Martha Wells's Blog, page 33
July 26, 2020
Sunday Links
* This poem about writing by Gabino Iglesias on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Gabino_Iglesias/status/1287173081484742656
* Some great vids for The Untamed posted recently:
- https://archiveofourown.org/works/25519198 Don't Take The Money by helcinda (Rom-com Yiling Laozu)
- https://archiveofourown.org/works/25403338 Hold On I'm Coming by inkjunket
- https://archiveofourown.org/works/25519336 The Crooked Wens by Tassos (This one is sad)
- https://archiveofourown.org/works/25024492 Young and Menace by Katharija
comments
* Some great vids for The Untamed posted recently:
- https://archiveofourown.org/works/25519198 Don't Take The Money by helcinda (Rom-com Yiling Laozu)
- https://archiveofourown.org/works/25403338 Hold On I'm Coming by inkjunket
- https://archiveofourown.org/works/25519336 The Crooked Wens by Tassos (This one is sad)
- https://archiveofourown.org/works/25024492 Young and Menace by Katharija
comments
July 15, 2020
Some Updating
I had a classic anxiety dream last night, where I worked in this old, weird, five story building, and I had brought one of my cats to work (which was normal in the dream) and then had to leave for some reason and had to leave the cat behind. I was trying to go back for her but couldn't get the combination escalator/elevator thing to work even though it was working for other people, and then I tried climbing up through the building on these really weird stairs, and someone was trying to help me but it didn't work out, and ugh, it just went on. At one point my brain decided this dream was actually a show I was watching and tried to turn it off, then I turned it back on. I miss having dreams that were actually sort of enjoyable.
I watched The Old Guard on Netflix and really enjoyed it. The fight scenes really struck me as being very similar to the way SecUnits would fight, so that was neat to see.
I've also been rewatching parts of The Untamed, mostly the last 17 episodes. It really rewards rewatching, since I'm not frantically reading subtitles as much and can watch for character reactions. Such a good show, a great character story/romance and a great epic fantasy.
comments
I watched The Old Guard on Netflix and really enjoyed it. The fight scenes really struck me as being very similar to the way SecUnits would fight, so that was neat to see.
I've also been rewatching parts of The Untamed, mostly the last 17 episodes. It really rewards rewatching, since I'm not frantically reading subtitles as much and can watch for character reactions. Such a good show, a great character story/romance and a great epic fantasy.
comments
July 9, 2020
Short Story Club
If you missed out on The Murderbot Diaries short story "home: habitat, range, niche, territory" which was offered to people who preordered Network Effect, here's another chance.
It will be available through Short Story Club: https://www.shortstory.club/
It's like a book club, but for short stories! RSVP below, read a short story, join a live discussion with the author on Zoom.
Live Q&A with Martha Wells On Murderbot July 21 at 5:30PM PST / 8:30PM EST
If you press the RSVP button on the website, it will take you to an eventbrite page where you can either get a free ticket or make a donation to the charity. The site says:
In the past, we have donated to local bookstores and PPE for Covid-19 healthcare workers. We're currently evaluating social justice organizations for our next set of donations.
comments
It will be available through Short Story Club: https://www.shortstory.club/
It's like a book club, but for short stories! RSVP below, read a short story, join a live discussion with the author on Zoom.
Live Q&A with Martha Wells On Murderbot July 21 at 5:30PM PST / 8:30PM EST
If you press the RSVP button on the website, it will take you to an eventbrite page where you can either get a free ticket or make a donation to the charity. The site says:
In the past, we have donated to local bookstores and PPE for Covid-19 healthcare workers. We're currently evaluating social justice organizations for our next set of donations.
comments
June 30, 2020
Book Rec Tuesday
(If you've been following my book rec and new book listing posts for a while, you may have noticed this already, but while most book lists emphasize books by popular straight white men, this one emphasizes everybody else. I include books by straight white men, but in about the same percentage that other book lists include everybody else. I also try to highlight books that are less well known.)
(All the book list links below are to Bookshop (Bookshop is an online bookstore with a mission to financially support independent bookstores and give back to the book community), but most books are available at multiple outlets, like Kobo, iBooks, international Amazons, Barnes & Noble, etc. The short stories are usually on free online magazines.)
(Buy your audiobooks from an independent store here: https://libro.fm/story)
* Hunted By the Sky by Tanaz Bhathena
Gul has spent her life running. She has a star-shaped birthmark on her arm, and in the kingdom of Ambar, girls with such birthmarks have been disappearing for years. Gul's mark is what caused her parents' murder at the hand of King Lohar's ruthless soldiers and forced her into hiding to protect her own life. So when a group of rebel women called the Sisters of the Golden Lotus rescue her, take her in, and train her in warrior magic, Gul wants only one thing: revenge.
* Preorder Beowulf: A New Translation by Maria Dahvana Headley
Nearly twenty years after Seamus Heaney's translation of Beowulf--and fifty years after the translation that continues to torment high-school students around the world--there is a radical new verse translation of the epic poem by Maria Dahvana Headley, which brings to light elements that have never before been translated into English, recontextualizing the binary narrative of monsters and heroes into a tale in which the two categories often entwine, justice is rarely served, and dragons live among us.
* Preorder The Book of Dragons edited by Jonathan Strahan
From China to Europe, Africa to North America, dragons have long captured our imagination in myth and legend. Whether they are rampaging beasts awaiting a brave hero to slay or benevolent sages who have much to teach humanity, dragons are intrinsically connected to stories of creation, adventure, and struggle beloved for generations.
Bringing together nearly thirty stories and poems from some of the greatest science fiction and fantasy writers working today-- Garth Nix, Scott Lynch, R.F. Kuang, Ann Leckie & Rachel Swirsky, Daniel Abraham, Peter S. Beagle, Beth Cato, Zen Cho, C. S. E Cooney, Aliette de Bodard, Kate Elliott, Theodora Goss, Ellen Klages, Ken Liu, Patricia A McKillip, K. J. Parker, Kelly Robson, Michael Swanwick, Jo Walton, Elle Katharine White, Jane Yolen, Kelly Barnhill, Brooke Bolander, Sarah Gailey, and J. Y. Yang-
* Rebelwing by Andrea Tang
Things just got weird for Prudence Wu.One minute, she's cashing in on a routine smuggling deal. The next, she's escaping enforcers on the wings of what very much appears to be a sentient cybernetic dragon. Pru is used to life throwing her some unpleasant surprises--she goes to prep school, after all, and selling banned media across the border in a country with a ruthless corporate government obviously has its risks. But a cybernetic dragon? That's new.
* The Empire of Gold by S.A. Chakraborty
Third and final book in an excellent epic fantasy trilogy, available today.
Daevabad has fallen. After a brutal conquest stripped the city of its magic, Nahid leader Banu Manizheh and her resurrected commander, Dara, must try to repair their fraying alliance and stabilize a fractious, warring people.
* Unravelling by Karen Lord
In this standalone fantasy novel by an award-winning author, the dark truth behind a string of unusual murders leads to an otherworldly exploration of spirits, myth, and memory, steeped in Caribbean storytelling.
Dr. Miranda Ecouvo, forensic therapist of the City, just helped put a serial killer behind bars. But she soon discovers that her investigation into seven unusual murders is not yet complete. A near-death experience throws her out of time and into a realm of labyrinths and spirits. There, she encounters brothers Chance and the Trickster, who have an otherworldly interest in the seemingly mundane crimes from her files.
It appears the true mastermind behind the murders is still on the loose, chasing a myth to achieve immortality. Together, Miranda, Chance, and the Trickster must travel through conjured mazes, following threads of memory to locate the shadowy killer. As they journey deeper, they discover even more questions that will take pain and patience to answer. What is the price of power? Where is the path to redemption? And how can they stop the man--or monster--who would kill the innocent to live forever?
* Preorder Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
In the holy city of Tova, the winter solstice is usually a time for celebration and renewal, but this year it coincides with a solar eclipse, a rare celestial event proscribed by the Sun Priest as an unbalancing of the world.
Meanwhile, a ship launches from a distant city bound for Tova and set to arrive on the solstice. The captain of the ship, Xiala, is a disgraced Teek whose song can calm the waters around her as easily as it can warp a man's mind. Her ship carries one passenger. Described as harmless, the passenger, Serapio, is a young man, blind, scarred, and cloaked in destiny. As Xiala well knows, when a man is described as harmless, he usually ends up being a villain.
* Preorder Faith: Taking Flight by Julie Murphy
From Julie Murphy, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dumplin', comes the first in a two-book origin story of Faith, a groundbreaking, plus-sized superhero from the Valiant Entertainment comics.
Faith Herbert is a pretty regular teen. When she's not hanging out with her two best friends, Matt and Ches, she's volunteering at the local animal shelter or obsessing over the long-running teen drama The Grove.
So far, her senior year has been spent trying to sort out her feelings for her maybe-crush Johnny and making plans to stay close to Grandma Lou after graduation. Of course, there's also that small matter of recently discovering she can fly....
comments
(All the book list links below are to Bookshop (Bookshop is an online bookstore with a mission to financially support independent bookstores and give back to the book community), but most books are available at multiple outlets, like Kobo, iBooks, international Amazons, Barnes & Noble, etc. The short stories are usually on free online magazines.)
(Buy your audiobooks from an independent store here: https://libro.fm/story)
* Hunted By the Sky by Tanaz Bhathena
Gul has spent her life running. She has a star-shaped birthmark on her arm, and in the kingdom of Ambar, girls with such birthmarks have been disappearing for years. Gul's mark is what caused her parents' murder at the hand of King Lohar's ruthless soldiers and forced her into hiding to protect her own life. So when a group of rebel women called the Sisters of the Golden Lotus rescue her, take her in, and train her in warrior magic, Gul wants only one thing: revenge.
* Preorder Beowulf: A New Translation by Maria Dahvana Headley
Nearly twenty years after Seamus Heaney's translation of Beowulf--and fifty years after the translation that continues to torment high-school students around the world--there is a radical new verse translation of the epic poem by Maria Dahvana Headley, which brings to light elements that have never before been translated into English, recontextualizing the binary narrative of monsters and heroes into a tale in which the two categories often entwine, justice is rarely served, and dragons live among us.
* Preorder The Book of Dragons edited by Jonathan Strahan
From China to Europe, Africa to North America, dragons have long captured our imagination in myth and legend. Whether they are rampaging beasts awaiting a brave hero to slay or benevolent sages who have much to teach humanity, dragons are intrinsically connected to stories of creation, adventure, and struggle beloved for generations.
Bringing together nearly thirty stories and poems from some of the greatest science fiction and fantasy writers working today-- Garth Nix, Scott Lynch, R.F. Kuang, Ann Leckie & Rachel Swirsky, Daniel Abraham, Peter S. Beagle, Beth Cato, Zen Cho, C. S. E Cooney, Aliette de Bodard, Kate Elliott, Theodora Goss, Ellen Klages, Ken Liu, Patricia A McKillip, K. J. Parker, Kelly Robson, Michael Swanwick, Jo Walton, Elle Katharine White, Jane Yolen, Kelly Barnhill, Brooke Bolander, Sarah Gailey, and J. Y. Yang-
* Rebelwing by Andrea Tang
Things just got weird for Prudence Wu.One minute, she's cashing in on a routine smuggling deal. The next, she's escaping enforcers on the wings of what very much appears to be a sentient cybernetic dragon. Pru is used to life throwing her some unpleasant surprises--she goes to prep school, after all, and selling banned media across the border in a country with a ruthless corporate government obviously has its risks. But a cybernetic dragon? That's new.
* The Empire of Gold by S.A. Chakraborty
Third and final book in an excellent epic fantasy trilogy, available today.
Daevabad has fallen. After a brutal conquest stripped the city of its magic, Nahid leader Banu Manizheh and her resurrected commander, Dara, must try to repair their fraying alliance and stabilize a fractious, warring people.
* Unravelling by Karen Lord
In this standalone fantasy novel by an award-winning author, the dark truth behind a string of unusual murders leads to an otherworldly exploration of spirits, myth, and memory, steeped in Caribbean storytelling.
Dr. Miranda Ecouvo, forensic therapist of the City, just helped put a serial killer behind bars. But she soon discovers that her investigation into seven unusual murders is not yet complete. A near-death experience throws her out of time and into a realm of labyrinths and spirits. There, she encounters brothers Chance and the Trickster, who have an otherworldly interest in the seemingly mundane crimes from her files.
It appears the true mastermind behind the murders is still on the loose, chasing a myth to achieve immortality. Together, Miranda, Chance, and the Trickster must travel through conjured mazes, following threads of memory to locate the shadowy killer. As they journey deeper, they discover even more questions that will take pain and patience to answer. What is the price of power? Where is the path to redemption? And how can they stop the man--or monster--who would kill the innocent to live forever?
* Preorder Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
In the holy city of Tova, the winter solstice is usually a time for celebration and renewal, but this year it coincides with a solar eclipse, a rare celestial event proscribed by the Sun Priest as an unbalancing of the world.
Meanwhile, a ship launches from a distant city bound for Tova and set to arrive on the solstice. The captain of the ship, Xiala, is a disgraced Teek whose song can calm the waters around her as easily as it can warp a man's mind. Her ship carries one passenger. Described as harmless, the passenger, Serapio, is a young man, blind, scarred, and cloaked in destiny. As Xiala well knows, when a man is described as harmless, he usually ends up being a villain.
* Preorder Faith: Taking Flight by Julie Murphy
From Julie Murphy, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dumplin', comes the first in a two-book origin story of Faith, a groundbreaking, plus-sized superhero from the Valiant Entertainment comics.
Faith Herbert is a pretty regular teen. When she's not hanging out with her two best friends, Matt and Ches, she's volunteering at the local animal shelter or obsessing over the long-running teen drama The Grove.
So far, her senior year has been spent trying to sort out her feelings for her maybe-crush Johnny and making plans to stay close to Grandma Lou after graduation. Of course, there's also that small matter of recently discovering she can fly....
comments
June 27, 2020
Places to Donate
* Remember these organizations still need donations. This ActBlue link is now up to 70+ racial justice and LGBTQIA organizations and bail funds. You can donate to all of them or go through the list and select them individually.
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/bail_funds_george_floyd
* There's also Feeding America, where you can find a local food bank to donate to: https://www.feedingamerica.org/
ETA: forgot to mention, I have an article on The Mary Sue:
https://www.themarysue.com/persistence-in-your-writing-career-martha-wells/
Sitting down to write about persistence in a professional writing career in this our year of 2020 is an experience, I tell you. All I can do is talk about my own experience of when I decided to give up.
comments
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/bail_funds_george_floyd
* There's also Feeding America, where you can find a local food bank to donate to: https://www.feedingamerica.org/
ETA: forgot to mention, I have an article on The Mary Sue:
https://www.themarysue.com/persistence-in-your-writing-career-martha-wells/
Sitting down to write about persistence in a professional writing career in this our year of 2020 is an experience, I tell you. All I can do is talk about my own experience of when I decided to give up.
comments
June 26, 2020
Updating
Things that happened yesterday/this week:
- The city decided to fix a gas leak in our driveway (that I reported over 20 years ago when we first moved in but which they ignored). They told us they would dig up and repave our driveway (which is in terrible shape, broken concrete, etc. Instead they showed up, dug holes in the yard, probably killed two flowering trees, and never touched the fucking driveway. (no, there's nothing we can do about it. Yes, we took photos.)
- Contractor came by to measure the house for the new siding and roof we need after the hailstorm. The insurance is only going to pay about 5% of the cost because the old roof and siding were past the end of their usable lifespan. (no, there's nothing we can do about it. Yes, we talked to our insurance agent.)
- Our across the street neighbors are having their house fixed too, and one of the workmen collapsed and they had to call the paramedics for him. (Probably from the heat. It was 70s and rainy in the morning then sunny and hot and about a million percent humidity in the afternoon.)
- lots of rain so the damaged roof is leaking occasionally.
- toilet spontaneously started to leak (but at least we caught that one before it destroyed the floor)
- keyboard still randomly adding spaces.
- massive Covid spike in town and state due to greedy stupid governor.
- I've done something (else) to my right arm, maybe the rotator cuff? It's better today, but I keep getting hurt doing ordinary stuff and it's driving me up the wall.
Anyway, so if I'm slow to respond to stuff, that's why.
comments
- The city decided to fix a gas leak in our driveway (that I reported over 20 years ago when we first moved in but which they ignored). They told us they would dig up and repave our driveway (which is in terrible shape, broken concrete, etc. Instead they showed up, dug holes in the yard, probably killed two flowering trees, and never touched the fucking driveway. (no, there's nothing we can do about it. Yes, we took photos.)
- Contractor came by to measure the house for the new siding and roof we need after the hailstorm. The insurance is only going to pay about 5% of the cost because the old roof and siding were past the end of their usable lifespan. (no, there's nothing we can do about it. Yes, we talked to our insurance agent.)
- Our across the street neighbors are having their house fixed too, and one of the workmen collapsed and they had to call the paramedics for him. (Probably from the heat. It was 70s and rainy in the morning then sunny and hot and about a million percent humidity in the afternoon.)
- lots of rain so the damaged roof is leaking occasionally.
- toilet spontaneously started to leak (but at least we caught that one before it destroyed the floor)
- keyboard still randomly adding spaces.
- massive Covid spike in town and state due to greedy stupid governor.
- I've done something (else) to my right arm, maybe the rotator cuff? It's better today, but I keep getting hurt doing ordinary stuff and it's driving me up the wall.
Anyway, so if I'm slow to respond to stuff, that's why.
comments
June 22, 2020
Star Wars Story
I have a story coming up in this:
https://www.starwars.com/news/empire-at-40-from-a-certain-point-of-view-the-empire-strikes-back-authors-revealed
Last week, StarWars.com announced From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back, a new anthology celebrating 40 years of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back will feature 40 stories by 40 authors reimagining the classic sequel through the eyes of background characters — heroes, villains, droids and creatures.
Today, StarWars.com is thrilled to reveal the confirmed (so far) author lineup, which features some familiar names along with a few surprises. Check out the all-star roster below, along with first descriptions of some of the tales inside:
Austin Walker explores the unlikely partnership of bounty hunters Dengar and IG-88 as they pursue Han Solo.
Hank Green chronicles the life of a naturalist caring for tauntauns on the frozen world of Hoth.
Tracy Deonn delves into the dark heart of the Dagobah cave where Luke confronts a terrifying vision.
Martha Wells reveals the world of the Ugnaught clans who dwell in the depths of Cloud City.
Mark Oshiro recounts the wampa’s tragic tale of loss and survival.
Seth Dickinson interrogates the cost of serving a ruthless empire aboard the bridge of a doomed Imperial starship.
Plus more hilarious, heartbreaking, and astonishing tales from:
Tom Angleberger, S.A. Chakraborty, Mike Chen, Adam Christopher, Zoraida Córdova, Delilah S. Dawson, Alexander Freed, Jason Fry, Christie Golden, Rob Hart, E. K. Johnston, Lydia Kang, Michael Kogge, R.F. Kuang, C.B. Lee, Mackenzi Lee, John Jackson Miller, Michael Moreci, Daniel José Older, Amy Ratcliffe, Beth Revis, Lilliam Rivera, Cavan Scott, Emily Skrutskie, Karen Strong, Anne Toole, Catherynne M. Valente, Django Wexler, Kiersten White, Gary Whitta, Brittany N. Williams, Charles Yu, Jim Zub
It will be out in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook and you can preorder it here: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/from-a-certain-point-of-view-ballantine/1137179995
comments
https://www.starwars.com/news/empire-at-40-from-a-certain-point-of-view-the-empire-strikes-back-authors-revealed
Last week, StarWars.com announced From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back, a new anthology celebrating 40 years of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back will feature 40 stories by 40 authors reimagining the classic sequel through the eyes of background characters — heroes, villains, droids and creatures.
Today, StarWars.com is thrilled to reveal the confirmed (so far) author lineup, which features some familiar names along with a few surprises. Check out the all-star roster below, along with first descriptions of some of the tales inside:
Austin Walker explores the unlikely partnership of bounty hunters Dengar and IG-88 as they pursue Han Solo.
Hank Green chronicles the life of a naturalist caring for tauntauns on the frozen world of Hoth.
Tracy Deonn delves into the dark heart of the Dagobah cave where Luke confronts a terrifying vision.
Martha Wells reveals the world of the Ugnaught clans who dwell in the depths of Cloud City.
Mark Oshiro recounts the wampa’s tragic tale of loss and survival.
Seth Dickinson interrogates the cost of serving a ruthless empire aboard the bridge of a doomed Imperial starship.
Plus more hilarious, heartbreaking, and astonishing tales from:
Tom Angleberger, S.A. Chakraborty, Mike Chen, Adam Christopher, Zoraida Córdova, Delilah S. Dawson, Alexander Freed, Jason Fry, Christie Golden, Rob Hart, E. K. Johnston, Lydia Kang, Michael Kogge, R.F. Kuang, C.B. Lee, Mackenzi Lee, John Jackson Miller, Michael Moreci, Daniel José Older, Amy Ratcliffe, Beth Revis, Lilliam Rivera, Cavan Scott, Emily Skrutskie, Karen Strong, Anne Toole, Catherynne M. Valente, Django Wexler, Kiersten White, Gary Whitta, Brittany N. Williams, Charles Yu, Jim Zub
It will be out in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook and you can preorder it here: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/from-a-certain-point-of-view-ballantine/1137179995
comments
Book Rec Monday
(If you've been following my book rec and new book listing posts for a while, you may have noticed this already, but while most book lists emphasize books by popular straight white men, this one emphasizes everybody else. I include books by straight white men, but in about the same percentage that other book lists include everybody else. I also try to highlight books that are less well known.)
(All the book list links below are to Bookshop (Bookshop is an online bookstore with a mission to financially support independent bookstores and give back to the book community), but most books are available at multiple outlets, like Kobo, iBooks, international Amazons, Barnes & Noble, etc. The short stories are usually on free online magazines.)
(Buy your audiobooks from an independent store here: https://libro.fm/story)
* Short story St. Valentine, St. Abigail, St. Brigid by C.L. Polk
* Category Five by Ann Dávila Cardinal
After the hurricane, some see destruction and some smell blood. The tiny island of Vieques, located just off the northeastern coast of the main island of Puerto Rico, is trying to recover after hurricane Maria, but the already battered island is now half empty. To make matters worse, as on the main island, developers have come in to buy up the land at a fraction of its worth, taking advantage of the island when it is down. Lupe, Javier, and Marisol are back to investigate a series of murders that follow in the wake of a hurricane and in the shadow of a new supernatural threat.
* Maya and the Rising Dark by Rena Barron
Twelve-year-old Maya is the only one in her South Side Chicago neighborhood who witnesses weird occurrences like werehyenas stalking the streets at night and a scary man made of shadows plaguing her dreams. Her friends try to find an explanation--perhaps a ghost uprising or a lunchroom experiment gone awry. But to Maya, it sounds like something from one of Papa's stories or her favorite comics. When Papa goes missing, Maya is thrust into a world both strange and familiar as she uncovers the truth. Her father is the guardian of the veil between our world and the Dark--where an army led by the Lord of Shadows, the man from Maya's nightmares, awaits.
* Available June 23 The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho
Zen Cho returns with The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water, a found family wuxia fantasy that combines the vibrancy of old school martial arts movies with characters drawn from the margins of history. A bandit walks into a coffeehouse, and it all goes downhill from there. Guet Imm, a young votary of the Order of the Pure Moon, joins up with an eclectic group of thieves (whether they like it or not) in order to protect a sacred object, and finds herself in a far more complicated situation than she could have ever imagined.
* M.F.K. by Nilah Magruder
A fantastic adventure following the story of Abbie, a deaf girl with a mysterious power, who is traveling across a vast desert to scatter her mother's ashes. In a world of sleeping gods, a broken government, and a fragile peace held in the hands of the corrupt, one youth must find the strength to stand up against evil and save humanity. This story is not about that youth. It's about Abbie, who just wants to get to the mountain range called the Potter's Spine, scatter her mother's ashes, and then live out her life in sweet, blissful solitude. Unfortunately, everyone she meets wants to whine at her about their woes, tag along on her quest, arrest her for no reason, or blow her to bits. Journeys are hard on the social recluses of the world.
* Preorder Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust
There was and there was not, as all stories begin, a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch. But for Soraya, who has lived her life hidden away, apart from her family, safe only in her gardens, it's not just a story. As the day of her twin brother's wedding approaches, Soraya must decide if she's willing to step outside of the shadows for the first time. Below in the dungeon is a demon who holds knowledge that she craves, the answer to her freedom. And above is a young man who isn't afraid of her, whose eyes linger not with fear, but with an understanding of who she is beneath the poison.
* Preorder Lobizona by Romina Garber
Manuela Azul has been crammed into an existence that feels too small for her. As an undocumented immigrant who's on the run from her father's Argentine crime-family, Manu is confined to a small apartment and a small life in Miami, Florida. Until Manu's protective bubble is shattered. Her surrogate grandmother is attacked, lifelong lies are exposed, and her mother is arrested by ICE. Without a home, without answers, and finally without shackles, Manu investigates the only clue she has about her past--a mysterious Z emblem--which leads her to a secret world buried within our own. A world connected to her dead father and his criminal past. A world straight out of Argentine folklore, where the seventh consecutive daughter is born a bruja and the seventh consecutive son is a lobiz n, a werewolf. A world where her unusual eyes allow her to belong.
* Preorder Dance on Saturday: Stories by Elwin Cotman
Dance on Saturday is a collection of stories about transformation, loss, and human nature. Church-going immortals tend life-extending fruit. Swarms of deadly wasps engineered by a polymath sorcerer battle killer snails. Geese take human form and must survive juvenile detention. A high school, high-stakes volleyball game turns demonic. Heroes and monsters people these exuberant, magical tales.
* Preorder Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar
The daughter of a star and a mortal, Sheetal is used to keeping secrets. Pretending to be "normal." But when an accidental flare of her starfire puts her human father in the hospital, Sheetal needs a full star's help to heal him. A star like her mother, who returned to the sky long ago. Sheetal's quest to save her father will take her to a celestial court of shining wonders and dark shadows, where she must take the stage as her family's champion in a competition to decide the next ruling house of the heavens--and win, or risk never returning to Earth at all.
* Preorder Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
Nothing is more important than loyalty.
But what if you've sworn to protect the one you were born to destroy? Tarisai has always longed for the warmth of a family. She was raised in isolation by a mysterious, often absent mother known only as The Lady. The Lady sends her to the capital of the global empire of Aritsar to compete with other children to be chosen as one of the Crown Prince's Council of 11. If she's picked, she'll be joined with the other Council members through the Ray, a bond deeper than blood. That closeness is irresistible to Tarisai, who has always wanted to belong somewhere. But The Lady has other ideas, including a magical wish that Tarisai is compelled to obey: Kill the Crown Prince once she gains his trust.
* Preorder Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
fter receiving a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin begging for someone to save her from a mysterious doom, Noemí Taboada heads to High Place, a distant house in the Mexican countryside. She's not sure what she will find--her cousin's husband, a handsome Englishman, is a stranger, and Noemí knows little about the region. Noemí is also an unlikely rescuer: She's a glamorous debutante, and her chic gowns and perfect red lipstick are more suited for cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing. But she's also tough and smart, with an indomitable will, and she is not afraid: Not of her cousin's new husband, who is both menacing and alluring; not of his father, the ancient patriarch who seems to be fascinated by Noemí; and not even of the house itself, which begins to invade Noemi's dreams with visions of blood and doom.
comments
(All the book list links below are to Bookshop (Bookshop is an online bookstore with a mission to financially support independent bookstores and give back to the book community), but most books are available at multiple outlets, like Kobo, iBooks, international Amazons, Barnes & Noble, etc. The short stories are usually on free online magazines.)
(Buy your audiobooks from an independent store here: https://libro.fm/story)
* Short story St. Valentine, St. Abigail, St. Brigid by C.L. Polk
* Category Five by Ann Dávila Cardinal
After the hurricane, some see destruction and some smell blood. The tiny island of Vieques, located just off the northeastern coast of the main island of Puerto Rico, is trying to recover after hurricane Maria, but the already battered island is now half empty. To make matters worse, as on the main island, developers have come in to buy up the land at a fraction of its worth, taking advantage of the island when it is down. Lupe, Javier, and Marisol are back to investigate a series of murders that follow in the wake of a hurricane and in the shadow of a new supernatural threat.
* Maya and the Rising Dark by Rena Barron
Twelve-year-old Maya is the only one in her South Side Chicago neighborhood who witnesses weird occurrences like werehyenas stalking the streets at night and a scary man made of shadows plaguing her dreams. Her friends try to find an explanation--perhaps a ghost uprising or a lunchroom experiment gone awry. But to Maya, it sounds like something from one of Papa's stories or her favorite comics. When Papa goes missing, Maya is thrust into a world both strange and familiar as she uncovers the truth. Her father is the guardian of the veil between our world and the Dark--where an army led by the Lord of Shadows, the man from Maya's nightmares, awaits.
* Available June 23 The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho
Zen Cho returns with The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water, a found family wuxia fantasy that combines the vibrancy of old school martial arts movies with characters drawn from the margins of history. A bandit walks into a coffeehouse, and it all goes downhill from there. Guet Imm, a young votary of the Order of the Pure Moon, joins up with an eclectic group of thieves (whether they like it or not) in order to protect a sacred object, and finds herself in a far more complicated situation than she could have ever imagined.
* M.F.K. by Nilah Magruder
A fantastic adventure following the story of Abbie, a deaf girl with a mysterious power, who is traveling across a vast desert to scatter her mother's ashes. In a world of sleeping gods, a broken government, and a fragile peace held in the hands of the corrupt, one youth must find the strength to stand up against evil and save humanity. This story is not about that youth. It's about Abbie, who just wants to get to the mountain range called the Potter's Spine, scatter her mother's ashes, and then live out her life in sweet, blissful solitude. Unfortunately, everyone she meets wants to whine at her about their woes, tag along on her quest, arrest her for no reason, or blow her to bits. Journeys are hard on the social recluses of the world.
* Preorder Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust
There was and there was not, as all stories begin, a princess cursed to be poisonous to the touch. But for Soraya, who has lived her life hidden away, apart from her family, safe only in her gardens, it's not just a story. As the day of her twin brother's wedding approaches, Soraya must decide if she's willing to step outside of the shadows for the first time. Below in the dungeon is a demon who holds knowledge that she craves, the answer to her freedom. And above is a young man who isn't afraid of her, whose eyes linger not with fear, but with an understanding of who she is beneath the poison.
* Preorder Lobizona by Romina Garber
Manuela Azul has been crammed into an existence that feels too small for her. As an undocumented immigrant who's on the run from her father's Argentine crime-family, Manu is confined to a small apartment and a small life in Miami, Florida. Until Manu's protective bubble is shattered. Her surrogate grandmother is attacked, lifelong lies are exposed, and her mother is arrested by ICE. Without a home, without answers, and finally without shackles, Manu investigates the only clue she has about her past--a mysterious Z emblem--which leads her to a secret world buried within our own. A world connected to her dead father and his criminal past. A world straight out of Argentine folklore, where the seventh consecutive daughter is born a bruja and the seventh consecutive son is a lobiz n, a werewolf. A world where her unusual eyes allow her to belong.
* Preorder Dance on Saturday: Stories by Elwin Cotman
Dance on Saturday is a collection of stories about transformation, loss, and human nature. Church-going immortals tend life-extending fruit. Swarms of deadly wasps engineered by a polymath sorcerer battle killer snails. Geese take human form and must survive juvenile detention. A high school, high-stakes volleyball game turns demonic. Heroes and monsters people these exuberant, magical tales.
* Preorder Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar
The daughter of a star and a mortal, Sheetal is used to keeping secrets. Pretending to be "normal." But when an accidental flare of her starfire puts her human father in the hospital, Sheetal needs a full star's help to heal him. A star like her mother, who returned to the sky long ago. Sheetal's quest to save her father will take her to a celestial court of shining wonders and dark shadows, where she must take the stage as her family's champion in a competition to decide the next ruling house of the heavens--and win, or risk never returning to Earth at all.
* Preorder Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
Nothing is more important than loyalty.
But what if you've sworn to protect the one you were born to destroy? Tarisai has always longed for the warmth of a family. She was raised in isolation by a mysterious, often absent mother known only as The Lady. The Lady sends her to the capital of the global empire of Aritsar to compete with other children to be chosen as one of the Crown Prince's Council of 11. If she's picked, she'll be joined with the other Council members through the Ray, a bond deeper than blood. That closeness is irresistible to Tarisai, who has always wanted to belong somewhere. But The Lady has other ideas, including a magical wish that Tarisai is compelled to obey: Kill the Crown Prince once she gains his trust.
* Preorder Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
fter receiving a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin begging for someone to save her from a mysterious doom, Noemí Taboada heads to High Place, a distant house in the Mexican countryside. She's not sure what she will find--her cousin's husband, a handsome Englishman, is a stranger, and Noemí knows little about the region. Noemí is also an unlikely rescuer: She's a glamorous debutante, and her chic gowns and perfect red lipstick are more suited for cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing. But she's also tough and smart, with an indomitable will, and she is not afraid: Not of her cousin's new husband, who is both menacing and alluring; not of his father, the ancient patriarch who seems to be fascinated by Noemí; and not even of the house itself, which begins to invade Noemi's dreams with visions of blood and doom.
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June 18, 2020
Juneteenth Festival
* The Role Publishing Plays in the Commodification of Black Pain by L.L. McKinney https://www.tor.com/2020/06/17/the-role-publishing-plays-in-the-commodification-of-black-pain/
So, back to the previous line of questioning; why didn’t you hear about The Nightmare-Verse, or many other stories by Black authors? Because our books don’t center on Black pain. In the industry, stories about police brutality, the struggle, poverty, etc. have been dubbed “issue” books, and it’s a not-so-secret secret that if your book doesn’t fall into this category, it won’t get any real push or marketing. These are the “right” Black books I referenced earlier. Nearly all other Black books are treated as less important. They’re denied the time and resources needed to make them successful. They’re ignored by the industry, by librarians, by awards committees, by schools, and yes, even by certain readers. Unless, of course, there’s a protest going on. Then everyone wants those ally cookies, nom nom.
* L.L. McKinney and Saraciea Fennell Launch Juneteenth Book Festival to Celebrate Black American Stories
https://www.tor.com/2020/06/17/l-l-mckinney-and-saraciea-fennell-launch-juneteenth-book-festival-to-celebrate-black-american-stories/
This Friday, June 19, will see the launch of the first inaugural Juneteenth Book Fest, celebrating Black American stories and all the Black writers, artists, publishing professionals, and social media influencers behind their creation. “The goal is to shine a light on the width and breadth of Black American literature, to strengthen the connection to the communities we write for, and to honor the legacy of Black American storytelling,” reads the press release.
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So, back to the previous line of questioning; why didn’t you hear about The Nightmare-Verse, or many other stories by Black authors? Because our books don’t center on Black pain. In the industry, stories about police brutality, the struggle, poverty, etc. have been dubbed “issue” books, and it’s a not-so-secret secret that if your book doesn’t fall into this category, it won’t get any real push or marketing. These are the “right” Black books I referenced earlier. Nearly all other Black books are treated as less important. They’re denied the time and resources needed to make them successful. They’re ignored by the industry, by librarians, by awards committees, by schools, and yes, even by certain readers. Unless, of course, there’s a protest going on. Then everyone wants those ally cookies, nom nom.
* L.L. McKinney and Saraciea Fennell Launch Juneteenth Book Festival to Celebrate Black American Stories
https://www.tor.com/2020/06/17/l-l-mckinney-and-saraciea-fennell-launch-juneteenth-book-festival-to-celebrate-black-american-stories/
This Friday, June 19, will see the launch of the first inaugural Juneteenth Book Fest, celebrating Black American stories and all the Black writers, artists, publishing professionals, and social media influencers behind their creation. “The goal is to shine a light on the width and breadth of Black American literature, to strengthen the connection to the communities we write for, and to honor the legacy of Black American storytelling,” reads the press release.
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June 14, 2020
TV watching
So I watched all of The Untamed (just the series, not the two movies) and really enjoyed it. It was such a good story, and such a good epic fantasy. (I was disappointed that we never got to see the Nine-Winged Bat King.) I loved the fast pacing, and the way the show knew when to slow down for a good emotional wallow. The part when Wei Wuxian did the spell to see what happened in Yi City to Song Lan, etc, that sequence was hella creep AF. The payoffs in the last third of the series were perfectly timed. I figured out who was behind both central mysteries, but I felt like I was supposed to; knowing who did it didn't tell you how or why or who was helping them, and those reveals were really interesting.
Now please rec to me the fanfic.
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Now please rec to me the fanfic.
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