It’s Those Damn Zombies Again!

Posted on October 11, 2015 by Steven

ZombieTales2Tonight’s the night when the mega-popular television series The Walking Dead makes its season-six debut on AMC. And as long as we’re talking zombies, are you aware that I once wrote my own take on the zombie apocalypse, in the form of a short story?

“Laundry Day” is the tale of a not-so-loveable guy named Josh Kosinki who, late one night, decides to take his growing pile of dirty clothes over to the local Laundromat—only to become an eyewitness to the start of a zombie uprising. It first appeared in 2007, in the Padwolf Books anthology The Dead Walk Again!, then was reprinted in Books of the Dead Press’s 2010 anthology, Best New Zombie Tales, Vol. 2. It garnered quite a bit of praise from reviewers:

“Laced with a brutal humor and some seriously gory violence, this one is a slaughter-fest crowd pleaser for sure. Action from the get-go, with a surprising twist ending that I really didn’t see coming.”—Paperback Horror

“‘Laundry Day’ puts a nice twist on the ‘folks are the worst of all monsters’ trope.”—Necroscope: The Australian Zombie Review Blog

“I friggin’ love that story!”—James Roy Daley, author of Terror Town and 13 Drops of Blood

Best New Zombie Tales, Vol. 2 is still on sale, so follow the link to its page at Amazon. Along with “Laundry Day,” you’ll find stories by such notable horror writers as Mort Castle, Tim Waggoner, Nate Kenyon, and Cody Goodfellow. Order a copy today!

And speaking of The Walking Dead, the final stop on the SWC 2015 convention tour just happens to be at the WD-themed Walker Stalker Con, being held December 4–6 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey; visit their site for more information. Hope to see you there!

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SWC Author Richard C. White at Rocket City Lit Fest

Posted on October 9, 2015 by Steven

terra_ingoc_lg_coverTomorrow, October 10th, sees the kickoff of the inaugural Rocket City Lit Fest, a celebration of writing being held in Huntsville, Alabama—and bestselling fantasy author Richard C. White (Gauntlet: Dark Legacy: Paths of Evil) will be there! When not participating in author panels, Rich will be promoting his three StarWarp Concepts projects:

Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination is SWC’s latest release: a reference book for writers, in which Rich 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 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.

seadragon_lrg_cov_revThe Chronicles of the Sea Dragon Special is a digital pirate-fantasy comic created and written by Rich, drawn by Bill Bryan (artist of Caliber Press’ Dark Oz and DC Comics’ House of Mystery), and features cover art and color by Eliseu Gouveia (SWC’s The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual). It’s 48 pages of high-seas adventure perfect for fans of the Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise, as well as classics like The Crimson Pirate, Against All Flags, Captain Blood, and The Sea Hawk—and it’s available for download for just 99¢!

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 Rich and his wife, Joni M. White, and illustrated by Reggie Golden and Randy Zimmerman.

troubleshooters_lrg_coverHe’ll also be launching the Kickstarter campaign for his next project, For a Few Gold Pieces More: Tales of the Rogue With No Name, a collection of fantasy stories he wrote that star a mysterious wanderer with a penchant for getting into trouble—if the price is right. Once the funding has been secured, the book will be packaged by Rich’s NightWolf Graphics company, then published in spring 2016.

Terra Incognito and Troubleshooters Incorporated are available in print and digital formats. Chronicles of the Sea Dragon is a digital exclusive. Visit their respective product pages for ordering information, as well as sample pages.

Rocket City Lit Fest runs Saturday, October 10, to Sunday, October 11, at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Alabama. For more information, visit the Rocket City Lit Fest website.

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Terra Incognito: Bonus Tracy Hickman Interview

Posted on October 8, 2015 by Steven

terra_ingoc_lg_coverThis past Tuesday saw the debut of Richard C. White’s reference book for writers and gamers, Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination, in which Rich—the bestselling fantasy author of Gauntlet: Dark Legacy: Paths of Evil, and the writer of the SWC projects Troubleshooters, Incorporated: Night Stalkings and 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.

But wait—there’s more! Rich’s interview with Hickman was so lengthy, and touched upon some topics that didn’t pertain to the world-building focus of Terra Incognito, that I made the editorial decision to cut those parts from the final version of the book. However, if you want to discover what else Rich and Hickman discussed—including their shared experiences in the licensed-publishing writers market—then head over to Richard C. White’s blog this instant and read all about it!

Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination is available in print and e-book (PDF, ePub, and Kindle-compatible). Visit its product page for all the ordering information—and then get started creating worlds of your own!

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Wonder Woman ’77 Special #2 Review at Comics for Sinners

Posted on October 7, 2015 by Steven

WW77Special-2Over at the news site Comics for Sinners, you’ll find my review of Wonder Woman ’77 Special #2, currently available from DC Comics. Written by Marc Andreyko (Batwoman, Chastity, Vol. 1: Life/Death) and illustrated by Drew Johnson, Cat Staggs, Jason Badower, and Richard Ortiz, it collects three stories from the digital comic series that picks up where the cult-classic 1970s Wonder Woman television series left off. (You know the one: the live-action show that starred the incomparable Lynda Carter as the Amazing Amazon and Lyle Waggoner as Steve Trevor, and which ran for two seasons on CBS.) In it, Wonder Woman—as well as her intelligence-agent alter ego, Diana Prince—faces threats from the Cheetah, undead hulk Solomon Grundy, and a fire-and-ice-powered villainess. Head over to C4S to learn more.

House_Macabre_large_finalSpeaking of action heroines, are you aware that StarWarp Concepts has a few of its own? No? Then allow me to fill you in…

Lorelei: SWC’s first leading lady of horror, Lori is a succubus who revels in devouring the souls of bad guys, and currently stars in two critically acclaimed projects: the graphic novel Lorelei: Sects and the City, in which she battles a cult of Elder God worshippers to prevent them from unleashing hell on Earth; and the one-shot special Lorelei Presents: House Macabre, in which she tries her hand at hosting an old-style horror anthology comic.

Pandora Zwieback and Sebastienne “Annie” Mazarin: Pan is a teenaged Goth with the power to see through the human disguises of the monsters that actually exist in the world; Annie is Pan’s immortal, monster-hunting mentor. Together they star in The Saga of Pandora Zwieback, a series of dark-urban-fantasy novels that involve vampire civil wars, fallen angels, and a legion of other monsters. Currently, you’ll find Pan and Annie clashing with monsterdom in the novels Blood Feud and Blood Reign, as well as the comic book The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1.

But long before she started teaching Pan how to deal with the creatures of the night, Annie was also the star of a short-lived “bad girl” comic book miniseries in the 1990s: Heartstopper: The Legend of La Bella Tenebrosa. Here you’ll find Annie doing a bit of research for an article about gentlemen’s clubs in Times Square—research that includes actually performing as an exotic dancer (I did say it was a ’90s comic, didn’t I?). It’s that part-time gig that brings her into contact with Corum de Sade, a heavy metal singer with a deadly secret: he’s a soul-devouring incubus! All three issues are available for free from this very website, so download them today!

princess_bookfestDejah Thoris: Created by author Edgar Rice Burroughs, Dejah Thoris is the sword-wielding princess of the Martian city of Helium and the costar of the classic science-fantasy novel A Princess of Mars, first in Burroughs’s “John Carter of Mars” series about a post–Civil War era American who suddenly finds himself on the Red Planet, battling to stay alive against all sorts of alien threats. It served as the basis for Disney’s 2012 film adaptation, John Carter, and inspired a century’s worth of SF works, including Flash Gordon, Star Wars, and James Cameron’s Avatar. Dejah Thoris is no pulp-fiction damsel in distress, ready to fight alongside Carter in his quest to end the ongoing war that threatens to tear apart the red planet.

CarmillaCarmilla: The blood-drenched temptress of a 19th-century novella by author J. Sheridan Le Fanu, Carmilla is a vampiress who desires not just blood but love from her victims, and when she enters the life of a young woman named Laura, Carmilla decides that her new friend will become her next great love—and won’t take no for an answer. Regarded as the one of the earliest lesbian vampires—if not the first—Carmilla was an influence on author Bram Stoker in the creation of the vampire brides in his seminal novel, Dracula, and remains a popular character in fiction to this day.

All titles except Heartstopper—which is a digital exclusive—are available in print and digital formats. Visit their respective product pages for ordering information, as well as sample pages.

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Terra Incognito Ebooks at Amazon, DriveThru Fiction

Posted on October 6, 2015 by Steven

terra_ingoc_lg_coverHot on the heels of its publishing debut this morning, Richard C. White’s reference book for writers, Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination, is now also available at digital distributors Amazon.com, Amazon UK, and DriveThru Fiction!

In Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination, 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.

TerraIncognito-DTFHottestYou’ll find Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination here at Amazon.com, here at Amazon UK, and here at DriveThru Fiction (available in PDF, ePub, and Kindle-compatible formats)—where it’s already become DTF’s #1 hottest title!

Get started reading today!

And don’t forget to visit the SWC store at DriveThru Fiction, where you’ll find our growing list of digital titles. From monster-fighting Goth chicks and immortal warriors to fairy-tale princesses and soul-stealing succubi (and now writing guides!), StarWarp Concepts is your home for dark fantasy and horror, and you’ll find them all at DriveThru Fiction!

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Terra Incognito Now On Sale!

Posted on October 6, 2015 by Steven

terra_ingoc_lg_coverThat’s right, fantasy and science-fiction fans, today is the day that StarWarp Concepts releases its first reference book for writers and gamers: Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination, by Richard C. White!

In Terra Incognito, White—the bestselling fantasy author of Gauntlet: Dark Legacy: Paths of Evil, as well as writer of the SWC pirate-fantasy comic The Chronicles of the Sea Dragon Special and the supernatural-superheroes graphic novel 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; after all, the more detailed your world is, the better you’ll be able to immerse your readers in the story you’re telling. As a special bonus, Terra Incognito includes 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.

Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination is available for order right now in print and e-book (PDF, ePub, and Kindle-compatible) formats from the StarWarp Concepts webstore, and can be ordered through your local brick-and-mortar bookstore. Coming soon: links to Terra Incognito’s pages at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other retailers.

Visit the Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination product page for all the ordering information—and then get started creating worlds of your own!

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Steven A. Roman’s “Destinies” Interview Now Available

Posted on October 5, 2015 by Steven

Blood-Reign-FinalCvrAs you’re probably well aware by now, I made an appearance on the late-night radio show Destinies: The Voice of Science Fiction, on Friday, October 2. Normally a half-hour show, it turned into a ninety-minute extravaganza thanks to WUSB’s overnight deejay taking the night off, which allowed host Howard Margolin and I to chat in length about the origins of Pandora Zwieback and her monster-hunting mentor, Annie; my years as a fiction editor and editor-in-chief for publishing house ibooks, inc.; my recurring feature “Tales of Development Hell” at the StarWarp Concepts blog, detailing licensed writing projects that never made it to completion; and a few other topics. I had a great time doing the show.

However, I know that not everyone out there could stay up late enough to hear the live broadcast—one of the first things a friend of mine asked when I told him I was going to be on was, “Will there be someplace for those of us who like to go to bed at that hour to be able to listen to it later?” Well, of course!

Just click this link, which will take you directly to Friday night’s episode. Like I said, it runs an hour and a half, so grab a favorite beverage and get comfortable while I spin tales of my adventures in publishing!

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SWC News Bits

Posted on October 5, 2015 by Steven

It’s been a busy few days here at ’Warp Central, what with a radio interview and an upcoming book release, so let me fill you in on what’s been happening recently…

On Friday, October 2, I appeared on the radio show Destinies: The Voice of Science Fiction, hosted by Dr. Howard Margolin. If you missed the special extra-long live broadcast (an hour and a half!), I’ll post a link to the Destinies program archive once the episode is added to it. Howard and I covered a lot of ground about the world of my teenaged Goth monster hunter, Pandora Zwieback, as well as my days as an editor, Tales of Development Hell, and other topics, so definitely give it a listen.

On Saturday, The ’Warp was scheduled to participate in the thirteenth annual Collingswood Book Festival, but the inclement weather created by Hurricane Joaquin caused us to cancel that appearance at the last minute. Apologies to any ’Warp fans who might have been seeking us out. But feel free to come visit our booth at December’s Walker Stalker Con, a three-day lovefest being held in Secaucus, NJ, for Walking Dead fans in particular and horror fans in general.

terra_ingoc_lg_coverBut the biggest news involves tomorrow’s publishing debut of Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination, our first reference book for writers and gamers! Written by Richard C. White—the bestselling fantasy author of Gauntlet: Dark Legacy: Paths of Evil—it takes you through the step-by-step process of constructing a world for your characters, from societies and governments to currency and religion. As a special bonus, Terra Incognito includes 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.

Further news updates will be posted as they become available. We now return to regular ‘Warp blog broadcasting…

BloodReign-SatanAd

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Vampirella Annual 2015 Review at Comics for Sinners

Posted on October 4, 2015 by Steven

VampiAnn2015-CovNow at the news site Comics for Sinners, you can read my review of Vampirella Annual 2015, available from Dynamite Entertainment. Written by Nancy A. Collins (Sunglasses After Dark) and illustrated by Aneke (Legenderry: Red Sonja), it’s Collins’s swansong on the character she helped revitalize, and a new direction for the vampiress’ story to go in, as Collins hands the reins over to the next creative team (whenever that might be). It’s Vampi teamed up with a witch, a werewolf, and the Frankenstein Monster versus classic horror madmen Dr. Moreau (of H.G. Wells’s The Island of Dr. Moreau), Dr. Caligari (of the silent film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari), and (of course) Victor von Frankenstein himself. Head on over to C4S to read all about it.

Lorelei: Sects and the CitySpeaking of dark fantasy femme fatales, have you met StarWarp Concepts’ resident soul-stealing succubus, Lorelei? Making her comics debut in 1993, Lori has remained SWC’s first leading lady of horror, has garnered praise from such notables as Vampirella creator Forrest J Ackerman and original Vampirella publisher James Warren, and currently stars in two critically acclaimed projects:

Lorelei: Sects and the City is a Mature Readers graphic novel in which Lori 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 Satana, the Devil’s Daughter, it’s written by yours truly, Steven A. Roman (The Saga of Pandora Zwieback, Best New Zombie Tales), and illustrated by Eliseu Gouveia (Vengeance of the Mummy, Lady Death), Steve Geiger (Web of Spider-Man, Incredible Hulk), and Neil Vokes (Flesh and Blood, Fright Night). It also features a cover by legendary artist Esteban Maroto (Vampirella, Zatanna, Lady Rawhide), 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 (The Grim Ghost, Vampirella).

House_Macabre_large_finalLorelei Presents: House Macabre is Lori’s debut as the hostess of a horror anthology comic. Behind that eye-catching cover by bad-girl artist supreme Louis Small Jr. (Vampirella, Vampirella/Lady Death), you’ll find stories by Steven A. Roman (yep, me again) and graphic novel writer Dwight Jon Zimmerman (Steve McQueen: Full-Throttle Cool). Art is provided by Uriel Caton & “Chainsaw” Chuck Majewski (Heartstopper: The Legend of La Bella Tenebrosa), Lou Manna (T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents), John Pierard (Graphic Classics: Horror Classics), and Juan Carlos Abraldes Rendo.

Both titles are available in print and digital formats. Visit their respective product pages for ordering information, as well as sample pages.

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Author Steven A. Roman on “Destinies” Tonight!

Posted on October 2, 2015 by Steven

captphil_online-destinies

Tonight’s the night, ’Warp fans, when Steven A. Roman (that’s me), author of the popular dark-urban-fantasy series The Saga of Pandora Zwieback, will be appearing live on the radio show Destinies: The Voice of Science Fiction! Host Dr. Howard Margolin and I will be discussing all things Zwieback, and probably cover a few other topics, as well (hey, we’ve got a half-hour to fill). Be sure to tune in!

Destinies: The Voice of Science Fiction—currently celebrating its 32nd anniversary—airs at 11:30 p.m. ET on WUSB, 90.1 FM, the radio station of the State University of New York at Stony Brook. For more information, as well as the opportunity to stream the broadcast (in case you’re outside the broadcast area), head on over to the Destinies website.

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