Book almost here!

The book is officially off to print! By March, it'll be buyable. :3 Until then, check out some of the pics from the book.

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

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