In this high-energy episode of the Grendhill Chronicles, I sit down with Blake and Raven Penn, co-authors of The Skystone Chronicles. They delve into their Epic Fantasy series, the collaborative writing process, and how screenwriting and illustration play integral roles in their storytelling.
➤Episode Highlights:
- The Skystone Chronicles: A YA fantasy blending Eragon, Mistborn, and Avatar: The Last Airbender, featuring dragons, magic, and intricate world-building.
- Writing Partnership: Raven excels at character arcs and story flow, while Blake focuses on action scenes and world-building. Their combined strengths create a seamless storytelling experience.
- Illustration & Design: Raven illustrates their books, from cover art to in-world guides, using Procreate on her iPad. She also created their custom font for formatting text and images.
- Collaborative Outlining: With detailed planning and creative compromise, they navigate disagreements to craft satisfying plot twists and endings.
- Audiobook Narration: As trained voice actors, they perform their own audiobooks, with Blake voicing male characters and Raven voicing female ones, adding authenticity and energy.
➤Fun Behind-the-Scenes Tidbits:
- Blake and Raven met at BYU (where I also went to school!) while studying screenwriting and discovered their shared passion for storytelling.
- Dragons play a central role in their series, with draconic animals and unique dragon-human hybrids called Drakai.
- They balance writing with parenting their young children, often outlining stories during car rides or nap times.
➤Connect with Blake and Raven Penn:
- Website: www.skystonechronicles.com
- Instagram: Blake & Raven Penn
- X: https://x.com/BlakeRavenPenn
- Explore The Skystone Chronicles (on Amazon).
➤Next Week’s Episode: A follow-up with Blake and Raven Penn, featuring listener-submitted questions.
➤Weekly Book Giveaway:
- Last week’s winner: Tillysworld. (See my Discord server.) Congratulations! Take your pick from the menu at https://grendhill.media/prizes/ .
- The new Question of the Week: If you could have dinner with one fantasy character, who would it be and why?
- Enter in the Discord server by guessing a number (1–1,000). Add a letter for a chance to win two books!
➤Kickstarter Update: The final promised song for Don’s Nightshade Unicorn Kickstarter is delayed until mid-March due to travel and unforeseen events.
➤Stay Connected:
- Discord Server: Join the conversation, answer the question of the week, and enter the giveaway.
- Support the Podcast: Ko-fi Supporters gain exclusive perks like early announcements and behind-the-scenes updates.
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Announcements:
➤ Win Free Books: Head to my Discord server ( https://discord.gg/HvQZeG2AWu ), answer the “Question of the Week,” and guess a number between 1 and 1,000. For a bonus prize, guess a letter of the alphabet for a chance to win two signed books instead of one! See the full “menu” here, but check back again later—it’s growing: https://www.grendhill.media/prizes/
➤ Authors, join the giveaway: If you’re an author and you’d like to reach more readers, I’m willing to buy your book when a contest winner chooses it. Please fill out my Google Form ( https://forms.gle/XKTy7Sg8H9pENm8p7 ) to have your book considered for the “menu.”
➤ Upcoming Conventions:
- FenCon in Dallas (Valentine’s Day weekend).
- StoryCon in Salt Lake City (February 21–22).
- Another convention the following weekend – I’ll announce it next week!
➤ Book Promo: I’m participating in a clean fantasy eBook giveaway on BookFunnel, until February 17th. See the giveaway here: https://books.bookfunnel.com/epicspeculativefiction/3elgh3hok5 .
➤The Grendhill Chronicles Podcast is brought to you by my YA Epic Fantasy series “Nightshade Unicorn,” written under the pen name T.S. Pedramon. You can purchase it on Amazon or elsewhere, or directly from me at https://www.grendhill.media/ (and get it signed, too). And you can really help out by leaving a comment on Amazon or on Goodreads. It helps other people find my books and join the journey!
➤My Nightshade Unicorn books (1 & 2) are available on Amazon, or you can grab signed copies directly from me at www.grendhill.media.
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Book 1, Forerunner:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CVW6CBV9/
Direct: https://www.grendhill.media/
Purchase links everywhere else: https://books2read.com/NightshadeUnicorn-1
Book 2, Guardian:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DFFZFZDZ
Direct: https://www.grendhill.media/
Purchase links everywhere else: https://books2read.com/NU2
Find me online:
Author Page: https://www.pedramon.com/
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/GrendhillChron/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grendhillchronicles/
Discord: https://discord.gg/HvQZeG2AWu
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