Chris Howard

Doing a little drawing and painting at lunch. Started this in Procreate--a while ago, but now doing most of the work in Photoshop on the XP Pen Artist Pro tablet. #coverart #bookcoverdesign #digitalart

Backyard astro: another narrowband shot of the Tulip Nebula Sh2-101 in Hydrogen-alpha, 60x5-minute exposures stacked in PixInsight, rotated to look more like a tulip. SH2-101 is 6000 lightyears away, a short hop over on the Orion arm of the Milky Way galaxy. #astrophotography #astronomy #narrowband

Possibly my favorite Cardiacs album, On Land and in the Sea, but since no one’s making me choose one, I won’t. This is the 2025 Vinyl remaster of the 1989 album in blue vinyl, which does make it extra special. This just arrived in the mail! #cardiacs #OnLandAndInTheSea #blueVinyl

The Tulip in Hydrogen-alpha: Tulip Nebula Sh2-101 and the surrounding HII region in Cygnus, centered on the open star cluster NGC 6871. 60x300-second subs, 5 hours total integration time. Location: backyard, coastal New Hampshire, US. #astrophotography #astronomy #nightsky #ZWOAM5 #williamoptics

The Space Cat was already set up and ready to go, so that's what I'm imaging with tonight. William Optics SpaceCat51 and the ZWO AM5 EQ in the backyard. I have the ZWO ASI2600MM-Pro Mono camera, 3nm narrowband 48mm filter set on tonight #WilliamOptics #SpaceCat #ZWOAM5 #astrophotography #astronomy

Red-tailed Hawk on our backyard fence, just hangin’ out, looking for squirrels. The sun is finally out and I’m going to set up my astro gear in a bit. Nikon D750, 300mm f/5.6. #backyardwildlife #redtailedhawk #wildlife #wildlifephotography

Looks like we might have some clear night skies Saturday and Sunday, and I'll be out with the Apertura Carbonstar 150 (600mm focal length, F/4) and the #ZWO ASI2600MM-Pro monochrome camera. #astrophotography #nightsky

Join my mailing list! Sign up for writing and art updates, audiobook previews, book news, book review copies, giveaways, comics, ttrpgs, and other cool stuff. Find out more about book 2 in the Root Sorcerer Chronicles and related stories. Join here: chrishowardwriter.com #newsletter #booklovers 🔭📚

My two red mangrove trees continue to grow well in my 16g Waterbox mixed reef aquarium--zoanthids, a couple acros, moniporas and a two different leptoseris SPS. #reef #reeftank #mangroves

Read Thornfall now! I posted 15 sample chapters of Thornfall. Click on the Thornfall cover: chrishowardwriter.com
#booklaunch #cozyfantasy #gaslamp #optimisticfantasy 📚🎉

Thornfall wallpaper is here! Decorate your phone, tablet, and desktop with Thornfall cover art.
chrishowardwriter.com/wallpaper
#booklaunch #cozyfantasy #gaslamp #optimisticfantasy

Thornfall is officially out in ebook, paperback, and hardcover!
Find out more: chrishowardwriter.com
#BookRecommendations #BookLaunch2025 #booklaunch 📚🎉

Seaborn Special Edition? What do you think? And perhaps it includes a Deep Sea Creatures First Day Cover with a 33¢ stamp postmarked in Monterey, California, issue date, October 2, 2000—that you can Use as a bookmark? #bookrecommendations #specialeditionbooks #mermaid 🧜‍♀️

Final Thornfall cover for the hardcover edition, the "rootstone cover". Find out more about Thornfall and other books: chrishowardwriter.com
#CoverReveal #bookcoverdesign #booklaunch

Final Thornfall cover for the trade paperback and ebook editions. I went with pencils and paint, looking like the covers I painted four or five years ago. Art Rage & Procreate is what I'm most comfortable with, so that's usually where you'll find me #bookcover #booklaunch
chrishowardwriter.com

One of the neighborhood bobcats frolicking in our backyard. #bobcat #nhwildlife

One of my favorites from the art I created for the Seaborn Tabletop RPG. I started it in 2020, sort of a pandemic project. I never released it, but I wrote and tested an entire d20-based RPG Of course, the Seaborn are all #Cardiacs fans. #ttrpg #dungeonsanddragons #pbta #games #tabletopgames

Audiobook recording setup. I'm testing out the new mic on the desk but not going to record here. Using a new Rode NT1 Signature Series mic plugged into my Arturia MiniFuse 2 audio/MIDI interface. I really liked my old Audio Technica AT2020 but I'll get over it. #audiobooks

I designed new cards and had them printed ahead of Readercon, pointing to the new site, chrishowardwriter.com Also got a bit creative with the QR code, a little watercolor fill and rounding the corners. #authorsite #booksite #websitelaunch #books 📱📚

Hittin' the wildflower buffet at 2 in the morning. A short clip from the far backyard cam. #wildlife #deer #buck #wildlifecamera

Our backyard groundhog Jolene brought her two chucklings near the house today. They're tiny versions of mom, snarfing through the grass, and exploring the area. #groundhog #wildlife

MAPS! I have maps! Seven months to get this right. I wanted a vintage watercolor look to give it the feel of a hand-tinted plate torn from the pages of an old history book. Color map will go in the ebook, grayscale in the print editions. ChrisHowardWriter.com #bookrelease #fantasymap #map #bookart

Looking for a bit more optimism in your next fantasy read? I got you. Thornfall. July 11th. #booklaunch #newbookalert #reading

27 Pack of 2-inch Net Pot Holders is Perfect for Soilless Farming and Indoor Plant Cultivation. Fit Snugly On 4inch PVC Pipes. Made in USA. Amazon.com: NromBox 27 Pack of 2-inch Net Pot Holders is Perfect for Soilless Farming and Indoor Plant Cultivation. Fit Snugly On 4inch PVC Pipes. Made in USA. : Patio, Lawn & Garden

I bought them in February--27 for ~$40. Doesn't look like they're available anymore: www.amazon.com/dp/B0BXFWTCQ5 I think these are the same, sold through etsy: www.etsy.com/listing/1413...

Lettuce, Thai Basil, and Cilantro growing in the homemade hydroponics tower on the back deck. I built this out of 4 inch PVC pipe in April and it's doing well so far. We can just grab a few leaves for a sandwich or a few more for a salad. #hydroponics #gardening #diy #DIYGarden

Nothing like getting a little vitamin C on the back deck in the morning. Am I right?
Nikon D750, 300mm, f/5.6, 1/200exp.
#wildlife #chipmunk #backyardwildlife

Talking about Obojima yesterday, about this beautiful cozy and edgy island setting, I described it as playing D&D in a mix of Spirited Away, Star Dew Valley, with a splash of Curse of Strahd, and a nostalgic scattering of Tales from the Loop. Something like that. #Obojima #DnD5e Go play: obojima.com

Obojima's here! The physical book, map, and d20. I backed it on Kickstarter last September, and so good to have the actual book. Obojima: Tales From The Tall Grass is a 350+ page campaign setting for D&D--it's like playing D&D in a Studio Ghibli world.
#Dungeonsanddragons #Obojima #studioghibli

COVER REVEAL FOR THORNFALL! Cast your vote! Preference—just going off the front cover? The release date is July 11, 2025. #CoverReveal #bookcover #bookrelease #bookreview More: chrishowardwriter.com

Wanted to let everyone know that I have moved my site to chrishowardwriter.com I'll definitely keep SaltwaterWitch.com, but will probably narrow its scope to the Seaborn books.