Blog | StarWarp Concepts | Publisher of Dark Fantasy and Horror

StarWarp E-books Included in Smashwords Summer Sale

Posted on July 1, 2016 by Steven

Blood Feud Hey, book lovers! Today’s the day when e-book distributor Smashwords launches its eighth annual Smashwords Summer Sale, during which you can purchase thousands of digital books at special prices! It runs from July 1 to July 30—and yes, you’ll need to set up an account (it’s free) to take advantage of this promotion.

Included among the many participating publishers is StarWarp Concepts (of course), which means you can get the following titles at 25% off, as long as you make sure to use the specially generated coupon codes when you make your purchase:

Blood Feud: The Saga of Pandora Zwieback, Book 1 is my young adult novel that’s perfect for lovers of dark urban fantasy. It introduces readers to Pandora Zwieback, a 16-year-old Goth girl who’s spent the last decade being treated for mental health problems because she can see monsters. It’s only after she meets professional monster hunter Sebastienne “Annie” Mazarin that Pan discovers she’s never been ill—her so-called “monstervision” is actually a supernatural gift that allows her to see into Gothopolis, the not-so-mythical shadow world that exists right alongside the human world. In Blood Feud, Pan, her parents and friends, and Annie are drawn into a conflict among warring vampire clans searching for the key to an ultimate weapon (or so the legend goes)—a key that just so happens to have been delivered to the horror-themed museum owned by Pan’s father.

Use Coupon Code LM72M for Blood Feud: The Saga of Pandora Zwieback, Book 1.

Blood Reign: The Saga of Pandora Zwieback, Book 2: Pan and Annie face even greater challenges as the vampire clans draw up plans to go to war with humanity. Leading the charge is a fallen angel named Zaqiel, whose previous attempt at subjugating the world was stopped by Annie—who, back in the day, was Zaqiel’s lover! But Pan isn’t about to let some ancient monster win the day, not when the lives of her parents and friends—along with those of every human on the planet—are at stake, so she leads a charge of her own. But whose side is going to emerge the victor remains to be seen…

Use Coupon Code KK62H for Blood Reign: The Saga of Pandora Zwieback, Book 2.

Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination is our popular how-to book for writers and gamers in which bestselling fantasy author Richard C. White (Gauntlet: Dark Legacy: Paths of Evil, The Chronicles of the Sea Dragon Special, Troubleshooters, Incorporated: Night Stalkings) takes you through the step-by-step process of constructing a world for your characters, from societies and governments to currency and religion. Included is an interview with New York Times bestselling author Tracy Hickman (Dragonlance) that discusses his methods of world building, as well as his creative experiences during his time as a designer for gaming company TSR, the original home of Dungeons & Dragons.

Use Coupon Code UC82A for Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination.

Again, the Smashwords Summer Sale runs until July 1 to July 30, so head over to the StarWarp Concepts publisher page at Smashwords and start your summer-reading shopping!

Posted in e-books, e-tailers, Publishing | Tagged blood feud: the saga of pandora zwieback book 1, blood reign: the saga of pandora zwieback book 2, e-books, smash words summer sale, smashwords, terra incognito: a guide to building the worlds of your imagination | Comments Off

(War) Lord of the Jungle

Posted on July 1, 2016 by Steven

A Princess of Mars Today is the release date for The Legend of Tarzan, the latest movie adaptation based on the famous jungle lord adventurer novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Starring Alexander Skarsgard (True Blood) as Tarzan, Margot Robbie (Suicide Squad) as Jane, Samuel L. Jackson (Avengers), John Hurt (Doctor Who), Christoph Waltz (Spectre), and Djimon Hounsou (Guardians of the Galaxy), this Warner Bros. production finds the former Lord of the Jungle, who now lives in England, returning to his natural habit to battle a mining company that’s wrecking the environment.

Speaking of Tarzan’s creator, are you aware that Edgar Rice Burroughs was also the author responsible for the classic science-fantasy novel A Princess of Mars—one of StarWarp Concepts’ most popular titles in our Illustrated Classics line of books? No? Then allow me to introduce you…

A Princess of Mars, originally published in 1912, is the first in Burroughs’s “John Carter of Mars” ten-novel series about a post–Civil War era American who suddenly finds himself on the Red Planet, battling to stay alive against all sorts of alien threats. It served as the basis for Disney’s 2012 film adaptation, John Carter, and inspired a century’s worth of SF works, including Flash Gordon, Star Wars, and James Cameron’s Avatar. The special StarWarp Concepts edition—available in both print and digital formats—features six incredible illustrations by SWC artist supreme Eliseu Gouveia (Carmilla, The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1, Lorelei: Sects and the City), and a special introduction by Mars-fiction expert John Gosling, author of Waging the War of the Worlds. Here’s the back-cover synopsis:

Captain John Carter thought his days as a fighter were over. The South had lost the Civil War, and as a soldier now without a battle to fight or a cause to believe in, he journeyed west in search of a new life.

But not even Carter could have expected that his new life would begin with his death in the Arizona desert, and his inexplicable arrival on the barren plains of the planet Mars. Or that he would find love in the eyes of the beauteous Dejah Thoris, princess of Helium.

A prisoner of the giant, green-skinned warrior race called the Tharks, Dejah Thoris is meant to be used as a pawn in the ongoing war between the Tharks and her people, the red Martians—unless the gentleman from Virginia takes sword in hand to free her…and thus unite a divided world.

Once more, John Carter has a cause to fight for—and this time, a love to win, as well….

A Princess of Mars is available in print and digital formats. Visit its product page for ordering information.

Posted in Classic Fiction, movies, Publishing | Tagged a princess of mars, edgar rice burroughs, illustrated classics, shameless plugs, the legend of tarzan | Comments Off

The Summer Wind Came Blowing In…With Books to Read!

Posted on June 20, 2016 by Steven

Today marks the official start of the 2016 summer season, and with these warmer days comes that worldwide pastime: beach reading! And if you happen to be stuck for ideas as to how best to while away your lazy summer days, how about picking up some of SWC’s critically acclaimed titles?

A Princess of Mars, perfect for fans of classic science fiction, is the first in Edgar Rice Burroughs’s “John Carter of Mars” novel series about a post–Civil War era American who suddenly finds himself on the Red Planet, battling to stay alive against all sorts of alien threats. It served as the basis for Disney’s 2012 film adaptation, John Carter, and inspired a century’s worth of SF works, including Flash Gordon, Star Wars, and James Cameron’s Avatar. The special StarWarp Concepts edition—available in both print and digital formats—features six incredible illustrations by SWC artist supreme Eliseu Gouveia (Carmilla, Lorelei: Sects and the City), and a special introduction by Mars-fiction expert John Gosling, author of Waging the War of the Worlds.

Carmilla is J. Sheridan Le Fanu’s 19th-century classic vampiric tale of love gone wrong. Laura is so desperate for a friend that when a young woman named Carmilla practically turns up on the doorstep of the castle owned by Laura’s father, she thinks her prayers for companionship have been answered. But as she comes to realize, Carmilla isn’t as interested in making friends as she is in spilling blood. Regarded as the one of the earliest female vampire tales—if not the first—Carmilla was an influence on author Bram Stoker in the creation of the vampire brides in his seminal novel, Dracula, and remains a popular character in fiction to this day. Just like with A Princess of Mars, our edition contains six original illustrations done especially for StarWarp Concepts by the super-talented Eliseu Gouveia.

Snow White is the classic story by the Brothers Grimm, and one of the titles in our Illustrated Classics line. Featuring full-color illustrations first published in 1883 (and they really are beautiful drawings), this digital-exclusive title is available for immediate download for the wickedly low price of just 99¢!

All titles except Snow White—being a digital exclusive—are available in both print and digital formats, so visit their respective product pages for ordering information.

Enjoy the beach, and have a happy summer!

Posted in Publishing, Summer Reading | Tagged summer reading | Comments Off

The Craft of Building War-Torn Worlds

Posted on June 10, 2016 by Steven

terra_ingoc_lg_cover Today is the U.S. release date for Warcraft, the first film adaptation of the hugely successful World of Warcraft gaming empire created by Blizzard Entertainment. Humans and orcs go to war in an intricately detailed world that’s captured the imaginations of fantasy lovers and gamers for over a decade, and it’s a good chance that they’ll all be flocking to movie theaters this weekend to get their latest Warcraft fix.

Speaking of fantasy world building, are you aware that StarWarp Concepts has a nonfiction book for writers and gamers that addresses that very subject? No? Then allow me to bring you up to speed…

In Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination, bestselling fantasy author Richard C. White (Gauntlet: Dark Legacy: Paths of Evil, The Chronicles of the Sea Dragon Special) takes you through the step-by-step process of constructing a world for your characters, from societies and governments to currency and religion. Included is an interview with New York Times bestselling author Tracy Hickman (Dragonlance) that discusses his methods of world building, as well as his creative experiences during his time as a designer for gaming company TSR, the original home of Dungeons & Dragons.

Terra Incognito was not just the hottest #1 title when it made its debut last October at RPGNow—sister site of e-book distributor DriveThru Fiction—but it then held the #1 position for weeks as DTF’s hottest title for nonfiction books and writers’ reference guides!

“I think Terra Incognito is a solid introduction to the subject of world building. The book succeeds in helping the aspiring writer in creating a skeletal framework for which to hang the moving parts required of a believable fictional setting.”—The Gaming Gang

Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination is available in print and digital formats, so visit its product page for ordering information.

Posted in Publishing | Tagged richard c. white, shameless plugs, terra incognito: a guide to building the worlds of your imagination, warcraft, world building, writing reference | Comments Off

Reviewapalooza Must Be Destroyed!

Posted on May 31, 2016 by Steven

JoseVampiArtEdition As regular visitors to this site might be aware, since 2014 I’ve been a comic and graphic novel reviewer for the news site Comics for Sinners, giving my opinion on some of the latest releases for bad-girl fans and general readers alike. Here’s what I reviewed in May 2016:

Dynamite Entertainment
Jose Gonzalez’s Vampirella: Art Edition: Art by Jose Gonzalez, stories by Archie Goodwin, Steve Englehart, Bill DuBay, T. Casey Brennan, Josep Toutain, Flaxman Loew, and Rich Margopoulos

Interested in seeing what else I’ve reviewed? Check out last month’s list, Reviewapalooza Created Woman, and then head over to C4S to read the entries. And be sure to bookmark Comics For Sinners to keep up-to-date on my opinionated ramblings about bad-girl (and other) comics.

Posted in Comic Books, Reviews | Tagged comic book reviews, comics for sinners, reviewapalooza | 1 Comment

National Readathon Day 2016 is Coming!

Posted on May 20, 2016 by Steven

readathon-2016 Tomorrow, May 21, marks the second annual celebration of National Readathon Day! A collaboration between the American Library Association and major publisher Penguin Random House, it’s a fund-raising effort to battle illiteracy and promote reading. And if there’s one thing everyone at StarWarp Concepts strongly believes in, it’s promoting reading.

To quote the event’s site:

National Readathon Day is a day dedicated to the joy of reading and giving, when readers everywhere can join together in their local library, school, bookstore, and on social media (#Readathon2016) to read and raise funds in support of literacy. This year, Readathon Day is presented as part of ALA’s Libraries Transform campaign, and will benefit ALA’s Every Child Ready to Read initiative, a program that supports the early literacy development of children from birth to age five in libraries across the nation.

Want to get involved? For more information, visit the National Readathon Day site.

And if you happen to be stuck for ideas as to what you could be reading on National Readathon Day…well, how about some of SWC’s critically acclaimed titles?

All titles except Snow White—being a digital exclusive—are available in both print and digital formats, so visit their respective product pages for ordering information.

Posted in Events | Tagged national readathon day | Comments Off

Terra Incognito Makes Its BEA Debut

Posted on May 19, 2016 by Steven

Last week, from May 11 to May 14, Chicago played host to the annual Book Expo America gathering of publishers, book buyers, and authors, and smack-dab in all the excitement was the booth for the Independent Book Publishers Association, an organization of indie houses that includes StarWarp Concepts. And though the ’Warp crew couldn’t make the trip to the Windy City, one of our titles—Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination—did, and was put on display on their main bookshelves. (Click on the photo you see here—courtesy of IBPA’s Facebook page—to embiggen. Terra‘s dead-center on the bottom shelf.)

terra_ingoc_lg_cover In Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination, bestselling author Richard C. White (Gauntlet: Dark Legacy: Paths of Evil, Star Trek: Echoes of Coventry) takes fantasy writers and gamers through the step-by-step process of constructing a world for their characters, from societies and governments to currency and religion. Included is an interview with New York Times bestselling author Tracy Hickman (Dragonlance) that discusses his methods of world building, as well as his creative experiences during his time as a designer for gaming company TSR, the original home of Dungeons & Dragons.

Terra Incognito was not just the hottest #1 title when it made its debut last October at RPGNow’s sister site, DriveThru Fiction, but it then held the #1 position for weeks as DTF’s hottest title for nonfiction books and writers’ reference guides!

Terra Incognito in available in both print and digital formats, so visit its product page for ordering information.

Posted in Book Festivals | Tagged book expo america, book festivals, richard c. white, terra incognito: a guide to building the worlds of your imagination | Comments Off

Jose Gonzalez’s Vampirella Review at Comics for Sinners

Posted on May 16, 2016 by Steven

JoseVampiArtEdition Now at the news site Comics for Sinners, you can read my review of Jose Gonzalez’s Vampirella: Art Edition, on sale May 25th from Dynamite Entertainment. As some of you might be aware, I’m a longtime fan of “Pepe” Gonzalez’s comics work, especially when it comes to his reign as artist supreme for the queen of the bad girls, so it should come as no surprise that when Dynamite announced it was going to reproduce some of his classic Vampi stories at the art’s original 11”x17” size, it immediately went onto my to-buy list. At $150, these oversized hardcover collections are pretty expensive, but if you’re a comic artist or fan interested in studying the work of a master good girl/bad girl artist, and you’ve got the money to spend, they’re worth the price of admission. Head on over to C4S to read all about it.

Lorelei1 Speaking of classic Vampirella, have you met Lorelei, StarWarp Concepts’ resident soul-stealing succubus who was inspired by the classic Vampi tales? Making her small-press comics debut in 1989, Lori is SWC’s first leading lady of horror, and has received praise from some high-profile fans.

Like who, you ask? How about James Warren, the legendary original publisher of Vampirella, Creepy, and Eerie, who sent his congratulations after reading a preview of the graphic novel Lorelei: Sects and the City:

“You sure do pay Warren Publishing a nice tribute. I wish you good luck and good acceptance. I like the graphics, and the story is exciting!”

And then there was the late, great Forrest J Ackerman, Vampirella’s creator and the driving force behind the original Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine. The Ackermonster saw the same preview and mailed me a postcard with this simple message that thrilled my inner fanboy:

“Lorelei, you’ve cast your spell o’er this guy!”

Lori currently stars in two critically acclaimed titles:

Lorelei: Sects and the City is a Mature Readers graphic novel in which Lori battles a cult of Elder God worshipers attempting to unleash hell on Earth. Basically a love letter to 1970s horror comics like Vampirella, Tomb of Dracula, and Ghost Rider, it’s written by yours truly, Steven A. Roman (Stan Lee’s Alexa, X-Men: The Chaos Engine Trilogy), and illustrated by Eliseu Gouveia (Vengeance of the Mummy, Lady Death), Steve Geiger (Web of Spider-Man, Incredible Hulk), and Neil Vokes (Flesh and Blood, Fright Night). It also features a cover by legendary artist Esteban Maroto (Vampirella, Zatanna, Lady Rawhide), a frontispiece by original Vampirella artist Tom Sutton (Ghost Rider, Man-Thing, Werewolf by Night), and a one-page history of succubi illustrated by Ernie Colon (Vampirella, The Grim Ghost).

“I can honestly say that I enjoyed the hell out of this book…. The art is solid, the story is full of lots of things that make the horror genre so great, and the overall quality of the book is top notch.”—Die-Screaming

“Kudos to Roman for capturing the essence of 1970s fare like Vampirella. Filled with ghouls, chicks, and some strong artwork, this is a title that might’ve piqued Hammer Studios’ interest back in the day.”—Dread Central

Lorelei Presents: House Macabre: It’s Lori’s first outing as the hostess of a horror comic anthology, in this one-shot special that contains four tales of horror, behind eye-catching cover art by fan-favorite artist Louis Small Jr. (Vampirella, Supergirl, Batman 80-Page Giant).

“The Old, Dark Manse” is written by me and illustrated by Uriel Caton (JSA Annual, The Ex-Mutants, Heartstopper: The Legend of La Bella Tenebrosa) and “Chainsaw” Chuck Majewski (Harvey Kurtzman’s New Two-Fisted Tales), and has Lori welcoming readers to this special.

“All in Color for a Crime” is another tale from me, with art by Lou Manna (T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, Young All-Stars). Two comic book collectors clash over a rare back issue—and only one of them will be adding it to their long boxes!

“The Basilisk,” from me and artist John Pierard (Graphic Classics: Horror Classics, My Teacher Fried My Brains), is a “Lori’s Feary Tale” that examines the history of a supernatural creature that’s a cross between a deadly snake and a…chicken?!

Wrapping up the special is “Requiem for Bravo 6,” by New York Times bestselling author and comic writer Dwight Jon Zimmerman (She-Hulk, Steve McQueen: Full-Throttle Cool) and artist Juan Carlos Abraldes Rendo. A special-ops team goes on a life-or-death mission…but will they be prepared for what awaits them at mission’s end?

“This is like a cross between Elvira and House of Mystery, where you’ve got a very sexy hostess who loves the Macabre and tells you stories that are supposed to chill and thrill you…. This whole book is such a pleasant surprise, [and] something that should be sought out by everyone.”—Reading With a Flight Ring

“Any fans of the old-fashioned horror anthology comics (Eerie, Creepy, Tales From the Crypt, etc.) is gonna want to take a look at this one-shot from StarWarp Concepts…. If campy horror fun is your thing, this should be a hit for you.”—The Pullbox

Both titles are available in print and digital formats, so visit their respective product pages for ordering information, as well as sample pages.

Posted in Comic Books, Reviews, vampirella | Tagged comic book reviews, comics for sinners, jose gonzalez, jose gonzalez's vampirella art edition, lorelei, lorelei presents: house macabre, lorelei: sects and the city, vampirella | Comments Off

You Do That Drawing Stuff, Too?

Posted on May 13, 2016 by Steven

As regular visitors to this blog might have noticed, during the latter half of 2015 I started picking up my long-ignored drawing tools and indulging in a cartoony sketch now and then—like the New York Mets vs. Kansas City Royals fan argument between SWC characters on the eve of the World Series, and Goth girls Pandora Zwieback and Sheena McCarthy appearing as Star Wars characters. And that got me thinking that perhaps you folks might like to see some of my other comic-related work—especially if I’m offering it for free!

Heroines & Heroes is a brand-new digital comic…well, “brand-new” as in H&H is making its debut here at ’Warp Central, but it’s actually a collection of comic stories and pinups all drawn by me, dating back to my days in the early 1990s small-press movement—that age of dinosaurs in which creators like me used to make our comics by printing them out on photocopiers and then stapling them by hand. In H&H you’ll find mainstream heroes and small-press heroines, and even a couple of anthropomorphic bikers.

Leading off is “V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N (in the Summertime),” a three-page Wonder Woman vs. Harley Quinn story that I wrote and drew in the late ’90s as a sample for a DC Comics editor who thought I’d be a good fit for their Batman: The Animated Series comic (it didn’t work out). It’s followed by an adventure of small-presser Jeff Wood’s rabbit-eared superspy, Snowbuni; three pages from the long-canceled indie comic Motorbike Puppies; and an adventure of the indie superheroine The Blonde Avenger. Twenty-four pages of comicky goodness—and all for free!

pandoracomic-1 And speaking of free comics, perhaps you might be interested in downloading these other titles that we have available at SWC:

The Saga of Pandora Zwieback #0: A full-color introduction to the young adult novel series of the same name, hosted by Pan herself. Pan is a girl with the ability to see the monsters that regular humans can’t, and with the help of a 400-year-old monster hunter named Sebastienne “Annie” Mazarin, she’s going to protect the world from danger—and maybe even have some fun while doing it.

This 16-page comic features a seven-page story written by me, with art and color by Eliseu Gouveia (The Saga of Pandora Zwieback Annual #1, Lorelei: Sects and the City), and includes two sample chapters from Blood Feud, the first Pan novel.

Hearstopper: The Legend of La Bella Tenebrosa #1–3: Before she became Pan’s monster-hunting mentor, Sebastienne Mazarin made her debut in this short-lived, 1990s Mature Readers series from Millennium Publications. A nefarious heavy metal band has arrived in New York City, and its lead singer is more than just a sex magnet for his female fans—he’s an incubus! Will Annie put an end to his plans for worldwide chaos, or fall prey to his supernatural charms?

Written by me (of course), issue 1 is drawn by Pan and Annie co-creator Uriel Caton (JSA Annual) and inker Alan Larsen (Femforce); issue 2 is penciled by Uriel, Holly Golightly (School Bites), and David C. Matthews (Satin Steele) and inked by Larsen; and issue 3 is penciled by Holly, with four pages of inks by “Chainsaw” Chuck Majewski (Harvey Kurtzman’s New Two-Fisted Tales).

All these comics are available for download right now, so visit their respective product pages for more information.

Posted in Digital Comics | Tagged free comics, heartstopper, heroines and heroes, Pandora Zwieback, steven a. roman | Comments Off

Terra Incognito at BEA 2016

Posted on May 10, 2016 by Steven

terra_ingoc_lg_cover Hey, book lovers and bookstore owners! Tomorrow kicks off the 2016 edition of Book Expo America (and the accompanying one-day BookCon), making a return for the first time in years to Chicago, Illinois. If you’re attending this four-day book-publishing lovefest, be sure to stop by the Independent Book Publishers Association cooperative booth area and check out SWC’s popular how-to reference book for fantasy authors: Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination!

In Terra Incognito: A Guide to Building the Worlds of Your Imagination, bestselling author Richard C. White (Gauntlet: Dark Legacy: Paths of Evil, Star Trek: Echoes of Coventry) takes fantasy writers and gamers through the step-by-step process of constructing a world for their characters, from societies and governments to currency and religion. Included is an interview with New York Times bestselling author Tracy Hickman (Dragonlance) that discusses his methods of world building, as well as his creative experiences during his time as a designer for gaming company TSR, the original home of Dungeons & Dragons.

You can place an order for Terra Incognito for your bookstore simply by speaking with one of IBPA’s representatives, and they’ll pass along your information to us, so we can get that order filled ASAP.

Thanks in advance for showing some attention to The ’Warp’s latest BEA entry, and enjoy the show!

Posted in Book Festivals | Tagged book con, book expo america, richard c. white, terra incognito: a guide to building the worlds of your imagination | Comments Off