This coming Friday, fans of genre fiction will be gathering in Billie Creek Village, Indiana, for the kickoff of The Time Traveler’s Weekend, in which (according to their site), the historic recreation of a turn-of-the-century village “will be transformed into a patchwork wonderland of steampunk, science fiction, and fantasy.”
Among the attendees at this cross-genre get-together will be author Richard C. White, who’ll be promoting his latest SWC release, the sci-fi steampunk novel On Wings of Steel: The Darkside Chronicles, Book 1, in which Erica Halgrim, a member of the Angels of Steel courier service, finds herself drawn into a political plot—and possibly murder—at the risk of her own life.
Rich is the bestselling author of the licensed novel Gauntlet: Dark Legacy: Paths of Evil, as well as a bunch of titles published by us: the swashbuckling adventure novel Harbinger of Darkness; the fantasy-adventure story collection For a Few Gold Pieces More; the writers’ and RPG gamemasters’ aid Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination; the supernatural-superhero graphic novel Troubleshooters, Incorporated: Night Stalkings; the noir-fantasy story collection Chasing Danger: The Case Files of Theron Chase; and the pirate-adventure digital comic The Chronicles of the Sea Dragon Special.
Be sure to stop by Rich’s table and pick up any titles you might have missed, and to learn about the other projects he has in the works for 2025—and beyond!
The Time Traveler’s Weekend runs July 25–27. For more information on the show, visit their website.
Hark! The herald angels sing, “E-books! Discounted e-books here! Get ’em while they’re hot! And have a merry freakin’ Christmas—in July!”
They sure can carry a tune, can’t they?
Anyway, as you probably know if you’ve made a visit to retail sites or cable channels these days, we’re smack-dab in the middle of the annual event that’s called Christmas in July, with all the sales you’d expect to go with it—including those for e-books and digital comics!
And if reading horror and dark fantasy and straight-up fantasy is, then you should head over to our e-book distributor DriveThru Fiction—and its sister site, DriveThru Comics—who’s definitely in the holiday mood with its annual Christmas in July Sale, during which you can purchase tons of digital books at special prices! It runs from now to July 31st—and yes, you’ll need to set up an account (it’s free) to take advantage of this promotion.
Included among the many participating publishers is StarWarp Concepts (of course), and among the titles we’re offering at a sweet discount, you’ll find:
On Wings of Steel: The Darkside Chronicles, Book 1 is our latest release: a sci-fi steampunk thriller from science fiction and fantasy author Richard C. White (Gauntlet: Dark Legacy: Paths of Evil, Star Trek SCE: Echoes of Coventry), in which Erica Halgrim, a new member of the Angels of Steel courier service, finds herself drawn into political intrigue, and her situation turns even more dangerous when she becomes a murder suspect—and a target for assassins!
From the Stars…a Vampiress: An Unauthorized Guide to Vampirella’s Classic Horror Adventures, by Steven A. Roman (that’s me!). Perfect for fans of old-school horror comics, this is a nonfiction history of Vampirella—the outer-space vampire who’s been in comics for over 50 years—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 to telling the tale of Hammer’s unproduced film adaptation that was to star Barbara Leigh and horror icon Peter Cushing, I provide 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 and Roger Daltrey. There’s also a peek at Mr. Cushing’s personal copy of the ’70s Vampirella screenplay; a foreword by Official Vampirella Historian Sean Fernald, a frontispiece by Warren artist Bob Larkin, and photographs from the personal archives of Forrest J Ackerman, Vampirella’s cocreator and the legendary creator/editor of Famous Monsters of Filmland.
Harbinger of Darkness is an original fantasy-adventure novel by Richard C. White 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!
The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1 is a 56-page, full-color comic special that features cover art by award-winning artist Henar Torinos (Mala Estrella) and contains three original stories. In “Song of the Siren,” by writer Steven A. Roman and artist Eliseu Gouveia (Vengeance of the Mummy), the teenaged Goth adventuress matches wits with a man-stealing enchantress who’s set her sights on Pan’s boyfriend, Javier. It’s followed by “After Hours,” by writer Sholly Fisch (Kanga-U,The Batman &Scooby-Doo Mysteries), and comic-art legend Ernie Colon (Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld), in which a demon walks into a bar to unwind after a long day of scarifying. And rounding out the issue is “Shopping Maul,” a short story by Roman with title-page art by Elizabeth Watasin (Charm School), in which Pan and Annie, along with Javier and Pan’s best friend, Sheena, run into a group of Gothic Lolita vampires out to do more than a little window shopping.
Lorelei: Sects and the City is a Mature Readers graphic novel in which a soul-stealing succubus battles a cult of Elder God worshipers attempting to unleash hell on Earth. Basically a love letter to 1970s horror comics like Vampirella, Tomb of Dracula, and Ghost Rider, it’s written by Steven A. Roman, and illustrated by Eliseu Gouveia, Steve Geiger (Web of Spider-Man, Incredible Hulk), and Neil Vokes (Tom Holland’s Fright Night, Elvira, Mistress of the Dark). It also features work by three legendary Warren Publishing artists: Esteban Maroto (Vampirella, Zatanna, Lady Rawhide: Other People’s Blood), who provided the cover painting; a frontispiece by original Vampirella artist Tom Sutton (Ghost Rider, Man-Thing, Werewolf by Night); and a one-page history of succubi illustrated by Ernie Colon (Vampirella, The Grim Ghost).
And Troubleshooters, Incorporated: Night Stalkings is a general readers’ graphic novel about a group of supernatural-superheroes-for-hire taking on their first case. The team consists of a wizard, a female ninja, a sorceress, a werewolf, and a rock ’n’ roll lighting designer wearing high-tech armor. Sure, they might not be on a power level with the Avengers or Justice League of America—they’re more like superpowered Ghostbusters—but they get the job done. The graphic novel is written by the husband-and-white team of Richard C. White and Joni M. White, and illustrated by Reggie Golden and Randy Zimmerman.
You may have to check the sites over the coming days for availabilty, since it appears DriveThru does the discounts in waves, not all at once. So, if the reduced price isn’t in effect now, it might be later!
Again, the Christmas in July Sale runs now through July 31st, so head over to the StarWarp Concepts publisher pages at DriveThru Fiction and DriveThru Comics, and start your summer-reading shopping!
Hey, book lovers! Today’s the day when e-book distributor Smashwords launches its annual Summer/Winter Sale, during which you can purchase thousands of digital books at special prices! It runs from July 1 to July 31—and yes, you’ll need to set up an account (it’s free) to take advantage of this promotion.
As for why Smashwords gives this event such an unusual name: “Because Smashwords serves a global readership where it’s summer in the Northern hemisphere and winter in the Southern hemisphere. So whether you’re looking for a great beach read, or you want to curl up in front of a warm fireplace with a great read, we’ve got you covered!”
Included among the many participating publishers is StarWarp Concepts (of course), which means you can get the following digital titles at 25% off:
On Wings of Steel: The Darkside Chronicles, Book 1 is our latest release: a sci-fi steampunk thriller from science fiction and fantasy author Richard C. White (Gauntlet: Dark Legacy: Paths of Evil, Harbinger of Darkness), in which Erica Halgrim, a new member of the Angels of Steel courier service, finds herself drawn into political intrigue, and her situation turns even more dangerous when she becomes a murder suspect—and a target for assassins!
Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination is our popular how-to book for writers and gamers in which Rich White takes you through the step-by-step process of constructing a world for your characters, from societies and governments to currency and religion. A bonus feature is an exclusive 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.
Harbinger of Darkness is Rich White’s original fantasy-adventure 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!
Blood Feud: The Saga of Pandora Zwieback, Book 1 is a young adult novel by Steven A. Roman (that’s me!) 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.
In Blood Reign: The Saga of Pandora Zwieback, Book 2, Pan and Annie face even greater challenges as the vampire clans draw up plans to go to war with humanity. Leading the charge is a fallen angel named Zaqiel, whose previous attempt at subjugating the world was stopped by Annie—who, back in the day, was Zaqiel’s lover! But Pan isn’t about to let some ancient monster win the day, not when the lives of her parents and friends—along with those of every human on the planet—are at stake, so she leads a charge of her own. But whose side is going to emerge the victor remains to be seen…
And Chasing Danger: The Case Files of Theron Chase is Rich 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!
Again, the Smashwords Summer/Winter Sale runs July 1 to July 31, so head over to the StarWarp Concepts publisher page at Smashwords and start your summer (or winter) shopping!
If you’re a fan of role-playing games, then you probably know that today is Free RPGDay. If you’re not, it’s an annual event that’s sort of the gaming equivalent of Free Comic Book Day, intended to drive traffic to your local games shop and boost sales.
Launched by the organization Gaming Days in 2019, it involves over 700 stores around the world (according to their website) and “provides free exclusive content for a wide variety of tabletop roleplaying games.”
And what do you know? It just so happens that StarWarp Concepts has a book that’s perfect for game masters and gamers and fantasy fans alike. It’s not free, though, but it will provide the avid gamer and game master a wealth of information:
Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination is our popular how-to book for writers and gamers in which sci-fi and fantasy author Richard C. White (Harbinger of Darkness, For a Few Gold Pieces More) takes you through the step-by-step process of constructing a world for your characters, from societies and governments to currency and religion. A bonus feature 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 and game master, 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
Identifying 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 both fantasy writers and role-playing gamers. In fact, it’s currently being used as a textbook in the Interactive Media & Game Development program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worchester, Massachusetts!
“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
Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imaginationis available in trade paperback, hardcover, and digital formats, so visit its product page for ordering information. Order a copy for your favorite game master today, to show them how much you appreciate their work—or order it for yourself!
Born this day in 1930, Benjamin Franklin Thorne is best known to comic book fans (especially those who grew up during the Bronze Age of Comics, in the 1970s) as Frank Thorne, the artist who made Marvel Comics’ Red Sonja, She-Devil with a Sword, such a popular character that her adventures are still being told today, over 50 years later (via current publisher Dynamite Entertainment).
As visitors to this blog may be aware, as a reader and occasional artist I’ve been a longtime fan of Thorne’s work, from Marvel’s Sonja to Atlas Comics’ one-off Son of Dracula, to his own adult-themed creations: the sci-fi heroine Lann, Danger Rangerette, and the blond-haired Sonja stand-in, Ghita of Alizarr. Best of all, in 2002 I was able to commission a cover piece from Mr. Thorne for my Lorelei comic series.
(You can read about that, and his memorable one-day art class that I attended in 1988, “How to Draw Women the Frank Thorne Way,” in this post from 2014.)
Frank Thorne in his wizardly convention garb in the 1970s.
Frank Thorne passed away on March 7, 2021 just hours ahead of his wife, Marilyn; both were 90 years old, and were married almost 70 years. Marilyn, a graduate of the Julliard School of Music, had been the organist for the Willow Grove Presbyterian Church in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, for over 60 years.
Happy birthday, Mr. Thorne, and thanks as always for the brilliant, inspiring work you created!
As regular ’Warp visitors may remember, last fall I mentioned that price changes were 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 that we had to increase its prices even on titles already in print—and that includes SWC and its backlist.
Our latest switchover involves the nonfiction comics history From the Stars…a Vampiress: An Unauthorized Guide to Vampirella’s Classic Horror Adventures, by Steven A. Roman (that’s me!), featuring a foreword by Official Vampirella Historian Sean Fernald. This popular examination of the star-born vampire’s adventures at her original home, Warren Publishing, from 1969 to 1983, and the behind-the-scenes story of her creation, has changed from a $19.99 cover price to $22.99 US.
And, just to recap, here’s the list of other titles we’ve had to price-adjust:
The young adult novelsBlood Feud: The Saga of Pandora Zwieback, Book 1 and Blood Reign: The Saga of Pandora Zwieback, Book 2, also written by me, shifted from $14.95 to $17.95 US.
The Mature Readers horror graphic novel Lorelei: Sects and the City, written by yours truly and illustrated by Eliseu Gouveia, Steve Geiger, and Neil Vokes, with contributions from comic legends Ernie Colon and Tom Sutton and cover art by Esteban Maroto, switched from $12.95 to $14.95 US.
The supernatural-superheroes graphic novel Troubleshooters, Incorporated: Night Stalkings—by writers Richard C. and Joni White, penciler Reggie Golden, inkers Randy Zimmerman and Bill Lavin, and cover artist Richard Dominguez—powered up from $11.95 to $12.95 US.
And the sci-fi SWC Illustrated Classic A Princess of Mars, book 1 of the John Carter of Mars series by Edgar Rice Burroughs, with illustrations by Eliseu Gouveia and an introduction by Mars fiction expert John Gosling, moved from $11.95 to $14.95 US.
We also temporarily removed two titles from bookstore sales and distribution, due to their higher printing costs: Richard C. White’s fantasy-adventure story collection For a Few Gold Pieces More; and the full-color comic bookThe Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1. Plans are currently underway, however, for a redesigned Gold Pieces that will make printing the collection a bit more economic.
None of the changes to the print editions, though, have affected the prices or availability of the digital versions of the titles—those prices remain as is.
Again, we apologize for the bad news, but with costs 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.
Celebrated on the first Saturday in June, InternationalTabletop Day is an annual event celebrating tabletop and board games of all sorts, launched in 2013 by creator Boyan Radakovich and originally hosted on actress (and gamer) Felicia Day’s Geek & Sundry YouTube channel. As the website Days of the Year explains, it’s “an opportunity for players to remember why they got into playing tabletop games in the first place. It’s all about pitting yourself against strangers and finding ways to survive through to the next turn.”
Well, if you’re looking to celebrate this special event, it just so happens that StarWarp Concepts has a book that’s perfect for tabletop RPG gamers:
Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination is our popular how-to book for writers and gamers in which fantasy and sci-fi author Richard C. White (Harbinger of Darkness, For a Few Gold Pieces More, On Wings of Steel) takes you through the step-by-step process of constructing a world for your characters, from societies and governments to currency and religion.
A bonus feature is an exclusive 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. In fact, it’s a book that’s become so popular with gamers that it’s currently being used as a textbook in the Interactive Media & Game Development program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worchester, Massachusetts!
As regular ’Warp visitors may remember, last fall I mentioned that price changes were 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.
So, last year, the young adult novels Blood Feud: The Saga of Pandora Zwieback, Book 1 and Blood Reign: The Saga of Pandora Zwieback, Book 2 shifted from $14.95 to $17.95 US, with UK, European, and Australian prices also adjusted.
We also temporarily removed two titles from bookstore sales and distribution, due to their higher printing costs: Richard C. White’s fantasy-adventure story collection For a Few Gold Pieces More; and the full-color comic bookThe Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1.
(None of these changes, though, affected 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.)
So now comes the second round of print increases:
The Mature Readers horror graphic novel Lorelei: Sects and the City, written by yours truly and illustrated by Eliseu Gouveia, Steve Geiger, and Neil Vokes, with contributions from comic legends Ernie Colon and Tom Sutton and cover art by Esteban Maroto, has switched from $12.95 to $14.95 US.
Our other graphic novel, the supernatural-superheroes adventure Troubleshooters, Incorporated: Night Stalkings—by writers Richard C. and Joni White, penciler Reggie Golden, inkers Randy Zimmerman and Bill Lavin, and cover artist Richard Dominguez—has powered up from $11.95 to $12.95 US.
And the sci-fi SWC Illustrated Classic A Princess of Mars, by Edgar Rice Burroughs, with illustrations by Eliseu Gouveia and an introduction by Mars fiction expert John Gosling, has moved from $11.95 to $14.95 US.
However, just as with the Pan titles and For a Few Gold Pieces More, the prices of the e-book versions remain unchanged.
Again, 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.
While it’s true that today is Memorial Day in the United States—an annual remembrance of the country’s fallen military members, held on the last Monday in May—it also happens to be World Dracula Day, which was launched in 2012 by the Whitby Dracula Society 1897 (which is based in Whitby Abbey, England), to mark the day in 1897 when Bram Stoker’s seminal novel was first released by publisher Archibald Constable & Co.
So, what’s the best way to celebrate the occasion if you’re a horror fan? Well, you could read Dracula, of course, or have your own movie marathon of horror flicks starring the count—there are certainly enough of those to watch, from the original Bela Lugosi classic to Christopher Lee’s Hammer films, and from Frank Langella (Dracula) to Gary Oldman (Bram Stoker’s Dracula) to Luke Evans (Dracula Untold). Not to mention movies in a more comedic…vein (c’mon, I had to say it!): George Hamilton in Love at First Bite; Leslie Nielsen in Dracula: Dead and Loving It; Nicholas Cage in Renfield; and even Richard Roxburgh’s scenery-chewing performance in Hugh Jackman’s Van Helsing.
Or you could purchase a book that helped to inspire Stoker in creating the count’s unforgettable debut—especially when it came to the presentation of his vampirie “brides.” In fact, it’s recently been ranked a “Best of #BookTok” title!
Carmilla is J. Sheridan Le Fanu’s 19th-century classic vampiric tale of love gone wrong. Laura is so desperate for a friend that when a young woman named Carmilla practically turns up on the doorstep of the castle owned by Laura’s father, she thinks her prayers for companionship have been answered. But as she comes to realize, Carmilla isn’t as interested in making friends as she is in spilling blood…
Regarded as the one of the earliest female vampire tales—if not the first—Carmilla was an influence on Stoker’s Dracula, and remains a popular character in fiction to this day. Our special edition contains six exclusive illustrations by the super-talented Eliseu Gouveia (Lorelei: Sects and the City,The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1).
“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
Carmilla is available in print and digital formats. Visit its product page for ordering information.
Already this month, fans of science fiction saw the arrival of author Richard C. White’s latest novel from StarWarp Concepts arrive in digital form at ebook retailers DriveThru Fiction and Amazon’s Kindle Store, to join its already available print edition. Now White’s steampunk adventure is landing at other digital retail sites and distributors!
On Wings of Steel: The Darkside Chronicles, Book 1 is now available for purchase from Barnes & Noble, the Apple Bookstore, Kobo, Kobo Plus, Smashwords, and other online retailers.
Librarians can add On Wings to their digital shelves through such services as Overdrive, Baker & Taylor, Palace Marketplace, and cloudLibrary.
Featuring eye-catching cover art by digital painter Beto Lima (Dungeons & Dragons), On Wings is an action-packed adventure from the acclaimed author of Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination, Harbinger of Darkness, and For a Few Gold Pieces More. Here’s the back-cover copy to pique your interest:
Death from above—and below…
Erica Halgrim is a proud new member of the Angels of Steel: a courier service whose all-female members navigate through the streets of Underworld and the skies of the Aerie with the aid of winged flying devices that allow them to traverse the toxic Dark Cloud that separates the downtrodden masses on the ground from the wealthy socialites who live aboard enormous airships.
Her job becomes secondary, however, when Erica attends a soiree at the Aerie with her fellow Angels and witnesses what appears to be an unfortunate accident (but could it perhaps have been murder?) and she becomes a suspect.
Almost immediately, her life is put in danger as various forces attempt to either jail her or permanently shut her up. Most troubling of all, though, is who exactly is looking to clip her wings…
Interest piqued? Fantastic! Then be sure to head on over to your favorite e-tailer or library service and order a copy today!
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