The Five Wits

WHO WE ARE:

We at the Five Wits Press are a found family of collaborative storytellers and artists. The family you’re born with can be great, but it’s the travelers you meet, get stuck with, fall in love with, and adventure with who make the best unexpected communities.

Together we create worlds and share them in multiple mediums, including novels, webcomics, art, and even tea blends. As we create worlds and pass them back and forth, both we and our worlds grow. Seeing what you love all over again through new eyes is startling but important— seeing why others love what they do, and appreciating it all more. 

A story shared is a story grown. We believe that opening up our constellate family of disparate strangers to the wider world will encourage greater collaboration, and the kind of shared inspiration that makes creative communities bloom. Time after time, it’s people like you who make our lives and stories possible, whether you’ve put a dollar toward a Kickstarter, bought a box or a bottle from our small business, or encouraged us with your passion for stories or artwork.

We want to share so much more. We want you to be part of what we’re creating, to let you in on the behind-the-scenes worldbuilding and planning, as well as our day to day adventures. Drink our tea and listen to our stories. Let’s adventure together.

ABOUT EACH OF US:


Ruth Lampi is a writer and an artist in multiple mediums. Besides illustrating her own and other’s stories, she also creates sculptures, pottery, linoleum block prints, and little mixed-media fairy creatures. She’s recently started mixing nerdy tea blends! Ruth always has a new project in mind, and can be counted on to popcorn out endless ideas in brainstorming sessions. Her current major project is writing and illustrating the middle grade fantasy adventure series The Blackfeather Chronicles, of which the first three books are currently available, both as ebooks (Book 1, Book 2, and Book 3) and as paperbacks.

A few of Ruth’s past credits include:

• Contributed writing to Foreshadows: Ghosts of Zero, published by the Very Us Artists, 2012
• Contributed illustrations to Amaranthine, published by Machine Age Productions, 2011
• Contributed illustrations to Maschine Zeit, published by Machine Age Productions, 2010
• Co-author of Hero’s Handbook: Eladrin, published by Goodman Games, 2009
• Contributed writing to In Search of Adventure, published by Goodman Games, 2009
• Contributed illustrations to Adversaries & Allies, published by White Silver Publishing, 2006

Jessica Van Oort is a writer and editor, and the social media coordinator for the Press. Besides writing SF and producing work for the gaming industry, she also has academic writing and editing credentials. Jessica has a lot of experience as a DM/GM for tabletop roleplaying, and she loves the interactive storytelling involved in running games. She's the one who keeps the other members of the press on target and on deadline. She also does the taxes. Her current major project is writing the Orphaned Gods epic fantasy series, of which the first book, Beasts and Hunters, is in the beta reader stage.

A few of Jessica’s past credits include:

• Contributed writing to Foreshadows: Ghosts of Zero, published by the Very Us Artists, 2012
• Author of "The Minstrel Dance in Good Company," academic article published by Dance Chronicle, 2011
• Editorial assistant for the academic journal Dance Chronicle, 2007-2011
• Co-author of Hero's Handbook: Eladrin, published by Goodman Games, 2009
• Contributed writing to In Search of Adventure, published by Goodman Games, 2009

S.A. Hannon, or Birdy, is an artist who cares a lot about telling stories, building worlds, designing creatures, creating mythologies, and making OCs kiss. Birdy’s hobbies are crying about stories, crying about birds, and interneting. Forever. She is the one who always has her sketchbook out to jot down ideas and make drawings of interesting things she sees, both in the real world and her many created ones. Birdy’s handwriting, and her initial thumbnail sketches, are incredibly tiny. You wouldn’t believe how tiny. Birdy’s current major project is the high fantasy webcomic The Genesis Sword, which is currently updating on Thursdays.

ALSO!

We all live together in a house with four cats named Harana (after an OC), Wheatley, Navi, and Midna.

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