Fantasy author Colin Sephton chats with me today about his new steampunk, Timeslayers.
During his virtual book tour, Colin will be giving away a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit his other tour stops and enter there, too!
Welcome, Colin. Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
I was born in Coventry, England and worked in the automotive industry for twenty years before becoming an Engineering teacher. Obtaining my first library card at the age of thirteen, I became an avid reader of Fantasy and the mysteries of the universe. 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. Living in Oxford for many years, where Timeslayers is set, I have now moved back to my home county of Warwickshire where I enjoy creating and working with my wife in our large garden where I sometimes write and often entertain our two grandsons. I have always been an artist and writer and have been inspired by the worlds of Conan created by Robert E Howard and Elric by Michael Moorcock, with the artwork of Frank Frazetta who illustrated the Conan covers.
Please tell us about your current release.
My current release is Timeslayers. It is set in a Steampunk Oxford, England where Ignatius and Indigo are both agents for the Union Jacks, a secret organisation. The role of the Union is to protect the British Empire, which is at the height of its powers. They have discovered the existence of the mystical Book of Consciousness written by the creator of the cosmos, the genderless Omnisoul. The book is the history of everything that is, that has been and that will be. The agents are aided by Skye, who accidentally calls forth seven merciless immortals called the Charon. They have been created created to carry out the will of the Omnisoul. The two Union Jacks leave Oxford and are taken on a journey across the cosmos in the great ship Taraka, which sails through space and time. Ignatius and Indigo are mere pawns in the cosmic ocean of fate, carried to fabled places, witness to bloody massacres, and half-willing conspirators in the Charon’s plot to thwart the Omnisoul’s plan and defeat the protectors of the Well at the Centre of Time.
What inspired you to write this book?
I was inspired to create the book by my fantasy artwork. I have always painted right from an early age and although I paint landscapes and sell them internationally, my greatest love is fantasy art. But rather than paint and draw other peoples characters, I invented my own and eventually they found their way into a novel.
Excerpt from Timeslayers:
Glancing around cautiously, Ignatius could see that nobody else in the library had moved, gestured or even looked. He looked back at the book he was reading. He had to concentrate on the unfamiliar text to translate with any accuracy. Its author, Enoch Slipnot, had an unsteady hand, and the inks was faded in places. As he read the next section, his right hand began to tingle, a slight burning sensation.
It came through the Land of the Duranki. Those trained in the art of Al Kimiya brought forth sentient life, the fiery whirlwind that passes like lightning through the fiery clouds, believing they could master this Unholy Great One.
I have read of the great horrors the Unholy One brought forth, seeking the emerald tablet thought to have been hidden in the library of the Mystorium by the Order of the Ti-Botta. If this great red shadow should discover the sword of great power, he will wreak destruction on a cosmic scale and the whole cosmos shall tremble at his feet. The great runesword has been forged with an edge keen enough that it may even cut through the aether. Only a being in harmony with the cosmos can make use of such a weapon and with the Great Book, Turiya and the power of the Charon, summoned by the High Priest, stop the Unholy One.
I am unswerving in my task as the last remaining warrior-priest of the Charon – the Dragon- slayers of the Ecclesiarchy…
What exciting project are you working on next?
The second novel in the series has been written and is going through the editing process. It is called Shadowslayers and events take place immediately after those of Timeslayers. Currently I am writing the third novel in the series, which has a working title, but that may change.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Although Timeslayers was completed a while ago, I would say that I didn’t start to feel like a write until the book went on sale on lots of different websites in countries all around the world. That was really exciting.
Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your workday like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I don’t write full-time; I have a day job. I am currently an Engineering teacher at a specialist college for fourteen to eighteen-year-olds. I work four days a week and it is hard work. I write at the weekends, late at night on weekdays or on my Mondays, which is my day off. It’s very therapeutic and allows me to escape to a world of my own. However, I am looking to retire in the not-too-distant future and give myself more time for writing.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
My writing quirk would probably be when I start creating a new character or world. I will usually start by visualising who they are, what do they look like, are they even human. I will sit and write a descriptive passage explaining in detail what they look like, their skin, their clothing if they have any, do they carry any weapons or artefacts, and if so what. How do these artefacts work? Other times, as I am an artist, I will paint the character from some preliminary sketches, I will design their clothing, think about the colours, and then write my description using that painting. Only then will I begin to write them into my story.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
As a child I wanted to be an astronaut but changed my mind at the age of seven for fear of crashing my spaceship. I was probably interested in space because I was brought up at the time of the Space Race. The Seventies saw missions to the Moon, to Mars and later to the outer planets. The Universe offered more for my mind to get to grips with and to use my imagination with, than anything else I had ever encountered. After that, I mean nobody wants to be stranded on another plant, I decided I wanted to be an artist.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
The world of writing is difficult to get into, but my advice to would-be authors is to never give up. Believe in yourself, especially if you think you have a good idea. Create your novel, your character, your own worlds and enjoy the process. Write it for you. That’s what I did and to an extent I was happy with that. Alongside all my artwork, I had a novel. I just happened to be lucky for Kisstopher at Cinnabar Moth Publishing to see what I had created posted on social media and was interested enough to give me an opportunity. So always be positive and hopeful.
Thank you for such interesting questions. They made me think about my writing process and how I have come to be at this point. It’s been a very interesting and challenging journey.
Thank you so much for hosting and featuring Colin today!
This looks like a great novel. Thanks for sharing and hosting this tour
Great excerpt and giveaway. 🙂
Looks like a interesting book.