From officially being shelved to vending in the rain, we’ve had quite the full month!

And speaking of the beauty within darkness, check out this awesome shot from one of our besties. She gravitated to a declaration made by one of the main characters that rings true to us on a personal level.

Now, let’s check out some more fun highlights from September.

Shows, Shows, Shows!

We really hit the ground running. In September, we had six events: DuPage MightyCon, Milwaukee MightyCon, Author Spotlight at Zion Benton Public Library, Chapter 6 of Studio MoonFall’s Kenosha Book Fest, Meet The Authors at Studio MoonFall, and our first event with Streetz Artz Alliance for Oak-tober Fest at Imperial Oak Brewing.

We got to play around with different booth sizing and had an absolute blast. Oddly enough, our rainy day Chapter 6 Kenosha Book Festival was the best day! we know books and rain go together well, but usually, that’s with a hot bev and some cozy blankets indoors. We’re so thankful for everyone who came and showed their support!

  

  

  

We Are Officially Shelved!

We couldn’t be happier to be shelved at Studio Moonfall and This Old Book. Both venues show incredible support to local authors and have been a trove of kindness as we’ve navigated our release- not to mention some of the most fun to chat with. Check out some shots of TCS sitting pretty on their shelves! And if you’re in the area, do say hi and show them some love.

 

 

Giving Back Program

We had a blast chatting with folks about our Giving Back program.

In September, we sponsored Kindred Kitties, Kenosha's all-volunteer, non-profit, no-kill rescue organization aimed at proactively addressing the plight of homeless cats. Most of the folks we chatted with were familiar with the organization and expressed their kind words, which was amazing to be a part of. We sold a total of 7 art prints and are working to get the donation over to Kindred Kitties this week.

In October, we are sponsoring Gatos de la Noche. Their mission is to actively facilitate and support the humane treatment of feral cat colonies. This includes participating in Trap Neuter and Return (TNR) of feral cats, seeking medical attention for cats that are ill or hurt, setting up feeding stations for anyone willing to feed a colony on a daily basis, trapping kittens, and finding foster homes to socialize them and training others to do the same. Gatos de la Noche believes education and support are the keys to ending the cycle of unwanted kittens and cats.

Can’t make it to the events, but still want to support?

Our art prints can be purchased on Clay Urn Publishing’s webstore. All art print sales, including online, support the charity of the month. For more info, check out our Giving Back page.

Have an amazing October, everyone! We know we will. Check out the following events we'll be attending this month:

 

 

 

 

 

The Chimera Snare: Fragments has been out for a little over 2 weeks and it's been go, go, go ever since. Check out some of the highlights:

Double Clutch Book Launch

We were thrilled to have our close friends be a part of our book launch party. We had some small bites, brews then a presentation towards the end that dove into some finer details about the book such as the life of the project, our collaboration and creative process as a team, and the important symbolism found in the art. We also realized that we need to be more diligent taking photos and video during the events. Thankfully we had some good friends of ours snap a couple!

  

Studio Moonfall Kenosha Book Fest

Our very first vending event! Donovan, owner of Studio Moonfall, is the curator behind Kenosha's Book Festival. This year it has six chapters. We attended Chapter 5 in August and had an awesome time chatting with a variety of folks- from fellow authors and enthusiastic readers, to curious patrons and aspiring authors. If you don't know Donovan, he's one awesome dude—a trove of information and kindness with the passion to help support fellow local authors. We're looking forward to Chapter six this month on the 22nd, the final Kenosha Book Fest event of the year! Oh yeah, and also our Meet the Author event at Studio Moonfall that following Friday.

 

 

 

Giving Back Program

We kicked off our Giving Back program with Save-A-Pet, one of the nation's oldest no-kill animal shelters. At our release party, 100% of the proceeds went to Save-A-Pet. Double Clutch generously joined in and donated $1 from each Helles Lager purchased that day.

For September, we are sponsoring Kindred Kitties, Kenosha's all-volunteer, non-profit, no-kill rescue organization aimed at proactively addressing the plight of homeless cats. They are dedicated to finding loving, permanent homes for cats and kittens, promoting responsible pet ownership, and participating in community events to advocate for cats and educate the general public.

Don't forget, our art prints can be purchased on Clay Urn Publishing!

Have an amazing September, everyone! We know we will. Check out the following events we'll be attending this month:

  

  

It's The Chimera Snare: Fragments release day! To mark the occasion, we wanted to share the history of how The Chimera Snare came to be and the journey made to get to where were are today.

The earliest fundamental development of what The Chimera Snare has become today started when Shannon was around 11. She had always loved writing short stories and was particularly fascinated with dreams: how vivid and cinematic hers were, and the interesting parallels that sometimes occurred between her and her friends.

The base of the TCS universe was something that Shannon toyed with during her senior year in high school, but it was left behind during all the chaos of graduation and work until a dream reignited it a couple of years later. During an early morning, sleep-deprived trip into San Francisco on CalTrain for work, Shannon was listening to Agalloch's The Mantle and had an epic, vivid dream to the first 2 tracks, "A Celebration For the Death of Man" and "In the Shadow of Our Pale Companion." The experience created the first-ever depth for the two characters, Von and Navaryn, portraying their love for one another and the lengths they went through in order to be together despite their forbidden relationship.

The daydream left a permanent imprint. Intent on creating an animation based on what she experienced, Shannon storyboarded the length of both songs. However, the more she reflected on the characters Von and Navaryn, the more she felt like there was a deeper story to tell. Therefore, she decided to bring them to life through a full-fledged novel. Fragments incorporates that very plight among other elements of the main plotline.

The first iteration of Fragments was self-published by Shannon in 2015. Shortly after, her husband, Edward, joined in on the writing adventure, and together as a team, they created book two, titled Reflections. Reflections was set to release in the summer of 2020, yet the pandemic forced the author duo to reschedule their plans. The extra time was a blessing as they assessed Fragments would need a complete overhaul to match the universe expansion they created in Reflections. Not only that, but they wanted to connect with a professional artist who matched their overall vibe and would elevate the presentation of their series.

They connected with Adrian Baxter, a talented artist in the UK known for his intricate line art and deliciously dark, macabre designs. He also crafts album artwork for notable musicians- some of which the author duo pays their respects to in their book credits. Adrian created the book's visual identity and incorporated important meanings to the artistic elements which will be later explained in an upcoming blog post.

Now, after four years of work and nearly 10 years since the original version of Fragments released, the remastered version, penned together by both Shannon and Edward, is officially ready for the world.

 

Fun Facts:

• The release date of August 17th is the couple's Wedding Anniversary.
• There are still plans to one day create the animation to the two tracks from Agalloch with an updated storyboard that matches the expanded universe the couple has created together.

Animal Welfare is important to S & E Black, the authors of the Dark Fantasy Series THE CHIMERA SNARE & Founders of Clay Urn Publishing. Together, they have 11 cats, 7 of which are rescues, and have rescued and rehomed an additional 7*.

The Great Kitten Rescue

Most of the action happened in the summer of 2019, in what the author duo refers to as "The Great Kitten (and Cat) Rescue," where Shannon stepped in to rescue the kittens from a cat colony by her work. She contacted Feral Change for help, and while they were at capacity to help with the kittens, they were able to help assist TNR the colony, which Shannon's employer, Associated Services, helped sponsor. The experience helped Shannon and Edward reaffirm the importance of supporting local animal rescues.

The Idea

Shannon's goal is to combine her love for art with the desire to help support independent animal rescue groups. The idea of handmade art prints came about, and after brainstorming the pieces to offer and assessing their replicability, she had a plan:  To donate 50% of the sales from her handmade art prints to a featured charity for the month.

 

The Materials

• Big Stamping Large Print stamps: The Sigil of The Chimera Snare, the sword trio, and individual swords were sourced from Big Stamping in Spain.
• Premium Watercolor Paper
• Lindy’s Gang Sprays
• Acrylic UV Sealant

 

The Process

After layering black ink, the paper gets shimmer-spritzed with a selection of Lindy’s Stamp Gang Stardust and Glitz sprays.  Once dry, the paper is sealed with three coats of UV fixative. After the curing time, the paper is then stamped and left to dry for 4-5 days—necessary because of the UV sealant. Once dry, there are two final coats of UV sealant, and each unique piece is ready. Creating a single art print takes about one week. It’s worth the time because each print is beautifully unique.

"Helping save the lives of cats is the good that my husband and I are putting back into the world. I want to continue to help the like-minded efforts of ethical animal rescue organizations that share the same passion for saving lives and giving animals a second chance," says Shannon.

Shannon's handmade art prints will be available to purchase online at Clay Urn Publishing's webstore and during in-person events. At in-person events, patrons can name their price over asking, and 100% of the overage will be donated to the currently featured animal rescue. More details to come soon as the first few rounds of art prints are being prepped for their release party, where a special 100% of all art print sales will be donated to Save-A-Pet, one of the nation's oldest, true no-kill animal shelters.

Afternotes:

*Of the kittens that were rescued in 2019, one, named Usagi, sadly developed FIP before life-saving drugs were available to treat the condition. She crossed the rainbow bridge but was loved and cared for every step of the way.

Both Edward and Shannon have her paw prints as tattoos- different designs created by the talented Matteo Sisti of Eluveitie. At that time, Matteo was working in tattoo sessions throughout the tour. The tattoos were done before the show in Oakland, CA, in 2019.

Supporting local animal rescues is crucial for several reasons. These organizations provide essential care and rehabilitation for abandoned, abused, or neglected animals, giving them a second chance at life. They also help control the pet population through spaying and neutering programs, reducing the number of homeless animals. Local animal rescues often work to educate the community about responsible pet ownership, fostering a compassionate attitude toward animals. By supporting ethical animal rescues, individuals contribute to the well-being of their community and the overall improvement of animal welfare.

Everyone. We truly have some angels looking over us. The Kickstarter campaign for The Chimera Snare: Fragments has been funded!

We’ve been fortunate to have the support of some very generous backers throughout this campaign, and a special handful pulled together at the 11th hour to make it a success. Words cannot appropriately describe the level of elation and immense gratitude that has filled our hearts today.

Once again, a huge thank you to everyone who pledged their support, shared our campaign, handed out flyers, lit an incense, and told a loved one about the project. Your belief in us means everything.

We’ll have plenty more to share with you as our journey continues. Now, we ride on to the next big stepping stones - to get Fragments published, printed, and out into the world. Come August 2024, it’s all yours.

Be sure to signup for our newsletter to stay in the 'know' about the project as we bring it to life. And if you're in the Chicago area, we'll have some especially exciting announcements coming soon. Until then, stay tuned!

With thanks and appreciation,

S&E Black

Hello Friends!

We are excited to announce that our Kickstarter is now live. Our campaign is loaded with some excellent rewards and is accompanied by a thorough outline of our journey together over the past several years, shaping The Chimera Snare into what it is today. Have a look around!

The Theme of Memory

It’s said that of our five senses, scent is the one closest tied to memory. There is an underlying theme of memory in Fragments, and we aim to make some pleasant connections while reading it. This is part of the reason we've curated some unique offerings, like the Delavine Crystal scented candle, crafted by Firelight Fables. 

The Countdown Begins!

As you may know, Kickstarter is an all-or-nothing campaign. We have our fingers crossed that we’ll be able to hit our goal within 60 days. This will give us the resources we need to help bring our series to life.

Please help us continue to spread the word about our project by sharing this link with your circle of friends and loved ones.

 

Hello Friends!

Just popping in with a quick reminder that we’re scheduled to go live Saturday, February 3rd! We are so excited, and we’d like to thank everyone for the amazing support we’ve received so far. We nearly have 100 people following our campaign.

And, in case you missed it on our socials, we’ve been hard at work behind the scenes preparing some sharp flyers paired with incense to announce the launch. Check ‘em out!

There is an underlying theme of “memory” written into Fragments. Particularly, how powerful, precious, and ultimately fragile memories can be. And out of our five senses, scent is the one closest tied to memory. It can instantly transport you back to a notable time in your life. That gave us the idea to try and connect our overall reading experience with a pleasant aroma to create a warm and enjoyable memory for our readers- offerings which will be available in different reward tiers in Kickstarter.

To commemorate the launch, we’ve chose to pair a select number of our flyers with incense by both Mystical Outpost and Epika Earth. We’re going to be distributing these within the greater Chicago area by hand. As well, some will be off to some choice businesses across the US, and to friends and family who have expressed interest in helping us spread the work of this project.

If you have a favorite place to visit who supports independent projects, please connect with us and let us know! We’ll happily reach out to see if they’re interested in a bundle. This is but a small gift we hope the lucky ones who get a hold of one of these will enjoy.

Thank you so much for your support!

-S&E Black

Greetings, Readers!

We are excited to announce that Fragments, our first entry of The Chimera Snare Series, is coming soon to Kickstarter. With this campaign, we aim to reflect the same kind of attention we put into our story into our presentation and release a quality product that you will enjoy and appreciate for many years to come. With PrintNinja at the helm for production, rest assured you will find that both the paperback and hardcover editions of Fragments will be of the utmost quality. Heavyweight stock will be utilized for the paperback cover, while tough, elegantly textured faux leather will be used for the hardcover, along with sleek, blacked-out edges. 

To Our Backers

We want to make sure that our Backers know how grateful we are that you helped bring this prokect to life. Eached named backer will receive a 'thank you' in out book's credits. After all, we couldn't have done this without you!

The Importance of Small Businesses

We are passionate about supporting small businesses and believe in the collaborative nature of bringing something truly unique into fruition - that is essentially how both The Chimera Snare series and Clay Urn Publishing came to be. For this reason, we have partnered with the following small businesses to generate some of the specialty offerings that we are including in select bundles for this campaign:

Firelight Fables Candle Co.

From the lush, beautiful regions of Oregon, Firelight Fables Candle Co. shares our affinity for fantasy storytelling and creates top-tier custom candles with an unmatched level of care and attention to detail. Kasey has honored us with a custom "Delavine Crystal" scented candle made from coconut-apricot wax for a clean burn. Perfect for creating the appropriate ambiance to transport you to a magical world.

Mystical Outpost

Based in Rochester, IN, Mystical Outpost offers a plethora of high-quality products ranging from hand-dipped incense and custom fragrances to hand-made candles and jewelry. On offer in this campaign is a pack of twenty-five incense sticks with a custom unique scent.

Fredricksburg Essentials

Straight out of the heart of Texas Hill Country, Fredricksburg Essentials specializes in producing premium bath products made with all-natural ingredients. They have created a custom luxurious soap bar for us emblazoned with our Triple Moon glyph - exclusive to this campaign.

 

International Reach

Naturally, we want this book to land in as many hands as possible. Thus, we aim to keep the pricing for international shipping as reasonable as possible. For that reason, each of our reward packages will be shipped with an appropriate flat-rate for every country across the globe.

 

A Big Thank You In Advance

Simply saying that your support means the world to us barely begins to convey the level of appreciation for our backers. You're effectively taking part in breathing life into the dream that started this all for Shannon many years ago and helping the two of us tell the fully realized story that The Chimera Snare: Fragments was meant to be.

With the success of this campaign, not only will we unleash this story of adventure, magic, and suspense unto the world, but this will further propel us into releasing the forthcoming volumes that encompass this epic of otherworldly proportions.

This is only the beginning...

 

With thanks and appreciation,

S&E Black

...By the way - Though we live in an age of targeted advertising and constant promotion through social media, we are nonetheless firm believers in the method of word-of-mouth to spread news as well. We encourage everyone to utilize all social media avenues available to help make our presence known but also remember to engage with family and friends face-to-face. Share our story, and make this dream something more than fiction for us.