This week, I’m proud to reveal the Title Page of the upcoming side-story Song of the Eastern Sands, which features our entire main quartet marching off onto some grand new adventure! Or maybe it’s the one you’re about to see? I guess we’ll find out eventually!

bwd_hiatus_chars

These were the original concepts for the four main characters, based on my descriptions of them, created a little over a year ago. It’s always fun going back to see where things started out, to see what the big changes are — but it’s also nice to see Jerome hit the mark so close in his first renderings of protagonists Beck (Lutren), Rook (Polcan), Asha (Ermehn), and Theo (Vulpin).

As Jerome and I have alluded to in the past, the overarching theme of Song of the Eastern Sands is one of lightheartedness — something to lift the spirits a little after the doom and gloom of Chapter 2’s conclusion. We’ll be returning to the cold soon enough, but the warm sands of Nessa seemed a wonderful side-venture in the interim! The characters, which have been teased here and there over the last year or so, have all been a blast to write, and make very interesting counter-characters to those we’re familiar with from the main storyline.

Our story begins next week, and we can’t wait!

This week, for guest art, a great piece that was sent to me straight from one of my mom’s students! Ray is 9 years old and looks like he’s got the makings of a great artist based on this drawing he did of Hardin! Check it out:

ray_hardin

Thank you so much for drawing this awesome version of Hardin, Ray! He looks appropriately devious there, dagger at the ready! Rachel and I love it!