Back in October, Charles Stross gave a talk at Google during a west coast tour, during which he read from and discussed his new book Halting State, which Orbit UK is publishing in January. There’s now a video of Charlie’s talk on YouTube – check it out here.
Over at SF World Mark Yon (clearly skeptical about any urban fantasy starring a Vampire) finds a lot to like in Jennifer Rardin’s Once Bitten, Twice Shy:
“This is one that should be read: one for me that stands with my current faves Jim Butcher and Mike Carey.”
At Scifichick.com Angela has a review of the next book in the Jaz Parks series, Another One Bites the Dust,
“With more action and tougher bad guys, this sequel doesn’t disappoint.”
And for a chance to win a copy of the first two books in the series (plus what looks like a very tasty chocolate snowman) visit Urbanfantasy.blogspot.com
Karen Miller, the bestselling author of the Kingmaker, Kingbreaker duology, has just written a fantastic Quote of the Week piece over at The Book Swede.
“How do you eat an elephant? One mouthful at a time.”
I don’t know the source of the above quote, but it’s become one of my mantras as I really settle down into this writing gig. Writing novels is a major commitment of time, of energy and most of all, of faith. Sure, if you’re looking purely at word count, one average novel of 30 chapters is the same as someone writing 30 short stories. And there are lots of people out there who’ve written 30 and more short stories, so … there’s no difference, right?
Wrong.
Have you ever wished you could appear in a book? Well now’s your chance! Terry Brooks is offering you the opportunity to immortalise your name in his next Magic Kingdom of Landover title. Right now, Terry is finishing the final chapters of book three in the Genesis of Shannara trilogy and is already planning his next book – which could feature you!
The price of fame doesn’t come free as you will have to bid for the prize. But just think – you could be in a Terry Brooks novel and help a good cause at the same time. And you’ll get to read the book before anyone else!
For details on how to bid go to www.terrybrooks.net
Karen Miller, the UK’s bestselling debut fantasy writer of 2007, has posted the most recent of her ‘Fantastic Women’ series of interviews. The latest subject is another Orbit author, the internationally bestselling Trudi Canavan who, in a wide-ranging interview, discusses the craft of writing, her influences and the state of the genre. You can read the interview on Karen’s journal.
We are delighted to confirm Orbit UK’s acquisition of Marie Brennan’s Midnight Never Come and sequel – two dark and fantastical stories of the faerie court, the first book being set in Elizabethan England.
Midnight Never Come is a lyrical and sinister tale of intrigue and betrayal, seamlessly weaving historical detail with the fantastic. And don’t miss Marie’s massively impressive academic credentials either – a B.A. in anthropology, folklore & mythology from Harvard University, with current projects including a Ph.D. in anthropology and folklore. Whew! As you’d expect with author who bears comparison with authors such as Neil Gaiman, in-house feedback has been just great. ‘Had me hooked from the start’, ‘clever and convincing’ and ‘wonderfully atmospheric’ are just some of the comments received, and I’m looking forward to when it’s unleashed for review.
To give you a taster of the plot, I can reveal the following details . . . In hidden catacombs beneath London, a second Queen holds court: Invidiana, ruler of faerie England, and a dark mirror to the glory above. In the thirty years since Elizabeth ascended her throne, fae and mortal politics have become inextricably entwined, in secret alliances and ruthless betrayals whose existence is suspected only by a few.
That’s it for now but be sure to let us know if you want to know more!
Charles Stross is being interviewed today in Second Life, courtesy of Information Week. The audio of the interview will also be available on the Dr Dobbs’ Chatbridge and will be available after the event as a podcast.
Mitch Wagner of Information Week has some kind words for Charlie’s new book Halting State, which we publish in January:
Halting State is a well-realized and intelligent treatise about near-future effects of networked technology . . . It’s also an extremely entertaining, thrilling, and funny crime caper novel . . . I really, really loved Halting State.
You can find out more about the book here – and be sure to look at some of the other ringing endorsements from the great and the good of the SF and Technology worlds.
There’s a fascinating interview with Brian Ruckley over at Grasping for Wind that covers the role of fate in Winterbirth.
“…I (in my infinite wisdom) had a pet theory that there were too many fantasy stories in which prophecies of one kind or another were central drivers of the plot (this was quite a long time ago – there are fewer of them around these days. Prophecies have gone out of fashion a bit.). I figured that every time a prophecy shows up it raises an obvious question about the role of free will in all these imagined worlds, since it at the very least implies an element of inevitability about what’s going on.”
Orbit UK are so keen on this fast-paced supernatural detective series that we have just acquired two more books. Currently so far in the future that they now have the catchy titles of Dresden Files Books 12 and 13, they will probably take us up to 2013 or so. Excellent news for all Dresden-philes(!)
In the rather nearer future, White Night is out in paperback in January 08, then we move to two editions as Small Favour starts out in hardback a few months later. Harry Dresden will be a busy wizard. Not to mention Jim Butcher’s workload of course.
We’d just like to report that this particular quest might actually be over . . . We’ve just heard that Ian Irvine now has over a million books in print around the world, and would like to add our happy congratulations!
Ian’s latest book with Orbit in the UK is adding to the aforementioned domination this month: The Curse on the Chosen is the second book in an impressive fantasy trilogy set within his Three Worlds Cycle. It deals in corruption, despair and, ultimately, hope and is also a fabulous epic read!
Oooh, and news just in – Ian’s gearing up for a new quest – to reach a million copies with his Three Worlds Cycle alone. Luckily he hasn’t got far to go.
