Walking a path through fantasy landscapes. It feels like home. Each season brings its own magic that I can explore and capture. Hiking with my camera feels like I can breathe. It energizes me to create. This time my dog Bambi came along. Hiking Dog I’ve had pets since I was little. My household rarely…
The Adirondack Mountains have been on my list since I started hiking. However, it’s too far for a day trip. NY state’s size still surprises me and I’ve lived here for 15 years. From Manhattan, it takes me 4 hours to reach Washington, DC by train. 4 hours upstate and I’m not even in the…
My journey with fantasy map-making has been an interesting one. I don’t have a design background. Any covers, maps, videos, basically anything I needed an Adobe product to create, I had to teach myself. Maps are especially difficult because you have to know basic geography, like how rivers flow. Some of my early designs aren’t…
When stress is trying to control me, I use art to subdue it. Life is rarely 100% bad or good. You hope there’s more good than bad. For the past couple of years, mine has been the other way around, even before the plague that shall not be named. Ever have that moment, when your…
I started my indie fantasy author journey in 2013. I layout books myself, design the maps and covers and upload them to sites like Amazon, KDP, Smashwords, IngramSpark and Lulu. But, I also work with a small press publisher for things like ISBNs, editing, promotion and getting into bookstores. I’ve been writing for longer than…
Creating a fantasy town doesn’t always mean several structures together in one location. I’ve created towns in one building, underground or a ship. I love that about fantasy. It’s fun, and a bit challenging, experimenting with different types of communities. Despite the kind of town you’re creating, there are 6 key things you need to…
I used to look forward to Fall. I still do, kinda. If you follow this blog or my Instagram account, you know I got into infrared photography. It works best in the summer when leaves are green. Now, I won’t be able to capture those fantasy landscapes. At least not as much as I used…
Since I started publishing, I’ve been creating my fictional world maps in Photoshop. There were alternative apps but I don’t think they were as good. I can’t believe I’ve been publishing for 8 years. Things have changed so much. I sound super old. A lot of the tools I used are no longer available or…
Somehow, Sundays have become photo days. I didn’t add it to my calendar. I need to, though. At some point every Sunday, I’ll make my rounds to DeviantArt, Behance, and Fine Art America. I’ll check out notifications, upload new photos and interact with the community. While checking in to one profile, I discovered the Fine…
Since I’ve started hiking, I’ve been wanting a furry buddy to walk the trails with me. But, not all dogs are made for trekking up mountains and through thick forests. What are the best dog breeds for hikers? I’m looking for dog number 2. Oreo, my Maltese/Terrier mix, used to go on long walks with…
