Category Archives: Events

Just a quick note here to thank the good folks at Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego for a great reading the other night. We were small but mighty, and we all had a blast. In fact, their enthusiasm was contagious — so much so I ended up sharing details about the upcoming The Venusian Gambit as well as an inkling of what my next projects might look like. This is what happens when I get over-caffeinated and chatty.

Mysterious Galaxy is really quite a great store for SF/F fans, and if you’re anywhere in southern California, I urge you to check it out. They also have signed (and dated) copies of both my books available in person or for shipping — contact the store for the latter. And you can get your Kobo e-books from them as well.

Many thanks, David and Sam, for being gracious hosts. Enjoy the Fat Tire in good health!

 #SFWApro

Just a quick reminder: If you’re on the West Coast, I hope you’ll stop by Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego for a reading, Q&A and signing tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. There’s a Facebook event listing as well, so if you’re a Facebook fan, be sure to check it out, “Like” it, repost it…really, whatever you Facebook people do.

I’ll be reading from The Enceladus Crisis and, quite possibly, a bit from The Venusian Gambit. That’ll be the first public reading from Gambit, which isn’t out until May 5. Plus, you can ask questions, hang out, whatever suits your fancy.

See you there! And of course, if you can’t make it, I hope you’ll consider ordering my books or e-books from the folks at MG, because they’re awesome and it’s good karma to support great SF/F stores like this one.

#SFWApro

World Fantasy 2014 is in the books, and it was a fantastic con for a number of reasons.

Unlike larger events like DragonCon, or even WorldCon, this was an intimate get-together by comparison. About 1,000 people descended on the Hyatt in Crystal City, and I knew quite a few of them.  It was a great way to touch base with folks again. I was going to do a big list of fun people there, but really, it was getting unwieldy. So to everyone I saw at WFC, thank you. You’re all awesome.

There were also some folks who recognized me from past events or the Internet, and I had to kind of stammer through a lame, “Oh, yeah! How’s it going…you?” because I couldn’t place them or remember who they were. If that was you, sorry.

Still, I’m going to call out a few folks, such as awesome-agent Sara Megibow. It’s always a genuine pleasure to see her. Seriously, you can’t get a better agent and a better human in one package.

Furthermore, my Night Shade/Talos/Skyhorse editorial team of Cory Allyn and Jason Katzman were there, and I’m really jazzed by their enthusiasm and their efforts to get the word out and get Night Shade re-engaged with the SF/F community.

Major props to my fellow “Alternate History in World War I” panelists Charles E. Gannon, Kay Kenyon and Devin Poore. Tough topic, but I think we did pretty darn good!

The con itself was very well organized and a lot of fun, and that’s directly the result of a great group of volunteers. So to all the volunteers who helped make WFC 2014 a success, thank you so much for all your efforts.

And on a special note, thank you to all the authors and members and volunteers who went out of the way to make my daughter Anna feel welcome, with a special shout-out to Sara, Cory, Jason, Django Wexler and Steven H. Silver. Yes, there were definitely times when Anna was a bit bored – as 10-year-old girls often are when adults are talking or doing panels and such – but these folks were great with her and helped give her fun memories. I definitely appreciate it!

Now, off to the West Coast! As a reminder, I’ll be at Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego for a reading, Q&A and signing on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. There’s a Facebook event listing as well, so if you’re a Facebook fan, be sure to check it out and spread the word!

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I may be in Washington, D.C. for the World Fantasy Convention this weekend (and you can see my schedule here), but next Thursday, Nov. 13, I’ll be in beautiful San Diego, Calif., reading at Mysterious Galaxy. Yes, I love you west-coast folks that much. Actually, I’ll be in the area for some day-job business, and the good folks at Mysterious Galaxy agreed to have me over. I love it when a plan comes together.

The event starts at 7:30 p.m., and I’m planning on reading from The Enceladus Crisis and, quite possibly, a really fun passage from The Venusian Gambit. Yep, you can hear the first snippet of Gambit if you show up. I’ll also take questions on my books, the whole publishing experience, whatever you got.

Here’s the full event listing, which includes links you can use to purchase my books from Mysterious Galaxy. It would make me very happy if you did, in fact, because they’re a great store and very deserving of your support. Yes, they’ll ship, or you can buy Kobo e-books from them as well.

See you there!

#SFWApro

I’m heading down to our nation’s capital on Thursday for my first World Fantasy Convention, and if you’re going, or just in the D.C. area, I hope I get a chance to see you. I have an expanded list of things I’m doing there, so without further ado, here it is. (Note: All listings are at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City, Arlington, Va.)

• Thursday, Nov. 6, 8 p.m. — I’ll be attending the convention opening ceremonies, Regency E & F, followed by the ice cream social in the Regency Ballroom Foyer.
• Friday, Nov. 7, 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. (or longer) — Hanging out at the Night Shade/Talos/Skyhorse booth in the dealer room, Potomac Room, Regency Level.
• Friday, Nov. 7, 4 p.m. — Moderating the World War I Alternate Histories panel, Regency E.
• Friday, Nov. 7, 7:30 p.m. — Participating in the mass autograph session, Independence Center.
• Sunday, Nov. 9, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. — Staffing the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America table in the dealer room, Potomac Room, Regency Level.

As I understand it, copies of my books will be for sale at the Skyhorse booth during the con, and the booksellers there also do a great job of carrying my stuff (for which I am quite grateful). Will there be giveaways? Possibly! Will I sign books? You betcha. Also, my daughter and official head-shot photographer Anna will be in attendance and will sign her photo credit, which makes those books instant collectors’ items.

You might note that I’m not doing anything “official” on Saturday, and that’s because Anna and I will be heading into D.C. for some seeing of sights. We may be around later, particularly for the art show reception. But I’m still around a lot during the con, so come say hello. You can also hit me up on Twitter at @mikemartinez72 if you prefer. See you there!

#SFWApro

It was around mid-September, after a tough summer and exhausting travel schedule, when I came home from a work conference and said, “Phew! No more travel for two months!”

How time flies. But I’m rested and ready and looking forward to the World Fantasy Convention in Washington, D.C., next month. And since I’ve started to get my schedule in order, I thought I’d share. The con is Nov. 6-9 at the Hyatt Crystal City in Arlington, Va.

I’m very excited to be moderating the “World War I Alternate Histories” panel on Friday, Nov. 7, at 4 p.m. at the Regency E room. If you know anything about my work, alt-history and historical fantasy are my jam, and I’m looking forward to exploring this era. Thankfully, I’m joined by writers smarter and wiser than myself: Charles E. Gannon, Kay Kenyon and Devin Poore. Ought to be a great time. You should be there.

Later that Friday, at 8 p.m. in the Independence Center at the Hyatt, I’ll be participating in the mass autograph session for WFC authors. If you have my books, bring ’em. If you don’t, my understanding is they’ll be on sale right at the convention. Convenient, no?

I’m also working with Night Shade Books to do a little something with them as well. Details to come, but I imagine it might involve at least a few chances at landing free books and other swag. Everyone loves swag. Also, I plan to help at the SFWA booth from time to time, likely on Friday and Sunday, and I don’t think anyone should miss the WFC ice cream social Thursday night at 6 p.m.

Other than that, I’ll be around the convention and dropping in on interesting stuff as time and tide allow. I may spend at least part of that Saturday in D.C. itself, as I’ll have my 10-year-old daughter Anna with me and there’s some sights in town we’d love to see, particularly the International Spy Museum. If you catch Anna and I at the convention, she’ll be willing (and pleased) to sign the author head-shot photo credit in the back of each of my books, making said books instantly rare and collectible.

As with all these sorts of events, the best way to find me is via Twitter, since I tend to tweet a lot whenever I travel. If you’re going to WFC, I’d love to see you!

#SFWApro

It was so much fun yesterday, we’re doing it again. Catch me today at 11:30 a.m. at New York Comic Con, where I’ll sign your books, talk about the Daedalus series and generally hang out with a very cool tribe of geeks.

Plus, after some discussion with Night Shade’s higher-ups, awesome editor Cory Allyn says we can give away copies of both my books for FREE. As in no cost to you, the NYCC attendee who already spent a fortune on travel, hotels and cosplay. Not to mention the food there. (Seriously…$4 for a cup of coffee? Ugh.)

So, just like yesterday, I’ll be at the Skyhorse Publishing/Night Shade Books booth, #2129. (Here’s a map.) There will be copies of The Daedalus Incident and The Enceladus Crisis  available for free. And then I’ll sign them. Seriously, we think you deserve it, NYCC folks. You’re awesome.

There’s also other giveaways all throughout the con, a heap of other awesome books up for grabs, and appearances later today and this weekend by Ellen Datlow, Laird Barron and Mark Cheverton. Plus t-shirts. You know you need more t-shirts.

See you there!

#SFWApro

Going to New York Comic Con today? Of course you are. Well…OK, I’m going, and if you’re around, I’d love to see you. I’ll be at the Night Shade Books/Skyhorse Publishing booth at 3 p.m. today to sign copies of The Daedalus Incident and The Enceladus Crisis.

Now, if you don’t happen to have copies of these handy (and really, SHAME ON YOU), you can rectify this terrible oversight by purchasing them at the booth. And you can get them both for the absurdly low price of $10 for the set.

Seriously, that’s probably the best deal I’ve seen on these. Plus, again, I can sign them. Personalize, even. Scribble in the margins if you like. Underline my favorite sentences. Or yours.

Skyhorse is at booth 2129 on the show floor. Here’s a map. In addition to me, they’ll have a bunch of other cool stuff, including Minecraft and Lego swag, t-shirts, giveaways, you name it. You can buy other awesome Night Shade books as well, and at similarly generous prices.

Hope to see you there!

#SFWApro

It’s less than two weeks to go before New York Comic Con, and given that it’s pretty much in my back yard, I’ll definitely be there. Coming on the heels of DragonCon, seems like this year is my year of Big Cons. And why not? I’m seeing what works, what sticks and what doesn’t. (DragonCon definitely does. That was awesome.)

Anyway, Night Shade Books — publisher of the Daedalus series and many other excellent books — will be at NYCC with a pretty awesome set-up, and I’ll be hanging out with them. I’ll be at the Night Shade booth on Thursday, Oct. 9, at 3 p.m. and Friday, Oct. 10, at 11 a.m.

Yes, we’ll be doing giveaways, so you could get your hands on some nice swag, such as t-shirts, bookmarks, maybe even books. They’ll also have a variety of NSB titles on sale, and I’m told the prices will be pretty darn good. Of course, if you pick up The Daedalus Incident and/or The Enceladus Crisis, they’ll be signed by yours truly. And if you find me at the booth, I’ll personalize the heck out of them — up to, and including, doodles if you so wish. (Note: Artistic quality of doodling not guaranteed.)

So if you’re going to NYCC, come find me and say hi. If you miss me, come by the Night Shade booth for a big dose of awesomeness. As for me, I won’t be there full-time each day, but I do plan to hang as much as I can. In fact, I may give my Halloween costume an early spin, so keep an eye out for the bearded guy in the fez….

#SFWApro