SFcrowsnest.net: The genre media magazine

To mark a much overlooked contribution from a bovine superstar to a show that’s ending this weekend – Fringe, here are 20 of sci-fi and fantasy’s greatest pets and animal sidekicks.

http://www.sfx.co.uk/2013/01/18/blastermind-sci-fi-fantasys-greatest-pets/

The Alien that Ate Christmas, an illustrated seasonal short story showcasing Santa, slay-bells and some shocking sci-fi screams, is free globally on Kindle (until Boxing Day, December 26th 2012).

THE AUTHOR.

Stephen Hunt is the creator of the much-loved 'Jackelian' adventure series, now on its 6th book, published across the world via HarperCollins alongside their other best-selling fantasy authors, George R.R. Martin, J.R.R. Tolkien, Raymond E. Feist and C.S. Lewis.

THE ARTIST

This is the illustrated edition, featuring five beautiful interior colour illustrations by one of Italy's leading artists, Stefano Trainito.

THE BOOK

There are many things you don’t expect to see when you wake up in your bedroom on the evening of Christmas Eve. Santa Claus tied up in a chair and being threatened by an alien was right at the top of young Timmy's list. Sadly for our orphan hero, the alien has plans to save the Earth by giving the planet just what it wants. And that's when the trouble REALLY starts...

GET IT FREE FROM…

UK
www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-illustrated-showcasing-slay-bells-ebook/dp/B00A6EH8PK/

USA
www.amazon.com/Christmas-illustrated-showcasing-slay-bells-ebook/dp/B00A6EH8PK/

CANADA
www.amazon.ca/Christmas-illustrated-showcasing-slay-bells-ebook/dp/B00A6EH8PK/

And all other Amazon domains too.

I absolutely love your Sliding Void series of science fiction novels; can't get through them fast enough.  I'm currently reading Transference Station, the second, I think in the series. One of the best scifi novels I've read for a long time - really engaging characters and situations. The books put me in mind of Iain M Banks if he were writing episodes of Firefly.

I could ask you where you get your amazing ideas from, but I've been told this is a crass thing to ask an author (you must hear it all the time).

Instead, I'd ask how many novels are you planning in the series?

Jan

PS - how many countries are the books available in? Any foreign translations?

Renovation, the 69th World Science Fiction
Convention, has set the attending membership rates that will apply
from July 18 onwards for both online and at-the-door sales, and
determined its Day Admission rates.

The following attending membership rate changes for Renovation will go
into effect on July 18, 2011:

- The Adult Attending membership rate will increase from $195 to $220
- Converting a Supporting membership to an Attending membership will be $170
- Friend of the Reno Bid conversion from Supporting to Attending will be $130
- Young Adult Membership (17-21 years old on August 17, 2011) will
increase from $100 to $120
- The Family Rate (2 adults plus 2 or more dependent children) will
increase from $480 to $500.

The Attending membership rate for Children (0-16 years old on August
17, 2011) will remain unchanged at $75.

Day Admissions can be purchased online via the Renovation website from
June 20, 2011, or in person at the door. Day Admissions are priced
according to the day being purchased and the age of the purchaser.
(Quoted figures are for Wednesday 17 / Thursday 18 / Friday 19 /
Saturday 20 / Sunday 21 August respectively).
       
Adult                        $40 / $50 / $70 / $70 / $30
Reno College     $30 / $40 / $60 / $60 / $20
Young Adult      $20 / $30 / $40 / $40 / $20
Child                 $15 / $20 / $25 / $25 / $15

Renovation memberships are available for immediate purchase at various
conventions, at www.renovationsf.org and by postal mail. Full
information on all registration and payment options is available at
www.renovationsf.org/register.php.

Little Brown’s SF and Fantasy imprint Orbit has acquired an imaginative, witty and action-packed new urban fantasy trilogy which is currently getting a huge buzz in the US. Orbit UK Editorial Director Anne Clarke has acquired UK and Commonwealth rights in the first three books in Kevin Hearne’s Iron Druid series from Evan Goldfield at Jill Grinberg Literary Management.

The trilogy set in Tempe, Arizona, introduces us to Atticus O’Sullivan. He’s a rare book salesman, herb peddler, and 2,000 year old druid – the last of his kind – who has been on the run for over two millennia from a very angry ancient Celtic god. The books are set in the modern day world, where gods, myths, and magic are very much alive.  The first book HOUNDED primarily features the many Celtic gods; HEXED will focus on Coyote and the Bacchants; HAMMERED will be about a plot against Thor. (Everybody hates Thor.)

Kevin Hearne says: ‘I’m thrilled to be with Orbit UK and hope people will enjoy this blend of history and legend dropped into the modern world. The rich mythology of the Irish is endlessly fascinating to me, and an allusion to British lore in Hounded will eventually become important later in the series as Atticus finds himself in trouble near Windsor Castle.’

Anne Clarke says: ‘I first read the manuscript for HOUNDED in 2009 but it was before I moved to Orbit, and although I loved the story, I couldn’t see a way to make it work on my list back then (I was mainly publishing crime thrillers). When I heard the Iron Druid series was still looking for a UK home I couldn’t believe my luck, and I’m delighted to be bringing Atticus to the UK after all. And since we’re publishing these books this September, October and November, I don’t have long to wait to share them with everyone else here too. You’re in for a treat!’

Earlier this week we announced that DC Comics was undertaking a historic renumbering of 52 superhero titles across the line, starting with JUSTICE LEAGUE #1 by our superstar creators Geoff Johns and Jim Lee.
 
Today, we unveiled the GREEN LANTERN #1s. Please see the full post below. Please note: the art in the post is a teaser image and not a cover. Feel free to link to The Source post, repost the teaser image and spread the word.
 
Thanks for sharing our excitement as we make history!
 
Pamela Mullin | Publicity Manager
DC Comics | A Warner Bros. Entertainment Co.
1700 Broadway | New York, NY 10019
T: 212.636.5471 | F: 212-636-5756
pamela.mullin@dccomics.com

http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2011/06/03/green-lantern-1s/

GREEN LANTERN #1

Geoff Johns has been charting the adventures of Hal Jordan and the GREEN LANTERN Corps since GREEN LANTERN: Rebirth, collaborating with such major artists as Ethan Van Sciver, Darwyn Cooke, Prentis Rollins, Marlo Alquiza and Mick Gray.

This fall, Johns reunites with artists Doug Mahnke and Christian Alamy, as the series begins anew with GREEN LANTERN #1 with cover by Ivan Reis and Joe Prado. Together they will continue to thrill readers and expand the Green Lantern mythos.

Change is coming. But set aside your fear. It’ll be worth the wait.

Additional titles include:

GREEN LANTERN CORPS #1

When deadly conflicts emerge across the universe, it’s up to Guy Gardner, John Stewart and an elite Green Lantern strike force to keep the peace.

GREEN LANTERN CORPS #1 will be written by Peter J. Tomasi with art by Fernando Pasarin and Scott Hanna. The cover to #1 is by Doug Mahnke and Christian Alamy.

GREEN LANTERN: THE NEW GUARDIANS #1

Who are The New Guardians?

The power of Rage, Avarice, Fear, Will, Hope, Compassion and Love combine to be the most powerful (and colorful) team in the corps under the leadership of Kyle Rayner. Beware their power . . . and their volatility!

GREEN LANTERN: THE NEW GUARDIANS #1 will be written by Tony Bedard and illustrated with cover by Tyler Kirkham and Batt.

RED LANTERNS #1

Going solo. Atrocitus and his Red Lantern Corps return in their own series, battling against injustice in the most bloody ways imaginable. This Lantern Corps takes no prisoners, they are judge, jury and executioners!

RED LANTERNS #1 will be written by Peter Milligan with art and cover by Ed Benes and Rob Hunter.

Limited edition hardcovers of Enter, Night by Michael Rowe and Bearded Women: Stories by Teresa Milbrodt are now available for pre-order from ChiZine Publications (Canadian customers only) as well as Horror Mall (everyone else). The last of CZP’s 2011 titles, these books mark the end of a very busy year for the mid-sized press.

Adding to the CV of award-winning horror author and Huffington Post writer, Michael Rowe, Enter, Night will be his first full-length novel. His previous books include the acclaimed essay collections Other Men’s Sons and Looking for Brothers. It will also be the first time that CZP has taken on a vampire-genre project.

“It’s something far removed from the current trends, that’s for sure . . . no sparkly emo vampires or disenfranchised youth here,” CZP Co-Publisher Sandra Kasturi assures. The novel follows the widow Christina Parr and her family as they return to the remote Ontario town of Parr’s Landing, built on the site of a decimated 17th-century Jesuit Ojibwa mission. But a three-hundred-year-old horror slumbers in the caves around Bradley Lake, begging for resurrection that will plunge the town and all its people into an endless night.

Teresa Milbrodt’s Bearded Women: Stories is a collection of short fiction featuring what Milbrodt calls “the contemporary freakshow,” wherein the protagonists are mothers, wives, and lovers, all of them trying to negotiate a world that is quicker to stare than sympathize. A woman internally battles the idea of having her vestigal twin Bianca removed in order to improve her marriage and chances of conception. A bearded lady considers coming out of the closet about her hirsute nature while having a clash of wills with an overeating fast-food patron. A woman with four ears makes extra money being a tattoo parlour mascot, while her extra ears become a trend and a suburban prophet thinks of them as a sign of the end times. All of these and more form part of a strange, beautiful and incredibly strong story collection.

Each hardcover edition has a limited print run of no more than 150 copies and will be individually numbered and signed by the authors, as well as cover artist Erik Mohr. As always, Canadian customers can order the books through http://chizinepub.com.

CZP will be releasing the original trade paperback, as well as the electronic versions of both books on October 15, 2011.

Enter, Night by Michael Rowe— http://www.horror-mall.com/ENTER-NIGHT-by-Michael-Rowe-Signed-Limited-Edition-p-22443.html

Bearded Women: Stories by Teresa Milbrodt— http://www.horror-mall.com/BEARDED-WOMEN-by-Teresa-Milbrodt-Signed-Limited-Edition-p-22444.html