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Orbit UK’s parent company, Little, Brown Book Group, is now on Facebook! You can take a look and become a fan here.
Archive for News
Science Fiction and Fantasy Novelists
Via Charlie Stross’ journal, I found out about a group blog called www.sfnovelists.com. It features an impressive list of contributors, many of them Orbit authors — including Daniel Abraham, Kate Elliott, Tanya Huff, Charles Stross and Sean Williams (all published by Orbit UK); Karin Lowachee (published by Orbit US); and Marie Brennan and Karen Miller (published by both Orbit UK and Orbit US).
Orbit things on Librarything.
If you’re a member of Librarything (or just interested in the social lives of books) check out the Orbit US library. And if you are a member, friend us!
The Wheel of Time Continues to Turn
Some excellent news for fans of Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series: following the sad news of Robert Jordan’s death earlier this year, it has been announced that fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson has been selected to complete the twelfth and final book in the series, A Memory of Light. You can read more about this announcement here.
Shortlisted but Long-Talented
All right, I admit it: that’s a terrible title for a blog post. What’s far from terrible, though, is the fact that Glenda Larke, Marianne de Pierres and Sean Williams all have novels on the shortlist for the 2008 Aurealis Awards!
Glenda’s Song of the Shiver Barrens is shortlisted in Best Fantasy Novel Category, while Marianne’s first foray into space opera, Dark Space, and Sean’s most recent excursion into similar territory, Saturn Returns, are both shortlisted in the Best SF Novel category. Song of the Shiver Barrens will be available in an Orbit edition in May next year (although the very wise amongst you will seek out the first two books, Heart of the Mirage and The Shadow of Tyr, to see what all the fuss is about!), while Dark Space and Saturn Returns are available now (with a mass market paperback of Saturn Returns coming next June).
Many congratulations to Glenda, Marianne and Sean, and all the shortlisted authors.
Magic Kingdom Name for Sale – Sold!
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
Stross in Second Life
Charles Stross
(photo: Charlie Hopkinson)
(photo: Charlie Hopkinson)
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.
Ian Irvine’s quest for world domination . . .
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.
The Wheel of Time
We’ve received a number of queries from fans asking if there is any news regarding the final volume of The Wheel of Time, which Robert Jordan was writing when he sadly passed away last month. At this stage, there is no news. As soon as we have news, we will announce it here.
Ken MacLeod: Fact or Fiction?
We’re delighted to see that Ken MacLeod has gone from writing SF to appearing in an SF short story! The critically acclaimed author of The Execution Channel and the Hugo, Clarke and BSFA Award-nominated Learning The World, gets a mention from a character in Security Question by Ramon Rozas III, an online short story appearing at Every Day Fiction:
“How far in the future do you come from?”
“Pretty far, actually. I made it to the ships, if that means anything to you.”
“Should it?”
“I can’t remember whether you’ve read Ken MacLeod yet.”
“Never heard of him.”
“Oh, you will. Anyway, I’m far enough in the future that I have to offload memories from this old brain,” the man tapped his skull, “and store them elsewhere.”
Go on, check it out. And then spend some time contemplating which, if any, MacLeodian future the time traveller comes from. Hey, why not? It’s the weekend, after all . . .