3rd Rising Dawn Saga Book Revealed With Limited Hardcover Offer

Here it is, Book Three in the Rising Dawn Saga, The Seventh Throne!

The book is released the 2nd week in August, but we have a new limited hardcover pre-order window open now for a sharp edition of the book (and there is an option to pre-order the softcover with a ton of extra goodies)

I really hope you give this limited edition hardcover offer some consideration, as we've got another really nice package put together for it. A great new set of Matthew Perry artwork will be in it, and this third book really shows how I approach the construction of a series.

I know the economy is rough, but we've worked overtime to offer a whole lot more, for a whole lot less. It isn't the 60 dollar and (much) higher price tags you see on a lot of limited hardcover releases, but instead just $35.95, and that includes a ton of cool extras.

Pass on the word, and encourage your friends and readers you know to pre-order a book. Orders during this period really help a book launch! It would be incredible to find homes for the 75 limited hardcovers right away! For the price the value is outstanding.

Thanks in advance, and please leave a comment and let me know what you think of the new cover art too! (and if you have purchased a limited edition hardcover in the past, let everyone know what you thought of it and the extras with it!)

Go here to see the options on getting The Seventh Throne pre-ordered: http://www.seventhstarpress.com/documents/books.html

Here's the official word on the new book:


For Immediate Release
June 28, 2011
Stephen Zimmer's Third Rising Dawn Saga Book Unveiled With Limited Edition Hardcover Offer!



Seventh Star Press is proud to unveil the title and brand new cover art for Stephen Zimmer's third Rising Dawn Saga novel: The Seventh Throne.

A bold, ambitious series that pushes the boundaries of urban fantasy, The Rising Dawn Saga has gained a steadily growing, very dedicated following since the debut of The Exodus Gate in spring of 2009. Showing the epic-scale possibilities of urban fantasy, the series draws heavily upon mythical and supernatural lore, weaving it into a modern day tale of a world tilting swiftly towards a dystopian nightmare.

Readers who have been journeying along in the Rising Dawn Saga will need to hold on to their seat, as a conflict of cosmic scope escalates rapidly. They will join the human soul Friedrich as he accompanies the powerful Avatar Enki into the depth of the Abyss, to discover the fate of Erishkegal, who crossed the Veil to spare a horde of outcast Nephilim ages ago. It is a quest that will take them to the brink of hell itself, but it is one that may hold astounding revelations.

Elsewhere, martial law is installed across the UCAS during the outbreak of a deadly virus, and the onset of a war to the far east that threatens the stability of the entire world. The imposition of a diabolical technology looms, as centuries-old organizations in the service of Adonai race to confront the looming menace.

Gregory Andreas, an ex-marine, leads a budding resistance to the authoritarian government, as Dagian Underwood, the mastermind behind the oncoming Living ID technology, reaches out to the dark realm of Set to gain the help of an ally with a rare, formidable ability. Seth Engel and his teenaged friends venture forth once again to seek proof of spreading rumors; this time of rounded-up townspeople being herded into large detainment facilities close to Godwinton.

Even the shapeshifting An-Ki are caught in the maelstrom of uncertainty, as Godral and their others of Sargor's clan struggle to find their place in the strange modern world, and Uria leads his renegade new clan into the unknown. His path leads to an encounter with a mysterious individual possessed of supernatural powers; who expresses the desire to be his guide.

Threads intertwine as the dangers increase, and nowhere is safe as the things of the material and non-material worlds clash. The Seventh Throne will leave the reader hungry for the next installment, after a revelation of tremendous magnitude culminates the latest Rising Dawn Saga adventure.

"I am very excited about this installment, as with three books out in the Rising Dawn Saga I can really show readers how I build a series," Stephen Zimmer commented. "Everything builds, and threads that may have seemed ambiguous in the earlier books pay off in droves. For the dedicated reader, I have worked hard to bring a level of range and depth that can be explored again and again."

As with the previous Rising Dawn Saga books, readers can expect another full set of Matthew Perry illustrations, with eight brand new ones included in the regular edition of the book. The extensive Matthew Perry body of artwork produced for The Rising Dawn Saga is, without a doubt, highly unique in the publishing of fantasy works today, regardless of major press or small press classification.

A pre-ordering window is now open for readers interested in a limited edition hardcover of The Seventh Throne, which features a Matthew Perry illustration not included in the regular editon. Only 75 numbered/signed copies of the limited edition will be issued, at a price of just $35.95.

There is also a special pre-order offer for the regular trade paperback edition.  Both of the pre-order offers include an array of collectibles from The Seventh Throne. Copies can be pre-ordered in the online store at http://www.seventhstarpress.com/documents/books.html and all pre-ordered packages will be shipped no later than August 16th.

The Seventh Throne will ultimately be available in trade paperback, hardcover, and a variety of eBook editions.
 
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

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.

From 2010 to 2011, a Look Behind and a Look Ahead.

2011 is looming as a very busy year, but it would not be in this position were it not for all of the things that occurred over the course of 2010.

In general, 2010 saw the release of both The Storm Guardians and Dream of Legends,adding a new title to my 2 different series. This also saw Karen Leet coming aboard as my editor on the Fires in Eden series, while Amanda DeBord continued to handle The Rising Dawn Saga. The year also saw my first foray into steampunk with "In the Mountain Skies", my short story in the Dreams of Steam anthology from Kerlak publications that came out later in the summer.

Things were not quiet on the film front either, as I finally returned to directing with Swordbearer, a medieval fantasy short film that is based on a segment of H. David Blalock's novel Ascendant. The production on that was complete and post-production was fully underway by the end of the year. It was a very good experience, and I was thrilled working with DP Aaron Champion, my first AD Nathan Day, and Cineline's dynamic duo, Matt and Sven, once again (as they say, "The Sven is Mightier Than the Sword" lol)

The year also saw a great deal of travel. I got to go visit in person with my reader friends in a range of bookstores and conventions, including Hypericon (Nashville), Marcon (Columbus), InConJunction (Indianapolis), Fright Night Film Fest (Louisville, the con that now includes FandomFest),ConNooga (Chattanooga),Millenicon (Cincinnati), MidSouthCon (Memphis), ConText (also in Columbus), The Kentucky Book Fair (Frankfort), Dark Woods Con (Pikeville), Duckon (Chicago), Archon (St. Louis), and ScareFest (Lexington).

Regretfully, I missed DemiCon due to one of my mother's 3 stints in the hospital during the past year, but I am slated to go back this spring, and the folks there were really understanding about the situation with my mother's health emergency.

I also got to make some educational visits, with talks to groups as Dunbar High School and the Bowling Green Technical College. I love visiting with students, and these experiences were definite highlights of mine for the year.

The bookstore visits throughout 2010 were wonderful, with a nice mix of independents and several Borders stores. I really appreciate Borders' openness to small press authors, as I was treated very well at the Borders stores in Louisville, Cincinnati, Columbus, and Indianapolis. I was very saddened that one store, Davis-Kidd in Nashville, had to close, as my visit there in February of 2010 to Nashville was a wonderful experience. Similarly, the Sherlock's Book Emporium in Lebanon TN closed in 2010, though another location is open in downtown Nashville now. Fortunately, both Davis-Kidd in Memphis, and my hometown store, Joseph-Beth in Lexington, are continuing forth strongly. Both places were amazing to visit on my travels in 2010, with two incredible turnouts at Joseph-Beth and one of my best attended on the road events at Memphis' Davis-Kidd.

There were many pleasant stops at indie book stores, like Beaverdale Books in Des Moines and Empire Books in Huntington, WV, My last signing event of the year took place at That Book Place, one of the components of Frank Hall's burgeoning publishing and book selling empire in Madison IN. Frank is one of the true good guys of the business, and he takes care of many cats in addition to small press authors, so I am rooting him onward to victory!

The year also saw two very special authors come aboard SSP: Steven Shrewsbury and Jackie Gamber. Steven's book Thrall was released towards the end of the year and promises to be a really successful book for Steven in 2011. Jackie's Leland Dragon Series is going to be released through SSP, with the re-release of the fantastic Redheart in the first half of 2011 and the followup book later in the year. I can't wait to do some events with them, and it is great to all be in the SSP family together.

I took on two programming tracks for two Cons, becoming the head of the Writer's Track for Duckon in Chicago and the Author/Publishing Track at FandomFest (which includes Fright Night Film Fest) in Louisville. These tasks will ratchet up even more in 2011, but I was able to get a lot of ground work in place in 2010.

Best of all were all the new friends, including reader-friends, that became part of my life over the course of the past year. There are many individuals that I am so glad I've met, from other authors, to new reader-friends, to store owners, film crew members and actors/actresses, and others. Meeting new friends is really one of the best, if not the best, aspects about what I do.

The year definitey ended on a high note, with Crown of Vengeance winning the 2010 Pluto Award for best novel (small press). We got the notice just days before Dream of Legends became available. The timing was pretty darn good!

In all, it was a year that saw a lot of strides and progress. As with all things, there were ups and downs, but the overriding direction of it all was definitely positive. Lots and lots of Monster Energy Drinks were also consumed!

I'm very excited about 2011. We will be aiming to have the 3rd Rising Dawn Saga book out in Mid-Summer, with the 3rd Fires in Eden Book at the end of the year. Expect some new announcements in the realm of short stories, both from within Seventh Star Press and outside of it (and expect to see more of my steampunk friends, Harvey and Solomon...).

Swordbearer will be screened in the early part of the year, beginning a schedule that will continue throughout the year at Cons, festivals, and other screening venues. There are not that many indie fantasy films done, so I am hopefuly that we will see a lot of enthusiasm out there for this project. I hope it brings attention to many talented individuals who worked very hard to raise the production value of this project to a high level.

The Cineline guys acquired not just one, but two RedCams for their operation, so I have a suspicion that I will be involved with them on some production projects this year.

I am hoping to make some progress on a Viking-age feature that I have hinted at from time to time, involving a screenplay I have written. I think it is a hard-hitting dark fantasy piece that hits an area of filmmaking that has been in very, very short supply over the past several years.

Be sure to keep an eye here and on my site, as there is a great deal of activity and adventure looming. To everyone who helped me, supported me, or encouraged me in 2010, I extend a heartfelt thanks, and assure you that I am laser-focused this year and rarin' to put in an immense amount of hard work to see how far we might be able to get during the next several months!

Time to stock up on Monster Energy Drinks!

;)

Titles now up for those with Sony eReaders and other devices.

Just a couple of days after the announcement that the Rising Dawn Saga is available in the iBookstore (and Crown of Vengeance will be there shortly), I am happy to say that both The Rising Dawn Saga and Fires in Eden series titles are now available at several online eBook retailers for users of Sony eReaders and other reading devices that accept the ePub file format.

This rounds out eBook availability, with the ePub versions for numerous reading devices being added to the Kindle and iBookstore versions.

Here is the post from the SSP site and blog, which I copied over to my website's home page:


>>

Pricing is consistent with the Kindle and iBookstore pricing, with the retail price for The Storm Guardians at $3.99 and Crown of Vengeance at $2.99. The Exodus Gate will have a retail price of $2.99 on October 2, 2010 (it is listed at its previous pricing of $7.99 until that date, when the new pricing goes into effect)

Here are some sites where the 3 titles can be found.

USA:
http://www.diesel-ebooks.com
http://www.booksonboard.com
http://www.powells.com
http://www.ebookpie.com
http://www.cyberread.com

South Africa:
http://www.ebookshop.co.za

Ireland:
http://www.directebooks.com

New Rising Dawn Saga Video Trailers Up Now!

Just wanted to let everyone know that we have 2 new video trailers up for the two books in the Rising Dawn Saga. It fills a gap that's been lingering for awhile, and I really feel that these trailers give a good notion and feel as to the content the books.

They definitely showcase the artwork from Matthew Perry, in a dynamic way, using each art piece as a layer to pan across, or zoom in or out on, in a sequence that introduces the books.

Be sure to find these on the YouTube page to get the direct links and/or embed codes, so that you can share them or embed them in your own pages. That would really help to spread the word farther on the series! I appreciate any consideration you can give to embedding/linking the trailers.

The Road Trip- Duckon, Des Moines, and back home again

Logged quite a few miles last week, as I headed out for my first Duckon in Chicago, followed by a trip to Des Moines for a book signing at Beaverdale Books.

I really like Chicago, and it serves as the inspiration for a certain city in the Rising Dawn Saga! This trip did not take me into the heart of the city, but rather to Naperville on the outskirts, which is where Duckon took place.

It is nice when the convention is located right on the interstate, though there were toll booths about every 3 miles. Even worse, they had some unattended ones, where if you didn't have exact coin change or the special pass you literally were forced to go through and have your picture taken, so you could go online later, inconveniently, to pay the whopping 80 cent toll. Government on display in all of its "excellence", if you ask me! LOL

Anyhow, be that as it may, I did get to Duckon just fine. It is a convention with a history of over 20 years, so it is well established. Excellent Green Room, for the panelist guests, and good hospitality in the dealer's room. The staff was very friendly, and I didn't have too many problems over the weekend except for a little difficulty in finding a few things due to the spread out nature of the Con through the large hotel complex.

I was part of a screenwriting panel on Friday with Matthew Duhan and Christopher Morgan. Matthew is a screenwriter, and also a game designer, and Christopher is a DP (cinematographer). They were great guys, and knew their stuff. We got off to a little bit of a hesitant start as none of us wanted to run rough-shod over the others on the panel, but once we got a sense of things, it flowed better.

I was also on a panel on screenplay adaptations, and then another on trends in Sci Fi Cinema. More great co-panelists, and good panels.

I met a few new readers, though things were a little subdued in the dealer's room. TammyJo Eckhart and her husband were sharing the space with me, so I had little to worry about. They are wonderful folks, and I was very glad that they were at the Con.

Another fine fellow I spent quite a bit of time with was Jon Klement, the man behind the Smerdiverse and DragonTalk Radio. Yes, the man with the purple ears. In fact, purple ears were beginning to infect the convention by the end of the weekend. Some day I will find myself at a Con surrounded by a sea of people wearing these long purple ears!

In addition to everything, Duckon offered me the position of head of the Writer's Track for 2011. I have accepted and look forward to working with them to make a great track. They have given me a second, Patt, who is local in Chicago and will be of great help in organizing the track and interfacing with the local meetings there. I really am looking forward to working with her as well.

After Chicago I headed on to Des Moines, where I was hosted by none other than fantasy author Lettie Prell and her husband, a literary author named John Domini. They were wonderful to me, and it was great to catch up on things. I got copies of two of John's books and am going to be diving into them right away.

Shirley Damsgaard, another good friend of mine, came into Des Moines and took me around during the day. Shirley, for those of you that don't know, is on Avon (an imprint of HarperCollins) and is the author of the Ophelia and Aby Mystery Series, which stands at an impressive seven books. Shirley is a rock star, and a blast to hang out with, and she really went out of her way to make my day a great one. She took me personally to meet the head of the Des Moines public library system, where I was able to make a donation of some of my books on behalf of my publisher.

Shirley also took me to visit the main Borders there, where I got to speak with the management regarding getting the books carried there as well. She took me to a great lunch at a place called The Machine Shed, where the servers dress in overalls, and it has a decidedly country-cooking flavor. She convinced me to go for the turkey rueben, which used cole slaw instead of sauer kraut, and it turned out to be excellent advice.

Shirley's got some amazing things on the near horizon. Keep a close eye on her, and visit her thursday posts at the Wicked Authors blog on blogspot, which features some other excellent major press authors such as Angie Fox.

That night I did my signing at Beaverdale Books, a bookstore that will always have a special place with me. They carried The Exodus Gate from when it was first released, and made it possible for this signing, which was a makeup visit as I had to cancel my appearance at DemiCon due to my mother's health emergency in early May.

Lettie and Shirley made it, as well as some new faces, and Rachelle, one of the staff at DemiCon. I did a reading and we had a great Q and A, and then finished things up. Very enjoyable, and someday I hope I can reach a point where I can bring Alice a huge turnout, as she is very kind, and runs a very good independent bookstore. It is bookstores like hers that help authors like myself get untracked. I don't forget about individuals like Alice or stores like hers.

I managed to squeeze in a breakfast with Steven L. Shrewsbury on the way back from Des Moines, in Bloomington IL. Steven, of course, is the newest author on Seventh Star Press, and his novel Thrall is going to be released this fall. Steven had some funny stories of his adventures at Cons, and we had a really good visit before I had to continue back to Lexington.

It was a really nice trip, and I managed to do a lot during the four days. Of course, there was no rest upon my return, as this week I had online events (which actually kicked off with a guest blog I did at Fantasy Book Critic), including a big one on Bitten By Books (who gave The Storm Guardians 5 tombstones, like 5 stars, in the first published review of the new book), and a podcast visit with Kim Smith on the great Introducing WRITERS! show. We also had a production meeting on the upcoming Swordbearer short film (the one based on a segment of H. David Blalock's novel Ascendant), and I had to gear up for the big Joseph-Beth Bookseller homecoming night here in Lexington, where we go all out. (exclusive print, door prizes, an after party, and more).

Busy, but I like to be busy. Still need to upload some pics, and hope to do that this weekend! LOL I'll be sure to report on the homecoming event as well!

Marcon is a Winner! Next Up, Hypericon!

This is going to be a short week, as with the Memorial Day holiday here in the US, I only have 3 business days until I head out for Hypericon. Lots to pack in, in a short time!

Marcon was excellent. The hospitality was first class. No trouble getting assistance with anything, which has a calming effect after getting turned around in downtown Columbus just prior to getting to the venue.

I shared space with TammyJo Eckhart, who is always a pleasure to be around and work with, in addition to being a hellacious writer. Her husband Tom was there as well. The guy is extremely intelligent, and also has a knack for making all kinds of amazing designs out of those tiny magnetic balls (the name escapes me).

My panel load wasn't too heavy. I had one film panel on making indie horror films, and the panelists that I joined, like Scott Spears, were outstanding and had a wealth of independent film experience. We covered a ton of ground over a short time, and I hope that I was able to give some real-world, practical insights that might be of use to the people that so kindly opted to come to our panel instead of the big Masquerade!

My literary panel focused on eBooks, print, and audio book formats. Again, a very experienced group of panelists (such as Steven Saus, a really cool guy and author), with some nice mixes of perspectives. I tried to get across how the print format is very important for a number of reasons, not the least of which are all the careers that are enabled for people who enjoy books, such as book sellers, bookstore managers, bookstore staff, librarians, and many, many more. Without the bookstores, it would make life hard for an author to engage readers face to face, and the loss of the auxilliary elements, like the reading clubs that gather at bookstores, the browsing/interaction that takes place in a store setting, and other similar dynamics life would be much harder for a new author to become known. There is a definite place for eBooks, audio books, and print, but each has their own set of pros and cons, and I think the best thing is for all three to continue to have their place.

I got to do a signing as well, though the author area was only a few hundred feet from the table in the dealer room where I spent much of the weekend. I did get to visit with a variety of individuals, such as the amazing Scott Sandridge, who once again did double figures in panels (10). Richard Hatch, the Battle Star Galactica actor, also came by our table, which was a big thrill for TammyJo as she's a big fan of his work.

One of my big highlights was getting to have a couple of visits with Maura Heaphy, who teaches at Ohio State University and is the author of 100 Most Popular Science Fiction Authors She's a wellspring of knowledge about science fiction and fantasy, and I had the honor of hearing about some of her upcoming work. Can't talk about it here, but it is going to be awesome! :) It is great to have people in the academic fields advocating science fiction and fantasy as good literature, and Maura is a wonderful person for this challenge!

The new readers that I met, who decided to give my books a chance, were simply great to talk to. Several had talked to me on Friday, and then came back late on Saturday or on Sunday to pick up books. I had encouraged them to look me up online, and to read the reviews that have been put out, so that they didn't take just my word for things. I'm glad they opted to come aboard my family of readers, who I am committed to working for as hard as possible to deliver some fun and exciting literary adventures (which will hopefully lead to some film ones someday too! LOL)

All in all, a great event, and one that I would love to return to.

This week, we'll be getting ready for a convention that is very personal to me in nature, Hypericon. I will be doing the book launch for The Storm Guardians, and hopefully it will go well! We're doing a Friday night full hour introduction to the Rising Dawn Saga. Matthew Perry, who did the cover art and illustrations, will be joining me for that presentation, and we'll be talking alot about the interaction between author and artist. I've got a couple of panels on Saturday and will be exhibiting in the dealer's room, so it will be a very active weekend.

On Monday, June 7th, I'll be shooting over to Memphis for a Davis-Kidd signing, including a stop on a noon-time news show in conjunction with the event. I'll post some more details on this before the weekend hits.

I'll be checking in again before I head out, but I probably need to get back to the million and two work tasks involved with being a small press author! LOL

Time for Marcon, onward to Columbus!

Looking very much forward to Marcon in Columbus. The Multiple Alternative Realities Convention is a big one, and I am going to be exhibiting, doing a reading and a few panels there. Will be sharing table space with the wonderful author TammyJo Eckhart, as well as Travis Clemmons. Great bunch to be around and work with, I can say for certain.

The outgoing and never-dull Scott Sandridge will be one of the authors doing a reading in the time slot that mine falls in, and I can't wait to see what he's got cooked up. I'm reading an advance copy of one of his new books right now, and really digging it! Scott is probably on 25 panels, as he about set a record at the last ConText (seriously, he was on 6 panel slots in a row during one stretch, and had around 10 panels in all). Scott's very creative and certainly unpredictable.

Others that I'm aware of who are attending include Shane Moore, of the Abyss Walker world. Shane's another guy that I look forward to catching up with, having met him for the first time at ConNooga in Chattanooga TN this past February. He's got a great thing going with his Abyss Walker projects, involving a number of great artists, authors, and others in the various areas that he's developing with AW. Be sure to pick up one of his AW novels if you get a chance.

I'm going to have some materials from The Storm Guardians this weekend, and I will be doing my reading from The Storm Guardians, and it will be good to start to get some feedback. We're about 1 week away from the book launch at Hypericon, which I hope will be an amazing weekend, as I absolutely love Hypericon, my Nashville friends, and the city. I'm following it up with a stop at the great Davis-Kidd store in Memphis on Monday, June 7th. Things are definitely getting busy quick!

Storm Guardian Limited Edition dedicated pre-ordering page is up!

Hey everyone, a little note to let you know that a pre-order page is dedicated to the Limited Edition Hardcover sets of The Storm Guardians....and you can get a softcover pre-ordered if you like.

You should check out the hardcover sets though. we've put EVERYTHING we possibly can into this set. It is about six dollars more than the last Limited set, but that's because we've added a t-shirt, with designs from the new book, into this one! Some very sharp stuff in the package.

here's the addy:

http://www.risingdawnsaga.com/documents/30.html

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.