Fantasy, Lore, and More: The Exile of Zanzibar

(Listener discretion is advised for brief sequences of fantasy violence in a war setting and descriptions of wounds.) Hi, I’m indie fantasy author, Melinda Kucsera, and in this episode, Daniel Maidman is joining me to explore the intricately crafted world of Zanzibar. What’s in this episode: We journey into the vivid Bronze Age-inspired setting when Daniel Maidman reads from The Exile of Zanzibar. Those who continue with the book will journey to Florence, a richly textured city-state with its own history, fables, myths, and religions. They will discover the ghost tower ai Ctesiphôn, hidden in the heart of Florence - a locus of myth and power. Today we will discuss how Daniel built and shaped this immersive world. You will meet the time-tossed Zanzibari, Claire, and her Florentine champion, pickpocket-turned-general Marcus Diophantus. You'll get to know their enemies: the machinating Constantine clan, and the High Priest Reburrus, in this fantasy adventure driven by political intrigue, betrayal and the struggle for control in a city caught between war and peace. Today we will discuss how Daniel built and shaped this immersive world. We will explore the challenges of adapting elements from the ancient world while inventing original mythologies and magic systems for a fantasy setting. Welcome to The Exile of Zanzibar, a world of superstition and faith, warriors and wanderers, where an unimaginably powerful relic watches over a brutal power struggle. Claire and Marcus must navigate treachery and battle to help her return home, but peace may be more than either can achieve. Get The Exile of Zanzibar at: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BWDPLGG4 Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-exile-of-zanzibar-daniel-maidman/1143115263?ean=2940186759614 Where to find our guest: Instagram: www.Instagram.com/danielmaidman_author Twitter: www.twitter.com/Daniel_Maidman About your host, Melinda Kucsera: Melinda Kucsera writes fantastic short stories, novels, and books when not being kidnapped by dragons or chased by armies of fictional creatures. (We do, on occasion, rescue her.) She leaves the running of her newsletter to a cast of lovable characters who hog her inbox. Enough about her, it’s us you’re really interested in, her cast of characters. ⁠Join us⁠ every week for a new story: ⁠https://www.mkucsera.com/welcomecharacters⁠ About the interview: I entered my book, ⁠Curse Breaker Enchanted⁠, in the Self-Published Fantasy Blog Off 9 (SPFBO 9) this year and thought it might be cool to interview my fellow entrants. Only 300 books can enter the contest. 10 will advance to the semi-finals, and one will be crowned the winner of SPFBO 9 for 2023. I hope you're cheering for Curse Breaker Enchanted! You can grab a copy for free right now to celebrate. If you want to get even more involved, join my community on Patreon and start reading book 10, Shards For His Gift, right now. I'm writing what I hope are the final chapters and posting them this weekend. Where to find your host, Melinda Kucsera: Website: ⁠https://melindakucsera.com/⁠ ⁠Start the Curse Breaker Series⁠ now: https://melindakucsera.com/the-curse-breaker-saga/ Sign up for my newsletter: ⁠https://www.mkucsera.com/welcomecharacters⁠ ⁠Support this show on Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/melindakucsera. Get thanked and read my latest novels before anyone else.