NWSFS News: Special Notices and Features

The Special Notices and Features blog is now in stasis

2009-11-22T15:37:00.000-08:00

This blog along with several others will be placed in stasis until further notice. It is unfortunate that this needs to be done, but is necessary due to a lack of time and contributors.

Any future entries that would have been posted in this blog will be now be posted in the NWSFS Science And Science Fiction News Blog. The sidebar links and RSS feeds will be kept intact for now.

If you would like to contribute to this blog, then please drop us a line at NWSFSNews at GMail dot com. Membership in NWSFS is not a requirement, though living in the Pacfic NW or Cascadia region is. There are just a few simple guidelines to follow.

Hopefully some time in the future there will be more interest in this blog, and it will be taken out of stasis.

Announcement: Apex signs Nick Mamatas to book deal

2009-09-21T21:30:00.000-07:00

PRESS RELEASE:STARVE BETTER: SURVIVING THE ENDLESS HORROR OF THE WRITING LIFE by Nick Mamatas

STARVE BETTER: SURVIVING THE ENDLESS HORROR OF THE WRITING LIFE

Nick Mamatas and Apex Publishing Join Forces to Tell the Dirty Truth of Life as a Writer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[Lexington, KY – September 18, 2009] STARVE BETTER is a writing handbook with a difference—no promises of bestsellerdom, no feeding the dangerous daydreams aspiring writers have. This book is about survival: how to generate ideas when you needed them yesterday, writing dialogue and developing plot on the quick, and most important of all, what the competition in the slush piles of the world looks like. For non-fiction writers, STARVE BETTER offers writing techniques such as how to get (relatively) high-paying assignments in second and third-tier magazines, and how to find gigs that pay NOW as the final notices pile up and the mice eat the last of the pasta in the cupboard.

Humor, essays, and some of the most widely read blog pieces from Nick Mamatas, award-nominated author and editor, come together for the first time in a writers’ guide that won’t teach anyone how to get rich and famous…but will impart the most valuable skill in the business: how to starve better.

STARVE BETTER: SURVIVING THE ENDLESS HORROR OF THE WRITING LIFE releases from Apex Publications in summer 2010. Updates and information available at www.apexbookcompany.com.

NICK MAMATAS is the of two novels: MOVE UNDER GROUND (Night Shade 2004, Prime 2006) and UNDER MY ROOF (Soft Skull Press, 2007), two collections: 3000MPH IN EVERY DIRECTION AT ONCE (Prime 2003) and YOU MIGHT SLEEP… (Prime 2009), and the novella NORTHERN GOTHIC (Soft Skull, 2001). He is also the editor of several anthologies and formerly co-edited the online magazine Clarkesworld, which was nominated for the Hugo and World Fantasy awards. His fiction has appeared in literary journals, slicks, and genre publications, and has been nominated for the Bram Stoker awards three times, the International Horror Guild Award, and Germany’s Kurd-Laßwitz Preis for science fiction in translation.

Nick currently edits Japanese science fiction novels in translation and books associated with Oscar-winning filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli for VIZ Media. Follow Nick’s blog at http://nihilistic-kid.livejournal.com and visit his website at www.nick-mamatas.com.

APEX PUBLICATIONS (www.apexbookcompany.com) is a small press dedicated to publishing exemplary works of dark science fiction and horror. Owned and operated by Jason B. Sizemore, Apex publishes the critically acclaimed Apex Magazine. In 2006, Apex Publishing branched into producing novellas, collections, and anthologies, earning a Bram Stoker Award nomination for the AEGRI SOMNIA anthology in 2007, and another for the collection MAMA’S BOY by Fran Friel, published in 2008.
###

Press Contact: Jason B. Sizemore
jason@apexdigest.com

Apex Book Company - Dark SF, Fantasy, and Horror
http://www.apexbookcompany.com

Sylvia Engdahl: Sequel to STEWARDS OF THE FLAME

2009-09-08T22:56:00.000-07:00

Posted on behalf of Sylvia Engdahl:

Hello to readers of Stewards of the Flame! The sequel, Promise of the Flame, is finally here! It will be ready to ship by early October -- maybe as early as the last week of September.

I'm not going to describe the story here, in case this message reaches someone who hasn't read Stewards -- anything that tells what Promise is about necessarily reveals the ending of Stewards and thus would spoil its suspense. But you can find a description by clicking from www.stewardsoftheflame.com, which has been redesigned and now covers both books.

One thing I will say, though -- Promise of the Flame is an independent story that can be enjoyed by people who haven't read Stewards and don't plan to. I know some people chose not to read it because its controversial view of health care didn't appeal to them (and perhaps some who did read it disagreed so strongly that they didn't like the book). Promise doesn't involve the medical care issue.

There is a new edition of Stewards of the Flame, formatted to match the sequel (it is slightly smaller, has larger page margins, and is printed on off-white paper; also, the lettering on the cover is larger). The text hasn't changed except for minor error corrections and the addition of the reading group discussion guide. I will be doing a virtual book tour (a prearranged series of guest posts on blogs) during the month of October -- the issue of government-controlled health care is so timely now that I hope to attract new readers.

I switched to a different POD company and got my own ISBNs. (At the time I first published the book, authors could not buy individual ISBNs, but now they can, and that is better than using an ISBN assigned to the POD company, which then appears as the publisher even if it had nothing to do with producing the book.) The publisher for both books now appears as Ad Stellae Books, which is my own imprint.

The switch to a different POD printer also enabled me to lower the price of the books. They now have a retail price of $17.50 each, down from $19.99, and I am offering a 20% discount on copies bought directly from me, so the net price is $14 each (there's an order form at the website, and you can pre-order Promise of the Flame). Also, I am offering the set of both books for $25. These prices include free Media Mail shipping; add $2 per book if you want Priority Mail.

Libraries and bookstores will receive a 50% discount, but must pay the shipping cost. I accept purchase orders; fax them to 866-302-3827. I am hoping to get the books carried by Baker & Taylor, but that isn't settled yet. If you want to buy them there, it would be helpful for you to contact them and request them, as I understand they consider prior requests in deciding whether to carry a book.

I hope those of you who've been eagerly awaiting the sequel will enjoy it!

Sylvia

Sylvia Engdahl - www.sylviaengdahl.com ~ www.stewardsoftheflame.com
New novel Promise of the Flame coming soon!

Jeff Carlson: New short story podcast

2009-09-07T16:33:00.000-07:00

Posted on behalf of Jeff Carlson:

Hi, gang: A quick email about my return to Horror Addicts, a freaky fun podcast hosted by the vampire herself, Emerian Rich. The short story featured in this episode is "Caninus," a dark, urban suspense story of mine that originally ran in The Vampire's Crypt #25 way back in Spring 2002.

The narrator is Rhonda Carpenter, who absolutely *nails* the tone and cadence of this piece. The shocking, gritty sound effects don't hurt, either.

More info and a link to the show is available on my blog at http://www.jverse.com/blog/index.html

Or you can just directly to Horror Addicts at http://www.mevio.com/episode/173250/Horror+Addicts+027+Jeff+Carlson

Enjoy!

Jeff
www.jverse.com

Jeanne Robinson (Spider Robinson's wife and coauthor) needs help! Benefit concert details, etc

2009-09-06T07:38:00.000-07:00

The following was passed on to us by one of our members:

http://www.spiderrobinson.com/index2.html

HELP JEANNE STAY HEALTHY

This year a brilliant surgeon, Dr. Andresz Busczowski, helped Jeanne Robinson beat back a rare and virulent form of biliary cancer. But it's so rare even he can't say how much time he's bought her, how soon it might recur. For technical reasons she is not a candidate for either radiation or chemo. Her only hope for longterm survival is therefore to reboot and reinvigorate her failed immune system. She needs special therapies and meds, extensive diet and lifestyle changes, and a stress level as close to zero as possible. All those are expensive, none are covered by even Canada's excellent medical care...and like many artists today the Robinsons were already running on fumes financially.

But Jeanne, a Soto Zen monk, has been spreading love and kindness in all directions for a long time. So her Buddhist sangha in Vancouver, her neighbors on Bowen Island, and friends as far away as Florida have all spontaneously come together to raise funds to help keep her around as long as possible. Your participation is welcomed. A Bowen benefit concert, "WE DREAM FOR JEANNE," will be held at Cates Hill Chapel at 7:30 PM on Friday Sept 18 details here; cheques may be made out to Jeanne Robinson in Trust and sent to Mountain Rain Zen Center, 6183 Fraser St. Vancouver, BC V5W 2Z9; goods or services can be donated for eBay auction by contacting Jan Schroeder at <dreamforjeanne@aol.com>, and PayPal donations can be sent to <http://wedreamforjeanne.blogspot.com/>.

Jeanne and Spider both warmly appreciate your help, support, prayers or just good thoughts.

JEFF-E on radio & TV

2009-08-26T22:17:00.000-07:00

Posted on behalf of Jeff Carlson:

Hi, gang, just a heads-up about recent media appearances.

Amidst the ongoing excitement, during the past week I've also become JEFF-E, which is like WALL-E, only better. Jolly Enthusiastic Frank Fast-Enunciator, that's me. Summer's end has included appearances on local NPR, cable TV, and a booking for an NBC show called "Tech Now." If you like over-caffienated-but-well-articulated chatter about big ideas, I'm your boy. ;)

Links are available on my blog at http://www.jverse.com/blog/

Jeff
www.jverse.com

Harlan County Horrors promo--win authentic Harlan, KY goodies

2009-08-18T20:53:00.000-07:00

Posted on behalf of Jason Sizemore:

I'm doing a big promotion to generate some buzz about our upcoming horror anthology Harlan County Horror. All the stories are based/inspired by Harlan, KY, a place unique in its culture and geography. We're giving away a bunch of "authentic" Harlan, KY stuff in a contest:

http://www.apexbookcompany.com/blog/2009/08/win-authentic-harlan-county-warez/

Included are signed items by the mayor of Harlan, KY, and other items signed by the editor and cover artist.

Jason Sizemore
Apex Book Company - Dark SF, Fantasy, and Horror
http://www.apexbookcompany.com

Join the Apex newsletter!
http://groups.google.com/group/apex-publications-announcements
http://www.apexbookcompany.com

Writing Edge - Call for novellas

2009-08-15T21:41:00.000-07:00

Writing Edge: New Sci-fi, fantasy and horror novella section - Call for novellas of up to 10,000 words

Writing Edge (www.writingedgemag.com) is looking for submissions of up to 10,000 words. Send your manuscripts to enquiries@writingedgemag.com. For submission guidelines, please send an email.

Apex Magazine Vol III, Issue II now available

2009-08-05T20:12:00.000-07:00

Get the free stuff at http://www.apexbookcompany.com/apex-online

Editorial Dispositions by Jason Sizemore
“Pimp My Airship” by Maurice Broaddus
“Kenny 149″ by Brad Becraft
“Sinner, Baker, Fabulist, Priest; Red Mask, Black Mask, Gentleman, Beast” by Eugie Foster
Interview with Gene O’Neill by Maggie Jamison
Essay–”Why Gaming Fiction Works (and Why It Doesn’t)” by Monica Valentinelli

Here are a full set of links to buy the new issue.
DriveThruSciFi - (ePub)
DriveThruSciFi - (PDF)
Amazon (Kindle)
Apex Book Store

Apex Book Company - Dark SF, Fantasy, and Horror
http://www.apexbookcompany.com

Join the Apex newsletter!
http://groups.google.com/group/apex-publications-announcements
http://www.apexbookcompany.com

Donna Barr : AFTERDEAD 2 is now available.

2009-08-04T22:11:00.000-07:00

AFTERDEAD 2 Ashes To Ashes is out! Over 200 pages, most in full color.

At Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Afterdead-Ashes-Auth-Donna-Barr/dp/1892253143/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1249410309&sr=8-6

PRESS RELEASE: An Occupation of Angels by Lavie Tidhar coming February, 2010 from Apex Publications

2009-07-26T08:22:00.000-07:00

Source - http://www.apexbookcompany.com/news/2009/07/press-release-an-occupation-of-angels-by-lavie-tidhar-coming-february-2010-to-apex-publications/

~~~~~

PRESS RELEASE: An Occupation of Angels by Lavie Tidhar coming February, 2010 from Apex Publications

Popular short fiction author’s UK-only released short novel comes to the US

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

[Lexington, KY] - Apex Publishing, the innovative publisher behind such titles as THE APEX BOOK OF WORLD SF and the Stoker Award-nominated MAMA’S BOY collection, has announced the acquisition of Lavie Tidhar’s AN OCCUPATION OF ANGELS, a short novel that exemplify Tidhar’s skills blending dark fantasy and religious mythology.

Shadow Executive Killarney is a woman who kills angels for a living. After killing Raphael, Archangels start dying around her as well. Wherever she goes, they are murdered. While she knows she is not the one performing these murders, she (and every other shadow organization) knows that they are somehow connected to her. This mystery will take her all over the world and into the icy desert of Siberia where an experiment gone wrong will end in a confrontation of angels, Nazis and God.

AN OCCUPATION OF ANGELS is scheduled for release in February, 2010. Pre-orders begin winter 2009; watch the Apex website (www.apexbookcompany.com) for details.

LAVIE TIDHAR (www.lavietidhar.co.uk) is the author of the linked-story collection HebrewPunk, novellas An Occupation of Angels, Cloud Permutations, and Gorel & The Pot-Bellied God. With Nir Yaniv, he co-authored the short novel The Tel Aviv Dossier. Lavie has also edited the anthologies A Dick & Jane Primer for Adults and The Apex Book of World SF. He’s lived on three continents and one island-nation, and currently lives in South East Asia.

APEX PUBLICATIONS (www.apexbookcompany.com) is a small press dedicated to publishing exemplary works of dark science fiction and horror. Owned and operated by Jason B. Sizemore, Apex publishes the critically acclaimed Apex Magazine. In 2006, Apex Publishing branched into producing novellas, collections, and anthologies, earning a Bram Stoker Award nomination for the AEGRI SOMNIA anthology in 2007, and another for the collection MAMA’S BOY by Fran Friel, published in 2008.

Press Contact: Jason B. Sizemore
jason@apexbookcompany.com

Announcing the Tor.com Store!

2009-07-19T12:32:00.000-07:00

Posted on behalf of Tor.com:

Tor.com is absolutely thrilled to announce the launch of the Tor.com Store, our new print book store. In keeping with Tor.com's publisher-agnostic attitude, the Tor.com Store offers science fiction and fantasy media from most major publishers-the only requirement is that the books in question relate to the genre in some form or another. In keeping with the spirit of our "...And Related Subjects" tagline, we've made sure to be as inclusive as possible, and are going to be constantly updating and refining the selection of titles available in the Store.

In order to make the Tor.com Store a curated space for SF/F books, we're taking advantage of our biggest asset: the voices of our bloggers. The Store's Special Picks section features lists of books made up by our community of authors, artists and bloggers-if you want a handy list of most of the books Jo Walton has blogged about on the site; if you want to know what books Ellen Datlow considers the most influential SF books (this week); or if you're curious as to what books Leigh Butler considers to be the " sweatpants of literature," this is the area of the store you want to check out first. We've got a nice handful of lists to start with, and we'll be adding more continually.

Read more about the how and why of it at our official announcement post.

New issue of Apex Magazine

2009-07-06T20:17:00.001-07:00

Apex Magazine returns from a brief six-week hiatus with a new issue.

New fiction from Jennifer Pelland and Glenn Lewis Gillette
Classic reprint from Jeff Carlson

http://www.apexbookcompany.com/apex-online

Apex Magazine returns from hiatus

2009-06-27T16:04:00.000-07:00

Posted on behalf of Jason Sizemore - Full details found here: http://www.apexbookcompany.com/news/2009/06/its-alivealive-apex-magazine-returns-from-hiatus-for-now/

We’re pulling Apex Magazine out of hiatus and plan on releasing a new issue on the first Monday of July (July 6th).

Why now? And why the magazine? As I’ve said before, I’m stubborn. That’s playing a role in this decision. But I also try to be sensible when it comes to expensive business decisions. This time, I have a better plan in terms of financing the magazine.

It’s three-tier revenue stream…or three different ways our readers can help support the magazine that also provides them added value for their financial investment.

Tier One: Minion Support via sponsorship
We’ve setup three different levels of sponsorship–$50, $250, $1000. For each level of sponsorship, you get a certain amount of stuff in return. Using this option, Apex receives all the money minus our e-commerce shop’s surcharge (3%) and the credit card surcharge (3%).

Tier Two: Support via Apex Magazine POD purchase or via donation
We’re going to experiment with the Magcloud.com magazine POD service. For each issue, we’re going to design and sell a full color print version of Apex Magazine available for purchase through Magcloud.com. This should be a great solution to those who want to read Apex in print format without waiting for the anthology. Buying the magazine should net $3-$4 in the Apex reserves.
Alternatively, we’ll work harder to earn your donations if you want to support the magazine by that route. Naturally, all donation money goes to Apex minus the previously mentioned surcharges.

Tier Three: Buy a copy of Descended From Darkness: Apex Magazine Vol. I
This is the upcoming anthology that contains all the original fiction printed digitally in Apex Magazine from January 1st, 2008 through June 30th, 2009. By buying this anthology, you’ll be directly supporting both the magazine and the book side of Apex. Descended From Darkness comes out December 1st, 2009. If you buy the book straight out of our shop, Apex will net approximately $8-$10.

Apex Magazine will be published in July and August. If the support is there from the readers, we’ll keep on publishing. We need $500 a month to finance the magazine. With a combination of these three options, we hope to meet that $500 goal each month.

And yes, Apex Magazine will be open to submissions starting July 1st.

Other Apex News:

Author lottery:
http://www.apexbookcompany.com/news/2009/06/seven-more-days-of-the-apex-author-lottery/

eBook release of LAST DRAGON:
http://www.apexbookcompany.com/products/2009/06/last-dragon-by-jm-mcdermott/

Also, we're closing to novel slush at the end of the month.

Halloween contest:
http://www.apexbookcompany.com/news/2009/06/announcing-the-fourth-annual-apex-halloween-short-story-contest/

And finally...Dark Faith open to subs:
http://www.apexbookcompany.com/news/2009/06/dark-faith-edited-by-maurice-broaddus-is-open-to-submissions-pays-5-cents-a-word/

Apex Book Company - Dark SF, Fantasy, and Horror: http://www.apexbookcompany.com

Join the Apex newsletter!
http://groups.google.com/group/apex-publications-announcements
http://www.apexbookcompany.com

Cover art for PLAGUE ZONE

2009-06-06T09:12:00.000-07:00

This just came in from Jeff Carlson:

It's in! It's in! We have artwork for PLAGUE ZONE at last. I think this is my strongest cover yet. Certainly it's eye-catching, gritty, and wild... And here's the funny part. When I talk about my books in person or online, I like to poke fun at myself and explain that while, yes, of course, they're excellently written and full of moving human drama and real emotion, at the core these novels are also supposed to be fun, so they're full of exploding helicopters and super-cool advanced weapons technology.

Well, apparently Ace thinks so, too.

You can see the cover at http://www.jverse.com/blog/index.html Even better, if you click on that baby, it gets ultra big, crisp, and detailed. Shazam!!!

Jeff
www.jverse.com

Extreme Liquidation publishes June 1st with LyricalPress.com

2009-06-01T21:14:00.000-07:00

Extreme Liquidation, the second novel of the Caitlin Diggs series, is now available at www.lyricalpress.com

Extreme Liquidation is science fiction, reminiscent of The X-Files and Fringe with conspiracies, paranormal happenings and FBI investigations. FBI Special Agent Caitlin Diggs must stop the evil occultist Aleister Crowley, now reincarnated as the FBI Director, from using a psychotropic drug to bring about the End Time. Diggs, recently endowed with psychic abilities, believes Crowley is trying to liquidate humanity to open a fourth dimension or heaven he calls the Golden Mean Spiral.

Diggs first appeared in Starta's novel, Blood Web.

Starta, a former journalist, now writes science fiction and mystery novels. His website is www.garystarta.net

Apex Publishing Announces the Apex Author Lottery

2009-05-31T20:28:00.000-07:00

Apex Publishing Announces the Apex Author Lottery

Win prize packages from the darkest minds in science fiction, fantasy and horror

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

[Lexington, Kentucky] May 30, 2009 – What’s better than winning a signed copy of a limited edition book from one of the rising stars of dark science fiction? How about winning a whole stack of prizes, all from the author of your choosing?

Starting June 1 and ending June 30, Apex Publications is holding the Apex Author Lottery, an event readers can enter to win a themed prize package from select Apex authors and editors. You choose your author, and the winner gets every prize in the stack, including items such as signed editions, out of print magazine back issues, and even story critiques for aspiring writers.

The Apex Author Lottery is part of an effort to raise awareness of the great variety of talent available in small press science fiction and horror. Authors include Bram Stoker Award-nominated writer Fran Friel, winner of the 2008 Black Quill Award; two-time Parsec Award winner Matt Wallace; and Nebula Award nominee Jennifer Pelland.

Visit www.apexbookcompany.com for details.

APEX PUBLICATIONS (www.apexbookcompany.com) is a small press dedicated to publishing exemplary works of dark science fiction and horror. Owned and operated by Jason B. Sizemore, Apex publishes the critically acclaimed Apex Magazine. In 2006, Apex Publishing branched into producing novellas, collections, and anthologies, earning a Bram Stoker Award nomination for the Aegri Somnia anthology in 2007, and another for Fran Friel’s Mama’s Boy and Other Dark Tales in 2009.

Press Contact: Jason B. Sizemore
jason@apexdigest.com

Half price sale on many Apex Books

2009-04-26T08:12:00.000-07:00

http://www.apexbookcompany.com/news/2009/04/warm-weather-big-sale/

The weather has finally turned here in the Bluegrass and it’s put the Apex team in a great mood to celebrate. In honor of Fran Friel’s Stoker nomination, we’re having a big ol’ Mama’s Boy and Other Dark Tales sale!

There are only five hardcovers remaining from the original print run of 100 and we’ve slashed their prices in half. We’ve also knocked down the price of the TPB to $10.00. We’re also looking to do some ‘Spring Cleaning’ and move out some older inventory. The sale will run until next Friday.

Mama’s Boy and Other Dark Tales
HC - $17.50 (half price!) / TPB - $10.00

Aegri Somnia
HC - $14.00 / TPB - $7.00 (both half price!)

Gratia Placenti
HC - $14.00 / TPB - $8.00 (both half price!)

Orgy of Souls
HC - $15.00 / TPB - $10.00

Catacombs & Photographs (print run of 100)
Chapbook - $5.00 (half price!)

Jeff Carlson's Plague Year spreads to Czech Republic

2009-04-26T07:59:00.000-07:00

Jeff Carlson's Plague Year spreads to Czech Republic:

The international bestselling Plague Year thrillers struck another country this week, with the first two novels of Jeff Carlson’s trilogy selling in the Czech Republic after multiple bids between Czech publishers BB Art and Triton. Earlier this month, the Czech Republic’s premiere genre magazine, Pevnost, featured a translation of Carlson’s Writers of the Future award-winning novelette “The Frozen Sky.” Impressed by the story, editors from both publishing houses sought out English editions of Plague Year and were immediately in contact with Carlson’s literary agents. BB Art, which also translates books by household names such as Douglas Preston and Dean Koontz, won Czech rights to Carlson’s thriller novels and plans to release the first title late in 2009.

The third novel to complete the trilogy, Plague Zone, is slated for publication in North America by Ace/Penguin Books in Fall 2009.

Plague Year, the first in the series, became a bestseller as La Plaga in Spain, where Plague War, retitled Antidoto, is currently on the charts as well. The books are also receiving a major promotion campaign in Germany, where Plague War, retitled Plasma, will be Piper Verlag’s Book Of The Month this August. Both novels are also set for publication in Romania.

In the United States, Plague War was recently a finalist for the 2008 Philip K. Dick Award. Film rights for the novels have been optioned by award-winning producer James McNally of Seven Seas Jim.

Readers can find free excerpts of Plague Year and Plague War at Carlson’s web site at www.jverse.com along with tour dates, videos, contests, and more, including a mind-croggling trivia challenge in which winners will be allowed to name a character after themselves or a friend in one of Carlson’s upcoming novels.

Big News From Jeff Carlson

2009-04-19T08:45:00.000-07:00

For those of you who haven’t heard, my second novel, Plague War, did not win the Philip K. Dick Award at Norwescon last weekend. In a first-ever tie, the PKD went to David Walton’s Terminal Mind and Adam-Troy Castro’s Emissaries For The Dead. Nevertheless, I had a fantastic time at the four-day convention, making lots of new friends and contacts, and it really is just an honor to be nominated. The awards ceremony was especially great, classy, and fun.

Here's my cosmic boobyprize:

Spanish publisher Minotauro has declared La Plaga (Plague Year) a bestseller in their country, which means my American publisher is suddenly in a rush to change the byline for my next novel to "Jeff Carlson, International Bestselling Author." Wow! Overall, it’s been an amazing week and a half.

Also exciting, here's a link to charts compiled by one of Spain's book chains, which has Antidoto (Plague War) at #1 right now on the very top of the heap... and that's in hardcover as a mainstream novel.

Fun photos (with more to come) at http://www.jverse.com/blog/index.html

Jeff
www.jverse.com

Dusk Before The Dawn awarded Reader’s Choice Award from Amazonclicks

2009-04-19T08:40:00.000-07:00

(TOMBALL, Texas) - The novel Dusk Before the Dawn by Larry Ketchersid was awarded the Reader’s Choice Award from AmazonClicks. The novel will be featured on the AmazonClicks website for the month of April, and further recognized on the websites “Hall of Fame” page.

“Dusk Before the Dawn is definitely a novel that embraces the concept of global change,” states AmazonClicks. “A layered tale set near the largest of the ancient ruined cities of the Maya civilization in El Petén, Guatamala, it takes the best kind of James Bond ‘world ends at the hands of mad scientist’ plot, and then weaves through it elements of enlightenment and environmentalism. As a result it is an action driven story, mellowed with intent and contemplation as the more enlightened protagonists work to make the best of a bad situation.”

Details of the award can be viewed at www.amazonclicks.com.

The novel has previously been selected as a Finalist for the Book of the Year Awards from ForeWord Magazine, and is also featured on the “Best First SF Novels” list from Paul Levinson, a past president of the Science Fiction Writers of America and best selling author of The Plot to Save Socrates.

The author, Larry Ketchersid, is CEO of a security software and services company. He studies martial arts and has been awarded 2nd degree Black Belt in Soo Bahk Do. He also continues to play rugby (against suggestions to the contrary), and reads and writes extensively. His forthcoming novel, Software By The Kilo, intertwines the business of funding and running a technology company with Italian drug smugglers and World War II, spanning two continents and two time periods.

Dusk Before the Dawn can be ordered by bookstores from Infinity Publishing; books are returnable. Consumers can purchase the novel from many bookstores such as Books, Inc. in California; The Twig in San Antonio; and online through Amazon and Barnes and Noble. More information on both book and author can be found at www.duskbeforethedawn.net.

For bookstore ordering, please contact:
Infinity Publishing
1094 New Dehaven St, Suite 100
West Conshohocken, PA 19428
610-941-9999 • Toll Free: 877-BUYBOOK • Fax: 610-941-9959
www.infinitypublishing.com

PRESS RELEASE: ELIZABETH ENGSTROM'S "WHEN DARKNESS LOVES US" COMING NOVEMBER 2009 FROM APEX PUBLISHING

2009-04-05T19:24:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth Engstrom's "When Darkness Loves Us" coming November 2009 from Apex Publishing

Dark fantasy author's first major publication is back in print after more than two decades

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

[Lexington, Kentucky] – Apex Publishing, the innovative publisher behind such titles as THE APEX BOOK OF WORLD SF and the Stoker Award-nominated MAMA'S BOY collection, has announced the acquisition of Elizabeth Engstrom's WHEN DARKNESS LOVES US, a collection of two stories—a novella and a short novel—that exemplify Engstrom's early style of soft-spoken but fierce speculative horror.

"When Darkness Loves Us" shows the inner strength and moral deterioration of a sixteen-year-old girl trapped alone in the underground darkness shortly after her wedding day. "Beauty Is..." follows the tragic life of Martha Mannes, a woman born without a nose, and the beauty and horror of the small town life that surrounds her as her mind works its way out of the trauma that has buried it for most of her life.

WHEN DARKNESS LOVES US is scheduled for release in November 2009. Pre-orders begin summer 2009; watch the Apex website (www.apexbookcompany.com) for details.

"Fresh, inventive, stylish and captivating, the work of a writer of unusual promise."
—Dean Koontz

"A masterpiece, and one of the finest tragedies I've read in years."
—Horror Show

ELIZABETH ENGSTROM (www.elizabethengstrom.com) holds a BA in English Literature and Writing from Marylhurst University and is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Applied Theology. A recluse at heart, she still emerges into public occasionally to speak at a writers conference or to teach a class on various aspects of writing the novel, essay, article or short story. She is the author or numerous novels, short stories, and collections, including BLACK AMBROSIA, LIZARD WINE, and THE NORTHWOODS CHRONICLES.

APEX PUBLICATIONS (www.apexbookcompany.com) is a small press dedicated to publishing exemplary works of dark science fiction and horror. Owned and operated by Jason B. Sizemore, Apex publishes the critically acclaimed Apex Magazine. In 2006, Apex Publishing branched into producing novellas, collections, and anthologies, earning a Bram Stoker Award nomination for the AEGRI SOMNIA anthology in 2007, and another for the collection MAMA'S BOY by Fran Friel, published in 2008.

Press Contact: Jason B. Sizemore
jason@apexdigest.com

Apex Book Company - Dark SF, Fantasy, and Horror
http://www.apexbookcompany.com

Join the Apex newsletter!
http://groups.google.com/group/apex-publications-announcements
http://www.apexbookcompany.com

Apex to publish TASTE OF TENDERLOIN by Gene O'Neill

2009-03-31T21:46:00.000-07:00

San francisco's dark side comes alive in taste of tenderloin

Forthcoming release from author Gene O'Neill and Apex Publishing

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

[Lexington, Kentucky] – Eight stories of dark science fiction and fantasy weave a path through the underbelly of San Francisco's most notorious district in TASTE OF TENDERLOIN by Gene O'Neill. Best known for his strong sense of place and uniquely vibrant characters, O'Neill brings the gritty underside of the city to life with eight interwoven stories of broken lives, missed dreams, and all that can go wrong with both reality and fantasy among the down and out. The city itself opens wide to swallow all comers with the temptation of its secrets and sins, while O'Neill brings dignity and humanity to a set of characters often overlooked in both society and fiction.

Coming in the August of 2009 from Apex Publishing, TASTE OF TENDERLOIN gives fantasy, science fiction, and horror a home in the city streets. Pre-orders available soon—watch the Apex website (www.apexbookcompany.com) for details.

GENE O'NEILL has seen over 100 of his stories published, perhaps most notably in the Twilight Zone Magazine, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Science Fiction Age, Cemetery Dance, and various anthologies. Many of his past stories have garnered Nebula and Stoker award recommendations, including “Balance,” a Stoker finalist in 2007, included in this collection.

APEX PUBLICATIONS (www.apexbookcompany.com) is a small press dedicated to publishing exemplary works of dark science fiction and horror. Owned and operated by Jason B. Sizemore, Apex publishes the critically acclaimed Apex Magazine. In 2006, Apex Publishing branched into producing novellas, collections, and anthologies, earning a Bram Stoker Award nomination for the AEGRI SOMNIA anthology in 2007, and another for the collection MAMA'S BOY by Fran Friel, published in 2008.

Press Contact: Jason B. Sizemore
jason@apexdigest.com

Apex Book Company - Dark SF, Fantasy, and Horror
http://www.apexbookcompany.com

Join the Apex newsletter!
http://groups.google.com/group/apex-publications-announcements
http://www.apexbookcompany.com

Apex Publishing Announces World SF Anthology

2009-02-22T08:47:00.000-08:00

Apex Publishing Announces World SF Anthology

Short story collection features award-winning authors from around the world

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

[Lexington, Kentucky] February 15, 2009 – Apex Publishing has announced plans to release THE APEX BOOK OF WORLD SF, an anthology of genre short stories from around the world. Edited by Lavie Tidhar, the book focuses on Asian and European writers, including stories from China, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Croatia, France, and the Netherlands.

"This is an exciting opportunity to showcase some of the tremendous talent in the field from all around the world," Apex publisher Jason Sizemore says. "We think this is a milestone publication in a field where, historically, genre fiction from outside the English-speaking world has been almost invisible. Tidhar has put together a unique line-up of stories."

The anthology is book-ended by World Fantasy Award winners S.P. Somtow and Zoran Živković, while other included authors have variously won China's Galaxy Award, Israel's Geffen Award, France's Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire, and Australia's Ditmar and Aurealis awards.

THE APEX BOOK OF WORLD SF exhibits once again Apex Book Company's commitment to publishing the best in speculative fiction in all its diversity. The anthology is scheduled for release in late 2009, and is intended as the first in a series of World SF collections.

APEX PUBLICATIONS (www.apexbookcompany.com) is a small press dedicated to publishing exemplary works of dark science fiction and horror. Owned and operated by Jason B. Sizemore, Apex publishes the critically acclaimed Apex Magazine. In 2006, Apex Publishing branched into producing novellas, collections, and anthologies, earning a Bram Stoker Award nomination for the Aegri Somnia anthology in 2007.

Press Contact: Jason B. Sizemore - jason@apexdigest.com
Apex Book Company - Dark SF, Fantasy, and Horror
http://www.apexbookcompany.com

Join the Apex newsletter!
http://groups.google.com/group/apex-publications-announcements
http://www.apexbookcompany.com

Yasmine Galenorn: Demon Mistress Book Video

2009-02-06T17:36:00.000-08:00

Yasmine Galenorn recently posted this video on YouTube for Demon Mistress - Book 6 in the Otherworld Series

Take a look and enjoy

Book 6 in the Otherworld Series by Yasmine Galenorn
www.galenorn.com

We're the D'Artigo Sisters: Half-human, half-Faerie, we're savvy--and sexy--operatives for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency. But our mixed-blood heritage short-circuits our talents at all the wrong times. My sister Camille is a wicked-good witch whose magic is as unpredictable as the weather. My sister Delilah transforms into a tabby cat at the worst possible times. And me? I'm Menolly, acrobat-extraordinaire-turned-vampire. And if the nerds from hell don't get their act together, I'm going to turn their toga party into a bloodbath...

Life's getting stranger by the minute. First, Iris and I unearth a diary from one of the bartenders at the Wayfarer who disappeared under mysterious circumstances. And when I discover a ghoul in the woods near our home, we know there has to be a necromancer nearby--another sign that something's wrong. But the blood really hits the fang when we discover a secret society bent on winning Shadow Wing's favor. Now it's up to us to stop the chaos they've unleashed on the city, and to prevent the demon they summoned from devouring Delilah's soul...

Apex Magazine February 09 issue now availableApex Magazine February 09 issue now available

2009-02-04T22:48:00.000-08:00

Apex Magazine February 09 issue now availableApex Magazine February 09 issue now available

New fiction:
"Dark Planet" — Lavie Tidhar
"Cai and Her Ten-Thousand Husbands" — Gord Sellar

Audio fiction:
"Shaded Streams Run Clearest" — Geoffrey W. Cole

Permuted Press Presents:
"A Plague From the Mud" — Aaron Polson

Reprinted Classic:
"Tearing Down Tuesday" — Steven Francis Murphy

Interview with The Monster Within Idea author R. Thomas Riley.

Essays from Alethea Kontis and Lavie Tidhar

Popped Culture by Justin Stewart

All this available for free (and will continue to remain so). Or you can purchase a fancy PDF version of this issue for only $2.00 that will go a long way to helping us continue bringing you fantastic dark SF.

Apex Magazine to begin PDF edition

2009-02-04T22:44:00.000-08:00

Official Press Release

Apex Magazine is delighted to announce that starting with the February issue, they will be offering a PDF version of the magazine in addition to the website version.

"When we made the step from a print digest to an online magazine, many of our readers asked us why we couldn't do both," said Jason Sizemore, publisher and editor of Apex Magazine. "By publishing a PDF version that will have the same look and feel as the original digest, we hope to meet those readers where they live."

The PDF version of Apex Magazine will contain the same quality fiction and features that Apex's readers have come to expect, but formatted in the style of the digest. In addition, each PDF will include a cover, art, and other features not available on the website.

"We're planning to publish extra articles and essays in the PDF version as a bonus for those loyal readers who chose to support Apex," Sizemore said. "But rest assured that all the fiction we publish will continue to appear in the online version as well."

The PDF version of Apex Magazine will cost $2 an issue and will be distributed via email. Readers can also order a full-year subscription at a discounted price of $12.

For more information on Apex Magazine, please visit http://www.apexbookcompany.com/apex-online/.

For more information on ordering the PDF version, please visit http://www.apexbookcompany.com/cart.php?m=product_list&c=2

Apex Magazine Welcomes Guest Editor Michael A. Burstein

2009-01-17T07:51:00.000-08:00

PRESS RELEASE
Apex Magazine is delighted to announce that the April issue will be a special one devoted to the concept of how the future will remember the past, and edited by award-winning writer and Apex author Michael A. Burstein.

"Ever since we published Michael's collection I Remember the Future, we've been hoping that Michael could find the time to edit an issue," said Jason Sizemore, publisher and editor-in-chief of Apex Magazine. "Michael's looking for stories that evoke the same themes that tie his own stories together, such as the slipperiness of history and the dangers of forgetting the past."

Burstein will be reading for this special issue of Apex Magazine from January 15th until March 15th. He said, "I want to thank Apex for this opportunity to edit an issue of the magazine. I'm looking forward to seeing the stories come in, and I'm hoping for some powerful ones that will stay with me for a long time."

Guidelines for submission:
Stories for the special issue should be submitted as per the guidelines given on our submission page at http://www.apexbookcompany.com/submissions/. Please place the words "SPECIAL ISSUE" in the Subject line of the submissions. Michael will be looking for dark science fiction stories devoted to the concept of memory, including the slipperiness of history and the dangers of forgetting the past. Payment will be at the usual rate.

In the body of the email, please feel free to mention previous publication credits, if any. Please mail submissions to our standard submission address. Our slush wrangler will forward all SPECIAL ISSUE submissions to Michael.

Michael is also interested in short poems (devoted to the theme). The payment for a poem will be $5.

Submissions should only be sent between the dates of January 15th and March 15th. Any submissions for the special issue sent outside of those dates will be deleted unread.

For more information on Apex Magazine, please visit http://www.apexbookcompany.com/apex-online/.

For more information on Michael A. Burstein and I Remember the Future, please visit http://www.mabfan.com and http://www.bursteinbooks.com.

Apex Book Company - Dark SF, Fantasy, and Horror
http://www.apexbookcompany.com

Join the Apex newsletter!
http://groups.google.com/group/apex-publications-announcements
http://www.apexbookcompany.com

Apex Magazine January 09 edition

2009-01-11T12:30:00.000-08:00

Our January 09 edition of Apex Magazine is now available.

Featuring new stories by Ruth Nestvold and Jason Palmer, and reprints from Eric James Stone and Ed Turner.

http://www.apexbookcompany.com/apex-online

Jason Sizemore
Apex Book Company - Dark SF, Fantasy, and Horror
http://www.apexbookcompany.com

Join the Apex newsletter!
http://groups.google.com/group/apex-publications-announcements
http://www.apexbookcompany.com

( Sorry if this news is a little late, but as they say, "Better late than never" ~ Jim Cox / NWSFS News )

Preditors & Editors Readers Poll 2009

2009-01-04T12:08:00.000-08:00

Preditors & Editors Readers Poll has just opened up for 2009 at: http://www.critters.org/predpoll/

This is a great chance to vote for you favorite books from 2008. There are several categories where you can vote, so make sure to select one from each. If you are so inclined (~blush~), Starsight (fantasy category) and the Centurion books (romance category) are included on the list as well:

Preditors & Editors and Critters.org are wonderful groups that support writers around the world and have done so for many years. Thanks for your support!

Minnette Meador
www.minnettemeador.com
http://www.minnettemeador.com/

Eppies come to Mudflat

2009-01-03T08:03:00.000-08:00

The first two books of the Mudflat series by Phoebe Matthews have been picked as finalists for 2009 Eppies!

TARBABY TROUBLE, Mudflat book 1, BookStrand, is a 2009 Eppie Fantasy finalist

WELCOME TO MUDFLAT, BABY, Mudflat book 2, BookStrand, is an 2009 Eppie Fantasy/Paranormal Romance finalist

Winners will be announced in March at the national 2009 EPIC convention in Las Vegas. Got my fingers crossed.

The Mudflat series is set in Seattle and surrounding area.

The ebooks are available through http://www.bookstrand.com/authors/phoebematthews or Fictionwise or http://allromanceebooks.com
TARBABY TROUBLE can be ordered in trade paperback through http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1606011227
(WELCOME TO MUDFLAT, BABY will be out in print in Jan or Feb)

More order links and info can be found on my website at http://phoebematthews. com

Phoebe Matthews
http://phoebematthews.com
MySpace.com - Phoebe
http://www.myspace.com/phoebematthews

TARBABY TROUBLE, Mudflat 1, July 2008, BookStrand, 2009 Eppie finalist in fantasyWELCOME TO MUDFLAT, BABY, Mudflat 2, September 2008, 2009 Eppie finalist in fantasy/paranormal romance

DEJA VU LOVER, October 24, 2008, TheWildRosePress at:
http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath==145
http://allromanceebooks.com/

THE SUICIDE COLLECTORS - DAVID OPPEGAARD

2008-12-23T19:52:00.000-08:00

ST. MARTIN'S PRESS ANNOUNCES "THE SUICIDE COLLECTORS" BY DAVID OPPEGAARD

“Eloquent prose and haunting characters lift Oppegaard's astonishing debut..." -Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Oppegaard demonstrates a terrific sense of the macabre with absorbing sequences featuring feral children, a house papered in suicide notes, and other relics of a dying society. He also articulately ponders why such a plague might materialize." -Kirkus Reviews

"Just when it seems that there are no new plots left to write about, David Oppegaard has come up with a doozy. His “The Suicide Collectors” takes us to a startling theme we haven’t encountered before, with every page a thrilling new surprise." -Stan Lee, writer, editor, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics

“David Oppegaard’s THE SUICIDE COLLECTORS is a wonderfully creepy debut novel filled with unnerving twists and turns! Unsettling, bleak and dangerous.” -Jonathan Maberry, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of PATIENT ZERO

"Oppegaard's big bad is an abstraction, but it engenders very concrete terrors. I was reminded of Junji Ito's Uzumaki, which in my book is as good as it gets. " - Mike Carey, author of THE DEVIL YOU KNOW, and bestselling and award-winning author of Vertigo Comics's LUCIFER and HELLBLAZER:

In one of the most stunning debuts to come along in years, David Oppegaard gives us a world whose near future presents some terrifying realities.

In THE SUICIDE COLLECTORS, an inexplicable plague of ennui known as “The Despair” has enveloped the world for five years, and nearly ninety percent of the population has committed suicide, and the few survivors struggle to remain alive.

A mysterious, shadowy group called the Collectors has emerged, inevitably appearing to remove the bodies of the dead. But in the crumbling state of Florida, a man named Norman takes an unprecedented stand against the Collectors, propelling him on a journey across North America toward a scientist in Seattle who is rumored to be working on a cure for the Despair.

Oppegaard brings an intriguing new perspective to the concept of apocalypse. “There are dozens of man-made possibilities for the end of the world,” he explains, “but I was intrigued by the idea of humanity simply giving up and dying out.”

With harrowing twists and turns, THE SUICIDE COLLECTORS is sure to appeal to fans of dystopian future novels like Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, and the works of John Twelve Hawkes and William Gibson.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: David Oppegaard was born in St. Paul, Minnesota. He holds a B.A. in English Literature from St. Olaf College and an M.F.A. in Writing from Hamline University. This is his first novel.

THE SUICIDE COLLECTORS
David Oppegaard
Price: $23.95
Publication Date: December 9, 2008
ISBN: 0-312-38110-7
http://us.macmillan.com/thesuicidecollectors

Fictionwritersgroup.com

2008-12-21T21:27:00.000-08:00

Fictionwritersgroup.com is a writing resource which was created specifically with writers in mind. It was designed to be a place where established Authors can come to try out new or off market ideas with anonymity and see by our signature Quick Click Rating System how readers respond to their works.

But we are more than just that. With our continuously expanding network of Proofreaders, Publishers and Agents, we are also an excellent place for novice or amateur writers to grow into the field. In our experience the two primary factors that limit the success of most new or aspiring Authors is one - the amount of time they actually spend writing, and two – the lack of confidence they have in their own innate abilities as writers.

Our site addresses both of these issues by inspiring our members to work on weak areas with our review system and by motivating them to become more prolific through our challenges and friendly competitions and the camaraderie they develop with others in the same situation.

We at Fictionwritersgroup.com believe that the only way to become a better writer is to write more, and the best way to write more is to begin writing right now.

Pre-orders for The Monster Within Idea by R. Thomas Riley

2008-12-15T21:14:00.000-08:00

One of our early 2009 titles, The Monster Within Idea, is a collection that contains nineteen stories from the dark mind of horror writer R. Thomas Riley.

Riley's work has been compared to horror legends Richard Laymon and Dean Koontz. In our experiences, it is the way Riley instills a deep sense of humanity into his characters that makes his style of writing horror so empathetic and powerful. Those of you who have read the Apex anthology Gratia Placenti will be familiar with this very writing trait in the story "Only Spirits Cry" (also included in The Monster Within Idea).

Cover artist/designer by Justin Stewart.

Pre-order now and get free shipping!

--
Available from Apex Publications
Mama's Boy and Other Dark Tales - Fran Friel
Orgy of Souls - Wrath James White & Maurice Broaddus
Beauty & Dynamite - Alethea Kontis

http://www.apexbookcompany.com

Minnette Meador: Celebrating my December Release!

2008-12-13T14:05:00.000-08:00

I wanted to let you know that I have a very special Myspace contest going on right now for anyone who would like to join my mailing list. I am giving away one autographed set of Starsight books (Vol. I & II) to celebrate the release of the final book in the duology. If you would like a chance to win, just go to www.minnettemeador.com, hit "Enter", and put your email in the "Minnette's Mailing List" box on that page. Follow the signup instructions for a chance to win the two books. If you are a current member, then you are already entered in my December drawing for the two books taking place on New Years Eve. I will award both sets of books on that night!

Have a very happy holiday and a fabulous new year! Minnette :)

www.minnettemeador.com
http://minnettemeador.blogspot.com
http://www.myspace.com/minnettemeador

Two books up for pre-order: THE CONVENT OF THE PURE and OPEN YOUR EYES

2008-11-28T16:23:00.000-08:00

Apex Publications is excited to announce that they are opening pre-orders for the next two books in their novella series. Remember, they are running a free shipping special so now is a great time to take advantage of some USPS savings!

Sara M. Harvey - THE CONVENT OF THE PURE
Secrets and illusions abound in a decaying convent wrapped in dark magic and scented with blood. Portia came to the convent with the ghost of Imogen, the lover she failed to protect in life. Now, the spell casting caste wants to make sure that neither she nor her spirit ever leave.

"The Convent of the Pure is a compelling blend of the numinous and the creepy, with a rich, atmospheric setting. I devoured it in a single sitting!"
– Jacqueline Carey (Kushiel's Dart)

Publication Date: April 1st
http://www.apexbookcompany.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=78

###

Paul Jessup - OPEN YOUR EYES
Her lover was a supernova who took worlds with him when he died, and as a new world grows within Ekhi, savage lives rage and love on a small ship in the outer reaches of space. A ship with an agenda of its own.

Open Your Eyes is a space opera described by Jay Lake (Escapement, Green) as "echoing the fantastic imagery of Samuel R. Delany and the angst-ridden identity paranoia of
Philip K. Dick."

Publication Date: April 16th
http://www.apexbookcompany.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=77

Thanks!
Jason Sizemore
Editor-in-Chief
Apex Publications

--
Available from Apex Publications
Mama's Boy and Other Dark Tales - Fran Friel
Orgy of Souls - Wrath James White & Maurice Broaddus
Beauty & Dynamite - Alethea Kontis

http://www.apexbookcompany.com

Press Release: The Battering of Burstein

2008-11-16T12:16:00.000-08:00

The Battering of Burstein

Apex Publications Ramps up the Raffle to Replace Stolen and Damaged Books

November 16, 2008 - Yesterday, Apex Book Company received a shipment of hardcover copies of Michael A. Burstein's new collection "I Remember the Future." At least, the box was supposed to contain the book. What we actually received was a box full of...nothing. A second box contained 16 copies of the book, but they were damaged and unfit for sale. In total, the damaged and missing copies amount to 1/3 of the shipment. The boxes containing the other 2/3 of the shipment have not yet arrived, and we are not optimistic about their location or condition.

Since the Annual Apex Raffle is currently in progress, we are extending the raffle in order to raise additional funds for the replacement cost of the books. Originally scheduled to end on November 30, the raffle will now run through December 15, with the priority allotment of funds going to replace the damaged and missing books.

We understand that many of you reading this have already participated in the raffle, and we are grateful for your support. We ask that you assist us by passing the raffle link below along to anyone you think might be interested, or posting it on your blog or any forums you frequent that allow such items.

Here's the raffle link: http://www.apexbookcompany.com/cart.php?m=product_list&c=7
There are plenty of items for readers, writers, and collectors of all that is dark and good. And don't forget, 'tis almost the season, and nothing says "Happy Holidays" like a gift that will scare the socks off your friends and family.

Remember, 10% of all proceeds will be donated to Dolly's Imagination Library, a community program to foster a love of reading among children. Don't worry, we'll wait until they're older before we start making them read Apex books.
--
Available from Apex Publications
Mama's Boy and Other Dark Tales - Fran Friel
Orgy of Souls - Wrath James White & Maurice Broaddus
Beauty & Dynamite - Alethea Kontis

http://www.apexbookcompany.com

Minnette Meador: STARSIGHT, VOLUME II - BOOKS III & IV

2008-11-16T12:03:00.000-08:00

Posted on behalf of Minnette Meador

Just a special announcement to let you know that Starsight II has just been released and is now available at Amazon and Stonegarden. If you have not read the first Starsight it is also available from Amazon. For those of you who live in the Portland/Vancouver area, I will be signing both Starsight I and II along with The Centurion & The Queen on November 22nd from 1pm-5pm at the Clackamas Town Center, Lower Level, JC Penney Court. 30% of the proceeds will be donated to the Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, so please come join myself and several other local authors for this wonderful event. I will also be appearing at Powell's Books Beaverton on December 11th from 7pm-9pm with both Starsight books and the brand new sequel to The Centurion & The Queen, The Edge of Honor. For more information, please visit my webpage at www.minnettemeador.com.

This has been a thirty year odyssey for me and I am thrilled to invite you to join me in celebration. Feel free to drop me a note if you have any questions. Hope to see you at the signings! Minnette :)

STARSIGHT, VOLUME II - BOOKS III & IV
an epic fantasy by Minnette Meador
(book cover by Derrick Freeland)

War ravishes the Imperium, held together by the valor of ancient warriors and the devotion of the empire's elite. Trenara no longer trusts the power that has turned the boy she once loved into a man she no longer understands. He frightens her. Joshan's ascendancy grows every day as he leads them to Sirdar's domain. The monster has prepared a welcome that none of them expects and Joshan knows he is endangering them all. Sacrifices are made; bonds are broken. The line between good and evil is blurred in the blood of the innocent. Will Joshan use the power to rescue his world or will a new tyrant sit upon Sirdar's throne?

EXCERPT....

Annual Apex Post-Halloween Raffle

2008-11-01T12:42:00.000-07:00

Are you ready for Halloween to be over? We aren't! In fact, we've decided to hand out a whole host of treats, with only a little trick involved. That's right! It's time for Apex's Annual Post-Halloween Raffle!

We've pulled from our high-security cellar vaults some the most fiendishly delightful goodies you've ever seen, like free fiction critiques, ARCs of as-yet unavailable books signed by the authors, valuable rare books worth more than $50, a steampunk classic with zepplins--REAL ZEPPLINS!--doodled by the author himself, and the only Maurice Broaddus Quintuple Threat Pack in existence!

Don't waste a minute! Get your raffle tickets now! There's just too much good stuff to miss out! Happy Post-Halloween!

10% of all proceeds will be donated to Dolly's Imagination Library.

Check out the treats

--
Available from Apex Publications
Mama's Boy and Other Dark Tales - Fran Friel
Orgy of Souls - Wrath James White & Maurice Broaddus
Beauty & Dynamite - Alethea Kontis

Apex Publications signs horror legend Gene O'Neill

2008-10-20T15:58:00.000-07:00

Apex Books
A Division of Apex Publications
Contact: Jason Sizemore, Publisher
(859) 312-3974
jason@apexbookcompany.com

"Man, something must be wrong with me, big time, he thought. Maybe the Puerto Rican had bruised more than his brain the night of the championship. Scarred something deep inside, hurt his ability to feel much of anything. " – from "Bruised Soul"

From Stoker Finalist Gene O'Neill - A Taste of Tenderloin

Apex Publications brings together eight tales of the dark side of San Francisco's 'Loin sector in this collection by horror legend Gene O'Neill. Several of the short stories included have appeared in prestigious magazines such as Cemetery Dance Magazine, Dark Wisdom, and the anthologies Unnatural Selection, Horror Beyond II, and The Grand Struggle. The tale "Balance" was a Stoker Award Finalist.

The 'Loin, Mr. O'Neill explains, is "a colorful section of [San Francisco], but rundown now like the famed Bowery used to be in NYC, hookers, pimps, junkies, all kinds of scam artists, but a certain kind of sleazy excitement in the foggy air at night […] Some of the characters in the various stories are composites of real people living in the 'loin back then. E.g.: There is a description in "The Apotheosis of Nathan McKee" of an aging junkie playing classical music on a corner for hat money, a tawdry angel trying to flap her broken wings and fly up out of the sleazy muck." The 'Loin will also be described by one-time resident and Mr. O'Neill's son, Gavin O'Neill, in the introduction to the collection.

Some of the tales included in this collection are "The Apotheosis of Nathan McKee," about a man who discovers a very special ability after receiving a vicious beating; "Bruised Soul," the story of an ex-boxer returning to the Tenderloin after a stay in a Sate Hospital, but still battling his own demons; and "Lost Patrol," which follows a wounded vet after his return to the 'loin after Vietnam, who is stalked by a supernatural presence. The collection also includes the original tale "Bushido." The book will be approximately 200 pages long.

Publication date: August 2009

APEX PUBLICATIONS (www.apexbookcompany.com) is a small press dedicated to publishing exemplary works of dark science fiction and horror. Owned and operated by Jason B. Sizemore, Apex publishes the critically acclaimed Apex Science Fiction and Horror Magazine. In 2006, Apex Publishing branched into producing novellas, collections, and anthologies, earning a 2007 Bram Stoker Award nomination for the Aegri Somnia anthology.

--
Available from Apex Publications
Mama's Boy and Other Dark Tales - Fran Friel
Orgy of Souls - Wrath James White & Maurice Broaddus
Beauty & Dynamite - Alethea Kontis

http://www.apexbookcompany.com

E-books of Children of the Star novels

2008-09-14T20:06:00.000-07:00

Posted on behalf of Sylvia Engdahl

The three novels of Children of the Star are now available as e-books for $5.95 each. Go to www.mobipocket.com and search for my name, or go to my home page www.sylviaengdahl.com and click on their book covers. The Mobipocket reader is free and works on many mobile devices as well on on PCs. (I really like it for reading on my desktop computer -- in fact I prefer to proofread in it rather than in a word processor, even though I have to go back to the word processing file to make corrections.)

I know I said these novels would never be issued separately again because I don't want readers to stop with the first one and think that I ignored certain scientific facts crucial to the motivation in the story merely for plot reasons, when in fact I wasn't aware of those facts back in the early 70s when I wrote the first two books. But I've decided that an Author's Note at the end of those books can make that clear without giving away the suspense of the third book. I found that many readers were hesitant to choose as long a book as the one-volume edition of the trilogy, and in any case, This Star Shall Abide can be enjoyed by younger readers than the others, which are rarely interesting to readers below high school age. Now that Meisha Merlin is no longer in business and the rights have reverted to me, I want to make the story available to as many new readers as possible.

I am planning to publish This Star Shall Abide (known in the UK as Heritage of the Star) -- but not the other two books -- in a print-on-demand trade paperback edition if there is any demand for it -- I know that some teachers used it in their classes before it became unobtainable as a separate book. If I do this, it will be available only at Amazon.com and from me; it will not be sold by distributors or in bookstores (for reasons having to do with the economics of book distribution). If you or anyone you know would be interested in buying it, please let me know now so that I can judge whether doing this is worthwhile. I will sell to schools and libraries (and bookstores if any want it) at 50% off.

There are still new copies of Children of the Star available, although it is officially out of print. The trade paperback can be obtained either from Amazon.com or from me. Also, there are now a few copies of the limited $50 hardcover edition available -- some turned up recently after a bookseller who had bought them went out of business. Fewer than 300 copies of the hardcover were printed, and there will be no more.

Also, I have signed copies available of both hardcover and paperback editions of The Far Side of Evil, which is out of print, and of Journey Between Worlds, which will not be in print much longer -- plus the hardcover edition of Enchantress from the Stars. I don't sell the paperback edition of Enchantress because it's still available from bookstores, as are both e-book and audio editions.

Don't forget that my adult novel Stewards of the Flame is available both in trade paperback and as an e-book. (If anyone who receives this message hasn't heard of it before, that's because it's not suitable for YA readers and so I didn't announce it to my teen list.) Stewards won a bronze medal in the 2008 Independent Publishers (IPPY) awards. If you have a copy and would like a foil award seal to put on the cover, just let me know -- copies I ship in the future will have seals; those sold elsewhere will not. Full information about the story, plus a video trailer, review quotes, sample chapters, and a book group discussion guide, can be found at www.stewardsoftheflame.com.

For a limited time I am offering FREE SHIPPING within the U.S., and discounted international shipping, on all of these books to anyone who mentions this message.

And of course, I'm always happy to receive comments on my books from those of you who have already read them.

I hope to hear from you!

Sylvia

PS: These books are also available for Kindle
_____________________________________________________________________________

Sylvia Engdahl - www.sylviaengdahl.com ~ www.stewardsoftheflame.com
http://towardtomorrow.blogspot.com ~ www.spacequotes.com

Apex Publications' Annual Halloween Short Story Contest

2008-08-18T22:23:00.000-07:00

For Immediate Release: Apex Publications’ Annual Halloween Short Story Contest - Election Horror

In honor of the presidential election, Apex Publications is offering its Annual Halloween Short Fiction Contest, titled “Election Horror” to be guest judged by Jay Lake.

Write a flash fiction story (under 1000 words) based on this year’s theme, “Election Horror.” and submit online to Apex Digest by 12 midnight, October 15, 2008

Prizes:

First—Publication (10 cents a word)
Second—Publication (5 cents a word)
Third—Choice of Apex Book Company Hardcover
Fourth—Choice of Apex Book Company Paperback

Visit: http://www.apexbookcompany.com/ for the official guidelines and updates.

If you would like more information about this contest or Apex Digest, please email Jason Sizemore at Jason@ApexDigest.com or phone: (859) 312-3974.

Thank you in advance for your time.

Sincerely,

Jason Sizemore, Editor-in-Chief/Publisher
Apex Publications
PO Box 24323
Lexington, KY 40524

Apex Publications - Where Science Fiction and Horror Collide

Stinz classic revised and re-published

2008-08-05T22:32:00.000-07:00

PRESS RELEASE: From: A Fine Line Press 360 963 2935 barr@stinz.com

Coming from A Fine Line Press, distributed by Diamond Distribution and Haven Distribution, December 2008.

AN INSUPPORTABLE LIGHT: The Original Stinz Novel, 2008 Revised edition, 406 black and white acid-free pages, 29 illustrations

ISBN: 1892253305 EAN: 998182-253309

Retail $37.95 (Print On Demand)

AN INSUPPORTABLE LIGHT is the original Stinz novel, featuring Donna Barr's half-horse hero back when she thought of him as having two legs instead of four. This is the new 2008 revision.

The story begins at the end of one war, with the hope of peace. Then one small incident after another, building and combining like pebbles tossed down a slope, become an avalanche of misunderstandings, broken hearts, fury and revenge. It's about how wars start: nobody wants them, nobody can see them coming and nobody can stop them.

Donna Barr is offering the revised edition of the original prose novel, AN INSUPPORTABLE LIGHT, that became the source of her classic drawn-book series, STINZ.

It has a completely new cover -- bright red as befits a novel about war – as well as major revisions in and modernizing of the language, and of the beginning.

(Note: The very limited-run first edition of AN INSUPPORTABLE LIGHT, also printed on acid-free paper, is now officially out of print – and highly collectible.)

TYPHON Vol. 1, a new comics anthology

2008-08-03T13:43:00.000-07:00

DIRTY DANNY PRESS is proud to announce the publication of a new, full-color, 192 page comics anthology called "TYPHON," available now.

TYPHON Vol.1 features new work by forty-two talented cartoonists from across the US, Canada, South America and Europe. TYPHON's contributor list includes many favorites of the alternative comics scene, as well as a number of exciting talents who will be new to most readers.

You can preview thirteen art samples from TYPHON Vol.1 here: http://www.dannyhellman.com/blog/

You can also preview TYPHON Vol.1 using Amazon.com's Search Inside The Book feature: http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0970936338/ref=sib_dp_pt#reader-link

Readers in the United States can order TYPHON Vol.1 securely via PayPal for $24.95 (price includes shipping and handling) here: http://www.dannyhellman.com/blog/ (for orders outside the US, please email Danny Hellman for international shipping rates)

Individual copies of TYPHON Vol.1 can also be purchased from Last Gasp: http://www.lastgasp.com/d/33027/

and from Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/TYPHON-Vol-1-Danny-Hellman/dp/0970936338/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217002046&sr=8-1

Retailers can order TYPHON Vol.1 through Last Gasp, Diamond, and indy sales rep Tony Shenton.

Retailers, please be sure to look for the TYPHON Vol.1 Staff Pick in Diamond's July Previews. Diamond's Order Code Number for TYPHON is: JUL083935

Don't miss critic Rod McKie's rave review for TYPHON Vol.1 at the Forbidden Planet blog: http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/?cat=26

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TYPHON is edited and published by Danny Hellman, who brought readers the acclaimed comics anthologies LEGAL ACTION COMICS Volumes 1 & 2 in 2000 and 2003.

"TYPHON is a departure from my previous projects, " says editor Hellman. "I'd initially set out to do a third volume in the Legal Action series, but as the contributions started coming in, I realized that I was looking at a far more ambitious book than what I'd done previously. The work presented in TYPHON covers a wide spectrum of what's possible in comics, from zany, offbeat humor to unnerving existential angst, and on to chilling horror, all of it brought to life with breathtaking, cutting-edge artwork."

Hellman comments, "as a comics reader, I'm a big fan of the anthology format. I first came across the work of many of my favorite cartoonists in anthologies like ARCADE, WEIRDO, RAW and DRAWN & QUARTERLY. I'm proud to carry on in the tradition of those legendary titles, and I believe that TYPHON will stand shoulder-to-shoulder on the bookshelf next to them."

Hellman adds, "anthologies give us the opportunity to enjoy work by talented cartoonists who, for whatever reason, don't produce enough material to fill out solo books. As an editor of anthologies, I'm excited to provide a showcase for artists and work that we might not see otherwise. Diversity makes for a richer comics scene."

Danny Hellman is an internationally-published illustrator whose drawings have appeared in Time, Newsweek, Fortune, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, the Village Voice, and in countless other publications.

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For review copies and interviews, please contact Danny Hellman

By email: hellman@dannyhellman.com

By mail: TYPHON c/o Danny Hellman P.O. Box 901 Old Chelsea Station New York, NY 10113-0901 USA

TYPHON Vol.1

ISBN: 978-0-9709363-3-2
Price: $24.95 US

For mature readers

Here is a complete list of TYPHON's contributors:

Ken Avidor, Derek Ballard, Gregory Benton, Rupert Bottenberg, DJ Bryant, Mark Campos, David Chelsea, Chris Cilla, Max Clotfelter, Patrick Dean, Bald Eagles, Chance Fiveash, Richard Gagnon, Nicholas Gazin, Robert Goodin, Glenn Head, Danny Hellman, Hugo, Hawk Krall, Tim Lane, Jeff LeBlanc, Pat Moriarty, Cliff Mott, David Paleo, Lorenz Peter, Grant Reynolds, Hans Rickheit, Pshaw, R. Sikoryak, Doug Skinner, Fiona Smyth, Steak Mtn., Takeshi Tadatsu, Tobias Tak, Eric Theriault, Matthew Thurber, Motohiko Tokuta, Rich Tommaso, Rick Trembles, Henriette Valium, Dalton Webb, & Chris Wright.