 E-books and e-publishing have really advanced in the last three decades. When I first entered this arena in 1998, e-books were the ugly stepsister of "real books". Fast-forward thirty years, and it's a whole different world now than those early pioneering days in the industry. Back in 2003, when e-books and e-publishing still hadn’t made much of an impact, I wrote an article called “Who Came First?” detailing the evolution of these fledgling endeavors. Reflecting on changes keeps history relevant. To that end, over the course of four weeks, I’ll be posting this four-part article.
Check out Part 2 here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2025/08/who-came-first-astounding-advances-in_0697897706.html If you missed Part 1, it’s here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2025/08/who-came-first-astounding-advances-in.html
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 Rosebud in Colored Pencil @Karen Wiesner I sketched this rosebud long ago. Today I did the colored pencil version of it.  Rosebud Sketch @Karen Wiesner
 Miss Hickory with Apple Black & White Sketch @Karen Wiesner  Corn Cob House in the Woods @Karen Wiesner This is from a favorite story of mine as a child. I love the amazing illustrations (lithography process that was black and white, never any color, which seems odd these days for a children’s book) and wanted to do a few of my own. TI love the lines and curves, the texture of the leaves and trees. The corn cob house was so much fun to draw--each texture and aspect.
 E-books and e-publishing have really advanced in the last three decades. When I first entered this arena in 1998, e-books were the ugly stepsister of "real books". Fast-forward thirty years, and it's a whole different world now than those early pioneering days in the industry. Back in 2003, when e-books and e-publishing still hadn’t made much of an impact, I wrote an article called “Who Came First?” detailing the evolution of these fledgling endeavors. Reflecting on changes keeps history relevant. To that end, over the course of four weeks, I’ll be posting this four-part article.
Check out Part 1 here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2025/08/who-came-first-astounding-advances-in.html  Watercolor Bouquet @Karen Wiesner 2025 I’m determined to figure out watercolor painting and to do it cheaply. I have the 99 cents kind I had in school as a kid. While neither of these are great, they were fun to do and practice is good. I learned some things. Hopefully want to continue this for a few days.  Watercolor Poppies @Karen Wiesner 2025  I've posted a new "Put This One on Your TBR List" review of The Starving Saints by Caitlyn Starling on the Alien Romances Blog.
Check it out here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2025/08/put-this-one-on-your-tbr-list-book.html  @Karen Wiesner, Colored Pencil Rendering Last week, I worked on a sketch that's children's book specific. After I had the black and white sketch done, I printed copies. Then I used the sketch to produce a watercolor rendering and a coloring pencil rendering of it. I'm severely limited when it comes to watercolors. I have no colors and I admit I don't care for basic, cheap, nonprofessional watercolor. The only kinds I like (of what I have) are the pearly kind. It took me two tries on that. When I first started, I was outlining everything with the few colors I had, adding dark highlights. That didn't work at all, so I started new and only put the lighter colors at first. Then I went back and added only a few darker lines. I think it looked much better that way. Ultimately, I like the colored pencil rendering best this time. I have a lot of colors and this just suited it. I may try this again next week with another page for a children's book.  @Karen Wiesner, Watercolor Rendering  @Karen Wiesner, Black and White Sketch Rendering  In an off-shoot of my Put This One on Your TBR List review series, Oldies But Goodies, this week I review Subseries 2: The Liveship Traders Trilogy (The Realm of the Elderlings) by Robin Hobb on the Alien Romances Blog.
Check it out here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2025/08/oldies-but-goodies-put-this-one-on-your_01614603765.html If you missed my initial reviews of other The Realm of the Elderlings offerings, find them here: The Realm of the Elderlings Series Overview by Robin Hobb: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2025/04/oldies-but-goodies-put-this-one-on-your_01079386185.html Subseries 1: The Farseer Trilogy (The Realm of the Elderlings) by Robin Hobb: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2025/05/oldies-but-goodies-put-this-one-on-your.html The Inheritance & Other Stories by Megan Lindholm/Robin Hobb: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2025/04/oldies-but-goodies-put-this-one-on-your.html “The Willful Princess and the Piebald Prince” and “Words Like Coins” (The Realm of the Elderlings) by Robin Hobb: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2025/05/oldies-but-goodies-put-this-one-on-your_02084389014.html  Copyright Karen Wiesner I was able to get some sketches in over the last month, these specifically intended for children's books. The results are mixed. I'll keep practicing.   Copyright Karen Wiesner  Copyright Karen Wiesner  New Book Release and Special, Limited-Time-Only Celebration Giveaway! EXILED HEARTS, Peaceful Pilgrims Series: Book 7 With three ex-wives, Avery Worchester has three kids he's only just started to get to know. Eight months ago, his best friend made him realize he needed to make changes. To start with, he broke up with the woman he'd been dating. Stella hated his kids, and the feeling was mutual. They had no idea she was pregnant at the time. Barely two weeks after the baby was born, Stella dumped Avery's newborn daughter on his doorstep, saying not to contact her. Ever. With nowhere to turn for help, Avery responds to an ad from a nanny looking for work. Jayne Eyre Huntington is strapped for cash, and Avery needs her help badly. Recently, Jayne learned she's the child of an asylum seeker from a country where Christianity is illegal. Her American parents adopted and raised her alongside their own daughter, who was jealous of any male attention Jayne was given. Like her fictional counterpart, Jayne always felt like second best and quickly learned to hide potential romantic relationships from her sabotaging, jealous sister. Soon, Jayne's existence is wrapped up in Avery and his precious baby girl along with his other, older children. Hiding her growing feelings for her employer--perhaps even from herself--seems the only course. Avery has proven himself to be anything but reliable and devoted to the women in his life, if his past is any indication. When a sensitive, passionate angel ventures into the miry wilds of love, what can her heart expect to meet beyond certain exile? Genre: Contemporary Inspirational Romance/Women’s Fiction ISBN: 978-1-922548-72-6 (ebook); 979-8294531843 (paperback) ASIN: B0FK5JYSDR Word Count: 88,259/336 pages Find out more and read an excerpt: https://www.writers-exchange.com/exiled-hearts/ https://karenwiesner.weebly.com/peaceful-pilgrims-series.html https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FKB739GS/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0 In celebration of EXILED HEARTS, Book 7, the final release in Karen Wiesner’s Peaceful Pilgrims Series, the first book, HOME, is free as a download for one week only (July 30-August 6 2025), exclusively from the publisher’s website. Check it out here: https://www.writers-exchange.com/home/   In an off-shoot of my Put This One on Your TBR List review series, Oldies But Goodies, this week I review The Codex by Douglas Preston on the Alien Romances Blog.
Check it out here: https://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2025/08/oldies-but-goodies-put-this-one-on-your.html |
AuthorWelcome to Karen's Quill, the blog of author Karen Wiesner. In addition to being a popular writing reference instructor and writer, professional blurbologist and freelance editor, Karen is the accomplished author of nearly 150 titles published in the past nearly 30 years, which have been nominated/won 134 awards, with 9 more releases contracted for spanning many genres and formats. Archives
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