Matthew Hughes's Blog: barbarians of the beyond, page 19
August 7, 2014
Third Luff Imbry novella available for pre-order
Back in 2008, I made a deal with the excellent UK small press, PS Publishing, to write three novellas featuring Old Earth's corpulent master thief and forger, Luff Imbry. The first two, Quartet and Triptych and The Yellow Cabochon, were published in limited editions. In 2011, I wrote the third, entitled Of Whimsies and Noubles, and turned it in. But time went by and it never appeared.
I put the long delay down to the kind of scheduling and production problems that are not uncommon in small presses, where too few people are trying to do too many things while trying to ensure the exemplary quality for which PS is known. It turned out, though, that the publisher had suffered a computer crash of epic proportions in which all trace of the third novella had disappeared. And had then been completely forgotten.
At some point, PS saw a post of mine, responding to someone's query about the long-delayed novella. They got in touch and asked where it was. I answered that I had turned it in, years ago. Palms smacked foreheads, and the production wheels began belatedly to turn.
So now it's been copyedited, the cover has been created by Ben Baldwin, who did the covers for the previous two novellas as well as for several of my self-published ebooks, and the text is at the printers. I just have to sign the cover sheets so they can be bound into the finished product, which I expect to do at WorldCon next week. And then Of Whimsies and Noubles will see daylight at last.
There are two editions, one limited to 100 signed copies. You can pre-order here.
I put the long delay down to the kind of scheduling and production problems that are not uncommon in small presses, where too few people are trying to do too many things while trying to ensure the exemplary quality for which PS is known. It turned out, though, that the publisher had suffered a computer crash of epic proportions in which all trace of the third novella had disappeared. And had then been completely forgotten.
At some point, PS saw a post of mine, responding to someone's query about the long-delayed novella. They got in touch and asked where it was. I answered that I had turned it in, years ago. Palms smacked foreheads, and the production wheels began belatedly to turn.
So now it's been copyedited, the cover has been created by Ben Baldwin, who did the covers for the previous two novellas as well as for several of my self-published ebooks, and the text is at the printers. I just have to sign the cover sheets so they can be bound into the finished product, which I expect to do at WorldCon next week. And then Of Whimsies and Noubles will see daylight at last.
There are two editions, one limited to 100 signed copies. You can pre-order here.
August 4, 2014
The Gist Hunter and Other Stories in paperback
This is one for the completist collectors: Skyhorse, the publisher that bought out the Nightshade Books list, is releasing tomorrow a paperback edition of The Gist Hunter and Other Stories, my first short story collection, originally published by NS in 2005. It contains all the sff stories I'd had published up until 2004. The price is US$12.15.
I'll be happy if you buy it, and/or the audio book that apparently exists though I've never heard it, since I'll finally get some royalties over the $2500 advance NS paid me ten years ago. But fans who've already bought the Hapthorn or Bandar collections will already have read most of the contents. There are, however, four non-Archonate stories in the mix that are (I think) pretty cool. Up to you if they're worth the price.
I'll be happy if you buy it, and/or the audio book that apparently exists though I've never heard it, since I'll finally get some royalties over the $2500 advance NS paid me ten years ago. But fans who've already bought the Hapthorn or Bandar collections will already have read most of the contents. There are, however, four non-Archonate stories in the mix that are (I think) pretty cool. Up to you if they're worth the price.
July 23, 2014
Meaning of Luff shortlisted for Endeavour
The Meaning of Luff and Other Stories
, my self-published collection (seven short stories and two novellas) has been shortlisted for the Endeavour Award. As always, the winner will be announced at Orycon in November.
The collection chronicles the operations and misadventures of Luff Imbry, corpulent art forger and master thief of Old Earth in the aeon before The Dying Earth. The stories were originally published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction and Postscripts. The novellas were published in limited editions by PS Publishing.
The Endeavour is awarded annually for "a distinguished science fiction or fantasy book written by a Pacific Northwest (US and Canada) author or authors and published in the previous year."
Four other works are on the shortlist: "King of Swords" by Dave Duncan (47North); "Nexus" by Ramez Naam (Angry Robot); "Protector" by C.J. Cherryh (DAW Books); and "Requiem" by Ken Scholes (Tor Books).
The Meaning of Luff can be purchased as an ebook ($3.99) or a POD paperback ($12.99) from the Archonate Bookstore.
The collection chronicles the operations and misadventures of Luff Imbry, corpulent art forger and master thief of Old Earth in the aeon before The Dying Earth. The stories were originally published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction and Postscripts. The novellas were published in limited editions by PS Publishing.
The Endeavour is awarded annually for "a distinguished science fiction or fantasy book written by a Pacific Northwest (US and Canada) author or authors and published in the previous year."
Four other works are on the shortlist: "King of Swords" by Dave Duncan (47North); "Nexus" by Ramez Naam (Angry Robot); "Protector" by C.J. Cherryh (DAW Books); and "Requiem" by Ken Scholes (Tor Books).
The Meaning of Luff can be purchased as an ebook ($3.99) or a POD paperback ($12.99) from the Archonate Bookstore.
July 16, 2014
Latest Kaslo episode at Lightspeed
"A Hole in the World," the latest installment of the serialized novel, The Kaslo Chronicles, is now available for a free read at Lightspeed Magazine's site.
Magic now rules the universe and hardboiled confidential operative Erm Kaslo, henchman to the proto-wizard Diomedo Obron, returns from a mission to the underworld to find that a flood of strange creatures have carried off the survivors of civilization’s collapse who had taken shelter at Obron’s castle.
You can read the preceding chapters in Lightspeed's archives.
Magic now rules the universe and hardboiled confidential operative Erm Kaslo, henchman to the proto-wizard Diomedo Obron, returns from a mission to the underworld to find that a flood of strange creatures have carried off the survivors of civilization’s collapse who had taken shelter at Obron’s castle.
You can read the preceding chapters in Lightspeed's archives.
July 8, 2014
Third Luff Imbry novella
I've just gone through the copy edit for "Of Whimsies and Noubles," the third Luff Imbry novella in a limited edition series from PS Publishing, the highly regarded UK small press run by Pete and Nicky Crowther. With any luck, there will be copies available in time for a launch at WorldCon (LonCon) in mid-August.
A reminder: tomorrow Amazon.com and Amazon.ca will put all three of the To Hell and Back ebooks on sale for $0.99 each as a Kindle daily deal.
A reminder: tomorrow Amazon.com and Amazon.ca will put all three of the To Hell and Back ebooks on sale for $0.99 each as a Kindle daily deal.
July 3, 2014
New Kaslo episode in Lightsped
"A Hole in the World," the latest chapter in the serialized novel, The Kaslo Chronicles, is now available in Lightspeed magazine. If you can't wait to read it, you can purchase the whole magazine now as an ebook, which gets you fiction by Gene Wolfe, Jo Walton, Howard Waldrop, Theodora Goss, and other classy writers.
Or you can wait until July 15, when the episode will be posted online for a free read.
If you're just coming to the serialized novel, all of the previous episodes are archived for free reading on the Lightspeed site.
Or you can wait until July 15, when the episode will be posted online for a free read.
If you're just coming to the serialized novel, all of the previous episodes are archived for free reading on the Lightspeed site.
July 1, 2014
To Hell and Back books a Kindle daily deal
Angry Robot has let me know that on Wednesday, July 9, Amazon will put all three of the To Hell and Back ebooks -- The Damned Busters, Costume Not Included, and Hell to Pay -- on sale for 99 cents each as a Kindle Daily Deal. Mark your calendars.
June 29, 2014
OLD MARS wins Locus Award
Old Mars
, the retro-sf themed anthology edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois, has won the Locus Award for best anthology of 2013.
The fifteen stories in the book are each set in one of the "Mars of the minds" that used to exist in science fiction before real-life probes and rovers revealed the true state of our nearest planetary neighbor. There are tales drawn from the Barsoom of Edgar Rice Burroughs, the warlike source of H.G. Wells's tripod-riding invaders of Earth, and Ray Bradbury's moody The Martian Chronicles.
My own contribution, "The Ugly Duckling," was conceived as a "discarded chapter" of Bradbury's work, set during the early years of humanity's occupation of the red planet and the destruction of the remnants of the Martian civilization.
The fifteen stories in the book are each set in one of the "Mars of the minds" that used to exist in science fiction before real-life probes and rovers revealed the true state of our nearest planetary neighbor. There are tales drawn from the Barsoom of Edgar Rice Burroughs, the warlike source of H.G. Wells's tripod-riding invaders of Earth, and Ray Bradbury's moody The Martian Chronicles.
My own contribution, "The Ugly Duckling," was conceived as a "discarded chapter" of Bradbury's work, set during the early years of humanity's occupation of the red planet and the destruction of the remnants of the Martian civilization.
June 17, 2014
Rogues is out today
Today is publication day for
Rogues
, the cross-genre anthology of picaresque tales co-edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois. The last such antho, Dangerous Women, was a NYT bestseller, and the new one is well up in the Amazon rankings.
I'm in there with Gaiman, Rothfuss, Lansdale, and George himself. I'm fascinated to see if I get a sudden surge in my own Amazon listings.
From a reader's point of view, if you're into short fiction about anti-heroic characters, this is one you don't want to miss. And if you're also into collectables, there's going to be a Subterranean Press limited edition down the road.
I'm in there with Gaiman, Rothfuss, Lansdale, and George himself. I'm fascinated to see if I get a sudden surge in my own Amazon listings.
From a reader's point of view, if you're into short fiction about anti-heroic characters, this is one you don't want to miss. And if you're also into collectables, there's going to be a Subterranean Press limited edition down the road.
June 6, 2014
New Raffalon story in Sept./Oct. F&SF
"Avianca's Bezel," a new adventure of my archetypal Dying-Earthish thief, Raffalon, is now scheduled to run in the September/October issue of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction.
For Raffalon aficonados who wish to keep track, this will be the third Raffalon story to appear in F&SF, after "Wearaway and Flambeau" and "Stones and Glass." I've sold two more of them to editor Gordon Van Gelder -- "Prisoner of Pandarius" and "Telltale" -- which should run over the next year.
And those who can't wait for the September/October ish of F&SF might want to consider picking up a copy of Rogues, the cross-genre anthology co-edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois. It comes out on June 17 and contains the Raffalon novelette, "The Inn of the Seven Blessings."
For Raffalon aficonados who wish to keep track, this will be the third Raffalon story to appear in F&SF, after "Wearaway and Flambeau" and "Stones and Glass." I've sold two more of them to editor Gordon Van Gelder -- "Prisoner of Pandarius" and "Telltale" -- which should run over the next year.
And those who can't wait for the September/October ish of F&SF might want to consider picking up a copy of Rogues, the cross-genre anthology co-edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois. It comes out on June 17 and contains the Raffalon novelette, "The Inn of the Seven Blessings."
