No problem, I thought. I’ll just finish Wolfnacht and move on to Blood-Red Isle.
Good plan. It meant adding another island yarn to what was looking like a collection of sea-faring spooky stories, but so what? Pirates of the Blue Kingdoms had done well enough. No reason not to give the public more salty adventures.
Blood-Red Isle also began with a picture in my head—the image of the rotting, vine-covered corpse of Sanguinarre rising amid the wreckage of her throne room. I’m a visual guy (I majored in Fine Arts), and movies and illustrations have always been a strong influence on my work.
So, off I went again, aiming for that picture in my head.
About half way through Blood-Red Isle I realized that it, too, was going to be too long for the anthology. I’d written over 8000 words, and I still hadn’t gotten to Sanguinarre’s palace where the climax of the story takes place.
Then I had a brainstorm; I could cut Blood-Red Isle in half, re-start with my doomed characters already in the palace (thus avoiding the “island story” patina), and then continue to the end.
I inserted some judicious recapping (removed from this version of the story) after the “break,” and . . . Voila! I now had a story the right length for the Specters collection, “Court of the Blood-Red Queen.”
I still liked the first half of the story, though. It had a lot of character development and helped build to the Ten Little Indians-style horror payoff.
What to do? I’d “uncovered” two novella-length epics when all I really needed was a short.
Then it hit me. I could combine both of these spooky tales into a bone-chilling book of their own.
That way, people who like “Queen” in the anthology can check out the longer version of the story in this volume, and new readers get the full-length heart-pounding impact of both tales.
It seemed a perfect solution.
So, I created an attention-getting title, whipped up a new cover, and set the type. (Fortunately, my printer is very understanding.)
You hold the result in your hands—just in time for the holiday.
Happy Halloween.
—Steve Sullivan
October, 2007
www.stephendsullivan.com
[email protected]
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stephen D. Sullivan has been a professional writer, illustrator, and monster-maker since 1980. He is the author of more than thirty published novels and numerous comic books. His recent projects include Martian Knights, Spider Riders, and Iron Man. He has won the Origins Award—adventure gaming’s highest honor—twice, first for his samurai fantasy novel The Lion, and later for his Mage Knight short story “Podo and the Magic Shield.” His novel, Dragonlance: Warrior’s Heart, was nominated for a 2006 Scribe Award. The second book in that trilogy, Dragonlance: Warrior’s Blood was cited by the Detroit Free Press as a novel Harry Potter fans would enjoy. The third book, Dragonlance: Warrior’s Bones, was a 2007 Scribe Nominee. Steve’s upcoming books include Tournament of Death, Frost Harrow: Dream Lover, and A Season of Fear. Steve lives in haunted Frosthaven, Wisconsin, with his wife and two children. You can find out more about Steve and his work and sign up for his free newsletter—giving access to free stories and other cool stuff—at www.stephendsullivan.com.
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Thanks for reading my book!
© 2007-2010 Stephen D. Sullivan
www.stephendsullivan.com
Adventure guaranteed. (Monsters optional.)
www.walkaboutpublishing.com
~ Official Home of The Blue Kingdoms ~
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If you enjoyed this story, you may enjoy my other novels and short stories.
You can find more of my e-book & online stories on the Books & Stories Online page of www.stephendsullivan.com.
Tournament of Death – my free online novel is currently available at www.tournamentofdeath.com.
You may also enjoy some of my other books & stories, available online in e-book form and in print at many fine booksellers.
WALKABOUT PUBLISHING BOOKS BY STEPHEN D. SULLIVAN
(Some of these books are also available in e-book form.)
Martian Knights & Other Tales – A collection of my Fantasy, SF, & Horror short stories.
Luck o’ the Irish – Hard-boiled modern fantasy about a wandering gambler.
Uncanny Encounters: Roswell – Where alien fact meets fiction.
Zombies, Werewolves, & Unicorn – Featuring the novellas Blood-Red Isle and Festival at Wolfnacht.
Tournament of Death – Featuring Crimson, Brion Wilde, and more in a monster-filled battle to the finish. (Coming Soon!)
Frost Harrow: Scream Lover – The first full-length Frost story. (Coming Soon!)
Anthologies featuring stories by Stephen D. Sullivan
Pirates of the Blue Kingdoms – Featuring the story “Shipmates.”
Blue Kingdoms: Shades & Specters – Featuring the story “Court of the Blood-Red Queen” (an abridged version of The Blood-Red Isle).
Blue Kingdoms: Buxom Buccaneers – Featuring “Sisters in Arms.”
Stalking the Wild Hare – Featuring “Time War” featuring Crimson, Orm the Demon Borne, and many other Sullivan characters & tributes.
Blue Kingdoms: Mages & Magic – Featuring “The Last Alchemist” (Coming Soon!)
E-BOOKS & STORIES BY STEPHEN D. SULLIVAN
Stories featuring the woman-warrior Crimson:
“Forever Crimson” – Crimson’s origin story.
“Crash of the Titans” – A light-hearted look at the Perseus myth featuring Crimson.
“The Gates of Paradise” – Crimson faces a Blue Kingdoms drug cartel.
“Crimson & Dragons” – Waking up naked, chained to a wall, and about to be fed to a dragon is no way to start the day.
*Crimson also appears in “Time War” in the anthology Stalking the Wild Hare.
Stories set in the Blue Kingdoms™ fantasy world:
“The Gift of the Dragons” – Ali & the Starcutter crew face sea-wide disaster.
“Sisters in Arms” – The Coralshell Sisters look for lost treasure.
The Blood-Red Isle – A team of treasure hunters awaken ancient evil.
Festival at Wolfnacht – The Unicorn cavalry faces zombies and werewolves.
“Monster Shark” – Umira the Accursed fights a rampaging megalodon.
Snowraven – The origin of the Blue Kingdoms’ legendary woman warrior. (Coming soon!)
“Kidnapped by Saurians” – A Dungeons & Dinosaurs™ story. (Coming soon!)
* Note: The novellas Blood-Red Isle and Festival at Wolfnacht are also available in the book Zombies, Werewolves, & Unicorns.
Stories in other settings:
Ghosts of 9/11 – A collection of stories written by Steve immediately following 9/11/2001.
Uncanny Encounters: Roswell – Where alien fact meets fiction.
“Ares Zone-A” – A Martian colony is threatened by terrorists.
Tricks & Treats – A quartet of scary stories not for the weak hearted!
“Martian Knights: Buried Secrets” – A cyborg menace from the past threatens all Mars. (Coming soon!)
* Note: the stories in Ghosts of 9/11, Tricks & Treats, and Martian Knights also appear in the book Martian Knights & Other Tales
Look for more of my books and stories coming soon!
Be sure to write and let me know how you like this story at: [email protected].
Ask about my “review a story, get a story” policy.
Sign up for my free newsletter at:
www.stephendsullivan.com
Find an error? Let me know at:
[email protected]
Updated 12/11/10
WALKABOUT PUBLISHING
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athleen Watness—Paul Genesse
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E. Readicker-Henderson—Jason Mical—Kelly Swails—Brandie Tarvin
Stephen D. Sullivan—Jean Rabe—And More!
Luck o’ the Irish
Pirates of the Blue Kingdoms
Blue Kingdoms: Buxom Buccaneers
Blue Kingdoms: Mages & Magic
Blue Kingdoms: Shades & Specters
Blue Kingdoms: Zombies, Werewolves, & Unicorns
Martian Knights & Other Stories
Stories from Desert Bob’s Reptile Ranch
This and That and Tales About Cats
Uncanny Encounters: Roswell
Under the Protection of the Cow Demon
Walkabout Publishing
P.O. Box 151
Kansasville, WI 53139
www.walkaboutpublishing.com
Official Home of the Blue Kingdoms.
Original & Alternate Covers
Zombies, Werewolves, & Unicorns Page 13