• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Bio
  • Bookshelf
    • Audio
    • Complete List of Chautona’s Books
    • The Rockland Chronicles
      • The Vintage Wren
      • The Aggie Series
      • The Hartfield Mysteries
      • Sight Unseen Series
        • Sight Unseen Series Archives
      • The Agency Files
      • Christmas Fiction
    • Legacy of the Vines
    • Meddlin’ Madeline
      • Madeline Blog Archive
    • Ballads from the Hearth
      • Ballads from the Hearth Blog Archive
    • Legends of the Vengeance
    • Journey of Dreams
    • Wynnewood
    • Webster’s Bakery
    • The Not-So-Fairy Tales
    • Heart of Warwickshire
  • Start HERE
    • If You Like…
    • Characters
    • Suggested Reading Order
    • Free Books
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Podcast
    • Advertising
    • Podcast Guest Information
    • Podcast Interview FAQ
  • Merch Shop
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • Bonus
  • Speaking
  • New & Coming
Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

Craig Worrell: Illustrator (Part 1)

by Chautona Havig · 12 Comments

Last September, I got a phone call.  Now, anyone who knows me knows how much I love the phone.  *cough*  Picture it.  Ethan is trying to convince me he’s paying close attention to his math book while Wall-E plays in the background.  Andra is STILL clearing the counters from lunch, and Lorna is… well I am afraid to try to remember what Lorna was doing.  Roast simmers in a crock pot, the air is a balmy 99 degrees, and I’m sitting on my bed talking to a stranger about a strange creature in a strange place.

Now, I have to confess something.  I loved the conversation.  It didn’t feel like I was jabbering away at the guy for an hour and a half… but I did.  I’ve often wondered if he got off the phone, turned to his wife, and said, “What on earth did I just agree to do?  This woman’s a freak!”  I thought about asking… but I really don’t want to know.  Just sayin’.

Now, I’ll confess, I was nervous.  I had a mental picture of Wynnewood, complete with East and West being reversed in my mind… weird when you consider I have an excellent sense of direction every other time… apparently they were reversed in Medieval times.  It was a backward time in history, so that shouldn’t surprise us.  Back to nervous– I was convinced that no one could put what was in my head on paper.  How could they?  I drew an amazingly pathetic map.  I mean.  P.A.T.H.E.T.I.C.  Just sayin’.  I told him about Dove, about Philip, I gave away plot… the works.  He asked questions like

“What kind of soundtrack fits Wynnewood?”

and

“I was thinking about using Kells for the font, what do you think?”  (Like I knew what that meant)

He was AMAZING when it came to pointing out flaws or giving me little tidbits that I could use in the story.  “Well, the Druids feared hemlock…”  Oh yeah???  YIPPEE!  Down with the Druids I always say.  Gimme some hemlock baby!  (Ok, that’s just so not me!)  We discussed the difference between wooden castles and stone, being up above a moat… the works.  I left that conversation with all kinds of amazing information that weeks of research hadn’t uncovered.  I’m sure he’s sick of my constant facebook questions like, “What can you tell me about dwarves…”

So, with the impending release of Cloaked in Secrets, the sequel to Shadows & Secrets, I thought it might be fun to interview Craig.  And, because I’m cruel, mean, nasty, and socially unacceptable (and those are my virtues), I thought I’d break the interview up into five parts.  Just to keep things lively don’tcha know.  I give you… “The Interview”  *insert impressive and slightly ominous music here*

Well, Craig, we want to know more about you.  First, will you tell us a little about your family?

Most of mine and my wife’s family are back in West Virginia so here in Ohio there’s just the three of us.  My lovely and talented, celebrity Pharmacist wife Mandi, our lovely and talented Beagle/ German shepherd dog, Zoe and I.

Michele “introduced us.”  What kind of dirt on her would you like to share with 200 of her closest friends?

One time in band camp……. seriously though I never went to band camp but Michele and I did first meet in Junior High Band, fast friends then and friends we have been ever since.  She showed me the ropes of the ever intimate world of marching and concert band in Junior High and when I followed her into High School she was gracious enough to do the same. LOW BRASS FOR LIFE!

What do you do for a living?

One summer during college I was introduced by my then boss thusly, “this is Craig he’s studyin’ to become an Illustrationist.”  It stuck.  Essentially I provide images when words won’t work.  So web design, industrial design, package design, product conception, book illustration, game illustration, all of that fits in there.

Do you have any formal education/training in art?  If so, how much and how did you choose your course of study?

Yup, AP Art pre college and a BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art with a major in Illustration.   AP Art was a year in High School where we had to produce 2 portfolios of work, one was a catch all with 2-D and 3-D work the other was a group of pieces all on one subject, aka a thesis.  Mine was on brass instruments (go low brass!).  College was a 5 year program, 2 years of foundation (painting, drawing, design, art history), 3 of a major with a thesis in the final year with a strenuous critique system throughout.

I chose Illustration because I love stories, always have and I love the idea of communicating ideas visually. How did I choose my course of study?  I wanted a course that would give me a strong footing in the fundamentals that encouraged interaction within all the majors.  Luckily a couple of friends had gone to CIA before me and I had a really good High School Art Teacher who gave me educated and honest counsel and CIA seemed like the place for me.

Stay tuned tomorrow for the next installment of, Craig– wonder artist extraordinaire!

Share
Pin
Tweet
Email
Share
Pin
Tweet
Email

Related

Filed Under: General Information, Interviews Tagged With: Annals of Wynnewood, Shadows & Secrets

Next Post: Craig Worrell: Interview (Part 2) »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Or, you can subscribe without commenting.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comments

  1. Popular Music Lyrics says

    April 6, 2010 at 11:02 am

    Thanks for a great post and interesting comments. I found this post while searching the web for free stuff. Thanks for sharing this story.

    Reply
  2. Craig says

    April 6, 2010 at 10:17 am

    Hi guys thanks for all the kind comments.
    @ Michele- lol I don’t know how much you would get for the drawings but I bet you could get something for the paper.
    @Challice – Nice to meet you too!
    @Dell – Sorry I couldn’t divulge the really juicy stuff on Michelle she out ranked me in trombone and once 1st chair, always 1st chair.
    @ Amber – Nice to meet another brass player I’ll have to scan some of Brass pieces and hide them somewhere on my site for ya.
    @Chautona – Dr. Who eah, now that I know I’m going to have to sneak Tardis in one of the maps. It’s British so it should fit. 🙂

    Reply
  3. Dana says

    April 6, 2010 at 6:52 am

    Hi Craig!
    Nice to “meet” you. Thanks for sharing your talents with us!!

    Reply
  4. Cathe says

    April 5, 2010 at 5:41 pm

    Obviously, your artist has an intuitive imagination as well as a well-developed talent. What a blessing!

    Reply
  5. Cari says

    April 5, 2010 at 5:17 pm

    Loved the Map! My son is in love with the story line and I’d bet my oldest would love a Graphic Novel of the stories!

    Reply
  6. Chautona says

    April 5, 2010 at 3:58 pm

    I was thinking along the lines of BBC’s Robin Hood, Celtic Woman’s Scarborough Faire, Narnia’s first and second soundtracks…

    I almost told him the Dr. Who theme song just to see what kind of response I’d get, but I decided he might run, so I changed my mind.

    Reply
  7. Dell says

    April 5, 2010 at 3:37 pm

    The Wynnewood map is absolutely amazing! Extreme talent, and well honed skill! So much beyond the artistic skill as well in capturing the true soul of whatever the subject. (In this case Wynnewood!)

    I enjoyed the mini-interview too. (Although,sheesh, I really was hopeful that there’d be more dirt on Michele! (Just kidding.)

    And I’ve gotta know, what did you answer, Chautona? What kind of soundtrack do you think best fits Wynnewood?

    Reply
  8. Amber says

    April 5, 2010 at 3:34 pm

    I’m a high brass player (horn), but I’d still love to hear more about or see some of the work on low brass!

    Reply
  9. Challice says

    April 5, 2010 at 3:27 pm

    HI Craig! Nice to meet the Illustrator of my Mother’s books. 😀

    Reply
  10. Katrina says

    April 5, 2010 at 3:26 pm

    Sounds like you are doing something you love.

    Reply
  11. Christy H says

    April 5, 2010 at 3:26 pm

    Love that map, and can’t wait to see what Craig comes up with for the next one!!

    I thank God for people with talents like Craig’s, because, if the world was relying on me for such things, let’s just say, they’d have to do without 🙂

    Reply
  12. Michele says

    April 5, 2010 at 1:46 pm

    Gosh…we’ve known each other for a long time. I have some original Craig artwork. Now that he’s famous an all, I wonder if I can sell it! **off to research**

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
The Because Fiction Podcast

Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 215: A Chat with Henry O. Arnold
byChautona Havig

I had a chat with actor and author Henry O. Arnold a while back, and boy did we have a lot of fun. His Song of Prophets and Kings series features the advent of Israel’s kings from Samuel’s birth through David hiding from Saul (so far) and onward. Listen in as we chat about his most recent release, The Singer of Israel.

 

note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

What Made David Such a Man after God’s Heart?

I think this series will show us. I love that Henry O. Arnold started back at Samuel’s story to prepare us for the story of arguably the most influential king of Israel. Yes, Solomon was the wisest and richest, but David offered something that Solomon didn’t have. He was an average guy—a shepherd, no less—chosen by God to lead his country.

In a sense, it’s kind of the ancient Jewish version of a poor, everyday guy growing up to become President of the United States. If you know what I mean.

This five-book series is available as an eBook, in print, and as an audiobook, too! Henry read a snippet of it to us, and boy you get a feel for his love of Scripture and God’s people as he reads.

And if that wasn’t enough, he even gave us a hint of his upcoming Christian suspense/thriller “series. He says he has two books planned for sure, so… at least a duology, but maybe we can talk him into a trilogy at least? Get those odd numbers and everything?

The Singer of Israel by Henry O. Arnold

A singer’s voice inspires a troubled nation…A shepherd’s courage vanquishes a giant

The last official act of the prophet of Yahweh was to secretly anoint a replacement for the king of Israel who has been brought low by an unbalanced mind. The great prophet of Israel lives in fear of the wrath of the king. Then out of the hills of Bethlehem emerges the last-born son of a family of shepherds to become the unforeseen hero of Israel.

When David sings of the glory of Yahweh, this shepherd wins the hearts of the royal family and restores King Saul’s troubled mind. But when the singer/shepherd defeats the champion of the Philistines in single combat, David becomes forever known as “the giant slayer.” Saul quickly sees that David is now a threat to his kingdom and secretly plots to have him killed.

David may be the champion of the people of Israel, but he must live under the constant threat of Saul’s wrath until he is finally forced to flee for his life.

The Singer of Israel is a tale of triumph and tribulation, deepest love, and burning rivalries; the new epoch is given a voice…and it is The Song of Prophets and Kings.

You can learn more about Henry on this WEBSITE.

Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at:

  • Apple 
  • Castbox 
  • Google Play
  • Libsyn 
  • RSS
  • Spotify
  • Stitcher
  • Amazon
  • and more!
Episode 215: A Chat with Henry O. Arnold
Episode 215: A Chat with Henry O. Arnold
March 24, 2023
Chautona Havig
Episode 214: A Chat about After the Shadows with Amanda Cabot
March 21, 2023
Chautona Havig
Episode 213: A Chat about Daughter of Eden with Jill Eileen Smith
March 17, 2023
Chautona Havig
Episode 212: A Chat about Code Name Edelweiss with Stephanie Landsem
February 28, 2023
Chautona Havig
Episode 211: A Chat with Lynn H. Blackburn about Under Fire
February 24, 2023
Chautona Havig
Episode 210: A Chat with Jennifer Deibel about The Maid of Ballymacool
February 21, 2023
Chautona Havig
Episode 209: A Chat with Tracie Peterson about Remember Me
February 17, 2023
Chautona Havig
Episode 208: A Chat with Author, Hallie Lee
February 14, 2023
Chautona Havig
Episode 207: A Chat with Daniella Rushton about Portal Fantasy
February 10, 2023
Chautona Havig
Episode 206: A Chat with Lisa Phillips about Her New Spin-off Series
February 7, 2023
Chautona Havig
Search Results placeholder

Love Audio Books?

audio book ad

Check out the Sparrow Island novels. A tiny island with a lot of heart

independence islands series

Featured Books

A Ransomed Grete

A Ransomed Grete
Buy This Book Online
Buy from Amazon Kindle
A Ransomed Grete
Buy now!

Twice Sold Tales

Twice Sold Tales
Buy This Book Online
Buy from Amazon
Buy from Amazon Kindle
Twice Sold Tales
Buy now!

Under the Hibiscus

Under the Hibiscus
Buy This Book Online
Buy from Amazon
Buy from Amazon Kindle
Under the Hibiscus
Buy now!

Upcoming Posts

Sorry - nothing planned yet!

Or just subscribe to the newsletter

Recent Blog Posts

  • Why I Can’t Wait to Read the Secrets of Sweetwater Crossing Series!
  • What Kinds of Lessons Can We Learn from the First People?
  • Why Would Anyone Send Beautiful, Thorny Roses with Strange Messages?

I buy my stickers here! (affiliate)

Custom Stickers, Die Cut Stickers, Bumper Stickers - Sticker Mule
Found this book at our local bookstore, Red Rock Found this book at our local bookstore,  Red Rock Books. It changed one direction of my next Bookstrings novel. I think we need more emphasis on picture books. So... this will sit around to inspire. 
#Bookstrings 
#bookishbooks
Reposted from @lornaroseboutique Annnnnnnd here th Reposted from @lornaroseboutique Annnnnnnd here they are!!! I’ve been anxiously waiting to see how they turn out, and they’re AMAZING!!! Gahh I love these post cards! 
If you love them too, you can check out the link in my bio!!

#digitalart #redbubbleartist #iloveart
When @kathleendenly offers to send an ARC, you squ When @kathleendenly offers to send an ARC, you squeal and accept before she changes her mind d. Eeep! I love her Chaparral Hearts series!
#AmReading 
#historicalromance 
#ChristFic
My first Goudge this month was a DNF. However, I My first Goudge this month was a DNF. However,  I found this while sorting my books in our home library and decided to read it now. Delightful. 
#yearofgoudge
#ChristianFantasy
Reposted from @susankbeattyauthor Take a trip to t Reposted from @susankbeattyauthor Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart with Book 2 in the series, Wheelers Design.

Clay is messy and so is Sabrina’s life sometimes, but will God mold it into a work of art?
	
Wheelers Design releases March 28, but you can pre-order now: 

Pre-order the ebook copy now to get a special pre-order price of $2.99 https://buff.ly/3TPO7NT

Preorder the paperback copy to get 30% off plus free shipping. Just fill out the form https://buff.ly/40aLI2s 

#preorder #newrelease #cleanreads #contemporaryfiction
New ARCs arrived from @tyndalehouse over the past New ARCs arrived from @tyndalehouse over the past couple of weeks.  Looking forward to reading this one by Cindy Woodsmall.  Haven't read anything by her in years. 
#AmReading 
#christianfictionreaders 
#ChristFic 
#amishfiction
Reading right now. It's so good!!! Reposted from Reading right now.  It's so good!!!

Reposted from @lisaphillipsbks ⏰ If you haven’t read Cold Dead Night, you can enter to win it! Plus 45+ exciting Inspirational Mysteries & Thrillers from a great
collection of authors... AND a brand new eReader :D
--
Enter 👉 via link in bio.
When you’re done, comment to let me know you’ve entered!
  • Home
  • Bookshelf
  • New & Coming
  • Blog
  • News!
  • Disclosure & Policies
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 · Chautona Havig · All Rights Reserved · Coding by Gretchen Louise

Don't go before you grab your FREE short story collection!