2010 World Fantasy Award Nominees

By Ian Randal Strock at sfscope.com

The World Fantasy Convention has announced the nominees for the 2010 World Fantasy Awards (for works published in 2009).

The winners of the other awards will be chosen by the panel of judges (as previously announced, this year’s panel is: Greg Ketter, Kelly Link, James Minz, Jürgen Snoeren, Gary K. Wolfe, and Peter Dennis Pautz), and announced at this year’s World Fantasy Convention (WFC). The WFC will be held in Columbus, Ohio, from 28 to 31 October 2010.

The nominees are:

Novel:
Blood of Ambrose by James Enge (Pyr)
The Red Tree by Caitlín R. Kiernan (Roc)
The City & The City by China Miéville (Macmillan UK/Del Rey)
Finch by Jeff VanderMeer (Underland Press)
In Great Waters by Kit Whitfield (Jonathan Cape UK/Del Rey)

Novella:
The Women of Nell Gwynne’s by Kage Baker (Subterranean Press)
“I Needs Must Part, the Policeman Said” by Richard Bowes (The Magzaine of Fantasy & Science Fiction)
“The Lion’s Den” by Steve Duffy (Nemonymous Nine: Cern Zoo)
The Night Cache by Andy Duncan (PS Publishing)
“Sea-Hearts” by Margo Lanagan (X6)
“Everland” by Paul Witcover (Everland and Other Stories)

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What do you think of this list?

Join us in the forum to discuss!

Best-Selling Authors Neal Stephenson and Greg Bear, With Subutai Corporation, Announce The Mongoliad on World’s First Social Book Platform

via PR Newswire

Bestselling authors Neal Stephenson and Greg Bear, along with Subutai Corporation, announced today the launch of The Mongoliad, the first digital novel on a social book platform. A speculative fiction novel set against the Mongol invasion of Europe in the 13th century, The Mongoliad follows a small band of warriors and mystics in a ripping tale of action and adventure set at a time when the Mongol horde’s conquest of Europe seemed inevitable.  Key to the development of this tale is the unique collaboration between the authors and the audience through PULP, Subutai’s new platform, which provides a participatory experience only possible in today’s connected digital world. To experience The Mongoliad, visit www.mongoliad.com.

“PULP is what Gutenberg would have come up with if he hadn’t jumped the gun and released 600 years early,” said Stephenson. “Kindles and iPads were little better than expensive drink trays until we came up with this.”

The Mongoliad’s heroes fight, plot, spy, and maneuver the politics of royal courts, the church, merchant empires, and secret societies in an attempt to defeat their would-be conquerors, and to preserve the knowledge that is in their charge.  Each week a new chapter is delivered via custom applications for handhelds and the web, starting with iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch.

Greg Bear said, “This is one of the most exciting and interesting projects I’ve worked on in a long while. Collaborating with Neal and our crack team on a magnificent story and a new business model for publishing and media is a real privilege.”

Read More here

When times get tough, science fiction pulls us through

By Being Ruth at io9

Scifi Pulls Us Outside Ourselves

One reason I mostly use pictures of the universe as my wallpaper is that whenever I look at it, I find myself doing my own mini-scifi. I wonder whether or not there’s any life or consciousness that we’d recognize in any of them.

As a rule, science fiction pulls us outside of our own worlds and concerns. Whether it takes us to another galaxy, to another solar system, to another planet on our solar system, or even to an alternate/future version of our own Earth, it makes us think about a different kind of life and society. And it helps us realize that our way of doing things may not be the only way they could be done.

Scifi Often Revolves Around People Fighting Against Long Odds

Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Ender’s Game, much Doctor Who, most Star Trek films and many episodes-whether it’s the future of humanity/the universe itself, the attempt to overthrow an oppressive regime, or the goal of saving a single planet/team/person from destruction, sci-fi often revolves around people who have to fight long odds for high stakes. Sometimes they don’t win, sometimes their victory involves a loss of another kind.

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Sci Fi Writer to Explore Fear of Human Obsolescence

from the University of Texas, Dallas

As smartphones get smarter and computers get faster, humans, who err and just get slower with age, seem to be almost superfluous at times.  But award-winning science fiction novelist Robert J. Sawyer isn’t overly worried.

The winner of Nebula and Hugo Awards for best science fiction writing will explore the issue of human obsolescence in a lecture at UT Dallas. The program, “Forget About Killer Robots: How Humanity Will Continue to Prosper After the Advent of Super-Intelligent Machines,” is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 15, at 7:30 p.m. in the Conference Center.

Sawyer is the only writer in history to win the top science fiction awards in the United States, China, Japan, France and Spain. He has written more than 20 sci fi novels, including Hominids, The Terminal Experiment and Mindscan.  His latest, Watch, is the second in his “WWW” trilogy, which began with Wake. The TV series FlashForward was based on his novel of the same name.

Read More here

Comic-Con and Beyond: “The Jedi Path”

by Lynette Mong at Omnivoracious

Having a page on Wookieepedia is good. Receiving a glowing book review from Jeff VanderMeer is even better. Having your book unboxed on Techland? Very cool. And getting everyone from Tommy Lee Edwards to Darth Vader to read your book at Comic-Con? Pretty memorable. Back in July, Daniel Wallace shared his newest book, The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force, with a wide array of Comic-Con attendees–and gave us the photos to share with you (check them out after the jump).

Jedi Path has already generated lots of buzz among Star Wars fans after it was previewed on starwars.com. Daniel provided some more information on why The Jedi Path is such a unique edition to the Star Wars mythology:

The Jedi Path was conceived as a textbook that was carried by young Initiates and Padawans to guide their instruction in the Jedi Temple. It’s supposed to look like an in-universe artifact that fell through a rabbit hole from the galaxy far, far away. In fact, this copy is ostensibly the last one in existence following Order 66 and the destruction of the Jedi Temple.

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Author Leo wins book deal Aged 6

By Andy Crick at The Sun

A BOY aged SIX has landed a multi-book publishing deal after writing a mini-novel about his pet dog.

Now little Leo Hunter says he wants to be “more famous than JK Rowling”.

And he could pocket a fortune like the Harry Potter writer if his books take off.

Leo penned Me And My Best Friend to tell the story of his alliance with pet Alsatian Kugar.

His impressed mum Jamie, an author, contacted publishers on both sides of the Atlantic. US firm Strategic Book Publishing liked it so much they agreed to take it – and signed Leo to write TWENTY-THREE more.

He will get 20 per cent from early sales of the £10, 25-page books. But this will rise to 50 per cent if more than 500 are sold.

Read More here

What do you think of an interactive book? Do you think Sci Fi gets us through hard times? What was your favorite news story today?

“Twilight” Tatoos Make Stephenie Meyer Cry

In an interview during her recent press junket Stephenie Meyer commented on fans getting Twilight-inspired tattoos.

“The tattoos make me cry. Ten years are gonna pass and your gonna read another book and your tattoo is gonna spread and you’re gonna be really unhappy you did that!”

Source

Kellan Lutz Helping Rebuild in New Orleans

Kellan Lutz and his girlfriend, Annalynne McCord, were in New Orleans last week to help with the ongoing rebuilding effort five years after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city and surrounding area on the Gulf Coast.  Kellan Tweeted several times about helping in the St. Bernard Parish and posted a few pictures on his Twitter account. 

New Still of Kristen Stewart from “Welcome To the Rileys”

MTV has a new, exclusive still of Kristen Stewart from “Welcome To the Rileys”.  Kristen plays Mallory, a runaway teen-turned-stripper in New Orleans in the film.  A grieving father played by James Gandolfini takes her in in an attempt to ease the pain of his own daughter’s death.  In the photo, Mallory is looking at her bruised face in the mirror while Lois Riley (played by Melissa Leo) looks on.

More images at MTV

RV Company Owner Challenges Taylor Lautner To Push-Up Contest

The owner of McMahon’s RV has responded to Taylor Lautner’s lawsuit that was filed after the RV company allegedly failed to deliver a trailer to the set of “Abduction” by the contracted delivery date.  The lawsuit seeks $40,000 in damages for Lautner’s emotional distress.  The owner of the RV company has challenged Lautner to a push-up contest to settle the suit out of court with the proceeds going to Children’s Hospital of Orange County. 

Source

Jackson Rathbone Rocks At Spencer Bell Legacy Concert in Detroit

Jackson Rathbone and his band, 100 Monkeys, recently took part in the Spencer Bell Legacy Concert in Detroit.  The concert is a part of the Spencer Bell Legacy Project, in memory of Rathbone’s friend Spencer Bell.  Bell died in 2006 of adrenal cancer. 

MTV Previews Archie “Twilight” Parody #2

MTV has a preview of the second “Archie & Friends: Twilite” parody that hits comic shop shelves on September 8. It reportedly has a “larger than life” conclusion to the story.

Source

What do you think of Stephenie Meyer’s comments on people tattooing themselves with imagery from her books?  Do you have any Twilight-inspired tattoos?  If not, would you get one? 

Kudos to Kellan for his hard work in New Orleans.  The city and many other towns along the Gulf Coast are still reeling from the devastation that Hurricane Katrina brought ashore.  It’s heartwarming to know that their needs are still being acknowledged by so many five years after the storm.  It will take many more years to restore that region. 

I am really looking forward to seeing “Welcome To the Rileys”.  I love James Gandolfini and it will be interesting to see Kristen in a different role. 

What do you think of the Taylor Lautner RV lawsuit/push-up challenge?  In all honesty, I wonder if Taylor even knew about the suit being filed before it went viral over the Internet.  It’s not uncommon for managers for actors and musicians to file such complaints without their clients being aware due to the Power of Attorney that they’ve been granted.  With that said, I love the owner’s response and willingness to donate the money to the children’s hospital if he loses!

What do you think of the Archie comic parody? Have you purchased the first one yet? 

What do you think of today’s Twilight news? Join us in the forum and share your thoughts with us.  We’d love to hear from you!

‘Vampire Academy’is on Hollywood’s radar

Source: www.onlinesentinel.com

Richelle Mead doesn’t think she is much like Rose Hathaway, the tough, sarcastic 17-year-old heroine of “Vampire Academy.”

“I’ve certainly never been in a fight,” says the 33-year-old author of the popular book series, describing herself as a cautious person who hesitates before jumping to conclusions.

But Mead didn’t have any doubts about creating a strong character like Rose.

“There was never any question that was how she was going to be,” she says. “I’m so surprised when people bring that up. ‘Wow, Rose is so strong.’ ‘Wow, a strong female character.”‘

Mead, who’s originally from Kalamazoo and now lives in Seattle, isn’t as famous as Stephenie Meyer, who wrote the “Twilight” series. But in the world of books for teens, her success is apparent.

“Richelle Mead’s ‘Vampire Academy’ is the obvious heir to the ‘Twilight’ throne,” declared the Daily Beast Web site last year.

READ MORE HERE

Book Review: Black Swan Rising by Lee Carroll

Source: seattlepi.com

Chicago has wizard-for-hire Harry Dresden. Denver has Kitty Norville, alpha wolf in a pack of werewolves. And now New York City has jewelry designer Garet James. One of these things is not like the others. A jewelry designer? How does that work?

It’s no secret that I am extremely enthusiastic about the latest surge in urban fantasy fiction being published. Sometimes my world seems far too antiseptic, purged of the everyday magic I wish was everywhere. To solve this problem, I retreat into fictional worlds where real magic exists on the streets of today’s urban jungle.

Lee Carroll is a pseudonym for the duo of Carol Goodman (Arcadia Falls, The Night Villa) and her husband — poet and hedge fund manager Lee Slonimsky. The couple live in New York, and you can tell from the way they handle NYC as the setting for the book that they love where they live. NYC in the pages of Black Swan Rising comes to life in expected and completely unexpected ways.

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Donna Rosenblum: Love at First Bite

Source: www.schoollibraryjournal.com

Vampire books are Donna Rosenblum’s specialty. So much so, that she’s considered SLJ’s expert reviewer on the subject. We caught up with the media specialist at Floral Park Memorial High School in Floral Park, NY, to find out what else–besides “Twilight”–is hot and why kids think vampire books are so banging.

What’s the appeal of vampire books for kids and teens?

I think there are many reasons that this genre is so appealing. Vampires are young, beautiful, super strong, immortal and virtually indestructible. They are living history, having spanned generations and experienced events that humans could never understand. Most teens love the noble and moral vampire, the one with a soul (eg. the Cullens) who have risen above the evil side of vampirism.

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George Mann’s THE OSIRIS RITUAL: More Steampunk Lovin’

Source: thegalaxyexpress.net

Shortly after I blogged about George Mann’s THE AFFINITY BRIDGE (A Newbury & Hobbes Investigation), a Tor/Forge publicist contacted me and asked if I’d be interested in a galley of the next book in the series, THE OSIRIS RITUAL. My response? “Where do I sign?!!” Upon receiving the book, I quickly devoured it. I was reading it for the steampunk, but I was also intensely curious about whether the author would continue the thread of romance he’d hinted at in the first book. I wasn’t disappointed on either count.

However, my purpose here isn’t to review THE OSIRIS RITUAL. For that, you can refer to John DeNardo’s review at SF Signal.

READ MORE HERE

What do you think of today’s book news?

Join us in the forum to discuss!

Jackson Rathbone Joins ABC’s “No Ordinary Family”

GossipCop.com has confirmed EW’s report that Jackson Rathbone will be joining the cast of ABC’s new show, “No Ordinary Family”.  The show will be focused on a family that gains superhuman powers after a plane crash.  According to Gossip Cop, Rathbone has been cast to play high schooler Trent Stafford with the possibility of it becoming a recurring role.

Source

Brazil Still Possible Filming Location for “Breaking Dawn”

In the wake of countless reports about filming being delayed following a hostage situation in a Brazilian hotel last week in which 35 people were held hostage by a drug ring, Deadbolt is reporting that Summit is still looking at locations in the country to film scenes for “Breaking Dawn”.  They report:

A spokesperson for Summit Entertainment revealed to Radar Online that filming Breaking Dawn in Brazil is still on the Twilight table. “The possibility of filming portions of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 in Brazil has always been under consideration and we are continuing to scout locations within the country.”

Source

I am still confused by these reports that Rob & Kristen will be filming scenes for “Breaking Dawn – Part 2″ in Brazil.  Since Isle Esme takes place in the first half of the book, I would assume that it would be in the first of the two films and that the second installment would be rainforest scenes with Jasper and Alice seeking another vampire/human.  If the country is unsafe, why don’t they scout a safer location like in the Carribbean if they are looking for tropical scenes.  In all honesty, they could do rainforest shots there as well. 

What do you think of today’s Twilight news?  Are you excited at the prospect of seeing Jackson Rathbone on TV on a semi-regular basis?  Join us in the forum and share your thoughts.  We’d love to hear from you!