SHADOWSLAYERS
SHADOWSLAYERS
Colin Sephton
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GENRE: Steampunk Fantasy
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BLURB:
When doppelgangers start appearing in Oxford, Union Jack agents Ignatius and Indigo find themselves on another cosmic quest, one they didn’t set out to investigate.
Drawn into the search for the elusive and dangerous Book of Shadows, they find themselves traveling across the cosmos once again, racing against other versions of themselves, and visiting the Oracle to be given prophecies of terrible destruction that will engulf the cosmos in darkness. Only these two heroes—or their doubles—can open the book, which would lead to dreadful consequences for themselves, the world and the whole of creation.
The agents must outwit their own mirror souls and invade the impregnable Administorium, which holds the answers they need but also fearsome enemies of both the Union Jacks and the entire cosmos. In this quest, Ignatius and Indigo must protect not only England and the Empire, but the world and the cosmos.
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EXCERPT
As the shadowy figure moved from shelf to shelf, ornate gilt decoration caught what dim light there was on his grey-turquoise armour. Carvings of ancient scribes and tomes written to record the passing of aeons on many worlds across many planes. The books he tended were part of the vast repository of information that he had collected through his long lifetime. Books here took the form of sacred texts carved in clay, or written on scrolls of vellum, or even human skin. Enormous tooled leather-bound volumes with gilt pages or with golden clasps, some were chained and bound, their knowledge too dangerous to be shared or accessed by mere mortals. The shelves had been arranged by subject and ordered in a timeline for each category. There wasn’t any index system. The Librarian worked using only his memory, knowing each and every volume, regardless of when it was written or when it was obtained. Nothing was forgotten, his memory was a storehouse of wisdom and knowledge from across the cosmos.
With his brother and sister, they had probably gathered the entire history of the cosmos. From time to time, they would travel the astral planes in search of new knowledge and rendezvous every millennium to discuss and compare notes to set quests for each of them to fulfil in the search of even more ancient texts. Legend had it the three siblings were born of the Goddess of Wisdom and their father was a High Priest of the Ti-Botta.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Colin was born in Coventry and worked in the automotive industry for over twenty years before becoming an Engineering teacher. Obtaining his first library card at the age of thirteen, he became an avid reader of Fantasy and the mysteries of the Universe. He has an inbuilt curiosity for lost knowledge and ancient texts that may help to unlock the secrets of consciousness and the universe. Living in Oxford for many years, he has now moved back to his home county of Warwickshire where he enjoys creating and working with his wife on their garden in which he writes and entertains their two grandsons. He has always been an artist and writer and is inspired by the worlds created by Robert E Howard and Michael Moorcock, with the artwork of Frank Frazetta.
Connect with Colin on Instagram at @timeslayers or @sephtonart
Find Colin’s website here: http://colinsephton.com
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RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
Colin Sephton will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.
Enter to win a $10 Amazon/BN GC – a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Q & A With Colin Sephton about Shadowslayers
Tell us about you as a person.
I am 59 and was born in Warwickshire, England and worked in the automotive industry for over twenty years before becoming an Engineering teacher. I have always had an inbuilt curiosity for lost knowledge and ancient texts that may help to unlock the secrets of consciousness and the universe. I lived in Oxford for thirteen years, which is where my knowledge of the city comes from to use in my novels. I have now moved back to my home county of Warwickshire where I enjoy creating and working with my wife on our large garden in which I write and entertain our two grandsons. I have always been an artist and writer and am inspired by the worlds created by Robert E Howard and Michael Moorcock, with the artwork of Frank Frazetta
If you could hang out with one famous person for one day, who would it be and why?
If I could hang out with anyone famous, it would have to be Leonardo da Vinci. Such a genius and an all-round scientist, architect, engineer and artist. His powers of observation were remarkable, to the point that he knew something about the human heart that modern science has only just discovered recently. I would also like to know if his assistant actually got to fly using his design for an aeroplane!
What’s the story behind your latest book?
Its about the discovery of the Book of Shadows which is difficult to find, without giving away too much plot. Early on doppelgangers start appearing in Oxford, and the two protagonists Ignatius and Indigo find themselves on a cosmic quest. Racing against other versions of themselves, and visiting the Oracle they are given prophecies of terrible destruction that will engulf the cosmos in darkness. Opening the book is like a Pandora’s box, leading to dreadful consequences for themselves, the world and the whole of creation. In doing so, they must protect not only England and the Empire, but the world and the cosmos. I think it’s much darker than the first novel in the trilogy, Timeslayers.
What advice do you have for other writers who want to get the word out about their latest book?
My advice to anyone starting out is to not be shy. Pick a social media platform, or several, and keep posting. Make yourself be heard. You never know where opportunities may crop up.
List 5 things on your bucket list.
I don’t have a bucket list, I have never felt the need to have one, I have been very fortunate in my life where I have been able to visit India, China, Morocco, lots of Europe and worked in Japan temporarily over the course of a year. I love Japan, the culture and the ability to be at one with nature, instead of fighting against it. It’s probably the only place other than the UK I would like to live. I think it has shaped my outlook on life quite a lot.
Any final thoughts?
I never thought I would be the author of a published trilogy, so if you want to write, just do it! Whatever you want to say, just get it down on paper or a PC. You can always go back and refine it or edit it. But never delete anything, just park it somewhere else, you never know when it might come in handy.
