An exciting announcement to make today, here on Jorie Loves A Story, as I have a forthcoming review forThe Study of Murder, 12th of October!! My review of this lovely book was made possible when my path crossed with the authors’ through her book tour with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours! Whereupon, I was responding to one of the reviews that had been given on the book’s behalf, and started to talk about my appreciation for Oxford, as seen through the BBC serial “Inspector Morse” and “Inspector Lewis”. Lo and behold to my delight I heard back from the author, as I was appreciative of her dedication to research on the novel itself, as that is one of the things that I am always fond of finding on behalf of the historical fiction novels that I read! I was offered to read this book in exchange for an honest review and I am most esteemed to be given that chance!
What first captivated my attention for this story, is the unique voice of the main character combined with the setting [in and around Oxford University in England], as much as the time of the story, as its the 14th Century, of the 1300s! Its not oft you discover a wholly true and realistic mystery set at such a precise time in our history, that has a way to captivate you to read it, due to the nature of how it was written! Although this is the third book in the series, I was captivated by the reviewer’s lament that this is a series which can be jumped into at book three, and give the reader plenty of insight to where going back to the beginning would nearly be savoured a bit more than if you had read them in order! Due to this, I decided to trust that observation, and will not be ILL’ing books one & two of the Muirteach MacPhee mysteries until after I complete “The Study of Murder”!!!
Be sure to mark your calendars to drop back here on:
12th of October 2013!!
Be sure to loop back through the tour prior to reading my review!
Remember, to always keep a keen eye on my sidebar, for current & future Bookish Events Featured on JLAS! For a full listing of each book that has either been reviewed OR a stop via a tour on Jorie Loves A Story, please consult:Bookish Events Featured on JLAS!
{SOURCE: The author, Susan McDuffie provided me with the book cover and it is used with permission.}
You will be seeing quite a bit of this lovely badge, over the score of the next month, as I proceed to enter into the world of the “Lunatere Chronicles” as foretold and revealed in “Finnikin of the Rock” by Melina Marchetta!
My fascination with this book has roots to the original post I read about it whilst wandering around Blog Nation’s bookish blogs feed page, wayy back in August! Whereupon I stumbled across this book review made by Charlene (Bookish Whimsy), and of which, made me realise that this was a high fantasy novel that I wanted to read! :) There was something about the way in which she conveyed the characters, the setting, the story, and the overall enjoyment on her end to have read the book!! I was intrigued and captivated by this world I knew nothing about and I felt energised to want to read it! I had no idea that there was a read-a-long in the works, and as I marked myself down to participate, I was even more curious about the book in the weeks & months leading up to the start date! You see, all I can speak about in my home, is “You know there is this bloke called ‘Finnikin’, and you see,…” Now, I get to read his story!
| Actual Event Scheduling |
The Event runs from October 7th – 27th
Finnikin of the Rock readalong: October 7th-20th. (That’s two weeks to read 400pg) October 7th-13th: Prologue and Chapters 1-15 October 14th-20th: Chapters 16-30
(Scheduled posts by participating bloggers will be added here as they are received.)
Charlotte @ Gypsy Reviews | Lumatere Chronicles & High Fantasy (date open)
Lee @ Rally the Readers | Reaction Post (Oct 21)
Tory @ The Sleeping Latte | Feels post, possible Lucian post (Oct 14, 21)
Kim @ YA Asylum | Character/Relationship post (Oct 17)
Alisa @ Picture Me Reading | Undecided (date open)
Samantha @ Celestial Carousel | Review, possibly more (Oct 22) Doing Dewey | Review (Oct 25)
Charlene @ Bookish Whimsy | Review, Beatriss and Trevanion (date open)
Paola @ A Novel Idea | Undecided/Isaboe (date open)
The Duchesses Group Review (date open)
[I will be updating this calendar of posts as I know more!]
| Jorie’s contributions will be |
Theme of Community: 20 October | November Theme of Family: 26 October | November Stand-Out Character Profile: 27 October | November Reaction Post: 27 October | November
+ The Three Friday’s Discussion Posts!
| [8 November: Prologue – Chapters 10] | [15 November – Chapters 11 – 20] |
| [22 November – Chapters 21-30] |
**Originally it was my intent to post in October, due to personal matters I had to let go of that idea and pick up the reading & the blogging of my adventures in this wicked world in November! I will be turning in the links for my posts as they alight on my blog to Charlene @ Bookish Whimsy so that perhaps in time, other readers who are seeking reader impressions about this book will stumble across the reading I did too! It would be nice to think that I could pass forward to the joy of ‘wanting to read’ this novel as that is how it came to alight in my own life, through the joy spun out of Charlene’s review of the book! Due to my participation in SFN I decided to draw out the reading per week in order to manage both events!**
{SOURCE: Finnikin of the Rock badge created by Jorie in Canva. Photo Credit: Cole Patrick (Public Domain : Unsplash).}
Prominent Authors and Agents Ready to Converge in Virginia for 11th Annual James River Writers Conference
Two Day event which features: workshoppes and inspiration for up and coming writers! Be sure to mark your calendars!
| 19-20th October 2013 |
How did JRW start? We began in 2003 when a group of area authors sought to address the needs of writers and literary fans in central Virginia by hosting Richmond’s first writing conference. Since then, we have grown into a multifaceted organisation of more than 300 members that serves as the region’s literary hub and a welcoming home for anyone who loves the written word. Our many programs inspire people, young and old, to pick up a book and read, or to start writing for the first time. For those already writing — be it poetry, a family memoir, or a great new novel — we help them improve their craft. A number of local writers have gone on to get their work published because of JRW. JRW plays a key role in expanding our region’s life-long literacy and in adding a vital dimension to Richmond’s cultural life.
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE:
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA: Writers, mark your calendars. TheJames River Writers Conference, is celebrating its 11th year as one of the most prestigious gatherings of published authors, literary agents and editors in the country with a two-day event that will inspire and educate writers on the rise.The James River Writer’s Conference returns to Richmond on October 19 and 20 with an impressive line-up of literary professionals, writing workshoppes and opportunities for aspiring writers to pitch their book ideas, hone their skills, and connect with nationally recognised authors and publishers.This year’s conference features an extensive list of esteemed guests and speakers including: award-winning book designer and writer Chip Kidd; National Book Award-winner Kathryn Erkskine and best-selling | award-winning author Christopher McDougall. Also making appearances at the conference are award-winning authors Cece Bell, Lydia Netzer, Megan Mayhew Bergman, and Philippa Ballantine. Book Doctors and Pitchapalooza founders Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry will be on hand, and don’t forget to make time for agents including: April Eberhardt, Deborah Grosvenor, Victoria Skurnick and Paige Wheeler.Year after year, the conference is lauded for its remarkable programs and its noteworthy influence on the writing community. It’s no wonder why hundreds of people have been flocking to central Virginia each fall since 2003!
“The James River Writers Conference [is] one of the best writers’ conferences in America,” says David Henry Sterry, of The Book Doctors. “If you’re a writer, do yourself a favour, and get yourself to Richmond, Viriginia, and go to this conference. It’s filled with warm, generous, talented writers, editors and agents.”Registration for the annual conference is OPEN and writing sessions are already filling up. Find more details and a full list of programs at JamesRiverWriters.org.
The 2013 conference is supported by BrownGreer, VCU Libraries, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Fraga Studios, CultureWorks, Dominion, Hunton & Williams, Art Works, and the Virginia Commission for the Arts.
When Ms. Lien contacted me on: Monday, 7th October 2013 asking me to help promote a writers’ conference she would be attending lateron in the month; I excitedly agreed to post this on Jorie Loves A Story! You see, she is my contact with JKS Communications Publicity Firm for working with them for blog book tours! I worked with them in early September on the tour for “The Prayer Box” by Lisa Wingate, and I am scheduled to work with them again in January 2014 on the tour for “To Tuscany With Love” by Gail Mencini. She’s always such a delight to schedule a tour with, that I was compelled to seek out what JRW involved and thus, was inspired to share this on my blog!
First and foremost, I am always willing to spotlight an event for writers’ because without these tangible in-person conferences for writers’ who are still on a journey towards publication, we, the readers’ might not be graced with such a diverse range of books to read each year! I decided to do a bit of research to see who would be attending as well as to ask Ms. Lien to give me a bit more information about which panels she would be participating in herself! Lo and behold, amongst the authors’ I found one of the books I remember reading spotlighted on Book Browse! I only regret I won’t be able to attend! It sounds like such a wonderful event!!
| Authors in Attendance |
Kathryn Erskine – A well-traveled interesting author who has resided in the following lovely locales: The Netherlands (where she was bourne!), Israel, South Africa, Scotland, Newfoundland (Canada), and Virginia! I have a sneaking feeling that I am going to be seeing if I can get her books through my local library: Ibhubesi: The Lion, Quaking, Mockingbird, The Absolute Value of Mike, and Seeing Red. I am thankful for this chance to come across her writings!
Christopher McDougall – He is the author of the book Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Super Athletes, and the Greatest Race the World has Never Seen. The premise is quite intriguing because I have always been keen on natural healing and health, always wanting to seek the best wellness I can for my body, and this book delves into a tribe in Mexico who has unearthed the secret to not only curbing disease and illness, but how to ‘run’ great distances without pain, injury, or rest. I am rather intrigued about this book now, I must say! As I have heard of running in the forest to help heal your feet and weaknesses of tendons or knees, but I am curious what he learnt whilst in Mexico studying the Tarahumara Indians!?
Cece Bell – Children’s book author & illustrator of the following quirky and clever titles: Bee Wigged, Itty Bitty, Food Friends, Busy Buddies, and the Sock Monkey series. She exhibits a very happy attitude and a carefree spirit that I am sure is stitched into her stories! I will have to check out her children’s books at some point! I love finding new children’s lit authors, and I love the happy glow she has about life, living, illustrating, and writing books that young readers can get excited about!
Lydia Netzer -This is the author I was referring too above, as her novel Shine, Shine, Shine, was not only a featured selection on Book Browse, but it was one of the books they gave away! The thing is that I thought at the time, this book was a bit too emotionally intense for me to tackle, yet that didn’t take away from me appreciating that she would a wholly unique story!
Megan Mayhew Bergman -Her short story collection Birds of a Lesser Paradise, was a Book Browse pick in March 2012, yet I do not believe I came across it at the time it was featured! Although, I do attempt to read everything that Book Browse offers its members, I oft find that there are a few books here or there, that do slip past me! I am not as familiar with shorts, as I would hope I would be, and therefore, I might give this one a try, as I am finding them to be quite a unique lens to view the world!
Philippa Ballantine – She has an extensive array of published books, including a wicked looking Steampunk series entitled: The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences! Originally from New Zealand, she calls Virginia home! A regular pod-caster, and multi-genre author who co-writes her Steampunk series with her husband, Tee Morris! This appealed to me because I am finding that the range of Steam novels that are available are of such a wide variety, that you simply have to give them ‘a bit of a go’ and see where your interests lie!
| Literary Agents in Attendance |
April Eberhardt – She chose to found an agency that can weave between the traditional and e-publishing markets. She’s an agent that gives top priority to those who submit their stories in person at select writers’ conferences by which she attends yearly.
Deborah Grosvenor – On a personal note, what interested me to read in her biography is that she picked up “The Hunt for Red October” by Tom Clancy whilst she was an editor! I was intrigued by this news, as that is singularly my favourite “Jack Ryan” motion picture, and a book that I want to read! She seeks out non-fiction alongside these themes of choice: history, biography, politics, current & foreign affairs, memoir, food, health, the environment, and health. She is a principal agent at the Grosvenor Literary Agency.
Victoria Skurnick – She spent 20 years working for the Book-of-the-Month Club, where she had the honour of working with numerous best-selling authors! I can attest to her selection skills as in the early 2000s, I was a member for a short-lived period of time! She currently works with Levine Greenberg Literary Agency.
Although I haven’t come across the books they represent previously, the blurbs of these had me curious about what I’d find inside their covers: “Mr. Churchill’s Secretary” + “Princess Elizabeth’s Spy” by Susan Elia MacNeal; “A Little Night Magic” by Lucy March; and “While We Were Watching Downton Abbey” by Wendy Wax.
& Paige Wheeler – She helped develop Folio Literary Management, who is individually keen to read stories that encompass the following themes: women’s fiction, romance, mystery, thrillers, inspirational/Christian, and psychological suspense. She also is interested in select non-fiction titles that run the gambit of: lifestyle, relationship, parenting, business/entrepreneurship, food-subsistence-homesteading topics, popular/trendy reference projects and women’s issues.
It should be noted that they represented “The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate” by Jacqueline Kellywhich I am going to be re-reading at some point so that I can speak about my impressions on JLAS, as I simply loved this book! This is a book that is transformative in its narrative and endears you to the story due to the nature of the relationship between Calpurnia and her grandfather! This is the book whose story will affect anyone who grew up with a deep appreciation for the natural world such as I did!
Events By which Samantha Lien will be in attendance:
This marks Ms. Lien’s first year in attending the James River Writers’ Conference, on the lark suggestion of a bookseller she knows who believed she would make an excellent guest speaker! She has also heard stories of past attendees who are authors she knows personally, who do nothing but evoke a sense of urgency in seeking out JRW, due to their positive reactions to past conferences! I hope that her first conference goes smashingly well and that being a speaker on the panels rewards her in ways she is not suspecting!
PANEL ONE:
DAY: Saturday, 19 October 2013 | 3:45-4:45p | PANEL INFO
INSPIRATION: How do writers keep up with the ever-changing landscape of publishing? Catch up on all the latest news and trends with industry professionals. Find out how you can adapt your marketing strategy to reflect recent developments.
PANEL TWO:
DAY: Sunday, 20 October 2013 | 10:30-11:30a | PANEL INFO
TOPIC: Thinking Outside the Book: Trailers and Apps
PANEL: Megan Mayhew Bergman, Samantha Lien, Michael Portis, & Julie Green, Mod
INSPIRATION: How do you grab your share of attention in this digital age? What do you need to know to make your own book trailer? Is your book right for an app? Learn the answers to all these questions and more!
PANEL THREE:
DAY: Sunday, 20 October 2013 | 11:45a-12:45p | PANEL INFO
TOPIC: Creating a Strategic Marketing and Publicity Plan
PANEL: Carey Albertine, Samantha Lien, Jon VanZile, & Rebecca Joines Schinsky, Mod
INSPIRATION: Explore the steps you can take to prepare your work for the best possible reception. Leave with ideas you can put into practice right away!
Questions for my dear readers: Have you ever attended a writers’ conference like James River!? IF so, what do you attribute to being the best part of your experiences? Do you think you will be attending JRW this year OR do you hope to earmark the conference for 2014!?
{SOURCES: The “James River Writers” Logo & the 2013 Conference Badge were provided by James River Writers’ Conference for Press/Media/Bloggers who aim to get the word out about their organisation & conference! The information about James River was taken from their Press Materials online. I was asked to help promote this particular year’s conference by Ms. Lein of JKS Communications Firm, who said that I was qualified to use these logo badges due to the fact I am promoting the Press Release for this Event! Ms. Lien provided not only the official Press Release, but she answered a few of my questions as far as the specifics of her participation at the event itself! I also conferred with JRW and was given permission for the use of the badges and text about them in the manner in which they appear.}
The world by which I am entranced to learn more about! And, of an author I decided to direct my interview into the personal sphere of getting to know a bit more about the writer who pours his passion for history and research into the narratives he captures about the life and beings who inhabit “Ave!”
Author Biography
Stephen Zimmer is an award-winning author of speculative fiction, whose works include the Fires in Eden Series (Epic Fantasy), the Rising Dawn Saga (epic-scale Urban Fantasy), the Harvey and Solomon tales (Steampunk), the Hellscapes tales (Horror), and the Rayden Valkyrie tales (Sword and Sorcery).
He is also a writer-director in moviemaking, with feature and short film credits such as Shadows Light, The Sirens, and Swordbearer. His Steampunk stories are available through Dark Oak Press Media.
Inspired to Share: To gain insight into his multi-dimensional professional endeavours, as author, film-maker, and promoter. He delves into the details of striking the balance in the publishing industry whilst navigating the seas of Indie Publishing. As well as how to keep a pulse on the motion picture industry whilst maintaining his passion for telling stories. An interesting section is how he describes his world-building methods, the importance of reading, and to focus your passion on writing your heart out. He rounds out the chat by talking about Hellscapes which is also part of this tour!
By which the interview commenced,
between Jorie and Mr. Zimmer!
I am quite esteemed to announce that the author of Ave is dropping by my blog today! I have elected to ask him questions that may or may not be familiar to those of whom have been following his career thus far! If you are a reader like me, who has not expanded her horizons into speculative realms, you might enjoy getting this inside glimpse into one of Seventh Star Presses shining examples of how a writer can change his stars and purport his own future!
At what age did you decide in your mind’s eye to become a writer and what was your first story?
Zimmer responds: I would say that I was approximately around 19 or 20 when I finally began to get truly serious about writing, in terms of looking toward writing as a career.In my early twenties, this outlook solidified, and my years in Abilene, Texas at Hardin-Simmons University were very conducive to both motivation and focus. It was during and immediately after this period that the seeds of the Rising Dawn Saga and Fires in Eden Series took root. In regard to my first story, I honestly can’t remember!
I would bet my mother would, and if she were still with us I would ask her right now, as I’m curious myself! It was likely some kind of fun and not-so-well-written little tale during my grade school years, maybe even in relation to something at school at that time.
I really dived into the deep end of the pool in terms of writing books, as in my formative period I wrote what became three volumes of an epic-scale cross-genre series. I still think the ideas are really interesting in it, but these works were definitely my training ground! LOL
I began writing fervently a bit ahead of you, whilst at the age of 14 I drew out inspiration for the science fiction world where science fact merged into the threads of the story-lines. I have always been curiously passionate about the sciences, especially those that involve the cosmos and/or the quantum realms. I, too, can relate to having your rhythm in your writing life achieved at a younger age, as I found my true niche before I turnt 18 years old, but fell into a bit of a writer’s block in the pursuing years since until 2008! Oh, mothers are the best, are they not!? They not only remember the finite details that the dust of our experiences have erased, but they have this knack for keeping things that would mean something to us lateron! My Mum saved samplings of my early writings, to where I look back now and see the seeds of where I was headed as a teen and as a thirty-something! It’s Mums like ours that are blessed to have supporting us! And, yes, I can even relate to ‘jump diving’ head-on into your writing, as I also created novels-in-progress, but the only difference is I am still going to finish them for publication. Maybe bits of yours could be salvaged and re-structured into a new story!? Or, even a series of shorts!?
What stories can you share regarding your time spent with your father as he researched cancer? Did he make any breakthroughs that you can share?
Zimmer responds: I spent many, many hours in laboratories, but I most vividly recall simple things, like walking down to visit dad in his office during the day to see how he was doing or to talk a little football, or going with him to the cafeteria to get lunch. It has always been the straightforward things that I enjoy the most, and my memories turn smoothly toward seeing him shine with excitement about science as he spoke with one of the multitude of students he taught over his career, witnessing him talking about new projects, planning for upcoming meetings, and everything else in the world of a research professor.He was a man who was incredibly passionate about his work, and he was also a dedicated teacher and mentor.
Going with dad to the lab was something present all throughout my life, when he was here. In fact, when I was in grade school, he’d take me into the lab with him on the weekend in the early morning and then take me over to watch the UK football team play in Commonwealth Stadium! The memories are too numerous to count.
Among the many memories I have was taking a trip with him to Maryland, where he was serving on a committee of scientists reviewing grant proposals for the Department of Defense in research areas. We had a great time together, from visiting a civil war battlefield, to sampling some regional/local beers, and just talking history, politics, or whatever came to mind. It was a true father/son trip that I have always thought back upon.
In regard to his work, my dad was one of the pioneers in his area of research, which concerned translational control. His work involved several types of cancers, including breast, cervical, and ovarian, in addition to consulting regarding brain cancers and many other types.
Although my Da didn’t work in the research sciences, he did work in a very high octane job for each year I’ve been alive, and I can attest to how exhausting that kind of pace can make you! Therefore, we always focused on the small things that bubbled over and turnt into the some of the most brilliant of memories lateron! Grabbing bites to eat, visiting nurseries for plants or statuary gardens, and even, riding along with him whilst he did his errands for his business was loads of fun! Of course, you had to have a solid sense of humour, as my Da’s field of choice was the complete opposite of your father’s! Interesting that we each have memories of being with our fathers’ at work and/or during the in-between moments where they could spare a special moment just to be inside our worlds for a glimmer of pause out of the day! I had not realised how tenacious your Dad was in fighting cancer nor how accomplished he was in the field! You must feel a great weight of pride and honour in knowing what he was able to achieve whilst he was here! I cannot imagine how difficult it is to have lost both your parents at such a young age! It’s a testament to their love for their children, how you’ve been able to soldier on and carry-on with your dreams!
What led your family relocation to Lexington, KY from Denver, CO?
Zimmer responds: My mom and dad met at Colorado State University, but his path to getting his first job as a professor took a short step through St. Louis first, and then, finally Lexington. From what I gathered, dad thought Lexington would be a really nice place to raise a family, which was very influential in his decision to take the job at the University of Kentucky.
I can relate to this, as in the regards of knowing where to relocate from a ‘home’ state into a new state, one of the considerations my own family has been making is not only which state holds the most for each of us to find long-term happiness, but which is the best fit for a family who wants to be with like-minded souls! It’s quite a difficult decision process, as your always weighing your options, considering everything that you hold important, and in the end, have to take a bit of a leap of faith as to go where your being led to be, without knowing how it will pan out until your there! I always find this is an interesting springboard for families to seek out an unexpected move that could give them the most in return! How lovely that your parents met whilst at University, mine met whilst they were at church, although neither of them realised that the other was there for only a short period of time prior to meeting! I believe my Da used to go more frequently, but he was in another city for work, and had only recently moved back! Whereas my Mum had only just relocated from outside Chicago! I always find it curious how couples meet, and what becomes the impetus for them to knit their life together!
How difficult was the adjustment from a mountainous state to Kentucky?
Zimmer responds: I was so young in Denver that there was no trouble at all with relocation! LOLI have traveled quite a bit, though, and would have to say that while Kentucky does not have anything like the Rockies, there are some beautiful ranges of hills and even mountains, and we are not so far from the great Smoky Mountain Range.I’m sure if I had moved later in life I would not have had any troubles.
Alas! I knew it was going to happen, I asked a completely irreverent question! Laughs. I honestly didn’t know how long you were in Colorado, which is why I asked about how you guys had shifted East! My Mum has been out West into the Rockies and beyond, whereas my Da and I have hugged more to the East Coast and Mid-West. I’d love to get out into Wyoming one day, as Mum has tickled our imaginations for the countryside we’d see if we were able to get there! I felt for Denver, especially for Boulder recently whilst they experienced all the flooding and mud deluge! Their weather patterns have changed so radically and severely over the years, that perhaps, your better off in the Bluegrass State! :) Ah, the Smokies are my favourite mountain range! I always felt I left a piece of my heart up on that winding road that leads further into them as you follow the creek?
Yes, I have heard of that, and actually, I did get to see a slice of the Bluegrass’s charms, as whilst enroute back from Fargo, back when Mum & I were traveling on the road, we winded our way through Kentucky, but for the life of us, we cannot sort out how we managed to see signs for “Elizabethtown” (delighted me to no end, mind you, as I love that film!), yet we didn’t pass through any of the townes you need to drive into in order to have those signs!? Yet. We ended up south through Nashville, heading back to Birmingham!? Cannot sort that out! Hmm, forgot to address what you said about the scenery! Kentucky has this calm atmosphere about it, where even heavy rains make the state feel welcoming to travel wary souls! I think people overlook the benefits of hills! I live in a state flatter than a rock, and dearly below sea level! Hills would liven the place up a bit! Smiles.
What challenges did you have as a child that made you the man you are today?
Zimmer responds: Without a doubt the cranial fracture I received at around two years old, as a result of an abusive/violent day care worker (which was determined later). I had to endure years of wearing protective headgear, first hockey helmets, and then baseball caps with plates in the back. It really made you stand out in any group of kids, and I dealt with a lot at that time and I think a fierce streak of independence took hold as often I had to stand on my own. There is no question that this singular event had a tremendous impact on me, on many levels.
I was touched that you shared such a personal memory, and one that is such a pivotal part of your childhood and growing years! I had my own unique injuries, but they were never caused by the hand of someone with malicious intent, unless you count the horrid little boy who kicked me in the wound where I had stitches! :( I know full well how horrid children can be, and I had my own fair share of being bullied. Whether it’s medical or learning issues, childhood can only be survived by the brave of heart! We’re both equally blessed not to have any residual effects!
Do you have a childhood playmate that is still your friend now that you’re adult?
Zimmer responds: I sure do, and I hope to hang out with him a lot more in the future! I was thrilled to reconnect with this person a few years back, who I grew up next door to (along with his brother) during the most magic time of my life. My roots and sprouts as a creative mind really thrived during this time of my childhood.
I know what you mean, as I connected with a friend I wasn’t expecting to locate after such a long absence since we last saw each other in high school! I have felt bad about the loss of time between us, as life continues to move forward for each of us, but we haven’t had the proper chance to stitch together our lives, as we had at our original reunion! I hope we both get the time and the pleasure of knowing our respective friends as well as we want to! Now, that I am thinking back on it, she is the only person I know who knew me when I decided to become a writer!
Are you and your sister best friends or acquaintances? Share some pivotal experiences growing up as a sibling? Did having a sister prove beneficial in developing character traits in your books?
Zimmer responds: We have our ups and downs, and we are very different in our personalities, but no matter what we circle the wagons and come together in times of trouble. We are more than just friends or acquaintances, as I see it. We are family, and I take that to heart.
Pivotal experiences are hard to identify as our family always did things together, ate meals together, took trips together, and my parents really instilled the idea of supporting each other. We were always at each others events and activities. I do remember filling in as a substitute on some of my sister’s swim team relays when they needed someone desperately! (at least I got a chance to cool off on those hot summer days!).
Maybe the pivotal time is now, when it’s just the two of us left after our mother passed away in June of this year (we have no aunts or uncles, and our grandparents on both sides have passed, etc). We’ve stuck together pretty good so far, and my sister showed a lot of fortitude finishing out her path in getting her nursing license. I was extremely proud of her!
One thing that really meant a lot to me was when my sister was trying hard to help me with some music and video related work I was involved in during the mid-late nineties. She really put forth a huge effort to help me and I have never forgotten that. I really felt her support and dedication at that time and I really wish that period could have worked out better in terms of business and rewards. A lot of heartache and hard lessons, but I think I’m better for it now even if they were not financial successes. Now, she tends to maintain a little distance from my projects, and I’m pretty much solo during my events and such, but I guess I don’t blame her as difficult as this business is! (and as heavy as book boxes are!) LOL
Your relationship with your sister reminds me of my Mum and Aunt’s relationship, where they too, had their fair share of disconnects, but are always in each others’ back pocket! I think its a code for siblings who grow up in close-knit families, that despite differences, or temperaments, or even distance, you’ll always have each other when you need the other the most! And, your quite right, perhaps now is the time when you will both realise it is more important to stay hugged close together rather than in previous years, as you truly are each others’ ally & support! I lost my grandparents, Aunt, and Cousin already as well, so yes, I do know how quickly your personal life can become upturned when you do not realise it’s happening. No one is prepared for the future, the best we can each do is handle the present as it arrives. Maybe in time she will be encouraged to visit you whilst your touring at the conventions!? I’d imagine you miss the camaraderie!
Did any one particular person in your life become a character thread in your books?
Zimmer responds: My characters are never full carbon copies of anyone I know, but all writers infuse traits of people they know and have characters who are very inspired by those they are friends with. For me, a guy named Pete Spencer (the owner of the legendary Pete’s Wok in Lexington, Kentucky) was a huge inspiration for the character of Lee in the Fires of Eden series. Again, Lee is not exactly like Pete, but there are a lot of qualities about Lee that mirror the things that make Pete so great. The inspiration is definitely there!
That’s one example, and there are more! ;)
Yes, I do suppose this is true, as I was lamenting about how I could have answered this question, and I came to the same conclusion you did! We draw such a wide net of possible personality traits to include in any one character, that they all start to take on a composite of several rather than a chosen few! Forgive me, as I have never gone through Lexington, I have not heard of Pete’s Wok! I wonder what your favourite dish is there!? He must have been quite chuffed that you were inspired to create Lee from knowing him?!
Do time and space create difficulties as your time constraints are becoming more intense?
Zimmer responds: I do everything I can to keep a regular writing schedule. I’m shouldering an awful lot at the moment, and it is without a doubt my most difficult time ever, time and schedule-wise, but I’ve somehow managed to keep things on track.
I hadn’t quite realised how tight your time is until recently, and I give you a heap of credit for accomplishing everything that you do each week!! I hope you take time out to just be with your friends’ ever so often, and break the intensity of the work! A bit of fun can go a long way! Don’t forget to find the joy whilst you can still see it!
What does a perfect day look like for you?
Zimmer responds: Morning writing session, mid-day filled with a sojourn with friends, catching a movie, something of that nature, and then, not being too tired to have another writing session at night before going to bed. That’s one version of a perfect day that I view as attainable.
Any day traveling to having new, exciting experiences is a perfect day too!
I give you credit on this goal, as for me, I thrive better in my writings if I am co-balancing my time outside pursuing other artistic interests as well as being involved in community events. I am a people person, so being holed up in my study is something I can do when I’m in the rhythmic flow of creating, but otherwise, I have to strike a balance to where I can enjoy living my life but also, keeping true to my writing life. Plus, I like to eat and cook along with the seasons, and one of my favourite things to do is seeing what is ‘arriving’ at the farmer’s market! Traveling is a part of my internal clock of normalcy! I love seeing new things that excite me!
If you didn’t write or develop motion pictures, what avenue would you take next?
Zimmer responds: Probably something involving the music world. I used to (and want to again) play guitar, was in a band in high school, was around the music biz for several years in management and live show booking, so I’d have to say things likely would have tilted that way.
I long to find a teacher for electric guitar, as I have a guitar awaiting my fingers to know how to use it! Laughs. A classic example of ‘cart before horse’ as I thought for sure there were instructors around here! Sighs. I don’t have any firm goals, whereas you’ve already amassed the experience and chops to know what you can handle and what you want to pursue. Personally, if I could get my ear tuned to song-craft and start to compose my own lyrics to attach to the chords, I’d be delighted to no end! I always felt that some of the poems I write are meant for song!
What is your favorite fantastical creature and why? If not developed as yet, will this appear in a future book or developed into a motion picture?
Zimmer responds: I love my Trogens! Among classical monsters, the werewolf is a great favourite of mine, but I absolutely love writing scenes, threads, and characters involving the Trogens from the world of Ave. They are resilient, determined, have an honor code, and are so often misunderstood due to their more fearsome appearance and rougher lifestyle dwelling in the harsh wilderness regions to the northwest of the Kiruvans.
I drew this same conclusion myself earlier, as I realised that the main clan that I wanted to follow and pursue finding more stories about were the Trogens!! I must admit, their fierce exteriors and personages did not frighten me away, if anything, I felt encouraged by their resolute strength and their undying courage to tackle what others’ would not deem worth going after! They are an impressive group, that is for sure!
If you could change one aspect of your life, what would it be?
Zimmer responds: Be at the point where I can fully make a living from my writing. I’m not there just yet, and it is very hard to get to this stage, but it would be a tremendous relief and help me have a much more sane and manageable life.
And, I hope one day sooner rather than later, you will be able to see this come into fruition!
Thank you for this opportunity to visit and be interviewed, Jorie!
If anyone would like to find out more about my work or connect with me, you can use the following:
Thank you, Mr. Zimmer for dropping by Jorie Loves A Story today! I appreciated your candor and your honesty in answering my questions! I noted that this hasn’t been the easiest Summer for you & your sister, as I noticed the dedication in the opening pages of “Chronicles of Ave”. I could not help but be moved by your words and love you have for your mother. I hope in time your heart can heal as I too, have gone through similar losses to where your finding yourself lone reeds against the world! Her strength will trumpet on and inspire you forevermore! Please leave a note for the author if you have anything you’d like to say or ask!
Be sure to catch the second half of this showcase on JLAS:
Jorie reviews “Chronicles of Ave: Volume One“,
which includes a virtual road map of this tour!
Similar to blog tours, when I feature a showcase for an author via a Guest Post, Q&A, Interview, etc., I do not receive compensation for featuring supplemental content on my blog.
{SOURCES: Cover art of “Chronicles of Ave: Volume One” by Matthew Perry; Stephen Zimmer’s photograph and biography, and the blog tour badge were all provided by Tomorrow Comes Media and used with permission. Post dividers were provided by Shabby Blogs, who give bloggers free resources to add personality to their blogs. Post dividers by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination. Author Interview badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs. Jorie submitted her Questions to Mr. Zimmer, who provided his answers in response. She was grateful to have this opportunity to interview him.}
Acquired Book By: I was selected to be a stop on the “Chronicles of Ave: Vol. I” Virtual Book Tour, hosted by Tomorrow Comes Media. I received a complimentary copy of “Chronicles of Ave: Vol. I” in exchange for an honest review by the publisher Seventh Star Press. The book released on 3 September 2013. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein. This marks my first stop as a Tour Host for Tomorrow Comes Media!
It should be known: Although, I do not know Mr. Zimmer personally, I have come to appreciate his conversations on science fiction and fantasy, as I uncover exactly where my allegiances lie in each genre! There was a period of time, not so far away from today, whereupon I knew exactly the thematic of story I could sink myself into, but time and memory have waylaid my knowledge of those specifics! Through working with Mr. Zimmer to set up book tours through Tomorrow Comes Media, I am finding a new niche of this side of my reading life, and I am thankful to have found such a kind-hearted and genuine voice at the other end of my inquisitive missives! I was thankful too, that he agreed to partake in an author submitted interview by someone such as I, who had not yet read a book of his, but was curious to know a bit more about him, and of his writings!
Author Biography
Stephen Zimmer is an award-winning author of speculative fiction, whose works include the Fires in Eden Series (Epic Fantasy), the Rising Dawn Saga (epic-scale Urban Fantasy), the Harvey and Solomon tales (Steampunk), the Hellscapes tales (Horror), and the Rayden Valkyrie tales (Sword and Sorcery).
He is also a writer-director in movie-making, with feature and short film credits such as Shadows Light, The Sirens, and Swordbearer. His Steampunk stories are available through Dark Oak Press.
Artwork Credit: Matthew Perry
Synopsis of The Chronicles of Ave: Volume I:
Escape into the wonders of Ave in this first collection of short stories featuring the fantastical world from the Fires in Eden Series by Stephen Zimmer.
“Into Glory Ride” tells the story of a young Trogen Warrior who is called to go up against insurmountable odds when an Elven raid strikes his homeland. The Trogens have only begun training winged steeds for combat, but time is of the essence and a momentous choice has to be made by the young warrior.
In “A Touch of Serenity” a conscript laborer working on a massive wall constructed under the orders of the Divine Emperor begins to hear ghostly voices asking for help. His response leads him on a journey that will test his courage, wisdom, and compassion.
In “Moonlight’s Grace” a young man goes to help his people when a Midragardan raid strikes Gael. He seeks to prove his worth to the chieftain whose daughter he loves with all his heart.
The novella-length “Winter’s Embrace” follows a warrior-monk into the depths of dangerous woodlands in the heart of winter. There he will find his faith tested in ways he never anticipated, when he must help a forest witch against an enigmatic, immortal being known as the Undying.
“Lion Heart” introduces the heroic Sigananda of the Amazu people, who must confront things that transcend the laws of the physical world when powerful Wizards threaten his homeland.
In “Land of Shadow” a knight who is part of a band of Avanoran mercenaries discovers how perilous the mysterious Shadowlands are when they undertake a journey to locate a site to build a fortress.
A world of wonder beckons to be explored and fantasy enthusiasts are invited along for the journey in these half-dozen stories from the world of Ave!
Also be sure to take further adventures in Ave in the Fires in Eden Series, beginning with Crown of Vengeance, Book One!
On how to pronounce the title:
“Ave” is pronounced like “Ave Maria”. It’s a salutation in Latin, closest to the word “Hail”. He wanted a way to announce the creation of the world, and the world itself is a proclamation of its existence as much as the beginning of the stories of the world itself.
In the Authors Own Words:
Ave is meant to be a salutation to life and existence itself, in
the purest sense, as the antithesis to oblivion and death. Ave is, in
some senses, a salute to life and the world at its origin, and hopefully
its eventual, transcendent state where death has no place.
Therefore, Ave is filled with the glory of welcoming, an enthusiastic
“Hail” to life, and you can embody the idea of that in the love of a
mother for a son, and the gift of a mother, as resonates in that song
“Ave Maria”.
| “Into Glory Ride” |
I was not quite prepared for the warrior’s song that I uncovered whilst reading this short story, as I was drenched into the heart of the Trogen’s fiery spirit, as Marragesh sets the pace for a heart-wrenching battle to reclaim his clan’s right to live outside the borders of their greatest enemy, the Elves! Taken a bit aback at the dedicated war hunger of the Elves, I was esteemed to find Marragesh and his clansmen built of such sturdy fortitude and bravery, realise that they could effectively change their race’s future; if they could only resolve how to make an imprint of a theshold on their enemy’s next advance! What bolted me to enraptured emotion in the ending pages of this story, is the dexterity of skill, the Trogen’s exercised in the sky!
I haven’t read fantasy novels in quite a long while (at least of this magnitude!), enso, my point-of-references are all but obscured and obstructed! Yet within the layers Zimmer used to build this battle, he’s able to capture with the keenest sense of story-telling precision, the etches of other battles from other fantastical realms. In the thick of the battle flight, where sword is pitted against sword, creature fighting against creature to retain their alighted heroes, I saw echoes of the Jedi attempting to make enroads against the Sith in their surge against the Death Star, as much as I saw a murmuring echo of the battle sequences in Avatar, when Jake took the courage to stand with his fellow Na’vi, who became his adopted brotherhood!
The sweeping arc of the setting grabs you from the moment you recognise the gravity of the scene unfolding for young Marragesh and his steed, Banca as they practically tip-toe amongst the cliffs he’s meant to keep watch over to guard over his clan’s safety. Waves crashing against the bolstered cliff wall took me to far away lands I have only dreamt of visiting and hope to see with my own eyes one day. There is always a draw for me to be on a land of such magnitude of power as the sea evokes to its native shores. A resolute strength against the tides! And, in regards to Banca’s sure footedness any person who has a fondness for cats, can assert that some animals are naturally graced with a sturdy gait and a footfall that defies logic! Especially since, this reader has a feisty little tux that can scale a rail and run its length without even a whisper of her presence known! Fur flying behind her bloomers and all!
The entitlement provoked a certain resonance for foreshadow that I was observant of, yet being an optimistic soul, I had hoped for an alternative outcome, when logically there could only have been the one transcripted! I think we always want to hold onto what we are never ready to part with, as a part of our human condition and inability to always yield to accepting the circumstances that bring about the most change in our lives. Even as a reader, we long for characters that we travel along with as they ride into their destiny to take a piece of our hope with them, that our strength can somehow infect them with a bit of a balm of extra strength, and somehow we take away with us a part of theirs in return. Their strength etches into our consciousness, as we lament about their life’s song of purpose, forever grateful to have crossed their path. Zimmer has a gentle hand in navigating what a heart yearns to see and what destiny has already provoked to being necessary!
I had hoped that Mr. Perry might have included sketch references of the Elven Lavion and of the Trogen Harrak, as although I could just make out each of their differences and strengths, I think a sketch might have helped shaped the sky battle a bit better for me! I was most impressed by the docility of Marragesh’s Harrak, as it reminded me of how fond a warrior Native was attached to their horse! I think there are certain bonds between animals and the ones deemed to fight alongside them.
An end that came too soon: I was swept into the Trogen’s encampment, to the brink of being thirsty for more of their stories! I can see why in the footnotes of this collection it is said that Zimmer’s readership crave the stories featuring the Trogen’s! How could they naught!? They’re bold warriors who have a sense of fighting skills and courage that even the Vikings would consider honourable! They are a mighty gruff race of war-hardened men, who endear you to them by the way in which they fight for their freedom and way of living! They commit you to their cause without having to overstate their purpose! I appreciated how Zimmer transcends the potential gore of war into a metaphoric rumination on life, peace, and the hope of what may yet come. He humanizes his characters, grounding them with a full conscience of integrity, and allows them to champion our heroic endurance to seek a way for them to succeed! I will look forward to digging into the “Fires of Eden” series as I am able too! I daresay, I want to know more! This is a brilliant introduction as it is a window into one specific time period of Trogen life, yet its the full gist of their threaded core of courage and heart!
As an aside, each time I read “Marragesh” I inadvertedly thought musefully of “Marrakesh”!
| “A Touch of Serenity” |
Epic in the scope that a sense of place is easily recognisable as an alternative sub-sphere of time which stitches close to the construction of the Great Wall of China. On the crescent sliver of engaging into this new history of Ave, I vaguely remembered the brutal horror of a warlord like Ghanghis Khan, (although not Ghanghis Khan!) of whom was notorious for entombing his foot soldiers into the pillar statues of an army tenfold in size! Of course, I am not sure if this has been reputed and disregarded as mere ‘myth’ rather than definitive proof of existing, as this stems back into my childhood! And, such stories always stand out to be rather fantastical and scary! This was a different story from how the Terracotta Warriors came into being! I remember well how I longed to learn more about his reign (here I am referring directly to Ghanghis Khan!), and those of the Mongolians! I am not as sure as why I have always been drawn into histories of war, but war played a large part of my interests in history throughout the centuries. Perhaps because it is in our nature to go to war with such a frequency that is harrowingly shocking! Therefore, this opening sequence of events was not met with aghast horror but with a fascination of just how far a ruler would go to ‘cleanse’ his servants’ existence in the pursuit of a maddening project of vanity and power!
I trudged forward into this story, because I knew at the heart of this one could lie self-sacrifice of another lens by which Zimmer chose to key in on and give his readers another hearty segment of museful solace! He’s definitely a story-teller who wants his words not only to soak into your mind whilst reading, but to leave a definite impression to be re-examined and turned over once the story is not as readily visible! This is one of his strengths, as he lays bear his impressions and lamentations of what he wants to depart upon the benefit of his characters’ giving voice to his own thoughts on these subjects!
Being a student of T’ai Chi Ch’uan, I took an interest in his lead character’s name in this short, as it drew me back to why I appreciate the serenity that can be found whilst practicing the Four Winds as much as the Long Form! I miss the reverent days of my studies in T’ai Chi Ch’uan, but when ones’ instructor ups and leaves without notice, its oft difficult to find a replacement whose calm teaching yields the ability for internal solitude of thought intermeshed with seeking the hidden benefits of slowing down one’s mind, in order to capture a tenth of the chi lost in the chaos of everyday life! Zimmer’s Ch’uan evoked a sense of longing to restore the peace I used to cherish in securing each morning I would practice!
It was here, at the introduction of Chang Tao Ling, that I realised that the insight of Mr. Zimmer in knowing where my heart lay with fantasy was of the utmost of truths! I could not eat the words fast enough, nor could I drink in the heart-pounding joy of being a breath away from a tiger! I am truly a girl bent on reading epic fantasy! What a joyous discovery to have made, because I was curious if I leant more towards this side of fantasy rather than another! I do appreciate the scope and depth to these kinds of stories, which is why I think the most obvious of things to note are generally the ones that are within plain sight! I should also disclose that I have always held a candle for learning more about Chinese history, folklore, and mythology! I am drawn into stories that touch on these subjects, as much as I appreciate a motion picture that explores a certain level of mythical proportions! One of my favourites, of course, is “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”, which I believe I mentioned on my blog recently (although I could be mistaken and bespoke of it on another blog completely!), as it lends itself to that particular style of story-telling that I adore so much! There are other films that fit into this particular niche, as much as they shift out of it a bit: “House of Flying Daggers”, “Hero”, “Curse of the Golden Flower”, “Life of Pi”, and “The Forbidden Kingdom”, by which I would like to see one day! And, of course I appreciated “Bulletproof Monk”, even if I wished the CGI sequences could have been matted a bit better against the live action!
Remnants of readings of the Magi were subtly contained within the wizard counsel where we’re introduced to: Fu Shen, Tsai Shen, Kuan-Ti, and Shou Lao! I also detected a bit of Incan and Aztec histories inside this story, as I know more of their sacrifices than of other cultures, as I have visited Mayan ruins, where of the three distinct cultures, the Mayan’s infused a temperament not seen in the other two! With a dashing nod to the Egyptians as well! This story has a bit more intense battle playing out inside itself, but as foresaid, Zimmer has a way of dampening the level of bloodshed to impart the greater message that the tale is being writ to give!
I was not a bit surprised at the gravity of the evil encased into this storyline, as it begs to reason that with great power can bequeath either great good or great evil! There is always a ying-yang balance, which directly applies here as the roots of this story lie in the mythologies of the East. I think none of us truly are aware of what our earthen gift is until we reach the day where we instinctively feel that we have arrived at the moment by which our true path has emerged into view. Each of us can do far more than we think is possible, and each of us can give back so very much to others in ways that we may not even be readily aware of. The key to life and of living is to remain steadfastly open to the possibilities that are beckoning just beyond the light of what we understand!
An enlightened man’s eyes become fully awake, filled with light, and are perpetually open rather than closed. His sight is not blinded to what he didn’t understand previously, but rather, is cast anew by the insight he has been given!
| “Moonlight’s Grace” |
This is the one short I didn’t finish reading, because the turn of bloodshed evoked more of a visage of horror then I was willing to shake off as ‘part of the overall story’! I do have my limitations, and for me, this one was just a bit too brutal for me to recover from or go through! I think if the beheading had been cheeky as in Harry Potter’s introduction to “Nearly Headless Nick” for instance, I might have been able to sustain it, but this is, wells, let’s just say, it’s a proper beheading! I am sure Louis VIII would find it faire of choice! I did not get to the ‘grace of the moonlight’, so I do not know if Finnian & Brigit were able to secure their affirmative love for each other, or if they were ill-fated to unite! Honestly, I had an easier time with the previous two shorts, because the stitchings of the story were not co-dependent on the battlefield gore in the foreground, but rather an internal course of fate!
I did read the note on this short in the back of the book, as I nearly had forgotten that Mr. Zimmer was including notes on each story,… I think I will ask him which page to ‘skip over too’ in order to bypass the battle, jump into the romance that is evolving between these two characters, and tap into the reason he has selected this as one of his favourites thus far to have written! I wish I had a stronger stomach, but I just couldn’t shift past that particular gruesome scene, sorry! Having read his spin on this short, I see its of true importance to the story of the people of Gael!
| “Winter’s Embrace” |
A simple respite from a glowering fire-filled ire of humid insanity, I started to allow my mind to entertain the full brunt of Winter, to off-set my uncomfortablity in enduring a Southern Autumn! This short brings such blissful notions to mind as stomping through high packed snow, whistling winds, and a bone-chill of cold to greet your body as you step outside into the elements! What heavenly bliss to partake in, whilst your succumbing to high 90+ degrees when a few states to your North are already seeing the temperatures bank downward into the mid-60s or in some fortunate spots, droplets of snow have begun to fall! A story of Winter! I am already enjoying it!
Ah, Zimmer returns to the style I appreciate when it comes to fierce battles of woe! Skirting the grisly details, being near euphoric in hope, and confirming that the battle is intense, but there is a greater purpose about to be lit upon! I guess you could say I like war to be a bit glossy and rosy! I really do not need to bear witness to the exactness of what a soldier or warrior needs to experience, because I have enough empathy inside me to last many moons over many lifetimes of battle scarred warriors! Of course, I spoke too soon! I made it through the battle, but ugh, the next bit reminded me too much of what I didn’t like in the ending chapters of “The Boxcar Baby”! I will give the next short a go!
| “Lion Heart” |
I appreciated that the central focus on the opening of this story wasn’t about the kill that takes place (here I refer to a wild animal, not a person), but rather, what led to the killing to happen, which struck a chord, as I oft wondered if this could occur in our world as well, if hunters and those with them might not see the warning signs on the trail they are walking and could befall a situation that had tragic consequences. The wild environs deserve our greatest respect, because the animals who live in the wild play by a different mindset and group of rules than those of man. Instinct reigns supreme as does the fight for survival at all costs. I like how he included the Native American beliefs that I grew up listening too by a Cherokee I befriended at an art gallery who stressed that his tribe and others, do not believe in killing what cannot be used nor what is not readily needed. He said that an animal that gives their life has to be honoured and respected in return, and ever since that day, I have noticed how many indigenous cultures feel the same and keep the same traditions. I, too, believe this, and I am not sure if this was inspired by the stories I overheard OR if I had had this view prior to knowing. I lean towards my views being spilt in the middle of origin!
Actually, in a unique twist of wording, I was impressed that Zimmer lessened the severity of the scene by using a clever ‘visual metaphor’ of describing one of the crucial bits to it! My mind adverted off the scene directly and juxaposition his clever foreshadow of the action being described rather than to consume myself with the totality of what was really happening! Highly appreciated!
Sigananda is given a foreshadowing of his destiny by Mawa, who is the village’s seer that I think many would have not only balked against as possible but would have contemplated why they were singled out before accepting her words as truth. I did miss a bit in not having read Ave, as to understand the key structure of his people, such as the differentiating regiments of warriors that can be called to battle; however, I tried not to worry about what I didn’t fully understand and focused instead on who the impetus for entitling this “Lion Heart” would be revealed as to being! I like stories that give a particular character a ‘quest to undertake that is both grave and mortally wounding’ as they are generally the mark of transition of character, growth, and the full realisation of that person’s pre-destined path. I appreciate these stories because they seek to encompass the larger truths that are not always explored.
I even like the exploration of Sigananda’s back-story, as in regarding to his unwavering courage in times of intense adversity! He is a strong character who does not understand the true depths of his worth, nor of his abilities, but he has the honour of a warrior who knows that despite any doubts he might foresee, he must march in the direction of where he is ordered to deliver a resolution that everyone can accept. I liked how he is flawed in one sense, as he distrusts his own abilities, but knowing of the task he was given, I am sure most would have felt the same! And, yet he is strong in another, as how he is able to think quickly on his feet to secure his safety and the safety of others in harm’s way. He’s an interesting character for sure! And, I sensed that like Marragesh, his path is not lighted with an easy load by which to carry!
This short ends on the precipice of a larger evolving story, by which, I would think expands in the part of Ave that it originally was inspired to be drawn out of. In that way, I am curious if the boy and girl effectively hold a larger piece of where Sigananda’s future path takes him!?
| “Land of Shadow” |
The second thing I found amiss in the collection came to me whilst I read this short, (as the first I had said was the lack of illustrative plates by Mr. Perry to help encase our heads around the inhabitants of Ave), was the lack of a topographical map! I had forgotten how helpful I find maps to be inside fantasy novels, because they help align your bearings as you walk through different realms within the same world! They help you get a navigational sense of place, and therefore, can best ascertain the vastness of distance that worlds such as Ave contain! My favourites always included the different tribes, as well as specific landmarks known or not yet known within the timescape of the story itself! I think I have missed having that at the ready! I would presume it is enclosed with the first installment of Ave!?
The Shadowlands being presented here in this short, is not for the weak of heart as to having to thwart or contend with creatures that put the hairs on your necks on auto-pilot detection! I’m not a fan of spiders, so just knowing this part of Ave has a mutant variety of them at the ready to pounce on you was just as devastating to realise that there are water-based creatures who can fell a man simply out of boredom! What a curiously hostile part of Ave! Reminiscent of documentaries I have viewed on tv that depict such harsh and dangerous areas in our own part of the universe, I can attest that this is one girl who would not traipse through this territory but opt instead to hang out with the Trogens!
A note on Zimmer’s style of story-telling:
He is one of the writers that I would genuinely be delighted to seek out (if it had not been for Tomorrow Comes Media!), as he parlays his fervent passion for research by interspersing what he uncovers into the tapestry by which Ave is threaded against! It’s a world that encompasses as many distinctively unique cultures, traditions, spirituality’s, and languages as our own living counterpart, and yet, it has something to give back to us as well!
It’s quite apparent at first reading that Ave is a world that you can gently enter into but its a world that draws a breath of dedication with each glance! The further you walk inside Ave, the more you want to know, the more you want to experience, and the more your drawn to wonder about the extensive scope of the stories that prompted this collection of shorts, which marks a transition through a lesser notation of them in the serial installments already known! Bits and bobbles of undercurrent histories stitched into the under threads, that give a larger impression of the story on a whole! OR, at least this is what I imagine to be true!
You get the firm sense that Zimmer is a voracious reader who dips into a bit of everything that yields to his personal curiosity and allows his mind to wander through the gate of his imagination to deposit into a reader’s hands a wholly encased world whose dimensions are ever expanding into larger scales of tales yet to be told! Except for the few shorts, where I think he opted instead for traditional heroic bloodshed story-telling! This might draw a close eye towards the fact he appreciates the horror genre, and bits of that seep into this side of his fantasy worlds. It’s his passion for research that I applaud first and foremost, as not every writer goes to the length as he does and I always celebrate a writer I find who carries out research on this level! Secondly, he endeavours you to amplify his words into motion by the words he uses to provoke a visual response, in which backs up something he said in an interview I heard of his (whilst researching which questions I wanted to ask him in my own interview!) where he acclaimed his novels are set to embody a motion picture medium rather than the printed world of the book! This is a claim he rightly deserves to make!
The care he takes to diminish the force of the violence inside by counter-balancing it with a life lesson is absolute genius, because your not as apt to focus on the brief encounters of evil, but rather, on the benefits of what each short attempts to draw out of the character he’s chosen to hone in on instead! These characters, I perceive to be secondary ones in the larger stories (novels), yet, they have a specific life-path in Ave that cross-sects with the intervening entities or events that bring about the most metamorphose of growth! You can use me as a barometer in knowing that if I can handle these stories, you can as well! I have an intolerance for violence, but I cherish the soulful stories such as these that grant the reader a ruminative conclusion of what they’ve read!
A pause to highlight some of his character’s name selections:
Marragesh – My first instinct was that this name was not wantonly unknown to me, but I couldn’t place its direct origin, except to query a curious eye as towards it was a surname rather than a first name! I, tend to do this myself, whilst I am creating characters that I want to draw a firmer breath of strength into and to set them apart from their fore-bearers or familial contingents! My earlier mentioning of having this ‘hint me towards Marrakesh’ was my way of expressing that I create ‘endearing’ names for characters I struggle with to pronounce! In this way, I find characters transcend their original intentions left behind by the writer’s whose hand drew life into them! I am not sure of his method of creating names, which is why this will remain elusive to me!
Jarun – I did not know there is a lake in Croatia of this same name! I remembered “Jaran” or “Jaren”, and I wasn’t sure if he was hinting that this was an alternative to either of those or a new name completely! It doesn’t surprise me that he named the Trogens with bold and strong names, that can inflict their personality into their warrior spirits! Afterall, a warrior isn’t akin to a name that doesn’t sound like it could weaken in battle! No! They want a name that can be declared with a bit of power behind the letters!
Ch’uan – Is a bit easier to place, as its a name originating from Thai, yet is a Chinese name! The direct meaning of the name is to transmit a message or to convey a message, which is interesting, as this is what I was speaking about how ‘names can clue us into a character’ in a way that is singularly unique outside the scope of the narrative! It is also in different reference to T’ai Chi Ch’uan, in which it is known as boxing with fist, which is clever as this Ch’uan in the story is a pacifist!
Chang Tao Ling – This wizard’s first name can be representative of the attributions of “constant or often” which I think speaks directly to his ethics of how he approaches his duties as a wizard. Tao is a way of ushering in a path by which to take or of an understanding of a particular route. This is recognised readily when Ch’uan and Ling first meet in the forest! Ling can even be referred to as monasterial in Tibet, but I think what is being called upon here is that he is a reverent sage! Historically, “Chang Tao-Ling” founded the “Way of the Celestial Masters” as part of Chinese Religious Beliefs!
Fu Shen – The more interesting sounding names, I oft discover have a rather ordinary meaning behind them! As would you think that “Fu” means simply to be pretty!? Shen on the other hand can go the gambit as being part of Chinese spirituality or can be a testament towards accepting that not every dragon you cross paths with is going to be the good natured kind! Being a wizard I would presume its part compliment to his countenance and part a glimpse into his spirit. Wizards, of course, were always known to be enlightened past the brink of commoners, such as monks generally are known as well! In Chinese mythology, “Fu Shen” was a God of Happiness!
Tsai Shen – How interesting! This name could mean: spiritually gifted chai! As in Cantonese this “Tsai” translates to chai, by which is one of my favourite drinks!! Especially if its in latte form, silky smooth, and a cuppa of comfort of luxury! Clever! Except to say, that “Tsai Shen” was a powerful God of Wealth and Prosperity!
Kuan-Ti – One thing that I have known, is that writers who are passionate about research, which parlays into the spiritual realms, have the tendency to leave behind little ‘grains of seeds and sand’ that a reader can seek out and gain further insight into the creating side of the stories they read! As the wizards who were presented in the short, something struck me as being extraordinary about not only how they were being introduced but the names in which they held! Clearly, despite my absence of reading fantasy, I have not lost all my instincts in the genre, as this article will expand on the history of “Kuan-Ti”.
Shou Lao – If you seek, so you shall find! Look at what I found about the origin behind “Shou Lao”!! Whose full meaning will illuminate in your mind after you read Ch’uan’s story in full! Ironically or naught, I knew there was a bit more to that final sequence than my mind was attaching itself towards! I just ‘knew’ I was missing something!! Humph! I sorted it! Wicked!
Brigit – The name made me think of “Bridget”, though I knew better than to suspect commoner origins for her, as she has a story of great urgency and importance to share, which made me smile whilst I uncovered the “Celtic Brigid“!
Finnian – I love unearthing potential histories of characters I encounter in stories, as I may stumble across a writer’s inspiration behind their character names, but even if I hit a bit into left field, the joy in simply understanding a plausible next level of insight into a story, is enough for me to feel content! “Finnian of Clonard” has an interesting life’s tale to share!
I personally love character names that make you pensive about the origins of where they were generated as much as the motivation of the author to use them! They give a sense of place that you cannot always slide into the narrative as easily as a ‘name’, as our names are as distinctive as our ancestral backgrounds! They are like fingerprints of origin and hint at a history just outside our scope of knowing!
Rock on, Mr. Zimmer!
The short that told a tale larger than its size:
A toss-up between “Into Glory Ride” and “A Touch of Serenity”, although of the two, I think I lean more towards “Into Glory Ride” because it was the one that choked me with emotion the most! Despite my affection for Ch’uan, of whom I hope is developed further into the annals of Ave, it was the sheer bravery and choices made by young sky riding Trogen males that endeared me to their race and to their triumph over the Elves! There is something naturally spiritual about the story that takes us into Marragesh and Jarun’s world ever-so-briefly. A parable of a dying breed of men who choose to rise above their own desires in order to see the clan by which they belong endure longer than their oppressor hopes to extinguish! I find great courage in this story, as well as such a strength of Hope that weaves through their courageous hearts! I am not sure if they mirror how I perceive the soldiers’ I give back too through Soldiers’ Angels, banning together and being strong for each other at the times that count the most or not, but this story was larger than its size!
Ave, Middle Earth, and Pandora, places I can only long to visit:
I can easily assimilate myself into worlds whose expanse of depth encircles a sphere as big as our own Earth! Challenging and shifting histories, cultural clashes, religious misunderstandings, and the everyday strife for people to survive is etched into any world that is written into the hearts of the readers who find their stories! I am not certain if Pandora was necessarily available in story format prior to the motion picture of “Avatar” being released, but the reason I included that particular world is due to the majestic arc of its natural environment! I was literally swept out of this reality and placed wholly into another one — by the time the film ended on its climax, I was hungry for the next installment! The Na’vi are an indigenous race who endear themselves to you as soon as you meet them! How could you not want to live amongst them, even despite the obstacles towards that end!? I can still see the forest if I close my eyes, and listen ever so closely to the sounds that you would hear if you walking at nightfall…
When I was first introduced to “Middle Earth“, it was an unexpected late afternoon / early evening showing as I went during opening weekend of “The Fellowship of the Ring“! I would later aspire to attend a midnight showing, but I am not remembering if I had; I do know I saw a midnight showing of the last prequel of “Star Wars“! From that very first glimpse into Middle Earth, I knew I had ‘gone home’, as there was such a curious attraction of recognition from what my eyes took in from the screen! I couldn’t get over this feeling as though “I have been there”, and yet, after learning that the director Peter David had filmed in New Zealand, that loomed to be a rather large improbability! Yet. I never shook the feeling, and to this day, I hold a special place in my heart for Middle Earth! My favourites are book-ended, as its the middle ‘Middle Earth’ film that I didn’t appreciate as much! (“The Two Towers“) Which strangely is my same affirmation for “The Chronicles of Narnia“!
Although, this serves as my first introduction to the world of Ave, I very much hope that its not my last sojourn into its core of history! I am hopeful that despite the battle savvy warriors of the Trogens, and the dedication of the warriors of Gael, that perhaps there will be more of the life of Ch’uan and of the descendents of Marragesh’s clan! I’d love to see what happened to the evolving arc away from Elven rule, to where the Trogens could declare liberty and live more freely! I would very much like to see Ave in peace-time as much as I have seen her in war-time! There must be lands of enchanting visual beauty as well, as Ave appears to me to be a world where the natural world is as divinely inspiring as the one that lives outside our own doors!
What staid with me after I closed the final pages on this collection of Ave:
I learnt that its okay not to thoroughly become engaged with each short inside a collection of shorts, if I can detect an appreciation for the world at large, in which this case is Ave! I think this is why I was always a bit hesitant to read short story collections, because I oft wondered, what happens if I cannot find my footing!? What if I cannot sink into the stories, but find rather, I like bits and bobbles in each of them, but overall, I cannot get my head to wrap around the whole!? I learnt through this tour, that with collections such as these, it’s better to go in seeking a path towards understanding the world of the “Fires of Eden” series verse attempting to put heart-to-mind in a resolve to engage in each short as it was intended to be read! Afterall, what appeals to me through “Into Glory Ride” and “A Touch of Serenity” might not appeal to the next reader at all and vice versa!
I also learnt that I am drawn into epic fantasy realms where the scope of the story is told out through many installments, and where each of the layers that you unravel only serve to give you a further glimpse into a partial history of the combined story! I love the mystery and suspense that that evokes, as you never know who or whom you will encounter, or how each piece of the puzzle will fall into place, until you reach each new chapter or tome of story! Such bliss, right!?
There are creatures who have a dedicated heart that match their companions, and there are unsightly evils that seek to destroy the remaining good that has Ave wrapped in Light. I like how the stories each strive to serve one main purpose of showing the dividing lines between good vs. evil in a few new ways than might first be expected to be revealed. These are the stories that everyone can relate to the most, and the ones I think will always have weight to be consumed!
“Crown of Vengeance” (Book One of the Fires of Eden series) by Stephen Zimmer
Please take note of the Related Articles as they were hand selected due to being of cross-reference importance in relation to this book review. This applies to each post on my blog where you see Related Articles underneath the post. Be sure to take a moment to acknowledge the further readings which are offered.
{SOURCES: Cover art of “Chronicles of Ave: Volume One” by Matthew Perry; Stephen Zimmer’s photograph and biography, and the blog tour badge were all provided by Tomorrow Comes Media and used with permission. Blog Tour badge provided by Parajunkee to give book bloggers definition on their blogs. The book trailer by Seventh Star Press had either URL share links or coding which made it possible to embed this media portal to this post, and I thank them for the opportunity to share more about this novel and the author who penned it. Post dividers by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination.}