Lou Anders's Blog, page 25

Frostborn: School Library Journal review

School Library Journal just weighed in on Frostborn (Thrones and Bones).
I'm very excited.

ANDERS, Lou. Frostborn. illus. by Justin Gerard. 320p. (Thrones and Bones: Bk. 1). Crown. Aug. 2014. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780385387781.

Gr 5-8–Karn would rather be playing his beloved board game, “thrones and bones,” than learning to become hauld of his father’s farm, which has been passed down many generations. He meets Thianna, a half-giant, half-human girl who longs to fit in with the club-wielding frost giants, the only community she’s ever known. When a tragedy reminiscent of Shakespeare’s Hamlet occurs, the two pair up in order to survive. They soon realize the danger that they’re in and that they need each other’s unique skills to survive. Aside from the sometimes difficult-to-decipher Norse names, the language is quite easy to understand and that, coupled with the shorter-than-your-average-fantasy length, makes this an excellent choice for readers new to the genre. The themes of staying true to oneself, teamwork, and individuality will resonate with readers. Fans of Matthew Kirby’s Icefall (Scholastic, 2011) who bemoaned the lack of magic in that book will enjoy this new series. A good addition to a fantasy collection with potential for future entries.–Jessica Ko, Los Angeles Public Library

First Review of Frostborn!

The first review of Frostborn (Thrones and Bones).
The review is from Kirkus and I couldn't be happier.

KIRKUS REVIEW
An obsessive gamer and a sassy half-giant affirm that power lies in being underestimated.

As the heir apparent to a powerful farm in Norrøngard (think a fictional Norway), 12-year-old Karn is expected to comprehend bartering techniques (six ewes + six lambs = one cow). His predilection for Thrones and Bones (a traditional Norrønir board game) and disdain for a bucolic existence don’t invite any confidence from his father. Thianna is a 12-year-old half-giant and half-human (by way of her deceased mother). At 7 feet tall, she’s considered diminutive by giant standards and would “cut her human half out in an instant if she could.” When their fathers meet for several days of trading goods, Thianna and Karn strike up an unexpected friendship. Their need for an alliance is accelerated when nemeses from Thianna’s mother’s past surface, and Karn’s life is designated an obstacle by his Machiavellian uncle. Enter: wyverns, a seemingly silent horn, undead assailants, flatulent trolls and one massive dragon. A merging of comedy, action and suspense maintains a promising pace. As present as the lurking danger are two important messages: Focus your energy toward accentuating your strengths rather than regretting weaknesses, and always stand downwind from a troll.

Future fans of Tolkien and George R.R. Martin can happily cut their serial-fantasy teeth on this first book of an eventual series. (map, illustrated guide to the Thrones and Bones game) (Fantasy. 10-14)

That last line especially, huh?
Meanwhile, keep watching www.thronesandbones.com for developments. And any activity on the Goodreads page is always appreciated.

Big Week for Thrones and Bones

This is a big week for my novel Frostborn (Thrones and Bones book one). First, yesterday I did my first ever school visit in support of the book. I regularly speak at conventions, writing workshops, colleges, and libraries throughout the year, but this was the first time I've ever spoken about my forthcoming book to the age range its intended for!

Second, today in Los Angeles, the marvelous Fabio Tassone begins recording the audiobook narration!

The team building the Thrones and Bones website also took a very exciting step this week.

And finally an arc mailing went out last week, which should be arriving in folk's hands this week.

(There's one bit of news that I have to sit on for a few more days, but which also breaks later this week.)

BEA and AST

I came home this evening to two pieces of very good news.

One, my novel Frostborn (Thrones and Bones book one) has made Publishers Weekly's BEA 2014: Children's Galleys to Grab list. They do get the title wrong, but the rest is on point: "Firstborn by debut novelist Lou Anders, a middle-grade tale of trolls, giants, and dragons."

And second, Russian language rights to Frostborn have been sold to AST, one of the largest publishers in Russia.

10 Years

April 12, 2004.

That was my first official day at work as Editorial Director for Prometheus Books's brand new science fiction and fantasy imprint Pyr.

It's been ten years today.

We're closing in on our 200th book.

What a privilege it has been! 7 consecutive nominations for the Best Editor Hugo. 6 nominations for the Best Art Director Chesley. One win in each of those categories.

And the joy of working with the most talented writers and artists in the world, many of whom are dear friends now.

Ten years today.

I don't know that I ever imagined we'd get there.

Or maybe I always knew.

Thank you to everyone who made this possible. It's been an honor.

I wonder what the next ten years has in store.

Frostborn Audiobook Narrator

I am very happy to announce that the wonderful Fabio Tassone will be narrating the audiobook of my forthcoming novel, Frostborn (Thrones and Bones). Fabio, who appeared as the Duke of Nájera in The Tudors, is fluent in four languages and can do a very wide range of accents and character voices brilliantly. 

To date, I've had two conversations with my audiobook producer and one with my audiobook director, and I am just over the moon (and utterly convinced that Frostborn is being handled by three very capable pairs of hands). I'm so excited to see the results.

Frostborn will be released from Random House's Crown Books for Young Readers on August 5, 2014 in hardcover, ebook, audio download, and audio CD.  

More information at http://www.thronesandbones.com/ (currently pointing to the book page at Random House Kids but a dedicated website is forthcoming). Also, please check out the Frostborn page at Goodreads.

Happy Birthday to Pyr

It was nine years ago this month when Pyr released our first book, John Meaney's Paradox: Book I of the Nulapeiron Sequence. That was our first title, way back in March 2005. And here we are nine years later. And over 189 books later.

And what do we have to show for it?

Well, since you asked....

2013 Chesley Award for Best Art Director, nominee: Lou Anders 2013 Chesley Award for Best Cover Illustration, Paperback, nominee: Dehong He, Lance of Earth and Sky 2013 Chesley Award for Best Cover Illustration, Paperback, nominee: Todd Lockwood, The Dusk Watchman 2013 Chesley Award for Best Cover Illustration, Paperback, nominee: John Picacio, The Creative Fire 2013 Chesley Award for Best Cover Illustration, Hardback, nominee: Sam Weber, Quantum Coin 2013 British Fantasy Awards in the Best Newcomer (Sydney J. Bounds Award) Nominee: Fair Coin by E. C. Myers 2013 Hugo Award for Best Professional Editor, Long Form, nominee: Lou Anders 2013 Compton Crook Award, Finalist: , Finalist: Fair Coin by E. C. Myers 2012 Sidewise Award for Best Long-Form Alternate History, Finalist: Expedition to the Mountains of the Moon by Mark Hodder 2012 Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy, Winner: Fair Coin by E. C. Myers 2012 Cybil Awards for Fantasy and Science Fiction - Teens, Finalist: Planesrunner by Ian McDonald 2012 RT Book Reviews Reviewers' Choice Awards, steampunk nominee: The Kingmakers by Clay Griffith and Susan Griffith 2012 Endeavor Award, winner: City of Ruins by Kristine Kathryn Rusch 2012 Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic, adult category nominee: K.V. Johansen's Blackdog 2012 Hugo Award for Best Professional Editor, Long Form, nominee: Lou Anders 2012 Chesley Award for Best Art Director, nominee: Lou Anders 2012 Chesley Award for Best Cover Illustration, Paperback, nominee: Justin Gerard, Hearts of Smoke and Steam 2012 Chesley Award for Best Cover Illustration, Paperback, nominee: Lucas Graciano, The Goblin Corps 2012 Chesley Award for Best Cover Illustration, Paperback, nominee: Jon Sullivan, The Curious Case of the Clockwork Man 2011 Sidewise Award for Best Long-Form Alternate History, Finalist:: Ian McDonald, Planesrunner 2012 Locus Award for Best Young Adult Book, Finalist: Ian McDonald, Planesrunner 2012 Prometheus Award Finalist: Ken MacLeod, The Restoration Game 2011 Airship Awards - written category nominee: Mark Hodder, The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack 2011 World Fantasy Award - Special Award, Professional nominee: Lou Anders 2011 John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Novel, winner: Ian McDonald, The Dervish House 2011 Chesley Award for Best Art Director, nominee: Lou Anders 2011 Chesley Award for Best Cover Illustration, Paperback, nominee: Todd Lockwood, The Ragged Man 2011 Philip K. Dick Award winner: Mark Hodder, The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack 2011 Hugo Award for Best Novel, nominee: Ian McDonald, The Dervish House 2011 Hugo Award for Best Professional Editor Long Form, winner: Lou Anders 2011 David Gemmell Ravenheart Award for Best Fantasy Book Jacket/Artist nominee: Todd Lockwood, The Ragged Man 2011 Compton Crook Award nominee: Sam Sykes, Tome of the Undergates 2011 Compton Crook Award nominee: Jon Sprunk, Shadow’s Son 2010 Endeavor Award, finalist: City Without End: Book Three of the Entire and the Rose by Kay Kenyon
2010 World Fantasy Award - Best Novel, nominee: James Enge, Blood of Ambrose 2010 American Library Association award for genre fiction,  The Reading List (SF category), nominee: Ian McDonald, The Dervish House.  2010 Wisconsin Library Association Outstanding Achievement award: Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Diving Into the Wreck 2010 John W. Campbell Memorial Award, Finalist: Paul McAuley, Gardens of the Sun 2010 Chesley Award for Best Art Director, nominee: Lou Anders 2010 Chesley Award for Best Cover Illustration, Paperback, nominee: David Palumbo, Stalking the Vampire 2010 Chesley Award for Best Cover Illustration, Paperback, nominee: John Picacio, World’s End 2010 Hugo Award for Best Novella, nominee: Ian McDonald, “Vishnu in the Cat Circus” (Cyberabad Days) 2010 Hugo Award for Best Editor Long Form, nominee: Lou Anders 2010 Philip K. Dick Award Special Citation: Ian McDonald, Cyberabad Days 2010 Locus Award for Best Novella, Finalist: Ian McDonald, “Vishnu in the Cat Circus” (Cyberabad Days) 2010 Locus Award for Best Collection, Finalist: Ian McDonald, Cyberabad Days 2010 Locus Award for Best Publisher, Finalist: Pyr 2010 BSFA Award for Best Artwork: Desolation Road cover by Stephan Martiniere 2010 RUSA Reading List Award Science Fiction nominee: Paul McAuley, The Quiet War 2009 Endeavor Award, finalist: A World Too Near: Book Two of the Entire and the Rose by Kay Kenyon 2009 Nebula Award for Novelette, nominee: “The Gambler” by Paolo Bacigalupi (Fast Forward 2) 2009 RT Book Reviews Reviewer's Choice Best Science Fiction Novel, nominee: Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Diving into the Wreck 2009 Philip K. Dick Award, nominee: Ian McDonald, Cyberabad Days 2009 Chesley Award for Best Art Director: Lou Anders 2009 Chesley Award for Best Cover Illustration, Paperback: John Picacio, World’s End 2009 Chesley Award for Best Cover Illustration, Hardback, nominee: Dan Dos Santos, Stalking the Vampire 2009 Hugo Award for Best Editor Long Form, nominee: Lou Anders 2009 Hugo Award for Best Novella, nominees:“True Names” by Benjamin Rosenbaum & Cory Doctorow (Fast Forward 2) 2009 Hugo Award for Best Novelette, nominee: “The Gambler” by Paolo Bacigalupi (Fast Forward 2) 2009 Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award nominees: "True Names" by Benjamin Rosenbaum & Cory Doctorow (Fast Forward 2) 2009 Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award nominee: "The Gambler" by Paolo Bacigalupi (Fast Forward 2) 2009 Locus Award for Best Novella, Finalists: "True Names" by Benjamin Rosenbaum & Cory Doctorow (Fast Forward 2) 2009 Locus Award for Best Short Story, Finalists: “The Kindness of Strangers" by Nancy Kress (Fast Forward 2) 2009 RUSA Reading List Award Science Fiction nominee: Kay Kenyon, A World Too Near 2008 Endeavor Award, finalist: Bright of the Sky: Book One of the Entire and the Rose by Kay Kenyon 2008 Philip K Dick Award, nominee: Fast Forward 2, edited by Lou Anders 2008 Hugo Award for Best Novel nominee: Ian McDonald Brasyl 2008 Hugo Award for Best Editor Long Form, nominee: Lou Anders 2008 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer nominee: Joe Abercrombie 2008 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer nominee: David Louis Edelman 2008 Philip K. Dick Award nominee: Adam Roberts Gradisil 2007 Quill Award nominee: Ian McDonald, Brasyl 2007 Hugo Award for Best Editor Long Form nominee: Lou Anders 2007 Chesley Award for Best Art Director nominee: Lou Anders 2006 World Fantasy Award - Special Award, Professional nominee: Lou Anders 2006 John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Novel nominee: David Louis Edelman, Infoquake 2006 Independent Publisher Book Award winner: John Meaney, Paradox 2005 Philip K Dick Award nominee: Justina Robson, Silver Screen 2006 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer nominee: Chris Roberson 2005 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer nominee: Chris Roberson
Not too shabby, huh?

Sherlock Holmes and "The Sleep of Reason"

Reviews are starting to come in for George Mann's anthology, Further Encounters of Sherlock Holmes.One has just shown up on The Geek Girl Project that I am particularly pleased by. If I may quote the relevant bits:

"The Sleep of Reason by Lou Anders is perhaps my favorite story gathered by George Mann. Set in the Pulp Novel realm of Mars, complete with Martian Princess and a dandy detective, Anders manages to give an American experience wrapped in a Holmes story with a Martian bow."

This is a Sheng

This is a Sheng, one of the oldest Chinese instruments, dating back to 1100 BC.
And it is totally awesome.

Mark Pryor's Hugo Marston Trailer

Mark Pryor, whose Hugo Marston novels are a big hit for Pyr's sister company Seventh Street Books, has made this hilarious series trailer: