Tonight’s the night.
Season 6 is coming atcha.
‘Nuff said.
((Some of you will want to discuss the episode. Please remember, this is not the place for that. Go to Westeros, to Tower of the Hand, to Watchers on the Wall, to Winter Is Coming, and to all the other fan sites. Thanks)).
Okay, this is amusing. What would it look like if NFL teams drafted characters from GAME OF THRONES?
http://www.
Meanwhile, the real NFL is less than a week off, and as usual mock drafts are everywhere.
I don’t do mocks, but I do have my wishlist. The Giants are drafting tenth, and boy, do they have a lot of needs. I am still reeling at how bad their defense was last year. Historically, in good years or bad years, the G-Men have always had a fearsome D, and they need to get back to that. They spent a fortune in free agency to bolster the defense, and with luck some of those players should have a difference… but given the way injuries always seem to decimate Big Blue, drafting for more D would make a lot of sense. The biggest need is for a top pass rusher. We still don’t know if JPP will ever be the same player he was before he blew off half his hand, and even if he is, he needs help on the other side. Joey Bosa or Shaq Lawson would make me very happy in round one, if either one should last till number ten. That being said, there’s also a chance Ezekial Elliott will be there as well, and if he is, I hope the Giants grab him. I love old smashmouth football, and the key to that is a bruising running game. Elliott looks as though he could be special.
As for the Jets, who knows? They draft considerably later. Some mocks have them taking a QB, but I don’t know… the two top QB prospects will be coming off the board 1/2 this year, looks like, and I don’t think anyone else is worth a first round pick. I am still hoping Gang Green can resign Fitz, to be sure, but if not, well, the Jets took Bryce Petty last year, I’d sooner they give him a chance rather than start over with someone new. Not that I have a vote. But if I did, I’d say the Jets should draft for defense as well. You can never have too many pass rushers, especially when you’re in the same division as Tom Brady.
[… we had a terrific, sold-out evening with Ernie Cline last Sunday at the JCC. Ernie presented a slide show about his life in writing, answered questions, and signed copies of his latest, ARMADA, and we all swilled lots of Easter Eggs, the signature cocktail our mixologist Nik designed in his honor (complete with miniatures Rubik’s Cubes).
Of course, we made him sign lots of stock before we let him go, so autographed copies of both ARMADA and READY PLAYER ONE are still available from the JCC bookshop… along with lots of other titles (including a good selection of Neil Gaiman titles, but those are going fast!).
[… to Garth Nix, who took home an Aurealis Award for his story in OLD VENUS, “By Frogsled and Lizardback to Outcast Venusian Lepers.” The Aurealis was established in 1995 to recognize the achievements of Australian writers of science fiction, fantasy, and horror.
For a full list of all of thus year’s award winners, go here: https://aurealisawards.org/
If you’d like to read Garth’s award-winning story, copies of OLD VENUS and its companion volume OLD MARS are still available from the Jean Cocteau bookshop, signed by both authors. http://www.jeancocteaubooks.com/
Good work, Garth… Gardner and I are pleased and proud to have published your story.
We’re one week away from the announcement of the 2016 Hugo nominations. Drum roll, please.
Should be interesting. MidAmericon II has announced that more than 4000 nominating ballots were received, shattering the previous record of 2122 set by Sasquan last year. The nominating pool included all those who were members of Sasquan and of next year’s worldcon in Finland as well as the members of MidAmericon itself.
However, to actually vote on the awards, you will need to be a member of Big Mac II. You can take care of that here: http://www.midamericon2.org/
I am hopeful that my own exhortations encouraged a few people to nominate who might elsewise have forgotten. And of course I am hopeful that a few of my own favorites, the books and stories and television shows and movies that I recommended here, will make the shortlist. But there’s no way of knowing until the nominations are announced.
Whether my own choices make the cut or not, I will be pleased if we get an honest ballot this year, with Hugo-worthy choices in all categories.
We have a big week coming at the Jean Cocteau Cinema.
ERNIE CLINE will be here tomorrow (Sunday) for an interview and booksigning. He’ll be talking about the film adaptation of READY PLAYER ONE, and signing copies of ARMADA, his new one… and READY PLAYER ONE as well, of course. For more details, see Jenni’s post below.
The next day, Monday night, we’ll show the last two hours in our season five marathon of GAME OF THRONES. That’s “Hardhome” and “Mother’s Mercy,” two huge episodes. If you haven’t seen “Hardhome” on the big (well, medium sized) screen, you haven’t seen it at all. And best of all, admission is FREE. First come, first seated. Don’t be late.
And we another special event scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. For TWO DAYS ONLY, we will be screening the new Project Itoh anime blockbuster out of Japan, EMPIRE OF CORPSES.
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Only a few selected theatres in the US will be showing EMPIRE OF CORPSES. We’re very pleased that the JCC will be one of them. Come join us — and remember, this special screening is for two nights only.
Then, come Saturday, we’re thrilled to announced that our midnight movies are returning. First up will be FLASH GORDON. No, not the old Buster Crabbe serial (and not FLESH GORDON either), but the Sam Jones version from 1980. Brian Blessed and Ming the Merciless, what more could you want?
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Come in costume, you pathetic earthlings.
See you at the movies.
Ogre Jenni speaking! I am one of George's minions, and I work for Jean Cocteau Cinema in Santa Fe. It is a delightful place! If you are ever in Santa Fe, you simply must visit. We have a full bar with a variety of signature cocktails, we host magic shows and book signings, and every last tome in our bookstore is autographed by the author.
Speaking of books, the Jean Cocteau Cinema bookstore is having a sale! The following books are 35% off—check it out!
Neal Stephenson's The System of the World: NOW $11.00
England, 1714. London has long been home to a secret war between the brilliant, enigmatic Master of the Mint and closet alchemist, Isaac Newton, and his archnemesis, the insidious counterfeiter Jack the Coiner. Hostilities are suddenly moving to a new and more volatile level as Half-Cocked Jack hatches a daring plan, aiming for the total corruption of Britain's newborn monetary system. Learn more!
Deborah Harkness' The Book of Life: NOW $18.85
Fans of the All Souls Trilogy sent this highly anticipated finale straight to #1 on the New York Times hardcover bestseller list. Diana and Matthew time-travel back from Elizabethan London to make a dramatic return to the present—facing new crises and old enemies. At Matthew’s ancestral home, Sept-Tours, they reunite with the beloved cast of characters from A Discovery of Witches—with one significant exception. But the real threat to their future has yet to be revealed, and when it is, the search for Ashmole 782 and its missing pages takes on even more urgency. Learn more!
Anne Perry's Death on Blackheath: NOW $17.55
As commander of the powerful Special Branch, Thomas Pitt has the job of keeping Britain safe from spies and traitors. So there’s no obvious reason why he is suddenly ordered to investigate two minor incidents: the blood, hair, and shards of glass discovered outside the home of naval weapons expert Dudley Kynaston, and the simultaneous disappearance of Mrs. Kynaston’s beautiful lady’s maid. But weeks later, when the mutilated body of an unidentified young woman is found near Kynaston’s home, Pitt realizes that this is no ordinary police investigation. Far from it. Is Kynaston—one of Britain’s most valuable scientists—leading a double life? Learn more!
Meg Cabot's Remembrance: NOW $10.40
Fifteen years after the release of the first Mediator novel, #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot returns with a deliciously sexy new entry to a fan-favorite series. Suze Simon—all grown up and engaged to her once-ghostly soulmate—faces a vengeful spirit and an old enemy bent on ending Suze's wedded bliss before it begins. Learn more!
See you at the Cocteau!
—THIS MESSAGE WAS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE MINIONS OF FEVRE RIVER—
All you Wild Cards fans out there… and those of you who will be (we hope) soon… should head over to Tor.com and meet the newest ace in the WC universe. The Recycler hails from the slums of Rio, and we think you’re going to like him as much as we do.
The story is “Discards.” The Hugo-winning author is David D. Levine.
(The art is by the one and only John Picacio).
You can read “Discards” for free here: http://www.tor.com/2016/03/30/discards/
(And if you like that one, there are five other Wild Cards originals available on Tor.com, by the likes of Walter Jon Williams, Carrie Vaughn, Paul Cornell, Cherie Priest, and Daniel Abraham. Seek and ye shall find. Jetboy did not die in vain!)
GAME OF THRONES had its gala season six premiere last week in Hollywood, at the historic and glorious Grauman’s Chinese Theatre.
The rest of the world will have to wait until April 24 to see the first episode.
But here’s the latest trailer from HBO:
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R.A. Salvatore has organized a “Bookworm” drive to help fund cancer research.
Donate… and you can maybe win a big box o’ signed books, including some of my own.
Only a few days left.
You can see all the details, and make a donation, at:
http://www.seecaityrun.com/bookworms-unite/
This blog is the only place for official communication from George R.R. Martin. For press inquiries, please contact David Moench
