I hadn't thought much about what would happen at the end of Linked, so when I decided to wrap up a loose end after the story was done with an epilogue, it was with the intention of leaving the story alone. Little did I know that the book would become an unexpected series. The image was a combination of three captures. One was a cliff, another a sky pic I took and the last, the truck. All were brought together with so much effort that it could have taken less time using a pen and paper. Ah, experience...

The chapter image I crafted was to depict the enormity of the Saint Bernard in comparison to the kitten. I think the kitten seemed to become a bit of a ghost in the end even though I worked the colors and shades for long hours. I still like the image and the chapter. It emphasizes how size doesn't equal helplessness against larger challenges.

I took this image and merged a few different backgrounds to finalize it. The solitude of Tommy is what I wanted to emphasize. He has gifts that have become a curse with nightmares looming at every corner. I recall long ago, the same emotional turmoil. Childhood: The most difficult time that stays with us throughout our lives.

I struggled with this one and tried many ways of depicting the scene. Finally, I had to settle for a simpler representation as Tommy faces the nightmare image of his own personal Boogey Man who refuses to stay dead. As with most traumas in life, the best way to overcome them is to confront the source.

I find it most difficult to end the life of a beloved character and had the worst time getting through this chapter. I finally ironed out the scene and made it as clear as I could, leaving out only a few details about the past that I can provide in a later book. Rather than make the chapter image one of horror or gore, I wanted to make it as clean as possible, revealing the scene in two simple images that are revealed in the story. A gun and a bed sheet.

This illustration took me the longest to do and continues to be one I want to work at. Tommy gets to don a disguise for the first time and I had fun coming up with a way to conceal his identity. What better way to let a child become the hero than to don a disguise and venture forth into the world?

I completed this book in Word and managed to populate the graphics using the graphic editing tools of the program. I liked using the alterations to make images look like home photos or mementos of vacations taken. Making an alley pic was a challenge but when I added Tommy, it all came together. Funny how that works sometimes.

The climax of the book was harrowing to say the least. I had to end a character I built up for most of the book and I had to introduce a couple more that had their own dilemmas to handle. Putting James in the chapter image was a decision I am proud of. He made many wrong choices throughout the book but came through in the end. Gotta love that.