Not only are Dana Fredsti and David Fitzgerald co-authors of Time Shards and its upcoming sequel, Shatter War, but they’re also husband and wife! We had the pleasure of talking to these two talented authors about their new novel, what it’s like working together, advice for aspiring writers, and more!

Hi Dana and David! Tell us a little about yourselves!

Dave: Hi all—I’m David Fitzgerald. I’m mostly a historical researcher, public speaker, and writer of fiction and non-fiction, though I’ve also been a film festival director, speak some fairly obscure languages, and love a crazy mad swordfighting woman.

Dana: Evidently, I’m crazy AND mad. I admit to being a little bit of a crazy cat lady (except I know I’m a little crazy, so doesn’t that actually make me sane?), and I do love swordfighting. I started training in theatrical combat when I was eighteen, and it’s been a large part of my life.  I also write fiction, non-fiction, and screenplays, have had a full-grown leopard sit on my foot, and am a bit of a wino. Oh!  I also love our dog Pogeen (means ‘little kiss’ in Gaelic) and the best part of every day is walking her on the beach.

Shatter War is the sequel to Time Shards and it’s set to publish on September 24^th. For those who aren’t familiar with the series, can you tell us what it is about?

Dave: It’s a time travel/post apocalyptic mashup; the story starts with a 23^rd century cataclysm that shatters the timeline, leaving the world like a jigsaw puzzle with each piece from a different historical period. Our ragtag group of heroes are from all across the timeline: a first century Celt; a girl from 21^st century San Diego; a WWII commando; and a Victorian snake oil salesman, just to name a few. They’ll soon discover they have to save the world—but to do that, they’ll need to cross a post-apocalyptic world, facing dinosaurs, historical armies, robots and more.

Dana: What Dave said, except he left out some of my favorite bits, like dire wolves, megalodons, Roundheads, and other assorted scary-ass obstacles.

Where did the inspiration for the series come from?

Dave: Coming home from Comic-con one year, I was telling Dana about an idea I had for a GURPS RPG campaign in college. The more I told her, the bigger her eyes got, and as soon as we got home, we put together a 3-book pitch, and Titan Books snapped it up.

Dana: Okay, my eyes didn’t really get that big, but the hair on the back of my neck and on my arms did stand up, and I got this tingle up and down my spine that I only get when I hear a really great idea. I frickin’ fell in love with the concept for Time Shards. Dave also exaggerates when he says ‘as soon as we got home, we put together a pitch.’ We actually unpacked and fed our cats and dog first.

Were there any differences between writing Time Shards and Shatter War?

Dave: Some of the stranger mysteries in Time Shards start to come to light in Shatter War, though more questions arise…

Dana: Huge differences. I was also writing Blood Ink, the second book in my Spawn of Lilith series (also for Titan Books), so instead of switching back and forth between chapters (I wrote the Amber chapters in Time Shards, Dave wrote the Cam chapters, and we both wrote the ones that take place after the two of them meet), Dave took point on Shatter War while I finished Blood Ink. Our way of making sure I was in the loop and we were doing this together was to brainstorm during our beach walks, work through plot points, talk about character motivation, figure out what kind of horrific giant prehistoric monster would be included, who it would kill, how it would kill them, etc.  When I finished Blood Ink, I edited, wrote the chapters we agreed I should do from scratch, and then the two of us went over it together before turning it into our editor.

As a husband and wife duo, how does that work when it comes to writing a book together?

Dave: Much better than we expected! We both brought our strengths to the series in ways we never could have on our own.

Dana: I’ve collaborated many times before, so I was a lot less apprehensive about the process than Dave. The biggest issue was how to approach the fact that this was originally Dave’s brainchild, so he was understandably a little proprietary about it. Imagine a solitary male leopard with its fresh kill, and another leopard (a cute female leopard, of course) approaches with ideas of how to prepare the fresh kill.  Yeah, kind of like that. J  Bottom line, we both love the finished books, are really proud of the work we’ve done, and we’re STILL MARRIED!

Were there aspects that were more difficult to write, such a character or scene?

Dave: Writing a sci-fi series that has so much historical basis to it is kind of the worst of both worlds—it’s fiction, so of course you have to make up the entire plot, and yet you still have to do all the research you would for a non-fiction book.

Dana: It’s funny to read Dave’s response because you have to understand how much he loves the research process of writing, be it fiction or non-fiction. At any given time, our living room coffee table, side table, and couch is filled with around…er…20-30 books related to whatever he’s working on. We go to the library weekly to checkout/renew books. He frickin’ loves doing research.  I enjoy it as well and understand the dangers of going down the black hole of research, but he absolutely loves it.

Now in answer to your question, I feel the most comfortable when I’m dealing with Amber and Blake. The hardest stuff for me in book two would be the stuff in the city of Alexandria. And that’s because I didn’t do the same amount of extensive research that Dave did, plus he has a real love for the particular point in history that we chose for Shatter War.

Were there any ‘fragments’ from the past, present, or future that you knew you just had to include?

Dave: So many – but no spoilers… Even after the trilogy is done, there’s still plenty we’d like to explore…

Dana: Various prehistoric fragments so I could have a megalodon and a big ass ancient crocodile. England during the 30 Years War. Times and places that we created in the future.

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Dave: Writing is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration…

Dana: Don’t expect to make money, but don’t let that stop you. It can happen; it’s just not guaranteed. Explore both traditional publishers and self-publishing. If you go with the latter, learn how to ask for and take critique (and learn the difference between constructive critique and asshats trying to crap on your dream); be willing to pay for an editor, especially on your first time out. Get decent cover art, and don’t rush it. If you’re serious about writing, put in the work (the 99% perspiration) and the research, and make sure your first time out of the gate is something you are proud of.

What’s next? Another book or project?

Dave: I have some non-fiction projects in the pipeline people have been waiting for in my The Complete Heretic’s Guide to Western Religion series, one on Sex and Violence in the Bible, and the other on the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Dana: I’m currently writing the third book in my Spawn of Lilith series, and then jumping on the third book in the Time Shards series.  Sleep and more time to read are then scheduled. J

Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for us?

Dave: at the moment I’m simul-reading Martha Well’s Murderbot Diaries series and Richard Kadrey’s The Grand Dark, and loving both. Also loved the  A People’s Future of the United States anthology, which is a brilliant intro to so many of today’s hottest writers.

Dana: Black Swan Rising by Lisa Brackmann (this book is pretty much the author’s Cassandra-like predictions of what we’re now experiencing with the spate of mass shootings in America); the upcoming Rage by Jonathan Maberry, the upcoming The Ninja Daughter by Tori Eldridge, Black Light by Martha Allard, and Lost Angels: So Above, So Below by Loren Rhoads and Brian Thomas.  I have a lot more, but figured I’d better keep it short!

Bookseller at San Francisco’s Borderlands Bookstore by day, David Fitzgerald is also secretly a sword fighter, Gaeilgeoir, public speaker, historical researcher, editor and award-winning author of both non-fiction (mostly notably NAILED, and The Complete Heretic’s Guide to Western Religion series) and fiction, running the gamut of a wild assortment of science fiction and genre mash-ups, and (under the name Kilt Kilpatrick) erotica. His latest book, co-written with his wife Dana Fredsti, is the TIME SHARDS trilogy from Titan UK. You can find David on Facebook.

Dana Fredsti is an ex B-movie actress with a background in theatrical combat (a skill she utilized in Army of Darkness as a sword-fighting Deadite and fight captain). Through ten plus years of volunteering at EFBC/FCC, Dana’s been kissed by tigers, and had her thumb sucked by an ocelot with nursing issues. She’s addicted to bad movies and any book or film, good or bad, which include zombies. She’s the author of the Ashley Parker series, touted as Buffy meets The Walking Dead, the dark fantasy series Spawn of Lilith, and the science fiction series Time Shards, which she is co-writing her husband and fellow author David Fitzgerald. They live in San Francisco with a horde of felines and their dog Pogeen. You can find Dana on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, along with at her website.

Will you be picking up Shatter War? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Shatter War: Q&A With Dana Fredsti & David Fitzgerald appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

From a novel adaption of Marvel and Hulu’s Runaways, to witches, Spartacus, post-apocalyptic worlds and spies, you’re sure to find a new read in our list!

Read on to discover what fantasy and sci-fi books are coming out this month and tell us in the comments which ones you’re excited for!

Black Star Renegades by Michael Moreci | Goodreads

Cade Sura holds the future of the galaxy in his hands: the ultimate weapon that will bring total peace. The evil Praxis kingdom is on the cusp of having every star system under its control, and if that happens, there’ll be no contesting their cruel reign. Especially if its fanatical overlord, Ga Halle, manages to capture Cade and snag the all-powerful weapon for herself.

Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft | Goodreads

The Tower of Babel is the greatest marvel in the world. It is a world of geniuses and tyrants, of airships and steam engines, of unusual animals and mysterious machines. Soon after arriving at the Tower, Thomas Senlin, gets separated from his wife in the overwhelming swarm of tourists, residents, and miscreants. Determined to find her, he’ll have to navigate madhouses, ballrooms, and burlesque theaters. He must survive betrayal, assassins, and the long guns of a flying fortress.

Dark State by Charles Stross | Goodreads

In the sequel to Empire Games, the collision of two nuclear superpowers across timelines, one in the midst of a technological revolution and the other a hyper-police state, is imminent. In Commissioner Miriam Burgeson’s timeline, her top-level agents run a high risk extraction of a major political player. Meanwhile, a sleeper cell activated in Rita’s, the Commissioner’s adopted daughter and newly-minted spy, timeline threatens to unravel everything.

Blood and Sand by C.V. Wyk | Goodreads

The Republic of Rome is on a relentless march to create an empire. Attia was destined to rule as queen and swordmaiden of Thrace, but now she’s a slave to Xanthus, the Champion of Rome. Enslaved as a child, Xanthus is the preeminent gladiator of his generation. The pair form a tentative bond that will spark a rebellion that threatens to bring the Roman Republic to its end―and gives rise to the legend of Spartacus…

The Wolves of Winter by Tyrell Johnson | Goodreads

Lynn McBride has learned much since society collapsed in the face of nuclear war and the relentless spread of disease. As memories of her old life haunt her, she has been forced to forge ahead in the snow-covered Canadian Yukon, learning how to hunt and trap to survive. Shadows of the world before have found her tiny community—most prominently in the enigmatic figure of Jax, who sets in motion a chain of events that will force Lynn to fulfill a destiny she never imagined.

Runaways by Christopher Golden | Goodreads

Based on the popular Hulu television series and comic books, fans and first-time readers will enjoy this new take on the story. The novel also includes the first issue of the revived Runaways comic series written by Rainbow Rowell and with art by Kris Anka.

The Raptor and the Wren by Chuck Wendig | Goodreads

The fifth book in the Miriam Black series sees Miriam continuing her journey to find answers on how to change her fate and begin to make right some of what she’s done wrong. Armed with new knowledge that suggests a great sacrifice must be made to change her fate, Miriam continues her quest and learns that she must undo the tragedies of her past to move forward.

The Sky Is Yours by Chandler Klang Smith | Goodreads

In the burned-out, futuristic city of Empire Island, three young people navigate a crumbling metropolis constantly under threat from a pair of dragons that circle the skies. As they wander toward the scalded heart of the city, they face fire, conspiracy, mayhem, unholy drugs, dragon-worshippers, and the monsters lurking inside themselves.

The King of Bones and Ashes by J.D. Horn | Goodreads

Magic is seeping out of the world, leaving the witches who’ve relied on it for countless centuries increasingly hopeless. But for young Alice Marin, she’s using magic’s waning days to solve the mystery of numerous disappearances in the occult circles of New Orleans. Alice disappeared once, too—caged in an asylum by blood relatives. Recently freed, she fears her family may be more involved with the growing crisis than she ever dared imagine.

Markswoman by Rati Mehrotra | Goodreads

Kyra is the youngest Markswoman in the Order of Kali, a highly trained sisterhood of elite warriors armed with telepathic blades. After the death of her mentor, Kyra is forced to run and finds herself at the Order of Khur, an order composed of all men. With the help of Rustan, a young, disillusioned Marksman, Kyra must obtain proof of who killed her mentor.

Time Shards by Dana Fredsti and David Fitzgerald | Goodreads

It’s called “the Event.” An unimaginable cataclysm in the 23rd century shatters 600 years of the Earth’s timeline into jumbled fragments of the past, present and future, all existing alongside one another. Amber Richardson is stranded on a tiny fragment of 21st century Britain surrounded by a Pleistocene wilderness. She crosses paths with Cam, a young warrior of a tribe from Roman Brittania—only to be imprisoned by Cromwellian soldiers. One of their captives is a man who Amber calls “Merlin, and who claims to be the 23rd century scientist responsible for the Event.

The Queen of All Crows by Rod Duncan | Goodreads

The year is 2012. The nations of the world are bound together in an alliance of collective security, overseen by the International Patent Office. When airships start disappearing, the Patent Office is desperate to discover what has happened and send spies to investigate. One of those spies is Elizabeth Barnabus. She must overcome her dislike of the controlling Patent Office, disguise herself as a man, and take to the sea in search of the floating nation of pirates who threaten the world order.

The post January Book Releases: Fantasy + Sci-Fi appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Check out the books below and tell us in the comments if you will be reading one!

The Spawn of Lilith by Dana Fredsti | Goodreads
Lee Striga is a successful actress and stuntwoman in Hollywood, with big secrets to keep hidden. She’s also a demon hunter, forced to pay off an ancient family debt in order to free her ancestor, Lilith, Mother of Demons, imprisoned centuries ago by a vengeful god. The creatures she must kill also are the descendants of Lilith who roam the earth.

Indigo by Charlaine Harris, Christopher Golden, Kelley Armstrong and more | Goodreads
By day, Nora is an investigative reporter and by night, she’s Indigo, a brutal vigilante who can forge darkness into weapons and travel across the city by slipping into shadows. Through both identities, she focuses on a murderous criminal cult called the Children of Phonos who murder children. In the aftermath of a bloody battle, a dying cultist causes Indigo to question her origin and memories.As Nora starts to pick apart her memory, it begins to unravel. Her parents are dead, but the rest is a series of lies. Where did she get the power inside her?

Judge Anderson: Year One by Alec Worley | Goodreads
The untold story behind Mega-City One’s most famous telepath and Judge Dredd partner, Judge Anderson, in her first year on the job! Mega-City One, 2100.  Cassandra Anderson is destined to become Psi-Division’s most famous Judge, foiling supernatural threats and policing Mega-City One’s hearts and souls. For now, she’s fresh out of Academy and Psi-Div themselves are still finding their feet.

Song of the Current by Sarah Tolcser | Goodreads
Destined for the river, Caroline Oresteia’s family have always been called by the river-god and at seventeen, she is ready to meet her fate, but the river-god hasn’t spoken her name yet and there’s a chance he never will. Taking her future into her own hands when her father is arrested, she soon finds herself caught in a web of politics and lies with dangerous pirates behind her and without the river-god to help. With so much at stake, she must choose between the life she always wanted and the one she never could have imagined for herself.

The Refrigerator Monologues by Catherynne M. Valente | Goodreads
A series of linked stories from the points of view of the wives and girlfriends of superheroes, female heroes, and anyone who’s ever been “refrigerated” so that a male superhero’s storyline will progress. Valente subversively explores these ideas and themes in the superhero genre, treating them with the same love, gravity, and humor as her fairy tales. After all, superheroes are our new fairy tales and these six women have their own stories to share.

Twelve Days by Steven Barnes | Goodreads
While leaders and notorious criminals alike are mysteriously dying, Olympia Dorsey, with her cynical teenage daughter and autistic son, are trying to heal from a personal tragedy. Meanwhile, soldier Terry Nicolas reunites with his team to carry out a risky heist, but when they visit an unusual martial arts exhibition and meet Madame Gupta, she offers not just a way for Terry to tap into mastery beyond his dreams, but also for Olympia’s son to transcend the limits of his condition.

The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O by Neal Stephenson & Nicole Galland | Goodreads
When Melisande Stokes, an expert in linguistics and languages, accidentally meets military intelligence operator Tristan Lyons in a hallway at Harvard, it is the beginning of a chain of events that will alter their lives and human history itself. Tristan needs Mel to translate some very old documents, and if authentic, they prove that magic actually existed and was practised for centuries until it stopped working. And so the Department of Diachronic Operations—D.O.D.O. —gets cracking on its real mission: to develop a device that can bring magic back.

Roar by Cora Carmack | Goodreads
Long ago, the ungifted pledged fealty to Aurora Pavan’s family in exchange for safe haven as their kingdom was sustained by magic capable of repelling the world’s deadliest foes. As the sole heir, Aurora’s been groomed to be the perfect queen, but she’s yet to show any trace of the magic to protect her people. To keep her secret and save her crown, she is arranged to marry a dark, brooding Stormling prince. With secrets kept by her betrothed, Aurora soon learns there’s a third option besides ruin or marriage: steal the magic, if she’s brave enough.

Spoonbenders by Daryl Gregory | Goodreads
The Telemachus family is known for performing inexplicable feats. Teddy, a master conman, heads up a clan who possess gifts he only fakes: there’s Maureen, who can astral project; Irene, the human lie detector; Frankie, gifted with telekinesis; and Buddy, the clairvoyant. But when, one night, the magic fails to materialize, the family withdraws to Chicago where they live in shame for years. Until: As they find themselves facing a troika of threats (CIA, mafia, unrelenting skeptic) but must put past obstacles behind them and unite like never before. 

Beren and Luthien by J.R.R. Tolkien | Goodreads
Painstakingly restored from Tolkien’s manuscripts, the epic tale of Beren and Lúthien will reunite fans of The Lord of the Rings. Essential to the story is the fate that shadowed the love of Beren and Lúthien: for Beren was a mortal man, but Lúthien was an immortal Elf. Her father, a great Elvish lord, in deep opposition to Beren, imposed on him an impossible task that he must perform before he might wed Lúthien. This is the kernel of the legend; and it leads to the supremely heroic attempt of Beren and Lúthien together to rob the greatest of all evil beings.

The Sandcastle Empire by Kayla Olson | Goodreads
Before the war, Eden’s life was easy, but then the revolution happened, and now a powerful group controls the earth and its resources. Eden refuses to die by their hands and seeks out the only neutral ground left in the world, a place called Sanctuary Island. When one of Eden’s new friends goes missing, she searches for her lost ally and discover Sanctuary is filled with lethal traps and an enemy they never expected. This island might be deadlier than the world Eden left behind, but surviving it is the only thing that stands between her and freedom.

Godblind by Anna Stephens | Goodreads
Exiled from Rilpor a thousand years ago, a new Mireces king now plots an invasion of Rilpor’s thriving cities and fertile earth. Dom Templeson, a Watcher and civilian warrior guards its border and as a powerful seer, he’s plagued with visions and prophecies. But Dom harbours deep secrets, which threaten to be exposed when Rillirin, an escaped Mireces slave, stumbles broken and bleeding into his village. Meanwhile, more and more of Rilpor’s most powerful figures are turning to the dark rituals and bloody sacrifices of the Red Gods.

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