Niall Teasdale's Blog, page 21

New Thaumatology Models

I think I mentioned some new character models for the Thaumatology characters. I’ve posted them up on ArtStation and since we’re dealing with nudity and adult content and all that jazz, I’ll just provide a link here. NSFW, folks. You have been warned.

What Comes Next: Science Fiction

Over in another thread, Mark Delagasse brought up something which is worth making more of and I need to start thinking about this ahead of time, so here we go in my usual rambling style…

Aneka Jansen. The first Aneka book, The Steel Beneath The Skin, holds a place in my heart for the very simple reason that it was my first really successful novel. Seven books later, however, Aneka is getting hard to write for and her story is going to come to an end (at least as far as me being able to write for her) in the foreseeable future. I need something to take her place.

I originally thought that Fox Meridian was going to be the new Aneka, and for some people I suspect she fits the bill. However, I’m guessing she’s not for everyone. Mark, for example, likes Aneka, but would prefer a bit less ‘skin,’ so I’d have thought Fox would work, but he didn’t mention her. Fox is pretty much a near-future setting while Aneka pushes more into space opera. Fox is kind of low-key while Aneka is based around the big stuff. Lots to consider and not so much idea what people are looking for.

So, if I’m looking for a new universe to take up the torch when Aneka is sent off to a pleasant retirement, what should I be aiming at? What is it that attracted people to Aneka in the first place? Let’s see if I can structure this a little…

Subgenre. More or less ultra-tech (scientifically implausible stuff like force fields, anti-gravity, artificial gravity, FTL), bigger or smaller themes. More space opera or more hard SF?
The kick-ass heroine. I have had comments that it was nice to see a guy on the protagonist list in Vampire’s Kiss, so while I am likely to have a female lead, I am not averse to developing a strong male character too. What about Aneka and her friends did people like?
Did people like the specific setting? If so, what about it?
This has to be mentioned: sex. There’s a lot of sex in the Aneka books. I’ve been reducing it in more recent stuff (not entirely intentionally, it just works that way sometimes). Tone it down? Keep it the same? All-out porn?
The last element I can think of here is the connectivity to our world. Aneka’s story starts off with no one even knowing where Earth is. There’s no sense of connected history from us, here, now, to the world of the stories. Stuff gets filled in later, but this is an entirely new universe when we start (like Dune or Star Wars rather than Star Trek). Is that good, bad, or really not an issue? Is the ‘discovering a new universe’ a factor in the enjoyment of the books?

Okay… Well, your thoughts would be greatly appreciated. The more the merrier and I’ll try to coalesce the undoubtedly huge range of answers into something I can work with. This should be interesting… (Just like the curse.)

Happy 2017

It just turned midnight here in Manchester, UK. So, Happy New Year. May it be a good one for you all.

More Recover!

Okay, let’s get some opinions. I’ve got two options here which work with the lettering (I think) and add more light. The first has more general environment lighting, and some clouds to darken the sky. The second has a direct light on the foreground character, but has the original, dark background (which results in more contrast on the figure, but she isn’t quite as brightly lit…). Both look fairly good on my monitors. How do they look on yours? Which do you prefer?

I’ll add that I don’t have a solid preference. Both version have features I like and features I don’t.

Gunwitch: Recover

Okay, I re-rendered the cover image. You guys think this looks better?

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I Watched Frozen Yesterday

I made it a bit of a tradition to watch Frozen on Christmas night. That’s all I’m going to say about this one.

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Happy Christmas

And for this special day, a Christmas half-succubus.

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I’m doing a new Thaumatology story, so I’m working through new character models. This is the new Lily in a silly Christmas outfit. Because… Do I need a reason?

Paperback Writer

There is a new feature on the Amazon KDP system which is, apparently designed to promote their print-on-demand service. As some of you may know, I’ve played with PoD before and I came to the conclusion that, while it’s cool to have a print copy of a book I wrote, the sales aren’t really sufficient to justify the cost of formatting the document for print. It seems that Amazon are attempting to reduce the cost by using the same source file to produce the print copy, but I would need to produce appropriate artwork: the ebook cover would need to be enhanced, basically.

Now, I may try playing with this anyway, just to see what comes out of their new system, but I wanted to do a straw poll and see what people think. Is there an interest in physical copies of my books? Print tends to be more expensive, but it’s all Amazon so if you buy one from them you’d get a discount on the other format.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

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Gunwitch: Rebirth

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It’s online and available.

Smashwords.
Amazon US.
Amazon UK.
Amazon CA.
Amazon AU.
Amazon DE.

Letters to Santa

Okay, folks, this is… Hmm. Well, I was digging around in my files this evening (damn, it’s almost 11pm) and I found something which I think was supposed to be longer and never got finished. I’m fairly sure it was supposed to be longer and a lot sadder, and maybe one day it will be, but for now there’s about a page of it and I thought I’d share it. It is that time of year…

Uh, also, I updated the What I’m Up To page today. I’m working on getting the next Thaumatology book going, hence me finding this. Here we go. All spelling errors are intended. Hope you’re as amused as I was when I found it.

A Letter to Santa

By Lilith Carpenter, aged 7¾

Dear Santa,

I know I am a half-sucky-bus, but I think I should be allowed to write a letter to you, even if Miriam Wooster says I cant, but everyone says how she smells so I think I can because she smells. So I am writing you this letter so that you will no what I want fro Chissmas.

Mummy says that you only bring presents to good little girls. I am a good little girl even if I am a half-sucklybus. I help my Mummy with the dishes. I dry dishes real good and I have not broken one this month. I have not pulled Miriam Wooster’s hair for a week even if she smells and calls me a big fat demon. I am not a demon. I am a half-sucsybus.

Okay what I would like for Chissmas is a Daddy. I would like a Daddy because all the other children have one, even if they do not all live with them. I dont have a Daddy at all. Well I do but he is in demonland with the other demons and I cant even visit him or call him on the telyphone. I would like a Daddy so I can be like everone else. But most of all I would like a Daddy because my Mummy needs him to. I see her looking sad sometimes and I know having a Daddy to be with would make her happy and I want Mummy to be happy so I would like a Daddy.

And a pony.

Thank you Santa.

Love, Lilith.

~~~

By Lilith Carpenter, aged 8¾

Dear Santa,

Thank you for sending me my Daddy. He is a great Daddy and tells me the best bedtime stories.

My spelling has got a lot better in the last year. I am amazed you could read last year’s letter. I suppose you have a lot of practice reading bad writing.

I have been a really good girl this year. Daddy says I will grow up to be a good little succubus, just like Tef. Mummy says I have to stay a good little girl, otherwise I will be a right little madam. I hope I can be a good little succubus and a good little girl.

Thank you for sending my Daddy.

Please could I have the pony now.

Love, Lilith.

~~~

By Ceridwyn Brent, aged 9

Dear Santa,

Look, I realise you’re a mythical, pseudo-religious character created to Christianise a pagan myth-figure, but our teacher says we have to write a “Letter to Santa” to put up on the pin-board, so here is mine. Don’t get me wrong, I love presents just as much as the next kid, but I know you don’t come down the chimney to deliver them. For one thing, Dad told me years ago you were fictional, and even if my parents wanted to be a bit secretive about putting the presents out, I spotted them sneaking down from the attic last year.

Okay, now we have that out of the way, I guess I should give you the list. I’d like:

A My First Alchemy Set.

A thaumometer of my own. Dad has loads, but I’d like one. A proper one, not a kid’s one.

A copy of the Junior Thaumatologist’s Encyclopaedia.

Oh, and a pet dragon.

Thanks, Ceri.