SHADOWSLAYERS
Colin Sephton
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GENRE: Steampunk Fantasy
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BLURB:
When doppelgangers start appearing in Oxford, Union Jack agents Ignatius and Indigo find themselves on another cosmic quest, one they didn’t set out to investigate.
Drawn into the search for the elusive and dangerous Book of Shadows, they find themselves traveling across the cosmos once again, racing against other versions of themselves, and visiting the Oracle to be given prophecies of terrible destruction that will engulf the cosmos in darkness. Only these two heroes—or their doubles—can open the book, which would lead to dreadful consequences for themselves, the world and the whole of creation.
The agents must outwit their own mirror souls and invade the impregnable Administorium, which holds the answers they need but also fearsome enemies of both the Union Jacks and the entire cosmos. In this quest, Ignatius and Indigo must protect not only England and the Empire, but the world and the cosmos.
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EXCERPT:
As the shadowy figure moved from shelf to shelf, ornate gilt decoration caught what dim light there was on his grey-turquoise armour. Carvings of ancient scribes and tomes written to record the passing of aeons on many worlds across many planes. The books he tended were part of the vast repository of information that he had collected through his long lifetime. Books here took the form of sacred texts carved in clay, or written on scrolls of vellum, or even human skin. Enormous tooled leather-bound volumes with gilt pages or with golden clasps, some were chained and bound, their knowledge too dangerous to be shared or accessed by mere mortals. The shelves had been arranged by subject and ordered in a timeline for each category. There wasn’t any index system. The Librarian worked using only his memory, knowing each and every volume, regardless of when it was written or when it was obtained. Nothing was forgotten, his memory was a storehouse of wisdom and knowledge from across the cosmos.
With his brother and sister, they had probably gathered the entire history of the cosmos. From time to time, they would travel the astral planes in search of new knowledge and rendezvous every millennium to discuss and compare notes to set quests for each of them to fulfil in the search of even more ancient texts. Legend had it the three siblings were born of the Goddess of Wisdom and their father was a High Priest of the Ti-Botta.
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AUTHOR Interview
Tell me about yourself. Where are you from?
CS: I was born in Warwickshire, England and worked in the automotive industry for over twenty years before becoming an Engineering teacher. I have always had an inbuilt curiosity for lost knowledge and ancient texts that may help to unlock the secrets of consciousness and the universe. I lived in Oxford for thirteen years, which is where my knowledge of the city comes from to use in my novels. I have now moved back to my home county of Warwickshire where I enjoy creating and working with my wife on our large garden in which I write and entertain our two grandsons. I have always been an artist and writer and am inspired by the worlds created by Robert E Howard and Michael Moorcock, with the artwork of Frank Frazetta.
What genre do you read? Who's an author you read? Name your top 5 authors.
CS: I read a lot of non-fiction books and magazines about the universe and consciousness, trying to understand their mysteries. I read some fiction, and mainly fantasy books. My top five authors are:
Michael Moorcok
Robert E Howard
Jonathan Green
Matt Haig
Adam Roberts
What book are you reading right now, and what do you like about it?
CS: I am currently reading Babel by R F Kuang. It’s quite a long book but I love it as it is set in Oxford. It deals with the careful translation of old texts with a magical element regarding engraving words on to bars of silver. I think it’s a good original idea. It appeals to my curiosity regarding lost and ancient knowledge. I am about one third of the way through it at the moment.
Favorite sports.
CS: None. I used to play badminton when I was younger, but prefer to have my head stuck in a book or a paint brush in my hand.
Favorite thing about your state you live in.
CS: The favourite thing about the county I live in is that there is lots of countryside nearby. Its quite a green county with lots of medieval history and castles.
How long have you been writing?
CS: I have been a writer all my life. If I am not painting or drawing, I am writing. When not raising a family I have always had several long-term projects on the go. I may go for years before finishing something. The good thing is, I have a very good memory so can always return to some writing or even a painting after several years have elapsed.
What is your writing process like? Are you more of a plotter or a pantser?
CS: I think I Am both. I will often be a pantser. I like to get what’s in my head down on paper or into the laptop. But then to develop an idea, particularly if it is complex I will scribble charts and tables in a notebook or create a spreadsheet on the laptop. I can then see all the links throughout a long plot and can move things around and add in to improve them. Sometimes I have a scene in my head without any idea of where I can use it, so I get it written, then it takes some planning to be able to use it.
How did you come up with the ideas for your series?
CS: I’m not sure. Lots of the characters have just always been with me. I used them for my fantasy artwork and most of them seem to have made their way onto the page. I guess I have a very good imagination, and I draw inspiration from lots of places – other fantasy books, science books and magazines, comics, other artists work in fantasy art books, ancient texts, Hindu, Norse and Buddhist mythology and even music. I have a very eclectic taste in music.
How do you celebrate finishing a book?
CS: Not really, not anymore. We had a family party when my first novel, Timeslayers, was published. But nowadays by the time a novel is published I am thinking about the next project.
What would you tell a writer who is just starting out? What program do you use for writing? What advice would you give to a writer working on their first book? What’s your writing software of choice?
CS: I write all my work in Word. About half of it is on an iPad and the other half on a laptop. I find its easier to edit and move whole chunks of text around on a laptop rather than the iPad. But the iPad gives me the flexibility to be able to work anywhere – coffee shops, hotel rooms, even the beach. It’s so small to carry around with me. However, before I get to that stage, I will often write whole chapters by hand in a notebook. I also keep lots of research and ideas in the notebook. Planning I use Excel. My advice to anyone starting out, is just write. Whatever you want to say, just get it down on paper or a PC. You can always go back and refine it or edit it. But never delete anything, just park it somewhere else, you never know when it might come in handy.
How do you organize everything and finding the time to sit down and write?
CS: I organize everything by using a notebook and storing everything very methodically on my laptop with backups in the cloud. To find the time I often work late a night when it is quiet, However, I am now retired and have all the time I need.
As an author, what would you choose as your spirit animal?
CS: I’ve never really thought about it before. Perhaps an eagle, so I can travel really fast, be free and see everything that is going on beneath me.
Who has been the biggest supporter of your writing?
CS: There are two people. My sister-in-law who is really supportive and will read manuscripts before they are published and helps to promote my work on social media. And also, my eldest son, who was the first person to encourage me to get my first novel published after gifting me access to an editor as a Christmas present one year.
How do you name your characters?
CS: I draw a lot of inspiration from Hindu and Buddhist texts. I often use an online Sanskrit dictionary and choose a word that carries the meaning I want the character or artefact to represent. But really, I will use anything that I see fits but always try to make them easy to pronounce. There is nothing more annoying than reading a book when you can’t pronounce a character’s name, especially if it’s the main protagonist. But I have also used the name of a song for characters. The character called the Voice is named after an electronic song by the 80s band Ultravox.
Can you describe a typical day in your writing life?
CS: Simply, no. I wouldn’t say I have a typical day. Every day is different. But as long as I have my notebook, iPad or laptop with me I can write anywhere, whenever and often do. It’s whenever the mood takes me or I have a flash of inspiration.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Colin was born in Coventry and worked in the automotive industry for over twenty years before becoming an Engineering teacher. Obtaining his first library card at the age of thirteen, he became an avid reader of Fantasy and the mysteries of the Universe. He has an inbuilt curiosity for lost knowledge and ancient texts that may help to unlock the secrets of consciousness and the universe. Living in Oxford for many years, he has now moved back to his home county of Warwickshire where he enjoys creating and working with his wife on their garden in which he writes and entertains their two grandsons. He has always been an artist and writer and is inspired by the worlds created by Robert E Howard and Michael Moorcock, with the artwork of Frank Frazetta.
Connect with Colin on Instagram at @timeslayers or @sephtonart
Find Colin’s website here: colinsephton.com
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE
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