing things up with the book(late, as usual).

Crimson's reference, as well as dragon reference, are both finished(on my end. The colorist assures me she'll do them this week), and w're finishing up the final editing of the book(which has only taken o long because of the fact that we decided to suddenly add about 20 pages orz).


I'm super thankful to Xuruki for what he did, and now to DarkRinoa, because she's making it so I can focus on all the other things I have to do(like handle my son's home schooling, which we have to do atm because of the move coming up, and I don't want to rip him from normal classes half way through the year; as well as my millions of other responsibilities. I'm especially impressed with her, considering she does all this for me for points, and has her own schooling to consider. Brava, my dear; brava. :3)

I'm a little miffed because our publishing agent hasn't even called us yet, and he was suppose to back at the end of August... He's so lax; not nearly as cool as our last...three. :P

I'm only so-so happy with the lip-bite on Crimson's ref. I hope DarkRinoa can work with it... OTL

I need a break...

Today, I needed a break from Crimson (She wants to drive me crazy, I'm telling you...! I've barely gotten any work done on her aside from giving her color!), so I started messing with my style some more. I've been trying to do this for a few months now on the side, working on anatomy, and blending in more realistic elements, learning to digitally draw details in a 'smart, not hard' fashion.

I kinda think I've found it, but I have some reservations...

1. It takes three times as long, approximately.
2. There are some aspects about her original hair cut I just couldn't replicate without stern lines.
3. It looses some of it's anime charm.

But then again, their are some reasons why I like it, too...

1. The detailed look can't be denied or ignored. I think it comes across more professional.
2. What it looses in anime charm, it almost makes up for in manga charm.

So, I'm leaving it up to you guys. Which is better? Which would you rather associate with the cooking, cleaning, motherly type Lana? And understand--whatever we chose will probably end up being done with the rest as well, rather than ask you guys a million times. lol Thanks everyone! Good night, don't let the vampires bite...

Long time coming

Okay, so, I was told I should have done this a long time ago...?

Blog for the Tales of Atonement novel series! I'll be posting stuff up here I don't post on DeviantART, or Facebook, or Twitter, or similar other such places that I post updates... Yeah. Not to say that dA isn't the only place I remember to post said updates on as it is, but now I have one more place to add to said list. Not to mention, Tales of Atonement has it's own website, but I never remember to keep up with that one, either. Oy...

Small issue with the book (Yeah, I know...). It'll still be out on time, but Matt's randomly decided we should add some more meat to the opening bit, before the small time skip. It's where you get to know Drego and Caos, before all hell starts to break loose. It explains why they broke up better, and what happened to eventually lead up to where you pick up in chapter one.

I couldn't argue with him. It was a good idea, and it's coming along well. Plus, it's beefing up our puny approx. 160+ page layout to a more respectable 200+ page one. Only problem is, the deadline is now sort of up in the air, and we still don't have the rest of the book evaluated for the last time before it goes in for a professional last edit, and printing--which takes about 45 days on average (unless they're doing a 'Christmas season crunch', in which case they put a rush on it...which this will be. *faceaplm*). It was due in about a week ago. ;-;

I promised people it'll be out this Christmas, and I'm being pretty anal about that. But the more good ideas he gives me, the harder that is to do.

With this new idea added to the mix, I have to make a completely new reference image: Crimson. She'd a dragon Caos captured around the same time she caught Drego, yada yada yada... Point is, she wasn't nearly important enough character before (as in, she wasn't shown enough) to have her own reference. But now, she is. (*Another facepalm*) So, I just got done drawing the dragon silhouette and head at the beginning of last week, then I colored the head (with good reviews! I'm so happy@! ;A;) at the end of last week, and I finished her sketch just today. I got so hyper about finally being done that I inked it, scanned it, and digitally redrew it rather than going to sleep last night. lol (Don't worry about the MSPaint solid lines. I'll be fixing that in coloring. And I know, it isn't the 2-point lines like usual. It's part of the new way I draw, and I started this images that way without thinking. ^^;;

Painfully hard to draw her body, as I've been altering my style to something a bit more realistic anime for the next book (I even use things like stock images for clothes to add realism! :O), but now, it seems a bit out of place with the more anime style of the old... I don't know; you guys be the judge. Tell me what you think. I'd really love the input. ^^

Well, I'm finally off to bed, boys and girls. No 'up for two days in a row again' for me tonight! In a given 2 weeks, a normal adult is supposed to get 84-112 hour of sleep. I've gotten approx. 54. X) Good night, don't let the vampires bite... :3