Countdown to Liftoff

March 21, 2016 at 7:45 pm

Only ten more days remain until the close of nominations for the 2016 Hugo Awards, to be presented in Kansas City at MidAmericon II.

Are you a member of MidAmericon? Were you a member of Sasquan, last year’s worldcon in Spokane? Are you a member of the 2017 worldcon, to be held in Helsinki, Finland? If so, you’re eligible to nominate the books and stories and artists you loved best in 2015.

So, please… NOMINATE!

You can do it here: http://midamericon2.org/the-hugo-awards/hugo-nominations/

No fan of good will, no one who truly loves SF and fantasy and worldcon and fandom, wants a repeat of what happened to the Hugo Awards last year. I am not going to rehash that sorry mess; there’s no point to it, everything that needed to be said has been said, and a lot more besides. I would rather look to the future. Let’s restore the silver rocket to its former glory (and, by doing so, make a second round of Alfie Awards unnecessary) as a true measure of the year’s best work in imaginative literature.

I made my objections to the Puppy slates clear last year. This time around, the Sad Puppies at least changed from a slate to a recommendation list, to which I have no objections. I’ve looked at their list. There’s some great work on it. There’s some bad work on it, writers and books that I don’t think belong anywhere near a Hugo. And there’s a lot of books and stories that I haven’t gotten around to reading yet. The same could be said for most any list, however. There’s stuff on the Nebula shortlist I don’t like as well, and a lot of books on the LOCUS list that I have not read yet. (I will get to some of them. Too many books, too little time). Sad Puppies 4 played fair, in my estimation, and for that I commend them.

((The Rabid Puppies produced another slate. They have entirely different aims. And no, we will not discuss them here)).

And how about my own recommendations?

I’ve made a few. I did not issue them all at once, in a single list, but rather category by category over the past five months. I did not get to every category, and even with those I did, my recommendations are by no means exhaustive.

My intent, whenever I make a recommendation, is NOT to say, “Vote for this,” but rather, “Here’s something I really liked, take a look it it, you may find it deserving as well.”

Some of the other recommended reading lists are just lists of titles and names. Fine and good, I suppose, but I prefer to do a little more: to talk about the categories, the books, the authors, the artists and editors, and where I can to discuss WHY I think they deserve a nomination.

My posts are still up. For those who want to read them, here are links:

Short Fiction:
http://grrm.livejournal.com/476905.html

Professional Editor, Long Form:
http://grrm.livejournal.com/474144.html
http://grrm.livejournal.com/472316.html
http://grrm.livejournal.com/471834.html
http://grrm.livejournal.com/470764.html

Professional Editor, Short Form:
http://grrm.livejournal.com/471135.html

Professional Artist:
http://grrm.livejournal.com/462350.html

Graphic Story:
http://grrm.livejournal.com/460106.html

Related Work:
http://grrm.livejournal.com/458605.html

Dramatic Presentation, Short Form:
http://grrm.livejournal.com/453648.html

Dramatic Presentation, Long Form:
http://grrm.livejournal.com/452587.html

Novel:
http://grrm.livejournal.com/457140.html

If any of you go back and read those — and I hope you will — read the comments too. There are plenty of other recommendations to be found there, recommendations from my readers and friends. I am only one (overworked) guy, I can’t get to everything, it’s great to hear from other precincts. Especially when they tell you why they liked whatever it is they liked…

I did mean to get to some of the other categories. Alas, I failed. I am just not knowledgeable enough to make recommendations in some areas.

I did overlook some good choices even in the categories I covered. Naomi Novik’s UPROOTED is her best work to date, a very strong fantasy (though I had problems with the ending) and probably worth a nomination in Novel. I forgot about EX MACHINA when talking about Long Form Drama, but it’s a gripping and well done film, worthy of consideration. I recommended OUTLANDER for Short Form Drama, but it should be noted that the first season was telecast in two eight-episode arcs, and only the second eight are eligible, as the first eight were broadcast in 2014. I think JONATHAN STRANGE AND MR. NORRELL should be nominated in Long Form as a whole, rather than in Short Form, by episode, but others disagree.

Anyway… quibbles and additions aside… read, watch, consider… and please…

NOMINATE!

Tags: awards, fantasy, hugo awards, science fiction, worldcon

Game of Thrones: Season 5 at the Jean Cocteau #GrrMinionPost

March 21, 2016 at 5:20 pm

Greetings from Ogre Jenni! I’m one of George's minions at Jean Cocteau Cinema, and I have an awesome announcement to make.

Beginning Monday, March 21st we will show free screenings of HBO’s Game of Thrones Season 5. We are not pre-selling the tickets online. The tickets (and seats) will be available on a first come first serve basis, and they must be obtained directly from our box office on the day of the screening.

There will most likely be a line going around the block, but while you are waiting we will bring food, coffee, signed copies of the Song of Ice and Fire books, and other goodies outside for you to purchase! We are also booking some geeky entertainment for you—not that waiting in line isn't fun in its own right.

We will host a costume contest before each screening, and we are giving away some cool Game of Thrones-themed prizes. So we hope to see plenty of Denaeryses, Hounds, Briennes, Sansas, Podricks, or even White Walkers at the screenings!

EPISODE SCHEDULE:

Monday, March 21st at 7:00 p.m. • Episodes 1 and 2
Monday, March 28th at 7:00 p.m. • Episodes 3 and 4
Monday, April 4th at 7:00 p.m. • Episodes 5 and 6
Monday, April 11th at 7:00 p.m. • Episodes 7 and 8
Monday, April 18th at 7:00 p.m. • Episodes 9 and 10

As you might know, Game of Thrones: Season 6 premieres exclusively on the HBO channel Sunday, April 21st. Check out HBO's website for more information.

See you at the Cocteau!

—THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE MINIONS OF FEVRE RIVER—

Tags: a song of ice and fire, game of thrones, jean cocteau cinema

The Big Meow

March 21, 2016 at 1:11 am

Meow Wolf opened “The House of Eternal Return” with a roar and a bang last week.

We had a “small” (hoo hah) friends and family ‘soft opening’ on Wednesday. On Thursday was the Grand VIP Gala. On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday the doors opened to the public for the first time. Amanda Palmer, Jason Webley, and the Handsome Family played. Wonders were unveiled, caves and treehouses and haunted mansions and space gates explored, refrigerators opened…

The reviews, I am thrilled to say, were uniformly raves. Here’s a few:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/21/t-magazine/mystery-house-santa-fe-george-rr-martin.html?_r=0

http://www.santafenewmexican.com/pasatiempo/art/museum_shows/forever-home-meow-wolf-opens-house-of-eternal-return/article_4f72acf1-b0be-52d4-ad87-d8c48192ca78.html

http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/meow-wolf-s-long-anticipated-exhibit-debuts-it-s-awesome/article_5110812e-cc53-54cb-b216-b2cf61c3ea91.html

I am told that 5500 hundred people visited the House on its opening weekend. Most of them went away smiling… especially the kids, who loved the place… but there’s plenty there for adults to enjoy as well.

Our hope is that Meow Wolf and the House of Eternal Return will be one of Santa Fe’s premiere attractions for many, many years to come. Come visit when you’re in town. I promise you, you’ve never seen anything quite like it.

Tags: artwork, meow wolf, santa fe

Autographs! Autographs!!

March 17, 2016 at 3:50 pm

Here are just a few of the large selection of books who can get SIGNED from the bookstore at the Jean Cocteau Cinema.

Lots of my own books are available too… along with more titles from Gabaldon, Gaiman, Lansdale, Stephenson, Andy Weir, Lisa See, Dennis Lehane… and even a few from Pat Conroy.

For the full list, go to http://www.jeancocteaubooks.com/

And YES, copies of OLD VENUS and OLD MARS are still on sale at 30% off, while the supplies last.

Tags: jean cocteau cinema bookstore, signed books

Season 6 Is Coming

March 17, 2016 at 12:37 pm

GAME OF THRONES is coming back. Mark down Sunday, April 24 on your calendars.

HBO has released the first full-length trailer. Here’s a taste:

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And yes, it’s true. After last year’s unfortunate leak, HBO is not sending out any press screeners this year, to try and cut down on the piracy.

They have also eliminated all the regional premieres, including (sob) the one we had scheduled at my own Jean Cocteau Cinema. This year the only premiere will be the big one in LA at Grauman’s Chinese.

The Jean Cocteau will, however, go ahead with our season 5 marathon. Admission is free, so watch our website and newsletter for show times.

And we’ll all just have to wait to see what season 6 has in store.

Tags: game of thrones, hbo

Wild Cards Times Three

March 16, 2016 at 5:15 pm

Some exciting news on the WILD CARDS front for fans of the world’s longest running shared world anthology series.

HIGH STAKES will be out later this year, as previously announced. That’s the third and concluding volume in what we’ve come to call our “mean streets and madness” triad, and the twenty-third volume in the overall series (which originally began way way back in 1987). It was also the last new volume under contract to Tor.

But no longer! Wild Cards will fight another day. Tor has just stepped up and signed us for three more originals. This set we will be calling (informally) “the USA Triad.” But it won’t really be a triad, more like three stand-alones, each with its own setting, cast, and tone.

The three new books are:
TEXAS HOLD ‘EM
MISSISSIPPI ROLL
LOW CHICAGO

Details? Sorry. You’ll need to wait for those. The ink on the contracts is not quite dry yet, so we’re just getting up to steam (as in MISSISSIPPI… no, that would be telling).

This much I can tell you. I’ll be editing the new volumes, natch. Melinda Snodgrass will continue as my assistant editor and right hand woman. And we’ll be calling on the madman and wild women of the Wild Cards consortium for stories, as ever. Whenever we begin a new triad and a new contract, however, we like to reach out and recruit a few new writers. Fresh blood is just so tasty, and adding some new characters to the mix always helps to enliven things.

So let me introduce you to our Class of 2016. The newest inmates in the asylum are:
SALADIN AHMED
MAX GLADSTONE
MARKO KLOOS
DIANA ROWLAND

They’re all insanely talented, and they claim they play well with others (we’ll see). And no, I won’t tell you about the new characters they’ve created for us… but we think you’re going to like them.

WILD CARDS! From 1987 to forever….

((And if you have not caught the virus yet, there’s still time. Head over to the Jean Cocteau Bookshop at http://www.jeancocteaubooks.com/ and you’ll find all sorts of signed Wild Cards books on sale, some of them with multiple autographs from editors and writers both).

[[Comments welcome. On Wild Cards only, please. Stay on topic]].

Tags: editing, wild cards, writing

The Wolf Meows… Soon

March 16, 2016 at 12:05 am

Things are getting exciting here in Santa Fe.

Fourteen months in the making, the House of Eternal Return opens this week!!

The big VIP Gala will launch things, on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17.

And on the weekend of March 18/19, the doors will open to the public for the first time.

(Right now, I imagine, hundreds of artists are madly crawling over the place, finishing every little last detail).

Tickets are still available, if you’re going to be in the neighborhood.

https://meowwolf.com/

Come join us! You’ve never seen anything like it.

Tags: artwork, meow wolf, santa fe

Live to Fight Another Day

March 14, 2016 at 2:48 pm

Many thanks to all you loyal friends of House Lannister and the Maid of Tarth. Thanks to you, Jaime and Brienne defeated Sabriel and the pussycat and lived to fight another day.

But fight they must! This time they are up against two characters I do not know, from a book I have not gotten to yet… but the novel’s gotten good reviews, and the characters appear formidable, so we may need your help again.

http://suvudu.com/2016/03/cage-match-2016-round-2-sevro-and-darrow-vs-jaime-lannister-and-brienne-of-tarth.html

LATER: Uh-oh. Danger. Looks like Jaime and Brienne are in trouble this round.

Blow the warhorns!

Summon the banners!

Vote!

Tags: general nonsense, song of ice and fire

A Review of ‘RAN’ by John Jos. Miller: I CAN’T DIE YET! I HAVEN’T SEEN… #GrrMinion

March 9, 2016 at 4:06 pm

Ogre Jenni here—I am George's minion who helps out at his beautiful cinema and events venue in Santa Fe, the Jean Cocteau Cinema!

This Friday, March 11th, Jean Cocteau Cinema will screen Ran, Akira Kurosawa's epic story about an aging warlord, the man's scheming sons, and the fate of his divided fiefdom. If you happen to be in the area, specific showtimes can be found here!

Science fiction author John Jos. Miller is also a movie buff and film reviewer for the Cocteau! As we love both Akira Kurosawa and John Jos. Miller, we wanted to share Miller's thoughts about this incredible Kurosawa classic with you.

Enjoy!

John Jos. Miller: I CAN’T DIE YET– I HAVEN’T SEEN…

RAN (1985)

RAN (which means “chaos” or “revolt,” in Japan – among other things) is certainly one of director Akira Kurosawa’s top half dozen movies, so it’s safe to say that it’s one of the greatest films ever made. It was his fourth last, and at the time the most expensive Japanese movie ever, at a cost of $12 million dollars. Nowadays, of course, you can’t even get a lead actor for that much.

For twelve mil, Kurosawa delivered a brilliant historical epic about the Fate of the Ichimonji Clan after its warlord leader decides to call it a day and abdicate in favor of his oldest son. Not a good decision, as it turns out. The family is ripped apart by greed and pride, and the machinations of Lady Kaeda, the wife of the oldest brother, whom the warlord had named his successor. Kaeda is possibly the most cold-blooded, sinister female character in film history, and it is a somewhat queasy pleasure watching her exert her indomitable will over the two corrupt oldest brothers.

Kurosawa’s direction, his attention to detail in RAN, is nothing short of amazing. His use of color and sound are both particularly praiseworthy. Pay attention to the background sound. The imminent presence of Lady Kaeda, for example, is always announced by the sinister swishing noise (in effect kind of like nails on a chalkboard) made by her silken garments rubbing together. The battle for the Third Castle (the first big fight scene) plays out against a lush musical score with all ambient sound removed – until a critical moment in the proceedings – framing the horrific bloodshed with an almost balletic beauty and making it as darkly compelling as any Bosch-painted nightmare landscape. Simply brilliant.

Much has been written about RAN being Kurosawa’s adaptation of Shakespear’s KING LEAR, but the screenplay was actually well into development before Kurosawa knew about the play. He did include elements from the Bard’s plot, but he put his own spin on the story. For example, Lear has little back story in the play. In RAN, his lifestory is filled out. He’s a cruel warlord whose own ambition and overweening pride leads not only to his own destruction, but that of his family and his empire.

I‘m normally not a fan of unrelenting despair – and RAN is one hundred and sixty two minutes of uninterrupted gloom that concludes with one of the bleakest scenes I’ve seen on film – but a masterpiece is a masterpiece. Kurosawa was nominated for Best Director for RAN, and lost to a jumped-up romance, OUT OF AFRICA. Which is a nice bit of nihilistic despair, right there.

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–THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE MINIONS OF FEVRE RIVER—

Tags: akira kurosawa, jean cocteau cinema, john j. miller, ran

Not Dead Yet

March 9, 2016 at 11:52 am

While it is strangely moving to realize that so many people around the world care so deeply about my life and death, I have to go with Mark Twain and insist that the rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated.

It was Sir George Martin, of Beatles fame, who has passed away. Not me.

He will be missed. I never met Sir George (I did meet Paul McCartney once, for about a minute, while waiting for the valet to bring my rental car up at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills), but like many millions of others, I loved the Beatles, and Martin’s contribution to their music is worthy of recognition and honor.

In his memory:
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As for me, I am still here, still writing, still editing, still going to movies and reading books, and I expect to hang around for quite a while yet, thank you very much.

But thank you all for caring.

Tags: life and death

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