Comet: Journey Through the Cosmos is now available for pre-order!

Happy mid-November!

Spiced apple cider and cozy sweater season has officially begun in our home, and I hope that wherever you are in the universe that things are cozy for you, too. I can’t believe how quickly this year has flown by. What do you mean it is almost December?! Since the last time I posted (ack, was it really June?) so much has happened (my book is now only 126 days from publication, ARCs arrived and are appearing in the wild (!!!), I traveled across the world to meet writing friends, and I got to spend a whole day with my incredibly wonderful and brilliant friend Jenna at the Portland Book Festival). While there is a lot to scream about (and I will try to send a newsletter soon about all of these amazing things!), the update I have to share with you today is about a smaller project that means a lot to me.

Earlier this year I launched a Kickstarter project during ZineQuest. The project is a journaling game in which you draw cards and follow prompts to explore the universe as a comet. Not only did the game quickly meet its funding goal during the campaign, it also was named a Project We Love on Kickstarter! I am happy to report that Comet: Journey Through the Cosmos is now available for pre-order!

If you missed the chance to back this game during the campaign, now is your chance to secure a copy via BackerKit. Comet is designed for both solo play (if you prefer to experience the game on your own), or as an epistolary option with a trusted friend or new pen pal. Please let friends, family, neighbors, and maybe even your local friendly game shop know that Comet is up for pre-order -  this way, anyone who missed out on backing during the campaign can secure a copy for themselves (and if you know a retailer, feel free to point them in my direction for more info).

So if you know anyone who'd like to join in the fun of exploring the universe as a comet, please send them to the BackerKit store to pre-order their copy. Any boosts will be greatly appreciated!

Art print sneak peek 👀

One of the early Kickstarter stretch goals for the game was for a full-page linocut illustration for the booklet, and a later stretch goal was to have a 5x7 print of this illustration included in the Stretch Goal bundle for backers of the physical rewards tiers. We streaked past those stretch goals during the campaign, and I am so excited to share a few process photos of the illustration, from concept sketch, to carving the linocut plate, to final printed version!

If you missed out during the campaign and hope to get one of these limited prints with your pre-order, send me a message through BackerKit and I will add one to your order. These prints are very limited and will be first come/first served, so if you want one, please make sure to place your order soon.

Pictured below:

Concept rough sketch/linocut plate/final sketch -> carving the linocut plate -> test prints -> finalized art and print proof!

Concept sketch (left), linocut plate with finalized design drawn on it in preparation for carving (middle), and finalized sketch (right)

In the photo above, you can see the initial sketch on the left side and a modified/finalized version of the sketch on the right side. The comet went through a change when I was working on the design, as I wanted a brighter comet with a starburst design to fill in more of the negative space. In the middle is the linocut plate with the final design sketched in pencil and ink.

Process photo of linocut carving 

After the design has been drawn on the linocut plate, I add a wash of blue ink to the plate so I can see my carving lines in better detail. This photo shows the carving process - the comet is complete and most of the sword has been carved, and all that is left is the final details on the sword itself along with background and environmental details.

Test prints of linocut illustration. Black ink on white cotton paper.

Test prints of the linocut! I had a few good prints out of this batch to work with, and determined I needed to add in a few additional background details, such as more trees and textural elements on the cliffs behind the sword. Once I added these to the linocut plate, I printed a few more to get the final-final design:

Print of the finalized art and design! Photo proof sent by printer - black ink on white matte paper.

From the start, I'd wanted to add an illustration to the booklet where we glimpse a comet streaking above a far-away planet, and a giant, time-worn sword jutting from the landscape. I am a fantasy author and adore tales of lost civilizations and ancient swords, if you couldn’t already tell. In the game, you might encounter a planet similar to this one along your epic journey ☄️🗡️

Now, back to writing book 2!

Thank you, as always, for your support 💙

Shana