The Skin Map book review

The Skin Map by Stephen Lawhead is the first book in the new Bright Empires Trilogy. Imagine Narnia merged with Hitchhiker’s Guide, and you have a starting point for the adventures of Kit Livingstone. Lawhead’s writing expertise shines in this story. Great characterization at a good pace make the book an enjoyable read with the only downside being the abrupt ending (expected in the first act of a trilogy, but still sudden).
One of the high points of the book includes the excellent language used in the different time periods. Lawhead does a great job of showing the acclimation process as characters move across settings. Another bonus is the best descriptive writing I can recall reading from any author. When the setting changes, Lawhead sets the scene with perfection. The settings are vivid with the right amount of detail. The reader feels transported to the location, not just through descriptions of the scenery but also through depictions of smells and sounds surrounding the characters.
The Skin Map is published by Thomas Nelson and for that reason I expected a more direct Christian theme or allegory. Instead, it avoids the transparent messages. If you’re looking for a Biblical allegory, I think it’s there under the surface, but the characters don’t extrapolate on it. If you’re looking for an entertaining, well-crafted story, I recommend The Skin Map.
A complimentary copy of The Skin Map was provided through BookSneeze for the purpose of review. BookSneeze.com the book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review.

Ramone Cologne's First Comic Con Appearance

The first annual Kokomo Con was a good time, and I met some great new people. And they met Ramone for the first time! It was nice to see other creators' works as well, and Ramone's table was right next to a young lady who did a couple of amazing paintings during the convention. You can visit Ashleigh Noelle's page here: www.anoelle.com Her portfolio isn't online yet, but she's working on updating it soon.

Skunkified - Ramone Cologne Style

The Kokomo Con is this Saturday and I've been working on mini-painting collector cards for the convention. "Iconic Characters - Skunkified" is the theme I'm working with, and I've discovered that almost any character can be turned into a skunk, with fun results. Here's one example. If you're at the convention be sure and stop by the Ramone Cologne table and pick up skunk-versions of your favorite characters. There are plenty of surprises and custom paintings available. See you there!

KickStarting Ramone Cologne Comic, Issue 1

The creative folks over at Kickstarter.com have approved Ramone's proposal to share his biography with the world. If the pledge goal is reached, Ramone Cologne, Issue 1 - A Skunk's Tale, will be published, and skunks will get some much-needed respect.

In the process, you can get cool rewards for your pledges, including having your name in the comic, a character named after you in the Ramone comic strip, and exclusive paintings and pages. Check out the Ramone project site at: http://kck.st/dtpP6G
Even if you're unable to make a pledge, you can see some of the finished pages at the site. Stay tuned as every day brings Ramone closer to his goal. Thanks!

Ramone Cologne @ KokomoCon 2010

This month, Ramone Cologne will appear at his first convention, the Kokomo Con in Indiana! If you're attending the convention, be sure and stop by the Ramone table for comic strip collections, original paintings and sketches, not just of Ramone, but some of your other favorite characters, too. The big event is Saturday, October 23. See you there.

http://www.kokomocon.com/