Sunday, April 1, 2012

Romance near Saturn, circa 2170




click to see images at large size...

Just couldn't resist this. As you know, I'm finishing off the packaging of More Than Human, and having designed the character of Jason Erickson for the cover (the big blond bombshell), how was I not going to go ahead and design the other character, Adrian ...? 

Which also have me an opportunity to test drive a new costume I bought a couple of months ago when Renderosity was having a sale. The character of Adrian Balfour is a government spook with a secret agenda of his own. The story is actually about how being different can put you on the wrong side of the law, depending on where you are geographically, and when you are in time. Picture, if you will: it's about 150 years from now, and we have Einsteinian starships headed to a new world, Eidolon. The profession of the "starshippers" is dangerous and exacting, and people are augmented, or modified, to do this work. They're bigger, stronger, smarter -- you get the picture. In fact, they're adored and emulated by the public ... and maybe emulated a bit too much, because eventually (inevitably), a protest movement comes along and a government rides into office on the "Keep Humanity Human" ticket. Ohhhh boy. The big, augmented "borgs" are legislated against -- they become "illegal forms" who are registered, licensed and chipped to control them. Right so far? Then, home comes the starship Gilgamesh, with a fully augmented crew of whom Jason Erickson here (the aforementioned blond bombshell) is the Executive Officer and AI engineer...

And the story explodes in every direction from there. It's a beauty. If you like sf with a twist, a bit of gay romance, a bit of a thrill, don't miss this one ... and I'll keep you posted about when you can get it. It'll be up at Kindle in a few days, and if you need the epub for your Nook or similar, you'll be able to get it direct off our own pages.

I got the vote of approval from author Mel Keegan this afternoon on the design of Adrian. Turns out, I was spot on, first time.

The set is StoneMason's Station 15 (Renderosity). Adrian is wearing Neftis's Marios' Hair (DAZ) and the Straight Pantzz and Straight Jacket costume (with all textures designed by me ... sorry, guys, you can't actually buy these anywhere). Jason is wearing the Hermes hair (Renderosity) set to blond, and the M4 Bodysuit from DAZ, same story with the textures. You're wondering about the bare feet? Um ... read the book. Seriously. 

Jade, April 1 (Palm Sunday ... or April Fools, if you prefer)