It is official, Titan is headed your way June 1st. I am sorry for the wait, but changes in my personal and professional life, along with the Derecho land hurricane that hit my home town, on top of a year+ Covid-19 pandemic, and I feel fortunate just to say that I am still here. I also had back surgery in January, with rehab ongoing, so needless to say, things have been hectic. But the important thing is, I am here and healthy, and still writing.

Recently I finished Titan, a book I have been very excited to get done and in your hands. Well, after a lengthy wait, it is finally happening. And on June 1st, no less. It is already up for Preorder on Amazon, where it will spend a short amount of time as a Kindle Exclusive, before pushing wide to Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and other eBook distribution channels. It will be available in Trade paperback on launch day. I have had preliminary talks with C.J. about audiobook narration and will provide an update on production and potential audiobook release information. Preorder your Kindle copy here.

As far as what happens next, I am happy to announce that I have picked up and resumed work on Savage Dawn, which was already sitting at about 70k words. I can’t wait to get that spooky, moody werewolf book into your hands and see what you think. I’m turning the Lycan legend a bit on its head, so expect a fun ride. That should be done soon.

For NecroVerse fans, I already have the completed cover for book 4, Sparrow, and will be revealing that in the days running up to Titan’s release. I am working feverishly on that book, with the hopes of getting it to you later this summer, as I did with the quick turn around between the Unleashed and Exodus releases.

If you would like to get more up to date project and release information and stay connected, please consider joining my Reader Group on Facebook.

I recently created a (Merch) store that is now connected to my website. I have Planitex Team Wear available in a t-shirt and insulated water bottle, for NecroVerse fans. There is also a premium quality 24”x 36” artwork poster available for Unleashed. Exodus and Titan will be up soon. Items are limited right now, but they will be added regularly, so check it out at www.Planitexindustrial.com

Well, that is all I have for updates right now. I hope you are all staying happy and healthy.

Commissioning a book cover is often a fairly streamlined experience for an author. Oftentimes, it only involves a single person: a cover artist, or graphic designer. That is the route I went with most of my previous covers. This time around, I was looking for a very different look. And because using stock images rarely gives you exactly the picture you’re looking for, I decided to tap into the artistic source directly.

I jumped into the world of comic book art, which uses a very different system of art creation. On most projects, a comic book employs an artist, an inker, a colorist, a writer, and a letterer. I found it fascinating, as the comic book world is full of awesome and talented artists, desperate to prove themselves. Thanks for social media, I was able to post my commission needs to this populace, and ended up connecting with the write people. I enjoyed the process of this art commission so much I decided to break it down and share it with you. So, if you’ve ever wanted a look behind the curtain and see how book covers are created, here is your chance!

Step 1

Character and pose mock up.

The artist roughly sketches the characters that will be featured in the artwork, detailing where they will stand and how. There is very little detail here, but it isn’t needed yet. This step is merely to frame the image and confirm the intended visual of the writer is in line with the artist’s vision.

Unleashed Cover Character Anna Rev 1.jpg

Unleashed Cover Character Jacoby Rev 1.jpg

Step 2

Character detail

The second step is the detail phase, where the artist fleshes out the characters, filling in details and giving them form. For me, this is the coolest step in the process, as you get to watch undefined stick characters come to life, as if they materialize from your imagination.

Step 3

Depth, shade, and ink

The third phase allows the artist to make small adjustments to the characters designs, and start to add depth to the image by adding shadow, shade, and darken previously undefined areas. This step is really cool, because it looks like the characters are starting to pull off the page, gaining substance.

Step 4

Final Pencil

Step 4 affords a finished pencil drawing. All characters and details are finished, lines are darkened or inked, and shading, and shadow is completed. Additional texture is added and the background is filled out. I could see why some would choose to stop at this step, as for a black and white book, this would make some kick butt artwork!

Step 5

Initial Colorization

Step 5 sees the pencil art go to the colorist. This is where you send comps and ideas for clothing color, background theme, tone, lighting, etc. The image on the left is the first draft of the colored image. I sent back some edits, specifically Lex (the gal on the right with the awesome rifle) and requested that her hair be more red. You can see the slight variations in the art, as color is refined and changed. Lighting is modified and the background starts to come to life.

Step 6

Typography and Graphic Design

Once you’ve approved the final colored version of the art, it is sent to a graphic designer for typography. My designer’s initial concern was the amount of artwork on page, and how to place title and author name without covering up too much. Our compromise was isolating Jacoby’s (my main character) head, and using layers to have the title appear behind him. This works nicely, as the font and color used appear to glow, working nicely with the light sourcing used in the artwork. As you can see, from idea, to concept, and from draft to draft, cover art can be process of adaptation, compromise, and discovery. I put my vision in the hands of multiple artists, and in the end, received more than I ever hoped.

Unleashed is finished. The manuscript is now handed off to my advanced/Beta readers. I am awaiting their feedback and will make edits accordingly. The book will then go through edits/proofing, and formatting, before finally being approved for release.

Titan release date set! And other news.