Steampunk Jurassic Park? Sign me up!

Christmas is only a week away, and that means everyone except that oh-so-perfect neighbor of yours is frantically shopping for last minute gifts. So what about those people on your list who always have you stumped? Well, everyone loves to be entertained and everyone loves to relax, so how about you give them something awesomely entertaining to waste the hours away?

Enter the fantastic Mike Resnick and his just-released book The Doctor and the Dinosaurs: A Weird West Tale. There's just something awesome about the good ol' Wild West. Who wouldn't want to start a gunfight in a dusty bar over a bad game of cards?  And no one will argue that dinosaurs are cool, what with their colossal stature and a bite force of up to 12,800 lbs. Yikes. This book is the perfect blend of Western and steampunk with Doc Holliday (yes, THE Doc Holliday) taking the lead in a very unusual adventure.

The Doctor and the Dinosaurs is the perfect last minute gift for almost anyone on your list.  Take a break from gorging on Christmas cookies to run down to your local bookstore for a copy. No time to shop?  Does that special person have an ereader? Online retailers let you buy and send the book as a gift with just a couple clicks! You can even have it sent on December 25 so the "no peeking" rule is guaranteed.

Now go finish those lists before it's too late.  And by "too late" I mean trying to drive and sign that card you just bought at the same time before running inside and yelling "Merry Christmas everybody!" I wouldn't suggest it.

Giveaway alert!

WHO LIKES FREE STUFF??

Ahem, now that I've got your attention, I wanted to let you know about an awesome offer in this month's Pyr-a-zine! Our monthly enewsletter has all sorts of info on new releases, exclusive interviews with our favorite authors, and behind-the-scenes looks at different titles we're excited about.  This month we're giving away a copy of Tom Lloyd's newest book The God Tattoo: Untold Tales From the Twilight Reign.

If you love fantasies but just can't find the time (especially around the holidays) to commit to a series, this one is for you.  This awesome collection of short stories takes place in the same world as Lloyd's Twilight Reign series, so if you're familiar with any of those then you're going to want to take a look at this new release.

Head to our Pyr-a-zine archive to sign up for the enewsletter and enter for a chance to win a copy of The God Tattoo. Only subscribers are eligible for this contest, but as long as you sign up before next Friday (Black Friday!) you're in the clear.  If this book doesn't sound like your cup of tea (pfft...it's a book, silly, not a beverage) you should still sign up. Who knows what kind of cool stuff we'll be offering next month...?

See Catching Fire. Then read these.

If you’re one of the millions of people who read The Hunger Games series, chances are you’ve thought about heading to the theaters this weekend.  Tonight is the official release of the second movie, Catching Fire, guaranteed to be one of the biggest movies of 2013.

The Hunger Games books are fun, we can’t argue that, but what comes next? What if you don’t like seeing your favorite reads blown up and on fire on the big screen?  What if you've read the books and are hungry (pun totally intended) for more dystopias?

We’ve got a couple awesome, high energy, fast paced series for all you Hunger Game fans who are just dying to get your hands on another book.  If you like action and destruction, then you need to check out Tim Lebbon’s Toxic City trilogy.  In London Eye, the first book in the series, London has been cut off from the rest of the world after a devastating terrorist attack. The government claims it’s now a toxic wasteland, but Jack and his friends know otherwise.   Determined to prove themselves and find their missing families, they risk their lives to sneak inside the city.  They find survivors alright, but they may no longer be human.  They're changing, developing strange powers - evolving. One thing's for sure, if the secrets aren't revealed to the outside world, every one inside may die.

The pulse-pounding conclusion, Contagion, just came out last week.  Check out a sample chapter from London Eye and see what you’re missing!




How about something a little different? Something, a little darker? In Mandy Hager's Blood of the Lamb series, the world has been destroyed by the deadly Tribulation. On the small island of Onewēre in the Pacific, Maryam lives for the day she'll enter adulthood and move to the Holy City.  But once inside, life is not as she had dreamed, and she is quickly faced with the unthinkable: obey the Apostles and very likely die, or turn her back on every belief she once held dear.

Click here to read a sample chapter from the first book, The Crossing, and look for Into the Wilderness in stores this January!

It's that time of year...

Ah, November.  Our bellies haven’t yet recovered from the sugar-rush of Halloween and we’re shoved headfirst past Thanksgiving into the holiday season.  While the stores are busy cramming bright lights and “seasons greetings” down our throats, a little voice in our head starts to speak up.  What’s that, you say? Haven’t started shopping, you say? Ah yes, it’s time to panic.

 

Before you start to hyperventilate, take a second to think about the people on your shopping lists. Got any friends and family that like to relax with a good book? Do they like a little wit with their adventure? A little snark with their…um…swords? That last one doesn't really work, but what does work is Ari Marmell’s perfect blend of dark humor, high action, and impeccable world-building.  Lost Covenant, the latest Widdershins Adventure, comes out December 3…with just enough time to wrap before the last nights of Hanukkah!  And of course, whoever invented stockings was clearly thinking about books.

Marmell’s writing style is top-notch, guaranteed to have you laughing, crying, and holding on to the edge of your seat right through the end.  His main character Widdershins is a thief on the run, traveling only with the god living in her head.  A family traitor, mad alchemist, and infatuated young nobleman make unraveling the twisted plot surrounding her distant family anything but easy.

Any teen that just can’t handle more high school drama and angst and (totally) needs something more mature will love this one. Adults wanting an epic story in something short enough to actually be able to carry (no doorstops here) are sure to gobble this up. 

Gobble? See, I didn't forget about Thanksgiving after all.

Lost Covenant is available in print and ebook December 3. Avoid the rush and preorder your copies online today!

September's Pyr-a-zine

Hot off the press!

Ok...so technically this is a couple weeks late (and our newsletter doesn't require an actual printing press), but we're still excited about this month's Pyr-a-zine. Joel Shepherd brings back his high-tech human Cassandra Kresnov in 23 Years on Fire, the first in a new series, and we've got an exclusive Q&A with him about his favorite kick-ass heroine.  You don't have to be familiar with Cassandra to enjoy this sci-fi thriller, check out this sample chapter to see how you can jump in now and enjoy the ride!

Didn't know we had a newsletter? Sign up today to enjoy behind-the-scenes looks at our hottest titles and exclusive chats with some of our favorite authors. Check out the Pyr-a-zine archive to catch up on the latest issues, from Mark Hodder's steampunk awesomeness to Brenda Cooper's generation ships, and everything in between.

Dragon Con: Whirlwind Edition

This year, Pyr’s DragonCon experience was a bit different than usual. We did not have a booth, but plan to return as an exhibitor next year. And while our editorial director Lou Anders went to Lone Star Con in San Antonio, I--intrepid Pyr editorial assistant Rene Sears--went to Atlanta to host the annual all-Pyr panel in Lou’s place.

 

First slide of the slideshow

I drove up Friday morning and breezed through the on-site registration process with the help of the efficient DragonCon volunteer staff. On the way to the room the panel was in I ran into Clay and Susan Griffith. By the time the panel started, we were joined by Mike Resnick, E.C. Myers, copyeditor extraordinaire Gabrielle Harbowy, and Joel Shepherd, who, for the first time joined us from Australia. The panel was a look at some of the books we have out now and a glimpse at what's upcoming, including some spectacular cover art. The authors talked about their books, and Gabrielle and I got to talk about the books whose authors weren't able to be there. Mike Resnick had high praise for Lou both as an editor and for the work he does as art director for Pyr. The audience asked some great questions, discussion ranging from YA to the nature of humanity. Thank you to everyone who came.

E.C. Myers, Susan and Clay Griffith, Joel Shepherd,
Mike Resnick, Gabrielle Harbowy, and me

After the panel, the Pyr family made our annual pilgrimage to Max Lager's for dinner, and then dispersed for more panels and a look at the costumes of DragonCon. There's an amazing energy to DragonCon--all those people in downtown Atlanta because they love genre. The costumes are amazing, both those that reproduce a character in meticulous detail and those that riff on a character, playfully blending two (or more!) things to make an awesome third.   

Poor Robb Stark.

Although I had to leave Saturday morning, I tried to take a weekend's worth of pictures. More costumes below, and thanks again to our wonderful authors, and everyone who attended the panel. See you next year!

El Diablo Robotico

Evil Disney Queens

Epic!

For the Honor of Greyskull!

Me and Jean Grey

Cat Gabrielle and the Evil Unicorn

Rap Star Wars

Disco Star Wars

Athena

Stargate

Detailed Schedule: Pyr authors at Dragon*Con 2013 (and the Decatur Book Festival)

Additional info may be forthcoming, but here's a schedule of Pyr author panels, readings, and signings this coming long-weekend in the Atlanta, GA area during Dragon*Con plus one event at the Decatur Book Festival: 

Friday, August 30, Dragon*Con

Panel: The Perfect Blend: The Mixing of Genres Within Urban Fantasy

Time: Fri 10:00 am Location: International BC - Westin (Clay and Susan Griffith)

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Panel: Crossovers

Time: Fri 11:30 am Location: A707 - Marriott (Length: 1)

Description: Adult SF for the discriminating teen. YA SF for the "adult" SF fan (E.C. Myers)

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Panel: PYR RISING

Time: Fri 4:00 pm Location: Regency V - Hyatt (Rene Sears with Clay Griffith, Susan Griffith, Gabrielle Harbowy, E.C. Myers, Mike Resnick, Joel Shepherd)

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Panel: That’s Write, Pardner: Collaborations, Writing with a partner, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Time: Fri 8:30 pm Location: Embassy - Hyatt (Susan Griffith)

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Panel: Vampires vs. Werewolves

Time: Fri 8:30 pm Location: A707 - Marriott (Clay Griffith)

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Panel: Totally Retro Toons

Time: Fri 08:30 pm Location: A708 - Marriott (Length: 1)

Description: Do today's cartoons gag you with a spoon? This discussion of '80s kids shows will be totally tubular. (E.C. Myers)

Saturday, August 31

Reading - Clay and Susan Griffith

Time: Sat 11:30 am Location: Roswell - Hyatt

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Book Signing - Clay and Susan Griffith

Time: Sat 1:00 pm Location: The Missing Volume - AmericasMart Fl. 2 2604 2505 2507

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Panel: Book Club: Fair Coin by E.C. Myers

Time: Sat 01:00 pm Location: A707 - Marriott (Length: 1)

Description: A discussion with the author of Fair Coin, which won the Andre Norton Award for Best YA Book of 2013.

------------------

Panel: Space Opera Then…Military SF Now

Time: 1:00 pm Saturday Location: Centennial I - Hyatt

Description: Space opera in the fifties was rousing space battles and epic adventure.  Military SF now is much the same.  Or is it? (Mike Resnick)

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Book Signing – Mike Resnick

Time: Sat 4 pm Location: The Missing Volume - AmericasMart Fl. 2,  2604 2505 2507

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Reading - E.C. Myers

Time: Sat 05:30 pm Location: University - Hyatt (Length: 1)

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Panel: Dragon*Con Guest of Honor Awards Banquet

Time: Sat 07:00 pm Location: Regency VI - VII – Hyatt (Mike Resnick)

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Plus> DECATUR BOOK FESTIVAL EVENT:

Panel: Dragon*Con Comes to the Book Festival: A Panel of Pyr Authors

Time: Sat 5:30 pm - 6:15 pm 
Location: Marriott Conference Center, Ballroom A, Decatur, GA (Joel Shepherd, Clay and Susan Griffith)

Sunday, Sept 1, Dragon*Con

Book Signing – Clay and Susan Griffith

Time: Sun 10:00 am Location: International Hall South - Marriott

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Book Signing – Joel Shepherd

Time: Sun 10:30 am Location: The Missing Volume - AmericasMart Fl. 2,  2604 2505 2507

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Panel: Father Knows Best: Dads in Harry Potter

Time: Sun 11:30 am Location: Regency V - Hyatt (Length: 1)

Description: A discussion of the fathers and father figures in the Potterverse. (E.C. Myers)

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Panel: Okay you sold it, now what? (Joel Shepherd)

Time: 1:00 pm Location: Embassy D-F - Hyatt
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Panel: Vampires in YA

Time: Sun 4:00 pm Location: A707 - Marriott (Clay and Susan Griffith)

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Panel: Monster to Lover: Vampire Variations in Urban Fantasy

Time: Sun 7:00 pm Location: International BC - Westin (Clay and Susan Griffith)

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Panel: Hey, Hollywood! Here's My Screenplay

Time: Sun 8:30 pm ; Location: Embassy D-F - Hyatt

Description: How to get your screenplay, book or story noticed in Hollywood. Or, how to go about producing your own movie. (Mike Resnick)

Find Pyr at DragonCon and WorldCon

Pyr Books will have a presence this coming weekend at both LoneStarCon 3, the 71s World Science Fiction Convention, in San Antonio, Texas and DragonCon, in Atlanta, Georgia. I (Lou Anders) be giving the Pyr Books Presents! panel at LoneStarCon 3, along with several attending Pyr authors, and my editorial assistant, Rene Sears, will be hosting her first panel at DragonCon at the exact time in Atlanta, also with attending authors. These are two different panels - no simulcasting or multiplexing going on - but lots of never before seen cover art at both. Please come by if you are attending either con. And if you can somehow attend both, we'd really like to meet you.

World Con

3:00 PM, Friday

Pyr Books Presents!

Room: 007CD (Convention Center)

Lou Anders with Ari Marmell, Chris Willrich, Sam Sykes

DragonCon 

4:00 PM Friday*
Pyr Rising
Room: Regency V (Hyatt)

Rene Sears with Clay & Susan Griffith, Gabrielle Harbowy, E.C. Myers, Mike Resnick, Joel Shepherd


*Since Atlanta is an hour ahead of San Antonio, these two panels will be happening simultaneously.

2013 Chesley Award Nominations

The Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists have announced the nominees for the 2013 Chesley Awards. The Chesley Awards were established in 1985 as ASFA's peer awards to recognize individual works and achievements not otherwise recognized by the Hugo Awards, during a given year and are named in honor of famed astronomical artist Chesley Bonestell. This year’s ceremony will take place at the 71st World Science Fiction convention, LoneStarCon 3, in San Antonio, TX, August 29th - September 2nd.

This year, Pyr is delighted to be represented on the ballot five times!

•  2013 Chesley Award for Best Cover Illustration, Paperback, nominee: Dehong He, Lance of Earth and Sky

 

•  2013 Chesley Award for Best Cover Illustration, Paperback, nominee: Todd Lockwood, The Dusk Watchman

 

• 2013 Chesley Award for Best Cover Illustration, Paperback, nominee: John Picacio, The Creative Fire

 

•  2013 Chesley Award for Best Cover Illustration, Hardback, nominee: Sam Weber, Quantum Coin

 

• 2013 Chesley Award for Best Art Director, nominee: Lou Anders

Here is the full list. Congratulations to all the nominees:

Best Cover Illustration: Paperback Book

• Dehong He: Lance of Earth and Sky by Erin Hoffman, Pyr, April 2012
• Todd Lockwood: The Dusk Watchman by Tom Lloyd, Pyr, August 2012
• John Jude Palencar: The Palencar Project edited by David G. Hartwell, Tor ebook, February 2012
• John Picacio: The Creative Fire by Brenda Cooper, Pyr, November 2012
• Elena Vizerskaya: Flying in the Heart of the Lafayette Escadrille by James Van Pelt, Fairwood Press, November 2012

Best Cover Illustration: Hardback Book

• J.K. Drummond: Deadhouse Gates by Steven Erikson, Subterranean Press, March 2012
• Bob Eggleton: Gods of Opar by Philip José Farmer & Christopher Paul Carey, Subterranean Press, June 2012
• Donato Giancola: Range of Ghosts by Elizabeth Bear, Tor, March 2012
• Todd Lockwood: The Wild Road by Jennifer Roberson, DAW, September 2012
• John Picacio: Hyperion by Dan Simmons, Subterranean Press, April 2012
• Sam Weber: Quantum Coin by E. C. Myers, Pyr, October 2012

Best Cover Illustration: Magazine

• Ken Barthelmey: Clarkesworld #74 November 2012
• Julie Dillon: Clarkesworld #73 October 2012
• Bob Eggleton: Famous Masters of Filmland #262 July/August 2012
• Martin Faragasso: Clarkesworld #71 August 2012
• David Palumbo: Creepy #9 Dark Horse, July 2012
• Craig J. Spearing: Dragon #418 December 2012

Best Interior Illustration

• Brom: Krampus by Brom Harper, Voyager, Oct. 2012
• Sam Burley: “Brother. Prince. Snake.” by Cecil Castellucci, Tor.com, July 2012
• J. K. Drummond: Deadhouse Gates by Steven Erikson, Subterranean Press, Mar. 2012
• Bob Eggleton: Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs, MBI/Easton Press, Dec. 2012
• William O'Connor: Dracopedia The Great Dragons: An Artist's Field Guide and Drawing Journal by William O'Connor, Impact, June 2012

Best Monochrome: Unpublished

• Larry Elmore: “By the River,” oil
• Travis Lewis: “Deep,” oil & mixed media
• Joāo Ruas “Sides,” graphite
• Raoul Vitale: “Last of His Kind,” pencil
• Allen Williams: “Fawn,” graphite

Best Color Work: Unpublished

• Julie Bell: “A Passion for the Future,” oil
• Donato Giancola: “Joan of Arc,” oil
• Lucas Graciano: “Guardianship,” oil
• Michael C. Hayes: “Procession,” oil
• Mark Poole: “Waiting on a Memory,” oil
• Soutchay Sougpradith: “Peacock Prophecy,” oil
• Raoul Vitale: “Safe,” oil

Best Three-Dimensional Art

• Dan Chudzinski: “Gus Gets a Jetpack,” mixed
• Michael Defeo: “Octopus,” resin
• David Meng: “Sashimi,” mixed
• Michael Parkes: “Startled Sky Nymph,” half life-size bronze
• James Shoop: “Ramautar,” bronze
• Vincent Villafranca: “Spaceman on the Verge,” bronze
• Cindy Wynn: “Alien Chair,” steel

Best Gaming-Related Illustration

• Lucas Graciano: “Dragon Swarm” (Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Artifacts & Legends) Paizo, October 2012
• D. Alexander Gregory: “Chandra the Firebrand” (2013 Core Set Magic card) WotC, July 2012
• David Palumbo: “Ereshkigal, Death Mistress” (“Legend of the Cryptids”) Applibot Inc., April 2012
• James Ryman: “Princess of the Underworld,” (“Legend of the Cryptids”) Applibot Inc., April 2012
•  Sverlin Velinov: “Thundermaw Hellkite” (2013 Core Set Magic card) Wizards of the Coast, July 2012

Best Product Illustration

• Jim Burns: “The Wanderers” (IlluXCon 5 promotional art) Munchkin Press, November 2012
• Dan Dos Santos: “The Dragon Empress” (Dragon*Con promotional poster) August, 2012
• John Harris: “The Search” (Illuxcon 5 promotional art) Munchkin Press, Nov. 2012
• Iain McCaig: Concept and character design for John Carter, Disney, March 2012
• John Picacio: La Sirena Loteria card 2012

Best Art Director

• Lou Anders for Pyr Books
• Irene Gallo for Tor
• Lauren Panepinto for Orbit Books
• William Schafer for Subterranean Press
• Jon Schindehette for Wizards of the Coast

Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement

• Brom
• Larry Elmore
• David Hardy
•  John Harris
• Gary Lippincott

Sidewise Awards for Alternative History

The judges for the the Sidewise Awards for Alternate History have just announced the short list of finalists for the 2012 Sidewise Award, and Mark Hodder's Expedition to the Mountains of the Moon has made the list. The Sidewise Awards for Alternate History were established in 1995 to recognize the best alternate history stories and novels of the year. The winners will be announced at LoneStarCon 3, the 71st Annual World Science Fiction Convention the weekend of August 30, 2013, in San Antonio. Congratulations to Mark and all the nominees!

E.C. Myers wins the 2012 Andre Norton Award

The Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, Inc. has announced the recipients of the 2012 Nebula Awards. And...

Drum roll please....

Fair Coin by E.C. Myers, won the 2012 Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction/Fantasy Book this past weekend!

The Nebula Awards® are voted on and presented by the active members of SFWA for outstanding science fiction and fantasy published in 2012. The awards were announced at the Nebula Awards® Banquet held at in San Jose, CA, May 16-20.

Congratulations to E.C. and to all the Nebula winners.