Diranda
A Bunch of New Character Portraits
Okay, I just uploaded 9 new pictures to the Gallery. Most of these are character portraits and new renders of relit pictures, including “After the Set” and “Joshua Wetfire”. These were both redone for the Leprecon Art Gallery show in May.
I have also done a new morph for Gaston, which I like much better than the previous character design. I did a nice portrait and a cute scene from “Dark Captives”: “Please, I Dropped My Drumsticks”, just for fun. It’s adorable.
The Characters featured in this new set: Joshua, Alex, Taggart, Cassandra, Rigel Deka, Jeron Silstrun, Samuel VonTesmar and Gaston.
Next Post: “Please, I Dropped My Drumsticks”
The Cover for the new novel!
It took a while and a bunch of different versions, but I finally finished the cover for the Reylian Orb manuscript, which is now titled “Dark Captives”.
This cover is the result of some research on cover design and photography both by myself and Dave, who helped with the lighting and the suggestions on the subject matter for the cover. We both agreed on the final design, so even though it’s not the kind of cover you might traditionally see on erotica novels, it’s got a much more scifi feel to it and is still pretty sexy, (at least I think so). There’s a lot of history behind this particular piece of art, actually. It’s inspired by favorite covers from other novels we liked and thought had pretty terrific covers, such as Michael Whelan’s cover for Anne McCaffrey’s “Killashandra”, among others.
I suppose this cover meant more to me than even Peacekeeper, which meant a lot, because I really loved this novel and wanted to give it the treatment it deserves, with a beautiful cover I can be proud of as a writer and an artist.
Tell me what you think, I really want to hear from everyone. About this cover, about erotica covers (e-book, print, anything) and about science fiction cover art. What you guys think is important to me, because you’re the people we’re writing for and what you want in cover art is important as well. I can use any information you all give me to pass along to publishers and other authors.
Believe me, your other favorite authors also want to know what you think. I’ve talked to so many authors, famous and not so famous ones and something we all agree on is that we like to hear from our readers and we want their opinions heard by the publishers and the marketing departments that work for them. In some cases, like my publisher, I get a lot more control over what is on my cover, but not everyone does.
Unfortunately in the ebook business, I’ve seen some great books with lousy covers and some lucky authors who get some terrific covers for their books. It’s kind of hit and miss and I do have a tendency now, to select a potential publisher of my work by the quality of their covers (if they won’t let me do my own art).
I may just suggest this as a panel for the next convention I am invited to. I am going to Leprecon in Tempe in May (more on that soon).
Reylian Orb is done!
On the Tabitha Bradley website is a nice little post about the fact that the Reylian Orb is DONE! I just sent it off to the publisher this afternoon and hope to hear what she thinks soon.
Yay, yay!
Anyway, the Reylian Orb was one of the hardest books I’ve written and I really don’t know why. It sure took the longest to write (we don’t count the 2 year gap in the middle of Arcadia, you know). Work didn’t help and the knee surgery definitely didn’t, but even those aside, I don’t know what it was about this story that was so hard to tell.
I sure didn’t think it was going to be much of an effort when I started it. It was supposed to be short and easy. Just explain what happened when Jeron captured Alex and Gaston rescued her, fitting in some object called “The Reylian Orb”. In Peacekeeper, it was a ‘cool idea’, based on an older idea I’d had years ago.
Once I got into it though, it became very involved.
It became: Alex meets Jeron for the first time and What happened to make Alex so frightened of Taggart in Arcadia and what happened between Alex and Gaston after the rescue?
Other surprises came out of it, solving questions I didn’t know I had and creating ideas for other things that happened later.
It became this amazing thing that nearly ended up in the ‘unfinished’ file in December but came back even stronger when I finally got a chance to get serious with it in February, after the move.
But it’s good. I know it’s good.
I love it and I think you will too. I can only hope it comes out soon so everyone who has been patiently waiting for a new story will finally get their wish, esp Tanilen, Dena and Layne. 
HUGS!
Some new character portraits added
I’ve added some new character portraits to the Artwork/Diranda gallery.
Jake Porter and Tamara Sable have been added as well as an updated portrait of Nova and some sketches of Alex and Gaston.
Since I have been working on finishing Reylian Orb, I haven’t done a whole lot of artwork recently. I am really interested in getting character portraits like these done for everyone, especially characters like Tamara who are older characters but have never had any pictures done of them. I’m currently working on a new version of Jeron (for the Generation 4 model) and plan to get Samuel and Kazi done shortly as well. I want to do a picture of Dorrian, but am extremely picky about what he looks like and need to get him ‘just right’ before I release any images of him.
With Jake, I was surprised to be able to do an almost perfect image of him for the Harmonix game Rock Band 3 (which I play religiously pretty much, it’s good therapy for my still weakened knee) and when I realized how great he ended up looking, I wanted to use that as a basis for his character in DS. I’m not sure how close I got (and with this pic, you can’t really see his hair that well) but I think I may be pretty close. Anyway it’s a fair sight better than my first attempt at Joshua (and Taggart, btw)!
So I think I’m getting better.
With Tamara, I had fun playing with my metal shaders (Fast Metal shaders, Georgehaze, I love you!) on her clothing. Her own morph was pretty easy to do, actually, I’m surprised at how well the girls come out with the new Gen figures (Victoria 4/Aiko 4, customized), it’s just the guys that give me headaches.
Hoping some day to grab some good gemstone shaders to make our Masters and Guardians’ rings come to life in these pictures. I have my eye on some Calida shader sets, but my husband keeps pushing me to work with Poser 8, even though I really can’t stand the layout for it (sigh!). Poser 8 does have the materials room, which Daz doesn’t have or support, and that’s the only thing that makes me consider it.
Anyway, back to Reylian Orb, see yall soon!
After the Set
Another new picture as I work on building a good stable of supplies for cover work. This one features Alex and Taggart in Starlighter’s.
“Go away, Taggart,” Alex hissed, squinting hard at the silver frame of the drum she was tuning. “I’m busy and in case you can’t tell, I don’t want to talk to you. Don’t you have some stupid Assembly to get ready for anyway?”
Taggart Riordan laughed. The stage vibrated as he came up behind her. “I’m ready for quite a bit of things, my dear,” he said softly. “Actually, what I’m really wondering is how much you value your reputation. That rumor’s still relatively small, since most people are much more interested in talking about Asher and the juicy tidbits surrounding him right now but the truth about you and Gaston will make the rounds soon enough. I could be convinced to squash it flat.”
“I don’t care,” she said stiffly. “Let them talk.”
Taggart knelt on the stage next to her, placing a large, heavy hand on the small of her back, sending waves of heat into her otherwise chilled and numb body.
“Oh, now you don’t mean that, do you?” he purred, “if your clients find out you’ve been screwing Gaston VonTesmar, you’re going to lose them. Especially the Dirandan Resistance.”
“Shut up!” Alex snarled, looking at him. “I don’t care right now! Leave me alone.”
Taggart’s Alaran Regency uniform was elegant, tailored, royal blue and bright yellow gold, trimmed in blood red crimson. The crisp, precise lines of the slim blue longcoat over the gold brocade vest that indicated his rank as Regent Palatine emphasized the width of his muscular torso. The narrow dark blue trousers did the same for his legs. They were tucked into high, solid black books with golden buckles at the cuffs, just like the Directorate uniform. His dark brown hair was pulled back from his ruggedly handsome face and his vibrant topaz eyes glittered with cruel mirth.
“No,” he said with a nasty grin, “I know you’ve had a bad morning. I’ve been watching you tune this ridiculous drum set for the better part of a hour. I’d expected you to be spending the morning in the arms of your new lover, Alexandra. But instead, here you are, tuning drums for a set you’re probably never going to get a chance to play.”
She glared at him. What the hell he meant by that, she didn’t know. A part of her wanted very much to know but she was still reeling from the shock of Cassi and Keir’s deaths. Her stomach was still churning from the mental images that conjured up.
“Do you know how much I hate you, Taggart Riordan?” she said softly. “You seem to find alliances with every man who has it in for me in one way or another. If you really wanted me to come to you of my own accord, you wouldn’t work with men like Cerin Tesar or Jeron Silstrun.”
Taggart’s smile froze on his face. An eyebrow arched slightly. “What makes you think that?” he said evenly.
“You and Jeron were far too familiar with each other last night to have just been professional enemies,” she said carefully, watching his face. “You’ve been working together for a while. I know an alliance like that when I see one.” She leaned forward. “How would you like it if that came out, Taggart?” She felt a hot rush of dark pleasure at that, the first sensation of heat she’d felt all morning, since Gaston left her bed. His reaction gave her another burst of satisfaction.
“You have no proof,” he snarled.
–from “Peacekeeper”, chapter 15
Smoldering…
“Now, I asked myself, ‘should I let him go ahead and bite her, or should I stop it’? Admittedly, it would be extremely interesting to watch, considering that I’ve never actually seen a Rysusi drink before.”
Jeron stiffened and Alex felt an intense wave of relief wash over her.
“Joshua!” she breathed raggedly, “Joshua Wetfire…”
“Then again, I told myself, that would be extremely bad for business…”
Jeron’s eyes flashed, burning into Alex’s.
“This isn’t finished,” he whispered, brushing her lips with his own before he straightened up and turned.
Alex swallowed hard, her lips tingling with the alarmingly searing heat of even that brief touch. Shuddering, she gasped softly, finding herself able to close her eyes and move again. She pushed herself up as quickly as she could.
Brushing down his vest, Jeron glared at the figure of the young blond man who leaned indolently against the lamp pole, an amused grin on his handsome face.
“Oh, it’s finished.” Joshua drawled with a smirk, “this is the second time in as many hours you’ve been caught, Rysusi.”
He held up two fingers as though to illustrate to a child exactly how many ‘second’ meant.
“And well, I really don’t care to have my rules thrown back in my face.”
Jeron lifted an eyebrow. “Your rules?”
Joshua grinned. “Yes. My rules. I am head of Vendalli’s security.”
He watched the taller, much larger Rysusi captain walk slowly toward him while the pretty young woman he’d been menacing pulled herself up, her gaze flickering nervously from Jeron to Joshua.
“And you, Group Captain, have one-” he held up one finger, “-more chance. Three strikes and you’re out, as the Teren’tei say.” His smile faded. “Which means, screw up again, my friend, and you’re gone. Understand?”
Alex backed across the courtyard.
Jeron eyed the young man, frowning.
Joshua Wetfire was something of a Vendalli’s legend as well as an enigma. He was facing down the same man who’d given Gaston VonTesmar a run for his money in the casino games on a number of occasions, was an undefeated expert with the rapier and apparently had a considerable investment in the infamous Club Sorcery. He also was one of the very few men who had his own key to Tamara Sable’s apartments.
“I understand,” he snarled. “However, you don’t know for certain that Miss T’Kayn was in any kind of danger from me. I did not lay a violent hand on her.”
“Oh really?” Joshua snorted. “Caressing her throat and gazing into her eyes?”
“Yes. Perhaps we were enjoying an intimate moment together.”
Joshua laughed derisively.
“Unlikely, Silstrun. I saw the way you were looking at her. If I hadn’t arrived when I did, you’d be enjoying the Rysusi equivalent of a ‘Bloody Alexandra’ and I wager she wouldn’t have been very thrilled about it.”
With another chuckle, Joshua made an expansive gesture toward the entrance to the garden, “You know, Silstrun, we do have bars that cater to your kind. You don’t have to chase down your cocktails.”
Jeron smirked. “I enjoy the chase. And you don’t provide that kind of satisfaction here, Wetfire.”
Josh caught the tail of Alex’s jacket disappearing around the corner of a hedgerow and shrugged.
“The line must be drawn somewhere. Enabling Rysusi to hunt down and suck our residents dry is that line.” He gave Jeron a cool stare. “You and your fellow officers would do well to remember that.”
Turning, Joshua strode across the courtyard toward the path.
“And Silstrun, make sure your first officer keeps his claws to himself as well. I’ve been hearing complaints.”
Jeron’s lip curled as he watched the shorter, younger man walk away.
–”Random Encounters” from “Diranda: Tales from the Fifth Quadrant”
The above image links to the portrait and the full image is in the gallery.
This one was fun to do and I finally think I got Joshua right. Even Dave thinks so, which is excellent, because Joshua is his character.
“Escape from the Zenon”
“She stared hard at the toes of her boots. “I was grateful. He saved my life.” She shuddered slightly. “Jeron was… he’d…” she groaned. “He was…” Her skin paled even more. “…d-drinking…”
Dorrian winced himself, at the tiny, pained sound in her voice. “Ancestors,” he muttered, aghast.
“He saved my life. Gaston,” she said. It was still hard for her to believe. Even though it had been eight months ago, which might as well have been eight years, with everything that had happened since then, the memory was still as clear as though it had been yesterday. Shaking herself a bit, she looked up. “He didn’t have any reason to,” she said to Dorrian, “but he did anyway.”
“Of course he would,” Dorrian said, with a frown, “he and Jeron go way back. He’s lost far too many people to that particular Rysusi, far too many he couldn’t save.” He caught and held her eyes with his own, “He did what he felt was right.”
“Peacekeeper”, chapter 3
This is the newest picture. I think it’s much more dramatic and definitely seems to reflect the mood of the later chapters of the novel. This is postworked in the GIMP 2.6.
It’s a redesign of the earlier Reylian Orb picture I did in August. The above image links to the thumbnail. Both the detail and the full image are available in the gallery as well.
“Some people just don’t appreciate a well played violin”
My latest picture featuring Gaston, Taggart and a couple of women in Vendalli’s. This one took a couple of days to do and it started out as just a way to work with the two of them in a scene together and it kind of developed from there.
It shows some insight into the reasons Gaston and Taggart hate each other.
This was a lot of fun to do and I was able to experiment with some shader work as well as explore the variations in the two characters. I think it might be a bit dark, but I may relight it and do another render.
…It begins…
I don’t know where else to turn. I understand that you have been able to find things no one else has been able to and although I and my colleagues have been dismissive of your profession in the past, we find ourselves desperate and humbly ask for your help.
My deplorable pride has gotten the better of me and allowed me to fall for the false promises of a truly unscrupulous and evil man. He hired us to find a particular Artifact, one that had been rumored a myth, impossible to find. However, I, in my blind pride, assured him that my team could find anything, even this Reylian Orb of which he was so desirous.
I was wrong.
Now, half of my team is dead. The other half are so exhausted they may welcome death if they are pushed any further. And our employer gives us no respite. If we do not produce the Reylian Orb by the time he arrives, he will feed us to the Rysusi, of that I am certain.
Please, Miss T’Kayn, I ask–no, I beg of you–please help us. If not for me, for my team, who never deserved this.
Professor Darran Cass
Blogging and websites
I have been thinking about blogging lately, about what I use my sites for and why I don’t blog more.
I’ve had a presence on the Internet, in one way or another, since 1995. Most of that time, it’s been some iteration of Diranda, beginning with the DIC (Dirandan Information Centre) up to Diranda.com/Diranda Studios and on to the present incarnation as this blog, Diranda Studios.
With the renewal of tabithabradley.com (which was squatted for 2 years by some company in southern AZ) I have a dedicated official author site where I can write anything having to do with the work published under the pen-name Tabitha Bradley. Of course, this leaves Diranda Studios kind of up in the air as to what I want to do with it.
I have always liked the idea of using this site as a clearing house for Dirandan Chronicles information, if interested people wanted to see it, as well as using it to host my gallery, since I have complete control over what is in it (as opposed to places like Deviant Art and Renderosity, which are both great art communities but are limited in various ways).
I never have been able to collect enough interesting Dirandan material to make an “Info Center” site (ala 1995) and my art tends to be done in sporadic bursts of creativity or deadlines to create a better looking cover than most e-publishers seem willing to offer.
I’m turning this blog into a personal journal-type blog, with Diranda information and publishing and art-type stuff as I see fit, saving the “pro” stuff for the Tabitha Bradley location (since I bought the thing, I should use it!).
So expect to see a lot more World of Warcraft stuff, opinions and rants on this site, because if I’m in a mood to write, who knows what kind of stuff will come up! And yeah, a lot more opinions about the e-publishing industry in general, particularly when I’m ticked off at it (like I have been for a couple of months now).
I’ll keep the professionalism, but on Tabitha Bradley, not here, which is pretty much where my heart lives anyway.
-JK
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