Emma Newman's Blog, page 2
July 1, 2024
It's been too long!
Hello my lovely,
If you’re reading this from an email, and you can hear a distant cheer on the wind, it’s because the overhaul of my newsletter has been successful after several months of trying to find the best solution for communications going forwards. Sorry it’s been a while.
If you’re reading this on my website, welcome! You can subscribe to receive future posts in your inbox too, if you wish, via the button up at the top right of the page. As this is a shiny new Ghost website, I believe that people who are subscribed are considered ‘members’ and are also able to comment on posts such as this.
This marks both a new beginning and a return to the Old Ways (which sounds like it should be something out of a fantasy novel inspired by folk tradition, but sadly isn’t) that I never should have stopped in the first place. I’ve learnt my lesson now, along with thousands of other people over the past 18 months or so in particular.
That lesson? That we gave too much to social media and that relationship became pretty damn toxic. And at the risk of morphing into an old woman shouting at clouds, it feels like social media’s negatives sure have started to outweigh the positives. For me personally anyway.
What to expect from me if you are subscribed or are thinking about it.In the past, I’ve kept my news just for my newsletter, with nothing new on my website. Now, once a month, I’ll be writing an update post like this one, published on my blog and sent by email to my subscribers. Any in-between blog posts will not be sent out as email newsletters, as that could get annoying. Those posts will simply be linked to in the monthly round-up.
If you prefer, you can subscribe to the blog using an RSS feeder using this link.
Once a month I also aim to write a post that is Stuff That Has Been On My Mind That I Wish to Process By Writing Long Form Content About It, like it’s the early 2000s again. Good grief, this feels so odd. But here we are.
So what on earth have I been up to anyway?
The Vengeance - my new book!
Well, in book news, the biggest announcement is that I have a new book coming out in December called The Vengeance and you can read all about it, and find the pre-order link, in this blog post. (Pre-ordering automatically makes you an absolute bless-poppet, by the way.)
Imagining Tomorrow - my podcast!
In other news, the biggest thing that has gone live since I was last able to send out a newsletter is the launch of my new podcast Imagining Tomorrow, made in partnership with Friends of the Earth. It’s all about hope in the face of climate change and combines two of my passions; science-fiction (in particular world-building and utopian visions of the future) and drawing attention to amazing people doing amazing things right now to try to make the future better for everyone.
Each episode is an in-depth exploration of a particular solution to one of the many challenges we face, drawn from three interviews: one with a person doing something in their community, one with an innovator (such as new technology or a new approach to solving a problem) and one science-fiction author. If you have been missing meaty, deep content in this world of 60 second long hot takes, that is hope-filled and full of practical ways to move towards a better future, then Imagining Tomorrow is for you!
You can find it wherever you listen to podcasts, or if you would prefer to listen through your browser, you can find all the episodes released so far here: https://friendsoftheearth.uk/about/imagining-tomorrow-podcast
Tea and Sanctuary
A new season of Tea and Sanctuary has also been launched, and you can find all the episodes here: www.teaandsanctuary.com
This podcast is very different to Imagining Tomorrow! It’s a cosy, super low-stakes chat about totally random things, designed to help you relax. This latest season is also available on YouTube to give greater accessibility.
The release of episodes is sporadic at best, and I am sorry about that. I have no idea if I will ever find a way to do all the things I want to without something slipping, so I guess that the only thing I can say is there is no regularity to this podcast’s release schedule and so subscribing to it is probably the best option. Then when an episode does come out, it will feel like finding a fiver in a coat pocket that you’d forgotten about.
Short stories and the future
In the past, I used my newsletter to send out short stories that I wanted to keep behind a velvet rope, so to speak, rather than just publishing to my blog. Now that I’ve changed the way I run my newsletter, that approach has to change too, as I still want to write short stories inspired by prompts sent in by readers as I love doing that and miss it.
So, going forward, I will call for prompts here on the blog, and then publish the stories to my Patreon before gathering them into collections. As I don’t have tiers on Patreon, and people can access previous short stories and other patron-only content for as little as a dollar a month, I’d like to think it isn’t too big a barrier to access.
As I am elbow-deep in Worldcon Art show prep and finishing season 1 of the Imagining Tomorrow podcast at the moment, now is not the time to ask for prompts, but just to give you a heads up if you’re a Split Worlds fan, start thinking about which character / aspect of the series you’d most like to have a new story about… I’ll let you know why in a future post!
That’s all for now, my lovelies!
Love and noodles,
Em xx
June 27, 2024
The Vengeance is coming!
I am delighted to announce that my next novel, THE VENGEANCE, will be released in early December. It's being published by Solaris Books and I am so excited about it! Didn't they do a great job with the cover?
It is available for pre-order now!
Here's the blurb:
Morgane grew up at sea, daughter of the fierce pirate captain of the Vengeance, raised to follow in her footsteps as scourge of the Four Chains Trading Company. But when Anna-Marie is mortally wounded in battle, she confesses to Morgane that she is not her mother.Then the captain of the enemy ship reveals he was paid to kill Anna-Marie and bring Morgane home to France and her real family.
Desperate to learn the truth about her lineage, Morgane spares him, leaving the Vengeance and everything she knows behind.Her quest reveals a world of decadence and darkness, in which monsters vie for control of royal courts and destinies of nations. She discovers the bloody secrets of the Four Chains Trading Company, and the truth about her real mother’s death, nearly twenty years before…
This is the first in a shared world series written by three different authors. The setting is that of Alexander Dumas's novels, but it is not a re-telling. It's an original story inspired by the themes of his work.
There's a link to the cover reveal over on The Fantasy Hive website.
May 20, 2024
Testing yet another thing
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Upgrade subscriptionTesting, testing, nothing to see here!
Just doing a teeny, tiny test for the new blog. Nothing to see here. Feels cute, might delete later.
March 28, 2024
Imagining Tomorrow podcast
Available wherever you listen to podcasts!
Listen on the Friends of the Earth website
RSS feed
Apple podcasts
Spotify
Google podcasts
Podcast Index
Amazon Music
Podchaser
This podcast has been researched, written, recorded and produced by Emma Newman, and was made possible by partnership with Friends of the Earth.
From Dark Places - Short story collection
Alternatively, you can buy the Kindle version through Amazon UK and Amazon US. Sample the first two stories here
(I am currently investigating why the audiobook is not available at the moment, as soon as that is resolved I will put the link here.)
Abby finds a creative solution to her father’s problems. Ben makes a pact with the Devil for a new Mum. Katie is pursued by unrelenting voices. John just found his colleague’s hand in a strange girl’s lap. Jarvis is falling apart on his wedding day. Rosalind comes face-to-face with her number one fan. And that is just the beginning.
Read the full review by Alan Baxter
Every tale in this collection is delightful, spooky, creepy. Emma Newman is a master at saying just enough to make your own imagination give you goosebumps, and her characters are clear and well-defined.
Gracie Motley
This is the back cover blurb:
E.J. Newman’s debut anthology is a dark and twisting journey across the urban landscape, mining the rich seam of human frailties with insight and humour. The stories traverse the magical and the mundane, where supernatural beings are indistinguishable from their mortal counterparts in their complexity and complicity.
“Newman is unafraid to explore the darker side of fiction and, by extension, life. The stories are by turns touching and funny and heartwarming. And dark. In places very, very dark. Leave the light on.”
DAN POWELL, 2010 Yeovil Literary Prize winner
( Short Story)
“Gods, demons and angels inhabit these pages, as much at home as the cheating spouses, spurned lovers and ugly, foul-mouthed orphans. Newman is a powerful emerging voice in dark fiction. I’ll be watching out for more of her stuff. You should too.”
ALAN BAXTER , Author of ‘RealmShift’ and ‘MageSign’
I self-published this as an e-book last year, it has since been picked up by a publisher so this shiny new edition has been lovingly edited with 14 more stories (a total of 25) than the original e-book!
This anthology of short stories includes links to a secret area here on the website containing notes on the origin and development of each story, for you story geeks out there
From Dark Places (first edition) has received several 5/5 reviews on Amazon, Goodreads and Smashwords. Here are some comments from the readers themselves:
“The author doesn’t resort to slash and gore to bring out the fear. Instead, she leads the reader on a journey of dread down the dark paths that we’ve visited before in our nightmares, the what-ifs in the dark recess of our imaginations.
An excellent read that I would recommend to everyone.”
Laura Eno
“With these short stories Emma Newman proved to me that she is indeed the master of the dark twist. Spooky mixed with a touch of humour that makes it all the more entertaining, this collection is a great sampler of her work, showing her many skills when it comes to creating (and abusing!) memorable characters in not many words. Great collection, Emma– I can’t wait to read what you produce next!”
Jen Brubacher
Weaver's Lament - Industrial Magic series book 2
Weaver's Lament is the second gaslamp fantasy novella in the Industrial Magic series, published by Tor.com. The audiobook version, produced by Audio Factory, is now on sale!
Charlotte's magical adventures continue in Weaver's Lament, the sequel to Emma Newman's Brother's Ruin.
Charlotte is learning to control her emerging magical powers under the secret tutelage of Magus Hopkins.
Her first covert mission takes her to the textile mill where her brother, Ben, is training with the Royal Society of the Esoteric Arts. He's asked for her help to identify the disgruntled workers who are apparently destroying expensive equipment.
And if she can't identify the culprits before it's too late, her brother will be exiled, and her family dishonoured...
Blue Book Balloon said: "an eminently readable and at time unflinching view of the Industrial Revolution, blended skilfully by Newman with a dose of magic."
Where you can buy Weaver's LamentWeavers Lament - audiobook
Retail ISBN: 9781094272047
Publisher: Audio Factory
Available from online audiobook retailers now
Brother's Ruin - Industrial Magic series book 1
Brother's Ruin is the first gaslamp fantasy novella in the Industrial Magic series, published by Tor.com. The audiobook version was published in 2019 by Audio Factory, further information is lower down the page!
The year is 1850 and Great Britain is flourishing, thanks to the Royal Society of the Esoteric Arts. When a new mage is discovered, Royal Society elites descend like buzzards to snatch up a new apprentice. Talented mages are bought from their families at a tremendous price, while weak mages are snapped up for a pittance.
For a lower middle class family like the Gunns, the loss of a son can be disastrous, so when seemingly magical incidents begin cropping up at home, they fear for their Ben's life and their own livelihoods.
But Benjamin Gunn isn't a talented mage. His sister Charlotte is, and to prevent her brother from being imprisoned for false reporting she combines her powers with his to make him seem a better prospect.
When she discovers a nefarious plot by the sinister Doctor Ledbetter, Charlotte must use all her cunning and guile to protect her family, her secret and her city.
You can read a sample of Brother's Ruin on The Book Smugglers blog .
What other people have said about Brother's Ruin"A gripping story full of charm and adventure. Newman manages to keep her readers tense and delighted at the same time." -- Gail Carriger, New York Times Bestselling author of the Parasol Protectorate series.
The Washington Post listed Brother's Ruin as one of its top picks for March 2017 and said "... a fun world with plucky heroines, handsome and mysterious strangers, and devious doctors."
Just Love Reviews said "Brother’s Ruin is a real page turner and I had a blast reading it. It’s a great first instalment to this new series of Industrial Magic and I don’t know how many books there are coming, but please, let it be many. This book not only introduces the world and characters, but also sets up the next book(s) brilliantly. However, you don’t have to fear a cliffhanger, because a first story arc is satisfactorily resolved. I am so looking forward to more, because the premise for the next book is amazing and I can’t wait to find out what will be happening next."
Powder and Page said "This alternate, magical London is fantastically interesting- Emma Newman manages to squeeze in political dissent, sinister plots, and even a bit of amateur spying."
Where you can buy Brother's RuinBrother's Ruin - Audiobook
Brother's Ruin audiobook coverRetail ISBN: 9781987164992
Library ISBN: 9781987164992
Publisher: Audio Factory
Released June 2019
The Brother's Ruin audiobook is available from multiple vendors, and also at many libraries - ask at your local library to see if it is available on loan.
Before, After, Alone - A Planetfall Universe short story collection
Acclaimed author Emma Newman returns to her Planetfall universe with a collection of ten short stories set before, during and after the four interconnected novels of the Hugo-nominated Planetfall series. The collection also features an interview with Emma Newman in which she answers crowd-sourced questions about the Planetfall universe.
From a shipwreck survivor struggling to appease the monster keeping him trapped on an island, to an elderly woman at risk from being declared a non-person, each story offers a new glimpse into this dark near-future setting. This collection features stories that focus on some of the characters from the novels, including Arnolfi (Before Mars), Travis and Carl (After Atlas and Atlas Alone) and Mack (Planetfall).
A must-read for any fans of Planetfall, After Atlas, Before Mars and Atlas Alone.
Here's where you can buy Before, After, AloneE-book version
This should be available to all libraries that offer e-book loans, for example, through Overdrive, Palace Marketplace, and BorrowBox. If your library doesn't have it, please do ask them to order it!
Alternatively, you can buy a DRM-free ePUB version directly from me at my Ko-fi shop.
The Kindle version should be available in all territories
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Kobo
Apple Books
Barnes and Noble
Scribd
The e-book should be available on lots of other platforms too!
Audiobook version
The audiobook has been made available to libraries and multiple audiobook platforms - if your library does not have it yet, please do ask them to order it!
Audible
Hoopla
Google Play
Kobo
Audiobooks.com
Scribd
Chirp
Libro.fm
Atlas Alone
This is the fourth novel in the Planetfall universe. Even though the four novels are genuine stand-alones, I do recommend that you have read After Atlas before this one, as it does follow on six months after the end of that novel with several of the characters featured in it. You could read Atlas Alone first, but I think you'll enjoy it more if you have read After Atlas beforehand.
Here is the blurb for Atlas Alone - though please note this contains spoilers for After Atlas and Before Mars.
Hugo Award winner Emma Newman returns to the captivating Planetfall universe with a novel about vengeance and the lengths to which one will go to save the future of humanity.
Six months after she left, Dee is struggling to manage her rage toward the people who ordered the nuclear strike that destroyed Earth. She’s trying to find those responsible, but she’s not getting very far alone.
A dedicated gamer, Dee is endeavoring to discover a mersive good enough to enable her to escape her trauma. When she is approached by a designer who asks her to play test his new game, she hopes it will be what she needs—but it isn’t like any mersive she’s played before. When a man suddenly dies in the real world, she realizes that at the same time in the game, she killed a character who bears a striking resemblance to the dead man—a man she discovers was one of those responsible for the death of millions on Earth.
Disturbed, but thinking it must be a coincidence, Dee continues the hunt for information. But when she finds out the plans for the future colony, she realizes that to save what is left of humanity, she might have to do something that risks what remains of her own.
Early reviews include:
A starred review from Publisher’s Weekly: "This winning combination of intriguing mystery and inventive SF richly rewards Newman’s longtime readers and will lure others to the series."
Liz Loves Books: "I loved every minute of it. I still have one Planetfall novel to go, not sure how I missed it but am suddenly pleased I did. These are the books I love because they are different, vibrant and give you a different perspective on just about everything. Emma Newman is a huge talent indeed. Highly Recommended."
Sci-Fi and Fantasy Reviews: " this is a story which takes excellent characterisation with an interesting world and an intriguing plot that blends mystery and personal discovery, and combines them into a sterling piece of top notch science fiction."
Blue Book Balloon:"For the duration of the book you are Dee, you feel what she feels, suffer as she suffers and as her certainties begin to crumble, so do yours, until finally, well... you'll have to read the book to find out. Simply outstanding. You have to read this."
Here's where you can buy Atlas AlonePlease note the audiobook edition can be bought in CD format or through Audible and other streaming services.
US edition
Barnes and Noble, paperback
Nook ebook
US Paperback, Amazon
US Kindle Edition
UK Paperback edition at Books on the Hill (Independent bookshop)
UK Paperback edition on Wordery
Amazon Kindle UK
Amazon UK Paperback
UK Paperback, Book Depository
UK Paperback, Waterstones
