The Final Countdown!

ONE WEEK remains until the conclusion of this summer’s Dresden Duology, and we have a slew of tantalizing treats to get you suitably psyched! Check out the reveal of the Worldbuilders bookplate, visual transcripts and behind-the-scenes images from the Battle Ground trailer, and the announcement of a new illustrated version of Storm Front!

Still need to snag a copy of Battle Ground? Support your favorite local independent bookstore, preorder a regular copy through the Jim-Butcher.com Store, or order from one of our virtual signing partners in the section below. Or if you’d rather immerse yourself in the dulcet decadence of James Marsters’ performance, snag the audiobook from our store or through Jim’s publisher.

Worldbuilders Bookplate Reveal

Harry and Butters ride Sue the Zombie T-Rex into battle! Both are drenched with rain, but Harry holds his staff high as he yells a rallying cry. Butters clings to Harry's midsection in terror.

The team at Worldbuilders is proud to reveal Adam Mathison-Sward‘s exhilarating bookplate art, featuring Harry and Butters’ climactic polka-powered ride from Dead Beat! Preorder a copy of Battle Ground with a signed bookplate and enjoy Adam’s fabulous artwork while supporting worthy charities. You can also shop the rest of Worldbuilders’ Dresden collection.

Announcing An Illustrated Storm Front

In his lab, Harry holds Bob's skull in a parody of Hamlet's Yorick speech

Shawn Speakman of Grim Oak Press has unveiled a full-color deluxe edition of Storm Front, lavishly illustrated by Chris McGrath!

Preorders now through the end of September are open ONLY to fans who own the limited or lettered editions of Shadowed Souls. Orders will open to the general public starting October 1st at 11am PT. And international fans rejoice: this is available worldwide!

Virtual Events & Preorderpalooza

Starting Monday the 28th, we have a week of fabulous virtual Q&A events, including opportunities to order signed copies of Battle Ground! (These are actual signed copies, not copies with signed bookplates.)

Mysterious Galaxy Fan Event 9/28 at 7pm PT

MYSTERIOUS GALAXY: 9/28, 10:00pm ET / 7:00pm PT

Virtual Q&A via Zoom, moderated by Mysterious Galaxy Events Director Constance Summar. Ticketed event: Buy 1 signed copy of Battle Ground OR a $5 ticket.

BARBARA’S BOOKSTORE CHICAGO: 9/29, 8:00pm ET / 7:00pm CT

FREE Virtual Q&A via Crowdcast, moderated by Dresden Files creative consultant and Peace Talks/Battle Ground trailer director Priscilla Spencer. Signed copies available for purchase.

BARNES & NOBLE: 9/30, 7:00pm ET / 4:00pm PT

FREE Virtual Q&A via B&N’s Facebook, moderated by Jim’s editor Anne Sowards. Signed copies available for purchase.

Note: Jim had a power outage that prevented him from participating in this past weekend’s Muskogee MiniCon event. We’re working on rescheduling that now and will announce the new date and time as soon as it’s available.

Trailer Transcripts

Both trailers already have captions for our deaf and heard-of-hearing fans, but we now have visually descriptive transcripts for our fans in the blind community! They may also be of interest to folks who don’t want to undermine their mental images of the characters with live action performers and anyone who wants one more source to mine as they hone their last-minute theories. Remember, two very significant scenes from the Peace Talks trailer haven’t been seen yet…

Read: Peace Talks Trailer Transcript and Battle Ground Trailer Transcript

Haven’t seen the trailers yet, or want to watch them again with the new transcript info in mind? Here are Peace Talks and Battle Ground!

Behind the Scenes Photos

While we’re at it, enjoy a sneak peek at the making of the Battle Ground trailer! Photos by Yrene Ramirez and Priscilla Mastrodomenico.

  • A moment of silliness for Lara, Ebenezar, Ramirez, and Marcone
    Undignified Dignitaries, pt 1
  • The REAL reason for Eb's animosity with the White Court: Lara stole his staff!
    Undignified Dignitaries, pt 2. Is this the origin of Eb’s beef with Lara: she stole his staff?
  • Marcone and Mab react to Ethniu's arrival
    Marcone and Mab react to Ethniu’s arrival
  • The Queen of Winter
    The Queen of Winter
  • Priscilla directs a deleted scene
    Priscilla directs a moment that didn’t make it into the final trailer
  • Setup for a deleted scene
    Setup for the deleted scene
  • Costume Designer Tonya Nelson bloodies up Harry/Jason
    Tonya bloodies up Harry
  • Harry's bloodied shirt and hands. Whoops, that ring shouldn't be there!
    Whoops, that ring should only be in the Peace Talks scenes!
  • Priscilla grins at Jim Butcher as she reviews blocking for a shot
    Priscilla and Jim exchange a grin as the day’s first shot comes together
  • The crew watches a monitor
    The crew huddles around a monitor
  • Script Supervisor and Super Fan Suzanne Solomon can barely contain her emotion over a shot
    This take gives Suzanne Solomon The Feels
  • Molly's spinning lights rig
    Jeremy and Sevag’s ingenious rig for Molly’s spinning lights
  • Stripping the Cab
    Stripping the Cab
  • An Apocalyptic Backdrop!
    An Apocalyptic Backdrop!
  • Harry/Jason looking badass and mysterious between takes
    Hey Penguin, we have a new cover for you
  • Marcone stands over Harry between takes
    This moment between takes with Chris Showerman (Marcone) and Jason Bernardo (Harry) gives Priscilla The Vapors
  • Shelby Smith and Kate Oja transform Liz Fenning into Mab
    Shelby Smith and Kate Oja winterizing Liz Fenning (Mab)
  • Further Winterfication
    Alex Gallind assists in further Winterfication
  • Our 1st Assistant Camera slates a take of Mab's close up
    Slating! Liz Fenning (Mab) is ready for her close-up.
  • Priscilla directs Harry/Jason and Mab/Liz
    Priscilla directs Jason Bernardo (Harry) and Liz Fenning (Mab)
  • Chicagoans prepare to fight!
    Chicagoans prepare to fight!
  • Setting up the shot of Harry rallying the crowd
    Last Looks before Jason Bernardo (Harry) rallies the crowd
  • When your lead actors have only 8 inches of height difference instead of 21, sometimes a little Hollywood magic is required.
    A 6’9″-5’0″ height difference calls for some Hollywood magic!
  • Creating a Titan
    Creating a Titan with Alex Gallind, June Dietrich, and makeup lead Shelby Smith
  • June Dietrich as Ethniu
    June Dietrich as Ethniu
  • Jeremy demos Ethniu's red light gag
    Jeremy demos Ethniu’s red light gag
  • June rehearses Ethniu's scream
    June rehearses Ethniu’s scream

And that’s it for this week’s entry! Visit Jim-Butcher.com every Tuesday this year for weekly Drops of never-before-seen artwork, microfiction, interviews, contests, sample chapters for Peace Talks and Battle Ground, or other tasty tidbits in our celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the Dresden Files. Join our new mailing list and follow @jimbutchernews on twitter to ensure you don’t miss a moment, and check the announcement post to catch up on prior Drops.

Author: priscellie

Priscilla Spencer has been Jim's creative consultant since 2007. In addition to managing content for Jim-Butcher.com and its social media channels, she beta-reads all of Jim's works, serves as a thematic consultant on the graphic novels and role playing games, and illustrates the maps for his books. The whole "Year of Dresden" thing is largely her baby. Her latest claim to fame is directing the official book trailers for Peace Talks and Battle Ground. In her professional life, Priscilla is a Producer, Writer, Photographer, and Fantasy Map Illustrator working towards a career in producing TV. She enjoys musical theatre, gluten-free cooking, sci-fi/fantasy, and weightlifting. She aspires to travel the world and pet every dog.