Update 8: Above the Timberline

Wednesday, August 17th, 2016

Greg Manchess

This update finds me buried in work with about 25 paintings going at once, and about 32 left to go from scratch. Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking. Not gonna make it.

But just last week, I received a call from my editor, Joe, and he had some really good news for me.

He recalculated the production schedule for the book and it looks like we’ll still make the deadline. In fact, I gained about two extra months to finish up all the paintings plus the manuscript revisions! YES!!

The first thing I did was take the night off. Ate a slow dinner. Caught up on Season Two of Penny Dreadful, and hit the sack early. I was refreshed with new energy and excited to get back to work. I wanted to dive right back in the next day.

Even so, it means that I can’t really let up. I must stay on top and on target in case there are any problems for the production. It seems there’s always something that can go wrong or creep up.

So here’s a few in-progress pieces for you this time. Looks like I’ll be writing a few more updates, too. Hope you don’t mind. I’ll be back to “Ten Things…” soon!

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17 Comments

  1. Avatar

    I spy with my two eyes – Tim O'Brien!
    And the bottom portrait looks a bit like Dave Palumbo or Brad Kunkle?
    Where are 'you' Greg? 🙂

  2. Avatar

    Wow. That must feel like a huge weight off your shoulders! Love seeing the progressions on the paintings above.

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    Bingo! Yep, that's Tim, Donato….and Tim's son, Cassius, is my lead character, Wes (keeping it in the family). And that's the 'evil' Brad, playing my antagonist….

    I just didn't have a character for you to play this time, D! Hah!

    As for me….I'm nowhere in this book. Well….ok…..I am a few of the airmen in a couple of multi-figured scenes. I'm the 'everyman.' And generally not good at posing as a polar bear.

  4. Avatar

    Dude. That is crazy. I don't know how you do it with that schedule, but it's looking good so far!

  5. Avatar

    Dude. That is crazy. I don't know how you do it with that schedule, but it's looking good so far!

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    Your world has yet to have any bald white Asian guys. Breathing a sigh of relief along with you Greg.

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    Thanks, April!

    Hey Bill! I was actually thinking of you for one of the characters! I wish I had asked now. Would've been fun. But I'll be thinking of you for any future characters.

    Would you like to be a bad guy or a good guy?

    : )

  8. Avatar

    Man, I love those process pics. Good luck and I can't wait.

  9. Avatar

    Ooooh…. I could totally see Bill as either some wise Himalayan Monk, or an insane Mongolian villain.

  10. Avatar

    Thank you so much for these . . . there is so much helpful information in these sketches. Again, thanks.

  11. Avatar

    My thinking, too, Dan! My story jogs the expected cliches of characters, though, and rearranges cultures and race. It's a future Earth 1500 years after a Pole Shift, where all peoples have been traumatized and slammed together by rearranged continents…

    Crazy idea, but actually has science behind it.

  12. Avatar

    Insane Himalayan Villainous Monk

  13. Avatar

    Such amazing work Greg, thanks for sharing the journey! – cheering you on the whole way. I'll be making sure this is one of my son's first books to establish good taste from the get go 😉
    – Anthony Di Giovanni

  14. Avatar

    Wow, Anthony….I'll be honored!

    I hope it inspires many kids to write AND paint. Or is it the other way around? : )

    Greg