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Q&A: Nomads of Zyden

What is Nomads of Zyden?

Nomads of Zyden is an exciting tale of sapphic swords & sorcery! When a tribe of ghoulish monsters wipes out her mountain clan, a fierce warrior named Marta sets out on a mission of revenge. But while she grew up fighting giant beasts in the frigid wastelands, she isn’t prepared for the culture shock of meeting people from the lowlands.

During her epic journey she befriends a jester, a fairy, and a woman with whom she shares a magical bond. Together they take on a much larger quest in which they must explore ancient temples and fight ruthless monsters, all to retrieve a set of artifacts that will help them defeat an all-powerful evil. Their time is short and the fate of the world hangs in the balance.

Are there any content warnings I should be aware of before reading the book?

There's some fantasy violence, and a couple of mild sexual encounters between women.

What inspired you to write this book?

This was originally supposed to be a short story in the collection "Side Quests," but I really liked the characters and kept on writing.

What’s your favorite line from the book?

“Three. Four if you count your social life.” It's funny in context.

What challenges did you face when writing the book?

I was in the process of moving while trying to finish it, so free time was an issue.

Who designed your cover?

I made several attempts to design one on my own, but I didn't like anything I came up with. I finally used the following website: GetCovers.com

Is this a standalone novel, or part of a series?

Standalone, so far. But a sequel is not out of the question. It takes place in the same universe as the short story "Fairy Dust" in the collection "Geek Cutes," but you don't have to read the one to understand the other.

Where can I buy this book?

It’s available on Amazon and several other e-retailers:

https://books2read.com/u/47025j

I have more questions.

Great! Check out my FAQ and see if I answer it there. If not, feel free to contact me on social media.

Evolution of a Cover

Covers are hard.

The first book I published was Bloodhunters v1: Bad Blood. At the time, I couldn't afford to pay anyone, so I used my own artwork (below, left). But it was too rough, so I asked my brother for help. He's a very nice artist, but he's too busy these days with his 3D printing business, so he's not doing much traditional artwork. Still, he cleaned up my image, and I published it with his version of the cover (below, middle). But one of the first reviews I received criticized the cover for being too bland. So I decided to work an actual artist into my budget. Since the book has transgender themes, I decided to look for a trans artist. I went with an artist by the name of Cyanimations, who provided the cover I finally used (below, right).

I really like how the art style has a "comic book" feel that compliments the story quite nicely. I also hired him for the other two books in the series:

 

Next I wrote a collection of prequel stories, which I called "Blood Samples." Since it was free, I didn't worry too much about the cover. I went with a crude cityscape based on a pour painting (below, left). But later I discovered "GetCovers," a site which designs book covers for $35. So I reposted the book with a new cover (below, right.)

For the "Random Xinery" series of short stories, I made all the covers myself. I used model train miniatures, resin dice my wife created for me, and battle grids that I made myself.

For my upcoming "Itropa" novel, I initially thought I'd use a drawing I made back in college (below, left), but I finally got GetCovers to make a better version (below, right).

But none of my covers have gone through more revisions than my most recent release, Nomads of Zyden. My first attempt at a cover depicted a nude woman engulfed in flames. I purchased some pictures of a model from Grafit Studio, and I really like how it turned out (below, left). But I thought it might be a little too male-gazey for a novel about a lesbian, so I censored it a little bit (below, right).

But it still didn't sit well with me. Next I tried taking a couple of pictures of a sword I own. First I tried it in front of some greenery (below, left), but it seemed a little bland. Part of the novel takes place in the frozen mountains, and I was fortunate enough to get some snow this year, so I tried the same concept with the sword in the snow (below, right). 

But in the end, I still thought that was a little bland. So finally I broke down and went with GetCovers (below), and I'm more than happy with the result.

 

Now Available: Nomads of Zyden

My latest book is now available on the Kindle Store and other e-retailers. Only $4.99!

When a tribe of ghoulish monsters wipes out her mountain clan, a fierce warrior named Marta sets out on a mission of revenge. But while she grew up fighting giant beasts in the frigid wastelands, she isn’t prepared for the culture shock of meeting people from the lowlands.

During her epic journey she befriends a jester, a fairy, and a woman with whom she shares a magical bond. Together they take on a much larger quest in which they must explore ancient temples and fight ruthless monsters, all to retrieve a set of artifacts that will help them defeat an all-powerful evil. Their time is short and the fate of the world hangs in the balance.

An exciting tale of Sapphic Swords & Sorcery!

https://books2read.com/u/47025j

Cover Reveal: Nomads of Zyden

Here is the final cover art for my upcoming sapphic swords-and-sorcery novel, Nomads of Zyden. I still have a little editing to do, but I should have it published in about a month.

Cover courtesy of GetCovers.com.

Beta Readers Requested

Want to read my newest books for free? I’m currently looking for beta readers for two upcoming books. Side Quests is another collection of LGBT-friendly short stories, mostly in the sci-fi and fantasy genres. Nomads of Zyden is a sapphic swords and sorcery novel.

I’m not asking for much – Just pick a book, read it, and let me know what you think. Did you find any major plot holes? Did you find anything offensive? You can go into as much or as little detail as you want; I don’t expect you to write a book report. I also don’t expect you to proofread, though if you do pass along any errors you find, I will be most appreciative.

Unfortunately I can’t pay you. I’ve yet to make a profit on my books, in fact if you compare all my sales to expenses, I’m probably about $1,000 in the hole. I also recently lost my job, and I’m in the process of moving right now, so there’s just no extra money in the budget.

If you read the book and get back to me, I will put your name on a “thank you” page in the finished book. Also, if I can afford it at the time, I’ll mail you a paperback copy of the finished book.

Anyway, if you’re interested, follow me on one of my social media accounts and send me a DM.

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