Author Stephen Zimmer Interview and Amazon Gift Card Contest LIVE Here!
BBB: If you were to create a slogan for your life, what would it be? (Example: Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow, we all die.) SZ: Keep moving forward. I’ve taken a lot of hits and falls over the years, been knocked down many times by difficult life events, and the important thing is to keep getting up and moving forward. It is an incredibly hard thing to do sometimes, but it is the only way you are going to become the person you want to become and honor those who believe in you and love you.
You have to do everything you can to takes steps forward on your life journey. Something inside me says the destination is more than worth the hardship and that the journey does not end, even then. 
BBB: If you could go to the past or future, what fictional world other than your own would you visit and why?
SZ: Some would think I would say Middle Earth, but I would have to say Narnia, because it holds all of the fantastical things I cherish and also points toward something lasting and wonderful in terms of the true Narnia. Further Up and Further In!!! 
BBB: What were you like in school?
SZ: I never fit neatly into any one group, so I ended up making friends of all kinds. I loved the theater types, the academic types, music types, athletes, rebels, rich kids, poor kids… it really didn’t matter to me what a person was interested in, what their background was, or what they were into. I attribute this openness to the way my folks raised me, to look at everyone as an individual.
My only concern was (and is) if they had a good heart. I’m still the same way. My interests were varied so I ended up participating across a nice spectrum, from being on the academic team, to acting in school plays, playing in rock bands, and playing baseball. I think all of this contributed to me as a writer, in having such a range of friends and activities.
BBB: What would you say are the main advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing versus being traditionally published or the other way around?
SZ: I see pros and cons to both roads. Self-publishing offers a wonderful degree of control over a project. An author doesn’t lose control of their baby, so to speak. But to do self-publishing well, an author really has to execute in all phases competently, as a publisher would. A good self-published author is an independent publisher with a roster of 1 author, if that makes better sense. From editing, to layout/design, to cover art and marketing, a self-published author ends up tackling quite a lot.
A traditional press handles all of that and you also get the synergy of being part of an established brand, with an established network, and a crossover effect of readers of other authors at the press discovering you in the process. You get a support team right away and also become part of an author family. There really are a lot of benefits to that which is why I am part of a small press myself. But both are very valid paths, it just depends one what the individual author’s goals are.
BBB: Please tell us more about The Undying Light and the storyline that drives it.
SZ: The Undying Light is the 4th Book in a cross-genre series called the Rising Dawn Saga that is dystopian and apocalyptic. It involves the concept of parallel worlds, in that the world featured in the early books of the series is one that is very close to our own, if you were to imagine worlds as similar to layers of a big onion. There are parallels of history and geography that the reader will recognize.
This story features an ensemble cast that takes in the perspectives of characters on both sides of the greater conflict. The main conflict involves a centuries-old movement called the Convergence, spearheaded by those of power and influence, to bring the entire world into one system that they can control.
Within the Convergence, there are many who connected to darker supernatural powers, making the Convergence part of a greater Cosmic war between the demonic realms of the Abyss and the heavenly realms of Adonai. This allows the story to reach a true epic scale, and action in these books take place both in physical/material settings as well as supernatural ones.
You have many things that readers can relate to. A world shaken by economic troubles, outbreaks of war and disease, a rising police state enabled by advancing technology, and many more things that are of concern to all of us. This story drives home the idea of there being a method to the madness, a deeper (and darker) motive behind the seeming chaos of the world.
At the same time, it is a call to never surrender to the tyrannical, no matter if they are politicians or demonic beings. Individuals can and do make the difference in the world of the Rising Dawn Saga, just as they do in ours. It all centers on the exercise of Free Will, and that’s probably one of the central themes driving this storyline. Ultimately, this series is a celebration of life, free will, and the eternal.
BBB: How many more books will there be in the Rising Dawn series?
SZ: Seven. I really like that number, don’t I?
BBB: What sets The Undying Light apart from other books in the same genre?
SZ: The Undying Light can be read on multiple levels. It can be read in an allegorical/metaphorical light on one end of the spectrum and at the other it can be read as simple entertainment. A lot of my readers take it with a balance of both.
There are a lot of ideas presented and values celebrated. An ensemble-cast plot can be a little complex in nature, but the benefits manifest as the story builds, grows, and begins to funnel toward the book seven climax. Ingredients are many, drawing from fantasy, horror, science fiction, dystopian fiction, military thrillers, and many more.
Truly, there is NOTHING in the publishing world at this point that is one hundred percent original. Everything builds off something before, in some way, and I think readers can see my influences in this series. However, using a wide mix of ingredients, I do think that the series as a whole is distinct, fresh, thought-provoking, and puts its own stamp on things.
I’ll admit, it is a more challenging read than a single protagonist, linear narrative, but the payouts, depth, and ideas in this story make the journey more than worth it!
BBB: What types of creatures/characters can readers expect in your world?
SZ: All kinds. I draw off of mythologies from across the world. In the first four books, you have creatures and beings from Sumerian/Babylonian lore, Egyptian, Greek, Russian, Celtic, Japanse, Chinese, and many other world traditions. I find a way to blend all of these traditions into the story concept of the Rising Dawn Saga, from the Nephilim to the Avatars, so it is coherent and tight despite having such diversity.
As far as characters go, many of my protagonists come from rather normal walks of life. Ian Rafferty is an electrician, Seth is a typical teenager, Arianna is a young adult still trying to find her bearings, Gregory is an ex-marine who is dealing with his own PTSD, etc. Granted, Benedict Darwin has a more unique position as the host of a syndicated radio show that covers the Coast to Coast AM type topics. But largely the characters are very relatable to many people and the reason I do that is to show that any individual can respond and do good, and make a true difference, in this world. You do not have to be wealthy and powerful. If anything, wealth and power is a challenge, as the highest ranks of these categories are part of the Convergence movement, such as the CEO (and sorceress) Dagian Underwood.
Some of my characters are not human, which makes for a lot of fun. I particularly love writing my shape-shifting An-Ki, which are like werewolves in some ways but are a unique species of creature.
BBB: Name one thing in the publishing industry that drives you crazy.
SZ: Authors? LOL. Seriously, the inability of so many authors and even some publishers to understand that there is synergy and upward momentum in being mutually supportive. I see so much progress that can be made if authors take a little time to give each other a lift and support each other, instead of being so many islands yelling “buy my book! by my book! buy my book!” twenty-four hours a day.
It seems counter intuitive, but being helpful, engaged, and supportive of others in the indie book world will help an author advance much faster than just being all about pushing themselves all the time.
This is not just speculation on my part. I can point out a number of highly successful authors I know personally and 99 times out of a hundred they are the types who are supportive and helpful to others on the indie book road.
BBB: Is there a message in The Undying Light that you want readers to grasp?
SZ: There are many messages in The Undying Light worth exploring, but at the core of them is a dedication to the precious and unique nature of life, the importance of Free Will (which can only truly flourish in an atmosphere of personal freedom), and the notion of a bigger picture, that we do not have all the answers in this life and world.
I am always interested to hear what readers find and gain from reading the Rising Dawn Saga, but I would have to say that those three things are elements that I hope all readers derive from reading the series.
BBB: If you could date any celebrity, who would it be and why?
SZ: Eva Green. She is intelligent, strong, independent, and very exciting. Very beautiful too! I tend to favor the warrior-women. Definitely my type.
BBB: Share a funny incident in your publishing career.
SZ: There are many, but the one I always laugh about is when art was being created by Matthew Perry for The Storm Guardians, Book 2 of the Rising Dawn Saga, and the image called for a depiction of a three-headed dragon based on the Russian mythical beast Gorynych.
I provided Matt with a copy of the scene from the book, plus several reference images of Gorynych I was able to find. All of them had three heads and the text is clear that this is a three headed dragon. Imagine my surprise when I got a one-headed dragon when he turned in the sketches for approval! He was so proud of his dragon image too. The reaction I got when I asked him to recount the heads was priceless. I still laugh about that one, though thankfully the composition was such that Matt was able to add two more heads without any major revision to the scene as a whole.
BBB: If you could have an unlimited storage of one thing (besides books), what would it be?
SZ: The easy answer would be to say money or silver/gold, so I won’t go that route. We’ll have fun here and I know you know the answer to this one. Monster Energy drinks, the nectar of heaven, that most exquisite elixir that I do so love! LOL
BBB: What’s coming up for you for the rest of 2014?
SZ: I just turned in the first Rayden Valkyrie novel, the character I debuted in Thunder on the Battlefield: Sword, a great anthology from editor James R. Tuck. I love the Rayden character and believe she’ll find a place in the world of Sword and Sorcery literature, as she has a lot of dimension. I’m working on a few other projects, including the second volumes of my Hellscapes and Chronicles of Ave selections, and I’m also working on book one of a cross-genre YA trilogy.
Last, but certainly not least, I’m getting into the fourth book of the Fires in Eden series. Writing a few more Chronicles of Ave stories is getting me warmed up and very excited about the newest Fires in Eden book! I love adventuring in Ave! So quite a lot is underway!
Buy a print copy of The Undying Light from Amazon by clicking here. Buy a Kindle copy of The Undying Light from Amazon by clicking here. – ONLY $3.99!
Books in the Rising Dawn Saga in the order they should be read:
The Exodus Gate
The Storm Guardians
The Seventh Throne
The Undying Light
About Stephen Zimmer
Author Bio:
Stephen Zimmer is an award-winning author and filmmaker who calls Kentucky home. His works include the cross-genre Rising Dawn Saga, the epic-fantasy Fires in Eden series and Chronicles of Ave short stories, the horror Hellscapes short story collections, the Harvey and Solomon steampunk tales, and the stories of the sword and sorcery heroine, Rayden Valkyrie.
10 Quick Things About Stephen
- Favorite Food? Pete’s Wok (anything and everything at Pete’s Wok!)
- Favorite Color? Blue
- Favorite Movie or TV Show of all Time? Lord of the Rings Trilogy
- Favorite Drink? Monster Energy Drinks!
- Favorite Book? Lord of the Rings Trilogy
- Favorite Season? Spring
- Favorite Online Hangout? Facebook
- Favorite Animal? Wolf
- Favorite Band or Musician? Kiss
- Favorite Vacation Destination? Automobiles.
The Carribean (been there three times with my mother and sister on family trips, it is magic, as soon as I’m no longer single I’ll be heading back! )
Connect with Stephen
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