Writing and thumbnails.

I have currently finished the writing for the creature book, which includes the introductory and world-building chapters, plus all of the in-depth descriptions for each of the creatures.

Here is a sample of one of the creature descriptions and how each of them is set out.

Brain Bird. 

Stats.

Name—Brain Bird.
Other names – Bird-in-the-hand, hypnowl.
Height – 5-6”
Wingspan – 9”.
Hidden form—Northern pygmy owl.
Lifespan—4 years.
Tier – 4.

Appearance.

A very small and rotund bird. It appears white with black markings which contrast vastly with its massive, near-fluorescent eyes that are always a range of different colours. Each bird has different eyes from the next and it is not uncommon for these birds to be heterochromatic in eye colour.

Description.

The brain bird is perhaps the best parasite you will ever have. This creature will pick a host who is particularly hopeless in its decision making and will begin infiltrating its mind. First, it will read the host’s thoughts and deduce how they go about making decisions. Next it begins to take those decisions and control the mind of its host into making better decisions. As a result, the host becomes completely dependent on the bird to make every decision for it since it only ever brings the host good fortune. In return, the bird gets protection and an easy way of feeding itself. This forced symbiosis can indeed have its perks, but it is also risky business for both the bird and its host. The host may die if the bird spontaneously decides to leave or the host may be too strong willed to be controlled by the bird. In a worst case scenario, a host may out-smart the bird by tricking it into thinking that it has control, then suddenly turn and eat the bird itself. Sometimes the brain bird doesn’t know what is best for itself even if it knows what is best for you.

There are many wild stories about this tiny yet troublesome bird. Some people have kick-started their careers with its help, others have had a brief four years of good fortune only to lose everything once their bird dies. One man bought multiple brain birds from the black market to push his luck to its limit, only to find that the birds kept trying to override each other and eventually started sabotaging each other’s efforts, resulting in the man’s eventual death when he tripped over a black cat and fell down a manhole. The cat was not hurt.

On encountering.

Try not to meet its gaze as that is how it can access your thoughts. It is also best not to strike up a conversation with the bird since it may try to convince you into letting out more information than you should. I would recommend dull small talk since such a smart bird doesn’t appreciate such mindless conversation. However if you really feel like your luck is all but run out, maybe it would be worth letting it fix your life, only if things really can’t get any worse for you.  

A bird in the bush is best left in its place, its stare’s worth a rise and fall from grace.

I have also set out some thumbnail concepts for other illustrations that will be featured in the book to give a better idea of how the book will look.