In Orbit With Orbit at Book Expo America

This year’s Book Expo America, held this past weekend in New York, was a rousing success for Orbit. Attendees lined up at our booth on both Friday afternoon and Saturday morning to meet Orbit author
Gail Carriger.

Ms. Carriger not only demonstrated the superb fashion sense one should expect the creator of the Parasol Protectorate to have, but cheerfully signed galleys of her forthcoming debut novel SOULLESS (October 2009), as those in line enjoyed hot English tea and tasty biscuits served up meanwhile by Orbit’s trusty hands.

Visit Gail online at Gailcarriger.com, follow her on twitter @gailcarriger, and watch for SOULLESS in October.

The Grand Conjunction

The Grand Conjunction (UK/AUZ), Sean William’s fantastic conclusion to the Astropolis series, is out this month and the reviewers have been saying some great things about it. Gary at Conceptscifi.com thinks that:

‘The Grand Conjunction is an absolute winner and a joy to read.’

And Liviu at Fantasy Book Critic says:

‘The novel succeeds grandly indeed. Highly, highly recommended.’

This is certainly a book on a ‘grand’ scale. Readers can expect more of the awe-inspiringly mind-boggling concepts that make Sean Williams’ space opera so exceptional. (more…)

DEALS AND DELIVERIES — The Unit

I’m very pleased to announce that we have acquired Terry DeHart’s debut novel, THE UNIT. Set in Northern California just after the bombs fall, the Sharpe family takes up arms to defend themselves in a world gone mad. This is the gripping story of one suburban family fighting off a band of savage opportunists, struggling to survive a nuclear winter, and testing the limits of family bonds. Terry shows us a global catastrophe through the eyes of the smallest players and the bloody struggle of survival in the actions of the most ordinary, nuclear family.

We have acquired two books from Terry DeHart and will be publishing in Summer of 2010.

Monster, by A. Lee Martinez

Do you find yourself with a gnome in the garden? One that you can’t get rid of?
A unicorn rooting through your trash lately?
Something that’s slippery and slimy living under the bed?
A troll smelling up your closet – and your socks?
For all these issues and more….
CALL NOW
212-364-1177
(That’s a real phone number — go ahead, call it — but long distance charges may apply)
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DEEDS OF MEN — a free novella!


Marie Brennan’s IN ASHES LIE is out next month from Orbit (US | UK). In the meantime, she’s releasing an ebook of a new novella set in the same world. Best of all, it’s totally free (although you can donate if you’d like) and it’s available in HTML, Epub, and PDF.

Here’s Marie on the novella:

Today, to mark the one-month countdown to the release of IN ASHES LIE, I’ve posted on my website a free Onyx Court novella titled DEEDS OF MEN. Taking place between MIDNIGHT NEVER COME and its sequel, this story is a murder mystery set at the end of the reign of James I (1625). You don’t need to have read either novel to understand the novella, nor do you need to read this piece to understand ASHES, but I hope it will serve as a fun “extra” for readers who want more of the setting and the characters.

And here’s a description of the book:

A young man lies dead in a Coldharbour alley. Before his death, he uncovered secrets that could threaten the mortal world above and the faerie world below. Now, to find the murderer and protect both realms, Sir Michael Deven will need the help of a man with reason to hate the fae of the Onyx Court — the victim’s own brother.

So what are you waiting for? Download DEEDS OF MEN here.

ITOW: May Bonanza – The Power of Three!

Where the fantastical and the occult are concerned three is undoubtedly the magic number. So when we were lucky enough to get not one, not two, but three of your favourite Orbit authors talking in their own words about, you’ve guessed it – their trilogies – well let’s just say we were happy!

In this bumper edition of ITOWs: Sean Williams talks candidly about the artistic influences, deep life questions (and of course the kick-ass space battles) that went into the writing of the finale of his Astropolis trilogy, Brian Ruckley speaks bloodshed, heroics, and the joys of treating his protagonists mean as he brings his Godless World trilogy to its epic conclusion, and Kelley Armstrong talks raising hell, writing for the young adult and the power of the ‘true trilogy.’

To quote Kelley ‘Happy Reading!’

All three titles are available from Orbit this month!

The Grand Conjunction: Book 3 of Astropolis [UK|AUZ], Fall of Thanes [UK|US|AUZ] The Awakening [UK]

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Cover Launch: Black Ships

Ah, John Jude Palencar, how do I love thee? Of all the “big name” fantasy & science fiction illustrators working in the genre, John Jude Palencar has always been my favorite. From a book fan and an art fan’s point of view, I have to say it’s gotten to the point that I will pick up a book simply because J.J.P. did the cover art. It was a fabulous piece of luck for me to be able to work with him in my very first season here at Orbit. Seriously, people, these are the kind of days you love your job.

John Jude Palencar is working on the mass market editions of all of Jo Graham’s books for us, (Hand of Isis is next) and the matchup between art and content couldn’t be better. I love the designs of the trade paperbacks, done by Mario Pulice, the Creative Director of Little Brown, and Debra Lill, a fabulous photographer and illustrator, but it’s always nice to change it up for a re-release in a new format. When the art (an actual oil painting! by Fed-Ex!) came into the office, I ran around like a giddy schoolgirl showing everyone. In fact, I will be very sad to have to eventually send the original art back to Mr. Palencar. (more…)

Want to Win a Signed, Personalised Hardback Copy of Fall of Thanes by Brian Ruckley?

Of course you do!

To celebrate the release of the much anticipated third title in the Godless World trilogy, Fall of Thanes, Orbit, in conjunction with Brian Ruckley and his hugely popular Winterbirth Facebook page, will be giving away two signed, personalised hardback copies of Fall of Thanes!

The competition will run for two weeks from today and winners will be selected at random on Friday the 8th and Friday the 15th of May.

To be in with a chance of winning simply head over to the Winterbirth Facebook page and become a fan. Every fully signed-up fan of the page will be entered into the draw. Signed up as a Fan already? Then you are already entered!

Brian has very kindly agreed to sign and personalise the books as per the wishes of the lucky winners, and what’s more he will be selecting each winner and posting the prizes with his own fair hands too! (He really does spoil you!)

Employees of Orbit (or its parent companies, Little, Brown and Hachette Livre) are not eligible to win and each entrant can only win once.  And of course, you must be a Facebook member to participate.

So, what are you waiting for? Logon and declare your Brian Ruckley Fandom now!

And for those of you who aren’t lucky enough to win but recognise a fab novel when you see one – Fall of Thanes is in shops this month. [UK/US/AUS]