Hey, hey Bloodlings!

I was trying to wait to give you another update until Poll Package 3 and the cooking videos were ready, but that just didn't happen. Since I have chronic fatigue, my plans don't always pan out accordingly...no pun intended. 

Anyways, I'm sorry I don't have fun videos to post in here. But! I do think I have something better to show you: More art and an excerpt from the book! 

Before I show you that, though, I wanted to remind you that there's only four days left in the campaign and we still haven't hit Stretch Goal two. We're only short about $260ish, give or take a few. 

Now, I'm still manifesting that we'll hit this $1000 stretch goal, and I can throw another short story in the mix and maybe hit some of the other stretch goals too. So, I figure it's time I revealed what those are to see if, maybe, you all can share and get a few more people on board. 

So, here they are: 

Hopefully that helps. Now, as promised, here is some of the concept art and an excerpt from the book! 

I made an audio version and posted it on YouTube for an audio-visual experience. 

But, I also created just a visual presentation for those of you who would like to read it yourself with the pictures remaining stagnant.

And, because I'm an overachiever, here's the plain text for those who don't want audio or visual aesthetics.

First Meeting

The water is cool on my skin as I ascend from the ocean to the beach. When my nose breaks the surface, and I breathe the fresh, salty air, I know I’ve made it. I grin. Mother obliged my request to be tutored on land so I know how to fend for myself. I’ll spend a few years here and then return to the Selkie Queendom.

The sun is still rising, which means I’m right on time.

I use my teeth to pull the skin up and off my flippers, as if pushing up sleeves. As I do, human hands are revealed. From there, the rest of the transformation is easy. I use my human hands to pull the rest of my skin off like a coat and slide it off my now naked body. 

The wind blows, drying the slick wetness of the sea from my body. The corkscrew coils atop my head are so tightly wound that I’m certain it will take several days to dry without some kind of cloth to aid me. But it doesn’t bother me. I enjoy the freedom of nudity, and will never understand why humans cover themselves up when the weather is this perfect. 

A bell rings distracting me from my thoughts. 

That’s the signal cousin Valentina told me to listen for. I run toward the nearest cave, being sure to hold tight to my skin—which has transformed into a coat—and use the sunlight from outside to guide me to the hidden alcove inside. There, I find a large wooden box about the size of a suitcase with ancient symbols carved on it. I place my Selkie skin on a nearby rock and pull the case from its hiding place. Then, I look for five specific runes. When I locate them, I lay the case on the ground and press the carvings in the sequence I spent days memorizing. 

It opens.

I hope y'all enjoyed the excerpt and the look at more of the concept art.

Let's aim for the $1000 goal! Also, don't forget to support my cross-collab partner, Shiloh Walker and to back some of the other Nightfall Printopia Projects. This one in particular is only $87 from it's goal as of the posting of this update! 

Time is of the essence, so let's try to go out with a bang! 

XOXO

J.S. Living