Lois McMaster Bujold's Blog, page 29
November 26, 2018
Limnos reviewed in Library Journal
We have a very nice review this month in Library Journal of the upcoming hardcover edition of the novella "The Prisoner of Limnos" from Subterranean Press. I don't see a way to link it online other than typing it out by hand, but it's in the Nov. 15, 2018 issue, page 66, at the start of the Science Fiction/Fantasy column.
Reviews from high-cred journals like this are important for hardcover sales, because librarians can use them to both guide and document their purchases.
More directly, here we are at SubPress:
https://subterraneanpress.com/prisone...
Publication scheduled for the end of January. We'll miss Christmas but catch, I dunno, Valentine's Day?
Ta, L.
Update 11/30: and I'm also just told that "Limnos" won a starred review in Publishers Weekly, another excellent place to be seen. I hope librarians also realize they need to stock the two prior volumes, "Mission" and "Mira"... both of which are still available at list price afaik.
("Penric's Demon" and "Penric and the Shaman" are both sold out at the publisher, I believe, though copies of the latter are still sloshing around in the distribution systems -- Uncle Hugo's for one place. (Checking... ah, SubPress still has some of the leatherbound "Shaman" on hand. https://subterraneanpress.com/catalog... ) "Demon", which had a slightly smaller print run, has now entered the realm of "used and rare".)
L
Reviews from high-cred journals like this are important for hardcover sales, because librarians can use them to both guide and document their purchases.
More directly, here we are at SubPress:
https://subterraneanpress.com/prisone...
Publication scheduled for the end of January. We'll miss Christmas but catch, I dunno, Valentine's Day?
Ta, L.
Update 11/30: and I'm also just told that "Limnos" won a starred review in Publishers Weekly, another excellent place to be seen. I hope librarians also realize they need to stock the two prior volumes, "Mission" and "Mira"... both of which are still available at list price afaik.
("Penric's Demon" and "Penric and the Shaman" are both sold out at the publisher, I believe, though copies of the latter are still sloshing around in the distribution systems -- Uncle Hugo's for one place. (Checking... ah, SubPress still has some of the leatherbound "Shaman" on hand. https://subterraneanpress.com/catalog... ) "Demon", which had a slightly smaller print run, has now entered the realm of "used and rare".)
L
November 21, 2018
Thunderbolt Fantasy
So, I found a thing worth mentioning on Crunchyroll last week -- with the off-putting title of "Thunderbolt Fantasy", it turns out to be an adventure tale filmed using traditional Asian puppetry, not animation. With its roots in stage plays, it seems to have a better-than-average script despite standard ingredients, with a swordsman hero much in the mode of Mifune, and a trickster mage figure that I like a lot. (Although, many episodes in, I'm still not sure if I trust him. No, scratch that -- I know I don't, but in a good way.)
There is an OVA-ish continuation ("Thunderbolt Fantasy - The Sword of Life and Death") that is in effect 3 disconnected episodes, the first a backstory prequel reprising a character evidently too-summarily disposed-of in Season 1, though the third part leads directly into Season 2 ("Thunderbolt Fantasy Sword Seekers 2") so should not be skipped.
First season has a preamble episode that I watched after the first episode proper, that shows how the thing was made, a viewing order I might recommend. Fascinating stagecraft. The Great Course that I watched last year on Japan mentioned traditional stage puppetry, but left it aside, which I now think a shame, in order to explain more about Noh and Kabuki. Taiwanese Muppets, who knew?
Anyone else watched this? And is there anything more out there like it, or is it sui generis like Mushi-shi?
Ta, L.
There is an OVA-ish continuation ("Thunderbolt Fantasy - The Sword of Life and Death") that is in effect 3 disconnected episodes, the first a backstory prequel reprising a character evidently too-summarily disposed-of in Season 1, though the third part leads directly into Season 2 ("Thunderbolt Fantasy Sword Seekers 2") so should not be skipped.
First season has a preamble episode that I watched after the first episode proper, that shows how the thing was made, a viewing order I might recommend. Fascinating stagecraft. The Great Course that I watched last year on Japan mentioned traditional stage puppetry, but left it aside, which I now think a shame, in order to explain more about Noh and Kabuki. Taiwanese Muppets, who knew?
Anyone else watched this? And is there anything more out there like it, or is it sui generis like Mushi-shi?
Ta, L.
Paladin of Souls on sale
Huh. I see HarperCollins has Paladin of Souls on sale for $1.99 in the Kindle and Nook stores today --
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pala...
That may hold across their other vendors as well. I don't know how long supplies/the sale will last.
Ta, L.
(I should also add, the new Ben Aaronovitch, Lies Sleeping, Peter Grant series #7, is now out. I've read it, and it continues the fun.)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pala...
That may hold across their other vendors as well. I don't know how long supplies/the sale will last.
Ta, L.
(I should also add, the new Ben Aaronovitch, Lies Sleeping, Peter Grant series #7, is now out. I've read it, and it continues the fun.)
November 3, 2018
from Russia with love 2018
What has become my annual birthday present from my Russian fans came yesterday, and is, as usual, too good not to share.
They caption it, "The voluminous Russian fandom cheerfully greets you on your Birthday and wishes you infinite years of well-being, happiness, and creative inspiration!
For the occasion, Ivan&By hurry up to deliver our humble present to you. It is but a small cake and one elegant flower (that you can actually see on the picture attached below) - and our immense love for the Nexus you've created and the characters you've breathed life into (alas, it can't be seen, but it's THERE)."
Ta, L.
They caption it, "The voluminous Russian fandom cheerfully greets you on your Birthday and wishes you infinite years of well-being, happiness, and creative inspiration!
For the occasion, Ivan&By hurry up to deliver our humble present to you. It is but a small cake and one elegant flower (that you can actually see on the picture attached below) - and our immense love for the Nexus you've created and the characters you've breathed life into (alas, it can't be seen, but it's THERE)."
Ta, L.
October 23, 2018
Flowers of Vashnoi out in audio today
From the ever-reliable Blackstone Audio and Grover Gardner:
https://www.downpour.com/the-flowers-...
Also may be obtained through Amazon and iTunes.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/audiobook...
https://www.amazon.com/Flowers-Vashno...
I see they did their own cover art, in the same style as my more recent volumes of theirs. (Click any of the links to peek.)
Happy listening...
Ta, L.
https://www.downpour.com/the-flowers-...
Also may be obtained through Amazon and iTunes.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/audiobook...
https://www.amazon.com/Flowers-Vashno...
I see they did their own cover art, in the same style as my more recent volumes of theirs. (Click any of the links to peek.)
Happy listening...
Ta, L.
October 12, 2018
The Spirit Ring on paper, on demand
It is perhaps time to remind folks of the existence of my early experiment in print-on-demand self-publishing... Trade (large) paperback in size, thus allowing a fairly comfortable typeface.
We did this one through the distributor Ingrams, so one should be able to order up oneself a brand-new copy from any bookseller that deals with Ingrams. Plus the usual online suspects,
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-...
https://www.amazon.com/Spirit-Ring-Lo...
Ta, L.
We did this one through the distributor Ingrams, so one should be able to order up oneself a brand-new copy from any bookseller that deals with Ingrams. Plus the usual online suspects,
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-...
https://www.amazon.com/Spirit-Ring-Lo...
Ta, L.
October 4, 2018
note to Steve Shaw, wherever you are
I just wanted to let you know that your gift arrived safely on this end. Unfortunately, when it was remailed from NY it lost its external packaging with any return address, and your cover letter had neither address nor (preferred, for the reference of everybody) email. So I am reduced to this very clumsy thank-you.
Thank you! It was very fine.
bests, Lois.
Thank you! It was very fine.
bests, Lois.
September 22, 2018
Reminder, Bujold reads at Dreamhaven Sept. 26
It seems early for a reminder post, but I'm told some folks have a delay in their feeds, so.
I will be doing a reading and signing at Dreamhaven Books & Comics here in Minneapolis at 6:30 PM this coming Wednesday, Sept. 26.
http://dreamhavenbooks.com/event/spec...
also
https://www.facebook.com/events/20037...
Come early to browse!
Ta, Lois.
I will be doing a reading and signing at Dreamhaven Books & Comics here in Minneapolis at 6:30 PM this coming Wednesday, Sept. 26.
http://dreamhavenbooks.com/event/spec...
also
https://www.facebook.com/events/20037...
Come early to browse!
Ta, Lois.
September 21, 2018
A Civil Campaign in Estonian
My author's copies of the translation in Estonian of A Civil Campaign arrived this week... here's what the cover looks like. It's a wrap-around, so you are missing the connecting bit on the spine. Alas I don't read enough Estonian (or any) to be make out whether any of the names on the back of the title page might be an artist credit.
Ta, L.
Ta, L.
September 14, 2018
The Warrior's Apprentice makes it to Overdrive
Last, but by no means least, of our five trial entries.
https://www.overdrive.com/media/42480...
The whole set may also be seen:
https://www.overdrive.com/creators/51...
Now let's see what happens. Which will take months, I expect.
Noting again, since these are not new releases with new-release publicity pushes and reviews, the only way they will come to the attention of most purchasing librarians is through patron requests. So if you want them to appear in a library near you, you will likely need to ask.
Ta, L.
https://www.overdrive.com/media/42480...
The whole set may also be seen:
https://www.overdrive.com/creators/51...
Now let's see what happens. Which will take months, I expect.
Noting again, since these are not new releases with new-release publicity pushes and reviews, the only way they will come to the attention of most purchasing librarians is through patron requests. So if you want them to appear in a library near you, you will likely need to ask.
Ta, L.
