iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 13h

I am in this! 25 books for $25! Ace adventures including mine which features not 1, not 2, but 3 ace main characters in a very strange tale that celebrates the Gothic, the weird, and did I mention it's also illustrated (by me?) Great deal if you're looking for ace rep! 👀 itch.io/b/3946/asexu...

Asexuals on Adventures Itchio Book Bundle graphic. Oct 19th-31st, on Itchio showing the 25 books covers of the books on offer for $25.

Background is a photo of Elise (the bundle organiser's) mum standing, waving and tiny, on a hiking track along the spine sunny Victorian (Australia) mountains, with super short trees either side, on a sunny afternoon.

03213 32

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 21/10/2026

You know that expression "if it was a snake, it would have bit me?" Well, that's what came to mind when I put my hand on our fence to open the gate and realized this was not part of the greenery 😂 But isn't it adorable? That brilliant green! #herps

Long skinny bright green snake twisted through a wire fence and blending in with green plants all around it.

2433 43

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 21/10/2026

Keeping it simple today... can't believe how fast this month is flying by! #Whistober

Digital drawing in white ink against a black background of the head and neck of a zebra looking out at the viewer.

15510 55

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 20/10/2026

Happy International Sloth Day to those who celebrate! #InternationalSlothDay

Digital drawing in white ink against a black background of a sloth hanging from a tree branch. The sloth is drawn with a series of dots and dashes to emphasize hair pattern and form rather than being a realistic portrayal of the animal.

1629 62

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 20/10/2026

My 90-year-old aunt read Wren's Aria & liked it so much, she convinced 2 other people to buy it. I told her she's doing a much better job selling my books than I am😂 Anyway, Wren's Aria is a charming illustrated animal fantasy. Fun for older children and adults! www.helenwhistberry.com/book-links

Book cover for Wren's Aria by Helen Whistberry showing a brown wren singing among bright red poppies. Cover art by the author.

Illustration in white ink against a black background of the head of a male lion with shaggy mane. A coy looking duck is perched on the lion's head. Why? You'd have to read the book to find out!

1216 21

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 20/10/2026

I set out to draw a pomegranate because I think the seeds are quite beautiful, but the end result is a little creepier than I was picturing 😂 Appropriate for the season, perhaps? #Whistober #SciArt

Digital painting of a pomegranate cut open to reveal the shining deep red seeds inside. Looks a little creepy.

610312 103

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 15/10/2026

What's happening in the garden? Most things have gone to seed but there are a few late bloomers and the bees are super busy. We have an absolute sea of red cardinal flowers blooming in every direction. The hummingbirds and bees love them (but be aware, they spread with wild abandon!) 🌱

Patch of gomphrena which are clover-like flowers, balls of tightly packed tiny petals that fade from a deep mauve around the outer and lower edges through pale pink to white in the center.

Patch of swamp sunflowers, bright golden yellow daisy-shaped flowers clustered thickly together.

A blooming okra flower. It has creamy white broad petals around a burgundy-purplish center. There is a sea of red cardinal flowers visible in the background.

Pale mauve coneflower bloom with a spiky orange center. There are two gold and black bees in the center collecting pollen.

1427 42

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 15/10/2026

Today's #Whistober offering is a bit of flowery sunshine to brighten your day 💛🧡 #SciArt #FlowerArt

Digital drawing of a bright golden yellow coreopsis bloom on a long green stem as seen from the side. It has frilly petals clustered around bright yellow stamen. The background is black, making the colors of the flower pop.

06214 62

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 14/10/2026

It's time for another threadless sale! $13.95 classic tees and up to 35% off all other merch Stickers, caps, tote bags, pillows, glassware... stuff! Many themes and art styles Sale continues through 10/21 whistberry.threadless.com

02718 27

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 13/10/2026

Me, whenever I see a goose: "I just think they're neat!" #Whistober #BirdArt

Digital drawing of a greylag goose against a black background that emphasizes the bird's feather pattern as outlined in light grey along the edges of the feathers. It has an orange beak and feet and is striding through a stylized bunch of low growing green leaves with tiny pale blue flowers.

317431 174

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 12/10/2026

Today's #Whistober is inspired by a photo offered by @elizabeth-snow.bsky.social Love all the subtle variations in color on hydrangea blooms! #SciArt #BloomScrolling

Digital painting in close up of a very pale blue hydrangea bloom with hints of pastel pinks and purples.

412839 128

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 10/10/2026

Today's #Whistober drawing is a fun little sketch experiment inspired by a photo by @elibisme.bsky.social Feels like it captures a kind of seasonal Halloween vibe even without the spider!

Digital drawing of a spiderweb covered in dew drops against a black background. A tree with red autumn leaves is reflected upside down in each dew drop in such a way that it also looks like bloody roots reaching into the ground.

136722 67

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 09/10/2026

Here's a fancy rooster for today's #Whistober... also fits into #boktober and doubles as a coloring page should you so desire! #BirdArt

Digital black and white line illustration of a rooster with very full curved tail feathers walking through a field of stylized daisy-like flowers.

19126 91

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 07/10/2026

This friend has been hanging out on the outside of our screened porch for the past few weeks. Kind of like having an insect pet with no other responsibility than making sure it is out of range of a cat claw through the screen. Photos always look a little blurry like its camouflage fools the camera😂

Photo of a Carolina mantis, a mostly beige insect with a cream and dark gray camouflage pattern on its wings.

2524 52

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 07/10/2026

Small frog for today's #Whistober offering... based on a reference photo kindly provided by @gettoknownature.bsky.social #SciArt #frog #herps #art

Digital drawing of a small mostly brownish frog with a stripe of cream along the side of its jaw. It is sitting on a stylized green leaf against a black background.

28117 81

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 06/10/2026

Mine and many other indie authors have our books available through bookshop.org! You can find descriptions and links for all my books here: www.helenwhistberry.com/book-links

Image of 10 books covers for books by Helen Whistberry: Wren's Aria, shows a brown wren among red poppies; Roadkill, shows a highway with animal skeletons on it; The Final Voyage of Avery Mothmere, has a black cat playing with an old-fashioned sailing ship; When Your Heart is a Broken Thing, has a white rabbit crying red tears and a red rabbit with skeleton exposed crying blue tears; Once Upon a Wave of Witches, with co-author Eli Belt, has a green kraken tentacle sweeping through turbulent blue waves; The Tail of Nightshade, has a gray mouse among purple nightshade blooms; The Melody of Trees, has a red fox among twining tree branches; The Weird Sisters, has a full moon behind tombstones with a hand visible lying on the ground; The Avenging Angel, has a full moon behind a mansion; The Ghostly Groom, has a full moon behind a tombstone with a black bird on top of it.

02518 25

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 06/10/2026

How about a smol green snek friend for today's #Whistober? A recent visitor in the garden... #SciArt #art #herps #snake

Digital drawing of the head and upper body of a small, thin green snake that is facing away from the viewer as though it were headed into the dark space beyond a pile of stylized green leaves.

527678 276

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 05/10/2026

Anyone have a nature photo they think would make a neat drawing and you don't mind my using it as a reference with proper credit? Birds, critters, flowers, plants? Drop one in a comment for my eternal gratitude 💜

Digital drawing of a bunch of yellow woad flowers against a black background.

249218 92

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 05/10/2026

From a suggestion by @antoniab247.bsky.social, here's a manatee portrait for #Whistober I'm drawing random things all month long... suggestions welcome!

Digital drawing in white ink against a black background of the sweet face of a manatee staring out at the viewer. It is drawn with a stipled effect of small dots to suggest form rather than being a detailed, realistic image.

37716 77

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 04/10/2026

How about a charming chickadee friend for today's #Whistober? I am drawing random things all month! Suggestions welcome #BirdArt

Digital drawing of a chickadee, a small songbird with black on top of head and under beak, white on the back of the head and under eye, dark gray feathers on wings and tail and a beige chest and belly. It is perched on a curving gray branch against a stark black background.

517824 178

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 03/10/2026

Happy 3rd day of #Whistober wherein I draw a random thing every day! I was inspired by the monarchs that are currently swarming in our garden for this one. Suggestions for other subjects always welcome! I'm not so good at drawing people, but anything else is fair game! #art #inverts #SciArt

Digital sketch of a monarch butterfly. The butterfly has orange and black wings with a scattering of white dots along the edges. It is posed against a stark black background, making the orange and white pop out at the viewer.

37016 70

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 03/10/2026

Artists! Quote with your art with dramatic lighting! 🌟

05516 55

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 02/10/2026

We've had a banner year for monarchs. Counted no less than 7 at one time fluttering around this butterfly bush! We've had difficulty getting milkweed established in the garden but looks like our efforts are beginning to pay off...

0313 31

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 02/10/2026

An unreasonably happy little eel for today's #Whistober! I'll be sketching random things all month and would love suggestions! Feel free to drop a comment if there's something you'd like to see me draw 👀

Digital drawing of a small skinny pea green and medium blue eel snaking its way among stylized red coral. There's a pink and purple anemone with feathery fronds hanging out on some rocks in the foreground.

44210 42

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 01/10/2026

In honor of the season, I'll be offering a bundle of my 3 horror-themed books for $3 on itchio all month! Or buy any one individually for half off their normal price! My acclaimed collection of stories, a weird Gothic fever dream, & an eco-horror nightmare. All illustrated! itch.io/s/202800/whi...

Book covers for 3 books by Helen Whistberry: When Your Heart is a Broken Thing featuring a white rabbit weeping red tears and a red rabbit with exposed skeleton weeping blue tears leaping in a circle around an anatomical human heart with a silver sewing pin through it. The Final Voyage of Avery Mothmere featuring a black cat swiping a paw playfully at an old-fashioned sailing ship; and Roadkill featuring animal skeletons splayed out on a bloody highway.

04028 40

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 01/10/2026

Every once in a while, I like to take stock of all the books I've either written or had a hand in one way or another and never fail to marvel given that I never even thought about writing or doing art until I was 50, much less be published. Life takes weird turns sometimes...

A shelf of mostly paperback books. From left to right by Helen Whistberry: The Weird Sisters, The Avenging Angel, The Ghostly Groom, The Melody of Trees, The Tail of Nightshade, Once Upon a Wave of Witches (with Eli Belt), Roadkill, The Final Voyage of Avery Mothmere, When Your Heart is a Broken Thing, Wren's Aria. From Tenebrous Press: In Somnio anthology, Thank You For Joining the Algorithm anthology, Your Body is a Fever Dream anthology. The novel Casual by Koji A. Dae, interior illustrations by Whistberry. Time Travel is Easy poetry collection by Rick Hollon, cover illustration by Whistberry. Escape to Melancholy Bay by Ian Donnell, cover illustration by Whistberry. Story anthologies: Duplicitous, Creating Cinderella, Ravens & Roses, Villainous, Cottages and Cauldrons, and 3 Autumn Nights anthologies.

1755 75

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 01/10/2026

September was a fantastic reading month for me! #sff #horror Enjoyed books by: @coyhall.bsky.social @lizzieblackwood.bsky.social @pemryjanes.com @kristalstittle.bsky.social @mererain.bsky.social @polenth.bsky.social Readers can check out my full reviews at: www.helenwhistberry.com/blog

Graphic of six book covers: Devilry in Godling Wood by Coy Hall showing a mounted figure with 3 faces and dagger on a strange horse pig hybrid rearing over a dragon like figure with long tail; The Stars Will Be Our Ocean by Lizzie Blackwood showing a humanoid figure and alien with shark like features floating or dancing in space; Unsaved by Pemry Janes showing a robot wearing a cowboy hat and long duster holding a gun and sitting on a fallen mech head in front of a red sky and white sun or moon. Kayak by Kristal Stittle showing a view from above of an orange kayak and paddler moving through blue water between green islands. Come Away Again by Mere Rain showing a person standing with back to viewer in a misty forest, surrounded by glittering lights. Wereconifer by Polenth Blake showing a hand-drawn pine tree with round colored lights.

2257 25

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 01/10/2026

Happy 1st day of #Whistober, a thing I made up! Because why not? Everything is chaos anyway 😭😂 Today's sketch was inspired by an idea by @gettoknownature.bsky.social to do a #TickTockTober drawing animals as clocks. Only owls can understand this clock but only they need to know this kind of time 👀

Digital sketch in white ink against a black background of a whimsical looking owl staring out at the viewer. It is perched on a thin branch and has a round structure in its exposed belly that evokes a clock without numbers or traditional hands. There are six swirling orbs surrounding it and it has an orb-like crown at the top of its head between two fluffy feather horns.

47825 78

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 30/09/2026

The contentment of discovering the perfect fit

Photo of a buff orange tabby cat curled up asleep in a cardboard box that is the perfect size for comfort.

110015 100

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 30/09/2026

Happy #BirdWhisperer Day! Kept it simple this time around as my patience seems to have left the building 😂

Digital drawing of a black woodpecker. It is a largish-medium bird clinging to the side of a gray tree and has a long cream-colored bill, iridescent black feathers that are shining light blue where the light hits, and a tiny bit of red just along the back of its head.

37119 71

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 28/09/2026

Beautiful extra long noodle blessing us with a visit #snake

Very long and skinny green snake winding through a wire fence among profuse greenery.

4659 65

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 27/09/2026

I believe they are not technically #quills, but this is the closest I have to today's theme for #SciArtSeptember 😅

Digital drawing in white ink against a black background of a cute hedgehog facing the viewer with a little smile on their face. They are wearing a crown of tiny daisy like flowers in the blue, pink, and white colors of the trans pride flag.

314145 141

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 26/09/2026

We have a couple of these fluttering around the garden today. I believe they may be monarchs and not the similar-looking viceroys? Beautiful day, perfect temp, soft breezes...

Orange and black butterfly on a dark purple butterfly bush bloom.

Orange and black butterfly on the low branch near the ground of a butterfly bush.

1455 45

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 26/09/2026

Just noticed I passed the 10K follower mark so let's try one of those #ArtShare! thingies... I'd love to see your #art, particularly anything nature related: landscapes, animals, creatures, fabulous beings No GenAI, please but Alt Text is always greatly appreciated... show me what you got 💜

Symmetrical digital drawing of a squid with its head down and legs waving up in the air and all wrapped around each other. The squid is outlined in white and shaded in with the soft pink and blue of the trans pride flag.

1519364 193

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 26/09/2026

What kind of person sets up a special itchio bundle for the month then forgets to talk about it? It's me! Still time to grab 3 books for 3 bucks! Fun reads for fans of classic mysteries, wise guy detectives, true love, and ghostly shenanigans! itch.io/s/200106/mal...

Book covers for the Jim Malhaven mystery series: The Weird Sisters has a cemetery of tombstones with a bloodied arm and hand just visible; The Avenging Angel shows a mansion and a feather with blood on it; The Ghostly Groom shows a tombstone with a crow perched on it. All cover illustrations are by cover artist Fay Lane.

0175 17

Helen Whistberry @whistberry.northsky.social · 25/09/2026

Happy National Lobster Day to those who celebrate! 🦞

Digital drawing of a painted spiny lobster which has striking black and white stripes interspersed with pink and teal coloration with a little bit of yellow.

Symmetrical digital drawing of a fanciful take on a lobster that is half blue and half pink with a white stripe down the center to echo the colors of the trans pride flag. It is surrounded by stylized sea shells with a starfish between its claws.

0287 28