Dan Pertierra: His Stuff and Things

Salutations! Here you'll find updates and previews from Dan Pertierra, an author whose first book is currently going through the publishing process. In addition to news and updates, expect to also see some artwork posted periodically.

[dcpertierra]

I apologize for the long wait in news, but I like to think that I’ve been justifiably occupied.  The Dragonslaying Maiden is out of editing, out of production, and now out on shelves!  Today, I received my own copies at last, and I can finally cross that article off of my bucket list.

If you’re interested in reading an exciting tale of swords, sorcery, giants, trolls, betrayal and redemption in the mythic lands of Norse mythology, check out the book.  It’s now available online from the Black Rose Writing website and Amazon.  Additionally, the book is now available through Barnes and Noble.

[dcpertierra]

“The Dragonslaying Maiden” and where I go from here...

A few minutes ago, I finished my final edit to the manuscript and sent it in to Black Rose Writing.  That done, the book can move on to the next stage: production!

In the meantime, I’m going to go back to editing another project of mine.  I took part in NaNoWriMo again this year, writing a story I’ve had in mind for years: “Rangers Island”.  I finished the manuscript pretty quickly, but fell about 5,000 words short of the mark.  My second draft added about a thousand more words in, but I still had a lot of time left and didn’t think that I could get away with arbitrarily expanding the story.  So, I decided to work on the sequel: “Take His Hand”, and quickly beat the 50,000 word goal for the month.  I finished that early in the morning on December 6th and, combined, the two stories are over 80,000 words.

The two stories - collectively known as “She’s Seen Death” - are a very different experience than “The Dragonslaying Maiden”, and I look forward to revealing more over time.  For now, though, I must move away from the computer before the eye-strain overwhelms me.

Good day, all.

[dcpertierra]

The Dragonslaying Maiden: Final Edit

Last week, I received the publisher’s initial edit on The Dragonslaying Maiden.  Rather than alter the document itself, I received a PDF with a list of concerns (not necessarily mistakes, but things that might be mistakes) and was asked to implement any changes based on them, or which I thought otherwise prudent.  So, I got to work on that.

Early this morning, I completed re-reading the story and touching things up.  I believe that everything is in order but, just to be sure, I’m giving it one more quick read-through over the next few days, and then I’m sending it back to begin production.

The novel is moving along!

[dcpertierra]

Alyn Lewis, a local author and craftsman, has written a novel called “The Return of the Tolec”, and he was looking for an artist to draw the cover.  Last year, at “Queen Mab’s Enchanted City,” we had tables next to each other and he saw an owlbear that I’d drawn.  He checked out my DeviantART page, liked what he saw, and asked me if I’d be willing to draw the cover.  I agreed and, after entirely too much time, this came about.

Tonight, after I get out of work, I intend to letter in the title and byline, and that will officially complete the image.  I thought I’d share the unlettered picture first - hoping you enjoy it!

[dcpertierra]

Dana, the protagonist of “The Dragonslaying Maiden,” wields a magical sword called Dawnsbrand.  I figured that people (especially the cover artist) should know what it looks like.  Apparently, it looks like pain, because the pattern welding was a nightmare to do.  I didn’t get it right, I don’t think, but I gave the general idea.

A fun fact: I began drawing a great, Viking sword with all sorts of engravings and knotwork patterns across the hilt and pommel.  I loved the look of it.   And then I checked out my reference again and realized that it was a 10th Century sword, dating some two hundred years after my story.  This would be like drawing Americans and Germans fighting each other at the Battle of the Bulge with flintlock muskets and smoothbore cannon.  I looked to the earlier Migration Period for reference (Thanks again, Marcus.) and came up with this.  I took a few liberties with the hilt, but I think that it’s inoffensive-enough.

Additionally, can you also tell what inspired my signature?

[dcpertierra]

One of the things that I’m trying to do with “The Dragonslaying Maiden” is to add a degree of plausibility.  This is a story with dragons and giants, trolls and sorcery, but it’s still ostensibly set in our world.  As such, I tried to keep the fantasy elements limited to the story rather than the design.

I actually make chainmail.  I don’t rivet it shut, but I’ve worn and made enough that I have a pretty good idea for how it functions in real life.  So, when it came time to design Dana’s battlegear, I was able to hew closer to reality.  Even if it meant individually indicating each of those thousands and thousands of rings...

One of the benefits of working in Photoshop was that I could use a single underdrawing for each of these pictures, and then recycle parts to the subsequent images.  If you overlay all three pictures one on top of the other, you’ll both see how everything fits together and, in turn, changes the profile of the wearer.  My favorite little detail is the belt - look close, and you’ll see why.

It’s common in fantasy for women to have more “feminine” armor than men, either by emphasizing their figures through the contours or outright displaying it with cutaways.  I hope you’ll see why, between the panzari and mail, this is a fantasy.

I could go on... but, I think I’ve explained enough here and in the pictures’ annotations.  I hope that you find them entertaining!

[dcpertierra]

I was asked, as part of a questionnaire for the publishing company, to submit some sample/reference images to the person handling the cover of my book.  So... I’ve spent the last number of days working on that, and I’m sending them all in today.

This is Dana, the protagonist of “The Dragonslaying Maiden”.  Since the story is set at the dawn of the 8th Century, I wanted to use as much real-life inspiration for her appearance as possible - her spangenhelm is based on the find at Gjermandbu, with a few artistic licenses taken.

Probably the biggest pain, for me, were the decorations on the bronze plates over the forehead.  I originally planned to have a dizzying mish-mash of interweaving lines for the Norns’ weave and something a bit more static for the dragon, but my friend Marcus (responsible for the webcomic “The Senkari”, holding an actual archaeological degree) convinced me to look more closely at Norse knotwork and work from there.  While it was a pain, I think that it came out better for it.

[dcpertierra]

Salutations from the author

Greetings, ye internet.  Please pardon me if the following days are a bit rough: I’m new to Tumblr and still learning the ropes.  I’ll have the page presentable soon...ish.