Fierce Middle Grade Fantasy Reads
Earlier this week, I shared how I found Eoghan Kerrigan, the talented illustrator of Zaria Fierce and the Secret of Gloomwood Forest. Below is his illustration of our plucky heroine, Zaria Fierce.
Isn’t she gorgeous? I love her!
To learn more about Eoghan Kerrigan, check out his Facebook page, Deviant Art Profile, and his blog, Under the Bridge.
A: I was looking for troll art on Google Image Search. It started with John Bauer and then I thought I saw someone emulate his style on Deviant Art.
When I got to Deviant Art I did not find the piece that I remembered, but I did find a few artists that I liked better with their own drawing styles. From there, I scoured multiple profile pages, Etsy accounts, blogs, personal websites, Facebook, and more to learn more about these artists and their work.
Then I reached out to the few I liked best to see if they were open about commission work. Of the artists I reached out to I really hoped Eoghan Kerrigan would be interested in working with me. He was! And I am so thrilled with every sketch he’s shared with me. It’s so much fun to see the book come alive. I am truly grateful to have such a talented artist illustrate my book.
To learn more about Eoghan Kerrigan, check out his Facebook page, Deviant Art Profile, and his blog, Under the Bridge.
Check out his illustrations of Zaria and Zaria and Olaf for the book.
John Bauer (1882-1912) is a Swedish painter known for his work in an annual compilation of Swedish fairy tales. His artwork is magical and earthy. Each panel tells a story with rich and exquisite imagery. Below are some examples of his work that influenced Zaria Fierce and the Secret of Gloomwood Forest.
Visit the Jönköpings läns museum to see John Bauer’s work in person.
I love to doodle when I’m thinking about a particular part in the book. It helps me to plot and it’s a great way to get over writer’s block. This first doodle is a drawing I completed in ink and highlighter. It showcases a map-like version of how the ellefolken, elves, and Queen Helena work together to overcome darkness. The blue Post-it is a doodle of Zaria wearing a crown.
I found these trolls on a trip to Europe in Bratislava, Slovakia. When I needed inspiration for Zaria Fierce and the Secret of Gloomwood Forest I would pull up these photos.
Can you guess which one inspired Olaf?
