SpecMusicMuse: Spirit of Fire Blog Tour Interview w/Stephen Zimmer

And now for an interview with one of the best small press authors since, uh, that other Scott guy….

1) What got you interested in Epic Fantasy? Who were your inspirations?

Epic fantasy interests me because it gives you the broadest possible range to tell a story.  It allows a story to be viewed from inside a character’s head all the way to a cosmic level, and everything in between … and it works.  The fantastical dimension gives you even more range.

Epic fantasy lends itself very well to weaving in all the layers and intricacies of real life from an individual to a societal level, from the forces of politics and religion, to the flow of history within a world.   It has depth and a real sense of how things fit together and influence each other, and gives the reader the perspectives to appreciate those kinds of dynamics.  It really takes in the essence of a world, its cultures, and history.

Take Middle Earth for example, from the Silmarillilon to the Lord of the Rings, you have everything from a creation mythology, to a world’s entire history, to invented languages and a wide range of very engaging characters, as well as the tremendous stories told in books such as The Hobbit and the trilogy itself.

This kind of complexity can be challenging, but for storytellers and readers it can be immensely rewarding too.  I can cite many examples of richly developed series, from George R.R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire to Steven Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen novels.

As far as inspirations, the big two for me were J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, and since then there have been many more, including Guy Gavriel Kay, Glen Cook, Clive Barker, R.A. Salvatore, C.S. Friedman, George R.R. Martin, and others.  I have been inspired by each for different reasons, as all of these authors have a distinctive style and particular strengths.

2) What’s it like being a small press author? What are the advantages/disadvantages compared to the big press?

Life as a small press author is very tough, make no mistake, but I think it is very tough for any level of author in this weird publishing climate that we have right now.  Don’t forget that many major press authors still have to work day jobs to make ends meet.  This is one of the hardest sectors in the entertainment world to make a living at, without question.

You also have to wear many hats these days.  Managing and growing your online presence is a full-scale task in itself that authors in past decades did not have to worry about, yet it is a necessity in today’s publishing atmosphere.   Can you even begin to imagine C.S. Lewis sending out daily tweets for example?   Can you imagine J.D. Salinger making a status update on Facebook?

The big pluses of small press are that I really get to work closely with my editor, and I get to be involved in the art phase with Matt when it comes to the covers and interior illustrations.  I also feel much more connected to the promotion phases of new releases, and have been able to support my work as much as I possibly can, with activities such as this large blog tour I’m doing right now.

The minuses are the difficulties in getting shelf space in bookstores, without question.  This is becoming less of a factor overall with the continual rise of ebooks in terms of market share, but wherever I’ve been given a chance to be on a shelf, and had individuals in the store familiar with my work, I’ve seen new readers emerge.   I think that there is going to be a solid place for independent bookstores in the future, and I hope to work with more and more of them in the future.  Hopefully as the market shifts further from chainstores to eBooks and independents, the barriers to shelf space will ease up a little more as it won’t be one national buyer rendering a decision but instead the individual stores themselves.

I have talked to quite a few chainstore managers, including some who already read and buy my books, who would be glad to carry them on the shelves but could not due to corporate policies and buying controls from higher up.  I know it will be nice when individuals like that, in the context of independent bookstores, will be able to bring the titles into the store without hindrance.

3)If you could summarize Spirit of Fire in one sentence, what would it be?

When darkness shrouds the world and all seems impossible, reach within and find the spirit of fire inside!

4) So, what’s the death count at in this book? lol!

Pretty massive, but not in the George R.R. Martin way, as far as main characters go.  I won’t go so far to say that they are all safe, but I’m not into killing off my strongest characters en masse!  Haha!

However, I do have some pretty large, vivid battles, and I don’t pull punches in them.  A great many die in these clashes, and the battles carry a realism that reflects combat in medieval times.   When you are using swords and axes, the results are not nice and clean.  I don’t feel I go over the top in conveying these realities, but neither do I shirk from them.

5) Your novels tend to provide a good balance between characterization/setting and action/pacing? what are the ways you manage that balance, to make sure the story doesn’t get bogged down in detail or end up with scenes that flash by too fast?

I am always trying to improve in this regard, keeping a nice balance between action/pacing and characterization/setting.  I feel my book three’s in my two series, The Seventh Throne in the Rising Dawn Saga and Spirit of Fire in the Fires in Eden series, show good progress in these areas.  Of course, the book one’s of my series are perhaps a little heavier on characterization/setting by default, as they are the foundational titles for the entire series and really need to set the parameters for the worlds the stories are set in.  I don’t forget that I am a reader too, and if I see areas that I would get bogged down in as a reader, I work to address to those sections.

I am careful about the ordering of my threads as well, and try to be sure that threads that follow each other are not of similar types.  Sometimes there is a need for slowing the pace down in a big story for a moment, but you don’t want to stay there overly long.

6) What’s it like writing a series? How different is it from writing separate novels in separate worlds? Easier? Harder?

I enjoy writing a series, and having room to work in layers and depth, planting seeds for later harvest, in a sense.   I don’t think it is necessarily easier or harder than writing stand-alone novels in separate worlds, but I do think there is a specific art to crafting a full series.  Each title of a series, in my view, has a specific purpose in the overall story being told.  The unique challenges in writing a series is to make sure that each title achieves its own goal while simultaneously serving its proper role in the context of the series as a whole.

7) Anything you’d like to tell potential readers?

I am an author that understands that without readers, an author is nothing.  Seems like a simple concept, but not all authors seem to understand that reality.   I am not the kind of author that will leave readers waiting years on end for a new title, nor will I come out with a title in a series where nothing really happens.

As a huge, lifelong fan of epic fantasy, I do understand what frustrates readers and what makes epic fantasy exciting, and I will do my best to bring you series that grow and deliver more and more with each new title.  I feel strongly that both of my series reflect that kind of progression over the course of the first three books of each.  Not every reader is going to like my work, and that’s fine, but for the ones that do, you will have the commitment of an author that puts every last bit of energy he has to give you as much as he possibly can.

 

Map of Ave

 

Stephen Zimmer is an award-winning author and filmmaker, whose literary works include the epic urban fantasy series The Rising Dawn Saga, as well as the epic medieval fantasy Fires in Eden Series.

The Exodus Gate, Book One of the Rising Dawn Saga, was Stephen’s debut novel.  It was released in the spring of 2009, with The Storm Guardians following in 2010, and The Seventh Throne in August of 2011.

Crown of Vengeance, Book One of the Fires in Eden Series, was released in the fall of 2009, with Book Two, Dream of Legends, following in December of 2010.  Crown of Vengeance received a 2010 Pluto Award for Best Novel in Small Press.

Stephen’s short fiction includes the Harvey and Solomon steampunk stories included in the Dreams of Steam and Dreams of Steam II: Bolts and Brass anthologies from Kerlak Publishing.

As a filmmaker, Stephen’s film credits include the supernatural thriller feature Shadows Light, the horror short film The Sirens, and the recent Swordbearer, a medieval fantasy short film based upon the H. David Blalock novel Ascendant.

Further information on Stephen Zimmer can be found  at:

Website:  www.stephenzimmer.com

Facebook Page:http://www.facebook.com/sgzimmer

Twitter Page: http://www.twitter.com/SGZimmer

Spirit of Fire Blog Tour

For Immediate Release

May 25, 2012

48 Date Blog Tour Announced and Cover Art Unveiled for Stephen Zimmer’s Spirit of Fire

Seventh Star Press is proud to unveil the cover art and illustrations created by award-winning artist Matthew Perry for Spirit of Fire, Book Three of the epic fantasy Fires in Eden Series by award-winning author Stephen Zimmer, as well as announce the dates and sites for the 48 day Spirit of Fire Blog Tour.  A pre-order window for a limited edition hardcover is also open in advance of the book’s official release.

(Illustrations by Matthew Perry from the first edition of Spirit of Fire)
The Spirit of Fire Blog Tour is being hosted by Babs Book Bistro, and will feature 50 events over 48 days, beginning May 29th  and running through July 14th. The tour will feature a number of activities, including reviews, video, interviews, podcasts, guest blog posts, and contests/giveaways.

Spirit of Fire is the third title in the Fires in Eden Series, following Crown of Vengeance and Dream of Legends.  Also associated with the epic fantasy series is a growing collection of short stories, the Chronicles of Ave, that have been released on eBook and are part of the Seventh Star Singles catalog.

In Spirit of Fire, a maelstrom of war engulfs lands resisting the designs of the Unifier to bring about a new order, of a kind that has never existed within Ave.  Battered by a massive invasion force from Gallea, the tribal people of the Five Realms and their Midragardan allies are being driven eastward, towards the sea, while the Saxan lines are wearing down ever thinner on the Plains of Athelney.

Time is running out quickly, as an ancient creature of legend soars through the skies with a brave young Saxan.   They carry the desperate hopes of two realms sorely beset by a voracious enemy.

Diabolic entities conduct a great hunt, as a malignant darkness deepens across all of Ave.  Exiles from another world must gain refuge, or find themselves ensnared by the long reach of the Unifier.  The very nature of creation itself stands in the balance.

It is a time when the honor and fortitude of many are put to the test, and terrible prices are paid for resisting great evils.  It is also a time of awakening for many, old and young alike, some of whom may yet discover the spirit of fire that lies within.

The third installment in the Fires in Eden series, Spirit of Fire is richly imagined epic fantasy with a diverse ensemble of characters that offers a new world to explore for readers who enjoy large-scale tales along the likes of George R.R. Martin, Brandon Sanderson, Steven Erikson, and J.R.R. Tolkien.

Spirit of Fire will be released in softcover and eBook versions during the first week of June.  The novel is now available for pre-order in a beautiful hardcover edition that is strictly limited to 75 copies.

The limited hardcover edition will be signed and numbered by Stephen Zimmer and includes a bonus illustration from Matthew Perry not included in other editions.  It will be accompanied by an assortment of collectibles, including a set of glossy art cards, bookmarks, and magnets.  The limited edition hardcovers will also be bundled with the eBook version (provided as a direct ePub file for users with Nooks, iPads, or Sony eReaders, and gifted as a Kindle file for Kindle users).  Those interested in securing one of the 75 limited hardcovers can place a pre-order at: http://seventhstarpress.com/documents/pre_orders.html

The Spirit of Fire Blog Tour Dates and Participants Are As Follows:

May 29  Fantasy Book Review

May 30  Ginger Nuts of Horror

May 31  Mom Cat’s Gateway Book Blog

June 1   Splash of Our Worlds

June 2   Soliloquy

June 3   Ritesh Kala’s Book Review

June 4   Jess Resides Here

June 5   Reading Away the Days

June 6   Vilutheril Reviews

June 7   A Daydreamer’s Thoughts

June 8  Red Headed Bookworm

June 9   Lisa’s World of Books

June 10  Kentucky Geek Girl

June 11  Goatfairy Review Blog

June 12  Book and Movie Dimension Blog

June 13  Full Moon Bites

June 14  Stuck in Books

June 15  The Independent Review

June 15  Alchemy of Scrawl

June 16  Watch Play Read

June 17  A Book Vacation

June 18  Eva’s Sanctuary

June 19  That Book Place Blog

June 20  Edi’s Book Lighthouse

June 21  SpecMusicMuse

June 22  Once Upon a Time

June 23  Azure Dwarf Horde of Sci-Fi & Fantasy

June 24  Bad Girls, Good Guys, and Two-Fisted Action

June 25  Eden Road Blog

June 25  Ali’s Bookshelf (live podcast)

June 26  Workaday Reads

June 27  Bookishly Me

June 28  Earth’s Book Nook

June 29  Darlene’s Book Nook

June 30  The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia

July 1     Evie Bookish

July 2     Urban Fantasy Reviews

July 3     The Cabin Goddess

July 4     TheSci-Fi Guys Book Review

July 5     The Speculative Salon

July 6     Ali’s Bookshelf

July 7     Bunnys Review

July 8     Bee’s Knees Reviews

July 9     In the Dark of Night with James Tuck

July 10   Edin Road Radio (live podcast)

July 11   A Few Words

July 12    Bab’s Book Bistro

July 13   Alchemy of Scrawl  (live podcast)

July 14    Babs Book Bistro (live podcast)

Overkill Blog Tour

For Immediate Release

April 5, 2012

 

25 Date Overkill Blog Tour and Cover Art Unveiled for Steven Shrewsbury’s Latest Gorias La Gaul Adventure!

 

 

Seventh Star Press is proud to unveil the cover art and illustrations created by award-winning artist Matthew Perry for Steven Shrewsbury’s newest Gorias La Gaul novel, Overkill, as well as announce the dates and sites for the Overkill Blog Tour.  A pre-order window for a limited edition hardcover is also being opened in advance of the book’s official release.

(Illustrations by Matthew Perry from the first edition of Overkill)
The Overkill Tour is being hosted by Babs Book Bistro, and will feature 25 blog sites over 25 days, beginning April 20th and running through May 14th .  The tour will feature a number of activities, from interviews, to reveiws, guest blog posts, and contests/giveaways.

 

Overkill is the second novel featuring the iconic sword and scorcery figure Gorias La Gaul, following the debut of the character in the novel Thrall, released in late 2010 from Seventh Star Press.  Gorias La Gaul is also featured in two short stories, Author and Finisher of Our Flesh, and Insurmountable, both available in eBook format in the Blood and Steel: Legends of La Gaul collection in the Seventh Star Singles catalog.

 

The story told in Overkill takes place in an ancient time, before a great flood wiped clean the earth, destroying everything upon it.  Before the deluge, in a time now forgotten, the world was a place of warriors and witches, conflicts between kingdoms, and, until their extermination, dragons.  In this world, men may live centuries, fallen angels have begotten terrifying spawn, and sometimes, the best hope can be found in a brothel.

 

In the land of Transalpina, a new religion spreads, and important men are dying mysteriously, slain by what can only be the fire of dragon breath.  Summoned by the Queen Garnet, the legendary warrior Gorias La Gaul

returns to the place where he once saved the queen’s young granddaughter from treachery and enslavement. The Princess Nykia is gone, and soon others may try to claim the throne.  The queen has little choice but to turn to the only man who ever told her no.

 

With the aid of one of the queen’s elite guard, the battle maiden Alena, and the young palace servant Orsen, the old mercenary will face pirates and traitors, monsters and foul magic in the quest to find the missing heir and learn the truth behind the disconcerting murders.

 

Overkill will be released in softcover and Kindle versions during the third week of April.  The novel is now available for pre-order in a beautiful hardcover edition that is strictly limited to 75 copies.

 

The limited hardcover edition will be signed and numbered by Steven Shrewsbury and includes a bonus illustration from Matthew Perry not included in other editions.  It will be accompanied by an assortment of collectibles, including a set of glossy art cards, bookmarks, and magnets.  The limited edition hardcovers will also be bundled with the eBook version (provided as a direct ePub file for users with Nooks, iPads, or Sony eReaders, and gifted as a Kindle file for Kindle users).  Those interested in securing one of the 75 limited hardcovers can place a pre-order at: http://seventhstarpress.com/documents/pre_orders.html

 

The Overkill Blog Tour Dates and Participants Are As Follows:

 

 

April 20  Watch Play Read

April 21   SpecMusicMuse

April 22  Splash of Our Worlds

April 23   Edi’s Book Lighthouse

April 24   Sci-Fi Guys Book Review

April 25   Jess Resides Here

April 26   Book Den

April 27   That Book Place Blog

April 28   Urban Fantasy Reviews

April 29   Evie Bookish

April 30   Eva’s Sanctuary

May 1     Azure Dwarf Horde of Sci-Fi & Fantasy

May 2     Darlene’s Book Nook

May 3     Ginger Nuts of Horror

May 4     Ali’s Bookshelf

May 5     The Magick Pen

May 6    Book and Movie Dimension Blog

May 7    The Cabin Goddess

May 8     Bee’s Knees Reviews

May 9     I Smell Sheep

May 10   Once Upon A Time

May 11   Ritesh Kala’s Book Review

May 12   Goatfairy Review Blog

May 13   Fantasy Book Review

May 14   Babs Book Bistro

Contact: C.C. James

Public Relations, Seventh Star Press

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