The Strongest in the Forest pt3

On By Jayde HolmesIn World of Green and Black

Guess what? The Strongest in the Forest is finally complete on my website! READ IT HERE! or START FROM THE BEGINNING

A human figure wearing bamboo-weave armour, a helmet, and a small braid amongst long dark hair stands atop a dilapidated tower holding a swords whilst facing a massive six-limbed dragon-like creature that is holding on to the railing and digging into the side of the tower with its back claws and a spike at the end of the long bony centre limbs that serve as support for membrane wings. The wing membrane stretches from the back of the front leg to the end of the tail, where eight tail flukes hold the membrane into position. The dragon-like creature and the human are glaring at each other.

I am so excited that this story has finally gone out into the world. This world is special to me, but it’s also always felt a bit far out there, both in terms of the Drid’s and the scope I want with this series. I really hope everyone has as much fun in this world as I have been having.

For this story in particular, I was just really excited every step of the way. Partly because it is an origin story of sorts for Neighbour, showing how Strongest came to feel the way she does about humans in that story. Also, I was really interested in this idea because its hard to find opportunities to write first contact stories between alien species, without futuristic or even modern technology to help them. Also, I really liked a lot of the drawings I did. Sky-dominators have always been quite intimidating to draw, and even when I did draw a human, I pushed myself with the clothes textures. I’m so happy with how everything turned out though, and I hope all this work can make some people out there happy.

Speaking of work, I posted so much this month. I’m going to take a break from Strongest next month, before I make a book cover and compile everything into an ebook. I do have a couple of big announcements coming up though, and of course the Locus Award finalists will be announced soon, if they haven’t already by the time this post is published. So, you will hear from me, just not as much as you have this month. I may skip the featured creature post, but that will depend on how some other projects I’m working on go. I am also upgrading the site so that all World of Green and Black content will have its own page. Maybe you’ll find some secrets over there.

Either way, go and enjoy The Strongest in the Forest for now. If you would prefer to read it as an ebook, that should be available in around two months. The ebook will remain free, but I do have a Buy me a Coffee page now if you want to support my work.

I’ll see you all again very soon with more news.

~ Jayde

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