September Days

Welcome back to THC's occasional update of what's happening in the studios. Here's what's new and on the horizon here for us! If you like what you see, come and join us at www.patreon.com/tortoiseharecreations - don't miss out on one more month of our exclusives!

• Crowley - With Crowley, the planned four-piece Supernatural set (Dean, Sam, Cas & Crowley) is now COMPLETE! Prints are available here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/245653826/crowley-supernatural-series?ref=listings_manager_grid or get the FULL Supernatural set at a discount here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/245653704/bundle-full-supernatural-set-four-prints?ref=listings_manager_grid   
  
• Full time-lapse greyscale-to-color video - see how Indi's most popular paintings are created start-to-finish, and get a view of Charlie (Felicia Day) from Supernatural to boot! Subscribe to our channel to see all of our video projects: https://www.youtube.com/user/Tortoiseharecreation
  
• Stock Art! More stock is being uploaded weekly at our DriveThruRPG site - if you need art for anything, check out what we've got: http://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/8677/Tortoise-amp-Hare-Creations 
  
• New Patreon Stock Art Bonus! Every quarter, our patron will be given SIX new pieces of stock art that they own and can use for any project - the quarter will have a theme, and all six pieces will be part of that theme. This month's theme is the lovely horse, so I'll be drawing anything from the humble pack mule to a frightful Nightmare. These are FREE to all of our patrons! Check out the first one and sign up to join us today! https://www.patreon.com/posts/stock-art-pack-1-3255910 
  
• Commissions are currently open - get on the list today! http://indigowarrior.deviantart.com/journal/  This is Altrar the Ancient, painted by commission for Realmwares.com 
  
• Appearances - Updated our 2015 "We Create Dwarf Planets" tour poster for the remainder of 2015 - we run specials at all conventions and festivals, come out and see us if we're in your neck of the woods! 
  

August is the Sunday of Summer

Welcome back to THC's occasional update of what's happening in the studios. Here's what's new and on the horizon here for us!

• Stock Art! Lots of titles have been added to the stock art section, including a bunch of floating pencils that will add depth to your game or campaign - check it out! Running a sale until the end of the month - all items are only $2.95, and come with alteration rights to make your project shine. http://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/8677/Tortoise-amp-Hare-Creations 
  
• Arya Stark is finished and available for sale! https://www.etsy.com/listing/241216315/arya-stark-game-of-thrones-series 
  
• November is coming fast! Preparing a large series of new watercolors for the show at the Fine Arts Company in Hagerstown - mark your calendars now, the meet & greet will be November 14th from 6-8pm! 
  
• And definitely check out our Patreon to see an INCREDIBLE amount of art that isn't available anywhere else, like this piece, created for ENWorld's July issue. The Patrons get access to a lot of behind the scenes material, so come aboard and join us on our voyage! - https://www.patreon.com/tortoiseharecreations?ty=h 
  
• Commissions are still open! Currently booked until the end of August, but secure your spot now - my DA journal is kept up-to-date with my current rates and waitlist: http://indigowarrior.deviantart.com/journal/Artist-Bio-and-Rates-528468095 Get work like this piece, entirely in watercolor & ink (with hand-drawn lace): 
  
• And finally, all three Gina Harwood novels are now packaged on Etsy (for signed copies) here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/244518536/the-gina-harwood-series-signed-cycle-one or available in standard paper back or Kindle copies here: http://www.amazon.com/Indi-Martin/e/B00D6O29QA/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1 
  

• Upcoming Appearances 
• 9/11/15: 2015 Metro Event (Geocaching), New Jersey 
• 9/25/15: Baltimore ComicCon (3 day), Baltimore, MD
• 10/15/15: Going Caching (Geocaching), Rome, GA
• 10/30/15: AnimeUSA (3 day), Washington, DC
• 11/14/15: Fine Arts Company (Meet & Greet), Hagerstown, MD
• 11/22/15: VA Comicon (2 day), Richmond, VA

A massive thank you to our patrons and commissioners - we couldn't do this without you! 

The Dog Days of Summer

Welcome back to THC's occasional update of what's happening in the studios. Here's what's new and on the horizon here for us!

• Stock Art is Now For Sale! I'm slowly uploading all of my personally-owned pieces for stock art at DriveThru RPG - are you working on a game that you feel would benefit from some art to get your players engaged? Check out the library - it's literally growing every day, and you can use/alter/modify the art to fit your project.

  

  "The Watcher" - available for use at http://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/8677/Tortoise-amp-Hare-Creations

• "Space Paladin" - 2015, painted for the June edition of TrailSeeker magazine/ENWorld. Check out the WIPs at our Patreon page! This will eventually be added to our Stock Art page. 
  
• Fan Art - Arya Stark - IN PROGRESS! See the WIPs as they develop over at https://www.patreon.com/tortoiseharecreations 
  
• GeoPunk Podcast - are you a Geocacher? Make sure you check out Will's GeoPunk podcast series playlist on our YouTube channel!
  
  
• While you're on our YouTube, check out the short tutorial I made for creating believable shiny scale mail on a black and white piece: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43ji-9fTnKo
  
  
  
• The Weeping Seven, Blake Blackstone's SotA-Community project, has been released with six new original pieces of art by me! Definitely check it out!
  

Lots of things happening behind the scenes that we can't QUITE share yet... for more information check out our Patreon page for all the haps!

Stars are Exploding, and Rainbows are Everywhere

What a fabulous time! Massive leaps forward in equality, and FIREWORKS! - really, I can think of no two things I love more. Welcome to the THC Update for June/July!

• Watercolors!
• I've been doing a lot of watercolor lately, both because I've been dying to get back to it, and in preparation for a November gallery show in Hagerstown! (And because I can shotgun Supernatural while I'm painting ;)) Prints are not yet available, but I'll post as soon as they are!

  

  Check out Indi's Deviant Art for more: indigowarrior.deviantart.com

• Also, we're working on improving our method of making watercolor glazes with naturally collected pigments, and have made a quick How-To video on the process. 
• Also, I've begun fulfilling some commissions in watercolors, so if you have an idea for one you'd like, check out my rates here: http://indigowarrior.deviantart.com/journal/ 
  
• Morel! Normally Morel gets it's own monthly entry, but this month, it get's included in the BIG update. Inclusiveness. :) Check out either the posts tagged "Morel" or Tortoise & Hare Creations' Instagram/Tumblr or Twitter pages to catch up on the story!
  
• Into Dreams! The first reviews are coming in, and they've been overwhelmingly positive. Be the first on your block to get into the series, and get well ahead of the curve! 

  

  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Z214KXK?*Version*=1&*entries*=0

• Patreon! The second quarter's rewards just got sent out, and there were some GOOD ones, including the last proof of Into Dreams, signed over to winner Eric H.! There are nearly 200 entries in the patron feed - most are patron-exclusive. We have some exceptional plans for our patrons in the coming quarters, and you will not want to be on the outside looking in - JOIN TODAY! 

  

  https://www.patreon.com/tortoiseharecreations?ty=h

Upcoming Appearances!

If you're in Pennsylvania, make your way out to State College, PA next Saturday, July 11, for BookFest! We'll be there with bells on, and a stack of novels (as well as comics, and art!)

Into Dreams - It's Here! It's Finally Here!

It's here. It's finally here.

This was the largest literary undertaking I've ever attempted, and I cannot be prouder of the outcome. I've been on pins and needles since I sent in the final for today, and I'm so excited for people to discover the story. Link is below in the press release! - Indi

===============================
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: INTO DREAMS, third novel in the Gina Harwood Series, to be released TODAY, JUNE 11, 2015!


Tying up the first arc, this final book in the trilogy has answers that you have been waiting for. Available on Kindle or in paperback: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1511472952


Synopsis: Picking up directly after Descending, the third novel in the series sees the Unit fragmented and fighting against an incomprehensible foe. Gina Harwood discovers that there are worlds beyond their own, and struggles to survive in the Dreamlands while tracking her fallen partner, Morgan. Charlie Parker leads the remaining agents on a chase to find a killer, only to find that perhaps something larger - and much, much darker - is pulling his strings. Into Dreams is the final novel in the first trilogy of the Gina Harwood Series, following Behind the Veil and Descending.

What is so rare as a day in June?

Here again, our occasional update on the goings-on inside THC!

• Into Dreams - A Gina Harwood Novel - Release Date is JUNE 11th!
  
• Synopsis: Picking up directly after Descending, the third novel in the series sees the Unit fragmented and fighting against an incomprehensible foe. Gina Harwood discovers that there are worlds beyond their own, and struggles to survive in the Dreamlands while tracking her fallen partner, Morgan. Charlie Parker leads the remaining agents on a chase to find a killer, only to find that perhaps something larger - and much, much darker - is pulling his strings. 
• You have ONE DAY! to get into the Goodreads giveaway for one of two advance, signed copies of Into Dreams - it's free to enter! Click here to try your luck - entries end June 5th at 11:59pm EST. 
• All of the Geocaching pinups are now available online! Spring through Winter, and they arrange to match the colors of the original geocaching logo. 
  
• New piece for the Dark Unknown bestiary has been released - meet the Giant Snake. She's very protective of her nest. Go here for more information on The Dark Unknown! See the works in progress for this piece (and many others) in our patron feed at www.patreon.com/tortoiseharecreations 
  
• GeoWoodstock was a BLAST!! While we're well out of the special GWXIII giveaway cards for the event, we still have a few GeoWoodstock XIII expansion packs still available. This six-card addition celebrates caching in Maryland, and can be easily shuffled in or out of the core deck thanks to the GWXIII logo in each corner. Order yours while you can - these are limited and will NOT be reprinted!
  
• Do you love geocaching events? Are you going to be in the Maryland area the weekend of August 23rd, and have access to a boat? Do you want to go on an adventurous quest on the high seas of the Potomac River and try to find the lost treasure? Then you may just want to check out the Pirates of the Potomac event for this year... it's going to be something special!
  

As always, thanks for checking us out! If you want to see more, check out our very robust Patron feed over at www.patreon.com/tortoiseharecreations!

It's Coming Right For Us!

I've decided I kind of like this bi-weekly bullet list of the current THC goings-on, so I think that'll become our standard! So, without further adieu, on to the big guns.

• RELEASE DATE: We're proud to announce that Into Dreams, the third novel in the Gina Harwood series is being released on June 11, 2015! Links to purchase will be posted that morning! 
• Synopsis: Picking up directly after Descending, the third novel in the series sees the Unit fragmented and fighting against an incomprehensible foe. Gina Harwood discovers that there are worlds beyond their own, and struggles to survive in the Dreamlands while tracking her fallen partner, Morgan. Charlie Parker leads the remaining agents on a chase to find a killer, only to find that perhaps something larger - and much, much darker - is pulling his strings. 
• GoodReads Giveaway!: The GoodReads Giveaway for Into Dreams is LIVE! Click HERE to enter, it's free through the fabulous GoodReads system.
• Cover: 
  
• GeoWoodstock Update! GW is being held in Boonsboro, MD on May 23-24,  2015, and we're excited to be bringing some new geocaching-specific items to the table there, like:
• GWXIII Maryland GoCache Expansion - A six-card expansion created specifically to celebrate what makes caching in Maryland so great! These will be debuted at GW, and they will be available for online purchase for a limited time after that. 
  
• Caching Pinups! Three of the four-piece set are now complete, and I'm working on the last girl now - they'll match up in a square with the colors matching the Geocaching logo. I have adored this project, I can't even tell you. Below is the newest completion, "Summer," who is currently available for purchase (11x17 only) at our Etsy store. 
  
• Trackable Aces are back in stock, meaning the full combo pack of GoCache is reactivated at our Etsy store. 
• Shroud of the Avatar: New Beginnings is back in stock (signed copies) at our Etsy store, also!
  
• Watercolor update! We're working on a tutorial (video, possibly) by request on making one's own pigment and paint from natural items - but the flowers are taking a lot longer than anticipated to fully dry (and they have to be FULLY dry... Wood ash, however, works wonderfully, and doesn't require any drying time at all). We've got a fancy new mortar and pestle, and will be getting on that request as soon as all the ingredients are ready to go. 
  

• And last but not least, Upcoming Convention Appearances! 'Tis the season:
• 5/15-5/17: SciFi in the Valley Con - Altoona, PA
• 5/22-5/23: GeoWoodstock - Boonsboro, MD
• 5/29-5/31: AwesomeCon - Washington, DC

We hope to see you! Get out there and enjoy Spring! 

Morel - Chapter One: Sacrifice, Page 6

Here's this month's Morel comic, marking Mushroom Month! Follow W.O. Billman II for all the details on Instagram or Twitter!

April Patron Hangout, Relics By Rild & Update

Check out our April patron hangout - patrons are welcome to join the call and hang out for rabbles after the public update portion is complete. :)

I did want to call out one important item - Tortoise & Hare Creations will be retreating to our secret mountain lair starting this weekend (after Creator Con today!) and remaining there - painting, making pigments from flowers, hunting mushrooms, and shooting a video and many, many pictures - until May 4th.

The Etsy store is on vacation, but while you'll have to wait for prints and such, the Shroud of the Avatar: New Beginnings comic can still be purchased around the web. In fact, you have a brand new option for unsigned copies in case you've struggled with the IndyPlanet site - Relics By Rild carries copies as well! Check the site out, and pick up some other excellent Shroud of the Avatar merchandise while you're there!

Now, the mountains are calling, and we must go.

April Showers & Growers

Alright, LOTS of things currently happening, so skipping right to the bullet list.

• Shroud of the Avatar: New Beginnings is NOW AVAILABLE to everyone! Head to IndyPlanet to pick up your unsigned print and/or digital copies, or we have signed copies available on our Etsy store ! Check out Portalarium's feature on us HERE! :D **UPDATE** We are currently sold out of the signed comics on our Etsy store - we have more on order, so once they arrive, we sign 'em and bag and board 'em, we'll renew the listing. Apologies for the delay!***
  
• Completed the first of four geocaching-themed pinups, "Autumn." Available for purchase at our Etsy store. 
  
• Next piece for the Dark Unknown Bestiary Project is done - meet the Ettin: 
  
• The GeoPunk broadcast is BACK! What is GeoPunk, I hear you ask? Listen and find out! If you enjoy geocaching, olde tyme radio(e) programmes, and general badassery, then definitely give it a shot. 
• 
• Thank you to our Patreon Supporters, who just pushed us over our first monthly milestone! Join up today! 
• GoCache Expansion! We will have a limited expansion of 6 Maryland-specific cards to celebrate this year's Maryland GeoWoodstock, they are done and in our hot little hands and ready to sell. They'll debut at GeoWoodstock, and we'll have a small number of them that we can sell online as well, for the collectors out there! (Not sure what GoCache is? Click here! Want to pick up a copy? Click here!) Here's the first of a few we'll share before GW: 
  
• Upcoming Convention Appearances:
• 4/17-4/19: 1d4Con - Martinsburg, WV
• 4/25: Creator Con - Silver Spring, MD
• 5/15-5/17: SciFi in the Valley Con - Altoona, PA
• 5/22-5/23: GeoWoodstock - Boonsboro, MD
• 5/29-5/31: AwesomeCon - Washington, DC
• Reminder! May is MUSHROOM MONTH! Keep an eye on this space for lots of Morel & morel (the heroine and the fungus) information. :)

That's it! We'll be setting up our Patreon hangout in the next week or so, it's likely to be a mid-week hangout this time. 

Spring has Sprung!

It's April, and we at THC are ecstatic to finally be able to venture back outside without fifty layers on. And this bright light in the sky - what is that? It's so warm!

Other than today, of course, because it decided to rain.

Here's a few bits and pieces we're working on currently!

• New Print! Tyrion Lannister, available in 11x17 at our Etsy store
• New Dark Unknown Bestiary piece! Giant Spider
• All of the GoCache expansion cards for GeoWoodstock are DONE! We'll share one or two as GW inches closer, but you can check out a preview of one of them at our patron feed: www.patreon.com/tortoiseharecreations (must be a patron to view)
• May is MUSHROOM MONTH! Join us as we share a bunch of Morel-related items for the best gathering month of the year. 
• Into Dreams, the third Gina Harwood novel is in the hands of the beta-readers, and following a final editing pass, will be finished. I'll have a release date for you in the next update, I think!

We have several more convention appearances on the horizon as well, come out and say hello if you're in the area!

• 4/10-4/12: Steel City Con, Monroeville, PA
• 4/17-4/19: 1d4Con, Martinsburg, WV
• 4/25: Creator Con, Silver Spring, MD
• 5/15-5/17: Sci-Fi in the Valley, Altoona, PA