Sarah Ash – fantasy author

Here http://www.sarah-ash.com/short-stories  is the first of the short stories that are linked to the Artamon novels. Others will follow…

Song for a Naming Day was first published by Newcon Press in 2010 in The Write Fantastic Anthology ‘Anniversaries. ’ My thanks go to Ian Whates and Ian Watson for their editorial expertise! Find ‘Anniversaries’ and other excellent publications at:
http://newconpress.co.uk/category/anthology/

The new, specially commissioned and gorgeous colour illustration is by Marcelle Natisin; see more of her work in progress, including the original sketch at:  www.scribbleymark.tumblr.com

Thank you, Marcelle – I sincerely hope that we can work together on more projects!

I’m always thrilled to receive new art that relates to my stories, so I was really excited to see this splended dragon from artist Sue Leach; thank, you, Sue!

(With its horns, it looks as if it might be an oriental dragon, or even… a Tide Dragon…)

I was so thrilled to learn that talented artist and illustrator Marcelle Natisin has set up a new site on deviantart dedicated to fan art linked to my stories. I’m still smiling with pleasure as I sit here, typing this. The last months haven’t been so easy on the writing front (I still would love to do that sequel…) but a venture like this is really cheering for me – and, I hope, fun for artists and others interested in the world of Artamon to visit and enjoy.

http://the-serpent-gate.deviantart.com/

I love illustrated books! As a child, I would spend hours studying the pictures by my favourite artists: E.H. Shepherd; Pauline Diana Baynes; Charles Keeping… That’s why I always get really excited when I learn that an artist has created some artwork after reading one of my stories – and why I was so excited to hear from Marcelle Natisin recently. I’ve linked to Marcelle’s wonderful paintings before and I still cherish the hope that we might embark on a project together one day. She has a very distinctive style that’s all her own and I just love her vivid use of colour and movement.

Her three latest works were inspired by chapters 11-13 of ‘Tracing the Shadow’ – and if I had to choose a personal favourite, it would probably be (by a whisker) ‘Light and Sound’ http://mnat.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2q2pa2 although ‘Get Me to the Church on Time’  http://mnat.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2q5zd3 and Rieuk Mordiern: Character Sheet http://mnat.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2o8ili are very special as well.

Check them out for yourselves and see which ones you like the best! I’ve provided links to two other Artamon-related works – but there are also paintings inspired by fantasy authors such as Meredith Ann Pierce and Naomi Novik to enjoy.

The Price of His Power http://mnat.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d2114t6  An Ecstasy of Shadows http://mnat.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d14dx14

And how could I leave out one of my own personal favourites?  Songspinners http://mnat.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d20xqot

 Wow! Utopiales is really something else! We were given a very warm welcome at the SF festival in Nantes. We were very impressed by the exhibitions of artwork and the many fascinating discussions of topics relating to SF and Fantasy (although mostly SF.) I’m very grateful to my editor Audrey Petit for inviting me and giving me the chance to meet some French readers (always a great pleasure!) It was also my first time to see the new Livre de Poche edition of ‘Les Enfants de la Porte du Serpent’ in the paper, so to speak, and to admire its cover by the talented Didier Graffet.

 It was also a great pleasure to meet and talk Fantasy with Robert V.S. Redick (‘The Chathrand Voyage’) Fabien Clavel (‘L’Antilegende.’) and Anne Fakhouri, the winner of the Prix Jeunesse  for her magical two novels ‘Le Clairvoyage’ and ‘La Brume des Jours’ about a young girl drawn into a fairyland so very different from that of the ‘Rainbow Magic’ novels.

 And as a ‘Dinotopia’ fan, it was amazing to see a superb exhibition of James Gurney’s detailed and imaginative paintings – and to hear the man himself talking about his work. Lepidopters rule!