8 eBooks from SSP for Free on Amazon Kindle today and tomorrow!
Seventh Star Press has an open house today with 8 eBooks being offered for free on Amazon Kindle, including two of mine, Crown of Vengeance and The Exodus Gate. Try some new books out, and download all eight! The list with direct links to the Kindle pages for the books is at: http://www.seventhstarpress.com
Showing posts with label The Exodus Gate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Exodus Gate. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
The Exodus Gate free on Kindle Tuesday and Wednesday!
I wanted everyone to know that The Exodus Gate, the first book in my dystopian/apocalyptic urban fantasy series The Rising Dawn Saga, is available for FREE on Amazon Kindle today and tomorrow. If you've read it and enjoyed it, please do share the link as it is a great way to introduce new readers to the series. If you have not read it, download it and give it a try! :)
Here is the direct link to the Kindle page where you can download The Exodus Gate for free today and tomrorow:
http://www.amazon.com/Exodus-Gate-Rising-Dawn-ebook/dp/B001W6QKCI/ref=pd_sim_kstore_2?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2
Monday, June 27, 2011
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.
Monday, September 20, 2010
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
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
Sunday, September 5, 2010
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.
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.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
The Week Ahead...New Book Announcement
Last week was great, with the unveiling of Steven L. Shrewbury coming aboard Seventh Star Press. This week is going to be rather exciting as well.
Yes, it is time...the sequel to The Exodus Gate, Book Two of the Rising Dawn Saga, is going to be announced and cover art will be revealed.
The title is going to be launched at Nashville's Hypericon, a great Con that I have come to regard as very special to me. There are a string of appearances following it, during the launch month of the new book, including a stop in Memphis on June 7th, Huntington on June 11, Louisville on June 12, Cincinnati on June 13, Chicago from June 18-20, Lexington (the big homecoming signing) on June 25, and then wrapping up with the fourth of July weekend in Indianapolis.
There WILL be a Limited Edition package offered, as with the other two novels. This one promises to be the best yet. Details are still being sorted out, but I can say that it will be a limited edition hardcover, limited to 75 copies, and will include all of the extras that many have come to enjoy, like the bookmarks, poster, card sets, and glossy cover arts...but wait...there's more...
this one will include a t-shirt as well, the first design from the new book. We are working with our pals at Fast Custom Shirts to integrate this into the package. It will feature one of the illustrations in the new book (artwork by Matthew Perry), and will be on a pre-shrunk, 100% cotton shirt. Those getting the limited edition package can specify their size.
As I've said before, I'm willing to go the extra mile, and a few miles beyond that, to deliver the best quality releases and related items that I can. It is my way of demonstrating my deep regard for my readers, who I never take lightly or for granted. It is why I work relentlessly to keep to a schedule whereby my two primary series (Rising Dawn Saga and Fires in Eden) will each have new titles on roughly 1 year cycles, and why I push myself as hard as I can to maintain a very active convention and appearance schedule. I hope that my readers appreciate the new package.
Expect a lot in the coming months...the new book, a slew of new appearances, the new resin-cast figure series being debuted, my first film project as a director related to fantasy, and more. I wouldn't have it any other way! Join me for the ride, and let's make it a wild and wonderful one!
Yes, it is time...the sequel to The Exodus Gate, Book Two of the Rising Dawn Saga, is going to be announced and cover art will be revealed.
The title is going to be launched at Nashville's Hypericon, a great Con that I have come to regard as very special to me. There are a string of appearances following it, during the launch month of the new book, including a stop in Memphis on June 7th, Huntington on June 11, Louisville on June 12, Cincinnati on June 13, Chicago from June 18-20, Lexington (the big homecoming signing) on June 25, and then wrapping up with the fourth of July weekend in Indianapolis.
There WILL be a Limited Edition package offered, as with the other two novels. This one promises to be the best yet. Details are still being sorted out, but I can say that it will be a limited edition hardcover, limited to 75 copies, and will include all of the extras that many have come to enjoy, like the bookmarks, poster, card sets, and glossy cover arts...but wait...there's more...
this one will include a t-shirt as well, the first design from the new book. We are working with our pals at Fast Custom Shirts to integrate this into the package. It will feature one of the illustrations in the new book (artwork by Matthew Perry), and will be on a pre-shrunk, 100% cotton shirt. Those getting the limited edition package can specify their size.
As I've said before, I'm willing to go the extra mile, and a few miles beyond that, to deliver the best quality releases and related items that I can. It is my way of demonstrating my deep regard for my readers, who I never take lightly or for granted. It is why I work relentlessly to keep to a schedule whereby my two primary series (Rising Dawn Saga and Fires in Eden) will each have new titles on roughly 1 year cycles, and why I push myself as hard as I can to maintain a very active convention and appearance schedule. I hope that my readers appreciate the new package.
Expect a lot in the coming months...the new book, a slew of new appearances, the new resin-cast figure series being debuted, my first film project as a director related to fantasy, and more. I wouldn't have it any other way! Join me for the ride, and let's make it a wild and wonderful one!
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Progress towards the horizon....
Has been quite a work week...
on the literary front, I am working hard on the final polishes of the 2nd Book in the Rising Dawn Saga. I think readers are going to be very happy with how this builds and expands on the events and characters in The Exodus Gate. I can assure everyone that this book explodes with action, and the plot deepens, with all of the things regarding the Convergence, and what is transpiring in the Middle Lands. Some of these things are foreshadowed towards the end of The Exodus Gate, so readers might already have some ideas about what's coming, but I feel strongly that they are in for a wild ride in this one!
The third and fourth t-shirt designs, featuring Erishkegal and Kur from The Exodus Gate and Aethelstan from Crown of Vengeance, will arrive soon. I may also have an individual or two modeling them shortly, which I am happy about, as they will be exhibited properly for all of you to see. They are just 10 bucks, so I hope a few readers consider picking them up to show off some of Matt's illustrations from the book!
As small press author, I have to "cover my spread" working in freelance broadcast and video. One of the jobs I do is at Keeneland here in Lexington, one of the best horse racing tracks in the nation and one of the elite centers in the world for thoroughbred sales. It really is an amazing place, when I step back and look at it. Further, I work with a fantastic group (we've won two national simulcast awards, two years in a row), and we kicked off things wonderfully yesterday as a spring opening record of nearly 25,000 attended day one of the spring meet.
I run a broadcast graphics system that puts out all the graphics over the live video, which entails all the horse information, odds, tags, and other information regarding the races. It is run with a customized software system that interfaces with an Avid DekoCast. Live television is always an adventure, with all of the unexpected occuring (weather, cameras or other equipment malfunctioning, computer glitches, etc.) but it is definitely a good experience, and one that I hope to make use of in a creative capacity at some point in the future.
For the next three weeks, i'll be holding down the fort, while writing away, and then in May we'll launch another flurry of road treks!
on the literary front, I am working hard on the final polishes of the 2nd Book in the Rising Dawn Saga. I think readers are going to be very happy with how this builds and expands on the events and characters in The Exodus Gate. I can assure everyone that this book explodes with action, and the plot deepens, with all of the things regarding the Convergence, and what is transpiring in the Middle Lands. Some of these things are foreshadowed towards the end of The Exodus Gate, so readers might already have some ideas about what's coming, but I feel strongly that they are in for a wild ride in this one!
The third and fourth t-shirt designs, featuring Erishkegal and Kur from The Exodus Gate and Aethelstan from Crown of Vengeance, will arrive soon. I may also have an individual or two modeling them shortly, which I am happy about, as they will be exhibited properly for all of you to see. They are just 10 bucks, so I hope a few readers consider picking them up to show off some of Matt's illustrations from the book!
As small press author, I have to "cover my spread" working in freelance broadcast and video. One of the jobs I do is at Keeneland here in Lexington, one of the best horse racing tracks in the nation and one of the elite centers in the world for thoroughbred sales. It really is an amazing place, when I step back and look at it. Further, I work with a fantastic group (we've won two national simulcast awards, two years in a row), and we kicked off things wonderfully yesterday as a spring opening record of nearly 25,000 attended day one of the spring meet.
I run a broadcast graphics system that puts out all the graphics over the live video, which entails all the horse information, odds, tags, and other information regarding the races. It is run with a customized software system that interfaces with an Avid DekoCast. Live television is always an adventure, with all of the unexpected occuring (weather, cameras or other equipment malfunctioning, computer glitches, etc.) but it is definitely a good experience, and one that I hope to make use of in a creative capacity at some point in the future.
For the next three weeks, i'll be holding down the fort, while writing away, and then in May we'll launch another flurry of road treks!
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Hittin' the road...
It has been quite the adventure in Central Kentucky recently, with a nice dose of snow and cold weather to keep things interesting. Needless to say, 1 water heater down, 1 repaired water main in the neighborhood, and other such fun, I am rarin' to hit the road and go to a Con.
I will be making the trek to ConNooga this weekend, for 3 panels and other activities. I am supposed to have an author table next to D.A. Adams, who was kind enough to read Crown of Vengeance and do a blurb for it. We definitely mesh well, so it should be a great weekend.
We did finally get a hardcover version of The Exodus Gate up. Just go to the Seventh Star Press site if you are interested at www.seventhstarpress.com. They are just 25 bucks, and they look really sharp with the gold stamp, soft cloth hardcover, full color dust jacket, etc.
I hope to have some info shortly, as in this weekend, regarding the Kindle version of Crown of Vengeance. SSP is also re-upping The Exodus Gate's Kindle version as well, cleaning up a couple of knick knacks that alert readers let us know about.
Beyond this weekend, March gets really busy, with trips to Dark Woods Con in Pikeville, KY, MidSouth Con in Memphis, and Millennicon in Cincinnati Oh. Stay tuned for more adventures there.
On a side note, my friend Michael West, a very talented horror author, just had a short story anthology released called Skull Full of Kisses from the excellent publisher Graveside Tales . If you like horror well-crafted and inspired, check this one out. I ordered a copy from the publisher and it should arrive this week.
I also picked up Kimberly Richardson's Tales from a Goth Librarian while I was at Davis-Kidd for the recent booksignings, and Shirley Damsgaard's new one, The Seventh Witch. So I'll have a little bit of a full plate on some good new books!
Progress is going well on the "spec-script" project, and we are on track for the march deadline. I hope this works out so that I can talk more about it.
There will be some updates shortly on the SantaBoy project, which is shooting now in April (written and directed by Scott Sullivan, I'm working as a producer on this one), and the short film based on H. David Blalock's Ascendant novel.
I will be making the trek to ConNooga this weekend, for 3 panels and other activities. I am supposed to have an author table next to D.A. Adams, who was kind enough to read Crown of Vengeance and do a blurb for it. We definitely mesh well, so it should be a great weekend.
We did finally get a hardcover version of The Exodus Gate up. Just go to the Seventh Star Press site if you are interested at www.seventhstarpress.com. They are just 25 bucks, and they look really sharp with the gold stamp, soft cloth hardcover, full color dust jacket, etc.
I hope to have some info shortly, as in this weekend, regarding the Kindle version of Crown of Vengeance. SSP is also re-upping The Exodus Gate's Kindle version as well, cleaning up a couple of knick knacks that alert readers let us know about.
Beyond this weekend, March gets really busy, with trips to Dark Woods Con in Pikeville, KY, MidSouth Con in Memphis, and Millennicon in Cincinnati Oh. Stay tuned for more adventures there.
On a side note, my friend Michael West, a very talented horror author, just had a short story anthology released called Skull Full of Kisses from the excellent publisher Graveside Tales . If you like horror well-crafted and inspired, check this one out. I ordered a copy from the publisher and it should arrive this week.
I also picked up Kimberly Richardson's Tales from a Goth Librarian while I was at Davis-Kidd for the recent booksignings, and Shirley Damsgaard's new one, The Seventh Witch. So I'll have a little bit of a full plate on some good new books!
Progress is going well on the "spec-script" project, and we are on track for the march deadline. I hope this works out so that I can talk more about it.
There will be some updates shortly on the SantaBoy project, which is shooting now in April (written and directed by Scott Sullivan, I'm working as a producer on this one), and the short film based on H. David Blalock's Ascendant novel.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Very Interesting New Exodus Gate Review from the U.K.
It is always interesting to see the kinds of perspectives that various reviewers take to an author's work, in terms of what they focus upon, or what particular elements appeal to them (or doesn't appeal to them!). I wanted to post this newly-posted review of The Exodus Gate, from Fantasy Book Review in the U.K., as I really was happy with the approach and analysis that they took to the review. They took the book in the light that I intended, especially as it pertains to the supernatural elements involved. I really appreciated that, as it is sometimes easier to slap a label on something as opposed to really getting at the distinctions and nuances that do set something apart from other things that deal with similar topics.
If you get a few moments, please check this review out!
http://www.fantasybookreview.co.uk/Stephen-Zimmer/The-Exodus-Gate.html
If you get a few moments, please check this review out!
http://www.fantasybookreview.co.uk/Stephen-Zimmer/The-Exodus-Gate.html
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Interviewed by D.A. Adams for His Blog Site
D.A. Adams recently interviewed me for his blog site, and the interview was posted this past friday night. Due to snowfall in Kentucky, which plays havoc with my DSL connection, I was a little belated in getting up the link to the interview.
I really enjoyed this one, as when I first got the questions I was very curious as to what a fellow fantasy author would ask me. D.A., of course, is a great author whose series The Brotherhood of Dwarves I definitely endorse and encourage readers to try out. Needless to say, the questions were excellent, and I enjoyed offering my insights and thoughts within the answers. It covers a lot of ground, concerning my work, conventions, and the state of the publishing industry. Hopefully you will enjoy the answers too!
Here's the link:
http://daadams.wordpress.com/2010/01/29/friday-evening-rambling/
leave a comment and let me know what you thought of it!
I really enjoyed this one, as when I first got the questions I was very curious as to what a fellow fantasy author would ask me. D.A., of course, is a great author whose series The Brotherhood of Dwarves I definitely endorse and encourage readers to try out. Needless to say, the questions were excellent, and I enjoyed offering my insights and thoughts within the answers. It covers a lot of ground, concerning my work, conventions, and the state of the publishing industry. Hopefully you will enjoy the answers too!
Here's the link:
http://daadams.wordpress.com/2010/01/29/friday-evening-rambling/
leave a comment and let me know what you thought of it!
Monday, January 18, 2010
New Crown of Vengeance Video Trailer
I am a bit behind on my blogging, but am getting untracked, and I will do a 2009 in review post shortly. I wanted to make sure that anyone taking the time to visit here was able to find the new video trailer for Crown of Vengeance. This is my first book trailer, produced by filmmaker Aaron Champion, to whom I am incredibly grateful. As mist is a major element in this kickoff to the Fires in Eden series, Aaron designed a very nice presentation that really showcases the illustrations included in the book (which were done by artist Matt Perry). Please visit the trailer, embed it, and let me know what you think of it!
I will have some more news posted shortly. In a nutshell, 2010 is going to be very, very busy, with appearances, the next books in my 2 series, and a return to filmmaking. There will even be some more editions of the 2 novels currently out, as a hardcover edition of The Exodus Gate should be out in February, along with Kindle and eBook editions of Crown of Vengeance. Be sure to check back!
I will have some more news posted shortly. In a nutshell, 2010 is going to be very, very busy, with appearances, the next books in my 2 series, and a return to filmmaking. There will even be some more editions of the 2 novels currently out, as a hardcover edition of The Exodus Gate should be out in February, along with Kindle and eBook editions of Crown of Vengeance. Be sure to check back!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
The New Book is launching!
At last, here it is! The new series and book announcement, as posted on my publisher's site. The limited edition hardcover is very sharp, and as there will only be 100 copies be sure to get your order in if you want one. Pre-ordering window will be up until November 1st.
Begin an Epic Journey...
On a night that begins no different from any other, strange mists engulf Janus Roland, Erika Laesig, Mershad Shahab, and several others going about their lives in a quiet midwestern town. When the mist dissipates, they all find themselves looking up into the bright skies of a new, incredible world.
Without explanation of why it has happened, or any notion of where they are, they embark upon a grand adventure within the fantastical world of Ave. Some find themselves in the lands of the Saxan Kingdom, while others have emerged within the lands of the Onan, one of the tribes in the Five Realms confederation.
Storms of war loom over both Saxany and the Five Realms, as invasion forces mass under the inspiration of The Unifier, a mysterious, captivating figure whose influence has swept across the surface of Ave ever since His rise to power in the Gallean duchy of Avanor. It is a war that will be fought in the skies, upon the seas, on land, and even in places non-physical in nature.
A majestic, epic fantasy that begins many adventures and journeys across a diverse and enthralling world, filled with races and creatures both familiar and new, Crown of Vengeance lights the flame of the Fires in Eden series, bringing to life a bold, far-ranging, and grand new venture within the realms of fantasy literature.
Pre-Order Announcement for Crown of Vengeance:
Seventh Star Press proudly announces the release of Crown of Vengeance, the first book in the new epic fantasy series Fires in Eden, by author Stephen Zimmer (The Exodus Gate).
To commemorate the forthcoming release, publisher Seventh Star Press is offering pre-order packages for Crown of Vengeance, including a very special, limited edition hardcover version that is strictly limited to 100 copies.
To ensure full authenticity, the limited edition hardcover will be hand-numbered and signed by Stephen Zimmer, and also signed by editor Amanda DeBord and illustrator/cover artist Matt Perry. It will include an extra illustration, and designation plate as a limited edition within the book.
Both the limited edition hardcover and first edition trade paperback pre-orders come with a special package of collectibles, including a numbered set of art cards, a collectible set of 6 bookmarks, and a full color poster of the cover art.
Information on the pre-ordering options can be found at the new site for the Fires In Eden series, located at www.firesineden.com
For information on the publisher visit www.seventhstarpress.com, and for the author visit www.stephenzimmer.com
Begin an Epic Journey...
On a night that begins no different from any other, strange mists engulf Janus Roland, Erika Laesig, Mershad Shahab, and several others going about their lives in a quiet midwestern town. When the mist dissipates, they all find themselves looking up into the bright skies of a new, incredible world.
Without explanation of why it has happened, or any notion of where they are, they embark upon a grand adventure within the fantastical world of Ave. Some find themselves in the lands of the Saxan Kingdom, while others have emerged within the lands of the Onan, one of the tribes in the Five Realms confederation.
Storms of war loom over both Saxany and the Five Realms, as invasion forces mass under the inspiration of The Unifier, a mysterious, captivating figure whose influence has swept across the surface of Ave ever since His rise to power in the Gallean duchy of Avanor. It is a war that will be fought in the skies, upon the seas, on land, and even in places non-physical in nature.
A majestic, epic fantasy that begins many adventures and journeys across a diverse and enthralling world, filled with races and creatures both familiar and new, Crown of Vengeance lights the flame of the Fires in Eden series, bringing to life a bold, far-ranging, and grand new venture within the realms of fantasy literature.
Pre-Order Announcement for Crown of Vengeance:
Seventh Star Press proudly announces the release of Crown of Vengeance, the first book in the new epic fantasy series Fires in Eden, by author Stephen Zimmer (The Exodus Gate).To commemorate the forthcoming release, publisher Seventh Star Press is offering pre-order packages for Crown of Vengeance, including a very special, limited edition hardcover version that is strictly limited to 100 copies.
To ensure full authenticity, the limited edition hardcover will be hand-numbered and signed by Stephen Zimmer, and also signed by editor Amanda DeBord and illustrator/cover artist Matt Perry. It will include an extra illustration, and designation plate as a limited edition within the book.
Both the limited edition hardcover and first edition trade paperback pre-orders come with a special package of collectibles, including a numbered set of art cards, a collectible set of 6 bookmarks, and a full color poster of the cover art.
Information on the pre-ordering options can be found at the new site for the Fires In Eden series, located at www.firesineden.com
For information on the publisher visit www.seventhstarpress.com, and for the author visit www.stephenzimmer.com
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Horses, Books, and Libraries
I am in the midst of working on the broadcast team in the Keeneland September horse sales, which consists of watching literally hundreds of horses go around a ring and millions of dollars getting spent daily. Kind of surreal, to say the least, but as a small press author, there are necessities to attend to, especially if I want to maintain the convention and bookstore schedule that I have been keeping.
I do get some rays of light, though. Archon in St. Louis is next weekend, the new medieval fantasy book is getting the final art touches, and all is set for a release the first week of November.
I also got a chance to be a guest at the Joseph-Beth Booksellers Sci-Fi/Fantasy Club last night, and really enjoyed meeting with the group. I was honored to be a selection, and really appreciated those who took the time to read the book. A sci-fi/fantasy readers club is going to have a diverse range of tastes, as the genre is not a monolith, so I was pleased that there were a few that really liked the book, and even the ones that didn't find it to their taste felt that it was a quality book in terms of structure, writing, etc.
As a small press author, there are some things that are probably more exciting to me than they would be to an author on a major press, and one of these things occurred last night when I looked up to see library tags on two of the books at the meeting. I found out that there are 4 branches in Lexington's library system that have The Exodus Gate, and that there are actually people waiting to get the copies checked out by the people from the reader's group. That was really cool, as I was unaware that the libraries in Lexington had gotten some copies.
Now off to horse-world...as a filmmaker it kills me to watch many a horse sold after horse sold, thinking that the money spent on just one horse would fund a theatrical-grade production value feature film. Sigh!
;)
I do get some rays of light, though. Archon in St. Louis is next weekend, the new medieval fantasy book is getting the final art touches, and all is set for a release the first week of November.
I also got a chance to be a guest at the Joseph-Beth Booksellers Sci-Fi/Fantasy Club last night, and really enjoyed meeting with the group. I was honored to be a selection, and really appreciated those who took the time to read the book. A sci-fi/fantasy readers club is going to have a diverse range of tastes, as the genre is not a monolith, so I was pleased that there were a few that really liked the book, and even the ones that didn't find it to their taste felt that it was a quality book in terms of structure, writing, etc.
As a small press author, there are some things that are probably more exciting to me than they would be to an author on a major press, and one of these things occurred last night when I looked up to see library tags on two of the books at the meeting. I found out that there are 4 branches in Lexington's library system that have The Exodus Gate, and that there are actually people waiting to get the copies checked out by the people from the reader's group. That was really cool, as I was unaware that the libraries in Lexington had gotten some copies.
Now off to horse-world...as a filmmaker it kills me to watch many a horse sold after horse sold, thinking that the money spent on just one horse would fund a theatrical-grade production value feature film. Sigh!
;)
Thursday, September 10, 2009
All In! Crown of Vengeance, ConText, and more...
Just turned in a short preview section of the 2nd book in the new Fires In Eden series, which will be placed at the end of Crown of Vengeance, so all the pieces are ready for the book. We plan on making an announcement very shortly regarding the limited edition version, which will probably be around 100 copies and include some special elements and extras.
ConText was a really great experience. I ended up doing 4 panels that weekend, three of which focused on translations from books to other media and vice versa. Doug Johnson, Michael D' Ambrosio, Sandy Lender, Scott Sandridge, Dr. Maura Heaphy, and Gregory Hall were some of my co-panelists, and we had some fantastic discussions.
I actually made it to two parties over the weekend, hanging out with Michael West and Nicole Cushing on Friday (held by Indiana Horror Writers and Apex Publications) and the Meadowhawk Press gang on Saturday night (co-hosted with Shroud Publishing). Suffice it to say that Michael and Jason's party was shut down by security on friday night...they know how to party! Saturday's went the distance, though I bowed out early, but not before I got to see Dan Gamber of Meadowhawk demonstrating yet another of his many talents as he danced the night away!
I am really digging Sandy Lender's book Choices Meant For Gods, and I picked up a few Michael West stories as well that were highly enjoyable. I also picked up the "Best Magazine Ever Released by Apex Publications"...which Maurice and I agreed is the appropriate designation for it as it has a Maurice Broaddus short story in it! 
Speaking of...I had a great panel to round out Sunday with Sandy Lender and Scott Sandridge, who is one of the more colorful characters I've met out there! He's got a whole new conception of orcs in his new podcast novel, The Silverblade Prophecy. I believe Scott set a record for panel participation at ConText. He did a stretch of 6 straight panels on Saturday, and I believe he was on around 10 panels in all that weekend. He is the iron man for sure!Jason Sizemore was an editing guest of honor over the weekend, and the hour focusing on him, hosted by author Geoffrey Girard, was awesome! Didn't know Jason was a Transylvania University guy and got to learn alot about Apex history. Jason's really doing some great things and I hope every reader out there tries out some Apex stuff...it's very, very good!
Finally got to talk for a bit with Michael D'Ambrosio, who was at the Fright Night Film Festival that I was at, though we didn't get to talk there. Michael is really pursuing some film avenues, so we got to talk a little shop in that respect as well.ConText had some outstanding programming, and was really enjoyable as a smaller convention that is literary focused. I definitely want to return to this one again next year. Columbus is not too far away, after all! (and I did get to visit the Borders on Kenny Rd. in Columbus, where I will be returning on Thursday, November 5th for a signing for both The Exodus Gate AND Crown of Vengeance)
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Storms, Business, and Schedule Shifts!
A very interesting day, just like the past few days. On Tuesday, Lexington got hit with a deluge, though Lousville got hit even worse. They recorded over 10,000 lightning strikes in the Louisville area and had more water fall in a 3 hour period than any time in Louisville history. We are definitely having an unusually cool July/August period.
This week has had its share of adventures. I got an invitation to attend as an author to the Kentucky Book Fair in Frankfort, KY on November 7th. I am really excited that the selection board extended this invitation and I will be there for both The Exodus Gate and the new book that I have coming out around October.
On the film side, it has been frustrating in terms of scheduling. I am a producer on a new comedy short film from the very talented Scott Sullivan, and am also primed to direct a new fantasy short from a published fantasy author. Both projects were originally primed for the fall, but it looks as if we will be shooting the comedy short the first week of December and the fantasy project has been pushed back to early 2010. I am working on the development of a horror feature that I've been asked to produce...a very high concept, very sharp project from a very talented individual that I have alot of respect for, and I hope to be talking more about this one pretty shortly.
Other than that, mired in pages, pages, and pages of the final run on the new medieval fantasy novel. The work is going very smoothly.
I did manage to get the first Indie Movie Masters podast up last Friday, and this Friday it looks as if we are on target for the first podcast on Seventh Star Press's blog site (seventhstarpress.blogspot.com ). I am really enjoying doing the blog/interviews and the podcasts, and I've got a number of excellent guests that I want to have on them.
This week has had its share of adventures. I got an invitation to attend as an author to the Kentucky Book Fair in Frankfort, KY on November 7th. I am really excited that the selection board extended this invitation and I will be there for both The Exodus Gate and the new book that I have coming out around October.
On the film side, it has been frustrating in terms of scheduling. I am a producer on a new comedy short film from the very talented Scott Sullivan, and am also primed to direct a new fantasy short from a published fantasy author. Both projects were originally primed for the fall, but it looks as if we will be shooting the comedy short the first week of December and the fantasy project has been pushed back to early 2010. I am working on the development of a horror feature that I've been asked to produce...a very high concept, very sharp project from a very talented individual that I have alot of respect for, and I hope to be talking more about this one pretty shortly.
Other than that, mired in pages, pages, and pages of the final run on the new medieval fantasy novel. The work is going very smoothly.
I did manage to get the first Indie Movie Masters podast up last Friday, and this Friday it looks as if we are on target for the first podcast on Seventh Star Press's blog site (seventhstarpress.blogspot.com ). I am really enjoying doing the blog/interviews and the podcasts, and I've got a number of excellent guests that I want to have on them.
Monday, June 29, 2009
InConJunction, Bowling Green Signing, Upcoming Blog series, IMM Blogs, and more!
Whew, the title to this post says it all. Not enough hours in the day!
I'm getting ready for a trip to InConJunction in Indianapolis this weekend. I'm glad that the drive won't be too far, and I am really looking forward to participating in the convention. One of my favorite writers, E.E. Knight (Vampire Earth series) is attending, and I have the good fortune of being a co-panelist with him. I will be sure to give a report here, along with some pictures.
I just realized that I didn't put up a post on my Bowling Green signing at Waldenbooks! I did a signing there back on June 13th for The Exodus Gate, which turned out to be a very positive experience. I ended up getting to meet alot of new folks, some of who picked up the book and had it signed. I had a few individuals show up that had seen promotional material in the store leading up to the event, and there were others who just happened to visit the store. Everyone was very, very friendly and the staff and management at Waldenbooks made me feel right at home.
Also exciting was the fact that I found my book on the shelf right under Tolkien again! This happened at Park Road Books in Charlotte NC. Having a last name that begins with a Z, I do not think that this will be a common occurrence, so I can't help myself taking pictures of it!
It is not an easy thing being a brand new small press author in a bookstore appearance, but the people who visited with me at my table made it entirely enjoyable. I hope to hear back from the ones that picked up the book, so if you read this, be sure to email me from my website (www.stephenzimmer.com) or find me on Facebook or MySpace.
Here are a couple of other images from the signing...both featuring me with the store's general manager, Sheila Burden
Waldenbooks in Bowling Green Kentucky is definitely high on my list! I can't wait to go back and visit, hopefully in the fall when the first book in the medieval series comes out.
In regards to blogs, my interview/article series for Indie Movie Masters is well underway over at indiemoviemasters.blogspot.com
There will soon be an interview/review series focusing on authors and small press publishers that will be posted at seventhstarpress.blogspot.com, so get ready for that one.
As if all that wasn't enough, I am getting ready to do a podcast series in each area. Probably won't tackle more than 1 or 2 a month as we get underway, but topically they will be similar to the blogs in spotlighting indie filmakers and others in the indie film world on one podcast, and then authors/small press publishers on the other. These should be alot of fun once we get the kinks worked out. The first few episodes should be adventures at the least!
I'm getting ready for a trip to InConJunction in Indianapolis this weekend. I'm glad that the drive won't be too far, and I am really looking forward to participating in the convention. One of my favorite writers, E.E. Knight (Vampire Earth series) is attending, and I have the good fortune of being a co-panelist with him. I will be sure to give a report here, along with some pictures.
I just realized that I didn't put up a post on my Bowling Green signing at Waldenbooks! I did a signing there back on June 13th for The Exodus Gate, which turned out to be a very positive experience. I ended up getting to meet alot of new folks, some of who picked up the book and had it signed. I had a few individuals show up that had seen promotional material in the store leading up to the event, and there were others who just happened to visit the store. Everyone was very, very friendly and the staff and management at Waldenbooks made me feel right at home.
Also exciting was the fact that I found my book on the shelf right under Tolkien again! This happened at Park Road Books in Charlotte NC. Having a last name that begins with a Z, I do not think that this will be a common occurrence, so I can't help myself taking pictures of it!It is not an easy thing being a brand new small press author in a bookstore appearance, but the people who visited with me at my table made it entirely enjoyable. I hope to hear back from the ones that picked up the book, so if you read this, be sure to email me from my website (www.stephenzimmer.com) or find me on Facebook or MySpace.
Here are a couple of other images from the signing...both featuring me with the store's general manager, Sheila Burden
Waldenbooks in Bowling Green Kentucky is definitely high on my list! I can't wait to go back and visit, hopefully in the fall when the first book in the medieval series comes out.
In regards to blogs, my interview/article series for Indie Movie Masters is well underway over at indiemoviemasters.blogspot.com
There will soon be an interview/review series focusing on authors and small press publishers that will be posted at seventhstarpress.blogspot.com, so get ready for that one.
As if all that wasn't enough, I am getting ready to do a podcast series in each area. Probably won't tackle more than 1 or 2 a month as we get underway, but topically they will be similar to the blogs in spotlighting indie filmakers and others in the indie film world on one podcast, and then authors/small press publishers on the other. These should be alot of fun once we get the kinks worked out. The first few episodes should be adventures at the least!
Thursday, June 4, 2009
ConCarolinas
Last weekend, I attended ConCarolinas, held in the fine city of Charlotte NC along with my friends and ScareFest staffers Susan Rummel and Lori Baker.
It was my first time doing an exhibition table, so I really did not know what to expect from that angle at a fantasy/sci-fi con. As luck would have it, I had a major summer cold that kicked in on the way down that Friday.
The drive itself wasn't bad, though we got a slow start with bad foggy/drizzly weather in Kentucky and a traffic accident on the highway that really set things back. The sun finally peeked out when we neared North Carolina, and just in time as we got to wind our way through the mountains surrounded by all kinds of vibrant little meadows rife with color. Crimsons, violets, reds, yellows, whites...it was pretty nice scenery to say the least, and mountains always evoke the fantasy genre in me anyway! lol
I would say that ConCarolinas is pretty close in size to MidSouthCon, in terms of numbers, dealers, etc. (at least to my eye). It is a Con that has a solid track record, and the organization was evident upon arrival, as Janet got us fixed up right away with a folder filled with badges, information and everything we needed.
We had a pretty nice little table to use as a base, as we put up an Exodus Gate Banner and an Indie Movie Masters banner on stands behind, and Lori and Susan were awesome with the layout of the table itself (and we had a ScareFest banner draped in front.)
We were joined by Pete Bullock, the electronic editions editor for the British Sci-Fi magazine Interzone. Interzone is, in fact, the longest running Sci-Fi mag in the UK and it really is nice. Great artwork, writers...very impressive. Pete was a super nice guy, and very helpful all weekend. As we had four people involved, we did do some rotating so that we could get around, attend a few panels, and that sort of thing.
I met some very friendly and talented authors. Michael J. Sullivan and his wife Robin had a table just opposite us. He is the author of the fantasy novels The Crown Conspiracy and Avempartha, which are in his series The Riyria Revelations. Michael was a very popular author over the weekend, as I watched him sell and sign a ton of books. I was a buyer of one myself, and am going to start on it very shortly. I can vouch for the genuine friendliness of Michael and Robin, as they were great to talk to all three days.
I finally caught up with Gail Z Martin, author of the Chronicles of the Necromancer series. I had exchanged a few emails with Gail, but it was super to meet her in person. I did get to attend one panel that she was on involving podcasting, as well as a book reading that she did on that Saturday evening. Gail was kind enough to record a video blog tag of both myself, for The Exodus Gate, and Lori and Susan for ScareFest.
Crymsyn Hart ended up being the writer that benefited greatly from the Lexington, Kentucky gang, at least in terms of sales! Crymsyn has about 20 books in print and ebook editions, which is amazing! Lori, Susan, and myself all bought books from Crymsyn, who writes darker urban fantasy/paranormal type stories. She is a very good writer, as I read a few pages of one of the books that Lori brought back before I had gotten a chance to buy one myself. Needless to say, there were many Crymsyn Hart books traveling back to Kentucky in the car!
I ended up fighting the summer cold/sinus attack all weekend, and thanks to Theraflu I made it through. Not easy at all!
We got a chance on Sunday to go out and visit two bookstores that are carrying The Exodus Gate in Charlotte.
First up was Joseph-Beth Booksellers. As Lexington's Joseph-Beth is near and dear to me (and where I did my first ever store signing), it was really cool getting to visit another Joseph-Beth Location. It "felt" like Joseph-Beth the second I walked into it. Very large, 2 level store, but very different in layout from the Lexington store. The general manager Cheryl was kind enough to talk for a few minutes and show me the sci-fi/fantasy section.
Second was Park Road Books, which very recently stocked the title. We got to meet Frank, who also happens to be the resident sci-fi/fantasy expert. The store is very nice and well-laid out, nestled into a shopping center not too far away from JB.
I was in for a big surprise, as when I went to their fantasy section, I was arranged on the shelf directly below J.R.R. Tolkien, who happens to be numero uno in my world of authors! As my last name begins with a Z, I do not often see chances where I am in such an aligned proximity, so I just had to get a picture of this as it was personally amazing!
Park Road Books also had my book at the front in new releases with an author-signed sticker affixed. I was really flattered by their presentation, and they even took the time to place bookmarks in all the copies.
Charlotte definitely has two excellent independent bookstores, and I wish both of them much success. They certainly have my gratitude!
The ride back went much quicker, though we were all pretty worn out by the time that we got back to Lexington a little after 11pm.
ConCarolinas gets a thumbs up. Organized, excellent guests, good layout. I will look to return to this one.
Up next...Hypericon! (as in this weekend!)
It was my first time doing an exhibition table, so I really did not know what to expect from that angle at a fantasy/sci-fi con. As luck would have it, I had a major summer cold that kicked in on the way down that Friday.
The drive itself wasn't bad, though we got a slow start with bad foggy/drizzly weather in Kentucky and a traffic accident on the highway that really set things back. The sun finally peeked out when we neared North Carolina, and just in time as we got to wind our way through the mountains surrounded by all kinds of vibrant little meadows rife with color. Crimsons, violets, reds, yellows, whites...it was pretty nice scenery to say the least, and mountains always evoke the fantasy genre in me anyway! lol
I would say that ConCarolinas is pretty close in size to MidSouthCon, in terms of numbers, dealers, etc. (at least to my eye). It is a Con that has a solid track record, and the organization was evident upon arrival, as Janet got us fixed up right away with a folder filled with badges, information and everything we needed.
We had a pretty nice little table to use as a base, as we put up an Exodus Gate Banner and an Indie Movie Masters banner on stands behind, and Lori and Susan were awesome with the layout of the table itself (and we had a ScareFest banner draped in front.)
We were joined by Pete Bullock, the electronic editions editor for the British Sci-Fi magazine Interzone. Interzone is, in fact, the longest running Sci-Fi mag in the UK and it really is nice. Great artwork, writers...very impressive. Pete was a super nice guy, and very helpful all weekend. As we had four people involved, we did do some rotating so that we could get around, attend a few panels, and that sort of thing.
I met some very friendly and talented authors. Michael J. Sullivan and his wife Robin had a table just opposite us. He is the author of the fantasy novels The Crown Conspiracy and Avempartha, which are in his series The Riyria Revelations. Michael was a very popular author over the weekend, as I watched him sell and sign a ton of books. I was a buyer of one myself, and am going to start on it very shortly. I can vouch for the genuine friendliness of Michael and Robin, as they were great to talk to all three days.
I finally caught up with Gail Z Martin, author of the Chronicles of the Necromancer series. I had exchanged a few emails with Gail, but it was super to meet her in person. I did get to attend one panel that she was on involving podcasting, as well as a book reading that she did on that Saturday evening. Gail was kind enough to record a video blog tag of both myself, for The Exodus Gate, and Lori and Susan for ScareFest. 
Crymsyn Hart ended up being the writer that benefited greatly from the Lexington, Kentucky gang, at least in terms of sales! Crymsyn has about 20 books in print and ebook editions, which is amazing! Lori, Susan, and myself all bought books from Crymsyn, who writes darker urban fantasy/paranormal type stories. She is a very good writer, as I read a few pages of one of the books that Lori brought back before I had gotten a chance to buy one myself. Needless to say, there were many Crymsyn Hart books traveling back to Kentucky in the car!
I ended up fighting the summer cold/sinus attack all weekend, and thanks to Theraflu I made it through. Not easy at all!
We got a chance on Sunday to go out and visit two bookstores that are carrying The Exodus Gate in Charlotte.
First up was Joseph-Beth Booksellers. As Lexington's Joseph-Beth is near and dear to me (and where I did my first ever store signing), it was really cool getting to visit another Joseph-Beth Location. It "felt" like Joseph-Beth the second I walked into it. Very large, 2 level store, but very different in layout from the Lexington store. The general manager Cheryl was kind enough to talk for a few minutes and show me the sci-fi/fantasy section.
Second was Park Road Books, which very recently stocked the title. We got to meet Frank, who also happens to be the resident sci-fi/fantasy expert. The store is very nice and well-laid out, nestled into a shopping center not too far away from JB.
I was in for a big surprise, as when I went to their fantasy section, I was arranged on the shelf directly below J.R.R. Tolkien, who happens to be numero uno in my world of authors! As my last name begins with a Z, I do not often see chances where I am in such an aligned proximity, so I just had to get a picture of this as it was personally amazing!
Park Road Books also had my book at the front in new releases with an author-signed sticker affixed. I was really flattered by their presentation, and they even took the time to place bookmarks in all the copies.
Charlotte definitely has two excellent independent bookstores, and I wish both of them much success. They certainly have my gratitude!
The ride back went much quicker, though we were all pretty worn out by the time that we got back to Lexington a little after 11pm.
ConCarolinas gets a thumbs up. Organized, excellent guests, good layout. I will look to return to this one.
Up next...Hypericon! (as in this weekend!)
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
New Book Promotion, ConCarolinas trip this weekend, and alot more!
Following a harrowing week on the personal front involving my mother's health, which has thankfully resolved well, I am back in the thick of things and preparing for this weekend's ConCarolinas visit.
I will be running a Seventh Star Press table there with Susan Rummel and Lori Baker of ScareFest (great paranormal and horror convention held in the fall in Lexington, KY.). This should be a blast. This is the first exhibit table I have done at a convention like this, so we'll see how it all goes! I've got some really nice new banners, one for The Exodus Gate, and one for Indie Movie Masters that we will display, so our table should at least look good! LOL
I am also going to look to try to visit Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Charlotte and Park Road Books in Charlotte, both independent booksellers who are carrying The Exodos Gate.
I have been taking to doing some more journalistic endeavors lately. I have a real affinity for the other folks in the film and book worlds who operate at the independent level. I know how tough it is, so I want to do a little bit to do what I can to bring some attention to some worthy writers, small press publishers, film groups, filmmakers, and more.
To that end, I have started doing blogs/interviews over at the Indie Movie Masters blogsite ( indiemoviemasters.blogspot.com ) and I will be doing a series of articles and interviews for use on the Seventh Star Press site as well. Should be alot of fun, and I hope it helps some hard-working independent folks. (visit the IMM blog today to check out a new interview I conducted with Nathan Day, writer/director of Bulletsong, which should be out later this summer. Last week's interview was on Mike Gonzales, lead singer of the heavy metal band Spent, regarding the band's new CD Scars and their CD release party that happened last Friday in Lexington (Which went very well by the way, great crowd and they sounded excellent!)
Last, but not least, there's a new summer promotion at Seventh Star Press for The Exodus Gate to encourage purchasing of the book in bookstores. I really hope people make a little effort to get the book at a bookstore, as these places are what helps an author grow and get established. We definitely need to reward the places giving small press authors a chance too! ;)
Here's the information on the promotion:
The Exodus Gate Summer Promotion:
Buy The Exodus Gate in a bookstore and get free collectible memorabilia from The Exodus Gate!
To encourage readers to buy The Exodus Gate in a bookstore, we are making a special offer.
Mail us a receipt of copy of your purchase receipt for The Exodus Gate from a bookstore, or email us a scanned image or clearly readable photo, and we will send you a free, full set of 7 full color, glossy art cards, depicting the cover art and 6 of the full page illustrations from the book that were done by artist Matthew Perry.
The back of these cards have information on the images and are numbered as a set. You will also receive a complimentary pair of bookmarks from The Exodus Gate to go with your set of art cards.
A full list of stores carrying the Exodus Gate can be found at:
http://www.seventhstarpress.com/documents/book_store_availability.html
Email scans or photos of receipts to: seventhstar@seventhstarpress.com
Or mail copies or purchase receipts to:
Seventh Star Press
Attn: Bookstore promotion
3801 Dylan Place Suite 116, #7
Lexington, KY. 40514-1062
Please be sure to include your full mailing address, and we will send you a package out right away! Thank you for supporting bookstores that support small press publishing!
This summer promotion will run through the end of August.
I will be running a Seventh Star Press table there with Susan Rummel and Lori Baker of ScareFest (great paranormal and horror convention held in the fall in Lexington, KY.). This should be a blast. This is the first exhibit table I have done at a convention like this, so we'll see how it all goes! I've got some really nice new banners, one for The Exodus Gate, and one for Indie Movie Masters that we will display, so our table should at least look good! LOL
I am also going to look to try to visit Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Charlotte and Park Road Books in Charlotte, both independent booksellers who are carrying The Exodos Gate.
I have been taking to doing some more journalistic endeavors lately. I have a real affinity for the other folks in the film and book worlds who operate at the independent level. I know how tough it is, so I want to do a little bit to do what I can to bring some attention to some worthy writers, small press publishers, film groups, filmmakers, and more.
To that end, I have started doing blogs/interviews over at the Indie Movie Masters blogsite ( indiemoviemasters.blogspot.com ) and I will be doing a series of articles and interviews for use on the Seventh Star Press site as well. Should be alot of fun, and I hope it helps some hard-working independent folks. (visit the IMM blog today to check out a new interview I conducted with Nathan Day, writer/director of Bulletsong, which should be out later this summer. Last week's interview was on Mike Gonzales, lead singer of the heavy metal band Spent, regarding the band's new CD Scars and their CD release party that happened last Friday in Lexington (Which went very well by the way, great crowd and they sounded excellent!)
Last, but not least, there's a new summer promotion at Seventh Star Press for The Exodus Gate to encourage purchasing of the book in bookstores. I really hope people make a little effort to get the book at a bookstore, as these places are what helps an author grow and get established. We definitely need to reward the places giving small press authors a chance too! ;)
Here's the information on the promotion:
The Exodus Gate Summer Promotion:
Buy The Exodus Gate in a bookstore and get free collectible memorabilia from The Exodus Gate!
To encourage readers to buy The Exodus Gate in a bookstore, we are making a special offer.
Mail us a receipt of copy of your purchase receipt for The Exodus Gate from a bookstore, or email us a scanned image or clearly readable photo, and we will send you a free, full set of 7 full color, glossy art cards, depicting the cover art and 6 of the full page illustrations from the book that were done by artist Matthew Perry.
The back of these cards have information on the images and are numbered as a set. You will also receive a complimentary pair of bookmarks from The Exodus Gate to go with your set of art cards.
A full list of stores carrying the Exodus Gate can be found at:
http://www.seventhstarpress.com/documents/book_store_availability.html
Email scans or photos of receipts to: seventhstar@seventhstarpress.com
Or mail copies or purchase receipts to:
Seventh Star Press
Attn: Bookstore promotion
3801 Dylan Place Suite 116, #7
Lexington, KY. 40514-1062
Please be sure to include your full mailing address, and we will send you a package out right away! Thank you for supporting bookstores that support small press publishing!
This summer promotion will run through the end of August.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
DemiCon 20 and my Iowa Adventure!
DemiCon 20, in Des Moines Iowa, was a very well run convention, one that I would not hesitate to recommend to anyone.
First, though, a few words about the trip...
After a bit of a haul through Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa, I made a stop in Iowa City to visit Prairie Lights Books. This is a multi-level independent bookstore located near the Iowa University campus. It is situated in a very pedestrian-friendly district loaded with restaurants and shops.
The store itself features a great fantasy section, which Paul Ingram (the book buyer for Prairie Lights) took me to see right away. A nice range of titles, and I picked up a couple of books while I was there. Terry, who oversees the sci-fi/fantasy section, then returned from lunch and I was able to meet him in person. Truly, Prairie Lights Books is a first class store and it is a real privilege to have The Exodus Gate carried there.
After departing Iowa city I completed the trek to Des Moines. I drove underneath bright blue skies, with a radiant sun showering down upon a low, undulating terrain dotted with clusters of farm buildings and silos. Very picturesque and quite enjoyable.
I was struck by how clean and friendly both Iowa City and Des Moines were. I wouldn't be surprised if their crime level is very minimal (I haven't researched the figures), as the people in these cities were uniformly polite and welcoming.
I arrived in time to get unpacked, pick up my badges, and settle in. I touched bases with Shirley Damsgaard (author of the Ophelia and Abby Mysteries on Avon), who had just arrived as well.
The layout of DemiCon was very easy to navigate. The dealer room and registration desk were next to the biggest panel room, with most everything else on the 3rd floor (Con Suite, other panel rooms, etc.). The dealer room included a nice variety of folks, from author Glen Cook (Black Company series, also one of my personal writing influences), to Tyree Campbell of Sams Dot Publishing, to the independent music label Horizon Music from Chicago (Some very good electronic and ambient stuff, highly recommended to fans of this genre). Steve the Chain Mail Guy also had a table here with some amazing pieces on display and for sale. One chain mail shirt he had there was not ornamental, but rather usable in a medieval battle! (Not for sale, it took him months to make)
Shirley and I had a panel on Paranormal Trends in Literature coming up later that evening, but first up was the opening ceremonies. The hall was packed, and the toastmaster was a very interesting fellow with Gandalf-like long white hair and an extensive beard named Rusty Havelin, who has evidently been their toastmaster for every one of the 20 DemiCons. Rusty exhibited great humor and a warm personality, and one can quickly see why they have him back every year.
After announcements and introductions we were treated to a full-blown theater performance that was prepared especially for DemiCon. Following that, Shirley and I hung out for a while, and then joined up with author Lettie Prell who was the third in our triumvirate for the panel.
The panel went very well, as we got into a nice discussion of the paranormal and its role in speculative literature. As Shirley's series deals with a main character who is a witch and psychic, and as both Lettie's book and my book have numerous paranormal elements, we had alot to relate to.
Saturday involved a whole lot of activity. I went to visit Beaverdale Books in the morning, which is a bookstore in Des Moines that is carrying The Exodus Gate. I had the pleasure of meeting Alice, the store owner, and even discovered that there is a Lexington, Kentucky connection involving one of her former staff who is now in graduate school at the University of Kentucky. Beaverdale Books has a very relaxing atmosphere, which is easy to browse in. I had an opportunity to sign the book that was in stock, and got to talk to Alice for about half an hour before returning to DemiCon.
Back at DemiCon, Shirley gave a fantastic presentation on the path to publication, involving a discussion of agents, editors, and alot about the major league publishing world. I found alot of the insights that she had very valuable and fascinating, as Shirely is the type of person that cuts to the chase and is not afraid to tell you like it is.
Lettie then had a reading for Dragon Ring (published by Flying Pen Press), her fantasy novel, following the presentation. Lettie is very, very good at reading her work, and sold me on the book right then and there. She also provided a bounty of chocolates to everyone, which was mightily appreciated as I had forgotten to grab breakfast! Dragon Ring is a novel that has many crossover elements, involving fantasy, sci-fi, the paranormal, Mayan elements, and more. It also has a heavy virtual reality element, as well as an alternate energy one. Very original, flows well, imaginative, and I have already gotten well into it. Expect my thoughts on this one when I finish.
We then had a book signing in the mezzanine outside of the dealer's room. I was very pleased that several individuals picked up The Exodus Gate, both from Tyree Campbell's table as well as the signing itself. Many thanks to Jolie, John, Donald, Mike, Sheila, Susan, Steve the Chain Mail guy, and everyone that is giving The Exodus Gate a shot.
We had another panel that afternoon on the Hero's Journey. Very focused on the Joseph Campbell roots, and Shirley and I joined with Susan Satterfield (writer on Yard Dog Press) and Adam Stemple, a very multifaceted guy with talents in music, writing, and even poker playing! This was probably the panel that I spoke on the least.
My own reading came later that evening, and I am pleased to say that it went very well. In fact, I have finally settled on a section that I am happy with for public readings! I had a few show up for the reading, and we got into a discussion of some of the roots of The Exodus Gate, as far as Angelic lore, aprocryphal texts such as the Book of Enoch, Sumerian/Babylonian mythology, and much more. It was alot of fun, and everyone made me feel very welcome and comfortable.
That night I attended the hotel party given by the committee of OsFest, which is a science fiction and fantasy convention in Omaha that is going to be held in mid-July. I hung out with John and his wife Trudy, Susan Satterfield, Lettie, and many others.
Sunday involved a panel with myself and Joe Haldeman. All I can say here is wow! The topic was Writing for Movies, and to be on a panel with a Hugo award-winning writer was definitely a fantastic experience.
Joe was very gracious and made me feel at ease right away, and the audience was treated to a number of very interesting movie-related stories from Joe's very accomplished career involving figures like Steven Spielberg and Ridley Scott. Woven into the discussion were my experiences as a newer indie filmmaker and writer just coming out of the gate (and Joe's wife Gay really helped prompt this part of the discussion). The audience seemed to enjoy the contrast alot, as far as I could tell.
After the panel, I said some goodbyes to folks in the dealers room and conference staff, and then hit the road for the 10 1/2 hour trek back to Lexington. Thanks to some good hard rock-playing radio stations on the way back, I got through without getting too overly drowsy, and arrived back home without incident.
Overall, one can tell that DemiCon is a fan convention that has established a solid legacy and continues to innovate and grow. Its smaller size makes for a very relaxing experience, where one is able to interact with readers and other guests without distraction. The guests were outstanding, and it was a real privilege to be on panels with Shirley, Lettie, Susan, Adam, and, of course, Joe Haldeman. This is a convention that I hope to return to, and one that I would encourage people to drive in for if you don't happen to live in the immediate region.
First, though, a few words about the trip...
After a bit of a haul through Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa, I made a stop in Iowa City to visit Prairie Lights Books. This is a multi-level independent bookstore located near the Iowa University campus. It is situated in a very pedestrian-friendly district loaded with restaurants and shops.
The store itself features a great fantasy section, which Paul Ingram (the book buyer for Prairie Lights) took me to see right away. A nice range of titles, and I picked up a couple of books while I was there. Terry, who oversees the sci-fi/fantasy section, then returned from lunch and I was able to meet him in person. Truly, Prairie Lights Books is a first class store and it is a real privilege to have The Exodus Gate carried there.
After departing Iowa city I completed the trek to Des Moines. I drove underneath bright blue skies, with a radiant sun showering down upon a low, undulating terrain dotted with clusters of farm buildings and silos. Very picturesque and quite enjoyable.
I was struck by how clean and friendly both Iowa City and Des Moines were. I wouldn't be surprised if their crime level is very minimal (I haven't researched the figures), as the people in these cities were uniformly polite and welcoming.
I arrived in time to get unpacked, pick up my badges, and settle in. I touched bases with Shirley Damsgaard (author of the Ophelia and Abby Mysteries on Avon), who had just arrived as well.
The layout of DemiCon was very easy to navigate. The dealer room and registration desk were next to the biggest panel room, with most everything else on the 3rd floor (Con Suite, other panel rooms, etc.). The dealer room included a nice variety of folks, from author Glen Cook (Black Company series, also one of my personal writing influences), to Tyree Campbell of Sams Dot Publishing, to the independent music label Horizon Music from Chicago (Some very good electronic and ambient stuff, highly recommended to fans of this genre). Steve the Chain Mail Guy also had a table here with some amazing pieces on display and for sale. One chain mail shirt he had there was not ornamental, but rather usable in a medieval battle! (Not for sale, it took him months to make)
Shirley and I had a panel on Paranormal Trends in Literature coming up later that evening, but first up was the opening ceremonies. The hall was packed, and the toastmaster was a very interesting fellow with Gandalf-like long white hair and an extensive beard named Rusty Havelin, who has evidently been their toastmaster for every one of the 20 DemiCons. Rusty exhibited great humor and a warm personality, and one can quickly see why they have him back every year.
After announcements and introductions we were treated to a full-blown theater performance that was prepared especially for DemiCon. Following that, Shirley and I hung out for a while, and then joined up with author Lettie Prell who was the third in our triumvirate for the panel.
The panel went very well, as we got into a nice discussion of the paranormal and its role in speculative literature. As Shirley's series deals with a main character who is a witch and psychic, and as both Lettie's book and my book have numerous paranormal elements, we had alot to relate to.
Saturday involved a whole lot of activity. I went to visit Beaverdale Books in the morning, which is a bookstore in Des Moines that is carrying The Exodus Gate. I had the pleasure of meeting Alice, the store owner, and even discovered that there is a Lexington, Kentucky connection involving one of her former staff who is now in graduate school at the University of Kentucky. Beaverdale Books has a very relaxing atmosphere, which is easy to browse in. I had an opportunity to sign the book that was in stock, and got to talk to Alice for about half an hour before returning to DemiCon.
Back at DemiCon, Shirley gave a fantastic presentation on the path to publication, involving a discussion of agents, editors, and alot about the major league publishing world. I found alot of the insights that she had very valuable and fascinating, as Shirely is the type of person that cuts to the chase and is not afraid to tell you like it is.
Lettie then had a reading for Dragon Ring (published by Flying Pen Press), her fantasy novel, following the presentation. Lettie is very, very good at reading her work, and sold me on the book right then and there. She also provided a bounty of chocolates to everyone, which was mightily appreciated as I had forgotten to grab breakfast! Dragon Ring is a novel that has many crossover elements, involving fantasy, sci-fi, the paranormal, Mayan elements, and more. It also has a heavy virtual reality element, as well as an alternate energy one. Very original, flows well, imaginative, and I have already gotten well into it. Expect my thoughts on this one when I finish.
We then had a book signing in the mezzanine outside of the dealer's room. I was very pleased that several individuals picked up The Exodus Gate, both from Tyree Campbell's table as well as the signing itself. Many thanks to Jolie, John, Donald, Mike, Sheila, Susan, Steve the Chain Mail guy, and everyone that is giving The Exodus Gate a shot.
We had another panel that afternoon on the Hero's Journey. Very focused on the Joseph Campbell roots, and Shirley and I joined with Susan Satterfield (writer on Yard Dog Press) and Adam Stemple, a very multifaceted guy with talents in music, writing, and even poker playing! This was probably the panel that I spoke on the least.
My own reading came later that evening, and I am pleased to say that it went very well. In fact, I have finally settled on a section that I am happy with for public readings! I had a few show up for the reading, and we got into a discussion of some of the roots of The Exodus Gate, as far as Angelic lore, aprocryphal texts such as the Book of Enoch, Sumerian/Babylonian mythology, and much more. It was alot of fun, and everyone made me feel very welcome and comfortable.
That night I attended the hotel party given by the committee of OsFest, which is a science fiction and fantasy convention in Omaha that is going to be held in mid-July. I hung out with John and his wife Trudy, Susan Satterfield, Lettie, and many others.
Sunday involved a panel with myself and Joe Haldeman. All I can say here is wow! The topic was Writing for Movies, and to be on a panel with a Hugo award-winning writer was definitely a fantastic experience.
Joe was very gracious and made me feel at ease right away, and the audience was treated to a number of very interesting movie-related stories from Joe's very accomplished career involving figures like Steven Spielberg and Ridley Scott. Woven into the discussion were my experiences as a newer indie filmmaker and writer just coming out of the gate (and Joe's wife Gay really helped prompt this part of the discussion). The audience seemed to enjoy the contrast alot, as far as I could tell.
After the panel, I said some goodbyes to folks in the dealers room and conference staff, and then hit the road for the 10 1/2 hour trek back to Lexington. Thanks to some good hard rock-playing radio stations on the way back, I got through without getting too overly drowsy, and arrived back home without incident.
Overall, one can tell that DemiCon is a fan convention that has established a solid legacy and continues to innovate and grow. Its smaller size makes for a very relaxing experience, where one is able to interact with readers and other guests without distraction. The guests were outstanding, and it was a real privilege to be on panels with Shirley, Lettie, Susan, Adam, and, of course, Joe Haldeman. This is a convention that I hope to return to, and one that I would encourage people to drive in for if you don't happen to live in the immediate region.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
The Screening, the Signing, and off to DemiCon 20!
Whew! It has indeed been very busy the past couple of weeks, and I am admittedly a little behind on the blog!
We had our premiere screening and DVD party for Indie Movie Masters on April 9th and also my homefront bookstore signing at Joseph Beth Booksellers on April 17th. I am also getting ready to make my first appearance in Des Moines, when I attend DemiCon 20 this coming weekend from May 1 to 3.
First off, the screening for Indie Movie Masters. You can't get much better of a venue than the historic Kentucky Theater in downtown Lexington. For me, this was my first premiere/screening since Shadows Light premiered there, so needless to say I really was looking forward to it.
Here's a pic with some of the gang, from left, Jake Workman, Larry Vires, me, Dave Workman, Sven Granlund, and Matthew Perry.
The turnout was strong, even despite the fact that we were up against a very heavily promoted downtown Lexington event involving a slew of bar and restaurant venues. Alot of indie filmmakers attended, such as Cherokee Hall, Jerry Williams, Eric Butts, Jacob Ennis (whose new movie Stash is really making a big splash all over), Greg Brock, Nathan Day, Jason Scolf, and others. It really meant alot to me to see these folks out there, and I am hoping that a few of them will be participating in the Indie Movie Masters series.
Matthew Perry and Sven Granlund of Cineline productions gave out a bunch of DVDs and other items before the night got underway. Then we showed a number of trailers, including the new one from Aaron Champion and Justin Ford for No Town (www.notownthemovie.com), which is set for the 2nd DVD in the Festival of Horrors series. We also showed Anubis Digital's trailer for Requiem for the Fallen, from Mark Poole, which is really, really sharp (and it is for a pilot for a new tv series too!). Zeppo and Shadows Light trailers also made an appearance!
I was also very honored to have the new Bullet Song Trailer from Nathan Day debuted at the screening, which we showed in conjunction with the music video from Spent for Breaking Down (which is in Bullet Song and features Bullet Song footage). My last blog post has more information on the trailer and where you can go check it out. It looks to be an outstanding independent drama, and will be out later this summer.
We had a few exhibitors just outside the theater, including Lori and Susan from ScareFest, the very popular paranormal and horror convention that will return to Lexington this September.
Author Nic Brown (who is a very multi-facted guy, photographer, movie journalist, ninja, and much more!) had a table promoting his book Werewolf for Hire, Book One. Go pick up a copy over at Amazon!
And then, it was the homefront book signing at Joseph-Beth Booksellers of Lexington
It was simply an amazing night. We sold out of books and it was non-stop from the time that I took my seat a few minutes before 7 to the end of it at 9 (and we extended a few minutes beyond). I did not know what to expect, other than that I was in one of the best bookstores in the entire country. From people that I did not previously know to others that I have not seen since high school, the night had a surreal element to it. I was truly grateful for the outpouring of support, as the path I have taken is a very, very difficult one and I really appreciated the vote of confidence! The Joseph-Beth staff was more than generous and kind, from Brooke, their PR and Events Coordinator, onward. She was feeling under the weather that night, and really made me feel at home!
Now, I am getting ready to head to Des Moines, Iowa for DemiCon 20, a science fiction and fantasy convention that is well-established there. I am looking forward to this one, as I will be on panels with some very, very good authors such as Joe Haldeman and Shirley Damsgaard. I am going to be on 3 panels, do a reading for The Exodus Gate, and have a signing for The Exodus Gate. I will be sure to have a full report here!
Thanks for bearing with this monster-sized posting, but there was alot to catch up on!
We had our premiere screening and DVD party for Indie Movie Masters on April 9th and also my homefront bookstore signing at Joseph Beth Booksellers on April 17th. I am also getting ready to make my first appearance in Des Moines, when I attend DemiCon 20 this coming weekend from May 1 to 3.
First off, the screening for Indie Movie Masters. You can't get much better of a venue than the historic Kentucky Theater in downtown Lexington. For me, this was my first premiere/screening since Shadows Light premiered there, so needless to say I really was looking forward to it.
Here's a pic with some of the gang, from left, Jake Workman, Larry Vires, me, Dave Workman, Sven Granlund, and Matthew Perry.
The turnout was strong, even despite the fact that we were up against a very heavily promoted downtown Lexington event involving a slew of bar and restaurant venues. Alot of indie filmmakers attended, such as Cherokee Hall, Jerry Williams, Eric Butts, Jacob Ennis (whose new movie Stash is really making a big splash all over), Greg Brock, Nathan Day, Jason Scolf, and others. It really meant alot to me to see these folks out there, and I am hoping that a few of them will be participating in the Indie Movie Masters series.
Matthew Perry and Sven Granlund of Cineline productions gave out a bunch of DVDs and other items before the night got underway. Then we showed a number of trailers, including the new one from Aaron Champion and Justin Ford for No Town (www.notownthemovie.com), which is set for the 2nd DVD in the Festival of Horrors series. We also showed Anubis Digital's trailer for Requiem for the Fallen, from Mark Poole, which is really, really sharp (and it is for a pilot for a new tv series too!). Zeppo and Shadows Light trailers also made an appearance!
I was also very honored to have the new Bullet Song Trailer from Nathan Day debuted at the screening, which we showed in conjunction with the music video from Spent for Breaking Down (which is in Bullet Song and features Bullet Song footage). My last blog post has more information on the trailer and where you can go check it out. It looks to be an outstanding independent drama, and will be out later this summer.
We had a few exhibitors just outside the theater, including Lori and Susan from ScareFest, the very popular paranormal and horror convention that will return to Lexington this September.
Author Nic Brown (who is a very multi-facted guy, photographer, movie journalist, ninja, and much more!) had a table promoting his book Werewolf for Hire, Book One. Go pick up a copy over at Amazon!
And then, it was the homefront book signing at Joseph-Beth Booksellers of Lexington
It was simply an amazing night. We sold out of books and it was non-stop from the time that I took my seat a few minutes before 7 to the end of it at 9 (and we extended a few minutes beyond). I did not know what to expect, other than that I was in one of the best bookstores in the entire country. From people that I did not previously know to others that I have not seen since high school, the night had a surreal element to it. I was truly grateful for the outpouring of support, as the path I have taken is a very, very difficult one and I really appreciated the vote of confidence! The Joseph-Beth staff was more than generous and kind, from Brooke, their PR and Events Coordinator, onward. She was feeling under the weather that night, and really made me feel at home!
Now, I am getting ready to head to Des Moines, Iowa for DemiCon 20, a science fiction and fantasy convention that is well-established there. I am looking forward to this one, as I will be on panels with some very, very good authors such as Joe Haldeman and Shirley Damsgaard. I am going to be on 3 panels, do a reading for The Exodus Gate, and have a signing for The Exodus Gate. I will be sure to have a full report here!
Thanks for bearing with this monster-sized posting, but there was alot to catch up on!
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