ICYMI: Ben Aaronovitch Interviewed on the FollyCast


Today, we wanted to share an interview with Ben Aaronovitch from a little while ago — it was published shortly before the release of THE MASQUERADES OF SPRING. In the interview, Ben and the hosts ‘discuss the origins of the series, cover the novels, novellas and graphic novels and look to the future’.

THE MASQUERADES OF SPRING is out now, published by Gollancz/Orion in the UK, Subterranean Press in North America, and DTV in Germany. Here’s the synopsis…

New York City, New York.

Meet Augustus Berrycloth-Young – fop, flaneur, and Englishman abroad – as he chronicles the Jazz Age from his perch atop the city that never sleeps.

That is, until his old friend Thomas Nightingale arrives, pursuing a rather mysterious affair concerning an old saxophone – which will take Gussie from his warm bed, to the cold shores of Long Island, and down to the jazz clubs where music, magic, and madness haunt the shadows…

The next book in the series is STONE AND SKY, due out in July 2025.

Interview with Lavie Tidhar


Today, we just wanted to share this interview (above) with Lavie Tidhar, which was conducted by Librería Gigamesh a little while ago to mark the release of the Italian edition of UNHOLY LAND. Published by by Duermevela, as TIERRA PROFANA, it was translated by Alexander Páez, and the cover art is by Adara Sánchez. Here’s the synopsis…

Una ucronía llena de suspense, universos alternativos y giros inesperados que reflexiona sobre la realidad del pueblo judío

Lior Tirosh es un escritor de ciencia ficción pulp que regresa a su hogar en Ararat, África, tras una larga ausencia. Pero Palestina, un estado judío fundado a principios del siglo XX, se enfrenta a sus horas más bajas. Asolada por ataques terroristas y presa de una violencia cada vez mayor, construye un polémico muro que la separa de la vecina Uganda.

La muerte de un viejo conocido y la desaparición de su sobrina enredan a Tirosh en una intrincada trama detectivesca cada vez más confusa en la que comienzan a fundirse su propio pasado, el presente y diversas realidades que parecen no encajar en ninguna parte.

Lavie Tidhar compone una obra inclasificable, que se mueve entre el noir detectivesco y las novelas de universos paralelos, mientras analiza sin concesiones la problemática del pueblo judío.

UNHOLY LAND is published in the UK and North America by Tachyon Publications, with a cover by Sarah Anne Langton. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

Lior Tirosh is a semi-successful author of pulp fiction, an inadvertent time traveler, and an ongoing source of disappointment to his father.

Tirosh has returned to his homeland in East Africa. But Palestina — a Jewish state founded in the early 20th century — has grown dangerous. The government is building a vast border wall to keep out African refugees. Unrest in Ararat City is growing. And Tirosh’s childhood friend, trying to deliver a warning, has turned up dead in his hotel room. A state security officer has identified Tirosh as a suspect in a string of murders, and a rogue agent is stalking Tirosh through transdimensional rifts — possible futures that can only be prevented by avoiding the mistakes of the past.

From the bestselling author of Central Station comes an extraordinary new novel recalling China Miéville and Michael Chabon, entertaining and subversive in equal measures.

Here are just a few of the great reviews the novel has received so far…

‘… will leave readers’ heads spinning with this disorienting and gripping alternate history… Readers of all kinds, and particularly fans of detective stories and puzzles, will enjoy grappling with the numerous questions raised by this stellar work.’ — Publishers Weekly (PW Picks: Books of the Week, October 15, 2018)

‘Lavie Tidhar is a genius at conjuring realities that are just two steps to the left of our own — places that look and smell and feel real, if just a bit hauntingly alien. UNHOLY LAND develops slowly. It begins with banal strangeness (this Palestinia, so like and unlike modern-day Israel) and leans gently into it… This is a story that gets weirder the deeper you get into it; that cultivates strangeness like something precious. It has three narrators: Investigator Bloom, Tirosh and a woman, Nur, who works as a field agent for the Border Agency. There are echoes of Chabon’s The Yiddish Policeman’s Union in it, wild strains of P.K. Dick and Roger Zelazny’s Chronicles of Amber. But UNHOLY LAND is its own thing. Something that no one but Tidhar could’ve written. Gorgeous in its alienness, comfortingly gray in its banality, and disquieting throughout.’ — NPR

‘Shifting perspectives will keep readers trying to catch up with this fast-paced plot involving incredible twists on multiple realities and homecoming. This latest from Campbell and World Fantasy Award winner Tidhar (Central Station) is fascinating and powerful.’ — Library Journal

‘[O]ne of those lovely books that starts out presenting itself as one thing, and mutates into another almost without you seeing it… a game-player of a writer who uses the spectrum of science fiction canon for his pieces… a grand game of alternate worlds cast like jewels on the sand. The long second act is all dust and blood and madness and glory, and the fast third act comes down on you like a sharpened spade… Lavie Tidhar is a clever bastard, and this book is a box of little miracles.’ — Warren Ellis

UNHOLY LAND starts out hard-boiled and comes at you sideways with the speculative elements. Tidhar has blended alternative history with murder in hotel rooms, missing women, an honest-to-god Fedora and mysterious borders in a tale that evokes Chabon’s The Yiddish Policemen’s Union, Casablanca and Mieville’s The City & the City. Political and pulpy, with distinct metafictional elements, Tidhar adroitly pulls off this fantastical tale of an occupied territory.’ — Tade Thompson

‘… adventurous readers will appreciate this well-written and ambitious book. It should find a place at any library that offers high-quality literary fiction.’ — Booklist

‘Tidhar has turned a suspenseful adventure tale into a complex meditation on the possible paths of modern Jewish history.’ — Chicago Tribune

‘By extending Tidhar’s exploration of multiple and metafictional realities in even more sophis­ticated and assured ways than his earlier novels, UNHOLY LAND is quite an irritated oyster.’ — Locus (Gary K. Wolfe)

‘… provocative and brash… UNHOLY LAND is a wildly inventive and entertaining novel that moves at a breathless gallop… [Tidhar has] staked a claim as the genre’s most interesting, most bold, and most accomplished writer.’ — Locus (Ian Mond)

Upcoming Catelyn Wilson Event at Waterstones Leeds!


On October 28th, Waterstones in Leeds will be ‘hosting a spooky panel’ with Catelyn Wilson!

Catelyn will be joining Frances White, Sarah Pinborough, and Sunyi Davis for a discussion about their novels and more!

This is a ticketed event, so be sure to book as soon as you can! Full details, etc., here.

ALL THE DEVILS is published in the UK by Michael Joseph Books. Here’s what Waterstones has to say about the book…

A deliciously macabre slice of dark academia set at the sinister Ravenswood Academy, All the Devils sees a plethora of deadly lies, cover-ups and ancient magic conspire to thwart Andy’s investigation into her sister’s mysterious demise.

And the official synopsis is as follows…

STEP INSIDE THE DARK ACADEMIA NOVEL WHICH HAS EVERYONE TALKING THIS SPOOKY SEASON

Hell is empty and all the devils are at Ravenswood Academy…

Mourning the sudden death of her sister, Andy Emmerson knows she must come to terms with a life without Violet. But on the day of the funeral Andy is shocked to discover one thing: the person in that casket is not her sister.

Is Violet alive?

Convinced her sister’s elite boarding school is covering up the truth, Andy enrols at Ravenswood Academy to discover what really happened and find Violet.

The school is as beautiful and haunting as the students within it and Andy learns that it’s not just good grades that drives these pupils.

Something much darker is at play.

After discovering a cryptic note from her sister, Andy must follow a set of clues to unlock the truth. This will bring her into contact with secret societies, ancient magic, demons and monsters. And a charming senior named Jae Han who has his own reasons for finding out what happened to Violet…

Soon Andy realizes the price she must pay to bring her sister home is darker and more dangerous than she ever could have imagined.

ALL THE DEVILS is eerie, intense, and mysterious with immersive world building and mythology. The fast pace kept me turning pages, and I’d follow Jae pretty much anywhere.’ — Stacia Stark, bestselling author of the Kingdom of Lies series

‘A deliciously dark and atmospheric read. I tore through this gothic tale of a sister’s love and the monsters she will face to unearth the shocking truth.’ — Frances White

Zeno represents Catelyn Wilson in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Reminder: Peter V. Brett’s THE HIDDEN QUEEN Book Tour Starts Next Week!


Just a reminder, today, that Peter V. Brett book tour celebrating the release of his anticipated new novel, THE HIDDEN QUEEN, starts next week! Here are the dates, with links for full details…

The second novel in his best-selling Nightfall Saga epic fantasy series, it’s due to be published in the UK by Harper Voyager, on March 14th. Here’s the synopsis…

Humanity thought the war with demonkind was over. Now, after less than a generation to rebuild, the demon corelings have returned with a vengeance. The Spear of Ala—the fortress that stands at the gates of the demon’s hive—is the last bastion against the horde, and reports say it may already have fallen.

Olive Paper is expected to take the vanguard in the fight. Only an heir of Kaji can wield the artifact that opens the gates of the Spear of Ala, and as Ahmann Jardir’s child, Olive seems destined for a role as leader and savior. But Olive does not wish to follow in her father’s footsteps any more than she did her mother’s.

Darin Bales was born with supernatural senses that he struggles to process, so much that even those who love him believe he can barely take care of himself. Yet to save his mother from the clutches of Alagai Ka, the demon king, Darin will brave anything to mount a rescue.

Darin and Olive each strive to walk their own path but find themselves inextricably tied to the legacies of their parents and to a fated confrontation with the demon king and his new hatchling queen. If they fail, humanity may not survive.

Harper Voyager UK also publishes Brett’s first Nightfall Saga novel, THE DESERT PRINCE, as well as the author’s best-selling Demon Cycle series (five novels, three novellas) — which is set prior to the events of the Nightfall Saga.

Zeno represents Peter V. Brett in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

ICYMI: Ben Aaronovitch Interview with Hampshire Libraries


Today we wanted to share with you the interview Ben Aaronovitch did with Hampshire Libraries a couple of weeks ago.

Ben’s latest novel is AMONGST OUR WEAPONS, the ninth Rivers of London novel. It’s out now in paperback, published by Gollancz/Orion (UK) and DAW Books (North America).

There is a world hidden underneath this great city…

The London Silver Vaults – for well over a century, the largest collection of silver for sale

in the world. It has more locks than the Bank of England and more cameras than a celebrity punch-up. Not somewhere you can murder someone and vanish without a trace – only that’s what happened.

The disappearing act, the reports of a blinding flash of light and memory loss amongst the witnesses all make this a case for Detective Constable Peter Grant and the Special Assessment Unit.

Alongside their boss DCI Thomas Nightingale, the SAU find themselves embroiled in a mystery that encompasses London’s tangled history, foreign lands and, most terrifying of all, the North!

And Peter must solve this case soon because back home his partner Beverley is expecting twins any day now. But what he doesn’t know is that he’s about to encounter something – and somebody – that nobody ever expects…

Effortlessly original, endlessly inventive and hugely entertaining – step into the world of the much-loved, Number One bestselling Rivers of London series.

Brandon Sanderson on State of Publishing; & DEFIANT Out Soon in the UK!


In case you missed it, we wanted to share this video of Brandon Sanderson, President and Publisher of Tor Publishing Group/Macmillan Devi Pillai & President of JABberwocky Literary Agency Joshua Bilmes, “discussing the current state of the publishing industry and what exciting trends they see on the horizon”. It’s an excellent, wide-ranging and insightful conversation about publishing. Recommended for anyone interested in the business, writing, publishing, and also readers.

In other news, Brandon’s fourth Skyward novel, DEFIANT, is due out in two weeks in the UK! Due to be published by Gollancz on November 21st, here’s the synopsis…

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson comes the final book in an epic series about a girl who will travel beyond the stars to save the world she loves from destruction.

Spensa made it out of the Nowhere, but what she saw in the space between the stars has changed her forever. She came face to face with the Delvers, and finally got answers to the questions she’s had about her own strange Cytonic gifts.

The Superiority didn’t stop in it’s fight for galactic dominance while she was gone, though. Spensa’s team, Skyward Flight, was able to hold Winzik off, and even collect allies to help with the cause, but it’s only a matter of time until humanity – and the rest of the galaxy – falls.

Defeating them will require all the knowledge Spensa gathered while in the Nowhere. But being Cytonic is more complicated than she ever could have imagined. Now, Spensa must ask herself: how far is she willing to go for victory, if it means losing herself – and her friends – in the process.

The final book in the Skyward series will free humanity, or see it fall forever.

Gollancz also publishes the first three Skyward novels, as well as the Skyward Flight novellas (co-authored with Janci Patterson), which are collected now in a single volume. Gollancz also publishes all of Brandon’s Mistborn and Stormlight Archive books, and a selection of stand-alone novels.

Zeno represents Brandon Sanderson in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Travis Baldree’s BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST North American Tour Starts Next Week!


With BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST releasing next week(!), Travis Baldree is heading out on a North American book tour! Full details can be found on Tor Books.

The highly-anticipated prequel to the author’s best-selling and critically-acclaimed debut, LEGENDS & LATTES, the novel is due to be published by Tor Books in North America (November 7th) and in the UK (November 9th). Here’s the synopsis…

When an injury throws a young, battle-hungry orc off her chosen path, she may find that what we need isn’t always what we seek.

Set in the world of New York Times bestselling Legends & Lattes, Travis Baldree’s Bookshops & Bonedust takes us on a journey of high fantasy, first loves, and secondhand books.

Viv’s career with the notorious mercenary company Rackam’s Ravens isn’t going as planned.

Wounded during the hunt for a powerful necromancer, she’s packed off against her will to recuperate in the sleepy beach town of Murk — so far from the action that she worries she’ll never be able to return to it.

What’s a thwarted soldier of fortune to do?

Spending her hours at a beleaguered bookshop in the company of its foul-mouthed proprietor is the last thing Viv would have predicted, but it may be both exactly what she needs and the seed of changes she couldn’t possibly imagine.

Still, adventure isn’t all that far away. A suspicious traveler in gray, a gnome with a chip on her shoulder, a summer fling, and an improbable number of skeletons prove Murk to be more eventful than Viv could have ever expected.

Also, if you have pre-ordered the novel, don’t forget about the offer that Tor Books is running at the moment…

Here are just a few of the many great reviews the novel has already received, in advance of publication…

‘What I love about Travis Baldree is that set against an epic world of adventure, he writes about the small victories that make life worthwhile. BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST does this and it is glorious’ — Ben Aaronovitch

‘… a lovely coming-of-age story about a character trained for war who learns that there’s more to life than endless battles. What makes the story special is the way that so many stock fantasy archetypes are cast against type and find new modes of prospering that don’t involve big weapons and bigger wars… This prequel is the perfect place for readers to start Baldree’s cozy fantasy series where folks band together for good, and evil is conquered through cleverness and friendship.’ — Library Journal (Starred Review), SFF Pick of the Month

‘Baldree’s prequel to Legends and Lattes (2022) cements his talent for cozy fantasy, engaging characters, and anachronistic references that would be at home in a Discworld novel… Knowing where a character ends up often drains tension from a prequel, but Baldree avoids that pitfall because the joy of reading here isn’t a simple uncertainty over who lives or dies but rather watching friendships blossom and characters grow. Folks who enjoyed the camaraderie and settings of this year’s Dungeons & Dragons movie—as well as anyone who likes the idea of an orc warrior becoming a devotee of the power of reading and its ability to broaden your horizons—should check out Viv’s adventures.’ — Booklist (Starred Review)

‘Bestseller Baldree’s cozy standalone sequel to LEGENDS & LATTES shows that even a battle-hungry orc can find happiness in life’s simple pleasures… The innocent joy of Viv and Fern’s love is delightful and Baldree’s formula of placing low-stakes stories in high-fantasy settings remains good fun. Series fans will eat this up.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘This prequel gives readers a glimpse of Viv as a young orc, still committed to the fighter’s life, just taking an enforced break in a charming town populated by compelling, richly drawn characters, and the slightest hint of danger in the wind. Despite the lurking necromancer, the vibes are decidedly warm and cozy, and the plot is just as much about saving the bookstore and building relationships as it is about protecting the town from the man in gray. As a prequel, it can stand alone, but will certainly satisfy fans as well. Warm and wonderful.’ — Kirkus (Starred Review)

‘This prequel gives readers a glimpse of Viv as a young orc, still committed to the fighter’s life, just taking an enforced break in a charming town populated by compelling, richly drawn characters, and the slightest hint of danger in the wind. Despite the lurking necromancer, the vibes are decidedly warm and cozy, and the plot is just as much about saving the bookstore and building relationships as it is about protecting the town from the man in gray. As a prequel, it can stand alone, but will certainly satisfy fans as well. Warm and wonderful.’ — Literary Hub

Lavie Tidhar is on the Cover of Write On!


Lavie Tidhar is the cover-star of the latest issue of Write On! magazine, which is out now! The issue is available for free online, and in the piece Lavie discusses his approach to writing, and more!

Tidhar’s latest novels are ADAMA (Head of Zeus) and THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE WORLD (Tachyon) — both are out now!

Here’s the synopsis for ADAMA

THERE IS NO LAND WITHOUT BLOOD, AND I WATER THIS LAND WITH THE BLOOD OF MY MEN.

Ruth’s family were in Budapest when the Nazis came.

Now Ruth is in Palestine, amid the bare hills inland from Haifa, breaking the rocky soil of an unyielding land before it breaks her.

With her comrades, her fellow kibbutzniks, she will build a better world. There will be green grass, orange trees and pomegranates, a land that is their own and no one else’s.

So they till their fields, dig their wells, build their homes and forge a new way of living, fiercely proud of their shared pursuit of a dream.

But as one generation begets another, the dream unravels, twisted into a dark tapestry of secrets and lies; sacrificed for revenge, forbidden love and murder.

A sweeping historical epic following four generations of a single family as they struggle to hold on to their land and each other.

ADAMA was recently featured as a Sunday Times (UK) Best Historical Novel of September 2023: ADAMA is the second in an ambitious trilogy about the tumultuous birth of Israel, but can be read as a standalone. It is a brilliantly unsentimental portrayal, full of moral murkiness and tarnished hopes, with small, half-glimpsed bursts of joy.’

Here, too, is the synopsis for THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE WORLD

Caught between realities, a mathematician, a book dealer, and a mobster desperately seek a notorious book that disappears upon being read. Only the author, a rakish sci-fi writer, knows whether his popular novel is truthful or a hoax…

Delia Welegtabit discovered two things during her childhood on a South Pacific island: her love for mathematics and a novel that isn’t supposed to exist. But the elusive book proves unexpectedly dangerous. Oskar Lens, a science fiction-obsessed mobster in the midst of an existential crisis, will stop at nothing to find the novel. After Delia’s husband Levi goes missing, she seeks help from Daniel Chase, a young, face-blind book dealer.

The infamous novel Lode Stars was written by the infamous Eugene Charles Hartley: legendary pulp science-fiction writer and founder of the Church of the All-Seeing Eyes. In Hartley’s novel, a doppelganger of Delia searches for her missing father in a strange star system. But is any of Lode Stars real? Was Hartley a cynical conman on a quest for wealth and immortality, creating a religion he did not believe in? Or was he a visionary who truly discovered the secrets of the universe?

THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE WORLD has been garnering praise from far and wide. Here are just a few examples…

‘Tidhar wins it all with this magnificently original mind-bender of a novel about a missing husband and a mysterious book that disappears as soon as you read it. THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE WORLD is two parts Philip K. Dick, two parts Brothers Strugatsky, and six parts blow your f**king mind.’ — Junot Diaz

‘World Fantasy Award winner Tidhar (Neom) wows with a mind-bending existential adventure that seeks to answer the age-old question of why humanity exists… Toggling between perspectives and the ethereal text of Lode Stars, Tidhar’s slippery metafictional tale lyrically entangles scientific fact, mysticism, and mental illness. This is a knockout.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

‘Maybe the universe’s energy really does get recycled, because this eclectic speculative novel manages to be simultaneously contemporary, nostalgic, and retro in a way that wouldn’t be unfamiliar to the SF icons to which it pays tribute…. Tidhar’s rich portrayal of the pulpy golden age of science fiction, distinctive characters, and nimble turns of phrase make for a cool confection.’ — Kirkus

ICYMI: Travis Baldree’s Interview with FanFi Addict!


As we gear up for the release of Travis Baldree‘s second cozy fantasy novel, BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST, we thought it would be good to share (and/or revisit) this interview he did with FanFi Addict about his best-selling, acclaimed debut, LEGENDS & LATTES!

LEGENDS & LATTES is out now, published by Tor Books in the UK and in North America. Here’s the synopsis…

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree is a cosy, heartwarming slice-of-life fantasy about found families and fresh starts…

High fantasy, low stakes – with a double-shot of coffee.

After decades of adventuring, Viv the orc barbarian is finally hanging up her sword for good. Now she sets her sights on a new dream – for she plans to open the first coffee shop in the city of Thune. Even though no one there knows what coffee actually is.

If Viv wants to put the past behind her, she can’t go it alone. And help might arrive from unexpected quarters. Yet old rivals and new stand in the way of success. And Thune’s shady underbelly could make it all too easy for Viv to take up the blade once more.

But the true reward of the uncharted path is the travellers you meet along the way. Whether bound by ancient magic, delicious pastries or a freshly brewed cup, they may become something deeper than Viv ever could have imagined…

Here are just a few of the great reviews the novel has received so far…

‘This is a story about following your dreams, even when they take you away from who you thought you had to be. It’s sweet, beautiful and, most of all, kind. I hugely recommend this book.’ — Seanan McGuireNew York Times bestselling author of Every Heart A Doorway

‘The most fun I’ve ever had in a coffee shop.’ — Ben Aaronovitch, bestselling author of Rivers of London

‘A gentle little cozy set against an epic fantasy backdrop… This charming outing will please anyone who’s ever wished to spend time in a fantasy world without all the quests and battles.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘This slice-of-life cozy fantasy novel has everything you’ve been searching for.’ — Buzzfeed

‘An orc retires from adventuring to start a fantasy city’s very first coffee shop. This setup combined with the positive messages of defying societal stereotypes, letting go of violence to build peace, and trusting in your friends feels like a premise from Terry Pratchett’s Discworld… LEGENDS & LATTES is a novel, and shop, that will delight anyone who enjoys coffee-shop alternate universes, slow-burn romances, and the vindication of friendship.’ — Booklist, starred review

‘This is a story about following your dreams, even when they take you away from who you thought you had to be. It’s sweet, beautiful and, most of all, kind. I hugely recommend this book.’ — Seanan McGuireNew York Times bestselling author of Every Heart A Doorway

‘The most fun I’ve ever had in a coffee shop.’ — Ben Aaronovitch, bestselling author of Rivers of London

‘A gentle little cozy set against an epic fantasy backdrop… This charming outing will please anyone who’s ever wished to spend time in a fantasy world without all the quests and battles.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘This slice-of-life cozy fantasy novel has everything you’ve been searching for.’ — Buzzfeed

‘A stunningly-well done story at every level’ — Fantasy Faction

‘If you like fantasy but you’re tired of reading about wars and general intensity, this is the book for you… Cozy fantasy at its best.’ — Literary Hub

BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST is due to be published in November, also by Tor Books in the UK and in North America. (There will also be some special/limited editions published, and we’ll share more information on those as and when we have it.)

Travis Baldree at DragonCon!


We’re very happy to share the news that Travis Baldree, author of the best-selling, acclaimed LEGENDS & LATTES will be attending DragonCon. Over the course of the convention, Travis will be taking part in a few events! Check out the details, below.

Friday, August 31st

  • All in the Game” — 4:00-5:00pm (Embassy EF Hyatt)
    The market for new and exciting games of all sorts is burgeoning across every genre. If you want to be a part of this tidal wave of sales, these panelists will provide their expertise to help you make that happen.
    Panelists: Bill Bridges, Irene Zielinski, Mike Capps, Bendy Mitchell, Dan Jolley, Travis Baldree
  • But You’re Fine With Potatoes? Historical Accuracy in High Fantasy” — 7:00-8:00pm (L401-L403 Marriott)
    When your world building is limited only by your imagination, why do so many writers default to historical stereotypes?
    Panelists: Milton J. Davis, Travis Baldree, Katie Cross, Tao Wong, Andrea Stewart

Saturday, September 1st

  • Author Signing — 1:00-2:00pm — Overlook Westin
  • “Level Up: Exploring the LitRPG World — Insights from Authors and Narrators” — 2:30-3:30pm — Embassy CD Hyatt
    Join LitRPG Legends as they share personal insights, experiences, and inspirations that have shaped their work within the emerging LitRPG genre. Presented by Podium, moderated by Victoria Gerken.
    Panelists: Bryce O’Connor, Luke Chmilenko, Shami A Stovall, Jez Cajiao, Shirtaloon, Travis Baldree
  • Reading Session — 1:00-2:00pm — Learning Center Hyatt

Sunday, September 2nd

  • Where do we go from here? The Future of Fantasy Literature” — 8:30-9:30pm — Embassy CD Hyatt
    Fantasy is expanding it can seem like the world of Fantasy Lit is expanding at an exponential rate, but is it? Here we will discuss current and new trends in Literature. Can they accurately predict what will become the next big Lit thing? Only time will tell.
    Panelists: Trisha J. Wooldridge, Milton J. Davis, K.D. Edwards, Travis Baldree, Ryan DeBruyn, K.T. Hanna

Travis is the author of the best-selling LEGENDS & LATTES — out now, published by Tor Books in North America and in the UK, as well as in a growing number of translated editions (see his author page for more details). His next novel is BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST, due to be published in November 2023, by Tor Books in North America and in the UK.

Lavie Tidhar’s CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE WORLD Book Tour!


To celebrate the upcoming release of THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE WORLD, Lavie Tidhar is going on a UK book tour! Before we get to the dates, though, here’s the synopsis for the novel:

Caught between realities, a mathematician, a book dealer, and a mobster desperately seek a notorious book that disappears upon being read. Only the author, a rakish sci-fi writer, knows whether his popular novel is truthful or a hoax. In a story that is cosmic, inventive, and sly, multi-award-winning author Lavie Tidhar (Central Station) travels from the emergence of life to the very ends of the universe.

Delia Welegtabit discovered two things during her childhood on a South Pacific island: her love for mathematics and a novel that isn’t supposed to exist. But the elusive book proves unexpectedly dangerous. Oskar Lens, a science fiction-obsessed mobster in the midst of an existential crisis, will stop at nothing to find the novel. After Delia’s husband Levi goes missing, she seeks help from Daniel Chase, a young, face-blind book dealer.

The infamous novel Lode Stars was written by the infamous Eugene Charles Hartley: legendary pulp science-fiction writer and founder of the Church of the All-Seeing Eyes. In Hartley’s novel, a doppelganger of Delia searches for her missing father in a strange star system. But is any of Lode Stars real? Was Hartley a cynical conman on a quest for wealth and immortality, creating a religion he did not believe in? Or was he a visionary who truly discovered the secrets of the universe?

And here are the tour dates (some event links aren’t yet available)…

THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE WORLD is due to be published by Tachyon Publications, on September 5th.

ICYMI: Ben Aaronovitch Interview with Listening Books


In case you missed it, Ben Aaronovitch won the Listening Books Members’ Choice Award for 2022. The organization interviewed Ben about his books, and the video for that online event is available now (above).

Ben is the internationally-bestselling author of the Rivers of London series, which comprises novels, novellas, and comics. His latest novel is AMONGST OUR WEAPONS (Orion/DAW), and the latest novella is WINTER’S GIFTS (Orion). Here’s the synopsis for the latter…

THEY DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY ACROSS THE POND…

When retired FBI Agent Patrick Henderson calls in an ‘X-Ray Sierra India’ incident, the operator doesn’t understand. He tells them to pass it up the chain till someone does.

That person is FBI Special Agent Kimberley Reynolds. Leaving Quantico for snowbound Northern Wisconsin, she finds that a tornado has flattened half the town – and there’s no sign of Henderson.

Things soon go from weird to worse, as neighbours report unsettling sightings, key evidence goes missing, and the snow keeps rising – cutting off the town, with no way in or out…

Something terrible is awakening. As the clues lead to the coldest of cold cases – a cursed expedition into the frozen wilderness – Reynolds follows a trail from the start of the American nightmare, to the horror that still lives on today…

Alice Bell’s GRAVE EXPECTATIONS is a BBC Radio 2 Book Club selection!


In case you missed it, we’re very happy to report that Alice Bell‘s acclaimed debut, GRAVE EXPECTATIONS is a BBC Radio 2 book club selection! Alice was interviewed by Zoe Ball on her show — you can listen to the interview on their website now.

The novel is published in the UK by Corvus Books (out now), and is due to be published in North America by Vintage on September 5th (cover below). Here’s the synopsis…

Claire and Sophie aren’t your typical murder investigators…

When 30-something freelance medium Claire Hendricks is invited to an old university friend’s country pile to provide entertainment for a family party, her best friend Sophie tags along. In fact, Sophie rarely leaves Claire’s side, because she’s been haunting her ever since she was murdered at the age of seventeen.

On arrival at The Cloisters it quickly becomes clear that this family is hiding more than just the good china, as Claire learns someone has recently met an untimely end at the house.

Teaming up with the least unbearable members of the Wellington-Forge family – depressive ex-cop Basher and teenage radical Alex – Claire and Sophie determine to figure out not just whodunnit, but who they killed, why and when.

Together they must race against incompetence to find the murderer – before the murderer finds them… in this funny, modern, media-literate mystery for the My Favourite Murder generation.

Here is just a small sample of the aforementioned acclaim…

‘Bell shines in her sharp, funny debut, a supernatural whodunit centered on medium-for-hire Claire Hendricks… The adroit plotting, which cannily plays with mystery tropes, is amply leavened with humor.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘As murder mysteries go, this one is certainly unique… A fun and surprising character-driven whodunnit.’ — Heat (UK)

‘Alice Bell weaves a fun, gripping murder mystery with a supernatural spin.’ — Woman’s Own (UK)

‘[T]he lightly acerbic style is a delight and the interaction between inept-but-dogged millennial Claire and eternal teenager Sophie – whose death remains a mystery – offers plenty of spooky fun. More, please.’ — Guardian

‘Read this fabulous book — you will not regret it!’ — Ben Aaronovitch

‘Fast, funny and furious, this book has bags of humour, bags of heart and a proper murder mystery at its core’ — Janice Hallett

‘A delicious mashup of grisly murder, country house and semi-helpful ghosts – imagine a really cockeyed game of Cluedo heavily seasoned with whimsy … it’s a lot of fun’ — Stuart MacBride

Ben Aaronovitch’s WINTER’S GIFTS is a Sunday Times Bestseller! (Plus an Author Interview!)


We’re very happy to report that WINTER’S GIFTS was an instant bestseller in the UK! Published in the UK by Gollancz/Orion Books, here’s the synopsis…

THEY DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY ACROSS THE POND…

When retired FBI Agent Patrick Henderson calls in an ‘X-Ray Sierra India’ incident, the operator doesn’t understand. He tells them to pass it up the chain till someone does.

That person is FBI Special Agent Kimberley Reynolds. Leaving Quantico for snowbound Northern Wisconsin, she finds that a tornado has flattened half the town – and there’s no sign of Henderson.

Things soon go from weird to worse, as neighbours report unsettling sightings, key evidence goes missing, and the snow keeps rising – cutting off the town, with no way in or out…

Something terrible is awakening. As the clues lead to the coldest of cold cases – a cursed expedition into the frozen wilderness – Reynolds follows a trail from the start of the American nightmare, to the horror that still lives on today…

Additionally, we wanted to share with you today a two-part interview that Ben did when he was in Germany, to discuss the Rivers of London universe (including the comics)…

And here’s part 2…