Blog Archives
The A-to-Z Book Survey
Posted by AJ
So a few days ago my reviewing/blogging buddy Ria at Bibliotropic posted a nice survey of sorts on her blog. It was a cool article and with her permission, I’m sneaking off my own spin on it.
Hope you enjoy! And even if not, do share your thoughts in the comments!
Tags: Aliette de Bodard, Amanda Carlson, Anne Lyle, Arthur C. Clarke, Ben Counter, Book Survey, Bradley P. Beaulieu, Brian Herbert, Chloe Sullivan, Frank Herbert, Isaac Asimov, J. R. R. Tolkien, Jaye Wells, Jean Johnson, K. A. Applegate, Kate Elliott, Kevin J. Anderson, Margaret Weis, Matt Forbeck, Nathan Long, Nick Kyme, Paul S. Kemp, Raymond E Feist, Rob Sanders, Smallville, Tim Marquitz, Timothy Zahn, Tracy Hickman, Tyson J. Mauermann, Ursula K. LeGuin
Publishing and Marketing 04: Women in SFF Part 2
Posted by AJ
About a week or so ago, I posted a list of some of my favourite female authors in SFF, past and present (that is, some of the women on the list are now sadly deceased). For the follow-up, I wanted to focus on some of my favorite female characters in SFF, irrespective of genre. Until March last year, I didn’t really have such a list in my mind. Even though I had read a few books by then that had female protagonists or supporting characters, I’d never really considered if any of them were my “favourites”. But that changed around quickly when I read Nathan Long’s Jane Carver of Waar, and all of a sudden, I realised that there were so many female characters I’d read of over the years that I would put on a list of favourites.
It was a really interesting revelation, and it led to me paying much more attention to such characters in the books I was reading, or had read, or would read. One thing that I noticed while compiling this list was that for the most part my favourite female characters fall into the role of the “warrior”, which is another subconscious thing I never really paid attention to.
Really weird how these things work out.
Once again, as caveat for this list, this is by no means comprehensive, just a small selection of a much wider range. And in this list, I’m not limiting myself to just novels and the like, I’m extending it to comics and movies as well, given that I am much more familiar with these media in terms of the content, rather than with the creators. Feel free to check out my reviews (books and comics) of the various novels I’ve read in the last two years for a bigger interest list.
Posted in 2012 Reading Challenge, 2013 Reading Challenge, Book Lists, Challenges, Editorial, Publishing & Marketing
Tags: 2012 Reading Challenge, 2013 Reading Challenge, A Soldier's Duty, Aliens, Allan Heinberg, Amanda Carlson, Amanda Conner, An Officer's Duty, Angry Robot, Animorphs, Barbara Gordon, Baroness, Batgirl, Before Watchmen, Birds of Prey, Black Canary, Black Library, Bloodborn, Bloodforged, Bloodsworn, Book Lists, Brian Wood, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Challenges, Comics, Cora Oglesby, Darwyn Cooke, Daughter of the Empire, DC Comics, Dinah Lance, Duane Swierzynski, Dynamite Entertainment, Editorial, Eliza Dushku, Elizabeth Weir, Empire Strikes Back, Empire Trilogy, Erica Durance, Faith, Fantasy, Full Blooded, G.I.Joe, G.I.Joe: A Real American Hero, Gail Simone, George Lucas, Hot Blooded, Ia, IDW Publishing, Image Comics, J. Michael Straczynski, Jane Carver, Jane Carver of Waar, Janny Wurts, Jean Johnson, Jessica McClain, Joss Whedon, K. A. Applegate, Kara Zor-El, Kitty Pryde, Lady Jaye, Larry Hama, Lee Collins, Lois and Clark, Lois Lane, Man of Steel, Mara of the Acoma, Margot Kidder, Marvel, Masters of the Universe, Military SF, Mistress of the Empire, Mythology, Nathan Long, Near Future, Novels, Orbit, Princess Diana, Princess Leia, Publishing & Marketing, Raymond E Feist, Red Sonja, Return of the Jedi, Sara Pezzini, Scarlett, Scholastic, Science Fiction, Servant of the Empire, Shadowcat, She Returns From War, Silk Spectre, Smallville, Space Opera, Star Wars, Stargate, Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1, Supergirl, Superheroes, Supernatural, Sword and Planet, Sword and Sorcery, Swords of Waar, Teela, Television, Teri Hatcher, The Dead of Winter, The Oracle, The Visitor, Theirs Not To Reason Why, Tim Seeley, Top Cow, Ulrika Magdova, Urban Fantasy, Vampires, Warhammer Fantasy, Watchmen, Witchblade, Wonder Woman, X-Men
Publishing and Marketing 03: Women in SFF Part 1
Posted by AJ
One question that is being asked by many in the wake of the recent SFWA controversy, and all the commentary it has spawned in various places about misogyny and sexism within the publishing industry is: “If I want to read more books by female authors, where do I start?”
Often times, I think it is rather disheartening to hear such a question. Women have been writing books for a long, long time. And for people to not even be aware of that, or for that matter, be able to perform a basic google search about who are the big names right now? Doesn’t speak so well for us as a community. Speaking of the industry in the broadest sense, we are all very close-ranked, and to break out of the apparent restrictions is not easy. Sure its “easy” to get published as a woman, but to receive recognition? That’s an uphill battle.
It all comes down to respect. And when it comes to respect within the publishing industry (or even just in general in daily life), never ever use the word “political correctness”. That’s a dirty word to use, and it betrays a lack of ability to engage, and wilful dismissal of a very serious and ongoing issue that affects us all. Just look at the entire entertainment industry as a whole, whether its novels or comics or movies or even news.
In such a state, it is absolutely essential that we willingly look to broaden our horizons. We should take chances and read outside of our comfort zones, because otherwise we don’t challenge ourselves and we just propagate the “like begets like” scenario and we cannot grow as an individual.
Which is what this editorial, the third in my Publishing and Marketing series, is about: stepping out of your comfort zone. If you’ve never read a book by a female author before, then my suggestions herein are an excellent place to start.
Posted in 2012 Reading Challenge, 2013 Reading Challenge, Book Lists, Challenges, Editorial, Publishing & Marketing
Tags: 2012 Reading Challenge, 2013 Reading Challenge, A Soldier's Duty, Alchemist of Souls, Aliette de Bodard, Amanda Carlson, Angry Robot, Angry Robot Books, Animorphs, Anne Lyle, Between Two Thorns, Black Library, Blood and Feathers, Book Lists, Brimstone Angels, Challenges, Charlotte Bronte, Cold Magic, Dangerous Waters, Daughter of the Empire, DAW Books, Dragonlance Chronicles, Dragons of Autumn Twilight, Editorial, Elizabeth Gaskell, Emilie & The Hollow World, Emma Newman, Enid Blyton, Erin M. Evans, Fantasy, Female Authors, Full Blooded, Gemsigns, Hadrumal Crisis novel, Heir of Night, Helen Lowe, Jane Eyre, Janny Wurts, Jean Johnson, Jo Fletcher Books, Julianna Scott, Juliet E. McKenna, K. A. Applegate, Kate Elliott, Katy Stauber, Literature, Lou Morgan, Margaret Weis, Marketing, Marsheila Rockwell, Martha Wells, Miserere, Night Shade Books, North & South, Obsidian & Blood, Orbit Books, Penguin Books, Publishing, Publishing & Marketing, Sarah Cawkwell, Science Fiction, Self-published, Skein of Shadows, Solaris Books, Spin The Sky, Spiritwalker, Stephanie Saulter, Strange Chemistry, Teresa Frohock, The Famous Five, The Gildar Rift, The Holders, Theirs Not To Reason Why, Urban Fantasy, Wizards of the Coast, Women in SFF
51 Most Anticipated Releases For 2013
Posted by AJ
With regards reading, 2012 was a fantastic year for me. It was the year that I stepped out of my comfort zone and read in genres that I normally would not read, such as urban fantasy (involving angels, vampires, werewolves etc) and historical fiction. It was also the year that I read more than the traditional fantasy, and tie-in fantasy at that. My experiments seem to have mostly been successful as I’ve started to really like reading these kind of books.
My goal for this year is to continue on that same path and read as widely as I can. Which is why this massive list is so huge in scope, with tons of variety. I went through the catalogues for most of these publishers and picked out things I liked,and which caught my eye. Getting through the entire list this year will probably not happen, but then again, never say never!
Posted in 2013 Reading Challenge, Book Lists
Tags: 2013 Most Anticipated, A Discourse in Steel, A. E. Rought, Adam Christopher, Aliens, Amanda Carlson, Androids, Angry Robot Books, Baneblade, Before The Fall, Ben Bova, Ben Counter, Between Two Thorns, Billy Fox, Binding, Black Feathers, Black Library, Blighted Empire, Blood of Asaheim, Blood's Pride, Brian McClellan, Broken, C. L. Werner, Carol Wolf, Cassandra Rose Clarke, Cat Adams, Chris Wraight, Christian Schoon, Chuck Wendig, Cora Oglesby, Cracked, David Annandale, David Guymer, Egil and Nix, Eliza Crewe, Elspeth Cooper, Emillie and The Hollow World, Emma Newman, Epic Fantasy, Evie Manieri, Fade To Black, Fantasy, Far Future, Farside, Fortune's Pawn, Francis Knight, Gemsigns, Gotrek & Felix, Guy Haley, Heroic Fantasy, Hot Blooded, Ian Irvine, Imperial Guard, Jessica McClain, Jo Fletcher Books, Joseph D’Lacey, Josh Reynolds, Julianna Scott, Lee Collins, Linda Stasi, M. C. Planck, Mark Teppo, Marked, Martha Wells, Michael J. Martinez, Michael J. Sullivan, Moon Saga, Near Future, Nightshade Books, No Return, Orbit Books, Paul S. Kemp, Paul Tobin, Playing Tyler, Powder Mage, Promise of Blood, Rachel Aaron, Rebellion, Richard Lee Byers, Riyria Chronicles, Road of Skulls, Robots, Rojan Dizon, Science Fiction, She Returns From War, Space Marine Battles, Space Opera, Space Wolves, Split Worlds, Steampunk, Stephanie Saulter, Sword and Sorcery, T. L. Costa, The Age Atomic, The Black Plague, The Blue Blazes, The Constantine Affliction, The Crown Tower, The Curse of the Everliving, The Daedalus Incident, The Death of Antagonis, The Eldritch Conspiracy, The Holders, The Immortals of Meluha, The Kassa Gambit, The Lives of Tao, The Mad Scientist’s Daughter, The Secret of the Nagas, The Sixth Station, Tor Books, Trinity Rising, Urban Fantasy, Vampires, Van Horstmann, Warhammer, Warhammer Heroes, Werewolves, Wesley Chu, Wild Hunt, Zachary Jernigan, Zenn Scarlett
Best Debuts of 2012
Posted by AJ
This year has been an excellent year for debuts, whether it’s science fiction or fantasy or historical fiction or urban fantasy or noir or western or young adult or whatever. Some truly amazing authors have made themselves known, and many of these have gone on to impress with second novels also released this year. In this blog I take a look at the debut novels of the year that I just loved and would recommend far and wide to everybody.
I didn’t actually read that many debut novels this year (from 2012), so the list is going to be unfortunately small – only eight in total, which is why I’m going to do a straight list rather than a Top 6 and 6 Honourable Mentions as I had initially planned.
So let’s have at it, yeah?
Posted in 2012 Reading Challenge, 2012 Writing Challenge, Book Reviews, Debut Authors Guest Series, Guest Posts
Tags: 2012 Debuts, Adam Christopher, Alchemist of Souls, Alternate Reality, Amanda Carlson, Angry Robot Books, Anne Lyle, Artificial Intelligence, Blood and Feathers, Chris F. Holm, Cora Oglesby, Dead Harvest, Debut Authors, Debut Authors Guest Series, Empire State, Fantasy, Full Blooded, Historical Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Interviews, Jessica McClain, Laura Lam, Lee Collins, Lou Morgan, Names, Names A New Perspective, Night's Masque, Noir, Orbit Books, Pantomime, Paranormal Fantasy, Particle Horizon, Poltergeeks, Science Fiction, Selso Xisto, Solaris Books, Space Opera, Strange Chemistry, The Collector, The Dead of Winter, The meaning of Names, Urban Fantasy, Vampires, Werewolves, Western
Names: A New Perspective Part 2
Posted by AJ
A little late, but I finally have the schedule of posts down. Post-NaNoWriMo blues and a massive reviewing/reading backlog plus my Advent Reviews series has kept me rather busy. Which reminds me, I still need to do that NaNoWriMo “after-action” report too! Ack! You can read any of the previous posts by using the series tag: “Names A New Perspective“. The previous line-up of authors is here. So, without further ado, here you are.
Posted in Debut Authors Guest Series, Guest Posts
Tags: 2012 Debuts, Adam Christopher, Aliette de Bodard, Amanda Carlson, Angry Robot Books, Black Library, Bradley P. Beaulieu, Cassandra Rose Clarke, Chuck Wendig, Ciara Ballintyne, David Guymer, Debut Authors, E. J. Swift, Erin M. Evans, Fantasy, Forgotten Realms, Gareth Powell, Genre Magazines, Guest Posts, Janet Edwards, Jo Anderton, Jocelyn Koehler, Lee Collins, Lyndsay Faye, Matt Forbeck, Names A New Perspective, Nightshade Books, Science Fiction, Self-published, Solaris Books, The meaning of Names, Tim Marquitz, Urban Fantasy, Warhammer Fantasy, Wizards of the Coast