Escapist Newsletter (Vol 5 Issue 7)

News from LE

I keep saying how I’m going to get back on track to the way things were, but I’m starting to realize that may never happen.  It’s strange.  I’ve heard that a second child is easy and yet it’s hard as well.  I’m starting to realize both are correct and that I need to readjust my perceptions on how things were and how I can apply them to now.  *grin*  More importantly, I need to figure out a new way to juggle LE and the boys.

Since I started Literary Escapism, it’s always been my baby and I’ve been hesitant to share it.  Last spring, I took the first step in sharing LE with others.  Jennifer and Tricia joined as reviewers, helping me get through the huge stack of novels I seemed to have accumulated.  A few months later, Casey, Nikki and Lisa also joined.  Earlier this year, Stephanie and Trish came on as well.  In under a year, LE went from being my outlet for curing cabin fever to having 7 reviewers and no longer being solely mine.  It’s no longer simply me talking about the books I enjoy, but others have joined in to share that love as well.   Now, I’ve added one more person to LE to help keep up with the demand that it has become. I’d like everyone to welcome Nicole to the LE family.  She’ll not only be doing some reviewing, but she’s joined to help me with a far larger task – she’ll be acting as an editor for LE.  With Nicole’s help, LE will begin to be more consistent with its reviews, so be prepared.

In other LE news, Casey started a fabulous new weekly feature, called Casey’s Literary Rants, where she rants about all things literary.  It has had a great response, so I hope everyone takes a chance to catch what topic Casey talks about each Wednesday.

Regarding the New Author Challenge, I know I’ve missed announcing the winner from the April/May Mini-Challenge and I’ll announce it soon.  There will be another mini-challenge in August, but I’m not sure on the theme yet.  Any suggestions, let me know.

Cover Extravaganza

During June, 128 different covers were revealed. I’m only going to show off a few 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 and Tez Says

New Releases

July 1st:
In the Heat of the Bite by Lydia Dare
First Frost by Jennifer Estep (Mythos Academy Prequel)
Survivors by Sophie Littlefield (Aftertime #3)
Hell Ship by Philip Palmer
Touch If You Dare by Stephanie Rowe
Veiled Rose by Anne Elizabeth Stengl
Geist by Phaedra Weldon (Zoe Martinique #5)

July 2nd:
Angel Omnibus Volume 2 by Scott Tipton

July 4th:
Lost Voices by Sarah Porter

July 5th:
Naked City an anthology featuring Jim Butcher; Patricia Briggs; Melissa Marr; Holly Black; Caitlín R. Kiernan; et al
Mysteria Nights an anthology featuring PC Cast; MaryJanice Davidson; Gena Showalter
Sirensong by Jenna Black (Faeriewalker #3)
Skirting the Grave by Annette Blair (A Vintage Magic Mystery #4)
Overbite by Meg Cabot (Insatiable #2)
A Game of Lies by Rebecca Cantrell (Hannah Vogel)
Burning Down the Spouse by Dakota Cassidy
Breakout by Nina Croft (Blood Hunters #1)
Revelation by Lauren Dane (de la Vega Cats)
Undead and Undermined by MaryJanice Davidson (Queen Betsy)
Original Sin by Lisa Desrochers
The First Days by Rhiannon Frater (As the World Dies #1)
As the World Dies by Rhiannon Frater
Outlander (20th Anniversary Edition) by Diana Gabaldon
Night Veil by Yasmine Galenorn (Indigo Court #2)
7th Sigma by Steven Gould
Heaven’s Shadow by David Goyer (Heaven #1)
Skin Dive by Ava Gray (Skin #4)
Deceived By The Others by Jess Haines (H&W Investigations #3)
Citadels of the Lost by Tracy Hickman (Annals of Drakis #2)
Vampire Instinct by Joey W. Hill
The Snow Queen’s Shadow by Jim C. Hines (Princess #4)
The Left Hand of God by Paul Hoffman
Conspiracies by Mercedes Lackey & Rosemary Edghill (Shadow Grail #2)
Dangerous Pleasure by Lora Leigh
Dead Iron by Devon Monk (Age of Steam #1)
Cold Touch by Leslie Parrish (ExtraSensory Agents #2)
Grave Dance by Kalayna Price (Alex Craft #2)
Spirit of Seduction by Olivia Quincy
Viper Moon by Lee Roland
Bloodlust by Michelle Rowen (Nightshade #2)
My Life as A White Trash Zombie by Diana Rowland
Conan the Barbarian by Michael Stackpole
A Shot in the Dark by KA Stewart
Rule 34 by Charles Stross
No Hero by Jonathan Wood

July 7th:
Jaded by Anya Bast (Jeweled #2)

July 8th:
The Serpent’s Coil by Christy Raedeke

July 12th:
Dragon’s Oath by PC Cast
Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore
Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer (Nightshade #2)
Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris
Blood Work by Kim Harrison (Hollows Graphic Novel #1)
Wildcat Fireflies by Amber Kizer (Meridian/Fenestra #2)
A Dance with Dragons by George RR Martin (Song of Fire and Ice)
Undercurrent by Tricia Rayburn
Forever by Maggie Stiefvater (Wolves of Mercy Falls #3)

July 15th:
The Minion Chronicles: Paul and Brady Get Hoodoo with the Voodoo by Jennifer Rardin (Jaz Parks Short)

July 19th:
Ashes of Angels by Michele Hauf
Code of the Wolf by Susan Krinard
Rebirth by Sophie Littlefield (Aftertime #2)
Supergods by Grant Morrison

July 20th:
The Charmer by Laurell K Hamilton (Circus of the Damned #1)
The Ingenue by Laurell K Hamilton (Circus of the Damned #2)

July 21st:
Incubus by Carol Goodman (Fairwick Chronicles #1)
Ripple by Mandy Hubbard
Everblue by Brenda Pandos (Mer Tales #1)

July 25th:
Snow White, Blood Red an anthology
Wild and Steamy an anthology featuring Carolyn Crane

July 26th:
Spell Bound by Kelley Armstrong (Women of the Otherworld #12)
Ghost Story by Jim Butcher (Dresden Files #13)
Rush of Pleasure by Rhyannon Byrd (Primal Instinct)
Den of Thieves by David Chandler (Ancient Blades #1)
Bloodlands by Christine Cody (Bloodlands #1)
Dead Alert by Bianca D’Arc (Dead #3)
Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep (Mythos Academy #1)
Seduce Me in Flames by Jacquelyn Frank (Three Worlds #2)
Bound By Moonlight by Nancy Gideon
Shadow Fall by Seressia Glass
Hard Spell by Justin Gustainis
Sympathy for the Devil by Justin Gustainis
Black Night by Christina Henry (Wings #2)
Wicked in Your Arms by Sophie Jordan
Kill the Dead by Richard Kadrey (Sandman Slim)
Wildefire by Karsten Knight
Germline by TC McCarthy (The Subterrene War)
Another Kind of Dead by Kelly Meding (Dreg City #3)
Eye of the Tempest by Nicole Peeler (Jane True #4)
The Lost by Caridad Piñeiro
Let It Bleed by Jeri Smith-Ready (WVMP Vamps #4)
Shadowflame by Dianne Sylvan (Shadow World #2)

Here are a few other places with their own September releases: io9, Wicked Little Pixie, All Things Urban Fantasy, Tez Says.

New Release Dates:
I’ve finally gotten the New Releases page updated. A printable version of the New Releases page was requested on facebook awhile back and that is now available. For a listing of all the novels that were added, click here, here, here and here. Here’s a few more:

08/02/11: The Marked Son by Shea Berkley (Keepers of Life #1)
08/02/11: Resurrection by Boone Brux (A Bringer and the Bane Novel #1)
08/02/11: Luck of the Devil by Patricia Elmer (Luck of the Devil #1)
08/02/11: Night Walker by Lisa Kessler (The Night Series #1)
08/02/11: Blood of the Demon by Rosalie Lario (Demons of Infernum #1)

09/08/11: Damage by Anya Parrish
09/13/11: Blood and Other Cravings an anthology featuring Elizabeth Bear, Richard Bowes, Kathe Koja, Margo Lanagan, Carol Emshwiller, and Lisa Tuttle
09/27/11: If I Die by Rachel Vincent (Soul Screamers #5)

10/01/11: The First Time an anthology featuring Stacy Jay, Carrie Ryan, Jessica Verday, Jackson Pearce

11/01/11: Wicked Women Whodunit an anthology featuring MaryJanice Davidson, Amy Garvey, Jennifer Apodaca and Nancy J. Cohen

12/27/11: The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers by Lynn Weingarten
12/31/11: Hidden by Kelley Armstrong

2012: Mammoth Book of Ghost Romance an anthology featuring Carolyn Crane

01/01/12: Changing Dawn by Dani Harper (Changeling #3)
01/03/12: City of the Lost by Stephen Blackmoore
01/03/12: Dust of the Damned by Peter Brandvold
01/03/12: Flashfire by Deborah Cooke
01/03/12: All That Bleeds by Kimberly Frost
01/03/12: Sisterhood of Dune by Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson
01/24/12: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

02/01/12: Halflings by Heather Burch
02/07/12: Underwater Love by MaryJanice Davidson
02/07/12: Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
02/07/12: Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood (Cahill Witch Chronicles #1)
02/07/12: Inked Magic by Jory Strong
02/14/12: Arcadia Awakens by Kai Meyer
02/28/12: On Midnight Wings by Adrian Phoenix (Makers Song #5)

03/06/12: The Royal Pain by MaryJanice Davidson

04/03/12: Fear by Michael Grant (Gone)
04/10/12: The Calling by Kelley Armstrong (Darkness Rising)
04/17/12: The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting
04/17/12: Glimmer by Phoebe Kitanidis

From the Author Sites

Kelley Armstrong will be releasing Spell Bound on July 26th and to get ready for it, her publisher has arranged for a live Twitter chat to take place on July 19th starting at 4pm est.  For those interested in attending, Kelley’s handles is @KelleyArmstrong and they’ll be using the hashtag #Otherworld.

In more fabulous Kelley news, she’s getting together with Subterranean Press again and they will be releasing a new Elena story during the Christmas season. The artist who did Becoming, Xaviere Daumarie, will be doing the artwork for Hidden.

Clay has arranged for a special family Christmas, just the four of them at a cottage near Algonquin Park. Naturally, it does not go nearly as well as he hoped, and they have to call in reinforcements from the Pack.

Rachel Vincent has an electric new website.  Another website getting a makeover is Laurell K Hamilton’s.  She seems to have done a complete overhaul and honestly, it’s way better than what it was before.

Kimberly Frost released the cover and blurb for her upcoming novel, All That Bleeds, which releases January 3rd.

In a glittering community in the Colorado Rockies called the Etherlin, the modern descendants of the ancient muses live behind a wall that separates them from the world and the dangerous creatures who crave them.

Alissa North is inspiration made flesh, so she should never have met Merrick, a deadly half-vampire enforcer, but when they do meet, the connection is instantaneous, and an illicit flirtation is born. He sends her secret gifts. She writes him secret letters.

The long-distance friendship was never supposed to go any farther. But when she is kidnapped and thrown briefly into his world, everything changes. Now Alissa realizes he’s the only person she can trust, and Merrick finds he’ll do anything to protect her, even risk his life by crossing the wall.

As both worlds close in on them, Alissa knows that getting caught with Merrick could cost her everything she’s ever cared about, but giving him up proves harder than she ever imagined…

Anne Bishop has some fabulous news on her website. She is currently working on a new series involving a whole new world set in the Courtyards.  Bishop is classifying her new series as dark urban fantasy with wolves that actually do howl.

New Excerpts or Reading for Free

Nene Thomas has a fabulous story, Powerborn, posted on her website. A print version is in the works with a gorgeous dust jacket that Thomas has done herself. A release date has not been announced yet.

Christina Henry has posted the first chapter to Black Night, which is due to release July 26th.

Lauren Dane has been posting excerpts like crazy.  Check these out:

• an excerpt from her novel, Heart of Darkness, which is due to release November 1st.
• an excerpt posted for Once and Again, due out August 30th
• an excerpt from Never Again, which will be released September 6th.
• an excerpt from her first Brown Siblings novel, Laid Bare

Chloe Neill has posted the first chapter to Drink Deep, which releases in November.

Kelley Armstrong has posted the first and second chapters to an Online Story that is narrated by Derek from the Darkest Powers.

If you get Maria Snyder’s newsletter, then you already know she’s been releasing chapters from her latest Study novella, Ice Study.  Happy days are here – Snyder has posted the novella in its entirety.  If you’ve been wanting more Valek, here’s your chance.  Yelena and Valek are back in Ice Study.

Maria Snyder has posted a new near-future SciFi story, Protect the Children, that originally appeared in Seton Hill’s literary magazine, Eye Contact.

Jim Butcher has posted a couple of chapters from his next Dresden novel, Ghost Story, which releases July 26th. You can read Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 here.

Carrie Vaughn has posted the first chapter to the next Kitty Norville novel, Kitty’s Big Trouble, which is due out June 28th.

Cynthia Eden has posted a new excerpt from her upcoming novel, Never Cry Wolf, which was recently released.

Diana Pharaoh Francis has posted another snippet from the third Horngate Witches novel, Shadow City, which is set to release on December 27th.

HarperCollins has posted the first chapter (if not more) of Jocelynn Drake’s Burn the Night, the final Dark Days novel, which releases July 26th.

Ilona Andrews has posted an excerpt from her next Edge novel, Fate’s Edge, which releases November 29th.

Jenna Black has posted a teaser for her final Feariewalker novel, Sirensong, which releases July 5th.

Jim C. Hines has posted an alternate opening to his next Princess novel, The Snow Queen’s Shadow, which releases July 5th.

Kalayna Price has posted the first chapter to her second Alex Craft novel, Grave Dance, which is due to release July 5th.

Larissa’s Bookish Life has an original scene featuring Mira and Dananus from Jocelynn Drake’s Dark Days series.

Rachel Vincent is posting the fourth chapter to Trial by Fire by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, which was released today.

Shiloh Walker has posted an excerpt and a snippet from her fifth Grimm Circle novel, Locked in Silence, which is due to release September 20th. Can you guess which fairy tale our next Grimm is from?  Shiloh has also posted a snippet from her recent release, Hunter’s Fall.

Suvudu has posted an excerpt from Christopher Paolini’s fourth Inheritance Cycle novel, Inheritance, which is set to release on November 8th.

Tor.com has posted Jenna Black’s Nine-Tenths of the Law, from the anthology Chicks Kick Butt, which was just released.

Virna DePaul has posted Wraith Awakening, a free novella that is a prequel to her new novel, Chosen by Blood.

Yasmine Galenorn has been posting snippets from her upcoming Indigo Court novel, Night Veil, which releases July 5th.  You can read them here, here, here and here.

What Bears Repeating

Devon Monk announced the title for the eight Allie Beckstrom novel.  We’ll be able to read Magic Without Mercy in April 2012.

Fabulous news for fans of Vicki Pettersson.  The Zodiac series has officially ended with the release of The Neon Graveyard, but never fear, we will have more from the wonderful Pettersson.  The first novel in her new series, Celestial Blues, will be released in 2012.  Here’s what we know so far:

Celestial Blues is a dark fantasy trilogy featuring a whole new world and cast of characters. Unlike my lone UF heroine, Joanna Archer, Celestial Blues features a partnership between a supernatural private eye and a rockabilly reporter with a real nose for trouble. Despite the narrative shift, rest assured that the dark worldbuilding, the noir Vegas setting, and the imaginary hairpin turns are all still firmly in place.

Jeaniene Frost is still working on a title for the first Vlad novel, but we now have a series name!  The first novel in the Night Prince series is slated for spring/summer 2012 and the second book will appear after Night Huntress #7.

Fabulous news for Carolyn Crane – her Disillusionists series has been optioned for film!  Now while this doesn’t guarantee it’ll make it to the screen, it’s one step closer than a lot of other series.

Fantastic news for fans of Michelle Rowen’s Immortality Bites series.  Rowen has been contracted to write two novels in a new series featuring Sarah and Thierry, but in a totally different series than what Immortality Bites is.  Instead of a paranormal romance, these new novels will be paranormal mysteries; so while they involve a familiar couple, don’t expect the stories to be the same.  The first novel in the Blood Bath & Beyond series will come out Summer 2012.

Jackie Kessler announced the title to her fourth Horsemen of the Apocalypse novel over at the Deadline Dames.  The fourth Riders title is Breath and I’m thinking it may have something to do with Death – Hunger (Famine), Rage (War), Loss (The Conqueror/Pestilence) and Breath (Death).

Karen Mahoney has fabulous news! Remember her heroine, Moth, from the story Falling to Ash from the Eternal Kiss anthology?  If you loved her, which I did, then you should be excited to hear that she’s getting her own series!  Moth’s story will be told in the Beautiful Ghosts series and the first novel will be out in 2012.

Featured Book: Inked Magic by Jory Strong

Skin didn’t lie to her. It was her gift, sometimes her curse. To feel what others felt. To see the things held in their memories…

With the touch of her palms to the skin of a crime victim, San Francisco tattoo artist Etaín can see the faces of the guilty and draw them. Changeling elf but unaware of it, at odds with her police captain father and FBI brother, magic and gift have put her on the path of two compelling men.

Cathal Dunne, the son of an Irish mob boss, needs Etaín’s help finding the rapists who left his cousin for dead. Eamon, a powerful elf lord, is determined to make her his consort-wife.

Her gift once made permanence impossible when it came to a lover. Now as she approaches the transition to fully Elven, her survival depends on keeping two. One of the men is willing to share her. The other isn’t—until the search for a sexual predator turns deadly—and only by paying magic’s price will there be any future at all.

This Month’s Reviews

Peacebreakers by M. MacKay
Mercy Blade by Faith Hunter
Three to Tango (Anthology)
Burn the Night by Jocelynn Drake
Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep
Blue by Lou Aronica
Knight’s Blood by Jason Leary
In Dreams Begin by Skylar White
Deceived by the Others by Jess Haines
Summer’s Crossing by Julie Kagawa

From the Reader

As if anyone needs 47 reasons to love Joss Whedaon, BuddyTV is listing them all out for you.

If you’ve been needing a reason to see Fright Night, here’s four of them for you.  All I have to say is thank you Blastr for posting these fabulous posters for Fright Night.  David Tennant and Colin Farrell are just yummy!

io9 has the list of the 2011 Locus Award winners. Big congrats to Tor for taking the award for Best Book Publisher!

It seems like everyone is getting involved in graphic novels, especially after launching new television series. Suvudu has the news that George RR Martin’s Game of Thrones will be the next novel to turn to artwork.

Babbling About Books has posted another fabulous WTF or Not? You Decide. I have to say, for anyone with a gamer husband, Katie has found something they might be amused with.

Who doesn’t love Johnny Depp?  Blastr is giving you 35 reasons why you should be watching his movies.  *grin*

Stumbling Over Chaos has another fabulous Misadventures in Stock Photography, which this edition featuring Slouching Open Black Jacket Guy (SOBJG).

Here’s something for the guys….it’s not an image, but Blastr has the scoop on what Catwoman’s costume will look like.

All Things Urban Fantasy and Dark Faerie Tales has teamed up to bring us a month of Deadly Destinations.  Take a tour through 62 different worlds that will be releasing this summer.  They are also giving away 175 different books during the event, so make sure you keep checking them out.

Author Appearances

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

• Adrian Phoenix, author of Black Heart Loa – Dark Faerie Tales, Bitten by Books
• Alix Rickoff, author of Lord of Shadows – Dark Faerie Tales
• Bronwen Evans, author of Invitation to Ruin – Cynthia Eden’s blog
• Caridad Pinerio, author of The Lost – Cynthia Eden’s blog
• Carolyn Crane, author of Double Cross – Romance Books Forum
• Carrie Vaughn, author of Kitty’s Big Trouble – Tor.com, Nocturne Reads
• Cornelia Funke, author of Reckless – Book Chick City
• Cynthia Eden, author of Never Cry Wolf – Borders True Romance, Amberkatze’s Book Blog
• Dani Harper, author of Changeling Moon – Borders True Romance, Cynthia Eden’s blog
• Diana Gabaldon, author of Outlander (20th Anniversary Edition) – Murder Mystery and Mayhem
• Eileen Wilks, author of Death Magic – Larissa’s Bookish Life
• Elisabeth Naughton, author of Marked – Cynthia Eden’s blog
• Ellen Datlow, editor of Naked City: Tales of Urban Fantasy – Underwords
• Greg Van Eekhout, author of The Boy at the End of the World – Tor.com
• Jocelynn Drake, author of Burn the Night – Book Obsession
• Laura Kaye, author of Hearts In Darkness – Patricia’s Vampire Notes
• Laurell K Hamilton, author of Hit List – B&N Community
• Lorelei James, author of Chasin’ Eight: – The Book Pushers
• Maria Snyder, author of Outside In – Romancing the Book
• Merrie Destefano, author of Feast – Tez Says, Bitten by Books
• Mira Grant, author of Deadline – Orbit
• Nina Croft, author of Chosen – Paperback Dolls
• Yasmine Galenorn, author of Night Veil – Deadline Dames

Contests

Marta Acosta is giving away an ARC of Haunted Honeymoon – ends July 15th.

Read Me Bookmark Me Love Me is giving away copies of Maria Snyder’s Inside Out and Outside In – ends July 23rd.

GoodReads is giving away 10 copies of Lisa Desrochers’ Personal Demons – ends July 30th.

Supernatural Underground is giving away a copy of Leah Cypess’ Nightspell – ends July 10th.

Dark Faerie Tales is giving away two copies of MaryJanice Davidson’s Undead and Undetermined – ends July 19th.

Amberkatze’s Book Blog is giving away a fabulous UF/PNR novel – ends July 12th.