I recently released my third book, The Trail of Orphans. Calling it a book may be a little over-kind for a 4K-word side-story, but lately I’m trying to be kind to myself. While I’m unable to work on comics, I’m trying my best to trickle out related content in the form of prose.

Truth is, I’ve been in a state of bad burnout for years. Last year after having a major surgery, I completely crashed, and I crashed hard. Webcomics are a demanding hobby even when in the best of health, and a combination of an unstable life, chronic pain and illness, and trying to pump out pages whilst battling my perfectionist tendencies led to massive artistic burnout. I needed a break. And as the months passed and my will to draw wasn’t returning, I realised I needed a long break. It’s actually been amazing. I don’t miss drawing, or feel distressed over my lack of inspiration. I feel confident it will return when it’s ready, and comfortable with spending my time on other things — a feeling I honestly never thought I’d have. I’ve always been so passionate about art and comics that spending longer than a week without doing them would cause me to become depressed. This time… I’m okay. There’s an inner peace that wasn’t there before, and I know when I’m ready, I’ll pick that pencil up again and resume Fawna and Andrea’s respective journeys.

Until that day comes, however, I’m practising and polishing my prose skills by telling some side-stories within my comic’s universes. Children of Shadow, being a character-driven story that’s more about the main cast’s inner journeys, doesn’t provide nearly as much fodder for exploring its world as the sprawling, Tolkien-esque epic that is Dark Wings. Children of Shadow is too compact, its narrative too all-encompassing. There’s just not a lot to tell that isn’t already part of the main storyline. But Dark Wings, with its extensive world-building, enormous cast, various cultures, and myriad species, is ripe for exploration. I could tell hundreds of tales in this world. For now, however, I’m limiting myself to short backstories about some of the central characters we’ve met so far. I get to show some of that world-building that, by necessity, can’t make it into the comic, while also giving more depth to its cast.

NaNo (National Novel Writing Month) is coming up fast, and I’ll be spending it finishing the first draft of a novella about Kira that’s been sitting 2/3 written on my computer since 2016. Being as old as it is, it’ll require a lot of editing before it’s ready to be released, but I think it’ll be worth the wait. I’m very excited about this story, and especially excited about some new characters it introduces, who will show up in main storyline in Eryl Book II.

I’ve always worked slowly compared to most content creators because my health limits how much I can get done. But I hope that these short prose stories will help tide readers over and remind them that I haven’t abandoned the comics. Until the day my art muse returns, there’s still something to read.