tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80155132361446026352024-03-14T04:27:45.757-07:00Dream Tower ChronicleBlog of Dream Tower Media, by author, artist, and composer Robert Zoltan SzelesRobert Zoltanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13506399931797975315noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8015513236144602635.post-88265427400170798222018-12-24T15:14:00.002-08:002018-12-24T15:14:21.770-08:00A Wonderful Little Christmas Present<div data-contents="true">
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<span data-offset-key="4kjjp-0-0"><span data-text="true">This year's holiday season is a challenging time for me. So, it was a nice little present to get this wonderful review of Rogues of Merth: The Adventures of Dareon and Blue, Book 1, from Tangent Online! Thank you editor Dave Truesdale, and excellent reviewer Tara Grímravn. Tara also capsulized the plot of each story probably better than I could have done!</span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="9iah6-0-0">Here's an excerpt:</span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="buptj-0-0"><span data-text="true">"Zoltan’s Rogues of Merth reminds me of everything in my youth that caused me to fall in love with fantasy in the first place. Lovers of the genre, especially of the classic sword-and-sorcery sub-genre, are sure to enjoy this lively collection."</span></span></div>
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<br /><span data-offset-key="buptj-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span data-offset-key="99uoh-0-0"><span data-text="true">Read the whole
review here:
<a href="https://www.tangentonline.com/print--other-reviewsmenu-263/collections-reviewsmenu-337/4037-rogues-of-merth-by-robert-zoltan">https://www.tangentonline.com/print--other-reviewsmenu-263/collections-reviewsmenu-337/4037-rogues-of-merth-by-robert-zoltan</a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="buptj-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span data-offset-key="99uoh-0-0"><span data-text="true">Happy Holidays, Everyone!</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="buptj-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span data-offset-key="99uoh-0-0"><span data-text="true">Robert</span></span></span></span></div>
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Robert Zoltanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13506399931797975315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8015513236144602635.post-55164609337007840332018-12-21T17:15:00.003-08:002018-12-21T17:16:10.688-08:00One Night in Merth Audiobook AdventureOne Night in Merth, the audiobook dramatized adventure is now available to enjoy at <a href="http://dreamtowermedia.com/podcast">dreamtowermedia.com/podcast</a>! The origin story of how Dareon and Blue first met, and the first story in Rogues of Merth: The Adventures of Dareon and Blue, Book 1, available now in paperback or for Kindle on Amazon (<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998030309">https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998030309</a>).<br />
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One night in Merth, that largest, most diverse, most decadent of westerly cities on the continent of Plemora, a desperate young poet swordsman and an ingenuous young tribal warrior are drawn together by magic, machinations, and mysterious forces that converge upon a single pearl of extraordinary size and luster.<br />
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Written, composed, and produced by Robert Zoltan. Starring Danita Bayer, Whitton Frank, Kori Wilson, and Robert Zoltan.<br />
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<br />Robert Zoltanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13506399931797975315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8015513236144602635.post-65015349326182396912018-11-16T17:35:00.000-08:002018-11-16T17:55:32.819-08:00Rogues of Merth: The Adventures of Dareon and Blue, Book 1 is now available!Thrilling Sword and Sorcery Adventure in the Golden Age Tradition!<br />
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“Colorful and Exciting. Dareon and Blue are interesting and involving
people to spend time with…the more involved stories show an imaginative
force and a real belief in the core of the characters' motivations that
compel the reader's interest. There is plenty of room for additional
intriguing adventures for this pair of characters, and I for one will be
happy to see where their lives lead them.”<br />
— RICH HORTON, EDITOR OF THE YEAR’S BEST SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY<br />
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One Night in Merth, that most westerly city tottering on the edge of the Succulent Sea, a desperate young poet swordsman and an ingenuous young tribal warrior meet by chance or fate or luck. Their unlikely friendship sets them on a course of adventures across the wild mysterious continent of Plemora, where they face monsters, magicians, maledictions, and things nameless and far stranger.<br /><br />A novel-length collection of Heroic Fantasy Sword and Sorcery Adventures in the tradition of the Golden Age (Fritz Leiber, Jack Vance, Michael Moorcock, Robert E. Howard, and C.L. Moore).<br /><br />
Amazon Paperback<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998030309">https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998030309</a><span id="goog_98481019"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_98481020"></span><br />
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Amazon Kindle<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KJZ7JKC">https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KJZ7JKC</a><br />
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Thanks to everyone who has supported Rogues of Merth by enjoying the audiobook adventures or purchasing The Blue Lamp short story. This book was five years in the making, and I hope it will prove worth the wait for everyone!<br />
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Cheers,<br />
Robert Zoltan<br />
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Robert Zoltanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13506399931797975315noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8015513236144602635.post-74310937629389755332018-11-02T12:15:00.002-07:002018-11-02T12:15:29.986-07:00Rogues of Merth: The Adventures of Dareon and Blue, Book 1 Release on November 16th<span></span><br />
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<span data-offset-key="3b0cu-0-0"><span data-text="true">ADVANCE PRAISE FOR ROGUES OR MERTH, BOOK 1</span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="6recv-0-0"><span data-text="true">“Colorful and Exciting. Dareon and Blue are interesting and involving people…the more involved stories show an imaginative force and a real belief in the core of the characters’ motivations that compel the reader’s interest. There is plenty of room for additional intriguing adventures for this pair of characters, and I for one will be happy to see where their lives lead them.”</span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="cn2ma-0-0"><span data-text="true">— RICH HORTON, EDITOR OF THE YEAR’S BEST SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY</span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="1a8aj-0-0"><span data-text="true">Coming November 16th! Rogues of Merth: The Adventures of Dareon and Blue, Book 1 will be released as a paperback and an ebook. You can pre-order the Kindle edition now on Amazon at <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JQ5466Z">https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JQ5466Z</a> (paperbooks cannot be pre-ordered). Visit the new Rogues of Merth site and sign up for the Dream Tower Media mailing list for more upcoming Rogues of Merth news!</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://roguesofmerth.com/"><span data-offset-key="5ptvk-0-0"><span data-text="true">http://roguesofmerth.com/</span></span></a></div>
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<span data-offset-key="5ptvk-0-0"><span data-text="true">Thanks!</span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="5ptvk-0-0"><span data-text="true">Robert </span></span></div>
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Robert Zoltanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13506399931797975315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8015513236144602635.post-63332087143749809842018-04-01T15:03:00.000-07:002018-04-01T15:03:56.271-07:00Literary Wonder & Adventure Show Nominated for AwardLiterary Wonder & Adventure Show was just nominated for a Robert E. Howard Foundation Award! It was also recommended by top editor Rich Horton for a Hugo Award! And if that's not enough, Episode 10 is now live! Premiering another full audio drama of those two reluctant adventurers, the poet swordsman Dareon Vin and his Indari warrior comrade known as Blue.<br />
ROGUES OF MERTH: DELTA OF THE DAMNED<br />
A thrilling sword and sorcery adventure!<br />
(and, if you missed it, Episode 9 is still available—Clark Ashton Smith, Poet of The Fantastic: A Conversation with Author Ryan Harvey)<br />
http://dreamtowermedia.com/podcast/<br />
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Enjoy! And, Happy Easter!<br />
<br />
Robert and Edgar<br />
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<br />Robert Zoltanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13506399931797975315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8015513236144602635.post-18862763716384265002018-02-01T16:59:00.001-08:002018-02-01T17:00:53.822-08:00Literary Wonder & Adventure Show, Episode 8: Spaceships, Aliens, and AI, Oh My!: A Conversation with Author Becky ChambersHost Robert Zoltan and author Becky Chambers (The Wayfarer Series) hold a
provocative discussion on the controversial topics of space travel,
alien sex, and robot love! Meanwhile, Robert and Edgar the Raven finally
make it out of deep space and return to Los Angeles to find a strange
package awaiting them. As if that’s not enough, Edgar gets down and fun<span class="text_exposed_show">ky
to the catchy song, Rocketship, by Seduction Revolution. All on this
episode of Literary Wonder & Adventure! And it’s free!</span><br />
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Don't forget to tell your friends, and please leave a
review on iTunes, which constitutes 70% of podcast listeners.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.dreamtowermedia.com/podcast">http://www.dreamtowermedia.com/podcast</a><span id="goog_1514443207"></span><span id="goog_1514443208"></span> <br />
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Thanks for listening! <br />
Robert and Edgar the Raven<br />
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Robert Zoltanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13506399931797975315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8015513236144602635.post-8203779939609634042018-01-21T09:21:00.001-08:002018-01-21T09:21:18.297-08:00The End of ComplainingWhy do we complain? Because we feel alone, but we are afraid of looking foolish or weak if we speak what is plainly in our heart. “I feel alone in this. I only need to know that someone else has experienced this, that someone else cares.” If we could speak vulnerably, honestly, and simply about what we feel, we would no longer need to complain about our situation.<br /><br />We are afraid that we alone, afraid that events will not be favorable to us, afraid that Life is not what we believed it to be and want it to be. In fact, it is very likely that Life is NOT what we believe it to be or have been taught to expect. But it is likely that Life is far more mysterious and unpredictable and wonderful than we believed. And it may want for us far more (though different) and want from us far more than we expected. And if it is also more difficult than we believed, which it surely is at times, we must remember that we were created to be perfectly accustomed to it. We need not be afraid, but can have confidence that whatever happens is a part we are fully equipped to play, and that part is essential to the whole movement of Life, in which we are an integral member, and therefore, never alone, meaningless, or forgotten.Robert Zoltanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13506399931797975315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8015513236144602635.post-25531745721668729402017-10-24T10:56:00.002-07:002017-10-24T10:58:51.169-07:00Judging People of the Past by Modern Morals<span data-offset-key="46hiu-0-0"><span data-text="true">I have read many judgemental criticisms of people of the past, including writers and their characters, such as fantasy writers Robert E. Howard, Fritz Leiber, and Jack Vance. If we judge people (and characters) of the past from our self-righteous 21st Century moral stance, we have to give up just about all heroes, including Gilgamesh, Lancelot, most of Shakespeare's heroes, Buddha (who left his wife and responsibilities), and even Jesus (who left is responsibilities and hung out with whores and traitors). No one can stand up to those standards if a light is shined upon every aspect of our lives. A hero is not someone who is flawless. A hero is someone who does great, courageous, or honorable things despite their flaws.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="46hiu-0-0"><span data-text="true">Judging people from the past (or even in the present) is a false way to make ourselves feel superior to others. A more honest action would be to ask ourselves: what have WE done, and what are WE doing with our lives?</span></span>Robert Zoltanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13506399931797975315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8015513236144602635.post-51630808050046471282017-10-06T14:17:00.001-07:002017-10-06T15:14:35.041-07:00The Fate of a Princess<div data-mce-style="text-indent: .5in; margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in;" style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
When
I began the Princess of Mars project,<br />
I was under the impression that Edgar Rice
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkzsxdRFXFf839C-3LEBetawgNAdMyfqwoblZVK7Drii-9UENs-yN6jf73pUriV-4aEiDt7aJ1Y9Ub3uqgciA_UpXl1nYdLQkp1ND2c3A2cEYCb3SN5j8jDWXJ4BuuLugYN1BIya-87mU/s1600/DejahFrescoColorSample.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="538" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkzsxdRFXFf839C-3LEBetawgNAdMyfqwoblZVK7Drii-9UENs-yN6jf73pUriV-4aEiDt7aJ1Y9Ub3uqgciA_UpXl1nYdLQkp1ND2c3A2cEYCb3SN5j8jDWXJ4BuuLugYN1BIya-87mU/s320/DejahFrescoColorSample.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
Burroughs' A Princess of Mars was in public domain, and could therefore
be published by anyone. This assertion has recently been questioned. I
have contacted Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc. in order to find out more
information on this matter, and hopefully to get not only their
permission, but their endorsement of Dream Tower Media's Illustrated
version of the novel.<br />
<div data-mce-style="text-indent: .5in; margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in;" style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Until
I receive word back, the project will be on hold. If the work is still
under copyright and I am unable to get the permission of ERB Inc. to do
the project, I am afraid it will not be brought to completion and
published. Dream Tower Media will then move forward instead with the
other books planned for its publishing line. I will keep you all up to
date on any news I receive.</div>
<div data-mce-style="text-indent: .5in; margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in;" style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Until
then, I am releasing another one of my illustrations for A Princess of
Mars, still in process of editing, but nearly finished as a piece. This
is the scene where Dejah Thoris looks in wonder at the fresco of an
ancient lost people. The fresco is a tribute to my favorite artist,
Gustave Klimt.</div>
<div data-mce-style="text-indent: .5in; margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in;" style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div>
<div data-mce-style="text-indent: .5in; margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in;" style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Thanks to everyone who has been patient and supportive. </div>
<div data-mce-style="text-indent: .5in; margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in;" style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div>
<div data-mce-style="text-indent: .5in; margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in;" style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Best Wishes,</div>
<div data-mce-style="text-indent: .5in; margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in;" style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<br data-mce-bogus="1" /></div>
<div data-mce-style="text-indent: .5in; margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in;" style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Robert Zoltan</div>
<div data-mce-style="text-indent: .5in; margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in;" style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
October 6th, 2017</div>
Robert Zoltanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13506399931797975315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8015513236144602635.post-46788100186446775242017-08-10T15:07:00.002-07:002017-08-10T15:07:15.836-07:00Robert Zoltan and Edgar the Raven Visit With Fritz Leiber<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpSQggT_gWoF9jTBqkC1cagsYMywUVl4xYOxU5KzxyeWZuUKwCBSqnhKCdmkluBZ0u79mqQ2AuiBivWEJNVYuxei351opaY3Wm3yfdwygFrdsEybSPYwhK3YvsnJIjaLvi7j3Q1tAWQqU/s1600/RobEdgarAndFritz1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="721" data-original-width="1281" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpSQggT_gWoF9jTBqkC1cagsYMywUVl4xYOxU5KzxyeWZuUKwCBSqnhKCdmkluBZ0u79mqQ2AuiBivWEJNVYuxei351opaY3Wm3yfdwygFrdsEybSPYwhK3YvsnJIjaLvi7j3Q1tAWQqU/s400/RobEdgarAndFritz1.jpg" width="400" /></a>Literary Wonder & Adventure Show Photo Spotlight: Robert Zoltan and Edgar the Raven Visit With Fritz Leiber, August 2nd, 2017<br />
<br />Host and Co-Host of Literary Wonder & Adventure Show, Robert Zoltan and Edgar the Raven, recently took a trip to San Francisco to visit the home of the late great Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Author, Fritz Leiber.<br />
<br />According to Robert, the ghost of Fritz Leiber visited him immediately after this photo was taken, and told him, “I’m really jazzed about the show and wish I was still around to be interviewed, but I’m here in The Big Time now.” Leiber was obviously referring to some type of afterlife, and not the “big time” that Robert and Edgar have recently hit with their show. Leiber supposedly also told Robert that he considered Robert’s Rogues of Merth: The Adventures of Dareon and Blue stories to be a worthy successor to his own Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser series.<br />
<br />
These quotes attributed to the late Mr. Leiber have not been confirmed by professional mediums, and furthermore, according to trustworthy sources close to Robert Zoltan (though obviously not trustworthy to him), Robert had recently switched medications, and was also seen discussing physics with an invisible Albert Einstein, and arguing with an invisible David Bowie about the relative strengths of his later music compared with his earlier work.<br /><br />For more gossip, scandal, offensive news, and the latest about the show, sign up for the Dream Tower Media newsletter and listen to Literary Wonder & Adventure Show at <a href="http://www.dreamtowermedia.com/podcast">http://www.dreamtowermedia.com/podcast</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />
<br />Robert Zoltanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13506399931797975315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8015513236144602635.post-25021635578836842462017-07-26T21:04:00.003-07:002017-07-26T21:31:42.248-07:00Robert Zoltan and Edgar the Raven Hit the Big Time<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVJN49zXxXH4cFFYQR6mGuAjuPwkoFx-Bm-vZjX3IBT_ydaCeedw9H6qS9CNv8mUp2hibFrv4YM5gmuaOUgNtK4QscyscrkEMN-aP7-VEL3i7KfJ_IuFY1_ltuRD8kFwpwSEaj8EHFSCk/s1600/RobertAndEdgarPool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1089" data-original-width="1318" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVJN49zXxXH4cFFYQR6mGuAjuPwkoFx-Bm-vZjX3IBT_ydaCeedw9H6qS9CNv8mUp2hibFrv4YM5gmuaOUgNtK4QscyscrkEMN-aP7-VEL3i7KfJ_IuFY1_ltuRD8kFwpwSEaj8EHFSCk/s320/RobertAndEdgarPool.jpg" width="320" /></a>PRESS RELEASE: Robert Zoltan and Edgar the Raven Hit the Big Time! July, 26, 2017<br />
<br />
According to Dream Tower Media’s publicist, the star host and star co-host of Literary Wonder & Adventure Show have “hit the big time.” Supposedly, the show’s popularity is “raging like a Southern California wildfire.” Thanks to several corporate sponsorship deals, merchandising, and numerous lawsuits, Robert and Edgar are reported to have “bought a villa overlooking the Hollywood Hills.” Pictured here on the terrace in a photograph by famed photographer, Lannie Eibowitz, Robert and Edgar relax in their pool (an unidentified famous associate lounges on the authentic leopard skin chaise lounge), drinking Martini’s, and eliminating potential guests from their list for upcoming episodes.<br />
<br />
Robert and Edgar both have book deals in the making and the publicist claims that a movie deal is “ludicrously inevitable.” Robert’s book is a biography entitled, “All You Need Is Love (and Talent, and Sex, and Money), while Edgar’s book is a how-to for other avian sidekick hopefuls called “How to Fly to the Top Without Losing Your Tail Feathers.”<br />
<br />
Rumors of friction over money and creative differences (but mostly money) are dismissed by the publicist, who claims, “Robert and Edgar are a dynamic duo like Batman and Robin, but without the costumes, the crime-fighting, or the homosexual undertones.” Despite this assurance, an inside source claims that Robert and Edgar now record their audio parts for the show at separate times in the studio. As for Robert’s purported drinking and depression problems, the humble host addressed this directly in a recent Facebook post. “Gin is nothing more than a drink to me. And how could I be anything but happy? I’m living a life that common people can only dream of.”<br />
<br />
<span><span data-offset-key="95lkf-0-0"><span data-text="true">For more gossip, scandal, offensive news, and the latest about the show, sign up for the Dream Tower Media newsletter and listen to Literary Wonder & Adventure Show at http://www.dreamtowermedia.com/podcast.</span></span></span>Robert Zoltanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13506399931797975315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8015513236144602635.post-27569615186536927272017-07-09T14:47:00.002-07:002017-07-09T14:57:46.169-07:00Artistic Striptease<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9EtzVg2vakPLaFQMhe1W1LehjPIY9Y0JTK1357w_E4BSk6UhWmHY9a1VVWIHhSEuMyrzuIedeY-f-8lIPmq8f9RboF0MX5zN7zknZir5PboihPp_sD2kuoIvCsfNH_BsHysZNkheGUsI/s1600/Battle1SketchFBPreview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9EtzVg2vakPLaFQMhe1W1LehjPIY9Y0JTK1357w_E4BSk6UhWmHY9a1VVWIHhSEuMyrzuIedeY-f-8lIPmq8f9RboF0MX5zN7zknZir5PboihPp_sD2kuoIvCsfNH_BsHysZNkheGUsI/s400/Battle1SketchFBPreview.jpg" width="285" /></a>My daily work on <i>A Princess of Mars</i>
is yielding great results. I am now up to about sixteen compositions
that will probably work out for inside illustrations. So why have I been
remiss on keeping up with the blog, and even more, why am I not showing
you the work?</div>
<div style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
I am facing the
dilemma of the classic striptease artist: What to show, what not to
show? If I show too much, I risk lowering the value of the book for
those who will purchase it when it’s released, and also for those who
will support the upcoming Kickstarter for the project and get
behind-the-scenes extras. Additionally, I am still developing the style
of the illustrations, so I don’t have too much that I feel is surely
representative of the final look.</div>
<div style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Of course, if I show nothing, I risk losing people’s interest. Oy!</div>
<div style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
I promise I
will reveal more as I am able, and if I am not revealing much, it is in
the interests of the book itself and those who will be fans of this
book. I can only ask for your faith and patience, and for this post at
least, leave you with a little “glimpse of leg” that promises to make it
into the final edit of the book.</div>
<div style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Sign up for the Dream Tower Media newsletter to get the latest updates. </div>
<div style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Kaor!</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Sincerely,</div>
<div style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Robert Zoltan</div>
<div style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
July 9th, 2017</div>
Robert Zoltanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13506399931797975315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8015513236144602635.post-18561086847097412392017-06-30T14:16:00.000-07:002017-06-30T14:18:22.479-07:00The Golden Age of Science Fiction, Part 1TONIGHT!! 6 pm (PST), on a brand new episode of Literary Wonder & Adventure Show! The Golden Age of Science Fiction, Part 1, with Award-Winning Author Allen Steele (Avengers of the Moon)! <a href="http://www.dreamtowermedia.com/podcast">www.dreamtowermedia.com/podcast</a><br />
<br />
Tell your friends! And please go to our Patreon page to join the Dream Tower Crew:<br />
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/LiteraryWonderAndAdventure">https://www.patreon.com/LiteraryWonderAndAdventure</a><br />
<br />
Thanks!<br />
Robert and Edgar<br />
<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2T4sphAnC7jyimw0Rsk3S2-SzEIrE9_uiHBTucMJwtMPgYjjzsPog-USHPvMVXSsZ-PFpooEapn4gw8-iyeZR0hqU4zEJ3kdC1rhSwFCMM5CAKVbxZoUjQ0MfjYaoN1nOeh33GOjw_u0/s1600/AllenSteelePodcastCoverFB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2T4sphAnC7jyimw0Rsk3S2-SzEIrE9_uiHBTucMJwtMPgYjjzsPog-USHPvMVXSsZ-PFpooEapn4gw8-iyeZR0hqU4zEJ3kdC1rhSwFCMM5CAKVbxZoUjQ0MfjYaoN1nOeh33GOjw_u0/s320/AllenSteelePodcastCoverFB.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Robert Zoltanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13506399931797975315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8015513236144602635.post-42218115458509053822017-06-19T15:52:00.001-07:002017-06-19T15:52:14.770-07:00Literary Wonder & Adventure Show Upcoming ScheduleSome exciting things happening in the coming months in the Dream Tower!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Lcua1wCpOqXOHDEJ2bMuX2q1vhx_v4l6L_UH5rHEHQEAwXsRoQBmCdHdiNUXQSbrRKFC_aELgMnFZRyPwB-X1TmgaIw11Agj7eLep4GyUlnThpf6jnAMr0mts3wN3ms3mvQnwKHOT3c/s1600/LWAPodcastCoverNew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Lcua1wCpOqXOHDEJ2bMuX2q1vhx_v4l6L_UH5rHEHQEAwXsRoQBmCdHdiNUXQSbrRKFC_aELgMnFZRyPwB-X1TmgaIw11Agj7eLep4GyUlnThpf6jnAMr0mts3wN3ms3mvQnwKHOT3c/s200/LWAPodcastCoverNew.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
June: The Golden Age of Science Fiction, Part 1<br />Guest: Award-Winning Author Allen Steele (Avengers of the Moon)<br /><br />July: The Golden Age of Science Fiction, Part 2<br />Guest: Editor Rich Horton (The Year’s Best Science Fiction & Fantasy)<br /><br />August: Spaceships and Aliens and AI, Oh My!<br />Guest: Award-Winning Author Becky Chambers (The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet)<br /><br />September: Lest Darkness Wreck the Stars<br />Poet Swordsman Dareon Vin and his Indari Warrior comrade Blue return in another Fantastic Full Audio Fantasy Adventure!<br />From the Rogues of Merth series by Robert Zoltan.<br /><br />
Subscribe to the Dream Tower Media newsletter for further exciting announcements!<br />www.dreamtowermedia.com. And please join the Dream Tower Team and keep the show going monthly by pledging on our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/LiteraryWonderAndAdventure<br /><br />Thanks!<br />Robert and Edgar<br />Robert Zoltanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13506399931797975315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8015513236144602635.post-53394213485089981672017-06-19T14:13:00.000-07:002017-06-19T14:15:00.356-07:00Shooting Myself (The Making of a Princess of Mars, Week 8)<div style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
That’s what I
feel like doing sometimes during this project. But this morning I did it
in a less destructive way—with a camera. I shot 125 photos of myself
for illustration photo reference (behold the glamour of illustration
modeling!). Tiring not only because action scenes are difficult, but
also because I have to set timer, pose, shoot, then go and check the
shot to see how it looks, adjust my pose to the drawing, shoot again,
repeat. 125 times. Regarding my process, I don’t usually come up with
ideas, shoot reference and then illustrate that. I do drawings and then
shoot reference afterward to improve detail and work out difficult
anatomical problems. I shot some good stuff, mostly for A Princess of
Mars, but also for the cover of Lest Darkness Wreck the Stars, the new
Rogues of Merth: The Adventures of Dareon and Blue story. Coming soon
from <a href="http://www.dreamtowermedia.com/" target="_blank">Dream Tower Media</a>!</div>
<div style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
The first
session with the Dejah Thoris model was postponed due to my cold, but I
will be rescheduling that very soon. And if you’re really good, I might
even show you a photo or two from that…nahhhhh!</div>
<div style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Sincerely,</div>
<div style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Robert Zoltan</div>
<div style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
June 19th, 2017</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEganLvimVnzmmK0BQtqetgMPzKytfffaveqt4KKL1O0o3HSfaWCC9jNvgUSF8V11Pl1AdybXsAW-egFRalgtWE8eiEN9Gh5-p5Cmq2jNTOyaB8jsciQ1R1xmlI1uvw6n80wDzEEicq_e20/s1600/ModelingSessionArchive1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="246" data-original-width="735" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEganLvimVnzmmK0BQtqetgMPzKytfffaveqt4KKL1O0o3HSfaWCC9jNvgUSF8V11Pl1AdybXsAW-egFRalgtWE8eiEN9Gh5-p5Cmq2jNTOyaB8jsciQ1R1xmlI1uvw6n80wDzEEicq_e20/s400/ModelingSessionArchive1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Robert Zoltanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13506399931797975315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8015513236144602635.post-32461549362765407022017-06-13T16:05:00.001-07:002017-06-19T14:11:09.175-07:00Finally...Green Martians! (The Making of a Princess of Mars, Week 7)<style>
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The abstract drawing approach continues to yield results, and
moves me ever closer to the specific feeling and style I desire for the book.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
I was recently hit with a cold, and was unable to draw
yesterday, but felt well enough this morning to pick up the pencil again. I
worked in a smaller format frame, about nine by twelve inches, and this is what
happened.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyN2l4nWb-4hZQoC7nAVEYz96qeHvLt4xyeb9tMKosV_sTAcweH5lWjwHeWsdBOlcWJIPwCMQjULCEW21IjhqiWlVLQlCFz0S2X8gBrjzWEdytDV3FZi7_J2gWNrXpJkEFfoYleUIGMRE/s1600/GreenMartianPartySmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="574" data-original-width="419" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyN2l4nWb-4hZQoC7nAVEYz96qeHvLt4xyeb9tMKosV_sTAcweH5lWjwHeWsdBOlcWJIPwCMQjULCEW21IjhqiWlVLQlCFz0S2X8gBrjzWEdytDV3FZi7_J2gWNrXpJkEFfoYleUIGMRE/s320/GreenMartianPartySmall.jpg" width="233" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
After five or six attempts at drawing the Green Martians in
the last few weeks, I finally nailed the essence of what I was trying to
capture. The Green Martians are difficult to draw because, being true to
Burroughs’ description, they can easily appear cartoonish or puppet-like. This
time I was able to portray them as if they are actual living beings with
distinct character and personalities, caught in a moment during a rest on a
march across the desert. I also brought a rather slinking, animated feeling to
the creatures, and the scene helped enhance this sensual, lazy, dreamlike vibe.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
I hope you enjoy previewing this preliminary sketch. And I
hope you like my portrayal of the Green Martians.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
Sincerely,</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
Robert Zoltan</div>
Robert Zoltanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13506399931797975315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8015513236144602635.post-2377667106142427942017-06-03T10:23:00.005-07:002017-06-03T10:23:59.278-07:00The Emperor’s No Clothes (The Making of a Princess of Mars, Week 6)<div style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Of my many
artistic decisions for this project, the subject of clothes and
ornamentation remains a primary detail. In my ongoing study of
Burroughs’ text for A Princess of Mars, I find that the idea of the Red
Martians not wearing any clothes is not as straightforward as it may
seem, though it seems to be one believed my many readers. My fellow
Burroughs’ fans, I refer you to three excerpts from the manuscript:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnL0h9ssL62nxNt5BW-g828K5_f_aB4lZaAN7at4J2i2uMq6LIxZeaEXqxpKS53R-nHtnvuV5WSLUGO2lmCj_du2YSztLbrRDYx7Xx9xn3eGWdokp7d226dprBrz7HOK8PizvIr_gJBXY/s1600/DejahThorisRidingDrawingWebEdit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="417" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnL0h9ssL62nxNt5BW-g828K5_f_aB4lZaAN7at4J2i2uMq6LIxZeaEXqxpKS53R-nHtnvuV5WSLUGO2lmCj_du2YSztLbrRDYx7Xx9xn3eGWdokp7d226dprBrz7HOK8PizvIr_gJBXY/s320/DejahThorisRidingDrawingWebEdit.jpg" width="289" /></a></div>
<div style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
“She was as
destitute of clothes as the green Martians who accompanied her; indeed,
save for her highly wrought ornaments she was entirely naked, nor could
any apparel have enhanced the beauty of her perfect and symmetrical
figure.” (Dejah Thoris, Chapter 8)</div>
<div style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Perhaps
Burroughs was referring to only Green Martians and Dejah Thoris at the
time of her capture when he stated that they were without clothes. He
evidently was not referring to all Red Martians, for later, we read:</div>
<div style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
“Again no
Martian interfered with me, and tearing a piece of silk from my cape I
endeavored to staunch the flow of blood from her nostrils.” (John
tending to Dejah, Chapter 10)</div>
<div style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
And…</div>
<div style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
“The chill of
the Martian night was upon us, and removing my silks I threw them across
the shoulders of Dejah Thoris.” (John caring for Dejah, Chapter 13)</div>
<div style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
So, in effect,
some Red Martians did wear clothes at times. Perhaps they did at night
when the temperature dropped, and surely in the regions nearer the
Poles. Or, Burroughs did not consider the word apparel to cover capes or
what seems to possibly be a silk wrapping of some type, perhaps similar
to a toga. Or perhaps he simply loosened the idea of clothing as the
novel went on. Who can say?</div>
<div style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Fortunately,
this ambiguity serves me as an artist, allowing me to stay true to the
novel while granting me license to do what will best serve the visual
images!</div>
<div style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Sign up for the
<a href="http://dreamtowermedia.com/" target="_blank">Dream Tower Media mailing list</a> to make sure
you don’t miss a single entry of this ongoing story.</div>
<div style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Kaor!</div>
<div style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Robert Zoltan</div>
<div style="margin: .1pt 0in .1pt 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
June 2nd, 2017</div>
Robert Zoltanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13506399931797975315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8015513236144602635.post-5046596035490452592017-05-26T15:15:00.002-07:002017-05-26T15:45:13.596-07:00Little Breakthroughs and Big Green Martians (Making of A Princess of Mars, WEEK 5)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHrYHcnpB6Qk16ewzI63wOPIC3WWlCGBVnhZAdwS5AF85PlcHpfHKeiGh0mFL3y-jNvul9yBBEWhbfZxjzoiWUOOQzktiFRPW4I_fl0XvukYzMJ_ct6n4Qg2q4AfP-6NveN0aeazgUvl0/s1600/GreenMartianHead1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKqccJFaT-L2eVD0wJ6H0ECW5GsmRoFBHpGoRnO2T2ZIL3oevPgrCBRDhdJrmGhOfSkf668s3hlQbI7afAy7y1SLED-viYnwlmSGmq5GSXIXsYA3r2_X1f8anrFlSPq1mQJk7eRWQDeg8/s1600/DejahAndCompanyPreliminarySketchWeb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="504" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKqccJFaT-L2eVD0wJ6H0ECW5GsmRoFBHpGoRnO2T2ZIL3oevPgrCBRDhdJrmGhOfSkf668s3hlQbI7afAy7y1SLED-viYnwlmSGmq5GSXIXsYA3r2_X1f8anrFlSPq1mQJk7eRWQDeg8/s320/DejahAndCompanyPreliminarySketchWeb.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>
<b>Little Breakthroughs</b><br />
Good news! Working on the project every day, and trying the abstract approach I described in the <a href="http://dreamtowermedia.com/dream-tower-press/princess-of-mars/" target="_blank">WEEK 4 entry (The Place of Unknowing) </a>is
starting to yield wonderful results. The image you see was started as a
complete abstract drawing. Then I began to see forms and pulled them
out. Dejah Thoris in front, Woola behind her on a step of the rock, John Carter looking to the right and hand on sword, and Sola at top
right. Now the challenge is to keep the spontaneous feel as I continue
to refine the drawing, ink it, and move on to a color peace if it goes
well.<br />
<br />
<b>Big Green Martians</b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHrYHcnpB6Qk16ewzI63wOPIC3WWlCGBVnhZAdwS5AF85PlcHpfHKeiGh0mFL3y-jNvul9yBBEWhbfZxjzoiWUOOQzktiFRPW4I_fl0XvukYzMJ_ct6n4Qg2q4AfP-6NveN0aeazgUvl0/s1600/GreenMartianHead1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="114" data-original-width="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHrYHcnpB6Qk16ewzI63wOPIC3WWlCGBVnhZAdwS5AF85PlcHpfHKeiGh0mFL3y-jNvul9yBBEWhbfZxjzoiWUOOQzktiFRPW4I_fl0XvukYzMJ_ct6n4Qg2q4AfP-6NveN0aeazgUvl0/s1600/GreenMartianHead1.jpg" /></a>I have done three drawings of Green Martians thus far, and the last is probably the most accurate, though the first one is very weird, which is kind of cool. The second looks a bit like a mix between a Green Martian and a Klingon. What's probably giving me the most trouble is Burroughs description that their eyes sit at the extreme sides of their heads. That's all well and good if you're a grasshopper (which is what I'm starting to think they should look like), but when you put eyes on the very sides of the head, the viewer of a picture will really only see one eye at a time unless the Green Martian is facing forward. And how does one draw eye sockets and brow ridges on the side of the head? Also, not having eyes affects the whole facial structure—bones, muscles, skin, everything. And, having only slits for a nose means no frown lines, for the most part. I don't want to overthink this, but I do want to understand the structure since I am drawing a Green Martian more than once. And I don't want the Green Martian to look like a <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9KZSxi5gXT2Ndbqw32wo9XgHFYtv92eHdXPznQnX5LeMd42GbuSugqglZz1xkwnAkGz7nhKRfICs6fWnGyiOxvF-EYEd5fjLTMfpqYKzeyjVxk1fo7yhQ6l5wKGDyzWz5mOMhfgBmFZU/s1600/GreenMartianHead2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="105" data-original-width="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9KZSxi5gXT2Ndbqw32wo9XgHFYtv92eHdXPznQnX5LeMd42GbuSugqglZz1xkwnAkGz7nhKRfICs6fWnGyiOxvF-EYEd5fjLTMfpqYKzeyjVxk1fo7yhQ6l5wKGDyzWz5mOMhfgBmFZU/s1600/GreenMartianHead2.jpg" /></a></div>
puppet, which is how Frazetta's do sometime on the paintings (especially A Princess of Mars), but his inkings of Green Martians for some reason look better. But hey, maybe they should look like puppets. Huge, malevolent grasshopper puppets! I don't know. Still trying to work it out.<br />
<br />
Go to the <a href="http://dreamtowermedia.com/dream-tower-press/princess-of-mars/" target="_blank">Dream Tower Media page</a> and sign up for the mailing list to make sure you don't miss a single entry of this ongoing story. <br />
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<br />
More next week!<br />
<br />
Cheers,<br />
Robert ZoltanRobert Zoltanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13506399931797975315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8015513236144602635.post-40439108532097561012017-05-25T16:08:00.001-07:002017-05-25T16:08:31.726-07:00Become a Patron of Literary Wonder & Adventure Show!<span></span><br />
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Robert Zoltanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13506399931797975315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8015513236144602635.post-34618014756757173142017-04-27T16:00:00.002-07:002017-04-27T16:02:08.666-07:00The Trouble With Nipples<style>
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<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
Last week I reached that moment of facing the dilemma all
commercial artists must face (or even fine artists if they wish to market their
work). How to deal with female nipples in our Neo-Puritanical culture?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
This is a real problem for me, as I have already had my
artwork censored by a certain social media website for showing “excessive
skin.” Nipples? Not a chance.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5s3Kj81q5E9aCvz_LXWlddTT4GLP_rUY1jZE7XnMOnGO2Q0tWMLVFtIwVWvYOfcq_c5BW7GTAVCGzKZWFDc9e1hhoryKwWnImpGu8PvI9LDymKkndbfhS2Z7Dnd7sxq-kp13AhcD11q8/s1600/DejahThoris2SketchWebSmall-Zoltan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5s3Kj81q5E9aCvz_LXWlddTT4GLP_rUY1jZE7XnMOnGO2Q0tWMLVFtIwVWvYOfcq_c5BW7GTAVCGzKZWFDc9e1hhoryKwWnImpGu8PvI9LDymKkndbfhS2Z7Dnd7sxq-kp13AhcD11q8/s320/DejahThoris2SketchWebSmall-Zoltan.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<br />
It's easy to say “don't compromise,” but the realities of
living in a commercial culture are very real if one wishes to take part in it.
So, when it came to dealing visually with Dejah Thoris, whom Edgar Rice
Burroughs describes as being unclothing except for ornamentation, I had a big
decision to make.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
Other artists in the past created nipple or breast ornaments,
some quite elaborate, and some seemingly held up with nothing but the
anti-gravity technology used for the Martian airships! Others have that area
strategically covered by hair, others have simply thrown in the towel (or more
accurately, used them to cover nipples), been inaccurate and given her
clothing. For this early sketch shown at right, I created concentric cups
reminiscent of belly dancer ornaments.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
After a rather prurient picture of Dejah Thoris appeared on
the excellent For the Love of All Things Edgar Rice Burroughs Facebook page, a
lively debate ensued regarding how Dejah Thoris should be accoutered, and how
an artist can deal with this very real problem. My thanks to all the ERB fans
on that page. I found their feedback on this issue and the first couple of
Dejah Thoris drawings that I have revealed for the upcoming book, to be
invaluable.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
From the research done by the fine folks on that site, it
seems that Burroughs envisaged Dejah Thoris to be wearing some kind of jeweled
harness that would drape down and cover part of breasts. So, that will be one
of my solutions. The other is too have her very long hair covering her nipple
area when she is not dressed in the harness.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
And that is another decision I have made. I plan on showing
her in variations of outfits. After all, she is a princess and I'm sure she had
more than one costume! And my approach to having Dejah Thoris be the focus of
this edition means that you may even see pictures of her that go beyond the
scenes in the book. I don't mean that I will show her doing things she wouldn't
do. I simply mean, I might show her bathing or sleeping or doing any number of
things that would be a good opportunity to portray her incomparable beauty.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
And along those lines, I have made great progress by
discovering a beautiful model to use as my visual inspiration for Dejah Thoris.
She's young, gorgeous, built, with strong features but a playful, almost
slightly elfin, girlish look to her. With the adjustments of my artistic
imagination, she will be perfect for the part. And trust me, I have quite an
artistic imagination. After all, I will probably be posing as John Carter!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
Sincerely,</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; text-indent: .5in;">
Robert Zoltan</div>
Robert Zoltanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13506399931797975315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8015513236144602635.post-59202711786501960452017-04-23T17:14:00.002-07:002017-04-23T17:15:29.912-07:00The Strand: Full Dramatization Audio Scifi Thriller Coming April 30th<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBSjAKBR3gXPemuuiGyV0uJ_8LVNhT3_woRj2mxOz8zhsJa0mJR8EYnCKMXh02K2Q7ogBs4hP0fkd3Sss8D7GRlQ6wpvui_dAzFlXzbKgqmJUISHkHvET8SMNAFN4tfQnl6q_f0XO1K-c/s1600/StrandCover2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBSjAKBR3gXPemuuiGyV0uJ_8LVNhT3_woRj2mxOz8zhsJa0mJR8EYnCKMXh02K2Q7ogBs4hP0fkd3Sss8D7GRlQ6wpvui_dAzFlXzbKgqmJUISHkHvET8SMNAFN4tfQnl6q_f0XO1K-c/s320/StrandCover2.png" width="213" /></a>Episode 5 of Literary Wonder & Adventure Show returns on Sunday, April 30th, with
a Special Presentation: The Gripping Romantic Retro-Science Fiction
Audio Thriller...THE STRAND!<br />
Teaser Trailer: <a href="https://vimeo.com/214105477" target="_blank">https://vimeo.com/214105477</a><br />
Show Link: <a href="http://www.dreamtowermedia.com/podcast">http://www.dreamtowermedia.com/podcast</a><br />
<br />
And
don't forget to sign up for the Dream Tower Media newsletter to stay
informed of all the fantastic stuff and receive inside news and special
free content!<br />
<br />
Cheers!<br />
<br />
Robert Zoltan<br />
(And Edgar the Raven) Robert Zoltanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13506399931797975315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8015513236144602635.post-81470649749337729372017-04-17T13:55:00.000-07:002017-04-17T13:55:57.149-07:00Why A Princess of Mars? (Making of A Princess of Mars, WEEK 1)<style>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Why
A Princess of Mars?</b></div>
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Why create a uniquely designed, fully
illustrated version of Edgar Rice Burroughs' famous classic? Because it has
never been done before! In the 1970’s, Frank Frazetta’s masterful cover work,
accompanied by a handful of small ink illustrations, brought the Martian series
to life for a new generation of Bookclub readers. Many artists—before and after
Frazetta—have created their own version of Burroughs' Mars, including recent
comic book adaptations, but no one has created a total vision for the book, A
Princess of Mars, itself. That is exactly what I am doing.<span id="goog_1236329268"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh842P9s6OIlqMYobGafL021fhWSU2QxEF1aTXDIVJ-sbk4eTGU8WIJ1w4RuQ1Ok4FeTAvmQY1poADieZTwJbL20UAdLo4Ick4Cy3NfF-CULAHBg2i_ZSyrLi-CReP4PSgpNI2QCEGAy4g/s1600/Dejah1ColorCutout2NEWWebsite.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh842P9s6OIlqMYobGafL021fhWSU2QxEF1aTXDIVJ-sbk4eTGU8WIJ1w4RuQ1Ok4FeTAvmQY1poADieZTwJbL20UAdLo4Ick4Cy3NfF-CULAHBg2i_ZSyrLi-CReP4PSgpNI2QCEGAy4g/s400/Dejah1ColorCutout2NEWWebsite.png" width="245" /></a></div>
<span id="goog_1236329267"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
I wish I could claim that the idea came to
me while standing outside at night on my terrace, looking up at the starry sky
with my arms outstretched to the red planet. But in reality, I was distractedly
watching a soccer game while trying to come up with a major project that would
represent the standards of excellence for which Dream Tower Media stands. I had
loved the Mars novels since first reading them about twenty years ago, and
illustrating scenes or characters from the book had crossed my mind. But that
night, three reasons inspired me to move forward. Firstly, A Princess of Mars
is a fantastic fantasy adventure with a strange picturesque setting and a
beautiful exotic princess, ideal subject matter for an illustrator. Secondly,
the book is in public domain, which removes a number of obvious obstacles.
Thirdly, Edgar Rice Burroughs authority, Ryan Harvey, had recently been a guest
on my <a href="http://dreamtowermedia.com/podcast/" target="_blank">Literary Wonder & Adventure Show</a>. Our discussion had further fanned
the flame of my love for those books.</div>
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Despite the work that would be involved in
such an undertaking, it was an easy decision to make. Soon after, I contacted
Ryan about doing an extended introduction to the book. He was excited about the
idea, and I’m very excited to read what he’ll have to say.</div>
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So what can you expect from Zoltan's Dream
Tower Media edition of A Princess of Mars?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
Exotic lush romance, mystery, and playful
humor.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjguf1ZUosYAHJr9w-28DSM5FU939U5mtWSjuhjPVTpFqh9LDZcdX9PG7EVmJARUP4wfgxcn-9vy0wWxeboXVUsPiBf0jQABBer3_z1Ud3RBAGCwDLHexqfZK5mNrG1bNxPcFcPzCEBJBw/s1600/Dejah1PencilWebsite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjguf1ZUosYAHJr9w-28DSM5FU939U5mtWSjuhjPVTpFqh9LDZcdX9PG7EVmJARUP4wfgxcn-9vy0wWxeboXVUsPiBf0jQABBer3_z1Ud3RBAGCwDLHexqfZK5mNrG1bNxPcFcPzCEBJBw/s400/Dejah1PencilWebsite.jpg" width="252" /></a></div>
</div>
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When I re-read A Princess of Mars as
research for the creation of this new edition, what struck me most was how
incredibly romantic it was. It was romantic, not only in a big sense of the
word, Romance, as in sweeping poetic atmosphere and scope, but also romantic in
the more common usage of a powerful attraction turning to devotion turning to
deep love, between John Carter and Dejah Thoris. I'm not ashamed to say that I
actually found myself getting choked up during a scene between the two lovers.
If one can’t get choked up about true love, what can one get choked up about?</div>
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The mystery of the ancient ruins on Mars,
and the wonderful strangeness of everything in John Carter's eyes also seemed
an essential part of the book. Finally, I was rather surprised at the moments
of humor and tenderness that I had forgotten, such as John's relationship with
Woola, his unorthodox approach to thoat training, and the little
misunderstandings that happen between John and Dejah. I remember no artist
representing these delightful moments.</div>
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So, The Princess of Mars you will be seeing
from me will emphasize the romance, the exotic setting, the wonder, the
mystery, some heart-warming humor, and most of all, Dejah Thoris, the way
Burroughs really described her. Dejah Thoris, not John Carter, will be the main
focus of this book, because that is the book's title, A Princess of Mars. And,
Dejah Thoris is also the focus of John Carter! Would John Carter want to see
page after page of himself in battle scenes? Not the humble gentleman from
Virginia! He would want to see his princess, and so he shall, and so you shall!</div>
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I believe the sensual style of my work
lends itself especially well to A Princess of Mars. And my dislike of
gratuitous violence and gore (and Burroughs never distracts the reader with
unnecessary descriptions of gore, which in truth, few people would even notice
while fighting for their life), whether in literature, art or cinema, matches
perfectly the aesthetic, and one could say even the mission of Dream Tower
Media. For I believe there is too much that is grim and nihilistic, in our
culture, and specifically in our literature. I long for a renaissance of
storytelling, where wonder, adventure, mystery, and romance are the focus. I
long for more stories that celebrate the mystery and wonder of existence, and
the joy of life, stories that may present dangerous or even dire situations,
but inspire in the end. For that is what the golden age of fantasy and science
fiction created. Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser saga, Jack Vance's
Dying Earth series, Bester’s The Stars My Destination, Frank Herbert’s Dune,
Cordwainer Smith’s tales of The Instrumentality, the work of C. L. Moore, even
many of Robert E. Howard's Conan stories (which had a lust for life and a noble
virtue, and which seem like PG-13 movies compared to some of what I read now)
inspired with a sense of wonder and heroics that made one glad to be alive. A
Princess of Mars is one of the early prototypes of that grand era.</div>
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And so, I hope when you eventually read
this new edition, and enjoy the seamless blending of wonderful story, elegant
design, and beautiful illustrations, you will escape to a place that is real in
the heart of every human being who has the commitment and courage to make that
journey. In this case, it is Burroughs' Mars. And whether you are visiting
Barsoom (the Martian word for Mars) for the first time, or going back to a
favorite place that will appear new and fresh to you, I hope this new edition
will open for you a literary pathway to bliss. For beyond fear and despair, the
ineffable mystery and joy of life is waiting for each of us. Come this
December, may you find it amplified by your visit to Barsoom through Dream
Tower Media and Zoltan's special edition of Edgar Rice Burroughs' A Princess of
Mars.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
Robert Zoltan</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;">
April 17, 2017</div>
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<a href="http://dreamtowermedia.com/dream-tower-press/princess-of-mars/" target="_blank">Follow the weekly updates at Dream Tower Media! </a></div>
Robert Zoltanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13506399931797975315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8015513236144602635.post-22488711744656531692017-04-15T14:49:00.003-07:002017-04-15T15:15:49.642-07:00Dream Tower Press Creates New Deluxe Edition of The Princess of MarsDream Tower Press Announces the Upcoming Release of a Uniquely Designed, Fully Illustrated Book Edition of the Edgar Rice Burroughs Classic<br />
<br />
Dream Tower Media, creator of the critically-acclaimed Literary Wonder & Adventure Show, announces a Fantastic Publishing Event:<br />
The First Novel-Length Book Release from Dream Tower Press!<br />
<br />
Coming December of 2017, Dream Tower Press will unveil<br />
a Unique Vision of the Classic, Groundbreaking, Interplanetary Romance<br />
by Edgar Rice Burroughs. The Deluxe, Elegantly Designed, Lavishly Illustrated…<br />
<br />
A PRINCESS OF MARS!<br />
<br />
Beautifully Designed and Illustrated by Zoltan.<br />
<br />
With a Special Introduction by Edgar Rice Burroughs Authority,<br />
Writers of the Future Award Winner and Black Gate Magazine Contributor,<br />
Ryan Harvey.<br />
<br />
View the Announcement Trailer here: <a href="https://vimeo.com/213285534" target="_blank">https://vimeo.com/213285534</a><br />
<br />
President and Owner of Dream Tower Media, Robert Szeles, says:<br />
“This edition, fully illustrated and created with a cohesive sense of<br />
design and imagery, will be unlike any version of A Princess of Mars<br />
previously published. For those who have read the novel before, this will<br />
be a highly desired collector’s edition and a new way to once again visit the Red Planet.<br />
For those reading the book for the first time, this will be a unique<br />
and wonderful introduction to this fantastic science fantasy adventure.”<br />
<br />
Available December 2017 from Dream Tower Press. For more information,<br />
sign up for the Dream Tower Media mailing list at <a href="http://www.dreamtowermedia.com/">www.dreamtowermedia.com</a>, follow the creation of the book at <a href="http://dreamtowermedia.com/dream-tower-press/" target="_blank">http://dreamtowermedia.com/dream-tower-press/</a> or email info(at)dreamtowermedia.com. To hear the critically-acclaimed Literary Wonder & Adventure Show, Episode 2, about Edgar Rice Burroughs and featuring Ryan Harvey, go to <a href="http://www.dreamtowermedia.com/podcast">www.dreamtowermedia.com/podcast</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/leKzoP7k0CM/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/leKzoP7k0CM?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
Robert Zoltanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13506399931797975315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8015513236144602635.post-27744556329195248762017-04-11T12:12:00.000-07:002017-04-11T12:14:16.056-07:00Beyond Our Control<span data-offset-key="doekg-0-0"><span data-text="true">Writer </span></span><a href="http://aliettedebodard.com/" target="_blank"><span data-offset-key="doekg-0-0"><span data-text="true">Aliette de Bodard</span></span></a><span data-offset-key="doekg-0-0"><span data-text="true"> recently posted on <a href="http://uncannymagazine.com/fallacy-agency-power-community-erasure/" target="_blank">Uncanny Magazine</a> about stories focusing too much on characters having or gaining agency (control). I believe strongly in what she's saying. In my stories, the characters seldom achieve their goals because they are in control or because they learn to gain control. In fact, it's often the opposite: they learn to relinquish control to something beyond them, such as chance, synchronicity, often a mysterious power about which they have little understanding. Aliette mentions that there are some things we don't have control of in life. That's very understated. We are in control of very little, apart from our perceptions and reactions and small actions. Aikido and surfing are two great examples of human skills that work with power that is far greater than us and would otherwise defeat us.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="doekg-0-0"><span data-text="true">If you're interested in a story where the characters face powers beyond them and still somehow come out of it with a whole skin (and sometimes a bit more), try The Blue Lamp from Rogues of Merth: The Adventures of Dareon and Blue. I have many more stories—heroic fantasy, contemporary fantasy and literary—that have the same theme. They will all be published in due time. For now, enjoy The Blue Lamp!</span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="doekg-0-0"><span data-text="true">The Blue Lamp Audio Adventure: <a href="http://www.dreamtowermedia.com/productions">http://www.dreamtowermedia.com/productions</a></span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="doekg-0-0"><span data-text="true">The Blue Lamp Ebook: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MXRV9M5">https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MXRV9M5</a></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span data-offset-key="doekg-0-0"><span data-text="true"></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.dreamtowermedia.com/productions"><img alt="http://www.dreamtowermedia.com/productions" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizhP5ETtogcOb231cCRjNuEDjejVexmj69wKHxdqCcwPjZ7yAHIyIZJTj2pMRxCRKXCltDxJtCzt5majIpqUffqZHP4-sTmBvcTc07cJGC8YoRlA5mw7VqrxeEmUKiZyJhHCyJDmhERRA/s640/BlueLampCoverOfficialSmaller.jpg" width="412" /></a></div>
<br />Robert Zoltanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13506399931797975315noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8015513236144602635.post-32087132606000761182017-04-01T16:48:00.002-07:002017-04-01T16:49:54.757-07:00Literary Wonder & Adventure Show 4: Robert E. Howard, Master of Sword & Sorcery: A Conversation with Author Howard Andrew JonesEpisode 4 is now available!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqE69wl1YTsqwfgGbgepLqMrpuMm91kDb_Kb3othWpfFZmEbzh-Jd6H8sZdeIeLR2lKSDwaq6vJrwbKrOFJvwTdnvLAKUFNkJdN58rIhySr-FcUjsBuAYM_CgkWnFob3sY2YIr3tTT1rw/s1600/HowardJonesPodcast4CoverFB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqE69wl1YTsqwfgGbgepLqMrpuMm91kDb_Kb3othWpfFZmEbzh-Jd6H8sZdeIeLR2lKSDwaq6vJrwbKrOFJvwTdnvLAKUFNkJdN58rIhySr-FcUjsBuAYM_CgkWnFob3sY2YIr3tTT1rw/s320/HowardJonesPodcast4CoverFB.jpg" width="320" /></a>It's spring cleaning time in the Dream Tower as Robert and Edgar travel to the Hyborian Age for a lively chat with author Howard Andrew Jones! Robert and Howard discuss Robert E. Howard, Conan, childhood, heroes, cynicism, creativity and the lure of lost civilizations. Plus, Robert and Edgar get a couple of vaguely familiar visitors. WARNING: Nihilists will hate this one. Pour a goblet of your favorite libation, sharpen your sword, and sit back for another rousing, amusing, and inspiring hour (or more) of Literary Wonder & Adventure! Oh, I almost forgot: the world premiere of "On the Battlefield" (the Robert E. Howard Rap) by the Beastmaster Boys! SHEESH, what more could you want?!<br />
Teaser Trailer: https://vimeo.com/210313759<br />
Show Link: http://www.dreamtowermedia.com/podcast<br />
<br />
And don't forget to sign up for the Dream Tower Media newsletter to stay informed of all the fantastic stuff and receive inside news and special free content!<br />
<br />
Cheers!<br />
<br />
Robert Zoltan<br />
(And Edgar the Raven) Robert Zoltanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13506399931797975315noreply@blogger.com2