Busy with Book editing, Open University studying, article writing, database building, Mystery shopping, Skyrim wandering and family funnening I only have time to give the following udpate. The structure, barring the planet in the background is complete. Boom.
Having just received ‘The River’ manuscript back from my excellent proof-reader, Claire, I’m becoming devoid of time for well, nearly forever.
In the near future I’ll have difficulty keeping this blog up-to-date with regard to anything but ‘The River’ developments. Any other articles on the state of the mobile industry, career stuff, life in general and other murmurs will have to wait for now as I manically review what I’ve received, continue my Open University course, keep up my two freelance jobs, play with my family and oh, yeah – do my full-time role.
In the meantime one thing I’m doing with this blog is making it a central point for all my other internet activities. In the future if you click the category ‘Knights Highlights’ it’ll take you to all articles with links to other things I’ve done online.
Below I’ve backfilled my online presence. This article will be updated at the end of November and then a similar article will be created once a month.
Click the article name and you’ll be sent across the wild web to its location as long that site owner keeps it there…
What really gets my goat with ‘connected’ gaming.
Old art on Elfwood – was moderators choice.
Old art on Elfwood.
Old art on Elfwood.
The end of Badger, badger, badger?
Google+, its benefits, challenges and an app I’d love to see.
What do you get when you put personal finance and Star Trek into a blender?
I am the card-into-watermelon throwing king.
Old art on Elfwood.
Pre-Budget (2008) report: Your Reaction
An interview for the BBC.
My personal philosphy, certain to be mentioned on this site at some point, about how having a personal project is massively important.
Old art on Elfwood.
Old art on Elfwood. Quite like this one.
Student drop out rate: Your experiences
An interview for the BBC. Ghastly picture.
Taking a bite out of Apple part 1
Setting the mobile scene and a poorly hidden secret.
Taking a bite out of Apple part 2
Three handsets to watch out for and one to ignore, berate and hate.
My favourite article for Wooza yet. Personal finance and werewolves.
Old art on Elfwood.
How negative attributes, such as disloyalty, can have positive effects on your life and your pocket.
ZZZ – my presence which has been sent to bed, for a permanent sleep.
An four minute interview on BBC News 24.
A radio 4 interview on being a Special Constable.
A radio debate on dropping out of University.
As mentioned in an earlier article I passed the weighty task of my front cover to an illustrator. But this makes the process sound simple. It wasn’t.
In the beginning
Unwilling to put my creative work in the hands of an unknown I first commissioned a mini competition on peopleperhour.com.
Nineteen artists responded to my original request. Some were arrogant, wanting exorbitant fees for sketchy-work, but most were excited and eager to be involved in a fun task – some commenting that this sort of task was why they’d got into illustrating.
Happy at their response to my ideas I too quickly accepted a couple of bids. After immediately regretting accepting two people I forced myself away from the PC and stopped reviewing portfolio after portfolio. In the morning I looked carefully through the remaining bids and accepted three more leaving me with five artists working on one of three concepts from my book.
The concepts were; A Planet Class starship, an alien race and a Dead Fleet.
Round One – FIGHT
I wish I could say that all the artists in the battleground of my creation fought valiantly. But they didn’t. Unsurprisingly the two I’d been rash to accept didn’t put the work in producing terrible or non-existent results. At least they saved me money as neither received more than a basic deposit.
Following their terrible responses I feared the worst.
Luckily I couldn’t have been more wrong. Despite only being asked for rough ideas each of the three carefully chosen illustrators responded exceptionally.
3rd Place
The first punch went to Callum as 
he produced a variety of white-on-black concepts which fit my description well.
But for me, despite really liking his pictures and knowing the high quality of his finished product from his portfolio, they just weren’t ‘right’ for my book.
2nd Place
The near knock-out blow came when I received this from Alexander:
Not wanting to ruin The River for you, his portrayal of one of my concepts was so dead-on I could barely believe it! I was so happy with his ‘sketchy ideas’ (want to know what a finished product looks like? Look here) that I almost ended the competition there and then.
But then, the real knock out blow came. And when it did I was agog.
The Winner
Completed with skill, creativity and sci-fi passion from Chris I received:
Despite really liking
Alexanders work I had to go with Chris for the sheer sci-fi brilliance of his work. I feel from his work my final product will look and feel akin to mainstream science fiction imagery.
Today
The front cover is still being designed but I’ve recently received the next stage, beyond the original concepts. And without further ado – here they are:
I love them and I hope you do too. I’ve given my constructive criticism and hope to get closer to a finished product soon.
What do you think?
I’m entering my third writing-related competition. Having had no luck so far I’m going left-field and applying for the second marza storycircus competition at 100meterfilms. For this competition I have to write a log line, hook, a bit about the universal theme and synopsis of my story.
Unsurprisingly getting one-hundred-and-three-thousand words into less than a hundred for the log line was difficult – but not impossible. Here it is below; if you hate spoilers look away now!
As their Planet Class home burns into the solar system Aeson and Phae’s relationship collapses; Constable Temple is framed for murder by a relentless enemy; and Jacob, the frozen man, attempts his escape. Man-made worlds will fall, unique life will rise and unforgiving enemies will emerge. Imagination will be stretched to its limits as the biggest question of all is finally answered – what is The River?
Not too shabby, although diluting my story into sixty-six words feels like defecating on the last three years of my life.
Stumbled across this post? Have you entered the competition? With the closing date passed, care to share your story and ideas?
