It's down to the wire

Panicking because there's only, what, about three days left to finish your Christmas shopping?  Put down the "#1 Dad!" mug and get him what he really wants this year, a fast-paced ride on a renegade airship or an epic battle of swords and magic.

        

  

        

Head out to the nearest bookstore now! Then pat yourself on the back for finishing early this year.

Hey, we won't tell.

The perfect gift

Happy Holidays!

The bird is off the table, which means the holiday season is officially in full swing. Just because some stores have been playing Jingle Bells since Halloween doesn't mean we're all on the crazy train to Christmas...

But now it is time to start thinking about those you love, those you pretend to like, and those you are stuck with no matter what (uh...your family). If you know someone who likes sword fights, intergalactic battles, and heroes with more than a few flaws, then we've got you covered this holiday season! Check out the most recent issue of the Pyr-a-Zine to find the perfect gifts for the fantasy and science fiction-lovers on your holiday lists.

Hello and an Introduction

As I get ready to fly up to Buffalo to meet the Prometheus Books team in person, I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself to you, the readers and fans of Pyr.

I have the greatest respect for what Lou Anders and the people at Prometheus Books have done with Pyr over the past nearly ten years and am proud to be a part of continuing to bring our readers high-quality genre fiction. Growing up, I almost always had a book in my hands, and it was usually science fiction and fantasy. I cut my teeth on Narnia, but truly got the SFF bug when I was gifted Ursula LeGuin's A Wizard of Earthsea for my twelfth birthday. In the decades since then, I have continued to read across all manner of genres, but most voraciously in SFF. I also have a lifelong appreciation for art, and paint and work with textiles myself. I have a masters degree in Sequential Art from the Savannah College of Art and Design, and look forward to coordinating cover art with the talented designers at Prometheus Books..

I began working with Lou in 2010 as his editorial assistant, reading unsolicited manuscripts. As time passed, my duties expanded to include proofreading and copyediting, as well as assisting with promotional efforts, including working on Pyr-a-zine, our e-newsletter. I traveled to Atlanta for DragonCon, enjoying the chance to connect with our readers, talk about books, and then do a lot of matchmaking, connecting readers with books I knew they’d love. As someone who has been part of the Prometheus family for several years, I'm honored to be a part of Pyr's next phase and to shepherd fantastic and engrossing books you have come to expect from us from manuscript to shelf. I hope to pop in periodically on this blog and Pyr social media when I find myself with news to share, questions to ask, or just to say hi.

The Future of Pyr: Outlook Good

On April 19, 2004, Prometheus Books announced it was launching Pyr, a science fiction and fantasy imprint that would publish its first title the following spring. At that time, Prometheus was entering its thirty-fifth year as an independent publisher of nonfiction, with popular science being one of its core categories. The company felt that there would be a natural connection to this genre, noting the long history of mutual inspiration and admiration between science nonfiction and speculative fiction.

Lou Anders was hired as Pyr’s editorial director. Guided by his vision, and charting new waters for the parent press, the Pyr imprint achieved many successes but was not immune to misses, either. Over the years, there were many award-winning moments and sales successes—and some missteps and disappointments, too. Anders embraced an additional role as the face, and often, spokesperson, of Pyr—a role at which he excelled. But from day one, many people worked to build the Pyr brand. Every book Anders acquired (just as those acquired by our nonfiction and later, crime fiction, editors) became the responsibility of the entire Prometheus Books team. Many dedicated marketers, editors, publicists, designers, typesetters, and production and sales staff contributed creativity, ideas, and hard work to each Pyr book and series we published.

As all parents of ten year-olds will recognize, young tweens have a powerful desire to separate from the direction a caretaker has always provided and want nothing more than to blaze their own trail regardless of any stumbles that may occur in doing so.  With Lou Anders’s departure, it would be a mistake to assume that Pyr, at age ten, cannot potentially benefit from some fresh independence and room to be guided by other voices.

Rene Sears has been part of our professional family for quite some time and is uniquely qualified to shepherd Pyr projects through this time of transition and growth. (She has such familiarity with our list and the genre as a whole that she’s been a valuable information-font at our DragonCon booths. We missed her there this year!) Prometheus Books is so happy to welcome her into this role and we have already had encouraging discussions on cover direction, author and agent relationships, manuscript readiness, and other matters.  We are quite confident in her abilities to help our ten-year-old imprint navigate this separation and become even more self-sufficient and strong.

Pyr’s goal from day one was to seek to provide books of a consistently high quality. Looking ahead we have many titles that excite, including next week’s release of FALLING SKY by Rajan Khanna, April’s SUPERPOSITION by David Walton, and BLACK HEART: THE BARROW, BOOK TWO by Mark Smylie in August 2015.

We’ve recently heard from independent booksellers that their customers are hungry for science fiction again, despite the predominance of fantasy over these last several years.  That’s encouraging. National retailers have indicated they see a resurgence in space opera—a category in which we’ve not only published before but one in which we have a new series starting in December with THE FORTRESS IN ORION (Dead Enders, Book One) by Mike Resnick. Also, good news.

Our 2004 press release announcing the Pyr launch included this aim: "With Pyr, we’ll be looking to create science fiction for the Next Age.” After ten years of proudly bearing Anders's personal stamp, Pyr is ready for its next age. We thank all our readers, and authors, for their continued support.

DRAGON*CON - MEET OUR ATTENDING AUTHORS: 

KV Johansen

Mike Resnick

Joel Shepherd

E.C. Myers

Jon Sprunk

Clay and Susan Griffith

JF Lewis

       

GRUDGEBEARER - is the first of a new epic fantasy trilogy (that includes, among its attributes, carnivorous elves—need we say more?) BUY IT AT DRAGON*CON BEFORE IT HITS STORES on Sept. 2nd and get it signed by author J.F. Lewis!

BOOKSIGNINGS @ PYR BOOTH # 424, 425

On the 2nd floor in AmericasMart (240 Peachtree St. NW #2200, Atlanta, GA 30303) 

Friday, August 29, 2014

EXHIBIT HALL OPEN 1pm - 7pm

Impromptu author signings – stop by our booth and meet our authors!

4:00 – 5:00 pm        PYR RISING! PANEL / Location: Regency V - Hyatt

A sneak peek at the books we have coming up, moderated by Pyr Editorial Director Lou Anders. Panelists may include authors Jon Sprunk, Joel Shepherd, Clay and Susan Griffith, Mike Resnick, and more! 

Saturday, August 30, 2014

EXHIBIT HALL OPEN 10 am – 7 pm / PYR BOOTH # 424, 425

11:00 am - Noon     JON SPRUNK (Blood and Iron; Shadow Saga trilogy)

11:00 am - Noon     KV JOHANSEN (The Leopard; Blackdog)

Noon – 1:00 pm      CLAY & SUSAN GRIFFITH (Vampire Empire trilogy)

1:00 – 2:00 pm        JF LEWIS (Grudgebearer - GET IT HERE FIRST!)

1:00 – 2:00 pm        JOEL SHEPHERD (Cassandra Kresnov novels and more)

2:00 – 3:00 pm        KV JOHANSEN (The Leopard; Blackdog)

2:00 – 3:00 pm        MIKE RESNICK (Weird Westerns and more)

3:00 – 4:00 pm        JON SPRUNK (Blood and Iron; Shadow Saga trilogy)

3:00 – 4:00 pm        JF LEWIS  (Grudgebearer - GET IT HERE FIRST!)

4:00 – 5:00 pm        EC MYERS (Fair Coin; Quantum Coin)

4:00 – 5:00 pm        JOEL SHEPHERD (Cassandra Kresnov novels and more)

Sunday, August 31, 2014

EXHIBIT HALL OPEN 10 am – 7 pm / PYR BOOTH # 424, 425

11:00 am - Noon     JON SPRUNK  (Blood and Iron; Shadow Saga trilogy)

11:30 am – 12:30    EC MYERS (Fair Coin; Quantum Coin)          

Noon – 1:00 pm      KV JOHANSEN (The Leopard; Blackdog)

Noon – 2:00 pm      CLAY & SUSAN GRIFFITH (Vampire Empire trilogy)

1:00 – 2:00 pm        JOEL SHEPHERD (Cassandra Kresnov novels and more)

2:00 – 3:00 pm        JF LEWIS (Grudgebearer - GET IT HERE FIRST!)

3:00 – 4:00 pm        MIKE RESNICK  (Weird Westerns and more)

3:00 – 4:00 pm        JON SPRUNK  (Blood and Iron; Shadow Saga trilogy)

3:00 – 4:00 pm        JF LEWIS (Grudgebearer - GET IT HERE FIRST!)

4:00 – 5:00 pm        KV JOHANSEN (The Leopard; Blackdog)

4:00 – 5:00 pm        JOEL SHEPHERD (Cassandra Kresnov novels and more)

Monday, Sept. 1, 2014

EXHIBIT HALL OPEN 10 am – 5 pm / PYR BOOTH # 424, 425

Impromptu author signings – please stop by and meet our authors! 

11:00 am - Noon     KV JOHANSEN (The Leopard; Blackdog)

(schedule is subject to change)

Grab one of these epic fantasies!

Itching for a good book? Looking for a satisfying fantasy? Hitting shelves next month are two books guaranteed to keep you hooked for the long haul, and you can enter to win them now!

We've got Goodreads giveaways currently up for ARCs of both M. C. Planck's Sword of the Bright Lady and J. F. Lewis's Grudgebearer.

_________________________________________________

Christopher Sinclair goes out for a walk on a mild Arizona evening and never comes back. He stumbles into a freezing winter under an impossible night sky, where magic is real -- but bought at a terrible price. 

A misplaced act of decency lands him in a brawl with an arrogant nobleman and puts him under a death sentence. In desperation he agrees to be drafted into an eternal war, serving as a priest of the Bright Lady, Goddess of Healing. But when Marcius, god of war, offers the only hope of a way home to his wife, Christopher pledges to him instead, plunging the church into turmoil and setting him on a path of violence and notoriety.

To win enough power to open a path home, this mild-mannered mechanical engineer must survive duelists, assassins, and the never-ending threat of monsters, with only his makeshift technology to compete with swords and magic.


But the gods and demons have other plans. Christopher's fate will save the world... or destroy it.

Head over to Goodreads to enter now!

_________________________________________________

Kholster is the first born of the practically immortal Aern, a race created by the Eldrennai as warrior-slaves to defend them from the magic-resistant reptilian Zaur.  Unable to break an oath without breaking their connection with each other, the Aern served the Eldrennai faithfully for thousands of years until the Sundering. Now, the Aern, Vael, and Eldrennai meet every hundred years for a Grand Conjunction to renew their tenuous peace.  

While the tortures of slavery remain fresh in Kholster's mind, most of the rest of the world has moved on. Almost six hundred years after the Sundering, an Eldrennai prince carelessly breaks the truce by setting up a surprise museum exhibit containing sentient suits of Aernese armor left behind, never to be touched, lest Kholster kill every last Eldrennai. Through their still-existing connection with their ancient armor, the Aern know instantly, and Kholster must find a way to keep his oaths, even those made in haste and anger. While Kholster travels to the Grand Conjunction with his Freeborn daughter and chosen successor Rae'en, his troops travel by sea, heading for war. 

Head over to Goodreads to enter now!

_________________________________________________

Since you so nicely stayed around until the end of this post (and read every single word...right?)  we're going to offer you one more chance to win one of these books! Send an e-mail to publicity@prometheusbooks.com specifying which b
ook you'd like to win in the subject line, "[Grudgebearer OR Sword of the Bright Lady] ARC giveaway" by Thursday August 14 and you'll be entered to win.  The winners will be contacted on Friday August 15.

Happy reading!

The New York Times wants you to check out Joe Abercrombie!

You know it, we know it, and thousands of fantasy fans know it: The First Law series by Joe Abercrombie is one epic piece of awesomeness.  But when the New York Times tries to appease George R. R. Martin fans by suggesting some winning series to hold them over until The Winds of Winter finally hits shelves and they feature our books first and foremost, we can't help but get a little giddy.  Ok, totally giddy because it's the NEW YORK TIMES people!  And no we're not lying, here's the article online.

The Blade Itself, Before They Are Hanged, and The Last Argument of the Kings are recommended right up front referring to them "gangster fantasy, leavened with plenty of black humor."  Yeah, that's a pretty good description!

So who else do they suggest alongside Abercrombie for fans of George R. R. Martin? Scott Lynch, Richard K. Morgan, and Brandon Sanderson.  This killer list will also be printed in this Sunday's edition of the New York Times.

Pyr is Nine Years Old

It was nine years ago this month when Pyr released our first book, John Meaney's Paradox: Book I of the Nulapeiron Sequence. That was our first title, way back in March 2005. And here we are nine years later. And over 189 books later.

And what do we have to show for it?

Well, since you asked....

1. 2013 Chesley Award for Best Art Director, nominee: Lou Anders
2. 2013 Chesley Award for Best Cover Illustration, Paperback, nominee: Dehong He, Lance of Earth and Sky
3. 2013 Chesley Award for Best Cover Illustration, Paperback, nominee: Todd Lockwood, The Dusk Watchman
4. 2013 Chesley Award for Best Cover Illustration, Paperback, winner: John Picacio, The Creative Fire
5. 2013 Chesley Award for Best Cover Illustration, Hardback, nominee: Sam Weber, Quantum Coin
6. 2013 British Fantasy Awards in the Best Newcomer (Sydney J. Bounds Award) Nominee: Fair Coin by E. C. Myers
7. 2013 Hugo Award for Best Professional Editor, Long Form, nominee: Lou Anders
8. 2013 Compton Crook Award, Finalist: , Finalist: Fair Coin by E. C. Myers
9. 2012 Sidewise Award for Best Long-Form Alternate History, Finalist: Expedition to the Mountains of the Moon by Mark Hodder
10. 2012 Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy, Winner: Fair Coin by E. C. Myers
11. 2012 Cybil Awards for Fantasy and Science Fiction - Teens, Finalist: Planesrunner by Ian McDonald
12. 2012 RT Book Reviews Reviewers' Choice Awards, steampunk nominee: The Kingmakers by Clay Griffith and Susan Griffith
13. 2012 Endeavor Award, winner: City of Ruins by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
14. 2012 Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic, adult category nominee: K.V. Johansen's Blackdog
15. 2012 Hugo Award for Best Professional Editor, Long Form, nominee: Lou Anders
16. 2012 Chesley Award for Best Art Director, nominee: Lou Anders
17. 2012 Chesley Award for Best Cover Illustration, Paperback, nominee: Justin Gerard, Hearts of Smoke and Steam
18. 2012 Chesley Award for Best Cover Illustration, Paperback, nominee: Lucas Graciano, The Goblin Corps
19. 2012 Chesley Award for Best Cover Illustration, Paperback, nominee: Jon Sullivan, The Curious Case of the Clockwork Man
20. 2011 Sidewise Award for Best Long-Form Alternate History, Finalist:: Ian McDonald, Planesrunner
21. 2012 Locus Award for Best Young Adult Book, Finalist: Ian McDonald, Planesrunner
22. 2012 Prometheus Award Finalist: Ken MacLeod, The Restoration Game
23. 2011 Airship Awards - written category nominee: Mark Hodder, The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack
24. 2011 World Fantasy Award - Special Award, Professional nominee: Lou Anders
25. 2011 John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Novel, winner: Ian McDonald, The Dervish House
26. 2011 Chesley Award for Best Art Director, nominee: Lou Anders
27. 2011 Chesley Award for Best Cover Illustration, Paperback, nominee: Todd Lockwood, The Ragged Man
28. 2011 Philip K. Dick Award winner: Mark Hodder, The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack
29. 2011 Hugo Award for Best Novel, nominee: Ian McDonald, The Dervish House
30. 2011 Hugo Award for Best Professional Editor Long Form, winner: Lou Anders
31. 2011 David Gemmell Ravenheart Award for Best Fantasy Book Jacket/Artist nominee: Todd Lockwood, The Ragged Man
32. 2011 Compton Crook Award nominee: Sam Sykes, Tome of the Undergates
33. 2011 Compton Crook Award nominee: Jon Sprunk, Shadow’s Son
34. 2010 Endeavor Award, finalist: City Without End: Book Three of the Entire and the Rose by Kay Kenyon
    
35. 2010 World Fantasy Award - Best Novel, nominee: James Enge, Blood of Ambrose
36. 2010 American Library Association award for genre fiction,  The Reading List (SF category), nominee: Ian McDonald, The Dervish House. 
37. 2010 Wisconsin Library Association Outstanding Achievement award: Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Diving Into the Wreck
38. 2010 John W. Campbell Memorial Award, Finalist: Paul McAuley, Gardens of the Sun
39. 2010 Chesley Award for Best Art Director, nominee: Lou Anders
40. 2010 Chesley Award for Best Cover Illustration, Paperback, nominee: David Palumbo, Stalking the Vampire
41. 2010 Chesley Award for Best Cover Illustration, Paperback, nominee: John Picacio, World’s End
42. 2010 Hugo Award for Best Novella, nominee: Ian McDonald, “Vishnu in the Cat Circus” (Cyberabad Days)
43. 2010 Hugo Award for Best Editor Long Form, nominee: Lou Anders
44. 2010 Philip K. Dick Award Special Citation: Ian McDonald, Cyberabad Days
45. 2010 Locus Award for Best Novella, Finalist: Ian McDonald, “Vishnu in the Cat Circus” (Cyberabad Days)
46. 2010 Locus Award for Best Collection, Finalist: Ian McDonald, Cyberabad Days
47. 2010 Locus Award for Best Publisher, Finalist: Pyr
48. 2010 BSFA Award for Best Artwork: Desolation Road cover by Stephan Martiniere
49. 2010 RUSA Reading List Award Science Fiction nominee: Paul McAuley, The Quiet War
50. 2009 Endeavor Award, finalist: A World Too Near: Book Two of the Entire and the Rose by Kay Kenyon
51. 2009 Nebula Award for Novelette, nominee: “The Gambler” by Paolo Bacigalupi (Fast Forward 2)
52. 2009 RT Book Reviews Reviewer's Choice Best Science Fiction Novel, nominee: Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Diving into the Wreck
53. 2009 Philip K. Dick Award, nominee: Ian McDonald, Cyberabad Days
54. 2009 Chesley Award for Best Art Director: Lou Anders
55. 2009 Chesley Award for Best Cover Illustration, Paperback: John Picacio, World’s End
56. 2009 Chesley Award for Best Cover Illustration, Hardback, nominee: Dan Dos Santos, Stalking the Vampire
57. 2009 Hugo Award for Best Editor Long Form, nominee: Lou Anders
58. 2009 Hugo Award for Best Novella, nominees:“True Names” by Benjamin Rosenbaum & Cory Doctorow (Fast Forward 2)
59. 2009 Hugo Award for Best Novelette, nominee: “The Gambler” by Paolo Bacigalupi (Fast Forward 2)
60. 2009 Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award nominees: "True Names" by Benjamin Rosenbaum & Cory Doctorow (Fast Forward 2)
61. 2009 Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award nominee: "The Gambler" by Paolo Bacigalupi (Fast Forward 2)
62. 2009 Locus Award for Best Novella, Finalists: "True Names" by Benjamin Rosenbaum & Cory Doctorow (Fast Forward 2)
63. 2009 Locus Award for Best Short Story, Finalists: “The Kindness of Strangers" by Nancy Kress (Fast Forward 2)
64. 2009 RUSA Reading List Award Science Fiction nominee: Kay Kenyon, A World Too Near
65. 2008 Endeavor Award, finalist: Bright of the Sky: Book One of the Entire and the Rose by Kay Kenyon
66. 2008 Philip K Dick Award, nominee: Fast Forward 2, edited by Lou Anders
67. 2008 Hugo Award for Best Novel nominee: Ian McDonald Brasyl
68. 2008 Hugo Award for Best Editor Long Form, nominee: Lou Anders
69. 2008 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer nominee: Joe Abercrombie
70. 2008 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer nominee: David Louis Edelman
71. 2008 Philip K. Dick Award nominee: Adam Roberts Gradisil
72. 2007 Quill Award nominee: Ian McDonald, Brasyl
73. 2007 Hugo Award for Best Editor Long Form nominee: Lou Anders
74. 2007 Chesley Award for Best Art Director nominee: Lou Anders
75. 2006 World Fantasy Award - Special Award, Professional nominee: Lou Anders
76. 2006 John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Novel nominee: David Louis Edelman, Infoquake
77. 2006 Independent Publisher Book Award winner: John Meaney, Paradox
78. 2005 Philip K Dick Award nominee: Justina Robson, Silver Screen
79. 2006 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer nominee: Chris Roberson
80. 2005 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer nominee: Chris Roberson
    
    
    Not too shabby, huh?