May 15, 2013
The Button Man and the Murder Tree
An all-new Wild Cards story
May 14, 2013
Shall We Gather
When one world brushes another, asking the right question can be magic…
May 8, 2013
Fire Above, Fire Below
The dragon below our city has died. What is to be done?
May 7, 2013
We Have Always Lived On Mars
They've never seen the sky. Or the sun. Or the stars. Or the moons.
Book Expo America 2013 takes place in New York City from May 29th to June 1st and Tor Books will be there! Take a look below to see which Tor authors, editors, and more will be appearing. Meet Brandon Sanderson, Ellen Datlow, Kendare Blake, and more!
Tor Books will also be present in the Macmillan section at booth 1557 for the entirety of the conference. Stop by and say hello!
May has always been a packed time for steampunk events, and this year is no exception. With the help of Kevin Steil, the Airship Ambassador and our delightful guest contributor “the Mad Sonictist” Veronique Chevalier, we’ve gathered a listing of top steampunk and of-steampunk-interest festivities from around the world. This month includes nine conventions of all shapes and sizes, from a CthulhuCon / film fest for the Lovecraftians buffs to a cruise along the historic Bridgewater Canal in Manchester, UK.
Did we miss your shindig? Feel free to plug in the comments thread. Any upcoming events for June can also be sent to me at attic.hermit@gmail.com before May 15th to be featured here next month.
All descriptions are taken from the event’s website or Facebook page unless stated otherwise.
Tomorrow night, at Brooklyn’s excellent science fiction bookshop, Singularity & Co., genre fiction readings will get adventurous. In keeping with Singularity & Co.’s “save the sci-fi” campaign the reading series I, Reader asks its readers and performers to select genre fiction they love. And for the month of April, I, Reader is asking its readers to choose their own adventures, which means some actual Choose Your Own Adventure selections will be performed, plus more suprises!
Welcome back to the British Genre Fiction Focus, Tor.com’s weekly column dedicated to news and new releases from the United Kingdom’s thriving speculative fiction industry.
In the spirit of the silly season, this edition begins with a not-news item that appears to have provoked a wide array of reactions. Space bunnies, anyone?
Who wants to go on an airship ride in a California ghost town? Or travel via a historical tram to another world in Amsterdam? Or go to Doctor Who-themed costume ball? All that and more is happening in April. Whether your crew wants to participate in the 2nd annual Airship Games at the Steampunk Empire Symposium, or you just want to spend a nice afternoon in with some tea, cravats, and good company, we have a range of listings big and small from the steampunk community. Thanks always to Kevin Steil, the Airship Ambassador, and our guest contributor, the prolific SF/F author Cat Rambo for helping me gather these from across the aether.
Please give a shout-out in the comments if your event had missed our radar. Want to see your May happening featured here? Drop me a line at attic.hermit@gmail.com by April 15 (tax day!) with the deets.
All descriptions have been adapted from event websites or Facebook pages, unless stated otherwise.
After having been published online as an episodic narrative, John Scalzi’s The Human Division, the latest story set in his Old Man’s War universe, comes out as a full-length novel May 14th. You can check out the first episode here:
You can also follow our ongoing coverage in the Human Division Read-along, and catch him on tour. See if he’s coming to a location near you below the cut.
Come down to Queen Vic Pub (68 2nd Avenue at 4th Street) tomorrow night at 7 p.m. to celebrate the release of Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling’s new gaslamp fantasy anthology, Queen Victoria’s Book of Spells!
The event will feature readings by authors Leanna Renee Hieber, Ellen Kushner, Veronica Shanoes, Delia Sherman, Genevieve Valentine, and editor Ellen Datlow. WORD books will be on hand with copies of the new anthology, and guests are encouraged (but not required) to attend in their steampunk/gaslamp finest. There’s even a Victorian dessert competition—see all of the details and RSVP here!
More than anything, Joel wants to be a Rithmatist. Chosen by the Master in a mysterious inception ceremony, Rithmatists have the power to infuse life into two-dimensional figures known as Chalklings. Rithmatists are humanity’s only defense against the Wild Chalklings—merciless creatures that leave mangled corpses in their wake. Having nearly overrun the territory of Nebrask, the Wild Chalklings now threaten all of the American Isles....
And so begins The Rithmatist, Brandon Sanderson’s new young adult fantasy book, out on May 14th from Tor Books. Read a free excerpt from the novel, pre-order the book from your favorite retailer, and catch Brandon on tour throughout the U.S. in the latter half of May!
Welcome back to the British Genre Fiction Focus, Tor.com’s weekly column dedicated to news and new releases from the United Kingdom’s thriving speculative fiction industry.
This time last week, I was gearing up to pop off on a short holiday. And pop off I did! To the Isle of Skye on the west coast of Scotland, where I celebrated a belated birthday—mine—drank some excellent ale—the Black Cuillin—and read a few phenomenal novels—The Machine by James Smythe and River of Stars by Guy Gavriel Kay. But you know what I didn’t do? What I couldn’t? Check the internet.
Once upon a time, Wednesdays were difficult days... slap bang in the middle of the working week, with no redeeming qualities at all. But those dark ages are finally over, because now, Wednesdays are all about the British Genre Fiction Focus, Tor.com’s weekly column dedicated to news and new releases from the United Kingdom’s thriving speculative fiction industry.
Leading the news this week, a potentially fascinating article about the possibilities of interactive fiction, disdainfully framed, I’m afraid, by a correspondent who takes pains to conflate fantasy authors with amateurs.
I’m sorry, but what?
We have a mission for you: Tell us where to get pie and then come eat it with us!
The next Tor.com meet-up is this Thursday, March 14th, otherwise known as 3.14, otherwise known as PI DAY! As usual we’ll be meeting at our regular party haunt in NYC, Professor Thom’s (219 2nd Avenue between East 13th and 14th Street) The whole Tor.com crew will be at the upstairs bar from 6 through 11 PM, and there will be plenty of snacks, free books and swag on hand, as always. Also PIE! (Also pi, because this party takes place within the known universe.)
We'll be heading out this week to go pick them up, so now is the perfect time to suggest great places in NYC to get pie! Have at it in the comments and check out the event page and totally RSVP.
Kirk/Spock DJ illustration by Chris Whetzel
The weather is getting warmer and the sun is sticking around later, which means it’s time to shake off some cobwebs and party at a Tor.com meet-up! This time, we’re throwing a shindig on Thursday March 14th (3.14), better known to those lovers of maths as Pi Day! As usual we’ll be meeting at our regular party haunt in NYC, Professor Thom’s (219 2nd Avenue between East 13th and 14th Street) The whole Tor.com crew will be at the upstairs bar from 6 through 11 PM, and there will be plenty of snacks, free books and swag on hand, as always. Plus this time, there is a chance you’ll be able to win some free pie!
Please save the date and come on out (and if you follow Tor.com on Facebook, you can check out the event page and totally RSVP). Hope to see you all on Pi Day, March 14th...
Kirk/Spock DJ illustration by Chris Whetzel
In a joint effort between Word Bookstore and Housing Works Bookstore, New York City’s Geek Week will feature a fantastic panel of authors tonight! Called “Dragons in Space Redux,” the panel will feature Myke Cole, Ellen Kushner, and Peter V. Brett and will be moderated by Cici James, co-founder of NYC sci-fi bookshop Singularity & Co. Literary science fiction and fantasy doesn’t get much better than this. The panel starts at 7pm.
Housing Works is offering special deals on all geek books and merchandise, plus, Tor.com is supplying the complimentary wine! If you’re in New York City tonight, this is one all-star event not to miss. Check out the Facebook RSVP here, plus more details on the Housing Works webpage here.
As spring approaches, events come out of the woodwork, it seems. Celebrate Italy’s first steampunk convention or camp out at Old Tuscon’s film studio for a wild good time. Travel with the Tokyo Inventors Society as they travel to New Dublin on their latest adventure. Find a whatchamacallit at the Thingymajigy Fayre in San Antonio. Have a pint with the authors of the upcoming gaslamp fantasy anthology Queen Victoria’s Book of Spells. All this and more has roots out from across the aetherwebz by myself, Kevin Steil the Airship Ambassador, and our guest contributors Ariane Wolfe and Mark Anderson, the founders & co-chairs of the Nova Albion Steampunk Exhibition.
Miss seeing your event here? Feel free to drop a comment below. Want to see yours here for April? Email me at attic.hermit@gmail.com by the ides of March with the details.
The weather is getting warmer and the sun is sticking around later, which means it’s time to shake off some cobwebs and party at a Tor.com meet-up! This time, we’re throwing a shindig on Thursday March 14th (3.14), better known to those lovers of maths as Pi Day! As usual we’ll be meeting at our regular party haunt in NYC, Professor Thom’s (219 2nd Avenue between East 13th and 14th Street) The whole Tor.com crew will be at the upstairs bar from 6 through 11 PM, and there will be plenty of snacks, free books and swag on hand, as always. Plus this time, there is a chance you’ll be able to win some free pie!
Please save the date and come on out (and if you follow Tor.com on Facebook, you can check out the event page and totally RSVP). Hope to see you all on Pi Day, March 14th...
Kirk/Spock DJ illustration by Chris Whetzel
Tomorrow night, at Brooklyn’s excellent science fiction bookshop, Singularity & Co., genre fiction will get lusty! In keeping with Singularity & Co.’s “save the sci-fi” campaign the reading series I, Reader asks its readers and performers to select genre fiction they love. For the month of February, I, Reader will feature four readers sharing genre fiction that’s a little on racy side!
Video from the Seattle University Bookstore signing event for A Memory of Light is now online courtesy of Suvudu and Shawn Speakman and the Q&A portion is jam-packed with information about A Memory of Light, the three Mistborn trilogies, Brandon’s larger cosmere works, and a time frame for when we might expect to see the Wheel of Time Encyclopedia. Watch below.
[Seattle University Bookstore signing event for A Memory of Light]
Tech guru and science fiction author Cory Doctorow will be answering questions on a special Twitter chat this Friday (2/22) at 1pm EST, sponsored by the new reading community, Bookish. Cory will be talking about his new book Homeland (the recently released sequel to Little Brother) as well as taking questions from his fans.
The chat will be hosted by Bookish (@BookishHQ) with the hashtag #BookishChat.
Come talk with Cory on Friday and read an exclusive excerpt of Homeland here!
Tor.com is pleased to announce the tour dates for Mary Robinette Kowal’s Without a Summer, sequel to Glamour in Glass. Without a Summer comes out on April 2nd, and to celebrate Mary Robinette Kowal will be visiting three locations to meet fans and sign books. Check out the full information below.
Homeland, the sequel to Cory Doctorow's wildly successful near-future dystopia Little Brother, will be released on February 5th, and you can catch Doctorow on tour! Information about his signings and appearances are below.
