Saturday, March 31, 2018

2018 Hugo Award Finalists


The Finalists for the 2018 Hugo Awards have been announced!

The Winners will be announced at the Worldcon 76 in San Jose, CA on the evening of Sunday, August 19th.









2018 Hugo Awards Finalists

Best Novel
  • The Collapsing Empire, by John Scalzi (Tor)
  • New York 2140, by Kim Stanley Robinson (Orbit)
  • Provenance, by Ann Leckie (Orbit)
  • Raven Stratagem, by Yoon Ha Lee (Solaris)
  • Six Wakes, by Mur Lafferty (Orbit)
  • The Stone Sky, by N.K. Jemisin (Orbit)


Best Novella
  • All Systems Red, by Martha Wells (Tor.com Publishing)
  • “And Then There Were (N-One),” by Sarah Pinsker (Uncanny, March/April 2017)
  • Binti: Home, by Nnedi Okorafor (Tor.com Publishing)
  • The Black Tides of Heaven, by JY Yang (Tor.com Publishing)
  • Down Among the Sticks and Bones, by Seanan McGuire (Tor.com Publishing)
  • River of Teeth, by Sarah Gailey (Tor.com Publishing)


Best Novelette
  • “Children of Thorns, Children of Water,” by Aliette de Bodard (Uncanny, July-August 2017)
  • “Extracurricular Activities,” by Yoon Ha Lee (Tor.com, February 15, 2017)
  • “The Secret Life of Bots,” by Suzanne Palmer (Clarkesworld, September 2017)
  • “A Series of Steaks,” by Vina Jie-Min Prasad (Clarkesworld, January 2017)
  • “Small Changes Over Long Periods of Time,” by K.M. Szpara (Uncanny, May/June 2017)
  • “Wind Will Rove,” by Sarah Pinsker (Asimov’s, September/October 2017)


Best Short Story
  • “Carnival Nine,” by Caroline M. Yoachim (Beneath Ceaseless Skies, May 2017)
  • “Clearly Lettered in a Mostly Steady Hand,” by Fran Wilde (Uncanny, September 2017)
  • “Fandom for Robots,” by Vina Jie-Min Prasad (Uncanny, September/October 2017)
  • “The Martian Obelisk,” by Linda Nagata (Tor.com, July 19, 2017)
  • “Sun, Moon, Dust” by Ursula Vernon, (Uncanny, May/June 2017)
  • “Welcome to your Authentic Indian Experience™,” by Rebecca Roanhorse (Apex, August 2017)


Best Related Work
  • Crash Override: How Gamergate (Nearly) Destroyed My Life, and How We Can Win the Fight Against Online Hate, by Zoe Quinn (PublicAffairs)
  • Iain M. Banks (Modern Masters of Science Fiction), by Paul Kincaid (University of Illinois Press)
  • A Lit Fuse: The Provocative Life of Harlan Ellison, by Nat Segaloff (NESFA Press)
  • Luminescent Threads: Connections to Octavia E. Butler, edited by Alexandra Pierce and Mimi Mondal (Twelfth Planet Press)
  • No Time to Spare: Thinking About What Matters, by Ursula K. Le Guin (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
  • Sleeping with Monsters: Readings and Reactions in Science Fiction and Fantasy, by Liz Bourke (Aqueduct Press)


Best Graphic Story
  • Black Bolt, Volume 1: Hard Time, written by Saladin Ahmed, illustrated by Christian Ward, lettered by Clayton Cowles (Marvel)
  • Bitch Planet, Volume 2: President Bitch, written by Kelly Sue DeConnick, illustrated by Valentine De Landro and Taki Soma, colored by Kelly Fitzpatrick, lettered by Clayton Cowles (Image Comics)
  • Monstress, Volume 2: The Blood, written by Marjorie M. Liu, illustrated by Sana Takeda (Image Comics)
  • My Favorite Thing is Monsters, written and illustrated by Emil Ferris (Fantagraphics)
  • Paper Girls, Volume 3, written by Brian K. Vaughan, illustrated by Cliff Chiang, colored by Matthew Wilson, lettered by Jared Fletcher (Image Comics)
  • Saga, Volume 7, written by Brian K. Vaughan, illustrated by Fiona Staples (Image Comics)


Best Dramatic Presentation – Long Form
  • Blade Runner 2049, written by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green, directed by Denis Villeneuve (Alcon Entertainment / Bud Yorkin Productions / Torridon Films / Columbia Pictures)
  • Get Out, written and directed by Jordan Peele (Blumhouse Productions / Monkeypaw Productions / QC Entertainment)
  • The Shape of Water, written by Guillermo del Toro and Vanessa Taylor, directed by Guillermo del Toro (TSG Entertainment / Double Dare You / Fox Searchlight Pictures)
  • Star Wars: The Last Jedi, written and directed by Rian Johnson (Lucasfilm, Ltd.)
  • Thor: Ragnarok, written by Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle, and Christopher Yost; directed by Taika Waititi (Marvel Studios)
  • Wonder Woman, screenplay by Allan Heinberg, story by Zack Snyder & Allan Heinberg and Jason Fuchs, directed by Patty Jenkins (DC Films / Warner Brothers)


Best Dramatic Presentation – Short Form
  • Black Mirror: “USS Callister,” written by William Bridges and Charlie Brooker, directed by Toby Haynes (House of Tomorrow)
  • “The Deep” [song], by Clipping (Daveed Diggs, William Hutson, Jonathan Snipes)
  • Doctor Who: “Twice Upon a Time,” written by Steven Moffat, directed by Rachel Talalay (BBC Cymru Wales)
  • The Good Place: “Michael’s Gambit,” written and directed by Michael Schur (Fremulon / 3 Arts Entertainment / Universal Television)
  • The Good Place: “The Trolley Problem,” written by Josh Siegal and Dylan Morgan, directed by Dean Holland (Fremulon / 3 Arts Entertainment / Universal Television)
  • Star Trek: Discovery: “Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad,” written by Aron Eli Coleite & Jesse Alexander, directed by David M. Barrett (CBS Television Studios)


Best Editor – Short Form
  • John Joseph Adams
  • Neil Clarke
  • Lee Harris
  • Jonathan Strahan
  • Lynne M. Thomas & Michael Damian Thomas
  • Sheila Williams


Best Editor – Long Form
  • Sheila E. Gilbert
  • Joe Monti
  • Diana M. Pho
  • Devi Pillai
  • Miriam Weinberg
  • Navah Wolfe


Best Professional Artist
  • Galen Dara
  • Kathleen Jennings
  • Bastien Lecouffe Deharme
  • Victo Ngai
  • John Picacio
  • Sana Takeda


Best Semiprozine
  • Beneath Ceaseless Skies, editor-in-chief and publisher Scott H. Andrews
  • The Book Smugglers, edited by Ana Grilo and Thea James
  • Escape Pod, edited by Mur Lafferty, S.B. Divya, and Norm Sherman, with assistant editor Benjamin C. Kinney
  • Fireside Magazine, edited by Brian White and Julia Rios; managing editor Elsa Sjunneson-Henry; special feature editor Mikki Kendall; publisher & art director Pablo Defendini
  • Strange Horizons, edited by Kate Dollarhyde, Gautam Bhatia, A.J. Odasso, Lila Garrott, Heather McDougal, Ciro Faienza, Tahlia Day, Vanessa Rose Phin, and the Strange Horizons staff
  • Uncanny Magazine, edited by Lynne M. Thomas & Michael Damian Thomas, Michi Trota, and Julia Rios; podcast produced by Erika Ensign & Steven Schapansky


Best Fanzine
  • File 770, edited by Mike Glyer
  • Galactic Journey, edited by Gideon Marcus
  • Journey Planet, edited by Team Journey Planet
  • nerds of a feather, flock together, edited by The G, Vance Kotrla, and Joe Sherry
  • Rocket Stack Rank, edited by Greg Hullender and Eric Wong
  • SF Bluestocking, edited by Bridget McKinney


Best Fancast
  • The Coode Street Podcast, presented by Jonathan Strahan and Gary K. Wolfe
  • Ditch Diggers, presented by Mur Lafferty and Matt Wallace
  • Fangirl Happy Hour, presented by Ana Grilo and Renay Williams
  • Galactic Suburbia, presented by Alisa Krasnostein, Alexandra Pierce and Tansy Rayner Roberts; produced by Andrew Finch
  • Sword and Laser, presented by Veronica Belmont and Tom Merritt
  • Verity!, presented by Deborah Stanish, Erika Ensign, Katrina Griffiths, L.M. Myles, Lynne M. Thomas, and Tansy Rayner Roberts


Best Fan Writer
  • Camestros Felapton
  • Sarah Gailey
  • Mike Glyer
  • Foz Meadows
  • Charles Payseur
  • Bogi Takács


Best Fan Artist
  • Geneva Benton
  • Grace P. Fong
  • Maya Hahto
  • Likhain (M. Sereno)
  • Spring Schoenhuth
  • Steve Stiles


Best Series
  • The Books of the Raksura, by Martha Wells (Night Shade Books)
  • The Divine Cities, by Robert Jackson Bennett (Broadway Books)
  • InCryptid, by Seanan McGuire (DAW)
  • The Memoirs of Lady Trent, by Marie Brennan (Tor US / Titan Books UK)
  • The Stormlight Archive, by Brandon Sanderson (Tor US / Gollancz UK)
  • World of the Five Gods, by Lois McMaster Bujold (Harper Voyager / Spectrum Literary Agency)




2018 Not Hugo Awards

John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer
  • Katherine Arden
  • Sarah Kuhn
  • Jeannette Ng
  • Vina Jie-Min Prasad
  • Rebecca Roanhorse
  • Rivers Solomon


The YA Book Award
  • Akata Warrior, by Nnedi Okorafor (Viking)
  • The Art of Starving, by Sam J. Miller (HarperTeen)
  • The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage, by Philip Pullman (Knopf)
  • In Other Lands, by Sarah Rees Brennan (Big Mouth House)
  • A Skinful of Shadows, by Frances Hardinge (Macmillan UK / Harry N. Abrams US)
  • Summer in Orcus, written by T. Kingfisher (Ursula Vernon), illustrated by Lauren Henderson (Sofawolf Press)

Friday, March 30, 2018

Review and Giveaway: The Night Dahlia by R.S. Belcher


The Night Dahlia
Author:  R.S. Belcher
Series:  Nightwise 2
Publisher:  Tor Books, April 3, 2018
Format:  Trade Paperback and eBook, 400 pages
List Price:  US$18.99 (print); US$9.99 (eBook)
ISBN:  9780765390127 (print); 9780765390141 (eBook)

Laytham Ballard once protected humanity as part of the Nightwise, a secret order of modern-day mages dedicated to holding hellish supernatural forces at bay, but that was before a string of sadistic ritual murders shook everything he believed in—and sent him down a much darker path. One that has already cost him most of his soul, as well as everything he once held dear.

Now a powerful faerie mob boss has hired Ballard to find his lost-lost daughter, who went missing several years ago. The long-cold trail leads him across the globe, from the luxurious playgrounds of the rich and famous to the seedy occult underbelly of Los Angeles, where creatures of myth and legend mingle with street gangs and sex clubs, and where Ballard finds his own guilty past waiting for him around every shadowy corner. To find Caern Ankou, he will have to confront old enemies, former friends and allies, and a grisly cold case that has haunted him for years.

But is Caern still alive? And, perhaps more importantly, does she even want to be found?



Qwill's Thoughts

What can I say about Laytham Ballard, the anti-hero of the Nightwise novels by R.S. Belcher? He has a great capacity to do bad things. He's a powerful wizard, god-like in his strength. He's brilliant, selfish, egotistical, often violent. He's made terrible mistakes. He keeps everyone at arm's length preferring not to let anyone know that he is capable of any tender emotions. He's someone that will do whatever it takes to survive. He knows all of this about himself. And yet, he often does the right thing; often for the wrong reasons. In The Night Dahlia, Belcher dives deeply into Laytham's psyche and past while telling a fantastic story of Laytham's hunt for Lord Ankou's daughter, Caern, who disappeared years ago. He takes the job for selfish reasons - so can he reverse a mistake he made in the past.

The novel is primarily set in Los Angeles, California. Laytham is not welcome in LA. He was expelled from the Nightwise (supernatural police) in L.A. years ago though he claims he quit. He is haunted by a case he could not solve and the love he could not except and had abruptly left. There is a huge trail of hurt and pain Laytham has left behind. He is accompanied on this job by a retainer of Lord Ankou - Vigil Burris. Burris is there to make sure that Laytham does the job.

Belcher introduces a fascinating and wonderfully developed cast of characters from Laytham's past in L.A - Dragon, Anna, Dwayne and his dog Gretchen , and members of the Nightwise. Grinner, who we've met before, returns. Laytham gives us a tour of L.A.'s supernatural community while working to solve the mystery of Caern's disappearance and ditch Vigil Burris whenever he can. There is much dark, seedy and violent in this novel. That's Laytham's world and where he is most comfortable.

The novel moves at an almost breathtaking pace as Laytham tries to find the missing woman. He has a deep and eclectic understanding of magic which makes for some exotic rituals and incredible magical fights.  

The Night Dahlia is wonderfully written. It's a sheer pleasure to read - even the parts that are bloody and rough. This is a deeply layered novel on many levels. The mystery of Caern's disappearance is as tangled and intricate as Laytham himself. He still does things he shouldn't. He still makes bad decisions. However, he has a capacity to do good that I think may rival his capacity for evil - if only he'd believe it.

Laytham Ballard may not be the hero we want, but he is certainly the badass anti-hero we need. The Night Dahlia is a fabulous, entertaining and intricately wrought novel. Outstanding!




Read R.S. Belcher's post: The Night at the Edge of the Road: Where the Nightwise and Brotherhood of the Wheel Series Intersect here.




Previously

Nightwise
Nightwise 1
Tor Books, January 16, 2018 (New Cover & Additional Content)
Trade Paperback, 320 pages
Trade Paperback, September 20, 2016
Hardcover and eBook, August 18, 2015

R.S. Belcher, the acclaimed author of The Six-Gun Tarot and The Shotgun Arcana launches a gritty new urban fantasy series set in today's seedy occult underworld in Nightwise.

In the more shadowy corners of the world, frequented by angels and demons and everything in-between, Laytham Ballard is a legend. It's said he raised the dead at the age of ten, stole the Philosopher's Stone in Vegas back in 1999, and survived the bloodsucking kiss of the Mosquito Queen. Wise in the hidden ways of the night, he's also a cynical bastard who stopped thinking of himself as the good guy a long time ago.

Now a promise to a dying friend has Ballard on the trail of an escaped Serbian war criminal with friends in both high and low places-and a sinister history of blood sacrifices. Ballard is hell-bent on making Dusan Slorzack pay for his numerous atrocities, but Slorzack seems to have literally dropped off the face of the Earth, beyond the reach of his enemies, the Illuminati, and maybe even the Devil himself. To find Slorzack, Ballard must follow a winding, treacherous path that stretches from Wall Street and Washington, D.C. to backwoods hollows and truckstops, while risking what's left of his very soul . . . .

See Qwill's review here.





The Giveaway

What:  1 Trade Paperback copy of The Night Dahlia by R.S. Belcher. US / CANADA ONLY

How:
  • Send an email to theqwillery . contests @ gmail.com [remove the spaces]
  • In the subject line, enter “Ballard“ with or without the quotation marks.
  • In the body of the email, please provide your name and full mailing address. The winning address is used only to mail the novel(s) and is provided The Qwillery only for that purpose. All other address information will be deleted by The Qwillery once the giveaway ends.
Who:  The giveaway is open to all humans on the planet earth with a United States or Canadian mailing address.

When:  The giveaway ends at 11:59 PM US Eastern Time on April 13, 2018. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 years old or older to enter.

*Giveaway rules and duration are subject to change without any notice.*

DRAGON QUEST XI Coming to the West on September 4th for PS4 and Steam


DRAGON QUEST XI ARRIVES IN THE WEST SEPTEMBER 4

The Epic Beginning to a New Adventure for PlayStation®4 and STEAM®

LOS ANGELES (March 28, 2018) – One of the most revered role-playing game franchises of all time returns to the West with DRAGON QUEST® XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age™ coming to the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and STEAM® on September 4.

DRAGON QUEST XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age tells a captivating tale of a hunted hero and is the long-awaited role-playing game from series creator Yuji Horii, character designer Akira Toriyama, and series composer Koichi Sugiyama. As the eleventh mainline entry in the critically acclaimed series, DRAGON QUEST XI is a completely standalone experience that features entirely new characters, a beautifully detailed world, finely tuned turn-based combat, and an immersive story that will appeal to longtime fans and franchise newcomers alike. After its release in Japan, DRAGON QUEST XI won multiple gaming awards and received critical praise, including PlayStation’s Platinum Prize and a perfect 40/40 score from Famitsu (Japanese publication).

Nintendo Download, March 29, 2018: Why Did Toki Tori Cross the Road?


This week’s Nintendo Download includes the following featured content:
  • Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch
    • Penny-Punching Princess – The Penny-Punching Princess game is an isometric brawler that takes place in a world ruled by capitalism, where cash is king. Fight or bribe your way to reclaiming your kingdom from the greedy Dragoloans. Penny-Punching Princess will be available on April 3.
    • Toki Tori – Toki Tori isn’t very athletic. He can’t even jump! Take control of Toki Tori, a surprisingly heroic chicken, as he puzzles his way through 80+ levels. Use creative thinking and problem solving to collect all the eggs. The Toki Tori game will be available on March 30.

Thursday, March 29, 2018

Guest Blog by R.S. Belcher - The Night at the Edge of the Road: Where the Nightwise and Brotherhood of the Wheel Series Intersect


Please welcome R.S. Belcher to The Qwillery. The Night Dahlia, the 2nd novel in the Nightwise series, will be published on April 3rrd by Tor Books.







The Night at the Edge of the Road: Where the Nightwise and Brotherhood of the Wheel Series Intersect

R.S. Belcher

When you write multiple series there are always questions popping up about which of them connect and which don't. Authors like Brandon Sanderson and Stephen King have had a lot of fun interconnecting their worlds and their fans love the little cross-over Easter eggs that they drop in their stories. I grew up on Michael Moorcock's Eternal Champion series which had many crossovers between very different series within the overall cycle as well.

So, when it comes to answering the question of cross-over in my books, here's the straight dope. My Weird Western Golgotha series currently stands alone in its own universe while the Nightwise series (which includes my novel, The Night Dahlia, which is being released in April from Tor Books) and the Brotherhood of the Wheel series are set in the same world, but are very different series. I had a person at a convention this past weekend ask about a character in the Golgotha books and ask if they were members of the Brethren from the Brotherhood series. I had to explain that while that was a great idea, it was two different worlds. My main reason for splitting Golgotha from the other books is the cosmology in the series just developed differently, even though the theme of belief being crucial to the creation and survival of gods is present in all three of my series.

My main protagonists in the Nightwise and Brotherhood series— Laytham Ballard and Jimmie Aussapile— met in the pages of Nightwise back in 2015. Jimmie was a character I had bouncing around in my skull for a long time, he even made an appearance in a World of Darkness RPG I was the storyteller for back in the late 90s. My agent, Lucienne Diver encouraged me to explore Jimmie's world more and from that came the Brotherhood of the Wheel. In Brotherhood I've gone out of my way to mention Laytham Ballard a few time and other denizens of the occult underworld known as “the Life” he rubs elbows with, Like the Anti-matter Buddha, and Jingles the psychic exorcist who happens to be a cat. In The Night Dahlia, I also reciprocated with a few Brotherhood references for the reader to catch related to “the Road,” the as-of-yet not fully explained supernatural aspect of the American highway system that attracts demented personalities and monstrous creatures from other places.

Laytham Ballard's world is noir, filled with criminals, capers, and alternate lifestyles. I've always equated “the lifestyle” of BDSM with magic and secret societies. They have a lot in common. Ballard's world is definitely NC-17.

Jimmie's world, however, is a pretty different place in some very fundamental ways. Brotherhood is “southern fried Urban Fantasy.” I wanted Jimmie to be a very, very different person than Laytham, and I wanted his world, while full of horrific, nightmarish personalities and entities, to carry a ray of hope with it, to show that you don't always have to lose your soul to fight evil in the world.

If I am fortunate enough to continue to have the opportunity to write both series, I have a story arc that I'm planning that would begin in a Nightwise novel but reference a past event in Brotherhood and would bring the two worlds crashing into one another for one hell of an adventure. I also have kicked around the notion of writing books based on characters in the shared universe, including a certain demonic entertainer with a heart of gold and a chap named Synn who works for an agency known as the Horror Show. It's a big old abandoned playground with overgrown weeds and rusty dangerous equipment. I'd love to keep playing in it.

Thank you to all the friendly, devoted readers who have wandered into my worlds and who help grow them, keep them going, and keep them weird. I love you folks and I am very grateful for your support. I also wanted to thank Sally for her kind invitation to come on her site once again and chat. You're the best, Ms. Qwill, thank you.





The Night Dahlia
Nightwise 2
Tor Books, April 3, 2018
Trade Paperback and eBook, 400 pages

Laytham Ballard once protected humanity as part of the Nightwise, a secret order of modern-day mages dedicated to holding hellish supernatural forces at bay, but that was before a string of sadistic ritual murders shook everything he believed in—and sent him down a much darker path. One that has already cost him most of his soul, as well as everything he once held dear.

Now a powerful faerie mob boss has hired Ballard to find his lost-lost daughter, who went missing several years ago. The long-cold trail leads him across the globe, from the luxurious playgrounds of the rich and famous to the seedy occult underbelly of Los Angeles, where creatures of myth and legend mingle with street gangs and sex clubs, and where Ballard finds his own guilty past waiting for him around every shadowy corner. To find Caern Ankou, he will have to confront old enemies, former friends and allies, and a grisly cold case that has haunted him for years.

But is Caern still alive? And, perhaps more importantly, does she even want to be found?





Previously

Nightwise
Nightwise 1
Tor Books, January 16, 2018 (New Cover & Additional Content)
Trade Paperback, 320 pages
Trade Paperback, September 20, 2016
Hardcover and eBook, August 18, 2015

R.S. Belcher, the acclaimed author of The Six-Gun Tarot and The Shotgun Arcana launches a gritty new urban fantasy series set in today's seedy occult underworld in Nightwise.

In the more shadowy corners of the world, frequented by angels and demons and everything in-between, Laytham Ballard is a legend. It's said he raised the dead at the age of ten, stole the Philosopher's Stone in Vegas back in 1999, and survived the bloodsucking kiss of the Mosquito Queen. Wise in the hidden ways of the night, he's also a cynical bastard who stopped thinking of himself as the good guy a long time ago.

Now a promise to a dying friend has Ballard on the trail of an escaped Serbian war criminal with friends in both high and low places-and a sinister history of blood sacrifices. Ballard is hell-bent on making Dusan Slorzack pay for his numerous atrocities, but Slorzack seems to have literally dropped off the face of the Earth, beyond the reach of his enemies, the Illuminati, and maybe even the Devil himself. To find Slorzack, Ballard must follow a winding, treacherous path that stretches from Wall Street and Washington, D.C. to backwoods hollows and truckstops, while risking what's left of his very soul . . . .





Brotherhood of the Wheel

The Brotherhood of the Wheel
Brotherhood of the Wheel 1
Tor Books, March 21, 2017
Trade Paperback, 416 pages
Hardcover and eBook, March 1, 2016

R.S. Belcher, the acclaimed author of The Six-Gun Tarot and The Shotgun Arcana launches a gritty new urban fantasy series about the mysterious society of truckers known only as, The Brotherhood of The Wheel.

In 1119 A.D., a group of nine crusaders became known as the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon--a militant monastic order charged with protecting pilgrims and caravans traveling on the roads to and from the Holy Land. In time, the Knights Templar would grow in power and, ultimately, be laid low. But a small offshoot of the Templars endure and have returned to the order's original mission: to defend the roads of the world and guard those who travel on them.

Theirs is a secret line of knights: truckers, bikers, taxi hacks, state troopers, bus drivers, RV gypsies--any of the folks who live and work on the asphalt arteries of America. They call themselves the Brotherhood of the Wheel.

Jimmy Aussapile is one such knight. He's driving a big rig down South when a promise to a ghostly hitchhiker sets him on a quest to find out the terrible truth behind a string of children gone missing all across the country. The road leads him to Lovina Hewitt, a skeptical Louisiana State Police investigator working the same case and, eventually, to a forgotten town that's not on any map--and to the secret behind the eerie Black-Eyed Kids said to prowl the highways.

Bookburners Season 3, Tremontaine Season 3, and ReMade Season 2 Omnibus Editions Available Now!


Bookburners Season 3, Tremontaine Season 3, and ReMade Season 2 Omnibus editions are available today from Serial Box!

In addition Serial Box is running a sale on these series' Season 1 - ReMade, Bookburners, and Tremontaine on sale (50% off) from Thursday, March 29, 2018 – Thursday, April 5, 2018!


Bookburners
The Complete Season 3
Serial Box, March 29, 2018
eBook, 477 pages

Magic is real, and hungry--trapped in ancient texts and artifacts. Only a few who discover it survive to fight back.

Join Detective Sal Brooks, newest recruit to a black-ops magic hunting team backed by the Vatican, as she travels the world to keep the supernatural in check. Just remember: watch your back and don't touch anything.

Fans of Supernatural, The X-Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and The Da Vinci Code will love this epic urban fantasy. Bookburners Season 3 is written by Max Gladstone, Margaret Dunlap, Brian Francis Slattery, Andrea Phillips, Mur Lafferty, and Amal El-Mohtar and presented by Serial Box Publishing.



Tremontaine
The Complete Season 3
Serial Box, March 29, 2018
eBook, 495 pages

Welcome to Tremontaine, where ambition, love affairs, and rivalries dance with deadly results. In this novel Ellen Kushner and a team of writers return readers to the world of scandal and swordplay introduced in her cult-classic novel Swordspoint. Readers familiar with the series will find a welcome homecoming while new fans will learn what makes Riverside a place they will want to visit again and again. Tremontaine follows Diane, Duchess Tremontaine, whose beauty is matched only by her cunning; Rafe Fenton, a handsome young scholar with more passion than sense; Ixkaab Balam, a tradeswoman from afar with skill for swords and secrets; and Micah, a gentle genius whose discoveries herald revolution. Sparks fly as these four lives intersect in a world where politics is everything, and outcasts are the tastemakers. Tread carefully, dear reader, and keep your wit as sharp as your steel.

Originally presented in serial form by Serial Box Publishing, Tremontaine is brought to you by Ellen Kushner, Joel Derfner, Racheline Maltese, Paul Witcover, Tessa Gratton, and Karen Lord.



ReMade
The Complete Season 2
SerialBox, March 29, 2018
eBook, 452 pages

In one moment the lives of twenty-three teenagers are forever changed, and it's not just because they all happen to die. "ReMade" in a world they barely recognize--one with robots, space elevators, and unchecked jungle--they must work together to survive. They came from different places, backgrounds, and families, and now they might be the last people on earth. Lost meets The Maze Runner in this exciting adventure from Serial Box Publishing.

The remade teens forge forward in their future world—a smaller group, wiser but tougher. Just as they begin to think they understand their new circumstances, though, a reminder of past trauma makes them question everything they know, and sets them on a new course.

Team-written by some of today’s most exciting authors, ReMade is brought to you by Matthew Cody (Super), Andrea Phillips (Revision), Gwenda Bond (Girl on a Wire), Amy Rose Capetta (Entangled), and E. C. Myers (The Silence of Six).





On Sale

Bookburners
The Complete Season 1
Serial Box, January 24, 2017
eBook, 800 pages

Magic is real, and hungry. It’s trapped in ancient texts and artifacts, and only a few who discover it survive to fight back. Detective Sal Brooks is a survivor. She joins a Vatican-backed black-ops anti-magic squad—Team Three of the Societas Librorum Occultorum—and together they stand between humanity and the magical apocalypse. Some call them the Bookburners. They don’t like the label.

Supernatural meets The Da Vinci Code in a fast-paced, kickass character driven novel chock-full of magic, mystery, and mayhem, written collaboratively by a team of some of the best writers working in fantasy.

Originally presented serially in 16 episodes, this omnibus collects all installments of Bookburners Season One into one edition.



Tremontaine
The Complete Season 1
Serial Box, May 2, 2017
eBook, 688 pages

Welcome to Tremontaine, the prequel to Ellen Kushner’s beloved Riverside series that began with Swordspoint! A Duchess whose beauty is matched only by her cunning; her husband’s dangerous affair with a handsome scholar; a foreigner in a playground of swordplay and secrets; and a mathematical genius on the brink of revolution—when long-buried lies threaten to come to light, betrayal and treachery know no bounds with stakes this high. Mind your manners and enjoy the chocolate in a dance of sparkling wit and political intrigue.

Originally presented serially in 13 episodes by Serial Box, this omnibus collects all installments of Tremontaine Season One into one edition.



ReMade
The Complete Season 1
SerialBox, April 25, 2017
eBook, 783 pages

In one moment the lives of twenty-three teenagers are forever changed, and it's not just because they all happen to die. "ReMade" in a world they barely recognize--one with robots, space elevators, and unchecked jungle--they must work together to survive. They came from different places, backgrounds, and families, and now they might be the last people on earth. Lostmeets The Maze Runner in this exciting adventure from Serial Box Publishing.

Team-written by some of today’s most exciting authors, ReMadeis brought to you by Matthew Cody (Super), Andrea Phillips (Revision), New York Times Bestseller Kiersten White (And I Darken), Gwenda Bond (Girl on a Wire), Carrie Harris (Bad Taste in Boys), and E. C. Myers (The Silence of Six).





And don't miss

Bookburners
The Complete Season 2
Serial Box, May 9, 2017
eBook, 734 pages

Magic is real, and hungry--trapped in ancient texts and artifacts. Only a few who discover it survive to fight back.

Join Detective Sal Brooks, newest recruit to a black-ops magic hunting team backed by the Vatican, as she travels the world to keep the supernatural in check. Just remember: watch your back and don't touch anything.

Fans of Supernatural, The X-Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and The Da Vinci Code will love this epic urban fantasy. Bookburners Season 2 is written by Max Gladstone, Margaret Dunlap, Brian Francis Slattery, Andrea Phillips, Mur Lafferty, and Amal El-Mohtar and presented by Serial Box Publishing.



Tremontaine
The Complete Season 2
Serial Box, May 2, 2017
eBook, 693 pages

Welcome to Tremontaine, where ambition, love affairs, and rivalries dance with deadly results. In this novel Ellen Kushner and a team of writers return readers to the world of scandal and swordplay introduced in her cult-classic novel Swordspoint. Readers familiar with the series will find a welcome homecoming while new fans will learn what makes Riverside a place they will want to visit again and again. Tremontaine follows Diane, Duchess Tremontaine, whose beauty is matched only by her cunning; Rafe Fenton, a handsome young scholar with more passion than sense; Ixkaab Balam, a tradeswoman from afar with skill for swords and secrets; and Micah, a gentle genius whose discoveries herald revolution. Sparks fly as these four lives intersect in a world where politics is everything, and outcasts are the tastemakers. Tread carefully, dear reader, and keep your wit as sharp as your steel.

Originally presented in serial form by Serial Box Publishing, Tremontaine is brought to you by Ellen Kushner, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Joel Derfner, Racheline Maltese, Paul Witcover, Tessa Gratton, and Mary Anne Mohanraj.

Wednesday, March 28, 2018

WHERE WE LIVE Anthology Contributors Announced


WHERE WE LIVE BENEFIT ANTHOLOGY CONTRIBUTORS ANNOUNCED

“On October 1, 2017, Las Vegas, Nevada suffered the worst mass shooting in modern American history, resulting in 58 deaths and over 500 injured. It broke my heart. Las Vegas is my home. I felt like something needed to be done to help in a unique way.”

—JH WILLIAMS III, Artist & Curating Editor

PORTLAND, OR, 03/27/2018 — Image Comics is pleased to announce the list of WHERE WE LIVE: LAS VEGAS SHOOTING BENEFIT ANTHOLOGY contributors.

Curated by JH Williams III, Wendy Wright-Williams, Will Dennis, and Image Comics’ Publisher, Eric Stephenson, one hundred percent of the proceeds for the WHERE WE LIVE anthology will be donated to an existing GoFundMe campaign for the survivors in Las Vegas.

The WHERE WE LIVE anthology contains over 70 stories from over 150 different creators and clocks in at around 300 pages total.

“It's a strange place, this time and this country, in which having tools that can only be used to murder is seen as human right. I wanted to write something to help raise funds for the victims of the Las Vegas mass shooting and for their families,” said Neil Gaiman, bestselling author and a contributor to the WHERE WE LIVE anthology. “It's about wounds and healing, about death and forgiveness, about pain and childhood and the dark.  I hope it helps make people think, and I'm honoured to be part of the conversation.”

The book will include a variety of perspectives with key themes exploring gun violence, common sense gun control, value of a compassionate society, mental health stigmatization, aftermath of tragedy and how individuals and communities persevere, and an appreciation of Las Vegas as a vibrant community.

The WHERE WE LIVE anthology is a riveting collection of both fictional stories and actual eye-witness accounts told by an all-star lineup of the top talent working in comics today as well as Las Vegas locals. All the creators have graciously volunteered their time and talent to help bring some sense to this senseless act and, in the process, raise money for the survivors and their families.

WHERE WE LIVE ANTHOLOGY contributors:
Michael Allred & Laura Allred
Henry Barajas, Isaac Goodhart & Kelly Fitzpatrick
Jennifer Battisti, Geof Darrow, Dave Stewart & Bernardo Brice
Jennifer Battisti & J.H. Williams III
Brian Michael Bendis, Michael Oeming, Taki Soma & Bernardo Brice
Haden Blackman & Richard Pace
Haden Blackman, J.H. Williams III & Todd Klein
Jeff Boison & Tyler Boss
Ivan Brandon, Paul Azaceta & Bernardo Brice
Ryan Burton, Tony Parker, Dee Cunniffe & Bernardo Brice
Kurt Busiek, Andrew Maclean, Lee Loughridge & JG Roshell (at Comicraft)
Amy Chu, Gabriel Hernandez Walta & Alexander Chang
Rachel Crosby, J.H. Williams III & Bernardo Brice
Al Davison
Kelly Sue DeConnick, Joelle Jones, Dave Stewart & Bernardo Brice
J.M. DeMatteis & Mike Cavallaro
Gustavo Duarte
Aaron Duran, Joe Mulvey, Jules Rivera & Bernardo Brice
Joshua Dysart, Pere Perez & Bernardo Brice
Pierce Elliott & Monica Gallagher
Joshua Ellis, Jeff Lemire & Bernardo Brice
Lucia Fasano, Tess Fowler & Bernardo Brice
Ray Fawkes
Joshua Hale Fialkov, Noel Tuazon & Bernardo Brice
Neil Gaiman, J.H. Williams III & Todd Klein
Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie, Dee Cunniffe & Clayton Cowles
Brandon Graham
Justin Gray & John Broglia
Lela Gwenn & Matthew Dow Smith
Matt Hawkins, Aaron Campbell, Dee Cunniffe & Bernardo Brice
Daniel Hernandez, Moritat & Casey Silver
Talia Hershewe, Jock & Bernardo Brice
David Hine, Brian Haberlin & Geirrod Van Dyke
Joe Illidge, Ray-Anthony Height, Andrew Dalhouse & Deron Bennet
Van Jensen, Eric Kim, Chris O'Halloran & Bernardo Brice
Scott David Johnson, Phil Hester, Eric Gapstur, Mark Englert & Bernardo Brice
Justin Jordan, Tom Fowler & Taylor Esposito
Jarret Keene, Craig Cermak, Marissa Louise & Taylor Esposito
Neil Kleid & Nick Pitarra
Greg Lockard, Tim Fish, Michael J DiMotta & Sal Cipriano
Ollie Masters, Jason Harris, Sina Grace & Shaun Steven Struble
Mariah McCourt, Ariela Kristantina, Bryan Valenza & Bernardo Brice
Mike Mignola & Dave Stewart
Mark Millar, Alex Sheikman, Marissa Louise & Bernardo Brice
Gary Spencer Millidge
Fabio Moon
B. Clay Moore, Kelly Williams & Chas! Pangburn
Greg Pak, Triona Farrell & Simon Bowland
Alex Paknadel, Chris Wildgoose, Triona Farrell & Aditya Bidikar
Curt Pires, Matt Lesniewski & Alex Petretich
Christina Rice, Richard Pace & Bernardo Brice
Darick Robertson, R. Eric Lieb & Christopher Crank
James Robinson, Dean Kotz, Stefano Gaudiano & Casey Silver
Robert Rose & Matt Strackbein
Chris Ryall, Gabriel Rodriguez, Nelson Daniel & Bernardo Brice
Rafael Scavone, Rafael Albuquerque, Patricia Mulvihill & Bernardo Brice
Erica Schultz, Liana Kangas & Cardinal Rae
Alex Segura, Marco Finnegan, Kelsey Shannon & Janice Chiang
Gail Simone, Ryan Kelly, Giulia Brusco & Bernardo Brice
Matthew Dow Smith & Michael Gaydos
Matt Sorvillo & Sean Phillips
Jason Starr, Andrea Mutti, Vladimir Popov & Bernardo Brice
Cameron Stewart
Larime Taylor & Sylv Taylor
Paul Tobin, Dustin Weaver & Bernardo Brice
David Walker, Damon Smith & Motherboxx Studios
Malachi Ward
Rob Williams & Javier Pulido
Scott Bryan Wilson & Cliff Chiang
Chris Wisnia, Bill Sienkiewicz & Jeromy Cox
Wendy Wright-Williams, J.H. Williams III & Todd Klein
Warren Wucinich

And more!

Follow updates on the WHERE WE LIVE project on Twitter: @WhereWeLive_LV
List of WHERE WE LIVE contributors
GoFundMe where all Proceeds from the book will be donated

ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of bestselling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri, and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline Comics, Skybound Entertainment, and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit
www.imagecomics.com.

Barnes & Noble Launches Browsery






Barnes & Noble Launches Browsery™ — The First Mobile App to Talk About Books the Way Readers Do

New App is Available for Android and iOS Users and Blends Technology with the Barnes & Noble 
Experience of Community, Conversation and Peer-to-Peer Recommendations

New York, NY – March 27, 2018 – Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the world’s largest retail bookseller, today announced the launch of Browsery—the first mobile app to talk about books the way readers do. Browsery is available for Android and iOS users. It blends technology with the Barnes & Noble experience of community, conversation and peer-to-peer recommendations to deliver a new kind of digital browsing that’s a gateway for users to find new books and talk about the ones they love with fellow readers.  Customers can like, comment, or contribute answers to questions posed by the community, like or comment on the answers of others, or ask questions of their own. Seamless connectivity to the mobile web allows purchase or sampling of new discoveries.

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Covers Revealed - Upcoming Works by DAC Authors


Here are some of the upcoming novels by formerly featured DAC Authors. The year in parentheses is the year the author was featured in the DAC.


Marshall Ryan Maresca (2015)

The Way of the Shield
The Maradaine Elite 1
DAW, October 9, 2018
Mass Market Paperback, 368 pages

The first novel in the Maradaine Elite series blends fast-paced high fantasy and political intrigue.

Dayne Heldrin always dreamed of being a member of the Tarian Order. In centuries past, the Elite Orders of Druthal were warriors that stood for order, justice, and the common people. But now, with constables, King’s Marshals, and a standing army, there is little need for such organizations, and the Tarian Order is one of the last remnants of this ancient legacy. Nevertheless, Dayne trained his body and mind, learned the arts of defense and fighting, to become a candidate for the Tarian Order.

When a failed rescue puts Dayne at fault for injuring the child of a powerful family, his future with the Tarians is in jeopardy. The Parliament controls the purse strings for the Order, and Dayne has angered the wrong members of Parliament. He returns to the capital city of Maradaine in shame, ready to be cast out of the Order when the period of his candidacy ends.

Dayne finds Maradaine in turmoil, as revolutions and dark conspiracies brew around him, threatening members of Parliament and common people alike. Dayne is drawn into the uproar, desperate not to have one more death or injury on his conscience, but the Order wants him to stay out of the situation. The city threatens to tear itself apart, and Dayne must decide between his own future and his vow to always stand between the helpless and harm.


Streets of Maradaine




Maradaine




Maradaine Constabulary






Peter Newman (2015)

The Deathless
HarperVoyager UK, June 14, 2018
Hardcover and eBook, 400 pages

From one of fantasy’s biggest recent breakthrough authors comes an exciting, brand new series.

The demons...

In the endless forests of the Wild, humanity scratches a living by the side of the great Godroads, paths of crystal that provide safe passage and hold back the infernal tide. Creatures lurk within the trees, watching, and plucking those who stray too far from safety.

The Deathless...

In crystal castles held aloft on magical currents, seven timeless royal families reign, protecting humanity from the spread of the Wild and its demons. Born and reborn into flawless bodies, the Deathless are as immortal as the precious stones from which they take their names. For generations a fragile balance has held.

And the damned...

House Sapphire, one of the ancient Deathless families, is riven by suspicion and madness. Whole villages are disappearing as the hunting expeditions holding the Wild at bay begin to fail.

Then, when assassins strike, House Sapphire shatters.

Nothing lasts forever.

The Deathless is the first novel in an astonishing new series from Gemmell award-winning author Peter Newman.

Note: This is a UK release.





K Arsenault Rivera (2017)

The Phoenix Empress
Their Bright Ascendency 2
Tor Books, October 9, 2018
Trade Paperback and eBook, 400 pages

The Phoenix Empress, the sequel to K Arsenault Rivera' the wildly buzzed about The Tiger's Daughter, an epic historical fantasy in the vein of Patrick Rothfuss and Naomi Novik

"Rich, expansive, and grounded in human truth...simply exquisite.” —V. E. Schwab, New York Times bestselling author of the Shades of Magic series on The Tiger's Daughter

The Tiger's Daughter was...
Indie Next List October 2017 Pick
Paste Magazine's 10 Most Anticipated Books in October 2017
io9's Best Books Coming in 2017
The Verge's SF/F Books to Read in October 2017
BookRiot's Most Anticipated Titles of 2017
Medium's Most Anticipated Books of 2017
Bookish's Fall 2017's Hottest SF/F Books

Since she was a child, the divine empress O Shizuka has believed she was an untouchable god. When her uncle, ruler of the Hokkaran Empire, sends her on a suicide mission as a leader of the Imperial Army, the horrors of war cause her to question everything she knows.

Thousands of miles away, the exiled and cursed warrior Barsalyya Shefali undergoes trials the most superstitious would not believe in order to return to Hokkaran court and claim her rightful place next to O Shizuka.

As the distance between disgraced empress and blighted warrior narrows, a familiar demonic force grows closer to the heart of the empire. Will the two fallen warriors be able to protect their home?