Posted By David Shepherd on June 13, 2010
Having recently come into fatherhood, my life is filled with joy unlike anything I’ve known before. Schedules for Song of the Elves may need a ‘little tweaking’ as a result.
I’m still managing to find some time each evening to chip away at the preparation of Book Two of the Song of the Elves: The King’s Blades for publication in paperback. I have narrowed my focus solely to this project for the time being, and will get to Wolves of Winter Part III hopefully by the winter.
So, please bear with me as my wife and I embark on this new, exciting chapter of our life.
Chapters 9 to 12 of The King’s Blades should be on the website in time for the summer holidays.
Up the Elves!
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Posted By David Shepherd on June 4, 2010
For the next few weeks I’ll be concentrating my efforts on The King’s Blades – Song of the Elves Book Two. I’m currently working on bringing chapters 9 to 13 to the website for an end of June release and the ongoing serialisation to unfold over the summer, reaching its murderous peak in August.
Murderous – now that’s got you wondering…
After some lovely feedback on A Shadow Falls, I am also endeavouring to bring The King’s Blades out in paperback format in time for your Christmas stocking to be filled.
I trust you are all enjoying the heatwave. Make the most of it – blink and you’ll miss it – this is England after all.
Up the Elves!
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Posted By David Shepherd on May 26, 2010
You want more Song of the Elves? Then you got it…
From today you can visit the ‘Chapters’ section to download chapters 5 to 8 of The King’s Blades as the epic saga continues.
True to my promise earlier in the year, you will get more Song of the Elves this year than at any stage in the life of the website so far.
Here at Song of the Elves HQ, we are excited about bringing you the entire second book of the saga before the year is out.
Watch out too for more of Rulnik, Torbad and Yanuk as a return to Winterland is on the cards for later in the year.
Until next time, up the elves!
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Posted By David Shepherd on May 17, 2010
One of my all time heroes passed away yesterday. After a sixth month battle with cancer, Ronie James Dio died at 7.45 a.m. Los Angeles time on sunday 16th May.
I’ve mentioned the inspiration of his songs on this website before. Having grown up on Rainbow, Black Sabbath and Dio albums, I was delighted to finally get to see Ronnie performing at Manchester Academy during his Holy Diver tour a couple of years ago. What a fantastic frontman and thoroughly nice fella!
I’m gutted that he’s gone and will miss the anticipation of a new Dio album, as there always seemed to be one around the next corner from the prolific vocalist.
For a while now I have been plotting a novel length tale of the Wolves of Winter. The working title, which describes something of the plot, has always been ‘Kill the King‘. As this is also the title of one of Dio’s finest Rainbow songs, I can’t think of a better dedication to the man and his music.
Ronnie, I’ll be playing your tunes as the words flow… Long live RJD, forever the King of rock and roll!
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Posted By David Shepherd on May 11, 2010
At long last, the much talked about sequel is here…
The Wolves of Winter Part Two is available for download now from this website.
Re-join Rulnik, Torbad and Yanuk on another rip-roaring adventure in the cruel hills of Winterland.
This time, the King’s mail is being attacked and the locals of Heliop are convinced that there is more than just a gang of bandits stalking the hills.
In this sequel, you will learn much more about the narrator Mallakai and his intentions for his grandson Thomas. The way is paved for Wolves III, when Thomas will come of age…
Until next time, up the elves!
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Posted By David Shepherd on May 5, 2010
Let loose the dogs of war!
Book Two of The Song of the Elves: The King’s Blades is here…
Well, chapters one to four are anyway!
Return to Rhoderica for a delicious slice of Kirik, Eidur and Old Aggie, as the ancient menace threatening the society of the elves in the Summerlands grows.
Chapters one to four can now be downloaded in one handy package from the ‘Chapters’ section of this website.
Let me know what you think via the feedback page.
More exciting releases to follow later this week!
Up the Elves!
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Posted By David Shepherd on May 1, 2010
Overdosed on ‘Cleggstasy’?
Feeling a little ‘Gordon Blue’?
Tired of the ‘tit-for-tat Tories’?
Then never fear – SOTE HQ has the perfect antidote to cure your election fever. Relax this May in the company of the King’s Wolves, as The Wolves of Winter Part Two makes it to the website.
At long last the wait is over. Rulnik, Torbad and Yanuk are ready to run again, very soon from this website…
Coming soon – twice the action, twice the intrigue, twice the length… The Wolves of Winter Part Two.
In the meantime, Councillor Eidur Stronghand would like to take a moment to remind you all that when the Dark Elves ruled Rhoderica, individual liberties vanished – freedom of choice was lost. The councillor has a message for you:
Eidur says, ‘Use your vote – don’t lose it!’
Until next time, ‘Up the Elves!’
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Posted By David Shepherd on April 19, 2010
Good news – I’m on to the final scene of The Wolves of Winter Part 2. By the end of this week, the second installment of Rulnik, Torbad and Yanuk will be in the bag and ready for adding to the website. Thank you for your patience.
Also, in a dramatic change of tack, I will be releasing a lot more of Song of the Elves over the next two months. Book Two, The King’s Blades and Book Three, Sins of the Father will both be made available for free in full from this website.
More to follow on this exciting development and what I will be concentrating my efforts on next…
Until next time, up the elves!
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Posted By David Shepherd on April 9, 2010
Well, Easter has come and gone and still no Wolves of Winter Part Two for you. Deadlines are not my strong point at the moment, and perhaps I should learn to stop promising dates that I cannot keep. However, there’s a good reason for this, as the second installment of intrigue and adventure from Rulnik, Torbad and Yanuk is weighing in almost twice as long as the first – I can feel a full length Wolves novel coming soon.
So, the spring/summer schedule is now as follows:
- Wolves of Winter Part Two – completion of manuscript within the next fortnight and release by beginning of May through the website
- resume editing of SOTE Book 2 – The King’s Blades for September release
- script Wolves of Winter Part 3, with aim to release through website, followed by collected book edition of all three tales, which knit together neatly into one volume.
If there were more hours in the day, each of these projects would be with you sooner, as I am equally engaged in imaginative work with both the SOTE and WOW series. A number of other unconnected tales of Rhoderica are now fully formed and in the queue for production. I need to clone myself!
Oh well, at least the longer days make me feel less like hibernating.
Until next time, thanks for being patient and up the elves!
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Posted By David Shepherd on March 28, 2010
Just a quick line this week before I dash off to the sea-side to re-charge the batteries…
I can’t tell you how much I’m enjoying writing the second draft of Wolves of Winter II. It has a different feel from the first instalment, with the characters being well established by now it feels like visiting old friends. There is a little more mystery to the plot of WOWII, though it lacks none of the thunder and consolation of the inaugural tale. I fully intend to complete the trilogy this year and release the full story as a stand alone novel, a prequel of sorts to the events of A Shadow Falls.
Talking of ‘Thunder and Consolation’, I caught the excellent New Model Army on the spring leg of their ‘Today is a Good Day’ tour. As ever, Justin and his crewe are at their fiery best when the country is in a mess. At Liverpool’s Academy, songs from the new album such as ‘Arm Yourselves and Run’, burned brightly against classics including ‘Poison Street’, ‘White Coats’ and ‘No Rest for the Wicked’. And with the current shennanigans of American owners at both Liverpool and Man Utd football clubs, has ’51st State’ ever felt so poignant. The mixed crowd of Mancunians and Liverpudlians were fully ‘united’ in belting out the chorus!
Anyway, I digress, though I have to say the lyricism of NMA and the consistency of their music over an incredible thirty years (30 years!!!) has been a constant source of inspiration.
So. its off to St. Annes we go, seeking fresh impetus and words in the sea spray and the wind from the West.
Until next time, up the elves!
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