Shortly after signing with Zara, fae thought adding in illustrations to Down The Well would really be a nice touch. As well as a nod to the OG Alice in Wonderland book published way back in 1865.
Being an artist myself, I was very excited with the idea of my first published novel having the additional artwork. We didn’t have to think long about who we wanted to bring the silhouettes to life. Luckily for us, Nia, better known as The Vixen of Fiction, was eager to come on board.
Zara and I were fortunate that Nia was just as excited about the artwork inclusion as we were and we are so pleased with the final silhouettes that will be printed in the book. Part of the process of creating the lovely silhouettes was creating a reference sketch. Throughout the process, Nia shared them with us and generously gave us clearance to publish them here.
Below are The Great Horned Owl, The Stag, and a huggable hedgehog, before they were transformed into silhouettes.
While I am an artist myself, there was something magical seeing my characters through someone else’s eyes, in their art style. So, while I continue to do art for this series via promotional items like stickers, or animations for short form marketing content (like the book trailer & this cute little promotion of my preorder incentive), I think seeing another artist work in the pages of this series is a must. Not only does it add to the whimsical and otherworldly experience for the reader as they dive between the pages of Down The Well, but with the rise of AI, I feel strongly about paying my fellow human artists for the love and hard work that goes into something such as art that is unique.
Down The Well
Lore Deoradán wants to be happy when she grows up. But navigating her parents' mercurial moods, moving to a new town just two weeks before her high school graduation, and dealing with her beloved grandma's declining health all make that dream seemingly impossible. Will her new job be the first step toward happiness, or will it be yet another disappointment?
When she falls down a well into a magical world with talking animals that haven't seen a human for years, she must clear her name of the mayor's murder. Although, how anyone believes she killed a Herculean-sized alligator is beyond her. Now, her survival is tied to a mouse with a chip on her shoulder. There's also a cat who owns a pub where the animal patrons might be cannibals, a giant snake librarian who probably wants to eat her, and sentient lampposts who are never there when you need them.
Can Lore prove her innocence, help a newfound friend save the town from a dark and dangerous schemer, and find her way home?
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Preorder and register your purchase at the link above in order to receive a random selection of 4 out of 8 Down The Well-themed stickers designed by the author!
