Jo Fletcher Books - Zeno Agency Ltd.

Out Now: Simon R. Green’s SECRET HISTORIES Series

Posted on Thursday, December 11th, 2014

Simon R. Green‘s Secret Histories urban fantasy series is out today in eBook in the UK! Published by Jo Fletcher Books, all seven books are now available: THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN TORC, DAEMONS ARE FOREVER, THE SPY WHO HAUNTED ME, FROM HELL WITH LOVE, FOR HEAVEN’S EYES ONLY, LIVE AND LET DROOD and CASINO INFERNALE.

Here’s the synopsis for the first book…

For ages, Eddie Drood and his family have kept humanity safe from the things that go bump in the night. But now one of his own has convinced the rest of the family that Eddie’s become a menace, and that humanity needs to be protected from him. So he’s on the run, using every trick in the book, magical and otherwise, hoping he lives long enough to prove his innocence…

Jo Fletcher Books also published Simon’s Nightside series in eBook, earlier this year.

Zeno represents Simon R. Green in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Out Now in the UK: The Final Two NIGHTSIDE Novels by Simon R. Green

Posted on Thursday, October 16th, 2014

We’re very happy to report that A HARD DAY’S KNIGHT and THE BRIDE WORE BLACK LEATHER are out in the UK today! The novels are the final two eBook re-issues in Simon R. Green‘s critically-acclaimed Nightside series, published by Jo Fletcher Books. Here’s the synopsis for A HARD DAY’S KNIGHT…

John Taylor is a private detective – of sorts. He’s good at finding things, though he wouldn’t know a clue if he fell over it. But now something has found him, and he wishes it hadn’t.

Excalibur, the legendary sword of King Arthur. It just turned up in the mail one day, and Taylor has no idea why – though he’s certain it is a portent of perilous times to come. To find out why he was chosen to wield the sword, Taylor must meet with the Last Defenders of Camelot.

But to do so, he must first travel to a place he fears more than even the Nightside…

London Proper.

The Nightside series includes: SOMETHING FROM THE NIGHTSIDE, AGENTS OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS, NIGHTINGALE’S LAMENT, HEX AND THE CITY, PATHS NOT TAKEN, SHARPER THAN A SERPENT’S TOOTH, HELL TO PAY, THE UNNATURAL INQUIRER, JUST ANOTHER JUDGEMENT DAY, THE GOOD THE BAD THE UNCANNY, A HARD DAY’S NIGHT and THE BRIDE WORE BLACK LEATHER.

Here are just a couple of reviews for the final two Nightside novels…

‘Readers who prefer their gore with huge melodramatic flourishes and a side of slyly amusing repartee will find John Taylor at least the equal of Jim Butcher’s Chicago wizard PI Harry Dresden.’ — Kirkus on A HARD DAY’S KNIGHT

‘… superlative… ratchets up the stakes for series protagonist John Taylor in an intricate and action-filled plot that seamlessly blends crime and the supernatural… The pace never flags and the sardonic Chandleresque narration is perfectly suited to the Nightside’s fantastical mean streets.’ — Publishers Weekly on THE BRIDE WORE BLACK LEATHER

‘This is an extremely entertaining read full of hilarious in-jokes…’ — RT Book Reviews on A HARD DAY’S KNIGHT

‘Simon R. Green walks us through his most thoroughly developed setting and its vast assortment of strange, devious, and downright weird characters… There are huge payoffs in the narrative and lots of affectionate farewells… Recommended.’ — SF Revu on THE BRIDE WORE BLACK LEATHER

Later this year, Jo Fletcher Books will also be re-issuing Green’s Secret Histories series. Check back in a month or so for more details.

Zeno represents Simon R. Green in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

New Simon R. Green eBooks this Week!

Posted on Thursday, September 18th, 2014

We reported a little while back that Jo Fletcher Books is re-issuing a number of Simon R. Green‘s novels in the UK as eBooks (hurray!). This Thursday, two more Tales of the Nightside novels will be available: JUST ANOTHER JUDGEMENT DAY and THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UNCANNY (books nine and ten in the series). Here’s the synopsis for the former…

Judgement Day has arrived for the inhabitants of the Nightside, and here to cast the first stone is God’s very own agent of righteousness, the Walking Man.

The sole mission of the Walking Man is to eradicate sin and corruption from the Nightside. The trouble is that’s exactly what the city was built on; it’s a place where depravity rules, and where every dark desire can be fulfilled. If the Walking Man is allowed to carry out his indiscriminate purge, there’ll soon be nothing – and no one – left.

So the Authorities have hired private detective John Taylor to stop him. Easier said than done; it is believed that the Walking Man can’t be killed. But surely he must have a weakness? John Taylor certainly hopes so; but if he doesn’t find it soon, he – along with the entire Nightside – must face God’s wrath.

Here’s some of the praise the novels have received…

‘In this ninth Nightside novel, Green takes readers into the very seediest, most disturbing parts of John Taylor’s world and casts a harsh light on human depravity. Although scenes containing graphic depictions of child abuse may put some readers off, Taylor is an amiable protagonist who is, increasingly, the moral center of the Nightside, and his slowly growing relationship with the damaged Suzie Shooter is one of this book’s highlights.’ — RT Book Reviews on JUST ANOTHER JUDGEMENT DAY

‘Bloody, brutal, stylized, extremely over-the-top, wildly inventive and always entertaining, the Nightside series has become a guilty pleasure, the sort of series that hits a great many of my Awesome Buttons. The Nightside is one of a kind.’ — SF Site on JUST ANOTHER JUDGEMENT DAY

‘The ripping, suspenseful and wry 10th tale in the Nightside series proves every bit the equal of Jim Butcher’s better known Harry Dresden books… Longtime fans and first timers alike will applaud Green’s blend of fantasy, mystery, and humor.’ — Publishers Weekly on THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UNCANNY

‘Taylor’s snappy wit and quick thinking make for another exciting Nightside volume.’ — Booklist on THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UNCANNY

Zeno represents Simon R. Green in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Charlaine Harris Signing this Sunday & UK Tour Schedule!

Posted on Thursday, August 28th, 2014

The great Charlaine Harris is coming to the UK! The New York Times-bestselling author of the True Blood series, is coming to the UK to promote her latest novel, MIDNIGHT CROSSING – the first in a new supernatural thriller series – which was published by Gollancz earlier this year.

Charlaine’s tour kicks off with a signing at Forbidden Planet this Sunday, from 1-2pm (poster above). Here is the full tour schedule…

31st August – Forbidden Planet, London – Signing – 1-2pm
1st September – Waterstone’s Birmingham – 7-9pm
2nd September – Waterstone’s Manchester – 1-2pm
2nd September – Waterstone’s Liverpool – 6:30-8:30pm
3rd September – Waterstone’s Newcastle – 1-2pm
3rd September – Blackwell’s Edinburgh – 6:30-8:30pm
4th September – Waterstone’s York – 7-9pm
5th-7th September – FantasyCon (UK), York

Charlaine Harris is the author of MIDNIGHT CROSSING, the True Blood series, the Harper Connelly Series, the Lily Bard Mysteries, the Aurora Teagarden Mysteries, and many others published in the UK by Gollancz and Orion. Charlaine is also the co-author of the CEMETERY GIRL graphic novel series, with Christopher Golden (published in the UK by Jo Fletcher Books).

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

Naomi Foyle’s Poetry Wins Award!

Posted on Monday, August 25th, 2014

We’re very happy to share the news that Zeno client Naomi Foyle is the recipient of the 2014 Hryhorii (Gregory) Skovoroda Award! The award has been given as a result of Foyle’s poetry and essays about Ukraine (some of which you can be found on her blog). The award is named after Hryhorii Skovoroda, an 18th-century Cossack poet, philosopher, teacher and composer, sometimes known as ‘the Russian Socrates’. We think you’ll agree, this is pretty cool.

Naomi Foyle is the author of, most recently, SEOUL SURVIVORS and ASTRA – both published in the UK by Jo Fletcher Books. As we reported recently, ASTRA is also available as an audiobook. Here’s the synopsis for ASTRA…

Like every child in Is-Land, all Astra Ordott wants is to have her Security Shot, do her National Service and defend her Gaian homeland from Non-Lander ‘infiltrators’. But when one of her Shelter mothers, the formidable Dr Hokma Blesser, tells her the shot will limit her chances of becoming a scientist and offers her an alternative, Astra agrees to her plan.

When the orphaned Lil arrives to share Astra’s home, Astra is torn between jealousy and fascination. Lil’s father taught her some alarming ideas about Is-Land and the world, but when she pushes Astra too far, the heartache that results goes far beyond the loss of a friend.

If she is to survive, Astra must learn to deal with devastating truths about Is-Land, Non-Land and the secret web of adult relationships that surrounds her.

And just a small selection from the great reviews Naomi’s novels have been receiving…

‘A highly regarded poet and performer, Naomi Foyle has drawn on her time living in Korea to produce a detailed and fascinating debut that deals with love, betrayal and an impending apocalypse. A fast paced, riveting story set in an all-too-real dark near future, this is a character driven novel that is not for the faint-hearted.’ — BSFA on SEOUL SURVIVORS

‘Foyle’s strengths are her impeccable plotting, her rendering of a futuristic Seoul and the depiction of Sydney Travers’ gradualinveiglement in the nightmare of Dr Kim’s cloning experiment.’ — Guardian on SEOUL SURVIVORS

‘Shocking though it might be in some respects, ASTRA certainly provides food for thought… the story quickly becomes engrossing. The ending is abrupt, but it makes you crave the second instalment of the Gaia Chronicles. ASTRA will certainly not be everyone’s cup of tea, but personally I am looking forwards to the next book with curiosity and excitement.’ — Starburst Magazine

‘… intensely deep, complex and thought-provoking… It’s a beautiful story, unique and daring, which serves as a solid foundation for everything else to come.’ — Bibliosanctum on ASTRA

Simon R. Green’s NIGHTSIDE Returns to the UK!

Posted on Thursday, August 21st, 2014

We’re delighted to report that the first eight of Simon R. Green‘s Nightside novels are once again available in the UK! The novels have been re-issued by Jo Fletcher Books as eBooks. The final four novels in the series, as well as Simon’s Secret Histories series, will be published over the next few months, and we’ll bring you news as-and-when they become available.

Here’s the synopsis for the first Nightside novel, SOMETHING FROM THE NIGHTSIDE…

John Taylor is a private detective. At least that’s what his business card says, and it isn’t completely untrue: Taylor is a private eye – or rather, he has a ‘private eye’, a supernatural ability to find anything that is lost. As a child of the Nightside, it’s an ability he was born with.

But it’s been a long time since Taylor left the Nightside – that hidden netherworld in the middle of London where it is perpetually 3 a.m., where fantasy and reality co-exist – and he has no intention of returning.

Then Joanna Barrett arrives at his office; her teenage daughter is missing and she is offering a small fortune to find her. Yet it’s not just the money that persuades Taylor to take on the job, for he knows exactly where the girl has gone…

The Nightside. And to save her, Taylor must do what he vowed he never would, and once again descend into the hellish depths of his home.

Zeno represents Simon R. Green in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Naomi Foyle’s ASTRA Available in Audio

Posted on Tuesday, August 19th, 2014

Produced by W.F. Howes, we’re delighted that Naomi Foyle‘s latest novel, ASTRA, is available as an audiobook! The novel is narrated by Penelope Rawlins, and is available from all good audiobook distributors. The novel was published in print by Jo Fletcher Books in the UK in February 2014.

Here’s the synopsis…

Like every child in Is-Land, all Astra Ordott wants is to have her Security Shot, do her National Service and defend her Gaian homeland from Non-Lander ‘infiltrators’. But when one of her Shelter mothers, the formidable Dr Hokma Blesser, tells her the shot will limit her chances of becoming a scientist and offers her an alternative, Astra agrees to her plan.

When the orphaned Lil arrives to share Astra’s home, Astra is torn between jealousy and fascination. Lil’s father taught her some alarming ideas about Is-Land and the world, but when she pushes Astra too far, the heartache that results goes far beyond the loss of a friend.

If she is to survive, Astra must learn to deal with devastating truths about Is-Land, Non-Land and the secret web of adult relationships that surrounds her.

Jo Fletcher Books also published Naomi’s previous novel, SEOUL SURVIVORS.

Here’s just a small selection of the great reviews ASTRA has received…

‘Shocking though it might be in some respects, ASTRA certainly provides food for thought… the story quickly becomes engrossing. The ending is abrupt, but it makes you crave the second instalment of the Gaia Chronicles. ASTRA will certainly not be everyone’s cup of tea, but personally I am looking forwards to the next book with curiosity and excitement.’ — Starburst Magazine

‘I enjoyed ASTRA immensely. The novel’s plot is fascinating, with an intricate web of relationships between Astra and those around them and the adults amongst themselves and some compelling political shenanigans going on in the background, all of it set down in Foyle’s smooth and flowing writing style. ‘ — Fantastical Librarian

‘… an unusual and appealing novel…’ — Strange Horizons

Some New International Covers for Ian McDonald

Posted on Wednesday, July 16th, 2014

Today, we’re delighted to share with you some recent international covers for Ian McDonald‘s novels. Above, you can see the artwork for the first two Russian editions of Everness, Ian’s critically-acclaimed new YA science fiction series. PLANESRUNNER (Странник между мирами) and BE MY ENEMY (Будь моим врагом) are published in Russia by Эксмо. The series is published by Pyr Books in the US and Jo Fletcher Books in the UK. Here’s the synopsis for PLANESRUNNER…

There is not just one you, there are many yous. We’re part of a multiplicity of universes in parallel dimensions – and Everett Singh’s dad has found a way in.

But he’s been kidnapped, and now it is as though Everett’s dad never existed. Yet there is one clue for his son to follow, a mysterious app: the Infundibulum.

The app is a map, not just to the Ten Known Worlds, but to the entire multiverse – and there are those who want to get their hands on it very badly. If Everett’s going to keep it safe and rescue his dad, he’s going to need friends: like Captain Anastasia Sixmith, her adopted daughter and the crew of the airship Everness.

Next up, we have the Italian edition of DESOLATION ROAD, published by Zona 42…

DESOLATION ROAD is published in the US by Pyr Books, and available as an eBook through the JABberwocky eBook Program. Here’s the Arthur C. Clarke Award-nominated novel’s synopsis…

It all began thirty years ago on Mars, with a greenperson. But by the time it all finished, the town of Desolation Road had experienced every conceivable abnormality from Adam Black’s Wonderful Travelling Chautauqua and Educational ‘Stravaganza (complete with its very own captive angel) to the Astounding Tatterdemalion Air Bazaar. Its inhabitants ranged from Dr. Alimantando, the town’s founder and resident genius, to the Babooshka, a barren grandmother who just wants her own child—grown in a fruit jar; from Rajendra Das, mechanical hobo who has a mystical way with machines to the Gallacelli brothers, identical triplets who fell in love with—and married—the same woman.

Naomi Foyle Part of Women in Sci-Fi Event!

Posted on Friday, May 2nd, 2014

We are very happy to report that Zeno client Naomi Foyle is taking part in a great event in London next week: Women in SF, which takes place on May 8th, from 6:30-7:3opm at Blackwell’s Charing Cross Road branch.

The event has been organised by Jo Fletcher Books and Blackwell’s Charing Cross Road. Six authors will come together to discuss the debate surrounding the representation of female authors in genre fiction, why there is a lack of it, and the solutions that could be implemented to ensure equality in the future. Alongside Naomi, Karen Lord, Stephanie Saulter, Jaine Fenn and Janet Edwards will be in attendance, and the panel will be moderated by Edward James. The event also coincides with the launch of a Blackwell’s Women in SF display, to promote novels written in the genre by female authors.

Attendance at the event is free, and you can book tickets here – be sure to book them soon, though, as they are expected to run out quickly.

Naomi’s latest novel, ASTRA, was published by Jo Fletcher Books this past February. It is the first in a projected trilogy. Jo Fletcher Books also published Naomi’s previous novel, SEOUL SURVIVORS.

Here is the synopsis for ASTRA…

Like every child in Is-Land, all Astra Ordott wants is to have her Security Shot, do her National Service and defend her Gaian homeland from Non-Lander ‘infiltrators’. But when one of her Shelter mothers, the formidable Dr Hokma Blesser, tells her the shot will limit her chances of becoming a scientist and offers her an alternative, Astra agrees to her plan.

When the orphaned Lil arrives to share Astra’s home, Astra is torn between jealousy and fascination. Lil’s father taught her some alarming ideas about Is-Land and the world, but when she pushes Astra too far, the heartache that results goes far beyond the loss of a friend.

If she is to survive, Astra must learn to deal with devastating truths about Is-Land, Non-Land and the secret web of adult relationships that surrounds her.

Giveaway and Audio Extract for Naomi Foyle’s ASTRA…

Posted on Monday, February 17th, 2014

Naomi Foyle‘s latest novel, ASTRA, was recently published in the UK by Jo Fletcher Books. Not only has it already been garnering praise, but JFB are also running a giveaway for three copies of the novel! (Ends February 21st, so get your skates on and enter!)

But wait, there’s more! You can also get a taste for the novel’s audio edition, below…

Naomi Foyle’s ASTRA Out Now! And SEOUL SURVIVORS Now in Paperback!

Posted on Thursday, February 6th, 2014

We’re delighted to announce two new books from Naomi Foyle, both published by Jo Fletcher Books. Let’s start with Naomi’s highly-anticipated first novel in a new series, ASTRA…

Like every child in Is-Land, all Astra Ordot wants is to have her Security Shot, do her National Service and defend her Gaian homeland from Non-Lander ‘infiltrators’. But when one of her Shelter mothers, the formidable Dr Hokma Blesser, tells her the shot will limit her chances of becoming a scientist and offers her an alternative, Astra agrees to her plan.

When the orphaned Lil arrives to share Astra’s home, Astra is torn between jealousy and fascination. Lil’s father taught her some alarming ideas about Is-Land and the world, but when she pushes Astra too far, the heartache that results goes far beyond the loss of a friend.

If she is to survive, Astra must learn to deal with devastating truths about Is-Land, Non-Land and the secret web of adult relationships that surrounds her.

Secondly, the mass-market paperback edition of SEOUL SURVIVORS is also published today…

A meteor known as Lucifer’s Hammer is about to wreak destruction on the earth, and with the end of the world imminent, there is only one safe place to be.

In the mountains above Seoul, American-Korean bio-engineer Dr Kim Da Mi thinks she has found the perfect solution to save the human race. But her methods are strange and her business partner, Johnny Sandman, is not the type of person anyone would want to mix with.

Drawn in by their smiles and pretty promises, Sydney – a Canadian model trying to escape an unhappy past – is an integral part of their scheme, until she realises that the quest for perfection comes at an impossible price.

US Publication Day – Ian McDonald’s EMPRESS OF THE SUN

Posted on Tuesday, February 4th, 2014

The wait is finally over! The third volume in Ian McDonald‘s critically-acclaimed Everness series, EMPRESS OF THE SUN, is out today in the US! The series is published by Pyr Books.

Here is the synopsis…

World-hopping, high-action adventure starring a smart boy with computer skills and a tough girl who pilots a blimp

The airship Everness makes a Heisenberg Jump to an alternate Earth unlike any her crew has ever seen. Everett, Sen, and the crew find themselves above a plain that goes on forever in every direction without any horizon. There they find an Alderson Disc, an astronomical megastructure of incredibly strong material reaching from the orbit of Mercury to the orbit of Jupiter.

Then they meet the Jiju, the dominant species on a plane where the dinosaurs didn’t die out. They evolved, diversified, and have a twenty-five million year technology head-start on humanity. War between their kingdoms is inevitable, total and terrible.
Everness has jumped right into the midst of a faction fight between rival nations, the Fabreen and Dityu empires. The airship is attacked, but then defended by the forces of the Fabreen, who offers theEvernesscrew protection. But what is the true motive behind Empress Aswiu’s aid? What is her price?

The crew of the Everness is divided in a very alien world, a world fast approaching the point of apocalypse.

The novel, out in the UK since last month, has been racking up some impressive reviews. Here’s just a taste of what’s been said…

‘The marvelous Everness series takes readers to a world with highly evolved dinosaurs in this third voyage through parallel universes… McDonald lets his imagination run rampant without abandoning credibility, tackling real scientific concepts such as confirmation bias, a feature lacking in far too much science fiction… Endlessly fascinating and fun.’ — Kirkus (Starred Review)

‘YA or not, the Everness series may be the most enjoyable ongoing series that SF currently has to offer.’ — Locus (Jan.2014)

‘It’s no exaggeration when I say these books in the Everness series just seem to get better and better. The adventure that started with PLANESRUNNER only intensified with BE MY ENEMY, and now the third installment has taken things even further… The author sure pulled out all the stops with this one. Blown, my mind is… Action, adventure, and rollicking good fun! EMPRESS OF THE SUN has all of that…’ — Bibliosanctum (5/5)

The Everness series – PLANESRUNNER, BE MY ENEMY and EMPRESS OF THE SUN – is published by Pyr Books in the US and Jo Fletcher Books in the UK. If you have already read the first two, you can get a taste of EMPRESS OF THE SUN, here. You can also learn a little bit more about the Multiverse in Ian’s books by reading his Guest Post on Nocturnal Book Reviews.

US Covers for PLANESRUNNER and BE MY ENEMY (Pyr)

UK Covers for the Everness Series (JFB)

Ian McDonald’s EVERNESS Series Available in Audio!

Posted on Monday, January 27th, 2014

We are very happy to report that Ian McDonald‘s critically-acclaimed Everness series of YA science fiction is now available in audio format! The three novels – PLANESRUNNER, BE MY ENEMY, and EMPRESS OF THE SUN – have been recently released by Audible in both the UK and US. The audiobooks are narrated by Tom Lawrence.

Here’s the synopsis for PLANESRUNNER, in case you have inexplicably managed to miss it…

There is not just one you, there are many yous. We’re part of a multiplicity of universes in parallel dimensions – and Everett Singh’s dad has found a way in.

But he’s been kidnapped, and now it is as though Everett’s dad never existed. Yet there is one clue for his son to follow, a mysterious app: the Infundibulum.

The app is a map, not just to the Ten Known Worlds, but to the entire multiverse – and there are those who want to get their hands on it very badly. If Everett’s going to keep it safe and rescue his dad, he’s going to need friends: like Captain Anastasia Sixmith, her adopted daughter and the crew of the airship Everness.

The three novels are published by Jo Fletcher Books in the UK and Pyr Books in the US. Here’s just a small selection of the praise that has been heaped on the novels…

‘This is vintage McDonald, with beautifully drawn settings, complex characters and deft plotting. When Everett Singh’s scientist father is kidnapped, Everett’s investigations lead him to discover that his father was working to open portals between multiple worlds. Everett finds a map linking the worlds, which various sinister organisations desire – and the thrilling chase is on.’ — Guardian on PLANESRUNNER

‘… nonstop action, eccentric characters, and expert universe building… this first volume of the Everness series is a winner.’ — Publishers Weekly on PLANESRUNNER

‘Ian McDonald is one of the greats of science fiction and his young adult debut is everything you could hope for: romantic, action-packed, wildly imaginative and full of heart.’ — BoingBoing on PLANESRUNNER

‘Smart, clever and abundantly original, with suspense that grabs your eyeballs, this is real science fiction for all ages. More! More!’ — Kirkus on BE MY ENEMY

‘… a blast from start to finish. As far as I’m concerned, Ian McDonald could write another dozen or so of these Everness novels, and I’d happily read them all.’ — Tor.com on BE MY ENEMY

‘The marvelous Everness series… [is] Endlessly fascinating and fun.’ — Kirkus (Starred Review) on EMPRESS OF THE SUN

‘YA or not, the Everness series may be the most enjoyable ongoing series that SF currently has to offer.’ — Locus (Jan.2014) on EMPRESS OF THE SUN

Ian McDonald to be Instructor at Clarion West 2014

Posted on Monday, January 27th, 2014

We’re very happy to share the news that Zeno’s own Ian McDonald will be one of the Clarion West 2014 instructors! The 2014 Clarion West Six-Week Writers Workshop will be held between June 22 and August 1, 2014, in Seattle, Washington (where it has been held since 1984). The application process began in December 2013. The Workshop is widely known as a training ground for some of the SFF field’s finest writers.

The full instructor roster for the 2014 Clarion West Six-Week Writers Workshop is: Paul Park, the 2014 Leslie Howle Fellow; Kij Johnson; Ian McDonald; Hiromi Goto; Charlie Jane Anders; and John Crowley, the 2014 Susan C. Petrey Fellow.

Here’s some information about what the Workshop is and what attendees should expect: ‘Short fiction is the workshop’s focus, with emphasis on science fiction, fantasy, and horror. You should come prepared to write several new stories during the course of the workshop, to experiment and take artistic risks, and to give and receive constructive criticism.’

Ian McDonald is the author of many multi-award winning novels, including THE DERVISH HOUSE, BRASYL, RIVER OF GODS and DESOLATION ROAD (to name but four). His most recent work includes the critically-acclaimed YA Sci-Fi series – PLANESRUNNER, BE MY ENEMY and EMPRESS OF THE SUN – published by Jo Fletcher Books in the UK (covers below) and Pyr Books in the US.

Publication Day (eBook) – Ian McDonald’s EMPRESS OF THE SUN

Posted on Tuesday, December 24th, 2013

The wait is over! The third novel in Ian McDonald‘s critically-acclaimed Everness YA science fiction series is out today in eBook! Just in the nick of time for Christmas. EMPRESS OF THE SUN is published by Jo Fletcher Books in the UK – the hardcover edition will follow on January 2nd, 2014. The book is due to be published next month by Pyr in the US. Here’s the synopsis…

When Everett Singh’s dad was randomly sent to one of the many parallel worlds in the multiverse, Everett discovered a way to find him on the quarantined planet E1, home of the terrifying Nahn.

Now he, along with the crew of the airship Everness, has followed a trail to the next world and his father.

But this is a world where dinosaurs have had sixty-five million years to evolve, where death is the key to the throne and where the Empress of the Sun has a plan to wipe out every other creature on her planet… and then take her conquest to Earth.

All she needs is Everett’s infundibulum…

Here is just a taste of the praise Ian’s Everness novels have received to-date…

‘This is vintage McDonald, with beautifully drawn settings, complex characters and deft plotting. When Everett Singh’s scientist father is kidnapped, Everett’s investigations lead him to discover that his father was working to open portals between multiple worlds. Everett finds a map linking the worlds, which various sinister organisations desire – and the thrilling chase is on.’ — Guardian on PLANESRUNNER

‘Snappy, inventive language, lively characters and world-building on an epic scale.’ — Sci-Fi Now on PLANESRUNNER

‘McDonald writes with scientific and literary sophistication, as well as a wicked sense of humor. Add nonstop action, eccentric characters, and expert universe building, and this first volume of the Everness series is a winner.’ — Publishers Weekly on PLANESRUNNER

‘Ian McDonald has spent the past two decades blowing the lid off of science fiction with his poetic, dense, lavish novels that span the universe from Mars to Africa, from the future to the past, from Brazil to India to Turkey. Now McDonald has begun a second career as a young adult novelist with his Everness series… PLANESRUNNER is smashing adventure fiction that spans the multiverse without ever losing its cool or its sense of style. Ian McDonald is one of the greats of science fiction and his young adult debut is everything you could hope for: romantic, action-packed, wildly imaginative and full of heart.’ — BoingBoing

‘Stuffed with science, this series has the potential to fascinate young readers as William Sleator’s books did, tackling concepts on the slippery edge of current understanding. Science causes danger, but it’s also the weapon that combats those terrors. Smart, clever and abundantly original, with suspense that grabs your eyeballs, this is real science fiction for all ages. More! More!’ — Kirkus on BE MY ENEMY

‘If you loved PLANESRUNNER as much as I did, you won’t need my recommendation to pick up this sequel… a blast from start to finish. As far as I’m concerned, Ian McDonald could write another dozen or so of these Everness novels, and I’d happily read them all.’ — Tor.com on BE MY ENEMY