Children of the Gods First Look and More
Jan 20, 2025 5:10 pm
The One About the Children of the Gods
My friends, after a year of work, and months of teasing, it's finally time to talk in detail about my new book, Children of the Gods.
I am wrapping up my own round of edits over the next couple weeks, and it heads off to my editor, Sarah, at the end of the month. Everything is on track.
A few weeks ago, I shared the cover illustration over on my website, but was still waiting for the final cover design from Rachel, who I collaborated with on the Shadow Watch Deluxe covers.
Well, the design is now complete! So without further ado...
Feast your eyes!
The phenomenal Joe Requeza completed the illustration, and Rachel St. Clair of Claymore Covers completed the overall design.
I'm still waffling over whether to include any text on the back for the hardcover dust jacket, or whether to just let this stunning illustration shine in all its fiery glory!
What are your thoughts?
Coming to Kickstarter in March
As I shared in my 2024 Writing Year in Review, my plan is to launch this new book through Kickstarter first.
But unlike the Shadow Watch Deluxe Editions, because this book has not yet been released on Amazon, you will be able to purchase the ebook as well as the hardcover through the campaign.
This will be a more traditional hardcover release. So, not faux-leather like the recent Shadow Watch campaigns. Though we will still have some foil on the naked cover, sprayed edges, and some other features to make this edition special. It will also include several black and white interior illustrations.
The pre-launch page will be up here very soon. So stay tuned!
Why Kickstarter?
Reason #1 (Quality) - Up until recently, the main hardcover options available to independent authors like myself have been print-on-demand services, that are lower quality, but also very expensive to produce. It’s the reason I never produced standard hardcovers for the Shadow Watch books.
So… for this new series, I wanted to produce a gorgeous hardcover First Edition, and be able to add some special features, but also make it more accessible than the higher-ticket faux-leather editions I’ve funded through Kickstarter up to this point.
Ebook and Hardcover will be available.
Reason #2 (Diversification) - Like many people, I have a bit of a love / hate relationship with the Zon. On the one hand, they have made my writing career possible in many ways. A large chunk of my income comes from services like Audible and Kindle Unlimited. But I am wary of such large corporations, as I know many of you likely are.
Some readers refuse to give Amazon money at all, and I get that. And as a business person, I don't like having all my income tied to one third party source. That's why I moved my Shadow Watch audiobooks out of Audible exclusivity in 2023.
So, with all that in mind, I decided to release everything for Children of the Gods through Kickstarter first, and then, later, I will take the ebooks to Amazon and Kindle Unlimited.
Backers will receive the ebook at least a month before it’s released on Amazon later this year. And the KS ebook will also include all the illustrations and POV icons, which is generally not feasible to include on Amazon, due to the delivery charges they tack on for large image files in books.
So, there you have it. A better book. More art. Ebook or hardcover.
More info coming soon!
What's Children of the Gods About?
Yes, it's a book about dragons and war. But it's turned out to be a very character-driven book about faith and duty and myth, and the politics and power dynamics of a world where dragons are the greatest source of power. For centuries, that power has been concentrated among a few elite Dragonmounts, who serve a powerful empire.
But all that is about to change...
Here's the blurb:
May the world be brighter for our burning…
At the edge of a war-torn world ruled by the Attican Empire and their fearsome Dragonmounts, the fate of nations falls upon a few individual destinies. A shaman. A huntress. A soldier. And a rebel spy.
Malik’s people are special, gifted by the gods with abilities beyond mortal men. Yet, they have chosen a life of peace and seclusion. As Malik comes of age, he longs for more than the life of a village shaman. More than the future that stands before him on the Isle of Faltara. His best friend Riese is torn between a life of duty, and the destiny that lingers in the back of her mind.
But there are secrets on their island. Secrets that have sustained their people over the centuries. And when they come to light, Malik and Riese must reckon with their people’s shrouded past, and a destiny that will demand more of them than they ever imagined.
Urla has sacrificed everything for the expansion of the Attican Empire, but a secret mission to the edge of the world will force her to confront the brutal truth about the nation she serves.
And born in the wake of a failed uprising, Ava has grown up in the shadow of her people’s conquerors, but the key to the empire’s power may finally be within her grasp. If she can uncover the source of the empire’s dragons, her parent’s rebellion may finally stand a chance.
So begins the Age of Fire. Worlds will collide. Fire will reign. All must choose a side.
A dragon fantasy epic for fans of Ryan Cahill, John Gwynne, and Philip C. Quaintrell.
First Look at the Book
If you've followed me for a while, you may know that, in the past, I have typically released unedited chapters online in some form or another.
Many authors use alpha readers, and this has always been my means of gaining similar early feedback during my writing process. I was unsure for awhile if I would do that with Children of the Gods, but ultimately, I decided to go ahead and begin uploading the chapters to Royal Road as I'm editing them.
The first 20 Chapters or so are available there. And I would love to hear what you think of the story.
So, if you don't mind reading early versions of a story in serialized format, go ahead and check it out and give the story a Follow.
Chapters are releasing daily!
Other News
Swordslinger
If you've been waiting for more Pantheon, I am currently re-listening to the original trilogy in preparation for starting to write the next Pantheon story.
I plan to start in February.
Rage of Saints Deluxe Update
All artwork is done, and the printer is currently preparing the "dummy copy," basically a sample version containing all the visual deluxe features and illustrations.
Fingers crossed, I will have something to show off here in the near future.
What I'm Reading
Blood over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang - I've got about 100 pages left in this dark academia fantasy, and I am utterly captivated. It's my first read of the year, but I would be shocked if it doesn't wind up in my Top Five of 2025. Wang's previous book Sword of Kaigen is an all-time favorite. And Bright Haven is solidifying her as one of my all-time favorite writers, period. Highly Recommend!
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And with that, I need to get back to editing!
I hope the New Year is treating you well so far!
All the Best,
Stephen
Don't miss these epic books:
The Shadow Watch Saga (a complete epic fantasy series)
Pantheon: Rogue System (a complete LitRPG fantasy trilogy)
Age of Fire (a dragon epic fantasy)
Deluxe Editions
