… is the latest crossgenre anthology from Gardner Dozois and yours truly. This one is called DOWN THESE STRANGE STREETS, and in its pages you’ll find another all star roster of writers, with a mixture of urban fantasy, science fiction, hardboiled mystery, noir, paranormal romance, historicals, and fantasy PI stories.

The lineup includes a Lord John novella from Diana Gabaldon, a SPQR story by John Maddox Roberts, a True Blood story by Charlaine Harris, a Garrett tale from Glen Cook, an Edge story from Melinda Snodgrass, a Gordianus yarn from Steven Saylor, an incredible WWII mystery novella by Bradley Denton, a Joe Lansdale story than can only be described as Gonzo Lovecraft, and wonderful contributions from Carrie Vaughn, Conn Iggulden, Simon R. Green, Laurie R. King, Lisa Tuttle, M.L.N. Hanover, Patricia Briggs,and S.M. Stirling.

The complete table of contents:

– “The Bastard Stepchild” (introduction), by George R.R. Martin
– “Death by Dahlia,” by Charlaine Harris
– “The Bleeding Shadow,” by Joe R. Lansdale
– “Hungry Heart,” by Simon R. Green
– “Styx and Stones,” by Steven Saylor
– “Pain and Suffering,” by S.M. Stirling
– “It’s Still the Same Old Story,” by Carrie Vaughn
– “The Lady Is a Screamer,” by Conn Iggulden
– “Hellbender,”by Laurie R. King
– “Shadow Thieves,” by Glen Cook
– “No Mystery, No Miracle,” by Melinda Snodgrass
– “The Difference Between a Puzzle and a Mystery,” by M.L.N. Hanover
– “The Curious Affair of the Deodand,” by Lisa Tuttle
– “Lord John and the Plague of Zombies,” by Diana Gabaldon
– “Beware the Snake,” by John Maddox Roberts
– “In Red, With Pearls,” by Patricia Briggs
– “The Adakian Eagle,” by Bradley Denton

Look for DOWN THESE STRANGE STREETS at your favorite bookstore this fall.

Current Mood: null

For my readers overseas…

The drumbeat for GAME OF THRONES has started on the other side of the pond.

Here’s a Spanish translation of “Inside Game of Thrones” from Canal+, who’ll be televising the series in Spain.

<lj-embed id=”131″/>

And for my friends and fans in the UK and Ireland, we have the first trailer from Sky Atlantic:

<lj-embed id=”132″/>

Enjoy.

Current Mood: null

… but they play them on TV.

Maisie Williams, Isaac Hempstead-Wright, and Sophie Turner were strangers when they were cast, respectively, as Arya, Bran, and Sansa Stark, but the three have since become fast friends, which I think is cool. They even like to hang when they’re not working.

Anyway, Sophie Turner’s mum Sally sent me this picture of their latest get-together, and I wanted to share it with my readers.

The fourth member of the quartet is the newest member of the Turner family — Zunni, the dog who played Lady. Sophie and Sally adopted her after the show wrapped.

Current Mood: null

Yes, of course I watched the Superbowl. I’m a football fan. Pro football, anyway. I always watch the Superbowl.

It wasn’t a blowout, as so many Superbowls have been in the past. Looked like it might turn into that early on, when the Packers opened up a big early lead, but the Steelers came back in the second half and for a while it looked as though they might snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

It wasn’t a thriller either. Not one of the great contests. Mediocre play, for the most part. The last few SBs have spoiled us. Kind of a yawner.

But maybe that’s because I had no strong rooting interest. It’s amazing how big a difference that can make. The games that involve me most are those featuring one of my teams, of course… but I can also get pretty worked up by a contest featuring one of the “bad guy” teams I love to hate, like the Cowboys or the Pats. In those, at least, I have someone to root against. The Steelers and the Pack, though… don’t love ’em, don’t hate ’em, so it’s hard to stay emotionally involved.

I do like good play, no matter who’s involved, but there weren’t many spectacular plays in this SB either. Nothing to compare to the Tyree catch or the Santonio Holmes reception.

Even the commercials seemed kind of boring this year. I’ve already forgotten most of ’em.

That being said, I’m sure you Terrible Towel Wavers out there are crushed right now, and all you Cheeseheads are telling each other this was the best SB even. So condolences to the former, and congrats to the latter.

Next year I want Jets v, Giants. Subway Superbowl!!!

Current Mood: null

Whether you’re an Ice & Fire reader or a funny book fan or both, I have cool news for you. A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE is coming to comics. Random House/ Bantam Books has acquired the rights to do a graphic adaptation of the series, to be published as monthly comics (in partnership with Dynamite Entertainment) and as graphic novels in trade paperback format.

The comics will be scripted by DANIEL ABRAHAM, who should need no introduction to regular readers of this blog… but I’ll give him one anyway. Daniel is the author of ten books and more than thirty short stories, under his own name and the pseudonyms M.L.N. Hanover and James S.A. Corey (with Ty Franck). He has been nominated for the Hugo, the Nebula, and the World Fantasy awards, and won the International Horror Guild Award. Daniel’s previous comic work includes the adaptation of my historical horror novel FEVRE DREAM for Avatar, and the original Wild Cards series THE HARD CALL for Dynamite and DBPro. When not adapating my fantasy series, he’s presently writing his own, THE DAGGER AND THE COIN.

The series will be drawn by artist TOMMY PATTERSON, who won the gig over more than a dozen other artists from around the world who applied for the assignment and submitted samples. With so much top rank talent to pick from, it was a tough choice, but Daniel and I and our editors at Bantam and Dynamite were all knocked out by the character sketchs and sample pages that Tommy submitted.

JON SNOW

Tommy’s previous credits include FARSCAPE for Boom! Studios, the movie adaptation THE WARRIORS for Dynamite Entertainment, and TALES FROM WONDERLAND, THE WHITE KNIGHT, RED ROSE, and STINGERS from Zenescope Entertainment. He holds a BS in Studio Art and also works as a graphic designer. Patterson lives in Western Kentucky with his wife and daughter.

TYRION LANNISTER

The first issue of the monthly comic is scheduled to be published by Dynamite Entertainment in late spring 2011. The graphic novel compilations will be published by Bantam.

*** And yes, for those who were wondering, this was one of the infamous Two Big Announcements that I was originally hoping to make during my visit to Los Angeles in early January, before my holidays in the hospital knocked all my plans off the rails.

Current Mood: null