The real trick this Halloween? Food stamps are being denied...the poor are being starved ... for political sport. And one side is to blame for that: https://t.co/3jVy8SHEaS

A feature-length documentary about the closure of Disney's Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser and the fandom it left behind

AI isn’t taking over my job (yet), but it is making things a lot more interesting. I use MidJourney regularly nowadays to jump start ideas, experiment with wild visuals, and sometimes just get unstuck when my creative brain decides to go out for coffee without me. It’s all about blending tech with talent to create book covers that actually look like the story inside. I have been incorporating more and more elements generated out of MidJourney into my compositions - mostly due to the clients requesting things that I just cannot find available through stock agencies.

A blog about pirates, 1066, King Arthur, history, mysteries, writing and general chit-chat interesting bits and pieces

Light up the sky... July means fireworks and the celebration of America's Independence for all of us Americans. But on a much more personal note, it is an annual reminder of a tragic loss for myself and my family. So, I like to think of the fireworks as a celebration of life just as much as a celebration of freedom and independence for this country for nearly 250 years. Politics aside, I am still an American. The business of book cover design I truly do need to make more time to better update my accounts.

Shirt design available on ETSY Do you ever have so much that you want to do that once you have some free time to do things on that list...you are too overwhelmed to do any of it? That's me right now. However, I did manage to set up a new design in my ETSY shop and I started an ad campaign on Pinterest. I'll try running a paid campaign on ETSY next. I truly do want to find a way to bring in at least a little cash from online passive sales.

A Note to My International Clients and Colleagues In light of the current political climate in the United States, I feel it’s important to reach out directly to my international clients, partners, and friends around the world. While I am proud to be an American, I want to make it clear that my personal beliefs and values do not align with those currently represented by the U.S. presidential administration. I recognize that recent decisions, rhetoric, and policies may have caused concern or tension globally, and I understand the impact this can have on our professional and personal relationships.

I have worked with independent authors around the globe for nearly two decades now. I have worked with several publishing houses between the US and Great Britain. But this was a first. I follow up on commissioned work regularly - checking to see if a book has been published on Amazon with my cover design post commission. Most pop up within a few weeks after the author and I have completed the work. And most titles I do market via my social media accounts as well - supporting both my own business and the clients at the same time.

How do you reconcile with today's political climate in the United States? I am angry. I am disgusted. I am disparaged. I am ashamed to be a citizen of a nation that treats our allies with such disdain and dishonor. Yet I cannot settle my mind. I cannot shove these roiling thoughts aside and get on with my day. How terrible is that? How do you reconcile a friend's suicide? I have no words. Or perhaps I do....angry|disbelief|confusion|sadness|troubled|nauseous. Creative Block. I have a zillion projects to complete over the next couple of months.

The author expresses frustration about 2025, citing illness and a busy work schedule as barriers to progress. Despite recovering from the flu and struggling with pharyngitis, new book cover designs are available on Amazon, and additional designs are completed, showcasing creativity through a MidJourney prompt featuring a dragon.

YouTube video by Star Wars

brownies Photo by iMattSmart on Unsplash We picked up Valentine's treats from our local bakery yesterday - so I had delicious brownies!!! I just put the kettle on for a cup of hot tea as well. It is chilly and rainy today, so I'm content to stay indoors. I've ordered prints of several photos taken of us while we were at Disney last month too. Of course I needed to properly crop them and clean up a few things first. This one is unedited, but it shows my custom phone case that…