Hello Xyliacs!
Lots of things to report, so without further ado, let’s get going!
Today is the day we start voting for your favorite fan art candidate and favorite fan fiction candidate (there were only two in that category)! We will be taking votes all week until Sunday at noon CDT. Our winner will be announced next week!
Please go here to see the entries, and to vote: CONTEST
A big thanks to Kez for updating the archive! This will make reading Xylia a bit easier for those of you who are new to the story.
Today’s page. Well, I asked my pal over at TTF, Tom Racine, if he knew who my favorite illustrator is who inspired the first panel on this page. And he did! Which made me so happy. So do you know? Claude seems to have taken on a bit of a new look, hasn’t he? (I wonder how this is going to go over with the readers.) And it also heralds the triumphant return of our favorite Corgi. As you can see she’s huge- which means that magic must be allowed in Digonia again. I just think a bear sized Corgi would be too much fun.
Now for some news:
For a limited time (a few months) I am going to be doing extra page donation incentive like we had in the past. But this is different. We used to have an $800.00 monthly goal. This time, when the meter reaches $200.00, the following week there will be two updates- Monday AND Thursday! Please click the button to go to the donation center. You can choose from a variety of donation gifts, or you can set your own amount. Or you can purchase the Xylia nude image (if you are 18, of course)- all of these things will go to the total amount!
Thank you for sharing who your favorite Xylia character is in last week’s poll! Today I have kind of a marketing polling question- I’m considering creating a book of sketches and ideas from the creation of Xylia and Nigel’s Opus: a sketchbook with pencil drawings, concepts, out takes, thumbnails, and explanations of the process. I would be packaging it in ten page PDF installments for $5.00 each month. I wondered if any of you would find that interesting.
Please vote TWC. We are featuring a concept drawing from Nigel’s OpusI call Un Sospiro, 
There will be more sketches soon.
Thank you for reading!
Love, B
March 8th, 2009 at 10:16 pm
Awwww I love how Claudius looks
March 9th, 2009 at 3:04 am
Claudius looks…well…
…awesome.
March 9th, 2009 at 4:28 am
It’s nice to see Claude smiling for a change! Love his new costume.
March 9th, 2009 at 5:02 am
This is the first time he has ever really smiled in the story. Did you know that?
I’m glad that the change isn’t too much of a shock.
~B
March 9th, 2009 at 5:09 am
I’m usually not one for facial hair, but I kinda like Claude scruffy. Ditto on the smiley Claude, too. The boy deserves a little break.
March 9th, 2009 at 5:36 am
Somehow, something about Claude looks awfully sexy in that last panel.
*loves*
March 9th, 2009 at 6:20 am
He loks like Han Solo!!!! And he smiles! And he thinks successfully! And he mouths off to Liv, driving her crazy! This is great!
*sigh* Too bad….I’m gonna miss the rookie bumbling through figuring this stuff out — I was looking forward to those scenes. I know we have to keep the story moving and all, but still…
BTW, is the forearm wrapping because arms sweat and hands don’t?
March 9th, 2009 at 6:51 am
Wow, big contrast from the world of Tychia to the bright colors of Claude. Also as different to Tychia’s scheming is his casual laying about. Makes me kind of jealous as it just snowed here (WI) last night. Boo to snow! Yay to bright skies and green grass! XD
March 9th, 2009 at 6:58 am
1st time I post a comment but I’ve been reading Xylia for looong (even read your past webcomics, unfortunately unfinished) and I love your artstyle and storytelling skills. I was compelled to post by the mighty power of Claudius smile! I swear… I started smiling the moment I saw it (and I’ll be sad when I’ll have to close my browser!). I think I’m in love. In lov-er, as in… more in love than before with him. I love Liv too! I’ve loved corgis for the longest time (ok, I think Cowboy Bebop started it) and I wish I could adopt one in real life but my country doesn’t have this breed and I can’t make a puppy suffer all alone inside a plane. I think I’m gonna adopt Livy for now. But I’ll ask her to shrink back to normal… my apartment is kinda small.
March 9th, 2009 at 7:23 am
yeah, claudius is looking totally hot! and i agree with the hans solo comment. beautiful page.
March 9th, 2009 at 8:48 am
Ooops, forgot to mention, I’m down with $5 monthly pdfs.
March 9th, 2009 at 9:44 am
Oh my……! That last panel!! The clothing and the (rare) smile makes him so much hotter than before! Im glad that hes relaxing a bit and that hes feeling more comfy in his new situation. Livy is beautiful and cute, as always ^^
Id surely be interested in sketchbook stuff!!
The contest entries are awesome! Hard to choose it was, but I succeeded
March 9th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
I’m all for the sketchbook although I’d rather have it printed. Maybe Lulu.com could help?
March 9th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Claudius is so attractive on this page. It must be the smile.
March 9th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
I agree with nearly every comment above. Claudius is HOT in this page.
I love the smile and his mischievous look!
March 9th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
@.@ Claudius is lookin’ GOOD! I love the playful smile! Also, I love how you slowly introduce us to the new, confident Claudius by going through those pannels. The distant look, the close-up eyes, the side of his face, then his whole body. Nice way to gradually present him to us!
March 9th, 2009 at 11:05 pm
Gah, putting a picture of Livy next to the donation link is dirty pool.
March 10th, 2009 at 6:59 am
This page is made of epic win… Just thought you should know that!
March 10th, 2009 at 11:30 am
Long time no post, but I agree, Claudius is looking good, its definately the pose he’s in but he looks a lot less lanky and more muscular in the shoulders and arms with the upper-arm band. But I almost feel like we are in for a flash back for the next chapter, cuz there is a lot of time lapse happening here… we are going from heart of winter to mid-summer??
March 11th, 2009 at 9:28 am
Is it… Maxfield Parish…? Love the page, beautiful.