Philtrum’s Guidance Deck. I’ve begun a new series of illustrations that I’m turning into art cards for my patrons. They’ll be based on the cards in Philtrum Kemp’s guidance deck in the Immortal Holmes series. You may recall the frontispiece illustration from Folk-Spelled, which was Fifth of Forest.
::twinkle::Patreon Perk. One of the perks that patrons can expect is the Quarterly Art Card. For September, we have another of Asha’s lovely lettered pieces, this time featuring a snippet from Tamiko and the Two Janitors.
Art Card: 5×7″ on heavy stock with gold foil stamping
Art: “She Gave Me a Paperclip”
Lettering and Art by Asha
To receive this mailing, you’ll need to be a patron at the Twinkle tier (or higher) during the month of September. So there’s still time. If you do join at the $4/month tier, you’ll need to request the mailing. Higher tiers get these mailings automatically. Take a look at your options over on my patreon page >>
Quarterly Art Card. These were delayed, but they’re finally in, and I’m tucking them into envelopes for patrons. Featuring art by Nicko, I included a “missing scene” for Suuzu & Akria on the back. If you want to read “Nesting Instinct,” you’ll need to come on over, join up at the Twinkle tier, and request inclusion in the mailing. Because of the delay, I’m letting any new/upgrading Twinkles in July request the Quarterly Art Card. It’d be a shame to miss out!
Art Card: 5.5″ x 8.5″ with a semi-gloss finish
Art: “Treehouse” by Nicko
Reverse: “Nesting Instinct,” a new and exclusive scene
Patreon Mailings. Just a quick peek at crops from the art cards that are going out to patrons this month. There’s still time to take the plunge and support my stories in new ways. Perks include mailings like these, access to Bard & Barbarian (an ongoing original story), narrated chapters of BnB (because Travis Baldree is amazing), and a subscription of sorts to Kimiko and the Cycle of Moons, which is currently seeing monthly updates. Check out the various tiers and choose the one that suits your needs.
June’s regularly scheduled art card features art by Jane Pica.
And one the reverse of the Quarterly Art Card, I’ve printed a brand new, original, highly exclusive missing scene for Suuzu and Akira, entitled “Nesting Instinct.” But let’s not breeze past that gorgeous art just yet. It’s being printed at 5.5″ x 8.5″ and features art by Nicko. This is just a crop. Love that body language!
Patreon is also the first place to find out about my new series. Art and character introductions and cover reveals and summaries! Take a look >>
Patrons and Perks. I’ve been away for a few weeks, being a semi-adventurous traveler, but now that I’m safely home & settling in for holiday shenanigans, I’m catching up. Some of the boxes that awaited my return held the art cards for December. This month’s regular mailing features art by Mart on a lovely linen paper. It’s the first in what will be a set of four commissions, and patrons have the chance to collect them all.
Kusunoki | art by Mart
Dichotomy Day is nearly upon us, and that means there’s also a Quarterly Art Card mailing. This time around, I chose another lettered piece by Asha, and for the first time, I splurged on gold foil. The results have given some serious shine to her favorite quote from Kimiko and the Accidental Proposal.
“Forgive my lack of eloquence…” | lettering by Asha
I’ll also mention that it’s “courting comb” season. This year’s selection features a phoenix.Those go out in January, but in order to qualify for the mailing, you’ll need to be at the appropriate tier (beacon or reliquary) for both December and January. So now’s the time to make that leap. Quantities are limited, and I do have a few leftovers from past year’s combs (fox, dragon, chrysanthemum).
Many thanks to everyone who supports my storytelling in such practical ways. I’m grateful. Always.
September Mailings. In addition to the regular monthly mailing (this one featuring Jacques), the Quarterly Art Card goes out this month to patrons. This time around, I’ve selected a lovely lettered quote by Asha, one of her favorites from Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox. She generously gave permission for me to share her art with all of you. Here’s a zoomed in peek at the original:
Asha created both a full-color version with the blues and gold highlights of the original cover … but she also did a black & white version. Choosing which to print was a breeze because … I did both. The prints are reversible, so you can choose which side to display!
Lettered Tsumiko Quote by Asha
Size: 8.5″ x 5.5″ on felt-textured paper
Thank you to everyone who’s come alongside as a patron. I appreciate your supporting my storytelling in such a practical way. September is a great time to join the ranks of Glimmers, Twinkles, Sparkles, et. al. because later this month, I’ll be sharing the first chapter of Kimiko and the Cycle of Moons (Amaranthine Interludes, #3). This novel-length book will be a Patreon exclusive for now. It’ll give you ALL the kisses of Kimiko’s courtship along with other excitement at Kikusawa Shrine. Check out the various tiers and their perks here >>
Quarterly Art Card. Happy Solstice! I’m finally getting around to showing you the art for this quarter. Junpei’s portrait turned into a larger piece incorporating paper parasols. Fox and I decided that while red flowers were a must … we could next-level things by including the Junzi/Four Gentlemen. Junpei is the main character from Flattered by Flowers (Songs of the Amaranthine, #8), and yes … as many of you have guessed, he’ll be recurring in Kimiko and the Cycle of Moons. (Coming this fall! A patreon-exclusive serialization!)
Junpei | art by FoxOfTwilight
For the art card, there’ll be an original story snippet on the reverse, titled “Sacred Tree.”
Patreon Perks. One of the many little things I do for my supporters is … mail! For 2023, I committed to doing story-related mailings every month (access to those varies by tier). But the old standby is the Quarterly Art Card. This time around, I created square cards with the circlet of nippet eggs from the cover of Suuzu and the Nine Nippets of Legend (releases 4/22). On the reverse, I even included an excerpt from the soon-to-release story.
Art Card: 5.25″ x 5.25″ (felted finish)
Reverse: Excerpt from Suuzu and the Nine Nippets of Legend
Come, join the tiers! I’ll do my best to spoil you. ::twinkle::
Quarterly Art Cards. This mailing just went out the door! If you want to get in on all the Amaranthine-inspired art cards I send out, consider becoming a patron! ::twinkle::
More about this specific mailing can be found on this post >>
Perks of Patronage. The art cards for September 2022 just arrived. They feature the cover illustration from the Hebrew edition of Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox (art by Omri Koresh). And there’s a short story snippet on the reverse, titled “Under the Ginkgo Trees.” If you want to catch this mailing, come on over! ::twinkle::
September 2022. This will be a busy month for the mailboxes of those readers who’ve become patrons. The regularly scheduled September mailing will feature another illustration in the Ephemera collection:
Midivar | art by Ren
Normally, this mailing would only be available to patrons beginning at the Sparkle tier ($14/month), but a couple of times a year, I will do an Open Offer, making a mailing available to patrons at any tier. That’s what I’ve done for the midivar postcards, so if you’ve been thinking about becoming a patron, this would be a great time to do so. Glimmers ($1+) & Twinkles ($4/month) are able to request inclusion!
But wait, there’s more!
Quarterly Art Cards are one of my recurring thank you gifts to patrons. They’re sent out during solstices & equinoxes, since those dates have long been important to the Amaranthine clans. For the Autumn Equinox (September 22), I was given permission to use the cover art from the Hebrew edition of Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox.
Cover Illustration: Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox (Hebrew edition)
Artist: Omri Koresh
Bonus Story. As a little something extra, I wrote an exclusive story snippet, which is printed on the reverse. It’s called “Under the Ginkgo Trees” and features Tsumiko & Argent. Patrons beginning at the Twinkle tier will be able to request inclusion in the art card mailing. By the way, patrons starting at the Sparkle tier ($14/month) are automatically included in these quarterly mailings, and my Dazzles ($24/month) enjoy monthly mailings. All part of the perks of patronage!
Thank you to everyone who’s been supporting me so far. We’re nearly halfway to the community goal that will bring you Kimiko and the Cycle of Moons. (Summary & details about Kimi2 on this blog’s pinned post.)
For more information about perks for ALL the tiers, visit my Patreon page >>
Perks of Patronage. One of the thank you gifts I create for my supporters over on Patreon is a Quarterly Art Card. For June’s summer solstice mailing (which is Dichotomy Day, you know), I’ve had prints made of one of the Ephemera that I commissioned from Ren this past spring. There will be four in all, so if you join up now, you may be able to collect them all! ::twinkle::
Quisp | art by Ren
“They are Ephemera.” Suuzu quietly explained, “A rare variety that develops a symbiotic relationship with certain trees. They must have been hibernating inside, but the presence of so many potent souls brought them out.”
“Lady Anna’s blade is an effective lure,” said Argent. “She is like springtime to them.”
Suuzu touched Kimiko’s shoulder. “If they remain active, I would not be surprised if your friend bloomed this year.”
“How fortunate we sealed your boundaries.” Argent darted upward and returned with a small creature caged between his fingers. It looked like a winged monkey, no bigger than a sparrow, with pale fur glowing softly in the darkness. Round eyes blinked drowsily at them as it clung to Argent’s fingers. He said, “I should bring one home to show Tsumiko.”
Akira rolled his eyes. “Like you don’t want it for your collection.” To Kimiko, he added, “Argent’s a repeat offender when it comes to smuggling Ephemera across borders.”
Kimiko and the Accidental Proposal
Amaranthine Saga, #2
. . .
Another series of short wingbeats descended, and something caught in Junpei’s hair, chittering as it clung. He balked, pulling Hajime up short, and whispered, “What is it?”
“You are attracting Ephemera. Calm yourself. These are both harmless and adorable.”
“Get it off?” he begged, bending so his companion could reach.
Hajime made hushing sounds. Maybe they were for the animal. Maybe they were for him. And when he stepped back, he had a strange creature in his hands. A teensy, winged monkey with pale fur that glowed in much the same way Churlish did.
“Nothing to fear,” soothed Hajime. “Not from innocents such as these.”
Flattered by Flowers
Songs of the Amaranthine, #8
Thank you to everyone who supports my stories, wherever they may be found! I’ll do my best to reward your trust, one tale (or trinket) at a time. ::glomp::
Vernal Equinox. The box from my printer arrived with the art cards I prepared for my patrons. This month’s Quarterly Art Card features a brand new, exclusive story snippet for Akira & Suuzu that’s set near the end of Bk5: Fumiko and the Finicky Nestmate. If you want to catch this and future mailings, consider the leap to patronage. I’d be grateful. And I’ll do my best to spoil you. ::twinkle::
Akira and Suuzu. They’re the closest of friends, the lifelong sort. And their story threads straight through the Amaranthine Saga. We haven’t had art of them since they were in middle school, so it was time for an update.
“Nestmates” | art by FoxOfTwilight
Quarterly Art Card. As most of you are probably aware, I create art cards as thank yous for my patrons. More and more, I’ve begun including story snippets on them. Little scenes or outtakes. The next Quarterly Art Card will go out in March, coinciding with the vernal equinox, and THIS is the art I chose to feature. AND I’ve written a scene to go with it, just a private moment between Akira and Suuzu, set near the end of Fumiko and the Finicky Nestmate. Completely original. So if you want MOAR of these nestmates, I hope you’ll consider joining the ranks of supporters over on Patreon >>
zoom in
Not Exactly Lulling. I received several nudges last week, reminding me that I missed updates on some of my stories. This happens periodically, and it’s nothing to worry about. I usually try to “write ahead” so I can post chapters regularly, but I’ve caught up to myself. No reserves. And rather busy with Bk6 at the moment. Also I tend to pile a lot into November (word sprints, festive plans, seasonal mailings, extra shopping, family stuff) so I can take it easy in December. Which means … patchy updates for a while.
Speaking of seasonal mailings, I’ve revealed the Quarterly Art Card for December over on Patreon. This winter scene will round out a collection of four commissions by Lara Pickle for the first four short stories in Songs of the Amaranthine. “The Dark” features a moment in Marked by Stars, and it turned out very pretty, since it’s printed on pearlescent paper. (The snow & sky, they shine!)
If you want to get in on these quarterly mailings (and so many other perks), check out my Patreon, where I appreciate my supporters & try to keep things interesting. ::twinkle::
Close Crop of “The Dark,” art by Lara Pickle. Other illustrations in this set were “The Dance” (for Songs 02), “The Den” (for Songs 03), and “The Drama” (for Songs 04).
FORTHRIGHT 