An Interview with Jo Graham
After reading Jo’s second gorgeous novel, Hand of Isis, I knew I had to get her on the blog again for another interview, and not only did Jo agree and answer the questions I had, she also gave me some great news to post here – the first public announcement of a new project! 
I’ll bold it, of course, so that you don’t miss it!
First of all, thanks for once again agreeing to an interview, Jo! It’s an honour to have you back on the blog! So, Black Ships, Hand of Isis and soon, Stealing Fire: how does it feel?
It feels wonderful! I’m delighted to be able to write full time right now. I’m already working on the next Numinous World book, tentatively called Lioness. It’s about a Persian princess in the 6th century BC, the daughter of Darius the Great.
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I also have a new project, which I’m talking about publicly for the first time here, a Stargate Atlantis novel, Death Game, which is due out in the US and UK in November 2010
It couldn’t have all been a walk in the park – how do you deal with life while having to remain focused on your writing?
My partner, Amy, is a saint! She’s wonderful when I have deadlines, and she puts up with months of conversation about the most obscure things.
Now that you have two much-loved and acclaimed novels out in the world, has your life changed markedly since Black Ships or has it been much of the same?
As I said, it’s wonderful to be able to write full time. And unsurprisingly I’m getting much more done!
Let’s talk about Gull and Charmian – can you take us behind the scenes (without spoiling those who haven’t yet read Hand of Isis) and talk about the creation and evolution of these wonderful characters?
Both of them are explorations of different archetypes that aren’t very common in fiction, especially fiction about women. Gull is a priestess, and while heroic fantasy has plenty of young warrior maidens, the priestess has been largely overlooked in recent years. You really have to go back to Marion Zimmer Bradley, Diana Paxson and Judith Tarr to find her. Gull puts her vocation first. It’s more important than any person in her life, more important than anything else in her life. We don’t talk about religious devotion very well in our society, so it’s very gratifying to me to hear from readers, from a female rabbinical student, from a woman minister in the Midwestern US, from a female Church of England divinity student, that they see their experiences reflected in Gull.
Charmian is a different archetype. She’s Isis Pelagia, not Isis the Lady of Amenti, the Queen of Love. And as such, she doesn’t belong to any man, doesn’t commit to any lover. She belongs to herself, and shares herself where she chooses. And yet it’s not selfish. Charmian is honest, and she’s not playing games or “working through issues.” It’s who she is. And she doesn’t know one end of a weapon from the other! She’s not a warrior maiden, and we have very ambivalent feelings about a woman like her in our society.
They’ve both been fascinating to write, the same person embodying two entirely different archetypes. In Stealing Fire we’ll see her as a man, Lydias, a soldier and adventurer.
You told me a while ago that you wanted your Cleopatra to be as close to the historical Cleopatra as possible and not to let your own opinions of her influence her characterization – was this difficult to do?
Very difficult! Almost everything we know about Cleopatra comes from her enemies. We don’t have contemporary Egyptian sources, so it’s very challenging to reconstruct.
Comparing Hand of Isis to Black Ships, your talents for world-building and characterization have really blossomed, and you’ve really built upon the work done in Black Ships and made Hand of Isis a bigger, more beautiful book: were there any specific areas you wanted to improve upon?
Thank you! I’m glad you think so. It’s a much longer book, and I think a lot of the difference is the depth of the world building. So…more space!
The characters that share Charmian’s tale are all unique in their own right, able to carry a novel on their own – how difficult was it to keep them fresh and engaging without making them echoes of the supporting cast from Black Ships?
Well, the echoes go forward and back! Many of them are meant to be the same characters, but they don’t present the same way each time. They are echoes of each other, and of the characters from other stories that aren’t told yet. But I think their life stories, what happens to them, makes them distinct. For example, Dion and Ashterah aren’t by any means the same person!
What are you feelings on the recently unveiled new over art for the re-print of Black Ships? Is that your Gull, or as close as it could be?
It’s gorgeous! That’s definitely my Gull!
Are there any plans to give your novels a ‘series’ title? Maybe something like The Saga of the Companions? 
Or would you like each novel to stand on its own?
I’ve been calling it The Numinous World. But the question of a series title is really up to my publisher.
How is Stealing Fire progressing and are you able to give us a sneak peek at what we can expect?
Stealing Fire is finished! It’s strange with the publication delay to wait so long for you to see it after I finish it. Stealing Fire was done in December! Since then I’ve written an entire other book, which is not currently sold so I can’t say when you might get it, a Numinous World book called The Chariot set in 1805. I’ve also started on Lioness and on Death Game. So finishing Stealing Fire seems like it happened a long time ago to me!
Sneak peak: Alexander the Great has died in Babylon, leaving the ashes of his empire to his quarrelling generals and his unborn son. Lydias of Miletus is a Companion Cavalryman, a soldier in Alexander’s service. As chaos reigns and the generals start to kill one another, General Ptolemy trusts Lydias with a charge of incredible personal importance, to get his longtime lover, the hetaira Thais, and their two young children out of Babylon and safely away from the bloodbath. Fleeing Babylon for the loyal fortress of Pelousion, Lydias is dragged into a deadly game — not just between generals and Companions, but between gods.
And finally, what would you like to explore further down the road? Any other genres you’d like to dabble in?
I’m looking forward to the challenge of the Stargate Atlantis novel. As a long time fanfic writer, it’s wonderful to be paid to write fanfic! I hope it will be a pleasure both to Stargate Atlantis viewers and to Jo Graham readers.
Thanks, Jo, for once again taking the time to answer these questions! We all wish you continued success and many, many more wonderful books on our shelves!
Thank you so much! I appreciate it!
Well there you have it! Not only will be Jo be bringing us more of her own trademark beautiful tales, following an amazing cast of characters, but she will also be delving into the world of Stargate Atlantis! I’m sure you’ll all agree with me when I say that all of this is definitely much to look forward to!
Be EPIC!
Review and Giveaway: Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Reviewed by David
Well here it is my latest review, Kristin Cashore’s – Graceling.
This was a truly interesting read for me, sad to say it won’t be on my top ten list but it was not too bad. I can definitely see that Kristin is a new author and testing the various elements of writing trying to find her own unique style. Some parts of the book were very well crafted while others felt lacking to me.
But lets get to the book itself:
In the world of the Seven Kingdoms people are born with extraordinary graces, talents allowing them to excel in a specific area. None has a grace more feared than Katsa, gifted with the grace of killing since she was ten years old and trained to be the weapon of her uncle, the King.
A mystery arises in the Seven Kingdoms, one that ties together the fates of a helpless old man, a young princess and the one eyed King, who seems to be both responsible and blameless for everything. And at the heart of this mystery, with the responsibility to solve it, sits Katsa and an enigmatic Liened prince who rivals even Katsa’s fighting abilities.
Katsa finally decides to no longer be the lady killer for her uncle and sees this mystery as her escape, but what will this cost her? Not only does this lead her to re-evaluate her entire life but also to a startling realization about her grace; is she really graced with killing, or is it something else?
Well, now that the scene has been set, lets get in a little deeper.
On the up side Kristin does create very vivid and beautiful landscapes at times, spending a good deal of attention on details. This in turn helps to set specific moods, thought at times it is quickly broken by the events that follow.
The flow of the story is not bad either as it stays relatively constant, however the pace at which it flows could use a little change. For the most part I found it very laid back and relaxed, not quite boring yet but not a lot of action.
This is definitely more of an adventure mystery with a bit of a love story and self discovery tied into it.
One of the things I did love about the book was the detail to character development, and there is a lot of it. Katsa and Po, our two main characters, are constantly changing and evolving throughout the plot of the story, especially Katsa. As I sit here I also realize that in the beginning of the book it was Po who helped Katsa in accepting herself and by the end it is Katsa who helps Po accept the circumstances he has to live with.
Katsa is a very negative person when we meet her; not planning on marrying or loving anyone, she hates herself for who she is and wants to get away from the life she is in, but is unable to do so until she meets Po.
Po on the other hand is a very positive person and the complete opposite to Katsa, but apart from their unusual meeting they soon become friends and even deeper feelings start to grow between them, until something devastating happens.
The graces were an interesting addition to the storyline to say the least, but the illusion surrounding them was quickly broken for me in part due to over-explanation about them. Some of the graces were truly interesting and supernatural but then Kristin mentioned a few less than impressive graces and I have to say I lost a big part of my appreciation for them.
Lastly something that in my opinion was the saving grace for the book is the mystery. The middle part of the book was mostly boring and I would have had trouble getting through it if it was not for the intrigue behind the mystery. Kristin kept just enough fog over the mystery, deceiving you with her words so that you could not make complete sense of the clues you found. I think she could have, and should have, pulled it out a little longer but it was still a very interesting mystery and by the time it was over the story picked up a little bit more of a pace.
Finally she ended the story in a manner that you do not see that often. She gave full attention to her characters and setting out some future plans for them. Instead of simply ending a story with lovers uniting and a kingdom at peace, she sets out the plans for her characters and what they will be doing in the following months. Something she did not have to do, but it gives the story a bit more of a continuation and flow instead of a blunt ending.
Well there you have it.
Graceling may not be my favorite book of the year but it was not bad either. I will definitely like to read the next one, aptly called Fire; I’m kind of intrigued to see what these monsters in Fire will be like. It should also be noted that she is busy with a follow-up to Graceling called Bitterblue, referring to Princess Bitterblue, but more of that on a later date.
So if you’re in the mood for a light adventure mystery you can definitely take a look at this one, just don’t expect a great deal of action as the action sequences are few and far apart.
Good mystery, good character development, I will give it a
6/10
Check out more info on Kristin at this site.
If you want to buy yourself a copy of Graceling you can find it here.
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Giveaway!
You can also try your luck with our give-away, just in time for you to get up to speed with the Seven Kingdoms.
Later this year she will be launching her new book Fire, which is set 30 years before Graceling, and promises to be an even better addition to the series. Kristin is also busy with her follow-up to Graceling, Bitterblue, so this is an excellent chance to get acquainted with the world she has created for us.
If you want to know a bit more about the book itself, take a look at the review above, and you can also find Kristins web site here.
Okay, down to the rules!
1) No-one working for a publisher is allowed to enter.
2) Only South Africans or people living in South Africa are allowed to enter, please! The postage from SA to Europe or the US is a killer.
3) How do you enter? Just leave a comment on this post!
The giveaway starts today (being the 25th of June), and will run until the 9th of July, so that gives you all 2 weeks to enter!
Well there you have it guys and girls! Spread the word about the giveaway to anyone you think would be interested!
Upcoming Review and Give-away
Hey guys and girls David here, first of all i just want to apologise for the laps of absence, but I’m back now.
I will have a brand new review up for you guys before the weekend is over, all about Kristin Cashore’s new book Graceling.
Along with the review you will see Dave and me will also be have a give-away of Graceling, so keep an eye out for that.
In the mean time if you want to find out a bit more about Kristin Cashore, you can find her here, where you can look up some of her other books as well. She will also be bringing out a prequel to Graceling in October called Fire and she is currently busy with a sequel to Graceling.
So make sure to keep an eye on the site for the review and who knows you just might be the lucky winner of the Graceling give-away!
Spotlight: Thrillfest 2009 coming to New York!
Hey guys and girls, here’s something to look forward to for those of you who call the Big Apple home! Author Shane Briant (reviewed his novel, Worst Nightmares, here and interviewed him here) will also be attending! Here are the details:
The city’s dark alleys will get even darker when the most spine-tingling and pulse-pounding event of the year for fiction’s most popular genre returns to the Big Apple. ThrillerFest 2009 promises to be the biggest yet with over 200 of the best-loved and bestselling authors invading The Grand Hyatt in New York from July 8-11 for a four-day extravaganza to mix and mingle with fellow shock-smiths, budding writers and fans.
Now in its fourth year, ThrillerFest is the brainchild of International Thriller Writers, Inc. (ITW). According to Jon Land, Vice President of Marketing for ITW, ThrillerFest is unique for its spirit of camaraderie and openness. “Where else can fans and aspiring writers mix and mingle with some of the biggest names in the business?” he says. “Not only can writers further hone and develop their craft, but they can also learn the ins and outs of the entire publishing business.” Land adds how meeting his own idol, David Morrell, at the first ThrillerFest in Phoenix, inspired him to no end, calling it “a dream come true.” Land stresses the friendly, informal atmosphere makes ThrillerFest a special experience for readers and fans.
One of the highlights of the event is the coveted ThrillerMaster Award, recognizing outstanding contribution to the thriller genre. This year’s winner is noted author David Morrell, widely considered the “father” of the contemporary action novel with his 1974 debut First Blood (which introduced the character of Rambo to the world). The award celebrates Morrell’s amazing career, spanning 37 years and 28 novels published in dozens of languages across the globe. “He’s the finest thriller writer working today,” says Steve Berry, one of ITW’s current co-presidents. “Every one of us owes him a debt of gratitude and many, myself included, learned how to craft a novel from studying his work. He is, quite simply, the best.”
The prestigious Silver Bullet Award, recognizing outstanding achievement in the encouragement of literacy and the love of reading, will be presented to the #1 New York Times bestselling suspense novelist Brad Meltzer (The Book of Fate). Recipients are chosen on an annual basis representing the corporate, literary and entertainment worlds with past winners including authors David Baldacci and R.L. Stine, publisher Tom Doherty, actor Tony Plana (Ugly Betty), the Nestle Company, Capital One and Macy’s.
Additional bestselling spotlight guests that will attend are last year’s ThrillerMaster award recipient Sandra Brown as well as Robin Cook, Katherine Neville, and David Baldacci.
The four-day event includes numerous author signings, a complete bookstore on premises, a cocktail party and reception for readers, a roasting of Clive Cussler, and a breakfast featuring first-time authors. The highlight is the annual ThrillerFest Awards Banquet, which this year will take place at Cipriani, one of New York City’s most spectacular event venues.
Some of the biggest names in the genre will be holding court with interactive panel sessions, including Kathleen Antrim, Steve Berry, Peter Rubie, William Bernhardt, James Rollins, Barry Eisler, Andrew Gross, David Hewson, Jon Land, Eric Van Lustbader, Gayle Lynds, Steve Martini, Donald Maass, Joan Johnston and many more.
ThrillerFest runs in conjunction with AgentFest, in which aspiring writers pitch their work to more than forty top literary agents, and CraftFest, offering workshops with best-selling authors. Some CraftFest workshops presented this year are “Living on the Ritz – How to Hit the Times List in Five Years or Less” with Lisa Gardner; “Creating a Series Character” with Lee Child; and “How – and Why – to Write Thrillers for Young Readers” with R.L. Stine.
Registration for ThrillerFest is open to everyone (ITW members and non-members alike). There are three separately-priced packages: CraftFest/AgentFest on Wednesday July 8; the ThrillerFest Conference from July 9 – July 11; and the Thriller Awards Banquet at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 11. A complete events package is also available as well as day passes. Details and a date/rate schedule can be found at www.thrillerfest.com.
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About ThrillerFest
ThrillerFest was established to bestow recognition and promote the thriller genre at an innovative and superior level for and through the Active Members of ITW; to provide opportunities for mentoring, education and collegiality among thriller authors and industry professionals; and to grant awards for excellence in the thriller genre.
The nominations for 2009 are as follows:
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Best Thriller of the Year
Hold Tight by Harlan Coben
The Bodies Left Behind by Jeffery Deaver
The Broken Window by Jeffery Deaver
The Dark Tide by Andrew Gross
The Last Patriot by Brad Thor
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Best First Novel
Calumet City by Charlie Newton
Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith
Criminal Paradise by Steven Thomas
Sacrifice by S. J. Bolton
The Killer’s Wife by Bill Floyd
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Best Short Story
Between the Dark and the Daylight by Tom Piccirilli (Ellery Queen Magazine)
Last Island South by John C. Boland (Ellery Queen Magazine)
The Edge of Seventeen by Alexandra Sokoloff (The Darker Mask)
The Point Guard by Jason Pinter (Killer Year Anthology)
Time of the Green by Ken Bruen (Killer Year Anthology)
Thrillfest 2009 will be taking place at the Grand Hyatt, July 8-11, so if you’re in New York at that time, go check it out and take a bag-full of books with to get them signed!
Be EPIC!
Robot Army Website of the Month!
I’m just so stoked at the moment! Lee Harris from Angry Robot Books let me know earlier to check out the main base of the Robot Army and when I did, I saw this!
Thanks to Angry Robot and all their staff – this really is an honour! Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!
Although, the focus must remain on Angry Robot! Not only have they got a batch of wonderful authors -who’s books will soon begin gracing our shelves- but they’re also one of the most promising imprints in publishing at the moment, and that’s no puffing up of the facts! To launch a new imprint when the market is as crowded as it is and to still be able to catch the authors they have (and continue to do) speaks very highly of the kind of imprint Angry Robot is and the kind of people who are behind it.
Thanks again, Angry Robot! You guys rock!
Be EPIC!
An Interview with Shane Briant
You all know how much I enjoyed Shane’s excellent thriller, Worst Nightmares! So, thanks to Shane and Imran (the reason I got the book in the first place) I now have an interview with Shane for you! Enjoy!
First of all, would you please tell us a bit about yourself and what led you to choosing writing and story-telling as a career?
I’d been a film actor since leaving Law School in Dublin in 1971. I’d taken part in a play, which was the hit of the Dublin Theatre Festival and transferred to the West End. I was nominated for the London Theatre Critic’s Best Newcomer Award. After that I started in on movies and never looked back. My father was novelist and biographer Keith Briant, so writing was probably always in my genes. In 1994 I started in on my first novel while touring Europe with a television series. I never looked back.
Worst Nightmares – how did the idea come to you?
It occurred to me one day how we’ve become accustomed to dealing with the Internet in such a cavalier fashion. There are clearly people ‘out there’ hoping to harm us in some way; either to steal our identity, bank balances, our love and affection — our lives! Yet we deal with them without caution, revealing aspects of ourselves we wouldn’t do face to face. We reveal intimate secrets with our doctor but not at the dinner table – so why do we do so on the Internet. Hence the idea of an Internet psychiatrist – someone who wants only to track you down and kill you?
In Dermot Nolan, you’ve created a character that’s successful and well-loved, and you’ve also given readers an insiders view into certain aspects of the publishing industry – were Dermot and the story’s setting there from the beginning, or were there some changes that had to be made?
They were there from the beginning. In some aspects there’s a lot of autobiographical material there. But what I found interesting was to think “how far would I go personally to create a huge career for myself if I had writer’s block? What would the average man or woman do to achieve success?”
The thriller genre continues to evolve – what, in your opinion, makes thrillers so addictive and violence so commercial? Is the world a bit nuts?
I find thrillers addictive because they are purely escapist and take me places I’ve never been and show me people I never met before. This is in sharp contrast to reality, where I have to watch or read about what actually happened – man’s inhumanity to man; something I find deeply disturbing on a daily basis.
How did you go about balancing the tension within the unfolding tale while also keeping the characters engaging?
This seems to come naturally once I have established who the characters are and what makes them tick. If you read a book and bond with a character initially, you are more likely to understand and forgive his/her moral transgressions when they occur. That way you are on their side regardless of their transgressions (within limits, of course!)
Did you do any research before or during the writing of the novel, and did the research end up changing any aspects, such as events or characters?
Research is everything! I hate it when people tell me things that aren’t true, such as a supermarket in Paris being open at ten in the morning when I know it opens at midday. Silly things, but they make you lose belief. So all the most interesting aspects, such as gun calibres, how long before flies inhabit a dead body, etc are important. Vital!
In Worst Nightmares, one of the themes you deal with is the theft of intellectual property – did you want to explore that theme from the beginning or did it grow out of telling the tale?
This was merely the device that led to the discussion of what people will do for money and success. It could have been anything. Stealing is stealing; a lover, money, intellectual property – you name it.
In this age of You Tube and blogs, how important is non-publisher marketing, and do you see the publishing industry having to evolve to incorporate these mediums in their efforts to reach a wider audience?
Yes, absolutely. I believe the Internet is paramount. One strong video on YouTube that’s passed from one person to another can receive a million hits in a week. How many people look at an advertisement in a national newspaper and buy a book based on it? Very few. Cyber space is a huge marketing tool now. And it provides me as an author with a direct line to my readers – which I love.
How is work progressing on the sequel to Worst Nightmares, and can you whet out appetites with some info about the book? Same characters, etc?
The sequel is already written and in the editing process. I found it HUGELY enjoyable to write and went that extra mile into the darkness. It was great fun (because it is fiction!) I could be really inventive and very cruel yet maintain some humour within the writing.) It was a blast. It takes over directly from the last page of Worst Nightmares and takes us on another horror ride of mayhem from Los Angeles to Paris and back.
Finally, any advice for budding writers out there? Any important points to keep in mind while writing or building a tale?
Try to have an original concept. By that I don’t mean the basis (mine was the theft of intellectual property – something that’s been done a thousand times.) It’s the ride you take the reader on that’s important. Keep up the pace. MAKE the reader turn that page, and then REALLY surprise him.
Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions! We all wish you nothing but continued success and many more nail-biting thrillers on our shelves!
Many thanks for showing such interest in my book. I’m really pleased you liked it!
Many thanks to Shane for answering these questions and to Imran for getting the ball rolling and my foot in the door. I’m sure we’ll be hearing much, much more from Shane Briant in the future and I can assure you, I’m looking forward to the sequel to Worst Nightmares with great anticipation! It’ll definitely be one of my must-reads as soon as its available!
For more info on Shane, check out these details on IMDb, and don’t forget to check out the Worst Nightmares website! There’s also a chance to win a signed, personalized copy of Worst Nightmares!
And for those who want to order the book (it’s an excellent book! Read my review here), here are the links:
UK & US. No info yet on availability in South Africa, but since the book is available, get onto your closest Exclusive Books branch and get them to order it for you!
This novel is published by Vanguard Press.
Angry Robot: The Day of the 3-Author Madness!
Some great news from Angry Robot! Not one new-author announcement, but 3!
Press Release
15th June 2009
For Immediate Release
Angry Robot is presented today by the letter “M”s
Maurice Broaddus is one of the real good guys, so why the hell his fiction is so terrifying is beyond our understanding. The three books of the KNIGHTS OF BRETON COURT series is a modern retelling of the King Arthur cycle, set among the drug gangs of inner city America. Told through the eyes of King, as he tries to unite the crack dealers and do the right thing, it’s a stunning, edgy work, genuinely unlike anything we’ve ever read. Cheap movie analogy for you: Gilliam’s Fisher King meets The Wire. The first volume will be published by Angry Robot in summer 2010, with the remaining parts at six month intervals. Extraordinary. Check out more about Maurice here.
(Sounds awesome!)
Matt Forbeck… well, where do you start? Multiple award-winning fantasy game designer, computer game creative, writer of so many novels and comicbooks across all the major genre properties… So it’s about damn time someone allowed him free reign with his own novels, no? And we have a pair of stunners. AMORTALS, to be published November 2009, is set just a few years in the future. After a cop is killed, his reincarnated clone must find out who did the deed. Double Indemnity meets Altered Carbon? Roxor!
That’ll be followed late spring 2010 by the equally fabulous VEGAS KNIGHTS. It’s Oceans Eleven meets Harry Potter as three student wizards use Spring Break in an attempt to break a Vegas casino using magic. Only… the casino has its own sorcerers, and they’re not going to hand over all the moolah to a bunch of twenty year-old wandwavers. Check out more info on Matt here.
(Another sure-fire winner!)
Mike Shevdon is the Brit in our pile, and our debut novelist. The immense SIXTY-ONE NAILS and its sequel THE ROAD TO BEDLAM follow Niall Petersen, everyday guy, from a suspected heart attack on the London Underground, into the hidden world of the Feyre, an uncanny place of legend that lurks just beyond the surface of everyday life. The Untainted, the darkest of the Seven Courts, have made their play for power, and unless Niall can recreate the ritual of the Sixty-One Nails, their dark dominion will enslave all of the Feyre, and all of humankind too. A massive rollercoaster ride from a stunning new talent, the first volume will be in stores worldwide from November 2009. Check out more info on Mike here.
(Gimme more books like A Madness of Angels and I’m a happy man!)
Also in (older) Angry Robot news, here’s the cover for J. Robert King’s Angel of Death!
All in all, great news from Angry Robot!
Be EPIC!
Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry – Giveaway Winner!
Ok, it’s time to announce the winner! This was really a bloody difficult choice – I couldn’t really use the Randomizer for this, since I only had two entries (50/50 chance, you know), so I sat for a bit, got some advice from Gav on Twitter and picked the winner….
So, without further a-do, the winner of the insanely cool novel that is Patient Zero is…. (tossing a coin for this one)
Kim Dietrich! Congrats, Kim! Your copy will be with you shortly!
Be EPIC!
P.S. Tomorrow I will announcing the next giveaway, and I think we should go the SF route with it!
P.P.S. For those of you who would still like to get yourselves a copy of this excellent book, check out these links: SA, UK, USA.
Spotlight: The Cape Town Book Fair
Day 1
Thought that I would bring this event (taking place at the moment here in SA) to everyone’s attention, even though there’s no link whatsoever to anything in the Science Fiction or Fantasy genres or sub-genres for us to get excited about.
I thought, Well, since I keep on hearing about all these cool events and Cons and stuff, I’ll fill non-SAfrican’s in on what happens here – plus the fact that I got what amounted to an invite to the event (but wasn’t able to attend), so I feel duty bound.
What is the Cape Town Book Fair? Well, I guess it’s the same as any other bookfair worldwide: an event where publishers can showcase their product and select members of the public can meet and greet industry-insiders, including authors. The fact that it’s held in Cape Town is a continuous jealousy-generator for those of us living in Pretoria (driving, it takes about a week to get there, and going by plane is just (excuse the pun) plain expensive), but we still get to hear all the news anyway.
Okay, onto some details: I wont regale you with information about the previous Bookfairs (because I don’t have that info, and even if I did, I would need to change this blog’s name); instead, I’ll dive right into it.
First I’ll point you to the Bookfair’s blog; it gets updated with regular posts detailing the happenings at the Fair, and will offer quite an interesting window into South Africa’s publishing industry besides.
Next up, a short run-down of events passed and future:
Taken from the main Fair website, “29 Countries will be present this year, with more than 250 exhibitors representing the full range of publishing in South Africa. South African literature has always had a central role at the fair. This year sees the pilot of the first Cape Town Book Fair Invitation Programme which introduces 12 publishers from 12 African countries at the fair. This is an important development in the growth of the fair. ” this offers a broad info-dump that is actually quite interesting. I never realized (even working in the retail-side of the book trade for just over 4 years now) that the event was home to outside-SA exhibitors. That’s great news, and hopefully means that big houses have stands there, too (for your info, exhibitors have stands at which they showcase their product).
The Fair is housed in the Cape Town International Conference Centre which boasts 10000m(squared, can’t figure the small ’2′ out) of dedicated exhibition space – book heaven, in other words! Check out this page for pics. Quite an impressive venue; that puts you close to the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, practically in the shadow of table Mountain, and an hour away (at most) from some of the amazing tourist attractions the fairest Cape has to offer.
Onto the events that took place today (already done, it’s half past eight in the evening as I type this, but the time will be later while you read this), from 10am to 11:30am the only real stand-outs for me were 1) Antjie Krog‘s appearence (click her name for info on her), 2 panels that had nothing to do with books and everything to do with politics (thought this was a ‘book’fair), and a discussion on whether or not literary prizes are good for the industry as a whole (pretty good one that, I have to admit).
Also taking place at 11am: Louise Grantham spoke about what it takes to be published successfully in South Africa (are you thinking fly-on-the-wall too?), the author of the HUGE (I’m not joking – this is probably the biggest book in SA’s history; I was at the launch of it in Johannesburg and it was BIG) Spud – Learning to Fly (third Spud book for the uninformed) by author John Van Der Ruit; he read from the book, took questions and signed copies of the book, too, a discussion on the emerging SA-market of SAfrican Chic-Lit, more political stuff in the form of discussions about teacher shortages and ‘electric capitalism, and demonstrations of printing as well as mini-workshops on copy-editing.
Later in the day, Pan Macmillan hosted a talk that gave tips to aspiring authors, fair-goers could meet Trevor Manual’s biographer, Pippa Green, and a discussion on cartooning and its place in politics.
Going into the afternoon (3pm onwards), a proof-reading workshop (hey, I read proofs!), a discussion with (and I did a double-take when I saw this, couldn’t believe it) !Lauren Beukes! among others about new fiction, writing History in the wake of Apartheid, and the launch of Sarah Lotz‘s Exhibit A.
Events ended at 6 this evening, so it was a full day, but not much to interest people reading (and writing) Fantasy or Science Fiction. Still, would have been great to be there and rub shoulders. If I get invited next year, I’ll be there for sure.
The programmes for tomorrow, Monday, Tuesday and the Children’s programme can all be downloaded here, so if you’re interested, have a look.
I’m sure that’s enough info for now. I’ll do another post tomorrow covering Sunday’s programme, and then one on Monday, Tuesday, etc. so check back here (or keep on eye on the feed-reader).
Be EPIC!
A Wonderful Author Needs Help!
Hey guys and girls, for those of you who can – and I know someone can – Catherynne Valente has swallowed her pride and asked for help. Please follow this link to her LiveJournal, do what you can, and send plenty of good thoughts! I’m not published yet, but it just goes to show: writing is a calling and not a life of glamour.
I will also say up front that I am unable to help, but I can spread the word. Let’s all do what we can.
Be EPIC!
