tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-230117132024-03-13T16:58:52.693-05:00Epic UniverseThe Official Blog of Lee Stephen's Epic UniverseUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger118125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011713.post-33397442748856256032013-01-10T17:54:00.000-06:002013-01-10T17:55:00.536-06:00The Epic Blog has Moved to Room-14.com!<b>Lee Stephen's official blog has moved to <a href="http://www.room-14.com">www.room-14.com</a>! </b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011713.post-80173663674415985182011-07-27T12:10:00.000-05:002011-07-27T12:10:06.124-05:00Prepare Ye The Way<i>It is March of 0012, and change is on the horizon. President Carl Pauling nears retirement. Nightman control of Novosibirsk is reaching new heights. And in the depths of The Machine, a revelation about the Alien War has put the Fourteenth on a collision course with the truth.<br />
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Embarking on a mission that threatens the very fabric of the war, Scott and his comrades seek to reveal an enemy far more dangerous than any they've faced on the battlefield. Far more sinister than anything from the stars.</i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/208/6/b/epic_4__the_glorious_becoming_by_epicuniverse-d41sjlo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="900" width="581" src="http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/208/6/b/epic_4__the_glorious_becoming_by_epicuniverse-d41sjlo.jpg" /></a></div>Stone Aside Publishing has announced a Q1 2012 release for <i>Epic 4: The Glorious Becoming</i>. Continuing the story of Scott Remington and the Fourteenth of Novosibirsk, TGB picks up several months after the events of <i>Epic 3: Hero</i>. Additional plot information will be revealed as the release date draws near.aaronspulerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303674265792432915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011713.post-76788429816797655012011-04-28T06:37:00.002-05:002011-04-28T06:39:54.358-05:00Epic Bloggers Wanted!Epic is looking to hire 3-4 individuals to write articles for the Epic Universe blog and Facebook fan page. Bloggers can earn up to $15 per article. Applicants must demonstrate series knowledge, grammatical proficiency, and creativity, as freedom will be granted in choosing blog topics. <br /><br />HOW TO APPLY<br /><br />1. Contact Lee Stephen via lee@epicuniverse.com.<br /><br />2. Explain why you’d be a good Epic blogger. Flatter yourself!<br /><br />3. List five potential topics for your blogs. Bloggers will be allowed to blaze their own trails. It’s important to be able to come up with creative and enticing subject matter, be it about characters, specific scenes or situations, theories, or even author interviews on blogger-chosen topics. Flex your creative blogging muscles!<br /><br />Slots will be open until filled. Applications are being accepted now!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011713.post-10212897552317491332011-02-28T20:43:00.003-06:002011-03-01T09:00:52.997-06:00Vote for the Epic TGB Preview!ttention Epic fans...this might just be the year! Progress on Epic 4: The Glorious Becoming (hereby shortened to TGB) has been soaring, and though there's still much to be done, a release in 2011 might just be in the works.<br />
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Between now and the release, I'll be taking opportunities to preview some of the TBG's characters—both old and new. In addition to discussing some of the burning questions revolving around the characters, I'll be offering a unique author's perspective on their importance to the series, the process of writing them, and what one can expect from them in the future. I might even tease you with a few "sneak peeks" of them in action in TGB!<br />
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The best part? You get to vote for who gets previewed! The official poll is located on the Epic Universe Forum, at <a href="http://www.epicuniverse.com/forums">http://www.epicuniverse.com/forums</a>. Just look for the newly added "Epic 4: The Glorious Becoming" forum. YOU MUST REGISTER TO VOTE IN THE POLLS! Once the votes are cast, the previews will be posted in the forum.<br />
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Each round will consist of four characters, so make your vote count. Some of these characters might only be coming around once!<br />
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2011 is going to be an exciting year for Epic. I can't wait to experience it with you!<br />
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See you on the boards!aaronspulerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303674265792432915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011713.post-77850442134714267102011-02-18T18:24:00.002-06:002011-02-18T18:27:47.657-06:00Writing 301: Dynamic Characters*Lee Stephen is contributing blog entries to #The-Sci-Fi-Universe group on deviantART.com. Those entries will also be posted here. <br /><br />-----<br /><br /><i>The citizens of New Dallas pointed to the rooftops, where the escaping band of thugs had fled minutes before. An emptied bank, a city block ablaze, and a dozen dead police officers in their wake. It was one of several large-scale criminal strikes that August--and it was only the seventh. <br /><br />"Look!" a citizen shouted. "Over there!" The crowd's focus shifted to the new figure on the rooftops. It was a masked man New Dallas knew well. Their faces uplifted, the citizens shouted in jubilation. Their hero had come again, as he had so many times before. <br /><br />The Paladin.<br /><br />Silver cloak flowing, the Paladin leapt from rooftop to rooftop as the crowd cheered below. They lifted their hands triumphantly as he landed on the criminals' very rooftop, disappearing out of view beyond its ledge. They knew their city would be safe again.<br /><br />Stopping in their tracks, bags of loot in hand, the criminals stared as the Paladin charged toward them. In the illumination of helicopter lights, the hero dove at the villains, knocking them backward into a roof shack. They were out of the media's view.<br /><br />Rising from the dusty floor of the shack, the Paladin glanced back at the door behind him. Giving it a solid kick, he slammed it shut. His attention returned to the three thugs, who had now risen to their feet. The Paladin approached them.<br /><br />"We got twenty thousand," the head criminal told him, "but we also got this." Handing the Paladin a document, he brushed off his knees. "I snatched it from a security folder. It's a manifest of every armored truck in the city. You know how much we can get for this information alone?"<br /><br />Eyes poring over the document, the Paladin nodded. "I'll be in touch. We're going to need a major diversion to pull this off." His eyes narrowed. "Now stab me, right here. Not too deeply." The knife was inserted, and the Paladin winced. He addressed them through his pain. "I'll hold onto the manifest, but in the meantime, one of you has to come with me. I'll say the rest of you escaped. Don't worry...the twenty thousand will more than cover bail."</i><br /><br /><br />Whoa, whoa, wait a minute. That's not how it's supposed to happen! I mean, this guy is the Paladin, right? The champion of New Dallas! The shining beacon in darkened times! He doesn't, gasp, <i>work</i> with the bad guys! <br /><br />Get your pencils out, everybody. Class is in session.<br /><br />One of the biggest struggles of writing is creating dynamic characters that readers will <i>want</i> to read about. And unfortunately for us in the land of space aliens and killer robots, no genre is more susceptible to poorly-written characters than science-fiction. Why is this? <br /><br />In my experience, most science-fiction writers have <i>zero</i> trouble coming up with strange worlds, new creatures, and shockingly in-depth military structures and social systems. Heck, we even write up ten-page histories for every single starship in our fleet. We agonize over the finest, minutest of details, until we know our created universe inside and out, backwards and forwards, down and up. Wonderful! This is fantastic. We're ready to write our story!<br /><br />So Captain Bob is a brave spacefarer. Then he comes this awesome planet with three-eyed blue creatures that talk in odors and see in sounds, and they carry huge metal spears that can somehow channel power from other dimensions--<br /><br />WRONG! Back up the shuttle craft and forget for a moment that you just wrote an encyclopedia of sci-fi facts and figures for this universe you created. The plain truth of the matter is that nobody cares. Nobody cares that Earth was destroyed by a species of insects four thousand years ago, or that when Wakatoids and Bozanoids get jiggy, they produce hybrid monsters that eat metal and puke bullets. It's sad, I know, but true. The good news, though, is that there <i>is</i> something readers care about! And its name is...<br /><br />Bob. <br /><br />We have a maddening tendency to create unique, fantastic worlds and situations, only to toss in boring and cardboard characters to take the readers through them. We spend so much time and effort on nitty-gritty details that will never matter that by the time it's time to create our protagonist, we're tired, drained, and cranky, and end up with sort of a "aw hell, just throw whoever in there" mentality. Then when our "whoever" isn't doing anything for us as writers, we conclude that we'll never write anything, that we can start things but never finish them, etc. etc. etc., insert every "I haven't written anything" excuse here. <br /><br />The Paladin was an ordinary superhero story about a guy in a cape leaping from building to building, blah, blah, blah, is anything else on TV? It wasn't until the <i>character</i>, not the setting, threw us a curve ball that our ears perked and we said, "hey now, this is different." <br /><br />The same thing could happen with Bob. Why is he a captain? Well, because he happened to be good at it. Kind of like people who have jobs not because they like them, but because they were always able to do them well. Sound boring? Dig a little deeper. Because Bob's reason for being a captain is skill-based and not passion-based, he wrestles with a ton of self-doubt, putting up a front to his crew that he's some sort of brave, driven leader. Guilt overwhelms him, because he knows that just because he's capable of being a captain, that doesn't mean he deserves to. His blood pressure is through the roof because his inward struggle is severely stressing him out, and his frequent visits to the med bay have caused his crew to wonder if their beloved captain is all right. But he can't bring himself to tell them the truth...that he doesn't want to be their captain at all. <br /><br />And NOW we drop him onto this awesome planet with three-eyed blue creatures that talk in odors and see in sounds, and they carry huge metal spears that can somehow channel power from other dimensions...and so on, and so on. The point is, none of that other stuff really matters <i>if</i> Bob isn't completely interesting and <i>real</i>. Real is the key word. If people can relate to Bob, they won't care what kind of planet his ship crashes on. They'll want to read about Bob wherever he goes. <br /><br />And just like that...you're writing a story. Not a sci-fi encyclopedia, but a story. Now when you get to all the fun stuff that we sci-fi guys love to get to, we've got a protagonist who can not only exist in the confines of them, but also make the setting itself more interesting just in how he reacts to everything around him. <br /><br />I don't know about you guys, but I already want to know what happens to poor old Bob. Does something give him a change of heart? Does he quit on his crew? Does he confide in anyone about his feelings as a captain? And if so, what's...(here it comes)...<b>HER</b> name?<br /><br />Ahhh, now it's getting fun! <br /><br />So write on, sci-fi junkies. Create some dynamic characters, then do what you love to do best. Let your imaginations go wild. You might be surprised at how much you can write.<br /><br />Got a question about an aspect of writing? Fire away and I'll discuss it next time!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011713.post-33944862094237562332010-10-13T20:49:00.000-05:002010-10-13T20:49:58.178-05:00Stephanie & Lee Discuss Audio BookStephanie and Lee touch briefly on the progress of <i>The Glorious Becoming</i>, then delve into the <i>Dawn of Destiny</i> audio book!<br />
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Many thanks to Blackberry, for making Skype calls possible when the internet fails! <br />
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For fans of the Epic novel series, those two sentences are familiar ones. Lee Stephen's <i>Dawn of Destiny</i>, the first of eight planned installments in the science-fiction series, was released in December of 2006. "When I forwent the traditional route to publish independently, I was aware of the odds for success," Stephen said. "Typically, independent books don't find a lot of it. The market's not tipped in our favor." The Louisiana native explained that, on average, independent books sell between 50-150 copies in their lifetime, noting that those statistics vary depending on the source. "Fifty was kind of the first milestone I set for myself. I said, 'if I can get past fifty, I'll be exceeding minimum expectations.' You want to be optimistic, but you also want to be realistic. So for me, success started with that number.'" With that mindset, a straightforward website, and a release limited to internet outlets like Amazon.com, <i>Dawn of Destiny</i> set off on its quest to exceed that goal of fifty sold copies.<br />
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By the end of 2007, he'd sold almost seven hundred.<br />
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"It was crazy. I literally had no idea who was buying those books. I'd get emails from readers asking when the next book was coming out, and all I wanted to ask was, 'where the heck did you even hear about me?'"<br />
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The culprit, it turned out, was word-of-mouth. As more readers talked, more new readers listened. Before long, a fan base had been born, complete with message board, Facebook group, and official podcast. "I love the Epic series," said Stephanie Police, podcast host. "It's a very realistic take on what lies ahead for Earth, even being science fiction. The characters are likeable and easily identified with and the storyline is thrilling and addicting. I'm not a fan of science fiction but the Epic series has been added indefinitely to my list of favorite things to read."<br />
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Up until this point, fans of the series have only been able to enjoy reading its installments. They're about to get their first chance to hear them. According to Stephen, the desire to create an audio book has been with him since <i>Dawn of Destiny</i> was released. In 2011, that desire will be fulfilled. With a cast of over twenty voice actors, Epic is priming to be released as a chapter-by-chapter serial. The goal? To experience Epic like never before.<br />
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"Every writer has that ultimate dream of having their work brought to the silver screen," said Stephen "That's the experience I wanted to create from an audio perspective. No one has experienced Epic like this." From adrenaline-pumping firefights to earth-shattering explosions, the audio incarnation of <i>Dawn of Destiny</i> will put listeners in the middle of the battle for Earth. But where the audio book truly shines, explains Stephen, is in the voice-work of the cast.<br />
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"Auditioning cast members was difficult, but fun. Every character in Epic is unique, and that needed to be reflected in the finished product. Well over two hundred actors auditioned for the project. It was such a neat experience to just close my eyes, listen to the various audition files I'd receive, and visualize the characters they were auditioning for. Not just anyone could have been Becan McCrae, or Captain Clarke, or Ignatius van Thoor." And most certainly, not Scott Remington. "Without a doubt, the casting of Scott was the most important. This is my protagonist, the guy who carries Epic. If Scott's wrong, the whole project's wrong."<br />
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Enter Stewart Cummings. A Vancouver native, Cummings' career has included improv with the Upright Citizens' Brigade in New York City, work in various incarnations of commercial media, and script writing for television and stage. But most importantly for Dawn of Destiny, he had the perfect voice for Scott Remington. "I heard Stewart, and I was blown away. He had the perfect mix of command and sincerity that had to be reflected in Scott's voice. The moment I heard his audition, I was like, 'that's the guy-that's Scott.' He made that decision very easy."<br />
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"Voicing Scott has been exciting," said Cummings. "He's a dynamic character. He's a young and inexperienced soldier, yet seems to possess the judgment and skills of a seasoned veteran. But I'd say these skills are only half of what makes him a strong character. Scott's faith is constantly being tested, and doing what's right and what's wrong isn't always clear. He is surrounded by people that aren't always fighting for the same 'good.' So he's pulled in a lot of directions that really test his spirit. I really like Scott's sense of humor, too. It plays well in several scenes and lightens the mood a lot when having the small task of saving humankind from total destruction!"<br />
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Cummings joins a varied cast, ranging from industry veterans to fresh new talent. According to Stephen, each and every one of them went above and beyond. "This project is going to blow your mind. The level at which these guys went at it is amazing. At one moment you've got guys screaming at the top of their lungs in the middle of a firefight, and at the next you have quiet moments that rip your heart out. I couldn't have asked for a better crew."<br />
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Fans can expect the <i>Dawn of Destiny</i> audio book in 2011, though a more specific time period may be announced soon. "Before <i>The Glorious Becoming</i>," said Stephen, referring to Epic's as-of-yet unreleased fourth installment. "Hopefully this will give fans something to enjoy while they wait for the next book. I know it's been a long wait! It'll be worth it."<br />
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Check out <a href="http://www.epicuniverse.com/audio.html">http://www.epicuniverse.com/audio.html</a> for more information on the audio book, including audio samples and interviews with the cast.aaronspulerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303674265792432915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011713.post-28764999032144345732010-08-19T08:02:00.001-05:002010-08-19T08:02:46.458-05:00The Glorious Becoming - UPDATE1 year, 4 months, 20 days.<br /><br />That's how long its been since Epic 3: Hero was officially published. That's almost how long its taken for me to feel like writing again.<br /><br />I've gotten a couple questions about the progress of book four, and without doing what most companies do by sugarcoating everything, I'll be completely honest in confessing that TGB's writing process has not gone well up until this point. It's not that the story isn't good - it is. It's not that I'm at a plot crossroads - the direction of Epic is still for the most part on course. The simple truth is that Hero was the single most draining piece of literature that I've ever written. It was the kind of "draining" that left me wanting to call it a career. The book was necessary. I feel it was done well. It just cost me my love for writing. Call it the effects of a lot of life changes, call it the result of pumping out three books in three years, call it what you will. I just know that when Hero was done, I didn't want to do this anymore.<br /><br />Over the past 1 year and 4 months, I've officially "pumped out" 40,000 words of book four, which is slightly less than half of Outlaw Trigger (the smallest book in the series). You'll notice I left out the 20 days, there. And that's the good part.<br /><br />In the past 20 days, I've written over 20,000 words.<br /><br />I cannot remember being this excited to write. I can't remember loving to write this much. What was only recently a frustrating obligation has reignited itself as a passion. Maybe time worked its healing magic; maybe life started to settle down. But for whatever reason, I've recaptured what I've been missing for so long.<br /><br />So enough about that, right? What about book four? Well, I've already explained that I'm not the sugarcoating type of guy. So I won't sugarcoat this next part, either:<br /><br />Epic 4: The Glorious Becoming is going to be the most thrilling, shocking, revealing, and captivating book you have ever read.<br /><br />Teasers for book four will be few and far between, as much like Outlaw Trigger, to know anything in advance is to deprive you of something that needs to be experienced firsthand. But this one's going to be fun. So get ready, Epic Universe. This is what you've been waiting for.<br /><br />In closing, I leave you with a quote - a pace-setter for the rest of this series. In the words of Tauthinilaas, captive of Novosibirsk:<br /><br />"We were but the thunder."<br /><br /><br />-Lee Stephenaaronspulerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303674265792432915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011713.post-47262490985542289382010-02-18T13:05:00.003-06:002010-02-18T13:14:03.997-06:00February UpdateHad a chance to sit down with Lee and talk about what's been going on in his life.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;">What are you up to?</span><br />Lindsey and I are in the midst of a bathroom renovation right now, and I think that might be the tone-setter of 2010 for us. We bought our first house last year and are excited about making some improvements this year. Life is in full swing!<br />I've also been doing a lot of amateur astronomy lately, as one of my Christmas gifts from Lindsey was a <a href="http://www.celestron.com/c3/product.php?ProdID=431">Celestron Omni XLT 120mm Refractor</a>. It could be the best present I have ever received, as I've wanted a telescope my whole life! So far I've gotten great looks at Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, and the Moon. As the seasons change, I should get better opportunities to see the other planets, though Mercury, Uranus, and Neptune will be challenges. Venus will be really viewable in June, and I'm looking forward to that, too. Of course there are other things I'm aiming to get up-close-and-personal with, including galaxies and nebulae. I do hope to get into astrophotography at some point, so if that happens, I'll definitely post pictures!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;">How is The Glorious Becoming coming along?</span><br />TGB has been a very frustrating process for me, and I think there's still a little bit of that hangover from Hero lingering. As it stands at the time I'm writing this, I'm just under 40,000 words into the story, which is about 25%. A full year after Hero, can you can see how slow a process this has been.<br />Does that mean I haven't been working? Not at all. In fact, a good deal of that 25% has been written twice. An unexpected new character entered the story, forcing me to go back and adjust the story to include him. Obviously I won't get into that now, but once TGB is out I'm sure I'll touch on the new character's impact (and it's a considerable one) at some point or another. I can summarize it by saying that TGB will be better with him in it.<br />No one should worry over the slow pace of TGB so far. My rough target is still 2011, which is very doable. In fact, I'm hitting a stride right now with the story, so there's an excellent chance that it'll hit its major turning point very soon, at which point I'll get a solid second wind of energy. The arc and story of TGB will be amazing, but it's a very, very draining story to write. It's very intense and very different from what fans have experienced so far. I can tease it best by saying that no one will see TGB coming. It's going to be great!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;">What are you reading at the moment?</span><br />Prior to our engagement, Lindsey and I went through <a href="http://www.amazon.com/101-Questions-Ask-Before-Engaged/dp/0736913947">101 Questions to Ask Before you get Engaged</a>. It was a great experience, and we've both found ourselves missing a book to read together. This Valentine's Day, she bought <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Love-Dare-Stephen-Kendrick/dp/0805448853">The Love Dare</a> for us to start going through together again. I'm really looking forward to it. I think a lot of people look at relationship books such as those as reserved for troubled relationships only, but it's really not the case at all. There doesn't have to be anything wrong in a relationship or marriage for it to be strengthened. Heck, I hope my Saints get stronger in 2010, and they just won the Super Bowl!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;">What are you listening to?</span><br />E.S. Posthumus' third album, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0034IEBV4/?tag=aaronspuler-20">Makara</a>, is amazing! This has definitely given me some recent energy for scenes in TGB. It's just an awesome, action-packed listen from start to finish.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;">What are you watching?</span><br />Right now, the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. I'm just as excited for Canada as I am for the USA! There are so many Canadians I work with for Epic, and it's great to see them winning gold medals for their home country.<br />Looking forward to curling and women's and couples' figure skating - those are always my favorites.<br />Prior to the Olympics, I was all Saints, all the time. You can't imagine the euphoria that the black and gold winning the Super Bowl caused here. I'm not sure that anyone outside of the New Orleans area can fully appreciate it. <br />Here's another fun fact for you...the Saints won the Super Bowl on February 7th. Scott Remington's birthday. :) How's that for Epic?aaronspulerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303674265792432915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011713.post-56273458417125265312009-12-01T10:58:00.004-06:002009-12-01T11:41:26.242-06:00Hi!Hey everyone!<br /><br />Wow Lee, those pictures were awesome. I'm jealous that you got to go somewhere with such meaning! Also, the songs that you listed for the characters? Dead on. Especially <i>Hillbilly Deluxe</i> for Jayden!! :):)<br /><br />~takes deep breath~<br />Hey Epicnauts!!! Believe or not I am alive! And so are my co-hosts! The podcast had to go on a brief hiatus for a little while due to our lives being picked up and shaken around like snow globes. However do not despair!<br /><br />Lee and I have a podcast planned soon that is a little different from the other ones we have done so make sure you check in! It's gonna be a hoot!!<br /><br />xoxoxoxoxoxoxox<br />StephanieStephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532807541406951541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011713.post-82797274638069219482009-11-24T23:04:00.005-06:002009-11-25T00:08:39.239-06:00Lee's Battle of Chicago TourLast week, Lindsey and I got a chance to spend a few days in the city of Chicago. It was an amazing trip, and for those out there who have never seen this beautiful city, I highly recommend visiting. There's no shortage of places to go and things to experience.<br /><br />For me, however, there was something truly special that I got to experience. In <i>Dawn of Destiny</i>, the first major battle of the whole series takes place on the streets of Chicago. The <i>Battle of Chicago</i>, as it came to be known, launched Scott Remington's career. While staying in the city, I actually got to walk the very streets that Scott and his comrades did. Having never visited Chicago prior to this trip, much of the <i>Battle of Chicago</i> was determined simply through research. Getting to actually walk it myself gave the battle a much deeper meaning. I made certain to take some photos, so I'll post them here and give you all the tour!<br /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.epicuniverse.com/images/BOC01.jpg"/><br /><br />In the above picture, you can see the intersection near the mound of rubble that formed the "barricade" first encountered by Falcon Platoon. In fact, it's this very moment that made it on the back of the book cover. It's at the intersection of South Michigan and East Adams St., not far from Millennium Park in the city. <br /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.epicuniverse.com/images/BOC02.jpg"/><br /><br />I actually had a few camera issues during the trip, but occasionally "glitches" turned out looking pretty cool. The orange effect in this picture reminded of how the city would look if it was really under attack, with the orange hues of fire as described in the book. This is the same location as the first picture. In this one, you can more clearly see the building on the right that would have actually been the one to form the barricade, toppling across the street.<br /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.epicuniverse.com/images/BOC01b.jpg"/><br /><br />Just one more photo of that spot, since it's the only photo that actually has me in it. You can actually see <i>Dawn of Destiny</i> in my hand.<br /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.epicuniverse.com/images/BOC03.jpg"/><br /><br />For those wondering what building it was that bit the dust, this is it right here. You can see the security guard in the building staring out at me. I had to laugh a bit wondering what he'd think had he come out, asked me why I was taking pictures, to have me explain, "Because in the future, this building is going to be reduced to rubble." I'd probably be typing this journal from prison. <br /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.epicuniverse.com/images/BOC04.jpg"/><br /><br />This is the other side of that same street, a cultural art museum. The barricade would have stretched from this building to the one in the previous picture. It was just neat to me to actually see how this would have played out had it been real. Anyway, that's enough with this one spot. Moving on!<br /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.epicuniverse.com/images/BOC05.jpg"/><br /><br />In the <i>Battle of Chicago</i>, Scott and his strike team take an alleyway to South Wabash, which runs parallel to South Michigan. South Wabash is the street they use to venture to Van Buren, where they rescue the pinned operatives of Cougar Platoon. There's just one problem...there are no alleys connecting them! I'm sure, of course, that at some point in the future, once I'm famous and all-powerful, they'll put an alley around here in my honor, just to make my novel correct! Anyway, this is East Jackson St., one of the many streets that connect South Michigan and South Wabash. <br /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.epicuniverse.com/images/BOC06.jpg"/><br /><br />Ironically, there were multiple alleys on East Jackson. So had there been an alleyway between South Michigan and South Wabash, this is what it would have looked like!<br /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.epicuniverse.com/images/BOC07.jpg"/><br /><br />Once the alley was traversed in the novel, there was another wall of rubble, this time impassable, blocking Scott and his friends. It would have been the top of this very building that formed the impassable wall, having fallen into the street. This is also where the group was attacked by Bakma. Henrick got injured, Scott took over, and the rest was history!<br /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.epicuniverse.com/images/BOC08.jpg"/><br /><br />This is the same location as the previous image. You can see the above-ground train system that runs along South Wabash. It gets some mention in the <span style="font-style:italic;">Battle of Chicago</span> as well. <br /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.epicuniverse.com/images/BOC09.jpg"/><br /><br />This is the same building mentioned two pictures above, which just happens to be a university. The lower half of the building is what Scott and his group would have traversed to bypass the mound. The man in the photo is obviously hiding from the impending alien attack.<br /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.epicuniverse.com/images/BOC10.jpg"/><br /><br />This is the South Wabash / Van Buren intersection, probably the most notable city location in the book. This is where Scott rescues Cougar Platoon, then makes the ultimate decision to continue the platoon's mission of capturing a Bakma Carrier. There was a massive firefight here in the book. <br /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.epicuniverse.com/images/BOC11.jpg"/><br /><br />This building is one that Scott would have traversed in order to actually reach Cougar Platoon.<br /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.epicuniverse.com/images/BOC12.jpg"/><br /><br />Then, from the picture above, Scott would have looked across the street to discover the infamous old van used multiple times in the mission. It would have been parked right in this area.<br /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.epicuniverse.com/images/BOC13.jpg"/><br /><br />This is the last photo of the tour, as it was getting late, and to reach any more areas of significance would have taken far too much time. Nonetheless, I felt accomplished getting to this point. This is the actual corner that Scott and the rescued members of Cougar Platoon would have taken refuge in - where Scott commed Lilan to ask permission to continue Cougar's mission. The old van would have been parked right in front of those windows at the corner, having sheltered the operatives as they climbed through the window. Even though it was a rough rescue mission, I'm glad they got to chill out for a while in Gina's Cuisine, with soups, Italian beef, and burgers!<br /><br />As you can see, not everything is quite perfect. Alleys aren't always where you'd like them to be, buildings aren't always what you expect them to be, and sometimes fiction doesn't quite match reality. But that's all right. It was a total joy to get to walk this route. It gave me a perspective of the characters and the battle that I'd never had before. If any of you guys ever end up in the Chicago area, give this little walk a try! It's a neat experience. <br /><br />Next stop...Novosibirsk! <br /><br />Ha! I wish.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011713.post-61359227099218542552009-10-31T14:01:00.002-05:002009-10-31T14:04:51.722-05:00Check in with Lee<span style="font-style:italic;">What are you up to?</span><br />I've been doing a lot of writing lately, though not all of it has been Epic-related. I'm currently one of the staff writers for <a href="http://www.SaintsReport.com">SaintsReport</a>, where I write a feature called the "Bayou Bulletin." It's NFL satire with a sprinkle of actual sports journalism mixed in. I'm a huge New Orleans Saints fan and season ticket holder, so it's been awesome to be a part of what SaintsReport has going on. My columns are uploaded every Wednesday (and occasionally Thursday). Don't go looking for deep, complex analysis, now. It's all written in fun.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">How is The Glorious Becoming coming along?</span><br />TGB has been coming along very slowly, which I kind of expected. I know some people might read the above and think, "why is he writing football satire when he could be working on book four?" Don't think of it that way. Hero completely burnt me out, to the point where I really had to take some time to step away. As a writer, I never really stop being creative, but my mediums for creativity are always changing. There was a time in the latter months of Hero when the book took up 100% of my creative energy. That's not a good thing.<br /><br />Right now, I'm about 50% SaintsReport, 20% Epic, and 30% other projects, with Epic beginning to finally pick up steam. It's taken a little while to get "un-burnt," but right now I'm more excited about TGB than ever before, and I'm not saying that just to say it. I'm coming up on one of the preordained turning points in the series, and it's got me really excited about fleshing it out. I said from the day Hero got released that TGB was a long ways off, and that stance hasn't changed. But take my word for it - this book is going to be well worth the wait.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">What are you reading at the moment?</span><br />Honestly, most of my leisure reading right now is from Sports Illustrated and ESPN. I spend a lot of time browsing sports message boards, too.<br /><br />Haha, I can just hear Epic fans right now, reading these answers and thinking, "yeah, this guy's not as deep as I thought he was." What can I say? I live for football when Fall rolls around.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">What are you listening to?</span><br />Here's something I can answer in-depth! I have been playing the tar out of Chris Cornell's <span style="font-style:italic;">Scream </span>album over the past few months. That whole album is just an amazingly underrated project. I could do without the bits of profanity here and there, but that's why they invented the "skip" button.<br /><br />I actually use that album as an inspirational tool when writing a certain character - someone who will be new to the story come TGB.<br /><br />Most of the songs I listen to evoke some kind of Epic-related thought, usually about a character in particular. I'll write a list of characters and songs that inspire me about them below, in case anyone finds it interesting. I listen to music quite a bit when I brainstorm and write.<br /><br />Don't read into these too much, and definitely don't take them literally. Most song identification is based purely off of how songs make me feel, not necessarily what the songs mean. Don't think of these as character "theme songs," either. I could probably name ten songs for each character in the series. This is just a small sampling of songs that have actually helped inspire character traits or scenes.<br /><br />• Scott: Arrival to Earth (Steve Jablonsky)<br />• Jayden: Hillbilly Deluxe (Brooks & Dunn)<br />• Svetlana: Now Comes the Night (Rob Thomas)<br />• Esther: Supermassive Black Hole (Muse)<br />• Brent Lilan: In the Air Tonight (Nonpoint)<br />• Dostoevsky: Ruins (Bebo Norman)<br />• Oleg: Inside the Fire (Disturbed)<br />• Catalina Shivers: crushcrushcrush (Paramore)<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">What are you watching?</span><br />Obviously, football. But so far as television shows go, I'm waiting for the trainwreck-that-became-the-show-Lost to wrap up its final season, and for Chuck to hit NBC again. I have to confess, too, that since being married, I know more about the Young & the Restless than I ever thought possible!aaronspulerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303674265792432915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011713.post-8716742697895367162009-09-12T13:10:00.004-05:002009-10-13T14:14:48.562-05:00Okay....Hey everyone,<br /><br />I am so sorry for the inconsistent-ness of the podcast. We have been having some technical difficulties with the equipment. I sincerely hope that you haven't given up on us!! We will be up and running as soon as possible.<br /><br />Keep checking in!!! We will be up and running hopefully soon!!<br /><br />xoxoxoxox<br />StephanieStephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532807541406951541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011713.post-55232639553066269512009-08-30T17:07:00.003-05:002009-08-30T17:10:45.600-05:00Podcast #8: Author Q&ALee Stephen joins Stephanie Police to discuss all things Epic. Included: update on <span style="font-style:italic;">The Glorious Becoming</span>, Scott and David’s relationship, Esther’s evolution, Dostoevsky’s redemption, and the challenge of killing off characters. <br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.spuler.us/blog/player.swf" id="audioplayer1" height="24" width="300"><br /><param name="movie" value="http://www.spuler.us/blog/player.swf"><br /><param name="FlashVars" value="animation=no&playerID=1&initialvolume=25&soundFile=http://epicuniverse.podbean.com/mf/web/zz4wrg/20090829.mp3&titles=Author QA&artists=Episode 8&"><br /><param name="quality" value="high"><br /><param name="menu" value="true"><br /><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><br /></object><br /><br />Like it? Hate it? Want Stephanie and Derek to talk about something in the next episode? Talk about it on the Epic Universe forums or give your hosts direct feedback via email!!<br /><br /><a href="mailto:stephanie@epicuniverse.com">stephanie@epicuniverse.com</a><br /><a href="mailto:derek@epicuniverse.com">derek@epicuniverse.com</a>aaronspulerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303674265792432915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011713.post-83110477136709757992009-08-28T07:36:00.002-05:002009-08-28T11:18:13.089-05:00Success!!Hey guys!! The podcast is back on!!!!<br /><br /><br />I sat down with Lee for some intelligent conversation but what ended up happening is the podcast instead. :~p<br /><br /><br />Lee said he will have it posted shortly so keep an eye out!!!<br /><br />xoxoxoxoxoxoxox<br />stephanieStephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532807541406951541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011713.post-19176045873799454322009-08-24T07:23:00.003-05:002009-08-28T11:17:54.667-05:00Just Kidding!!Hey guys!!<br /><br />As it turns out podcast #8 is going to be a well overdue Q&A with author Lee Stephen!!! Hoorah!! We are going to see what he thinks about our podcast so far, get some feedback from him and see if we cant unlock some of the secrets that he had hidden in Hero and what he plans for the Fourteenth in the future! You don't want to miss it! Stay tuned!!<br /><br />xoxoxoxoxoxox<br />StephanieStephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532807541406951541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011713.post-57905646132816720782009-08-21T08:00:00.003-05:002009-08-21T08:38:01.447-05:00Podcast #8 coming soon!Hey there! Hope you guys are still loyal listeners!!!<br /><br />Derrick and I will be conjoining this weekend for #8! We have some new and very very interesting topics this round, some of them will get you thinking so hard that smoke will come out of your ears....or maybe that's just me? :):) Don't go thinking its gonna be all serious though! As per usual you will get the typical antics of Derrick and myself and we have some fun stuff coming too!<br /><br />Keep listening!<br /><br />xoxoxoxoxoxoxox<br />stephanieStephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532807541406951541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011713.post-3036352870295049482009-08-17T08:52:00.001-05:002009-08-17T08:55:32.021-05:00Podcast #7: Noboats, Necrilids, and FacebookJoin Stephanie and Derek as they discuss Thoor’s newest “acquisitions,” as well as the results of their Epic Facebook quizzes. Take the quiz yourself and send in your results! <br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.spuler.us/blog/player.swf" id="audioplayer1" height="24" width="300"><br /><param name="movie" value="http://www.spuler.us/blog/player.swf"><br /><param name="FlashVars" value="animation=no&playerID=1&initialvolume=25&soundFile=http://epicuniverse.podbean.com/mf/web/4ysa4/20090815.mp3&titles=Noboats Necrilids and Facebook&artists=Episode 7&"><br /><param name="quality" value="high"><br /><param name="menu" value="true"><br /><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><br /></object><br /><br />Like it? Hate it? Want Stephanie and Derek to talk about something in the next episode? Talk about it on the Epic Universe forums or give your hosts direct feedback via email!!<br /><br /><a href="mailto:stephanie@epicuniverse.com">stephanie@epicuniverse.com</a><br /><a href="mailto:derek@epicuniverse.com">derek@epicuniverse.com</a>aaronspulerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303674265792432915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011713.post-47335088306400932132009-08-17T08:01:00.003-05:002009-08-17T08:52:16.079-05:00New Podcast! Hoorah!Derrick and I are back on track!! We did our latest podcast this weekend and it should be up soon (hint hint to Aaron and Lee) for your listening enjoyment! We finally got to read our feedback letter from Scout07 and had some interesting theory discussions! Give it a listen and lets us know whatcha think!!<br /><br /><br />Also take the quiz we talk about! Its wicked cool and for real scary accurate!!<br /><br />xoxoxoxoxoxoxox<br />stephanie<br /><br />p.s. WOOOOOOOOF!!!!Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532807541406951541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011713.post-81833140394078946882009-08-10T17:07:00.003-05:002009-08-10T17:36:49.928-05:00Podcast is still going!!Derrick and I need to apologize for the past two weeks everyone. We both have had some unavoidable stuff happen and weren't able to collaborate long enough to do an acceptable podcast. But please do not despair!!! Derrick and I will have anther podcast ready for you this week. Cross my heart and hope to pie, stick a noodle in my eye.<br /><br />Again thank you SO much for not sending hate mail and for being patient!!!!<br /><br />xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox<br />StephanieStephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532807541406951541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011713.post-61437862960958428242009-08-04T07:19:00.005-05:002009-08-10T13:28:56.376-05:00I'm sorry!!!Hey guys,<br /><br />Sorry about last week, but I had a few friends that all decided to have their babies simultaneously!!! We will be doing the podcast this week though, I have given anyone else I know that is pregnant strict orders to HOLD THAT BABY IN until after Wednesday!!!<br /><br />Thanks for your patience guys!!<br />xoxoxoxoxoxoxox<br />StephanieStephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532807541406951541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011713.post-6733941002712351782009-07-28T11:52:00.002-05:002009-07-28T11:55:09.874-05:00Podcast #6: Extended DiscussionIn this two-part extended podcast, Stephanie and Derek discuss death-proof characters and the complex alien/human political system.<br /><br /><br />Part 1<br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.spuler.us/blog/player.swf" id="audioplayer1" height="24" width="300"><br /><param name="movie" value="http://www.spuler.us/blog/player.swf"><br /><param name="FlashVars" value="animation=no&playerID=1&initialvolume=25&soundFile=http://epicuniverse.podbean.com/mf/web/ajdsn4/20090726-Part1.mp3&titles=Extended Discussion (1/2)&artists=Episode 6&"><br /><param name="quality" value="high"><br /><param name="menu" value="true"><br /><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><br /></object><br /><br /><br />Part 2<br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.spuler.us/blog/player.swf" id="audioplayer1" height="24" width="300"><br /><param name="movie" value="http://www.spuler.us/blog/player.swf"><br /><param name="FlashVars" value="animation=no&playerID=1&initialvolume=25&soundFile=http://epicuniverse.podbean.com/mf/web/vqwt7x/20090726-Part2.mp3&titles=Extended Discussion (2/2)&artists=Episode 6&"><br /><param name="quality" value="high"><br /><param name="menu" value="true"><br /><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><br /></object><br /><br />Like it? Hate it? Want Stephanie and Derek to talk about something in the next episode? Talk about it on the Epic Universe forums or give your hosts direct feedback via email!!<br /><br /><a href="mailto:stephanie@epicuniverse.com">stephanie@epicuniverse.com</a><br /><a href="mailto:derek@epicuniverse.com">derek@epicuniverse.com</a>aaronspulerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14303674265792432915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011713.post-2190930076071990892009-07-27T07:56:00.004-05:002009-07-27T08:40:09.192-05:00Mispronounciations and a dog's revengeHi everyone!! derrick and i got together on Saturday and we successfully completed yet another brilliant podcast!! (Well I was brilliant but we all know how those eidolon's can be ~wink~ j/k).<br /><br />The topic continues with where we left off last week with a guest appearance from loyal forumer Anita in Denmark (polyesterdk) and I guarantee it is an excellent treat for your ears. Also Derrick has a dog too and he had to yell at his throughout the podcast so I feel significantly better about having to scold my puppy for chewing on me.<br /><br />Please keep in mind that the podcasts have a very large abundance of spoilers in each one so if you haven't read <span style="font-style:italic;">Hero </span>yet don't listen!! You'll only ruin it for yourself!!! I also hope that you did your homework because we get into those pages pretty heavily towards the second half so have your book ready when you listen!!!<br /><br />Look forward to your feedback!!!<br /><br />xoxoxoxoxoxox<br />StephanieStephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532807541406951541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011713.post-45137928060489756632009-07-24T13:22:00.004-05:002009-07-24T14:41:41.323-05:00Oh boy.Hey there Epic fans. I've got some rather annoying news. Derrick's computer went all rogue on us on Wednesday night and we weren't able to do the cast. However do NOT dispair!! We will be joining forces again this weekend for a second go at the podcast but it may be a little longer until it is posted.<br /><br />Please send all hate mail to derricks_computer_is_a_jerk@idontliketowork.com.<br /><br />P.S.<br /><br />That's not a real email address, so don't send emails there. :):)Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532807541406951541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23011713.post-2434190736056657542009-07-22T07:24:00.002-05:002009-07-22T07:30:00.060-05:00Hope You Did Your Homework!!!!Hey everyone!!<br /><br />I hope everyone did their homework!! In case you are wondering what it was take a peek at the forum. Derrick actually posted a thread called "homework" or something to that affect. We will be discussing that tonite!!<br /><br />Also on this weeks podcast, Derrick and I will be finishing up our death proof podcast! We will be going into who we think definately has the grim reaper breathing down their necks and what we think will happen to those people!!!<br /><br />For those that sent us feedback emails do not despair!! We will be reading those come next week and talking about what you want to hear!!<br /><br />As always keep listening and keep your questions and comments coming!!!<br /><br />xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox<br />stephanieStephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14532807541406951541noreply@blogger.com0