April Authors

April 7, 2014 at 3:35 pm

We have an amazing lineup of author events at the Jean Cocteau this month.

Tonight, we're playing host to CONNIE WILLIS, SFWA Grand Master, past worldcon Guest of Honor, author of BLACKOUT, ALL CLEAR, DOMESDAY BOOK, PASSAGE, REPLAY, "The Secret of Santa Titicaca," and many classic short stories, and winner of more Hugo and Nebula awards than any other author, male or female, living or dead.

A few weeks down the road, on Monday, April 21, we will be welcoming the Pulitzer-Prize-winning novelist JUNOT DIAZ, author of THIS IS HOW YOU LOSE HER and THE BRIEF WONDROUS LIFE OF OSCAR WAO. The last time Junot was in Santa Fe, he filled the Lensic Theatre with its 850 seats. The Cocteau has only 125, so if you'd like to hear him talk and get a book signed, call the theatre and reserve your place NOW.

A few days after Junot, on Thursday April 24, another megastar will be in town: bestselling mystery writer and historical novelist ANNE PERRY, whose bibliography includes 19 volumes in her William Monk series, 28 in the Thomas Pitt series, as well as fantasies, YA novels, stand-alones, and Christmas books. I intend to ask her how in the world she can possibly be so prolific. Maybe some of it will rub off on me.

Our author events at the Cocteau usually include an interview or dialogue with me or another host, a Q&A with the audience, sometimes a reading, always a booksigning. Admission is FREE with the purchase of a hardcover, $5 with the purchase of a paperback, $10 without a book purchase.

Most of our past author events have been sold out, so if you'd like to hear Connie, Junot Diaz, or Anne Perry, call the Cocteau at 444-5528 and reserve your book, and your place, now.

See you at the booksigning.

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Tags: jean cocteau, signed books, signings

Cool Stuff at the Cocteau

April 3, 2014 at 11:29 pm

The VERONICA MARS movie, famously funded by fans of the TV show via Kickstarter, will make its Santa Fe debut at the Jean Cocteau tomorrow.

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The Cocteau bar will be introducing a special cocktail in honor of Ms. Mars — the Marshmellow Hootch.

And on Monday evening, the latest in our series of author events — CONNIE WILLIS will be coming to the Cocteau for an evening of conversation and booksigning. Fans of SF and fantasy need no introduction to Connie, I trust. She has won more Hugo and Nebula awards than any other author, living and dead, been a worldcon Guest of Honor, a worldcon Toastmaster and Hugo Emcee, and was recently named a Grandmaster by the SFWA.

See you at the movies.

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Tags: jean cocteau, movie theatre, signings

Grand Opening

February 27, 2014 at 11:24 pm

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The bar at the Jean Cocteau has been serving beer and wine and a few mixed drinks for most of the past month, but all the while construction was still going on during the days, as the last few finishing touches were done. But now the work is finished, and next week on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday we are having our official

GRAND OPENING

We'll be having free movies all three days, from opening to close. The Tuesday matinee will be CHARADE, with Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn. On Wednesday, it's ONE-EYED JACKS with Marlon Brando. On Thursday, Abbott & Costello in JACK AND THE BEANSTALK. We're running late shows all three days as well, starting at 11:00 pm: SPIDER BABY on Tuesday, PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE on Wednesday, and THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE on Thursday. And in between, all three days, we'll be screening BACK TO THE FUTURE at 6:10 and 8:30.

Oh, we'll be showing assorted cartoons and short subjects as well. (And of course, lots of trailers). And we will be offering a special drink, the Flux Capacitor, along with four kinds of draft beer, wine, beer, the best popcorn in New Mexico, pizza, candy, all the usual.

And that's not even the coolest part. The coolest part is that we will have Doc Brown's TIME MACHINE with us as well! Yes, complete with the real flux capacitor, though as I recall this one doesn't have a Mr. Fusion yet. It will be tooling around Santa Fe starting on Tuesday morning, and during show times you will find it right in front of the theatre (assuming our parking permit comes through). Oh, and we'll have our own Doc Brown to explain its workings to you.

And on Wednesday (ONE DAY ONLY) we will have the DeLorean's owner, Ernie Cline, on hand as well… showing off the car, and signing copies of his novel READY PLAYER ONE.

The DeLorean will be hard to top, admittedly… but we hope our new bar will be a star attraction as well. Even if you don't have time for a movie, drop by and see it, we hope you'll think it is as cool as we do. Remember, no charge for admission. For those three days only, all movies are FREE.

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Tags: jean cocteau, movie theatre, movies, signings

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

Danger Day

December 6, 2013 at 7:36 pm

DANGEROUS WOMEN is here. The anthology was released on December 3 in hardcover and ebook, and should be available from your favorite local bookstore or online retailer. This is a monster, as those who have already snagged a copy can testify, a massive crossgenre assembly of all original stories about women warriors, femmes fatale, and kickass adventurers, containing not only "The Princess and the Queen," my own 30,000 word account of the Dance of the Dragons, but all sorts of other terrific stuff as well.

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Here's a story about the book from today's PASATIEMPO, the magazine of the Santa Fe NEW MEXICAN.

http://www.santafenewmexican.com/pasatiempo/books/readings_signings/damsels-who-distress-dangerous-women-an-anthology/article_2b831a74-dac3-5826-b1eb-5a4b1f89d4cc.html

Our table of contents:

The full table of contents:
INTRODUCTION, by Gardner Dozois
SOME DESPERADO, by Joe Abercrombie
MY HEART IS EITHER BROKEN, by Megan Abbott
NORA’S SONG, by Cecelia Holland
THE HANDS THAT ARE NOT THERE, by Melinda Snodgrass
BOMBSHELLS, by Jim Butcher
RAISA STEPANOVA, by Carrie Vaughn
WRESTLING JESUS, by Joe R. Lansdale
NEIGHBORS, by Megan Lindholm
I KNOW HOW TO PICK ‘EM, by Lawrence Block
SHADOWS FOR SILENCE IN THE FORESTS OF HELL, by Brandon Sanderson
A QUEEN IN EXILE, by Sharon Kay Penman
THE GIRL IN THE MIRROR, by Lev Grossman
SECOND ARABESQUE, VERY SLOWLY, by Nancy Kress
CITY LAZARUS, by Diana Rowland
VIRGINS, by Diana Gabaldon
HELL HATH NO FURY, by Sherilynn Kenyon
PRONOUNCING DOOM, by S.M. Stirling
NAME THE BEAST, by Sam Sykes
CARETAKERS, by Pat Cadigan
LIES MY MOTHER TOLD ME, by Caroline Spector
THE PRINCESS AND THE QUEEN, by George R.R. Martin

And for those in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, or the rest of the Land of Enchantment…

This Monday, my co-editor Gardner Dozois and I will be at the Jean Cocteau Cinema in Santa Fe with seven of our writers. So come join me and Steve Stirling and Melinda Snodgrass and Diana Rowland and Gardner Dozois and Carrie Vaughn and Diana Gabaldon and Sam Sykes and Megan Lindholm/ Robin Hobb for an evening of DANGEROUS TALK ABOUT DANGEROUS WOMEN,

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carrie index sam-sykes

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So come and hear us if you can, and get your books signed as well. We should have copies of many other titles by our attending writers on hand, along with a big stack of DANGEROUS WOMEN itself.

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Tags: anthologies, jean cocteau, signings

Heading Down Under

October 31, 2013 at 10:44 am

Things are pretty hectic here. A million things to do, and in less than a week, I will be headed off Down Under.

Details of my tour have been available for ages on the Appearances page of my website, but I know that some of you never visit my website (bad on you), so in the hopes of avoiding the "why don't you ever visit X" emails that inevitably seem to turn up whenever I've just gotten back from X, let me hit the highlights here for all my fans and Not A Blog readers in Australia (and New Zealand):

I'M COMING TO AUSTRALIA (and NEW ZEALAND).

First stop will be Brisbane, where I will be appearing at the SUPANOVA convention, November 8 – 10. I will be doing signings, panels, signings, Q&As, signings, maybe a reading, signings, interviews, and signings. It's a big big convention with lots of cool guests, so I'll be joined at some of these events by Lena Headey (Queen Cersei), Mark Addy (King Robert), and Jerome Flynn (Bronn) from HBO's GAME OF THRONES, along with stars from TRUE BLOOD, SPARTACUS, and many other actors and writers.

Then on to Sydney. On November 11, I will be speaking at the Sydney Opera House. I'm informed that Lena will be on hand as well, along with Michelle Fairley (Lady Catelyn). This will be an interview and Q&A, I believe. I promise not to attempt to sing opera. ('Kill the wabbit! Kill the waaaaabit').

On Wednesday, November 13, I will be in Melbourne, appearing that evening for a similiar event at the Wheeler Centre. The sponsors tell me that Michelle will be on hand for that one as well.

Afterwards it's on to Adelaide, and another SUPANOVA, November 15-17. As with Brisbane, there will be a full lineup of signings, panels, interviews, and other events. Mark Addy, Jerome Flynn, and Lena Headey are supposed to join me for that one as well.

For my fans elsewhere in Australia… I am sorry, but no, I am NOT appearing in Darwin, Townsville, Cairns, Canberra, Hobart, Alice Springs, Perth, Kangaroo Island, or any of the other cool towns and cities in your lovely country. If you want to see me, hear me, or get your book defaced, you will need to travel to Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, or Adelaide. You can find my details, and links to the SUPANOVA webpage and other events, on the Appearances page of my website, so get yourself hither if you'd like to buy tickets. Some of these events may sell out. Some may be sold out already.

Last stop on the trip will be New Zealand. Or, rather, Wellington, where I am scheduled to do a signing at Whitcoulls booksellers at 12:30 on Friday, November 22. That will be my only public appearance in NZ; the rest of our time there will be private.

Parris and I love Australia and New Zealand and have lots of friends there, so we're looking forward eagerly to returning. (Though I do rather wish it wasn't coming up so fast, I have so much else to do).

See you Down Under.

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Tags: conventions, signings, travels

Coming to the Cocteau

October 4, 2013 at 1:04 pm

I don't have full details on these yet… and tickets are not yet being offering for presale… but we have some exciting future events coming up at the Jean Cocteau Cinema, and I wanted to give my Not A Blog readers a little heads up about what's coming.

First up: October 21 to 24, we have a special four day marathon of all six seasons of Felicia Day's wonderful webseries THE GUILD.

Is this the first time THE GUILD has been shown the big (ish) screen? Dunno. It will be the first time in New Mexico for sure. We'll screen the first and second seasons on October 21, the third and fourth seasons on October 22, the fifth and sixth on October 23… and on October 24, for those who dare, we will show all six seasons at once. What's more, Felicia Day and other cast members will be weighing in from fantasyland via Skype to talk with audience members and answer their questions.

Then, on November 9, we have another live music event — an evening's entertainment from Paul and Storm.

You'll all remember Paul and Storm, I'm sure. "Write Like the Wind," and all that. I had to smash their guitar to splinters at W00tstock this summer, but I hear they got a new one. They're touring the United States… or maybe fleeing to get away from their creditors… but in any case, they are coming to Santa Fe, and we'll have them. So come hear them sing. I understand they have other songs that have nothing to do with me. 🙂

Next up will be another great author event. On December 2 we'll be hosting PAT CONROY, bestselling author of PRINCE OF TIDES, THE LORDS OF DISCIPLINE, THE WATER IS WIDE (filmed as CONRACK, with Jon Voight), THE GREAT SANTINI, and many other terrific novels.

I've never met Pay Conroy, but he's been one of my favorite living novelists for a long, long time, so I am really looking forward to this. I'll be doing an interview/ conversation with Pat, and he may read a bit from his new book, after which we will adjourn to the concessions area for autographing. Rest assured, we will have plenty of his books on hand for you to get signed. It should be another great evening.

So: October 21-24, November 9, December 2. Mark them down on your calendars. I will let you know when tickets go on sale. As with the Michael Chabon and Neil Gaiman/ Amanda Palmer events, we expect to sell out, so reserve your places early.

And for advance word about these, and other offerings at the Cocteau, sign up for our email newsletter at http://www.jeancocteaucinema.com/contact-us/?view=edit

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Tags: jean cocteau, movie theatre, signings, the internet

Michael Chabon Visits Santa Fe

September 9, 2013 at 1:52 pm

[Michael Chabon, the only writer ever to win both a Pulitzer Prize and a Hugo Award, will be visiting Santa Fe next weekend, and we have the honor of hosting him at the Jean Cocteau Cinema.

He'll be here this Saturday, September 14. The event starts at 7:00 pm. He'll be reading from TELEGRAPH AVENUE, his latest novel. I'll be interviewing Michael as well, talking books and writing and life & times and such. Followed, of course, by a booksigning.

Admission is free with the purchase of a hardcover book, $5 with the purchase of a paperback.

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We have a goodly stock of Chabon titles in stock at the theatre — not only TELEGRAPH AVENUE (in both hardcover and paperback), but also his Hugo-winning YIDDISH POLICEMAN'S UNION, his Pulitzer Prize-winning THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF KAVALIER AND CLAY, the marvelous swashbuckler GENTLEMAN OF THE ROAD (echoes of Fritz Leiber and Harold Lamb, illustrated by the incomparable Gary Gianni), his book of essays MAPS AND LEGENDS: READING AND WRITING ALONG THE BORDERLANDS, and other titles.

chabon2

The Cocteau only seats 120, and we're getting a lot of interest in this event, so if you'd like to come join us for an evening with Michael Chabon, phone the theatre at 505-466-5528 ASAP to order a book… and thereby reserve a seat.

You can also order a book, and a seat, through the Cocteau website at
http://www.jeancocteaucinema.com/

See you at the show!

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Tags: interviews, jean cocteau, signings, writing

Coming to Chicago

August 13, 2012 at 11:01 pm

Leaving for Chicon TOMORROW, so I figured I’d bump this one back up to the top.

Should be a great con! See you there, boys and girls.
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Worldcon is coming up soon: Chicon 7, to be held in Chicago over Labor Day Weekend (worldcon’s traditional weekend, where it AND IT ALONE belongs). I’ll be there. Hell, I’ve only missed one worldcon in the last thirty years. Of course I will be there.

Just finished nailing down the details of my programming at the con.

Here’s where you will find me:

THURSDAY August 30
3:00 – 4:30 pm autographing, dealer’s room

FRIDAY August 31
1:30 – 3:00 pm autographing, dealer’s room
4:30 – 6:00 pm WILD CARDS panel, Crystal A

SATURDAY September 1
12:00 – 1:30pm GAME OF THRONES discussion w/ Mo Ryan of THE HUFFINGTON POST,
Columbus EF
3:00 – 4:30pm SECRET HISTORY OF SCIENCE FICTION panel w/ Resnick, Dozois, Silverberg,
Crystal B

SUNDAY September 2
1:30 – 3:00pm reading from THE WINDS OF WINTER, Columbus EF
8:00 pm HUGO AWARDS, Hyatt Regency Grand Ballroom

MONDAY September 3
1:30 – 3:00pm autographing, dealer’s room

Of course, I will also be found partying in the evenings. Look for the Brotherhood Without Banners bash. It will be the best party at the con, it always is. If I’m not there, I likely will be soon. I will also be at the Hugo Loser’s Party and Keith’s chili party, but you probably can’t get into those… the BWB parties are open. And if Kansas City throws a bid party (I expect they will), I will be there too.

Cons, as I have said many a time, are a MUCH better place to meet and hang with your favorite author (or me, if your favorite isn’t there) than any booksigning.

Do please note, however: I have scheduled myself for three ninety-minutes autograph sessions, so I will be defacing books for four and a half hours at this worldcon. If you want your book signed, come to one of those. PLEASE do not ask me to sign outside of those scheduled events.

If you come across me walking through the hall, visiting the art show, browsing in the dealer’s room, attending a program item, leaving my panel or rushing to the next one, waiting for a cab, eating dinner, eating lunch, eating breakfast… by all means say hi, but don’t ask me to sign anything. That’s what those autograph sessions are for.

And at parties, or in the bar, hey, by all means, come up, say hi, introduce yourself, start a conversation, offer to buy me a drink (I may or may not accept), flirt with me (I may or may not respond)… but DON’T ask me to sign stuff, okay? And while I certainly don’t mind talking about my books or the TV show, remember, I have done a thousand interviews on these subjects, and asking me about my favorite character or telling me who YOUR favorite character is will likely just send me slouching off to find someone who wants to talk about Jack Vance, sing old TV theme songs, or argue whether Sanchez or Tebow should QB the Jets.

’nuff said.

See you in Chicago, I hope.

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Tags: conventions, signings, worldcon

Off to Seattle…

June 30, 2012 at 2:02 pm

… to teach at Clarion West.

But there’s a reading and signing at Town Hall as well, sponsored by the University Bookstore. Check with them for details, Seattle-ites.

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Tags: appearances, signings, teaching

Not a Blog

April Authors

Cool Stuff at the Cocteau

Grand Opening

Beagles and Unicorns

Danger Day

Heading Down Under

Coming to the Cocteau

Michael Chabon Visits Santa Fe

Coming to Chicago

Off to Seattle…

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