This is the art I received for my main character.

In a space-age afterlife where your body (and some relevant aspects of your mind) is determined by what your psyche wants, Chris Foster becomes a very young child again so they can deal with trauma. Here they choose the name “Solemn” and embark on their personal journey of self-discovery, mental health tools, and what it means to have real, loving family for the first time.

But when political activists kill off the seraphs (the afterlife’s demigod social workers and keepers of the peace) it is up to Solemn— who for non-convoluted reasons has become a seraph themself— and their newfound family and others who will fight to restore the compassion and dignity of this afterlife.

My novel is in its third draft and it’s super rich and I love to talk about it any chance I get. Ask questions or offer to look at the public draft, please! 💙

  • memfree@beehaw.org
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    0
    ·
    8 months ago

    Why? Because – and while I applaud you paying someone to do the art – the art reminded me of Nazi Propaganda. I was saddened to see another idealized blonde haired, blue-eyed Jugend/baby getting elevated to special reigning status. Most of the world is dark haired and brown-eyed. Why give Nazis yet another piece of fiction to subtly push the zeitgeist into believing the abnormal caucus folk are better than the lower masses?

    Less related, but stylistically similar: https://germangirlinamerica.com/history-hummel-figurines/

    • orphiebaby@lemm.eeOP
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      0
      ·
      edit-2
      8 months ago

      You know, I normally wouldn’t engage people like you, but all you’re doing is making me excited.


      List of some characters in my novel featuring an afterlife with everyone in it, in no particular order:

      Main: Chris Foster / Solemn Oliver. Born in Minnesota, a state which I live in

      Supporting: Chris’s social worker on Earth: African American male, lives in Minnesota


      Senna: Caucasian-looking female angel, “hair like the sun”, psychologist

      Ona: Asian-looking female angel, black hair, program coordinator

      Theeb: Middle-Eastern-looking male angel, black hair, attorney

      All three have stark white irisis, as seraphs do


      Main antagonist: Frank Callous: Caucasian male, born in 1840, fought for women’s rights in the US in 1870+. Is villain duo with his new wife


      Faraji: 11-year-old Tanzanian boy, on “orphan train” with Solemn

      Wai: 4-year-old Chinese girl, on “orphan train” with Solemn

      Callum: 13-month-old Scottish boy, on “orphan train” with Solemn

      All three cared for gently by Ona on the trip, and she speaks to Wai in Mandarin and to Faraji in Swahili


      Main: Lu Montsely. Caucasian female, Chris’s foster mom, strawberry-blonde hair, born in a Southern state (like my parents)

      Tony Oliver: Caucasian husband of Lu

      Kelly Vargas: Caucasian, sister to Lu

      Alejandro Vargas: Mexican-American, husband of Kelly

      Main: Jessi Vargas: Mexican-American 19-year-old, snarky ass-kicker, daughter of Kelly & Alejandro


      Alistair: African American male, best friend of Jessi

      Zoey: Caucasian female, redhead, born male on Earth, best friend of Jessi

      Samuel Salgado: South American man (unknown country), runs pet store on Nemesis, interesting info about vice vs. choice


      Mitzi: German woman, caregiver for regressees at her foster home

      Nikolai: Russian caretaker at Mitzi’s home

      Ms. Zuri: African caregiver at Mitzi’s home

      “Princess”: European, (unknown country), Caucasian girl, 5-year-old regressee

      Kimimila, “Kimmy” for short. Native American girl, intellectual, 12-year-old regressee

      Brandon: Tanned probably-American boy, 10, regressee


      Émeric: French man, liaison for Solemn’s family

      Villagers of Yéva Nol: Many of them proto-humans, as early as 50k to 100k years old. Dark-skinned, smart and awesome

      Enki: One of the villagers of Yéva Nol, Mesopotamian, super charismatic

      Nila: Indian young woman who lives in Yéva Nol, and Jessi’s new romantic interest. Talks about the benefits of both individualistic vs. collectivist social thinking


      Solemn themself is asexual, aromantic, and agender/gender-curious.

      Zoey is MtF trans and is writing a book on the “joys of gradual transitioning” instead of getting the body you want the moment you are reincarnated

      Jessi is lesbian