Lois McMaster Bujold's Blog, page 10
February 6, 2023
link for Bujold reading-order guide
Another link for an up-to-date Bujold reading order guide is here:
https://vorkosigan.fandom.com/wiki/Th...
Share as needed whenever the questions arise.
Ta, L.
https://vorkosigan.fandom.com/wiki/Th...
Share as needed whenever the questions arise.
Ta, L.
January 30, 2023
Knot of Shadows hc releases soon
Later: Word on the Street (or at least from Uncle Hugo's) is that SubPress now doesn't expect to be printing this novella till the end of February, for release early March. I'm glad I wasn't more definite in my announcement... Other publishers are also having supply chain problems about paper, apparently.
Earlier: The Subterranean Press signed limited edition of the novella "Knot of Shadows" is due for release shortly. (SubPress sometimes has issues with their printers, so release dates tend to be a little vague.) Anyway, I was very pleased to see another pro review of it, in the venerable Locus magazine:
https://locusmag.com/2023/01/paul-di-...
Which answers, in a very satisfactory way, a question I'm finding ever harder to get settled in the draft stage, whether a story well into a series would work as a stand-alone for a newcomer who hadn't read any others. Yay! Granted di Filippo is very genre-savvy, which gives him a leg up, but still.
"Knot of Shadows" may be pre-ordered directly from SubPress, or from Uncle Hugo's Science Fiction Bookstore or Dreamhaven Books & Comics here in Minneapolis. As a limited edition, it will not be available through Amazon or the like this round.
https://subterraneanpress.com/knot-of...
Be warned it's a pretty slim vol for the price; the economics of this sort of collector's publishing would take a whole 'nother essay. Cheap reading e-copies are available on 4 vendor platforms as usual, Kindle, Nook, Apple Books, and Kobo.
Ta, L.
Earlier: The Subterranean Press signed limited edition of the novella "Knot of Shadows" is due for release shortly. (SubPress sometimes has issues with their printers, so release dates tend to be a little vague.) Anyway, I was very pleased to see another pro review of it, in the venerable Locus magazine:
https://locusmag.com/2023/01/paul-di-...
Which answers, in a very satisfactory way, a question I'm finding ever harder to get settled in the draft stage, whether a story well into a series would work as a stand-alone for a newcomer who hadn't read any others. Yay! Granted di Filippo is very genre-savvy, which gives him a leg up, but still.
"Knot of Shadows" may be pre-ordered directly from SubPress, or from Uncle Hugo's Science Fiction Bookstore or Dreamhaven Books & Comics here in Minneapolis. As a limited edition, it will not be available through Amazon or the like this round.
https://subterraneanpress.com/knot-of...
Be warned it's a pretty slim vol for the price; the economics of this sort of collector's publishing would take a whole 'nother essay. Cheap reading e-copies are available on 4 vendor platforms as usual, Kindle, Nook, Apple Books, and Kobo.
Ta, L.
December 9, 2022
Knife Children goes print-on-demand
The fruit of several months of work with my Spectrum book wrangler -- wow do I ever have more respect for book designers and design now. So many fiddly decisions, so many maddening weird glitches in formatting programs, so many compromises between perfect and good. (As in, "The perfect is the enemy of the good." One could equally substitute "finished" for "good".)
Now available to order through your favorite bricks & mortar bookstore from Ingram's book distribution with this ISBN number: ISBN 978-1-62578-161-1
Also available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BPGCBQN8
Many thanks to artist Ryan Pancoast for the reuse of his very painterly wrap cover image. https://www.ryanpancoast.com/
Among the many puzzles and decisions was print size, which turns out to be very hard to judge from a file on a computer screen, even a pdf. I wanted something just a bit larger than the Subterranean collector's edition (now sold out), because my eyes. Choices in the formatting program gave bracketing options. After much back-and-forthing, I decided to go with the larger option, reasoning that folks who could read small print could also read large, but not vice versa.
Another decision was whether to go with whole words only, or hyphenated line breaks. The first gave a number of weird stretched-out lines, distracting to the eye, the second gave a more pleasing spacing but cost a few weird syllable breaks that could not be hand-corrected. As with so much of this, it was a personal coin toss.
Anyway. For all who wanted a reasonably priced paper version of this story, or missed their chance with SubPress, here ya go. (And just in time for the holidays, I must observe.)
As always, if you order through Uncle Hugo's or Dreamhaven, you can also get your copies signed.
Enjoy!
L.
Now available to order through your favorite bricks & mortar bookstore from Ingram's book distribution with this ISBN number: ISBN 978-1-62578-161-1
Also available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BPGCBQN8
Many thanks to artist Ryan Pancoast for the reuse of his very painterly wrap cover image. https://www.ryanpancoast.com/
Among the many puzzles and decisions was print size, which turns out to be very hard to judge from a file on a computer screen, even a pdf. I wanted something just a bit larger than the Subterranean collector's edition (now sold out), because my eyes. Choices in the formatting program gave bracketing options. After much back-and-forthing, I decided to go with the larger option, reasoning that folks who could read small print could also read large, but not vice versa.
Another decision was whether to go with whole words only, or hyphenated line breaks. The first gave a number of weird stretched-out lines, distracting to the eye, the second gave a more pleasing spacing but cost a few weird syllable breaks that could not be hand-corrected. As with so much of this, it was a personal coin toss.
Anyway. For all who wanted a reasonably priced paper version of this story, or missed their chance with SubPress, here ya go. (And just in time for the holidays, I must observe.)
As always, if you order through Uncle Hugo's or Dreamhaven, you can also get your copies signed.
Enjoy!
L.
December 3, 2022
signed Bujold books for the holidays...
...may be had from Uncle Hugo's Science Fiction Bookstore or Dreamhaven Books & Comics here in Minneapolis. Both do mail order, both have pre-signed books ready to ship. Personalizations take more lead time, so if you are thinking of that, allow extra.
http://www.unclehugo.com/prod/index.s...
http://dreamhavenbooks.com/
Ta, L.
http://www.unclehugo.com/prod/index.s...
http://dreamhavenbooks.com/
Ta, L.
November 29, 2022
Society of Inclusive Blacksmiths
The Society of Inclusive Blacksmiths is having its annual fundraiser:
https://go.dojiggy.io/inclusiveblacks...
More about the organization here:
https://www.inclusiveblacksmiths.com/
Blacksmithing: it's not shoeing horses, that's a farrier (a tough and skilled job, too.) For a glimpse of the modern version, this 6-minute video is fun:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYdT_...
Ta, L. Biased observer.
https://go.dojiggy.io/inclusiveblacks...
More about the organization here:
https://www.inclusiveblacksmiths.com/
Blacksmithing: it's not shoeing horses, that's a farrier (a tough and skilled job, too.) For a glimpse of the modern version, this 6-minute video is fun:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYdT_...
Ta, L. Biased observer.
November 11, 2022
Knot of Shadows garners starred review in Publishers Weekly
This is for the upcoming Subterranean Press limited signed hardcover edition. Nice words!
https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781...
Due out the end of January... dear lordy, is it almost
2023 already...?
Ta, L.
added: The SubPress pre-order page is here:
https://subterraneanpress.com/knot-of...
https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781...
Due out the end of January... dear lordy, is it almost
2023 already...?
Ta, L.
added: The SubPress pre-order page is here:
https://subterraneanpress.com/knot-of...
November 4, 2022
new Bujold podcast interview about Penric's Labors
...and the World of the Five Gods generally, as we get into background. In honor of the publication of the third Penric & Desdemona novella collection this week.
https://www.baen.com/podcast/index/vi...
In both audio and video versions.
Ta, L.
Also now up on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ig9q3...
And I was also reminded of this one from last year:
https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/p...
L.
https://www.baen.com/podcast/index/vi...
In both audio and video versions.
Ta, L.
Also now up on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ig9q3...
And I was also reminded of this one from last year:
https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/p...
L.
October 19, 2022
Bujold signing at new Uncle Hugo's November 5th
I get to see the new store!
Saturday, November 5th, 1 PM
http://www.unclehugo.com/prod/index.s...
I will be signing the third Penric & Desdemona hardcover omnibus Penric's Labors, which collects the novellas "Masquerade in Lodi", "The Orphans of Raspay", and "The Physicians of Vilnoc" (plus an Afterword.) Also whatever else of mine that people bring or buy.
No reading or program planned, but with luck there will be chances to chat.
Remember that the Uncles do mail order; if you can't be there in person, you can still get signed copies, and not just of my stuff. Preordering would be prudent, though not required -- it would give me the chance to do any requested personalizations while I'm there, though owner Don does bring orders out to my house to sign from time to time.
Ta, L.
Saturday, November 5th, 1 PM
http://www.unclehugo.com/prod/index.s...
I will be signing the third Penric & Desdemona hardcover omnibus Penric's Labors, which collects the novellas "Masquerade in Lodi", "The Orphans of Raspay", and "The Physicians of Vilnoc" (plus an Afterword.) Also whatever else of mine that people bring or buy.
No reading or program planned, but with luck there will be chances to chat.
Remember that the Uncles do mail order; if you can't be there in person, you can still get signed copies, and not just of my stuff. Preordering would be prudent, though not required -- it would give me the chance to do any requested personalizations while I'm there, though owner Don does bring orders out to my house to sign from time to time.
Ta, L.
October 18, 2022
For October reading, The Hallowed Hunt
Seasonal reminder, for the spooky autumn month:
My fall ghost story. No pumpkins, though.
Ta, L.
My fall ghost story. No pumpkins, though.
Ta, L.
October 2, 2022
one month to Penric's Labors launch
A reminder, it's just one month to the release of the hardcover of Penric's Labors, the third Penric & Desdemona novella paper collection. Contains "Masquerade in Lodi", "The Orphans of Raspay" and "The Physicians of Vilnoc".
A short-work reprint collection always has an uphill slog in the marketplace, and the sales trajectory of this series was further depressed when the second volume came out in May 2020, just when all the bookstores were closing for Covid. So you may want to order a copy from your favorite local bricks 'n mortar bookstore just to be sure, rather than just hoping it will show up.
Or, of course, Uncle Hugo's and Dreamhaven bookstores here in Minneapolis can get you signed copies by mail order (and in-store) as per usual.
Ta, L.
A short-work reprint collection always has an uphill slog in the marketplace, and the sales trajectory of this series was further depressed when the second volume came out in May 2020, just when all the bookstores were closing for Covid. So you may want to order a copy from your favorite local bricks 'n mortar bookstore just to be sure, rather than just hoping it will show up.
Or, of course, Uncle Hugo's and Dreamhaven bookstores here in Minneapolis can get you signed copies by mail order (and in-store) as per usual.
Ta, L.
