For anyone out there who has been following my work for a while, you may have noticed the addition of a co-author on the Draakonor book covers. This change is something I’ve been considering for a while now, and something I really should have done at the start.
Douglas Shuler is a well-known illustrator who has been painting professionally for over 30 years and worked for numerous game and media companies, including TSR, Wizards of the Coast, Lucasfilm, Paramount Pictures and the Sci-Fi Channel. He is probably best known for his work on Magic: The Gathering, but Doug has worked in numerous arenas, including creating art for comics and book covers. More to the point, Doug is the extraordinary talent behind all of the book covers in The Draakonor Chronicles series.
However, Doug’s skills are not limited to art. He is also a master storyteller with a wicked gift for putting characters into uncomfortable and potentially lethal situations. Doug and I met through a mutual friend nearly 20 years ago and since then I have spent at least one day a month hanging out in his basement consuming large quantities of sugary soft drinks and potato chips, and playing all manner of role-playing games.
The Draakonor Chronicles is loosely based on a long running game I participated in over the course of about four years. All of these games were plotted and developed by Doug, with a little help from others, and which he presided over as Dungeon Master. In short, I may be the one writing the stories but much of the plot and overarching structure of the tale are Doug’s creation. So, it seems only fair we should share credit on the covers. If you’d like to learn more about Doug and his art, check out his website. You can also find him on Facebook at Douglas Shuler Illustrations, or on Instagram @douglasshuler_illustrations.