Hugo Negron's Blog, page 9
November 27, 2017
Interview with Ron Shirtz (Part One)!
As mentioned prior, an awesome interview with this talented illustrator/writer! From his work as shown in the Grenadier Bulletin, the Polyhedron, and Dragon Magazine (see attached some of my favorites from Ron taken from the pages of the old Grenadier Bulletin - Croink, the Rollin' Golem!), sit back and enjoy!
HN: Hi Ron – thanks again for taking the time to be interviewed! Let’s begin with telling us a little bit more about who Ron Shirtz is. How did you get into cartooning/illustration?
RS: Drawing runs in my family. My Dad showed some talent in his doodling. My older brother drew a lot, and I was inspired by his cartoons, though not as talented. I began doing cartoons of my Boy Scout troop, Church activities, and went on to draw a monthly strip, “Original Grin” for my High school newspaper. I enjoyed making people laugh.
HN: You’ve illustrated various cartoon strips, shown in both the old Grenadier Model’s Grenadier Bulletin and TSR’s fan mag the Polyhedron, among others. Some examples include The Knight Error, Croink, and Pennsylvania Smith. In addition, you have been involved in some RPG projects and created your RPG Tiles, which were famously shown in Dragon magazine. How did you develop your ideas for these?
A little background history... I've always admired the graphic components of the many RPG and wargames I’ve bought over the years. In fact, I'm usually sold on the graphic presentation of a game rather than the game system itself. I find the visual display of painted miniatures on colorful map sheets and game boards the coolest part of the gaming experience. When I bought a copy of the Milton Bradley game HeroQuest, and later Space Crusade, in 1998, I would not play either until I had all the miniatures painted!
In September of the same year I came across Dewayne Agin's HeroQuest website. On his site was a page devoted to downloadable game tiles for HeroQuest. Seeing this page sparked the desire to try my hand at making game board tiles. My first tiles were terrible, and thankfully forever digitally deleted. In the next two and a half years, I mastered the art of making tiles and eventually contributed over 100 full color game tiles to Dewayne's site.
Dewayne was very supportive in zipping the files and making new pages for the thumbnails to be posted. Many times I sent him a second or third version of a tile to replace the previous one that I discovered had minor errors. He cheerfully uploaded it to keep my sensitive artist ego happy. In 1999, at the suggestion of a HQ fan, I decided to try to market my tiles by offering a printing service for my tiles. Encouraged by the response, I created Working Stiff Productions.
Feeling confined with the standard 8" x 10" size format, I began making custom-sized 11" x 17" tiles. My next big break came when in October of 2000, the art director of Dragon magazine, Peter Whitley, reviewed a portfolio I had sent. He contracted me to do a series of five full color tile posters for five issues in the Dragon. Four posters tiles have been published in the issues 280-283. The last poster was to my knowledge never published. Perhaps it may yet appear in some future issue of the Dragon. Working for Dragon magazine helped me set higher standards for my tiles. Peter Whitley was very kind and helpful getting my work to fir a published format.
My work drew the attention of Mark H. Walker, of Shrapnel games. He commissioned me to do a set of game maps for his groundbreaking game, Forgotten Heroes: Vietnam. The 2003 August issue of PC Gamer gave Richard Caravan and I high marks (88%) for our artwork for the game. Richard designed the superb counters, and I did five full color maps. It was a great honor to hear the National Vietnam Veteran's Art museum had inducted the game into its art collection.
HN: What program do you use?
RS:Adobe Photoshop is my program of choice. I can’t speak on the merits of other image paint programs like Corel Draw or Canvas, but Photoshop has everything a 2D digital artist could ask for. Layers, special effects filters, dozens of art tools, and color adjusting features. I also used a plug in program called Alien Skin to create extra texture effects such as bevels, glows, wood textures, glass, fire, and many others. Back in the late 1990’s Photoshop was a ravenous pig that tapped all of the computer's resources. It would take all the RAM, hard drive space, and CPU speed you can give it, and still ask for more! Not that it freezes or crashes-- it is a very stable program. But when you are working on an 11” x 17” tile at 250 DPI, it will slow to crawl when applying a filter effect or performing a simple cut and paste.
Graphic images that physically large, at such high resolution, really tax a computer. When I first designed tiles for Dewayne's site, I was obliged to set them in 72 dpi resolution for easy file downloading. I slowly increased the resolution up to 100, to 125, to presently 250 dpi. The higher dpi gives beautifully detailed images, but at the cost of humongously large file sizes. Your printed piece will not be as sharp as compared to a 250 DPI one, but still look pretty good for gaming.
HN: Hi Ron – thanks again for taking the time to be interviewed! Let’s begin with telling us a little bit more about who Ron Shirtz is. How did you get into cartooning/illustration?
RS: Drawing runs in my family. My Dad showed some talent in his doodling. My older brother drew a lot, and I was inspired by his cartoons, though not as talented. I began doing cartoons of my Boy Scout troop, Church activities, and went on to draw a monthly strip, “Original Grin” for my High school newspaper. I enjoyed making people laugh.
HN: You’ve illustrated various cartoon strips, shown in both the old Grenadier Model’s Grenadier Bulletin and TSR’s fan mag the Polyhedron, among others. Some examples include The Knight Error, Croink, and Pennsylvania Smith. In addition, you have been involved in some RPG projects and created your RPG Tiles, which were famously shown in Dragon magazine. How did you develop your ideas for these?
A little background history... I've always admired the graphic components of the many RPG and wargames I’ve bought over the years. In fact, I'm usually sold on the graphic presentation of a game rather than the game system itself. I find the visual display of painted miniatures on colorful map sheets and game boards the coolest part of the gaming experience. When I bought a copy of the Milton Bradley game HeroQuest, and later Space Crusade, in 1998, I would not play either until I had all the miniatures painted!
In September of the same year I came across Dewayne Agin's HeroQuest website. On his site was a page devoted to downloadable game tiles for HeroQuest. Seeing this page sparked the desire to try my hand at making game board tiles. My first tiles were terrible, and thankfully forever digitally deleted. In the next two and a half years, I mastered the art of making tiles and eventually contributed over 100 full color game tiles to Dewayne's site.
Dewayne was very supportive in zipping the files and making new pages for the thumbnails to be posted. Many times I sent him a second or third version of a tile to replace the previous one that I discovered had minor errors. He cheerfully uploaded it to keep my sensitive artist ego happy. In 1999, at the suggestion of a HQ fan, I decided to try to market my tiles by offering a printing service for my tiles. Encouraged by the response, I created Working Stiff Productions.
Feeling confined with the standard 8" x 10" size format, I began making custom-sized 11" x 17" tiles. My next big break came when in October of 2000, the art director of Dragon magazine, Peter Whitley, reviewed a portfolio I had sent. He contracted me to do a series of five full color tile posters for five issues in the Dragon. Four posters tiles have been published in the issues 280-283. The last poster was to my knowledge never published. Perhaps it may yet appear in some future issue of the Dragon. Working for Dragon magazine helped me set higher standards for my tiles. Peter Whitley was very kind and helpful getting my work to fir a published format.
My work drew the attention of Mark H. Walker, of Shrapnel games. He commissioned me to do a set of game maps for his groundbreaking game, Forgotten Heroes: Vietnam. The 2003 August issue of PC Gamer gave Richard Caravan and I high marks (88%) for our artwork for the game. Richard designed the superb counters, and I did five full color maps. It was a great honor to hear the National Vietnam Veteran's Art museum had inducted the game into its art collection.
HN: What program do you use?
RS:Adobe Photoshop is my program of choice. I can’t speak on the merits of other image paint programs like Corel Draw or Canvas, but Photoshop has everything a 2D digital artist could ask for. Layers, special effects filters, dozens of art tools, and color adjusting features. I also used a plug in program called Alien Skin to create extra texture effects such as bevels, glows, wood textures, glass, fire, and many others. Back in the late 1990’s Photoshop was a ravenous pig that tapped all of the computer's resources. It would take all the RAM, hard drive space, and CPU speed you can give it, and still ask for more! Not that it freezes or crashes-- it is a very stable program. But when you are working on an 11” x 17” tile at 250 DPI, it will slow to crawl when applying a filter effect or performing a simple cut and paste.
Graphic images that physically large, at such high resolution, really tax a computer. When I first designed tiles for Dewayne's site, I was obliged to set them in 72 dpi resolution for easy file downloading. I slowly increased the resolution up to 100, to 125, to presently 250 dpi. The higher dpi gives beautifully detailed images, but at the cost of humongously large file sizes. Your printed piece will not be as sharp as compared to a 250 DPI one, but still look pretty good for gaming.
November 22, 2017
Upcoming interview!
Fun stuff comin'!
An awesome interview coming your way soon - some old time miniaturist collectors/fantasy gamers might recognize this talented illustrator/writer from some of his works as shown in the Grenadier Bulletin, the Polyhedron, and Dragon Magazine...here's a tease from a page of the old Grenadier Bulletin - one of my favorites from him - Croink the Rollin' Golem...!
An awesome interview coming your way soon - some old time miniaturist collectors/fantasy gamers might recognize this talented illustrator/writer from some of his works as shown in the Grenadier Bulletin, the Polyhedron, and Dragon Magazine...here's a tease from a page of the old Grenadier Bulletin - one of my favorites from him - Croink the Rollin' Golem...!
November 10, 2017
BookHippo UK featuring Forging of a Knight
BookHippo UK - an awesome place for readers and authors alike - deals, drabbles, book awards, and more...check 'em out!
November 4, 2017
Grenadier Models Revisited
I've mentioned in the past that I was a big fan of Grenadier Models, Inc., the pioneering miniatures company that produced little lead figures for such games as AD&D, Call of Cthulhu, Ogre, Car Wars, and eventually expanded to such properties as He-Man, the Dark Crystal, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and more.
That company went belly-up in the late 90's, rather sad when you think of the impact they made to the gaming industry, and seeing some of their rivals such as Ral Partha still around.
Being a big fan, I eventually found the company's president Andrew Chernak via linkedin and was able to re-connect with someone who helped inspire my imagination back in the day.
Fast forward to Terence Gunn - a fan who self-published in 2004 The Fantastic Worlds of Grenadier, a book that detailed Grenadier's history, with interviews and photos to boot! Not exactly easy to find, Terence recently updated his book as The Extended Edition of The Fantastic Worlds of Grenadier, available as far as I can tell only through Noble Knight below:
https://www.nobleknight.com/Product/2...
I've ordered my copy, and look forward to receiving! I didn't even know Terence had updated his book except by pure accident - I found the info on this book via kickstarter, and reached out to Terence to congratulate him on it, being a mutual Grenadier fan. To my pleasant surprise he responded back, and I found out about a NEW project of his, a supplement to his book, consisting mostly of pictures/images. Well, it turned out I let him know I still have my collection of all 18 issues of Grenadier's original monthly bulletin that they used to send out to customers (I've shared some pics from that bulletin series on my Forging of a Knight facebook page) and Terence let me know he was looking for images from these old publications for his supplement! Happy to be of service, I scanned quite a few pages to him, and hopefully we'll see the end result soon! Kismet, fate, who knows? Check out his kickstarter page if you are an old time gaming fan, miniature fan, or a big time Grenadier fan, like me!
That company went belly-up in the late 90's, rather sad when you think of the impact they made to the gaming industry, and seeing some of their rivals such as Ral Partha still around.
Being a big fan, I eventually found the company's president Andrew Chernak via linkedin and was able to re-connect with someone who helped inspire my imagination back in the day.
Fast forward to Terence Gunn - a fan who self-published in 2004 The Fantastic Worlds of Grenadier, a book that detailed Grenadier's history, with interviews and photos to boot! Not exactly easy to find, Terence recently updated his book as The Extended Edition of The Fantastic Worlds of Grenadier, available as far as I can tell only through Noble Knight below:
https://www.nobleknight.com/Product/2...
I've ordered my copy, and look forward to receiving! I didn't even know Terence had updated his book except by pure accident - I found the info on this book via kickstarter, and reached out to Terence to congratulate him on it, being a mutual Grenadier fan. To my pleasant surprise he responded back, and I found out about a NEW project of his, a supplement to his book, consisting mostly of pictures/images. Well, it turned out I let him know I still have my collection of all 18 issues of Grenadier's original monthly bulletin that they used to send out to customers (I've shared some pics from that bulletin series on my Forging of a Knight facebook page) and Terence let me know he was looking for images from these old publications for his supplement! Happy to be of service, I scanned quite a few pages to him, and hopefully we'll see the end result soon! Kismet, fate, who knows? Check out his kickstarter page if you are an old time gaming fan, miniature fan, or a big time Grenadier fan, like me!
September 23, 2017
Indie Author Day!
Local libraries have really become great supporters for independent authors!
Come see me Saturday October 14th - 11am-1pm at the Schaumburg Township District Library 130 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg, IL for their indie author event!
If you haven't jumped on board the Forging of a Knight series yet, here is another chance! Come by and say hi!!
https://schaumburg.libnet.info/event/...
Come see me Saturday October 14th - 11am-1pm at the Schaumburg Township District Library 130 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg, IL for their indie author event!
If you haven't jumped on board the Forging of a Knight series yet, here is another chance! Come by and say hi!!
https://schaumburg.libnet.info/event/...
July 25, 2017
Interview with SPELLFURY director Travis Gordon!
Spellfury...
Dragons, Half-Elves, Thieves, heroism, villainy, comedy, fell creatures, and a tavern that hosts the most bizarre menagerie this side of a certain sci-fi movie…
Spellfury started in 2008. A live-action fantasy web series with drama, adventure, and definitely tongue-in-cheek humor. Official Selection Hollyweb Festival 2013 and Official Selection by Gen Con Film Festival 2013, Season One comprised 12 episodes, with Season Two currently ongoing. Searchable on YouTube, Spellfury is a comedic treat that cannot be missed. Travis Gordon is the writer/director of the series, and being a fan I had the great opportunity to interview him!
Hi Travis - thanks again for taking the time to be interviewed! Let’s begin with telling us a little bit more about who Travis Gordon is. When did you know that you wanted to be a writer/director?
TG: I’ve been making films since I was 14 but halfway through my 2 year Theater Arts Course in College I realized that I wanted to spend the rest of my life writing and directing.
How did you develop the idea for Spellfury?
TG: I love the Fantasy genre, I wanted to make a show that I would watch. Spellfury is my crazy experiment to play around with fantasy ideas that excite me.
Which characters were the most fun to develop? Which were the most challenging?
TG: The villains are fun to create, Davinica (Played by Lisa Forrester) was brought in season 2 just to make it tougher for Druinia to achieve her goals. Fan reaction was telling me that they thought Kruskull was a little too goofy, I needed to bring in a villain who was no nonsense. The characters are very easy to write, the structure of the plot for future seasons has been challenging at times.
What are your plans long-term for Spellfury? Do you have additional/different works in mind?
TG: I took a break from Spellfury for a while but now I’m back on the project. I want to see how far I can take the show, I knew I would come back to it one day. I would also like to do a SciFi project in the future.
As an author, I have the challenge of getting the word out on my books. What have you had to do to win broader exposure and branding for your works?
TG: Promoting your own work can be difficult. It’s a job in itself, I find you really have to toot your own horn and never give up. Although it’s entertainment you’re still building a business so you have to treat it like that.
As an author, it’s sometimes difficult to finally say a product is finished, no matter how many times you review or edit. Is there anything you would go back and change in your concepts for Spellfury? Where there ideas you had in mind and then decided NOT to include?
TG: I was in a rush to create season one of Spellfury, I had a contract with Koldcast.tv (They’re not around anymore) to deliver an episode every month, it would have been nice to take more time with the episodes back then. Because it’s a web series I have more freedom story wise to try things out and see if they stick. The fans let me know if something is working or not. Ultimately it’s my decision if something stays or goes though.
I have a 5 year old son, and structuring time around him can be challenging! I’ve lost count of the times he nearly pressed the delete button on something I was working on…how do you find time to balance your many writing/directing projects?
TG: Great question, balance between family and work can be tough, I think everyone struggles with that.
Do you have a certain method you use when you write – i.e., a certain room, music, mood, etc., to help get you in the right writing frame of mind?
TG: Spellfury is the easiest project to write that I’ve ever worked on. Working on all the green screen shots and compositing is the toughest stage for me. I just have to drink a lot of coffee and work my butt off to get through it.
What are you working on right now?
TG: I always have a few projects on the go. I just wrapped a TV Pilot called Detective Bros. that we’re shopping around to networks here in Canada. I also have a documentary and 2 shorts in the pipeline. Although the next episode of Spellfury is what I’m working on right now, it’s already been shot.
Where can readers go to find out more about Travis Gordon and Spellfury?
TG: We have info about the show and all the episodes at www.spellfury.com
Thanks Travis, for sharing some of your time!
TG: Thanks Hugo, I really appreciate it!
Dragons, Half-Elves, Thieves, heroism, villainy, comedy, fell creatures, and a tavern that hosts the most bizarre menagerie this side of a certain sci-fi movie…
Spellfury started in 2008. A live-action fantasy web series with drama, adventure, and definitely tongue-in-cheek humor. Official Selection Hollyweb Festival 2013 and Official Selection by Gen Con Film Festival 2013, Season One comprised 12 episodes, with Season Two currently ongoing. Searchable on YouTube, Spellfury is a comedic treat that cannot be missed. Travis Gordon is the writer/director of the series, and being a fan I had the great opportunity to interview him!
Hi Travis - thanks again for taking the time to be interviewed! Let’s begin with telling us a little bit more about who Travis Gordon is. When did you know that you wanted to be a writer/director?
TG: I’ve been making films since I was 14 but halfway through my 2 year Theater Arts Course in College I realized that I wanted to spend the rest of my life writing and directing.
How did you develop the idea for Spellfury?
TG: I love the Fantasy genre, I wanted to make a show that I would watch. Spellfury is my crazy experiment to play around with fantasy ideas that excite me.
Which characters were the most fun to develop? Which were the most challenging?
TG: The villains are fun to create, Davinica (Played by Lisa Forrester) was brought in season 2 just to make it tougher for Druinia to achieve her goals. Fan reaction was telling me that they thought Kruskull was a little too goofy, I needed to bring in a villain who was no nonsense. The characters are very easy to write, the structure of the plot for future seasons has been challenging at times.
What are your plans long-term for Spellfury? Do you have additional/different works in mind?
TG: I took a break from Spellfury for a while but now I’m back on the project. I want to see how far I can take the show, I knew I would come back to it one day. I would also like to do a SciFi project in the future.
As an author, I have the challenge of getting the word out on my books. What have you had to do to win broader exposure and branding for your works?
TG: Promoting your own work can be difficult. It’s a job in itself, I find you really have to toot your own horn and never give up. Although it’s entertainment you’re still building a business so you have to treat it like that.
As an author, it’s sometimes difficult to finally say a product is finished, no matter how many times you review or edit. Is there anything you would go back and change in your concepts for Spellfury? Where there ideas you had in mind and then decided NOT to include?
TG: I was in a rush to create season one of Spellfury, I had a contract with Koldcast.tv (They’re not around anymore) to deliver an episode every month, it would have been nice to take more time with the episodes back then. Because it’s a web series I have more freedom story wise to try things out and see if they stick. The fans let me know if something is working or not. Ultimately it’s my decision if something stays or goes though.
I have a 5 year old son, and structuring time around him can be challenging! I’ve lost count of the times he nearly pressed the delete button on something I was working on…how do you find time to balance your many writing/directing projects?
TG: Great question, balance between family and work can be tough, I think everyone struggles with that.
Do you have a certain method you use when you write – i.e., a certain room, music, mood, etc., to help get you in the right writing frame of mind?
TG: Spellfury is the easiest project to write that I’ve ever worked on. Working on all the green screen shots and compositing is the toughest stage for me. I just have to drink a lot of coffee and work my butt off to get through it.
What are you working on right now?
TG: I always have a few projects on the go. I just wrapped a TV Pilot called Detective Bros. that we’re shopping around to networks here in Canada. I also have a documentary and 2 shorts in the pipeline. Although the next episode of Spellfury is what I’m working on right now, it’s already been shot.
Where can readers go to find out more about Travis Gordon and Spellfury?
TG: We have info about the show and all the episodes at www.spellfury.com
Thanks Travis, for sharing some of your time!
TG: Thanks Hugo, I really appreciate it!
July 24, 2017
SPELLFURY IS BACK!!
It's been awhile since the last episode, but this fun fantasy/comedy/muppet show is as zany and entertaining as ever! A double plus will be an upcoming interview I had with the writer/director of Spellfury, Travis Gordon himself!
"The fantasy webseries Spellfury is back! We find out what happens to Druinia and her magic sword as she has the final showdown with the giant spider. The fantasy show Spellfury is the story of an elf wh's father is murdered, she seeks information on who did it. She happens upon a magic sword and she finds some friends who join up with her. The series is a Fantasy/Comedy/Adventure with some muppets thrown in. The series is written and directed by Travis Gordon and stars Julie O'Halloran."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jChIg...
"The fantasy webseries Spellfury is back! We find out what happens to Druinia and her magic sword as she has the final showdown with the giant spider. The fantasy show Spellfury is the story of an elf wh's father is murdered, she seeks information on who did it. She happens upon a magic sword and she finds some friends who join up with her. The series is a Fantasy/Comedy/Adventure with some muppets thrown in. The series is written and directed by Travis Gordon and stars Julie O'Halloran."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jChIg...
July 17, 2017
Barnes & Noble Book sign!
SAVE THE DATE!!
August 26th!! 1-3pm!! Barnes & Noble!!
Awesome event - Barnes & Noble at the Spring Hill Mall has generously offered me a chance to sign books at their store on Sat August 26th from 1-3pm! This is a great opportunity and one I'm definitely excited for!
1468 Spring Hill Mall Boulevard
West Dundee, IL 60118
Please come in to a great store with amazing books...and of course, stop by my table to say hi and get a Forging of a Knight signed book! More details will follow!
http://stores.barnesandnoble.com/stor...
August 26th!! 1-3pm!! Barnes & Noble!!
Awesome event - Barnes & Noble at the Spring Hill Mall has generously offered me a chance to sign books at their store on Sat August 26th from 1-3pm! This is a great opportunity and one I'm definitely excited for!
1468 Spring Hill Mall Boulevard
West Dundee, IL 60118
Please come in to a great store with amazing books...and of course, stop by my table to say hi and get a Forging of a Knight signed book! More details will follow!
http://stores.barnesandnoble.com/stor...
June 19, 2017
Interview with J. Wolf Scott!
Yet another amazing author that I had the privilege to booth alongside at Gen Con - J. Wolf Scott. The Children of Auberon series, First Wish, and a favorite of my son's, The Dread Welsh Dragon. in describing her walks through Oakhurst Gardens, Julie's author page states, "My mission is to share that magic with the world....", and she is definitely doing that!
When did you know that you wanted to be a writer?
J.W.S.: I came to the game later than most. I worked for a church as a Christian Education Director and began almost immediately to write for our church’s newsletter under “other duties as assigned.” It wasn’t until I started to hear back from church members how my words had impacted them that I embraced the task and began to thoroughly enjoy the craft.
How did you develop the idea for The Children of Auberon?
J.W.S.: The Guardian of Oakhurst began as a short little faerie tale based on a local legend about a little girl who lived in our area a hundred years ago and believed that there were faeries living in her back yard. I picked it up and ran with it, never for a moment imagining that the fae folk would respond in kind. They quickly took the driver’s seat, dictating the tale to me, resulting in the first five novels of The Children of Auberon Series over the course of two and a half years.
Which characters were the most fun to develop? Which were the most challenging?
J.W.S.: I have thoroughly enjoyed how Arn has grown throughout the series. He is the brother I’d always wished for, and interacts with the heroine as thus (for the most part). Probably the most fun I’ve had with him is when he flirts with another character the only way he knows how – in combat. He’s a wise-acre and has a sharp tongue sometimes, but always speaks the truth no matter how brutal it may be.
The most challenging were definitely Arak and Drea because of their relationship. I knew where it had to go, and I knew what had to transpire, but I dreaded it like the plague. I’ll take choreographing a sword fight to writing romance any day. Like Arn, I am not always good at that part and I struggled with The Sodality immensely because of it. The fact that I try to write for all ages and not delve into the “Fifty Shades of Fae” arena caused me to struggle for months. I was a week and a half from publishing Sodality and truly hated that book. But once I got that portion figured out, it turned, becoming my favorite book in the series.
What is your plan long-term for the series? How many more stories do you have in mind?
J.W.S.: If there is one thing I’ve learned it is to never decide to call an epic complete when it is not. I have been working for nearly two years on Queen of the Flame, the seventh book of the series, and as I wrestled with this one I was almost certain it would be the last. “Not yet!” say the fae folk, so who am I to argue with them? In just the last week I’ve had two new stories present themselves and I am humble enough to know that these tales come from a higher power than me, and I would be foolish not to pursue them down whatever road they might lead.
You have written other books, such as The Dread Welsh Dragon – do you have additional/different works in mind?
J.W.S.: My daughter and I collaborated on The Dread Welsh Dragon and had a blast! However, she keeps busy with a full-time job and freelance work so another illustrated book might be further down the road. That does not mean that there are not a lot of other things on the list!
I have a book that will likely be my next that is a total departure from the fantasy genre. It’s been running around in the back of my head for about a year and a half and I feel that I need to get it finished before diving back into the fae realm. However, it deals completely with humans, and that can be even more of a challenge than working with magic and mystical beings! And by finally allowing myself to make it an even shorter book than most of my previous works if that is what it is to be has been quite freeing. The story will be what it will be.
As for the series, there are two books starting to bubble along the back of my brain. So I’ve gone back to schlepping my favorite notebooks with me should inspiration strike. What will be difficult is when the voices for these projects become more insistent for my attention than the piece I’m working on. Fae folk are not the most patient of beings, and can be most demanding of my time when they choose to be. Never a dull moment in the realm of writing!
As a self-published author, I share the challenge of getting the word out on my works. What have you had to do to win broader exposure and branding for your books?
J.W.S.: My first year of Gen Con (2014) was the biggest boost for my work. I’d always done well at small, local events, but figured that was due to the fact that the tale had roots in our city. Gen Con literally brought the world to my doorstep – I’ve sold books to people who live in Russia, Canada, Germany, Australia, Kuwait, and Ireland as well as numerous states within the US. While marketing tactics are hit and miss for most of us, I believe that the best way is word of mouth. There is no greater endorsement for an author’s work than one friend recommending a book to another. Our readers have invited us into their lives so that we might share our tale with them. Their recommendation to another is truly a high compliment to our work.
This question will start off sounding like an old joke – a person walks into a bar (or convention or bookstore) and bumps into Julie Wolf Scott – what would be your elevator pitch to showcase your work?
J.W.S.: I’d probably have to say, Think of it as throwing the works of Tolkien, Lewis, and Roddenberry into a blender then anchoring the resulting tale (but by no means limiting it to) modern-day middle-America.
As an author, it’s sometimes difficult to finally say a product is finished, no matter how many times you review or edit. Is there anything you would go back and change in your stories? Where there ideas you had in mind and then decided NOT to include?
J.W.S.: Actually, it’s just the opposite. In past works I’ve written sections – well thought out sections that I have no idea where they’ve come from or why I’ve written them – that just don’t fit in the story. So I’ve had to set them aside. The uncanny part of it is that later on, those same pieces fit perfectly into the gaps in the next book.
There are a few inconsistencies that while I could go back and revise them, I am content with the work as it stands for the simple fact that for as OCD as I am, they don’t bother me. No one has complained thus far so I’ll let sleeping dogs lie for the time being. However, that is probably the best part of self-publishing – I can go back and make changes and have the book republished within a matter of days.
I have a soon to be five year old son (actually he's five now at the time of this posting), and structuring time around him can be challenging! I’ve lost count of the times he nearly pressed the delete button on something I was working on…how do you find time to write your stories?
J.W.S.: It’s crazy but when I was working 40 hours a week in a retail setting I was also blogging every day in addition to writing from 4-6 am and raising two children with my husband. I have since switched jobs and work from home, and my children are grown, so you’d think it would be easier. The fact of the matter is that the job I’ve been in the past two years takes a lot of creative collateral, to the point where it has been difficult to find the energy to write. And while it’s been tough to reconcile on a personal level I feel that I am coming out of the woods on that one and getting back into that groove. It is definitely encouraging, and most refreshing.
Do you have a certain method you use when you write – i.e., a certain room, music, mood, etc., to help get you in the right writing frame of mind?
J.W.S.: Because I work at home I have set up a corner of my office that is still within reach of the workstation. That way when I have a short break I can do jots, editing, or formatting. I am conditioning myself to allow for breaks in the day where I tag out and write. Most days I listen to either jazz, classical, or movie soundtracks. My favorites are The Definitive Vince Guaraldi, the works of Beethoven, and the entire collection of soundtracks from Jackson’s Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.
What are you reading right now?
J.W.S.: I got an advance copy of Recreant by Jay Erickson and have really enjoyed it. I am a lousy reader for several reasons, the first of which being that I have the attention span of a gnat. If I am not reeled in quickly, it is a lost cause. The primary reason I don’t read while I’m writing is that it sometimes takes me a long time to get my head back into my own work. I read Catching Fire and it took me two weeks before I could write again. Fortunately I had a week’s break between finishing Queen of the Flame and getting my first round of proofs to begin the editing process, so the timing is good.
What’s your next upcoming project?
J.W.S.: Once I get Queen of the Flame buttoned up it looks like it’ll be time to concentrate on prepping for a couple of speaking engagements. I would love to delve into converting my books into audio books and look into other marketing options. With any luck I can juggle all this and get back to writing!
Where can readers go to find out more about Julie Wolf Scott?
J.W.S.: www.jwolfscott.com or I can be found on Facebook as well under J. Wolf Scott.
Thanks Julie, for sharing some of your time!
J.W.S.: Thank you, Hugo! See you at Gen Con 50!
When did you know that you wanted to be a writer?
J.W.S.: I came to the game later than most. I worked for a church as a Christian Education Director and began almost immediately to write for our church’s newsletter under “other duties as assigned.” It wasn’t until I started to hear back from church members how my words had impacted them that I embraced the task and began to thoroughly enjoy the craft.
How did you develop the idea for The Children of Auberon?
J.W.S.: The Guardian of Oakhurst began as a short little faerie tale based on a local legend about a little girl who lived in our area a hundred years ago and believed that there were faeries living in her back yard. I picked it up and ran with it, never for a moment imagining that the fae folk would respond in kind. They quickly took the driver’s seat, dictating the tale to me, resulting in the first five novels of The Children of Auberon Series over the course of two and a half years.
Which characters were the most fun to develop? Which were the most challenging?
J.W.S.: I have thoroughly enjoyed how Arn has grown throughout the series. He is the brother I’d always wished for, and interacts with the heroine as thus (for the most part). Probably the most fun I’ve had with him is when he flirts with another character the only way he knows how – in combat. He’s a wise-acre and has a sharp tongue sometimes, but always speaks the truth no matter how brutal it may be.
The most challenging were definitely Arak and Drea because of their relationship. I knew where it had to go, and I knew what had to transpire, but I dreaded it like the plague. I’ll take choreographing a sword fight to writing romance any day. Like Arn, I am not always good at that part and I struggled with The Sodality immensely because of it. The fact that I try to write for all ages and not delve into the “Fifty Shades of Fae” arena caused me to struggle for months. I was a week and a half from publishing Sodality and truly hated that book. But once I got that portion figured out, it turned, becoming my favorite book in the series.
What is your plan long-term for the series? How many more stories do you have in mind?
J.W.S.: If there is one thing I’ve learned it is to never decide to call an epic complete when it is not. I have been working for nearly two years on Queen of the Flame, the seventh book of the series, and as I wrestled with this one I was almost certain it would be the last. “Not yet!” say the fae folk, so who am I to argue with them? In just the last week I’ve had two new stories present themselves and I am humble enough to know that these tales come from a higher power than me, and I would be foolish not to pursue them down whatever road they might lead.
You have written other books, such as The Dread Welsh Dragon – do you have additional/different works in mind?
J.W.S.: My daughter and I collaborated on The Dread Welsh Dragon and had a blast! However, she keeps busy with a full-time job and freelance work so another illustrated book might be further down the road. That does not mean that there are not a lot of other things on the list!
I have a book that will likely be my next that is a total departure from the fantasy genre. It’s been running around in the back of my head for about a year and a half and I feel that I need to get it finished before diving back into the fae realm. However, it deals completely with humans, and that can be even more of a challenge than working with magic and mystical beings! And by finally allowing myself to make it an even shorter book than most of my previous works if that is what it is to be has been quite freeing. The story will be what it will be.
As for the series, there are two books starting to bubble along the back of my brain. So I’ve gone back to schlepping my favorite notebooks with me should inspiration strike. What will be difficult is when the voices for these projects become more insistent for my attention than the piece I’m working on. Fae folk are not the most patient of beings, and can be most demanding of my time when they choose to be. Never a dull moment in the realm of writing!
As a self-published author, I share the challenge of getting the word out on my works. What have you had to do to win broader exposure and branding for your books?
J.W.S.: My first year of Gen Con (2014) was the biggest boost for my work. I’d always done well at small, local events, but figured that was due to the fact that the tale had roots in our city. Gen Con literally brought the world to my doorstep – I’ve sold books to people who live in Russia, Canada, Germany, Australia, Kuwait, and Ireland as well as numerous states within the US. While marketing tactics are hit and miss for most of us, I believe that the best way is word of mouth. There is no greater endorsement for an author’s work than one friend recommending a book to another. Our readers have invited us into their lives so that we might share our tale with them. Their recommendation to another is truly a high compliment to our work.
This question will start off sounding like an old joke – a person walks into a bar (or convention or bookstore) and bumps into Julie Wolf Scott – what would be your elevator pitch to showcase your work?
J.W.S.: I’d probably have to say, Think of it as throwing the works of Tolkien, Lewis, and Roddenberry into a blender then anchoring the resulting tale (but by no means limiting it to) modern-day middle-America.
As an author, it’s sometimes difficult to finally say a product is finished, no matter how many times you review or edit. Is there anything you would go back and change in your stories? Where there ideas you had in mind and then decided NOT to include?
J.W.S.: Actually, it’s just the opposite. In past works I’ve written sections – well thought out sections that I have no idea where they’ve come from or why I’ve written them – that just don’t fit in the story. So I’ve had to set them aside. The uncanny part of it is that later on, those same pieces fit perfectly into the gaps in the next book.
There are a few inconsistencies that while I could go back and revise them, I am content with the work as it stands for the simple fact that for as OCD as I am, they don’t bother me. No one has complained thus far so I’ll let sleeping dogs lie for the time being. However, that is probably the best part of self-publishing – I can go back and make changes and have the book republished within a matter of days.
I have a soon to be five year old son (actually he's five now at the time of this posting), and structuring time around him can be challenging! I’ve lost count of the times he nearly pressed the delete button on something I was working on…how do you find time to write your stories?
J.W.S.: It’s crazy but when I was working 40 hours a week in a retail setting I was also blogging every day in addition to writing from 4-6 am and raising two children with my husband. I have since switched jobs and work from home, and my children are grown, so you’d think it would be easier. The fact of the matter is that the job I’ve been in the past two years takes a lot of creative collateral, to the point where it has been difficult to find the energy to write. And while it’s been tough to reconcile on a personal level I feel that I am coming out of the woods on that one and getting back into that groove. It is definitely encouraging, and most refreshing.
Do you have a certain method you use when you write – i.e., a certain room, music, mood, etc., to help get you in the right writing frame of mind?
J.W.S.: Because I work at home I have set up a corner of my office that is still within reach of the workstation. That way when I have a short break I can do jots, editing, or formatting. I am conditioning myself to allow for breaks in the day where I tag out and write. Most days I listen to either jazz, classical, or movie soundtracks. My favorites are The Definitive Vince Guaraldi, the works of Beethoven, and the entire collection of soundtracks from Jackson’s Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.
What are you reading right now?
J.W.S.: I got an advance copy of Recreant by Jay Erickson and have really enjoyed it. I am a lousy reader for several reasons, the first of which being that I have the attention span of a gnat. If I am not reeled in quickly, it is a lost cause. The primary reason I don’t read while I’m writing is that it sometimes takes me a long time to get my head back into my own work. I read Catching Fire and it took me two weeks before I could write again. Fortunately I had a week’s break between finishing Queen of the Flame and getting my first round of proofs to begin the editing process, so the timing is good.
What’s your next upcoming project?
J.W.S.: Once I get Queen of the Flame buttoned up it looks like it’ll be time to concentrate on prepping for a couple of speaking engagements. I would love to delve into converting my books into audio books and look into other marketing options. With any luck I can juggle all this and get back to writing!
Where can readers go to find out more about Julie Wolf Scott?
J.W.S.: www.jwolfscott.com or I can be found on Facebook as well under J. Wolf Scott.
Thanks Julie, for sharing some of your time!
J.W.S.: Thank you, Hugo! See you at Gen Con 50!
May 25, 2017
Interview with author Steven Helsel!
Steven Helsel, author of the Black Opal, is going to be a new author appearing at this year’s Gen Con in downtown Indy. His lair will be amongst those of the other scribes of fantasy and fiction (including myself) that will be lurking within the Author’s Avenue, and I was lucky enough to connect with him for a quick interview.
Here is an excerpt of what awaits within his novel…
“A tale of deep shadows and flickering light await within Black Opal, with struggles between good and evil, man and monster, sword and spell, decadence and poverty by brave warriors, faithful knights, noble ladies, wizards that command splendid magic, and rogues that live by their wits. Black Opal is a journey of hatred and vice, redemption and honor, and a vision of blood and snow.”
Hi Steven - thanks again for taking the time to be interviewed! Let’s begin with telling us a little bit more about who Steven Helsel is.
Steven: I am 38 years old and have 8 kids at home and another on the way. Yes, they are all mine. I have been married for 14 years. I grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago and have been in Indiana for 12 years.
When did you know that you wanted to be a writer?
Steven: I always knew I loved to write but did not know I wanted to be a writer until I was about 25. I was always good with my words but more so with the written word.
How did you develop the idea for Black Opal?
Steven: I have been running role playing games for 25 years. Running those games is very much an exercise in storytelling. The essence of the geography and many of the characters are derived from these games. They are all composites of varies creations of mine over the course of time.
Which characters were the most fun to develop? Which were the most challenging?
Steven: The rogue trio was the most fun. I grew up poor in an urban environment so their sarcasm and emotion came naturally to me. Everybody loves Jynx. The most challenging was Treant since he is teetering on the line between good and evil throughout the book and I do not want it to be obvious how he ends up. Is it just bad luck and timing with him or is their great darkness within?
What are your plans long-term for your writing? Do you have additional/different works in mind?
Steven: I am writing a follow-up to Black Opal since I left some things wide open. I would like to focus more on other characters as well. I am also writing a novel publicly on my blog that is a compliment to Black Opal with totally different characters. I am writing a world guide and last, but not least, I am writing a contemporary comedy that is hilarious.
As a fellow author, I share the challenge of getting the word out on my works. What have you had to do to win broader exposure and branding for your books?
Steven: Ouch. I feel your pain. I have done the obvious with social media. I am developing email lists. I have set up a series of events, the biggest of which is Gen Con 50. I look forward to seeing you there. I have a website and have spent much time on it. It is a whole new world and I am still learning the ropes. I think many people focus too much on author pages in fb. While I am grateful, even humbled by the support of family and friends it is my goal to market my book to fantasy diehards. That is why I am looking at a long game, to bring people into my world.
This question will start off sounding like an old joke – a person walks into a bar (or convention or bookstore) and bumps into Steven Helsel – what would be your elevator pitch to showcase your work?
Steven: So, I am probably the only person that does not have one. For agents and publishers, I can put something together but I am writing to people that I already share a bond with over the fantasy genre. I love talking about it. No pitch necessary, I just have the kind of conversation I have had a million times and at some point mention my work.
As an author, it’s sometimes difficult to finally say a product is finished, no matter how many times you review or edit. Is there anything you would go back and change in your stories? Where there ideas you had in mind and then decided NOT to include?
Steven: LOL. No, it is finished. I knew it was finished when my wife threatened me if I revised it one more time. There are some things that didn’t make the cut for me. I would have liked it to be longer but I was already pushing the industry standard on word counts for new authors. But it worked out well. I had a clear goal for the end of the first book.
I have a 5 year old son, and structuring time around him can be challenging! I’ve lost count of the times he nearly pressed the delete button on something I was working on…how do you find time to write your stories?
Steven: See question one, lol. I have so many children that it is a miracle. I have been interrupted too many times to count. I do most of my writing in my head, usually before I go to sleep. It is very malleable. When I have it, I pour it out on my laptop. I have deleted many things and lost entire chapters before.
Do you have a certain method you use when you write – i.e., a certain room, music, mood, etc., to help get you in the right writing frame of mind?
Steven: To block out noise I will listen to head phones and play instrumental music on you tube. I prefer to write at the desk in my room. As far as mood goes it is usually the writing that steers my mood. If I write something sad, it makes me sad. If I write about malice it makes me angry. It is a rollercoaster.
What are you reading right now?
Steven: I have a huge reading list and just finished my associates degree at Ivy Tech so I am taking a break from reading to concentrate on my writing and marketing. I will be reading again soon however.
Where can readers go to find out more about Steven Helsel?
Steven: My website at www.blackopalhiddencity.com I have links to my blog and my authors central page. Also, Goodreads is a great place. People can always contact me directly. I love feedback and suggestions. I look forward to my blog novel receiving inspiration from the readers.
Thanks Steven, for sharing some of your time!
Steven: No, thank you Hugo. It was fun, good luck to you sir.
Here is an excerpt of what awaits within his novel…
“A tale of deep shadows and flickering light await within Black Opal, with struggles between good and evil, man and monster, sword and spell, decadence and poverty by brave warriors, faithful knights, noble ladies, wizards that command splendid magic, and rogues that live by their wits. Black Opal is a journey of hatred and vice, redemption and honor, and a vision of blood and snow.”
Hi Steven - thanks again for taking the time to be interviewed! Let’s begin with telling us a little bit more about who Steven Helsel is.
Steven: I am 38 years old and have 8 kids at home and another on the way. Yes, they are all mine. I have been married for 14 years. I grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago and have been in Indiana for 12 years.
When did you know that you wanted to be a writer?
Steven: I always knew I loved to write but did not know I wanted to be a writer until I was about 25. I was always good with my words but more so with the written word.
How did you develop the idea for Black Opal?
Steven: I have been running role playing games for 25 years. Running those games is very much an exercise in storytelling. The essence of the geography and many of the characters are derived from these games. They are all composites of varies creations of mine over the course of time.
Which characters were the most fun to develop? Which were the most challenging?
Steven: The rogue trio was the most fun. I grew up poor in an urban environment so their sarcasm and emotion came naturally to me. Everybody loves Jynx. The most challenging was Treant since he is teetering on the line between good and evil throughout the book and I do not want it to be obvious how he ends up. Is it just bad luck and timing with him or is their great darkness within?
What are your plans long-term for your writing? Do you have additional/different works in mind?
Steven: I am writing a follow-up to Black Opal since I left some things wide open. I would like to focus more on other characters as well. I am also writing a novel publicly on my blog that is a compliment to Black Opal with totally different characters. I am writing a world guide and last, but not least, I am writing a contemporary comedy that is hilarious.
As a fellow author, I share the challenge of getting the word out on my works. What have you had to do to win broader exposure and branding for your books?
Steven: Ouch. I feel your pain. I have done the obvious with social media. I am developing email lists. I have set up a series of events, the biggest of which is Gen Con 50. I look forward to seeing you there. I have a website and have spent much time on it. It is a whole new world and I am still learning the ropes. I think many people focus too much on author pages in fb. While I am grateful, even humbled by the support of family and friends it is my goal to market my book to fantasy diehards. That is why I am looking at a long game, to bring people into my world.
This question will start off sounding like an old joke – a person walks into a bar (or convention or bookstore) and bumps into Steven Helsel – what would be your elevator pitch to showcase your work?
Steven: So, I am probably the only person that does not have one. For agents and publishers, I can put something together but I am writing to people that I already share a bond with over the fantasy genre. I love talking about it. No pitch necessary, I just have the kind of conversation I have had a million times and at some point mention my work.
As an author, it’s sometimes difficult to finally say a product is finished, no matter how many times you review or edit. Is there anything you would go back and change in your stories? Where there ideas you had in mind and then decided NOT to include?
Steven: LOL. No, it is finished. I knew it was finished when my wife threatened me if I revised it one more time. There are some things that didn’t make the cut for me. I would have liked it to be longer but I was already pushing the industry standard on word counts for new authors. But it worked out well. I had a clear goal for the end of the first book.
I have a 5 year old son, and structuring time around him can be challenging! I’ve lost count of the times he nearly pressed the delete button on something I was working on…how do you find time to write your stories?
Steven: See question one, lol. I have so many children that it is a miracle. I have been interrupted too many times to count. I do most of my writing in my head, usually before I go to sleep. It is very malleable. When I have it, I pour it out on my laptop. I have deleted many things and lost entire chapters before.
Do you have a certain method you use when you write – i.e., a certain room, music, mood, etc., to help get you in the right writing frame of mind?
Steven: To block out noise I will listen to head phones and play instrumental music on you tube. I prefer to write at the desk in my room. As far as mood goes it is usually the writing that steers my mood. If I write something sad, it makes me sad. If I write about malice it makes me angry. It is a rollercoaster.
What are you reading right now?
Steven: I have a huge reading list and just finished my associates degree at Ivy Tech so I am taking a break from reading to concentrate on my writing and marketing. I will be reading again soon however.
Where can readers go to find out more about Steven Helsel?
Steven: My website at www.blackopalhiddencity.com I have links to my blog and my authors central page. Also, Goodreads is a great place. People can always contact me directly. I love feedback and suggestions. I look forward to my blog novel receiving inspiration from the readers.
Thanks Steven, for sharing some of your time!
Steven: No, thank you Hugo. It was fun, good luck to you sir.
