Cover illustration for an upcoming novel set in Abigail Hilton’s Hunters Unlucky universe. The cresia cat Roup gazes over a snowy mountain landscape as the novel takes us into a hitherto unexplored part of Lidian.
If you’re unfamiliar with Hunters Unlucky, you can download a free 4.5 hour audiobook sample here. If you’re familiar and want to read more about these characters, you can enjoy this collection of short stories until the trio of new novel(la)s are published.
Updates are posted on the author’s Patreon. Buy Hunters Unlucky and other works directly from the author on her website.
I finished Arcove’s Bright Side a few days ago, for which this is the cover art. :) It is 3.5X the length of “Distraction.” Oy. This one got away from me, guys; it’s a proper novel. Lots of run-run-run-fight-fight-fight, little bit of kiss-kiss-kiss.
Also, many (to me) hilarious situations. Like Storm leaving his foal in the care of Arcove, Roup, and Halvery (because they seem like the best babysitters?) A reprise of Halvery’s chase from the original novel with some role reversal. Roup outsmarting everyone, including himself. Moashi’s relentless certainty that Halvery is his friend in the face all evidence (OK, not *all* evidence, just what usually comes out of Halvery’s mouth).
Birthday gift for @alhilton of Tzu and Felbane in the nestbox before the events of the short story Fly. I’ve drawn the same characters before over here.
Speculative headcanons for Hunters Unlucky, I plan on revisiting these as I made them before finishing the book, I have new ideas, and I’m due for some anatomy studies
eBook now on pre-order hereandhere, and the paper book is available now. :)
This is what comes after Hunters Unlucky. It leads into two more novels, but they won’t make sense without Lullaby. Here’s what the book includes:
On the eve of Charder’s age-related death, ten years after the events in the Hunters Unluckynovel, Arcove comes to tell Charder goodbye. Their conversation sparks a chain of events that will have a profound impact on the rest of the island, as well as on Arcove personally. “Lullaby” appears for the first time in this collection.
The collection also includes two other Hunters Universe stories, which were previously published individually. “Awake” occurs two years after the end of the novel. Keesha is roused from his winter torpor by a surprise visitor to the Dreaming Sea. Arcove has a problem, and he needs Keesha’s help.
“Water in the Desert” occurs seven years after the events in novel. Sauny is leading her own herd of ferryshaft with Valla as her beta. When a creasia from Treace’s old clutter carries away a live foal, Sauny and Valla chase after him through the arid wastes and slot canyons of the Southern Mountains. Their task seems relatively simple. However, dark secrets lurk in those hills, and the price of rescuing one foal may be higher than anyone imagined.
Magnificent cover art by @ikrutt, lovely design by Jeff McDowall.
All of my cover illustrations for Abigail Hilton ( @alhilton ) for her upcoming novels and novellas set in the Hunters Unluckyuniverse. Highly recommend this series for any animal epic or xenofiction fan.
Listen to afree 4.5 hour sample here, or buy the audiobook + ebook directly from the author here. Check out the author’s websiteorPatreon, too.
“Instead of dropping to the deck, however, Anaroo put one glossy black hoof on the quarterdeck bulwark. She made a striking target with her black and white fur and skin, her red coat billowing around her.[…]In one fluid movement, Anaroo plucked an arrow from her quiver and drew back the bow. There was a beat like a dancer’s pause—not hesitation, just practiced rhythm. Then the bow thrummed and one of the riders jerked backwards off his griffin, as though punched by an invisible fist.”
The Scarlet Albatross, Book 3 of the Pirates of Wefrivain series by Abigail Hilton (@alhilton)
I felt like drawing a curb, the intelligent thylacine-like creatures from @alhilton‘sHunters Unlucky universe, next to one of my oppies, which also take some (albeit looser) inspiration from thylacines.
They must have figured out some way to communicate and find some common ground, or else this encounter would probably end very badly for the oppy!
(I was considering drawing an oppy with similar colors to the curb, because there are oppies with similar thylacine colors, but then I remembered I intended this specific oppy for universe hopping shenanigans. I might name him Yarrow, sort of after the plant? But I am open to suggestions.)
“Distraction” audiobook is finished, and boy did Rish nail this one. I included “Hungry” as a bonus story at the end. He had to age Roup and Arcove down to teenagers. Which he did perfectly.
Additionally, I now have signed copies in my paper book store. The cover by Iben Krutt is gorgeous. I particularly like the way their whiskers glow. You can also order the paperback directly from the Zon. That last option is particularly good if you want paper, but you’re international.
Reading order for this series is:
Hunters Unlucky Lullaby Distraction Arcove’s Bright Side
