Nick Davis's Blog, page 101

Sneak Peak at A Teddy Bear Tale art & words from Page Seven

With a hop, skip, and a jump Tristan landed on his shelf and reached behind the books pulling out a small wooden sword painted silver, a ragged red tabard with the letter T on it and a Frisbee shaped shield. His boy had made those in a long-forgotten game of Knights of the Round Table, dubbing the Teddy Bear Sir Tristan the Brave. Indeed this night was showing how true those words were…

Production work continues and thanks to Dan we might even finish ahead of schedule, thank you all again for your support and please spread the word about the website - http://theteddybeartales.com

Sigmartyr Vol.3 of the Epic Stikfas Action Web Comic – INCOMING!!!

Volume Three of Sigmartyr the Stikfas Action Web Comic continues. Click here to view this epic story, Alpha Team is escaping but Kommandant Castle has other plans as he races to activate his Mechaframe…

Pre-Order A Teddy Bear Tale an Illustrated Children's Book for Christmas

[image error]A Teddy Bear Tale – Unconditional

An Illustrated Children Book by Nick Davis

Illustrated by Dan Nokes

Release Date – December 10, 2011 

Did you know Teddy Bears perform a secret duty a task that is the most important and most sacred one in the whole world. When a child sleeps at night their Teddy Bear vigilantly watches over them to protect them from the Monsters under the bed…

In this room you will find a small wooden shelf at the head of the bed, and on this shelf is a set of books, an alarm clock, and sometimes a small collection of loose change. This is where the most faithful of friends sits day after day, night after night, unmoving though a little dusty and threadbare. He wears a red stocking cap and has amber eyes yet he never blinks, and a smiley mouth yet he never talks. His honey fur once fluffy and soft is worn with age; if you look closely enough, you can see a little white stuffing poking out the side of his portly belly. It never stopped him from giving unconditional hugs and he never once wavered in his love for his boy. The loyal companion was paired at birth and he traveled far and wide, seeing much by his boy's side, often being dragged by one limb or by ear. He was the attentive playmate that never had a falling out, the confidant that never told a secret and was always there to help wipe away any tears. Those days had long since stretched into weeks, into months and then into years. The loyal companion's boy grew up and slowly played less and less with him until he was abandoned on the shelf at the head of bed only occasionally remembered or addressed by name. Even though the hugs have stopped and he is reduced to being no more than a book stop, he patiently keeps watch. 

The loyal companions is Tristan, or 'Trist' as his boy used to call him and he is a Teddy Bear. He is no different to any other Teddy Bear you would see in the store, or in the arms of their child, or like Tristan left abandoned on a shelf somewhere; they all keep an unconditional vigil over their child to protect them from the Monsters under the bed.

Unconditional is the tale of Tristan the Teddy Bear and his last night of guarding his Boy from the Monsters under the Bed. On this final night the Bogeyman choose to attack and Tristan must defend his Boy from the Kobolds, the Goblins, No Names and No Noses, the Slobbering Slobs, the Knockers, Blighters and Silly Buggers, Blue Skins with bald heads, a Dust Dragon with razor sharp teeth and finally against the Bogeyman himself.

This is an illustrated children's book written by Nick Davis with a nod towards the wonderfully dark gleeful style of Roald Dahl and is illustrated by Dan Nokes, a popular Maryland indie artist. The book is 40 pages long with 16 double page color ink illustrations detailing Tristan's last night as his Boy's Teddy Bear.

You can pre-order Unconditional – A Teddy Bear Tale by Nick Davis in traditional print form signed by the Author and Artist for $9.99 each. The book will be shipping early December (approx December 10, 2011)

Pre-Order A Teddy Bear Tale – Unconditional Illustrated Children's Book for Christmas

[image error]A Teddy Bear Tale – Unconditional

An Illustrated Children Book by Nick Davis

Illustrated by Dan Nokes

Release Date – December 10, 2011 

Did you know Teddy Bears perform a secret duty a task that is the most important and most sacred one in the whole world. When a child sleeps at night their Teddy Bear vigilantly watches over them to protect them from the Monsters under the bed…

In this room you will find a small wooden shelf at the head of the bed, and on this shelf is a set of books, an alarm clock, and sometimes a small collection of loose change. This is where the most faithful of friends sits day after day, night after night, unmoving though a little dusty and threadbare. He wears a red stocking cap and has amber eyes yet he never blinks, and a smiley mouth yet he never talks. His honey fur once fluffy and soft is worn with age; if you look closely enough, you can see a little white stuffing poking out the side of his portly belly. It never stopped him from giving unconditional hugs and he never once wavered in his love for his boy. The loyal companion was paired at birth and he traveled far and wide, seeing much by his boy's side, often being dragged by one limb or by ear. He was the attentive playmate that never had a falling out, the confidant that never told a secret and was always there to help wipe away any tears. Those days had long since stretched into weeks, into months and then into years. The loyal companion's boy grew up and slowly played less and less with him until he was abandoned on the shelf at the head of bed only occasionally remembered or addressed by name. Even though the hugs have stopped and he is reduced to being no more than a book stop, he patiently keeps watch. 

The loyal companions is Tristan, or 'Trist' as his boy used to call him and he is a Teddy Bear. He is no different to any other Teddy Bear you would see in the store, or in the arms of their child, or like Tristan left abandoned on a shelf somewhere; they all keep an unconditional vigil over their child to protect them from the Monsters under the bed.

Unconditional is the tale of Tristan the Teddy Bear and his last night of guarding his Boy from the Monsters under the Bed. On this final night the Bogeyman choose to attack and Tristan must defend his Boy from the Kobolds, the Goblins, No Names and No Noses, the Slobbering Slobs, the Knockers, Blighters and Silly Buggers, Blue Skins with bald heads, a Dust Dragon with razor sharp teeth and finally against the Bogeyman himself.

This is an illustrated children's book written by Nick Davis with a nod towards the wonderfully dark gleeful style of Roald Dahl and is illustrated by Dan Nokes, a popular Maryland indie artist. The book is 40 pages long with 16 double page color ink illustrations detailing Tristan's last night as his Boy's Teddy Bear.

You can pre-order Unconditional – A Teddy Bear Tale by Nick Davis in traditional print form signed by the Author and Artist for $9.99 each. The book will be shipping early December (approx December 10, 2011)

Check out the new page samples for A Teddy Bear Tale – Unconditional

As production work continues on this tale of whimsy, thanks to Dan Nokes amazing turn around. I'm now at a stage where I can post samples for the opening pages of A Teddy Bear Tale you can view these sample pages by clicking here.

11/11/11 the doom of our time has begun?

Today's date is written as 11/11/11, normally I would call this a backwards day, where the date no matter how you write it is correct. Which given I have to correct myself from writing the date European style were the day goes before the month it makes for an easier day. Also the day is supposed to have a spiritual significance linked to Mayan Long Count and the end of times, that the occurring 11:11 is a sign. 

I certain don't know everything about the Long Count, my opinion is they just reached a logical end and figured it would be easier to start from the beginning. The end of times is not coming, even if it feels its third time the charm after the idiotic scare mongering for profit of Family Radio. I do though believe we will be party and witness to some significant political and social upheavels in the next ten years.

The canonizing of 11:11 is bunko adopted by spiritual groups to part people with their money, we are not pre-programmed to respond that number anymore than 8.08 state. While is does have a nice notion of synchronicities and because 11:11 mythology has been online for some time, with the website 1111spiritguardians.com saying when the time is 11:11 it is a signal from 1,111 fun-loving Spirit Guardians.  You have to note, just to cover themselves they mention other times, such as 12:12, 10:10 or 12:34 are messages, too. I guess once you notice the number 11 and fixate on it you will see it everywhere and in patterns, you know a lot like that movie '21′. While any significance of these numbers is doubtful and the doom of our time is a long way off, I can reveal to you the one true significance of this date, of the number 11. Are you ready?

On the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month at the Eleventh Hour the Armistice for the War to end all Wars was signed. It is known as Armistice, Rememberence or in the USA as Veterans Day. Take a moment at 11/11/11 at 11am to pause and remember the sacrifices of the few have made for the freedoms and liberties you have. Thank them for their service and their ongoing duty; that is the true meaning of this day, of this date.

Be gentle with the Earth now.

Nick

Next the Bogeyman sent out the Knockers, Blighters, and Silly Buggers as Tristan channels Kirby

A concept sketch by Dan Nokes of Tristan defending his child from the Monsters under the Bed, learn more about this project at http://theteddybeartales.com

The Monsters under the bed are coming!!!

The Monsters under the bed are coming!!! Dan Nokes the artist for A Teddy Bear Tale knocked out this concept draft for one of the pages featuring the Monsters charging out from under the bed. You can check out this concept art and other images inspired by A Teddy Bear Tale as well learn how to pre-order this illustrated children's tale over at http://theteddybeartales.com

Tristan Lives!!! The Defender Bear from Unconditional comes home to meet his Creator

Some of you that are following the Facebook page may of seen these already, I came home to find a very large box waiting for me. Which mean't the prototype of Tristan arrived at my house and he looks simply amazing!!! He has to be one of the best Teddy Bears I've ever seen. I can tell you now the pictures below do not to Tristan justice, he is one wonderful looking bear, check out the pictures after the jump.

Could it be?

Meet Tristan, this is one amazing Teddy Bear.

Here is Tristan next to one of my wife's 12inch snuggle bears for scale purposes and yes he is that large, topping out at 22 inches!  If you want to a Tristan the Defender Teddy Bear and have him arrive with A Teddy Bear Tale – Unconditional illustrated Children's book you can order him via our Teddy Bear Tales website by clicking here.

NaNoWriMo is more than just hitting 50K it's really a game you only play against yourself

We are at the start of the second week of National Novel Writers Month, a month long event that promotes novel writing (or more correctly the written word) and a common shared goal of hitting 50000 words in thirty days. For the last two year I took part in this event, winning by hitting 50K+ words and out of this event the first two Tether Saga novels were born; this year I'm finding demands on my time means I cannot participate in NaNoWriMo like before. 

While I will be writing when time allows this month I know I most likely wont be able to hit the 50K words required for me to win the event for myself. This doesn't mean I wont give it a good go, after all NaNoWriMo is a game you can only really play against yourself.  You see what NaNoWriMo does in instill a habit, a habit of writing everyday its insidious in this way, to the point you actually feel something is missing from you if you don't write; which is the real point of this month.

With that being said I will keep writing and striving to complete 50K in this month as I work on the last book in the Tether Saga. I do have a few life roadblocks in the way to clear this month, including the production work on the incredible and whimsical A Teddy Bear Tale, but I will be writing when I can. So don't stop and do not lose heart, even if you fall behind keep going. Do not fixate on hitting the 50K just keep moving forward; explore the world you are creating and the characters that are coming to life as you write your story. Because without a story to hold it together 50K of words is all pretty pointless anyway. I strongly believe everyone has a story they want to tell, use NaNoWriMo to bring it out of you I guarantee you will surprise yourself.

Now stop reading this, get back to your keyboards and get writing… One word at a time.