AMAZING NEWS: 4/3/16

SPECIAL NOTE for all TWD Fans:  Tonight is expected to be a rollercoaster:  do not have sharp objects within reach;  think twice before throwing that brick at the flatscreen; have lots of tissues on hand.  SPOILER WARNING:  Leaked audio suggests that tonight will be a cliffhanger….(highlight to reveal)

PRESS RELEASES AND NEWSLETTERS (See full text below)

Pandemonium Book News; Ariele’s Newsletter; RPGNet #48; Flame Con; SFWA – New Releases

SOCIAL

Great Barrier Reef Bleaching

Women in Tech:  Features Brianna Wu

Literary Media Still Biased

Mussolini, Franco, Quisling, Antonescu, Others, Would Be Proud:  Fascism is Back

Male Birth Control:  Don’t Sell Your Trojan Stock Just Yet

ENTERTAINMENT

From the “We’re too stupid to live dept:” Dog’s name shuts down bank transaction

An alternative world map

Build Your Own Gemini Capsule Control Panel

SF:  Accurately Predicting the Technologies of the Future Since at Least 1735

Uncle Doug’s Bunker of Vintage Horror Paperbacks

NRA-Inspired Fairy Tales With Guns (Mermaid Shotgunned on Beach; “thought it was a sea monster!”, shooter claims)

THE Star Trek Book Coming for 50th Anniversary

Unleash Your Inner Powerpuff Girl

Game of Thrones:  All About the Dinklage

Roswell Saucer Theft

INDUSTRY

UFO #5 Call for Submissions (World’s funniest SF antho opens April Fools Day – no joke!)

NYRSF-Readings:  Launch Party for Clockwork Phoenix antho

SFWA/Nebula Awards Conference

Axanar Motion to Dismiss

Cover Reveal for Dave Creek antho Trajectories

Editing The Big Book of Science Fiction (VanderMeer edition)

SCIENCE

We know what happened to Wanda:  Where are all the other fish?

Space Faring News Aggregator

Mr. Fusion Just Got Smaller

The Universe May Be A Giant Waste of Space

Wrong About Autism?

Jupiter Sucks Up More Space Debris

New Viking Settlement in NA Uncovered

Lab Grown Meats Are Closer Than You Think (Hunters will still slaughter and eat Bambi)

Modern Humans May Have Killed Off Hobbits

Ice Wall to Protect Fukushima

How Can We Find ET if She’s Hiding?

Hubble-Zoom:  Video

PRESS RELEASES & NEWSLETTERS

Pandemonium Book News

The Latest and Greatest in Sci-Fi and Fantasy Literature

In this newsletter you’ll find:

Nebula Nominees
Author Event: Elizabeth Bonesteel and Caitlin Kittredge
Upcoming Local Events
April New Releases
March Bestsellers

***

2015 Nebula Award Nominees

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America are pleased to announce the nominees for the2015 Nebula Awards and nominees for the Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy.

Novel

Raising Caine, Charles E. Gannon
The Fifth Season, N.K. Jemisin
Ancillary Mercy, Ann Leckie
The Grace of Kings, Ken Liu
Uprooted, Naomi Novik
Barsk: The Elephants’ Graveyard, Lawrence M. Schoen
Updraft, Fran Wilde

Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy

Seriously Wicked, Tina Connolly
Court of Fives, Kate Elliott
Cuckoo Song, Frances Hardinge
Archivist Wasp, Nicole Kornher-Stace
Zeroboxer, Fonda Lee
Shadowshaper, Daniel José Older
Bone Gap, Laura Ruby
Nimona, Noelle Stevenson
Updraft, Fran Wilde

The store has these books on display for easy findability — come by and pick up the ones you haven’t read yet!

***

Author Event

Headshots of Charlie Stross, Max Gladstone, and Walter Jon Williams

Caitlin Kittredge and Elizabeth Bonesteel
Thursday, April 14
7:00 p.m.
Free

Come see these fantastic authors discuss fantasic female characters in genre fiction!

Caitlin Kittredge has written fifteen novels for adults and teens, including the award-winning Iron Codex trilogy. She is releasing Grim Tidings, the follow-up to her urban fantasy novel Black Dog, on April 19.

Elizabeth Bonesteel began making up stories at the age of five, in an attempt to battle insomnia. Her debut novel, The Cold Between, went on sale March 8, and it’s really racking up amazing reviews.

The event is free, and food and drinks will be provided.

***

Local Events

Conbust 2016
Friday, April 1, through Sunday, April 3
Northampton, Mass.

What sets ConBust apart from most other sci-fi, fantasy, anime, and/or gaming conventions is its focus on the female members of the participating community. While the various realms of geekdom remain stereotypically male-dominated, ConBust is held to celebrate the work and participation of women amongst these genres.

Muppet Madness
Friday, April 15, through Monday, April 18
Brattle Theatre

This year’s event includes a double feature of The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. And the irresistible Muppet Movie sing-along!

Cambridge Science Festival
Friday, April 15, through Sunday, April 24
Cambridge, Mass.

The Cambridge Science Festival is an annual 10-day celebration of science, technology, engineering, art, and math in Cambridge and New England.

Dimensions of Doctor Who
Saturday, April 23, 7:00 p.m.
MIT Museum

What do you get when you combine the TARDIS, a sonic screwdriver, and local scientists? An evening dedicated to exploring the science of Doctor Who! Hear from researchers who will share how their work is bringing our world closer to that of the Doctor’s. Excellent for Whovians, science fiction fans, and science lovers alike.

Watch City Steampunk Festival
Saturday, May 7
Waltham, Mass.

The only outdoor Steampunk Festival in New England.

Readercon 27
Thursday, July 7, through  Sunday, July 10
Quincy, Mass.
GOH: Catherynne M. Valente and Tim Powers

Although Readercon is modeled on science fiction conventions, there is no art show, no costumes, no gaming, and almost no media. Instead, Readercon features a near-total focus on the written word.

The program consists of two tracks each of panel discussions, author readings, and solo talks or discussion groups, plus kaffeeklatsches (intimate gatherings with an author) and autograph signings.

***

April Releases

Covers of Fellside, Every Heart a Doorway, and Persona
Sharp Ends Abercrombie, Joe $28.00 (hc)
Bloodmage Aryan, Stephen $16.99 (pb)
Undercity Asaro, Catherine $ 7.99 (pb)
Tales of the Time Scouts 2 Asprin, Robert $16.00 (pc)
Fellside Carey, M. R. $27.00 (hc)
1882: Custer in Chains Conroy, Robert $ 7.99 (pb)
Atlas of Lost Cities: A Travel Guide to Abandoned and Forsaken Destinations de Tocqueville, Aude $24.99 (hc)
Fall of Light (Kharkanas) Erikson, Steven $29.99 (hc)
The Mirrorworld Saga Funke, Cornelia $14.99 (pb)
The Emperor’s Railroad Haley, Guy $12.99 (pb)
Nettle King Harbour, Katherine $12.99 (pb)
The Drafter Harrison, Kim $ 7.99 (pb)
Spira Mirabilis Harte, Aidan $26.99 (hc)
Rise of the Rocket Girls: The Women Who Propelled Us from Missiles to the Moon to Mars Holt, Nathalia $27.00 (hc)
Zombie Apocalypse Preparation: How to Survive in an Undead World and Have Fun Doing It! Houchins, David $15.00 (pb)
In Shining Armor James, Elliott $15.99 (pb)
The Everything Box: A Novel Kadrey, Richard $24.99 (hc)
Grim Tidings: Hellhound Chronicles Kittredge, Caitlin $14.99 (pb)
City of Shadows: King of the Grey, Frostwing, Dutchman Knaak, Richard A. $17.99 (pb)
alt.Sherlock Holmes: New Visions of the Great Detective Koch, Gini $ 9.99 (pb)
Silence Lackey, Mercedes $25.00 (hc)
The Fall of the Dagger Larke, Glenda $15.99 (pb)
Every Heart a Doorway McGuire, Seanan $17.99 (hc)
Hamilton: The Revolution Miranda, Lin-Manuel $40.00 (hc)
The War Against the A**holes Munson, Sam $15.99 (pb)
The City’s Son (Skyscraper Throne) Pollock, Tom $12.99 (pb)
Wraith: A Novel Reeves-Stevens, Judith & Garfield $26.99 (hc)
Demigods & Magicians: Percy and Annabeth Meet the Kanes Riordan, Rick $14.99 (pb)
The Heroes of Olympus Riordan, Rick $ 9.99 (pb)
Aurora Robinson, Kim Stanley $ 9.99 (pb)
Shooting the Rift Stewart, Alex $16.00 (pb)
Persona Valentine, Genevieve $14.99 (pb)
Elusive Salvation Ward, Dayton $ 7.99 (pb)
Ecko Burning Ware, Danie $ 7.99 (pb)
Star Wars The Force Awakens: Tales From a Galaxy Far Far Away Wojtowicz, Jason P. $12.99 (pb)
Cobra Outlaw Zahn, Timothy $ 7.99 (pb)
***

March Bestsellers

Covers of Chaos Choreography, Ancillary Mercy, and Nimona
1. Ancillary Justice Ann Leckie $16.00 (pb)
2. Chaos Choreography Seanan McGuire $ 7.99 (pb)
3. Ancillary Mercy Ann Leckie $15.99 (pb)
4. A Darker Shade of Magic V. E. Schwab $15.99 (pb)
4. Uprooted Naomi Novik $16.00 (pb)
6. The Spider’s War Daniel Abraham $16.99 (pb)
6. Arkwright Allen Steele $26.99 (hc)
8. The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories Ken Liu $24.99 (hc)
8. Nimona Noelle Stevenson $12.99 (pb)
8. Black City Saint Richard A. Knaak $18.00 (pb)
8. Six of Crows Leigh Bardugo $18.99 (hc)
8. The Boy Who Lost Fairyland Catherynne M. Valente $ 7.99 (pb)
8. Door to Saturn: The Collected Fantasies Vol. 2 Clark Ashton Smith $17.99 (pb)
8. The Name of the Wind Patrick Rothfuss $ 8.99 (pb)
8. Newt’s Emerald Garth Nix $18.99 (hc)
8. This Is Not a Game Walter Jon Williams $ 7.99 (pb)
8. The Lies of Locke Lamora Scott Lynch $ 7.99 (pb)
***

***

The Wounded World is free on Amazon today!

Hey! I know you all just heard from me pretty recently, but I just wanted to let you know that in celebration of the new cover design, for the next couple of days, the e-book of The Wounded World is free on Amazon.

Even if you don’t read e-books (or scifi for that matter), downloading the book (computer, smart phone, tablet) will help increase my stats on Amazon, helping more readers hear about the books.

Just CLICK HERE for the free download.

Thanks, and stay tuned for more news on the next two Rutherford the Unicorn Sheep books: Rutherford Goes Hiking, and Rutherford Walks the Dog!

Or, come find me at an event!

***

RPGnet Newsletter #48
March 29, 2016

New Columns

Christopher Cecil started off the week with a new Fuzzy Thinking: “Size Matters Not.”

Kirk Johnson-Weider was back with a new Lawful GM, this time with some great advice on running LARP games built around political intrigue in “A Decent Scenario.”

Jonathan Hicks also offered some more Observations From A Gamer’s Chair focusing on techniques to keep a cool head when dealing with frustrating players: “Keeping Your Cool.”

New Reviews

RPGnet posted a bunch of great new reviews last week:

Threads You Might Have Missed

Other Media offered up a very thought-provoking literary enterprise last week in the form of “Lines from Stories that seem to capture the essence of the whole plot.”

Much like crazy hypothetical threads, “Where I Watch” threads are a stalwart of Other Media. A great example of those started last week featuring one of yr. humble editor’s favorite nearly-forgotten TV shows: “[Where I Watch…] Space: Above And Beyond.”

Sign Off

We’ll be back next week.

  • Iustum
    Newsletter Editor

***

Flame Con is Looking For a Few Good Brands

Join America’s largest LGBTQIA comic convention–and be part of the conversation!

Last year, Flame Con had more than 2,200 participants and this year we’re expecting that to increase to over 3,500.

If you want our attendees to know about your support for the queer geek community and make some fans of your own, now’s the time to reach out.

  • Advertising opportunities start at just $250!
  • Sponsorships start at only $500 (Less for Vendors!)

You can find out more by replying to this e-mail, or by going here to check out our media kit!

Since Flame Con is a nonprofit, your sponsorship may be tax deductible!

MEDIA KIT HERE
TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE
VENDOR TABLES AVAILABLE HERE
All geeks, and their best friends, are invited to attend and celebrate the diversity and creativity of queer geekdom and LGBTQ contributions to pop culture.  We promise it’s going to be EPIC!

Follow @flamecon on twitter for exclusive information, and spread the word with #FlameCon

***

New Fiction for March & April 2016

 

FANTASY RELEASES

 

Dark Fantasy

*Jericho, Alex Gordon

In this follow-up to the masterful debut Gideon, a young witch must risk death and damnation to defeat a powerful ancient evil.
Amazon, Kobo, B&N, iTunes

 

Dark Fantasy (cont.)

*The Second Death: Los Nefilim, Part 3, T. Frohock
The Second Death is the final chapter in T. Frohock’s haunting and lyrical Los Nefilim trilogy, which bestselling author Mark Lawrence has called “a joy to read.”
Amazon, KoboB&N, iTunes

 

Alternate History

*Geomancer’s Bargain, Daniel R. Marvello
A young earth wizard faces uncooperative miners and an angry dragon when he takes a contract at a gold mine in the Arizona Territory.
Amazon

 

*The Last Days of Magic, Mark Tompkins

“Tompkins, offers an interesting account of Celtic mythology intertwined with strongly re-imagined historical elements, such as witchcraft, exorcism, Christianity’s subversion of paganism and England’s invasion of Ireland. …Indeed, this book is very ambitious and has great strengths…” Publishers Weekly – ShelfTalker Blog
Amazon, KoboB&N

 

Epic Fantasy

*Requiem of Reprisal (The Mindstream Chronicles Book 4), K.C. May
In book 4 of The Mindstream Chronicles, Gatekeeper Jora Lanseri must recover the stolen godheart to save the queen.
Amazon

 

General Fantasy

*Guile, Constance Cooper
In the Bad Bayous, guile—a power in the water that changes people and objects, sometimes for the worse—sets Yonie Watereye, 16, on a path that puts her own life in danger as she traces her family tree and finds a murderer.
Amazon, KoboB&N, iTunes

 

Paranormal

*A Hold On Me (Dark Heart series, #1), Pat Esden
A new adult paranormal tale of exorcism and dark magic rooted in a family’s mysterious past.
Amazon, B&N

 

SCIENCE FICTION RELEASES

 

Speculative Fiction

*Campaign 2100: Game of Scorpions, Larry Hodges

The world of 2100 has adopted the American two-party electoral system – but can a third-party moderate challenge and an alien ambassador change everything in this bare knuckle, fight-to-the-finish election campaign?

Amazon, KoboB&N

 

Science Fantasy

*The Rogue Retrieval, Dan Koboldt 
When their lead scientist escapes through a portal to an alien world where magic is real, a mysterious corporation finds the right man to bring him back — a Las Vegas magician.
Amazon, Kobo, B&N, iTunes

Please take a moment to support Amazing Stories with a one-time or recurring donation via Patreon. We rely on donations to keep the site going, and we need your financial support to continue quality coverage of the science fiction, fantasy, and horror genres as well as supply free stories weekly for your reading pleasure. https://www.patreon.com/amazingstoriesmag

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