Tuesday 29 December 2009

Mr. Shivers - Robert Jackson Bennett

To be published on January 15th, 2010, Mr. Shivers is a hard book for me to review. I loved it. The writing was superb. The main character developed over time making the ending the only one possible.

So what's the problem? The ending was predictable. In fact, I predicted it about a quarter of the way through the novel. Is that bad? Not necessarily. The inevitability of the protagonist's ... end (since I don't want to spoil the book) creates tension in the reader that really forces you to keep reading. It reminded me of a story by Chaucer. I'll let you figure out which one. Ultimately the ending left me a bit unsettled and not entirely satisfied.

And yet, this was a book I COULD NOT PUT DOWN. Even though I wasn't interested in depression America, I found Connelly, the protagonist, so intriguing I had to read on. And Mr. Bennett brings the era to life, both in terms of the living conditions and the belief systems of the time.

Mr. Shivers has dome something bad. Several bad things actually and Connelly intends to make him pay for one of those things. While Connelly tracks him across America, becoming a hobo on the train lines, he encounters others who want to make Mr. Shivers pay.

The real question is not so much whether Connelly will find him or not - he's determined to do so or die trying - but whether Mr. Shivers is even human, and therefore able to be stopped.

Try not to read the back cover as it gives away a piece of information that the book holds in reserve until later in the story, doling out bits of Connelly's past as he continues his quest.

And make sure you have some uninterrupted time in which to enjoy the read. And remember, though it's not particularly gory, it is a horror novel, so the unsettled feeling at the end is probably intentional.

Wednesday 23 December 2009

Debut Authors To Watch For

I posted a list in June of debut authors, so this is an update.

What this list IS: authors who have recently published their first book in the sci-fi/fantasy field.

What this list is NOT: my personal endorsement of these authors and/or their books (though I'm sure there are gems here or I wouldn't be posting this). This is NOT a comprehensive listing. Feel free to comment if you know a book/new author I've missed who's published in the past 3-4 months or if one of these authors shouldn't be on this list (mistakes happen).

As usual, there's no reasoning behind the order of the books.

Fantasy
Heart of Veridon - Tim Akers
The Drowning City - Amanda Downum
The Cardinal's Blades - Pierre Pevel (not his first book, but it's his first book translated from the French to make it to Canada)
Nights of Villjamur - Mark Charan Newton
The Stoneholding - James Anderson & Mark Sebanc (originally self-published a few years back under the author Mark James)
The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart - Jesse Bullington
Peter & Max - Bill Willingham (the author of the graphic novel Fables)

Urban Fantasy
Indigo Springs - A. M. Dellamonica
The Better Part of Darkness - Kelly Gay
Close Encounters - Katherine Allred
Tempest Rising - Nicole Peeler
Three Days to Dead - Kelly Meding
Norse Code - Greg Van Eckhout

Science Fiction
Bitter Angels - C. L. Anderson
Harmony - C. F. Bentley
Eve: The Empyrean Age - Tony Gonzales
Darkscape: Redemption - R. Garland Gray (also writes romance, but it's her first science fiction novel so I'm including it here)
Elom - William Drinkard

Tuesday 22 December 2009

Harry Potter the Exhibition comes to Toronto


A travelling exhibition of Harry Potter movie memorabilia will be at the Ontario Science Center from April 9th to August 22nd, 2010. Visitors will be able to see the Gryffindor common room, Hagrid's hut, the herbology and defense against the dark arts classroom props as well as various costumes and other iconic things like the Marauders' Map.

For more information check out the exhibition's home page and that of the science center.

Friday 18 December 2009

Jeff Carlson - Author Interview

Novels:
Plague Year
Plague War
Plague Zone


Website: www.jverse.com

> Pitch the first novel in your series:

It’s a bizarre truth that most writers don’t have any say in the cover art for their books, much less the jacket copy. I’m lucky that the first drafts of both were topnotch for Plague Year. Heck, they even let me add a sentence and a half!

This is exactly the kind of book I’d pick up myself:

The nanotechnology was designed to fight cancer. Instead, it evolved into the machine plague, killing nearly five billion people and changing life on Earth forever. The nanotech has one weakness: it self-destructs at altitudes above ten thousand feet. Those few who've managed to escape the plague struggle to stay alive on the highest mountains, but time is running out. There is famine and war, and the environment is crashing worldwide. Humanity's last hope lies with a top nanotech researcher aboard the International Space Station — and with a small group of survivors in California who risk a daring journey below the death line...
> What are your favorite three books, either in the field or out of it?

If I was trapped on a desert island with only one book to read over and over for the rest of my life, it would be Catch-22. I love a good tragicomedy, and Catch-22 is loaded with great language and intricately laid timelines, character arcs, and drama.

But my favorite three books of all time? Lucifer’s Hammer by Niven and Pournelle, The Long Walk by Stephen King, and The Cider House Rules by John Irving.

I’ve read each of ‘em more than twenty times. For my money, Lucifer’s Hammer is the greatest disaster novel of all time, even surpassing King’s The Stand because in no way does it rely on make-believe or the supernatural. Don’t get me wrong. I worship The Stand and I’ve read it twenty times, too — but Hammer works harder and therefore earns better, if that makes sense.

The Long Walk is the most horrific novel King ever wrote for the same reason. Sure, it’s an alternate history story — the Nazis got the bomb in World War II — but it’s real all the way through and absolutely mesmerizing because of it.

As for The Cider House Rules, this is the kind of story I wish I could write. If you’ve only seen the movie, forget it, go buy the book. I like to think my novels are full of evocative writing and honest human drama, but, wow, Irving can really sock it to you. His other books like The Water Method Man and A Prayer For Owen Meany also capture the happy, wistful, tragic beauty of life, but Cider House is my favorite.

> In the books you’ve written, who is your favorite character and why?

It’s gotta be Cam Najarro, one of the heroes in Plague Year. He’s a survivor, quick and smart, if uneducated. He’s the Everyman in a very bad situation, terribly wounded and yet unwilling to quit.

I like that about him.

> How long did it take you to write Plague Year?

A year and a quarter — but I’m getting faster. I think writing is like any other job or sport. The more you exercise your skills, the stronger you become. At this point, I’m writing close to a book and a half in one year, and I definitely feel like my craftsmanship is improving with each effort.

> Where and when do you write?

I wish I was one of those people who could write anywhere — in line at the post office, hiking, crammed into the back of a Greyhound bus — but, alas, I’m an obsessive-compulsive freak.

I like to write in the same room at the same time of day wearing the same 49ers Hall of Fame t-shirt (I wash it regularly!) drinking from the same USSPOSCO coffee mug with the blinds on the two windows drawn into the same low pattern that allows some natural light but blocks my view of the yard.

Why?

Because if I can see too much of the yard, I’ll watch the ground squirrels and the trees and the occasional traffic on our street. A lot of my ritual is about reducing distractions and putting my subconscious at ease. There’s already plenty of noise in my head. What I want is to be able to follow the thread of whatever scene I’m working on, not contemplating the hyper kung fu moves of the squirrels.

> What was the most fun convention you’ve ever attended and why?

That has to be Denvention in August 2008. The con itself was well-organized and great fun, and, even better, my wife Diana and I left our kids at home with grandma, so we were able to sleep in for four mornings in a row. Trust me, I’d fly anywhere for the chance to sleep in for four mornings in a row.

The funny part is that half the time we weren’t even at the con itself. A lot of the pleasure I took from Denvention was the feeling that I’d finally come into my own as a pro. Plague War had just hit stores; a USAF colonel who’s a fan invited us on a VIP tour of the old NORAD complex under Cheyenne Mountain; my German editor was in town and took us out for drinks; an editor from Ace took us out for drinks; we ate with a number of other writers and editors who treated us like equals; and Diana and I drove into the Rockies for a book signing in Leadville, which becomes the U.S. capital in Plague Year, where we were treated like royalty despite visiting civil war and hundreds of thousands of starving refugees upon their small mountain town (in the book, I mean; there wasn’t room for starving refugees in our rental car).

That’s heady stuff for a guy who grew up as a serious bookworm.

> Share an interesting fan story.

The best email I ever received is from a guy who said he liked the first two books so much, he’s planning to stake out his local chain at midnight before the release of Plague Zone… wearing a hazmat suit, of course. How else will we be safe from the nanotech?

I hope the police drag him away screaming. You can’t buy that kind of publicity. :)

> What’s the worst thing about writing?

Solitude. That’s why cons are so great — you get to see real live people.

I’m someone who enjoys his own company. Like I said, there’s a lot of noise in my head and I’m perfectly capable of having conversations with myself. When the writing is going well, I really do hear voices in my head. Ha ha.

But day after day, month after month, sitting alone in a room with your laptop can be wearing. There’s no one for me to hang out with in the break room. Heck, there’s not even a break room. I’m just at home all the time.

> Which do you think is easier to write, fantasy or science fiction?

I’m not touching that one with a ten-foot-long power coupling.

> Do you have any advice for hopeful authors?

Patience and persistence. Breaking in is very tough. One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was from Anne Perry, who told me, “If you want to be a novelist, write short stories.” That may seem counterintuitive, but she’s right.

Breaking into magazines is also tough, but you can write a short story in a couple weeks or a month. With each one, you can try new a voice or style, honing your craft, receiving feedback from editors and maybe even making a few sales. A short story isn’t a three-year commitment like writing your magnum opus what-if-Ishmael-was-the-living-dead novel.

(Whoa, that’s high concept right there! Very marketable. “Call me Zombie.”)

It’s a real challenge to fit an entire story into forty pages, much less a character arc and maybe a B story, too, a subplot, so mastering the short story is like working in crash courses for novel writing.

What’s more, it doesn’t hurt to have professional sales under your belt when you approach agents — and it’s a help to an agent to have your short fiction sales to talk about when the agent approaches editors. Book editors say they can tell the difference between would-be novelists who’ve written short stories and those who haven’t. Those who’ve sold short fiction tend to be crispier in their plots and characterization.

Is that a word? Crispier?

> How many rejection letters did you get before you sold your first story?

A lot. Dozens. I still get them. Rejection is a way of life for any artist. Painting and songs and books and so forth are all very subjective. There are always going to be people who don’t connect with what you’re doing or even loathe it. Heck, there are white supremacists who’ll send you hate mail if some of your main characters have, gasp, brown skin.

The idea is to ignore the lunatics, accept the people who just don’t like what you’ve written, and enjoy the people who do.

> What are you working on now?

A big new stand-alone thriller. I can’t tell you what it’s about except to say that it’s another high concept present-day adventure — new problems, new characters — and I’m having an absolutely fantastic time with it. Right now the book is out of its infant stages but still learning to sing and dance, so I’m playing it close to the vest.

Thank you for having me. I welcome correspondence at www.jverse.com, where readers can find free excerpts of my books, contests, videos and more.

Be safe out there!

Thursday 17 December 2009

More post-apocalyptic books

For those of you who can't get enough of post-apocalyptic fiction, Books Worth Reading has posted a list that includes several books I missed on my own list:

http://readmorebooks.wordpress.com/2009/12/14/what-now-a-post-apocalyptic-reading-list/

Wednesday 16 December 2009

The Great Video Round Up

Thanks to my husband, I stumbled across a wide variety of good videos last night and decided to spread the word. The first one details the Harry Potter theme park in Orlando, using the Marauders map as a basis.


The second is a video of some of the giants in the field (Isaac Asimov, Harlen Ellison, etc.) talking about the value of science fiction.


The next few can all be found at www.collegehumor.com.
The End of the World Parody (The song modernized.)
Dangerous Wands (A Dangerous Minds trailer a la Harry Potter.)
The Dark Knight is Confused Rap (I saw this elsewhere a few days ago, but it's a good one. Batman raps about some of the more disjointed aspects of Dark Knight.)
Hardly Working Star Wars Fantasy (What happens when your fantasy life is too concerned with film accuracy than, um, other things.)

And last but not least, for science buffs, here's a star size comparison video:

Tuesday 15 December 2009

Animated Optical Illusion Books

When Gallop: A Scanimation Picture Book came out in November of 2007 I thought it was a completely original, stunning new way of using books. Turns out that it's not as original as I thought, but it's still a cool way of introducing books to kids who are used to TV (ie, to things MOVING).

In 1975 the Magic Moving Picture Book came out, containing a ruled acetate screen which, once pulled over the pages makes "volcanoes erupt, houses go up in flames, a steamboat plows through the water, and 15 other illusions come to life".

A similar arrangement is used in the newer Magic Moving Images, from July of 2007, shown working in this video:



The difference between Gallop and these others? With Gallop no hand held acetate is required to make the pictures come to life. The act of opening the pages pulls one across the images, making them move, and making them more child friendly as a result.



It's incredible what can be done with books.

Friday 11 December 2009

Kelly Gay - Author Interview

Novel:
The Better Part of Darkness

Website: http://www.kellygay.net/

> Pitch your novel.

THE BETTER PART OF DARKNESS is my make-believe answer to the following question: What if our myths and traditions of heaven and hell were grounded in some obscure truth? What if the beings in these places were nothing like we had imagined, but as real and as diverse as the human race? And what would our world be like if they integrated into our society?

The story takes place in Atlanta about a decade after the Revelation (the discovery of two alternate dimensions: heaven-like Elysia and hellish Charbydon). Atlanta has become a crossroads of sorts, a thriving melting pot of human and off-world races.

My heroine, Charlie Madigan, is a divorced mother of one and her job with the Integration Task Force puts her right in the middle of the off-world population. It's her job, along with her partner, Hank, a siren from Elysia, to see that everyone obeys the law, but when a new off-world drug is released in Underground, her daughter is targeted, and her ex-husband makes a fateful bargain to win her back, there's nothing in heaven or earth (or hell for that matter) that Charlie won't do to set things right.

> What are your favorite three books?

This is a tough one! I have a large group of all-time favorites, but, let’s see . . . this time I’ll pick: THE MISTS OF AVALON by Marion Zimmer Bradley, THAIS by Anatole France, and INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE by Anne Rice.

> What made you want to be a writer?

I’ve thought a lot about this question, and I’m not sure I can pinpoint a particular ‘what’ that made me want to be a writer. I must’ve been born this way. J When I was a toddler (according to my parents), I’d tell them these incredible make believe stories and get myself all worked-up about it. As an older child, I was a ‘watcher’ more than a ‘participator’. I was quiet. I daydreamed a lot. And I gravitated toward books. When all the other grandkids were playing, I sat in front of my grandparents’ books shelves and lost myself in Time Life Books, especially the ones on ancient civilizations and mythology. Don’t get me wrong, I participated and played, but I always ended up back at the bookshelf. So, later, it was just a natural progression to start writing those daydreams on paper.

> In the books you’ve written, who is you favorite character?

Charlie, the heroine, is very close to my heart. She’s the super hero I wish I could be. In some ways, she’s very much like me, and in others she's the total opposite. And that’s what I like about her. When I write her, I can draw from my own deep emotions and experiences, but I can also draw from all these crazy, fictional ideas, too. Makes me feel, or hope, anyway, like she has a good balance of realism and fantasy to her.

> If you could, would you change places with any of your characters?

Maybe for a day. I’d love to walk through Underground and meet a few off-world beings…

> If you could live in your fantasy/sf world, would you? Would you live in somebody else’s?

No to both questions. Escaping into fictional worlds via reading is a nice break for me, but to actually live in those worlds – my life is hectic enough without having to deal with the threat of otherworldly environments and creatures that haunt the pages of books. I like being safe and warm, curled up on the couch . . .

> What was the first novel (published or unpublished) that you wrote and how long did it take to write it?

The first novel I wrote and finished (I’d started a handful before, but never got past the third or fourth chapters) was a paranormal romantic comedy. I wrote it in three and a half weeks during a patch of alone time away from my family. I did it to prove a point to myself -- that I could write a novel from start to finish. It was a lousy piece of work, I’ll admit, but once I knew I had it in me, it gave me the encouragement I needed to keep pursuing my dream.

> What was the hardest scene for you to write?

I think the toughest scenes for me to write are descriptive scenes; places where I have give a sense of time and place. I get so involved in the story and the action (whether it’s good or bad things happening) that I want to move right along and stay in the thick of things.

> What is the strangest question you have ever been asked by a fan?

Fans? Me? Maybe, hopefully, one day! I had a few folks who read early copies of BPOD and wrote to tell me how much they enjoyed it. And, boy, is that an incredible feeling! To know that my work has entertained people . . . just awesome.

> What was the most fun book signing, convention, etc. you’ve attended and why?

I’m having my first signing in December. I’m so comfortable behind the PC that the idea of leaving my comfort zone and actually meeting people . . .is a little scary, truth be told. Wish me luck!

This year, I’m hoping to attend San Diego Comic-Con and Dragon-Con. Those seem like a lot of fun.

> What is your university degree in and does it help with your writing?

I might hold the world record for how long it’s taken to get through college. I’m still trudging through. I take classes whenever I can, but several years worth of learning had to be put on hold when I started my family, etc… One of these days I’ll graduate! My major is not English, or Literature, or Creative Writing. It’s History.

> When and where do you write?

These days, I write mostly on the couch with my laptop. I can never seem to get comfortable at a desk. I write new material in the mornings (for some reason the creativity flows better at that time), and I prefer to do revisions and editing in the afternoons. Of course, if there’s a deadline looming I’ll write whenever time allows.

> What’s the best/worst thing about writing?

The best thing is being able to do what I love. That’s really the ultimate dream come true for me. I get to spend my days writing, creating things from nothing, building my own worlds and beings. It’s wonderful, and even better is that now I can share my worlds and characters with others.

The worst thing would be the inactivity. It’s not good on the body to sit for hours at a time, day after day. I try to get up every hour and move around, or break for lunch to go for a walk or work-out, but when the words are flowing or I’m approaching a deadline . . . Let’s just say there is a lot of stiffness when I get up!

> Do you have any advice for hopeful authors?

Yes. And it’s insanely simple. Keep reading and writing. That’s the only way you learn, the only way to practice and hone your craft. Rejection is unavoidable. And creativity/art is subjective. Take what you can from the constructive rejections and criticisms to make your work better, and leave the mean, unhelpful stuff behind you. Believe in your work, but don’t be afraid to move on to the next manuscript! I know a lot of people who have focused on their first novel for years. Years. Once you’ve rewritten and polished and exhausted the agent and/or editor pool, write something new. It doesn’t mean you have to give up your first novel (heck, you just might sell it after you’ve become published with, say, your third novel), but keep writing new material. Let your creativity grow. Hone your craft with each new manuscript.

> Any tips against writers block?

Writer’s block for me is a crutch I lean on when I don’t feel like pushing through a bad spot. My advice, if you’re stuck on something or blocked, would be to write a ‘come back to this later’ note within the manuscript and move on. You’re going to turn around and revise anyway, so it’s okay to push through a rough spot with horrible writing or leaving yourself a note to ‘Fix This!’ or ‘Figure This Out!’. The point is to get to the end. Like Nora Roberts says: “I can fix a bad page, but I can't fix a blank page.”

> How many rejection letters did you get for your first novel or story?

Oh, boy. Over thirty agent and editor rejections on that first book. I’ve amassed hundreds since I started writing over a decade ago. I have them all, somewhere in my mess of an office… Maybe one day I will actually sit down and count them, and then offer them up to the recycling gods. :)

Thursday 10 December 2009

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers - Book Review

As an aspiring writer, I occasionally read book on how to improve my work. This one was suggested to me by a co-worker and it is fabulous. Authors Renni Browne and Dave King go into detail about the major mistakes novice writers tend to make. These are things they, as editors, often ask their clients to change before a novel is ready for publication. Each section has numerous examples through which they explain what's wrong and how to fix it. The chapters all end with point form notes of things to look for in your own writing and exercises to practice what you (hopefully) learned.

The Table of Contents is as follows:
1. Show and Tell
2. Characterization and Exposition
3. Point of View
4. Proportion
5. Dialogue Mechanics
6. See How it Sounds
7. Interior Monologue
8. Easy Beats (points of action between lines of dialogue)
9. Breaking up is Easy to Do (paragraphing)
10. Once is Usually Enough (avoiding unnecessary repetition)
11. Sophistication
12. Voice

I found the earlier chapters the most useful (perhaps this is a commentary as to where my writing currently stands). I would highly recommend Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to edit yourself into print for anyone who wants to become a better writer.

Tuesday 8 December 2009

Book Trailers - Effective or not?

I was reading a post from a publisher's blog I recently came across, Dr. Syntax, talking about book trailers. I've seen several book trailers, both by professionals, like the one below, and by amateurs (often the author him/herself).



I would say the effectiveness of a book trailer really depends on the book and the trailer. And professional ones aren't always the best. Something that really shows what the problem is and what's at stake to the main character(s) can go a long way to drawing reader attention.

But are they watched and do they succeed in convincing readers to pick up the books?

While I've seen several great book trailers, the only one that's gotten me to buy and read the book is this one:



I think the medium is too new to have a wide effect, but that in time book trailers will be a good way of discovering new authors and interesting titles.

How about you? Do you find yourself picking up new books that you've seen videos for? Do you feel this is a good form of marketing when it comes to books?

Wednesday 2 December 2009

Going West - Book Video

This is a book video from the New Zealand Book Council. From their website:

"Like no other human activity reading opens up our imagination. It enables us to understand those around us. It allows us to project the future and reach back into the past. Reading can entertain, challenge and educate. We believe that reading can transform people's lives."

The graphics are so cool I actually found it hard to pay attention to the story!

Tuesday 1 December 2009

Science Fiction and Fantasy Books Coming in January 2010

Disclaimer: Normally I compile this list from the Chapters/Indigo website. Due to the new year, the search I perform did not bring up titles for January 2010. So I used my previous method, going one by one to publisher pages to see what is coming out. Unfortunately not all publishers have easy searches for this purpose. So I finished my list by using a search on Amazon.ca. What this means is this list is not as accurate as previous lists (I've already found, and removed, a few books added by error). In other words, I would double check titles if you're waiting for something on this list to come out. I simply don't have the time to double check this entire list myself. Also, there appear to be a higher than usual number of reprints coming, particularly from Neal Asher.

Hardcover:

Orbus – Neal Asher
The End of Eternity – Isaac Asimov
Player's Ruse – Hilari Bell
Mr. Shivers – Robert Jackson Bennett
Hastur Lord – Marion Zimmer Bradley & Deborah Ross
The Great Bazaar & Other Stories – Peter Brett
Iorich – Steven Brust
Veracity – Laura Bynum
Kingdom of Ohio – Matthew Flaming
The Sorceress of Karres – Eric Flint & Dave Freer
The Good, the Bad and the Uncanny - Simon Green
Starbound – Joe Haldeman
Through Stone and Sea – Barb & J.C. Hendee
Dragon Keeper – Robin Hobb
Brain Thief – Alexander Jablokov
Prince of Storms – Kay Kenyon
Catalyst – Anne McCaffrey & Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
Book of Heroes – Miyuki Miyabe
Arms Commander – L.E. Modesitt Jr.
The Girl With Glass Feet – Ali Shaw
The Shadow Pavilion – Liz Williams
Shadowrise – Tad Williams
The Domino Pattern – Timothy Zahn

Trade Paperback:
Men of the Otherworld – Kelley Armstrong
The Skinner – Neal Asher
The Spirit Lens – Carol Berg
Shadowline – Glen Cook
Digital Domains: A Decade of Science Fiction & Fantasy – Ellen Datlow, Ed.
Lone Wolf: Glory & Greed – August Hahn
Yukikaze – Chohei Hambayashi
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Termination Booth – Gareth Hanrahan
Podkayne of Mars – Robert Heinlein
Queen of Hearts – Daniel Homan
Darkship Thieves – Sarah Hoyt
City Without End – Kay Kenyon
Republic of Thieves – Scott Lynch
Spindle's End – Robin McKinley
The Jewel in the Skull – Michael Moorcock
Who Fears the Devil?: The Complete Silver John – Manly Wade Wellman

Mass Market Paperback:
The Trouble With Humans – Christopher Anvil & Eric Flint
Flight Into Darkness – Sarah Ash
Cowl – Neal Asher
The Gabble & Other Stories – Neal Asher
Gridlinked – Neal Asher
Prison Ship – Michael Bowers
Bone Crossed – Patricia Briggs
Horizon – Lois McMaster Bujold
Mean Streets – Jim Butcher, Kat Richardson, Simon Green & Thomas Sniegoski
Death's Mistress – Karen Chance
Regenesis – C. J. Cherryh
Unperfect Souls – Mark Del Franco
Spider's Bite – Jennifer Estep
Time Spike – Eric Flint & Merilyn Kosmatka
Shadow Blade – Seressia Glass
World of Warcraft: Arthas: Rise of the Lich King – Christie Golden
Keepers of Sulbreth – Susan Gourley
Hand of Isis – Jo Graham
Vampire Babylon: Break of Dawn – Chris Green
Arch Wizard – Ed Greenwood
A Madness of Angels – Kate Griffin
Killing Dance – Laurell Hamilton
In Shade and Shadow – Barb & J. C. Hendee
Brooklyn Knight – C. J. Henderson
Happy Hour of the Damned – Mark Henry
Blood Cross – Faith Hunter
Iron Man: Virus – Alex Irvine
Star Wars: Crosscurrent – Paul Kemp
War Hammer: Death & Dishonour – Nick Kyme, Lindsey Priestley & Alex Davis
Blood in the Water – Juliet McKenna
Dragon Lance: The Fate of Thorbardin – Douglas Niles
War Hammer 40k: Rynn's World – Steve Parker
Star Trek: Inception – S. D. Perry
Night Tides – Alex Prentiss
Hardcore – Andy Remic
Doppelgangster – Laura Resnick
War Hammer 40K: Dark Creed – Anthony Reynolds
Hallowed Circle – Linda Robertson
Wild Hunt – Margaret Ronald
Forgotten Realms: The Realms of the Dead – R. A. Salvatore & Richard Lee Byers, Ed.
Sea Glass – Maria Snyder
Armor – John Steakley
Coyote Horizon – Allen Steele
Eldin of Yashor – C. Tyler Storm
The Jennifer Morgue – Charles Stross
War Hammer 40K: Black Tide – James Swallow
Kitty's House of Horrors – Carrie Vaughan
Saint Anthony's Fire – Steve White
This is Not a Game – Walter Jon Williams