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Ratha Graphic Novel Update - Major Progress!
General | Posted 12 years agoGood news! The Ratha Graphic Novel team has not been eaten by bristle-manes, abducted by the UnNamed, or stepped on by rumblers. We've all been working busily and here's what we've done:
Dec 18, 2013
Ratha's Creature Graphic Novel 2013 Holiday Update!
Greetings!
It's been a long time since the last update, and I'm sorry for the long disappearance! Never fear, though, I and the team have been working hard on the Ratha's Creature Graphic Novel and are making good progress. More importantly, it's really exciting to see the beautiful work by artists Tod Wills, Dani Long, and Lew Lashmit, working closely with me. Sheila Ruth of Imaginator Press says "I may be biased, but I think this is going to be an outstanding graphic novel!" I believe that everyone on the team agrees.
Here's where we stand so far:
I have completed scripts for the entire book, based on initial storyboards.
I developed a set of terms to use in the script for describing the views for each panel. The terms are based on those used for film scripts, but adapted for use with quadrupedal characters. I found that the traditional film terms such as "MS - Medium Shot" were not always adequate to describe the views I wanted for animals, so I created terms such as "AFQ -Animal ForeQuarter."
We selected a font for the lettering: Blambot's Cloudsplitter (www.blambot.com/font_cloudspli…)
We developed a style for the character reference sheets for Kickstarter backers who chose the reward levels which include them. The character reference sheets include a short character description and a short physical description for each.
We have almost completed the character reference sheets for the major characters. We're still doing some work on references for minor characters and other animals, but these are primarily for our own reference when working on the pages, and won't be developed into full-blown model sheets for the backers, so they'll take less time.
We have completed layouts through Scene 7: Return and Rejection. (There are 24 scenes all together.)
Much of this is happening in parallel, as each of us may be working on different parts as necessary to keep the work flowing. We bring everything together and have extensive discussions on our Basecamp site.
Just for fun, here are some not-so-nice characters for your enjoyment: Named Clan Leader Meoran and the black unnamed female, Nightling. Look in the gallery box.
Dec 18, 2013
Ratha's Creature Graphic Novel 2013 Holiday Update!
Greetings!
It's been a long time since the last update, and I'm sorry for the long disappearance! Never fear, though, I and the team have been working hard on the Ratha's Creature Graphic Novel and are making good progress. More importantly, it's really exciting to see the beautiful work by artists Tod Wills, Dani Long, and Lew Lashmit, working closely with me. Sheila Ruth of Imaginator Press says "I may be biased, but I think this is going to be an outstanding graphic novel!" I believe that everyone on the team agrees.
Here's where we stand so far:
I have completed scripts for the entire book, based on initial storyboards.
I developed a set of terms to use in the script for describing the views for each panel. The terms are based on those used for film scripts, but adapted for use with quadrupedal characters. I found that the traditional film terms such as "MS - Medium Shot" were not always adequate to describe the views I wanted for animals, so I created terms such as "AFQ -Animal ForeQuarter."
We selected a font for the lettering: Blambot's Cloudsplitter (www.blambot.com/font_cloudspli…)
We developed a style for the character reference sheets for Kickstarter backers who chose the reward levels which include them. The character reference sheets include a short character description and a short physical description for each.
We have almost completed the character reference sheets for the major characters. We're still doing some work on references for minor characters and other animals, but these are primarily for our own reference when working on the pages, and won't be developed into full-blown model sheets for the backers, so they'll take less time.
We have completed layouts through Scene 7: Return and Rejection. (There are 24 scenes all together.)
Much of this is happening in parallel, as each of us may be working on different parts as necessary to keep the work flowing. We bring everything together and have extensive discussions on our Basecamp site.
Just for fun, here are some not-so-nice characters for your enjoyment: Named Clan Leader Meoran and the black unnamed female, Nightling. Look in the gallery box.
Got Kickstarter funding and finished first pass script
General | Posted 12 years agoHi everyone,
As most of you probably know, the Ratha Graphic Novel Kickstarter succeeded, the project is under way, and I recently finished the first-pass script!
The artists (Dani Long, Tod Wills, and Lew Lashmit) give me good feedback as each scene is developed graphically. Even though the script is basically complete, I will be doing some modifications to incorporate their suggestions, so that's why I call it a first pass.
About the cartoon:
Since Ratha is a cat-version of me (my "fursona"), I depict her doing what I do, such as dunk in the pool, work on the laptop, enjoy BBQ, etc. I've worked on the graphic novel storyboards and script for a long stretch, and completed the first-pass versions on 6/28/2013. As a friend once said, a labor of love is a labor, nonetheless. I've loved doing both, but I'm glad that this first-pass version is done.
I wrote the last scenes in a joyous frenzy, during the 115 degree California heat. Despite the pool and the trusty spritz bottle, the effort drained me. When I finished the last scene, I collapsed in the same position as Ratha, and conked out for 6 hours straight.
So, I thought that if Ratha had done the same, she'd be in similar shape. And everyone knows the "He's dead, Jim." line from Star Trek. Ratha's not dead, of course, but she feels like she is. So, the cartoon. Hope you enjoy it.
As most of you probably know, the Ratha Graphic Novel Kickstarter succeeded, the project is under way, and I recently finished the first-pass script!
The artists (Dani Long, Tod Wills, and Lew Lashmit) give me good feedback as each scene is developed graphically. Even though the script is basically complete, I will be doing some modifications to incorporate their suggestions, so that's why I call it a first pass.
About the cartoon:
Since Ratha is a cat-version of me (my "fursona"), I depict her doing what I do, such as dunk in the pool, work on the laptop, enjoy BBQ, etc. I've worked on the graphic novel storyboards and script for a long stretch, and completed the first-pass versions on 6/28/2013. As a friend once said, a labor of love is a labor, nonetheless. I've loved doing both, but I'm glad that this first-pass version is done.
I wrote the last scenes in a joyous frenzy, during the 115 degree California heat. Despite the pool and the trusty spritz bottle, the effort drained me. When I finished the last scene, I collapsed in the same position as Ratha, and conked out for 6 hours straight.
So, I thought that if Ratha had done the same, she'd be in similar shape. And everyone knows the "He's dead, Jim." line from Star Trek. Ratha's not dead, of course, but she feels like she is. So, the cartoon. Hope you enjoy it.
Ratha Graphic Novel Kickstarter at 87%, 3 more days left
General | Posted 13 years agoThanks to everyone who has supported the Ratha Graphic Novel Kickstarter.
We are now 87% funded with 3.5 days to go. I also extend my appreciation and gratitude to everyone who has posted, blogged, tweeted or otherwise boosted the signal. http://bit.ly/rathakick
The Graphic Novel team will work as hard as we can to make sure this adaptation of Ratha's Creature is the best it can be, in story flow, illustration, characters and dialog. This is a labor of love for everyone on the team.
Fans, artists, readers and big-cat lovers, you have brought us to this point, and Ratha loves you all.
Why Ratha's Creature should be a graphic novel. Fan video http://youtu.be/eae7j4UlWuo
Bonechewer art music video: http://youtu.be/CTJ_UilUX2A
About the "Ratha's Challenge"
http://seasaidh.deviantart.com/art/.....ENGE-348597399
Ratha's Challenge Art Gallery
http://sheilaruth.deviantart.com/fa.....rites/53643563
We are now 87% funded with 3.5 days to go. I also extend my appreciation and gratitude to everyone who has posted, blogged, tweeted or otherwise boosted the signal. http://bit.ly/rathakick
The Graphic Novel team will work as hard as we can to make sure this adaptation of Ratha's Creature is the best it can be, in story flow, illustration, characters and dialog. This is a labor of love for everyone on the team.
Fans, artists, readers and big-cat lovers, you have brought us to this point, and Ratha loves you all.
Why Ratha's Creature should be a graphic novel. Fan video http://youtu.be/eae7j4UlWuo
Bonechewer art music video: http://youtu.be/CTJ_UilUX2A
About the "Ratha's Challenge"
http://seasaidh.deviantart.com/art/.....ENGE-348597399
Ratha's Challenge Art Gallery
http://sheilaruth.deviantart.com/fa.....rites/53643563
Ratha Graphic Novel - Bonechewer in new Kickstarter video
General | Posted 13 years agoFebruary 10, 2013, 22:03
Tod, Dani, and Sheila have put together a real treat for Ratha fans -- a music video about how the artists are developing and visualizing Bonechewer for the Ratha graphic novel.
See it here at: http://youtu.be/CTJ_UilUX2A
Please back our Kickstarter. We are at nearly 75%, with 5 days left.
http://bit.ly/rathakick
Ratha author will answer questions from Livestream audience.
General | Posted 13 years agoUpdate: I got myself on the #furaffinity chat channel, so if people want to talk to me via chat, I'll leave the window up.
If you were chatting with Tod Wills (Djinni on Live Journal and Formidonis here) and want to ask a question about the Ratha series books or the Ratha's Creature graphic novel adaptation, I can answer it here. I'll be checking my FA every morning at about 9AM PST, so if you want to talk with me, welcome!
We can also explore moving the conversation over to a chatroom. I know some people are asking about the Named vs. the UnNamed; if they are different species, or if the UnNamed are the original species, etc.
Our Kickstarter is 70% funded, but we have only 7 days left to hit the goal, so if you can, please back us or up your existing pledge. Remember that Kickstarter is an all or nothing set-up, so if we don't reach the goal, the graphic novel doesn't happen.
http://bit.ly/rathakick
Looking forward to talking with you.
If you were chatting with Tod Wills (Djinni on Live Journal and Formidonis here) and want to ask a question about the Ratha series books or the Ratha's Creature graphic novel adaptation, I can answer it here. I'll be checking my FA every morning at about 9AM PST, so if you want to talk with me, welcome!
We can also explore moving the conversation over to a chatroom. I know some people are asking about the Named vs. the UnNamed; if they are different species, or if the UnNamed are the original species, etc.
Our Kickstarter is 70% funded, but we have only 7 days left to hit the goal, so if you can, please back us or up your existing pledge. Remember that Kickstarter is an all or nothing set-up, so if we don't reach the goal, the graphic novel doesn't happen.
http://bit.ly/rathakick
Looking forward to talking with you.
Ratha Artist Livestreaming Today
General | Posted 13 years agoTod Wills is Livestreaming art and cartoons today to promote the Ratha's Creature Graphic Novel Kickstarter.
http://todwills.deviantart.com/art/.....phic-352843553
From his LiveJournal:
"Prehistoric Art Stream!
I will be spending my day, until I crash, drawing prehistoric animal cartoons on my ustream channel, which you can find here -
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/icon-day
While I am not limiting myself to the animals and characters from Ratha's Creature, they will likely make an appearance, and the purpose of today's show is to promote the Ratha's Creature kickstarter! We're at 69% funding - $4,079 out of the $5,900 we need - with eight days to go.
This last week is crucial, and if you'd like to see the graphic novel happen, we need your help to spread the word! So, here's how this is gonna work.
Here is a graphic you are free to use to link to the kickstarter: http://todwills.deviantart.com/art/.....phic-352843553
You can use our short url - http://bit.ly/rathakick - without a / at the end, I learned the hard way 6_6
Link to our kickstarter page on your lj, your twitter, your facebook, wherever you frequent - or you could link to this post to share in the ustream goodness - and post a comment here (including your email address) if you do! You don't need a livejournal account to comment. You can post with your twitter, facebook, g+ account, or leave an anonymous comment, as long as you remember to include your email address in the comment so I can find you.
When I wake up tomorrow morning, I will randomly pick three people who commented here and send them each one of the pictures I make today. Depending on what I accomplish today, I might pick some more folks, but we'll see how it goes! So... prizes! And art to watch today! Prehistoric critters! It's gonna be a good day. :D
***
A couple brief notes for the stream
- I do not have sound on, so I can watch documentaries and babble at my roommate and partner while I work. However, I'll be hanging out in the chat and happy to type at you. :D
- please no poltical or religious discussion, and keep your comments civil and respectful in general
- if you have any questions or comments outside the chat room, you can contact me at coyotepuck[at]gmail.com and I'll get back to you after the stream
- I am on puppy duty, and will occasionally have to break to take him out, etc.
... that's about it!"
Thanks, Tod!
Author Kickstarter Update 02/02/2013 Just hit 50% funding!
General | Posted 13 years agoHi everyone, from Clare Bell. I wanted to personally thank all of our 94 backers and I hope you're enjoying the art development sneak peeks and other perks. We just hit 50% funding on Kickstarter!You are helping me realize the very long-held dream of bringing the Named series to a new generation of readers and fans.
Today, electronic graphic technology has made people more visually-oriented than they were a generation ago, which is why we are moving into this new medium. We certainly intend to continue with the books, for those who have loved them. We also have pledged to keep the graphic novel as close as possible to Ratha's Creature, and any of the sequels we adapt.
I would also like to thank those who might not have been able to pledge at this point, but who have spread the word by contributing to the “Ratha's Challenge” art challenge gallery, or telling friends about the Kickstarter.
The Artist Dream Team, Sheila, and I are continuing work and publicity for the project, and here's what you will see in the upcoming days.:
Dani Long is penciling madly on Bonechewer, and doing video screen capture as she goes, so that we'll have footage for another video. She has already sent footage to Sheila, who is our video editor/creator.
Tod will also be coloring the Bonechewer model sheet and videoing as he goes, so that you can see how his process of watercolor and colored pencil works.
Sheila Ruth will edit the footage into a Bonechewer art creation music video. The Bard in Green, who composed music for the present Kickstarter video, also composed a Bonechewer theme, which we'll be using for the Bonechewer music video. We are hoping to have that up soon.
Dani Long and Tod Wills are completing Bonechewer and Fessran character model sheets, and we'll be doing public art posts from those, as we did with Thakur. Backers will get more art development sneak peaks, possibly including more video. If you enjoyed the peek at the process of developing Fessran, you should really like this.
Tod Wills has an art show up in his hometown local cafe! He also has fliers with the sample art page picture and the Kickstarter link. If you are in the Seattle area, go see it!
The Black Drop Coffee Shop
300 W. Champion St.
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 738-3767
http://www.blackdropcoffeehouse.com
I have done an “establishing shot panorama” storyboard for the first page of the graphic novel, and four more following panels that lead up to the sample page that you saw.
Lew Lashmit is painting the panorama based on the storyboard. He is fantastic with animal anatomy, light, coloring, and more, so I look forward to seeing what he does with this.
In between breaks from doing coloring on the model sheets, Tod Wills wants to do layouts based on these new storyboard pages. He's going to be one bizzzzy kitty if he does all that!
We are continuing to develop Ratha, the other Named cats, and the various prehistoric creatures in model sheets and comic pages.
If you're excited about this project, please spread the word on Twitter, Google+, Facebook, Fur Affinity, Deviant Art, and other sites. Make comments, do fan art, urge others to pledge, email friends, etc. If you are already a backer, please consider upping your pledge amount.
Many Ratha-licks and nuzzles,
Clare
Today, electronic graphic technology has made people more visually-oriented than they were a generation ago, which is why we are moving into this new medium. We certainly intend to continue with the books, for those who have loved them. We also have pledged to keep the graphic novel as close as possible to Ratha's Creature, and any of the sequels we adapt.
I would also like to thank those who might not have been able to pledge at this point, but who have spread the word by contributing to the “Ratha's Challenge” art challenge gallery, or telling friends about the Kickstarter.
The Artist Dream Team, Sheila, and I are continuing work and publicity for the project, and here's what you will see in the upcoming days.:
Dani Long is penciling madly on Bonechewer, and doing video screen capture as she goes, so that we'll have footage for another video. She has already sent footage to Sheila, who is our video editor/creator.
Tod will also be coloring the Bonechewer model sheet and videoing as he goes, so that you can see how his process of watercolor and colored pencil works.
Sheila Ruth will edit the footage into a Bonechewer art creation music video. The Bard in Green, who composed music for the present Kickstarter video, also composed a Bonechewer theme, which we'll be using for the Bonechewer music video. We are hoping to have that up soon.
Dani Long and Tod Wills are completing Bonechewer and Fessran character model sheets, and we'll be doing public art posts from those, as we did with Thakur. Backers will get more art development sneak peaks, possibly including more video. If you enjoyed the peek at the process of developing Fessran, you should really like this.
Tod Wills has an art show up in his hometown local cafe! He also has fliers with the sample art page picture and the Kickstarter link. If you are in the Seattle area, go see it!
The Black Drop Coffee Shop
300 W. Champion St.
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 738-3767
http://www.blackdropcoffeehouse.com
I have done an “establishing shot panorama” storyboard for the first page of the graphic novel, and four more following panels that lead up to the sample page that you saw.
Lew Lashmit is painting the panorama based on the storyboard. He is fantastic with animal anatomy, light, coloring, and more, so I look forward to seeing what he does with this.
In between breaks from doing coloring on the model sheets, Tod Wills wants to do layouts based on these new storyboard pages. He's going to be one bizzzzy kitty if he does all that!
We are continuing to develop Ratha, the other Named cats, and the various prehistoric creatures in model sheets and comic pages.
If you're excited about this project, please spread the word on Twitter, Google+, Facebook, Fur Affinity, Deviant Art, and other sites. Make comments, do fan art, urge others to pledge, email friends, etc. If you are already a backer, please consider upping your pledge amount.
Many Ratha-licks and nuzzles,
Clare
How the Named got their names
General | Posted 13 years agoI was having a conversation with ~Lyrak (Karyl Cunningham) a few days ago on Facebook, and I thought I'd share how I answered her. She asked how I developed names for the clan cats, and here's my reply.
Some clan cat names are taken from words in Bengali (an East Indian language), such as "Thakur" (Ta-KOOR), which means "teacher" and is also used as a Bengali first and last name. "Ratha" began as a made-up word, but I later found that it meant "chariot" and is pronounced in Hindi as "RA-ta". “Fessran” was made up from hissy cat sounds as was “Srass”. Meoran, Cherfan, Shoman, and others were made up from other cat sounds (plaintive meows, chirrups, and various cat noises). I don't now where Bira came from. Events in the story (and Ratha's teasing) gave Bonechewer his moniker. Mishanti and Khushi are made up based on African Bantu words. There is no "official" way the cats are named, although Ratha formally bestowed the name "Shongshar" on the UnNamed One, Orange-Eyes.
Why Bengali? I had a sweet little friend who spent a year studying in that region of India, and she suggested Bengali as as a source of words. Also, I had a neat program that, when fed words or real names in a given language, would spit out pseudo-words based on the structure of the input words. I used India's city names, and got back various interesting possibilities. One may have been Shoman, and maybe Cherfan. The Named names really don't have that much formal construction, as the Warrior cat names do. (The Ratha series, by the way, started in 1983. Warriors followed in the late 1980s-1990's)
We will be using the same names for the clan kitties in the Ratha Graphic Novel (of course!).
If you enjoyed this little piece of Ratha series history, please visit the Ratha Graphic Novel Kickstarter. We are at mid-project and pledges have slowed down a little. A few kicks to the Kickstarter would really help.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects.....-graphic-novel
You can also enjoy the "Ratha's Challenge" daily fan-art gallery begun by *seasaidh on DA been created to support the Kickstarter page, and showcase the extraordinary ability of Ratha artists. Many are professionals or do professional-level work.
http://sheilaruth.deviantart.com/fa.....rites/53643563
Here's a gallery of art from the graphic novel and the artists working on it.
http://www.imaginatorpress.com/kick.....roject_gallery
I've got to go and do more storyboarding! Enjoy!
Some clan cat names are taken from words in Bengali (an East Indian language), such as "Thakur" (Ta-KOOR), which means "teacher" and is also used as a Bengali first and last name. "Ratha" began as a made-up word, but I later found that it meant "chariot" and is pronounced in Hindi as "RA-ta". “Fessran” was made up from hissy cat sounds as was “Srass”. Meoran, Cherfan, Shoman, and others were made up from other cat sounds (plaintive meows, chirrups, and various cat noises). I don't now where Bira came from. Events in the story (and Ratha's teasing) gave Bonechewer his moniker. Mishanti and Khushi are made up based on African Bantu words. There is no "official" way the cats are named, although Ratha formally bestowed the name "Shongshar" on the UnNamed One, Orange-Eyes.
Why Bengali? I had a sweet little friend who spent a year studying in that region of India, and she suggested Bengali as as a source of words. Also, I had a neat program that, when fed words or real names in a given language, would spit out pseudo-words based on the structure of the input words. I used India's city names, and got back various interesting possibilities. One may have been Shoman, and maybe Cherfan. The Named names really don't have that much formal construction, as the Warrior cat names do. (The Ratha series, by the way, started in 1983. Warriors followed in the late 1980s-1990's)
We will be using the same names for the clan kitties in the Ratha Graphic Novel (of course!).
If you enjoyed this little piece of Ratha series history, please visit the Ratha Graphic Novel Kickstarter. We are at mid-project and pledges have slowed down a little. A few kicks to the Kickstarter would really help.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects.....-graphic-novel
You can also enjoy the "Ratha's Challenge" daily fan-art gallery begun by *seasaidh on DA been created to support the Kickstarter page, and showcase the extraordinary ability of Ratha artists. Many are professionals or do professional-level work.
http://sheilaruth.deviantart.com/fa.....rites/53643563
Here's a gallery of art from the graphic novel and the artists working on it.
http://www.imaginatorpress.com/kick.....roject_gallery
I've got to go and do more storyboarding! Enjoy!
Artists Selected for Ratha's Creature Graphic Novel
General | Posted 13 years agol
The Ratha Graphic Novel is picking up speed, just like those rocketing 64 mph cheetahs in the Cincinnati Zoo video.
(gorgeous! http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=qJXrq53tj5Q ) .
Sheila and I wanted to email thanks to all the artists who submitted samples, and invite them to be part of the "Many Faces of Ratha" artist showcase. Now that we have done that, we can now announce our final artist team.
Two of our chosen artists live or have lived in Colorado, which is known for its wildlife and spectacular back-country trails. I can't help but suspect that living there inspired a love for wild creatures that is reflected in their art. One is from Maryland, but will soon be moving to South Africa!
Dani Long
Dani came to our attention when she did the dramatic portrayal of "Ratha and the Three-horn" on Deviant Art.
( http://deathmango.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d3b61gg ). She also did some great Ratha expression sketches, so see the rest of her DA gallery.
She says:
"A little about me: I live near Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado, USA, where I've worked for the last 12 years as an archaeologist, firefighter, and lookout. I've been a seasonal worker since 2004, meaning most of my work is done in the summer. I live with my husband, two cats, and too many musical instruments."
What a wonderful and adventurous life, and it also leaves time for art!
Apparently Dani and I lived less than 100 miles apart in the San Francisco Bay Area back in 1990. I was living in San Jose, CA, while she lived in the North Bay.
She writes:
"I first ran into Clare's books while living in Marin County around 1990. It was a great escape to imagine Ratha and Thakur running along the same trails, millions of years earlier!"
Dani will be the main penciller, using her skill with feline motion and expression to bring life and drama to the initial drawings of Named clan cats. She will be doing characters and foreground.
Tod Wills
Tod Wills' family also lives in Colorado, near Boulder. He later moved to the Pacific Northwest.
Tod writes:
“I saw the CBS Storybreak version of the book back when I was a kid, and found the series on the library shelves a couple years later, when I was in middle school, also early 90's. It had a big influence, and I'm still getting over my rambling gushing about being in on this project. I'm honored to get to help bring the story in a new format to old and new fans. “
He adds:
"I work full-time as a freelance illustrator, and am up in northern Washington with my fiancé, two cats, seven geckos, roommate and roommate's dog. My town is full of Eocene fossils, combined with rainforest ferns and whatnot, very fun."
Tod's watercolor technique and page layouts drew our attention. His work as a children's book illustrator gives him a real feel for story flow. Recently he combined his watercolor wash work with colored pencil to intensify colors, which shows how inventive and flexible he is.
Tod will be inking, coloring, and doing backgrounds. See his watercolor technique at http://www.furaffinity.net/gallery/formidonis/
Even though they have defined areas, Dani and Tod have already been working back and forth, exchanging sketches and renderings to define the various characters. They also have suggested ideas for lettering. Sheila and I love what they are doing together.
Lew Lashmit
Readers who are familiar with the Imaginator Press Ratha series editions know Lew Lashmit's striking covers. I am happy to announce that he is the third member of the Ratha Graphic Novel Art Dream Team, using the same luminous colors, mastery of animal anatomy, and skill in paleoart.
Lew writes:
"I've been a fan of the Ratha books since I was nine - back in 1983 - so it was pretty darn amazing to get the chance to do the cover art on the new editions and to do paintings for the graphic novel. It's hard to really express how deeply the characters and story impress me."
Lew will be doing the covers and full-page interior paintings to heighten the critical parts of the story. He gets the wonderful chance to see the great African cats in the wild, (envy, envy!) since he is moving to South Africa from his present home in Maryland. He'll also be bringing his four cats, who have modeled for the book covers.
He says, "I've done some freelance artwork in the past of all kinds of different things - tattoo designs, dinosaur murals at a local high school, stuffed animal patterns, storyboards and promo art for a very low budget movie, but I've never really tried to make a steady career of it until recently. The only reason I've been able to do so is because of my absolutely wonderful partner, Piet, who is lucky enough that his hobby (computer programming) is one you can actually make a good living on! He's the calm, thoughtful, warm and accepting Thakur to my often hot-headed stubborn Ratha."
If you go on Deviant Art or Fur Affinity, you'll see his art, including an amazing portrait of Ratha that brought tears to my eyes when I first saw it many years ago.
http://viergacht.deviantart.com/gal.....50430#/d1u3kir
Welcome to the graphic novel, Lew, and I am so glad to have you.
We chose these three not only on the basis of their skills, but also on the ability to match styles and back each other up, if needed. They have already shown how well they work together and with me. We four are already madly trading character descriptions and images on a digital whiteboard site.
When someone gets stuck, or has trouble, another jumps in with help and suggestions. I'm seeing an amazing creative synergy here that is unrestricted by boundaries, and I am encouraging this as much as I can. It has extended beyond the art itself to suggestions in other areas, including our upcoming Kickstarter campaign.
I believe that our philosophy on this project, choosing artists from the Ratha fan community via submissions, is proving itself via the enthusiasm, intensity, skill and just general amazing-ness shown so far. I don't know of any book-to-graphic novel adaptation that has been done this way. We may be blazing a new trail. Stay tuned for developments - I'm sure there will be exciting ones.
We wouldn't be at this point without our marketing/publishing/organizing/web-savvy/ wizard, Sheila Ruth of Imaginator Press. Http://www.imaginatorpress.com/
Kudos to my agent, Richard Curtis, who has been wonderful in supporting the idea and setting things up.
Please share this. Thanks!
Clare
The Ratha Graphic Novel is picking up speed, just like those rocketing 64 mph cheetahs in the Cincinnati Zoo video.
(gorgeous! http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=qJXrq53tj5Q ) .
Sheila and I wanted to email thanks to all the artists who submitted samples, and invite them to be part of the "Many Faces of Ratha" artist showcase. Now that we have done that, we can now announce our final artist team.
Two of our chosen artists live or have lived in Colorado, which is known for its wildlife and spectacular back-country trails. I can't help but suspect that living there inspired a love for wild creatures that is reflected in their art. One is from Maryland, but will soon be moving to South Africa!
Dani Long
Dani came to our attention when she did the dramatic portrayal of "Ratha and the Three-horn" on Deviant Art.
( http://deathmango.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d3b61gg ). She also did some great Ratha expression sketches, so see the rest of her DA gallery.
She says:
"A little about me: I live near Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado, USA, where I've worked for the last 12 years as an archaeologist, firefighter, and lookout. I've been a seasonal worker since 2004, meaning most of my work is done in the summer. I live with my husband, two cats, and too many musical instruments."
What a wonderful and adventurous life, and it also leaves time for art!
Apparently Dani and I lived less than 100 miles apart in the San Francisco Bay Area back in 1990. I was living in San Jose, CA, while she lived in the North Bay.
She writes:
"I first ran into Clare's books while living in Marin County around 1990. It was a great escape to imagine Ratha and Thakur running along the same trails, millions of years earlier!"
Dani will be the main penciller, using her skill with feline motion and expression to bring life and drama to the initial drawings of Named clan cats. She will be doing characters and foreground.
Tod Wills
Tod Wills' family also lives in Colorado, near Boulder. He later moved to the Pacific Northwest.
Tod writes:
“I saw the CBS Storybreak version of the book back when I was a kid, and found the series on the library shelves a couple years later, when I was in middle school, also early 90's. It had a big influence, and I'm still getting over my rambling gushing about being in on this project. I'm honored to get to help bring the story in a new format to old and new fans. “
He adds:
"I work full-time as a freelance illustrator, and am up in northern Washington with my fiancé, two cats, seven geckos, roommate and roommate's dog. My town is full of Eocene fossils, combined with rainforest ferns and whatnot, very fun."
Tod's watercolor technique and page layouts drew our attention. His work as a children's book illustrator gives him a real feel for story flow. Recently he combined his watercolor wash work with colored pencil to intensify colors, which shows how inventive and flexible he is.
Tod will be inking, coloring, and doing backgrounds. See his watercolor technique at http://www.furaffinity.net/gallery/formidonis/
Even though they have defined areas, Dani and Tod have already been working back and forth, exchanging sketches and renderings to define the various characters. They also have suggested ideas for lettering. Sheila and I love what they are doing together.
Lew Lashmit
Readers who are familiar with the Imaginator Press Ratha series editions know Lew Lashmit's striking covers. I am happy to announce that he is the third member of the Ratha Graphic Novel Art Dream Team, using the same luminous colors, mastery of animal anatomy, and skill in paleoart.
Lew writes:
"I've been a fan of the Ratha books since I was nine - back in 1983 - so it was pretty darn amazing to get the chance to do the cover art on the new editions and to do paintings for the graphic novel. It's hard to really express how deeply the characters and story impress me."
Lew will be doing the covers and full-page interior paintings to heighten the critical parts of the story. He gets the wonderful chance to see the great African cats in the wild, (envy, envy!) since he is moving to South Africa from his present home in Maryland. He'll also be bringing his four cats, who have modeled for the book covers.
He says, "I've done some freelance artwork in the past of all kinds of different things - tattoo designs, dinosaur murals at a local high school, stuffed animal patterns, storyboards and promo art for a very low budget movie, but I've never really tried to make a steady career of it until recently. The only reason I've been able to do so is because of my absolutely wonderful partner, Piet, who is lucky enough that his hobby (computer programming) is one you can actually make a good living on! He's the calm, thoughtful, warm and accepting Thakur to my often hot-headed stubborn Ratha."
If you go on Deviant Art or Fur Affinity, you'll see his art, including an amazing portrait of Ratha that brought tears to my eyes when I first saw it many years ago.
http://viergacht.deviantart.com/gal.....50430#/d1u3kir
Welcome to the graphic novel, Lew, and I am so glad to have you.
We chose these three not only on the basis of their skills, but also on the ability to match styles and back each other up, if needed. They have already shown how well they work together and with me. We four are already madly trading character descriptions and images on a digital whiteboard site.
When someone gets stuck, or has trouble, another jumps in with help and suggestions. I'm seeing an amazing creative synergy here that is unrestricted by boundaries, and I am encouraging this as much as I can. It has extended beyond the art itself to suggestions in other areas, including our upcoming Kickstarter campaign.
I believe that our philosophy on this project, choosing artists from the Ratha fan community via submissions, is proving itself via the enthusiasm, intensity, skill and just general amazing-ness shown so far. I don't know of any book-to-graphic novel adaptation that has been done this way. We may be blazing a new trail. Stay tuned for developments - I'm sure there will be exciting ones.
We wouldn't be at this point without our marketing/publishing/organizing/web-savvy/ wizard, Sheila Ruth of Imaginator Press. Http://www.imaginatorpress.com/
Kudos to my agent, Richard Curtis, who has been wonderful in supporting the idea and setting things up.
Please share this. Thanks!
Clare
Ratha Graphic Novel Update
General | Posted 13 years agoRatha Graphic Novel Update
Imaginator Press (Sheila Ruth) and I are moving a bit slowly on the Ratha's Creature Graphic Novel project, but the reasons for doing so are positive.
One reason is that this is a new trail for us and we are moving carefully, planning things to prevent mistakes, and making sure communications are clear between participants.
Hurricane Sandy was a distracting factor,
since friends, family, co-workers and artists live in the hurricane-affected area. Thankfully, all are safe, and damage seems to be minimal. The Presidential election caught up many folks, including me. Sheila and I are glad the election is over and are pleased with are results.
We also have had a delightfully difficult time choosing an artist team, and we are still completing the process. All the submissions were excellent, andsome outstanding, making us tear our fur out a bit over who to choose and how they would work together. We also wished we could use all the artists who submitted, but, of course, we can't.
As soon as the art team is on-board, we will begin the Kickstarter campaign, so watch for announcements. The project itself is exciting and the way we are doing it (showcasing Ratha fan artists, and having the author (me) do the initial storyboarding) is unique, so that will help attract attention and backing.
Clare
Imaginator Press (Sheila Ruth) and I are moving a bit slowly on the Ratha's Creature Graphic Novel project, but the reasons for doing so are positive.
One reason is that this is a new trail for us and we are moving carefully, planning things to prevent mistakes, and making sure communications are clear between participants.
Hurricane Sandy was a distracting factor,
since friends, family, co-workers and artists live in the hurricane-affected area. Thankfully, all are safe, and damage seems to be minimal. The Presidential election caught up many folks, including me. Sheila and I are glad the election is over and are pleased with are results.
We also have had a delightfully difficult time choosing an artist team, and we are still completing the process. All the submissions were excellent, andsome outstanding, making us tear our fur out a bit over who to choose and how they would work together. We also wished we could use all the artists who submitted, but, of course, we can't.
As soon as the art team is on-board, we will begin the Kickstarter campaign, so watch for announcements. The project itself is exciting and the way we are doing it (showcasing Ratha fan artists, and having the author (me) do the initial storyboarding) is unique, so that will help attract attention and backing.
Clare
Graphic novel art samples requested by Sept 7, 2012
General | Posted 13 years agoIf you wish to be considered to illustrate the Ratha graphic novel, please get your art samples in by 9/7/2012. Please base them on my sample storyboard page here:
http://www.imaginatorpress.com/node/68
The submission can be mostly black and white, but we'd like to see a couple of panels in color.
I had my storyboard page on DA, and I put it back up for easy reference here.
http://rathacat.deviantart.com/art/.....ough-295836259
I've been working intensely on the storyboards, which are also inspirational drawings as well as guides to the illustrator. This the first time I've done this, so I want to make it the best I can. I'm also pouring a lot of emotion into it, and some scenes have been difficult to draw, such as Ratha wounding Thistle-chaser, and, of course, what happens to Bonechewer.
I've meant to spend more time on FA and DA, but I've been really involved with developing the storyboards. I've been scanning and sending the drawings to Sheila, and she's been enthusiastic. Both of us are intensely excited about this project.
Sheila and I want to have our selected artist on-board before we begin the Kickstarter project, so please get your samples done and in as soon as you can. Email her at sruth@imaginatorpress.com, and she'll tell you how to send your art files via a dropbox.
http://www.imaginatorpress.com/node/68
The submission can be mostly black and white, but we'd like to see a couple of panels in color.
I had my storyboard page on DA, and I put it back up for easy reference here.
http://rathacat.deviantart.com/art/.....ough-295836259
I've been working intensely on the storyboards, which are also inspirational drawings as well as guides to the illustrator. This the first time I've done this, so I want to make it the best I can. I'm also pouring a lot of emotion into it, and some scenes have been difficult to draw, such as Ratha wounding Thistle-chaser, and, of course, what happens to Bonechewer.
I've meant to spend more time on FA and DA, but I've been really involved with developing the storyboards. I've been scanning and sending the drawings to Sheila, and she's been enthusiastic. Both of us are intensely excited about this project.
Sheila and I want to have our selected artist on-board before we begin the Kickstarter project, so please get your samples done and in as soon as you can. Email her at sruth@imaginatorpress.com, and she'll tell you how to send your art files via a dropbox.
Ratha Graphic Novel Bounding Ahead
General | Posted 13 years agoThe Ratha's Creature graphic novel adaptation is gathering momentum like Thakur starting a three-horn chase. Imaginator Press and I signed contracts this week for me to do the storyboards and scripting. This is a major milestone.
First Pass Storyboards Nearly Done
Because I enjoy drawing, and like to work back and forth between words and images, I launched out on the storyboards a few months ago, and have already got the first pass nearly done. As of last Saturday, I completed 96 pages, corresponding to page 258 in the Imaginator Press trade edition of Creature. (Update: Since I wrote this post, I'm up to page 100, corresponding to page 261 in Creature.)
I've done this for several reasons. A complete first pass, even though rough, gets the clay out on the wheel so to speak.There it can be modified and shaped. Also, this first pass gives a good estimate for page count. We projected about 100-120 pages. I've been working to this target, and it appears we'll make it without having to cut any major scenes or sequences. I did do some degree of compression, but I spread it throughout, so that the story is essentially the same as in the book.
This Time, Bonechewer is In
Bonechewer fans will be glad to know that he has a major role in the graphic novel, unlike the Storybreak cartoon adaptation which had to cut out the middle of the book.This is not a criticism of the animated adaptation. Considering the limitations in production and run times, CBS
Storybreak and Southern Star Productions did an excellent job with a challenging book. Ratha's Creature is much longer than most YA books they adapted, and I understand why Southern Star had to do what they did.
However the graphic novel adaptation is an opportunity to do it differently and give my favorite Un-Named rogue back his part in the tale. Any re-telling of Creature isn't the same without Bonechewer, and the fans have been telling me this for years. If the graphic novel spurs a film adaptation (are you listening, DreamWorks, Pixar, Blue Sky, or others?) they can follow the same trail Sheila and I are cutting, and not give poor Boney the boot. If there is a movie, I'd love to see him strut his stuff on the screen.
Call for Fan Artist Submissions
Sheila and I both have been blown off our collective paws by the sheer talent in the Ratha fan community, so we we'd love to see a fan artist do the final illustrations for the graphic novel. Sheila has already announced the opening of artist submissions on her website, with a closing date of
Sept 7, 2012. ( http://www.imaginatorpress.com/node/68 )
I am asking that artists base their submissions on my storyboard page, so that everyone is working from the same template. Style and technique, of course, can vary, since they are unique to every artist. With responsibility for storyboards, I feel as though I am in the equivalent position of an art director in a film, and am trying to guide the art without constraining creativity, which is admittedly tricky. All of us are/will be learning as we go, which is exciting for me.
As Sheila says in her announcement, the go/no-go decision to publish the physical book will depend on the response to our Kickstarter campaign. We will need a good response in order to fund the quality printing and production that this book deserves, as well as compensating the chosen artist for their effort.
I am hoping that my first-pass completed storyboard will help convince Kickstarter contributors that we are committed to this project and that we have already blazed an initial trail that further work will widen and improve. I may have been a bit obsessed with this, to the exclusion of other things such as Google Plus, Twitter and Facebook, but, a) obsession is useful when controlled and directed, b) it is nearly done, and c) I've had (and am still having) fun doing it.
That is all for now, and I will try to give updates as frequently as I can.
#fbr #fbp #twr #Ratha #fans #video #kickstarter #promo #graphic #novel #YAlit #kidlit #cats #lions #cheetahs #Namedseries #books #artists
Collapse this post
First Pass Storyboards Nearly Done
Because I enjoy drawing, and like to work back and forth between words and images, I launched out on the storyboards a few months ago, and have already got the first pass nearly done. As of last Saturday, I completed 96 pages, corresponding to page 258 in the Imaginator Press trade edition of Creature. (Update: Since I wrote this post, I'm up to page 100, corresponding to page 261 in Creature.)
I've done this for several reasons. A complete first pass, even though rough, gets the clay out on the wheel so to speak.There it can be modified and shaped. Also, this first pass gives a good estimate for page count. We projected about 100-120 pages. I've been working to this target, and it appears we'll make it without having to cut any major scenes or sequences. I did do some degree of compression, but I spread it throughout, so that the story is essentially the same as in the book.
This Time, Bonechewer is In
Bonechewer fans will be glad to know that he has a major role in the graphic novel, unlike the Storybreak cartoon adaptation which had to cut out the middle of the book.This is not a criticism of the animated adaptation. Considering the limitations in production and run times, CBS
Storybreak and Southern Star Productions did an excellent job with a challenging book. Ratha's Creature is much longer than most YA books they adapted, and I understand why Southern Star had to do what they did.
However the graphic novel adaptation is an opportunity to do it differently and give my favorite Un-Named rogue back his part in the tale. Any re-telling of Creature isn't the same without Bonechewer, and the fans have been telling me this for years. If the graphic novel spurs a film adaptation (are you listening, DreamWorks, Pixar, Blue Sky, or others?) they can follow the same trail Sheila and I are cutting, and not give poor Boney the boot. If there is a movie, I'd love to see him strut his stuff on the screen.
Call for Fan Artist Submissions
Sheila and I both have been blown off our collective paws by the sheer talent in the Ratha fan community, so we we'd love to see a fan artist do the final illustrations for the graphic novel. Sheila has already announced the opening of artist submissions on her website, with a closing date of
Sept 7, 2012. ( http://www.imaginatorpress.com/node/68 )
I am asking that artists base their submissions on my storyboard page, so that everyone is working from the same template. Style and technique, of course, can vary, since they are unique to every artist. With responsibility for storyboards, I feel as though I am in the equivalent position of an art director in a film, and am trying to guide the art without constraining creativity, which is admittedly tricky. All of us are/will be learning as we go, which is exciting for me.
As Sheila says in her announcement, the go/no-go decision to publish the physical book will depend on the response to our Kickstarter campaign. We will need a good response in order to fund the quality printing and production that this book deserves, as well as compensating the chosen artist for their effort.
I am hoping that my first-pass completed storyboard will help convince Kickstarter contributors that we are committed to this project and that we have already blazed an initial trail that further work will widen and improve. I may have been a bit obsessed with this, to the exclusion of other things such as Google Plus, Twitter and Facebook, but, a) obsession is useful when controlled and directed, b) it is nearly done, and c) I've had (and am still having) fun doing it.
That is all for now, and I will try to give updates as frequently as I can.
#fbr #fbp #twr #Ratha #fans #video #kickstarter #promo #graphic #novel #YAlit #kidlit #cats #lions #cheetahs #Namedseries #books #artists
Collapse this post
Ratha Graphic Novel Bounding Ahead
General | Posted 13 years agoThe Ratha's Creature graphic novel adaptation is gathering momentum like Thakur starting a three-horn chase. Imaginator Press and I signed contracts this week for me to do the storyboards and scripting. This is a major milestone.
First Pass Storyboards Nearly Done
Because I enjoy drawing, and like to work back and forth between words and images, I launched out on the storyboards a few months ago, and have already got the first pass nearly done. As of last Saturday, I completed 96 pages, corresponding to page 258 in the Imaginator Press trade edition of Creature. (Update: Since I wrote this post, I'm up to page 100, corresponding to page 261 in Creature.)
I've done this for several reasons. A complete first pass, even though rough, gets the clay out on the wheel so to speak.There it can be modified and shaped. Also, this first pass gives a good estimate for page count. We projected about 100-120 pages. I've been working to this target, and it appears we'll make it without having to cut any major scenes or sequences. I did do some degree of compression, but I spread it throughout, so that the story is essentially the same as in the book.
This Time, Bonechewer is In
Bonechewer fans will be glad to know that he has a major role in the graphic novel, unlike the Storybreak cartoon adaptation which had to cut out the middle of the book.This is not a criticism of the animated adaptation. Considering the limitations in production and run times, CBS
Storybreak and Southern Star Productions did an excellent job with a challenging book. Ratha's Creature is much longer than most YA books they adapted, and I understand why Southern Star had to do what they did.
However the graphic novel adaptation is an opportunity to do it differently and give my favorite Un-Named rogue back his part in the tale. Any re-telling of Creature isn't the same without Bonechewer, and the fans have been telling me this for years. If the graphic novel spurs a film adaptation (are you listening, DreamWorks, Pixar, Blue Sky, or others?) they can follow the same trail Sheila and I are cutting, and not give poor Boney the boot. If there is a movie, I'd love to see him strut his stuff on the screen.
Call for Fan Artist Submissions
Sheila and I both have been blown off our collective paws by the sheer talent in the Ratha fan community, so we we'd love to see a fan artist do the final illustrations for the graphic novel. Sheila has already announced the opening of artist submissions on her website, with a closing date of
Sept 7, 2012. ( http://www.imaginatorpress.com/node/68 )
I am asking that artists base their submissions on my storyboard page, so that everyone is working from the same template. Style and technique, of course, can vary, since they are unique to every artist. With responsibility for storyboards, I feel as though I am in the equivalent position of an art director in a film, and am trying to guide the art without constraining creativity, which is admittedly tricky. All of us are/will be learning as we go, which is exciting for me.
As Sheila says in her announcement, the go/no-go decision to publish the physical book will depend on the response to our Kickstarter campaign. We will need a good response in order to fund the quality printing and production that this book deserves, as well as compensating the chosen artist for their effort.
I am hoping that my first-pass completed storyboard will help convince Kickstarter contributors that we are committed to this project and that we have already blazed an initial trail that further work will widen and improve. I may have been a bit obsessed with this, to the exclusion of other things such as Google Plus, Twitter and Facebook, but, a) obsession is useful when controlled and directed, b) it is nearly done, and c) I've had (and am still having) fun doing it.
That is all for now, and I will try to give updates as frequently as I can.
#fbr #fbp #twr #Ratha #fans #video #kickstarter #promo #graphic #novel #YAlit #kidlit #cats #lions #cheetahs #Namedseries #books #artists
Collapse this post
First Pass Storyboards Nearly Done
Because I enjoy drawing, and like to work back and forth between words and images, I launched out on the storyboards a few months ago, and have already got the first pass nearly done. As of last Saturday, I completed 96 pages, corresponding to page 258 in the Imaginator Press trade edition of Creature. (Update: Since I wrote this post, I'm up to page 100, corresponding to page 261 in Creature.)
I've done this for several reasons. A complete first pass, even though rough, gets the clay out on the wheel so to speak.There it can be modified and shaped. Also, this first pass gives a good estimate for page count. We projected about 100-120 pages. I've been working to this target, and it appears we'll make it without having to cut any major scenes or sequences. I did do some degree of compression, but I spread it throughout, so that the story is essentially the same as in the book.
This Time, Bonechewer is In
Bonechewer fans will be glad to know that he has a major role in the graphic novel, unlike the Storybreak cartoon adaptation which had to cut out the middle of the book.This is not a criticism of the animated adaptation. Considering the limitations in production and run times, CBS
Storybreak and Southern Star Productions did an excellent job with a challenging book. Ratha's Creature is much longer than most YA books they adapted, and I understand why Southern Star had to do what they did.
However the graphic novel adaptation is an opportunity to do it differently and give my favorite Un-Named rogue back his part in the tale. Any re-telling of Creature isn't the same without Bonechewer, and the fans have been telling me this for years. If the graphic novel spurs a film adaptation (are you listening, DreamWorks, Pixar, Blue Sky, or others?) they can follow the same trail Sheila and I are cutting, and not give poor Boney the boot. If there is a movie, I'd love to see him strut his stuff on the screen.
Call for Fan Artist Submissions
Sheila and I both have been blown off our collective paws by the sheer talent in the Ratha fan community, so we we'd love to see a fan artist do the final illustrations for the graphic novel. Sheila has already announced the opening of artist submissions on her website, with a closing date of
Sept 7, 2012. ( http://www.imaginatorpress.com/node/68 )
I am asking that artists base their submissions on my storyboard page, so that everyone is working from the same template. Style and technique, of course, can vary, since they are unique to every artist. With responsibility for storyboards, I feel as though I am in the equivalent position of an art director in a film, and am trying to guide the art without constraining creativity, which is admittedly tricky. All of us are/will be learning as we go, which is exciting for me.
As Sheila says in her announcement, the go/no-go decision to publish the physical book will depend on the response to our Kickstarter campaign. We will need a good response in order to fund the quality printing and production that this book deserves, as well as compensating the chosen artist for their effort.
I am hoping that my first-pass completed storyboard will help convince Kickstarter contributors that we are committed to this project and that we have already blazed an initial trail that further work will widen and improve. I may have been a bit obsessed with this, to the exclusion of other things such as Google Plus, Twitter and Facebook, but, a) obsession is useful when controlled and directed, b) it is nearly done, and c) I've had (and am still having) fun doing it.
That is all for now, and I will try to give updates as frequently as I can.
#fbr #fbp #twr #Ratha #fans #video #kickstarter #promo #graphic #novel #YAlit #kidlit #cats #lions #cheetahs #Namedseries #books #artists
Collapse this post
Want to See a Ratha Graphic Novel? Make a Video Clip
General | Posted 13 years agoRecently Imaginator Press and I ran a short reader survey to gauge interest in a graphic novel adaptation of Ratha's Creature, Book 1 of the Named Series. The amount and enthusiasm of the response has encouraged us to move ahead with the idea.
To help fund printing and other costs, we've decided to use Kickstarter, which lets people pledge or subscribe to projects that they think are important or interesting. Kickstarter encourages participants to make videos that say why they want to do this, what it would accomplish, and how it would benefit others.
As many of you know, readers and fans have played an essential part in keeping the Ratha books alive, getting them back in print, encouraging me to continue the series, showing their love for the series with fan art, fan fiction, and in so many other ways that I can't list them all. Without fans, the series would have died. You kept it alive, you made it grow, and you gave me back my faith in it, enough to write Ratha's Courage (#5) which you have also taken to heart.
So, although Sheila and I will be making our own video clip saying why we want to do Ratha in graphic form, I'm inviting fans to join me in making this happen. Make a video clip saying why you'd want to see this go, whether it be personal enjoyment, inspiration, possible social impact (sympathy for wildlife, especially big cats), or any other reason. Do it any way you want. I've already been amazed by reader creativity and energy poured into fiction, and
traditional/digital art and some video.
We hope to make a dynamite promo video for Kickstarter by integrating fan-made footage into the stuff we shoot. If we use your clip, we'll credit you. Create your video, send us a link to view it, and we'll go from there. If we decide to include it, we'll ask for written permission via email if you are over 18. If you are younger, we'll ask for permission from your parents for any minor appearing in the finished video.
If we get more clips than we can use, we'll make a You-Tube playlist of the extras and post links to that as well (with the above permissions, of course) in order to acknowledge the talents of all who participate.
Use your digicam, computer webcam, or cellphone, and have fun! We'll be tweeting and blogging about the effort, so you'll get publicity as well.
Ratha-purrs to all,
Clare.
PS The photo is not a frame from a Miocene filming expedition, though I wish it was!
#Caturday #fbr #fbp #twr #graphic #novel #comic #kickstarter #Ratha #Namedseries #fans #video
Final BayCon Schedule
General | Posted 13 years agoMy schedule for BayCon 2012-
( 5/25-5/28 at Santa Clara, CA Hyatt-Regency)
1. Young Adult Fiction: More than Blanking-out the Sex on Friday from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM in Camino Real (with Deborah J. Ross (Moderator), Ann Finnin, Diana L. Paxson)
2. Location, Location, Location -- Setting Your Story in an SF World on Saturday from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM in Lafayette [ I am moderating.]
(with Chaz Brenchley, Deborah J. Ross, T.S. Luikart, Allison Lonsdale)
3. Getting Girls Hooked on Science and Engineering on Saturday from 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM in San Tomas (with Juliette Wade, Karen Williams, Kay Pannell (M), Lori Ann White)
4. Iron Editor on Sunday from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM in Camino Real
(with Laurel Anne Hill, Marty Halpern, Kent Brewster (M))
5. Chicks Dig Comics on Sunday from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM in Lafayette
(with Jean Batt, Karen Williams (M), Kay Pannell, Allison Lonsdale, Sally RoseRed Robinson)
6. From Girl to Goddess: The Heroine's Quest on Sunday from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM in Lawrence (with Leslie Ann Moore, Kay Pannell, Valerie Estelle Frankel (M))
I will also be signing books in the dealer's room, and showing off the new Russian Ratha's Creature edition. See me at Jim and Melody Rondeau's table. If you don't see me, lay a Clare-trap. You might just catch a white tiger.
#fbr #fbp #twr #BayCon2012 #Ratha #YAlit
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( 5/25-5/28 at Santa Clara, CA Hyatt-Regency)
1. Young Adult Fiction: More than Blanking-out the Sex on Friday from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM in Camino Real (with Deborah J. Ross (Moderator), Ann Finnin, Diana L. Paxson)
2. Location, Location, Location -- Setting Your Story in an SF World on Saturday from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM in Lafayette [ I am moderating.]
(with Chaz Brenchley, Deborah J. Ross, T.S. Luikart, Allison Lonsdale)
3. Getting Girls Hooked on Science and Engineering on Saturday from 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM in San Tomas (with Juliette Wade, Karen Williams, Kay Pannell (M), Lori Ann White)
4. Iron Editor on Sunday from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM in Camino Real
(with Laurel Anne Hill, Marty Halpern, Kent Brewster (M))
5. Chicks Dig Comics on Sunday from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM in Lafayette
(with Jean Batt, Karen Williams (M), Kay Pannell, Allison Lonsdale, Sally RoseRed Robinson)
6. From Girl to Goddess: The Heroine's Quest on Sunday from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM in Lawrence (with Leslie Ann Moore, Kay Pannell, Valerie Estelle Frankel (M))
I will also be signing books in the dealer's room, and showing off the new Russian Ratha's Creature edition. See me at Jim and Melody Rondeau's table. If you don't see me, lay a Clare-trap. You might just catch a white tiger.
#fbr #fbp #twr #BayCon2012 #Ratha #YAlit
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BayCon2012, Ratha graphic novel and NPR poll
General | Posted 13 years agoQuick updates 05/09/2012
I got my preliminary schedule from BayCon2012 (Memorial Day weekend, May 25-28 at the Santa Clara Hyatt, info and reg. at http://www.baycon.org ) , so here it is. I will be on the following panels:
1. Young Adult Fiction: More that Blanking-out the Sex on Friday from 5:30 PM
to 7:00 PM in Camino Real
(with Deborah J. Ross, Ann Finnin, Diana L. Paxson)
Young Adult Fiction is a rapidly growing sub-genre. What does it take
to write YA, and how is it different from either children's or adult
fiction?
2. Location, Location, Location -- Setting your Story in a Science Fiction
World on Saturday from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM in Lafayette
(with Chaz Brenchley, Deborah J. Ross, T.S. Luikart, Allison Lonsdale)
Your character has to live somewhere, and that somewhere needs to
support the story. It's embarrassing to have a great scene all written
involving bikini- or Speedo-dressed people, when they all live in the
first permanent settlement on the Moon, and only landed yesterday....
3. Self-Promotion and Publicity for Writers on Saturday from 1:00 PM to 2:30
PM in Ballroom D
(with Tony N. Todaro, Dave Trowbridge, Marty Halpern, Jaym Gates)
So you've figured out this whole writing thing and your work is finally
out there. Wouldn't it be great if people actually bought it? Just
because the publisher bought your book doesn't mean they're going to
publicize it. Learn the whys and hows of self-promotion from the
experts.
4. Getting Girls Hooked on Science and Engineering on Saturday from 2:30 PM to
4:00 PM in San Tomas
(with Juliette Wade, Karen Williams, Kay Pannell)
Ladies in lab coats: Following in the footsteps of Madam Curie.
5. Iron Editor on Sunday from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM in Camino Real
(with Laurel Anne Hill, Marty Halpern, Kent Brewster)
Normally, any “writers’ workshop” is a private, behind-closed-doors
affair, inviting rumors of ancient and tribal rites involving bio-based
styrofoam, marshmallows, duct tape, and the odd un-observant
Pastafarian. This panel is designed to bring to the public what the
process looks and sounds like. Using submissions from the audience
members, our panelists will quickly mark up each manuscript and present
a critique. All of our Iron Editors have been published themselves,
and have a very good idea of what a story needs to get published. To
participate, bring up to two double-spaced pages of creative writing to
the panel, or drop it off in the box at the Info Desk. You must be
present to have your submission critiqued! The more, the merrier!
Non-submmitting audience members are more than welcome.
6. Chicks Dig Comics on Sunday from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM in Lafayette
(with Jean Batt, Karen Williams, Kay Pannell, Allison Lonsdale, Sally
RoseRed Robinson)
Once a boys-only genre, women of all ages are finding comics to love
and read.
7. From Girl to Goddess: The Heroine's Quest on Sunday from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM
in Lawrence
(with Leslie Ann Moore, Kay Pannell, Valerie Estelle Frankel)
Many know Joseph Campbell's theory of the Hero's Journey, but the
Heroine's Quest has existed beside it, from the earliest tales to the
modern girls of epic fantasy. Join us for a presentation following the
heroine archetype as she ascends to the role of mother-goddess.
I've also been asked to participate in the BayCon Writers' Workshop, and I'll post updates on that when I get them.
Who wants a Ratha Room party at BayCon? I can put up an announcement when I get to the convention.
Just for fun - speculative evolution - Cat into Vulcan, part 1
https://plus.google.com/u/0/1063039.....s/XMuXzd4yhqN:
As of 05/09/2012, the Ratha graphic novel has 220 responses, and Ratha got 34 votes on NPRBooks' Fictional Felines poll to tie for 3rd place, just behind first placer Hobbes the Tiger, from Calvin and Hobbes, and second placer The Cheshire Cat from Lewis Caroll's Alice in Wonderland.
05/05/2012
The Ratha graphic novel survey has 212 responses, many from this site, so I thank all who voted.
Even though the gift certificate drawing entries are closed, you can still take the survey:
http://imaginatorpress.wufoo.com/forms/z7x3x5/
NPRBooks set up a favorite #FictionalFeline poll on their Facebook, and Ratha is tied for fifth place. And this all happened while I was in town today. It was a great surprise to return and find that Ratha fans had, once again, come through for their favorite Named clan leader.
Anyway, if you want to add your yowl and bump our pre-hysteric heroine up a notch, feel free. Maybe the phenomenon will intrigue NPR into asking me for an interview. Here's the NPRBooks Poll: https://www.facebook.com/questions/.....5374290825835/
You can also find NPRBooks on Twitter: nprbooks
More soon.
R-kitty
I got my preliminary schedule from BayCon2012 (Memorial Day weekend, May 25-28 at the Santa Clara Hyatt, info and reg. at http://www.baycon.org ) , so here it is. I will be on the following panels:
1. Young Adult Fiction: More that Blanking-out the Sex on Friday from 5:30 PM
to 7:00 PM in Camino Real
(with Deborah J. Ross, Ann Finnin, Diana L. Paxson)
Young Adult Fiction is a rapidly growing sub-genre. What does it take
to write YA, and how is it different from either children's or adult
fiction?
2. Location, Location, Location -- Setting your Story in a Science Fiction
World on Saturday from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM in Lafayette
(with Chaz Brenchley, Deborah J. Ross, T.S. Luikart, Allison Lonsdale)
Your character has to live somewhere, and that somewhere needs to
support the story. It's embarrassing to have a great scene all written
involving bikini- or Speedo-dressed people, when they all live in the
first permanent settlement on the Moon, and only landed yesterday....
3. Self-Promotion and Publicity for Writers on Saturday from 1:00 PM to 2:30
PM in Ballroom D
(with Tony N. Todaro, Dave Trowbridge, Marty Halpern, Jaym Gates)
So you've figured out this whole writing thing and your work is finally
out there. Wouldn't it be great if people actually bought it? Just
because the publisher bought your book doesn't mean they're going to
publicize it. Learn the whys and hows of self-promotion from the
experts.
4. Getting Girls Hooked on Science and Engineering on Saturday from 2:30 PM to
4:00 PM in San Tomas
(with Juliette Wade, Karen Williams, Kay Pannell)
Ladies in lab coats: Following in the footsteps of Madam Curie.
5. Iron Editor on Sunday from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM in Camino Real
(with Laurel Anne Hill, Marty Halpern, Kent Brewster)
Normally, any “writers’ workshop” is a private, behind-closed-doors
affair, inviting rumors of ancient and tribal rites involving bio-based
styrofoam, marshmallows, duct tape, and the odd un-observant
Pastafarian. This panel is designed to bring to the public what the
process looks and sounds like. Using submissions from the audience
members, our panelists will quickly mark up each manuscript and present
a critique. All of our Iron Editors have been published themselves,
and have a very good idea of what a story needs to get published. To
participate, bring up to two double-spaced pages of creative writing to
the panel, or drop it off in the box at the Info Desk. You must be
present to have your submission critiqued! The more, the merrier!
Non-submmitting audience members are more than welcome.
6. Chicks Dig Comics on Sunday from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM in Lafayette
(with Jean Batt, Karen Williams, Kay Pannell, Allison Lonsdale, Sally
RoseRed Robinson)
Once a boys-only genre, women of all ages are finding comics to love
and read.
7. From Girl to Goddess: The Heroine's Quest on Sunday from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM
in Lawrence
(with Leslie Ann Moore, Kay Pannell, Valerie Estelle Frankel)
Many know Joseph Campbell's theory of the Hero's Journey, but the
Heroine's Quest has existed beside it, from the earliest tales to the
modern girls of epic fantasy. Join us for a presentation following the
heroine archetype as she ascends to the role of mother-goddess.
I've also been asked to participate in the BayCon Writers' Workshop, and I'll post updates on that when I get them.
Who wants a Ratha Room party at BayCon? I can put up an announcement when I get to the convention.
Just for fun - speculative evolution - Cat into Vulcan, part 1
https://plus.google.com/u/0/1063039.....s/XMuXzd4yhqN:
As of 05/09/2012, the Ratha graphic novel has 220 responses, and Ratha got 34 votes on NPRBooks' Fictional Felines poll to tie for 3rd place, just behind first placer Hobbes the Tiger, from Calvin and Hobbes, and second placer The Cheshire Cat from Lewis Caroll's Alice in Wonderland.
05/05/2012
The Ratha graphic novel survey has 212 responses, many from this site, so I thank all who voted.
Even though the gift certificate drawing entries are closed, you can still take the survey:
http://imaginatorpress.wufoo.com/forms/z7x3x5/
NPRBooks set up a favorite #FictionalFeline poll on their Facebook, and Ratha is tied for fifth place. And this all happened while I was in town today. It was a great surprise to return and find that Ratha fans had, once again, come through for their favorite Named clan leader.
Anyway, if you want to add your yowl and bump our pre-hysteric heroine up a notch, feel free. Maybe the phenomenon will intrigue NPR into asking me for an interview. Here's the NPRBooks Poll: https://www.facebook.com/questions/.....5374290825835/
You can also find NPRBooks on Twitter: nprbooks
More soon.
R-kitty
Would you like to see a Ratha graphic novel?
General | Posted 13 years agoSheila Ruth (Imaginator Press) and I are exploring the possibility of creating a graphic novel version of Ratha's Creature, The First Book of the Named. To get an idea about reader interest, we are running a survey during April, and are asking people to participate.
If you take the survey, you can be entered to win a $25 gift certificate from the offline or online bookstore of your choice. Please help us our with the survey, and perhaps get something nice to read. Survey ends on 04/30/2012. Thanks!
Here's the survey: http://imaginatorpress.wufoo.com/forms/z7x3x5/
If we get enough folks who are interested, we'll move to the next step. I hope we do, because I'm really jazzed about this! I've already done some story-boarding, so I thought I'd share a rough sample here on FA.
The project is still in the research stage, and we haven't picked any artists yet. I will be doing some scripting and story-boarding. Since I enjoy working back and forth between images and words, I did a rough page, inked so that it would show up on my digicam photo. This is a rough, not final art. I'm experimenting with panel arrangements, views, character postions, etc. I'm doing it to help me write a better script.
Viergacht/Frogsbreath, our Ratha series cover artist, is also story-boarding and he has done a lovely sample page rough. See it here:
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/7685231/
(This is cross-posted from Deviant Art, so if you are there, you may have seen it.)
I know I haven't been on FA for a while, since I've been busy on other sites, such as Google+ and Facbook. And doing art!
CB
If you take the survey, you can be entered to win a $25 gift certificate from the offline or online bookstore of your choice. Please help us our with the survey, and perhaps get something nice to read. Survey ends on 04/30/2012. Thanks!
Here's the survey: http://imaginatorpress.wufoo.com/forms/z7x3x5/
If we get enough folks who are interested, we'll move to the next step. I hope we do, because I'm really jazzed about this! I've already done some story-boarding, so I thought I'd share a rough sample here on FA.
The project is still in the research stage, and we haven't picked any artists yet. I will be doing some scripting and story-boarding. Since I enjoy working back and forth between images and words, I did a rough page, inked so that it would show up on my digicam photo. This is a rough, not final art. I'm experimenting with panel arrangements, views, character postions, etc. I'm doing it to help me write a better script.
Viergacht/Frogsbreath, our Ratha series cover artist, is also story-boarding and he has done a lovely sample page rough. See it here:
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/7685231/
(This is cross-posted from Deviant Art, so if you are there, you may have seen it.)
I know I haven't been on FA for a while, since I've been busy on other sites, such as Google+ and Facbook. And doing art!
CB
Going to Worldcon in Reno, Aug 17-21
General | Posted 14 years agoI will be at Renovation, the World Science Fiction Convention in Reno, signing books in the dealer's room. Look for me at Jim and Melody Rondeau's table. I will be bringing all of the Ratha books, including the new Imaginator Press edition of Ratha's Challenge, so that people can get the entire new Imaginator Ratha series as a set.
http://www.renovationsf.org/
I haven't been to a World Science Fiction Convention in years, but some friends of mine have given me the opportunity to come with them. This is a bit last-minute, and I apologize. If you're at the con, come see me, or if you are in the area, drop by.
I didn't get on any panels, though I tried, however that gives me more time to meet and chat with friends and fans.
I'll also be doing some costuming, so if you see a tall white tiger with a blue scarf, that's me.
FB Fan Comments on Challenge Cover
General | Posted 14 years agoThis is for Demon Sans Visage, or Viergaght on DevArt. Since he isn't on Facebook, and people there have been raving about the new Ratha's Challenge cover art, I'm posting the comments here on FA.
So, Dear Demon, here they are!
*
Sparkles Fantastic That is awesome
July 19 at 11:00am ·
*
Sakia Fields thats great
July 19 at 11:08am ·
*
Ruthie Anderson Ratha looks so beautiful! Love the details.
July 19 at 11:18am ·
*
Nyvissa Makai I think I like the look of the clan elder on the mammoth skull, the most. He's gorgeously handsome. ^.~
July 19 at 11:26am ·
*
Sheila Ruth He is handsome, isn't he? That's actually True-of-voice, the leader of the mammoth hunter tribe. If you look behind the mammoth skull, you'll see the homogeneous faces of the mammoth hunters, while Quiet Hunter and Thistle-chaser are stepping over the tusk, bridging the gap between cultures.
July 19 at 11:41am ·
*
Daniel Parnell Very cool.
July 19 at 11:41am ·
*
Nyvissa Makai I was going to say leader... but I can also see the others easily. Nice art, although Ratha looks a bit...Uncomfortable. Otherwise the art is impressively nice.
July 19 at 11:49am ·
*
Lindsey Costello Beautiful artwork as usual ♥
July 19 at 1:06pm ·
*
Mary Shafer What rich imagery and luscious colors!
July 19 at 2:01pm ·
*
Katie Clark Absolutely beautiful! I can't wait to get this book even more.
July 19 at 3:58pm ..
*
Michele DeFilippo Fabulous illustrations on all four titles in the series!
July 20 at 7:06am ·
*
Sheila Ruth Thanks, Michele! Your designs beautifully complement the illustrations.
July 20 at 7:35am ·
*
Wilson Chan Loving it!
July 20 at 10:08am ·
*
Melody Luke When will the book with this new cover be available? I want one!
July 21 at 9:58am ·
*
Ratha and the Named Prehistoric Cat Clan Hi, clan cats! I'm glad you love the new cover! Lew managed to get all the elements in without making it too busy, and while keeping a lovely sweep of composition. It is a terrific accomplishment.
July 21 at 1:55pm ·
*
Brittany Busch Best. cover. ever. Clan ground was my favorite, now this one blows it away. LOOOOOOOVE it!
July 21 at 4:41pm ·
*
Ratha and the Named Prehistoric Cat Clan Would anyone mind if I copied some of the comments on the cover illustration and send them to Lew Lashmit, since he's not on FB.
July 23 at 10:31am ·
*
Melody Luke Such a fantastic cover! Sure, share my comment with the artist! He rocks!
July 23 at 10:42am ·
*
Ratha and the Named Prehistoric Cat Clan Sent - sorry, tanglepaws. /CB
July 23 at 11:55am ·
*
Nyvissa Makai Artists always need proper feedback, Feel free to share my entire opinion as I am agent to another artist (and truly mean only encouragement).
July 24 at 10:21am ·
*
Dani Long Wow!! What an incredible image. Very skilled, and made with great respect to the text. Best yet, indeed.
July 31 at 11:49am ·
*
Nyvissa Makai I can see my problem more clearly today. Either the picture is poorly cropped at the bottom or the fur tones on Ratha are a little too subtle. I had difficulty telling her body position properly so it looks a bit awkward to my eye. May I suggest a paw in the lower left corner?
July 31 at 1:56pm ·
So, Dear Demon, here they are!
*
Sparkles Fantastic That is awesome
July 19 at 11:00am ·
*
Sakia Fields thats great
July 19 at 11:08am ·
*
Ruthie Anderson Ratha looks so beautiful! Love the details.
July 19 at 11:18am ·
*
Nyvissa Makai I think I like the look of the clan elder on the mammoth skull, the most. He's gorgeously handsome. ^.~
July 19 at 11:26am ·
*
Sheila Ruth He is handsome, isn't he? That's actually True-of-voice, the leader of the mammoth hunter tribe. If you look behind the mammoth skull, you'll see the homogeneous faces of the mammoth hunters, while Quiet Hunter and Thistle-chaser are stepping over the tusk, bridging the gap between cultures.
July 19 at 11:41am ·
*
Daniel Parnell Very cool.
July 19 at 11:41am ·
*
Nyvissa Makai I was going to say leader... but I can also see the others easily. Nice art, although Ratha looks a bit...Uncomfortable. Otherwise the art is impressively nice.
July 19 at 11:49am ·
*
Lindsey Costello Beautiful artwork as usual ♥
July 19 at 1:06pm ·
*
Mary Shafer What rich imagery and luscious colors!
July 19 at 2:01pm ·
*
Katie Clark Absolutely beautiful! I can't wait to get this book even more.
July 19 at 3:58pm ..
*
Michele DeFilippo Fabulous illustrations on all four titles in the series!
July 20 at 7:06am ·
*
Sheila Ruth Thanks, Michele! Your designs beautifully complement the illustrations.
July 20 at 7:35am ·
*
Wilson Chan Loving it!
July 20 at 10:08am ·
*
Melody Luke When will the book with this new cover be available? I want one!
July 21 at 9:58am ·
*
Ratha and the Named Prehistoric Cat Clan Hi, clan cats! I'm glad you love the new cover! Lew managed to get all the elements in without making it too busy, and while keeping a lovely sweep of composition. It is a terrific accomplishment.
July 21 at 1:55pm ·
*
Brittany Busch Best. cover. ever. Clan ground was my favorite, now this one blows it away. LOOOOOOOVE it!
July 21 at 4:41pm ·
*
Ratha and the Named Prehistoric Cat Clan Would anyone mind if I copied some of the comments on the cover illustration and send them to Lew Lashmit, since he's not on FB.
July 23 at 10:31am ·
*
Melody Luke Such a fantastic cover! Sure, share my comment with the artist! He rocks!
July 23 at 10:42am ·
*
Ratha and the Named Prehistoric Cat Clan Sent - sorry, tanglepaws. /CB
July 23 at 11:55am ·
*
Nyvissa Makai Artists always need proper feedback, Feel free to share my entire opinion as I am agent to another artist (and truly mean only encouragement).
July 24 at 10:21am ·
*
Dani Long Wow!! What an incredible image. Very skilled, and made with great respect to the text. Best yet, indeed.
July 31 at 11:49am ·
*
Nyvissa Makai I can see my problem more clearly today. Either the picture is poorly cropped at the bottom or the fur tones on Ratha are a little too subtle. I had difficulty telling her body position properly so it looks a bit awkward to my eye. May I suggest a paw in the lower left corner?
July 31 at 1:56pm ·
Ratha's Island Twitter Novelette
General | Posted 16 years agoIf you're wondering where I've been for the past 5 months or so, well, I've been involved with several different projects, including an experiment on Twitter.
PoetTigress asked if I could also post it here, so here's a copy of the story so far, plus some links to images and blog posts about the creatures in the series.
Also, look in my favorites for some really good Ratha artwork by The Demon Sans Visage, also known as Frogsbreath.
Comments encouraged
So...
Ratha's Island, a Twitter novelette by Clare Bell, author of the Ratha or Named series.
Prepared for Twitter by Sheila Ruth and Clare Bell. Inspiration by Sheila Ruth. Copyright 2009
The Twitter search tag or hashtag for the story posts is #rathafic
Story archive pages are #1 The Scratching Log http://www.rathascourage.com/scratchlog.html
And #2 The Ratha Series Forum http://forum.rathascourage.com/inde.....?showtopic=156
Archive pages will have text links to photos and blog posts about creatures in the story. You can also leave comments.
Ratha, female leader of the Named cat clan, paused on the meadow trail, one forefoot raised.
To one side, the small three-toed horses that the Named called dapplebacks, huddled nervously.
On the other, the three-horned deer stamped and shook their heads.
The deer stabbed up with their forked nose-horns, as if at an invisible enemy only they could see.
Even the sky, choked with low clouds, seemed a threat. Ratha lifted her head, narrowing her eyes.
Just below the clouds two shapes circled.
Yes, they were birds, probably eagles, but she had never seen eagles this large.
Ratha knew the hawks and eagles that often sailed over clan ground, but she hadn't seen these birds before.
They seemed to fly much faster, making her even more uneasy.
Her ears flattened, their tips lifted, showing anger rather than fear.
Often her ears showed her emotions before they really surfaced in her thoughts. At that idea, they twitched.
For more about:
Me (Clare Bell) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clare_Bell
Ratha http://rathacat.deviantart.com/art/.....inish-63702213
Inspiration for Ratha http://www.rathascourage.com/2008/0.....clan-cats.html
The Named Cat Clan http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/.....tha_s_Creature
Dapplebacks and three-horned deer http://wandsandworlds.com/community/node/1847
Dapplebacks - When Birds Ate Horses http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/.....re/1651601.stm
Dapplebacks - The Bush of Horse Evolution http://laelaps.wordpress.com/2007/0.....-of-evolution/
Three-horn deer - Wiki article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetoceras
Three-horn deer - Image on a postage stamp http://www.geo.uw.edu.pl/HOBBY/STAM.....ANIMAL/afg.htm
Miocene birds of prey
http://wandsandworlds.com/community/node/6634
Story archives http://www.rathascourage.com/2009/0.....d-archive.html
http://forum.rathascourage.com/inde.....?showtopic=156
PoetTigress asked if I could also post it here, so here's a copy of the story so far, plus some links to images and blog posts about the creatures in the series.
Also, look in my favorites for some really good Ratha artwork by The Demon Sans Visage, also known as Frogsbreath.
Comments encouraged
So...
Ratha's Island, a Twitter novelette by Clare Bell, author of the Ratha or Named series.
Prepared for Twitter by Sheila Ruth and Clare Bell. Inspiration by Sheila Ruth. Copyright 2009
The Twitter search tag or hashtag for the story posts is #rathafic
Story archive pages are #1 The Scratching Log http://www.rathascourage.com/scratchlog.html
And #2 The Ratha Series Forum http://forum.rathascourage.com/inde.....?showtopic=156
Archive pages will have text links to photos and blog posts about creatures in the story. You can also leave comments.
Ratha, female leader of the Named cat clan, paused on the meadow trail, one forefoot raised.
To one side, the small three-toed horses that the Named called dapplebacks, huddled nervously.
On the other, the three-horned deer stamped and shook their heads.
The deer stabbed up with their forked nose-horns, as if at an invisible enemy only they could see.
Even the sky, choked with low clouds, seemed a threat. Ratha lifted her head, narrowing her eyes.
Just below the clouds two shapes circled.
Yes, they were birds, probably eagles, but she had never seen eagles this large.
Ratha knew the hawks and eagles that often sailed over clan ground, but she hadn't seen these birds before.
They seemed to fly much faster, making her even more uneasy.
Her ears flattened, their tips lifted, showing anger rather than fear.
Often her ears showed her emotions before they really surfaced in her thoughts. At that idea, they twitched.
For more about:
Me (Clare Bell) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clare_Bell
Ratha http://rathacat.deviantart.com/art/.....inish-63702213
Inspiration for Ratha http://www.rathascourage.com/2008/0.....clan-cats.html
The Named Cat Clan http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/.....tha_s_Creature
Dapplebacks and three-horned deer http://wandsandworlds.com/community/node/1847
Dapplebacks - When Birds Ate Horses http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/.....re/1651601.stm
Dapplebacks - The Bush of Horse Evolution http://laelaps.wordpress.com/2007/0.....-of-evolution/
Three-horn deer - Wiki article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetoceras
Three-horn deer - Image on a postage stamp http://www.geo.uw.edu.pl/HOBBY/STAM.....ANIMAL/afg.htm
Miocene birds of prey
http://wandsandworlds.com/community/node/6634
Story archives http://www.rathascourage.com/2009/0.....d-archive.html
http://forum.rathascourage.com/inde.....?showtopic=156
Courage paperback out now! 10/12/08
General | Posted 17 years agoMiracle of miracles, Courage came off the presses in time, without hitches, and to a wonderful reception.
OK, so the economy tanked, but in a depression, people turn to books for an escape. Sooo...
The book is out, being shipped,and has been nominated in the science fiction category for a Cybil Award. I have been to a number of publishing events, including KidLitosphere 08 in Portland, OR and Northern California Independent Booksellers Association (NCIBA) conference last weekend in Oakland, CA.
So many good things have happened so fast that I'm only now coming up for air.
The Cybil Awards 2008 are presented by the Children's and Y/A blogger community for 2008 books with both literary merit and kid appeal.
http://dadtalk.typepad.com/cybils/
The publisher is Sheila Ruth at Imaginator Press, Baltimore, MD
Http://www.imaginatorpress.com
The distributor is Jaqueline Simonds of Beagle Bay in Reno, NV
Http://www.beaglebay.com
First availability (if you can't wait): Author's BookShop
http://www.authorsbookshop.com
Excellent and insightful review by Emily at AyeCaptain blog
http://ayecaptain.blogspot.com/2008.....s-courage.html
Updates on my website:
http://www.rathascourage.com
More later, hopefully new artwork.
Ratha's Courage trade paperback being printed
General | Posted 17 years agoWell, I haven't had much time for art, since a lot has been happening with Ratha's Courage. The book now has a new and wonderful publisher, Imaginator Press, run by Sheila Ruth, who also does the teen science fiction/fantasy site, Wands andWorlds ( http://wwww.wandsandworlds.com )
One of the young readers on Wands and Worlds suggested that Imaginator might publish Courage, so Sheila took her suggestion seriously. So, the upshot is that we completed a deal, with help from my agent, Richard Curtis, have been exchanging a flurry of emails, got a new cover design (still using the original cover art ),
proofed the book again less than a week, and it just went to the printers. All this in around a month. Wow.
Now I've got my fingers crossed that there are no bumps in the road. This book has had enough obstacles and it certainly doesn't deserve them.
The books are supposed to be done by mid-September, and then it is off to Beagle Bay, the distributor.
I'm not sure where the printer is located, but I am hoping that they are not in the path of Hurricane Gustav, Hannah, or any of the others threatening the East and Gulf Coasts.
I'm not even going to think about such a possibility.
One of the young readers on Wands and Worlds suggested that Imaginator might publish Courage, so Sheila took her suggestion seriously. So, the upshot is that we completed a deal, with help from my agent, Richard Curtis, have been exchanging a flurry of emails, got a new cover design (still using the original cover art ),
proofed the book again less than a week, and it just went to the printers. All this in around a month. Wow.
Now I've got my fingers crossed that there are no bumps in the road. This book has had enough obstacles and it certainly doesn't deserve them.
The books are supposed to be done by mid-September, and then it is off to Beagle Bay, the distributor.
I'm not sure where the printer is located, but I am hoping that they are not in the path of Hurricane Gustav, Hannah, or any of the others threatening the East and Gulf Coasts.
I'm not even going to think about such a possibility.
News and Links
General | Posted 18 years agoRatha's Courage E-released on Baen Books!
Released 4/9/08
This version is an electronic book, which means you purchase it, then download it into your laptop, Sony reader or other device. On sale now for $6.00.
To buy it from Baen Books, you need to get an account, which is free and easy.
Here's the link:
http://www.webscription.net/p-822-r.....s-courage.aspx
Baen's homepage is:
http://www.baen.com
Baen will have an exclusive on the book during April, then Amazon and Fictionwise http://www.fictionwise.com will be carrying it.
If Courage does well as an E-book, the next step is print publication.
Eeeeyarooo!
The other books in the series are Firebird re-issues and are available through the net and at bookstores.
My deepest thanks to everyone who made this happen, including E-Reads, Baen, and my agent, Richard Curtis.
CB
l
UPDATE: 3/12/08
I just got an email from my agent, which said that E-Reads has linked up with Jim Baen Books. E-Reads will be bringing out one of the Baen titles in electronic form each month. They want to do Ratha's Courage as the April book, with an issue date of April 1 (no fooling, I hope!). That's 20 days from now
Since Crazysparkles06 on DeviantArt http://www.crazysparkles06.deviantart.com
wrote such a great journal about the Ratha series on 3/5/08, I thought I'd hustle a bit and put up some links. I'm also going to upload some of the sample chapters directly to D/A, if my solar-powered electrical system keeps running all day. I use a satellite link and it can draw a bit of power.
I've checked the links below and they should work.
For people who are curious about Ratha and the Named and want a taste, here are some links to sample chapters and excerpts.
Ratha's Courage chapter 1 teaser (first part of chapter): http://www.rathascourage.com/courage_teaser1
Large type version, for those who need it: http://www.rathascourage.com/ltcour_ch1.htm
First chapters of Ratha's Creature, Clan Ground, Ratha and Thistle-chaser, and (soon) Ratha's Challenge: http://www.rathascourage.com/chapters_online.htm
In large type: http://www.rathascourage.com/ltchapters_online.htm
Author blog, The Scratching Log:
http://www.rathascourage.com/scratchlog
which has "Ratha's Creatures" about the various prehistoric animals in the series. Updates on the status of the new book, Ratha's Courage. The blog also appears on the Amazon book pages and I have a profile there.
Thistle-chaser reprint cover and rough: http://www.rathascourage.com/thistle-chaser.htm
Main website (just updated!): http://www.rathascourage.com
Original website on Earthlink:
http://home.earthlink.net/~ratha13
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/rathacat
RathaTV on YouTube has a 16 part video set of the complete CBS Storybreak animated adaptation of Ratha's Creature. It also has 3-D animations of the character by the author, using Anim8tor.
http://www.youtube.com/rathacat
or user rathacat on YouTube.
Other sites:
User rathacat on
Goodreads, LiveJournal, LibraryThing, FurAffinity, Facebook and too many others.
Check out my gallery, which has the clay skull models of Dinaelurus crassus, Ratha's real ancestor, and Dinaelurus illumina sapiens, Ratha herself. Also step-by-step facial reconstruction of both.
(I would put them back in the Recent Deviations, but I haven't figured out how).
People who are trying to get Ratha's Courage through Amazon; it is not Amazon's fault. Viking-Penguin cancelled the book at the last minute. It will be available as an E-Reads E-book on Fictionwise.com
[http://www.fictionwise.com]. Later, it will be issued as a print book from one of E-Reads' affiliates. Amazon has kept the book up on its site because they will be carrying the E-Reads version.
For more info, see the journal entry, Ratha's Courage - Hope Burns Brighter, Dec 7, 2007.
Ratha's Creature now (3/7/2008) has 42 five-star Amazon customer reviews. Thank you to all the people who posted them!
Now if you want to give the other books a little help, especially Ratha's Challenge, which doesn't have any, please feel free.
Thanks to Sparkle, who gave me some much-needed motivation!
Updates:
Links to the clay model skulls and facial reconstructions:
Ratha, fictional species Dinaelurus illumina sapiens http://www.rathascourage.com/research.htm
Her real ancestor, Dinaelurus crassus
http://www.rathascourage.com/d_cras.....nstruction.htm
Last time I updated rathascourage.com, the text on the homepage got a bit scrambled. I will be fixing it tonight.
CB
Released 4/9/08
This version is an electronic book, which means you purchase it, then download it into your laptop, Sony reader or other device. On sale now for $6.00.
To buy it from Baen Books, you need to get an account, which is free and easy.
Here's the link:
http://www.webscription.net/p-822-r.....s-courage.aspx
Baen's homepage is:
http://www.baen.com
Baen will have an exclusive on the book during April, then Amazon and Fictionwise http://www.fictionwise.com will be carrying it.
If Courage does well as an E-book, the next step is print publication.
Eeeeyarooo!
The other books in the series are Firebird re-issues and are available through the net and at bookstores.
My deepest thanks to everyone who made this happen, including E-Reads, Baen, and my agent, Richard Curtis.
CB
l
UPDATE: 3/12/08
I just got an email from my agent, which said that E-Reads has linked up with Jim Baen Books. E-Reads will be bringing out one of the Baen titles in electronic form each month. They want to do Ratha's Courage as the April book, with an issue date of April 1 (no fooling, I hope!). That's 20 days from now
Since Crazysparkles06 on DeviantArt http://www.crazysparkles06.deviantart.com
wrote such a great journal about the Ratha series on 3/5/08, I thought I'd hustle a bit and put up some links. I'm also going to upload some of the sample chapters directly to D/A, if my solar-powered electrical system keeps running all day. I use a satellite link and it can draw a bit of power.
I've checked the links below and they should work.
For people who are curious about Ratha and the Named and want a taste, here are some links to sample chapters and excerpts.
Ratha's Courage chapter 1 teaser (first part of chapter): http://www.rathascourage.com/courage_teaser1
Large type version, for those who need it: http://www.rathascourage.com/ltcour_ch1.htm
First chapters of Ratha's Creature, Clan Ground, Ratha and Thistle-chaser, and (soon) Ratha's Challenge: http://www.rathascourage.com/chapters_online.htm
In large type: http://www.rathascourage.com/ltchapters_online.htm
Author blog, The Scratching Log:
http://www.rathascourage.com/scratchlog
which has "Ratha's Creatures" about the various prehistoric animals in the series. Updates on the status of the new book, Ratha's Courage. The blog also appears on the Amazon book pages and I have a profile there.
Thistle-chaser reprint cover and rough: http://www.rathascourage.com/thistle-chaser.htm
Main website (just updated!): http://www.rathascourage.com
Original website on Earthlink:
http://home.earthlink.net/~ratha13
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/rathacat
RathaTV on YouTube has a 16 part video set of the complete CBS Storybreak animated adaptation of Ratha's Creature. It also has 3-D animations of the character by the author, using Anim8tor.
http://www.youtube.com/rathacat
or user rathacat on YouTube.
Other sites:
User rathacat on
Goodreads, LiveJournal, LibraryThing, FurAffinity, Facebook and too many others.
Check out my gallery, which has the clay skull models of Dinaelurus crassus, Ratha's real ancestor, and Dinaelurus illumina sapiens, Ratha herself. Also step-by-step facial reconstruction of both.
(I would put them back in the Recent Deviations, but I haven't figured out how).
People who are trying to get Ratha's Courage through Amazon; it is not Amazon's fault. Viking-Penguin cancelled the book at the last minute. It will be available as an E-Reads E-book on Fictionwise.com
[http://www.fictionwise.com]. Later, it will be issued as a print book from one of E-Reads' affiliates. Amazon has kept the book up on its site because they will be carrying the E-Reads version.
For more info, see the journal entry, Ratha's Courage - Hope Burns Brighter, Dec 7, 2007.
Ratha's Creature now (3/7/2008) has 42 five-star Amazon customer reviews. Thank you to all the people who posted them!
Now if you want to give the other books a little help, especially Ratha's Challenge, which doesn't have any, please feel free.
Thanks to Sparkle, who gave me some much-needed motivation!
Updates:
Links to the clay model skulls and facial reconstructions:
Ratha, fictional species Dinaelurus illumina sapiens http://www.rathascourage.com/research.htm
Her real ancestor, Dinaelurus crassus
http://www.rathascourage.com/d_cras.....nstruction.htm
Last time I updated rathascourage.com, the text on the homepage got a bit scrambled. I will be fixing it tonight.
CB
Calling all Thistle-chaser fans!
General | Posted 18 years agoThistle-chaser needs reviews! The two books in which she appears don't have any customer reviews on Amazon or other sites. Ratha's Creature has 41 reviews and Clan Ground 10. Ratha and Thistle-chaser, which introduces her, and Ratha's Challenge, which continues her story, haven't gotten any recent reviews.
Ratha is being unbearably smug because Creature got tons of recent reviews, Clan got a few, Ratha's Courage actually got one, and Thistle doesn't have any yet (as Thistle does a slow burn).
I know there are Thistle fans out there, so give the little terror some love (yes, I know she can be nice too). If you do a review, let me know where it is. Links are good.
I want to keep writing about Thistle, so help me out here, please.
Thanks!
CB
Good News from New York City
General | Posted 18 years agoI got an email from my agent saying that E-Reads/Fictionwise has finished processing Ratha's Courage and that it will be available as an E-book on Fictionwise. Amazon, who has faithfully listed it all this time, will also have it as a dowlnoadable book. They will just change the publisher name.
E-Reads was planning to do a kick-off for the book on their site, and I assume they will still do so. I am hoping to have more news about the print version soon.
My apologies for not posting, but I was kind of knocked out of commission by the creeping coughing crud, and I think the uncertainty involving the book didn't help. Both are much better.
I'm also planning to do some more artwork soon.
Thanks to everyone who has given me good wishes.
CB
E-Reads was planning to do a kick-off for the book on their site, and I assume they will still do so. I am hoping to have more news about the print version soon.
My apologies for not posting, but I was kind of knocked out of commission by the creeping coughing crud, and I think the uncertainty involving the book didn't help. Both are much better.
I'm also planning to do some more artwork soon.
Thanks to everyone who has given me good wishes.
CB
