A Catholic Author

Monday, March 25, 2024

Academy of the Unknown illustrations part 1

There is nothing better than procrastinating on projects I should be working on. How about writing a fully illustrated book to procrastinate on a different book. :D

A couple of different cover designs.

Top: Master Caspian

Middle: Master Jethro

Bottom: Crown prince Valin

The kings of Perlan and Fanta were enemies fighting over the control of the great continent

An unhappy messenger sent to inform King Mendel of Perlan that his invasion of Fanta had failed

Lady Azillia and her youngest child, Veronica. Lady Azillia is afraid her husband and son will be punished for the failed invasion

King Mendel's long suffering steward

Mendel's nephew, Gailin, oldest son, Valin, and youngest son, Callin.

Valin ponders why no one likes him.

Mendel's middle son Jaylan argues with his cousin Gailin and eventually agree to a duel

Gailin prepares to take on Jaylan while Valin is forced to b his backup

Gailin takes Jaylan down in a surprise move while Valin looks on in amazement

Mendel watches the fight and gets an interesting idaa, while the steward is afraid that Mendel will have someone executed

Simeon, a student at the Academy of the Unknown reluctantly waits to greet the royal family of Perlan

Master Caspian

Aria, Caspian's widowed sister-in-law and cook

Valin's servant, Gavin, stands on guard. Simeon and his brother Samuel are shocked at the way the king is speaking to their teacher

Dinner at the Academy, when Mendel announces that Valin, Gailin, and Gavin will remain at the school and study under Caspian.

Aria is serving, Valin is shocked, his sister, Tatiana, is horrified, Caspian is thunderstruck, Mendel and Callin showing only their backs, Jaylan is floored, Gailin is dismayed.

(Note: Gailin is already a student at the school, but prefers to walk ten miles home each night to be with his mother)

Master Caspian loses his temper and throws prince Jaylan out of the pavilion

Gavin, was not happy to remain at the academy

Resident student, Lucas, supports his orphaned nephew

Master Jethro

Valin ponders his unhappy circumstances in his new room

Valin is awakened by a noise and opens the balcony door, which does not exist, to find a vicious loathsome creature who wants to eat him. To save himself he cuts off the tongue with his knife and throws his torch down the creature's throat.

To be continued

Monday, February 19, 2024

300 Writing Prompts (No. 1)

I received a 300 Writing Prompts journal as a gift, but I decided to finally start using the prompts to write short snippets of conversations between character to help with character building.

Quote: What is your favorite way to spend a lazy day?

(Conversation between Priscilla and Gabriel from "Fairy Godmother" series)

The Babbling Brook

"What is your favorite way to spend a lazy day?" I asked Gabe. He stared at the rippling water of the brook. Then he stooped and picked up a flat pebble. With a flick of his wrist he sent it skipping downstream. 1... 2... 3... I counted ten skips before the pebble struck a twig and sank. I thought he hadn't heard my question, so I repeated it.

"I haven't enjoyed a lazy afternoon until today," Gabe said quietly, "Those years of twiddling my thumbs in prison could hardly be called enjoyable."

"You didn't like being a wizard's apprentice?" I asked quickly, hoping to turn the conversation from the reason for his being in prison in the first place.

"Mother would have me join the Society of Wicked Uncles." Gabe said with a wince.

"I didn't know you were an uncle." I gasped. I knew none of his brothers were married, which made me wonder if there was a lost sister.

"She hoped one of my brothers would provide me with a niece," Gabe explained, "I joined the Wizard Apprentices to stop her plans."

"But why a niece?" I wanted to know.

"Because a girl cannot inherit the throne of Lower Gingerbread, therefore, according to my mother, she wouldn't be much use for anything else."

"I never liked your mother!" I declared vehemently.

"Better look to yourself," he reminded me, "When you learn to stop meddling my mother will learn to as well." I turned to glare at me and realized he was teasing me. But secretly I wondered if this was another reason the princes of Lower Gingerbread had sabotaged their mother's attempts to marry them off.

Saturday, February 3, 2024

Illustrations

Priscilla, the ex fairy godmother is taken prisoner by the David, the Jack of Clubs, Gillan, the Jack, of Spades, Lancelot, the Jack of Diamonds, and Daniel, the Jack of Hearts

From: The Fairy Godmother and the Maze of Wonder