Posted By David Shepherd on May 13, 2013
Not much to report on the writing front this week – my day job has kept the Wolf from the pen, to adapt an old metaphor. Instead I’ve taken comfort in the wealth of creative material emerging from favourite musical influences. Ozzy’s return to Sabbath is well documented, but I didn’t realise Zeppelin sound-a-likes Kingdom Come had emerged from the rock wilderness. I spent many a happy hour at university listening to their first album in particular. On the goth front, the announcement of a new Mission album has rasied the pulse – can’t wait to see them with the Nephilim in December.
My schedule over the summer months is to finalise WOW III andd to promote and push the first three books of Song of the Elves. I will bring you world on the e-release of Sins of the Father as soon as there is something to tell. I have a strong idea on how book 4 begins and I am looking forward to gettibng back to Kirik and Eidur in the autumn.
Until next time, up the elves!
Shep x
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Posted By David Shepherd on May 4, 2013
It could be the fact that out of the sun, the wind bites with bitter intent, or maybe its down to the proliferation of gloom from the doom-sayers that proclaim we will have to get used to English winters that last for 7 months – whatever the root cause, I am definitely in the right mood to accompany Captain Rulnik and his wolves on the final stages of The Wolves Of Winter 3.
In the second half of this third adventure – entitled Kill the King, Rulnik will have to uncover the secrets of a terrible fate for a village beyond the northern hills in order to combat the supernatural forces working to undermine the King in Sunamor.
On a different note, is it just me or are there others of you out there continually frustrated by the lack of recording activity from the Sisters of Mercy. Tantalising glimpses on You Tube of live footage demonstrate a plethora of new material just waiting to be released. Listen to Suzanne and tell me that Eldritch cannot write a killer tune. Come on lads, put us out of our misery and send us another Merciful Release!
Good to hear that the Mission will have a new album in the autumn – can’t wait to see them and the Neph in Leeds in December. Got new releases by The Eden House and NFD on my wish list too.
Until next time, up the elves!
Shep x
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Posted By David Shepherd on April 28, 2013
Those of you familiar with the first two tales of the Wolves, set in the deep heart of Winterland, will know that the various adventures of Captain Rulnik and his band of men are tied together by a more recent narrative. The tales unfold through the voice of Mallakai, who regales his grandson Thomas with legendary tales of daring-do.
Yet Mallakai has a hidden purpose, and at the end of the third tale of the Wolves of Winter it is young Thomas that takes centre stage. His heroic deeds take place in a landscape that will be increasingly important for the fourth instalment of the Song of the Elves, The Lost, The Lonely and the Damned.
On another note, if you grew up listening to 80′s Goth bands like The Sisters of Mercy or Fields of the Nephilim, or indeed The Mission, check out Elusive, a fabulously dark Norwegian outfit, sadly now defunct after the death of their lead singer, who nevertheless produced three sterling albums in the last decade. First of these, Destination Zero – in my view the best album of its sort since the Sisters released First and Last and Always – is a permanent feature in my CD player at the moment.
Up the elves!
Shep
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Posted By David Shepherd on April 21, 2013
If you’ve not yet sampled Wolves of Winter 1 or 2 from the short stories section of this website, they are a really good starting point to get to know Captain Rulnik and his fellow ‘Wolves’ Torbad, Yanuk and Beddor. Tale one brings you the origins of the Wolves, a clandestine fighting force kept in secret service by King Stephen of Westaster. Wolves 2 follows the brave bunch as they tackle a mystery in the wilds of Winterland. Book 3, my current project, has a working title of ‘Kill the King’, which tells you everything you need to know about the plot.
Those of you that regularly follow my blog will know of my passion for all things Dio – I was determined at some stage to find a story to fit the lyric line of Kill the King, ( a Rainbow era Dio classic) and this is it. It’s purely the chorus lime that inspired this tale, a story of murder and witchcraft in the city of Sunamor.
Until next time, up the elves!
Shep x
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Posted By David Shepherd on April 15, 2013
Hi,
We’re back – so sorry if you missed us. Things are moving on a pace at SOTE HQ. Book 3, Sins of the Father is complete, as are the revisions to books 1 and 2, A Shadow Falls and The King’s Blades. These will be made available on kindle via amazon.co.uk within the next few weeks. Watch this spacve for updates.
I am now deep into plotting Book 4, The Lost, the Lonely and the Damned, which I will begin writing as soon as I have completed The Wolves of Winter, my book set in Rhoderica before the invasion of the elves.
Thank you for your patience.
Up the elves!
Shep x
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Posted By David Shepherd on December 12, 2012
As the end of the year approaches, its hard not to reflect back on the things that have been achieved and thie things still left undone. I am proud of the final finished, super-polished edit of A Shadow Falls – many thanks to Col Peirson for your sterling work. Spring also saw the completion of Sins of the Father, now awaiting publishing following the final re-edit of Book 2, The King’s Blades – again, big thanks to Col (I owe you morethan one pint!).
All this means that by Easter 2013, the completed, fully-polished, final, final edits of Books 1 to 3 of Song of the Elves will be available on kindle and in paperback through lulu.com. Phew!
I am also pleased with the progress made on Wolves of Winter III. I recently pledged to my wonderful Creative Writing circle that the Wolves of Winter saga will be out in full by September. Day job and toddler permitting, this is my grand plan for 2013. If the wind is in the right direction, this time next year I will be putting pen to paper on Sins of the Father, Book 4 of SOTE.
Until next time, up the elves!
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Posted By David Shepherd on November 5, 2012
There’s nothing like stepping back into your youth for reaffirming your interests and passions. I am still glowing after the Fields of the Nephilim concert in Leeds last week. I can’t believe its twenty-two years since I last saw them during the Earth Inferno tour – thanks for the ticket Swids!
If you were there, you will know that Carl McCoy’s status as a gothic ‘shaman’ reached new levels, particularly during the trance-inducing rendition of Psychonaut (check out the clips on youtube). The hypnotic rhythms and pulse-pounding goth-core reached new heights of sublimity with a truly mind-blowing display of light. The imagery and shadow existence of the Nephilim have long been a source of inspiration for my writing. I will treasure the memories of the night and bring the mood and imagery to bear in my completion of The Wolves of Winter.
Talking of the Wolves of Winter – a tale of Rhoderica before the elves invaded – Rulnik, Torbad, Yanuk and Beddor are embroiled in a mystery in Sunamor, capital of Gorwentia. Children are going missing and the castle is living in fear for the King’s life after three failed assassination attempts on the monarch. It is up to the Wolves to save the day, but all their investigations seem to be leading to a series of unconnected dead ends. Rulnik does not believe in co-incidences however, and if he can keep free of a fever in the frequent downpours, he may just save the kingdom one more time.
Until next time, up the elves!
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Posted By David Shepherd on October 1, 2012
Apologies for the further delay in transmission. I’m still here, plugging away with perfecting Books 1 to 3 of Song of the Elves.. I am pleased to say that Book 1, A Shadow Falls, is ‘in the can’ as the movie folk might say. Fine editing by Col Peirson and a final trawl through by yours truly has brought the book to the quality we’ve been looking for all along.
For those of you who’ve been on board from the start, the new edit of ASF is a bit slicker and slightly punchier, a couple of troublesome clunky bits having been tackled. I am very proud of the book. We will be making the new version available in due course, probably as part of a reduced collectors volume comprising of Books 1 to 3, so that those who want to read again won’t lose out financially.
Book 3, Sins of the Father is already done, so that just leaves the job of tweaking The King’s Blades. All being well, I’ll be writing fresh stuff by Easter.
Until next time, up the Elves!
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Posted By David Shepherd on August 11, 2012
I’m deep into rejuvenation territory at the moment – gaining fresh ideas and inspirations from my annual holidays. The Lakes with the boys were grey, wind-whipped and wet, yet slogging up the hills in jovial company generated so many ideas for the journeys to come of my characters on Song of the Elves. Then Morfa Bychan, where the hills come down to meet the sea, was simply spectacular. My wife and I are seeing things afresh through the eyse of our threee eyar old, and again, every turn brought fresh vistas that will inspire scenes for Book Four, The Lost, The Lonely and the Damned.
Currently I am proofing the final edit of A Shadow Falls – the book is close to being perfect now. News of a relaunch of the first three books in the series will follow later this year.
Until next time, up the elves!
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Posted By David Shepherd on July 12, 2012
Here at Song of the Elves HQ, a final ’spruce-up’ is taking place of A Shadow Falls. The enhanced version of the book will be available later in the year as part of a re-launch of the fantasy series. This will be timed to coincide with the release of Book 3, Sins of the Father. I will begin work on Book 4, The Lost, the Lonely and the Damned, in 2013
I am continuing to add scenes to The Wolves of Winter III. This series of companion tales to the Song of the Elves will be available as an e-book in early 2013.
What’s Shep reading now?
I’m currently nearing the end of ’The Historian’ by Elizabeth Kostova. This beautifully written tale gives a fantastically detailed take on the Dracula legend, couching the story in the rich historical documents and folk tales of Eastern Europe. Its a delightful travelogue of some seriously alluring and exotic destinations, as well as being a cracking good read – highly recommended for your summer hols.
Until next time, up the Elves!
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