October on Mars

February 13, 2013 at 2:26 pm

Music: Those Were the Days
Gardner Dozois and I have just learned that Bantam has scheduled our all-original retro-SF anthology OLD MARS for release on October 8 of this year. The anthology will feature fifteen original, never-before-published short stories and novelettes about Mars, story notes and author intros by Gardner, and an introduction by yours truly.

The setting will NOT be the real (but somewhat boring) post-Mariner Mars, but rather the Mars thatwe all loved as kids, the one with the canals and the dead cities and the myriad marvelous Martians.

((Gotta love that retro rocket ship. I sure do)).

Here’s the lineup of stories and contributors:

RED PLANET BLUES (Introduction) by George R.R. Martin
MARTIAN BLOOD, by Allen M. Steele
THE UGLY DUCKLING, by Matthew Hughes
THE WRECK OF THE MARS ADVENTURE, by David D. Levine
SWORDS OF ZAR-TU-KAN, by S.M. Stirling
SHOALS, by Mary Rosenblum
IN THE TOMBS OF THE MARTIAN KINGS, by Mike Resnick
OUT OF SCARLIGHT, by Liz Williams
THE DEAD SEA-BOTTOM SCROLLS, by Howard Waldrop
A MAN WITHOUT HONOR, by James S.A. Corey
WRITTEN IN DUST, by Melinda Snodgrass
THE LOST CANAL, by Michael Moorcock
THE SUNSTONE, by Phyllis Eisenstein
KING OF THE CHEAP ROMANCE, by Joe R. Lansdale
MARINER, by Chris Roberson
THE QUEEN OF NIGHT’S ARIA, by Ian McDonald
!ƒ
Gargoo and I had a lot of fun putting this one together, and I hope you folks will have as much fun reading it. So circle October 8 on your calendars. Old Mars is lovely in the fall.

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Tags: anthologies, bantam spectra, science fiction

Coming Next Month

February 13, 2013 at 2:05 pm

Coming in March… a new TV tie-in edition of A GAME OF THRONES for season three.

The new cover will be available on both mass market and trade paperback formats, I believe. Maybe on a hardcover reprint as well, though I am less sure of that. When I know for certain, I will pass along the info here.

FURTHER INFO. Ok, got a clarification. This new artwork will appear on the paperbacks, both mass market and trade. The hardcover will retain its present cover. Also, a repackage of A STORM OF SWORDS is also in the works, and will feature key art from the HBO series. I will post that here when it’s ready.

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Tags: a song of ice and fire, game of thrones

GAME OF THRONES Plushies

February 12, 2013 at 9:18 pm

Now available at the HBO Shoppe near you:

(What, you don’t have an HBO Shoppe near you? Neither do I, as it happens. But there’s got to be someplace to get these online too, so you can all have your own fluffy direwolf and dragon’s egg).

Never in my wildest dreams… no, it is NOT April 1st…

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Tags: game of thrones, hbo, toys

The Ladder

February 10, 2013 at 7:29 pm

HBO rolled out a new promo for season three of GAME OF THRONES tonight.

Did you miss it?

No problem.

Enjoy.

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Tags: game of thrones, hbo

Tuf Returns

February 9, 2013 at 8:05 pm

Haviland Tuf is back in print, once more sailing his ARK around the galaxy, courtesy of the good folks at Bantam Spectra, who released their reissue of TUF VOYAGING n January 29. The new trade paperback contains all the wonderful Janet Aulisio interior illustrations from the Meisha Merlin hardcover edition, long out of print, as well as the complete stories first collected by Baen Books way back when, after their original publications in ANALOG, GALAXY, and ANDROMEDA.

The TUF VOYAGING reissue should be available now at your favorite local bookstore or online retailer.

(And for those who absolutely must have a hardcover, check out the Signed Books page of my website. I still have some copies of the old Meisha Merlin hardback, as well as a fast-dwindling stock of their numbered and lettered limited versions, and would be glad to inscribe them on request. First come, first served, for as long as the supply lasts).

PS I am often asked if I will ever write any more Tuf stories. The answer is yes, I would love to, and I have plenty of ideas for the further adventures of Tuf and Dax and the ARK. It’s just a question of finding the time. Right now, as some of you know, I am kind of busy with the SONG OF ICE AND FIRE novels and GAME OF THRONES tv show, not to mention Wild Cards and my other anthologies. So Tuf will need to wait. But he’s a patient guy, and I do hope to get back to him one of these days.

PPS It has also been suggested that I make TUF into a TV series. Hey, love to. But it’s not up to me. I need to find a studio and network willing to back a new space show to the tune of many millions of dollars, and that’s not easy. I have pitched Tuf before, and hope to pitch him again, Real Soon Now, but honestly, he’s a tough sell. Television likes its starship captains sexy, like Kirk and Captain Tightpants and Rocky Jones. Tuf is a towering, hairless, fat, pompouse fellow who talks like Alfred Hitchcock and loves pussycats. Not an easy part to cast either… but hey, every time I see Conleth Hill playing Varys, I go “Hmmmmmmmm.”

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Tags: bantam spectra, tuf voyaging

Game of Thrones Valentines

February 9, 2013 at 10:55 am

Raya gave me a heads up about these hilarious GAME OF THRONES Valentines.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/jpmoore/game-of-thrones-valentines

They are by an artist named Chris Bishop. Just the think for that special day.

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Tags: game of thrones, humor

Swords and Daggers and Helms, Oh My

February 5, 2013 at 10:45 pm

The blacksmiths over at Valryian Steel have been hammering away, and are about to roll out three news GAME OF THRONES products that I thought some of you might like to know about.

((These are all tie-ins from the television series, produced under Jalic’s license from HBO, and not tie-ins to the novels, produced under Jalic’s license from me, which is why some of them — the dagger, especially — look nothing like the item as described in the books)).

First, we have the longsword of Robb Stark, King in the North:
http://www.valyriansteel.com/shop/swords/robb-stark/prod_21.html

Next, the Catspaw Blade, used by the man sent to kill Bran in his bed:
http://www.valyriansteel.com/shop/swords/catspaw-blade/prod_20.html

The last, but decidedly not least, the helm of Sandor Clegane:
http://www.valyriansteel.com/shop/swords/the-hounds-helm/prod_18.html

All the items are available for pre-order.

And don’t worry, Valyrian Steel is still at work on replicas of the weapons from the books as well. Brienne’s sword Oathkeeper should be next, if we can figure out how to do the black/red patterning. After that, maybe Khal Drogo’s arakh.

Keep your swords sharp!

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Tags: game of thrones, hbo, valyrian steel

Hugo Nominations

February 4, 2013 at 8:22 pm

LoneStarCon 3, this year’s World Science Fiction Convention, has opened Hugo nominations for 2012.

The nominating ballot can be found here:

http://www.lonestarcon3.org/hugo-awards/

You do need to be a member to nominate. A member (attending or supporting) of LoneStarCon, this year’s worldcon, or Chicon 8, the 2012 worldcon in Chicago, OR LonCon, the 2014 worldcon in London. Any one of the three will do.
All works first published or broadcast in 2012 are eligible.

The Hugo is the oldest award in our genre, the most prestigious, and the most important. It is a fan award. No juries. The readers choose the finalists, and the readers pick the winners. There will be five (sometimes six, in the event of a tie) nominees in each category.

I’ve said it before and I will say it again here: nominations are the most important part of the Hugo process. Hundreds of people cast Hugo ballots, but far fewer ever bother to nominate. You cannot win unless you are on the ballot, and sometimes the difference between being a finalist and an also-ran is a single nomination. Yes, even in the big categories, like Best Novel (last year one single vote was the difference between a novel that made the ballot and one that did not) and Best Dramatic Presentation. And in the less popular categories, hell, people have been known to make the Hugo ballot with twenty votes.

So NOMINATE. You have until March 10.

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As to what you should nominate… well, that’s your choice, of course. Right now, all over Ye Olde InterWeb, people are making their recommendations and writers are reminding the world about their own eligible works. I’ll do the same, as I have in past years. But not in this post. Watch this space for my own favorites.

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Tags: hugo awards

Superbowl

February 4, 2013 at 1:04 am

Congrats to the Baltimore Ravens and their fans, and condolences to the fans of the 49ers.

Another exciting Superbowl. Used to be that the big game was a blowout more often than not, but the last few years have seen some exciting contests. For once, it was a great defensive goal line stand that won the game. Something fans of D like me see all too seldom. (Of course, the Niners playcalling on first-and-goal from the five left much to be desired. Too many passes to Crabtree. I would have gone with Gore Up the Gut four times. If they had, I’d be congratulating San Francisco right now, I suspect).

Of course, this year can’t compare with last year’s thrilling Giants win, but hey, that’s the NFL. Glory is fleeting. The G-Men will be back.

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Tags: nfl

BRRRRRR

February 1, 2013 at 12:11 pm

It’s cold in Iceland.

(Or so I hear. Never been there myself. Really need to rectify that).

Or so we’re told, in the latest season 3 video from HBO:

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Sad to say, I wasn’t able to visit the shoot in Iceland for either season two or season three, but if we get a season four, maybe I can get over there this year.

I also want to stay at the Ice Hotel in Sweden. I must have Stark blood.

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Tags: game of thrones, hbo

Not a Blog

October on Mars

Coming Next Month

GAME OF THRONES Plushies

The Ladder

Tuf Returns

Game of Thrones Valentines

Swords and Daggers and Helms, Oh My

Hugo Nominations

Superbowl

BRRRRRR

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