San Francisco Fan Expo Day 2! Great show and cosplay is on point. If you’re in the area, drop by Booth A409 and say hi

THUGWALLOP IS AVAILABLE ON MY WEBSITE! Holy smokes. A lot of work went into being able to write that sentence:)

Prepping, packaging, and relicing books and maps. The Fountain Hills Craft fair this weekend is my only Arizona show, so stop by if you can! Today I finished art for Thugwallop’s book box. This thing is a ton of work. But it’s turning out killer. Thugwallop paperbacks are in and look PHENOMENAL!

Back in Phoenix! Boxes of books and illustrations await, ready to be packaged and reliced. I made a Spinal Tap Stonehenge error when I ordered Thugwallop’s desktop banner. This thing is so lightweight, if anyone sneezes, it’s going to fly off my table. Super cute, though:)

New Stamp Day! With every new book in the series, I design new rubber stamps specific to the story for book packaging. Stoked with how these guys came out. As always, the stamps make more sense when you’ve read the novel. The lady at the stamp shop had a lot of questions for me.

Halloween is a US-thing, but a few houses in Christchurch gave out candy. Grateful for a rad night with my ladies. Z was Dr. Who. J was Mira from KPDH. I was Temu Spider-Man.

Cover reveal for “Thugwallop; Volume Two of the Terravenum Chronicles”!

It's late and I'm going to bed, but I just want to say that today I saw the first draft of Thugwallop's cover and y'all aren't ready. Stoked.

I love following along on maps as I read. For Debunked, I drew a full Terravenum world map. For my follow up novel, Thugwallop, I wanted to zoom in for a close-up view of places in the story, including Easter eggs. There's going to be a lot of coffee-staining in the near future!

Formatting an interior map for Thugwallop. I'm always surprised at how much I need to pump the contrast up to look good in print. The Terravenum world map took me a year to illustrate, but it's proved one of the most important creative efforts I've ever done.

Illustrating more potential cover art for Thugwallop. When I originally conceived of the Spires of Dubious Wisdom, the hermits lived in outhouse-sized shacks. When I wrote the scenes, I discovered they have a lot more room (and possibly hot tubs?).

Editors have given me the green light to announce Book Two is titled: “Thugwallop”. If that changes, this conversation never happened. Finishing up artwork assets for Thugwallop’s cover. This is “Delver’, a submersible who plays a role in the story. Designed with a puffer fish in mind.

Alpha readers are editing Book Two. I've already made a bunch of touch-ups, per my wife's suggestions. She has this strange need for stories to "make sense" and "be coherent". Pshh. Whatever. Meanwhile, I'm working on back matter for the book. Specifically, a character and terms glossary.

The title of this book alone earns a re-post.

It turns out I accidentally wrote two books instead of one. Book Two is out to alpha readers now (I need to add a few chapters to Book Three)! My daughter is reading it and her gentle encouragements soothe my bruised ego.

Confession: When I spell the word "queue", I just close my eyes and hope for the best. Another word I hit with momentum so I don't end up questioning my sanity: "occasionally" Word that used to trip me up, but now I'm freaking amazing at spelling: "Annihilator".

We’re celebrating our 200th (!!!) episode by talking about one of @lillyscribe.bsky.social’s favorite books: THE GREAT GATSBY by F. Scott Fitzgerald, featuring special guest @krystlematar.bsky.social ! Listen to our (very long) conversation here: linktr.ee/fictionfanspod #booksky 💙📚

First draft of Book 2 is DONE at 149,113 words! Book 1 started at 134,000 and ended at 104,500. My goal is to have this book ready when I fly to the USA for a mini-tour in November. There's a lot of work in front of me. Revisions, beta readers, cover art, ARCs, and formatting. Time to level up.

Stumbled across the greatest Free Little (it's bigger on the inside) Library ever today in Hamner Springs.

Checked my author dashboard and was delighted that a 10 year old and 44 year old both enjoyed Debunked. Crossed 140,000 words on Book 2 today. Rounding third base and ready to slide into the basket for a touchdown. Did I sports right? Flying V! Knuckle Puck!

Ten years ago, I wrote: 100% of chimichangas are ordered because people want to say the word "chimichanga". This has never been more true than it is today.

Me, at the start of every writing session: "Ugh, this is getting too complicated. No more POVs." Me, five minutes later: "This washer woman's story MUST be told!"

Raptor in the Australia Museum. If I were in charge of posing an exhibit, I would make the raptor look as inept a hunter as possible, too. Referencing clutz raptors is my secret Writing Side Quest. Did Garrillus the Unread lose money investing in a clutz raptor racing league? Why, yes he did.

Reader art! I love seeing how my characters look in other people’s minds. I try to leave room in my descriptions for readers to fill in the blanks. Nikos did an incredible job with Pascal and Layla. He is writing and illustrating his own book, too, when he isn’t busy making my day. Cheers!

Making audiobooks is hard work and expensive. I recorded my entire first book and haven't edited a second of it because the process burnt me out. But holy smokes, I'm sick of AI. No thanks, ACX. Maybe someday as a cheap version AFTER I release a human one.

Terry didn't just astound me with his voice. He challenged me with his mind. Granny Weatherwax and Mightily Oats arguing about faith. Death, temporarily mortal, lamenting the passage of time. Vimes' theory of socioeconomic unfairness. Every story a life lesson. Legend.

Stoked with how these posters came out! Poster Ninja did a fantastic job. As an experiment, compared heavy card stock and a fascinating synthetic metallic paper. Ended up liking them both for different reasons (metallic paper has smoooooooth color gradient, card stock feels lovely in fingers).

In USA for the first time in a year. Here for 2 weeks before heading back to NZ, so hitting important stuff. 1. Carnitas tortas. 2. Barro’s Italian sausage pizza This was number one flavor I imagined on ocean passages 3. My sister’s neighbor built a Mad Max-style hotrod. Yeah.

In middle school, I filled entire binders with spaceship armadas. I loved making up stats and purposes for each vessel, imagining how they would fit into their fleet. Little Dito would be stoked out of his zero-gravity-loving mind about projects I’m currently working on.

Played my first D&D one-shot campaign today. I've been eager to try a game ever since I first experienced the enthusiasm from RPGers at conventions. My character was a Paladin Dwarf named Trogdor. I had a pet kitten named Margaret Thatcher, who I swore an oath to obey. Verdict: Awesome

Stretching my boundaries by drawing thematic airships. This lovely lady is modeled after the infamous Overproud Lumberhen. Anyone with the misfortune of crossing a lumberhen knows not to mess with this captain.

I've walked this path at least twenty times but only yesterday realized this pinhole camera installation looks like a shrine to Jar-Jar Binks. I cannot unsee this and now, neither can you.

A three day illustration. I’ve been chasing Maelstrom airships for a long time. I’m finally dialing in the balance of menace, whimsy, and Mad Max I was aiming for. When Dad suggested adding an eye to the pilot house, it took things to the next “Um, these guys are crazy” level.

I’m just a boy drawing airships for his book series while ignoring a deluge of AI ads attempting to drown my newsfeed. Trying some new techniques. Every new airship adds to Terravenum lore because technology determines so much about worldbuilding.

Sanderson's online writing class is a gem! Particularly his encouragement to blast through writing five books so we can learn what works. It's nice to be reminded that a career can be built on more than a debut's commercial success or failure.

Loved Weta Workshop. Such an inspiring place, with a delightful celebration of creativity. In this age of AI shortcuts and fake excellence-at-any-cost, Weta's passion for the creative process was balm for my soul.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays! However you celebrate this season, I hope you have an amazing day. A New Zealand summertime Christmas is a big change for us, but we still managed to roast marshmallows. All the best, from my family to yours.

Trying new art techniques and went back to give this stabsnail another shot. To my horror, original design had no way for her to retreat into her shell. Fixed! Also added a diminutive arthropid rider. This litigious little guy is known as a “skulking peril”, who you might meet in book two:)

Loving being back in NZ! 24 years ago, Dad parked his truck in this self-storage unit. Now I’m helping him get her back in the road. Today we sanded and painted the wheels in prep for new tires. Then we will tow her to a garage and find out what’s up.

It’s been a few months since I checked this app, but the eXodus gives me hope for a better experience. We’ll give her a go. Currently in New Zealand, having sailed here from Mexico over the past seven months. Lovely place. Quite a bit greener than we are used to.

We were eager to launch after months of boatwork, quitting jobs, saving for years, renting house, etc. Today, they accidentally dropped us off the skateboard on the way to launch slip. Annnnd back to boatwork. Need to fiberglass bulkheads at very least.

We sand bottom paint by day, then fight crime at night. Dad hasn’t got the hang of secret disguises. If your costume has you darkening your nose instead of your eyes, changes need to be made.

The most important sketch in my notebook. This map set Terravenum into motion. I started working on it while writing chapter seven, never anticipating how it would expand the story. My favorite fantasy maps feature names hinting at interesting backstories.

More Terravenum worldbuilding sketches from writing Debunked. Keeper’s Rock, the original Archive concept, a Merchant Guild freighter, and Aeronoth. Someday I’m going to illustrate this series and it will be interesting to see how fully realized scenes compare.

Came across sketches from when I began worldbuilding Terravenum. Grainers, gluttonous maws, uncommon badgadder, & lorebadger concept art. Some of these guys didn’t make it into Debunked, but they may show up in future books. We’ve come a long way, and we’ve only just begun.

Packing up the house. These lanyards are from 75% of the events I attended since June 2022. Already formulating plans to up my game for future cons, whenever I’m back in the States. Four words: Terravenum. Zip. Line. Experience.

Big day in the boatyard. Installed 2 raw water pumps, drilled new lag bolt on stbd engine mount, replaced anemometer. Yeah, it’s not book related. Or is it? I didn’t choose to write the airship game. The airship game chose ME. I’m a deck monkey at heart, at sea or in the sky.

Not entirely sure whether to post sailing stuff here. It’s my life for the next year, though, so… Here’s a pic of me winching batteries and a water tank on board today that makes it look like I’m stealing them.

In Mexico with Dad. Boat refit for 2024 Pacific Ocean crossing starts now. It’s on like freaking Donkey Kong. Also, I brought broadband absorbers to build a voiceover booth over the table in our tiny apt, so I can narrate the audiobook at night. Up to Chapter 29.

My sister has been asking me to drop by her house for a few weeks because there was “something awesome I needed to see”. So, today, I did. Behold: The Greatest Custom Shower Curtain of All Time.