Martha Wells's Blog, page 36
May 11, 2020
Article
Here's a really informative article: The Risks - Know Them - Avoid Them
https://www.erinbromage.com/post/the-risks-know-them-avoid-them
Here's a long quote but check out the link because there's more info and diagrams.
Ignoring the terrible outbreaks in nursing homes, we find that the biggest outbreaks are in prisons, religious ceremonies, and workplaces, such a meat packing facilities and call centers. Any environment that is enclosed, with poor air circulation and high density of people, spells trouble.
Some of the biggest super-spreading events are:
Meat packing: In meat processing plants, densely packed workers must communicate to one another amidst the deafening drum of industrial machinery and a cold-room virus-preserving environment. There are now outbreaks in 115 facilities across 23 states, 5000+ workers infected, with 20 dead. (ref)
Weddings, funerals, birthdays: 10% of early spreading events
Business networking: Face-to-face business networking like the Biogen Conference in Boston in March.
As we move back to work, or go to a restaurant, let’s look at what can happen in those environments.
Restaurants: Some really great shoe-leather epidemiology demonstrated clearly the effect of a single asymptomatic carrier in a restaurant environment (see below). The infected person (A1) sat at a table and had dinner with 9 friends. Dinner took about 1 to 1.5 hours. During this meal, the asymptomatic carrier released low-levels of virus into the air from their breathing. Airflow (from the restaurant's various airflow vents) was from right to left. Approximately 50% of the people at the infected person's table became sick over the next 7 days. 75% of the people on the adjacent downwind table became infected. And even 2 of the 7 people on the upwind table were infected (believed to happen by turbulent airflow). No one at tables E or F became infected, they were out of the main airflow from the air conditioner on the right to the exhaust fan on the left of the room. (Ref)
Workplaces: Another great example is the outbreak in a call center (see below). A single infected employee came to work on the 11th floor of a building. That floor had 216 employees. Over the period of a week, 94 of those people become infected (43.5%: the blue chairs). 92 of those 94 people became sick (only 2 remained asymptomatic). Notice how one side of the office is primarily infected, while there are very few people infected on the other side. While exact number of people infected by respiratory droplets / respiratory exposure versus fomite transmission (door handles, shared water coolers, elevator buttons etc) is unknown. It serves to highlight that being in an enclosed space, sharing the same air for a prolonged period increases your chances of exposure and infection. Another 3 people on other floors of the building were infected, but the authors were not able to trace the infection to the primary cluster on the 11th floor. Interestingly, even though there were considerable interaction between workers on different floors of the building in elevators and the lobby, the outbreak was mostly limited to a single floor (ref). This highlights the importance of exposure and time in the spreading of SARS-CoV2.
Choir: The church choir in Washington State. Even though people were aware of the virus and took steps to minimize transfer; e.g. they avoided the usual handshakes and hugs hello, people also brought their own music to avoid sharing, and socially distanced themselves during practice. A single asymptomatic carrier infected most of the people in attendance. The choir sang for 2 1/2 hours, inside an enclosed church which was roughly the size of a volleyball court.
Singing, to a greater degree than talking, aerosolizes respiratory droplets extraordinarily well. Deep-breathing while singing facilitated those respiratory droplets getting deep into the lungs. Two and half hours of exposure ensured that people were exposed to enough virus over a long enough period of time for infection to take place. Over a period of 4 days, 45 of the 60 choir members developed symptoms, 2 died. The youngest infected was 31, but they averaged 67 years old. (corrected link)
Indoor sports: While this may be uniquely Canadian, a super spreading event occurred during a curling event in Canada. A curling event with 72 attendees became another hotspot for transmission. Curling brings contestants and teammates in close contact in a cool indoor environment, with heavy breathing for an extended period. This tournament resulted in 24 of the 72 people becoming infected. (ref)
Birthday parties / funerals: Just to see how simple infection-chains can be, this is a real story from Chicago. The name is fake. Bob was infected but didn't know. Bob shared a takeout meal, served from common serving dishes, with 2 family members. The dinner lasted 3 hours. The next day, Bob attended a funeral, hugging family members and others in attendance to express condolences. Within 4 days, both family members who shared the meal are sick. A third family member, who hugged Bob at the funeral became sick. But Bob wasn't done. Bob attended a birthday party with 9 other people. They hugged and shared food at the 3 hour party. Seven of those people became ill. Over the next few days Bob became sick, he was hospitalized, ventilated, and died.
But Bob's legacy lived on. Three of the people Bob infected at the birthday went to church, where they sang, passed the tithing dish etc. Members of that church became sick. In all, Bob was directly responsible for infecting 16 people between the ages of 5 and 86. Three of those 16 died.
The spread of the virus within the household and back out into the community through funerals, birthdays, and church gatherings is believed to be responsible for the broader transmission of COVID-19 in Chicago.
comments
https://www.erinbromage.com/post/the-risks-know-them-avoid-them
Here's a long quote but check out the link because there's more info and diagrams.
Ignoring the terrible outbreaks in nursing homes, we find that the biggest outbreaks are in prisons, religious ceremonies, and workplaces, such a meat packing facilities and call centers. Any environment that is enclosed, with poor air circulation and high density of people, spells trouble.
Some of the biggest super-spreading events are:
Meat packing: In meat processing plants, densely packed workers must communicate to one another amidst the deafening drum of industrial machinery and a cold-room virus-preserving environment. There are now outbreaks in 115 facilities across 23 states, 5000+ workers infected, with 20 dead. (ref)
Weddings, funerals, birthdays: 10% of early spreading events
Business networking: Face-to-face business networking like the Biogen Conference in Boston in March.
As we move back to work, or go to a restaurant, let’s look at what can happen in those environments.
Restaurants: Some really great shoe-leather epidemiology demonstrated clearly the effect of a single asymptomatic carrier in a restaurant environment (see below). The infected person (A1) sat at a table and had dinner with 9 friends. Dinner took about 1 to 1.5 hours. During this meal, the asymptomatic carrier released low-levels of virus into the air from their breathing. Airflow (from the restaurant's various airflow vents) was from right to left. Approximately 50% of the people at the infected person's table became sick over the next 7 days. 75% of the people on the adjacent downwind table became infected. And even 2 of the 7 people on the upwind table were infected (believed to happen by turbulent airflow). No one at tables E or F became infected, they were out of the main airflow from the air conditioner on the right to the exhaust fan on the left of the room. (Ref)
Workplaces: Another great example is the outbreak in a call center (see below). A single infected employee came to work on the 11th floor of a building. That floor had 216 employees. Over the period of a week, 94 of those people become infected (43.5%: the blue chairs). 92 of those 94 people became sick (only 2 remained asymptomatic). Notice how one side of the office is primarily infected, while there are very few people infected on the other side. While exact number of people infected by respiratory droplets / respiratory exposure versus fomite transmission (door handles, shared water coolers, elevator buttons etc) is unknown. It serves to highlight that being in an enclosed space, sharing the same air for a prolonged period increases your chances of exposure and infection. Another 3 people on other floors of the building were infected, but the authors were not able to trace the infection to the primary cluster on the 11th floor. Interestingly, even though there were considerable interaction between workers on different floors of the building in elevators and the lobby, the outbreak was mostly limited to a single floor (ref). This highlights the importance of exposure and time in the spreading of SARS-CoV2.
Choir: The church choir in Washington State. Even though people were aware of the virus and took steps to minimize transfer; e.g. they avoided the usual handshakes and hugs hello, people also brought their own music to avoid sharing, and socially distanced themselves during practice. A single asymptomatic carrier infected most of the people in attendance. The choir sang for 2 1/2 hours, inside an enclosed church which was roughly the size of a volleyball court.
Singing, to a greater degree than talking, aerosolizes respiratory droplets extraordinarily well. Deep-breathing while singing facilitated those respiratory droplets getting deep into the lungs. Two and half hours of exposure ensured that people were exposed to enough virus over a long enough period of time for infection to take place. Over a period of 4 days, 45 of the 60 choir members developed symptoms, 2 died. The youngest infected was 31, but they averaged 67 years old. (corrected link)
Indoor sports: While this may be uniquely Canadian, a super spreading event occurred during a curling event in Canada. A curling event with 72 attendees became another hotspot for transmission. Curling brings contestants and teammates in close contact in a cool indoor environment, with heavy breathing for an extended period. This tournament resulted in 24 of the 72 people becoming infected. (ref)
Birthday parties / funerals: Just to see how simple infection-chains can be, this is a real story from Chicago. The name is fake. Bob was infected but didn't know. Bob shared a takeout meal, served from common serving dishes, with 2 family members. The dinner lasted 3 hours. The next day, Bob attended a funeral, hugging family members and others in attendance to express condolences. Within 4 days, both family members who shared the meal are sick. A third family member, who hugged Bob at the funeral became sick. But Bob wasn't done. Bob attended a birthday party with 9 other people. They hugged and shared food at the 3 hour party. Seven of those people became ill. Over the next few days Bob became sick, he was hospitalized, ventilated, and died.
But Bob's legacy lived on. Three of the people Bob infected at the birthday went to church, where they sang, passed the tithing dish etc. Members of that church became sick. In all, Bob was directly responsible for infecting 16 people between the ages of 5 and 86. Three of those 16 died.
The spread of the virus within the household and back out into the community through funerals, birthdays, and church gatherings is believed to be responsible for the broader transmission of COVID-19 in Chicago.
comments
May 10, 2020
State of Me
Last week Network Effect was released and it was a trip. If the pandemic hadn't happened I would have been about to leave on my first ever book tour. Instead I got a virtual tour, which has been a lot of fun so far. (If you missed it, you can still see me and N.K. Jemisin here: https://www.crowdcast.io/e/murderbot/register and me and John Scalzi here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Biheai6iuuo
Some places are already sold out of hardcovers. I think Murder By the Book has some signed stock https://www.murderbooks.com/book/9781250229861 Bakka Phoenix in Canada has some in their store https://www.bakkaphoenixbooks.com/?q=h.tviewer&using_sb=status&qs=network+effect Bookshop has some options https://bookshop.org/books/network-effect-a-murderbot-novel/9781250229861 and Barnes and Noble has copies in some of their stores and online https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/network-effect-martha-wells/1136975868
When my first book came out in 1993 (The Element of Fire from Tor Books) the internet was still young-ish, there were no ebooks, and audiobooks had to be recorded on CDs so were only made for bestsellers. Your book was published, and if you were lucky, you had a party with your friends and maybe a signing at a local bookstore. Then the book was in the void and you had no idea how it was doing for months, if then. If you got to go to conventions, you could get some idea of how well it was doing by how many book dealers were carrying it, if people came to your autographing, if people mentioned it to you on programming, if your editor took you out for drinks or dinner. I think this was a lot less stressful than now, where you know pretty instantly how well things are going and you can watch your book succeed or fail in realtime on your phone or laptop.
* Here's a review on NPR: https://www.npr.org/2020/05/10/852739193/murderbot-makes-a-triumphant-and-cranky-return-in-network-effect
and a couple of upcoming events:
* May 12th, 7 PM Central: In conversation with Ann Leckie, author of the Imperial Radch trilogy, at Left Bank Books https://www.left-bank.com/book/9781250229861 https://www.left-bank.com/event/martha-wells-network-effect
* May 13th, 7 PM Pacific: Reading with Mysterious Galaxy https://www.mystgalaxy.com/Wells-05-2020 https://www.facebook.com/mystgalaxybooks/ https://www.mystgalaxy.com/book/9781250229861
comments
Some places are already sold out of hardcovers. I think Murder By the Book has some signed stock https://www.murderbooks.com/book/9781250229861 Bakka Phoenix in Canada has some in their store https://www.bakkaphoenixbooks.com/?q=h.tviewer&using_sb=status&qs=network+effect Bookshop has some options https://bookshop.org/books/network-effect-a-murderbot-novel/9781250229861 and Barnes and Noble has copies in some of their stores and online https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/network-effect-martha-wells/1136975868
When my first book came out in 1993 (The Element of Fire from Tor Books) the internet was still young-ish, there were no ebooks, and audiobooks had to be recorded on CDs so were only made for bestsellers. Your book was published, and if you were lucky, you had a party with your friends and maybe a signing at a local bookstore. Then the book was in the void and you had no idea how it was doing for months, if then. If you got to go to conventions, you could get some idea of how well it was doing by how many book dealers were carrying it, if people came to your autographing, if people mentioned it to you on programming, if your editor took you out for drinks or dinner. I think this was a lot less stressful than now, where you know pretty instantly how well things are going and you can watch your book succeed or fail in realtime on your phone or laptop.
* Here's a review on NPR: https://www.npr.org/2020/05/10/852739193/murderbot-makes-a-triumphant-and-cranky-return-in-network-effect
and a couple of upcoming events:
* May 12th, 7 PM Central: In conversation with Ann Leckie, author of the Imperial Radch trilogy, at Left Bank Books https://www.left-bank.com/book/9781250229861 https://www.left-bank.com/event/martha-wells-network-effect
* May 13th, 7 PM Pacific: Reading with Mysterious Galaxy https://www.mystgalaxy.com/Wells-05-2020 https://www.facebook.com/mystgalaxybooks/ https://www.mystgalaxy.com/book/9781250229861
comments
May 9, 2020
Signing Books
Here's a photo of me signing preorders at Murder by the Book: https://twitter.com/marthawells1/status/1259168803545665536
There were a lot of them https://twitter.com/marthawells1/status/1259154331493961731 About 200 copies of Network Effect and 100 of the novella hardcovers.
Note: my signature and handwriting does not look great because I've had tendonitis issues off and on for a long time. But I really appreciated everyone who preordered, and the store appreciated it too. Thank you so much!
comments
There were a lot of them https://twitter.com/marthawells1/status/1259154331493961731 About 200 copies of Network Effect and 100 of the novella hardcovers.
Note: my signature and handwriting does not look great because I've had tendonitis issues off and on for a long time. But I really appreciated everyone who preordered, and the store appreciated it too. Thank you so much!
comments
May 8, 2020
Couple of Cool Things
* The Murderbot Diaries is one of the Seiun Finalists for best translated novel published in Japan! Thanks and congrats to translator Naoya Nakahara! https://locusmag.com/2020/05/2020-seiun-awards-nominees/
* There's an interview with me in Newsweek https://www.newsweek.com/network-effect-murderbot-diaries-martha-wells-novel-sanctuary-moon-1502150
comments
* There's an interview with me in Newsweek https://www.newsweek.com/network-effect-murderbot-diaries-martha-wells-novel-sanctuary-moon-1502150
comments
May 7, 2020
Event
If you go here, you can watch the recording of my conversation with N.K. Jemisin! https://www.crowdcast.io/e/murderbot/register
comments
comments
Upcoming Online Events
* Today May 7th. Come see me and N.K. Jemisin at 6:00 EST https://www.crowdcast.io/e/murderbot/register
* May 12th, 7 PM Central: In conversation with Ann Leckie, author of the Imperial Radch trilogy, at Left Bank Books https://www.left-bank.com/book/9781250229861 https://www.left-bank.com/event/martha-wells-network-effect
* May 13th, 7 PM Pacific: Reading with Mysterious Galaxy https://www.mystgalaxy.com/Wells-05-2020 https://www.facebook.com/mystgalaxybooks/ https://www.mystgalaxy.com/book/9781250229861
* May 14th, I'll be on the Path to Publication panel at the r/fantasy virtual convention.
Plus: I was interviewed on the Fantasy Inn Podcast: https://thefantasyinn.com/2020/05/05/e31-martha-wells-interview/
ETA: If your local indie bookseller is out of stock of Network Effect, Barnes and Noble still seems to be shipping copies: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/network-effect-martha-wells/1136975868?ean=9781250229861
comments
* May 12th, 7 PM Central: In conversation with Ann Leckie, author of the Imperial Radch trilogy, at Left Bank Books https://www.left-bank.com/book/9781250229861 https://www.left-bank.com/event/martha-wells-network-effect
* May 13th, 7 PM Pacific: Reading with Mysterious Galaxy https://www.mystgalaxy.com/Wells-05-2020 https://www.facebook.com/mystgalaxybooks/ https://www.mystgalaxy.com/book/9781250229861
* May 14th, I'll be on the Path to Publication panel at the r/fantasy virtual convention.
Plus: I was interviewed on the Fantasy Inn Podcast: https://thefantasyinn.com/2020/05/05/e31-martha-wells-interview/
ETA: If your local indie bookseller is out of stock of Network Effect, Barnes and Noble still seems to be shipping copies: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/network-effect-martha-wells/1136975868?ean=9781250229861
comments
May 6, 2020
Three Worlds Worldbuilding
Another great long article by Kali Wallace on the Books of the Raksura https://www.tor.com/2020/05/06/you-cant-eat-something-that-talks-people-and-cultures-in-the-books-of-the-raksura/
Even as an enthusiastic, self-appointed cheerleader for Martha Wells’ Books of the Raksura, I sometimes struggle to explain the series’ worldbuilding to potential readers. Not because the world doesn’t feel vivid and real to me, but because it’s hard to succinctly describe an imaginary world without resorting to real-world analogues like “fantasy War of the Roses” or “space opera Byzantine empire” or “magical Nordic saga” or yet another “inspired by Victorian London.” (I suspect there are more of those than there were ever actual Victorian Londoners in Victorian London.) These real-world analogues are so ingrained in how we talk about science fiction and fantasy literature that to be denied that shorthand causes a bit of mental flailing.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t real-world analogues in the Books of the Raksura. It just means that they aren’t always human analogues. I have to admit it took me—a person with multiple degrees in the natural sciences—far too long to figure it out. I can justify it by claiming that I was so swept up in the world and story that I wasn’t thinking about how to classify or corral, but that’s really no excuse for not realizing much sooner how all the vibrancy, weirdness, and rich diversity of the world in the Raksura books is comparable not to eras or nations of human history, but to the natural world.
***
They do not see small, agrarian settlements or nomadic groups as “primitive” or “developing,” nor do they see large cities with complex cultures as “advanced” or “civilized” or something to aspire to. They don’t look upon the massive architectural ruins of dead societies as evidence of past greatness or superiority. They don’t view their nearest neighbors, the forest-foraging villagers called the Kek, as less advanced or less accomplished simply because they live in wooden huts, use wooden tools, and speak a language entirely unlike their own. Nor do they view the many species of people who live in large cities full of bustle and commerce and social stratification as more advanced or more accomplished.
There is an interesting moment in one of the books where somebody has to explain to a Raksuran character the concept of servants and a service class, because the Raksura have no such strata and have no context for a culture in which such classes exist. To them, having servants and masters in a system of resource disparity is not a natural result of cultural development but a weird, unsettling custom that some people insist upon observing even though it makes no sense.
That is not to say those concepts don’t exist in the Three Worlds. There are several groups of people who hold the hierarchical view that civilization is a series of steps that a culture must progress through in order to climb toward some lofty goal. These people view the tree-dwelling, raw-game-eating, constantly in-fighting Raksura as “primitive” and “savage.” But it is not the dominant view in the world, and it is certainly not the dominant view in the narrative. The Raksuran characters tend to greet such judgments with exasperated eye-rolling about how weird and rigid and full of bizarre quirks other people and cultures can be.
comments
Even as an enthusiastic, self-appointed cheerleader for Martha Wells’ Books of the Raksura, I sometimes struggle to explain the series’ worldbuilding to potential readers. Not because the world doesn’t feel vivid and real to me, but because it’s hard to succinctly describe an imaginary world without resorting to real-world analogues like “fantasy War of the Roses” or “space opera Byzantine empire” or “magical Nordic saga” or yet another “inspired by Victorian London.” (I suspect there are more of those than there were ever actual Victorian Londoners in Victorian London.) These real-world analogues are so ingrained in how we talk about science fiction and fantasy literature that to be denied that shorthand causes a bit of mental flailing.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t real-world analogues in the Books of the Raksura. It just means that they aren’t always human analogues. I have to admit it took me—a person with multiple degrees in the natural sciences—far too long to figure it out. I can justify it by claiming that I was so swept up in the world and story that I wasn’t thinking about how to classify or corral, but that’s really no excuse for not realizing much sooner how all the vibrancy, weirdness, and rich diversity of the world in the Raksura books is comparable not to eras or nations of human history, but to the natural world.
***
They do not see small, agrarian settlements or nomadic groups as “primitive” or “developing,” nor do they see large cities with complex cultures as “advanced” or “civilized” or something to aspire to. They don’t look upon the massive architectural ruins of dead societies as evidence of past greatness or superiority. They don’t view their nearest neighbors, the forest-foraging villagers called the Kek, as less advanced or less accomplished simply because they live in wooden huts, use wooden tools, and speak a language entirely unlike their own. Nor do they view the many species of people who live in large cities full of bustle and commerce and social stratification as more advanced or more accomplished.
There is an interesting moment in one of the books where somebody has to explain to a Raksuran character the concept of servants and a service class, because the Raksura have no such strata and have no context for a culture in which such classes exist. To them, having servants and masters in a system of resource disparity is not a natural result of cultural development but a weird, unsettling custom that some people insist upon observing even though it makes no sense.
That is not to say those concepts don’t exist in the Three Worlds. There are several groups of people who hold the hierarchical view that civilization is a series of steps that a culture must progress through in order to climb toward some lofty goal. These people view the tree-dwelling, raw-game-eating, constantly in-fighting Raksura as “primitive” and “savage.” But it is not the dominant view in the world, and it is certainly not the dominant view in the narrative. The Raksuran characters tend to greet such judgments with exasperated eye-rolling about how weird and rigid and full of bizarre quirks other people and cultures can be.
comments
Events
* If you missed the Tubby& Coos Bookstore event last night with me and John Scalzi it's on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Biheai6iuuo
To support the store, you can buy books from their bookshop here: https://bookshop.org/shop/tubbyandcoos
* I'm also doing a r/fantasy AMA today and am currently drowning in questions: https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/geiwxa/hi_im_martha_wells_and_i_write_the_murderbot/
comments
To support the store, you can buy books from their bookshop here: https://bookshop.org/shop/tubbyandcoos
* I'm also doing a r/fantasy AMA today and am currently drowning in questions: https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/geiwxa/hi_im_martha_wells_and_i_write_the_murderbot/
comments
May 4, 2020
New Book Monday and Murderbot Eve
Tomorrow, May 5, is Murderbot Day for me, since Network Effect comes out (in hardcover, audiobook, and ebook). Some things:
* if you want your hardcover quickly, ordering from a local independent is better: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781250229861 or ordering through bookshop: https://bookshop.org/books/network-effect-a-murderbot-novel/9781250229861
* it's the last day to get your free Murderbot and Dr. Mensah short story from Macmillan: https://read.macmillan.com/promo/murderbotshortstorypreordergiveaway/ (I'm sure it will be published somewhere else, but I just don't know where/when yet.)
* you can order signed copies through Murder by the Book in Houston https://www.murderbooks.com/event/martha-wells (until May 8) or through Mysterious Galaxy https://www.mystgalaxy.com/Wells-05-2020 (until May 20th)
I think that's it. This is the biggest book release of my twenty-seven year career as a professional author so I'll just be here freaking the hell out while all this is going on.
Online Events this week:
* May 5th, 6 PM Central: In conversation with John Scalzi, author of The Last Emperox, at Tubby & Coo's https://www.facebook.com/tubbyandcoos/videos/232911938124259 or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Biheai6iuuo
May 5th, 8 PM Eastern: Reading with the New York Review of Science Fiction (https://www.facebook.com/events/228436485118995/)
* May 6th: AMA on Reddit r/fantasy
* May 7th, 6 PM Eastern: In conversation with N.K. Jemisin, author of The City We Became, on Crowdcast (sign up to save your spot here: https://www.crowdcast.io/e/murderbot/register)
***
Now on to other people's books!
(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)
* Preorder A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow
Bethany C. Morrow's A Song Below Water is the story for today's readers -- a captivating modern fantasy about black mermaids, friendship, and self-discovery set against the challenges of today's racism and sexism. In a society determined to keep her under lock and key, Tavia must hide her siren powers. Meanwhile, Effie is fighting her own family struggles, pitted against literal demons from her past. Together, these best friends must navigate through the perils of high school's junior year. But everything changes in the aftermath of a siren murder trial that rocks the nation, and Tavia accidentally lets out her magical voice at the worst possible moment.
* I Come With Knives by S.A. Hunt
Robin – now armed with new knowledge about mysterious demon terrorizing her around town, the support of her friends, and the assistance of her old witch-hunter mentor – plots to confront the Lazenbury coven and destroy them once and for all. Meanwhile, a dangerous serial killer only known as The Serpent is abducting and killing Blackfield residents. An elusive order of magicians known as the Dogs of Odysseus also show up with Robin in their sights.
* Spindled by Shanna Swendson
Once upon a time, a princess was brought to a strange land for safekeeping, until the day the curse placed on her in infancy expired and she could return to her kingdom. Lucy Jordan is not that princess. But thanks to a case of mistaken identity, she's kidnapped by an evil enchantress's men and taken to a magical world, where she finds herself living out a story that seems awfully familiar. Meanwhile, Lucy's friend Dawn suspects the "aunts" who brought her up might have something to do with Lucy's disappearance, and she feels compelled to travel through the magical gateway she finds in the garden shed to find her friend.
* The War Priest by Ann Aguirre
Personal tragedy drove Callum McRae to join the Order of Saint Casimir fifteen years ago; now he's in charge of a hold he hasn't lived in for years. Supplies are scarce, he has no knack for dealing with people, and the Gols are at the gates. To make matters worse, he's also battling an attraction so powerful and forbidden that it imperils his very soul... Joss Bristow seems bright and cheerful, but she's hiding a well of sorrow that fuels her music. She's also prone to leaping before she looks, exactly how she ends up besieged at Burnt Amber. Though she wanted to get to know Callum better, she never imagined that falling for him could cost her life. He's the dark of night, and she's the sun that shines just for him. Two wounded souls have never needed each other more, but between his holy vows and the devastation of war, the odds are stacked against them...
* The Candlevine Gardener and Other Stories by Yoon Ha Lee
A gardener at the end of the universe, a raven engineer, a cat who has forgotten how to fly—these wonders and more appear in Yoon Ha Lee's collection of flash fairy tales gathered from the last few years of his Patreon.
* Burndive by Karin Lowachee
From the author of the acclaimed and bestselling debut novel Warchild comes a new action-packed adventure about a young man's journey into adulthood amid interstellar war.
* Burn-In: A Novel of the Real Robotic Revolution by August Cole and P.W. Singer
After narrowly stopping a bombing at Washington's Union Station, FBI Special Agent Lara Keegan receives a new assignment: to field-test an advanced police robot. As a series of shocking catastrophes unfolds, the two find themselves investigating a conspiracy whose mastermind is using cutting-edge tech to rip the nation apart. To stop this new breed of terrorist, their only hope is to forge a new type of partnership.
* The Perfect Assassin by K.A. Doore
Divine justice is written in blood. Or so Amastan has been taught. As a new assassin in the Basbowen family, he’s already having second thoughts about taking a life. A scarcity of contracts ends up being just what he needs. Until, unexpectedly, Amastan finds the body of a very important drum chief. Until, impossibly, Basbowen’s finest start showing up dead, with their murderous jaan running wild in the dusty streets of Ghadid. Until, inevitably, Amastan is ordered to solve these murders, before the family gets blamed. Every life has its price, but when the tables are turned, Amastan must find this perfect assassin or be their next target.
* 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.
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* if you want your hardcover quickly, ordering from a local independent is better: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781250229861 or ordering through bookshop: https://bookshop.org/books/network-effect-a-murderbot-novel/9781250229861
* it's the last day to get your free Murderbot and Dr. Mensah short story from Macmillan: https://read.macmillan.com/promo/murderbotshortstorypreordergiveaway/ (I'm sure it will be published somewhere else, but I just don't know where/when yet.)
* you can order signed copies through Murder by the Book in Houston https://www.murderbooks.com/event/martha-wells (until May 8) or through Mysterious Galaxy https://www.mystgalaxy.com/Wells-05-2020 (until May 20th)
I think that's it. This is the biggest book release of my twenty-seven year career as a professional author so I'll just be here freaking the hell out while all this is going on.
Online Events this week:
* May 5th, 6 PM Central: In conversation with John Scalzi, author of The Last Emperox, at Tubby & Coo's https://www.facebook.com/tubbyandcoos/videos/232911938124259 or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Biheai6iuuo
May 5th, 8 PM Eastern: Reading with the New York Review of Science Fiction (https://www.facebook.com/events/228436485118995/)
* May 6th: AMA on Reddit r/fantasy
* May 7th, 6 PM Eastern: In conversation with N.K. Jemisin, author of The City We Became, on Crowdcast (sign up to save your spot here: https://www.crowdcast.io/e/murderbot/register)
***
Now on to other people's books!
(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)
* Preorder A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow
Bethany C. Morrow's A Song Below Water is the story for today's readers -- a captivating modern fantasy about black mermaids, friendship, and self-discovery set against the challenges of today's racism and sexism. In a society determined to keep her under lock and key, Tavia must hide her siren powers. Meanwhile, Effie is fighting her own family struggles, pitted against literal demons from her past. Together, these best friends must navigate through the perils of high school's junior year. But everything changes in the aftermath of a siren murder trial that rocks the nation, and Tavia accidentally lets out her magical voice at the worst possible moment.
* I Come With Knives by S.A. Hunt
Robin – now armed with new knowledge about mysterious demon terrorizing her around town, the support of her friends, and the assistance of her old witch-hunter mentor – plots to confront the Lazenbury coven and destroy them once and for all. Meanwhile, a dangerous serial killer only known as The Serpent is abducting and killing Blackfield residents. An elusive order of magicians known as the Dogs of Odysseus also show up with Robin in their sights.
* Spindled by Shanna Swendson
Once upon a time, a princess was brought to a strange land for safekeeping, until the day the curse placed on her in infancy expired and she could return to her kingdom. Lucy Jordan is not that princess. But thanks to a case of mistaken identity, she's kidnapped by an evil enchantress's men and taken to a magical world, where she finds herself living out a story that seems awfully familiar. Meanwhile, Lucy's friend Dawn suspects the "aunts" who brought her up might have something to do with Lucy's disappearance, and she feels compelled to travel through the magical gateway she finds in the garden shed to find her friend.
* The War Priest by Ann Aguirre
Personal tragedy drove Callum McRae to join the Order of Saint Casimir fifteen years ago; now he's in charge of a hold he hasn't lived in for years. Supplies are scarce, he has no knack for dealing with people, and the Gols are at the gates. To make matters worse, he's also battling an attraction so powerful and forbidden that it imperils his very soul... Joss Bristow seems bright and cheerful, but she's hiding a well of sorrow that fuels her music. She's also prone to leaping before she looks, exactly how she ends up besieged at Burnt Amber. Though she wanted to get to know Callum better, she never imagined that falling for him could cost her life. He's the dark of night, and she's the sun that shines just for him. Two wounded souls have never needed each other more, but between his holy vows and the devastation of war, the odds are stacked against them...
* The Candlevine Gardener and Other Stories by Yoon Ha Lee
A gardener at the end of the universe, a raven engineer, a cat who has forgotten how to fly—these wonders and more appear in Yoon Ha Lee's collection of flash fairy tales gathered from the last few years of his Patreon.
* Burndive by Karin Lowachee
From the author of the acclaimed and bestselling debut novel Warchild comes a new action-packed adventure about a young man's journey into adulthood amid interstellar war.
* Burn-In: A Novel of the Real Robotic Revolution by August Cole and P.W. Singer
After narrowly stopping a bombing at Washington's Union Station, FBI Special Agent Lara Keegan receives a new assignment: to field-test an advanced police robot. As a series of shocking catastrophes unfolds, the two find themselves investigating a conspiracy whose mastermind is using cutting-edge tech to rip the nation apart. To stop this new breed of terrorist, their only hope is to forge a new type of partnership.
* The Perfect Assassin by K.A. Doore
Divine justice is written in blood. Or so Amastan has been taught. As a new assassin in the Basbowen family, he’s already having second thoughts about taking a life. A scarcity of contracts ends up being just what he needs. Until, unexpectedly, Amastan finds the body of a very important drum chief. Until, impossibly, Basbowen’s finest start showing up dead, with their murderous jaan running wild in the dusty streets of Ghadid. Until, inevitably, Amastan is ordered to solve these murders, before the family gets blamed. Every life has its price, but when the tables are turned, Amastan must find this perfect assassin or be their next target.
* 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.
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April 30, 2020
Network Effect Virtual Book Tour
May 5th, 6 PM Central: In conversation with John Scalzi, author of The Last Emperox, at Tubby & Coo's
May 5th, 8 PM Eastern: Reading with the New York Review of Science Fiction
May 6th: AMA on Reddit r/fantasy
May 7th, 6 PM Eastern: In conversation with N.K. Jemisin, author of The City We Became, on Crowdcast
May 12th, 7 PM Central: In conversation with Ann Leckie, author of the Imperial Radch trilogy, at Left Bank Books
May 13th, 7 PM Pacific: Reading with Mysterious Galaxy
Network Effect will be released in ebook, hardcover, and audiobook on May 5, 2020. If you want a signed hardcover, you can get it through Murder by the Book in Houston https://www.murderbooks.com/event/martha-wells or through Mysterious Galaxy https://www.mystgalaxy.com/Wells-05-2020 You can use any hardcover purchase to get a free Murderbot short story here: https://read.macmillan.com/promo/murderbotshortstorypreordergiveaway/
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May 5th, 8 PM Eastern: Reading with the New York Review of Science Fiction
May 6th: AMA on Reddit r/fantasy
May 7th, 6 PM Eastern: In conversation with N.K. Jemisin, author of The City We Became, on Crowdcast
May 12th, 7 PM Central: In conversation with Ann Leckie, author of the Imperial Radch trilogy, at Left Bank Books
May 13th, 7 PM Pacific: Reading with Mysterious Galaxy
Network Effect will be released in ebook, hardcover, and audiobook on May 5, 2020. If you want a signed hardcover, you can get it through Murder by the Book in Houston https://www.murderbooks.com/event/martha-wells or through Mysterious Galaxy https://www.mystgalaxy.com/Wells-05-2020 You can use any hardcover purchase to get a free Murderbot short story here: https://read.macmillan.com/promo/murderbotshortstorypreordergiveaway/
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