Tag Archives: Realm

The Artist’s Corner – Forging Ahead with Madeline Bailey

May 1, 2023 By in The Artist's Corner Tags: , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

Enjoy this post featuring another talented artist who helped make the Realm book launch celebration memorable. I discovered Madeline at the Hartville Flea Market, where I picked up her card because I was impressed with a young woman working the forge. After perusing her website, I knew she could make a pendant that would be a perfect depiction of something a character in my novel would create and wear.

Tell me a little bit about yourself.

My name is Madeline. I am a 19-year-old female artist. I enjoy creating things, whether it be digital art or traditional art, crochet, and writing. My passions are blacksmithing and knifemaking.

What has your experience been?

I’ve been a blacksmith/bladesmith for almost seven years now. I’ve apprenticed under Lockhart Ironworks and Maple Wood Forge. I’ve won awards in Southern Ohio Forge & Anvil’s Quadstate Gallery and am constantly learning from other makers.

Do you put yourself into your forging?

I try to do my best with everything I make. A lot of experience, trial and error, and problem-solving goes into just knowing how to do a simple scroll or taper, even more so how to do it well or quickly. I don’t always succeed how I’d like on the first try, but how I deal with that is also a culmination of patience and a willingness to try again. 

Did your work experience lead to the pursuit of metalworking?

Blacksmithing is the first job I’ve ever really had. I’ve always liked to create things, and the opportunity to learn how to be a blacksmith has been incredible. Something to note is how blacksmithing is the core of so many other fields, and it creates a base knowledge for many other crafts, like welding, farrier work, copper or silver work, jewelry, knifemaking, and many more. I get to explore outward with each new project I try.

How did you develop your passion for metalworking?

I’ve always loved art and helping others, and I never really felt intimidated by the fact that not many young women are blacksmiths. When I was around age twelve, my school had an assignment encouraging us to find someone we could shadow for a day in a job that we liked. I chose blacksmithing. My parents were incredibly supportive even through the difficulty of finding one. I was welcomed into one of Doug Lockhart’s beginner classes and started an apprenticeship soon afterward. I continue to learn and grow in gratitude for my craft each time I pick up the hammer.

What or who is your inspiration?

My family and friends have always been my biggest support. They’ve allowed my interest in this to thrive into a business and continue to be there for me throughout everything. My mentors and the blacksmithing community, their history, and their dedication to the craft are wonderful inspirations as well. In the past year, my unofficial fiancé has been a great motivator especially since he shares my craft, albeit more on the bladesmithing side of things. His own dreams, aspirations, and his unending support are wonderful, and I hope we can continue to help each other far into the future.

What do you enjoy creating?

I love figuring out new things. A good portion of what I sell is of my own design and took many tries to get right. Complex projects always push me forward and give reasons as to why I love blacksmithing. Some of these projects are trivets, scissors, bourbon glass holders, and folding knives.

Where can someone find you online?

You can find me on Instagram.  This account features a number of projects and reals depicting the steps of my processes and showcases my finished works.

Do you have a website?

Everflame Forge is my current website, although I’m developing a new one.

Have you competed in contests?  What awards have you won?

I’ve been in the Southern Ohio Forge & Anvil’s Quadstate gallery for six years now and have won awards most of those years. My first knife, a wine glass holder, and a folding knife won first place, along with other projects getting second and third. Although now that I’m no longer in the youth category, I’m ready for a bigger challenge. 

Have you been featured in a magazine or other publication?

Not yet! Primarily, I sell items through commissioned orders and from my table when I demonstrate blacksmithing at The Hartville Marketplace’s Moonlight Markets. Also, my new website will have online ordering available.

Do you create metal items for people?  How does a client contact you?

Yes, I’ll do my best to talk with anyone who wishes to buy or commission my work, hoping to find a way to make something they like at a fair price. Currently, the best place to contact me is Instagram, although my email works just as well albeit slower.

What is your process for creating an item?

First, I have to figure out the steps it takes to make it and if I have all of the materials. Using the forge, I can heat metal to over 1,800° F. I can control the temperature by how much and how long the metal is exposed to the flame to get an optimal forging color where the metal is soft enough to shape. Other temperatures are needed for different parts of the forging process, such as quenching and tempering. Using a hammer, I can draw the metal out, flatten, round, taper, bend, and texture it. Sometimes, I’ll use pliers or a jig to achieve a particular bend and a butcher’s block brush to remove scale. Depending on the work, I’ll use a belt grinder, angle grinder, drill press, sandpaper, and other tools. I usually finish by quenching in a particular oil to protect against rust and preserve my work for generations to come.

How is what you create for yourself different from what you create for other people?

What I create for myself is usually prototypes. I test and grow my ability by trying to make new things and that often leads to experimentation. If I like an idea enough to make it again, it ends up as one of the things I try to make regularly to sell. 

Has your work ever been used for commercial purposes?

Most of my work is for the personal use of my clients. 

What’s your favorite metal piece that you’ve created?

I’d have to say that so far, the favorite of my works is a lockback pocketknife, one of the first blades I’ve made. It really pushed my experience and took a couple of tries but is a testament to how far I can go. It’s far from perfect, but it always makes me excited to keep trying.

What’s your dream piece to create?

So far, I’ve been able to make a lot of what I’ve put my mind to, but I hope to get into more Damascus steel soon. I’m very excited to be able to work together with my fiancé on Damascus knives in the future.

What’s your biggest complaint about blacksmithing?

I wouldn’t complain about blacksmithing so much as the trouble I have with motivation on occasion. My energy is stretched between a lot of different things. Often, I spend time in my head. I am learning to control this and prioritize myself and my work.

Would you like to work full-time as a blacksmith?  If so, how do you see your business growing?

I would love to work full-time as a blacksmith. I’ll do my best with where I am now, but I definitely hope to partner up with my fiancé and build our businesses together doing what we love.

Do you work alone or with a partner?

While I love working with other people, I work by myself currently. It leaves room for the unfortunate side effects of demotivation and distraction. Although, every once in a while, I’m able to spend time with one of my mentors or friends making something. As I’ve said, hopefully that will soon change, and I’ll be able to work with my life partner.

REALM – Book Launch Celebration

April 24, 2023 By in Realm Tags: , , 2 Comments

It is my very great pleasure to share the following slideshows from my book launch for my novel, Realm. This was only possible because of the overwhelming support I have received from everyone involved with the Realm project and my fans, formally known as Realmers! With much gratitude, HL Gibson

Your journey begins here . . .

The guests arrive!

Autographing my novel, Realm, for guests.

Realmers enjoying themselves!

A toast & speech

So much love & encouragement

We Interrupt This Broadcast

April 19, 2023 By in Realm Tags: , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Happy Wednesday, Realmers! This post is coming to you a little later in the week because Realm Central needed a couple days to catch our breath after a most amazing book launch this past Sunday. More info on that coming soon!

Realm Central is pleased and proud to announce that BookBaby contacted us for permission to use the cover of Realm in their advertising campaigns. So, don’t be surprised if you see that increasingly familiar picture of an open portal popping up on social media and, quite possibly, in your e-mail inbox.

Realm is available across the globe. It’s true! I had fun with a quick search of “where to buy Realm by HL Gibson” and found my novel popped up in online stores in England and Australia. Don’t be surprised if you hear fellow Realmers say, “G’day, mate,” or that they’re “chuffed to bits” about Realm.

And lastly, a tidbit of—what shall we call this?—maintenance. Don’t be dismayed if, when you attempt to purchase Realm at a big online retailer, you’re told that it’s out of stock, on backorder, or only a few copies are left. This is nothing less than a numbers game that big online retailers like to play to manipulate buyers and artists. It’s also the reason why I published through BookBaby.

Go ahead and place your order at your favorite point of purchase. It will arrive . . . eventually . . .

Or you could head over to BookBaby where Realm is always in stock and ready to ship to you in a timely fashion. Hardback, softcover, and eBook are all available at BookBaby whether you order as soon as you finish reading this post or in the year 3039.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.

Rite of Passage

April 12, 2023 By in Realm Tags: , , , , , , , 4 Comments

For those of you who have read Realm, here’s your invitation to the game. For those of you who want to be invited, read the book!

 

Communication from Realm Central

April 10, 2023 By in Realm Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Hello, Realmers! It’s time for another update from Realm Central. This past week was Passover, so there isn’t as much to report.

All is going well here, and the reception of my novel, Realm, has been great. Sales are steady, and the trend has been to either post a picture of yourself receiving Realm or send me a photo of you receiving Realm for me to share on social media. Such fun!

April 7, 2023, marked the official launch of Realm with major booksellers such as Barnes & Noble, BAM, Walmart, and Amazon. So, you have even more online options for where to purchase your copy of Realm. Of course, it’s always been available on BookBaby and will always be available there.

As for the new trailer, it’s still in the works. A little more shooting was required, but the initial edit that I had the opportunity to view just so cool. I’m excited to share it with you. Another round of editing is required as well as recording the voiceover and applying the background music.

That is all. Realm Central out.

Not Alone in the Realm

April 3, 2023 By in Realm, Writing Advice, Writing Toolbox Tags: , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Writing often seems like a lonely endeavor. I’ve spent a lot of time tapping away at the laptop or scribbling in a notebook. I’ve stared out the window visualizing a scene, softly speaking it aloud to hear how it sounds. I’ve walked the valley of burnout and scaled the mountain of inspiration. The writing comes fast and furiously, or the writing doesn’t come at all.

I presented myself faithfully to my writing (almost every day) even as I wanted to join friends and family in other activities. I declined invitations and didn’t issue any of my own.

I’ve been in the house alone (except for five demanding cats), but if anyone was present, I politely requested quiet, which meant I was alone in my thoughts and in the world I was creating.

As I reflect, though, I have come to realize that I was never alone at all.

There was much about writing/the writing process with which I struggled. I’m not going to detail everything here because it’s deeply personal, but the short version is that I turned everything about writing over to God. I made it my goal that all my writing and my talents would glorify God, and when I did, that’s when I understood that all the guidance I’d been praying for had occurred as I’d hoped, just not in the ways I expected. I wasn’t alone.

Then, a savvy friend, who pointed out that better critiques could be given if the beta reader was familiar with the entire work, committed to being part of my project. We traded novels from beginning to end, and what we came away with was better writing. I was not alone.

Factor in four additional beta readers, all reading the entire manuscript and all providing a different perspective. What each found polished Realm even more. Again, not alone.

Then there was my editor, whose enthusiasm for my project and sharp eye for detail, put the final polish on my novel. We met several times, e-mailed, and texted throughout the process. Amazing critiques and suggestions were offered and applied, we worked through some points to clarify what I wanted to say, and I even got to keep some things I liked without changing them. A working relationship was born, but the friendship that came from it trumped everything. Still, not alone.

Writers’ groups, friends, family, and the occasional stranger all offered encouragement and advice in person and on social media. Slowly but surely, the perceived vacuum of the writing life transformed into a community of support. And this support only intensified once Realm was published. Absolutely not alone.

And then there was everyone at BookBaby from the publishing specialist to the design team to the support staff who walked this first-time author through the process and calmed all her worries, concerns, and not a few fears. So totally not alone.

I mention all of this because if you’re considering taking the first step toward writing, please know that writing is hard. The writing life is full of highs and lows, but one thing it never need be is lonely. If you’re doing it right, you’ll be surrounded by people even when it’s just you tapping away at the laptop or scribbling in a notebook.

Bulletin from Realm Central

March 27, 2023 By in Realm Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Hello, Realmers! Today’s report is replete with exciting news starting with a brilliant press release created by Jeanette Nelson of Gossamer Marketing Group and submitted via EIN Presswire. Over 200 news outlets, national and international, picked up the press release on my novel, Realm. Below is a picture of Jeanette’s hard work. It was an extremely proud day at Realm Central. Thank you, Jeanette, for your incredible professionalism. You are truly a talented lady.

Next is the thrilling announcement that I now have an Author Profile on Goodreads that is attached to my novel, Realm. This is where you, dear readers, become part of the amazing project that is Realm by leaving a review of my novel once you’ve read it.

Wait—what?! You don’t have your copy of Realm yet? Hurry over to BookBaby to procure your copy by taking advantage of the handy little link below. It will take you to the softcover version, and the hardcover version is at the bottom of the page should you prefer it.

Book Cover Image

Now that we have that taken care of, you have another option of where to leave your review of Realm. If you scroll to the bottom of the page where my novel is sold on BookBaby, you’ll see Book Reviews with a link to click to login. Please do so as customer feedback is so important. After all, I had you in mind when I wrote Realm.

What else—how about the HL Gibson channel on YouTube? My book trailer, Realm Walk with Me, needed to be uploaded to YouTube so it could be embedded in the press release, and since it’s there, I might as well take advantage of the channel as another way to stay in touch with readers, followers, and friends. Be sure to subscribe and turn on the notifications so you’ll be informed every time I upload to the channel. Likes, comments, and shares are much appreciated.

Now for the last newsworthy item to come out of Realm Central. About two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to work with some terrific people as we shot another trailer for Realm. The whole experience was very different from my initial trailer because we stayed onsite for the entire shoot. Seven people, two videographers, and I recreated a scene from Realm that we hope you’ll enjoy. We learned a lot with this shoot, but as always, the creativity flowed, and everyone had a great time!

I’ll let you know as soon as the trailer is released. You’ll be able to view it on my blog and my YouTube channel. I’d love to hear your feedback on it. Until then, be sure to check out the links in the body of this report and say Hello in the comments section below.

Beta Reading in the Realm

March 20, 2023 By in Realm, Writing Advice, Writing Toolbox Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Hello, Realmers! Today at Realm Central we’re going to discuss one of the most important steps toward the production of my novel, Realm. Beta reading.

A couple years ago, a friend and I shared the opinion that writing group critiques would be more beneficial if the person critiquing had knowledge of the storyline from start to finish. That sounded like a tall order, especially if the work in progress (hereafter WIP) was a novel, but the idea made sense.

Many times, we had experienced the request for/suggestion of more backstory, dialog, character development, and character arcs from someone in the writing group. These were all valid requests and suggestions, but they were made based on the assumption that none of this existed within the story.

Please don’t hear me say that critiques supplied in writing groups are of no value. That is not the case at all. However, when a writer’s only option is to present 1500 words to one chapter (a generous quantity of writing) because of time constraints, many of the critiques supplied and questions asked could have been satisfied if the reviewer only remembered that he/she was being shown a mere sliver of the WIP and that many of his/her questions were probably already addressed.

Another issue contributing to this dilemma was the fact that the reviewer probably didn’t see the initial pages of the WIP, or he/she would have had foundational knowledge prior to critiquing. Also, when you consider the inconsistency with which members attend a writing group and that they often have no control over which WIPs they’ll review, well, you see how ineffective this process can be.

I’ve witnessed too many writers waste his/her allotted review time explaining all this away. There is, however, a major benefit to attending writing groups, and I’d like to point that out now. Make—great—connections.

If you’re going to succeed as a writer, you need people you can lean on during the entire process, and some of the most important ones will be your beta readers. Beta readers may start as your friends, but eventually, they’re going to need to be more. You need to find people who can be objective and strong, people you can trust and with whom you’ve established a solid relationship. Equally important is the fact that you must be this type of beta reader in return.

May I suggest that you make a connection and enter an agreement with one person who will become your primary beta reader. For me, this is the person mentioned at the beginning of the post. We made the commitment to read each other’s work from beginning to end thus eliminating many of the usual requests and suggestions.

The perspective we brought to each other’s WIP was enhanced by the fact that we read and wrote in different genres with different expectations for both as well as by life experiences in general. This immediately drove our critiques to the heart of our respective WIPs, eliminating all the writing small talk and allowing us to focus on any major concerns that needed to be addressed.

Side Note: Remember that trading whole manuscripts for beta reading requires both partners to have similar availability; to agree upon how long you’ll take to read and critique; to decide when, where, and how often you’ll meet; and to decide what type of critique is expected.

Then I sent Realm thought a round of secondary beta readers. I started with my non-reading reader, who prefers non-fiction when he does read. I knew that if I could snag and hold his attention, I had written something worthwhile. Because he read for different reasons, his unique perspective caught many details that were crucial to producing a great novel.

Next was a couple I knew would view Realm through a unique perception based on their own pursuits, and that was exactly what I needed. They recognized the overarching themes within Realm, proof that my storyline was intact, as well as found the small mistakes that required fixing.

Lastly, and this is where some people may disagree with me, I let my mother read Realm. Yes, Mom loves everything I write . . . until she doesn’t, and then she’s brutally honest. I can’t say how allowing your family members to read your WIP will go, but I know that if my mother doesn’t like it, understand it, or agree with what I’ve written, she’ll make me hash it out with her until I convince her the writing needs to be present and help her understand why. We don’t always part in agreement, but my editing is better because of the interaction.

This was my process for taking Realm from the roughest of rough drafts to a manuscript with which I was comfortable handing off to my editor. I sincerely hope these same people, especially my primary beta reader, will be available for my next novel. I also hope I’ll make many more connections for any future WIPs because the ultimate goal isn’t only to have my manuscripts edited. It’s to make lasting relationships.

The Artist’s Corner – Meeting High Standards with Benchmark Leatherworks

March 13, 2023 By in The Artist's Corner Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

I met Jeremiah O’Brien through his lovely wife with whom I worked in our church nursery. I knew he made leather items, so when another friend needed a repair to a favorite bookbag, I asked if he would be able to fix it. Turned out that Jeremiah was the man for the job. He not only replicated the broken latch, but he also matched the color, so the new piece didn’t look out of place on the gently worn bag.

Fast forward to January 2023 when I’m preparing my novel, Realm, for publication and decided that I would like to have something to present at my book launch. I browsed items on Etsy, designed a mockup of what I envisioned, and e-mailed my request to Jeremiah. What he created was so much better, such higher quality, than my original idea.

So, without further ado, allow me to introduce leatherworker Jeremiah O’Brien, a man of few words and abundant talent.

Tell me a little bit about yourself.

I’m just a guy who works in his garage basically. Married, seven kids, two dogs, and hopefully here soon, a homestead with chickens and goats and such. I’m honestly terrible at biography type stuff. I prefer to let what I do speak for itself.

What has your experience been?

I have an associate degree in business with a focus in web design, but I don’t really use it. I have worked in restaurants primarily for most of my life, with the past ten years learning and working in leather.

Do you put yourself into your leatherworking??

I’m not quite sure what this means, but I do have a particular artistic style that I tend to put into my work, and it is fairly unique to me.

How did you develop your passion for leatherworking?

A friend of mine introduced me to it as part of a hobby that we were both involved with some years back, and I just worked at it over the years on the side, and then finally took a job in the industry for a couple of years before striking out in my own and running my own business fulltime.

What or who is your inspiration?

There have been lots of people who have inspired me along the way, and pointing to one single thing or person would be tough.

What pieces do you enjoy creating?

I really enjoy helmets, book covers, journals, bags, and pieces that show off a high level of skill.

What is your creation process?

Everything has a different creation process, but generally I’ll start by designing a pattern, then some artwork to go on it, and then cut it out and put it together.

Do you work alone or with a partner?

Largely alone. I do occasionally have people visit, but it’s rare.

Where can someone find you online?

Facebook – Benchmark Leatherworks
Instagram – Benchmark Leatherworks

Do you have a website?

Benchmark Leatherworks

For whom do you create leather goods?

Anyone who asks, but my clients tend to be people who go to Renaissance Faires, but I have also done work for pro wrestlers, hip hop artists, and other entertainment professionals.

How does a client contact you?

Through social media generally, or email inquiry@benchmarkleatherworks.com

What is your process when creating for a client?

I work with the client on a design for the item they want built. Sometimes that includes measurements, or it can be a personal design they like, whatever the case may be. Once we have that settled, I go ahead and design patterns, and then build it.

How is what you create for yourself different from what you create for other people?

I rarely craft for myself, and it’s not all that different except that it is personalized to me instead of someone else.

Has your work ever been used for commercial purposes?

My work is currently featured on WWE Smackdown, worn by the Viking Raiders. It also makes appearances at Renaissance Faires and conventions all over the country.

What is your favorite piece that you’ve created?

A corset and skirt combination suit that I did a few months back is my current favorite, but it’s a constantly evolving list.

What’s your dream leather piece to create?

A book cover with intricate detail that currently eludes my time and skill.

What’s your biggest complaint about leatherworking?

It’s time consuming.

Do you work full-time as a leatherworker? If so, how do you see your business growing?

Yes, I am full time, and I’d like to get into making more patterns and sources of passive income rather than relying solely on custom orders.

Update from Realm Central

March 6, 2023 By in Realm Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

UPDATE: This post will probably read as “after the fact.” However, I still want to share my production process with you as promised. It’s a nice behind-the-scenes look at independent publishing.

Hello, Realmers! Here at Realm Central, quite a bit has been going on. Where do I begin?

How about the two days I spent poring over the eBook version of Realm to make sure everything looked perfect? My eyes went a little buggy even though I increased the size of the page on my laptop. Everything looked great, so I approved the proof and submitted my approval.

Next, it was time to move on to the hardcover version of Realm. That was scary and exciting all at once. Several calls between myself and BookBaby were required because the technical side of a couple uploads were, admittedly, beyond my knowledge and understanding. Linda Hawley, Publishing Specialist at BookBaby, was amazing and patient as she took my calls, responded promptly to my voicemails, walked me through a couple steps, and even did an important portion of what needed to be accomplished on her end while I held the line.

I am excited to report that the dust jacket for the hardcover version of Realm is in the works. Also, I viewed and approved the interior of the hardcover book and the non-dust jacketed book itself. Everything is beautiful and seeing all the work that I put into it along with my beta readers and my editor, well, it’s just so thrilling!

What else? A trip to Cleveland and Youngstown with the husband-and-wife photography team of Heath and Michelle Smith proved to be great fun and quite interesting. By the time this post is published, you’ll have already seen the Realm trailer titled Realm Walk with Me. If not, please enjoy watching it as soon as you finish reading.

When I told Michelle and Heath what I wanted to capture for the trailer, they knew exactly where to shoot to create the devasted conditions of Earth in the year 3039, when Realm takes place. I must say, the locations were incredibly cool and a little sketchy all at once.

Another quick trip to an abandoned manufacturing business just south of Canton was required for additional footage, but it was worth the drive for the shots achieved. And then it was an all-day session of editing. As tiring as it was, we learned some valuable lessons and had great laughs throughout the process.

I think that’s everything for now. Stay tuned as I keep you informed on the progress of my soon-to-be-released novel, Realm.