Category Archives: Books

September 14, 2015 · 5:15 pm

Donate to help refugees and win a signed Daedalus trilogy

Kevin Hearne is good people. Seriously, he’s the absolute best. He writes absolutely fantastic books, he’s the Tacopope of the Holy Taco Church, and he always seems to bring joy wherever he goes. No, really. Hang with him some time. Real, honest-to-God joy seems to follow in his wake.

This is probably why his effort to help with the European refugee crisis has attracted so many authors, including myself. Kevin goes forth, we help. It’s what we do.

So here’s the deal. Donate to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, or to the Worldbuilders effort to fund the Mercy Corps, helpfully linked right here. Then send Kevin an e-mail (kevin at kevinhearne dot com, but with all the appropriate formatting) telling him that you did so, and boom — you’re entered to win books. There are a ton up for grabs, including all three of mine — The Daedalus Incident, The Enceladus Crisis and The Venusian Gambit, each signed by me.

In addition to my books, there are tomes from such upstanding people as Stephen Blackmoore, ML Brennan, Peter V. Brett, Beth Cato, Adam Christopher, Myke Cole, Harry Connolly, Karina Cooper, Delilah S. Dawson, Leanna Renee Hieber, C.A. Higgins, Jason M. Hough, Mario Kloos, Brian McClellan, Nicole Peeler, Andrea Philips, Jay Posey, Alan Smale, Michael J. Sullivan, Jaye Wells and Chuck Wendig.

I mean, wow. That’s a lot of books from a lot of great authors.

Now, technically and legally, you don’t have to donate to win. You can just e-mail Kevin. But seriously, it would be exceptionally good karma if you did. Folks out there need your help. Be good to one another. Help out.

Kevin’s gonna be doing this until Sunday, Sept. 20, and picking winners on Monday, Sept. 21. Please donate, and let Kevin know. Thanks.

#SFWApro

Leave a comment

Filed under Books, Charity

Tagged as , ,

September 9, 2015 · 5:00 pm

A great story about Borderlands Books

A brief post here to point you to an article about the survival and, dare I say, rebirth of Borderlands Books in San Francisco. And yes, my wife wrote it. We were in San Francisco a few weeks ago, as readers of the blog may recall, and she saw a great story in the sponsorship drive that saved the store.

So go check out the article, and please — if you’re in the Bay Area, or don’t mind ordering from a local bookstore instead of big national retailers, consider buying from Borderlands. It’s an excellent store run by wonderful people.

#SFWApro

Leave a comment

Filed under Books

September 8, 2015 · 5:45 pm

DragonCon: The last word

Going from DragonCon directly back to work is kind of jarring, but I managed to get through the day without mistaking colleagues for Wookies or superheroes, so I’ll chalk that up as a minor achievement. And with a touch of distance behind me, I can sum up my DragonCon experience a bit better.

I don’t go to too many cons each year, but I think DragonCon will be on my schedule for the foreseeable future. It’s big, but it’s also organized well. I like the topic tracks, and this year I did a panel on the Horror track (yay, Cthulhu!) as well as several on my “home” track, Alternate History.

The tracks are run by passionate volunteers who do such an awesome job. (Thank you, everyone who volunteered!) Because they’re run by fans who know the topics well, you definitely get the sense there’s a lot of heart that goes into it. It’s really great to see that.

My favorite panels this year were the ones on multicultural alt-history, which had some pretty intense and fruitful discussions, and the steampunk homebrewing/distilling panel, which had lovely drinks brought by really talented brewers. I have to figure out a way to bring my brews next year! The latter was also the first panel ever where I walked away somewhat unsteadily. (Two words: Lavender mead.)

I also let slip some details about the Secret Project during my reading and on some panels. The reception was most definitely encouraging.

Other highlights: Seeing such fantastic folk as Myke Cole, Richard Kadrey, Terra LeMay, Cherie Priest, Fran Wilde and my beard-bro Chuck Wendig, who was becoming a New York Times bestselling author right before our eyes thanks to Star Wars: Aftermath. I also met Bill Bridges, who developed Werewolf: The Apocalypse and Mage: The Ascension for White Wolf back in the day, which made me happy indeed. It’s folks like him who helped shape me into the writer you see before you now.

And of course, there was Tom Mison. I’m totally rooting for this guy now. I want him to win an Emmy and an Oscar and whatever else they got. Hell, I want him to play Thomas Weatherby in a Daedalus Incident movie. Hollywood, make this happen.

Finally, there were the fans, both old and new. Meeting you guys is like writer-fuel; you keep me going. I deeply appreciate the time you’ve spent with my work and the excitement you have for it. I hope I live up to all that goodness down the road.

I’ve got some hunkering down to do over the next several weeks in order to tackle a full slate at work along with the finishing touches on the Secret Project. This year’s NFL GeekPicks will kick off Thursday, but other than that and the occasional news tidbit, I’m probably gonna go light on this blog for a while. But October and November…that’s gonna be fun. There will be News. I can’t wait to share it with you.

#SFWApro

2 Comments

Filed under Books, Events

Tagged as

September 5, 2015 · 8:00 am

The last of The Daedalus Incident giveaways at DragonCon, plus what I’m up to today

So here I am thinking that 100 copies of The Daedalus Incident would be enough of a substantial giveaway to last the entire weekend here at DragonCon.

Silly me. I’m gonna have to bring more of the Secret Project books next year…

…wait. I’ve said too much. Anyway.

The Daedalus Incident went fast yesterday — in fact, we burned through nearly our entire shipment at the SFWA booth, and it’s only the first day of the con! Thanks to everyone at DragonCon who showed such interest in the book. If you grabbed one and enjoyed it, I’d mightly appreciate it if you took the time to tell your friends and/or put up reviews on social media, Goodreads, Amazon, etc.

And of course, if you really liked it, I hope you’ll think about buying the second and third books!

If you didn’t get one at the SFWA booth, your last chance for a free copy will be today at 1 p.m. at the University room at the Hyatt. I’m doing a reading and I have two copies to give out there. After that, they’re gone.

Today’s another day, so here’s where I’ll be at DragonCon if you want to hunt me down…er…as in hunt me down to say hello, get a book signed or buy me beer. You know, no actual hunting.

  • 9-10 a.m., Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America booth, Exhibit level, Hyatt. Just doing my part for SFWA. Come learn about what the organization does, get free books from great authors like Naomi Novik and Jason M. Hough, and hey, there’s a cookbook for sale, too!
  • 1 p.m., Michael J. Martinez reading, University room, Conference level (one floor below the Art Show), Hyatt. I’ll read from The Venusian Gambit, possibly from Cthulhu Fhtagn! and maybe even talk about the Secret Project. Also, it’s your chance to grab those last two freebies.
  • 8:30 p.m., Alternate Armed Conflicts panel, Augusta 3, Westin. A look at the various wars and conflicts throughout history, seen through alt-history authors’ warped lenses.
  • 11:30 p.m., The Steampunk’s Guide to Home Brewing and Distilling panel, Augusta 1-2, Westin. Aww, yeah. Stay up late with us as we talk brewing and distilling for the Steampunk crowd.

#SFWApro

Leave a comment

Filed under Books, Events

Tagged as , , ,

September 4, 2015 · 8:00 am

What I’m up to Friday at DragonCon

It’s the first day of DragonCon where everyone is excited to be there and energized and still healthy and smelling good! And I’m all those things too. Here’s what I’m doing today:

  • 11:30 a.m. — The Beginner’s Guide to Alternate History, Steampunk & Other Subgenres, Augusta 1-2, Westin. Kicking off the Alt-History track with a refresher for the newbies.
  • 2-4 p.m. — Science Ficiton & Fantasy Writers of America booth, Exhibit level, Hyatt. I’m holding down the fort — and giving away copies of The Daedalus Incident. Come get a free book!
  • 7 p.m. — Cthulhu: New Spins on Old Mythos, Peachtree 1-2, Westin. Come get your Lovecraft on with us as we talk about fresh takes on the Great Old Ones.

If you’re in town, hope to see you there!

#SFWApro

Leave a comment

Filed under Books, Events

Tagged as , ,

September 2, 2015 · 5:45 pm

The big Daedalus Incident giveaway at DragonCon!

TDI-bigcoverThe Daedalus trilogy is all wrapped up, which means that if you haven’t started it yet, you can binge on all three books at once, like a Netflix marathon but in print. And to help get you started, the good folks at Night Shade Books and I have conspired to do a giveaway at DragonCon this weekend.

If you’re going to DragonCon, head on over to the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America booth starting Friday to pick up a free copy of The Daedalus Incident, the first book in the trilogy. I’m told we have three boxes of books, but since there’s something like 60,000 fans, you may want to head over before too long.

Last year, the SFWA booth was just outside the Art Show and Comic Alley on the Exhibit level of the Hyatt. If that’s changed this year, I’ll update this post.

Also, I’m pulling shifts at the SFWA booth each day of the con, which I’ll post here as part of my daily schedule. So if you want that book signed, you can come find me then. I’m also happy to sign before or after — though, really not during — panels and such. I may also have some copies on me as I move about, and it’s always a good idea to watch my Twitter feed in case I get creative about a giveaway.

Why are we being so generous? Because DragonCon is awesome, for one, and free books are awesome as well. Of course, if you like Daedalus, my publisher and I would really quite like it if you bought the second and third books, too. But for this weekend at DragonCon, the first book is on us. Stop by and grab one!

#SFWApro

2 Comments

Filed under Books, Events

Tagged as ,

August 24, 2015 · 6:30 pm

Heading off into the wild

A quick note for blog readers: I’ll be unplugged for most of this week, courtesy of a few days’ vacation in Big Sur. I’ll be reading Taiyo Fujii’s Gene Mapper and Chuck Wendig’s Zer0es and maybe working on my Secret Project as time and battery life allow.

There’s been a lot of ink spilled over the Hugo Awards of late, and honestly, I’ve been tempted to add my $0.02 to the mix at various times throughout the year. But then I see the insults and vitriol splashed around the Internet — on all sides, mind you — and I recognize that I’d open a can of worms I’ve neither the time nor inclination to deal with. Suffice it to say, I think the awards went off as well as could be expected, and my congratulations to all who walked away with a rocket.

And that’s all I got to say about that.

I’m looking forward to DragonCon immensely — my schedule is here, and I can’t wait to see old friends and make new ones. I love DragonCon because it’s a celebration of creators and creations, no matter where they’re coming from. Something to think about with regard to the Hugos.

I’ll be back next week with more. Until then, be good to one another.

#SFWApro

Leave a comment

Filed under Books, Events

Tagged as

August 17, 2015 · 7:30 pm

Greetings from San Francisco!

Just a quick note here. I’m working out of my company’s San Francisco office this week and part of next, and it’s pretty fantastic — killer views of the Ferry Building, Bay Bridge, Alcatraz…skyscrapers are awesome. And we got a HomeAway by Golden Gate Park, which is cool.

The reading at Borderlands Books on Sunday was great fun, and I had the distinct pleasure of sharing the stage with Taiyo Fujii, who’s a fine gentleman indeed; we even swapped signed books. I look forward to diving into my signed copy of Gene Mapper very soon — well, as soon as I get more words down on my next novel.

What next novel? Well, I’ve been leaving some breadcrumbs here and there — check out the Secret Project page for more, and this Tweet:

Sorry if you missed the reading, because I did let some things drop there. The business dealings on the project are dealt with; we’re merely waiting for the opportune moment to talk about it more. Soon, I promise.

In terms of other book stuff, I now have my tentative schedule for DragonCon, which I’ll probably blog about soon. Cthulhu Fhtagn! is out, and it’s awesome — go get a copy! And again, there’s other stuff I can’t quite talk about yet, but I’m super excited. Super. Excited.

Otherwise, we’re just enjoying our time here. Someone already offered me “sweet green buds” on the street in the Haight, and no fewer than four people have asked me for directions since I’ve been in town. Do I look like a San Franciscan? That would be cool, as it’s a fantastic city. The food is great, the beer is even better, and the sights are unparalleled.

Oh, and we were greeted early this morning with a mild earthquake that shook the apartment for a moment. At first, I just thought a big truck went by. Not so bad, but honestly, I’m good on earthquakes now, thanks.

#SFWApro

Leave a comment

Filed under Books, Events

Tagged as , ,

August 14, 2015 · 6:30 pm

Reminder: Reading/signing Sunday at 3 p.m. at Borderlands! Plus Cthulhu Fhtagn! is coming!

So I’m back at home for a solid 18 hours before heading off to San Francisco in the morning. This is a good thing, as San Francisco is awesome. And on Sunday, I’ll be at Borderlands Books at 3 p.m. for a joint reading/signing with Taiyo Fujii, author of Gene Mapper. I’ll likely read from The Venusian Gambit and perhaps from something else, too. If you’re around, I’d love to see you there!

Also, I got this:

It’s so pretty, in a dark and creepy way. Very excited about this one. The anthology got a nice review at Fantasy Literature and a “future treasures” mention at Black Gate. It’s available for pre-order at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and at Word Horde, and comes out tomorrow, Aug. 15.

 #SFWApro

Leave a comment

Filed under Books, Events, Publishing

Tagged as ,

August 6, 2015 · 5:45 pm

In praise of editing and editors

There are a lot of writers out there today. The Internet has made it easy for folks to get their words out their for consumption — there’s an insatiable demand for “content” (ugh…it’s writing, dammit!) on any number of sites, for one. Blogs can be set up in mere minutes. And self-publishing has made it relatively simple for an author to get his or her work out there.

These are all good things, mind you. I’m not going to complain about this one whit, nor am I gonna pass judgment on this new influx of post-Internet writers. They’re either good or they’re not, but judge them on the merits, not how they got there.

Yet if there’s one thing that kind of irks/concerns me, it’s the seemingly not-insignificant number of writers who relish putting their words out there without an editor. “I don’t need an editor.” “Editors will only mess up what I’m trying to do here.” “I already know how to write.”

*stares boggle-eyed*

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under Books, Publishing, Writing

Tagged as , ,