{"id":491195,"date":"2026-06-21T02:10:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-21T08:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coloradosun.com\/?p=491195"},"modified":"2026-06-16T18:37:45","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T00:37:45","slug":"sunlit-stefan-scheuermann-king-of-the-gulls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coloradosun.com\/2026\/06\/21\/sunlit-stefan-scheuermann-king-of-the-gulls\/","title":{"rendered":"Stefan Scheuermann’s co-author inspired Scottish historical fantasy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Stefan Scheuermann<\/strong> is the award-winning author of a dozen books. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s in literature. Having taught writing at his local university, he now serves on the board of the Colorado Authors League. Scheuermann’s lifelong drive to tell the stories of our species has spilled over into multiple mediums. After a long career as a ballet dancer, he now teaches and choreographs and has served as editor to new and aspiring authors.<\/em> He partnered with local poet and storyteller Paul Alexander to write the historical fantasy novel, “King of the Gulls.”
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SunLit: Tell us this book\u2019s backstory \u2013 what\u2019s it about and what inspired you to write it? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stefan Scheuermann:<\/strong> King of the Gulls is about King Alexander III of Scotland and his intimate circle of friends and advisors. Alexander\u2019s reign was marked by both war and peace, peace and peril. He became king as a young boy, in a country where the crown was sought by competing barons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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UNDERWRITTEN BY<\/p>\n\n\n

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Each week, The Colorado Sun and Colorado Humanities & Center For The Book feature an excerpt from a Colorado book and an interview with the author. Explore the SunLit archives at coloradosun.com\/sunlit<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

SunLit: Place the excerpt you selected in context. How does it fit into the book as a whole and why did you select it? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scheuermann:<\/strong> In this excerpt, Alexander\u2019s regent and fatherly figure travels to the Island of Skye on a mission to recover the legendary sword, Firbolg. He confronts and battles the keeper of the sword, a fearsome phantom warrior princess named, Sc\u00e1thach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SunLit: What influences and\/or experiences informed the project before you sat down to write?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scheuermann:<\/strong> The initial idea came from the poetry of my friend and co-author, Paul Alexander. The heroic character, David Lindsay, is an ancestor of mine. Much of the fantastical parts of the book are from actual history and Scottish legends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SunLit: What did the process of writing this book add to your knowledge and understanding of your craft and\/or the subject matter?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“King of the Gulls” <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

>> Read an excerpt<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Where to find it<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n