Interview with Author Stephen Zimmer

Hey book lovers! I am thrilled to have author and film maker Stephen Zimmer here today to answer a few questions about writing, his influences and the future of publishing.

Thanks for being here today Mr. Zimmer!

If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why?

I’ve already experienced that as the books that I have had published contain the stories that I’ve wanted to tell, in the way I’ve wanted to tell them. Putting my own work aside, and strictly considering other works, it would have been amazing to be J.R.R. Tolkien with the Lord of the Rings, a body of literary work that has had such a tremendous and profound influence on speculative fiction. Tolkien was truly groundbreaking in so many ways.

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

I say this often, but it is always worth repeating. The worst anyone can do is say no, whether it is a publisher, an editor, or even a reader. That’s the worst that can happen, so I encourage writers to move forward at all times, writing, working to get their stories published (or self-published), and following their dream.

Where do you see publishing going in the future?

Mass market paperbacks, big chain stores, things like that are on the way out, as far as things look right now. Print is not, despite what some may conjecture. I think small independent bookstores run by people with a real passion for books are on the way back in, the way it was in a way before the larger chains.

I see a rise in small and independent press as well, as a good brand name helps readers find quality titles in such an enormous sea of new releases made possible by the eBook explosion. Of course, it is about impossible to predict all the shifts in the publishing landscape, so it is also possible that major developments that nobody foresees right now may occur.

What are your ambitions for your writing career?

I want to go as far as I can go. At the moment, I would like to reach the level where I am able to fully make a living at my writing, but I am not the type to limit possibilities. 

What is your all time favorite book?

J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings Trilogy. When my mother read it to me when I was around seven, it had a tremendous impact on me and really started me on the course to pursuing the path that I am on today.

Out of all your characters, which is your favorite and why?

As a writer with ensemble-cast novels, this is a tough one! I do have a special spot for Janus, from the Fires in Eden series, due to the nature of the journey that he is on. The pain he is enduring within Crown of Vengeance is one I know all too well, and the things he hopes for are the things that I seek in my own journey. I relate to Janus very closely, very intimately, and so I can give him the slightest of nods in regard to picking one character.

Thank you very much for the opportunity to be interviewed on your site! I really appreciate it, and if anyone would like to connect with me online, here are a few links. I love hearing from readers!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/AuthorFilmmaker-Stephen-Zimmer/221620254562078

Twitter: @sgzimmer

Website: http://www.stephenzimmer.com

Blog: http://www.stephenzimmer.blogspot.com

About Stephen Zimmer:

 Born in Denver, Colorado, Stephen Zimmer is an award-winning fantasy author and filmmaker based out of Lexington, Kentucky. Stephen has two series being published through Seventh Star Press.

One is the epic fantasy Fires in Eden Series (which includes Crown of Vengeance, the winner of a 2010 Pluto Award for Best Novel). The series stands at two titles with the third being released in late spring 2012.

The other is an epic-scale urban fantasy series, The Rising Dawn Saga. This series stands at three titles, with the fourth scheduled for release in winter of 2012/2013.

Both series are now affiliated with two growing collections of eBook short stories. The Chronicles of Ave short stories are set in the world revealed in the Fires in Eden Series, while the Annals of the Rising Dawn short stories are set in the world of the Rising Dawn Saga.

His other published short fiction includes the short stories "In the Mountain Skies" and "An Island Sojourn" in the Dreams of Steam I and II steampunk anthologies (edited by Kimberly Richardson), from Kerlak Publishing.

As a filmmaker, Stephen has credits in fantasy and horror, including the supernatural thriller Shadows Light (feature), The Sirens (horror short film), and Swordbearer (fantasy short film featuring a special appearance by former WWE wrestler Al Snow, and based upon the H. David Blalock novel Ascendant.)

Updates and information about Stephen can always be obtained at the following:
 

Website: http://www.stephenzimmer.com
 

Blog: http://www.stephenzimmer.blogspot.com
 

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sgzimmer
 

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/sgzimmer
 

and also on Google+