BOOKS
The Witch in the Wall
It’s neon-lit, New Wave, 1980s London, and awkward 18-year-old Beetle must put aside his dreams of teenage romance when a deadly curse lands him in the middle of a centuries-old magical feud between Britain and China, forcing him to team up with a pair of squabbling witches to stop a hungry ghost from destroying the world.
GENRE: URBAN/HISTORICAL FANTASY/YA /118K WC
Surely he couldn’t be that repulsive.
Sixteen Candles lied–high school in the ’80s couldn’t be worse. Awkward 18-year-old Beetle is a hopeless romantic with a grand track record of zero dates–and not for lack of trying. Ignored, rejected, and otherwise invisible, Beetle has been dogged by a maelstrom of death, misfortune, and minor inconveniences his entire life. However, he never suspected he might be cursed.
During a class trip to Buckingham Palace, Beetle’s signature ill luck lands him smack in the middle of a magical heist. The perpetrator? Someone who finds a cursed boy surprisingly useful for committing crimes. Bo is The Witch of the Wall, a fiery, foul-mouthed toddler tasked with overseeing the Great Wall of China and incidentally, stealing a brick from Her Majesty the Queen.
With a spitting mad Queen Elizabeth on his tail, Beetle finds refuge in The Canton; a restaurant in London’s Chinatown that, as well as serving incredible food, functions as an international safe haven for magical creatures fleeing royal extermination. However, no sanctuary comes without a price. Beetle’s unique curse makes him a guinea pig for rebel strikes against the Queen, and life in London’s neon-lit supernatural underground quickly becomes more dangerous than he could have ever imagined. When the leader of The Canton is found ripped to shreds in a civilian’s flat, all evidence points to the resurgence of a hungry ghost. If left unchecked, one ghost could consume the world. The only problem? No antidote exists.
With the apocalypse lurking on the horizon in the form of a massive set of teeth, the residents of The Canton must prepare for battle, witches must resolve their differences, and Beetle must find the courage to confront his destiny–and perhaps get a bit better at talking to women.
Click the link below to view the official submission pitch by my agent Connor Smith: connorsmith@hesperidesliteraryagency.com
The Traveler's Guide to Illustrating the Extraordinary Creatures of the Universe
A Sci-fi How-to-Draw Survival Guide with illustrations by veteran concept artist Mike Butkus and written by Amelie Butkus
Artists of the universe...
do you ever find yourself at a loss when vacaying across the galaxy? Can’t quite capture the most camera-shy of creatures? Have you lost more than one limb whilst trying to take a picture of the photo-sensitive Forty-Tentacled Wormgurbler of Zenith 5? Don’t get a lawyer, get The Traveler’s Guide to Illustrating the Extraordinary Creatures of the Universe Volume I: Aetherin. Quoted by the A.I.M.A.C (Association of Intergalactic Museum of Art Curators) as "the third best way to prove to your friends about where you have been,” The Traveler’s guide teaches you how to document the creatures of the universe with a pencil, NOT a camera– because most things bite before the flash can go off.
The Traveler's Guide to Drawing the Extraordinary Creatures of the Universe Volume 1: Aetherin is a unique spin on the classic how-to-draw art book that takes artists on a journey to the wild and volatile planet of Aetherin. Chronicled by the dashing and mysterious artist known only as The Traveler, the illustrations are paired with illustrative techniques as well as journal entries describing the Do’s and Don’ts of navigating this dangerous planet–all so you can live to draw another day.
Artists will learn Mike Butkus’ process on drawing alien creatures, vehicles, and environments from the imagination as well as industry techniques he’s developed over the last three decades. The techniques described in the book are suggested for intermediate to advanced artists. All artwork in the book are created traditionally using mediums such as color pencils, Acrylic paint, airbrush, markers and Gouache. The tips and techniques will touch on composition, perspective, value control as well as character, environmental and vehicular design.
The Traveler’s Guide is the first book ever to combine illustration techniques with a rich and immersive fantasy storyline. You won't find a dry and boring how-to-draw book here. Instead, intermediate artists will be immersed in the dangerous and colorful world of Aetherin and its eccentric inhabitants while they learn to draw from the imagination and improve their illustrative skills.
A Lamplighter in Larkeney
A YA 70's dinner party mystery with a steampunk twist, complete with 19 fully illustrated pieces
It was supposed to be a vacation...
After a lifetime of touring the world with his travel columnist father, Wendell Billings is sick and tired of perilous plots and exotic escapades. Which is precisely the reason he chooses Port Larkeney—a quiet, seaside town along the Irish cliffs.
But for someone determined to have an uneventful holiday, an awful lot of things seem to be happening.
Sure they were invited to a B&B shaped like an enormous Jalapeño, sure the guests seem more and more connected as time goes on...and several people go missing and suddenly a billionaire inventor appears in the midst of a dastardly plot involving one comatose brother, six guests, two robots, and a very very peculiar super weapon…there’s still time for rest and relaxation, right?
Alright, maybe things aren’t quite so peachy.
With the help of Katie Twill, a suspiciously sleepy small town detective with a penchant for disco, bell bottoms, and being utterly useless at the best of times, this entirely unSherlockian duo must work together to unravel the secrets of Port Larkeney before the secrets themselves escape forever.