#winterofherdiscontent

. 𝕠𝕟𝕝𝕪 𝕪𝕠𝕦 

[ a new painting - my interpretation of the characters Howl Jenkins Pendragon and Sophie Hatter from the studio ghibli film, howl's moving castle ] 

Look how beautiful this is!!!

My characters, Grace and the Master, from my adult fantasy novel, NOCTURNE (2/21, Del Rey Books) painted by @winterofherdiscontent <3 <3

I seriously can't stop staring at this. It's such a wonderful feeling to see my characters outside of my own head! Like, that's them! Right there! In front of my face! They've lived for so long in my imagination and now they're real! I love it so much.

If you are interested in preordering the book (less than a month until the release date!), you can purchase it anywhere books are sold in the US, Canada, UK, and Australia. Spanish translation coming soon! And for my American friends, it is on sale at Barnes & Noble. NOCTURNE is a B&N Bookseller Favorite. :) Here is their bookseller note:

Nocturne is a rich, lush fairy-tale reimagining that brings together elements of Beauty & the Beast, Phantom of the Opera and Persephone against the backdrop of the ballet world in Depression-era Chicago. With lyrical prose, romance, mystery and magic, this atmospheric fantasy is an enchanting read that will keep you in suspense till the very end.

Meet the Artist: @winterofherdiscontent

Hello! I am a self-taught digital freelance painter who goes by @winterofherdiscontent online. I have been making art for a long time and enjoy creating concept art, portraits, fan art, and character design. I am a music lover who enjoys many genres. I am also a big fan of K-pop, especially the group BTS. I love coffee, reading, nature, and avoiding crowds—lovely to meet you!

RESURRECTION: A REYLO ANTHOLOGY 33/35: art by @winterofherdiscontent

part V

redemption

At long last, their weary hands slip from their war And they limp to their beds, troubled no more. The calm dawn approaches with quiet in the air. They take their time, so precious, so rare.

It will take strength, she knows, and he too— They’ll have to work hard to make something new. In this uncertain limbo, their hands clasp tight Their tales are their own now... their stories to write.

The Hand That Feeds, commission by @winterofherdiscontent for @persimonne

“What?” he blurted out, a droplet of spit now dribbling from his lower lip. “I’ve said,” she repeated. “I’ve said that since we’re here, and I cut myself… would it be so terrible if you drank my blood?” He cleaned his mouth with a sleeve, incredulous. Was she jeering at him? Could she even fathom what she was asking from him? “Rey–Rey, do you understand that if I drink your blood, we’ll be bonded until you die? Do you really want this?” She nodded, her expression grave. He drooled again, the tremor in his limbs now almost untameable. “A–Are you sure? I’ll have to drink your blood for your whole life. You’ll never turn back from this.” “Do it,” she whispered, extending her left hand towards his mouth. She’d cut the tip of her thumb, and not much blood had spilled, but it was still enough to sustain and revitalize him for a few weeks at least. He closed the distance between them, taking her trembling hand in his equally trembling one, and looked in her eyes for the last time as he closed his ravenous lips around her digit. It was pure, it was powerful, it was home. He closed his eyes, his heart singing: this was the closest he’d felt to the divine since the dawn of time.

~~~~o~~~~

A most important scene from @persimonne‘s The Hand That Feeds, a vampire-ish Victorian AU that is more beautiful that I can stand. The illustration is a commission from @winterofherdiscontent, who was wonderful to work for; I would commission her again in a heartbeat.