niseamstories

[niseamstories]

It’s time! The Dreams of the Dying audiobook is finally available, and it’s voiced by Ben Britton and Dave Fennoy. Thank you so much for your patience! :)

#enderal #dreamsofthedying #fantasy #fantasy novel #fantasyaudiobook #writeblr #writing #dark fantasy #grimdark

[niseamstories]

Hi folks - wow, it’s been so long. I hope you all had a fantastic start into the new year. I’m sorry for not posting updates here, I’ve been on a bit of a social media hiatus (and still am, in a way). 2021 has been an exceedingly difficult year for me, but I’m (almost) back on my feet, and have been steadily working on The Cure for Living and the audiobook for Dreams of the Dying, which is nearly done.

Anyway, as the title suggests, I took the plunge and signed up to TikTok. I’m actually enjoying the format much more than I thought and will try to do a couple of videos there. If you like, leave me a follow. :)

That’s it for now - thank you for your support so far! :)

#books #enderal #booktok #dark fantasy #fantasybooks #dreamsofthedying

[niseamstories]

what would be each of the characters' favorite genre of music in modern AU? Maybe some specific musicians?

Uh, that’s a good question. Let me give it a shot. Tealor: Classical (Wagner, haha) Jespar: Either 60s or Indie/Rock/Grunge. Calia: For some reason, I imagine her listening to soppy Latin music. Don’t ask why. Tharael: This one is going to be even stranger: postrock. Esme: Flamenco Constantine: Sultry Jazz

[niseamstories]

Hi. I saw other people asking questions so I hoped I could ask one as well. I really want to know what happend in the 3rd ending with the dreamflower. Was it real? Or was it only a dream?

My answer would be that there are enough clues in the game to find the answer to that by yourself. :)

[niseamstories]

A pleasant day to you. I'm sure you are asked this question before, but what are the things (that you are aware of) that inspired you to write Enderal/Dreams of the Dying? Also, are there any books, especially but not exclusively in the field of philosophy and psychology, that you would recommend for someone that enjoys your writing (or it could just be your favorites)? Thank you very much. I wish you calm seas and fair winds in your book publication.

Probably too late to answer this, but here goes.

It’s hard for me to pinpoint what exactly inspired me to write either. For Enderal, I’d definitely say a lot of weltschmerz and frustration over how so many people think themselves immune to any sort of weakness or unvirtuous behavior when, in my opinion, we all should try and be extremely aware of our weaknesses and demons. For Dreams, a lot stems from my personal experience with mental health problems and even a dissociative experience I had as a teenager. As for your last question, I believe everybody should Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl, though that’s probably not the kind of book you mean. Fiction-wise, I greatly enjoyed all books by Patrick Senecal (and there’s some overlap with the themes I usually cover), but they are French only at the moment. I’ll think some more - thank you for your question!

[niseamstories]

Hey Nicolas! I enjoyed your writing tips on worldbuilding very much. So I would like to know: Do you consider any books and/or textbooks as a valuable teaching lesson for the ever varying process of writing in general? I'd love to hear/read any of your recommendations in whatever language. With your gathered knowledge writing novels and with your expertise in video games, do you plan on shooting a movie with some of your ideas?

(This is my first time replying to asks in a long time, I’ll try to work through the pile tomorrow, but this is one is easier to answer so I”ll do it right now.) I strongly recommend Story by Robert McKee. Then On Writing but Stephen King for the diametrically opposed approach. My method is somewhere in-between with some extra techniques I came up with over the years. :) And yes, I would love to work on a movie. In fact, I have worked on a couple of screenplays with a director friend of mine, but I always ended up being too busy. We’ll work on a movie together someday for sure!

[niseamstories]

I recently had the opportunity to chat with the amazing Hark from AngelArts! It's probably the longest and most personal interview I've ever done. Excuse the crappy camera and lighting quality.

#enderal #interview #jespar dal'varek #dreams of the dying #nicolas lietzau

[niseamstories]

𝗗𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹!

Good news: My novel Dreams of the Dying has been longlisted for “Best Debut Novel” category of Booknest’s 2020 Awards! If you’d like to support the book, it would mean the world to me if you could leave me a vote – click here to vote!

Thank you again to everyone who left a review or rating for Dreams – I’m humbled by the positive response. I should be back to regular posting within a few weeks once things here have cleared up a little.

Sincerely,

Nicolas

#enderal #vynblr #sureai #jespar dal'varek #dreams of the dying #dreamsofthedying #fantasynovel #booknestawards #lgbtfantasy #lgbt fantasy #fantasy novel #writeblr

[niseamstories]

𝑮𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒚! To celebrate the “monthiversary” of Dreams - and because I have three leftover copies from the haul for the hand-signed Patreon hardbacks – I’m doing my first giveaway. You can enter by following my author page on Instagram and/or on Facebook, and leaving any comment on this post. For an extra entry, tag a friend who you think might enjoy the novel. The prizes are: 1.) A signed hardback of Dreams with illustrated appendix, a signed poster, and a $20 Amazon voucher for your next read (or whatever you choose to use it for). 2.) A signed hardback and a $20 Amazon voucher 3.) A signed hardback You can find my Instagram here and my Facebook here. Entries accepted until February 7. Good luck, and thanks for your fantastic support!

#giveaway #writeblr #enderal #dreamsofthedying #vynblr #sureai #jespar dal'varek #dark fantasy #fantasy novel #fantasy #grimdark #mental illness book #writer #books #reading

[niseamstories]

“A bizarre mission to travel into a dying man's nightmares forces a drifting veteran to confront his own trauma.”

It’s time: after two years, twelve rewrites, and the messy nightmare that was 2020, my debut novel Dreams of the Dying is now available. To celebrate the launch, I’ve lowered the prices to $2.99 for the eBook, $16.99 for the paperback, and $35.99 for the illustrated hardcover. Just head to my website to learn more, read a sample, or grab a copy.

For newcomers: Dreams of the Dying is a blend of fantasy, mystery, and psychological horror. It’s explores themes like mental illness, greed, and morality, and takes place in Vyn, the universe of the award-winning indie RPG "Enderal" for which I wrote the story. Reviewers described the novel as “Inception in a Polynesian-inspired fantasy setting.”

For Enderal fans: this is the heavily revised edition of the web novel from 2019, with a polished plot and character arcs, a new ending, countless cuts and several new chapters, as well as improved writing. Thank you for your patience and support. Lastly, a special thanks to my patrons - without you, this book wouldn't exist.

If you opt for the hardcover, please use the link on my website – Amazon still only sells placeholder copies. Buying at Bookshop.org will also support your local indie bookstore!

Let me close with a big thanks to everyone who supported me, whether through Patreon or simply by voicing your encouragement and interest. Dreams started out as a side thing, but it turned into my passion project. From extensive research into medieval sword fighting, psychology, and geology, to a full language designed by a professional linguist, I really gave this project my all. It burnt my savings, but I have no regrets. Let’s hope the story lives up to your expectations.

Cover Artwork by Dominik Derow, Cover Design by Johanna Krünes, Voice Acting by Erik Braa, Animation by Stefan Stankovic, Product Shot by @jilljoycearts

#enderal #dreams of the dying #vynblr #sureai #jespar dal'varek #writeblr #fantasy #horror #mystery #cover art #books #lgbtbooks #writing #selfpublishing #gothic cover #dark fantasy #skyrim #mental health books

[niseamstories]

10 Lessons on Realistic Worldbuilding and Mapmaking I Learned Working With a Professional Cartographer and Geodesist

Hi, fellow writers and worldbuilders,

It’s been over a year since my post on realistic swordfighting, and I figured it’s time for another one. I’m guessing the topic is a little less “sexy”, but I’d find this useful as a writer, so here goes: 10 things I learned about realistic worldbuilding and mapmaking while writing my novel.

I’ve always been a sucker for pretty maps, so when I started on my novel, I hired an artist quite early to create a map for me. It was beautiful, but a few things always bothered me, even though I couldn’t put a finger on it. A year later, I met an old friend of mine, who currently does his Ph.D. in cartography and geodesy, the science of measuring the earth. When the conversation shifted to the novel, I showed him the map and asked for his opinion, and he (respectfully) pointed out that it has an awful lot of issues from a realism perspective.

First off, I’m aware that fiction is fiction, and it’s not always about realism; there are plenty of beautiful maps out there (and my old one was one of them) that are a bit fantastical and unrealistic, and that’s all right. Still, considering the lengths I went to ensure realism for other aspects of my worldbuilding, it felt weird to me to simply ignore these discrepancies. With a heavy heart, I scrapped the old map and started over, this time working in tandem with a professional artist, my cartographer friend, and a linguist. Six months later, I’m not only very happy with the new map, but I also learned a lot of things about geography and coherent worldbuilding, which made my universe a lot more realistic.

1)  Realism Has an Effect: While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with creating an unrealistic world, realism does affect the plausibility of a world. Even if the vast majority of us probably know little about geography, our brains subconsciously notice discrepancies; we simply get this sense that something isn’t quite right, even if we don’t notice or can’t put our finger on it. In other words, if, for some miraculous reason, an evergreen forest borders on a desert in your novel, it will probably help immersion if you at least explain why this is, no matter how simple.

2)  Climate Zones: According to my friend, a cardinal sin in fantasy maps are nonsensical climate zones. A single continent contains hot deserts, forests, and glaciers, and you can get through it all in a single day. This is particularly noticeable in video games, where this is often done to offer visual variety (Enderal, the game I wrote, is very guilty of this). If you aim for realism, run your worldbuilding by someone with a basic grasp of geography and geology, or at least try to match it to real-life examples.

3)  Avoid Island Continent Worlds: Another issue that is quite common in fictional worlds is what I would call the “island continents”: a world that is made up of island-like continents surrounded by vast bodies of water. As lovely and romantic as the idea of those distant and secluded worlds may be, it’s deeply unrealistic. Unless your world was shaped by geological forces that differ substantially from Earth’s, it was probably at one point a single landmass that split up into fragmented landmasses separated by waters. Take a look at a proper map of our world: the vast majority of continents could theoretically be reached by foot and relatively manageable sea passages. If it weren’t so, countries such as Australia could have never been colonized – you can’t cross an entire ocean on a raft.

4)  Logical City Placement: My novel is set in a Polynesian-inspired tropical archipelago; in the early drafts of the book and on my first map, Uunili, the nation’s capital, stretched along the entire western coast of the main island. This is absurd. Not only because this city would have been laughably big, but also because building a settlement along an unprotected coastline is the dumbest thing you could do considering it directly exposes it to storms, floods, and, in my case, monsoons. Unless there’s a logical reason to do otherwise, always place your coastal settlements in bays or fjords.

 Naturally, this extends to city placement in general. If you want realism and coherence, don’t place a city in the middle of a godforsaken wasteland or a swamp just because it’s cool. There needs to be a reason. For example, the wasteland city could have started out as a mining town around a vast mineral deposit, and the swamp town might have a trading post along a vital trade route connecting two nations.

 5)  Realistic Settlement Sizes: As I’ve mentioned before, my capital Uunili originally extended across the entire western coast. Considering Uunili is roughly two thirds the size of Hawaii  the old visuals would have made it twice the size of Mexico City. An easy way to avoid this is to draw the map using a scale and stick to it religiously. For my map, we decided to represent cities and townships with symbols alone.

 6)  Realistic Megacities: Uunili has a population of about 450,000 people. For a city in a Middle Ages-inspired era, this is humongous. While this isn’t an issue, per se (at its height, ancient Alexandria had a population of about 300,000), a city of that size creates its own set of challenges: you’ll need a complex sewage system (to minimize disease spreading like wildfire) and strong agriculture in the surrounding areas to keep the population fed. Also, only a small part of such a megacity would be enclosed within fantasy’s ever-so-present colossal city walls; the majority of citizens would probably concentrate in an enormous urban sprawl in the surrounding areas. To give you a pointer, with a population of about 50,000, Cologne was Germany’s biggest metropolis for most of the Middle Ages. I’ll say it again: it’s fine to disregard realism for coolness in this case, but at least taking these things into consideration will not only give your world more texture but might even provide you with some interesting plot points.

 7)  World Origin: This point can be summed up in a single question: why is your world the way it is? If your novel is set in an archipelago like mine is, are the islands of volcanic origin? Did they use to be a single landmass that got flooded with the years? Do the inhabitants of your country know about this? Were there any natural disasters to speak of? Yes, not all of this may be relevant to the story, and the story should take priority over lore, but just like with my previous point, it will make your world more immersive.

 8)  Maps: Think Purpose! Every map in history had a purpose. Before you start on your map, think about what yours might have been. Was it a map people actually used for navigation? If so, clarity should be paramount. This means little to no distracting ornamentation, a legible font, and a strict focus on relevant information. For example, a map used chiefly for military purposes would naturally highlight different information than a trade map. For my novel, we ultimately decided on a “show-off map” drawn for the Blue Island Coalition, a powerful political entity in the archipelago (depending on your world’s technology level, maps were actually scarce and valuable). Also, think about which technique your in-universe cartographer used to draw your in-universe map. Has copperplate engraving already been invented in your fictional universe? If not, your map shouldn’t use that aesthetic.

9)  Maps: Less Is More. If a spot or an area on a map contains no relevant information, it can (and should) stay blank so that the reader’s attention naturally shifts to the critical information. Think of it this way: if your nav system tells you to follow a highway for 500 miles, that’s the information you’ll get, and not “in 100 meters, you’ll drive past a little petrol station on the left, and, oh, did I tell you about that accident that took place here ten years ago?” Traditional maps follow the same principle: if there’s a road leading a two day’s march through a desolate desert, a black line over a blank white ground is entirely sufficient to convey that information.

10) Settlement and Landmark Names: This point will be a bit of a tangent, but it’s still relevant. I worked with a linguist to create a fully functional language for my novel, and one of the things he criticized about my early drafts were the names of my cities. It’s embarrassing when I think about it now, but I really didn’t pay that much attention to how I named my cities; I wanted it to sound good, and that was it. Again: if realism is your goal, that’s a big mistake. Like Point 5, we went back to the drawing board and dove into the archipelago’s history and established naming conventions. In my novel, for example, the islands were inhabited by indigenes called the Makehu before the colonization four hundred years before the events of the story; as it’s usually the case, all settlements and islands had purely descriptive names back then. For example, the main island was called Uni e Li, which translates as “Mighty Hill,” a reference to the vast mountain ranges in the south and north; townships followed the same example (e.g., Tamakaha meaning “Coarse Sands”). When the colonizers arrived, they adopted the Makehu names and adapted them into their own language, changing the accented, long vowels to double vowels: Uni e Li became “Uunili,” Lehō e Āhe became “Lehowai.” Makehu townships kept their names; colonial cities got “English” monikers named after their geographical location, economic significance, or some other original story. Examples of this are Southport, a—you guessed it—port on the southernmost tip of Uunili, or Cale’s Hope, a settlement named after a businessman’s mining venture. It’s all details, and chances are that most readers won’t even pay attention, but I personally found that this added a lot of plausibility and immersion.

I could cover a lot more, but this post is already way too long, so I’ll leave it at that—if there’s enough interest, I’d be happy to make a part two. If not, well, maybe at least a couple of you got something useful out of this. If you’re looking for inspiration/references to show to your illustrator/cartographer, the David Rumsey archive is a treasure trove. Finally, for anyone who doesn’t know and might be interested, my novel is called Dreams of the Dying, and is a blends fantasy, mystery, and psychological horror set in the universe of Enderal, an indie RPG for which I wrote the story. It’s set in a Polynesian-inspired medieval world and has been described as Inception in a fantasy setting by reviewers.

Credit for the map belongs to Dominik Derow, who did the ornamentation, and my friend Fabian Müller, who created the map in QGIS and answered all my questions with divine patience. The linguist’s name is David Müller (no, they’re not related, and, yes, we Germans all have the same last names.)

#enderal #dreams of the dying #worldbuilding #resource #writeblr #writing tips #mapmaking #cartography #illustration #realism #writeblogging #novelwriting #writing research #research #writing

[niseamstories]

It's been a few rough weeks, so I'm glad to finally share some good news.

First, I just received the final proofing copies of Dreams this morning, and except for a minor imperfection on the hardcover case - it has a jacket AND a printed case - they are spot-on. The imperfection bothers me a bit, especially since we religiously stuck to IngramSpark's printing template, but I genuinely do not believe they warrant another 2-week delay, especially since the jacket looks perfect. What this means is: The physical editions of Dreams will go live early next week, and that's a promise. I'll make a huge launch post when the time comes, so you won't miss it.

Second, even though the book isn't officially out yet, Dreams has already garnered 56 ratings and 34 reviews on Goodreads, with an average score of 4.86. What can I say? This is absolutely amazing and humbling. I'm aware the score will almost certainly drop once more ratings come in, but just reading those reviews made it all worth it (and was also incredibly constructive).

In that sense, a big fat THANKS to everyone who participated in the poster promotion. It's still running, so if you'd like a free poster in exchange for an honest (!) review, drop me an email at [email protected].

Time to get to work!

#dreams of the dying #enderal #jespar dal'varek #fantasy novel #mystery novel #horror novel #vynblr #sureai

[niseamstories]

Ever wondered where the term "Dark Romance" comes from? If yes, check out this little essay I had the pleasure of writing for CrimeReads. 🙂

#literature #writing #romance #dreamsofthedying #essay #romanticism #dark romanticism

[niseamstories]

You just put a very big smile on my face. :)

As it happens, I actually sat down with a professional zoologist to flesh out the myrads’ lore for the Dreams of the Dying appendix. I’ll just paste the section here for your convenience - keep in mind that this is New Canon, but except for myrad’s stemming from Kilay (but being used all over the Illumined/Civilized World), there are no breaks with the old one.

Distribution: The breeding distribution of both species is limited to the island of Lehowai; however, outside the breeding season, myrads can travel long distances. Records of sightings hundreds of miles from the Kilayan Archipelago.

 Descriptive notes: Two distinct species. Imitrine myrad: wingspan 10-12 std, weight 550-620 lb. Black myrad: wingspan 15-18 std, weight 730-800 lb. Unmistakable, even in flight, due to immense size. Both species have a long tail, which is around the body’s length in imitrine myrads and up to 1.5 the length of the body for black myrads. Hind limbs muscular with hooved feet, front limbs winged. Imitrine myrads have a greyish-brown pelage covering most of the body, including along the wing joint. A dark dorsal stripe may or may not be present. The wing plumage is similar in color to the body, though often slightly darker. Black myrad plumage and pelage dark brown-black. Both species notable for having two pairs of eyes, which aid in both highly developed peripheral vision and detection of prey from long distances. Tusks grow throughout life; the oldest myrads have tusks which can be upwards of a full stride in length. Some sexual dimorphism is present, with females tending to be smaller. Males of the species have large twisted horns used to fight rival males. Female myrad horns are often smaller or absent.

 Habitat and behavior: The only known breeding habitat is on the slopes of Mount Tatana, an active volcano on the island Lehowai. Myrads are highly solitary animals; however, they gather in large numbers on Lehowai during the breeding season, which may only occur once every 8-10 years. It is unclear how the animals synchronize their return to the island. Males fight over mates, which often results in injury or even death. Females remain on the island longer than the males to lay clutches of up 3-4 eggs. These are buried in geothermal sites on the volcano’s slopes to incubate; females display high levels of fidelity to specific nesting sites and will use the same nesting site throughout their lives. Compared to bird eggs, myrad eggs incubate in hot conditions, ideal temperatures being between 82 las–85 las; sex of offspring determined by incubation temperature; incubation 150-180 days. Tusks develop inside the egg, which hatchlings use to break through the thick eggshell. Highly precocial young, can walk and fly hours after hatching. Maturity reached at 12 years old. Only around 50% of myrad eggs hatch, mostly due to unpredictable incubation conditions. Of these, around only 25% reach maturity due to a combination of factors including intraspecific aggression, starvation, bad weather, and predation. Imitrine myrad breeding is mostly confined to the volcano’s internal cavities and appears to have greater tolerance to sulphuric fumes than the black myrad.

In flight, myrads passively soar, utilizing warm drafts to achieve great heights. Quadrupedal locomotion is possible over the ground, though this is relatively cumbersome. Myrads launch into flight using all four limbs. Myrads can fly over great distances; however, flight over vast areas of water is risky; flight is impossible if wings become water-logged.

Their gigantic size means they generally prey on large vertebrates, including large deer, seals, and, frequently, livestock. Myrads hunt by diving down on prey at great speed and delivering a deadly kick to the head from above, killing them instantly. Black myrads also have venomous glands and can spit (a) highly noxious venom that vaporizes on contact with air and forms a toxic mist that affects the nervous system. Paralysis of victims occurs when inhaled but can also cause large pustules to form on exposed skin to immobilize prey. However, they are opportunistic feeders and will exploit a wide range of food sources, including carrion, which they can smell from several miles away. Large carrion like whale carcasses may attract many myrads.

Relationship with humans: Myrads are animals of great importance to humans. Despite their preference for solitude, imitrine myrads are unaggressive towards humans. The natives of the archipelago would worship myrads as divine creatures; they considered them the offspring of their deity Īmītē. More recently, humans have begun to tame myrads, though this is incredibly dangerous. Once tamed, a myrad will form a strong bond with their rider; myrads and riders can even communicate with one another through a series of tongue clicks. Unlike imitrine myrads, black myrads are aggressive towards humans; they are often used in warfare.

I made a plushy myrad from Enderal for my friend @iamaweretoad ! It’s kind of an inky blue-gray, almost black, but maybe like a baby black that hasn’t fully developed its full melanistic color yet. There was no existing pattern so I adapted a pattern for a dragon. I don’t even play Enderal so I had to ask @doublebadger a ton of questions (including nonessential ones like:

are myrads herbivores or carnivores? (apparently they might eat hay?)

do they have any predators? because that’s why our earthly goats and deer have those horizontal eye pupils, to scan the horizon for threats. Still unknown. 

Are THEY predators? Because it seems like multiple eyes would be a predator kind of thing (like spiders)

how do they reproduce? live births, or eggs like birds? 

do they produce milk like goats? can people drink the milk and make cheese like with goats? (do people eat myrad meat too? Or make textiles with their hair/fur?) 

Now that I’m thinking of it again, wouldn’t it be cute if they carried their babies around like marsupials? I’ve never seen pics with any teats, so maybe they’re hidden inside a pouch like opossums.

can you call males and females billy and nanny (and offspring kids) like with goats? A billy myrad?

I didn’t think to ask, but now I wonder what sound they make? I bet it’s not a baaah but that would be cute. I assume they make noise in the game sometime.

I never quite figured out if they have bird feet or cloven hooves, but I decided not to worry about it and just gave him cute generic paws.

Do they ever sit up on their haunches, upright like a bird? Or do they always lean forward on all fours with their wings like a bat? Do they walk like bats?

I think if they’re predators, they’d have to be like bats and birds who catch things on the fly - so, they’d probably eat birds and bats. 

Are the babies born with horns and tusks? I’m thinking probably not if it’s a livebirth, because ouch, but maybe it would be possible with eggs. 

Ok I think that’s all the questions I have at the moment, apart from maybe HOW MANY different animals did the creators throw into the blender to make the Myrad? So many! Goat, bat, bird, dragon?

Oh edit to add, I just don’t know how the tail works, never figured that out, so I just did the pattern’ s generic dragon tail but longer.

I’m not planning on making any more ever, because making plushies is not where my best skillset lies. But if you want to attempt making one, I can point you towards the pattern that I adapted.

#enderal #vynblr #myrads

[niseamstories]

PROMOTION: Leave or agree to leave an honest review of Dreams of the Dying and get a free eBook and poster!                     Hi guys,

You probably all know about the printing company debacle for my novel "Dreams of the Dying" already. The good news is: right now things are looking great for a late November pub date of the physical edition. I'll make a big launch post once they're ready.

On to the next part: Because ratings and reviews will play a huge rule in the success of Dreams outside of the Enderal community but I know how annoying they are to write, I decided to run a little promotion: everyone who reviews (or agrees to review - it's a chunky book, so take your time) Dreams on Goodreads and Amazon before the big pub date at the end of November gets a free Dreams of the Dying poster, as seen below (and with or without text). By "review" I mean a honest one - even if you end up not liking it, I'll stand by my word; it also doesn't have to be long if you're not much of a writer. I'll also provide anyone who wants to participate with a free copy of the eBook.

Needy as all this may sound, I'm confident saying that this is a damn good book and will be worth your time.

Here's what the no artwork version looks like. The artwork version looks just like the cover.

To participate, just shoot me a message here or to [email protected] and I'll set you up with all you need.

Thanks for your awesome support and understanding throughout all this. This book launch has cost me a lot of money, but I'm confident things will turn around. :)

Best,Nicolas

Find Dreams of the Dying on Goodreads

Find Dreams of the Dying on Amazon

#dreams of the dying #enderal #promotion #jespar dal'varek #vynblr #vyn sureai #novel #fantasy novel

[niseamstories]

Just realized I never shared this: the new map of the Kilayan Archipelago. Created in QGIS by Fabian Müller, illustrated by @dominikpencilhands. The bracketed island names are the original Makehu names of the islands, which the colonizers "inâlized" (anglicized). The cities and towns follow the same principle - an English name means it's a colonial town, an inâlized Makehu name ("Uunili") means the settlement existed before the Colonization. Fun fact, all the Makehu island and place names mean actual things in the language my linguist David Müller created for the novel. For example, Lehō e Āhe (Lehowai) means "Eats the Sun," describing the island's once sacred volcano. Paperback/hardback is moving steadily forward! If the final prints go well, a late November release is safe. Thanks for your support and patience! #dreamsofthedying #mapmaking #worldbuilding #fantasy #enderal #jespardalvarek #cartography https://www.instagram.com/p/CHfJmjFBeEO/?igshid=zxj8heze4hwe

#dreamsofthedying #mapmaking #worldbuilding #fantasy #enderal #jespardalvarek #cartography

[niseamstories]

Stunning Jespar fanart by @anna_helme. #dreamsofthedying #enderal #jespardalvarek https://www.instagram.com/p/CHU8C5sHCFt/?igshid=1m3m5codj2f5w

#dreamsofthedying #enderal #jespardalvarek