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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Posted By David Shepherd on May 29, 2012
More scenes have been added to Wolves of Winter III as I continue my slow journey to completion of this third installment of the adventures of Rulnik, Torbad and Yanuk. It must be the weather that has me sloth-like in my efforts – that and my three-year old waking with the cockerels on such bright mornings.
As the tale evolves I’m reflecting more and more on the stories to come in Song of the Elves Book 4. The Lost, the Lonely and the Damned will see the action unfolding in the Westlands for the first time as the focus switches partly to the humans of Rhoderica. WOW III gives us a first glimpse inside a human city, apart from the ruined capital of Majora. Sunamor is a tiered city, social classes divided by stone and wood as much as wealth and power. Amongst the tottering towers, spiralling stairs and teeming streets, the Wolves are hunting for a deadly enemy, someone bold enough to strike at the king.
More on this project soon. In the meantime, things are being readied for the launch of Sins of the Father. Watch this space…
Until next time, up the elves!
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Posted By David Shepherd on May 21, 2012
Hi All - we’re in the middle of an editing frenzy here at SOTE HQ. Book 3, Sins of the Father is completed and ready for release. I am doing a bit of a spring-clean on Books 1 & 2, with the help of my editor, Col Peirson. More news on these books in the coming weeks. In the meantime, I am going to concentrate on giving you updates on forthcoming projects over the next few weeks, until we are ready to launch on Book 3.
Currently I am plotting Book 4 of Song of the Elves, The Lost the Lonely and the Damned. I will commence work on the next installment in the fall. I am intending to spend the summer months seeking a publisher to support the sale of the paperback versions of the books, so if anyone is out there…
However, my mind is awash with other plotlines that need finishing too. Wolves of Winter III is still a work in progress. I am slowly chipping away at this final story of the Winterlands, set in Rhoderica in the days before the elves came to the continent. There’s also the matter of writing ‘To the Ends of the Earth’, a tale of Rhoderica following one man’s search for his daughter and is inspired by John Wayne and John Ford’s ‘The Searchers’. If only there were 48 hours in the day…
Until next time, up the Elves!
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Posted By David Shepherd on April 26, 2012
It is with great delight that I finally announce the completion of ‘Sins of the Father’. Book Three of Song of the Elves is now with the technical team, being prepared for release as an e-book through kindle store at amazon, and as a papreback through lulu.com.
It has been an intense twelve months, bringing the original manuscript to full publishing readiness, a goal that I would not have achieved without the extra editorial help of Col Pierson. I am sure that you will like the results, and I will bring you news of a publication date in the forthcoming weeks.
To relax, I am enjoying the revival of some old goth favourites of mine – Fields of the Nephilim have released a dynamic new live double CD entitled Ceremonies, encapsulating all the phases of their career in one package. Ex neph founder member Tony Petit continues to apply his distinctive bass playing to new project, The Eden House. Check out their new Timeflows EP for the best in goth since Nephilim’s Elizium album.
Until next time, up the elves!
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