Concept Sketch

A trip to the National Air and Space Museum led me to discover the Lockheed Sirius 8. Which Charles Lindbergh flew across the Atlantic to help Pan-Am scout potential routes for the new airline in 1933. I absolutely fell in love with the design of this plane and want to incorporate it into The Quarry Mystery.  I have made a concept sketch for Lillian's plane, which I've christened "Lilly". The plane, which will help her rescue 2 Tasmanian Tigers from a poacher type character in Scotland, is a gift from her friend Archibald.

Attempt At Color

So first and foremost, I suck at coloring and shading, shadows with color. However I am practicing regularly to master this. Hence why majority of my drawings are black and white. Here is O'dea's Purveyor of Fine Curios in the Alto Cumulus Shopping Centre from 'Bennett Clement Jones Bubble Cloud Collector'.

Cibola City

Creating some sketches that are Cibola City.

Sea Plane Research for The Quarry Mystery

Ventured through the National Air and Space Museum to get a feel and visual scope for the perfect plane Lillian would fly. Came across this beauty and fell in love. Looking forward to sketching the Lindy NR-211 and tweaking it just a tad to fit in The Quarry Mystery. 

The Quarry Mystery; A Sequence

The Quarry Mystery

This is a sequence that I sketched out for The Quarry Mystery. It shows Lillian, finding one of the Dodo Birds she had been searching for, charging toward her from the bushes. She stumbles backward over the edge of the quarry and plummets into the water below. At the moment she thinks she is going to drown she falls through a barrier that separate's the water from the old rock quarry work site. She falls on a ledge close to the "bubble" top holding the water above. Lillian stands on the ledge and sees the quarry work site that had ceased operation when the fireball hit. She looked out over the site and saw construction equipment, rock carrying gondola's, work shacks and the source of the "bubble".     

The Dream Cafe

This is a draft of a short story titled The Dream Cafe:

Continuing to walk a dim lightappeared above him. Looking up he saw a star. As he looked two more starsappeared; followed by ten then countless others. This excited Peter as now hecould almost make out his surroundings. The solid ground formed a sidewalk andthe star light above shown grass grew on either side. In the distance darkshadows of trees were seen.

Peter continued to walk as a brighterlight appeared behind him. He stopped, turned and saw a crescent moon shiningbright and moving above. The moon moved at a pace that the details of the Seaof Tranquility and the Sea of Serenity were out of this world. Raising his armhe tried to touch the moon. No luck.

            Seeing the moon reminded Peter ofsomething from his childhood; ‘what was it?’ The thought passed and hecontinued walking. He had a sense of guilt for not remembering this childhoodmemory. Walking on, the smile faded and he felt sad, unaccomplished and didn’tknow why.     

 With his head down Peter watched his shadowshrink, slow at first then fast. He turned and saw a shooting star coming overthe moon. Hypnotized, Peter watched the shooting star with squinted eyes as itflew over the moon then over his head. Eyes following, the star flew in thedirection of the horizon  just ahead.That is where he stopped suddenly.

 In the distance, along the horizon Peter saw aspectacular sight; more spectacular than the moon even more spectacular thanthe shooting star. Against the blackness around him, a collection of brightcolors lay ahead; yellows, reds, blues, and purples. ‘What on Earth is that?’thinking to himself. Peter started walking again, much faster this time. Thecolors grew brighter as did the structure they were connected to. Reaching theend of the side walk Peter made out the shape of the color structure, a stainedglass bear. The glass bear structure stood on all fours and was easily twentyfeet high. With no other lights around the bear was the most colorful objectseen for miles.

 Peter walked up to the bear and read a sign:’Dream Café’ and under that “open all night!” He walking up to the Dream Cafédoor between the bears front paws and pushed it open. A set of bells jingled ashe entered.

Inside, the café was quite small incomparison to its outside. A counter stood at the back with six stools. Fourtables with chairs in the center of the café and two half circle booths in whatwere the bear’s front paws. To Peter’s surprise the café was empty. ‘This placeis gorgeous’ Peter thought. Music played very low from a jukebox by thecounter. Peter looked up at the ceiling and it wasn’t there. It faded from thestained glass walls into blackness. Looking up at where the ceiling should be,he didn’t notice the waitress approach him. Startled, he jumped when she spokeoffering him any seat he wanted. “Thank you” Peter said to the waitress withbright red curly hair. He chose one of the big half circle booths in the bear’spaws. She left a menu and said she would return shortly for his order. Shesmiled chewing on her gum and Peter smiled back saying “Thank you again. Thisplace is incredible”. 

            Sitting in the center of the booththe red glittery cushion looked brand new. The table itself was a big oval witha red metallic star design on the top. The napkin caddy, salt and peppershakers were at the end of the table across from him. He opened the menu andstarted to read it. As with any menu it was categorized by appetizers, drinks,entrée’s, sides, and desserts. The items on the Dream Café menu were spacerelated; Space Burger with Moon Cheese, Lunar Curly Fries, Neptune’s Shake, andeven Mozzarella Crescent Moons. Peter thought this strange as the Dream Cafédidn’t resemble a space theme restaurant. The waitress came back chewing hergum and asked “what’ll ya have?”He told her the space burger and a Neptuneshake. She made notes on her pad, took the menu smiled and said “Your orderwill be right up!” She walked to the counter and put the order slip on thespinner for the cook. A man’s hairy arm took the order slip and disappearedinto the kitchen. Peter continued to look around amazed at the café.

 Looking up where the ceiling would have been,Peter noticed how dark the area above the café was. Just like outer space. Twobells rang and Peter looked back toward the counter, “ORDER UP”. He looked anddidn’t see the waitress or his food. ‘Strange, I smell food’ he thought as hisbooth started shaking violently. Peter yelled for help and tried to scoot outof the booth. The shaking became intense, the napkin caddy and the salt andpepper shakers fall to the floor. As Peter held onto the table the booth seatfell backward causing Peter to stare into the blackness above the café. Lyingon his back looking up, Peter saw the booth table tilt and fall over his lap,then stop. The table top star design was gone and now lined with buttons,switches, and levers; ‘a control panel?’ Peter thought. The shaking continuedbecoming less scary. The control panel came to life with colors, beeps, andmechanical sounds. On the right side of the control panel a clock counted down,20-19-18-17-16… Mesmerized by the events happening Peter realized his cafébooth was turning into a cockpit, to a space shuttle!

The shaking continued and Petersmiled as he shook in his seat. That’s when the childhood memory hit him like atrain. “I’M GOING INTO SPACE!” he yelled. Looking to his right the countdownclock ticked, 3-2-1-0. There was a silence and the shaking stopped. Peterlooked around confused and tried to stand. A giant thunderous BANG sounded andPeter was thrown deeper into the vinyl plush seat of his cockpit. His stomachdropped and gave him that funny tickle of a roller coaster. Peter looked up andthe blackness above the café filled with stars. Peter, booth now enclosed,looked left out of the cockpit window and saw he was flying up and fast! 

After a short distance the shakingstopped and his arms and head lifted off his seat. Peter had become weightlessand floated around the cockpit of his space shuttle. Looking out the rightwindow Peter saw the Earth floating away. Looking forward he saw the moonapproaching. Peter made out the Sea of Tranquility and the Sea of Serenity,Peter smiled as an ear splitting alarm cut through the space shuttle. ConfusedPeter looked across the control panel hitting buttons to try and make the noisestop. His right hand hit a big red button on the control panel…

My Friday

This has been my Friday. I find that I write better when I draw what my mind is seeing. I also enjoy drawing maps of the towns and cities I write about.

New Business Cards!

Received my new business cards today. Very exciting. Shall come in handy when meeting fellow authors and illustrators!

Lillian Douglas Queenston

This is Lillian Douglas Queenston. Resident of Emerald Spring Valley; Animal Conservationalist. Investigates strange sightings of the Dodo Bird at the Emerald Spring Quarry and knows the secrets of The Octagon House. She is modeled after Louise Brooks and is a key character in The Quarry Mystery.

Map of the Lost Island Atlantis

Overview map of Atlantis showing the circular peninsula where the palace stood. Also the map is showing 5 of the illusive 7 Earthen-Crystals that accompanied the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Aptenodytes

A noble 'Hench Penguin' to King Thalarctos, in Noble Jack.  

Spoiled Spud

The Spoiled Spud. Harvested by a farmer and thrown back due to his many eyes. The Spoiled Spud cursed the farmer and his land.

Six of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

Six of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. 

Bennett Clement Jones Bubble Cloud Collector

Bennett’s bubble floated back to the ground, much bigger than before. Inside, the bubble captured a cluster of clouds that resembled a giraffe. “I hope mom let’s me keep it” Bennett said out loud. Another story I am working on in which Bennett comes by a magic bubble bottle.

Elephant and Giraffe Magma Powered Robots

There is also an elephant and giraffe magma powered robots that frequent The Potato Dilemma story. 

Magma Powered Dodo Bird Robot

My magma powered robot Dodo Bird. Also gives off geothermal energy to power a house. ( Character from The Potato Dilemma that I am currently working on ).