Cover Art

Cover Art & Synopsis | The Dragons of Ordinary Farm by Tad Williams

By Aidan Moher March 22nd, 2009

Though I’m eagerly awaiting the final volume in Tad William’s Shadowmarch trilogy (Shadowrise, not due out until 2010), I’m glad to see he has more on his plate. The Dragons of Ordinary Farm is the first volume (of a planned five) in a new YA series by Williams, called Ordinary Farm

The Dragons of Ordinary Farm by Tad Williams and Deborah Beale

Tyler and Lucinda have to spend summer vacation with their ancient uncle Gideon, a farmer. They think they’re in for six weeks of cows, sheep, horses, and pigs. But when they arrive in deserted Standard Valley, California, they discover that Ordinary Farm is, well, no ordinary farm.

The bellowing in the barn comes not from a cow but from a dragon. The thundering herd in the valley? Unicorns. Uncle Gideon’s sprawling farmhouse never looks the same twice. Plus, there’s a flying monkey, a demon squirrel, and a barnload of unlikely farmhands with strange accents and even stranger powers.

At first, the whole place seems like a crazy adventure. But when darker secrets begin to surface and Uncle Gideon and his fabulous creatures are threatened, Lucinda and Tyler have to pull together to take action. Will two ordinary kids be able to save the dragons, the farm – and themselves?

The Dragons of Ordinary Farm is co-written by Tad’s wife, Deborah Beale, and will be released in June in the US and August in the UK.

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An Aside | News about Tobias Buckell’s Upcoming Novels

By Aidan Moher March 20th, 2009

Cover of Sly Mongoose by Tobias BuckellTobias Buckell, author of Crystal Rain and Halo: The Cole Protocol, has some interesting news about his shift in focus for his upcoming novels. Fans of his Xenowealth saga will be disappointed to hear that further novels in that series, Duppy Conqueror and Desolation’s Gap, are being put on hold. Most interesting, though, is the reason why he’s put them on the shelf.

So a few sharp eyed folks noticed the title of the novel I was working on, Arctic Rising, is not the title of the novel I’d previously mentioned as coming up next, which was Duppy Conqueror.

…

Sadly, the sales have not been as strong as everyone around me wanted. Crystal Rain did somewhat okay in hardcover in libraries and online sales, but not as much on the book shelves (particularly at Borders). It did get Wal-Mart distribution in paperback, however, which was nice. Ragamuffin, sadly, suffered from very low orders (almost no presence in Borders in hardcover) and limped out there. Sly Mongoose was a nice rebound in the big picture, selling more copies than Ragamuffin but not quite as much as Crystal Rain: but mostly online. Sly Mongoose was hardly carried in actual bookstores, but has sold fairly briskly online. Last checked, I think over 60% of sales have been online with Sly.

It’s been a symptom of: bookstores order 100, sell 50, then order 50 the next time, and sell 25, and then for the third book order 12.

Sly Mongoose got incredible reviewer love, my agent and editor both are happy with everything I’ve done. About half or more of my income, despite the slowing bookstore orders, still comes from writing novels. So I’ve been pretty chipper. But as I finished the Halo book and looked back at restarting Duppy Conqueror, which I have somewhere between 10-20,000 words of, my editor and I sat down to chart out what we could do to get bookstores re-interested in me (particularly now that I had NY Bestseller next to my name with the Halo novel).

This is frustrating, for obvious reasons. As Buckell mentions, his first three novels, Crystal Rain, Ragamuffin and Sly Mongoose got a lot of love from reviewers and hardcore SF fans, but in the end, it’s the bookstores and libraries that make the calls. I remember how difficult it was to get a copy of his books from my local bookstores; Hell, I’ve seen more foreign language copies in countries like Poland and the Czech Republic than I have here in Canada.

I suppose it’s a bit of a humbling moment for us bloggers, though. As much as we love a novel, as much as we might push an author, we’re just one small voice in the literary sea.

The Cole Protocol by Tobias Buckell

So my editor, agent and I, decided to reboot. We didn’t want to change my name (this is usually what authors do at this point to ‘fool’ the bookstores, often quite successfully), but send a signal with whatever I work on next that I’m doing something different, that is not associated with the Space Opera series to see if we can dream a bit bigger and go for the brass ring. I had two novels I owe Tor still, so why not?

…

We settled on Arctic Rising. Since writing Mitigation (soon to be in one of the Year’s Best anthologies) with Karl Schroeder and Stochasticity for Metatropolis, I’ve wanted to write some nearer future stuff that took advantage of a great deal of research I’ve been doing. Arctic Rising, if you’re read Mitigation, will be very familiar. It’s a novel about the resource rush to develop the north polar region after the ice melts.

And yes, there will be blimps.

I’m playing with ideas about seasteading, climate adaptation and mitigation, re-terraforming, future politics, post-democratic tribalism and feretting out really cool ways to blow shit up in the 30-50 year timeline.

This will most likely be out in 2010, not 2009. But both my agent and editor think it’s pretty groovy, though all I gave them was a fairly odd first chapter (since ditched as I found my bearings) and the pitch.

I’ve described it to my friends as “if Michael Chricton was on crack and hadn’t disbelieved in the concept of global warming, and he collaborated with Bruce Sterling at the height of cyberpunk, you’d get Arctic Rising.”

So far, 6 chapters in, it’s been a great deal of fun to write.

As unsettling as the reasons for leaving the Xenowealth books behind are, I have to admit that Arctic Rising sounds intriguing. One of the strengths of Buckell’s Xenowealth saga was that each of the novels stood up on their own, with only loose connections to one another. This means that, unlike many other series, fans won’t be left hanging as they wait for the (hopefully) eventual release of Duppy Conqueror and Desolation’s Gap.

Buckell’s in a nice position, though. If most authors saw declining sales, they’d be lucky to get a chance to turn it around – goes to show the type of respect and confidence that Tor has in Buckell. Regardless of what he’s writing, I expect Buckell will continue to impress. Hopefully the success of Halo: The Cole Protocol is only the beginning and Buckell gets the wider recognition he deserves.

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An Aside | 2009 Hugo Award Nominees

By Aidan Moher March 19th, 2009

Hugo Nominations are out!

From AnticipationSF:

Best Novel
(639 Ballots / Bulletins)
Anathem by Neal Stephenson (Morrow; Atlantic UK)
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (HarperCollins; Bloomsbury)
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow (Tor) — Free download
Saturn’s Children by Charles Stross (Ace; Orbit)
Zoe’s Tale by John Scalzi (Tor)

Best Novella
(337 Ballots / Bulletins)
“The Erdmann Nexus” by Nancy Kress (Asimov’s Oct/Nov 2008)
“The Political Prisoner” by Charles Coleman Finlay (F&SF Aug 2008) – Read Online
“The Tear” by Ian McDonald (Galactic Empires)
“True Names” by Benjamin Rosenbaum & Cory Doctorow (Fast Forward 2) — Free download
“Truth” by Robert Reed (Asimov’s Oct/Nov 2008)

Best Novelette
(373 Ballots / Bulletins)
“Alastair Baffle’s Emporium of Wonders” by Mike Resnick (Asimov’s Jan 2008) — Read Online
“The Gambler” by Paolo Bacigalupi (Fast Forward 2) — Read Online
“Pride and Prometheus” by John Kessel (F&SF Jan 2008)
“The Ray-Gun: A Love Story” by James Alan Gardner (Asimov’s Feb 2008) — Read Online
“Shoggoths in Bloom” by Elizabeth Bear (Asimov’s Mar 2008) — Read Online

Best Short Story
(448 Ballots / Bulletins)
“26 Monkeys, Also the Abyss” by Kij Johnson (Asimov’s Jul 2008) — Read Online
“Article of Faith” by Mike Resnick (Baen’s Universe Oct 2008)
“Evil Robot Monkey” by Mary Robinette Kowal (The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction, Volume Two)
“Exhalation” by Ted Chiang (Eclipse Two)
“From Babel’s Fall’n Glory We Fled” by Michael Swanwick (Asimov’s Feb 2008)

Best Related Book
(263 Ballots / Bulletins)
Rhetorics of Fantasy by Farah Mendlesohn (Wesleyan University Press)
Spectrum 15: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art by Cathy & Arnie Fenner, eds. (Underwood Books)
The Vorkosigan Companion: The Universe of Lois McMaster Bujold by Lillian Stewart Carl & John Helfers, eds. (Baen)
What It Is We Do When We Read Science Fiction by Paul Kincaid (Beccon Publications)
Your Hate Mail Will be Graded: A Decade of Whatever, 1998-2008 by John Scalzi (Subterranean Press)

Best Graphic Story
(212 Ballots / Bulletins)
The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle Written by Jim Butcher, art by Ardian Syaf (Del Rey/Dabel Brothers Publishing)
Girl Genius, Volume 8: Agatha Heterodyne and the Chapel of Bones Written by Kaja & Phil Foglio, art by Phil Foglio, colors by Cheyenne Wright (Airship Entertainment)
Fables: War and Pieces Written by Bill Willingham, pencilled by Mark Buckingham, art by Steve Leialoha and Andrew Pepoy, color by Lee Loughridge, letters by Todd Klein (DC/Vertigo Comics)
Schlock Mercenary: The Body Politic Story and art by Howard Tayler (The Tayler Corporation)
Serenity: Better Days Written by Joss Whedon & Brett Matthews, art by Will Conrad, color by Michelle Madsen, cover by Jo Chen (Dark Horse Comics)
Y: The Last Man, Volume 10: Whys and Wherefores Written/created by Brian K. Vaughan, pencilled/created by Pia Guerra, inked by Jose Marzan, Jr. (DC/Vertigo Comics)

Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form
(436 Ballots / Bulletins)
The Dark Knight Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer, story; Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, screenplay; based on characters created by Bob Kane; Christopher Nolan, director (Warner Brothers)
Hellboy II: The Golden Army Guillermo del Toro & Mike Mignola, story; Guillermo del Toro, screenplay; based on the comic by Mike Mignola; Guillermo del Toro, director (Dark Horse, Universal)
Iron Man Mark Fergus & Hawk Ostby and Art Marcum & Matt Holloway, screenplay; based on characters created by Stan Lee & Don Heck & Larry Lieber & Jack Kirby; Jon Favreau, director (Paramount, Marvel Studios)
METAtropolis by John Scalzi, ed. Written by: Elizabeth Bear, Jay Lake, Tobias Buckell and Karl Schroeder (Audible Inc)
WALL-E Andrew Stanton & Pete Docter, story; Andrew Stanton & Jim Reardon, screenplay; Andrew Stanton, director (Pixar/Walt Disney)

Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form
(336 Ballots / Bulletins)
“The Constant” (Lost) Carlton Cuse & Damon Lindelof, writers; Jack Bender, director (Bad Robot, ABC studios)
Doctor Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog Joss Whedon, & Zack Whedon, & Jed Whedon & Maurissa Tancharoen , writers; Joss Whedon, director (Mutant Enemy)
“Revelations” (Battlestar Galactica) Bradley Thompson & David Weddle, writers; Michael Rymer, director (NBC Universal)
“Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead” (Doctor Who) Steven Moffat, writer; Euros Lyn, director (BBC Wales)
“Turn Left” (Doctor Who) Russell T. Davies, writer; Graeme Harper, director (BBC Wales)

Best Editor, Short Form
(377 Ballots / Bulletins)
Ellen Datlow
Stanley Schmidt
Jonathan Strahan
Gordon Van Gelder
Sheila Williams

Best Editor, Long Form
(273 Ballots / Bulletins)
Lou Anders
Ginjer Buchanan
David G. Hartwell
Beth Meacham
Patrick Nielsen Hayden

Best Professional Artist
(334 Ballots / Bulletins)
Daniel Dos Santos
Bob Eggleton
Donato Giancola
John Picacio
Shaun Tan

Best Semiprozine
(283 Ballots / Bulletins)
Clarkesworld Magazine edited by Neil Clarke, Nick Mamatas & Sean Wallace
Interzone edited by Andy Cox
Locus edited by Charles N. Brown, Kirsten Gong-Wong, & Liza Groen Trombi
The New York Review of Science Fiction edited by Kathryn Cramer, Kris Dikeman, David G. Hartwell, & Kevin J. Maroney
Weird Tales edited by Ann VanderMeer & Stephen H. Segal

Best Fanzine
(257 Ballots / Bulletins)
Argentus edited by Steven H Silver
Banana Wings edited by Claire Brialey and Mark Plummer
Challenger edited by Guy H. Lillian III
The Drink Tank edited by Chris Garcia
Electric Velocipede edited by John Klima
File 770 edited by Mike Glyer

Best Fan Writer
(291 Ballots / Bulletins)
Chris Garcia
John Hertz
Dave Langford
Cheryl Morgan
Steven H Silver

Best Fan Artist
(187 Ballots / Bulletins)
Alan F. Beck
Brad W. Foster
Sue Mason
Taral Wayne
Frank Wu

The John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer
(288 Ballots / Bulletins)
Aliette de Bodard
David Anthony Durham
Felix Gilman
Tony Pi
Gord Sellar

Congrats to everyone nominated! An extra special congrats to David Anthony Durham, Lou Anders, The Dabel Brothers, Michael Swanwick, Tobias Buckell and all of the others who have helped A Dribble of Ink out in the past!

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Free Readin’ | Paul Jessup’s Favourite Novels

By Aidan Moher March 18th, 2009

Paul Jessup, novelist and prolific blogger, has put together a list of his favourite novels available for free in e-Book form.

So, last week I showed you some links to grab some free literature in ebook format. But browsing those sites can be a little like drinking from the fire hose, it’s hard to tell what’s out there and what’s good. So, today I’ll be posting some of my favorite free ebooks and links where you can grab them*. Feel free to leave your own links in the comments. And remember, these aren’t books I just like, these are books I love to pieces

The list includes everything from Cory Doctorow’s Little Brother, Naomi Novik’s His Majesty’s Dragon, George MacDonald’s Lilith and Edgar Allan Poe’s Murders in the Rue Morgue. On top of these, there are about two dozen others available completely for free.

Check out the whole list HERE.

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An Aside | SyFy? Really? (or, ‘Why Marketing Execs Shouldn’t Drink on the Job’)

By Aidan Moher March 16th, 2009

SyFy LogoIn one of the most ill-advised marketing moves ever, the US based SciFi Channel is rebranding itself as SyFy.

From TV Week:

In some universe, the name “Syfy” is less geeky than the name “Sci Fi.” Dave Howe, president of the Sci Fi Channel, is betting it’s this one.

To that end, the 16-year-old network—owned by NBC Universal—plans to announce that Syfy is its new name March 16 at its upfront presentation to advertisers in New York.

Erm… really? SyFy is less geeky than SciFi Channel? Really?

And even if it is, do they not realize that their target audience is, um… geeks?

Sci Fi is coming off the best year in its history. In primetime it ranked 13th in total viewers among ad-supported cable networks in 2008. It’s a top-10 network in both adults 18 to 49 (up 4%) and adults 25 to 54 (up 6%).

Geez, only their most successful year ever? Of course it’s time to rebrand!

“The name Sci Fi has been associated with geeks and dysfunctional, antisocial boys in their basements with video games and stuff like that, as opposed to the general public and the female audience in particular,” said TV historian Tim Brooks, who helped launch Sci Fi Channel when he worked at USA Network.

Mr. Brooks said that when people who say they don’t like science fiction enjoy a film like “Star Wars,” they don’t think it’s science fiction; they think it’s a good movie.

“We spent a lot of time in the ’90s trying to distance the network from science fiction, which is largely why it’s called Sci Fi,” Mr. Brooks said. “It’s somewhat cooler and better than the name ‘Science Fiction.’ But even the name Sci Fi is limiting.”

Mr. Howe said going to Syfy will make a difference.

Yes. Going to an awkward misspelling of a ubiquitously geeky term is going to make all the difference in the world. In fact, it might even make up for the fact that all their current viewers won’t have to tune into SyFy anymore for Battlestar Gallactica, considering it’s nearing its final episode.

At least they didn’t alienate their target audience by calling them ‘geeks and dysfunctional, antisocial boys in their basements with video games and stuff like that’.

Oh wait….

The network worked with the branding consultancy Landor Associates and went through about 300 possibilities before selecting Syfy.

“When we tested this new name, the thing that we got back from our 18-to-34 techno-savvy crowd, which is quite a lot of our audience, is actually this is how you’d text it,” Mr. Howe said. “It made us feel much cooler, much more cutting-edge, much more hip, which was kind of bang-on what we wanted to achieve communication-wise.”

Uh… there is just so much wrong with that bolded part that even I’m not going to go there.

To rub further dirt in the wound, Syfy is a Polish word (the pluaral of Syf) which means:

dirt, filth, grime
(colloquial) pimple, spot
(colloquial, vulgar) syphilis

Naming your Television channel after a Polish slang term for Syphilis, really classy guys. Way to do your homework.

“We need an umbrella brand we can attach to new businesses: Sci Fi games, Sci Fi kids. It does no use to attach ‘Sci Fi’ because there’s hundreds of sci-fi Web sites and sci-fi publications. So it’s changing your name without changing your name,” Mr. Howe said.

Great! SyFy Kids! Who wouldn’t want their kids playing with that?

I think the lesson here is simple: don’t let your marketing team drink on the job. Or name your Television channel after a venereal disease. Or based on how someone would TEXT IT.