Escapist Newsletter (Vol 5 Issue 1)

News from LE

Welcome to 2011 everyone.  I can’t believe I’m beginning my fifth volume of the Escapist Newsletter.  LE is starting it’s fourth year (I started the site on December 20, 2007) and I’m bringing something new this year.  If you’re actually on the site (and not reading this via a feed of some sort), you probably have noticed the Ad Space that has appeared.  That’s right, Literary Escapism is now offering advertising space.  I’m joined up with a few other bloggers to create the Book Cover Advertising Co-op (BCAC).  Through the BCAC, I’m offering up five different 170x250px ad placements.  In addition to those, I’m also offering two 300x250px and multiple 468x90px ad placements.  For all the details, click here.

Cover Extravaganza

AbyssDuring December, 119 different covers were revealed.  I’m only going to scatter a few through out the newsletter that I haven’t seen get as much time on the blogs, but you can find all of them, in their original sizes, on the Facebook page.  There were a ton of great sources: Wicked Scribes, All Things Urban Fantasy, Michelle’s Book Blog, Escape Between the Pages, Dark Faerie Tales, Tez Says and SciFiGuy.

New Releases

January 1st:
Highlander Ever After by Jennifer Ashley
Precious and Fragile Things by Megan Hart
Seducing the Vampire by Michele Hauf
The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher
My Soul to Steal by Rachel Vincent (Soul Screamers #4)

January 3rd:
Managing Death by Trent Jamieson (Death Works #2)
My Immortal Assassin by Carolyn Jewel
Tempest’s Legacy by Nicole Peeler (Jane Truth #3)
Flip this Zombie by Jesse Petersen (Zombie Therapy #2)

January 4th:
The Mammoth Book of Scottish Romance – an anthology
Halo: Cryptum by Greg Bear (Forerunner Saga #1)
The Soul Mirror by Carol Berg (Collegia Magica #2)
Shadowspell by Jenna Black (Faeriewalker #2)
The Lost Gate by Scott Orson Card (Mithermages)
Awakened by PC Cast (House of Night)
Demon Marked by Anna Evans
A Hard Day’s Knight by Simon R Green
Taken By The Others by Jess Haines (H&W Investigations #2)
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
A Transatlantic Tunnel, Hurrah! by Harry Harrison
Of Truth and Beasts by Barb & JC Hendee
Immortal Champion by Lisa Hendrix (Immortal Brotherhood)
Nocturne by Syrie James
Finding Destiny by Jean Johnson (Sons of Destiny)
Master of Smoke by Angela Knight (Mageverse #7)
Enter the Zombie by David Lubar (Nathan Ambercrombie, Accidental Zombie)
Night School by Mari Mancusi (Blood Coven #5)
Surrender to Darkness by Annette McCleave (Soul Gatherers #3)
Hexbound by Chloe Neill (Dark Elite #2)
Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves
Kiss at Your Own Risk by Stephenie Rowe
Secrets of the Demon by Diana Rowland (Kara Gillian #3)
A Werewolf in Manhattan by Vicki Lewis Thompson
Frostfire by Lynn Viehl (Kyndred #3)
Blood Challenge by Eileen Wilks (World of the Lupi #7)

January 5th:
A Whisper to the Living by Stuart Kaminsky (Inspector Porfiry Rostnikov)
The Hammer by KJ Parker
Impact by Douglas Preston
An Irish Country Girl by Patrick Taylor

January 6th:
Balefire Omnibus by Cate Tiernan

January 7th:
Forsaken by Jana Oliver (Demon Trappers)

January 12th:
Mercy Blade by Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock #3)
Across the Universe by Beth Revis

January 18th:
Farlander by Col Buchanan
Other Eyes by Barbara D’Amato
New Spring by Chuck Dixon (Graphic Novel #1)
Pack of Lies by Laura Anne Gilman
God’s War by Kameron Hurley
Cowboy Angels by Paul McAuley
Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning (Fever #6)
The Officers’ Club by Ralph Peters
Allison Hewitt Is Trapped by Madeleine Roux
Taken by Lilith Saintcrow
Among Others by Jo Walton
Home Fires by Gene Wolfe

January 20th:
Subject Seven by James Moore

January 23rd:
Darkness Within by Sherrilyn Kenyon (Hel Hounds #3)

January 25th:
Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch
Dark Goddess by Sarwat Chadda (Devil’s Kiss)
Raziel by Kristina Douglas
Play Dead by John Levitt (Dog Days)
Crossed by JF Lewis (Void City #3)
The Sworn by Gail Z Martin
Heart of the Exiled by Patti Nagle
Throat by RA Nelson
Death’s Sweet Embrace by Tracey O’Hara (Dark Brethren #2)
A Brush of Darkness by Allison Pang
Bloodshot by Cherie Priest
Burning Darkness by Jaime Rush (Offspring)
The Countess by Lynsay Sands
Archangel’s Consort by Nalini Singh (Guild Hunter #3)
Blessed by Cynthia Smith
Night Betrayed by Joss Ware (Envy #4)
Captive Heart by Anna Windsor (Dark Crescent Sisterhood #6)

January 31st:
The Mysterious Lady Law by Robert Appleton
Brayan’s Gold by Brett V Peter

Here are a few other places with their own December releases: Tez Says, SciFiGuy (UF & PNR, YA, Fantasy, Science Fiction), Wicked Little Pixie, All Things Urban Fantasy, Paperback Dolls,

Patricia’s Vampire Notes looks back at those novels released in December.

New Release Dates:

Changing the GameI’ve updated the New Releases page with a ton more dates.  A printable version is now available.  For a listing of all the novels that have been added, click here, here and here.  Fair warning, there were a lot, and here’s a few more:

04/12/12: Moon Called Volume 1 by Patricia Brigg (Graphic Novel)
04/19/12: Bewere the Night – anthology featuring Holly Black, Elizabeth Hand, Sandra McDonald, Cherie Priest
06/07/12: The Promise of Love – anthology featuring Lori Foster, Erin McCarthy, Sylvia Day, Jamie Denton
06/07/12: Chicks Kick Butt by Rachel Caine
06/07/12: Hit List by Laurell K Hamilton
06/21/12: Collide by Megan Hart
06/28/12: Legally Hot – an anthology featuring Lora Leigh, Cheyenne McCray, Red Garnier
06/28/12: Wolf Tales 12 edited by Kate Douglas
07/05/12: Revelation by Lauren Dane (de la Vega Cats)
08/02/12: Working Stiff by Rachel Caine (Revivalist)
08/16/12: Taken by Passion by Cheyenne McCray

From the Author Sites

The Morganville Vampires have a snazzy new website that was just launched.  There may still be a little revamping going on (some things look off on my screen), but there are a few hidden treats located on the site.  One such thing is a new short story featuring the lovable Myrnin.

Check out the snazzy covers Colleen Gleason has for her new vampire series:

Would you like a signed copy of Diana Pharaoh Francis’ Crimson Wind?  If so, you can order one from The Bookstore in Dillon, Montana.  You can find all the details here.

It’s coming….only 3 weeks until the release of Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning.  To help get everyone excited, Random House has made a spiffy book trailer.

In her latest newsletter, Carrie Vaughn talks about two new anthologies she is contributing to.  Her first story, Defining Shadows, will feature Detective Harding and will appear in the anthology Those Who Hunt Shadows in March 2011.  The second story, It’s Still the Same Old Story, will feature Rick and will be published in the anthology Down These Strange Streets, coming in November 2011.  Both of these stories take place in Kitty’s world; however, Carrie has a third story, Threads, which doesn’t appear to be a Kitty story.  Threads will appear in the The Thackery T. Lambshead Cabinet of Curiosities collection that’s due out in June 2011 and features the shadowy figure of Thackery T. Lambshead.

New Excerpts or Reading for Free

Dust and DecayRachel Caine has posted a few sample chapters of the next Morganville Vampires novel, Bite Club, which comes out May 3, 2011.

Jenna Black has posted the first two chapters to her next Faeriewalker novel, Shadowspell, which releases January 4, 2011.

Ann Bishop has posted an excerpt for her new Black Jewels novel, Twilight’s Dawn, which is due to release.

Katie MacAlister has posted the first chapter to the second Baltic novel (aka Light Dragons), The Unbearable Lightness of Dragons, which releases May 3, 2011.

Nalini Sing has posted the first chapter to Kiss of Snow, the next Psy Changeling novel, which releases May 31, 2011.

Diana Pharaoh Francis has posted a snippet for the third Horngate Witches series, Shadow City.

Ilona Andrews has posted another snippet from the next Kate novel. All these snippets are giving me a serious case of so-can’t-waits.  The prologue for Magic Slays, which is due out May 31, 2011, has also been posted.

The seventh chapter to Kelley Armstrong’s serialized Disenchanted has been posted. If you need to catch up, here are chapters: One & Two, Three, Four, Five and Six.

Diana Pharaoh Francis has posted a couple snippet from her upcoming novel, Crimson Wind, as well as the first chapter.

Shiloh Walker has posted an excerpt for her holiday story, His Christmas Cara. Shiloh is also giving us glimpse into a new story she is currently working on. The glimpse is from the first book in her new romantic suspense trilogy.  Plus, there’s a snippet from the fifth Grimm Circle novel, which doesn’t have a title yet, but will be published by Samhain sometime in 2011 – hopefully.

PC Cast announced that three chapters from the next House of Night novel, Awakened, have been posted. You can read them here.

Nancy Holzner has posted the first chapter to her novel Hellforged, which was released December 28th.

The fabulous girls behind Jeaniene Frost’s Frost Cemetery have posted a snippet from This Side of the Grave.

Diana Gabaldon has posted another snippet from the eight Outlander novel she’s currently working on.

Charlaine Harris has posted the first chapter to the next Sookie novel, Dead Reckoning, which is due out May 3, 2011.

Kim Harrison has posted the first chapter to Pale Demon, which will be out February 22, 2011.

Chloe Neill has posted a really short snippet from Hard Bitten.  It’s seriously short, but it so brought a smile to my face.  *grin*

What Bears Repeating

Children of ScarabaeusChloe Neill has some fabulous news – we’ll be getting two Chicagoland novels next year. We already know Hard Bitten will be out in May, but we’ll also get Drink Deep in November.

Rachel Vincent has made her Soul Screamer novella, Reaper, available as a free download. There are quite a few places you can get your copy: Harlequin Teen, Barnes & Noble , Amazon.com, Books on Board and Books-A-Million.

For those who tagged along for the A Glimpse of Darkness serial in November (or was it October?), Kelly Meding is letting us know that it is now available as an ebook via the Random House website – it’s only $.99 on Amazon.

Did I miss the news that Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instrument series was being filmed? I knew it had been optioned, but I wasn’t aware that they were actually doing casting and what not. Well, for anyone where this isn’t new, MTV is reporting that Lily Collins, from The Blind Side, has been casted as Clary Fray.

Melissa announced a bunch of new release dates, some of which I’m really excited for since they deal with her Wicked Lovely world:

  1. This one excites me – We’re going to see what happens to Niall between Ink Exchange and Fragile Eternity! Old Habits will be released as an ebook January 11, 2011 in the US & Canada only.
  2. Have you ever wondered about Rabbit? Cotton Candy Skies, released as part of a special edition Wicked Lovely ebook, will feature Rabbit and will occur after the events in Radiant Shadows.
  3. In October 2011, Marr and Armstrong are editing a new anthology – Enthralled: Paranormal Roadtrips – and Marr’s short story will be a post-Darkest Mercy story. No word on who it will be about or what the title even is, but we’ll be getting more Wicked Lovely stories, so that’s awesome news!

Also, Guns for the Dead will be Marr’s story in the upcoming anthology Naked City and is actually the first world story from the Graveminder novels.

Eileen Wilks has posted the cover blurb for the next World of hte Lupi novel, Blood Challenge, which releases on the 4th.

Gena Showalter has revealed the title and hero for the twelfth Lords of the Underworld novel.  Readers can look forward to Paris’ story in The Darkest Seduction, which will be out in 2012.

Featured Book: Whedonistas

WhedonistasWhedonistas: A Celebration of the Worlds of Joss Whedon by the Women Who Love Them edited by Lynne M. Thomas and Deborah Stanish (March 15, 2011)

In Whedonistas, a host of award-winning female writers and fans come together to celebrate the works of Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse, Doctor Horrible s Sing-Along Blog). By discussing the impact of Whedon’s work, their involvement with his shows fandoms and why they adore the worlds he’s created, these essayists aim to misbehave in Whedon’s rich, fantastical worlds. Essay topics include Sharon Shinn (Samaria series) and Emma Bull (Territory) elaborating on the perfection of Firefly, Jeanne Stein (the Anna Strong Chronicles) revealing Buffy’s influence on Anna Strong, and Nancy Holder (October Rain, The Watcher s Guide) relating on-the-set tales of Spike menacing her baby daughter while Riley made her hot chocolate. Other contributors include Seanan McGuire (October Daye series), Elizabeth Bear (Chill), Catherynne M. Valente (Palimpsest), Maria Lima (Blood Lines), Jackie Kessler (Black and White), Mariah Huehner (IDW Comics), Sarah Monette (Corambis), and Lyda Morehouse (AngeLINK series). Also featured is an exclusive interview with television writer and producer Jane Espenson.

This Month’s Reviews

Omnitopia Dawn by Duane Duane
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Winter’s Passage by Julie Kagawa
Blue Moon by Lori Handeland
Pale Demon by Kim Harrison
Unclean Spirits by MLN Hanover
The Diviner’s Tale by Bradford Morrow
Stone Kissed by Ker Stevens
Ghost Town by Rachel Caine
Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler
Unraveled by Gena Showalter
Darker Angels by MLN Hanover
Make Mine Midnight by Annmarie McKenna
The Dream Thief by Shana Abé
The Sleeping Beauty by Mercedes Lackey
Wild Fire by Christine Feehan

From the Reader

Dead on the DeltaBeginning December 26th, Tor.com will be featuring the Twelve Doctors of Christmas.  For twelve days, various writers will be giving their take on the different Doctors that have shown up in the Tardis over the years.  In addition, there’ll be some DIY and fashion discussion going on.

I’ve been seeing the trailer for a new movie called Season of the Witch and I’m wondering if it’s based off of Natasha Mostert’s novel of the same name. I don’t know if it is or not, but it does look good.

During the month of December, Dark Faerie Tales and Tynga’s Reviews got together with a bunch of authors to bring everyone a Dark Winter Tale.  If you’ve missed any of the great chapters to the series, then check out the Master List, which has links to all the posts.

Suvudu has a fabulous list of SF/F authors who are on twitter, plus there are more in the comments.

Thanks to Angela from Dark Faerie Tales, I just found this fabulous discussion of Karen Marie Moning’s Darkfever on Fiction Vixen.  Damn…I am in awe of the work that was put into this.  It seems Smexy Books and Fiction Vixen are doing the entire series in preparation for Shadowfever.  These discussions are totally worth checking out.  Here are the posts for Bloodfever (Smexy Books) and Faefever (Fiction Vixen).  I’m assuming a discussion for Dreamfever will be posted on Smexy Books in the next week or so.

If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at reviewing, Rex Robot Reviews is looking to add at least one review, maybe more.

So Amazon has finally announced it’s “Loan a Kindle Book” feature and while it’s a great idea, I have to agree with Escape Between the Pages.  I don’t have a problem with the idea that I can’t read the book while it’s loaned out – after all I couldn’t do that with a print copy – but only being able to loan it once?  What if I have more than one friend who would want to read it? I mean, I’ve loaned my print books out to multiple people, what’s the difference.  Now before someone says it’s harder to pirate a print copy, I would hope people would realize that I wouldn’t loan one of my books to someone who I thought would pirate the book.

Author Appearances

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

Contests

Dark Faerie Tales is giving away a copy of Karen Marie Moning’s Shadowfever.  Contest ends January 18th.

Rachel Caine is giving away a gift card to Barnes & Noble as well as a few other things.  Contest ends January 31st.

Rachel Vincent is giving away a bunch of her books to one winner.  Contest ends January 4th.

My Bookish Way is giving away a copy of Andrea Cremer’s Nightshade.  Contest ends January 3rd.

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.

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