Here's the deal - I'm opening either a CafePress or Zazzle store (I'm still weighing the pricing, etc, on both to see which one is better for my fans), and I'm looking for a cool tee-shirt design to showcase. Since I'll be the first to admit that my drawing abilities rank somewhere below a spastic cat with paint on its paws, I'm looking for all the artists I know out there who'd like a chance to design one. Below are descriptions of the major characters - the only guidelines are:

1. The design has to be in to me by April 1, 2008.
2. The design needs to be PG-13 at the most.

Yep, that's it. I'm giving y'all free rein (gods help me) - what's more, if you want, please post this on your blog and let others know. I'll post all the designs here the week after April 1, and let the public vote.

And, of course, there's a prize: The winning designer will not only get a portion of the proceeds from the shirt, but they'll get a signed copy of Not Your Father's Horseman and a chocolate gift. As a further prize, I'll put the name of everyone who votes in a hat and do a drawing for a special prize of chocolates, tea and a signed copy of one of my books.

Here are the major characters:

Nikki Jeffries: 22. Long dark straight hair, dark blue eyes, pale skin. Prefers jeans and tee-shirts. Attracted to Shadows. The Horseman Death.

Rick Jackson: 24. Shoulder-length dark blonde hair, amber eyes. Tanned skin. Usually in a rumpled shirt and jeans. Writer. Sensitive (as in the Talent, not as in "sensitive guy.")

Justin Greystone: 24. Curly, vaguely-longish, sandy blonde hair. Hazel eyes. Pale skin. Usually in silk shirts and rumpled chinos. Earth/Shadow Mage. Grounds spells in worry dolls.

Alex Masterson: 35. Short black hair, dark eyes. Pale skin. Shadow Mage. Usually in sharp suits. Very much in charge.

Alenya n'Nyx: looks late 20s. Long black hair, emerald green eyes, pale skin (in human form), large black panther with emerald eyes (hunting form). In human form, wears all black. Shadow Lord.

Another element that could be incorporated is moonflowers - they appear a LOT in the book.

Good luck! Email me the designs or any questions at vg_ford at yahoo dot com by midnight EST, April 1, 2008.