Some Intentions for Writing In 2019!

In a writing sense, I hit the ground running in 2019 with a central focus on the 4th installment of my Fires in Eden Series. 

It has been some time now since Spirit of Fire (the 3rd book in the Fires in Eden series) was released.  That book, and The Undying Light (Book 4 of the Rising Dawn Saga) marked a time where I had a tremendous amount of output, content-wise, as a writer.  During the first few years after my first published novel The Exodus Gate was released (winter of 2009), I was able to get two larger novels out a year in addition to some short stories (alternating releases between the Fires in Eden Series and Rising Dawn Saga). 

As always, I never handed in anything to an editor until I had the manuscript where I wanted it. It was just a matter of being in a great groove, being able to sustain long writing sessions that were very productive, and keep on a steady pace.

Following the cancer diagnosis and passing of my mother in 2013, a time that affected me tremendously, I still continued to write and have new material published, but I leaned more heavily toward shorter formats, with a lot of short stories and smaller scale novels such as Heart of a Lion and Thunder Horizon.  I didn't have the same volume of output overall as my earlier period until 2018, when I hit a great stride with the writing of the Rayden Valkyrie and Ragnar Stormbringer novellas. 

Overall, 2018 (up to January 1, 2019) saw the release of eight novellas, two print compendiums, and a larger-scale novel.  To summarize the year:

Rayden Valkyrie Tales - (eBook-only stand-alone novellas)

Blood of a Queen

Winds of War

The Sun's Caress

Across Desert Plains

The Rayden Valkyrie Tales, Volume I (Print-only compendium, contains Blood of a Queen, Winds of War, and the Sun's Caress)

Ragnar Stormbringer Tales

Depths of Night

When the Cold Breathes

Altar of Gods

Tears in the Snow

The Ragnar Stormbringer Tales, Volume I (Print-only compendium, contains Depths of Night, When the Cold Breathes, and Altar of Gods)

Dream of the Navigator, Book One of the Faraway Saga.  

Having regained the kind of writing rhythm I had years ago, I began 2019 in a full throttle mode and have about 70,000 words of material so far for the 4th Fires in Eden novel. I have also been pouring through notes, making notes, and doing research for this book and others that I am aiming to work on this year. 

I think 2018 got me back into a great frame of mind for advancing both the Fires in Eden series and the Rising Dawn Saga.  I think part of the delay that occurred between 2013 and now was due to the fact that both series were developed and the first few installments of each were written when my mother, and father, were alive.  They were the first to read my earliest versions and both of them supported my path as a writer.  As such, they were a big part of my journey as an author in relation to these books. 

I was somehow able to maintain my ideal writing zone after my father passed in 2006, but after my mother passed I think that a shadow was cast over these two series in a creative sense, the more I look back at it.  (Thankfully, that creative shadow has finally passed)

Currently, and it may sound crazy, I am aiming to work on the following:

Book 4 of the Fires in Eden Series
Book 5 of the Rising Dawn Saga
Book 3 (the final installment) of the Dark Sun Dawn Trilogy
Book 2 of the Faraway Saga

In addition, I will be getting some more Rayden and Ragnar tales out there, and look to complete some more short stories that may result in anything from a Hellscapes, Volume 3 to a Chronicles of Ave, Volume 2, to an Annals of the Rising Dawn, Volume 1. 

No promises on those new short story collections being released, as they depend on getting a little extra time here and there, but I think there's a good shot that at least one of those can happen.

I have a real strong vision of the direction I need to go with the projected novels above, and barring any "life happens" kind of issues I think I can get most all, if not all, of my target list completed this year.  Yes, it sounds ambitious, but I am back to a higher volume of writing output and in a really good zone.  I am achieving longer writing sessions with a high level of productivity and keeping to a steady course.

Keep your fingers crossed!  2019 may see my best level of output yet!  I want to give my readers a lot to look forward to and reward them for their loyalty and support, so I will be giving it my all. :)

thank you for subscribing to my email list and keep your eyes out for much more to come!

sincerely,

Stephen
1-29-2019

New Interview Posted at the Blog of H.C. Playa, Covering Writing and Sword and Sorcery

It has been just a little bit since I had a new interview, but there's one that went live today at the blog of H.C. Playa.  Covers writing, sword and sorcery, and goes quite a bit into elements concerning both Heart of a Lion and the Fires in Eden Series.  Quite a few insights about Rayden Valkyrie in this one too.  Definitely worth checking out if you get a moment. 

Big thanks to H.C. Playa for interviewing me!

The direct link is! 

https://hcplaya.wordpress.com/2016/02/12/writers-ramble-stephen-zimmer-on-sword-sorcery/

Worlds of Wonder Author Hop Day 7: Character Interview of King Hakon from Spirit of Fire

Here we are on the seventh and final day of the Worlds of Wonder Author Hop.  I've got a new character interview for you to enjoy, this one of King Hakon of Midragard from the Fires in Eden Series.  All you have to know for the character interview is that Midragard has a Viking-like culture, and King Hakon is an elderly king who is facing an existential threat to his people at the very twilight of his life.  He is one of my favorite characters in the series, as while his body is aged his heart and spirit are strong!

Before we go to that, I want to thank Kimberly Comeau and T.C. Archer, and Holly from FMB Tours, who put all of this together and scheduled things.  I really enjoyed participating this week and hope everyone liked the content that I contributed here.  Thank you to everyone who visitied the blog!  Be sure to stay in touch!

-Stephen

Character Interview with King Hakon of Midragard

King Hakon of Midragard with 2 retainers
and his wolf Heder.
Artwork by Matthew
Perry

I hope you are well, and in good health.

King Hakon: As good as a man my age can be, I suppose.  The spirit of Midragard is yet strong, and that keeps my own strength up.

And that great wolf Heder?

King Hakon: He watches over me always, and still has the energy of a cub!  That wolf has been a dear companion to me through many years.  He is not a mere animal, but rather a friend.

I know you are sensing a very dark time ahead for Midragard.  You have sent an entire fleet to the north to help the Saxans.

King Hakon: The tidings from the north are dark indeed.  A storm has broken over the Five Realms and Saxany, two realms that have Midragard's friendship.

A great force formed from many lands has invaded Saxany.  I had to act, as the Saxans do not have the strength to withstand the invasion for long.  Even with the help of Midragard, I cannot say whether they will be able to hold the enemy back.


Why did you send the fleet, and not hold it back to defend your own shores?

King Hakon: I am defending our shores by sending the fleet north.  If we stay here and do nothing, and let the allies of the Unifier destroy the Saxans and others, we will be alone when the enemy comes to our lands.   We must do everything we can to stand with the other realms that wish to remain free of the Unifier's dominion.

Aid also goes to the Five Realms?

King Hakon: Yes, from the estates of many islands along the trading routes near the Five Realms.  A good number of experienced Midragardan warriors have gone into the afflicted tribal lands.  I do not yet know of their fate.

Messages have certainly been brought to you by very unexpected messengers.  What was it like seeing an Elder?

King Hakon: Long have I known dragons.  They thrive among the Drakkar Mountains within Midragard.  But they are like cubs to a full grown wolf in comparison to an Elder.  I never thought in my lifetime I would set my eyes upon one of those majestic creatures.

Yet the appearance of The Elder in our world is a dark omen in itself.  The Elder drew back from the world ages ago, and have not been seen or heard from until now.  Only something of tremendous importance would cause them to come back into the world of humans.

Will the dragons of your lands take part in the coming fight, especially since the Elder seem opposed to the Unifier?

King Hakon: The dragons know that Midragard gave them a haven, when they could find no rest in other lands.  They revere the Elder, and I know in my heart they will not stand aside when the darkness shrouds our lands.

What are some of the other sources of strength to help defend Midragard?

King Hakon: The Berzerks, and the Ulfhednar.  The Order they are a part of is ancient in these lands, and they are pledged to defend us.  Each one of them is worth a great number of enemy warriors.

There are also many Wizards who have an affinity for Midragard, and they will not wish to see usurpers triumph.

And the Fenraren that Midargardan warriors ride into battle?

King Hakon: The Fenraren are tough and noble steeds.  In each of them is an echo of the great Fenris.  We are fortunate to have them with us during this time.  If the enemy wishes to cross the skies of Midragard, they will not go uncontested.


What are some of your biggest worries at the moment?

King Hakon: Fate has seen to it that Midragard's most difficult hour arrives when my own life is at a very late hour.  I only hope I have the strength to do what is right by my people.

You are regarded as a just and good king.  Why do you think that is?

King Hakon: I do not seek to interfere with the aspirations of the Midragardan people. A king of Midragard is not like the kings I have heard of in other lands.  We are here to lead in times of war, and we are here to help build trade and keep order.  But other than times of war, a Midragardan should have little need for a king.  We are a proud, strong, and free people, and I believe a good king of Midragard allows people to live their lives without interference.

Of course, as long as they bring no harm to others.


Thank you for speaking with me, King Hakon.

King Hakon: It was an honor.  May the All-Father's grace be with you always.

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Worlds of Wonder Author Hop Day 4: Welcome to Ave, a World Like No Other

Welcome to day 4 of the Worlds of Wonder Author Hop!  For today's installment, I was asked to write about the world of my Fires in Eden Series.  I hope today's post gives you a good introduction to Ave, and I invite you to explore this world extensively in my novels and short stories!  

-Stephen

Welcome to Ave, a World Like No Other

Ave is the world that the Fires in Eden Series is set within.  It is pronounced “ah-vay”, just like the Latin term it is derived from.  The word itself means “hail”, and in the world of ancient Rome one would use it to greet someone of great distinction, such as an Emperor.

In the context of my series, the idea the name is getting at is a dignified greeting of life itself.  Not life in the way that most of us know it, with death, disease, and all of the brutality inherent in nature.   Rather, it is a hailing of existence over non-existence, the uniqueness of each individual spirit (whether animal, human, or other), and an unsullied state of nature like one that we humans on earth have not experienced.  It is life in its most vibrant state, a transcendent one that bears no corruption.

Obviously, in the series Ave is under assault from the same things that we are in our own world, and this is discovered by the small group from Earth who go into Ave during the first sections of Crown of Vengeance.  Aside from the struggles inherent in nature itself, such as famine, drought, disease, earthquakes, and other calamities, it is filled with cultures both human and non-human that are part of a lengthy history covering several thousand years. 

There are immortal races within Ave(But not eternal, there is a distinction between the two.  An immortal does not age or get sick, but they can be killed by violence).  They include the Wizards, who are a race of beings imbued with a variety of incredible powers.  There are also the Elves, who are quite different in outlook from those in other series like Lord of the Rings.  The Elder, a race of titanic dragons whose impact in Ave was something to behold in its first era, are another.

Beyond the immortal races there are a great variety of mortal beings and creatures populating Ave.  When it comes to the humans, many of their realms reflect cultures that we might know from our own history.  In Crown of Vengeance alone, the reader encounters and learns about cultures existing in Ave based upon the Normans, Saxons, Iroquois, Byzantines, medieval Russians, medieval Islamic world (from the Moors to the Fatimids), Vikings, and more.  As the series grows, many more are revealed.  The short story series set in Ave, the Chronicles of Ave, has also introduced the reader to other parts of Ave that resemble medieval China, sub-Saharan Africa, Ireland, and others. 

Just like earth, Ave is comprehensive in its range of cultures and ethnicities.  Book Three, Spirit of Fire, finally gave the reader a map of the lands involved in the series to that point, but it is by no means a complete map of the entire world.  There is much more ahead. 

In addition to human cultures inspired by ones from our own world, there are many non-human cultures that readers are encountering for the very first time in this world.  The underground-dwelling Unguhur, with their mushroom forests and dwellings carved out of rock are one example.  The Trogens, a brawny race of creatures with short, thick muzzles that give them a pit bull-like countenance, are perhaps my favorite.  The rat-like Atagar, the huge Gigans, the desert-dwelling, long-limbed Khala (revealed in a Chronicles of Ave short story called Land of Shadow), the bull-headed Burujin, and many, many more strange and exciting non-human cultures populate Ave and come into the story told in the Fires in Eden Series. 

There are aspects of Ave beneath the waters and in the skies that come into play, but I won’t comment much on these due to the major spoiler factor.  I will say that the Fires in Eden Series is able to take the action into unexpected environments, as there are supernatural factors, as well as races of flying creatures that many realms have trained as steeds, and other things that enable characters to engage environments that are not often encountered in other epic fantasy series.   The wars in Ave truly take place on land, sea, AND air!

I have been developing Ave ever since the series began in the mid-90’s, and I can assure the reader there is a lot more ahead than what they’ve already seen in the novels and short stories released so far.  In terms of content, I have yet to find or hear of another fantasy world with the richness and depth that Ave contains, or the sheer variety of cultures.  In this sense, I am very confident when I tell new readers who enjoy epic fantasy that they have a world like no other to explore and adventure in.  So I welcome you to Ave, a world like no other!

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Worlds of Wonder Author Hop Day 3: Character Interview with Dragol of the Fires in Eden Series

For day 3 of the Worlds of Wonder Author Hop, Holly from Full Moon Bites presented these questions for me to give to one of the characters from the Fires in Eden Series. I was able to reach Dragol, a Trogen warrior of the Thunder Wolf Clan. Trogens are tall, muscular beings with faces that have short, broad muzzles, almost like a pit bull. In this series, they are one of the many lands who have come to fight on the side of the Unifier in a war intended to end all wars, and usher in a new order.  When you first meet the Trogens in Crown of Vengeance, they appear pretty harsh and brutal, but there is a lot more to them, and I hope this interview with Dragol gives you some deeper insight to one of my absolute favorite cultures in all of Ave!
-Stephen



Interview with Dragol of the Thunder Wolf Clan:

 Holly: What single thing or goal do you want most in life?

 Dragol: I want to live a life of honor.  What a Trogen means by honor may be different from what you might understand.  I have found the ways of humans very different from those of Trogens.  Human honor may be different from Trogen honor.  But living an honorable life is the highest goal of a Trogen.  A Trogen with honor will find a home in Elysium in the next world.

 Holly: What do you fear most? 

 Dragol: I fear what every Trogen fears. To never be tested. To never be measured. To never know if my heart is strong or not.  To never know if I am truly worthy of being called a Trogen.  Those are the things to be feared. A life untested is a life not worth living.  I believe it is even worse than it is to fail.

 Holly: What’s your world like? 

Illustration of Trogen upon a Harrak from
Crown of Vengeance.
Artwork by Matthew Perry

 Dragol: The Trogen lands are to the north and west of Kiruva, a human realm, and west of the lands of the Gigans. The Trogen lands are filled with hills and great mountains. Many powerful beasts dwell there, many who our great clans are named after. The Blood Boars, the Forest Wolverines, the Mountain Bears, and others. We live in villages, but we live in the shadow of an ancient enemy.

 The Elves have long oppressed the Trogens. They sailed the seas, flew upon their steeds in the skies, and mastered weapons before my kind existed. When we settled our lands, they attacked us. They have raided us throughout the ages. When part of our lands were found to be rich in the things valued by them, metals and gems, they took that land and enslaved a great many of my kind.

It is not Trogen weakness that keeps us from freeing them. We could not build a fortress, or ships. The Elves would attack in great strength to destroy them before they were completed.

Blade to blade, we can fight them.  But we do not have their high walls or their ships.

We were able to master sky steeds, and we fly upon the great Harraks who dwell in the mountains of our lands.  Since the time of the warrior Marragesh, we have challenged the Elves in the skies.

We live at all times under threat, but our kind are strong, and we have endured.   One day we will find a way to liberate the Trogens held captive.

Our path is not an easy one.  Like a longblade, a Trogen is forged.  The world that we live in is the fire that shapes the iron of who we are.

Holly: Are you presently in love, or do you hope to find someone special? 

Dragol:  It is hard for me to understand what humans mean by love.  Do you mean a mate?  I have yet to find a mate. I will not do this until I know in my heart that I am fully worthy of being a Trogen Warrior ... fully worthy of being one of the Thunder Wolf Clan ... fully worthy of being called a Trogen. Any sons or daughters I have must be born to a father with honor, as I was born to a father with honor and a mother most strong.  I must be worthy of the respect of my mate.  I must be strong for her, as she must be strong for me.

A Trogen life is not an easy journey.  A family is a great responsibility.  Sons and daughters are reflections of those who give them life.  And they are reflections of the clan.  It is not the duty of others to raise our offspring.  It is our duty to raise them and prepare them for whatever may come.  This great responsibility is one that must be shared fully by the two who are mates.  This is why the choosing of a mate is no easy thing, for a female or a male of the Trogen kind.

I do hope that when I return to my kind I can find a mate.  I want to have strong sons and daughters, and a mate I respect, honor, and share life with.

Holly: Sum up your life in the last few weeks in 150 words or less. 

Illustration from Spirit of Fire of a
Trogen Warrior in combat against
a knight.
Artwork by Matthew Perry

Dragol: The fighting had just begun over the tribal lands, the place the humans call the Five Realms. While protecting the huge Darroks sent by the Unifier, the warriors under my command did not heed my command and became reckless when I saw a great force of Midragardan warriors approaching through the skies upon Fenraren steeds.

I did not wish to throw my life away so uselessly when they went against my command and rushed to certain defeat. I landed my steed on the ground and took to the forests where the enemy dwelled.  It was there that I met the Wanderer. He is of human appearance, but I believe him to be a Wizard as he has done much to show he has great powers.

He was like a guide to me, even to the moment when I was taken captive by tribal warriors.  Much has happened since then, and I am still held by the tribal humans as another journey begins.


 Holly: Do you have any words of wisdom you think everyone should live by? 

Live always with honor.  It is hard to explain this to humans.  Trogens do not care for the gold and silver that seems to rule you.  You deceive each other, kill each other, steal from each other over metal from the ground.  The worth of a Trogen has nothing to do with what things they possess.  The worth of a Trogen is measured by what they have done.  Courage ... strength ... loyalty ... these are some of the things that are part of living with honor.  It is earned.  It is built.  It is forged.  It is not given.

Holly:  If you could change one thing of your past would you? If so, what would it be and why?

There is nothing I would change.  I may know and realize more now than I did before.  But the path that led to where I am today brought me what I needed to have the understanding I have in my heart now.  I have always sought to be true to myself.  I have made unwise choices, but I have learned from these times and grown.



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Onward and Upward!

Fandom Fest finished up last week, and I've got about a week to go on the Spirit of Fire Blog Tour, so I'm wrapping up a couple of major endeavors that have kept me extremely busy in the early part of the summer.

Fandom Fest as a whole was well over 10,000 in attendance, a big success by any measure.  I was very proud of the Literary Track group that was assembled, as we had some incredible guests like Timothy Zahn, Robin Hobb, Julie Kagawa, and Angie Fox.  I got to meet a few of the film guests like Sean Astin and James Marsters, but for the most part the weekend was insanely busy and I'm definitely glad things are done.

The Spirit of Blog Tour on the other hand has been a great deal of fun, with a nice mix of videos, interviews, giveaways, guests posts and more.  I really hope everyone has enjoyed the character posts and character interviews, and that those activities have helped give some further insight into the ensemble of the Fires in Eden series.  Some of the videos have been absolutely crazy, such as the bacon making one I did for The Cabin Goddess and another video I did for I Smell Sheep which required the help of my sister with puppeteering so that the site's mascot Baaart could make an appearance on the video.

July is going to be a very writing heavy month.  I've got several short stories close to completion, including new ones for the Chronicles of Ave and the Annals of the Rising Dawn, and the first of a batch for a new series that will be horror genre in nature.  Of course, I'm underway on book 4 of the Rising Dawn Saga, and it is going to be high-octane! If you thought The Seventh Throne was full of action and revelations, wait until you dive into this one!

So onward and upward it is as the July heat continues here in Central KY!  :)

Blog Tour Recap and Spirit of Fire eBook info

Blog Tour Recap and Spirit of Fire eBook info

The Spirit of Fire Blog Tour is underway, the eBook version is now available, and Fandom Fest is coming up in just a few weeks.  Yes, things are very busy as always, but I hope that everyone is enjoying the latest tour stops.

Unfortunately, I was unable to make it to ConCarolinas this weekend. Circumstances on the homefront were unavoidable.  As most of you know, my mother has a very unstable health condition, and there's only myself and my sister to keep a watch on her.  When I'm out of town my sister keeps a close watch on her, but the new vehicle that my sister got spent most of the last week in the shop, had a breakdown less than a couple miles out from the place she got it that required me to go get her, etc.  With the uncertainty swirling around her vehicle, I just could not leave town.  I hope everyone understands the situation, as I hate having to cancel anything on my calendar. 

On better news, the blog tour activities have had quite a mix of things.  I just had my first video interview for the Soliloquy Blog site, I've done guests posts on a few different topics, I had a very extensive interview on the Ginger Nuts of Horror site, and even had a character interview of Mershad from the Fires in Eden series.

For a recap of the first few tour dates:

May 29: Introductory post for the tour at Fantasy Book Review in the UK

http://www.fantasybookreview.co.uk/blog/2012/05/29/a-new-release/

May 30: BIG interview on the Ginger Nuts of Horror site

http://thegingernutcase.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/interview-with-stephen-zimmer.html

May 31: Character interview at Alexx Mom Cat's Gateway Book Blog

http://alexxmomcatsgatewaybookblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/character-interview-of-mershad-shahab.html?zx=156b2b4ca4129ffc

June 1: Guest post at Splash of Our Worlds on the artwork of the Fires in Eden series

http://splashofourworlds.blogspot.com/2012/06/spirit-of-fire-tour-artwork-of-novels.html

June 2:  Video interview for Soliloquy.  

http://kaitlinmichelle.com/spirit-of-fire-by-stephen-zimmer-author-interview/

June 3:  Guest post on war in fiction for Alexia's Chronicles

http://alexiachronicles.blogspot.com/2012/06/blog-tour-spirit-of-fire.html?showComment=1338737783663#c1921648153622380345

Please check them out, and leave a comment if you enjoy them.  The bloggers always love to hear from the readers that visit their sites.

As far as the eBook version of Spirit of Fire, you can get it at the following links:


Amazon Kindle:
http://www.amazon.com/Spirit-Fire-Fires-Eden-ebook/dp/B0087P0EOW/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1338744598&sr=1-1 

Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/spirit-of-fire-stephen-zimmer/1111326652?ean=2940014724975

It is just $2.99, the same price as Crown of Vengeance and Dream of Legends in eBook format.  

We will be doing a big Amazon Kindle promotion with Crown of Vengeance this Tuesday and Wednesday, so please be sure to check back and help us spread the word to help introduce more readers to the series. 

:)

ConNooga and a Great New Dream of Legends Review

Getting ready for ConNooga this weekend, and will definitely be giving some reports here. I'm going to be teaming up with fellow SSP author D.A. Adams who will be at my booth with his three new Brotherhood of Dwarves series books. Looking forward to Robby Hilliard's literary track there. It is a very solid one and has many great participants.

If you are in range of Chattanooga this weekend and aren't coming already, you should think about coming on out. The site is www.connooga.com


Also, I just got a wonderful new review in of Dream of Legends just now, over at Watch Play Read. Here's an excerpt that blew me away and the link to the full review:

"In true epic fantasy fashion, Zimmer has created a gigantic world full of crazy races of beings, gigantic battles (especially in the war for Saxony) and a cast of characters that you find yourself getting attached to. His writing style is highly descriptive to such a degree that on numerous accounts of reading before bed I found myself having vivid dreams from pages I had just read. I’ve said it numerous times, and I’ll say it again, Stephen Zimmer is a top tier author that is within reach of breaking out. If you’re a fan of Tolkien and R.R. Martin, you’ll find the world of Ave and the Fires in Eden series right up your alley."
http://watchplayread.com/dream-of-legends-book-review/

The Writing Progress...

Things have been busy, from the kickoff to Keeneland's Fall Racing Meet where I'm part of the broadcast team, to a visit to Maysville Kentucky to do the keynote speech to the kickoff event for the READ ON! program

The kickoff event was fantastic. Dr. Shires and everyone from the Kentucky Gateway Museum made me feel right at home, and I managed to get to the podium without tripping too! LOL I gave a speech on the literary strengths and merit of the fantasy genre, and the talk appeared to go over pretty well from some of the comments I got afterwards. Great program too! Over 1,000 copies of Ursula K. LeGuin's first Earthsea novel will be distributed in the program to students, as the theme of this year's program is fantasy.

Just found out that I will have a reading slot at the Kentucky Book Fair (held in Frankfort KY) on November 12th, at 2pm. They only have 12 reading slots, so I was really stoked to get the word that I had one.

Writing has been going well. Been working hard on polishing the third Fires in Eden novel. Really concentrating on the arrangement of the threads,to try to set a nice pace to the book. The placement of the threads make a big difference in terms of the overall flow. With some of the cliffhanger action transpiring in this one, I'm having a lot of fun with determining what point of view will follow another.

Readers will be exploring quite a bit more of Midragard and Avanor, and the prime city of Avanor, Avalos, including the Unifier's great mountain citadel. Quite a bit advances in the plot, and several things from Dream of Legends are tied up nicely, regarding the Battle on the Plains of Athelney and the invasion going on in the Five Realms.

There are some really powerful moments in this one, in terms of the series, shown from the perspectives of both sides in the conflict. Expect quite a bit of action, some new territory, and some further development of the main characters.


Also in regards to the Fires in Eden series, we are getting close to the announcement of an exciting new short story series, which will involve eBooks and eventual single author collections...readers of the Fires in Eden series, and those of the Rising Dawn Saga, are in for some new adventures!

Horses, a New Harvey and Solomon Tale, and Other Adventures

It has definitely been a busy week, as I'm doing my work as one of the two directors for the broadcasts of the thoroughbred sales at Keeneland here in Lexington. It is a big money event, as in the first week we crossed the $165 million mark in sales, after 20 million in sales yesterday. Definitely a surreal environment, to say the least. Not exactly a crowd that is feeling the pinch of the economic mess going on right now!

Things have been going well on the writing front. Knee-deep in the new Fires in Eden Book,and working on some special short stories that we will have an announcement about very soon.

I finally got my hands on the new Dreams of Steam II: Bolts and Brass, which has the new Harvey and Solomon story. Obviously, with Harry's recent passing (for those of you who don't know, Harry is the basis for the Harvey cat character in these stories), there is a bittersweet aspect, but there is also something elating and enduring as well.

Pulling up into the driveway on Friday, I saw that one of the cats that used to come around and talk with Harry through the front windows was lounging where the UPS box had been set down. I get lots of UPS boxes, and I haven't seen them at the boxes before, so this was both unusual and intriguing. It was almost like Harry's friend was watching over that box until I got home, because I found out later that the UPS truck had arrived not long before.

It was a little emotional opening up the box and holding the new book, but I am so relieved to have this specific story and book, as these stories are a real tribute to Harry. I am going to come out swinging with a big Harvey and Solomon story in 2012, even though I know it will be a very hard process to write it on an emotional level.

I'll be anchored here in Lexington over the next week, but the week following I will be heading out to ARCHON in St. Louis, an excellent convention that is returning to the site it was at in 2009. I hope to visit and spend time with a number of my author friends like Elizabeth Donald, Jimmy Gillentine, Jon Klement, and Georgia Jones, who just got picked up by Blackwyrm Publishing.

Keep an eye on the SSP Blog too, as I'm doing some posts there about the publishing business (and there are some great new regular contributors with the SSP Blog, such as Rodney Carlstrom, Frank Hall, and Ren Garcia.) The addy is
http://seventhstarpress.blogspot.com

Crown of Vengeance wins the 2010 Pluto Award!

Today is a very special day, as I just received word that Crown of Vengeance was announced as the winner of the 2010 Pluto Award.

Six nominees were announced in November, with 2 finalists declared on December 4th, and Crown of Vengeance made the final cut earlier today. This is my first national/international literary award, so it will always be extra, extra special in my heart. It is a real thrill to know that a jury thought so much of my work to nominate it, and choose to move it forward in the following rounds.

So much work goes into these books. The series itself has been in development for over 15 years, even though book 2, Dream of Legends, is only now being published. An award like this is a real validation and encouragement, and I can't say enough how amazing it was to get the word that Crown of Vengeance won.

I would also like to recognize a couple of other individuals for whom this award is significant. One is Amanda DeBord, my hard-working editor on Crown of Vengeance. I have always loved working with her, as she is a very gifted editor, and know she will be very happy about this award. The other is Matthew Perry, who did the cover art and set of illustrations in Crown of Vengeance. As everyone knows, I have had a great collaboration with Matt with his artwork and my books, and I think Matt will be very pleased to hear about this award as well.

I extend a huge thanks to the board and jury of the Pluto Award. I promise that I will continue to put a 250% effort into all the future installments of the Fires in Eden Series, and that the confidence you have shown me in selecting Crown of Vengeance was well placed. This series is from the heart, and I put my all into it, to create an epic adventure that has rays of light within it, even if the challenges presented to the characters might seem impossible at times. I don't think you will be disappointed with where this series is headed! :)

New Book Around Corner, New Dates added!

Just wanted to pop in to give a small update...

the final text for the new Fires in Eden book has been handed in! It may well be the largest book yet, lol ...I took a quick picture of the manuscript, single-sided, with a Monster Energy drink can for perspective! Yes, it is going to be a little larger, but that's so we can end it with a major, and I mean MAJOR, revelation for the entire series. It caught my editor Karen Leet off guard, but she loved it. She's been really happy with the pacing of the novel, so don't be daunted by the size of this one...it flows with action, action, and more action...plus a monster of an epic battle that fantasy fans and history buffs will get a real kick out of. I'm very excited about the new book, and Matt is working on new illustrations and cover art now.

I have just added some new appearances to the calendar. Thanks to Deth Publications, I will be attending ScareFest in Lexington after all. Deth Publications is going to be selling my titles at their table, and I will be going to help out over the weekend on November 5 and 6. The following weekend is the Kentucky Book Fair, and then December 11th is Apex Day at Joseph Beth, so it is going to be a very busy time locally (and I will be returning to Dunbar next week on invitation to take part in their wonderful Reading Extravaganza program, in regards to The Storm Guardians).

The new year is going to see MANY dates involving both the book world and the movie world, as Swordbearer will be premiering later in January. I will be attending many Cons both as an author guest and also to screen Swordbearer, and we will have some targeted premieres and festivals to announce very soon.

A while back, I talked about a new series of resin-cast collectible figurines from the book series, and it looks like that project is very close to launching the first figure. More on this soon, but wanted everyone to know that we are quietly advancing it forward.

On another note, keep an eye on the Seventh Star Press site the first week of November. Announcement coming on Steven L. Shrewsbury's novel Thrall out on Seventh Star Press. Steven has been a good friend and very supportive, and I can't say how happy I am that Amanda DeBord gave the green light to bring him onto Seventh Star Press. Those that like the dark fantasy of Robert E. Howard will LOVE Shrews. And in addition to that, a wonderful new addition is about to be announced to Seventh Star Press, and she's a fantastic writer! Wait until you find out who!

Location visits, the new book, and more...

Been a very busy week, as I have been attending to the final polishes of the new Fires in Eden Book, while keeping up with Swordbearer tasks, and attending to my tasks as a technical director for the broadcast of the very prominent Keeneland Thoroughbred September Sales going on right now in Lexington.

It is kind of a surreal climate, when you begin to regard a $250,000 sale as being "run of the mill", lol. We've seen a 4 million dollar sale and another for over 2 million, and overall it seems to be going fairly well. The horse industry has taken a real pounding in the last couple of years, and I am really hoping that this sale goes well as Keeneland is a first class place that has been outstanding to work with. They take great care of those who come in to work with them. The dynamics of the sale is fun to observe. It is a massive undertaking with hundreds upon hundreds of horses being housed and moved on a daily basis. By the end we will have seen a few thousand thoroughbreds with prime pedigrees move through the arena, and the sales totals will exceed a couple hundred million dollars.

I must say that it would be nice to bounce into someone who was wanting to get a movie going as much as they want to get a horse!

Swordbearer preparations are falling into place. We have the big scene on the 25th in Frankfort KY, involving the sword fight between Al Snow and Benjamin Wood. We will then have our final two shoots on October 4 and 5 in Bourbon County Kentucky. I don't think it will be all that long until we have at least a teaser trailer to show.

I am really excited about the new Fires in Eden book. Similar to the situation with the release of The Storm Guardians in the Rising Dawn Saga, this is the second book in the series. With the foundation and parameters set in book one, book 2 can really accelerate with events and action. It contains some huge revelations for the series, and has loads of high-octane action and an absolutely epic battle in it. I cannot wait to get this one out.

Matt will be very immersed in the artwork for this one shortly, and I have no doubts that it will turn out amazing, as all of his work has been in the past. Once the artwork is finished, we will also be rather speedy in getting the first book trailer up for this new release. (and if you haven't seen the trailers for the other three books, they are all up on YouTube or watchable on my own site at stephenzimmer.com )

This week also saw The Exodus Gate and The Storm Guardians pop up in Apple's iBookstore. The price for the eBooks is the same as the Kindle titles, $2.99 for The Exodus Gate and $3.99 for The Storm Guardians. Crown of Vengeance should be available any day now, and the three titles will be appearing the new prices in a slew of other eBook outlets.

I hope to have more soon regarding the new announcement involving an ongoing writing project that I will be doing. I think fans of Fires in Eden and The Rising Dawn Saga will be very pleased with what this project is, hint, hint...

anyhow, that's it for the moment. time to get back to business, and get ready for going to visit the location we are using for the 4th and 5th of October. I'm heading that way later today!

and on a personal note, my mom is doing much better healthwise. At least she's maintained a fairly steady blood pressure since coming back from the hospital. I hope that the new medication approach helps to keep it managed, but we will be watching her closely. The doctors cannot explain why she had the severe spike in blood pressure prior to being taken to the emergency room. I really appreciate all of the kind emails and messages that I received, and I did pass on all the well wishes to mom, which she was very touched by.

Storm Guardians, 2nd Book of Rising Dawn Saga, launching at Hypericon!

Here's the cover art, title, some of the illustrations, and a full press release on the new book!!!



Yes, some good news at last, The Storm Guardians is book two of the Rising Dawn Saga, and I will be launching it at Hypericon, the awesome Nashville Con that I always look forward to each year. I really appreciate Fred Grimm, for allowing me the opportunity (and special thanks to Stephania as well!). This one has a real personal side for me, and to be able to debut the new book at Hypericon is something I'm incredibly happy about.

Be sure to let me know what you think of the new images, artwork, and everything else.

Also, there is a pre-order window up at the Seventh Star Press site for a very cool Limited Edition Hardcover package, which is the best one we've ever been able to put together, as well as pre-orders for the regular trade paperback edition of The Storm Guardians. Only 75 of the limited editions will be made, and the package even includes one of the new t-shirt designs. Please check it out and give some thought to ordering. Get a couple of packages and set them back as Christmas gifts!


So, here's the official press release as posted on the Seventh Star site!

For Immediate Release
May 18, 2010

Stephen Zimmer’s The Storm Guardians, Book Two of the Rising Dawn Saga,
Set For Launch at Hypericon

Seventh Star Press will be launching Stephen Zimmer’s second Rising Dawn Saga novel, The Storm Guardians, at the Hypericon science fiction and fantasy convention in Nashville, TN, taking place from June 4-6, 2010.

Book two in the epic urban fantasy series, the release reflects the commitment of Seventh Star Press to have a new title out each year in the Rising Dawn Saga. The Storm Guardians follows the events and characters introduced in The Exodus Gate, and is an installment full of action and intrigue set in a parallel world very similar to Earth.

With a multi-threaded style that focuses on a diverse range of characters, the novel appeals to readers of epic and urban fantasy alike. The danger rises and the stakes grow throughout all of the story threads in The Storm Guardians: A massive battle looms in the spirit realms, as the Fallen Avatar Beleth's legions pour into the Middle Lands. Babylon Technologies prepares to unveil its greatest invention, a technology that will impact every living being on the face of the world. The shape-shifting An-Ki find themselves in grave peril, as the Night Hunt resumes once again. A small group of high school students make an incredible discovery, even as tensions swirl in a small town over a law enforcement deadlock that causes a sheriff to question his own part in the course of events. The Convergence continues its steadfast march towards a global legal and economic order, using all means at its disposal. The question is: Who will be the guardians against the storm?

The Rising Dawn Saga is just one of two active fantasy series by Stephen Zimmer, whose epic medieval Fires in Eden series was set in motion with the release of Crown of Vengeance, in November of 2009. The second book in the Fires in Eden series is slated for winter of 2010.

Amanda DeBord, chief editor at Seventh Star Press, and who was the editor for Zimmer’s The Exodus Gate and Crown of Vengeance novels, said about the new book, “I'm so excited for the release of The Storm Guardians, and happy to be one of the first to tell readers that they're going to love the developments in this second installment of Zimmer's Rising Dawn Saga. Fans of The Exodus Gate will be happy to see the return of familiar faces, and some real heroes arising from the action. However, Stephen has taken care to ensure that new readers to the series will be able to jump right in to the story.”

The Storm Guardians also continues the artistic collaboration between fantasy artist Matthew Perry and Stephen Zimmer, featuring no less than thirteen brand new, full page illustrations, as well as the cover art. Along with The Exodus Gate and Crown of Vengeance, Matthew has now done more than 40 full page illustrations and three covers in his association with Stephen’s literary works. “Stephen's narratives cover the gamut of deep introspectiveness to epic, world-changing events. To have that range, and to be to able to go in and out of those possibilities, makes it an adventure for me to see what emerges from the empty canvas,” said Matthew.

One of the most active fantasy authors in productivity and appearances, Stephen will be visiting numerous conventions and bookstores throughout 2010 in support of The Storm Guardians and his other literary works and film projects.

The Hypericon visit from June 4-6th in Nashville kicks off the support of The Storm Guardians, along with a June 7th appearance at Davis-Kidd Booksellers in Memphis, TN. “I am really honored to be launching the new book at Hypericon, which has always been a wonderful event, with many special friends, readers, and amazing guests, like this year’s guest of honor, a living literary legend, Ramsey Campbell. I’m very thankful to Fred Grimm for this opportunity. I can’t wait to find out what readers think of The Storm Guardians, as I believe it shows how I build upon my foundations in a series. Expect loads of action, and many surprises!” Stephen said.

A special collector’s edition hardcover, limited to 75 copies, is now being offered with a full package of collectibles, with trade paperback, hardcover, Kindle, and eBook editions to follow.

Updates and additional information can be obtained at the official site for Seventh Star Press, at www.seventhstarpress.com , or at the author's site at www.stephenzimmer.com

Hypericon’s official website can be found at: www.hypericononline.com


Contact: C.C. James
Public Relations, Seventh Star Press
ccjames@seventhstarpress.com
Seventh Star Press Mailing Address:
3801 Dylan Place Suite 116, #7
Lexington, Ky. 40514-1062

Seventh Star Press is a small press publisher of speculative fiction located in Lexington Kentucky.