Synopsis

This is the first part of a dark fantasy romance series set on the Isle of Night Shade, in the spindly, strange city of Evening that sits in the Bay of the Claw.

Evening is built into the remains of giants and is home to all manner of creature, person, and things. Some you’ll recognize, some you won’t, and the uneasy "peace" of the city is always on the tipping point of exploding.

A recent series of gruesome murders has, for once, caused certain people to take notice and keep their eyes on The Pits, the scrubby, sprawling, sketchy part of town. Death isn’t unusual in Evening, it’s just that generally no one cares if it happens on the other side of Hangman’s Bridge.

Someone who has always lived in The Pits, in a kind of in-between space, is Maggie Esterhouse. She’s a very special investigator with exactly the sort of dark secrets you’d expect...and many you don’t. Maggie’s mother is one of the victims and she won’t stop until she finds the culprit. No matter who or WHAT they are.

Adrian Greylock is a man with a...condition. Especially during "that time of the month". He fights his nature as best he can, but the recent murders throw up some major red flags, and he’s on the hunt for someone from his past. Someone he would very much like to end.

When these two meet it sets off a fierce passion and reveals a darkness in Evening no one is prepared to fight...

The Author

So, I’m a New York Times Bestselling graphic novelist, editor, and illustrator, and a passionate believer in stories. I like to mix my genre’s, I’m a sucker for a good romance, and you’ll pry horror and fantasy out of my cold, dead, hands.

I’ve been working primarily in comics for the last 14+ years and just recently began to branch out into prose. IN THE SHADE OF BONES would be my first series, so naturally it’s a mix of the genre’s I love best.

The Book

At the moment IN THE SHADE OF BONES is nearly complete, mainly in need of polishing and editing. I’ll be illustrating the cover myself, so hopefully I can share that process with supporters.The next book is called BLOOD OF THE WOLF, with the series potentially wrapping up in the third, EDGE OF EVENING. However, each book will have a satisfying arc and conclusion, we’ll just continue following our characters on more of their adventures.

I decided to enter this book in The Nerdist contest since it felt like a good fit and would hopefully reach readers who share my love of stories and the types I would tell. Regardless of whether IN THE SHADE OF BONES is a finalist, I’ll publish it one way or another. This would just be a great way to share it with fellow nerds and geeks, especially if you like your fantasy dark, weird, horrific, and just a touch snarky and self-aware as well.