Last year, major publishing news was made when it was announced that e-book distributor Draft2Digital had acquired competitor Smashwords and, over time, would migrate Smashwords’ client publishers into D2D’s ever-expanding stable, while also making Smashwords available to D2D’s clients as a new selling venue. (Smashwords now basically serves as D2D’s storefront.)
Well, good news, everyone—as of this month, StarWarp Concepts has joined the Draft2Digital family! In addition to our existing presence on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, Kobo, and Smashwords, you’re now able to purchase SWC’s e-books through Everand (the subscription-app imprint of Scribd), Gardners (in the UK), Tolino (in Germany), and Vivlio (in France).
(Just a reminder: Our titles also remain available through e-tailers DriveThru Fiction and DriveThru Comics, as well as the SWC Store.)
And hey, all you librarians looking for quality books for your patrons! Our titles can be ordered through OverDrive, Baker & Taylor, Odilo, Bibliotheca, BorrowBox, Palace Marketplace, and hoopla.
Bonus news: In a couple of weeks, StarWarp Concepts will be participating in Smashwords’ annual Read an Ebook Week sale, running March 3–9, where you can purchase our titles at 25% off!
Another year of book sales has come and gone for us here at ’Warp Central, so let’s take a look at the top three titles that best grabbed readers’ interest during our 30th Anniversary year:
From the Stars…a Vampiress: An Unauthorized Guide to Vampirella’s Classic Horror Adventures, by Steven A. Roman (that’s me!), is a nonfiction history of Vampirella that takes an extensive look at her early days, from the debut of her series in 1969 to the death of Warren Publishing in 1983. In addition, you’ll find the tale of Hammer Films’ unproduced film adaptation of the 1970s that was to star Barbara Leigh and Peter Cushing (Grand Moff Tarkin of Star Wars); an in-depth guide to all her Warren stories; a checklist of all her Warren appearances (plus the publications from Harris Comics and Dynamite Entertainment that reprinted her Warren adventures); an overview of the six novelizations by pulp sci-fi author Ron Goulart that were published in the 1970s by Warner Books; and a look at the awful 1996 direct-to-cable-TV movie that was made, starring Talisa Soto (Mortal Kombat) as Vampi and featuring a scenery-chewing performance by rock-god Roger Daltrey, legendary frontman of The Who, as Dracula.
“This is without a doubt the essential, authoritative reference book for anything related to the Warren-era Vampirella… There are lots of books out there with good information—Empire of Monsters, The Art of Vampirella: The Warren Years, The Art of Jose Gonzalez, etc.—but none offers such a broad, all-encompassing look at the history of this character.”—Vampirella of Drakulon
Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination is a how-to book for writers and role-playing gamemasters, in which bestselling fantasy author Richard C. White (Gauntlet: Dark Legacy: Paths of Evil, The Chronicles of the Sea Dragon Special) takes you through the step-by-step process of constructing a world for your characters, from societies and governments to currency and religion. Included is an interview with New York Times bestselling author Tracy Hickman (Dragonlance) that discusses his methods of world building, as well as his creative experiences during his time as a designer for gaming company TSR, the original home of Dungeons & Dragons. Originally intended as a writer’s guide, Terra Incognito very quickly became popular with RPGers who use it as a world-building instruction manual for setting up their campaigns. In fact, the book is so useful to them that it’s currently an assigned textbook in the Media & Game Development program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worchester, Massachusetts!
“A solid introduction to the subject of world building. The book succeeds in helping the aspiring writer in creating a skeletal framework on which to hang the moving parts required of a believable fictional setting.”—The Gaming Gang
And Lorelei: Sects and the City is our acclaimed Mature Readers graphic novel adventure, in which a soul-stealing succubus battles a cult of Elder God worshipers trying to unleash their monstrous masters on the world. It’s a tribute of sorts to classic 1970s horror comics and movies, from writer Steven A. Roman (me again!) and artists Eliseu Gouveia (The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1, The Legend of Calamity Jane: The Devil Herself), Steve Geiger (Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection: Kraven’s Last Hunt, Incredible Hulk Epic Collection: Going Gray), and Neil Vokes (Tom Holland’s Fright Night, Elvira, Mistress of the Dark). Cover art is provided by Esteban Maroto (Vampirella, Zatanna: Come Together), plus there’s additional art from two of Maroto’s fellow legendary artists from the Warren Publishing era: a frontispiece by original Vampirella artist Tom Sutton (Werewolf by Night, Star Trek) and a history of succubi illustrated by Ernie Colon (Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld).
“What elevates this comic to another level is author Steven A. Roman’s dialogue. The writing is smart and that comes out in the characters…. Gouveia has an elegant [art] style that reminds me of old-school romance comics.”—Horror Talk
Each of these titles is available in print and digital formats—Terra Incognito is available in trade paperback and hardcover editions—so visit their respective product pages for ordering information.
As regular ’Warp visitors may remember, a while back I mentioned that a price change was coming for our line of print titles, due to the ongoing global supply problem that reached the publishing shores in the form of higher costs caused by paper shortages. That, in turn, meant every publishing company had to increase its prices even on titles already in print—and that includes SWC and its backlist. Well, now that time has come.
So, here’s how things are shaking out, effective immediately:
The young adult novels Blood Feud: The Saga of Pandora Zwieback, Book 1 and Blood Reign: The Saga of Pandora Zwieback, Book 2 have shifted from $14.95 to $17.95 US and £14.95 UK, with European and Australian prices also adjusted. (We’ll also be adjusting the prices in our webstore shortly.)
And as a temporary measure, we’ve had to remove two titles from bookstore sales and distribution, and make them StarWarp Concepts exclusives, which means they’ll remain in print but be available only from our webstore and at the conventions attended by the SWC Crew (once we start getting back into those):
Author Richard C. White’s fantasy-adventure collection For a Few Gold Pieces More is the first involved. At over 400 pages, the book has become too expensive to produce for the bookstore market when you add together printing/paper costs and the retailer discount. However, plans are underway for a redesigned, lower-production-costs edition—same content, but fewer pages. Until then, the current print version will be available only from the SWC store.
The other title is The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1, which features stories by yours truly and acclaimed writer Sholly Fisch (The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries, Madballs vs. Garbage Pail Kids), and art by Eliseu Gouveia (Lorelei: Sects and the City), comic legend Ernie Colon (Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld), and Elizabeth Watasin (Charm School). Due to the fact it’s a 52-page full-color comic, its printing costs have become just too high to maintain wider availability.
Of course, these changes don’t affect the prices or availability of the digital versions of the Pandora Zwieback books, or of Gold Pieces and the Pan Annual—those prices remain as is, and you’ll still be able to purchase and download them from online retailers (and from us, naturally).
We apologize for the bad news, but with prices going up everywhere, SWC has to change with the times if we want to stay in the publishing game—and we certainly do, considering the projects we have in the works!
More price changes to come. Stay tuned for further developments.
Hey there, owners of comic book shops and independent bookstores around the world! Are you interested in adding StarWarp Concepts titles to your shelves? Well, here’s how you can do it!
SWC’s in-print titles (as opposed to out e-book exclusives) are all print-on-demand releases available through our distributor, Ingram Content Group—and POD means they’re never out of print, so they’re always ready to appear on your shelves!
Our ever-growing list of titles ranges from the young-adult thrills of supernatural heroine Pandora Zwieback and the Lovecraftian chills of the graphic novel Lorelei: Sects and the City to the nonfiction books Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination (perfect for writers and RPG game masters) and From the Stars…a Vampiress: An Unauthorized Guide to Vampirella’s Classic Horror Adventures, and from the Illustrated Classics A Princess of Mars and Carmilla to the swashbuckling adventure of the fantasy Harbinger of Darkness, StarWarp Concepts has a book sure to appeal to your customer base!
And our titles are critically acclaimed, with overwhelmingly positive responses from reviewers:
“Far and away one of the best young adult supernatural fantasy novels. Pan is exactly the kind of teen heroine that readers should be standing up and cheering for.”—HorrorNews.net on the Young Adult novel Blood Feud: The Saga of Pandora Zwieback, Book 1
“This is without a doubt the essential, authoritative reference book for anything related to the Warren-era Vampirella… There are lots of books out there with good information, but none offers such a broad, all-encompassing look at the history of this character.”—Vampirella of Drakulon (news blog) on the comics history From the Stars…a Vampiress: An Unauthorized Guide to Vampirella’s Classic Horror Adventures
“A solid introduction to the subject of world building. The book succeeds in helping the aspiring writer in creating a skeletal framework on which to hang the moving parts required of a believable fictional setting.”—The Gaming Gang on the writing and world-building how-to Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination
“A visceral adventure through a world of magic with well-developed characters, dynamic dialogue and a good dose of two-handed sword fights.”—Experience Writing on the fantasy-adventure novel Harbinger of Darkness
“With a cover that looks like it belongs on the paranormal romance shelf in a bookstore and half a dozen illustrations provided by Eliseu Gouveia, this edition stands a good chance of tempting some younger readers to pick up this classic vampire tale…. I wish I’d picked this book up in seventh grade instead of slogging through Dracula.”—The Gothic Library on the Illustrated Classic Carmilla
“A satisfying romp and one that feels like it would have made an excellent seventies horror film (especially one made by Hammer)…. The story is funny at times, graphic at times, and horrific at others, and it’s always delivering its stuff at full volume.”—Strange Amusements on the graphic novel Lorelei: Sects and the City
Take a look at our backlist to see what we offer, and then get in touch with Ingram Content Group if you don’t already have an account with them.
After all, why should Amazon have all the business—and the fun?
I just happened to drop by the home of DriveThru Comics, one of our e-book distributors, and saw they’re currently running a New Year, New Comics Sale, in which the first volumes of all publishers’ graphic novels are available at discounted prices. And among those bargains are a pair of SWC titles: Blood Feud: The Saga of Pandora Zwieback, Book 1 and Lorelei Presents: House Macabre!
Okay, Blood Feud is a young adult novel, not a graphic novel, but it isa first volume and it does feature a cover painting by comic-art legend Bob Larkin (Star Trek, Star Wars, Vampirella, Dazzler, Doc Savage) and a frontispiece illustration by Eliseu Gouveia (Lorelei: Sects and the City, The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1, Stargate Universe), and I am the writer of the Lorelei and Pan Zwieback comics, so I guess that counts for something!
Blood Feud: The Saga of Pandora Zwieback, Book 1 is my young adult novel that’s perfect for lovers of dark urban fantasy.It introduces readers to Pandora Zwieback, a 16-year-old Goth girl who’s spent the last decade being treated for mental health problems because she can see monsters. It’s only after she meets professional monster hunter Sebastienne “Annie” Mazarin that Pan discovers she’s never been ill—her so-called “monstervision” is actually a supernatural gift that allows her to see into Gothopolis, the not-so-mythical shadow world that exists right alongside the human world.
In Blood Feud, Pan, her parents and friends, and Annie are drawn into a conflict among warring vampire clans searching for the key to an ultimate weapon (or so the legend goes)—a key that just so happens to have been delivered to the horror-themed museum owned by Pan’s father!
“Far and away one of the best young adult supernatural fantasy novels. Pan is exactly the kind of teen heroine that readers should be standing up and cheering for.”—HorrorNews.net
As for Lorelei Presents: House Macabre, it’s Lori’s first outing as the hostess of a horror comic anthology, in this one-shot special that contains four tales of horror, behind eye-catching cover art by fan-favorite artist Louis Small Jr. (Vampirella, Vampirella Strikes).
“The Old, Dark Manse” is written by me, penciled by Uriel Caton (JSA Annual, Heartstopper: The Legend of La Bella Tenebrosa), and inked by “Chainsaw” Chuck Majewski (Harvey Kurtzman’s New Two-Fisted Tales), and has Lori welcoming readers to this special. “All in Color for a Crime” is another tale from me, with art by Lou Manna (T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, Young All-Stars), in which two comic book collectors clash over a rare back issue—and only one of them will be adding it to their long boxes! “The Basilisk,” from me and artist John Pierard (Graphic Classics: Horror Classics, My Teacher Fried My Brains), is a “Lori’s Feary Tale” that examines the history of a supernatural creature that’s a cross between a deadly snake and a…chicken?!
Wrapping up the special is “Requiem for Bravo 6,” by New York Times bestselling author and comic writer Dwight Jon Zimmerman (She-Hulk, Steve McQueen: Full-Throttle Cool) and artist Juan Carlos Abraldes Rendo (Bloke’s Terrible Tomb of Terror), in which a special-ops team goes on a life-or-death mission…but will they be prepared for what awaits them at mission’s end?
“This is like a cross between Elvira and House of Mystery, where you’ve got a very sexy hostess who loves the Macabre and tells you stories that are supposed to chill and thrill you…. This whole book is such a pleasant surprise, [and] something that should be sought out by everyone.”—Reading With a Flight Ring
The New Year, New Comics Sale runs now through January 19th, so head over to the StarWarp Concepts publisher page at DriveThru Comics, and (if you haven’t done so already) get introduced to Pandora Zwieback and Lorelei!
Hey, there! StarWarp Concepts—in case you’re wondering who we are—is a publisher of dark-urban-fantasy, horror, fantasy, and science fiction titles that are available for sale in brick-and-mortar stores and through select online booksellers and distributors (as well as our own webstore, of course).
We launched in 1993 with the release of the comic book Lorelei, Vol. 1 #0, which introduced readers to the world of Laurel Ashley O’Hara, a woman destined to become the soul-stealing succubus called Lorelei, and over the three decades that followed we’ve grown into a publisher of novels, comic books, graphic novels, sketchbooks, nonfiction books, and classic reprints.
Currently, our backlist spans the following genres:
Dark urban fantasy: The Saga of Pandora Zwieback is a young adult, dark-urban-fantasy novel series written by Steven A. Roman (that’s me!). It stars a 16-year-old Goth girl who’s spent the last decade being treated for mental health problems because she can see monsters. It’s only after she meets a shape-shifting monster hunter named Sebastienne “Annie” Mazarin, in the first novel, Blood Feud, that Pan discovers she’s never been ill—her so-called “monstervision” is actually a supernatural gift that allows her to see into Gothopolis, the not-so-mythical shadow world that exists right alongside the human world. But before Pan can learn more about what she can do, she and her parents are drawn into a conflict among warring vampire clans that leads into Blood Reign, the second action-packed novel, in which Pan must deal with even greater threats.
Chasing Danger: The Case Files of Theron Chase is author Richard C. White’s collection of fantasy-noir, pulp-detective tales starring a private eye working the supernatural beat in the city of Calasia. From a sexy chanteuse who literally turns into a beast when the moon is full to a string of pearls that kills its owners, and from the ghost of a dead woman seeking justice to the Grim Reaper’s little girl seeking her stolen chicken, Theron Chase certainly has his hands full—of danger, death, and dames!
Nonfiction: Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination is perfect for budding authors as well as RPG fans interested in building their own fantasy and science fiction environments. In this how-to book, author Richard C. White (Gauntlet: Dark Legacy: Paths of Evil) takes you through the step-by-step process of constructing a world for your characters, from societies and governments to currency and religion. It’s become such a popular book that it’s even become part of the syllabus for the Interactive Media Design (i.e., game design) program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worchester, Massachusetts!
From the Stars…a Vampiress: An Unauthorized Guide to Vampirella’s Classic Horror Adventures, by Steven A. Roman, is a nonfiction history of Vampirella that takes an extensive look at her early days, from the debut of her series in 1969 to the death of Warren Publishing in 1983. In addition, you’ll find the tale of Hammer Films’ unproduced film adaptation of the 1970s that was to star Barbara Leigh and Peter Cushing (Grand Moff Tarkin of Star Wars); an in-depth guide to all her Warren stories; a checklist of all her Warren appearances; an overview of the six novelizations by pulp sci-fi author Ron Goulart that were published in the 1970s by Warner Books; and a look at the awful 1996 direct-to-cable-TV movie that was made, starring Talisa Soto and Roger Daltrey.
Fantasy adventure: For a Few Gold Pieces More is a novel told in short-story-collection form by Richard C. White. Think Lord of the Rings meets the “spaghetti Westerns” of director Sergio Leone (A Fistful of Dollars; The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly), as a Rogue With No Name travels a world of epic-fantasy adventure, looking for treasure—and revenge against the woman who sent him to prison for a crime he didn’t commit (but she did). Harbinger of Darkness is Rich’s original novel in which a thief named Perrin steals an extremely valuable—and magical—gem from the evil king ruling her home country. With thugs and fellow thieves and the king’s assassins hot on her trail, Perrin finds just staying alive is becoming a full-time occupation, which directly conflict with her secret life—and identity—as a humble bookseller’s daughter. It’s sword-swinging adventure at its finest!
Comic books and graphic novels: Lorelei: Sects and the City is a Mature Readers graphic novel involving a succubus battling a cult of Elder God worshipers, written by Steven A. Roman and illustrated by Eliseu Gouveia, Steve Geiger (Web of Spider-Man), and Neil Vokes (Tom Holland’s Fright Night). Lorelei Presents: House Macabre is an anthology comic containing tales written by Steven A. Roman and Dwight Jon Zimmerman (She-Hulk), with art by Uriel Caton & Chuck Majewski, Lou Manna (Young All-Stars), John Pierard (My Teacher Fried My Brains), and Juan Carlos Abarldes Rendo (Bloke’s Terrible Tomb of Terror). Lorelei: Genesis collects Lori’s original small-press comic appearances from 1989 and 1991, written and drawn by her creator, Steven A. Roman, whose digital-only title, Heroines and Heroes, collects the superhero comic stories he’s drawn.
The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1 features stories by author Steven A. Roman and comic writer Sholly Fisch (The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries), with art provided by Eliseu Gouveia, Elizabeth Watasin (Charm School), and comic-art legend Ernie Colon (Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld). Heartstopper: The Legend of La Bella Tenebrosa is a free three-issue 1990s miniseries “prequel” to Pandora Zwieback that introduced monster hunter Sebastian Mazarin in her “bad-girl comics” days, written by Steven A. Roman, with pencils by Uriel Caton (JSA Annual), Holly Golightly, aka Holly G! (Archie Comics’ Cassie Cloud), and David C. Matthews (Satin Steele), and inks by Alan Larsen (Femforce) and “Chainsaw” Chuck Majewski (Harvey Kurtzman’s New Two-Fisted Tales).
Troubleshooters, Incorporated: Night Stalkings is a graphic novel starring a group of supernatural superheroes for hire on their first mission, written by the husband-and-wife team of Richard C. and Joni M. White, with art by Reggie Golden and Randy Zimmerman. And The Chronicles of the Sea Dragon Special is a digital-only, 48-page pirate-fantasy adventure by writer Richard C. White and artist Bill Bryan (DC Comics’ House of Mystery).
Comic art books: The Bob Larkin Sketchbook is a collection of rarely seen pencil drawings by the acclaimed cover painter for Doc Savage, Star Wars, Star Trek, Marvel Comics, Planet of the Apes, Conan the Barbarian, and our own Saga of Pandora Zwieback. Included is a pair of original Doc Savage–related pinups done especially for this book.
Classic literature: Know a reader with a passion for old-school genre literature? They might be interested in our line of Illustrated Classics. A Princess of Mars, by Tarzan creator Edgar Rice Burroughs, is the science-fantasy adventure of Civil War veteran John Carter, who finds love and adventure on the planet Mars by winning the heart of the beautiful Martian princess Dejah Thoris, and includes black-and-white illustrations by Eliseu Gouveia. King Kong is the 1932 novelization by Delos W. Lovelace that adapts the screen story by Edgar Wallace and Merian C. Cooper used for the classic monster movie, enhanced by six black-and-white illustrations by Paul Tuma. Carmilla, by J. Sheridan Le Fanu, is a 19th–century paranormal romance between a vampire and her next intended victim—or lover—that contains six black-and-white illustrations by Eliseu Gouveia. And Snow White is the timeless Brothers Grimm fairy tale, made even more enchanting by a collection of full-color illustrations first published in 1883.
We also have SWC Horror Bites, a digital-exclusive series of classic tales. White Fell: The Werewolf, by Clemence Annie Housman, is considered the first feminist werewolf story. And Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is the Halloween classic about schoolteacher Ichabod Crane and his unfortunate encounter with the terrifying Headless Horseman.
Most of our titles are available in both print and digital formats, so visit their respective product pages for further information. And then get ready for the titles we’ve got lined up for this year!
According to the National Day Calendar, National Science Fiction Day was launched in 2011 and was meant to correspond with this being the birth date of legendary sci-fi writer Isaac Asimov—author of the Foundation Trilogy and I, Robot among many others—who was born in 1920. It’s a celebration, the NDC says, that “encourages reading or watching science fiction.”
Well, if you’re looking for some quality sci-fi to read on this special day, might we suggest an SWC release?
A Princess of Mars, originally published in 1912, is the first in the “John Carter of Mars” ten-novel series by Edgar Rice Burroughs, best known as the creator of the pulp-fiction jungle lord, Tarzan. Unlike Tarzan’s African adventures, Princess is the story of a post–Civil War era American who suddenly finds himself transported to the Red Planet, where he must constantly fight to stay alive against all sorts of alien threats—and where he falls in love with Dejah Thoris, the titular Martian princess. It served as the basis for Disney’s 2012 film adaptation, John Carter—a movie that didn’t deserve the poor treatment it got from the studio and is definitely worth checking out, if you’ve never seen it—and inspired works like Alex Raymond’s Flash Gordon, George Lucas’s Star Wars, and James Cameron’s Avatar.
The StarWarp Concepts edition of A Princess of Mars features six incredible illustrations by SWC artist supreme Eliseu Gouveia (Lorelei: Sects and the City, The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1), and includes a special introduction by Mars-fiction expert John Gosling, author of Waging the War of the Worlds.
A Princess of Marsis available in print and digital formats. Visit its product page for ordering information.
As 2023 comes to a close, we also reach the end of our yearlong celebration of King Kong, who made his cinematic debut 90 years ago, on March 3, 1933. The creation of movie producer Merian C. Cooper and author Edgar Wallace, brought to stop-motion life by effects master Willis O’Brien, King Kong went on to become a worldwide cultural icon that inspired generations of Monster Kids who grew up to be directors, writers, and special-effects creators.
But we have one last treat to show you before the New Year rings in: In horror-monster circles, one of the most famous stories in the making of the original King Kong was the cutting-room-floor fate of its “spider pit” sequence in which Kong’s human pursuers are attacked by horrific arachnids and insects after Kong throws them off a log bridge. Although the log scene remained in the final cut, the grisly horrors faced by the fallen rescuers was excised and thought lost forever. Over the years, its existence became a point of debate, with some cinephiles even claiming the scene was never shot since no footage could be found.
But back in 1963, during the celebration of Kong’s 30th anniversary, the gold standard of horror magazines, Famous Monsters of Filmland (edited by Forrest J Ackerman, cocreator of Vampirella), presented a two-page photograph in its twenty-sixth issue (cover-dated January 1964) that showed irrefutable proof that the scene (or at least photographic evidence of it) existed:
The FM caption reads: THIS IS IT! The censored spider at the bottom of the ravine into which Kong shook Denham’s men from the log. 5 years from now we will probably have to suffer another set of Doubting Thomases who are just a little too young to be buying this issue but by then will be all of 10 and will be writing in to challenge our statement that we were the first (after 30 years!) to bring you the Spider foto from KING KONG! We are counting on you, who are seeing it for the first time now, to come to our defense in 1969 when the new crop of Doubters starts heckling us! (Historic foto from the personal possessions of the late Willis O’Brien.)
(By the way, a version of the pit sequence finally did make it into the movies, in Peter Jackson’s 2005 version of King Kong. Willis O’Brien never came close to the skin-crawling absolute nightmare fuel found in the Jackson film. Giant leeches with huge mouths filled with teeth? Gah!)
Intrigued by what might have been? Interested in reading how it would have played out? Then you’re in luck, because the friendly fiends here at StarWarp Concepts have just the e-book for you!
King Kong is a republication of the 1932 novelization of the original movie classic. Written by Delos W. Lovelace, based on the story by Edgar Wallace and Merian C. Cooper and the screenplay by James A. Creelman and Ruth Rose, it includes scenes that didn’t appear in the final cut of the film—including the notorious “spider pit” sequence. Our version features six original black-and-white illustrations by comics artist Paul Tuma, whose work has appeared in the pages of The Twilight Zone, Paul Kupperberg’s Secret Romances, and Bloke’s Terrible Tomb of Terror.
Not familiar with the beauty-and-the-beast story of Kong and his “love interest,” Ann Darrow (who was played in the 1933 original by the queen of the scream queens, Fay Wray)? Well, here’s our edition’s back-cover copy to bring you up-to-date:
Ann Darrow was a down-on-her-luck actress struggling to survive in Depression-era New York when she met moviemaker Carl Denham. He offered her the starring role in his latest film: a documentary about a long-lost island—and the godlike ape named Kong rumored to live there. Denham needed a beauty as a counterpart to the beast he hoped to find, and Ann was the answer to his prayers.
Mystery, romance, a chance to turn her life around, even the possibility of stardom—to Ann, it sounded like the adventure of a lifetime! But what she didn’t count on were the horrific dangers that awaited her on Skull Island—including the affections of a love-struck monster…
King Kong is available for download, so visit its product page for ordering information.
Christmas is just days away, Kwanzaa’s right behind it, and among the presents being given out will no doubt be a plethora of roleplaying games purchased by parents hoping to introduce their children to the joys of RPGing. And it just so happens that StarWarp Concepts has a book that’s perfect for budding gamemasters!
Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination is our popular how-to book for writers and gamers in which bestselling fantasy author Richard C. White (For a Few Gold Pieces More, Gauntlet: Dark Legacy: Paths of Evil, The Chronicles of the Sea Dragon Special, Troubleshooters, Incorporated: Night Stalkings) takes you through the step-by-step process of constructing a world for your characters, from societies and governments to currency and religion. Included is an interview with New York Times bestselling author Tracy Hickman (Dragonlance) that discusses his methods of world building, as well as his creative experiences during his time as a designer for gaming company TSR, the original home of Dungeons & Dragons.
What you’ll find in its pages is information that’s vital for just about any writer, especially when it comes to world building, and Rich shows you how to do it:
Avoiding the pitfalls of naming characters, regions, and countries
Applying the technique of “outside in” to develop and then refine ideas for your world
Creating a world your readers can relate to, regardless of its technological levels
Identify how to create backstories and conflict by observing how your world comes together
Adding details to make your story richer without overwhelming your readers
Identifying useful resources for research
From its first publication, the book has been a hit with not just fantasy writers, but role-playing gamers as well. When it debuted in October 2015 at the e-book distributor DriveThru Fiction and its sister sites DriveThru RPG and RPGNow, it immediately shot to the #1 position on all three as their top-selling title, and then remained for weeks as DriveThru Fiction’s #1 Hottest Nonfiction Book and #1 Hottest How-To for Writers! If you’re a writer or gamer, you might just want to check it out. In fact, it’s currently being used as a textbook in the Interactive Media & Game Development program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worchester, Massachusetts!
“I think Terra Incognito is a solid introduction to the subject of world building. The book succeeds in helping the aspiring writer in creating a skeletal framework for which to hang the moving parts required of a believable fictional setting.”—The Gaming Gang
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