Not A Blog Policy

March 26, 2015 at 8:32 pm

Time for a reminder, I guess.

There have been too many off topic posts in comments here on the Not A Blog of late.

Partly my fault. I have been getting lax about unscreening them. But it is getting out of hand.

Comments are welcome… but stick to the topic in the main topic. If it's a football post, talk football. If I post about Wild Cards, talk Wild Cards. Old Venus, well, that book, or maybe anthologies in general.

I know the new season of GAME OF THRONES is at hand, but that doesn't mean every comment thread should be taken over by posts about the series, or the books, or "spoilers," or whatever.

If you want to talk about the TV show, there are many fine places on the net to do that. Ditto if you want to talk about the books. I would especially recommend Westeros and Tower of the Hand.

But no more off topic posts here, please.

Come to the Westerlands

March 26, 2015 at 3:21 pm

An old/ new sample just went up on my website, for those who cannot get enough of Fake History.

I've uploaded the history of the Westerlands, from THE WORLD OF ICE AND FIRE. This is the version I read last year at Loncon, slightly longer than the text that appears in the actual book, which was edited and trimmed a bit. For those who want every last little nugget…

You will find it under Samples/ World of Ice & Fire, where it replaces the Aegon's Conquest sample that had been up there for a year.

And if that whets your appetite for more, the worldbook is still available from your favorite local bookstore or online retailer.

Tags: website, world of ice and fire

My Night With Sibel

March 26, 2015 at 2:23 pm

The lovely and talented SIBEL KEKILLI — best known to all you GAME OF THRONES fans out there for her amazing portrayal of Shae — came to Santa Fe last December. We celebrated her visit by screening HEAD ON, the breakthrough German film that gave Sibel her first starring role and won her the Lola (the German Oscar) for Best Actress, but that was not the main purpose of her visit. She was here to film a segment of a popular German travel show DURCH DIE NACHT (roughly, INTO THE NIGHT), for the French/ German TV network ARTE.

The premise is the show is that each week, a celebrity visits some place they have never been before, and a local shows them the town, with an emphasis on the nightlfife. Sibel asked me to show her Santa Fe, and I was delighted to say yes ( though I did warn her that Santa Fe, for all its charms, does tend to roll up the sidewalks at 9:00 pm or so). So after a rather adventurous series of flight, and a six-hour drive through the night with a stranger in a car full of fish, Sibel made it to the Land of Enchantment, and I had the honor of playing her host. We took in my own lair, a local gallery, a comic book shop, two restaurants, two bars, and of course the Jean Cocteau. (With a film crew trailing us everywhere we went).

I had a great time. Got to introduce Sibel to margaritas and chile con queso, two of my favorite things. All in all, she seemed to enjoy the experience. And driving around through the night, we talked about all manner of things, which was fun as well.

The segment has now been edited and broadcast. For those of you not in France and Germany who did not get to see it, here you go:

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I've met some wonderful people through GAME OF THRONES, and Sibel is one of them. What an amazing, talented, courageous young woman. And yes, I confess it: her Shae was better than my Shae.

Oh, and by the way, here's that song I had them sing for Sibel — Istanbul, Not Constantinople, by the Four Lads.

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Tags: game of thrones, santa fe, television, travel

Two Premieres

March 22, 2015 at 9:16 am

Off to San Francisco this afternoon for the premiere of GAME OF THRONES season five on Monday the 23rd, at the San Francisco Opera House. Should be a grand affair, though the LA and NYC premieres (for seasons three and four, respectively) will be hard to top. I look forward to seeing our old friends on the cast, and meeting some new ones.

Then it's home again, for the Santa Fe premiere of season five at the Jean Cocteau, on Saturday the 28th. Three screenings, including the first Spanish-language screening in the morning for our Hispanic fans.

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Tags: game of thrones, hbo, travels

This Week at the Cocteau

March 20, 2015 at 5:30 pm

A cool new documentary opening tonight at the Cocteau: THE WRECKING CREW.

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Now that's MY kind of music.

See you at the movies.

LATER: Just got back from THE WRECKING CREW. Great, just great. Made me want to put on my old albums.

Say what you want, old codgers from the Greatest Gen. Say what you want, Generation Xers and Millenials. The truth cannot be denied. Us Boomers had the best music.

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Tags: jean cocteau, movies, music

Creepy Dolls and Ellen Datlow Invade Santa Fe

March 19, 2015 at 8:30 am

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We had a great time at the release of Ellen Daltow’s newest collection of horror stories THE DOLL COLLECTION. In honor of Ellen’s appearance at the Jean Cocteau we held our Creepy Doll contest, and boy did we get some creepy dolls!

If you happened to miss out on all the fun the Jean Cocteau still has signed copies of THE DOLL COLLECTION and other titles collected and edited by Ellen available at their online Bookstore. Get your copy while supplies last.

This message has been brought to you by the Minions of Fevre River

ADDENDUM: We had twenty-six entries, from all over the country, for our Creepy Doll Contest. Some truly creative, original, and disturbing visions. Ellen Datlow, Jeff Ford, and Stephen Graham Jones served as judges, no easy task. Here are the three winners.

Third place: BOOGY BUNNY by LINDA BRYANT

Second place: OPHELIA by DONNA KIDBY

And of course our first place winner, MELINDA by DAVID JESSUP.

Congratulations to the winners, and thanks to everyone who took part.

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Tags: jean cocteau, signed books

Signed Books

March 17, 2015 at 12:40 pm

We had a pleasant surprise last night at the Jean Cocteau when Elizabeth Bear and Scott Lynch dropped by for a short visit.

Of course, we immediately took advantage of their presence by making them sign books.

So… for as long as the supply lasts, which will not be long… we have hardcovers of ROGUES signed by Scott, and hardcovers of OLD VENUS signed by Elizabeth.

Rogues comp A March 17 lo res Old Venus final jkt

Of course, I've autographed both of these as well… and the copies of ROGUES on hand also have signatures from another contributor, Walter Jon Williams.

Also, from the day before, we have copies of THE DOLL COLLECTION, autographed by editor Ellen Datlow and contributors Jeffrey Ford and Stephan Graham Jones.

TheDollCollection-400

All of these, and many other titles, can be ordered from the Jean Cocteau bookshop at:
http://www.jeancocteaubooks.com/

Happy reading.

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Tags: jean cocteau, signed books

Sorry, Saratoga

March 14, 2015 at 6:50 pm

I don't often attend the World Fantasy Convention (not to be confused with the World Science Fiction Convention, which I have only missed once thirty years), but I was there the last time it was held in Saratoga, and I had a great time. A terrific town, a wonderful con.

This year the convention is returning to Saratoga once again, and I was hoping to return as well. I'm not a guest of honor, and I'm not (so far as I know) getting an award; I just wanted to go.

Reluctantly, however, I've just had to scratch Saratoga off my list of 2015 appearances. For no reason having to do with the con itself. I am sure it will be terrific. It's just a matter of time.

I have too much to do. Too many things on my plate. Son of Kong foremost amongst them.

My apologies to anyone who saw Saratoga on my Appearances page and planned to go in order to see me. I won't be there. Go anyway. You'll have a great time.

Also, I have decided against attending this year's San Diego Comicon. Same reason. But since Comicon was never listed on my Appearances page, scratching it is not as big a deal.

(Should I complete and deliver WINDS OF WINTER before these cons roll round, I reserve the right to change my mind).

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Tags: appearances, conventions, travels

At the Cocteau

March 13, 2015 at 12:46 pm

This will be a great weekend at the Jean Cocteau Cinema.

PETER S. BEAGLE and his travelling show return tonight, with THE LAST UNICORN.

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We have one screening tonight (Friday) at 6:00, and two tomorrow at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm. Peter will be introducing each screening personally, and fielding your questions afterwards. He’ll also be on hand to sign copies of his original novel, and many of other classic works. If you missed him last year when he passed through, don’t make the same mistake again. And if you were here last year, well, come again.

In between the two Saturday screenings of THE LAST UNICORN, we’ll be showing THE SALVATION a new western in the classic tradition, starring Mads Mikkelsen and Eva Green.

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Come Sunday, ELLEN DATLOW will be here with new anthology, THE DOLL COLLECTION.

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Ellen will be joined by two of her authors, Jeffrey Ford and Stephen Graham Jones. We’ll have readings from the book, an interview, a question-and-answer, and of course Ellen, Jeff, and Stephen will all be available to sign their books.

All that… and our CREEPY DOLL CONTEST! Check back here on Monday to see the winners.

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Tags: anthologies, appearances, jean cocteau, movies, signed books, signings

R.I.P. Terry Pratchett

March 12, 2015 at 10:22 pm

Terry Pratchett is gone, and the world of fantasy is that much poorer this morning.

The creator of Discworld, and author of more novels than I can dare to contemplate, Terry was one of our greatest fantasists, and beyond a doubt the funniest. He was as witty as he was prolific, and that's saying something. The BBC has an obituary for him here:

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-31858156

I cannot claim to have known Terry well, but I ran into him at dozens of conventions over the decades, shared a stage with him a few times, and once or twice had the privilege of sharing a pint or a curry. He was always a delight. A bright, funny, insightful, warm, and kindly man, a man of infinite patience, a man who truly knew how to enjoy life… and books.

terry

He is survived by Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, Mort, Death, Death of Rats, Commander Vimes, the Librarian, Cohen the Barbarian, Rincewind the Wizard, the Luggage, and hundreds of other unforgettable characters, whose adventures will continue to delight and surprise readers all over the world for many years to come.

Terry Pratchett was one of the good guys. He'll be missed.

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Tags: fantasy, life and death

Not a Blog

Not A Blog Policy

Come to the Westerlands

My Night With Sibel

Two Premieres

This Week at the Cocteau

Creepy Dolls and Ellen Datlow Invade Santa Fe

Signed Books

Sorry, Saratoga

At the Cocteau

R.I.P. Terry Pratchett

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