Posted By David Shepherd on March 20, 2010
Thomas and his grandfather Mallakai, if you’ve not me them before, are the main protaganists in the Wolves of Winter saga. Tom is an adventurous little boy when we first meet him, and an overworked, sulky teenager by the time of the second tale. The legend of the Wolves of Winter is brought to life by the words of his grandfather, who mysteriously has knowledge of the hidden history of this elite band of fighters – a kind of royal secret service from the time of King Stephen (circa 450 the Light).
The Wolves of Winter Part III will be different, with Thomas taking central place in the adventure. Will he join his grandfather and work to an unknown aim to keep the Great North Road closed, or will he give in to greed, and help his father secure a fortune for the people of Greendale?
All will be revealed as the saga continues later this year. Part II of The Wolves of Winter is due out in April 2010.
Up the Elves!
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Posted By David Shepherd on March 14, 2010
Since the website launch 18 months ago, Song of the Elves has acquired a steady weekly readership. During that time the website has evolved into a focus for the world of Rhoderica. Short stories leading up to the plot of A Shadow Falls, and tales set well before the invasion of the elves seem to be as much a focus of reader visits as the main plot itself.
This has been both a great surprise and delight. I am learning an awful lot about the process of engaging with the audiance. I have a yearn to get to the second three book cycle of S.O.T.E., but the background tales are such a glorious disrtaction from the main task.
Moreover, writing The Wolves of Winter series and exploring the history of Rhoderica is allowing me to improve the quality of my manuscripts. I’m hoping that by the time The Wolves of Winter Part Two emerges, and The King’s Blades (Book Two of S.O.T.E.) is published, that you will notice that the stories have gone to another level.
Writing is a funny old business. One learns as much from the bits that get discarded and rejected as from the intermittent hallelujah moments.
Finally for this week, I want to say best wishes again to one of my all time heroes – Ronnie James Dio. According to his official band website, he is coping admirably with his battle with stomach cancer. I’m sure all his fans will join me in willing Ronnie to slay the dragon!
Until next time, up the Elves!
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Posted By David Shepherd on March 7, 2010
I’ve finally started the job of typing up The Wolves of Winter Part Two. Hopefully this will make it to you in time for the Easter weekend break.
On another note, in the midst of a hectic few weeks with my day job, two more stories of Rhoderica came to mind. A Wolves of Winter special, featuring Rulnik in one of his earliest assignments for King Stephen, emerged almost fully formed in my mind during a marathon swim session. Entitled, ‘Kill the King’, this tale recounts one of the Lakelander’s deadliest missions, with a puzzling series of murders to solve and the King’s life at stake.
Secondly, having recently indulged myself by watching a glut of my favourite cowboy movies, I have been inspired to write a tale of the Southren, which will in part be a homage to The Searchers (Ford and Wayne’s finest moment), but also provide an important contextual back drop to the events of The Song of the Elves.
I can’t wait to get started on both of these projects – I only wish there were more hours in the day.
Until next time, Long Live the Elves!
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Posted By David Shepherd on February 28, 2010
It may sound strange, but some of my clearest visions for The Song of the Elves and The Wolves of Winter come when I’m putting in the lengths in the local pool. There’s something about the isolation of swimming that gives one time to think through ideas and to iron out kinks in a story line.
Not to stretch the metaphor too far, but going for a swim often throws a lifeline to a stuttering plot, and helps to wash away writer’s block. It also drowns a few duff plot lines!
This brings me to my point for this week, being that I have now formulated the last scene of Wolves of Winter Part Two. The transition phase from tale 2 to tale 3, in which Mallakai enlists Tom to fight his father’s plans to re-open the Old North Road is in my head too. Hopefully by next week they will both be down on paper and I can begin the job of typing up W.O.W. II.
Up the Elves!
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Posted By David Shepherd on February 20, 2010
I’m in the process of writing the final action sequence of The Wolves of Winter Part Two. It’s an exciting moment for me as new recruit to the Wolves Beddor, gets to fire his first shots in anger.
Beddor is an army veteran, discharged on ill-health grounds folowing the sacking of Castle Bronin during W.O.W. 1 (though we don’t actually get to meet him in this tale). Since then he has bided his time, scraping a living together as a pawn broker in the frontier town of Kolton. When Yanuk arrives to ask his old friend about a magical object that could give a clue to the people behind the killings on the king’s mail coaches, the veteran cannot resist throwing his lot in with the Wolves.
Watch out for Beddor in the final action sequence; his weapon of choice is a twin-firing crossbow and he is not one for sticking to a plan – mayhem and carnage can only ensue!
Will Beddor and the other Wolves make it to a third tale? The answer will be with you later this spring…
Until next time, up the Elves!
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Posted By David Shepherd on February 12, 2010
I’m just putting the finishing touches to The Wolves of Winter Part Two. The final three scenes should be in the bag by the end of this week and then its just a mattter of typing up the story and editing. All things being equal, this next installment of the adventures of Rulnik, Yanuk and Torbad should be with you in good time for Easter.
I mentioned inspirations last week, and the music of Ronnie James Dio is certainly one of them. I’m glad to read that the former Rainbow and Sabbath frontman is responding well to his cancer treatment – I’m hoping to catch him and his current band, Heaven & Hell later this year.
Lots of scenes and moods from the Song of the Elves saga have been evoked by music. A close friend commented that the cover to A Shadow Falls resembles an 80s goth album cover and I agree it wouldn’t look amiss as a Sisters of Mercy album cover. I suppose its inevitable that inspirations seep into your work, and i’ve found the process of writing a book very much like an exploration of ones own past – not that I was an elf in a former life or anything.
So, Feb hols are here and I’m looking forward to getting lots of writing done on WOW and SOTE Part 2.
Until next time, up the elves!
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Posted By David Shepherd on February 5, 2010
Much of the action of the Wolves of Winter Part Two takes place in the north west fishing port of Heliop. As I was putting together a scene this week I found myself thinking there was something very familiar about the frontier town I had created.
Its funny how subconsciously, influences from your life creep in – I can see John Wayne and Dean Martin, sauntering down the main street with trouble in their eyes and justice in their pistols; the trees are pressed depressingly close about the town and pine forests don’t let up for miles, and like during my recent trip to Sweden you can sense the claustraphobia that grips the denizens of the towns many drinking dens. You start to think about what music might be playing if this scene had a sound track, and I can hear something soaring from Dio era Rainbow or Sabbath.
The beauty of writing though, is that when you read it for yourself, you will bring your own imaginings to the piece, and they’re all equally valid. One thing’s for sure, Heliop is a human quagmire – spend too long in the town and you may never get out – Rulnik better watch his step!
Until next time, up the elves!
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Posted By David Shepherd on January 31, 2010
As I write the snow is back, the fields viewed from Song of the Elves HQ are iced, the oaks dusted with sugar. There’s a wonderful contrast of infinite blue and broken wisps of unspindled cotton in the sky overhead – and people say January is the gloomiest month.
Well, actually it probably is – writing’s been at an all time low due to day job commitments and yesterday my nose was nearly frozen off trecking to town for the weekly vegetable shop.
Despite the lack of time, I have been putting a lot of thought into the next cycle of Song of the Elves. As you know, the first three books are written, with parts 2 and 3 due for edit and release this year and early next. The second cycle of three books will focus on an older and wiser Kirik, though I’m still wrestling with the best timescale to put on the gap between cycles one and two. There needs to be enough time for the plot to have moved on and the status quo to have changed considerably in the Summerlands and the Westlands, yet not so far that the immediacy of friendships and cliff-hanger dangers is lost. There’s clearly much for me to contemplate in the coming months.
My focus for February is to get The Wolves of Winter Two completed and released. More on this next week…
Up the elves!
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Posted By David Shepherd on January 25, 2010
I’ve started the double job of completing the Wolves of Winter Part Two alongside the editing of The King’s Blades. There’s more behind this move than just trying to prove that men can multi-task. I am finding that the process of writing fresh material for WOW is bringing a sharper edge to the editing process for the second book of SOTE. Both are going well and the fruits of this labour should be seen later in the spring.
In the meantime, the Wolves are very much in the ascendancy, becoming the most popular download from the website, taking over from A Shadow Falls.
Rest assured eager Wolves fans, I will be delivering the second installment in time for an Easter read.
Until next time, up the elves!
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Posted By David Shepherd on January 16, 2010
One of the great things about living in Cheshire is that the landscape changes so dramatically from day to day that you can’t help but be inspired. As you know, I am currently going through the second edit of The King’s Blades, and its great fun being able to bring the nuances of how you feel at any given moment to shape the mood of the book.
The King’s Blades is much wider in scope than A Shadow Falls, where the action focused almost entirely on the forest home of Councillor Eidur. Although in that novel we received glimpses of fallen Majora in the north, it is not until book two of SOTE that the characters get to venture beyond Farsee Forest.
Close friends will recognise elements of the landscape that has made it to the final draft of The King’s Blades, as Eidur and Agatha go south in search of some answers to the threat that has brought death upon the forest.
Befor January is out, my aim is to bring you a taste of this second book of Song of the Elves, by making the first three chapters available for free download.
However, if you want a glimpse today, buy A Shadow Falls in print (link at top of page) – it contains a sneak preview of the first chapter of The King’s Blades.
Stay warm & up the elves!
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