Category Archives: Books

February 7, 2014 · 5:30 pm

New excerpt from The Daedalus Incident in the 2014 Campbellian Anthology

I’ve been remiss in mentioning this here, so it’s high time I correct it. I’m quite happy to report that a new excerpt from The Daedalus Incident is included in the 2014 Campbellian Anthology, assembled by M. David Blake and published by Rampant Loon Media.

This massive anthology includes literally dozens of short stories and excerpts from longer works, all written by folks like me who are eligible for the 2014 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, to be presented alongside the Hugo Awards at this year’s WorldCon in London.

And the anthology is free. As in, zero cost, go and download and enjoy. You get the work of 111 new, up-and-coming authors to peruse, all for the price of belly-button lint. How can you not love that?

The idea, of course, is to help WorldCon voters make informed decisions with regard to the Campbell awards. It’s hard to check out every story, every novel that was written by the newbies in any given year, so this is a great chance for fans to get caught up on who’s done what.

To be eligible to nominate works and vote on the Campbell award, as well as the Hugos, you need to be an attendee or supporter of the 2013 WorldCon in San Antonio, the next WorldCon in London and/or the 2015 WorldCon in Spokane. You don’t have to actually go, of course — you can buy relatively inexpensive supporting memberships that allow you to vote on the awards. (And as a WorldCon member, I can tell you that you also get a nice bundle of the Hugo- and Campbell-nominated works to read as part of that membership. In other words, it pays for itself.)

The anthology is available for download in DRM-free .mobi or ePub formats at the Stupefying Stories site. Again, it’s free. And if you have a WorldCon membership, the Hugo and Campbell nomination instructions are online at LonCon3’s site. You have until March 31 to get nominations in.

Did I mention the anthology is free? Even if you’re not a WorldCon member, it’s still free. Seriously, it’s chock full of awesome. Go download! And a big thanks to David, Rampant Loon and Stupefying Stories for making it all possible.

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February 5, 2014 · 7:19 pm

Charity auction: Signed copies of The Daedalus Incident and The Enceladus Crisis!

Last year, if you’ll recall, I did my very first charity bit as an author through Con or Bust, an organization that helps people of color attend science-fiction and fantasy conventions if they can’t afford it. It’s a great charity that allows people to get their geek on while enriching the SF/F community with new fans and new perspectives.

Since I auctioned off an advance copy of The Daedalus Incident last year, I figured I should go one better this year: I’m auctioning off a copy of Daedalus AND a signed advance copy of The Enceladus Crisis. Both books will be signed and can be personalized, if that’s your jam.

The really cool thing is that The Enceladus Crisis isn’t due to hit shelves until May 6, and this represents your very first chance to get your hands on a copy before launch. We’re talking months in advance, people. That’s like an eon in geek-time.

The auction doesn’t start until Monday, Feb. 10, but the auction page is right here for ease of bookmarking and such.

One of the very best things about being an author is being able to do fundraisers like this, and I definitely appreciate folks bidding on my work. It’s a great cause, and I deeply appreciate the support. Thanks!

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February 1, 2014 · 10:12 am

The Gravity of the Affair out in audio, another Daedalus review, and convention planning

Very happy to report that Audible has officially released The Gravity of the Affair in audiobook, and for the super-low price of $2.99. It’s a nice, trim two-hour reading by Bernard Clark, the same fellow who read the Weatherby sections of The Daedalus Incident audiobook. Check it out! And if you bought the Gravity ebook from Amazon, you can read along or automatically synch between the two, which is pretty cool. We do indeed live in the The Future.

I’m also happy that The Daedalus Incident continues to garner positive reviews and notice. The Qwillery — that great resource for news and reviews of debut SF/F works — published Trinitytwo’s review yesterday. Her verdict:

I thought this book was unique in many ways and I can honestly say it was my pleasure to read. I am looking forward to reading The Enceladus Crisis and The Gravity of the Affair. Michael J. Martinez has created a sci fi adventure that is just too good to miss, so make sure you don’t!

You can read the whole review here. Many thanks to Trinitytwo and Sally “Qwill” for all they’ve done for debut genre authors!

Meantime, I’m starting to figure out my convention schedule for the coming year. I can say with certainty that I’ll be at Lunacon, up in Rye, N.Y., on March 14-16. That’s pretty much the closest con to my house, making it a no-brainer. The list of program participants is impressive, and while they haven’t released panel info yet, I’ve seen some preliminary stuff, and it ought to be awesome. So come on out to Lunacon and say hi!

After that, I’m looking into BaltiCon in late May, and then really trying to figure out what I want to do for a summer convention. As much as I’d love to go to WorldCon in London, I’m having a hard time with the costs of it all. Whereas, if I hit GenCon in Indy or DragonCon in Atlanta, I may find new audiences and cheaper flights. (I’m already spoken for the weekend of CONvergence, so that’s out.)

If anybody has any thoughts as to a good summer con, throw it out there in the comments!

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January 28, 2014 · 6:00 pm

The Enceladus Crisis heading out to reviewers

Given that The Enceladus Crisis is just my second novel, it might not be accurate to say that it’s always a little daunting to send out those first books to reviewers. But it sure feels like it.

Print previews of the new book in the Daedalus series have been mailed, and I’ve begun sending out electronic files to reviewers. I’m excited about the direction the new book takes in the evolution of the Known Worlds, and I think it’s a pretty good read. (I also had a pair of beta readers concur on this, so that’s comforting.)

But sure, it’s a little daunting to hold up your work and say, “OK, gang. JUDGE ME.” I suppose that’s normal and probably healthy. If I think I’ve actually written the Great American SF/F Novel, then chances are I probably haven’t.

By the way, I’m still sending those electronic files out, so if you haven’t gotten one yet and you want to review it — and, admittedly, you have something of an audience on your blog or site or publication — do let me know and I’ll get one out to you. Bear in mind that it’s a preview version; there are still copyedits to come!

The cover also looks very different from the placeholder you see on this page. We’re still finalizing the details, but the art is just fantastic. I’ll have more on the image and the artist as we get closer to the book’s May 6 launch.

While you wait for the new book to come out, it’s worth noting that the Audible audiobook version of my novella, The Gravity of the Affair, comes out this Friday. And it’s cheap, too — just $2.99! You can pre-order it here. And the ebook version is already available wherever fine ebooks are sold.

On another note, I’m excited to see that reviews for The Daedalus Incident are still trickling in. Caleb Flanagan of the site 20four12 listed Daedalus as one of his top-ten reads of the year, and now follows that up with a full review:

“Is The Daedalus Incident doing something new and different? Yes, I very much think it is. It’s a well-crafted blend of fantasy and science fiction that roars through the pages and keeps you gripped until the very end.”

Click here for the entire review. Thanks, Caleb!

Finally, if you want a shot at winning signed copies of both Daedalus and Enceladus, then it would be really awesome if you supported my 5k run fundraiser for African elephants. Everyone who donates $10 will be entered to win both books. It’s a good cause, and there’s good karma for you. Plus books. And I’ll be sweating it out for a half-hour, which has it’s own entertainment value. So go for it!

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January 22, 2014 · 12:30 pm

Support my 5k-run fundraiser for African elephants and win books!

Regular readers of this blog may have noticed that I ran my very first 5k race on New Year’s Day — and that I managed to run the entire way. This is no small thing, as I’m not a small person. Fueled by this success and the accompanying hubris, I’m joining with my wife Kate and our daughter Anna to do another one on April 26: A fundraiser for the Wildlife Conservation Society to help African elephants.

Since I have this blog, I thought I’d throw it out there to try to gin up support — and to sweeten the deal, I’ll be giving away signed copies of both my books, The Daedalus Incident and The Enceladus Crisis, to one lucky donor.

Here’s how it works: Go to my fundraising page and pledge money. If you pledge $10 or more, I’ll enter you for a chance to win the books. After the race on 4/26, I’ll choose an donor at random as the winner, and I’ll even personalize them for you if you like.

This is important: If you do indeed pledge $10 or more, please drop me an email at mikemartinezbooks@gmail.com letting me know you did so — and make sure your name matches the name you listed as a donor on the fundraising page so I can confirm it. That’ll also help me reach out to you after the race so I can tell you you’ve won.

Both books will run you at least $30 with shipping, and my scribble inside might be worth a few cents on top of that, so this is a good deal. Plus, you’re helping the Wildlife Conservation Society preserve and protect African elephants and their habitats, so there’s good karma coming your way regardless of whether you win or not.

And finally, you’ll can sit back and smile with the knowledge that I’ll be spending a fine Saturday morning huffing and puffing 3.1 miles. I can only hope it’s all downhill.

Thanks for the support!

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January 21, 2014 · 5:00 pm

Steampunk without steam? It’s possible.

A lot of folks have said The Daedalus Incident has a very steampunk vibe — even though there’s no steam to be found, and it’s set several decades before most traditional steampunk stories.

That got BuzzFeed’s Sean Fagan thinking: Can you have steampunk without the steam? Today on BuzzFeed, I answered in the affirmative.

There’s a certain zeitgeist to steampunk stories, even if there’s no actual steam-powered contraptions to be had, and I detailed ten of them up at BuzzFeed. Check out the story and let me know what you think!

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January 9, 2014 · 5:00 pm

The Enceladus Crisis ARCs have arrived!

Just look at them. SO VERY, VERY PRETTY.

(My editor Cory says to excuse the mess on his desk. I won’t ask about the “firearms record” thing in the upper right, except to note that I’m working really hard on book 3, I swear!)

And yes, that’s a new cover. Not sure if it’s the final, but the art is fantastic. A book about sailing ships in space should have, you know, sailing ships in space on the cover.

I’ll be receiving two of these babies. I only need one. Thus, you may see something soon on how you — yes, you! — might have a shot at the other.

The Enceladus Crisis comes out May 6. Are you stoked? I’m stoked.

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January 6, 2014 · 12:30 pm

For your award consideration, my writing from 2013

So this is a bit new to me, obviously, since The Daedalus Incident is indeed my first published fiction. Plus, there’s always the feeling that it’s slightly gauche to toot one’s own horn. But I’m not actually the first one to float the idea that Daedalus might be worthy of consideration, which was admittedly quite pleasing to see. And if this three-time Hugo winner can do a post like this, I figure it’s kosher for me to throw this out there.

So with an awkward mix of newbie enthusiasm, hard-won realism and attempted modesty, here we go: For Your Consideration, the stuff I wrote in 2013. I’m also including the editors and cover artists I worked with, because frankly, I think they’re even more deserving than I am.

The Daedalus Incident (novel, Night Shade Books, May/August 2013) by Michael J. Martinez, edited by Ross Lockhart, cover illustration by Sparth

A genre-bending cross of historical fantasy and space opera with hard SF and a pinch of steampunk-sans-steam, The Daedalus Incident was named one of the best genre novels of 2013 by Library Journal and Buzzfeed, and received a number of pretty darn good reviews and media mentions as well. There’s an excerpt up on io9 if you want a sample. Eligible (as far as I know) for most major genre awards, as well as first-novel awards.

The Gravity of the Affair (novella, NLA Digital, December 2013) by Michael J. Martinez, edited by Jeff Seymour, cover illustration by Arvin Concepcion

A novella set in the Known Worlds of The Daedalus Incident, this novella (which squeaks in just above the lower word-count limit) details the first command of British naval hero Horatio Nelson on the seas of Ganymede and in the Void. You can find excerpts here and here. Eligible (again, as far as I know) for most major genre awards.

It’s also worth noting that I am indeed eligible for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer — this page even says so.

There were a metric ton of awesome books out there this year, and while I would be thoroughly giddy to be even nominated, my expectations remain quite realistic. I’m just starting out, after all, and I know I’ve got more work to do. The fact that there are already a few people out there who think my work might warrant consideration for recognition is absolutely lovely, and I deeply appreciate it.

Thanks, y’all.

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January 3, 2014 · 7:21 pm

Book review roundup from the road

While the East Coast struggles under the weight of a foot of snow and shivers in below-zero temperatures, I ended up stranded…in Phoenix, Ariz.

I know. I really expect no pity, nor do I deserve any. I actually feel a touch guilty about the beautiful weather here. But with the flights dicey ahead of the storm, we decided on discretion over valor and parked here until Sunday. Thankfully, we have lovely friends here willing to put up with us for a few more days.

In the meantime, I came across a few book-related items over the past few days I thought I’d pass along. I remain very grateful for all the positive words and reviews The Daedalus Incident continues to receive, and I hope The Enceladus Crisis, coming May 6, is a worthy successor.

The gang over at the Skiffy and Fanty Show (an outstanding podcast and site) posted their favorite books of 2013, and The Daedalus Incident was among a superlative list of works. Paul Weimer wrote: “This is the novel someone might write after watching Treasure Planet and wanting to do it *right*.” Thanks, Paul!
Caleb Flanagan of the book review blog 20four12 took a look back at 2013: “The Daedalus Incident was an absolutely spectacular debut for Michael J. Martinez, so much so that I’ve added him to my “must read” list already. He took some amazing chances with his storytelling and put together a tale that is unlike anything I’ve seen.” Caleb also put Daedalus on his top-ten list for the year, and it’s among some amazing company. Caleb is now officially awesome.
Blogger and author David Agranoff wrote a nice review of Daedalus as well: “I love super weird science fiction. This is just that, but it is also very smart. It is clearly well researched and thought out, not just in plotting and characterization but also in its take on the fake history. I believe this is a debut novel, it is a strong debut. I can’t really think of another novel just like it.” Thank you, David!
Finally, the excellent cover art and design of The Daedalus Incident got some love from blogger Carl V. Anderson on Stainless Steel Droppings, who listed his favorite SF/F covers of 2013: “Sparth is another artist working in the digital medium whose illustration excites my interest. His cover work for The Daedalus Incident by Michael J. Martinez, coupled with the design elements over which the title and author designation are placed, make for a striking cover.” That they do.

Reviews really do matter — they’re signposts on the road, left for other readers to decide on their next steps. As an author, I’m very grateful when someone takes the time to write about my work. And it doesn’t have to be on an established blog or site, either. A few (hopefully) kind words on Amazon, B&N or Goodreads can really make a difference. So for everyone who has spared some time and words for my work, thank you!

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January 2, 2014 · 1:31 pm

Final release date for The Enceladus Crisis! Coming May 6!

Happy New Year, everyone! Hope 2014 is treating you well. As for me, we’ve nailed down a final, no-kidding, get-ready-for-the-awesome release date for The Enceladus Crisis, the sequel to The Daedalus Incident.

May 6.

We were thinking we might go a bit earlier on it, but frankly, after the fun and games Daedalus went through with its release dates, we wanted to be absolutely sure that print, e-book and audio were all ready to roll at the very same time, and that the new Night Shade publicity machine is purring along smoothly.

So instead of the preliminary date of April 1 (which I wasn’t too enamored of, given the whole punk’d holiday thing), we went for May 6. And it will be glorious.

Of course, in the meantime, you can pre-order The Enceladus Crisis from your favorite local bookstore, as well as Amazon and Barnes & Noble. You can also get caught up by reading The Daedalus Incident and my e-novella, The Gravity of the Affair (vendor info at the book links). I mean, I’d hate to leave you without the sailing-ships-in-space goodness you’re craving. I’m nice like that.

Meantime, I’m still here in Arizona. We were going to fly back home today, but there’s something of a bad-ass winter storm reading to pummel the warmth and joy out of the East Coast, and flying into said storm seemed rather dicey. So instead of suffering through a foot of snow and sub-zero temperatures, I’ll be suffering through bright sunshine and mid-70s temperatures until Sunday morning.

Life’s rough, I tell ya.

Oh, and for those of you who don’t follow my Twitter feed, I did indeed run my very first 5k on New Year’s Day here in Phoenix. And by run, I mean…actual running. The whole way. (Except for when I stopped to tie my shoe.) Managed a respectable 36:04 time, which left me giddy and punch-drunk. Of course, this morning my legs are full of cactus spines and pain-demons, but it’s totally worth it. I may even do another one in the future, should my legs start working normally again. There are worse ways to ring in a new year.