Tuesday, August 31, 2010
AussieCon 4
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Kerry Greenwood - Phryne Fisher #1 Cocaine Blues Review
This is where it all started! The first classic Phryne Fisher mystery, featuring our delectable heroine, cocaine, communism and adventure. Phryne leaves the tedium of English high society for Melbourne, Australia, and never looks back.
This is a fantastic start to a great series! If you are a fan of Alexander McCall-Smith or Elizabeth Peters then this is the series for you.
The 1920's are coming to a close and Phryne Fisher is a bored, smart, well off woman. After solving a mystery at home in London, she gets asked to go to Australia and help a friends daughter who they think is being poisoned.
Almost immediately from the time she books into the Windsor Hotel, Phryne is embroiled in mystery: poisoned wives, cocaine smuggling rings, corrupt cops and communism - not to mention erotic encounters with the beautiful Russian dancer, Sasha de Lisse - until her adventure reaches its steamy end in the Turkish baths of Little Lonsdale Street.
I really liked this book and can't wait to start reading Phryne Fisher #2 Flying to High
At the store we have the whole series on special! When you buy two Phryne Fisher books you get them for $30 So come and have a look at this great series!!!
Kerry Greenwood is the author of twenty-seven novels and the editor of two collections. When she is not writing she is an advocate in Magistrates' Court for the Legal Aid Commission. She is not married, has no children and lives with a registered Wizard.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Guest Blog - Mary Victoria on Conventions
Here is author Mary Victoria on why she is looking forward to World Con aka Aussie Con4! Yes I did steal her photo from her Facebook mwahahahahaTake a deep breath… Plunge! Or, why I’m looking forward to Aussiecon4
The wonderful Kim Falconer did this already, and did it better, but I just have to copy her because she’s cool. This is a post about all the things I’m looking forward to at Worldcon, aka Aussiecon 4, in Melbourne this year between the 2nd and 6th of September. And what an experience it will be!
Just a quick glance at the program – available to download from the site, http://www.aussiecon4.org.au/ – will give you a glimpse of the jaw-dropping number of panels, readings, signings and ceremonies, as well as assorted shindigs, hoe-downs and hootenannies on offer this year. All are worth sacrificing one’s honour, in-laws and possibly a few Amazon reviewers to attend. The problem remains, how can one choose between these fascinating events? I mean, my reading takes place at the same time as some obscure person named George R. R. Martin unveils his little-known HBO TV series – poor fellow, he’ll be talking to an empty room. ☺
Barring the belated discovery of a Vortex Manipulator (cheap and nasty time-travel, TM) I will reluctantly exercise my powers of discretion and talk about some of the events I am particularly hoping to attend. Alas, I cannot get to GRRM’s rather wonderful-sounding HBO affair – curses! But there are many others I’m looking forward to (I’m only arriving late on the Thursday so will miss a few good ones before then, unfortunately):
Friday 12:00, room 212: Reading by China Mieville. I must see this very talented author in action. Full disclosure: Kim, Gill Polack and I have decided to stalk China and declare our undying love. And get your thoughts out of the gutter, we like him for his mind.
Friday 13:00, room 211: Foundlings and Orphans panel with Faye Ringel, Sarah Parker, Delia Sherman, Gillian Polack, Mur Lafferty and, um, Mary Victoria. Alright, so I’m on this panel. But it’s going to rock! I’ve already heard Gill talk about some wonderful ideas. We’re going to hang those fantasy tropes out to dry!
Friday evening: Voyager party! A chance to rub elbows with amazing Voyager publishers, editors, authors and, well, anyone cool really, cuz they’ll all be there.
Saturday 11:00, room 219: Reading by George R. R. Martin. Yessssssss! I can finally get to hear him!
Saturday 13:00, room 210: From Paintbrush to Screen: creating movie concept art with Bob Eggleton, Shaun Tan, Lewis P. Morley, Marilyn Pride and Frank Victoria. Alright, full disclosure again, I’m married to that last guy. He’s pretty darned interesting. But – hasten to add – this panel looks fantastic, even without the nepotism!
Saturday 15:00, room 201: kaffeeklatsch with Mary Victoria. Damn, another where I’m involved. But this one is uber cool, because I get to meet with a small selection of people who want to talk about my book – wow, readers! I am really looking forward to this.
Saturday 16:00, room 212: Thinking in trilogies panel with Glenda Larke, Trudi Canavan, Fiona McIntosh, Russell Kirkpatrick, Kim Falconer. A super-sounding panel, and an occasion to see my favourite fellow Voyager authors in action!
Saturday 19:00: masquerade. Gotta see this!
Sunday 10:00, room 213: The eternal stories: Myths and legends in YA spec fic with Jenny Blackford, Catherynne M. Valente, Alison Croggan and Helen Lowe. I consider my own books YA-friendly and am obsessed by myths and legends – a perfect fit! Plus fellow kiwi author Helen Lowe rocks!
Sunday 17:00, Room 204: Taking it on the chin: Authors and reviews with John Berlyne, Jean Johnson, Karen Miller, John Scalzi. How should authors react to negative reviews? Great question, and I’m expecting great answers – but I must say I’m particularly looking forward to seeing the infamous and most excellent John Scalzi! Much laughter…
That’s just a shortened selection of what I find interesting, of course. I will try to make it to as many events as I can without going insane(r). I am particularly disappointed at having to miss the ‘Whores and Virgins’ panel with Kim Falconer on Monday afternoon, due to travel plans – but them’s the breaks. It’s going to be a blast. I’m going to take a deep breath, close my eyes, and PLUNGE.
Mary Victoria spent her childhood immersed in fantasy novels. A job on Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies, working with Weta Workshop, brought her to her adoptive home in New Zealand, and rather neatly back to reading and writing fantasy novels.
Now Mary brings us Tymon’s Flight, book one of a beautiful new epic fantasy trilogy of a world set in a tree. The World Tree rises up out of the seething clouds like a green mountain. All creation nestles in its gigantic branches. There is no world besides this one, or so the priests in Argos city would have everyone believe. Tymon is an orphaned boy growing up at the Argos seminary. The Argosian priests have declared science to be a heretical pursuit, and banned travel beyond the confines of the Tree. But Tymon yearns to discover new horizons. When he discovers a foreigner, one of the stigmatised Nurian pilgrims brought to the town every year as slaves, his life changes forever.
Now Mary brings us Tymon’s Flight, book one of a beautiful new epic fantasy trilogy of a world set in a tree. The World Tree rises up out of the seething clouds like a green mountain. All creation nestles in its gigantic branches. There is no world besides this one, or so the priests in Argos city would have everyone believe. Tymon is an orphaned boy growing up at the Argos seminary. The Argosian priests have declared science to be a heretical pursuit, and banned travel beyond the confines of the Tree. But Tymon yearns to discover new horizons. When he discovers a foreigner, one of the stigmatised Nurian pilgrims brought to the town every year as slaves, his life changes forever.
JOSEPH DELANEY - Wardstone Chronicles made into movie
JOSEPH DELANEY - Wardstone Chronicles has been made in movie: Sorcerer's Apprentice starring Nicholas Cage!!
Winner of Star Wars Fatal Alliance - Dave-Brendon de Burgh
arbooks@hotmail.co.uk
Thank you to all that entered. Keep an eye out on our blog for more giveaways!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Guest Blog - Kim Falconer - What do you look forward to in a convention?
With Aussie Con right around the corner I asked author Kim Falconer what it is that she looks forward to at a convention. She has kindly written up a guest blog for us explaining just that!
What do you look forward to in a convention?
With AussieCon 4 nearly upon us, it’s exhilarating to think about the 68th World Science Fiction Convention to be held 2-6 September 2010 at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre. It’s a whopping big event. Of all the things I’m looking forward to, the number one thrill is connection. There are so many people going and they are all just as into SF/F as I am! That’s a rare treat.
Meeting people with like-minded interests is nurturing to the soul. My mobile phone is clogged with new contacts—people I’ve know on Face Book or Twitter, or readers that come to my site—all wanting to catch up. I think every meal, coffee and snack is going to be shared with a long lost friend, met face-to-face for the first time. This is particularly exciting for me as a writer. After all, for most of the year, I work alone.
I’ve write seven days a week, three-hundred and sixty five days a year since 2005. No exceptions, unless a writers’ festival or con has me in their programme. The focus is worth it, but still it’s a great deal of alone time. When an event like AussieCon comes to our backyard, I’m thrust out into the world, talking to hundreds of people, signing books and meeting readers. It’s a wonderful contrast—the reward for all those hundreds of hours at the keyboard with the phone off the hook.
Cons dates get big red circles on my calendar well in advance. They are social gatherings and the people really make it worthwhile. I also look forward to practical networking with agents, publishers, booksellers and editors, not to mention soaking up the non-stop multi-streamed panels, chats, workshops and signings. Have you seen the program for AussiCon this year? There will be academic speakers, international bestselling authors, and well known industry people talking on a fantastic range of topics. I’ve got my schedule now and it’s going to keep me busy. I’m even on panels with some of my favourite authors. The talks will be stimulating and inspiring. I’m not sure how I’ll choose which to attend (there can be a dozen things going on at once!)
What more can I say? Conventions are educational, inspirational and downright vitalising. A chance to connect with people that really ‘get’ the speculative fiction scene. If you spot me in the crowd, don’t be shy. Come up and say you’re an A&R Edwardstown reader and I’ll be especially pleased. You can also catch me at a signing on Sat Sept 4th 1500 Rm 201 and an informal Kaffeeklatsche on Sun Sept 5th 1200 Rm 201. Hope to see you there!
Kim Falconer lives in Byron Bay with two gorgeous black cats. As well as her author website‚ she runs an astrology forum and alternative science site‚ trains with a sword and is completing a Masters Degree. Her novel writing is done early every morning. Currently she’s working on additional volumes in the Quantum Enchantment Series.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
BestSeller Lists 8/08/2010 - 21/08/2010
- Eat Pray Love - Elizabeth Gilbert
- 4 Ingredients: Fresh, Fast and Healthy - Kim McCosker & Rachael Bermingham
- True Spirit - Jessica Watson
- Adventures of Ook & Gluk: Kung Fu Cavemen From the Furture - Dav Pilkey
- Millennium #1: Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Steig Larsson
- Tomorrow When the War Began - John Marsden
- Delta -Tony Park
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid #3: Last Straw - Jeff Kinney
- Halo - Alexandra Adorenetto
- Kyndred #2: Dream Veil - Lynn Viel
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Author Instore Monday 23rd August
CLAUDIA GRAY WILL BE COMING TO ANGUS & ROBERTSON EDWARDSTOWN TO SAY HI AND SIGN A FEW BOOKS.
She will be here for a short time only so don't miss out on meeting her!
Time: 4pmDate: Monday 23rd August
Venue: Angus & Robertson Edwardstown, Castle Plaza - Opposite Drake Foodland
Her new book Afterlife is set to be released next year around March!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Star Wars Fatal Alliance Giveaway - Sean Williams
The fantastic Sean Williams has given us a copy of his newly released book Star Wars Old Republic: Fatal Alliance to giveaway!!
To win a copy of Seans signed book simply comment on our blog by Tuesday 24 August and I will draw it on Wednesday 25 August at 9am.
The winner will be randomly drawn!
Here is the blurb:
Tassaa Bareesh, a matriarch in the Hutt crime cartel, is holding an auction that’s drawing attention from across the galaxy. Representatives of both the Republic and the Sith Empire are present, along with a Jedi Padawan sent to investigate, a disenfranchised trooper drummed out of the Republic’s elite Blackstar Squad, and a mysterious Mandalorian with a private agenda. But the Republic’s envoy is not what he seems, the Empire’s delegate is a ruthless Sith apprentice, the Jedi Padawan is determined to do the right thing and terrified that he can’t, the trooper hopes to redeem her reputation, and the Mandalorian is somehow managing to keep one step ahead of everyone.
None of these guests—invited or uninvited—have any intention of participating in the auction. Instead they plan to steal the prize, which is locked inside an impregnable vault: two burned chunks of an exploded star cruiser, one of which may hold the key to the wealth of an entire world.
But the truth about the treasure is dangerous and deadly. And in the end, Sith and Jedi, Republic and Empire, must do something they’ve never done before, something that all the agents of good and evil could never make them do: join together to stop a powerful threat that could destroy the galaxy…
Rhonda Byrnes New Book "The Power"
PRICE: $35.00
The Secret revealed the law of attraction. Now Rhonda Byrne reveals the greatest power in the universe.
This is the handbook to the greatest power in the universe—The Power to have anything you want.
Every discovery, invention, and human creation comes from The Power. Perfect health, incredible relationships, a career you love, a life filled with happiness, and the money you need to be, do, and have everything you want, all come from The Power.
The life of your dreams has always been closer to you than you realized, because The Power— to have everything good in your life—is inside you.
To create anything, to change anything, all it takes is just one thing…The Power.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Reading?
What is everyone reading?
I've (Tarran) have finished :
Artemis Fowl: Atlantis Complex - Eoin Colfer
Nauti and Wild - Lora Leigh & Jaci Burton
I think the next book I'm gonna start is D-Gray Man (Manga) and then Thrill City by Leigh Redhead!!
Smart, sexy and strong-minded Simone Kirsch, ex-stripper and PI, returns in her fourth adventure - up to her neck in lethal fun and games on the writers' festival circuit.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Lora Leigh & Jaci Burton Review of 'Nauti and Wild' is up!
Nauti and Wild Review
Click the link to read our review of 'Nauti and Wild'
A very very good book, Highly recommened!
SPOILER WARNING IN REVIEW!
Friday, August 13, 2010
GIVEAWAY WINNER - SEAN SMITH
Can Sean Smith please email us his address so we can post out his prize.
arbooks@hotmail.co.uk
Thank you!
arbooks@hotmail.co.uk
Thank you!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Lora Leigh & Jaci Burton - Nauti and Wild
We are so excited that is book has finally come in!!!! If you are a fan of Lora Leigh and Jaci Burton then don't miss out on this book.
Inside is two novellas from these brilliant writers.
Lora Leigh is continuing on her Nauti series with "Nauti Kisses" She revisits that sultry and “sinfully good”* Southern landscape with a story of a good girl gone bad--and doing it for all the hottest reasons. But she’s not the only one going down that road…
Jaci Burton, the national bestselling author of Riding Wild and Riding Temptation, lets loose in a story of a hot biker hired to keep an eye on the reckless daughter of a Nevada senator. She’s hooked up with a rival biker gang--a dangerous move that makes the wild beauty more vulnerable than she imagined…
A review will be posted as soon as we have devoured this book!!!!!
AussieCon4 (World Con)
It is the 68th World Science Fiction Convention and it is being held in Melbourne, Australia.Some Guests of Honor are Hugo-winning author Kim Stanley Robinson, award-winning Melbourne artist Shaun Tan, and dedicated fan Robin Johnson.
If you are interested in going check out the main page AussieCon4! If you already have your tickets then are you excited to be going? Are you going in a group or by yourself? Who are you most interested in meeting? Lastly do you have enough space in your suitcase for the return trip home?
So if you have not got your tickets yet, then you better hurry up! Don't miss out on the chance to meet your favourite authors!
Star Wars Force Unleashed Giveaway Winner
We want to thank all who entered! Those that did not win please don't despair as the ever kind Sean Williams has kindly agreed to give us a copy of the newly released OLD REPUBLIC: FATAL ALLIANCE to giveaway, so keep your eyes out for it!
Now to get to the part that you are wanting to know; who the winner is.
We had a staff disscusion and decided that,
DRUM ROLL.........
The Winner is Sean Smith!
Can you please email your address to us and we will post out the book to you.
Angus & Robertson Edwardstown Email
Thank you all who entered!
P.S Cate P your story was fantastic! It made us all giggle over the chocolate wars!
For anyone who has not read it then go to Chocolate Wars Story and check it out. Defintaly worth it!
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
New Book by the Creators of Captain Underpants
ISBN: 9781741698183
PRICE: $14.99Come and Meet Ook and Gluk, who are the stars of this sensationally silly graphic novel from the creator of Captain Underpants!
The year is 500,001 BC, and Ook and Gluk's hometown of Caveland, Ohio, is under attack by an evil corporation from the future. When Ook, Gluk, and their dinosaur friend Lily are pulled through a time portal to 2222, they discover a future world that's even more devastated than their own. Luckily, they find a friend in Master Wong, a martial arts instructor who trains them in the ways of kung fu. Now all they have to do is travel back in time 502,223 years and save the day!
Ages: 7+
New Manga In Store Now!
ISBN: 9781427816719
PRICE: $15.99Kanako has a fear of boys -- so much so she breaks out into hives if a guy even touches her. To fulfill her yuri fantasies of finding a cute girlfriend, Kanaoko enrolls in an all-girl academy. There she meets Mariya, a cute girl who fits the bill, but much to her surprise (and dismay!), Mariya is actually a cross-dressing boy with sadistic tendencies.
ISBN: 9789814297707
PRICE: $14.99
Her very first memory... is filled with snow, terror, blood and vampires. Menaced by a vampire and saved by another, she is an orphan who has been adopted by the Chairman of a prestigious boarding school called Cross Academy. Meet Yuki, a spirited girl who adores her saviour, the dashing vampire called Kaname. Yuki's friend, Zero, on the other hand, suffers from a bitter past and hates vampires to the core. What secrets lie behind his tortured eyes...?
ISBN: 9781421534664
PRICE: $14.99As a child, Monkey D. Luffy dreamed of becoming the King of the Pirates, but his life changed when he accidentally gained the power to stretch like rubber?at the cost of never being able to swim again! Now Luffy, with the help of a motley collection of pirate wannabes, is setting off in search of the "One Piece," said to be the greatest treasure in the world!
Arriving Again: The Straw Hats are in a desperate battle against time and Gecko Moria to get their shadows back before dawn. Gecko Moria unleashes his devasting power of a thousand shadows, but Luffy counters back with his "Gear" powers. To save his crew, will Luffy have to make the ultimate sacrifice?
You Like Steampunk?
If you are a fan of Steampunk then try these authors out!
Gail Carriger Blog Ms. Carriger began writing in order to cope with being raised in obscurity by an expatriate Brit and an incurable curmudgeon. She escaped small town life and inadvertently acquired several degrees in Higher Learning.
Laws of Magic Facebook Michael Pryor was born in Swan Hill, Victoria. He spent his childhood in country Victoria and Melbourne before moving to Geelong at the age of 10. He lived in Geelong until he went to university in Melbourne after secondary school.
Katie MacAlister Steamed: A Steampunk Romance ISBN: 9780451229311
Gail Carriger - Soulless ISBN: 9780316056632
Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.
SOULLESS is a comedy of manners set in Victorian London: full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking. Gail Carriger Blog Ms. Carriger began writing in order to cope with being raised in obscurity by an expatriate Brit and an incurable curmudgeon. She escaped small town life and inadvertently acquired several degrees in Higher Learning.
Michael Pryor -Blaze of Glory ISBN: 9781864718621
Aubrey Fitzwilliam is the son of a prominent ex-prime minister. He's also brilliant at magic, but he's stuck at military school. At least he has his best friend, George, there to back him up. George would follow Aubrey anywhere - and with Aubrey's talent for thinking up impulsive and daring schemes that will get them both in trouble, that's no easy thing to do. Laws of Magic Facebook Michael Pryor was born in Swan Hill, Victoria. He spent his childhood in country Victoria and Melbourne before moving to Geelong at the age of 10. He lived in Geelong until he went to university in Melbourne after secondary school.
When one of Jack Fletcher's nanoelectromechanical system experiments is jostled in his lab, the resulting explosion sends him into the world of his favorite novel-a seemingly Victorian-era world of steampower, aether guns, corsets, and goggles. A world where the lovely and intrepid Octavia Pye captains her airship straight into his heart...
Katie MacAlister Blog Katie MacAlister is an American author with a passion for mystery, a fascination with alpha males, and a deep love of history. She has worked as a bird skeleton cleaner, a wave machine solderer, a Fortran programmer, and a sales assistant for Harrod's. .
New Metaphysical Books - New Age
Masaru Emotos 15 extensive years of study on water has given him the background to discuss what water is, how it has been implicated in the creation of the universe, and why a perfect ratio of Love and Gratitude can help this energy can go on infinitely. This fascinating book explains how our prayers, goodwill, and positive words heal us humans-as well as viruses and the universe as a whole-through water.  ISBN: 9781401927462 PRICE $18.99  In this delightful book, Louise L. Hay discusses the power and importance of affirmations and shows you how to apply them right now! Louise explains that when you state an affirmation, you’re really saying to your subconscious mind: “I am taking responsibility. I am aware that there is something I can do to change.” ISBN: 9781401927486 PRICE: $24.99  Your complete one-volume guide to the year 2011. This fantastic and in depth book includes month-by-month forecasts for every sign and all you need to know to find out what is in store for you in the year ahead. ISBN: 9780007339167 PRICE: $24.99 |
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
FREE GIVE AWAY - Star Wars Unleashed
We have a copy of Sean Williams Star Wars: Force Unleashed Novel up for grabs!All you have to do is comment on the blog why you would like a copy.
The winner will announced Thursday morning 12th August!!
BestSeller List for the Week!
Fiction BestSellers - 06/08/2010 - 10/08/2010
- 1) Lost Symbol - Dan Brown (Fiction)
- 2) Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett (Fiction)
- 3) Journey to Wudang #1: Hell to Heaven (Fantasy)
- 4) Quantum Encryption #1: Path of the Stray - Kim Falconer (Fantasy)
- 5) Passionate Realities - Nicole Austin (Erotica)
- 6) Sea Haven #8: Water Bound - Christine Feehan (Paranormal)
- 7) Deja Dead - Kathy Reichs (Crime)
- 8) Witches of Eleanan #1: Dragonclaw - Kate Forsyth (Fantasy)
- 9) Tomorrow #1: Tomorrow When the War Began - John Marsden (Teen)
- 10) In Pursuit of a Scandalous Lady - Gayle Callen (Romance)
Monday, August 9, 2010
Immortal Beloved October New Release Review
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Things seen in a bookstore
We have one customer, when we were just starting to get all the paranormal titles in, she was fantastic! She let us know what type of books she was interested in and so we started to get them in for her. Now our paranormal section has gone from one shelf to a whole bay, which sometimes over flows.
Another example is our Manga section as well, we had a few Manga books, but we kept getting asked for them so we stocked up on the ones the customers wanted and now we can take a chance on new titles as well.
This blog post is about as a customer do not be afraid to ask for something to be ordered in! If we don't stock it then please do ask. We really like feedback on what type of books you would like to see in your bookstore!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Paranormal - Whats your favourite?
What is your favourite type of paranormal? Is it Vampires, Weres, Angels - Fallen or otherwise.
Why do you think the paranormal is such a big seller? What draws people to it. We would be very interested in your ideas and comments!!
Fiction BestSellers - 29/07/2010- 05/08/2010
- 1) Conqueror #1: Empire of Silver - Conn Iggulden (FICTION)
- 2) Don't Blink - James Patterson (CRIME)
- 3) Journey to Wudang #2: Hell to Heaven - Kylie Chan (FANTASY)
- 4) DragonSword Histories #3: Radiant Child - Duncan Lay (FANTASY)
- 5) Five People You Meet in Heaven - Mitch Albom (FICTION)
- 6) Amed and Dangerous #2: Luke - Cheyenne Mccray (EROTICA)
- 7) Tempting Seals #2: Dangerous Games - Lora Leigh (ROMANCE)
- 8) Diary of a Wimpy Kid #1 - Jeff Kinney (CHJ)
- 9) Thomas Library: Thomas (PICTURE)
- 10) Cherub #8: Mad Dogs - Robert Muchamore (TEEN)
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Hunger Games #3: Mockingjay - World Wide Release 25th August 2010
Don't miss out on your copy of the final book in the Hunger Games series. Pre order today!
Tomorrow When The War Began - Movie Tie in
Somewhere out there Ellie and her friends are hiding.
They're shocked, they're frightened, they're alone.
Their world has changed, with the speed of a slamming door.
They've got no weapons – except courage.
They've got no help – except themselves.
They've got nothing – except friendship.
How strong can you be, when the world is full of people trying to kill you?
Tomorrow, When the War Began is the first of an enormously popular series that has been translated and published all over the world. It is the book that started the series that became the legend...
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Young Adult Fiction
As a bookseller we see alot of books come in and go out. Some the teenagers like and some they don't, you will get that. We see a lot of Y/A books that cross the boundries where mainly adults read them. Some of our most popular Y/A authors are Kristen and P.C Cast, Stephanie Meyer, Michael Pryor, Kate Forsyth, Eoin Colfer, Richard Flanagan, Robert Muchamore, Richelle Mead, Garth Nix and many more.
Our question to you is what draws you into these books? What makes you want to buy them? I know why I read a lot of Y/A fiction, I love the characters and the cleaness of the stories.I love the 'Cherub' series buy Robert Muchamore because it is gritty and shows a truth that many adults seem to forget; Children are people too.
Richelle Mead's 'Vampire Academy' and Kristen and P.C Cast ' House of Night' shows the value of bonds between friends and enemies.
Michael Pryor "Laws of Magic' show that techonolgy and magic can exsist together and that we need to embrace both in our lives.
It is fantastic our childern are embracing these ideals and forging something inside themselves. They are learning lessons and history by reading these stories as most of them have some basis in fact, whether they are fantasy, urban, medieval etc.. I read one post the other day saying this girl was at a quiz night and she knew some of the answers because she had leaned them from reading fantasy. I believe it was a question about armor.
Well that is my rant for the day, Please do tell us why you like to read and what do you get out of it?
Monday, August 2, 2010
Interview with Michael Pryor
We asked Michael Pryor, the author of the 'Laws of Magic' series to give us a moment of his time for an interview. He kindly agreed and here it is!
A&R: Can you please explain your world and the premise of your novel!
‘The Laws of Magic’ (including the just released ‘Moment of Truth’) is set in a world like our own in Edwardian times – except that it has magic as an integral part of society. Imagine 1910, but with magic operating on much the same basis as science. It is a legitimate area of rational study, observation and experimentation, with many new discoveries happening all the time. This is a turbulent world, full of social change, technological change and political change, and with the dangerous prospect of a major war on the horizon.
The series is about the adventures of a young man, a talented magician, making his way in this world. Aubrey Fitzwilliam has ambitions, but he also has the handicap of being balanced on edge of life and death, thanks to a magical experiment gone wrong. Thanks in part to his father being Prime Minister, Aubrey and his friends become involved in conspiracies and plots mostly involving the malevolent sorcerer Dr Mordecai Tremaine, who is doing his best to bring a world to war.
A&R: Why Steampunk?
I love Steampunk because it combines the appeal of Victorian/Edwardian times, with its courtesy, manners and formality with the capacity to incorporate wildly imaginative elements. It’s romantic, it’s fun, and it allows a writer to use language that would, naturally, be considered obsolete or archaic if used in a contemporary world. It’s often full of adventure, heroism and values that are seen as old-fashioned and unfashionable – duty, human dignity and self-sacrifice, but they have an charm that is resonating with many, many readers.
And then there’s the clothes …
Genre definitions are always tricky. Often, a genre starts off with a particular format, or a set of characteristics, and as it grows writers start experimenting and pushing the boundaries. In some ways, then, ‘classic’ Steampunk is set in Victorian/Edwardian times, but variations can – and do – flourish. I suppose the general principle (revelling in slightly anachronistic technology in an historical era) can produce something Steampunkish, but I can imagine writing something adventurous set in Georgian times, or Elizabethan times …
A&R:Are there any occupational hazards to being a novelist?
Apart from the neck and shoulders issues that come from hunching over a keyboard for far too long, the main hazard I worry about is forgetfulness. I have no shortage of ideas for my stories, but I have a dread of having a magnificent idea and then forgetting it … That’s why I try to carry a pen with me wherever I go. I can usually find a piece of paper, if inspiration strikes, but a pen is never around when you need it.
Occasionally, other people can be a hazard, especially the ones who come up to you and say ‘I’ve got a story, but I’ve never had time to write it. Maybe you’d like to?’
A&R:Ever dispatched someone and then regretted it?
I always regret it whenever I dispatch someone in a story, but by the time they’ve gone I’ve usually convinced myself that it was necessary for the narrative. I don’t do it through spite, or through a sense of justice – it happens because the story demands it.
Right near the end of my second ever novel – ‘Talent’ – I had to dispatch the main character’s best friend. I tried not to, but the whole story had been leading up to this crucial, character defining event. I tried to avoid it, I wrote versions where it didn’t happen, where he was only wounded, where he had a lucky escape, where someone else died instead of him, but none of them worked. When I finally did the deed, I regretted it immediately, because he was nice guy, very funny, very appealing – but I held firm, and it made the story work.
A&R:What are the most important attributes to remaining sane as a writer?
Having a life that’s interesting and full. Believing in your own ability while, at the same time, being open to feedback. Having a good income stream, because nothing adds more to stress than money worries. Having good professional support from editor and publisher. Being able to share the occasional frustrations with people who understand, be they family or writing colleagues. Facebook and Twitter, because they can help lessen the sometimes solitariness of writing. Exercise, because it frees up the mind as well as the body. Having a good imagination.
A&R:Do you feel any of your heroes or villains could possibly exist in the real world?
I do my best to make my characters realistic, or believable, so I think that they could indeed live in the real world. Some of them, the villains especially, I wouldn’t like to bump into, but most of them I’d be very keen to meet. Aubrey Fitzwilliam, George Doyle and Caroline Fitzwilliam would be wonderful dinner guests, and I’d have to be on my toes to keep up with their conversation.
A&R: Do you think that fiction brings something to peoples’ lives?
I firmly believe that fiction makes better people. There are some very serious studies that show that reading fiction is vital – especially for young people – to help them develop a sense of empathy, to understand what it’s like to be someone else. When you read fiction, good fiction, you immerse yourself in another’s experience and you can learn about other experiences, other places, other ways.
As well as that very worthy benefit, I also think that fiction has a somewhat overlooked benefit – it can bring joy. Reading fiction can be superb entertainment – it can delight us, it can thrill us, it can make us laugh, it can make us cry. This is a magnificent thing that can be gained from a tiny paper package.
A&R: What led you into a writing career?
I wanted to write because I loved reading so much. I wanted to do for other people what my favourite writers were doing for me. I wanted to inspire them, I wanted to make them gasp, I wanted to make them keep turning pages to see what was going to happen next. It’s a marvellous consensual partnership, that between writer and reader, and I’m fortunate to be part of it.
A&R: Are the names of your characters are important? And what do they mean?
Character names are vital to the story – and they can be a real headache. I spend an enormous amount of time trying to get my character names right, because having a name that doesn’t fit a character is a sure-fire way to spoil a story.
I look for a match, a name that clicks. It shouldn’t be too unusual, but it shouldn’t be too commonplace either. It must sound right as well as look right, so I actually say every possible name out loud to see if it works.
Sometimes names come easily, sometimes they are extremely difficult. ‘Aubrey Fitzwilliam’ came to me very early, and I was happy with it. ‘George Doyle’ was a bit trickier – I thought ‘George’ was a perfect fit for the era, and then I had an idea of using the name of the creator of Sherlock Holmes as a bit of a tribute. ‘Caroline Hepworth’ was another one I culled from books of the era, with ‘Caroline’ being one of the more popular names of the time and ‘Hepworth’ was the surname of a minor Victorian musician.
One other thing. Sometimes, it pays for your main character to have a short name – because you’re going to write that name so many times …
There you have it! An awesome interview with an awesome author. Michaels new book "Laws of Magis #5: Moment of Truth is our now in all bookstores. Michael Pryor has published a number of fantasy books and over forty short stories, from literary fiction to science fiction to slapstick humour. Michael has been shortlisted six times for the Aurealis Awards (including for BLAZE OF GLORY and HEART OF GOLD), has been nominated for a Ditmar award, and five of his books have been CBCA Notable Books, including WORD OF HONOUR. His most recent series are THE CHRONICLES OF KRANGOR for younger readers and THE LAWS OF MAGIC for older readers. He is currently writing the final book in the LAWS OF MAGIC series.
Here is the blurb to Moments of Truth
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