In 2013, a newly-launched Grim Oak Press published Unfettered: The Phoenix Comicon Exclusive, an edition of the award-winning anthology that only featured short stories by authors who were attending that convention. It resulted in an anthology that people could buy and get multi-signed by Terry Brooks, Kevin Hearne, Peter Orullian, Brandon Sanderson, and Shawn Speakman. It is now regarded by collectors as one of the most difficult Grim Oak Press books to find.
Now with Grimoire, Grim Oak Press has revived that idea for Brandon Sanderson's amazing convention, Dragonsteel Nexus 2024, creating a new anthology of exciting tales. Read a magical realism story about visiting Robert Jordan's home by Jason Denzel. Discover how superhero teams recruit new talent with Fonda Lee. Learn the price that a husband is willing to pay to keep his wife safe by Zack Argyle. Fight the dangers lurking within as well as beneath Seattle alongside Kat Ogden. Embrace angels as age catches up to us with Robin Hobb.
Shawn Speakman grew up in the beautiful wilds of Washington State near a volcano and surrounded by old-growth forests filled with magic. After moving to Seattle to attend the University of Washington, he befriended New York Times best-selling fantasy author Terry Brooks and became his webmaster, leading to an enchanted life surrounded by words.
He was a manager at one of the largest Barnes & Noble Booksellers in the country for many years and now owns the online bookstore The Signed Page, manages the websites for several authors, and is a freelance writer for Random House.
He also contributed the annotations for The Annotated Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks, published in 2012.
Shawn is a cancer survivor, knows angel fire east, and lives in Seattle, Washington.
My contribution, a little story called Five Silver Rings, holds a special place in my heart, and I'm glad it found a beautiful home here in the Grimoire!