Escapist Newsletter (Vol 3 Issue 12)

There are days I really do feel like this.  Isn’t this illustration awesome.  It’s the cover for the story A Memory of Wind by Rachel Swirsky that is currently up at Tor.com.  The image itself is from Sam Weber, but I am seriously digging this.  There have been too many days where it has felt like my brain was flying away and this just so depicts that.
Anyway, on to this month’s shopping list…

New Releases

December 1st:
Holiday with a Vampire III – Anthology featuring Linda Windstead Jones, Lisa Childs, Bonnie Vanak
Angelic by Kelley Armstrong
Scorched: The Dark Forgotten by Sharon Ashwood
Hotter After Midnight by Cynthia Eden
A Mermaid’s Ransom by Joey W. Hill (Daughters of Arianne #3)
Born of Ic by Sherrilyn Kenyon (League #3)
Demon Bound by Caitlin Kittredge (Black London #2)
Wild Instinct by Sarah McCarty
Born Of Darkness by Rita Vetere
Hunter’s Need by Shiloh Walker (Hunters #10)
Once Bitten by Clare Willis

December 4th:
Beyond the Dark – Anthology featuring Lora Leigh, Angela Knight, Emma Holly, Diane Whiteside

December 8th:
The Mammoth Book of Time Travel Romance – Anthology featuring a lot of authors
Divine Misdemeanors by Laurell K Hamilton (Merry Gentry #8)

December 14th:
Witch & Wizard by James Patterson

December 18th:
The Vampire’s Quest by Vivi Anna

December 22nd:
Flagship by Mike Resnick (Starship #5)

December 29th:
Shades of Midnight by Lara Adrian (Midnight Breed #7)
My Zombie Valentine – Anthology featuring Anthology – Angie Fox, Katie MacAlister, Marianne Mancusi, Lisa Cach
Eternal Hunger by Cythnia Eden
Street Game by Christine Feehan (GhostWalkers #8)
Dangerous Highlander by Donna Grant (Dark Sword #1)
Nice Girls Don’t Live Forever by Molly Harper (Jane Jameson #3)
Deadtown by Nancy Holzner (Victory Vaughn #1)
Bound By Sin by Jenna Maclaine (Cin Craven #3)
Crimson & Steam by Liz Maverick
A Highlander’s Destiny by Melissa Mayhue (Daughters of the Glen #5)
Gentlemen Prefer Succubi by Jill Myles
Beneath the Skin by Adrian Phoenix (The Maker’s Song #3)
Hallowed Circle by Linda Robertson (Circle #2)
The Phoenix Charm by Helen Scott Taylor (Magic Knot Fairies)
My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent (Soul Screamers #2)

For those looking for more science fiction releases, check out io9’s handy chart for December.  Fantasy Dreamer’s Ramblings has another list of novels coming out this month.

From the Author Sites

Has anyone been to Ann Aguirre’s site lately? There’s two new books listed for the Sirantha Jax series in addition to a new YA series. I haven’t heard anything about the YA series yet, but it looks like it’s going to be a post apocalyptic.  I’m sure more will be coming later. As for the new Jax novels, we will have Aftermath in September 2011 and Endgame in September 2012.

I really believe this has already been out there, but it’s been posted to Eileen Wilk’s so here’s the cover for the sixth World of the Lupi novel, Blood Magic, available February 2, 2010.

Jeaniene Frost has posted the first chapter of First Drop of Crimson and I can personally guarantee you that you will want to get your hands on this novel.  And for those of you who have missed it, Jeaneine has posted the title to Menchere’s book, which is due out August 2010.  Get ready for Eternal Kiss of Darkness.

I can’t remember if I posted this yet or not, but Jory Strong has put up the blurb for the third Ghostworld novel, Healer’s Choice.  Still no cover, but here this is:

In a post-Apocalyptic world where supernaturals have emerged from hiding, ancient, unseen enemies play a game that began at the dawn of human civilization. War is coming and neutrality isn’t an option. For Were shapeshifters, a healer’s gift holds the key to their survival…

Born into a world of violence and paid-for-sex, Rebekka longs for a family of her own and dreams of freeing those trapped in the shapeshifter brothels of the red zone. A witch’s prophecy claims she’ll one day use her gift to heal the Weres made outcast by their mixed human-animal forms. But Rebekka knows all too well that everything comes at a cost.

Made a pawn in a game she can barely glimpse, by beings whose motives she can only guess, she must navigate a dangerous course that might well cost her life. With her gift changed in terrifying ways, a plea to save five children sends her into the arms of Aryck, a Jaguar enforcer—and into territory controlled by pure Weres.

It’s a place where humans and outcasts aren’t welcomed. Where dead ancestors watch from the shadowlands and have the power to judge and punish the living. It’s a place where plague threatens and the fate of the Weres hangs in the balance. And where the choices Rebekka and Aryck make are paid for with their hearts…if not their souls.

Janet Evanovich has posted the title and cover for the sixteenth Stephenie Plum novel.  I’m assuming Sizzling Sixteen will be out around June.

New Excerpts

  • Karen Chance has posted the second chapter to Death’s Mistress.  If you haven’t caught the first chapter (and why not), you can check it out here.  And this is why I check the sites – I hadn’t known this was up.  Where was I when this went live.
  • Kelley Armstrong has the first three chapters posted for The Reckoning.
  • The first chapter of Divine Misdemeanors was posted on Laurell K Hamilton’s site.
  • Nalini Singh has the first chapter for Archangels’ Kiss as well as an excerpt for the next Psy-Changeling novel – Bonds of Justice
  • Rachel Vincent has a snippet up for Shift, the fifth novel in her Shifters series
  • Maria Snyder has posted the first chapter to her upcoming YA novel, Inside Out
  • Ann Aguirre has posted a snippet from Skin Tight, the second novel in her Skin series. 
  • Rachel Caine is giving us two doses of Morganville Vampires with her online short story, Grudge, which features Shane, plus she has posted a sample chapter from the next Morganville novel, Kiss of Death.
  • Genreality has the first chapter to Carrie Vaughn’s Kitty’s House of Horrors
  • Anne Bishop has posted an excerpt for Shalador’s Lady
  • Random House has posted the first chapter to Diana Rowland’s Blood of the Demon, which will be released February, 23, 2010
  • Hachette Book Group has the first three chapters available from Nicole Peeler’s debut novel, Tempest Rising.

Keri Arthur is sharing one of her first novels as a free read on her website.  She’ll be posting a chapter a month for With Friends Like These and the first one is already available.

Marjorie Liu has announced the title to the next Hunter Kiss novel on her website.  We’ll have A Wild Light sometime in August 2010.  Also, the title for the next Dirk & Steele novel will be The Stars Below and will be out June 2010.

Meljean Brook has a title for her first Iron Seas novel, which is due to release in October 2010.  The Iron Duke will introduce us to her new steampunk world and it looks like her story in the anthology Burning Up will be a part of this new series as well.  I do have to say, I’m loving the blurb for this new series as well as the blurb for The Iron Duke:

THE IRON SEAS series combines nanotech and pirates with a gritty, gaslit Victorian atmosphere to create swashbuckling steampunk romance…with an emphasis on the steam.

The Iron Duke
After the Iron Duke freed England from Horde control, he instantly became a national hero. Now Rhys Trahaearn has built a merchant empire on the power — and fear — of his name. And when a dead body is dropped from an airship onto his doorstep, bringing Detective Inspector Mina Wentworth into his dangerous world, he intends to make her his next possession… (Full cover copy will be coming soon.)

Sunny has some news.  She’s just signed a contract for a new anthology which will feature all novellas from her Monere world.  Mona Lisa Smiling is going to be wrap-up for Mona Lisa and Lucinda (although she does say “for now”) and will be available as a trade paperback sometime next year.

Check out what I found over at Jenna Maclaine’s site. The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance may not be completely paranormal, but Jenna’s story, The Eternal Warrior, is a prequel to her Cin Craven series.  This new Mammoth Book will be available January 26, 2010.

What Bears Repeating

Colleen Gleason will be in the Brighton area if anyone is in Michigan on December 19th.  That’s not too far from me, so I may try and make it out there.  Gleason will be at the Brighton Borders Books & Music from 11am to 1pm doing a Holiday Book signing.

PC Cast has announced the title to the next House of Night novel.  Burned will be out May 27, 2010 and that’s all we know at this point.

Richelle Mead has some unfortunate news.  For anyone waiting on the third Dark Swan novels, the release for the third novel, Iron Crowned, has been push back to January 2011.  The good news is that Richelle says the fourth book should be coming out in 2011 as well.

Laurell K Hamilton has announced the title to the 19th Anita Blake novel.  Bullet will be out in June.  Flirt, the surprise 18th Anita novel that wasn’t planned, will be out February 2, 2010.  LKH also says that both novels will feature more of the zombie raising than the previous books have.  So that is awesome news.

Jackie Kessler has announced the title for the second novel in her new YA series.  Rage will follow Hunger and will be published in the spring of 2011.  Hunger will be out sometime in the Fall 2010.

Stacia announced on twitter (or was it facebook) the release dates for the two follow up novels as well – Unholy Magic (June 22, 2010) and City of Ghosts (July 27, 2010).  SciFiGuy has the blurbage, so head over and check it out.

Kelly Gay has announced that the second Charlie Madigan novel will be titled The Darkest Edge of Dawn, which will be released August 31, 2010.

Maria Snyder is posting another Study story via her website.  Ice Study features my favorite couple, Yelena and Valek, and the third part of the story should be posted sometime this month.

There was a shakeup in the publishing world when Harlequin announced it’s new vanity press (although they are calling it self-publishing, not a vanity).  For all the details, you can check out my earlier posts on it – News on the Horizon.  Although, later Harlequin changed the name on their vanity press. It will no longer be called Harlequin Horizons, but will now be called DellArte Press.  Even with this name change, Publishers Weekly is still saying that none of the writer associations have reversed their original decisions from last week.

Joey W. Hill has posted the entire online serial she started earlier this year.  If you’re a fan of her Vampire Queen series, then you’ll enjoy Tyler Tied Up.

From the Reader

Nymeth at Things Mean Alot is looking for submissions for the 43rd Bookworms Carnival. Her theme is mythology and she gives a pretty good rundown of what that could entail.

Top news of the hour, which I’m sure is all over the place, is the cover for Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews that was posted earlier today.  Is there anyone else excited about this release?

Alpha Heroes has a great introduction piece on the new meme, Short Story Saturdays, that we’re working on.

Just because I love fonts, has anyone else found FantasyFonts.com?

Kelly Meding had two great short stories posting on Suvudu over the last two weeks.  If you haven’t had a chance to read them yet or if you’ve been waiting for all five parts to show up, here they are in all their gloriousness:

If you haven’t heard already, the Weekly Geeks are looking for book bloggers Top 10 Books of 2009.  The plan is to collect all the lists, throw them into one huge melting pop and then let the readers pick the Top 10 Books of 2009.  Last year, we ended up with over 1300 individual readers voting on 332 books in various categories, so it was a good turnout.  If you want to see what the voting booth looked like last year, click here.

SciFiGuy has another fabulous Weekend Report.

Barnes and Noble has posted their Top 13 books of 2009.  Why that number I’m not sure, but there are a couple of great novels that I can personally attest to.  There’s also a few on there that I want to read, so it’s a pretty good list.

Mark Henry is looking for reviews for his novels Happy Hour of the Damned and Road Trip of The Living Dead.  Have you read either of his novels?  Do you have an Amazon, Borders or Barnes & Nobel account?  If so, sign in and post your reviews and you could be entered to win an ARC of the third Amanda Feral novel, Battle of the Network Zombies, which comes out February 23, 2010.

Seattle. One minute you’re drinking a vanilla breve, the next, some creepy old dude is breathing on you, turning you into a zombie. And that’s just for starters. Now, the recently deceased Amanda Feral is trying to make her way through Seattle’s undead scene with style (mortuary-grade makeup, six-inch stilettos, Balenciaga handbag on sale) while satisfying her craving for human flesh (Don’t judge. And no, not like chicken.) and decent vodkatinis.

Making her way through a dangerous world of cloud-doped bloodsuckers, reapers, horny and horned devils, werewolves, celebrities, and PR-obsessed shapeshifters–not to mention an extremely hot bartender named Ricardo–isn’t easy. And the minute one of Amanda’s undead friends disappears after texting the word, “help” (The undead–so dramatic!) she knows the afterlife is about to get really ugly.

Something sinister is at hand. Someone or something is hellbent on turning Seattle’s undead underworld into a place of true terror. And this time, Amanda may meet a fate a lot worse than death…

The title to the next Alien Huntress novel by Gena Showalter has been announced, which will be Ecstasy in Darkness.  Also, Yasmine Galenorn announced the title to the ninth Sisters of the Moon novel.  Blood Wyne is the next novel piloted by Menolly.

During his interview with Lilith Saintcrow, SciFiGuy found out the titles to the last two novels in the Jill Kismet series.  We can look forward to Heaven’s Spite and Angel Town coming out next year (I assume) and Lilith says these books will involve what the entire series has been building up to.

Check this out, ImagineFX came up with a list of the 50 Best Living Artists (via SF Signal), citing them as “the most innovative, influential and altogether mega fantasy and sci-fi artists alive today.”  There are a lot of names on this list that I recognized (surprisingly) and quite a few I’m going to go check out myself.  Thank you SciFiGuy for pointing me towards this – I love finding new artists!

Frank Frazetta Donato Giancola Ryan Church Justin “Coro” Kaufman
Ralph McQuarrie Dave Gibbons Michael Whelan Justin Sweet
Moebius Rodney Matthews Simon Bisley Mike Mignola
Craig Mullins Dave McKean Dan Dos Santos Daniel Dociu
John Howe Jon Foster Melanie Delon Greg Manchess
H.R. Giger James Jean Jason Chan Katsuhiro Otomo
Drew Struzan Bob Eggleton Adam Hughes Hayao Miyazuki
Syd Mead Todd Lockwood Jim Lee Chris Foss
Andrew Jones Yoshitaka Amano Roger Dean Peter Andrew Jones
Brom Brian Froud Stanley Lau J.S. Rossbach
Boris Vallejo Frank Miller Masamune Shirow Tara McPherson
Linda Bergkvist Greg Hildebrandt Stephan Martiniere Jason Manley
Marta Dahlig Bill Sienkiewicz

SciFi Wire is reporting that New Moon has officially kicked Twilight’s ass in box office sales.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon officially eclipsed its predecessor, Twilight, at the box office over the Thanksgiving weekend, raising its total domestic gross to $230.7 million after just 10 days of release, BoxOfficeMojo reported.

Twilight, by contrast, grossed $192.8 million domestically over its complete run.

Fifty-Two Stories has posted the latest short story – The Oval Portrait by Edgar Allan Poe. there’s only four more stories left and I’m wondering if they’ll continue this next year as well.

The Book Smugglers are getting ready to launch their annual Smugglivus and they have a great lineup coming this week.

Dirty Sexy Books has a “If You Like X, Then You Should Try Y” list going on.  While I’ll agree with some of her suggestions, I don’t all of them.  For instance, if you like LK Hamilton, then you should try Kat Richardson?  I don’t see that one.  I’m a fan of LKH, but I don’t see the similarities with Richardson.  However, I totally agree with the Patricia Briggs/Ilona Andrews pairing – both authors rock.  What do you guys think?  Can you think of any XY combinations?

To quote katiebabs…WTFckery has occurred.  According to a recently interview with director David Yates (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince), he let this little tidbit loose about the last two movies in the Harry Potter series.

Besides detailing Half-Blood Prince, Yates and others also offered some surprising sneak peeks to the final two theatrical installments of the Harry Potter franchise, slated for 2010 and 2011 release. At certain points, Radcliffe will appear naked.

In one scene, “a horcrux [carrying a piece of Voldemort’s soul] defends itself by producing nightmarish visions, and one shows Hermione and Harry embracing and kissing,” explained Yates. “It’s something intriguing and sensual for Rupert to react to, and Dan will be bare for that.”

I don’t get this at all.  Harry Potter is targeted at kids…why are they putting in a naked scene which is going to drive up the movie rating which means that the younger crowd won’t be able to get in?!  I get the actors are starting to get older (as are Harry, Ron and Hermoine), but seriously?  Can’t we keep this movie at a PG rating for the kids it’s targeted for?

Bitten by Books has their new polls up and this time Rachel wants to know who has the coolest power.  What’s your take on those listed? Is it a good representation or can you think of better.

All Things Urban Fantasy has opened voting for their first ever Urban Fantasy Cover awards.  They actually have a pretty good selection as nominees, but my only suggestion for next year is not allowing covers to be eligible in multiple categories.

With all the cover lists going on right now, Suburban Vampire has noticed an odd trend – there are not very many vampire novels being nominated.  This is indeed sad and Catherine is going to rectify it.  Right now, you can nominate your favorite vampire covers until around the 15th.  Voting on the list of nominees will take place sometime during the second half of December, so get your covers in if you have a favorite.

Featured Book

Dr. Paul Bracken and his coworkers are sent to Montana where an anomaly is discovered in an archeological dig. While digging up a dinosaur, they discover a stone artifact with unique properties. At the same time, archeologists in Chile discover an identical stone.

Together, the two stones form a compass that leads them on a trek across the globe and to the discovery of another stone in South Africa. There are chilling traps and treacherous hidden rooms in South Africa that the team must conquer to gather this third stone. Now, with three stones in their possession, they follow the new compass to Azerbaijan. It is there that the team gains entry into the oldest known human habitat and discovers yet another stone. Once all four stones are gathered together in one place, they appear to be inert, but then, one of their team members dies mysteriously.

On a return trip to South Africa, the team unearths unique tablets with unusual markings. After deciphering some of the text, they realize they must return to Azerbaijan. As their quest continues and they gather additional artifacts, they begin to piece together a map leading to a vital tablet that could provide the key to a path to the throne of God.

Have you heard about Survival By Storytelling Magazine? This is one I just found as well and wanted to share.

Survival By Storytelling Magazine (or SBS Magazine) publishes quality fiction and poetry by young authors. It is run by Young Writers Online.net.

We are a small print and electronic magazine, currently published irregularly (there is no set publication schedule, issues will be published when filled). We publish fiction of any genre and poetry of any form.  We are also accepting other prose forms such as reviews, articles, etc.

The magazine is edited by Shaun Duke and Nyx.

Publication is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Once submissions are open for the first issue we will accept stories until we fill the issue and nothing more for the time being. The submission period will close once the issue is filled. We’ll open submissions again depending on how the first issue goes. The intention is to print an issue once it is filled no more than once a month, based upon material submitted.

New Interviews

For the full listing of this month’s interviews, click here.

Cover Extravaganza

There were over 30 different covers that debut this month. There is no way I am going to post that many in the newsletter.  Sorry guys, but I did save them all over at the Facebook Fan page.  So if you want to see all of them, head over here, but I am going to showcase a few.

Contests

Mark Henry is giving away two ARCs of his upcoming release Battle of the Network Zombies.  Contest ends Dec. 7th

Lauren Dane is giving away a copy of Undercover or Relentless – winner’s choice. Contest ends Dec 2nd.

Dark Faerie Tales is having a major blowout contest with a ton of books up for grabs.  Contest ends

Donna Grant is giving away a few giftcards and other things in celebration of her release, Dangerous Highlander. Contest ends on Dec. 29th.

The YA class of 2k10 is having a graduation for the class of 2k9 by giving away all of their novels.  Contest ends

About Jackie 3282 Articles
I am a 30-something SAHM with two adorable boys and a supportive husband who is very tolerant of my reading addiction. I love to read and easily go through about a dozen books a month – well I did before I had kids. Now, not so much. After my first son was born, I began to take my hobby of reviewing a little more serious and started Literary Escapism to help with my sanity. I love to discuss the fabulous novels I’ve read and meeting all the wonderful people in the book blogging community has been amazing.

5 Comments

  1. Wow! Love the Sam Weber image. I have days like that all the time lately. I can’t seem to get ahead. It kind of reminds me of Kansas “Dust in the Wind”.

  2. This is an awesome post! It’s going to take me awhile to go through it. I know this must take a lot of work, thanks for putting these post together. They are like getting a present in the gReader. :)

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