Epic Fantasy Heists with Jamie Edmundson on the Podcast

Jamie Edmundson Author

Good day and welcome to this episode of the Books and Authors Fantasy Podcast. I’m your host, podcaster and author of Fun Fantasy Reads, Jamie Davis. This podcast is exactly what the title says it is, a show focused on everything in fantasy books.

This show will cover everything to do with fantasy books. From Epic Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, and everything in between, expect to find the best and brightest authors from all the various corners of the fantasy book world. Plus we’ll add in a few other very special guests as well along the way.

I just returned home from my get away in Chicago for my writing and authors retreat and conference. It was a great time and a fun way to recharge my creative batteries alongside my favorite author buds. Now I dig into writing Cyber’s Underground, book 3 in the Sapiens Run Trilogy. I’m excited to wrap up this story. It’s been a blast to write it. If you haven’t picked up book 1, Cyber’s Change, a dystopian sci-fi novel, you should check it out.

As always, if you’re interested in more information on what I’m up to, check out my fan group on Facebook, Jamie’s Fun Fantasy Readers and on my website and blog, JamieDavisBooks.com.

Now we get into our guest for this episode. Today we have Jamie Edmundson joining us. Jamie has always loved a good story, whether real or imagined. He grew up in the south of England before moving to the north, where he worked as a history teacher. He still lives there with his wonderful family, but now spends his time writing, mainly about people hitting each other with swords.

Check out Jamie’s awesome Weapon Takers Saga.

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Bestselling Nightblade Author Ryan Kirk on the Podcast

ryan kirk author

Good day and welcome to this episode of the Books and Authors Fantasy Podcast. I’m your host, podcaster and author of Fun Fantasy Reads, Jamie Davis. This podcast is exactly what the title says it is, a show focused on everything in fantasy books.

This show will cover everything to do with fantasy books. From Epic Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, and everything in between, expect to find the best and brightest authors from all the various corners of the fantasy book world. Plus we’ll add in a few other very special guests as well along the way.

I’m really excited today as I continue my trip to Chicago for my writing retreat and conference. Tonight I’m going out to dinner with three of the amazing narrators who’ve brought many of my books to life as audiobooks.

Stacy Gonzalez worked on my Accidental Champion series and is currently in production with my Broken Throne series. Roberto Scarlato has done both my Extreme Medical Services series and my Accidental Traveler series. Sarah Gise narrated my latest book Cyber’s Change, a dystopian sci-fi novel and is working on book 2 in that series, Cyber’s Escape, due to be released on June 28. It’ll be great to meet them all in person.

As always, if you’re interested in more information on what I’m up to, check out my fan group on Facebook, Jamie’s Fun Fantasy Readers and on my website and blog, JamieDavisBooks.com.

Alright, let’s get into our interview with this week’s guest. Ryan Kirk is the author of the bestselling Nightblade series of fantasy novels. He is also the founder and CEO of Waterstone Media. He’s been writing full-time since 2015. When he isn’t writing, he can usually be found outdoors, hiking through the woods, or playing a round of disc golf at one of his many local courses. He’s also a good friend of mine and pretty great guy who writes awesome books.

Don’t just take my word for it. Here’s my interview with Ryan so you can decide for yourselves.

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Book and a Pint Episode 2: Michael Spoils Avengers Endgame

Episode 2

James and Michael are joined by Andy Peloquin to talk dark fantasy, cloning, and potentially to ruin a movie you’ve probably seen already.

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A Visit To Midkemia with Raymond E. Feist on the Podcast

Good day and welcome to this episode of the Books and Authors Fantasy Podcast. I’m your host, podcaster and author of Fun Fantasy Reads, Jamie Davis. This podcast is exactly what the title says it is, a show focused on everything in fantasy books.

This show will cover everything to do with fantasy books. From Epic Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, and everything in between, expect to find the best and brightest authors from all the various corners of the fantasy book world. Plus we’ll add in a few other very special guests as well along the way.

I’m getting ready to head out to a week long writer’s retreat and conference this week in Chicago. I’ll be recharging my batteries after wrapping up the initial draft of my recent GameLit Urban Fantasy project. I’m beginning the outlining process for book three in my Sapiens Run trilogy. Cyber’s Underground is the story that will wrap up the events that started in book 1, Cyber’s Change, a dystopian sci-fi novel. That book is almost a month old this week. I can’t wait to start writing this final story for that series.

As always, if you’re interested in more information on what I’m up to, check out my fan group on Facebook, Jamie’s Fun Fantasy Readers and on my website and blog, JamieDavisBooks.com.

Alright, time to get into this week’s episode interview. I’m so excited to bring you my chat with author Raymond E.Feist. Ray has been writing books for 40 years, has 36 books published, has sold over 20 million copies, and has hit a few bestseller lists.

He says he thinks he’s getting the hang of this writing job. I’ll say. I first read Ray’s Riftwar Saga, followed it up with the Empire trilogy and continued to read everything he wrote in his incredibly rich world of Midkemia.

I had a great time talking with Ray so check out this episode coming right up.

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Travel to Magical Worlds with Tora Moon on the Podcast

Author Tora Moon photo

Good day and welcome to this episode of the Books and Authors Fantasy Podcast. I’m your host, podcaster and author of Fun Fantasy Reads, Jamie Davis. This podcast is exactly what the title says it is, a show focused on everything in fantasy books. 

You may have noticed we changed the name of the podcast from the Fantasy Focus Podcast to the Books and Authors Fantasy Podcast. It came to our attention that people were having a hard time finding our show on the podcast directories so they couldn’t subscribe to the show. All that popped up in the search for “Fantasy Focus” was sports fantasy league podcasts.

That wouldn’t work so we opted to change the name to “Books and Authors Fantasy Podcast.” We hope this helps you find and subscribe to the show so you don’t miss any of the episodes.

Regardless of what we call it, this show will cover everything in fantasy books. From Epic Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, and everything in between, expect to find the best and brightest authors from all the various corners of the fantasy book world. Plus we’ll add in a few other very special guests as well along the way.

To kick things off this week let me chat about my current projects. About a month ago, I released Cyber’s Change, a dystopian sci-fi novel that started off a trilogy called Sapiens Run. That book has been very well received and I’m super excited about it. It’s also available on audiobook for those of you who are audiobook listeners (as many podcast audience members are). I’m currently working on the third and final book in that series, Cyber’s Underground. I urge you this series out. I’m really proud of it and the reader response.

As always, if you’re interested in more information on what I’m up to, check out my fan group on Facebook, Jamie’s Fun Fantasy Super Fans and on my website and blog, JamieDavisBooks.com.

Let’s shift gears and talk about our special guest for this episode. Tora Moon writes all genres of fantasy and especially loves to write stories which allow the reader to journey into worlds full of magic and escape their ordinary lives for a time. Ancient cultures and religions, mythology, and folklore fascinate her and find their way into her stories. Her Legends of Lairheim series is an amazing example of rich world building coupled with compelling story lines.

Besides reading, some of her hobbies are sewing, crocheting, and making wire-wrapped jewelry. Her love of travel has taken her to several countries and saw her living in an RV for several years. She makes her home in the southwestern desert with her feline companion. Keep up with her books and activities on her Facebook Author Page.

Check out my chat with Tora right now.

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Exploring ​Weird Western Fantasy with Haley Stone on the Podcast

author Haley Stone photo

Good day and welcome to this episode of the Books and Authors Fantasy Podcast. I’m your host, podcaster and author of Fun Fantasy Reads, Jamie Davis. This podcast is exactly what the title says it is, a show focused on everything in fantasy books. 

You may have noticed we changed the name of the podcast from the Fantasy Focus Podcast to the Books and Authors Fantasy Podcast. It came to our attention that people were having a hard time finding our show on the podcast directories so they couldn’t subscribe to the show. All that popped up in the search for “Fantasy Focus” was sports fantasy league podcasts.

That wouldn’t work so we opted to change the name to “Books and Authors Fantasy Podcast.” We hope this helps you find and subscribe to the show so you don’t miss any of the episodes.

Regardless of what we call it, this show will cover everything in fantasy books. From Epic Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, and everything in between, expect to find the best and brightest authors from all the various corners of the fantasy book world. Plus we’ll add in a few other very special guests as well along the way.

Let’s start off with my update. Now that I’m close to wrapping up the first draft of my current Urban Fantasy – GameLit project, it’s time to move forward and start outlining the next book in the Sapien’s Run trilogy. Book 3, to be titled “Cyber’s Underground” takes the characters into a dark underworld as they go on the run from authorities who try to stop them from publicizing information that verifies the identity of a major domestic terrorist group. If you want to get a head start on that series, book 1 Cyber’s Change is out now and book 2, Cyber’s Escape, is available for pre-order and will be released at the end of June.

As always, if you’re interested in more information on what I’m up to, check out my fan group on Facebook, Jamie’s Fun Fantasy Readers and on my website and blog, JamieDavisBooks.com.

Now we get into our guest for this episode. Today we have Hayley Stone joining us. Hayley is a writer, editor, and poet from California. She is best known for her adult sci-fi novel, Machinations, which was chosen as one of Amazon’s Best Sci-fi & Fantasy Books for 2016, and its sequel, Counterpart. In addition to this, Hayley has published a cult hit, Make Me No Grave, a weird western. Its sequel, Render Up the Ghost, is forthcoming from Aethon Books.

Her short fiction has appeared in Fireside Fiction, Apex Magazine, Flash Fiction Online, and various anthologies, while her speculative poetry is widely available online from markets such as Eternal Haunted Summer and The Future Fire.

Check out my chat with Hayley and find out why I think you might really enjoy her take on a fantasy version of the wild west.

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Dead Man Review by Steve Caldwell

Dead Man by Domino Finn

Review by Steve Caldwell

Author: Domino Finn

Publisher: Blood and Treasure

Release Date: 12/24/2015

ebook, 5/6/16

Audible Length : 296 pages, 7 hrs and 57 mins

Audible Narrator: Neil Hellegars

Cisco Suarez wakes up in a dumpster in his hometown of Miami, having no idea how he got there. As he climbs out, he notices his hair is longer than usual, he has a lot more muscle than he remembers, some new tattoos, oh, and a car load of Haitian voodoo gangster’s at the end of the alley saying that they killed him yesterday, but since it didn’t take, hey, they’ll be happy to repeat the job.

That is the start of the wild series of adventures Cisco has, as he finds out he has been dead for 10 years, and everything he knew in the past has changed. His family was murdered, his friends are being targeted, and someone definitely wants him dead. Well, Cisco Suarez will have something to say about that. Using his magical skills and street smarts, Cisco will uncover a conspiracy much bigger than himself, but will he be able to deal with the much bigger fish in his pond? Get a copy and find out in the enjoyable conclusion.

With a fast paced plot, snarky but endearing main character, and villains you can really loathe, this is a great new urban fantasy addition to any collection. The action taking place in Miami, with its hodgepodge of cultural influences only makes this a more interesting and fun book.

As far as narration, this was the first time I had heard Neil Hellegars, but hopefully not the last, since he does a great job bringing out the snark in Cisco while still keeping him likeable. Excellent job narrating. Any fan of Jim Butcher or Tim Marquitz’s Demon Squad books will enjoy this book.

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Dale Lucas Takes on Buddy Cop Adventures in a Fantasy Setting

Author Dale Lucas taken by JP Wright

Good day and welcome to this episode of the Books and Authors Fantasy Podcast. I’m your host, podcaster and author of Fun Fantasy Reads, Jamie Davis. This podcast is exactly what the title says it is, a show focused on everything in fantasy books. 

You may have noticed we changed the name of the podcast from the Fantasy Focus Podcast to the Books and Authors Fantasy Podcast. It came to our attention that people were having a hard time finding our show on the podcast directories so they couldn’t subscribe to the show. All that popped up in the search for “Fantasy Focus” was sports fantasy league podcasts.

That wouldn’t work so we opted to change the name to “Books and Authors Fantasy Podcast.” We hope this helps you find and subscribe to the show so you don’t miss any of the episodes.

Regardless of what we call it, this show will cover everything in fantasy books. From Epic Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, and everything in between, expect to find the best and brightest authors from all the various corners of the fantasy book world. Plus we’ll add in a few other very special guests as well along the way.

I’m looking at wrapping up my current project on the Urban Fantasy – GameLit novel. It’s a first in what could potentially be a long series depending on what the response from readers is.

The main Character, Quinn Faust, is a totally kickass female heroine, though she has her share of issues. Of course, we all do, don’t we? Which is why good character development is so important for a good book. Hopefully, I’ve pulled it off in this one. You’ll all have to let me know when you get the chance to read it in a few months.

As always, if you’re interested in more information on what I’m up to, check out my fan group on Facebook, Jamie’s Fun Fantasy Readers and on my website and blog, JamieDavisBooks.com.

Let’s get into our interview with this week’s guest. Dale Lucas set out to be a writer when he was 5 or 6, and with only a few side considerations and related indulgences. For instance, he toyed with jobs as varied as archaeology, movie special effects, screenwriting, and directing.

He’s published numerous short stories in various anthologies as well as his popular Doc VooDoo horror fantasy novels. I’m most excited about discussing his Fifth Ward series about a pair of city watchmen trying to keep the peace in a medieval fantasy city. Think a buddy cop show set in your favorite fantasy book setting. It’s pretty awesome.

Don’t just take my word for it. Here’s my interview with Dale so you can decide for yourselves. Listen to the show and then follow up with Dale on Facebook and Twitter (@DaleLucas114)

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Anthony Ryan Chats on the Podcast, Episode 21

anthony ryan author picture

Good day and welcome to this episode of the Books and Authors Fantasy Podcast. I’m your host, podcaster and author of Fun Fantasy Reads, Jamie Davis. This podcast is exactly what the title says it is, a show focused on everything in fantasy books. 

You may have noticed we changed the name of the podcast from the Fantasy Focus Podcast to the Books and Authors Fantasy Podcast. It came to our attention that people were having a hard time finding our show on the podcast directories so they couldn’t subscribe to the show. All that popped up in the search for “Fantasy Focus” was sports fantasy league podcasts.

That wouldn’t work so we opted to change the name to “Books and Authors Fantasy Podcast.” We hope this helps you find and subscribe to the show so you don’t miss any of the episodes.

Regardless of what we call it, this show will cover everything in fantasy books. From Epic Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, and everything in between, expect to find the best and brightest authors from all the various corners of the fantasy book world. Plus we’ll add in a few other very special guests as well along the way.

As I still work on promoting my latest book,Cyber’s Change in ebook, paperback, and audiobook formats, which came out a week ago, I’m digging in even more to the current writing project on my plate. This Urban Fantasy – Game Lit crossover novel is going to be a different look at both genres in many ways while keeping all the elements you’re used to seeing.

I can’t go into much more other than to say it’s coming along well and I’m currently about halfway through the first draft process. For me that means I’ve got most of the meat on the bones of the story, but it still needs some fleshing out to bring the story to life in a way that’s engaging for readers. I hope to have more to say on this project soon.

As always, if you’re interested in more information on what I’m up to, check out my fan group on Facebook, Jamie’s Fun Fantasy Readers and on my website and blog, JamieDavisBooks.com.

All right, time to get into this week’s episode interview. I’m happy to bring you my chat with author Anthony Ryan. Anthony is the New York Times bestselling author of the Raven’s Shadow epic fantasy novels as well as the Slab City Blues science fiction series.

He was born in Scotland in 1970 but spent much of his adult life living and working in London. After a long career in the British Civil Service, he took up writing full time after the success of his first novel Blood Song, Book One of the Raven’s Shadow trilogy. He has a degree in history, and his interests include art, science and the unending quest for the perfect pint of real ale.

Check out my chat with Anthony here on the podcast. Here it is.

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On the Creation and Completion of The Imager Portfolio

On the Creation and Completion of The Imager Portfolio

By L.E. Modesitt Jr.

The novels of The Imager Portfolio take place across roughly 800 years in the world of Terahnar, a world in which a minuscule percentage of the population are imagers. Using the physiological strength of their bodies, they can visualize objects into being. 

But how and why did I come up with this conceit?  To begin with, I never want to “repeat” a magic system from one series to another.  So I was looking for a different kind of magic.  Perhaps because I’d tried to be an artist as a young man and even won an award in a small scholastic art competition, I came up with the idea of visualization magic, and then went to work codifying how it might work in a society and what kind of society would develop and how that society would be affected and/or constrained by that ability.

As I’ve noted elsewhere, my initial “outline” generally tends to focus on the background of the society, the culture, the government, the geography, some of the history… and, of course, the factors comprising the problem facing the protagonist.  One of the basic problems facing any imager is that, because the talent requires physical strength and the availability of nearby materials, it is so dangerous to its users that most untrained imagers almost never reach adulthood.

That’s why, in Imager, the first Imager Portfolio book that I wrote, in the land of Solidar, all imagers are required to belong to and be trained by the Collegium Imago.  The protagonist is Rhenn, a journeyman portrait artist trying to become a master painter, who is also a latent imager… and doesn’t know it.  The discovery of his abilities nearly destroys him, demolishes all his hopes of being a master painter, and thrusts him into the Collegium while also setting him on a path leading to a conflict with the most powerful noble family in Solidar.  

 As seems to be my habit, I wrote the first three books about the latest period in the history of the nation of Solidar – a period similar to 1840s France, except there is no electricity and steam power is more advanced.  I’ve always been interested in the interface of magic and technology.  For so many years, especially when I was younger, it seemed to me that most fantasy writers effectively decided that fantasy could not or should not have technology.  Randall Garrett was one of the few who didn’t, and I always enjoyed his take on matters, although I’ve taken a different tack in all my fantasy series.  I never could see why magic and technology couldn’t co-exist, and I took matters even further in the Imager Portfolio, but, despite the advanced steam technology, the series is fantasy and definitely not steampunk.

Rhenn is a shade colder and more pragmatic than many of my other protagonists, and I knew that would be so from the beginning, simply because of the society in which he exists. He has his ideals, but what many people fail to comprehend is that, more often than not, idealists can be particularly ruthless, especially idealists who have been through the mill, so to speak. In Rhenn’s case, he’s had many of his own idealistic sensibilities tromped on rather thoroughly, beginning with the effective denial of his abilities as a portraiturist, simply because he is an outstanding artist and represents competition in a tight and competitive market. He’s had family tragedies because of the petty spite and pride of high holders and the unwillingness of the Collegium to stand up for individuals in order to protect the Collegium itself.

At the end of Imager’s Intrigue, Rhenn can see quite clearly the possibilities before him. He has no illusions about the limitations of the Council, or about the potential future strength of the Ferran mercantilist society, or about the time it will take to reform Solidar itself.  He’s also seen the ruthlessness of the Ferrans, and their lack of anything regarding scruples. Mercy on his part would only be regarded as weakness and possibly doom Solidar in the time of his daughter… and he’s not about to allow that.  

And, of course, as has been my wont, once I finished the first three books, the historian in me started asking, “Well… how did all this come to be?”  And although I already had pieces of the backstory in place, I really wanted to write the whole story.

So the second set of books, five in all, takes place more than seven hundred years in the past and features Quaeryt, a scholar and a “closet” imager in the service of the Lord of Telaryn.  The events deal with the Wars of Consolidation and the attempt by Lord Bhayar to use imagers as military weapons in dealing with, first, insurrection, and then invasion. Under Quaeryt’s tutelage and leadership, the imagers become, in fact, a new military technology, one that changes the entire history of the continent. 

This isn’t anything new.  In a way, with his use of cannon, that’s what Napoleon did, or Alexander the Great did, even if his father was the one who actually developed the phalanx that made Alexander’s conquests possible.  Now, while Quaeryt’s success is similar to some events in our history, that’s only because all societies and governments in life have to follow certain patterns with corresponding political and social problems, and I want my books to contain those realities.

 Then the last four books take place midway between the first two sets and deal with a period of transition from a traditional society into a more market-driven society against the wishes of the hereditary nobility.  The first two of that period occur at a time when Solidar is emerging from a primarily agricultural society into early industrialization and when the imagers have retreated almost into insignificance, until the high holders – the landed nobility – threaten revolt, and to survive, Alastar, the head of the imagers, has to throw in with a marginally competent ruler in order to preserve both the imagers and the unity of Solidar, a situation where there’s no easy or totally “right” solution.

The protagonist of the last two books, untypically for fantasy or for me, is not a magic wielder. Charyn, the heir to the throne, is not an imager, but must work with imagers, with a growing merchant class, and with a restive and very unhappy aristocracy, not to mention the equivalent of worker unrest and religious reformation, with no magic tools of his own.

The final book of the middle period – and the last book in the series – is Endgames, and it just came out in hardcover in February.

And that’s the story of The Imager Portfolio.

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