Getting closer to revealing the first draft of Silent Auction items. I am overjoyed — genuinely, freaking overjoyed — that Micah Epstein has donated his cover art for some items, and Aedan Roberts is donating a sketch.
Micah tells me I was one of his first real book covers, which is why he has such a soft spot for my series. (His partnership on imagery is so meaningful to me that I opted to start paying for his cover art myself rather than risk the changes that would come with my publisher deciding to generate art “in-house” rather than utilizing external professionals. A significant portion of my Silent Auction proceeds will go to paying Micah for cover art for The Early Adventures of Rune & Brand.) Here’s Micah online bio:
Micah Epstein is an illustrator and concept artist who works primarily in the realms of fantasy and science fiction, blending classical composition with cinematic energy. Over more than a decade in the industry, he has created striking artwork for clients such as Tor Books, Penguin Random House, Dark Horse, and Wizards of the Coast. His covers for The Tarot Sequence series — including The Last Sun and The Hanged Man — have become instantly recognizable for their luminous detail and emotional intensity.
Micah’s work balances meticulous technical skill with a painter’s intuition for storytelling. He draws inspiration from myth, history, and contemporary design, often portraying moments that feel both epic and deeply personal. Whether illustrating gods, cities, or quiet human figures, his art captures a sense of mystery and grandeur — a world half a breath away from our own.
Micah is letting me create a small, limited run of canvas art prints for The Hourglass Throne and The Misfit Caravan cover images, with my signature on it. These are not book cover replicas — I’ll be working with the amazing Justyna to design unique, special typefacing for these limited prints. (And the artwork for The Misfit Caravan, in particular, will not be revealed online–the person who buys the canvas art will see the pre-release image that won’t be revealed officially for several more months.)
I’ll also turn The Misfit Caravan special image into a signed postcard, which will be available with a “buy now” option. (Also — for the future — Micah will be selling his own run of my cover art into posters. Whenever that does happen, I’ll let you know; I’ll be fighting for a copy myself!)
Check out Micah’s art here: https://www.micahepsteinart.com/.
Aedan Roberts is a vendor I met at Dragon Con three years ago. His work is gorgeous — some exquisitely miniature, baroque, stunningly detailed, geekdom-inspired…. I don’t have the words to describe how talented he is. This is an online bio:
Aedan Roberts is a Brooklyn-based painter, designer, and animator known for his vivid, dreamlike imagery and signature blend of whimsy and introspection. He’s worked across videogames, design, animation, and advertising while building a reputation as a gallery artist whose work explores pop culture, comics, and surreal emotional landscapes.
His paintings often merge light and shadow—portraying inner demons, anxieties, and other psychological themes through layered symbolism and bold color. Using gouache and mixed media, Roberts draws on influences from animation and storytelling to bridge the personal and the universal. His ongoing series, including Immanis, Clavis Foraminis, and nüdtendo, continue to evolve as part of his mission to externalize emotion and map the unseen corners of imagination.
I’ll be working with Aedan to design a……symbol which will be extremely important and symbolic of the rulers of the Sun Throne for the final 5 books. But the real honor? Aedan has donated a sketch for the Silent Auction. In my head, I’m tentatively calling it: “The Beard-Growing Contest,” and it contains a stylized kiss between a furry-faced Addam and a not-so-furry-faced Rune. I’m still amazed at my luck.
You can find Aedan’s art here: https://www.aedanroberts.com/.
Like I said, more coming soon — I should be sharing a draft auction list by end of week, all in preparation for the actual Auction between early November and early December.
Hope you all are doing well,
Keith