Nick Davis's Blog, page 12

Day Seven 100 Word Flash Fiction – Tea Leaves

Read your tea leaves, sir? The old woman took my empty cup. You are going to undergo a great journey. To met a blonde haired girl who you will fall for, you will have two children, but the love will be a lie. You will then meet a stubborn redheaded girl who will love you unconditionally. I thanked her laughing no way, not me. The next year I moved to the USA for the blonde haired girl we had two beautiful children, we divorced. Then I met the stubborn redheaded girl and we married. Life does comes at you fast....

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Day Six 100 Word Flash Fiction – Fear Itself

I never knew what fear was. My father taught me you have nothing to fear except fear itself. I grew up confronting it, I feared no man and no situation would bow me. I was fearless. Then I became father and I learned what fear was. Fear of failure, fear of not being able to provide, fear of being unable to protect my child. It humbled me; I became a better man for it. I teach my children about courage, I say it is okay to have fear, because we have courage to overcome it. It is a greater notion....

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Read My Books For FREE On The Kindle

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I am happy to announce the following Altworld Studio books are available for FREE on the Kindle for with Kindle Unlimited. See what titles they are after the jump.

A Teddy Bear Tale – This is the story of a lone Teddy Bear and his last night of watching his child from the Monsters under the Bed. A night the Monsters attack! A Teddy Bear Tale is a dark fantasy children’s book. You can read for FREE on your Kindle with Kindle Unlimited by CLICKING HERE

Unconditional – Did you know the humble Teddy Bear has been protecting children from the Monsters-under-the-bed since 1902? Unconditional is a dark fantasy graphic novel. Read for FREE on your Kindle with Kindle Unlimited by CLICKING HERE

The Wonder Tales – These Once Upon A Time Fantasy Stories are a collection of fantastical all ages fables that are set in a fantasy world of the Ninth Kingdom. A world of heroes, monsters, villains, self-rescuing princesses, evil witches and a talking horse. Read for FREE on your Kindle with Kindle Unlimited by CLICKING HERE

Exposition – What would you do if you found yourself inside a comic book? Well Jack knows… And he is desperately trying to find the stories end. The Exposition graphic novel is my love letter to comic books. Read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited by CLICKING HERE

The Tether – Something evil stalks the streets of #Baltimore City, our only hope the Tether Keeper and her Guardian Angel. You can read this paranormal adventure for FREE on the Kindle using Kindle Unlimited by CLICKING HERE 

Adventures ahead!

Timelapse Illustration Of Baby Yoda From The Mandalorian

[image error]With the incredible success of the Mandalorian and breakout of these new characters in the Star Wars, you knew I had to have a go at drawing Baby Yoda. After the jump you can view a timelapse of the illustration, digitally drawn and colored in Procreate.

A Creative End Of The Year Review

[image error]Here we are, just over 36 hours away from the end of 2019, and starting 2020 and a brand new decade… wow… This new year will mark my third decade living here in the USA and the second decade since the creation of my Altworld website. Also completes another journey around the sun for us all, while we clip along at 67,000mph on this starship Earth. Join me after the jump for a mini-review of the year.

[image error]Small Steps

2019 marked my first year back after taking almost 18 months out of attending comic book conventions, I had let one horrible day where I had to admit to failing with my stories in court overwhelm me and push me into dark place. I took the first steps back onto the convention circuit with a Free Comic Book Day at Collectors Corner, A Library Convention near Glen Burnie, Kids Comic Con up in Philly and of course attending my hometown show – Baltimore Comic Con. I will admit it is good to be back in the saddle, I forget how interacting with comic book fans really boosted my energy and I feel re-energized, with new plans and ideas for 2020 and beyond.

We also completed the art and almost all the chapters for the first four Teddy Bear Tales Awakenings books! (still getting the last of lettering down), leaving only one more chapter (Act Five) to show and tell. I am excited that 2020 will bring this final act to life and bring a finale to a story that has evolved in its telling for over ten years.

I have also rediscovered the joy of Lego, there is something very Zen about clicking a brick together and it takes you to a different creative plane, almost meditative and I can total switch off. A thing, that those of you who know me in real life, know I am terrible at doing. Of course it would not be me if I didn’t talk about my Lego journey in some form – so, we have a YouTube channel talking about how my Lego City – Legoville is growing.

[image error]And art wise I feel I have hit a good place, finally being able to draw my characters in a way that I like, and can repeat without constantly looking at references. Of course I will keep practicing, and with that I should get stronger, but I getting to that place of confidence were I feel I can take on another comic strip/book myself again – believe me after the kick in the nuts I had over a year ago this is a big step for me.

We Tried But…

One of my goals this year was try to get a publisher interested in taking on a Teddy Bear Tales – Awakenings, the idea being it would free me up from worrying financially how to pay for a comic book project and give me more time to create. I took a huge swing at it at the beginning of 2019, submission letter after submission and was roundly ignored, with less than a dozen form rejection letters to show for my effort. I will take a another swing in 2020, take a different approach and see what happens… I would dearly love to see the reach of my stories extend further.

[image error]I wanted to get the Oneshot pilot issue of Dee & Duo published and ventured onto the dewy slopes of indiegogo to launch the campaign, it was a gamble because Here Be Monsters was still in production from our successful Kickstarter campaign, but I had to see if I could swing it. The book failed to find its feet, much I think to do with Indiegogo not having the rep that Kickstarter has, but another lesson learned and it made me rethink some story points for this book – which will be coming in 2020!!!

Memorium

This year, I lost a good friend, peer and Teddy Bear Tales Artist Keir Knikia Lyles, he is the first of my peer group to pass on and it was a great shock to us all. He was truly a gentle giant, frustrating slow to get work out of, but an amazing artist and I am blessed to have know him. I hope I can get a book out sometime with the work he did for A Teddy Bear Tales, you all will love how he breathed live into my characters. RIP My Friend.

Small Steps

With 2020 breathing down our necks, let’s talk about my goals for Altworld for the new year and beyond.

Publish Act Five of Teddy Bear Tales Awakenings – ending the first new set Teddy Bear Tales Comic Book adventures
Publish Dee & Duo – to get this book on my rack for a convention just to see what the reaction will be for it
Write and draw my own comic/prose book
Attend more conventions and spread the word about my stories
Land a publishing contact and then a Netflix series? it is good to dream, right?

Let’s start with these goals, nothing grand, just steps to move things forward and to build on. For right now 2020 is still an undiscovered country and with that you know we will have adventures ahead!

The Altworld Studio Books Are Now Available On Barnes & Noble In Hardback Editions

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I am very proud to announce the following Altworld Studio Books and Graphic Novels are now available to purchase as hardback editions on the Barnes & Noble website and can be special ordered at your local Barnes & Noble book store. This fulfills a long standing promise of offering hardback books of my more popular titles at a price that is affordable – while giving you a collectible, hard wearing printed editions

Look for future editions of Altworld Studio Books. especially the illustrated story and graphic novels to also be presented in this fashion, as we extend the availability of the Studios titles. Adventures ahead!

Unconditional – A Teddy Bear Tale Now Available As A Hardback Book From Barnes & Noble

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Yes, you just read the headline correctly. About four years ago I made the promise to all the Teddy Bear Tale Fans out there that if I could find away to make Unconditional into a hardback book, and make that book at an affordable price I would make it happen…. Now, thanks to Barnes & Noble I can fulfill this long overdue promise.

Unconditional – A Teddy Bear Tale collects together the complete set of A Teddy Bear Tales Illustrated Stories into one hardcover book, packed full of adventure, action, teddy bears, monsters and the Boogeyman for only $19.99 shipped direct from Barnes & Noble

Pre-Order From Barnes & Noble – $19.99 +S/H

Unconditional – A Teddy Bear Tale, will be released on December 6, 2019 and will ship to you just in time for the Holidays.

About Unconditional

“Did you know humble Teddy Bear has been protecting children from the Monsters-under-the-bed since 1902?”

We all remember that special stuffed animal we had as a child, the one that we couldn’t leave home without. Now you can pass those cherished memories onto your little ones with this wonderful tale of adventure and whimsy about a child’s teddy bear, Tristan, who defends his child while he sleeps from the monsters under the bed.A Teddy Bear Tale is the story of Tristan the Teddy Bear and who guards his child from the Monsters under the Bed. On this final night the Monsters under the bed are unleashed by the wicked Bogeyman and Tristan must defend his child from the Kobolds, the Goblins, No Names and No Noses, the Slobbering Slobs, the Knockers, Blighters and Silly Buggers, Blue Skins with bald heads and a Dust Dragon with razor sharp teeth. With his child’s innocence at stake Tristan must find a way to defeat them all and stop the Boogeyman from claiming his child, and children everywhere.

Unconditional collects together A Teddy Bear Tale, Teddy Bear Tale II & Tristan & the Cuddly Defenders: Friends, Menace of Mek-A-Nor and Tristan’s final tale Out Of The Attic, written by Nick Davis and illustrated by Dan Nokes. With additional illustrations by Keir Knika Lyles.

Join Me This Weekend At the 20th Anniversary Baltimore Comic Con

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This weekend, starting Friday at 11am I can be found at Artist Table A11 at the 20th Anniversary Baltimore Comic Con, and it looks like this is going to be a stonker of show.

Yes, you read that right I am returning to Baltimore Comic Con after a two year absence and I have missed my home show greatly! I started my comic-con journey at Baltimore Comic Con back in 2003 and in that time only missed four shows as a resident of the Artist Alley. This show marks the end of the year for me, and in this case, the restart of my convention journey to bring the Teddy Bear Tales to the world.

When & Where

Baltimore Convention Center: Friday to Sunday

[image error]What I Will Be Bringing

Baltimore Comic Con is my year end show, and the end of my beginning of my return, so what will I be bringing to my home comic-con?

The Teddy Bear Tales Comics & Illustrated Stories
The Wonder Tales – Fantasy stories from the Ninth Kingdom
Sketch Card Mashup Prints of your favorite heroes and more
New postcard prints, and fullsize prints too!
The Cuddly Defender Toys

To make this show a little extra special I have a couple of exclusives which I think y’all will love 

I Am Sorry To Announce The Passing Of Teddy Bear Tales Artist Keir Knikia Lyles

[image error]I am very sorry to announce, that Teddy Bear Tales Artist Keir Knikia Lyles passed away on October 3, 2019. He is survived by his loving wife and son.

Keir was born in 1974, and is a dedicated father, amazing artist and genuine good guy. I don’t say that lightly, he was genuinely the best person I have ever met, always friendly, ready to help and to listen, no matter how busy he was. He was the best of us and the world is a little darker because of his passing.

My friend was a regular on the Mid-Atlantic convention circuit and worked on bringing the Teddy Bear Tale characters Forrest & Scout and Helping Hand Artie to life for the Teddy Bear Tales series – Out Of The Attic. Over the last couple of years he has suffered a number of escalating health issues, leading to a running joke between us, that he would do anything to get out of a deadline.

Last month we discussed his return to the Teddy Bear Tales books and finishing off the Helping Hand comic book story, and a children’s book called Herbie involving all the Cuddly Defenders, who were off on an adventure to find the flower of the sun.

I wish I had the words to express how deeply I feel about this loss. As a writer I find myself as a loss to express them in a clear and poetic manner, my deepest condolences from myself, the entire creative crew, my wife, my family. He will be deeply missed by everyone who knew him.

RIP my friend.

A Gallery Of His Teddy Bear Tales Work

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You can contribute to his GoFundMe to help his family with expenses here

This Weekend You Can Find Me At The Comic Con For Kids In Philly!

[image error]Hey, hey this weekend Altworld Studios is back on the road,and we will be at the Kids Comic Con in Great Oaks, PA and it looks like a stonker of a show! Or as the Kids Comic Con puts it, a 200,000 square foot, immersive, one-of-a-kind, pop culture, gaming, tech event for the entire family.

Looks like a very entertain comic con for me, certainly the organizers are working hard to give the show an all-ages atmosphere, which really falls into my remit here at Altworld Studios.

Where And When

Greater Philadelphia Expo Center – Sat & Sun 10am to 5pm

[image error]What I Will Be Bringing

This is my first show after an almost two year hiatus, so what will I be bringing to the comic con for kids?

The Teddy Bear Tales Comics & Illustrated Stories
The Wonder Tales – Fantasy stories from the Ninth Kingdom
Sketch Card Mashup Prints of your favorite heroes and more
New postcard prints, and fullsize prints too!
The Cuddly Defender Toys

Got some great new stuff to show you all, a couple of show exclusives which I think I am going wow y’all with