Beagles and Unicorns

January 28, 2014 at 12:40 pm

You can't say enough about Peter S. Beagle. One of the great masters of modern fantasy, author of THE LAST UNICORN, A FINE AND PRIVATE PLACE, LILA THE WEREWOLF, GIANT BONES, I SEE BY MY OUTFIT, and so much more… classic novels, moving novellas, terrific short stories… and he's just as wonderful a storyteller in person as he is on the page.

We were honored to have him as our guest at the Jean Cocteau Cinema last Saturday. We screened the animated film of THE LAST UNICORN thrice to big crowds, and Peter and I talked about fantasy, his books, his film career, and his life for the better part of an hour.

You shoulda been there!

photo by Tara Gibbens

After each screening, Peter signed books, comics, artwork, and merchandise for his fans. The man is tireless… and always charming. A delight all around. I suspect he signed his name hundreds, maybe thousands, of times on Saturday… but before we let him go, we made him sign a few more items for the cinema. So we do have some autographed Peter S. Beagle books available at the Jean Cocteau for those who missed the event… while the supply lasts. It won't last for long. (We also have lots of signed books by yours truly, a few by Neil Gaiman, Michael Chabon, and Pat Conroy as well).

Beagle is a real rock star of fantasy, and he tours like one. The day before he brought his travelling LAST UNICORN tour to Santa Fe, he was in Tucson… and as soon as he was done, he and Freff and Cat and the rest of his faithful minions packed up their vans and hit the road for Fort Collins, Colorado. Check out the tour details at http://www.conlanpress.com/ and find out when Peter and Schmendrick and the Red Bull are coming to your corner of the lilac woods.

He is not to be missed.

Thanks so much, Peter.

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Tags: fantasy, jean cocteau, signed books, signings

For New Mexicans…

January 17, 2014 at 11:22 am

… and tourists passing through Santa Fe.

We've had some very cool author events and booksignings at the Jean Cocteau Cinema since we reopened last summer. All of the visiting authors signed stock before taking their leave of us. So for the book collectors among you, take note. We have autographed copies of books by DIANA GABALDON, S.M. STIRLING, MICHAEL CHABON, PAT CONROY, MELINDA SNODGRASS, CARRIE VAUGHN, DIANA ROWLAND, MEGAN LINDHOLM/ ROBIN HOBB, JOE S. LANSDALE, SAM SYKES, GARDNER DOZOIS, TRENT ZELAZNY, and NEIL GAIMAN for sale at the theatre.

(You will need to drop in to the Cocteau to get one, though. Sorry, we've not set up to do mail orders at this time).

And yes, we also have autographed copies of my own books available at the theatre. OLD MARS, the WILD CARDS books, all five ICE & FIRE novels, FEVRE DREAM, ARMAGEDDON RAG, DYING OF THE LIGHT, WINDHAVEN, the map book. You will find them at the Jean Cocteau.

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Tags: jean cocteau, signed books

Seven Days And Counting…

August 2, 2013 at 8:56 am

We're down to seven days till the grand re-opening of the Jean Cocteau Cinema in Santa Fe.

[That sound you just heard was me gulping. Work is proceeding apace, but there's still a lot to do, and that opening is bearing down on us like a damned locomotive. I need to whip my minions harder.]

First up, the classic 1956 MGM big budget SF classic, FORBIDDEN PLANET.

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Tickets for FORBIDDEN PLANET… and Jean Cocteau's ORPHEUS and John Carpenter's DARK STAR, our other featured attraction… will all be FREE, but they're going fast, especially for opening night. If you're in Santa Fe, drop by the box office and get yours now.

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Oh, and we also hope to have signed copies of some of my books for sale at the theatre… and maybe other cool stuff as well.

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Tags: jean cocteau, movies, signed books

Back From LA

June 11, 2013 at 1:04 pm

Just back from a week in LA.

I did Conan (the O’Brien, not the Cimmerian) and the Today Show, and taped a segment for a BBC special about Machiavelli… along with the usual dozen or so meeetings.

Also, while in town, swung by the Bookstar in Studio City and signed all their stock of my books, which was considerable. So if you’re an Angeleno or just visiting LA, and want to snag an autographed copy of one of my novels, get yourself to Studio City while the supply lasts.

And now I’m back in the land of wolves and savage dust storms, digging out from under.

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Tags: everyday life, signed books, travels, tv & film

The Dragons Dance Again

November 1, 2012 at 1:48 pm

Subterranean Press is now shipping its long-awaited limited edition of A DANCE WITH DRAGONS, a two-volume set in slipcase, gorgeously and lavishly illustrated by Marc Fishman, and limited to 448 numbered and 52 lettered copies, all of them signed by both the artist and myself.

All the copies of this one have long ago been reserved… but inevitably, with these special editions, there are a few drop-outs who have “rights” to the book, by virtue of their purchase of the previous volume in the series, but fail to follow through. Which means that some number of copies will be made available to new purchasers. How many? That’s hard to say. SubPress does not keep a waiting list, no… but check the website frequently and look for an announcement… and do not hesitate when you see it. Maybe you can snag a copy.

The sites to watch are:
http://subterraneanpress.com/
http://subterraneanpress.com/store/product_detail/a_dance_with_dragons

And speaking of Subterranean… they do still have copies available of a couple of my other titles, including their trade hardcover of my first novel, DYING OF THE LIGHT, with great artwork by Tom Kidd.

To order that one, go to

http://subterraneanpress.com/store/product_detail/dying_of_the_light

And serious collectors might want to check out their listings for HUNTER’S RUN and STARLADY / FAST-FRIEND as well, before the remaining stocks are gone.

Happy reading.

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Tags: dance with dragons, signed books, subterranean

Land o’ the Flea, Home o’ the Plague

August 14, 2012 at 11:57 am

So… I have already posted my schedule for the worldcon in Chicago (see below), but I neglected to mention that the next con on my schedule is actually our hometown convention, Bubonicon, down the road in Albuquerque, New Mexico. (Land o’ the Flea and Home o’ the Plague, as con mascot Perry Rodent will be glad to tell you).

I will be at that one too. My schedule:

FRIDAY AUG 24

8:30 pm – READING (I will probably read from THE WORLD OF ICE AND FIRE) Acoma
10:30 pm – CHARITY AUCTION (will be donating various signed books and collectibles)

SATURDAY AUG 25

1:00 pm – HOLLYWOOD TALES panel w/ SNodgrass & Cassutt Salon E
5:30 pm – MASS SIGNING (all the writers at the con, defacing books)

SUNDAY AUG 26

12:15 noon – SIGNING (me and Brandon Sanderson, defacing books)

Of course, I will be hanging around the bar and cruising the parties as well.

Same rules as worldcon: always glad to meet you and converse, but I will sign stuff only at the designated signings on Saturday and Sunday. Thanks for understanding.

Bubonicon only draws about a tenth as many people as worldcon, so if you’re in driving distance of Albuquerque, there’s no better place to hang with your favorite writers and fellow fen. A link with all the necessary info can be found on my Appearances page.

See you there.

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Tags: convention, signed books

Weeklong Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary Charity Drive

June 29, 2012 at 10:55 pm

ENDING SOON!!!

Our supply of DANCE WITH DRAGONS is sold out, but there are still copies of the CAPTAIN OF GUARDS chapbook available for a $10 donation to the wolves.

==================================================================

I’ve always been fond of wolves… direwolves in Westeros, and real wolves in the real world.

Wolves have faced a tough road for the last century or so. US wolf populations hit critical lows during the twentieth century, and finding a way for humans to co-exist with this majestic creatures is an important part of the conservation movement. Here in my home state of New Mexico, we have the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary (http://www.wildspiritwolfsanctuary.org/index.php) doing important work in protecting the animals and in educating their two legged neighbors on how to get along. It’s work I strongly support, with both my words and my checkbook.

I invite you to join me over the next week. In conjunction with Wild Spirit, I’m sponsoring a charity drive to raise funds for the shelter. For the next week, we’ll be offering a pair of items from my personal library to people making donations. You can find the books being offered and the donation amounts here: http://www.wildspiritwolfsanctuary.org/georgemartin_bookfund.php

For a donation of $100 to the Wild Spirit Sanctuary, I will send you a first edition hardcover of A DANCE WITH DRAGONS, autographed… autographed and personally inscribed (upon request). For the most part I have been forced to stop doing personal inscriptions at my bookstore signings, con appearances, and the like… the crowds have simply gotten too large… so this is a rare chance for those who’d like to have a book personalizations. But the offer is limited to forty (40) copies, first come, first served. So if you want one, click on the link and make that donation NOW.

Dance with Dragons

For those who can’t afford a hundred bucks, or arrive at the party too late after the forty copies are gone, we have another offering — a special promotional chapbook featuring the “Captain of the Guards” chapter from A FEAST FOR CROWS. This was prepared by Bantam as a promotional item for the BEA (Book Expo America) and was given away to attendees at that event, but copies were never sold in any bookstore, so it’s a pretty cool collectible for the fans who have everything, and a $10 donation to the sanctuary will snag you a copy. I will be glad to sign these items as well — but, alas, only a straight signature, no personalization or inscription.

Captain of the Guards

So $10 will get you a signed CAPTAIN OF THE GUARDS, and $100 will get you a signed and inscribed DANCE WITH DRAGONS. But don’t do it for the books. Do it because the world would be a much worse place without this face in it.

Ally the happy wolf

THIS DRIVE WILL END ON SATURDAY AT MIDNIGHT. So if you would like to make a donation and give some wolves a hand, act now. Do it for House Stark. If we raise enough money, maybe I’ll let some Starks live a little longer…

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Tags: charity, dance with dragons, signed books

Limited Editions

May 5, 2012 at 4:24 pm

From time to time I get emails from readers wanting to know how they can purchase copies of the signed, illustrated limited editions of the Ice & Fire books published by Meisha Merlin and Subterranean. The short answer is, they can’t. Those were limited editions, they were fully subscribed, Meisha Merlin is out of business, and SubPress has no extra copies for sale.

(Yes, I have a few extra copies myself, but they are not for sale).

However, I’ve just happened to notice that there are presently not one but two (2!) sets of said limited up for bid on ebay. These are the numbered editions (not the rarer lettered), and both have matching numbers.

The ebay item numbers are 221012911878 and 150806055324.

I don’t know the sellers, and I can’t vouch for them or the condition of their books. (I will vouch for the fact that these are gorgeous books, lavishly illustrated by Jeff Jones, John Howe, Charles Vess, and Tom Canty, respectively). These ebay sales have nothing to do with me, and I cannot tell you more than I just have. If you have questions, you will need to contact the sellers. But considering how often I get asked about those books, I thought I’d mention it, if any of you are interested.

Please be advised: these sets are not cheap. The books have appreciated quite a bit in value since publication.

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Tags: ebay, limited editions, meisha merlin, signed books, subterranean

Signed Books for Britain

April 23, 2012 at 7:24 pm

Back in London again, doing more interviews and signing more books.

if you didn’t get to any of my previous events, I did a couple of drop-in stock signings today at two London bookshops, Foyle’s in Soho and Forbidden Planet on Shaftesbury. While the supply lasts, both of them should have plenty of autographed copies of my novels.

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Tags: signed books

Hescox to Illustrate A CLASH OF KINGS

February 7, 2012 at 10:46 pm

Cool things are happening at Subterranean Press.

Marc Fishman has delivered all the artwork for the SubPress limited edition of A DANCE WITH DRAGONS, and the book should be at the printer soon. Alas, I believe all the copies are spoken for… but those of you who preordered have something to look forward to.

Just last week I scrawled my scrawl on the signature pages for the new SubPress two-volume slipcased limited edition of A GAME OF THRONES, below a lovely Ted Nasmith drawing. Ted has completed all his other outstanding assignments, and turned his full attention to the illustrations for GAME. I’ve been seeing sketches several times a week, and I’m jazzed. I do love illustrated books, and this one promises to be stunning.

And now I am thrilled to be able to announce that Subterranean has secured the talents of RICHARD HESCOX to illustrate their signed, numbered (and lettered), deluxe, slipcased edition of A CLASH OF KINGS.

Those of you who attended the worldcon in Reno will likely remember seeing some of the gorgeous work that Hescox had on display in the art show there (one canvas, the Lamia, now hangs on my wall here in Santa Fe).

Others may know his work from Boskone art shows. Or perhaps you have his book, THE DECEIVING EYE: THE ART OF RICHARD HESCOX. Most of you will have seen his book covers and movie posters over the years.

You can find his website at: http://www.richardhescox.com/

For those unfamiliar with his work, suffice it to say that Hescox is a veteran SF and fantasy artist and illustrator, and that I’ve loved his stuff for a long time, especially his oil paintings. We’ve already been firing emails back and forth, and Richard is as enthused as I am. I cannot wait to see him bring my world and characters to life.

Here’s another taste of his work in oils:

As usual, the Subterranean CLASH OF KINGS will be limited to 52 lettered and 448 numbered copies, each signed by me and by the artist. Those who purchased the prior SubPress editions will have first dibs, of course, but there are always some dropouts, so it is possible that a few copies will become available to newcomers around publication date.

For more information on A CLASH OF KINGS, and the rest of Subterranean’s terrific books, visit their website at: http://www.subterraneanpress.com/

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Tags: signed books, song of ice and fire, subterranean

Not a Blog

Beagles and Unicorns

For New Mexicans…

Seven Days And Counting…

Back From LA

The Dragons Dance Again

Land o’ the Flea, Home o’ the Plague

Weeklong Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary Charity Drive

Limited Editions

Signed Books for Britain

Hescox to Illustrate A CLASH OF KINGS

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