Author Christa Kinde and illustrator Anna Early collaborate on Angels All Around, a prequel to the Threshold Series.
On the surface, everything's quiet. Peaceful as a summer day. Mrs. Naomi Pomeroy and her children are running errands on Main Street—post office, bakery, library, bookstore, pharmacy. Seven-year-old Prissie and her brothers only see what any of us would expect from a small town. But there's more going on than meets the eye, for an invisible battle rages around them.
Angels All Around is a Threshold Series prequel that takes readers back seven years, to that providential summer day when little Miss Prissie Pomeroy first meets the town's brand new mailman. Readers of The Blue Door will recognize two of West Edinton's angels-incognito, Harken Mercer and Milo Leggett. But what makes this story especially special is that it crosses over with Rough and Tumble, the Threshold Series companion story that updates every weekday on my website.
There's a natural overlap. Rough and Tumble follows the adventures—and misadventures—of a young Guardian named Ethan, the newest member of the Hedge surrounding the Prissie's family's farm. He's Zeke Pomeroy's guardian angel, and as Angels All Around opens, Ethan is distracted by worries for his little charge. So much so, that he doesn't react quickly enough when the Fallen swarm out of the shadows and attack.
Pain seared across Ethan’s senses as the first dart
caught him right above the knee. Barbed bolts
fizzed through the air, a rain of blackened thorns.
Every author wants their readers to see the scenes in a story as they unfold. Usually, we trust our words to kindle the imagination, but I was delighted by Zonderkidz's decision to bring in an illustrator. Anna Earley and I had already worked together a few times in the past. In fact, her early sketches of Conrad and Ethan ended up influencing how other artists depict my angelic cast.
Back in January 2012, when I first commissioned Anna to create Blade of a Master, I was gratified when she complimented my take on angels' wings. But to my chagrin, she dubbed their raiment "boring," and set out to liven things up. That's why her Ethan's cowl doesn't quite conform to the storyline. But I really liked the sashes she gave my warriors, so I wrote them in. They're canon now. I enjoy giving artists the leeway to interpret a character or scene. You could look at it as having faith in their creativity. Author and artist both bring unique skills to the table. We're working together to bring the story to life for readers. It's teamwork!
Faith, trust, and cooperation also happen to be strong themes in Angels All Around. The story unfolds from three different perspectives. Prissie is an ordinary little girl, with a child's insights and innocence. Ethan is a guardian angel, whose every instinct tugs him to be there for Zeke. And Milo is the newly-grafted Messenger who suddenly realizes how tough it is to be caught in the middle. As the Faithful battle the Fallen, all three of them must have faith in someone other than themselves. And ultimately, they must place their trust in God.
Trusting a teammate—even his mentor Conrad—with
his charge’s safety was probably the most
difficult lesson Ethan had learned since being Sent
to guard little Zeke. It was more accurate to say
it was a lesson he was still learning.
At first blush, it's a simple equation. Christa's words + Anna's art = AMAZINGNESS. But we thought it would be fun to break down that process for you. Because any time you put two creative minds together, stuff happens. And some of it's pretty funny.
Let's take a for instance! The first illustration in Angels All Around began as a single line from me: "Vignette #1 – Trumble wrapping Ethan's leg with his sash while shouting orders." Of course, I also provided Anna with character descriptions, setting notes, and photo references. And she responded with an initial sketch, line art, and flat colors. At every stage, we were turning up in each others' inboxes. Questions. Corrections. Requests. Clarifications. "Which of Ethan's legs is wounded? Could you toss his sword onto the grass instead? Did you know some varieties of trees have red leaves in summer? Can you lighten Ethan's hair? Think caramel!"
I think the funniest kerfuffle with this first piece is plain to see. What I took for the inward curve of Trumble's right wing, Anna intended for the trunk of the tree. Whoops? Since my mental image of Ethan leaning into Trumble's protection was too strong to un-see, Anna graciously humored me.
Throughout Angels All Around, there's a stark contrast between the visible and invisible. Everything's sweetness and light, princes and perfection from Prissie's perspective. She's blind to the enemy and deaf to their threats. But Milo is keenly aware of the danger he's in. I think Anna captured this duality beautifully in the story's third illustration. Look closely. Do you see what Prissie cannot?
Finally, Anna and I included something fun. There's a game of hide-and-seek underway, and readers are invited to join in. Every illustration includes a yahavim, one of Christa's tiny, fairy-like angels. In the Threshold Series, these little guys are heaven's manna-makers. We hope you'll enjoy the hunt … the story … and the series!
Author's Note…
Christa Kinde's Threshold Series begins in Book 1: The Blue Door. Prissie never expected to stumble into an adventure on her way to the mailbox. Invisible doors, angels in disguise, kidnapped comrades, demonic minions, divine messengers, sword fights, winged rescuers, shared dreams, and apple pie. Book 2: The Hidden Deep releases on April 23, 2013! Rough and Tumble, the companion story about Ethan and the other guardian angels who surround the Pomeroy family updates every weekday on Christa's website. Angels All Around is available now and FREE to download!
Christa Kinde, Storyteller | Anna Earley Illustration
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