John Joseph Adams's Blog, page 33

This one has been under wraps for a while, but I’m happy to announce that I’ve edited an all-original anthology of “weird west” stories for Titan Books, called Dead Man’s Hand. Here’s the press release and the (not final) cover:

[image error] Titan Books announced today that next spring it will publish Dead Man’s Hand: An Anthology of the Weird West (May 2014, Trade Paperback), an exclusive “weird western” anthology, edited by John Joseph Adams, that will include stories from many of today’s most talented authors, some new to the genre and others well-known to readers.

The twenty-two original works—produced specifically for this volume—will range from a brand new Orson Scott Card tale (his first “Alvin Maker” story in a decade), to an original adventure by Fred Van Lente (creator of Cowboys & Aliens). It will also include stories such as Elizabeth Bear’s story of a steampunk bordello, and new writer Rajan Khanna’s exploration of sorcery found in a magical deck of playing cards.

“The weird western is the forefather of steampunk, with a history that includes Stephen King’s Dark Tower and Card’s Alvin Maker,” editor John Joseph Adams explains. “But where steampunk is Victorian, weird westerns are darker, grittier, so the protagonist might be gunned down in a duel, killed by a vampire, or confronted by aliens on the streets of a dusty frontier town.”

The phrase “dead man’s hand’ refers to the poker hand held by Wild Bill Hickok when he was shot and killed by the coward Jack McCall. “What the hand actually was seems to be open to some debate,” Adams continues. “I suppose the only way we could ever know for sure would be to reanimate his corpse or to travel back in time … both of which are the stuff of the “weird western” tale—stories of the Old West infused with elements of the fantastic.”

Here’s the full table of contents (in alphabetical order):

Bamboolzed—Kelley Armstrong
Karen Memory—Elizabeth Bear
Sundown—Tobias Buckell
Alvin and the Apple Tree—Orson Scott Card
Sheriff Poole & The Mech Gang—Charles de Lint
Clockwork—David Farland
Le Madre De Or—Jeffrey Ford
Holy Jingle—Alan Dean Foster
The Devil’s Jack—Laura Anne Gilman
Second Hand—Rajan Khanna
The Red-Headed Dead—Joe R. Lansdale
What I Assume You Shall Assume—Ken Liu
Ghostwood—Jonathan Maberry
Stingers and Strangers—Seanan McGuire
The Hell-Bound Stagecoach—Mike Resnick
The Man With No Heart—Beth Revis
Wrecking Party—Alastair Reynolds
Neversleeps—Fred van Lente
The Golden Age—Walter Jon Williams
Medicine Dance, Arizona—Tad Williams
The Old Slow Man and His Gold Gun From Space—Ben Winters
Bookkeeper, Narrator, Gunslinger—Charles Yu

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Published on April 10, 2013 09:00

Hugos!

Yesterday, the news was announced that Lightspeed is again a Hugo Award finalist for best semiprozine, and I am again a nominee for best editor, short-form. I’m extremely honored to be nominated again, so please allow me to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who voted for me and the magazine.

Speaking of awards, in case you missed the news earlier: The Nebula Award nominees for this year have also been announced, and Lightspeed has two finalists in the short story category: “Give Her Honey When You Hear Her Scream” by Maria Dahvana Headley and “The Bookmaking Habits of Select Species” by Ken Liu.

So congrats again to Ken and Maria, and also to all of the other nominees for both the Hugo and Nebula.

Hugo Award Nominees
Nebula Award Nominees

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Published on March 31, 2013 10:03

READING/SIGNING: 7PM Today at Powell’s Books @ Cedar Hills Crossing in Beaverton, OR

I’m on tour! Tor Books is sending me on a short, regional/west coast book tour in support of the release of my new anthology, The Mad Scientist’s Guide to World Domination. Today’s event is listed below, but you can also check out the whole tour schedule to see if I’m coming to a bookstore near you.

Powell’s Books @ Cedar Hills Crossing

READING / SIGNING
Mar. 5, 7:00pm
3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., Beaverton, OR
Also featuring contributors David D. Levine and Daniel H. Wilson

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Published on March 05, 2013 09:00

PANEL: 1:20 – 2:15 PM Today at Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle, WA

I’m on tour! Tor Books is sending me on a short, regional/west coast book tour in support of the release of my new anthology, The Mad Scientist’s Guide to World Domination. Today’s event is listed below, but you can also check out the whole tour schedule to see if I’m coming to a bookstore near you.

Emerald City Comic Con

PANEL: The Mad Scientist’s Guide to World Domination
Sunday, Mar. 3, 1:20pm – 2:15pm
Hall C | Rooms 602-603
Washington State Convention Center, 800 Convention Pl, Seattle, WA
Also featuring contributors Daniel H. Wilson, Seanan McGuire, and Chris Claremont!

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Published on March 03, 2013 09:00

Mad Scientist’s Guide on Sale for Just $1.99

The Mad Scientist’s Guide to World Domination is on sale for just $1.99 on Kindle at the moment. Not sure how long the sale will last, so if you’re considering buying it, now would be a good time!

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Published on February 28, 2013 09:13

READING/SIGNING: 7PM Today at University Bookstore in Seattle, WA

I’m on tour! Tor Books is sending me on a short, regional/west coast book tour in support of the release of my new anthology, The Mad Scientist’s Guide to World Domination. Today’s event is listed below, but you can also check out the whole tour schedule to see if I’m coming to a bookstore near you.

University Bookstore

READING / SIGNING
Feb. 28, 7:00pm
4326 University Way NE, Seattle, WA

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Published on February 28, 2013 09:00

Oz Reimagined is Now Available!

Oz Reimagined: New Tales from the Emerald City and Beyond is now available. Visit the website to learn more about the anthology, or use the links below to purchase the book.