Tim Hawken's Blog, page 5
April 8, 2019
Monthly Inspiration -- Nevernight, Vapourwave Art, Love, Death & Robots
There have been a bunch of great things I’ve been watching, reading and listening to this month that have provided oodles of inspiration. Also, I really wanted to use the word oodles in a sentence today, so there you have it.
These next few delights are probably a bit darker than normal, so that them all with a cautionary warning…
This series of animated short stories pulls out all the stops (and morality) to get down, dirty and deathly entertaining. Part scifi, part fantasy and all full tilt glory it will blow the hair right off your skull. The first episode 'Sonnie's Edge' gives you a good indication of how far the creators are will to take things. 'Three Robots' is a lot funnier. Others like 'Sucker of Souls' is a great mix fo the two.
Strap in for the trailer.
Revealing by @Xsullo on Instagram. Give him a follow by clicking the link above.
Art like you'd find in a Blade Runner's basement. This Instagram account has created some of the most eye popping images I've seen for a while. The best way I can describe it is Vaporwave Cyber Punk Gothica. Don't know what the hell that means? The above image will give you an idea, but I really dig the CYMK colors of vamporwave art mixed with cyberbunk scifi themes. A great combination.
NEVERNIGHT
This book is just like Harry Potter - if Harry was a 16yo girl who went to assassin school so she could revenge the death of her parents and was willing to swim through a river of blood and climb a mountain of corpses to get there. The audible version is particularly well done. It's also a great time to start reading/listening since the third book in this trilogy drops a little later this year. Less waiting, more stabbing.
April 2, 2019
Do You See Me In The Shadows -- #WickedLitWednesday
This Wicked Lit Wednesday micro story is inspired by the art of Psyca.
CAN YOU SEE ME IN THE SHADOWS - by Psyca
The doctors have ruled out chronic fatigue. Anti-depressants aren’t working. Maybe it’s a parasite they say.
But can a parasite burrow into your psyche? Feed off your worst fears? Whisper evil in your ear?
I’m only energetic when fuelling the darkness. Showing it my worst desires.
I only feel my blood pumping if I start to think about spilling others’.
I get so tired when I try to be happy. The only way to ‘snap out of it’ is to start snapping necks.
But I can’t. I won’t. This thing won’t get me.
If only I could get some sleep.
—-
When I saw this image it instantly grabbed me. It really captures a feeling of depression I’ve felt at times in my life - like some kind of dark passenger sucking at your soul. The look gave me an idea that it was like some kind of parasite, and I happily saw later than Psyca had called one of her other paintings in this style ‘My Lovely Parasite’. So, starting with that idea I went from there, put myself into the mind of the subject in the painting and started this little drabble. I hope you like it.
March 19, 2019
The Drought Breaks -- #WickedLitWednesday
This 100-word micro story is inspired by the surreal art of Polish master Zdzisław Beksiński.
Untitled Painting by Zdzisław Beksiński
THE DROUGHT BREAKS
Bill watched with his children as a single, dark cloud wafted over his farm.
Little Kasey and Keith rushed inside for their buckets, hoping to catch some of the bounty from the sky.
The kids danced under the downpour, drenching their clothes and soothing their skin.
Bill let out a whoop of happiness, just as Kasey started to scream.
The children writhed and grabbed at their arms. They let their buckets fall to the ground.
The rain solidified into tentacles around them, squeezing their throats and lifting them silently skyward.
As suddenly as the rain had begun, they were gone.
——
Background:
When I saw this painting it immediately reminded me of the dry landscapes of Australia. There’s always a drought somewhere and the farmers, who stick their necks out to grow our food, are often rewarded with angst and suffering. I wanted a short piece to reflect that, which was unique and inspired horror. Hopefully the drabble above achieved that.
March 18, 2019
The Concept Art of Hellbound
Last year, the Hellbound Trilogy was pitched to Netflix and a bunch of other studios for a TV series adaptation. The push almost got there, but ultimately didn’t quite make it.
During the process the team had some artwork done up to help show what the world looked like. Considering no one outside studios has seen it, I thought now was a great time to share it here.
All of these pieces were created by John Gallagher, who did an epic job of bringing Hell and its inmates to life.
Hell’s main suburb of Smoking Gun. Casa Diablo atop Mt Belial on the right.
Street level view of Hell.
Street level #2.
The Pit. Hell’s greatest entertainment venue, sold out millenia in advance.
Looking into the pit…
The Perceptionist
Michael and Gideon’s church standoff
For your own free eBook version of Hellbound, sign up here to have it delivered to your inbox.
March 14, 2019
Anubis & Bastet -- #WickedLitWednesday
This week’s #wickedlitwednesday 100-word drabble is inspired by the wonderful art of Iren Horrors.
ANUBIS & BASTET
Follow @irenhorrors of Instagram for more amazing art like this.
The wisp of smoke swirled around our bodies. Anubis took another hit from the pipe. His concern about him being a god of death cavorting with a protector of the living drifted away with his exhalation.
“I like your tail rings,” he said hazily. “Where did you get them?”
“From Saturn,” I purred. “I like the key pinned to your tie, does it unlock your heart?”
“Somewhere just as dangerous,” he sighed, as our lips finally met.
I loosened his tie and dropped it to the ground, flicking it into my bag.
Who says you can’t mix business with pleasure?
——
For a little extra background, Anubis is a god of death from Egyptian mythology, known as the keeper of the gates of the underworld. Bastet is a goddess who took the shape of a lioness, or cat, and was known seen as a protector of the pharaohs, but also as a symbol of fertility and lover of music. I wonder what she might do with a key to the underworld? Release some souls perhaps?
For more Wicked Lit Wednesday Stories, follow me over on Instagram, or sign up to my newsletter to have them delivered direct to your inbox.
March 5, 2019
The Haunted -- #WickedLitWednesday
Wicked Lit Wednesday is a new series I’m doing on Instagram where I write a 100 word micro story (also known as a drabble) inspired by the amazing art I see in my feed. I’m also going to post here, for those who don’t use Instagram but want to follow the stories.
The idea came about when I found myself daydreaming of the story behind this particular painting by David Seidman.
The Haunted by David Seidman - @seidmanart on Instagram.
I reached out to David, asking if it was okay that I write something. He kindly said yes and next thing you know I have a dozen other artists also interested to hear a story behind their own works. Stay tuned for more, but for now, here is the original…
I wait, I breathe. It’s almost playtime, when the monster inside me rises.
The moon peaks over the horizon, bathing everything in its light - like a sepia dream coming to life in the hall.
Then, I hear her. She can’t sleep with the orb of night so full. I wish she would leave. Her constant crying makes my windows shudder.
Tonight, I flush her out.
I wait, I breathe, transforming into more than a house. Changing into every nightmare she has suffered inside my walls.
I wait, I breathe. She wakes and bleeds.
There is nowhere she can hide.
A close up of ‘her’. David Seidman Art.
I’ll post these a week behind the ones that appear fresh on Instagram, so if you’d like to get the latest click here.
For more astonishing work by David Seidman follow him here on Instagram, or check out his website.
February 21, 2019
5 Great Australian Fantasy and Sci Fi Authors
There seems to be a weird misconception out there that there isn’t much of a market for fantasy and Sci Fi books in Australia and (therefore) aren’t any good genre writers from here either. This short article is aimed and blowing that Deathstar out of the sky. Here are 5 great Australian Fantasy/Sci Fi authors doing amazing things in their home country and around the world.
Did someone say New York Times Bestselling author? Amy Kaufman is a bad ass Aussie writer, that has tackled high concept Sci Fi, YA Fantasy, Middle Grade Fantasy and more. Her Illuminae Files trilogy collaboration with Jay Kristoff in particular has been a runaway hit around the world. Amie and Jay are just about to launch a new YA Sci Fi trilogy as well - The Aurora Cycle, so there’s another stack of books to add to your must read pile.
#stabstabstab
It makes sense following Amie Kaufman to talk about Melbourne metal head writer Jay Kristoff. He also stands tall when it comes to writing across genres. Apparently Mister Kristoff stands tall in general too, at 6’7’’. Jay’s recent Nevernight Chronicles exploded onto the dark fantasy scene in a shower of blood and has been praised by fellow NY Times Bestsellers like VE Schwab for it’s originality and trope smashing prowess. Read Schwab’s classic review on Goodreads for a giggle. As a side note, the cover art on the Nevernight series is up there with the best I’ve seen recently as well.
Book nerd readers might be thinking right now, huh, doesn’t Fiona McIntosh write historical romance novels? True. But she also writes a mean high fantasy story too. Both the Quickening and Trinity trilogies are amazing reads. If you want to talk cross genre she also does crime novels and children’s fantasy. No biggie. Get onto McIntosh’s writing and you won’t be disappointed.
Sean Williams is a bestselling writer of over 100 short stories and 50 award-winning novels. Never heard of him? You might have heard of a little series he writes for — Star Wars. Yup. That franchise has seen him hit bestselling lists the world over multiple times. If you want to dip your eyeballs in the water and read some short fiction by Williams, head over to Daily Scifi where he’s a regular. Oh yeah, Sean also writes excellent fantasy, in case the cover above threw you off.
I can’t write a list about great Australian Fantasy authors without mentioning one of Aussie speculative fiction’s founding foremothers, Sara Douglas. Her Crucible series had me enthralled as teenager, being the first historical fantasy books I’d read at the time. Sara also won the Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novel in 1996 and 2001 . She now has an Aurealis Award named in her memory after dying of cancer in 2011. Just one other reason I wish that disease would piss right off.
These are just 5 of the many, many amazing Australian Fantasy and Sci Fi writers out there right now. If your own favourite didn’t appear here, throw them into the mix by commenting below.
—-
To get a free e-book copy of the first novel my own dark fantasy series Hellbound, sign up here.
January 27, 2019
Top 5 Most Interesting Antiheroes In Fantasy
Everyone loves a hero but villains are much more interesting. It makes sense then that combining the two often makes for the most compelling characters in literature - antiheroes. To quote our friend the dictionary: “an antihero is a main character in a story who lacks conventional heroic qualities and attributes such as idealism, courage and morality.” Because these outcasts are often so compelling, especially in the modern age, we have seen more and more appear in literature. Fantasy, Sci-Fi and speculative fiction books are no exception. In fact, I’d say they pose the best antiheroes out there in prose. So, with that in mind here are the top 5 most interesting antiheroes in fantasy…
#1 Delilah Bard from the Shades of Magic series by VE Schwab
Lila Bard on the French cover of book # 2 in the series
“I apologize for anything I might have done. I was not myself.”
“I apologize for shooting you in the leg,” said Lila. “I was myself entirely.”
Expert thief, cut throat pirate and one-eyed magician of unimaginable power - Lila Bard has got to be the most kick ass antihero in fantasy, ever. The fact she seems practically unrepentant about the bad shit she does for good (and often still suspect) reasons, is very refreshing in an anti-hero. She is also a lot of fun, with a wicked sense of humour. It’s like VE Schwab has just made up an alter ego for herself and packed in all of the cool things she’d liked to do if life were fantasy. The series is worth reading just for Lila alone, but there’s so much more to enjoy as well.
#2 Kylar Stern from the Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks“Assassination is an art, milord. And I am the city's most accomplished artist.”
Deadly assassin, weaver of dark magic, and hopeless romantic - Kylar Stern is a conflicted anti-hero par excel-lance. Kylar is so interesting because we follow him right from childhood all the way into his deadly career as a ‘wetboy’ for hire. Despite Kylar’s profession and deeds we never think of him as anything other than a hero (even if he is one that has been soaked in blood most of his life). If you love characters you can grow with right from the ground up, it’s well worth giving the Night Angel series a read.
#3 Ahmann Jardir from the Demon Cycle by PV Brett“Pain teaches and so we give it freely. Pleasure teaches nothing, and so must be earned.”
Demon Killer, embracer of fate, betrayer of friends. Some might argue that Jardir is a villain rather than an anti-hero, but they’d be wrong. Originally positioned as a key villain early in the Demon Cycle books, Jardir clearly becomes one of the key heroes of the story. Like Kylar Stern from the Night Angel Trilogy, we eventually get to fully see the growth of Jardir from boy to fully-fledged Chosen One (actually Chosen Two if you read the books). Everything he does is for the greater good, and not in a deluded way. Without Jardir, the ending of the Demon Cycle would not be anywhere near as satisfying and interesting as it could be. I won’t give any spoilers though.
#4 Lestat de Lioncourt from the Vampire Chronicle by Anne Rice
“I'm Gentleman Death in silk and lace, come to put out the candles. The canker in the heart of the rose.”
Blood-thirsty vampire, killer of Queens, deceiver of Satan himself - Lestat de Lioncourt starts as a villain, then turns into an anti-hero you fall in love with as soon as you hear his side of things. While The Vampire Chronicles isn’t pure fantasy in terms of kings, queens and knights, Lestat is definitely of that dark fiction bent and must be put in the list of most interesting characters of all time. If you’ve only read the first book in the series (or have only seem the Tom Cruise movie) you really must dive into the other books. For my money things only get extra interesting once Lestat comes in as narrator.
#5 Kidd from Dhalgren by Samuel Delaney.
“Babes, I am so bored here that I don't think, since I've come, I've ever been more than three minutes away from some really astonishing act of violence.”
A sexually ambiguous poet who carries a bladed ‘orchid’ strapped to his wrist - Kidd (or Kid) has to be one of the most twisted main characters of any book you’re likely to read. Just like the Vampire Chronicles, Dhalgren crosses genre boundaries, this time from Sci-Fi into Fantasy and perhaps just straight up speculative fiction. Whatever you class the story as, and whether you position Kidd as hero, anti-hero or just plain oddball, you can’t argue with the fact he’s interesting. If you’re up for a truly bent read that will have you questioning morality, meaning and perhaps your sanity for starting down the path, check out Dhalgren, and step into Kidd’s world.
If you enjoyed this post, you might also like: 5 Dark Fantasy Books You Should Read.
Cover image for this post by L’Oweana on Tumblr , fantasy fan art extraordinaire.
December 31, 2018
Best Pop Surrealism Art Accounts On Instagram
I’m an art junky. Pop Surrealism, Dark Art, Monsters and simply skilful illustrations. For those like me, here are the best pop surrealism accounts on Instagram I’ve been able to find. There are some other dark art and generally epic others sprinkled in there too, just to branch out a little. Good art is good art.
Follow, feast your eyeballs and enjoy.
Collections - These accounts offer a great variety of artists all on one scrollWicked Eye Candy - A wonderful mix of weird, wicked and, well, wonderful
She Walks Softly - Super well curated pop surrealism and more
Beautiful Bizarre - The Instagram feed of the magazine. So good.
Pop Surreal - Just like the name suggests.
Copro Gallery - A gallery in California that has been running for 20 years. They know their stuff.
Image via Copro Gallery by Lori Nelson, @lorinlsonart on Instagram
Artists - Pop Surrealists, Dark Artists and More.
Mab Graves - Amazing pencil art, detours and, ah, dolls
Adrian Borda - Regular posts of interesting characters in unique worlds
Joshua Roman - Colourful portraits that border on insane (see Mugatu below)
Elena Masci - Italian fine artist with a beautiful mind.
Menton3 - Dark artiste extraordinaire
Image by Joshua Roman - @joshuaromanart on Instagram
Amber Carr - Little devils and BDSM nuns among others
Olivia De Berardinis - Pin ups of a most sublime nature
Luis Royo - Fantasy, erotic and apocalyptic illustrations
Virginia Rose - A collection of retro art with a saucy twist
Image by Olivia De Berardinis - @oliviapinupart on Instagram
That’s a highlight reel for you. Of course, it’s not exhaustive, so if you have any of your own favourites, hit up the comments below.
If you’d like to get a dose of my favourite artists, podcasts and more in your inbox each month. Hit subscribe on my newsletter here.
End Note: A lot of these artists live off sales of art and other merch too, so if you’re thinking of gifting art this year, do you bit to help them eat by buying into their stylings.
June 26, 2018
Highlights and Lowlights of the If Kisses Cured Cancer Book Launch
If Kisses Cured Cancer launched almost two months ago. It's been a whirlwind of book tours, interviews and canvassing for reviews.
Here's a look into some of the highlights, lowlights and unexpected findings so far...
Highlights
Signing a book at the Torquay book launch and fundraiser for Love Your Sister.
Lowlights
I spotted a typo in the book the first day it was out. Nooooooo. A few others have been pointed out since then, which I really appreciate (they've now been fixed for the next print run).After sending out 50+ advanced reviewer copies and more than that being bought, the book has only received 8 reviews on Amazon so far (just 2 in the USA!). To add your review, please head here.Unexpected Findings
What does it take to hit #5 on the best-selling charts in Oz? About 50-60 copies in one day. I thought it would have been more.I've sold more Kindle copies in the USA than Australia. Do Aussies not do eBooks? Weird.That's it so far. If you'd read the book and have some feedback, reply to this email and let me know what you think (or hit up a review).
If you're yet to get a copy, head to your local bookstore, ask your library to pick one up, or shoot over to Amazon here for yours.
