Have You Seen This Man?

Going to Dragoncon this weekend?

Then hunt down this man:

Andrew Mayer, whereabouts unknown

And make him give you one of these limited edition stickers from his forthcoming (many moons away) novel The Falling Machine: The Society of Steam, Book One:

Art by Steven Sanders

Hint: Andrew will be making appearances at the following two panels:

Fri 4pm: Andrew Mayer
Title: Steampunk Superheroes
Location: The Westin Peachtree Ballroom
Description: A discussion of superheroes in the steampunk genre, featuring both fictional characters and costuming.
Fri 5:30 pm: James Enge
Title: Powerful Women/Powerful Men in Genre

Fri 7 pm: Lou Anders, James Enge, Clay & Susan Griffith, Erin Hoffman, Andrew Mayer, Ari Marmell, Mike Resnick, Jon Sprunk, Sam Sykes
Title: Pyr Books, a New Voice in Publishing
Description: Join editor Lou Anders as he presents Pyr. Presenting new authors and well established ones, Pyr has something for everyone in their catalogue.
Location: Fairlie - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

Stickers may also be had at the Pyr Booth, 1601 of the Imperial Ballroom at the Marriott Marquis. 

40% Discount on Pyr Books at Dragoncon

Going to Dragoncon? We'll be selling Pyr books in our booth (BOOTH 1601 of the Imperial Ballroom at the Marriott Marquis, 265 Peachtree Cr Ave NE) at a 40% discount off cover price!

Here is our signing schedule:

Fri 2pm: Jon Sprunk
Fri 3pm: Sam Sykes
Fri 4pm: James Enge

Sat 10:30 am: Clay and Susan Griffith

Sat 12 pm: James EngeSat 1 pm: Sam Sykes
Sat 2 pm: Jon Sprunk
Sat 3:30 pm: Clay and Susan Griffith

Sat 3pm - 5pm: Mike Resnick

Publishers Weekly Gives THE CARDINAL'S BLADES a Starred Review!!

Cover by Jon Sullivan

Pyr has just gotten its second starred review in Publishers Weekly (that makes two in two weeks)! This one is for Pierre Pevel's English language debut, his swashbuckling fantasy The Cardinal's Blades.

The Cardinal's Blades

Pierre Pevel, trans. from the French by Tom Clegg, Pyr, $16 paper (312p) ISBN 978-1-61614-245-2 Pevel, winner of the 2002 Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire and the 2005 Prix Imaginales, makes a stunning English-language debut with this breathless, swashbuckling tale of intrigue, spying, and swordfights. In an alternate 17th-century Paris, dragonnets are exotic pets, wyverns are high-class riding mounts, and drac thugs are the coarsest of mercenaries. After a five-year hiatus, Cardinal Richelieu reunites his elite force to aid France in its complex relationship with Spain's Black Claw cult of half-dragon royalty. A mostly straightforward adventure plot leaves plenty of room for character development, drama, and excitement. Clegg's solid translation reads pleasingly as culturally French without the language ever feeling stilted or unnatural. Published in France to great acclaim in 2007, Pevel's adventure is just as likely to charm Anglophone audiences who enjoy action-packed adventure with a true historical sensibility. (Oct.)

    --Publishers Weekly, August 30, 2010

Pyr Swag @ DragonCon

This year, at DragonCon, Pyr Books will be exhibiting in BOOTH 1601 of the Imperial Ballroom at the Marriott Marquis (265 Peachtree Cr Ave NE). We will be hosting signings in the booth, selling our books, and giving away a Pyr Sampler Book created especially for the convention (limited to 1000), as well as a very limited number of 5th Anniversary Lapel Pins. 

Pyr Sampler Book & Limited Edition 5th Anniversary Lapel Pin

Here is our signing schedule:

Fri 2pm: Jon Sprunk
Fri 3pm: Sam Sykes
Fri 4pm: James Enge

Sat 10:30 am: Clay and Susan Griffith

Sat 12 pm: James EngeSat 1 pm: Sam Sykes
Sat 2 pm: Jon Sprunk
Sat 3:30 pm: Clay and Susan Griffith

Sat 3pm - 5pm: Mike Resnick

Steampunk Autumn

Art by Jon Sullivan

Reflecting on our forthcoming books, I just realized that we have four steampunk titles out between now and December.

Out in about a week is Mark Hodder presents Burton & Swinburne in The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack.  Booklist just gave it a starred review,  saying, "The usual superlatives for really clever fantasy (imaginative, mind-bending, phantasmagorical) aren’t nearly big enough for this debut novel" and Moorcock calls it "Steam opera at its finest"

November has two titles.

Art by Chris McGrath

Clay & Susan Griffith's The Greyfrair: Vampire Empire Book One, which mixes steampunk, vampires, pulp fiction, and paranormal romance. NYT bestselling author Marjorie M. Liu, says, "I love this book. It's epic and lovely, heartbreakingly romantic (in every sense of the word), and an incredibly satisfying read, both for the characters and the richness of the world."

Cover by Benjamin Carre

And we also have Tim Akers' The Horns of Ruin, which mixes steampunk, urban fantasy, Final Fantasy, and what China Mieville has started calling "Noird" into something that has to be read to be believed. The first line of the book description: "Eva Forge is the last paladin of a dead god." With a jetpack!

Art by J Seamus Gallagher

And then in December we have Mike Resnick's first ever steampunk/weird west, The Buntline Special: A Weird West Tale, which sees Doc Holiday vs Zombie John Ringo at a steampunk OK Corral. Yes, I just wrote that.

I think that qualifies as a genuinely plethora of steampunk.

Pyr at DragonCon

We will be making a big splash this year at DragonCon.

For starters, Pyr Books will be exhibiting for the first time! Look for us in BOOTH 1601 of the Imperial Ballroom at the Marriott Marquis (265 Peachtree Cr Ave NE). We will be hosting signings in the booth, selling our books, and giving away a Pyr Sampler Book created especially for the convention (limited to 1000).

Nine of our authors will also be in attendance and participating in programming: Mike Resnick (The Buntline Special), Jon Sprunk (Shadow's Son), Sam Sykes (Tome of the Undergates), Clay and Susan Griffith (The Greyfriar: Vampire Empire Book One), James Enge (The Wolf Age), Andrew Mayer (The Falling Machine: The Society of Steam Book One), Erin Hoffman (Sword of Fire & Sea) and Ari Marmell (The Goblin Corps, Household Gods).

I don't have everyone's programming schedules yet, so this is not a complete list but here are the Pyr-related panels and events thus far (room numbers provided when known, see DragonCon programming for final confirmation):

Friday:

Fri 11:30 am: Clay and Susan Griffith
Title:  New Voices in Steampunk/Alternate History

Fri 1:00 pm: Clay and Susan Griffith
Title: Collaborations

Fri 2pm: Jon Sprunk
Autographing in Pyr Books Booth 1601


Fri 2:30pm: Mike Resnick
Title: Age in the SF World
Description: So many protagonists these days are young and older
characters are relegated to minor roles. Why?
Location: Fairlie - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

Fri 3pm: Sam Sykes
Autographing in Pyr Books Booth 1601

Fri 4pm: James Enge
Autographing in Pyr Books Booth 1601

Fri 4pm: Andrew Mayer
Title: Steampunk Superheroes
Location: The Westin Peachtree Ballroom
Description: A discussion of superheroes in the steampunk genre, featuring both fictional characters and costuming.
Fri 5:30 pm: James Enge
Title: Powerful Women/Powerful Men in Genre

Fri 5:30 pm: Mike Resnick
Description: Dragon*Autographs Location: M301 - M304 - Marriott (Length: 1 Hour)

Fri 7 pm: Lou Anders, James Enge, Clay & Susan Griffith, Erin Hoffman, Andrew Mayer, Ari Marmell, Mike Resnick, Jon Sprunk, Sam Sykes
Title: Pyr Books, a New Voice in Publishing
Description: Join editor Lou Anders as he presents Pyr. Presenting new authors and well established ones, Pyr has something for everyone in their catalogue.
Location: Fairlie - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

Fri 10 pm: Clay and Susan Griffith
Title: What Makes a Book Sexy?

Fri 10pm: Erin Hoffman
Title: Facebook Games
Where: Hilton Room 201
Description: The joys of gaming on a leading social network. Do you really want to know how your friends are doing in Farmville? Elonka Dunin; Just added: Erin Hoffman, David Godwin, Chris Shonk, Jon Masters
Saturday:

Sat 10:30 am: Clay and Susan Griffith

Autographing in Pyr Books Booth 1601

(There will be a limited number of Advanced Reader Copies of The Greyfriar: Vampire Empire Book One available!)

Sat 11:30 am: Lou Anders
Title: What Editors Want
Description: In an ever-changing market, don't puzzle about what editors want. Let these editing pros tell you.
Location: Manila / Singapore / Hong Kong - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

Sat 12 pm: James Enge
Autographing in Pyr Books Booth 1601

Sat 1 pm: Sam Sykes
Autographing in Pyr Books Booth 1601

Sat 2 pm: Jon Sprunk

Autographing in Pyr Books Booth 1601


Sat 3:30 pm: Clay and Susan Griffith

Autographing in Pyr Books Booth 1601

(There will be a limited number of Advanced Reader Copies of The Greyfriar: Vampire Empire Book One available!) 

Sat 3pm - 5pm: Mike Resnick

Autographing in Pyr Books Booth 1601

Sat 7pm: Mike Resnick
Title: Dragon*Con Awards Banquet
Description: We honor our 2010 Guests of Honor and present the Julie Award
and Hank Reinhardt Fandom Award.
Location: Regency VI - VII - Hyatt (Length: 2.5 Hours)

Sat 10:00 pm: James Enge
Title:  Larry Niven Panel  (this may not be exact title)

Sat 10 pm: Mike Resnick
Title: 101 Fascinating Ways to Kill Off a Character
Description: Fascinating (and often humorous) ways to dispose of characters.
Location: Manila / Singapore / Hong Kong - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

Sunday:

Sun 6:00 – 9 am: Lou Anders*
Live Hugo Awards Results breakfast at the Kafe Köbenhavn at the Hyatt Regency

Sun 9:00 –9:45 am: Lou Anders, James Enge, Clay & Susan Griffith, Erin Hoffman, Andrew Mayer, Ari Marmell, Jon Sprunk, Sam Sykes*
Stu Segal’s “Pyr Books honor The Hugos Stroll" (starts/ends nr Hyatt Regency)

Sun 11:30 am: Lou Anders, Mike Resnick
Title: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
Description: A roundtable discussion about science fiction and fantasy book covers by industry pros, discussing what's good, bad and could be better.
Location: Hanover C - E - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

Sunday 5:30 pm: Clay and Susan Griffith
Title:  Out of the Coffin: Open vs. Closed Supernatural Systems

Sun 5:30pm: Mike Resnick
Title: Ingredients for great fiction
Description: A little sugar, a little spice? A surprising plot, a great
cast of characters, intriguing settings blend into great fiction.
Location: Manila / Singapore / Hong Kong - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

Sun 7pm: Lou Anders
Title: Breaking into the Art Field
Description: As an artist, breaking into the field can be an arduous task. Join us for a few suggestions and lively discussion.
Location: Hanover G - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

Sun 10pm: Mike Resnick
Title: Beyond Binaries 201
Description: Why do so many aliens(monsters,etc.)behave like traditional
m/f pairings? Has this been transcended anywhere in fiction?Location: Fairlie - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

Monday:

Mon 11:30am: Mike Resnick (note flight may not allow him to attend this one)
Title: Joining a Writer's Group
Description: Whether it's a national organization like SFWA, RWA,or HWA or
a local group...What's in it for you?
Location: Manila / Singapore / Hong Kong - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)



-------------------
*not official programming items. Organized by Stu Sega.

Live Hugo Awards Results Breakfast

A number of this years' Hugo Award nominees will be at Dragon*Con.

Join them at the Kafe Köbenhavn to listen to the results come in live! Direct from the Hugo Ceremony in Melbourne, Australia!

Join LOU ANDERS (4 time Hugo Nominated editor), KATE BAKER (podcast director for the twice nominated Clarkesworld), EUGIE FOSTER (Nebula Award Winner), MARY ROBINETTE KOWAL (Campbell Award winner), FARAH MENDLESOHN (Hugo winner, and current nominee), JOHN PICACIO (Winner of the World Fantasy, Chesley and Int'l Horror Guild Awards and 6-time Hugo nominee) and STEPHEN H. SEGAL (Hugo winner, and current nominee) as this years' winners are announced.

The Kafe Köbenhavn has both a buffet and an a la carte menu (you are responsible for your own breakfast).

We'll be there from 6AM (which is when the 8PM ceremony begins in Australia) until 9AM. Pull up a table next to us as we root for Lou, Kate, Farah, John and Steve!

EVERYONE IS INVITED.  RSVP over at our Facebook Page.

ps: 5-time Hugo winner Mike Resnick may join us - depending on the Saturday night situation.

Stroll With The Stars - at Dragon*Con

Come out for a gentle morning stroll and meet great authors, artists and editors.  Some of your favorite Hugo Award, World Fantasy Award and John W. Campbell winners and nominees.  EVERYONE IS INVITED!

This way you can go to the Con, do all the stuff you normally do, but also get out in the fresh air for a healthy stroll and some good conversation. (And let me stress, we mean "stroll" - def: a leisurely walk. This will not be a heart-pounding aerobic activity, it ...will be a stroll). A leisurely mile - which will take a little more than a half hour but less than an hour.

Some very interesting Authors, Artists and Editors have agreed to lead the Strolls, and will be strolling along at the right pace to have a good conversation.

!THE ACTUAL DAILY SCHEDULE WILL BE POSTED SHORTLY!

So far, hosting the Strolls will be:

• LOU ANDERS - 4-time Hugo Award nominated editorial director of Pyr Books
• KATE BAKER - Podcast Director for multiple Hugo nominated Clarkesworld Magazine
• JAMES ENGE - Author of "Morlock the Maker" series
• CLAY & SUSAN GRIFFITH - Authors of "Vampire Empire - The Greyfriar"
• ERIN HOFFMAN - Author of the upcoming "Sword of Fire and Sea"
• MARY ROBINETTE KOWAL - John W. Campbell Award winning author
• ANDREW P. MAYER - Game designer, and author of the upcoming "Society of Steam"
• FARAH MENDLESOHN - Hugo Award winning co-author of "The Cambridge Companion to Science Fiction"
• JAMES PALMER - writer, editor and author who has written for Strange Horizons, RevolutionSF, and the Internet Review of Science Fiction
• JOHN PICACIO - World Fantasy Award winning illustrator
• STEPHEN H. SEGAL - Hugo Award winning editor of "Weird Tales"
• JON SPRUNK - Author of "Shadow's Son"
• SAM SYKES - Author of "Tome of the Undergates"

We are going to meet each morning, Sat-Mon, on the sidewalk in front of the main (Peachtree Street) entrance of the Hyatt Regency at 9AM; returning each morning before before 10AM.

NOTE: You don't need to "sign up" for this event, just show up.  You may want to check out and RSVP over at out Facebook Page.

Blood of Ambrose is a WFC Award Best Novel Nominee

Art by Dominic Harman

The 2009 World Fantasy Award nominees have just been posted. Words cannot express how it brightened my morning to wake up and discover that James Enge's debut book, Blood of Ambrose, is a nominee in the Best Novel category.

The full Best Novel shortlist:

Blood of Ambrose, James Enge (Pyr)
The Red Tree, Caitlín R. Kiernan (Roc)
The City & The City, China Miéville (Macmillan UK/ Del Rey)
Finch, Jeff VanderMeer (Underland)
In Great Waters, Kit Whitfield (Jonathan Cape UK/Del Rey)

The awards will be presented on Sunday, October 31st at the World Fantasy Convention, (held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Columbus, Ohio, October 28-31). The Award Ceremony is open to all members and begins at approximately 2:30 PM. Congratulations to James and to all the nominees!

Publishers Weekly Gives THE WOLF AGE a Starred Review!!

Cover by Dominic Harman

Publishers Weekly has just given James Enge's forthcoming The Wolf Age a starred review!

"Werewolves clash with legends in the harrowing and beautiful third novel (after 2009's This Crooked Way) detailing the epic travels of enchanter Morlock Ambrosius. Following a string of bad luck, Morlock is incarcerated in the werewolf fortress of Vargulleion. ...Enge's elegant prose perfectly captures Morlock's terse and morbid nature, which thrives in the vicious, honorable werewolf nation. Numerous intimate, complicated, and contentious relationships provide depth and gravity to the grim tale, which will enthrall fans of the dark and sinister."

Midwinter and The Office of Shadow

art by Chris McGrath

There is a joint review of Matthew Sturges' Midwinter and The Office of Shadow over at Ray Gun Reviews.

"Matthew Sturges’s novels are an interesting re-imaging of the world of Faerie. This is realpolitik fantasy, a fantasy world with a realistic socio-economic foundation. Midwinter definitely has a gritty 'Dirty Dozen' feel (or half-dozen in this case)...the novel succeeds very well. The Office of Shadows is even better, and it is interesting to see Sturges’s growth as a writer from the first volume to the second. The characters are pulled into a worlds-spanning mystery, and we piece it together with the characters. ...Sturges has created a very rich re-interpretation of Faerie"

The Ragged Man: Powerful Storytelling and High Drama

Cover by Todd Lockwood

Tom Lloyd's fourth book in his Twilight Reign quintet is out now. The Library Journal recently said of The Ragged Man, "Powerful storytelling complements a large cast of characters and a complex narrative that touches on everything from romance to high drama to fast-paced war scenes."


We recommend The Ragged Man to fans of Steven Erikson, or to anyone who thinks the idea of a Moorcockian anti-hero ravaging a land as richly-detailed as Middle Earth sounds like an interesting read.

You can read an excerpt from The Ragged Man right now, kindly hosted on Tor.com.