Truly a cover designer’s work is never done…a sunny hot saturday spent in the studio of fabulous photographer Laura Hanifin working on a top secret book cover for next season…I’ll just have to let you keep guessing which one until the final cover is released! Just wanted to share for your viewing – and squirming – pleasure. Now if only I could share the stink. Yuck.
To celebrate the release of A Wild Light (UK | ANZ) , the third of the Hunter Kiss novels, I’m taking readers into my home while I discuss Maxine Kiss and the troubles facing her in her latest adventure. Dark times are coming for my favorite heroine, but with stubbornness and love, will she find her way free of the shadows?
You can also read a free extract here.
He’s moved! Walter Jon Williams has a new blog. Go check it out at: http://www.walterjonwilliams.net/
Glenda Larke’s The Last Stormlord came out in March of this year to great acclaim. Reviewers called it:
“Another contender (for the title of best fantasy writer alive today) must be Glenda Larke, with the first book in a new trilogy, The Last Stormlord…The society is complex, believable and intriguing, and the characters, from the palaces to the gutters, are fleshed out with unusual care. You’ll be waiting for the next book.” ―West Weekend Magazine, Western Australia, 19th December 2009
“What a tale! Can’t wait for the next installment. This is a GREAT book.” ―AurealisXpress, Aug 2009
“…a bold, inventively original world…a sweeping saga that unmistakably marks her as one of Australia’s best speculative fiction writers.” ―Nexus, Issue 259, Dec 2009
The second book in the trilogy, Stormlord Rising, is equally brilliant to the first and has already garnered advance praise in the author’s native Australia:
“Stormlord Rising is possibly the best Book Two of a series I have ever read…” ― Australian Speculative Fiction in Focus, May 2010
“Larke’s many fans will be delighted by the complex plot and intriguing twists that augur well for the next book. In fact, Stormlord Rising will appeal to anyone who enjoys a well written fantasy. There are very few books that I find literally impossible to put down, but like its predecessor, The Last Stormlord, Stormlord Rising was one.” ― The Specusphere, March 2010
Check out Glenda talking about Ryka’s plight here. Follow her on twitter @glendalarke.
Stormlord Rising is out now in the US and available in the UK in November 2010!
Trent Jamieson, in addition to writing an incredibly fun debut, has taken the time to carefully craft a book trailer that far outstrips any I’ve encountered in my days as an editor.
Seriously, do yourself a favor and go check it out on his site.
I’ve got this book out. It’s called Death Most Definite (UK | US | AUS), and it’s about Death and it’s set in Brisbane and Hell. That’s Brisbane, Australia (not Brisbane, North Dakota, which Wikipedia informs me is a ghost town, so it would have been kind of appropriate).
Most of you have an idea of where the Hell is, but, probably, not so many would know about Brisbane.
So here’s what you need to know.
It’s Australia’s third most populous city.
The outer eastern suburbs rub up against the coast, the inner suburbs cluster around Mt Coot-tha (a low mountain, really more of a hill, that I can see from my window as I type this). And all through it the Brisbane River winds– a tributary of the River Styx, but then all rivers are. (more…)
Firstly, so far so good. Stormlord Rising has been selling well in US, an indication that readers of The Last Stormlord want to know what happens next. I have my first Amazon reviews, and — as I am totally into watching Amazon ratings because I’m ridiculously pathetic — I am delighted that they are 5 stars; as are the ratings over at Barnes&Noble. (Yeah, I look at those too. Didn’t I just say I’m pathetic?)
So, for those of you haven’t read it yet, what’s Stormlord Rising all about?
It continues the story of Terelle and Shale/Jasper, as Terelle is caught up in the coercion of waterpainter magic and Shale is trapped by his nemesis, Taquar. Book 1 ended with a siege and a war, you may remember. Stormlord Rising also ends with a war and a battle — although a very different sort of battle employing a great deal more water magic.
But in many ways, this is Ryka Feldspar’s story. In many ways it is also (I hope) a touching love story, although not a romance…
Imagine this: you are a privileged woman aged about 29 or so, newly married and expecting your first child, when your entire world is turned upside down. You see your husband fall in a battle, and have good reason to think he is dead. Your side loses the battle, your home and family are destroyed, your whole life has vanished into the maws of your enemies. You see and experience unspeakable things. (more…)
It’s been a while since I posted on the Orbit blog. Running three separate websites of my own has kinda sapped my blogging energies. However, Aussie Con 4 is just around the corner, and down here we’re very excited to be getting the opportunity to meet visiting Orbit-ites Charlie Stross, Kate Elliot, Mira Grant, Gail Carriger, Helen Lowe, and of course Kim Stanley Robinson.
So … I’m delighted to say that Mira Grant has guest blogged at my main site on pseudonyms and things. Charlie Stross has promised me a post when he’s finished eating “yesterday’s stone cold vomit” (*Facebook reference on edits). And I’m about to email Gail, Kate and Helen (fell free to beat me to it gals!) in the hope that they’ll also drop by and say hello.
And while you’re floating around my blog enjoying Mira Grant’s post, you can back track to Jon Courtenay Grimwood ruminating articulately about repeating yourself in your writing.
Stay shiny, y’all.
Marianne de Pierres
For a while now, Philip Palmer has been asking various SF/F luminaries what their choice for best science fiction or fantasy song is. I, for one, have been constantly surprised by the never-ending back-catalog of SFF-themed songs. This week, Philip returns to the well with Brian Ruckley who called our attentions to the inestimable Queen a few months back.
My personal pick has already been taken by TV and film producer Archie Tait: Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots by the Flaming Lips
He’s pestered more than a few Orbit authors for answers including
Pop over to his site (http://www.philippalmer.net) to get the full list and check back every week for more awesome SFF musical action.
A signing with Mark Henry and Nicole Peeler in Seattle at Ravenna Third Place Books & Honey Bear Café tonight!
N.K. Jemisin is guest blogging at Scalzi’s Whatever in the next few weeks.
Gail Carriger is over at Zombie Popcorn for The Gail Carriger Show! And we just found out that the Soulless audiobook was named one of Audible‘s top 20 sleeper hits.
And at Jeff Somers’ blog – you can literally ask him anything!
And Rachel Aaron has a new post up in the Magic District — but my favorite one that she wrote is the one about the knife test that she puts all her characters through. Interesting reading. . .
