Welcome to Biting-Edge, a blog shared by authors and vampire experts, Mario Acevedo and Jeanne Stein. We’ll cover urban fantasy, vampires, pop culture, and all things Joss Whedon. Unlike other fantasy blogs, we don’t insist on body cavity searches (unless you ask politely). Snarkiness is most welcome...though we won't promise not to bite back!
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
All the news...
On the League front: Jaye Wells (Blue Blooded Vamp) won the RT BookReviewers award
for Best Urban Fantasy Novel and Diana Rowland (Even White Trash Zombies Get the Blues) for best Urban Fantasy Protagonist! As a former RT winner myself, I
know how exciting this is! I look forward to partying with them next month at RT in Kansas City.
A small tribute to Annette Funicello-- she really was an American sweetheart--
Next Tuesday, April 16th, pal Jackie Kessler debuts the latest in her YA series, the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse: Breath
From Amazon: Contrary to popular belief, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse aren’t just harbingers of doom—they actually keep life in balance. But what happens when their leader and creator, Death, becomes suicidal?
Before the first living thing drew its first gasping breath, he was there. He has watched humanity for millennia. And he has finally decided that humanity is not worth the price he has paid time and again. When Death himself gives up on life, a teenager named Xander Atwood is the world's only hope. But Xander bears a secret, one that may bring about the end of everything.
This heart-pounding final installment of the Riders of the Apocalypse series looks at the value of life, the strength of love, and how a small voice can change everything . . . forever.
If you haven't tried this series, you can start with Breath--the books don't need to be read in order. Jackie is a wonderful writer and Breath appeals to more than the YA audience. You should give it a try.
Lots of good news from writer pals—Rocky Mountain Fiction
Writers’ Cindy Myers (The View From Here) and Warren Hammond (Kop Killer) are finalists in the 2013 Colorado
Book Awards. Now Cindy is a regular at Fair Play and Warren is a critique party so I'm especially thrilled for them both.
Not too long ago Mario was named on a B&N List of best paranormal fantasy books of the decade. This week Mark Henry's Happy Hour of the Damned was honored as one of the top 20 Zombie novels of the decade. Paul Goat Allen is at it again!
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A small tribute to Annette Funicello-- she really was an American sweetheart--
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Next Tuesday, April 16th, pal Jackie Kessler debuts the latest in her YA series, the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse: Breath
From Amazon: Contrary to popular belief, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse aren’t just harbingers of doom—they actually keep life in balance. But what happens when their leader and creator, Death, becomes suicidal?
Before the first living thing drew its first gasping breath, he was there. He has watched humanity for millennia. And he has finally decided that humanity is not worth the price he has paid time and again. When Death himself gives up on life, a teenager named Xander Atwood is the world's only hope. But Xander bears a secret, one that may bring about the end of everything.
This heart-pounding final installment of the Riders of the Apocalypse series looks at the value of life, the strength of love, and how a small voice can change everything . . . forever.
If you haven't tried this series, you can start with Breath--the books don't need to be read in order. Jackie is a wonderful writer and Breath appeals to more than the YA audience. You should give it a try.
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This one stunned me:
Disney Shuts Down LucasArts, Cancels Star Wars 1313 And Star Wars: First Assault
Disney has laid off the staff of LucasArts and cancelled
all current projects. Full story here
Too bad-- I thought this looked good!
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From last week: Christa, email me at jeanne@jeannestein.com so I can send you your gift card. You were correct with your answer, even though it made me realize there were actually two errors in the timeline--one of which has yet to be mentioned. Makes me appreciate how thorough the copy editors of my books are and how much I need them!
Labels: Annette Funicello, Breath, Cindy Myers, Diana Rowland, Jackie Morse Kessler, Jaye Wells, LucasArts, Mark Henry, Star Wars, Warren Hammond
¶ posted by Jeanne Stein @ 6:54 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
A Kat, A Nook, Star Wars and a new Steampunk convention...
Some good news from my League pals -- First of all, from Kat Richardson who writes the Greywalker series, a walking tour of Harper Blaine's Neighborhood in Seattle. This is very cool
Then in further good news for Kat, from Publisher's Marketplace, her next three urban fantasies in the Greywalker series about a private inspector, who is forced to risk the hard-won love and stability she has finally found in order to protect the world and the Grey, and defend those caught where ghosts roam and magic sings, (was sold) to Anne Sowards at Ace, in a good deal, by Sally Harding of The Cooke Agency.
Then in further good news for Kat, from Publisher's Marketplace, her next three urban fantasies in the Greywalker series about a private inspector, who is forced to risk the hard-won love and stability she has finally found in order to protect the world and the Grey, and defend those caught where ghosts roam and magic sings, (was sold) to Anne Sowards at Ace, in a good deal, by Sally Harding of The Cooke Agency.
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Next, a new contract for another Leaguer, Michele Bardsley: Michele Bardsley writing as Michele Vail's THE REAPER DIARIES, introducing a girl who wanted to keep her part in the family zombie-raising business quiet - until her 16th birthday when her boyfriend-to-be dies, she brings him back to life, then finds herself immediately shipped off to necromancy school, where her first assignment is reaping the soul of the very same boyfriend-to-be; and her reaping tutor? the same hot but very angry reaper whose work she undid in the first place - and that's the least of her new problems, to Natashya Wilson at Harlequin Teen, in a three-book deal, by Stephanie Rostan at Levine Greenberg Literary Agency (World).
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Star War fans-- wish this was coming to Denver...
From the Star Wars DK Publishing site
Beginning in early May, a group of DK's talented Star Wars authors and illustrators will hit the road, visiting bookstores, schools, and libraries for the DK Star Wars 'Attack of the Authors' East Coast Tour. Events will run from May 7th through May 15th, from Massachusetts, all the way down to Florida.
Tour guests include Ryder Windham, Chris Reiff, Chris Trevas, Jason Fry, and Her Universe founder Ashley Eckstein (the voice of Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars: The Clone Wars). Co-sponsored by Mimobot and Her Universe, the 'Attack of the Author' events will also feature guest appearances by the costumed characters of the 501st Legion and the Rebel Legion, members of the R2 Builders Club, as well as raffles, giveaways, and Star Wars activities.
A full-sized R2 droid replica will be coming along for the ride, collecting signatures of attending 501st Legion and R2 Builders Club members at each event, which will be raffled off to benefit a national charity organization after the tour. A full list of dates and author appearances can be found here.
From the Star Wars DK Publishing siteBeginning in early May, a group of DK's talented Star Wars authors and illustrators will hit the road, visiting bookstores, schools, and libraries for the DK Star Wars 'Attack of the Authors' East Coast Tour. Events will run from May 7th through May 15th, from Massachusetts, all the way down to Florida.
Tour guests include Ryder Windham, Chris Reiff, Chris Trevas, Jason Fry, and Her Universe founder Ashley Eckstein (the voice of Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars: The Clone Wars). Co-sponsored by Mimobot and Her Universe, the 'Attack of the Author' events will also feature guest appearances by the costumed characters of the 501st Legion and the Rebel Legion, members of the R2 Builders Club, as well as raffles, giveaways, and Star Wars activities.
A full-sized R2 droid replica will be coming along for the ride, collecting signatures of attending 501st Legion and R2 Builders Club members at each event, which will be raffled off to benefit a national charity organization after the tour. A full list of dates and author appearances can be found here.
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Everyone seems to be working on this:
Barnes & Noble to add autograph function to Nook
Posted By Chris Meadows On April 27, 2011 @ 10:35 pm
A couple of weeks ago I covered Autography [1], a prototype system for autographing digital books involving an iPad 2. Now Barnes & Noble is about to release an upgrade to the Nook reader that will allow Nook owners to have authors sign their e-books using a stylus [2]. (Presumably via the touch-sensitive color LCD screen portion of the reader.)
Interestingly, eReader (which Barnes & Noble bought) long allowed authors to do something similar using an Easter Egg function of the Palm PDA reader client. I wonder if that’s what gave B&N the idea?
At any rate, for Nook owners this could be a rather better way to do book autographs than the complicated Autography system that would involve social networking and downloading and various rigamarole on the part of the author. Nook owners could just activate the autograph function, hand the stylus over, and get the signature. Just like with a paper book.
Which in turn makes buying a Nook start to look more attractive to “serious” e-bibliophiles. The wi-fi model is becoming available for $80 refurbished now and then, after all…
So how do you Nookies feel about this?
Barnes & Noble to add autograph function to Nook
Posted By Chris Meadows On April 27, 2011 @ 10:35 pm
A couple of weeks ago I covered Autography [1], a prototype system for autographing digital books involving an iPad 2. Now Barnes & Noble is about to release an upgrade to the Nook reader that will allow Nook owners to have authors sign their e-books using a stylus [2]. (Presumably via the touch-sensitive color LCD screen portion of the reader.)
Interestingly, eReader (which Barnes & Noble bought) long allowed authors to do something similar using an Easter Egg function of the Palm PDA reader client. I wonder if that’s what gave B&N the idea?
At any rate, for Nook owners this could be a rather better way to do book autographs than the complicated Autography system that would involve social networking and downloading and various rigamarole on the part of the author. Nook owners could just activate the autograph function, hand the stylus over, and get the signature. Just like with a paper book.
Which in turn makes buying a Nook start to look more attractive to “serious” e-bibliophiles. The wi-fi model is becoming available for $80 refurbished now and then, after all…
So how do you Nookies feel about this?
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A nice Steampunk article touting the first ever Southern California steampunk con.... from San DIego CityBeat :
"Aurelia and her Jelly Cruiser" by Winona Cookie
Nancy and James Hay say they’re striking while the steampunk iron is hot. The two are helping program and promote the Gaslight Gathering, the first-ever Southern California steampunk convention, happening at the Town & Country Hotel in Mission Valley May 6 through 8.
“Steampunk has been around since ’87,” says James, wearing a mad-scientist, Victorian-era costume complete with brass goggles and a futuristic-looking time-travel watch. “But it was just kind of a low-lying thing—not really a big part of science fiction. Then, I eventually heard about the first steampunk convention, and I went, ‘Oh, OK, when did it become a movement, and why the heck didn’t anyone tell me?’”
The couple knew the steampunk zeitgeist was strong when talk of it left the fan sites and entered the mainstream. Locally, there was the steampunk art show at the Oceanside Museum of Art and a steampunk-themed fund-raiser at Sushi Performance & Visual Art in East Village, so they figured it was a good time for a convention in San Diego.
The affair will include how-to panels on things like making your own carpet bag and designing vintage shoe coverings, plus literary talks, a masked ball, concerts and tea time.
“Making this an annual convention is the aim,” Nancy says. “And as long as Time magazine doesn’t put steampunk on the cover, then we’re probably OK, because once that happens, it means the thing has peaked.”
More at the link above. Also check out Winona Cookie's site. Some great stuff.
“Steampunk has been around since ’87,” says James, wearing a mad-scientist, Victorian-era costume complete with brass goggles and a futuristic-looking time-travel watch. “But it was just kind of a low-lying thing—not really a big part of science fiction. Then, I eventually heard about the first steampunk convention, and I went, ‘Oh, OK, when did it become a movement, and why the heck didn’t anyone tell me?’”
The couple knew the steampunk zeitgeist was strong when talk of it left the fan sites and entered the mainstream. Locally, there was the steampunk art show at the Oceanside Museum of Art and a steampunk-themed fund-raiser at Sushi Performance & Visual Art in East Village, so they figured it was a good time for a convention in San Diego.
The affair will include how-to panels on things like making your own carpet bag and designing vintage shoe coverings, plus literary talks, a masked ball, concerts and tea time.
“Making this an annual convention is the aim,” Nancy says. “And as long as Time magazine doesn’t put steampunk on the cover, then we’re probably OK, because once that happens, it means the thing has peaked.”
More at the link above. Also check out Winona Cookie's site. Some great stuff.
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Okay, sports fans, that's it for this week. What's going on in your world that I should know about? Or that I shouldn't know about. I'm not picky. Anytime you spot an article of interest about a favorite author or book or whatever, let me know. I'm always on the lookout for good stuff. My life right now is butt in the chair, hands on the keyboard as I finish up the eighth Anna Strong adventure. This one is shaping up to being much darker than any of the others. Lots of asses for Anna to kick. Mario really loves that. I have a working title--Haunted--but that may change, Just not sure yet.
Let me hear from you!
Let me hear from you!
Labels: Greywalker books, Kat Richardson, Michele Bardsley, Nook, Star Wars, Steampunk Con
¶ posted by Jeanne Stein @ 1:49 PM 11 comments
