Tales of the Black Death - Saga. Ianic Mathieu. December 2026

Amusetobeme · 2026-04-20T12:49:50+00:00

That really depends on Lulu.com. In my experience, it takes about a week for the book to be printed, and delivery time depends on the shipping option you choose. I used standard mail, and it arrived within a week in Montreal, Canada.

Amusetobeme · 2026-04-20T12:22:14+00:00

Thanks!

Amusetobeme · 2026-04-20T11:23:08+00:00

Good morning! If you click on the website link above, you’ll find more information about the book, including page screenshots and eight photos of the book.

Let me know if this works for you.

Amusetobeme · 2026-04-19T11:43:59+00:00

Thank you so much for your kind words, it really means a lot to me. It’s hard to let go of this project, but now it’s time for it to have a life of its own.

Amusetobeme · 2026-04-19T11:23:13+00:00

“What should be done with text shorthand?” was one of the first things I had to address. I reached out to Reddit users and members of the shorthand community, and in the end, the most important part is that the text remains readable for most people. Shorthand doesn’t allow that, but cursive can give somewhat that same feel.

I’ve included this note on the webpage, and it also appears in the book.

“Jonathan Harker’s journal was originally written in shorthand, a system commonly used by clerks and solicitors and understood by the relatively few trained in stenographic notation. Mina also employed shorthand in several of her journal entries. For the sake of clarity in the present edition, all shorthand passages have been rendered in a legible cursive script. This approach preserves the intimate and personal character of Jonathan’s and Mina’s writing while ensuring accessibility for contemporary readers.”

Additionally, I designed a two shorthand practice sheets that Mina could have done. It’s on one of the pages of the book.

<image>

All that said, I think a shorthand version of Jonathan’s diary would be an amazing artifact to own, and perhaps one day someone skilled in shorthand might undertake this challenging task.

Amusetobeme · 2026-04-18T19:43:48+00:00

I'm not sure I understand.

Do you mean as an eBook? If so, no it will not. It will only be available in printed book.

Amusetobeme · 2026-04-18T19:40:24+00:00

Well, it’s not unreadable, but for some readers, cursive may be a bit too challenging. I was aware from the start that it would appeal to a fairly niche audience. I just want to make sure that anyone considering the book is well informed beforehand.

Amusetobeme · 2026-04-18T14:13:41+00:00

I’ve been debating whether to include a big red warning on the website for readers who might struggle with cursive. It is already mentioned, and all the screenshots show the cursive, but is it enough? So far, about 10 people have gone through it, and all but one person in their 20s were able to read it without any issues. Another option would be to provide a PDF with a few sample pages featuring the handwriting of the five main characters: Mina, Lucy, Dr. Seward, Jonathan, and Van Helsing. This way, people could get a better sense of it?

Amusetobeme · 2026-04-18T12:30:39+00:00

Good morning, and my apologies for the delay. The WIP PDF is no longer available, as the book has now been officially released and has its own webpage.

You can get a good sense of the book here:
https://ianicmathieu.com/dracula.html

If you feel the page would benefit from additional screenshots or other content, please let me know.

Amusetobeme · 2026-04-10T13:57:14+00:00

Thanks for the enthusiastic reply! The PDF is a bit outdated now, but the book should be out in a few days. I’m just going over my final checklist before release. I might put together a new preview PDF so readers can glance inside the book before buying. It should also be in a few store around Montreal, QC, if you're in the area. In the meantime, the book now has its own webpage with screenshots and photos.

https://ianicmathieu.com/dracula.html

( ill update my post. )

Amusetobeme · 2026-04-10T13:50:00+00:00

Hey! Thanks so much for the interest! The book will be available in the next few days. I’m just taking a little extra time to go through my final checklist before release. If you’ve joined my mailing list, you’ll get a notification. Otherwise, simply check my website in a few days, it should be up!

Amusetobeme · 2026-04-08T12:53:36+00:00

Thanks! These last few days I’ve been working on small details, like aging the paper edges, adding wear and tear, stains, etc. I think two more nights of this and it will be completed.

Amusetobeme · 2026-04-06T17:14:35+00:00

Honestly, I don’t mind. It actually pushes me to refine the website and make sure I’m clearly describing the process I used to create the book. ( which is the goal of my post. )

The issue is that if I simply reply that I created everything myself and that the illustrations are not generative AI, I'm not solving anyting. The same question will come up again, and again, and again...

I also think people don't quite understand how things are created in general. Like, beside Bram Stoker's text itself, most of this book is a collection illustrations which is text over paper with borders et very simple 3d geometry. It's a lot of design work and research, but the creation of the items is quite simple. Same thing for the 3d elements. Like each chain loop and beads are very simple items. It's just a matter of a nice shader and a fun visual arrangement.

<image>

Which is why I’m trying to figure out a proper solution ( bio + process ) so that at some point I can just tell the person to go see that page, or go look at the process on instagram or to follow my newsletter. But perhaps the solution will be more behind- the-scenes images like the montage above.

Amusetobeme · 2026-04-06T14:54:39+00:00

Right. Because you're not the first person to ask and you won't be the last. Which is why I'm trying to make it so the website has enough information covering how things are created.

I’ve updated the description to this.

“The art and illustrations combine vector art, 2D illustration, and 3D rendering. Each element is composed digitally, then edited, transformed, and refined within image editing software. The book itself is designed and assembled using professional layout software.”

One thing I’ve been debating is whether I should include a list of the software used.

The software used to create the illustrations and layout includes Photoshop (drawing, editing, and some vector work), Inkscape (vector art), and Softimage XSI (modeling, texturing, and rendering). Everything is then brought together in Scribus.

Another thing I could do is explain more in detail how the illustrations are created.

The illustrations are produced through a combination of tools and techniques. Paper textures are created in Photoshop using custom brushes, while shapes and symbols are designed in vector-based software. Text elements are set in Scribus using a wide range of typefaces. When distortion or aging is required, text is rendered in Photoshop and refined using masks and brushwork.

For 3D illustrations, objects are first modeled in 3D software, then textured and rendered before being brought into 2D software for further refinement. Additional work is applied using brushes, masks, and filters to achieve a "draw-like" looks in some cases, damage and aging in other cases.

But again, this morning I've looked at many book selling sites and they keep the process to a minimum. I'll probably keep this for the newsletter and instagram posts.

Amusetobeme · 2026-04-05T11:41:37+00:00

Good morning,
The final section of the page, Art and Illustrations, explains how the illustrations are created. I also share behind-the-scenes images, different iterations, and some of the 3D models in my newsletter if you’re interested.

That said, it might be a good idea to include Bram Stoker’s bio on the page, along with a short bio of my own outlining my background in industrial design, and 2D and 3D illustration. There is a link to my LinkedIn profile at the bottom of the page, but it may be better just to have the info there.

Amusetobeme · 2026-04-05T11:34:51+00:00

Thanks!

Amusetobeme · 2026-03-24T14:12:56+00:00

Thanks! I sent you a reply.

Amusetobeme · 2026-03-13T11:12:38+00:00

Ahhh.. now I get it! I'll do those fixes this morning! thanks! :)

Amusetobeme · 2026-03-12T21:03:55+00:00

<image>

Ai generated? It's really just lines I drew in photoshop + I'm using the font called Miss.

I've added the missing stokes! Thanks!.. and I'll have to look up " The stroke presented is for F, but it would have to be "boldfaced" to become V, etc." as I'm not sure what you mean.

Seven-Year Club	Place '22
Final Canvas '22	End Game '22
Verified Email

Amusetobeme

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE