I realize things have been quiet around here since last September. In the background, I have continued to grind out edits of The Last Gift-Knight through the end of November 2025.
Status report
While I have paused at length from editing and formatting the piece, I have had the privilege to join voice chat with Jenn St-Onge and watched her work on the full wraparound cover art of this upcoming release. You can watch some recordings on her Twitch stream.
By no means am I left twiddling my thumbs until the art is finished. I have bookmarked a long list of possible recipients of advance reviewer copies (ARCs) and prepared a template inquiry. It has also occurred to me that I should write a series of posts leading up to the release of The Last Gift-Knight. There is always something I could be preparing to give this book the best release I can muster.
There are also other collaborations I anticipate in the background to promote existing works. And then, of course, my daily life and contract work to pay the bills.
An overdue reveal
In that spirit, I then realized I am long overdue to show off the wraparound cover art for Prince Ewald the Brave that Jenn had previously finished. I might well have done so over on BlueSky while neglecting this blog.
The choice of what to place on the spine and back cover required a lengthy discussion and the weighing of several options. Were we to continue the front cover view from a different angle? Would the back, spine, and front represent one continuous image? I wondered if the back should be dark to contrast with the sunny brightness of the front, especially if we were to show a shadier character from any angle.
On the finished back cover, we have King Jonnecht the First in imperial finery, as befits his entitled show-off personality. We have him walking into the shadows where he belongs; one wonders what sordid business he might be off to. And we have all the polished and gilded and decorated architecture of the palace in which dwells the world’s wealthiest family.
This project took a different direction than I first expected, and I’m glad it did. When I work with an artist, I am aware that I do not have the kind of visual imagination which allows me to vividly picture what I wish the cover to be, then pay someone with the finely articulated motor capabilities/skills to make it happen.
I think most often in words and dialogue, which I must then use to the best of my ability to engage the reader’s visual imagination to its applicable extent.
When collaborating with an artist, I immediately benefit the moment they sketch an impression of what imagery my words are in fact conjuring. This not only helps improve the resulting piece with thoughtful review; it can help me review my words. Am I really describing what I believe I am?
Jenn’s experience in comic arts includes understanding impactful visual layout among other effective methods, which leads to great suggestions and careful collaboration. I am excited for the cover in progress.
For insights into the process, you can join us on Twitch. When there are streams applicable to my work, I tend to announce that on my BlueSky account.
Thanks for looking! I intend to post much more frequently in the coming month, not only about the book to be released but another collaborative project that will go live in March.
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