Julie Czerneda discusses Clan Chronicles plus there’s a Giveaway(s)!

Behind the Scenes of the “Clan Chronicles”, Take 2: The Process — A Guest Post By Julie Czerneda, with Giveaway(s)!

In a fabulous guest post, multi-award winning Canadian author and former Natcon GoH, Julie E Czerneda, discusses the writing process for her nine-book speculative fiction series, the CLAN CHRONICLES. Topics include research, character development, and managing continuity across so extensive a series. For lovers of SF and/or Julie’s writing, there are also not one, but two giveaways: the first (which is fully international), is for Ms Czerneda’s new-out title, To Guard Against The Dark (in hardcover, with a companion mass-market paperback, This Gulf of Time and Stars). The second is for the entire nine-book series but is US/Canada only. For both the piece on writing process and the giveaway, click here.

Juliet Marillier annouced as Guest of Honour at Au Contraire 3

Au Contraire 3 is delight to anounce Juliet Marillier has agreed to join us as a Guest of Honour at the Wellington convention. She’ll be hosting a panel at 11am on Sunday and guests are encouraged to bring questions for the Q & A afterwards.

A writer of historical fantasy. Juliet has been a full-time writer for about twelve years, after working as a music teacher and public servant. Born in Dunedin, New Zealand – the most Scottish city outside Scotland itself – she now lives in Western Australia.

Juliet’s novels combine historical fiction, folkloric fantasy, romance and family drama. The strong elements of history and folklore in her work reflect her lifelong interest in both fields. However, her stories focus above all on human relationships and the personal journeys of the characters.

Juliet is currently working on the Blackthorn & Grim series of historical fantasy/mysteries for adult readers. Her earlier books include the Sevenwaters series, set in early medieval Ireland, the Viking duology Saga of the Light Isles, the Bridei Chronicles, set in the kingdom of the Picts, and two series for young adults, the Wildwood books and the Shadowfell books. She has also written a stand-alone novel, Heart’s Blood, based on the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, and a collection of short fiction, Prickle Moon.

Juliet has won many awards for her writing, including five Aurealis Awards and four Sir Julius Vogel Awards, as well as the American Library Association’s Alex Award and the Prix Imaginales.

When not writing, Juliet is active in the field of animal rescue, and she shares her home with a small pack of rescue dogs. She has four adult children and seven grandchildren.

Call for submissions for Short Story anthology, to honour the late Sir Terry Pratchett.

Proceeds from the anthology will go to Alzheimer’s Research UK. The premise is short stories about loss and/or memory. The editors of the anthology are open to stories from authors from anywhere in the world, not just Europe.

Full information is at the following link.

 http://www.explaura.net/the-book/call-for-submissions/

Sir Terry Pratchett has died

Sir Terry Pratchett, fantasy author and creator of the Discworld series, has died aged 66, eight years after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

The author died at home, surrounded by his family, with his cat sleeping on his bed.

More details here.

Laini Taylor touring NZ in late August

She will be doing events in Auckland and in
Christchurch 27 August – 31 August, and will be appearing multiple times
at the WORD Christchurch Writers & Readers Festival 2014
http://wordchristchurch.co.nz/.

Laini is the bestselling pink-haired author of the Daughter of Smoke and
Bone Trilogy. The YA fantasy series (also devoured by adults) includes
the books /Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Days of Blood and Starlight
/and//the highly anticipated conclusion, /Dreams of Gods and Monsters/
which was released earlier this year. The series follows Karou, a
blue-haired art student and monster’s apprentice, caught between this
world and the underworld.

Book Launch – The Sovereign Hand

Steam Press is supremely excited to launch its first fantasy novel, The Sovereign Hand, by Paul Gilbert.

The launch will be at Matchbox Studios, 166 Cuba St, Wellington, from 5.30pm on Thursday 21 August.

“In my experience, the difference between hope and despair turns on the tiniest thing…”

Thorn, the gilded capital: bedecked in steam and the dust of convoys bearing riches from all across the earth. From here, wise and ruling hands have ensnared all Aurawn in a great story, a Primacy of Peace. A land where every person – human, gobelin, or drake – can dream, toil hard and succeed.

Of course, not everyone sees things that way. But when Alexa Temperen stands above Crucible Square and denounces the First and all his government for their injustices, the last thing she imagines is that she’ll soon be working for them, as a champion: one of the Sovereign Hand.

Because prophecy has spoken. Evil is stirring, and Alexa is just one of five unlikely heroes chosen to face it. They each have their doubts, and in her darkest moment Alexa still must decide: put pride aside and fight for a government she despises, or turn her back on her calling, leaving millions at the mercy of an unimaginable terror…

Jacqui Smith of SFFANZ Review wrote that The Sovereign Hand has “clever and carefully measured prose… a meticulous setting, and memorable characters…” and noted that it is “quite possibly one of the best works of fantasy ever published in New Zealand,” while Bernard Beckett has called this “a truly ambitious novel, both in scope and subject matter…  A wonderfully energetic debut, a celebration of form and expression.”

To download a free sample or find out more, please click here.

Robin Hobb at Arty Bees, Wellington

Well known fantasy author Robin Hobb is reporting on her web site that she is visiting New Zealand and will be “making a special stop at Arty Bees Books on Thursday, June 26th at5:30 PM to do a signing there.”

Further information from Arty bees site:
Robin Hobb at Arty Bees Books

Thursday 5:30pm 26th June

Robin Hobb will be in store after work so you can:
• Buy books by Robin Hobb
• Get your books signed by Robin
• Order the new book Fool’s Assassin, due out in September

If there is anything you want to ask Robin, email your questions to news@artybees.co.nz by 23rd June.

There is a Facebook event
if you want to confirm your attendance or just turn up.

It will take place on the first floor at
Arty Bees Books,
The Oaks,
106 Manners St,
Wellington

Thursday 5:30pm 26th June

Wellington based author shortlisted for Arthur C. Clarke Award

Hachette New Zealand is absolutely thrilled to announce that Wellington based author Phillip Mann has made the shortlist of the Arthur C. Clarke Awards for his book The Disestablishment of Paradise.An epic ecological science fiction thriller, The Disestablishment of Paradise is a tale of Love and Destruction on a strange planet called Paradise. 

The full Arthur C. Clarke Award shortlist includes God’s War by Kameron Hurley (Del Rey), Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie (Orbit), Nexus by Ramez Naam (Angry Robot), The Adjacent by Christopher Priest (Gollancz), The Machine by James Smythe (Blue Door) and of course The Disestablishment of Paradise by Phillip Mann (Gollancz). The winner of the UK’s top science fiction prize will receive a cheque for £2014, will be announced on 1 May and will join a list of former winners including Margaret Atwood, M. John Harrison and China Miéville.

Phillip Mann was born in Yorkshire. A theatre lover, he studied English and Drama at Manchester University and later in California. He worked in the New China News Agency in Beijing for two years and there wrote his first novel. He has lived in New Zealand since 1969, working as a professional theatre director and writer. He founded the Dept of Drama at Victoria University in 1970 and retired as Professor of Drama in 1997. To date he has published 10 novels, in addition to which he has written plays for the theatre and many stories for Radio New Zealand. A volume of his short stories, Maestro and Other Stories is due for publication in May this year.

George R.R. Martin author signing!

George R R Martin will be in-store in person at Whitcoulls in Wellington (226-256 Lambton Quay) between 12.30pm – 1.30pm on Friday 22 November.

David Gemmell Award correction

We have been advised that Helen Lowe is not the only Australasian Legend Semi-Finalist.

Jay Kristoff is also nominated and lives in Melbourne, Australia,

The error is regretted, and once again congratulations to you both for making the short list

 

New Zealand author shortlisted for David Gemmell Legend Award!

Christchurch based author Helen Lowe has made the shortlist of the David Gemmell Legend Award for her book The Gathering of the Lost. The prestigious international Legend Award crowns the Best Novel and is the highlight of the awards ceremony.

Many congratulations to Helen, who is the only author from the Southern hemisphere and the only woman to have made the Legend shortlist. Voting is still open for the David Gemmell Legend Award and you can place your vote here (closes 30 September 2013).

Helen Lowe lives in Christchurch, New Zealand, and writes fantasy and science fiction novels, poetry and short fiction. Helen has previously won the David Gemmell Morningstar Award in 2012 (Best Fantasy Newcomer/debut) and the Sir Julius Vogel Award in 2011 (Best Novel) for The Heir of Night. Her books are published in the US, UK, Australia and New Zealand and translated editions are published in France and The Netherlands. a

Dinner with Jay Lake

Jay Lake is visiting New Zealand in August and you are invited to come to his open dinners. Jay is a Hugo and Nebula nominated author who has not been to New Zealand since 2010 and will not likely return, so please join him for an evening of fun. Bring books to sign, cameras to record, etc.

 Wellington  at 6pm on 8 August in The Gallery at The Southern  Cross in Te Aro.

Auckland at 6pm on 13 August at Gilbraith’s Alehouse in Grafton.

These events are pay your own way, but the menus offer a diverse range.

For more information about Jay, see his website.

Phillip Mann

Radio New Zealand has interviewed Phillip Mann about his writing life, science fiction, and his new novel The Disestablishment Of Paradise. You can download the interview as a podcast from:

http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/artsonsunday/20130324

You can also read a review of the novel at:

http://www.sffanz.org.nz/reviews/reviewdocs/disestablishment.shtml

Interview with Elspeth Cooper, plus giveaway

On Helen Lowe’s blog there is an interview with Elspeth Cooper, author of Songs of the Earth and Trinity Rising and finalist in the 2012 Gemmell Morningstar Award.  There is a giveaway of Elspeth’s books.

The interview is here.

Concatenation now available

The autumnal edition of the ‘Science Fact and Fiction Concatenation‘ is now up with news of SF across the world and especially Europe.  See here.

There are a few odds and ends of interest to NZ SF/Fantasy book readers, not least that many of the forthcoming season’s books from British publishers will also soon be distributed in NZ.

Of particular likely interest to NZ fans is one from an NZ author, David Hair, here.  Also up in the autumnal edition is a stand-alone conrep of NZ’s natcon, unCNventional.

Charlaine Harris in New Zealand

Charlaine Harris, bestselling author of the Sookie Stackhouse series, will be visiting New Zealand from August 5 – 7.

You can meet Charlaine, hear her talk about her latest book, Deadlocked, find out what the success of True Blood has meant for her and get your books signed.

Sunday August 5 – WELLINGTON

The Dominion Post Write Stuff Event
Charlaine will talk about her books followed by an audience Q&A session. The event will conclude with a book signing (all of Charlaine’s books will be available for purchase at the event thanks to Whitcoulls Lambton Quay).

Time: 3.30pm (doors open 3pm)
Location: Ballroom, Amora Hotel Wellington
Tickets: $20 for Dominion Post subscribers / $25 for non-subscribers (including a glass of wine/beer)
See dompost.co.nz/writestuff for ticket information.

Monday August 6 – AUCKLAND

A Night with Your Maker
Come out of your coffins for a night and join popular Sookie Stackhouse series author Charlaine Harris while she shares her favourite moments from hit HBO series True Blood, gives fanatics a chance to take part in a Q&A and be treated to a sneak preview of episode seven before it airs on Prime. Following the preview Charlaine will be happy to sign any of her books and all her titles will be on sale if you’re missing any from your collection. So join us fangbangers for a glass of ‘A Neg’ and a chance to meet the original ‘maker’.

Time: 6.15pm sharp
Location: Rialto Cinemas, Newmarket
Tickets: Entry is free, but tickets are required, they will be available on a first-come first-served basis from Dymocks Newmarket here.

Derek Landy 2012 Down-Under Tour

Derek Landy is author of the Skulduggery Pleasant series – which includes Skulduggery Pleasant (known as Sceptre of the Ancients in the US), Playing with Fire, The Faceless Ones, Dark Days, and Mortal Coil.  He will be visiting New Zealand as part of his 2012 Down Under Tour.

Dates are;

Wellington
Thursday 9th:
The Children’s Bookshop, Kilbirnie- Public Signing – 4:30 PM
Whitcoulls, Queensgate – Public Signing – 7 PM

Christchurch
Friday 10th:
The Children’s Bookshop, Blenheim Rd – Public Signing – 4:30 PM

Auckland
Saturday 11th:
Appearing on Breakfast TV at 8:20 AM
Whitcoulls, Albany Mall – Public Signing – 10 AM
Paperplus Botany Town Centre – Public Signing – 1 PM

For the public signings, all you have to do is turn up and Derek will sign as much as possible in the time he has.

Congratulations to Helen Lowe

Helen has been awarded the Ursula Bethell Creative New Zealand Residency in Creative Writing 2012 jointly with David Eggleton, a leading New Zealand poet, editor, critic, writer, and filmmaker.  Read Helen’s blog post here.

Helen Lowe Interviews Brandon Sanderson – Plus Giveaway

Brandon Sanderson has been one of the exciting new names of international Fantasy/Science Fiction over the past eight years, most notably as a relative newcomer being asked to complete Robert Jordan’s hugely popular Wheel of Time series in 2007, following the author’s death. Most recently, he won this year’s Gemmell “Legend” Award for Best Fantasy Novel of the Year with his own epic fantasy, The Way of Kings. Fellow author, Helen Lowe, caught up with him between book tours to ask about completing seven major novels in six years and discuss his latest book, The Alloy of Law, newly released in New Zealand and you can read the interview (and details of the local giveaway) here.

Russell Kirkpatrick Chasing NZ’s best waterfalls

Most of you probably know Russell Kirkpatrick as the author of the award winning Across the Face of the World and Husk series as well as his regular appearances at local SF conventions. If you have talked to Russell at recent events, you will know that he has been working on a book called Walks to Waterfalls: 100 New Zealand Waterfalls. The book is out now and and Stuff have published an excerpt. There is also a review and some pictures over at Beattie’s Book Blog.