Fantasy
My Favorite Kind of Vampires
Happy Halloween, everyone! As I mentioned in a previous blog post, I used to draw one-panel gag cartoons. Like, professionally. Only for a handful of magazines, and really just at the beginning of my writing career. These days I mostly work as a writer, and I don’t draw that much, unless you count the rough thumbnail sketches I draw for nearly every project I work on. Which definitely counts as drawing. But I don’t often show those sketches to the people I’m working with (although sometimes, I do).
Anyway, since it’s Halloween, I thought I’d post one of the gag cartoons I drew back in the day. It’s called “Vampire Nerds,” and it was originally published in the October 2006 issue of Nickelodeon Magazine. (That was the Halloween issue, as if you couldn’t tell by the cover date.) Check it out:
Obviously, vampire nerds are my favorite kind of bloodsuckers, because I myself am a massive geek. (Which you could probably tell by the fact that I write graphic novels about mythical creatures, children’s book adaptations of famous sci-fi movies, TV scripts about fairy tale characters, and scripts for uber-nerdy video games. But I digress…)
I may begin drawing cartoons again (like, professionally), because I really miss it. If that does indeed happen, I’ll definitely mention it on this blog. So keep checking this space!
“Dame Time: Ogden” Launched TODAY!
Announcement time! As mentioned elsewhere on this blog, I wrote the story bible, plot outline, and character dialogue for the video game Dame Time: Ogden, a puzzle-filled sci-fi adventure game starring NBA icon Damian Lillard. Well, that game went live TODAY, as part of The Sandbox Alpha Season 3! And you can play Dame Time: Ogden by clicking HERE.
Here’s a brief description of the game, from the home page of the official Dame Time: Ogden website:
“Play as basketball superstar Damian Lillard as his adventures unfold in the metaverse. In Dame Time: Ogden, the adventure revolves around Damian’s time at his alma mater, and chronicles his run ins with the enigmatic Whisperer, who is intent on troubling Damian as much as possible! With the help of the Clockmaker and your demon friend, Anzu, you must solve puzzles, complete challenging parkour, and fight a slew of enemies as you learn about the mysterious L12 organization, and get to the bottom of The Whisperer’s plots!”
I spent several months working on Dame Time: Ogden with the development team at MetaVenture Studios, the gaming division of Grow Your Base. I’m really proud of the game we made. And I can’t wait for you to meet Damian Lillard (the video game version), as well as The Clockmaker, Anzu, The Whisperer, and all of the other characters in this game. But this game isn’t just rich in characters, it’s rich in concepts and lore. Want to learn what the omnipresent L12 corporation is up to? Only one way to find out: play the game!
Oh, and just in case you haven’t seen it yet, here’s the trailer for Dame Time: Ogden:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Plmy-tfYFYs
If you want to learn more about The Sandbox Alpha Season 3, click HERE.
And for more info about Dame Time: Ogden specifically, go HERE.
Grandpa’s Deep-Space Diner
Recently, I wrote a short story called “It’s Hard To Be A Food Critic Who’s Also A Sin-Eater!”
It was published in an anthology called Grandpa’s Deep-Space Diner, which is out now!
The book was edited by Jessica Augustsson and published by the folks at JayHenge Publishing.
As you might be able to tell from the title, “It’s Hard to Be…” is about a food critic who’s also a sin-eater. The story is written as a restaurant review.
Hope you enjoy it!
Grandpa’s Deep-Space Diner is a collection of food-related sci-fi and speculative fiction.
Here’s how Jessica describes the book:
“My grandpa had a drive-in diner in Rupert, Idaho in the 60s called Chuck’s In-and-Out. It was well known and all the kids went there. My aunt served the burgers (sans roller-skates—Grandma put a stop to that notion!) and Grandma made the best french fry sauce in the galaxy. Grandpa taught me that food, from the production to the preparation to the partaking, could be a simple personal pleasure or a means of bringing groups together in a shared meal. From growing produce in a magical garden, to serving up an exotic burger in an interstellar mall, join us in the delightful, delectable, and sometimes dismal flavors of these speculative fiction food stories!”
Find out more HERE.