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#FearlessWomen Authors Talk Procrastination

#FearlessWomen Authors Talk Procrastination

Writing nuanced, fearless, and even unlikeable women protagonists is hard work. So we asked 2018’s #fearlesswomen program authors one of our favorite writing questions, and they told us tales of floof, twitter, and binge-watching.

What’s your favorite way to procrastinate?

 

Jacqueline Carey:

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I like to cook. Generally speaking, the only good thing about procrastinating is that you can harness the energy required to avoid doing something you really don’t want to do (say, filling out a tax planner) to undertake a slightly less undesirable task (say, scrubbing the bathtub). But in many ways, cooking is the perfect complement to writing. I love words. I love the plasticity of language, I love bringing characters—and entire worlds—to life! And yet, it can be a profound relief to set verbal elements aside to concentrate on an art form that nurtures the body as well as the mind and soul.

Sherrilyn Kenyon:

Talking to my children.

V. E. Schwab:

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I am a master of the productive procrastination—I will happily avoid one task with another. I also love a good Netflix binge. When I first discover a show, I’m terrible at stopping at one episode.

Mary Robinette Kowal:

Napping. I have a very fluffy cat named Sadie who emits a strong nap field. Sometimes, I head to my writing chair, and she jumps up on the nearby sofa with a little mrrrrrp! She stares at me meaningfully, drawing me closer with her floofiness and her chirrups until I succumb and lie down. Then she settles, purring, on my chest with her head on my shoulder. Productivity is doomed.

S. L. Huang:

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The most likely way I procrastinate is to get distracted by INTERNET FOREVER!!!! But if I can swing it, my favorite procrastination is to delay doing something I should be doing by still being wildly productive. Like, before I was a published writer, sometimes it would be, “I’m going to procrastinate on this problem set by writing 12,000 words!” (Which worked out rather well for me.) Now that I’m writing professionally, it’s, “I need to write 12,000 words… TIME TO CLEAN THE BATHROOM!”

Sam Hawke:

Ooooh, hard to say, because I have so very, very many. I’m a big fan of vital, time critical chores like cleaning out the pantry/fridge, blowing the dust out of my keyboard and reviewing the 400 tabs I have open on Chrome to check whether I can close any (spoiler: I won’t!).

Robyn Bennis:

Poster Placeholder of - 27That’s a hard question, not because I’m having trouble thinking of an answer, but because I’m having trouble picking from the dozens of answers that spring to mind.

If we’re going by sheer insidiousness, the winner is pacing. I tend to pace back and forth when I’m trying to work out a tricky plot snag, or come up with the perfect dialogue. So pacing seems like a productive pursuit, right? Not at all. It takes me away from the screen, and my mind inevitably wanders. Before I know it, I’ve spent an hour pondering the implications of the weak nuclear force on the ability to heal crystals in Steven Universe.

If we’re going by pure potential for time wastyness, however, the winner would have to be social media. Which is unsurprising, since most social media is designed from the ground up to waste as much of your time as possible, and to keep you coming back. For this reason, I forbid myself even a peek at Twitter, Facebook, and et cetera when I’m writing.

K. Arsenault Rivera:

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There are so many wonderful way to procrastinate these days. The simplest answer here is that I’m terrible at most video games, so I have to dump a lot of time into them if I want to get good—and I’ve recently gotten into Rainbow Six: Siege. I, uh, have lost a lot of time to learning that you don’t reinforce between sites. I’d like to thank all the people on the Western Europe servers who taught me that lesson with lead.

Mirah Bolender:

I love trawling through social media in search of really bad jokes. I love puns, the more groan-worthy the better.

Fran Wilde:

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Twitter, drawing, and fountain pens.

 

Same guys. Same.

 

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Meet the #FearlessWomen: Barsalai Shefali from The Phoenix Empress

Meet the #FearlessWomen: Barsalai Shefali from The Phoenix Empress

Placeholder of  -8Written by Lisa Ickowicz

I am Barsalai Shefali, and I have earned that name twice over.

Barsalayaa Shefali is a woman of few words, but she is fierce, loyal and compassionate. Born to a Qorin family—a tribe of nomadic peoples within the Hokkaran Empire—her early years are filled with riding horses and learning to shoot a bow and arrow. Her life is not easy or privileged. The Hokkarans hate her dark horse-like looks and her own Qorin people dislike her because they think she is too pampered. Growing up Shefali only has one real friend: O Shizuka.

Shefali has her destiny intertwined with Shizuka’s from birth. Shefali’s mother is a dedicated servant and loyal friend to Shizuka’s mother. The girls grow up together and though they live across the empire’s borders they keep in contact through letters. Shefali can’t read or write Hokkaran, but she painstakingly learns—perfecting her calligraphy to impress Shizuka. The friendship between the two girls grows into a love between two women.

In The Phoenix Empress, Shefali is returning to Fujino to see O Shizuka after eight years in exile. But she soon finds that she is not returning to her beloved wife, but rather the Hokkaran Empress—a woman whose habits she does not know. Adorned in empress robes, with a painted white face, and glassy eyes, Shizuka is not the same woman Shefali left behind. Shizuka’s love of her ink bowl and calligraphy has been replaced by an obsession with getting drunk on wine. And it’s in that drunken state that Shefali finds her when they reunite. Instead of showing anger or resentment towards Shizuka, Shefali scoops her into her arms. She lays with her and calms her night terrors with a song. She is and always has been Shizuka’s rock. Shefali has endured trials the most superstitious would not believe in order to return to Hokkaran court and claim her rightful place next to Shizuka. Yet she still willingly wants to carry the weight of her wife’s troubles.

“I couldn’t ask you to do that,” Shizuka says. “You carry so much already. My suffering is a grain of rice, and yours is a boulder.”

 Shefali kisses her on the forehead.

 “You didn’t ask,” she says. “And suffering is not a contest. Losing a limb, losing a horse, losing a friend—the pain’s different, but the crying’s the same.”

 Shefali constantly balances her role as a loyal, caring wife and a fierce, fearless warrior. But when a familiar demonic force grows closer, and tragedy befalls her, Shefali must do all she can to save herself, Shizuka, and the entire empire.

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Learning to Write #FearlessWomen

Learning to Write #FearlessWomen

Place holder  of - 62Written by Mirah Bolender

From the moment I started writing, I limited myself in the type of characters I created. When I was a child, I insisted that I’d only write about animals, because those were the only things that I could draw decently and I loved drawing my characters. I essentially wrote humans in fur coats, but that didn’t matter. I felt like I could understand them better this way, in their disguises. A popular saying is “write what you know,” which makes sense as generic writing advice and also because I was obsessed with the Redwall series at the time. I read about talking animal-people, so I wrote the same. I freely admit that the results were awful. I’ve improved since then, but the “write what you know” concept stuck to me harder than I thought. Years and years later, in a writing class, another student critiquing my writing said my piece was decent, but also “a sausage fest.” It was. And it rightly bothered me. Why did I write such a drastic imbalance, I wondered. I hadn’t even thought about it—I’d thrown together interesting characters from older projects, and it happened that few of them were female. What was up with that?

Imagine your favorite book or movie. What made it special? The action? The plot that kept you guessing at every turn? The indomitable protagonist, who always came out on top? Think a little more about that protagonist. In most of the mainstream plots I followed, the protagonist was male. He had male friends. If a woman was involved, she was never at the front. There were roles for her, of course: the girlfriend, the girl next door who’d become the best friend’s girlfriend, a trickster with girlfriend potential who led the protagonist on, and, of course, the villainess, usually a more complex flavor of the previous example. Sometimes a woman could be a hero, but she’d be horribly outnumbered by the men on her team, and as the only member of her sex she had to embody it to extremes. She had to be addicted to shopping or scared of bugs, anything interesting she knew came from her brothers, and she inevitably had to become a frail damsel that the male heroes could rescue and have crushes on. She had to fit a mold.

I’m sure a lot of women remember a rejection of femininity during their early years. Pink suddenly a color to be avoided at all costs; bragging about having male friends because other girls were “too much drama.” You couldn’t enjoy anything girly, because it meant the mold. Male heroes, meanwhile, were allowed to have growth and depth. They could struggle and rage in situations deserving of it, while women became the distant trophy or got bullied into positions they clearly disliked, with the overwhelming message that this is how it has to be, and she was a bitch for trying to refuse abuse in the first place.

When I first came out of my only-write-animals phase, I wanted to write a male protagonist. He wouldn’t have the baggage a female would; he wouldn’t have to constantly reiterate his gender instead of who he was, would not have to exclusively focus on romance. As an asexual not quite at terms with myself, this was incredibly appealing. At the same time, it was awful. I was going to write what I knew, and I, a girl, didn’t think I could understand myself or people like me.

In the here and now, I’ve noticed something— the male characters I love have heavily feminine-coded traits. They are empathetic, thoughtful, vulnerable, and treasure other people above themselves. They teem with traits that would make a female character seem bland, but being male, they are allowed to play out grand stories where their compassion factors in without being written off. I want female characters to have that without being denounced as just another mold.

I think a lot of characters in my old works are like the animal ones: disguised, because that was the only way I could imagine them. I’m so glad other writers were able to dig out of that hole before I did, because these days I’m seeing so many female characters that are, unapologetically, complete people. Maybe they’re kind. Maybe they’re not. It doesn’t matter, because they’re compelling as all hell and I want to read about all of them.

Being a part of the #FearlessWomen campaign is phenomenal, because I’m surrounded by those who break the mold. There’s no need for disguises at this point. They are women, and they are whole, and they are not ashamed.

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#FearlessWomen Authors Tell Us How They Fell In Love with Sci-Fi and Fantasy

#FearlessWomen Authors Tell Us How They Fell In Love with Sci-Fi and Fantasy

We’ve been celebrating Fearless Women all year, and we asked some of the authors who are crafting elaborate worlds and nuanced female characters to chat with us about how they first fell in love with genre storytelling.

 

How and when did you first fall in love with science fiction and fantasy?

 

Jacqueline Carey:

Through the wardrobe with Lucy Pevensie!  Narnia was my gateway. I’m not sure how old I was, maybe seven. After that, Lloyd Alexander’s Chronicles of Prydain was probably my second great love in the genre. That’s a series that I don’t see discussed often in popular culture, at least in the U.S., but when I reference it, other writers often nod in agreement and understanding.

To this day, I credit Taran Wanderer with teaching me to wrestle with challenging and scary adult concepts like the fact that you don’t always get your heart’s desire. It also gave me a life-long romanticized view of throwing pottery on the wheel (which, I will add, owes nothing to the movie Ghost, although it didn’t hurt.)

 

V. E. Schwab:

I was eleven when Harry Potter came out, so I am indebted to it for making me a reader, while Neil Gaiman’s work in poetry and prose made me a writer, and Susanna Clarke’s Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell swept me away.

 

Sherrilyn Kenyon:

Honestly? Before I was born. My mother was a huge fan and I’m sure I heard it in the womb and knew I was in love prior to my arrival. One of my earliest childhood memories is turning the kitchen chairs on their sides and pretending I was an astronaut blasting into space. The first novel I wrote at eight years old was sci-fantasy mixed with horror. Maybe it’s because I was born the same year Star Trek debuted, but I was hooked and can’t imagine a life without it.

 

Mary Robinette Kowal:

I honestly don’t remember a time that I wasn’t reading science fiction. Children’s literature doesn’t draw the hard lines that adult works do. But I’ll tell you the first book that I was conscious of as science fiction: Enchantress from the Stars by Sylvia Engdahl. It’s YA, but I read it in elementary school, and it’s the first one that I remember finishing and thinking “I want more books like this.”

 

S. L. Huang:

I was long gone as a SFF fan before I even knew it was a genre. Thanks to my mom, the public library was a regular destination growing up, and I remember coming home every week with another boatload of books. I also spent all my allowance on books—well, books and Legos! I read everything I could get my hands on, and it was only much later that I looked at my shelves and realized somewhere along the way all my favorites had ended up being the ones with spaceships and sword fights.

If I had to take a guess, I’d say I love SFF so much because of the way it allows us to examine real, hard truths about the world through a metaphorical lens—sometimes when it’s too difficult to look at those truths straight on. But also, you know, spaceships and sword fights are just cool.

 

Robyn Bennis:

Like most nerds of my generation, my initiation came via Star Trek reruns. I might have been seven when I started watching the original series obsessively. It started as a childish interest in aliens and spaceships, but as I matured, I began to appreciate the deeper levels of the show.

I think this is why so many writers cite Star Trek as inspiration. It can be enjoyed on multiple levels, from mindless lightshow to philosophical examination, so it’s always ready to teach you a new lesson in storytelling. Beyond that, there’s such a strong sense of optimism written into the very fiber of the series. Kirk, contrary to his reputation, strives to find a diplomatic solution to every conflict, considering violence not just a last resort, but an outright failure of his core mission. Science and discovery are so highly valued that they’ve become the primary pursuit of Starfleet, with defense second. And need I even mention Uhura, who fearlessly stands up and takes crap from no man, whether they’re friend, enemy, or, in one case, even Abraham Lincoln? Perhaps my favorite moment in the entire series is when Sulu, who’s involuntarily space-drunk, reassures her, “I’ll protect you, fair maiden!” Uhura replies, “Sorry, neither,” and shoots him a look that says, “I can protect myself just fine, dude.”

 

Sam Hawke:

I can’t remember a time when fantasy and science fiction weren’t part of my life. We grow up surrounded by stories designed to ask ‘what if’ or to transport us to another world, and children seem to be hardwired to enjoy the wonder and curiosity and exploration that those stories invoke in us. It’s no surprise that fairy tales and myths in almost every culture are often based around speculative elements even as they are teaching about people and the real world. Most of the media I consumed as a kid was in the realm of SFF–from Hans Christian Andersen and Grimm Brothers fairy tales, Enid Blyton stories full of magical creatures and different worlds at the top of the Faraway Tree to Star Blazers and Astro Boy on the TV. I guess some people feel like they have to outgrow dragons–I just moved on from picture book dragons to The Hobbit and never looked back.

 

K Arsenault Rivera:

Honestly, I can’t remember a time I wasn’t interested in genre fiction. As a kid I wrote a letter to the mayor because I thought my elementary school library didn’t have enough books on Greek myth. Between my dad fostering in me a love of ridiculous over the top video games from a young age there was really no other path for me to walk. Or read, as it were. If I couldn’t swing a sword at a couple hundred demons while shouting “showtime!”, then I’d have to make a character who could.

 

Mirah Bolender:

Fantasy was the baseline of every story I read from childhood—what Disney movie or fairy tale isn’t fantasy?—but what really solidified it for me was discovering the Redwall series in elementary school. I latched onto sword-wielding mice and never looked back.

 

Fran Wilde:

I was eight, and being raised by a library and a small independent bookstore. The bookstore kept a box of science fiction and fantasy novels set aside for my sister and me. The library had a great collection too. We both started reading SFF and we never really stopped.

 

 

 

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Meet the #FearlessWomen: Cas Russell from Zero Sum Game

Meet the #FearlessWomen: Cas Russell from Zero Sum Game

Place holder  of - 72Written by Lisa Ickowicz

Name: Cas Russell

Age: 25

Sex: Female

Eyes: Brown

Hair: Brown, Curly

Marital Status: Single

Address: Unknown

Occupation: Retriever. She gets things back for people. And will take any job…for the right price.

Strengths: Cas Russell is good at math. Too good. She’s able to bring down armed men twice her size and whole motorcycle gangs using vector calculus. Momentum, velocities, objects in motion—these are her deadly weapons of choice. Also a skilled weapons expert, she can handle a .45 caliber and a 9 millimeter better than most police officers. She collects grenades and treats her favorite gun like a cherished pet. And when guns and other hardware aren’t available, she can turn a shard of broken windowpane or a houseplant into a deadly weapon.

Weaknesses: Though Cas is ruled by logic and mathematics, she can let her emotions get the best of her. She has a deep loyalty towards her allies. Linked to a ruthless mercenary known as Rio, she will put herself in harms way if anyone threatens him. She’s also not always the best judge of character and can let money cloud her judgment. As proven when she accepts a job that gets her mixed up with someone with a power even more dangerous than her own.

Evaluation: Cas Russell is not only very intelligent, highly skilled and fiercely independent. She is fearless. She is able to use quantum mathematics to shoot around corners, drive any vehicle anywhere, and fall off of buildings without getting hurt. She possesses the powers of a modern day superhero, and as such she is also somewhat flawed. Her moral compass continually sways back and forth between being highly loyal to her allies, having a soft spot for kids, yet not hesitating to leave a trail of dead bodies in order to accomplish her goal. Although she can solve almost any math equation, the one thing that she can’t add up is her own past. So she lives in the moment, taking one retrieval job after the next—getting anything back for anyone—if the price is right. Cas has faced many frightening enemies and she is about to face her most dangerous yet. Someone who wants to become the world’s puppet master. Someone that can reach directly into Cas’ own mind. And not having control of her own thoughts may be the one thing that puts her fearlessness to the test.

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Meet the #FearlessWomen: Sydney Clarke from Vengeful

Meet the #FearlessWomen: Sydney Clarke from Vengeful

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Written by Katherine Forester

The Clarke sisters looked identical, despite the fact that Serena was seven years older, and seven inches taller. The resemblance stemmed partly from genes and partly from Sydney’s adoration for her big sister.

When Sydney Clarke first appears in Vicious, she’s in a tough spot: alone, betrayed by her older sister Serena, and seriously injured. A near-death experience – hypothermia after falling through thin ice – has changed both sisters, made them more than human. Serena’s power, mind control, makes her the perfect ally for the villainous Eli Ever, whose mission is to kill all the extraordinaries (EOs) he can find. And Sydney? Sydney’s power is resurrection, which makes her one of Eli’s most hunted targets.

Sydney is found by the side of the road by Victor Vale, Eli’s rival, and quickly becomes a key member of his group. Not only is her power integral to Victor’s plans of revenge against Eli, but her humanity in the face of evil helps bring the hardened criminals of Vicious together. Not to mention the pet dog she resurrects for her found-family!

Come Vengeful, Sydney is struggling with her seemingly unchanged looks (after all, what adventurous 18-year-old wants to look like she’s still 13?) and the death of her sister. To make matters worse, Victor hasn’t been quite right since Sydney resurrected him: he can’t control his powers and he’s on a killing spree. All this with the ever-looming threat of the EON, ExtraOrdinary Observation and Neutralization, a facility built specifically to detain people with powers.

Barred from making her own decisions and forced to live in hiding, Sydney refuses to let her circumstances define her. She starts pushing back and sneaking out, making new friends along the way. New friends like June, a shapeshifter who could offer her freedom from Victor’s curse.

I don’t want you to save me. I want to save myself.

Sydney is tired of being used by people, tired of hiding, tired of being betrayed. Her powers are growing, after all, and every day she can control them better. She’s going to live by her own rules. She’s going to make her own family.

She’s going to bring her sister back.

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Download the #FearlessWomen Fall Sampler today!

Download the #FearlessWomen Fall Sampler today!

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Image Placeholder of - 30Meet this fall’s #FearlessWomen! These are the authors who are shaping new blockbuster worlds—and re-shaping our own. Highlighting major titles from bestselling authors V. E. Schwab, K Arsenault Rivera, Nancy Kress as well as titles from acclaimed and debut authors such as S.L. Huang, Fran Wilde, and Mirah Bolender we think you’ll love the stories these #FearlessWomen have to tell.

This free #FearlessWomen Sampler features the first 20 to 30 pages from each of the following titles:

 

Plus, make sure to use the #FearlessWomen hashtag on Twitter to learn about giveaways and other content celebrating fearless women!

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#FearlessWomen Sweepstakes

#FearlessWomen Sweepstakes

FearlessWomen Sweepstakes

OFFICIAL RULES

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN THIS SWEEPSTAKES. OPEN ONLY TO LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES, D.C. AND CANADA (EXCLUDING QUEBEC) WHO ARE 13 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER AT THE TIME OF ENTRY. U.S. LAW GOVERNS THIS SWEEPSTAKES. VOID IN QUEBEC AND WHERE PROHIBITED.

  1. ELIGIBILITY: The #FearlessWomen Sweepstakes (the “Sweepstakes”) is open only to persons who as of the date of entry (and, if a winner, as of the date of prize fulfillment) are a legal resident of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia or Canada (excluding Quebec) and who are 13 years of age or older. We are sorry for the geographic restrictions, unfortunately it is required for various legal reasons. Persons who as of the date of entry (and, if a winner, as of the date of prize fulfillment) are an employee of Tom Doherty Associates (“Sponsor”) or any of Sponsor’s Affiliates (as defined in Section 7), and members of the immediate family or household (whether or not related) of any such employee, are not eligible. Eligibility determinations will be made by Sponsor in its discretion and will be final and binding. U.S. law governs this Sweepstakes. Void in Quebec and where prohibited by law.
  2. HOW TO ENTER: The entry period for the Sweepstakes begins at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on July 27, 2018 and continues through 11:59 p.m. ET on July 23, 2018 (the “Entry Period”). No purchase is necessary. Any entrant who is under 18 years of age or otherwise under the legal age of majority in the jurisdiction in which the entrant resides (a “Minor”) must obtain permission to enter from his or her parent or legal guardian, and the agreement of the parent or legal guardian to these Official Rules, prior to entry. Entrants may enter the Sweepstakes via Instagram. To enter the Sweepstakes via Instagram, during the Entry Period, entrants must make an Instagram comment on an Instagram post sent from Sponsor’s @torbooks Instagram account that is identified as being part of the Sweepstakes entry process (i.e., a Instagram post indicating that by making a comment on the post, the entrant will have the opportunity to enter the Sweepstakes). To be eligible, the entrant must “follow” Sponsor’s @torbooks Instagram account. Each Instagram comment must comply with all terms and conditions and technical requirements of Instagram, including without limitation the Terms of Use and the Community Guidelines. Entrants are prohibited from inaccurately tagging content or encouraging other Instagram users to inaccurately tag content in any Instagram comment or post. General Entry Terms and Conditions: An Instagram comment that is submitted for purposes of Sweepstakes entry is referred to in these Official Rules as a “Submission.” Submitting a Submission during the Entry Period constitutes acknowledgement of and consent to these Official Rules. Each Submission must comply with all of the submission guidelines set forth in this Section 2 and in Section 3 below. Each Submission may be submitted only once. If a particular Submission is submitted more than once, Sponsor will have the right to disqualify all entrants who submitted the duplicative Submission. There is a limit of one entry per person, regardless of the method of entry used. All entries must be completed and received by Sponsor prior to the conclusion of the Entry Period. Entry times will be determined by the timestamp attributed to the entrant’s Submission by the social media platform used by the entrant to enter. The entrant must be the registered user of the social media account used to submit the Submission. Normal time rates, if any, charged by the entrant’s Internet or mobile service provider will apply. All entries are subject to verification at any time. Proof of submission does not constitute proof of entry. Sponsor will have the right, in its discretion, to require proof of identity and/or eligibility in a form acceptable to Sponsor (including, without limitation, government-issued photo identification). Failure to provide such proof to the satisfaction of Sponsor in a timely manner may result in disqualification. The entrant must be able to receive private messages from the social media account used by the entrant to enter the Sweepstakes (i.e., an Instagram Direct message) from the time of submission through sixty days after the end of the Entry Period to enable Sponsor to communicate with potential winners.
  3. SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: Each Submission must comply with the following guidelines: (a) the Submission must be original and have been created solely by the entrant; (b) the entrant must own the copyright in the Submission; (c) the Submission must not previously have been submitted in connection with any sweepstakes or contest, published for commercial purposes or won any award; (d) the Submission must be truthful and accurate; (e) if the Submission identifies, depicts, contains or otherwise uses any Personality Rights (as defined below) of any person (except for the entrant and if entrant is a Minor, his or her parent or legal guardian, or any author or subject of a book promoted in this Sweepstakes, or any person identified in Sponsor’s social media communications relating to this Sweepstakes), the entrant must have prior to submitting the Submission obtained written consent from such person (or his or her parent or legal guardian, if the person is a Minor) to the use of such person’s Personality Rights, as applicable, in the Submission and the use by the Licensees (as defined in Section 6) of the Submission including such person’s Personality Rights, as applicable, as permitted pursuant to these Official Rules; (f) the Submission must not contain any email address, mailing address, phone number, social security number, or, except as permitted in clause (e) directly above, other personally identifying information of any person; (g) the Submission must not include any brand name, trademark or logo of any entity (other than brand names, trademarks or logos associated with Sponsor or referenced in Sponsor’s social media communications relating to this Sweepstakes); (h) the Submission must not contain any material that violates or infringes upon the rights of any third party, including without limitation any copyright, trademark or right of privacy or publicity, or that is unlawful, in violation of or contrary to any applicable law or regulation, or the use of which by the Licensees as permitted pursuant to these Official Rules would require a license or permission from (other than pursuant to clause (e) above) or payment to any third party; (i) the Submission must not exhibit the entrant engaging in or otherwise promoting any illegal, sexually explicit, violent or dangerous behavior; (j) the Submission must not contain any material that is disparaging, defamatory, discriminatory, bigoted, threatening, indecent, violent, obscene or offensive; and (k) the Submission must not contain any material that Sponsor, in its sole discretion, deems inappropriate for public viewing, display and/or promoting Sponsor’s or its affiliates content, authors and imprints. “Personality Rights” means the name, likeness, image, voice and biographical information of or any statement attributed to any person. By submitting a Submission, the entrant and if entrant is a Minor, his or her parent or legal guardian, each represents and warrants that the entrant has complied with all of the foregoing requirements and has obtained all permissions, licenses and consents that are necessary for the submitting of the Submission and to the use by the Licensees of the Submission as permitted pursuant to these Official Rules and to verify compliance with the foregoing requirements. Each entrant agrees to provide to Sponsor at Sponsor’s request copies of all such permissions, licenses and consents and, if requested by Sponsor, to obtain additional permissions, licenses and consents from the applicable parties in a form specified by Sponsor. Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any Submission that Sponsor determines does not comply with these guidelines, to require the entrant to remove the Submission from the applicable social media platform, or to require the entrant to make such changes to any Submission as are necessary to make it compliant.  Sponsor will also have the right to take such actions relating to its social media accounts as are permitted pursuant to the applicable social media platform’s policies.
  4. WINNER SELECTION AND NOTIFICATION: Following the conclusion of the Entry Period, one potential Grand Prize winner(s) will be selected in a random drawing conducted by Sponsor or its agent from among all eligible entries received during the Entry Period from Instagram. The odds of winning will depend on the number of eligible entries received. Potential winners will be notified via a private message sent to the social media account used by the potential winner to enter the Sweepstakes (i.e., an Instagram Direct message), and if Sponsor’s notification requires a response, the potential winner must respond to Sponsor’s initial notification attempt within 72 hours with such personal and/or contact information as Sponsor may require (for example, the potential winner’s email address, name and/or mailing address). The potential winner is subject to verification of eligibility and may, in Sponsor’s discretion, be required to complete, sign and return to Sponsor an Affidavit of Eligibility/Release of Liability or an Affirmation of Eligibility/Release of Liability, as determined by Sponsor, and, if legally permissible, a Publicity Release (collectively, a “Declaration and Release” for residents of Canada), and any other documentation provided by Sponsor in connection with verification of the potential winner’s eligibility and confirmation of the releases and grant of rights set forth herein (as applicable, “Winner Verification Documents”), within seven days of attempted delivery of same. The potential winner, if a U.S. resident, may also in Sponsor’s discretion be required to complete and return to Sponsor an IRS Form W-9 within seven days of attempted delivery of same. If the potential winner is a Minor, Sponsor will have the right to request that the potential winner’s parent or legal guardian sign the Winner Verification Documents on behalf of the winner, or to award the prize directly in the name of the winner’s parent or legal guardian, who in such event will be required to sign the Winner Verification Documents and/or, if a U.S. resident, an IRS Form W-9. If the potential winner is a Canadian resident, he or she will be required to correctly answer a mathematical skill-testing question without mechanical or other aid to be administered via telephone, email or another manner determined by Sponsor in its discretion at a pre-arranged mutually convenient time. If the potential winner cannot be reached or does not respond within 72 hours of the initial notification attempt or fails to complete, sign, and return any required Winner Verification Documents or, if a U.S. resident, IRS Form W-9 within seven days of attempted delivery of same, or in the case of a Canadian selected entrant, fails to correctly answer the mathematical skill-testing question without mechanical or other aid, or if the potential winner does not otherwise comply with these Official Rules and/or cannot accept the prize as awarded for any reason, then the potential winner may be disqualified and an alternate winner may, at Sponsor’s discretion, be selected from among the remaining eligible entries as specified in these Official Rules (in which case the foregoing provisions will apply to such newly-selected entrant).
  5. PRIZE: One Grand Prize(s) will be offered. The Grand Prize consists of one ARC of CITY OF BROKEN MAGIC by Mirah Bolender, one ARC of ZERO SUM GAME by S. L. Huang, one ARC of THE FATED SKY by Mary Robinette Kowal, one trade paperback copy of THE TIGER’S DAUGHTER by K Arsenault Rivera, one trade paperback copy of THE CALCULATING STARS by Mary Robinette Kowal, one hardcover copy of STARLESS by Jacqueline Carey, and one hardcover copy of VICIOUS by V. E. Schwab. The approximate retail value (“ARV”) of the Grand Prize is $150.93 USD. The aggregate ARV of all prizes is $150.93 USD. The exact value will depend on where the winner resides and market conditions at the time of prize fulfillment. All prize details that are not expressly specified in these Official Rules will be determined by Sponsor in its discretion. The prize will be awarded if properly claimed. No substitution, cash redemption or transfer of the right to receive the prize is permitted, except in the discretion of Sponsor, which has the right to substitute the prize or any component of the prize with a prize or prize component of equal or greater value selected by Sponsor in its discretion. The prize consists only of the item(s) expressly specified in these Official Rules. All expenses or costs associated with the acceptance or use of the prize or any component of the prize are the responsibility of the winner. If a prize component consists of digital content, entrant may need a compatible reading application to read the content. The prize is awarded “as is” and without any warranty, except as required by law. In no event will more than the number of prizes stated in these Official Rules be awarded. FOR U.S. RESIDENTS: All federal, state and local taxes on the value of the prize are the responsibility of the winner. An IRS form 1099 will be issued if required by law.
  6. GRANT OF RIGHTS: By submitting a Submission, each entrant irrevocably grants to the Sponsor, each of Sponsor’s Affiliates, and the agents and licensees of each of the foregoing (collectively, the “Licensees”):  (i) a non-exclusive license to publish, display, reproduce, modify, edit, create derivative works based on and otherwise use the Submission, in whole or in part, and (ii) the right to use in connection with the Submission or any part of the Submission the entrant’s social media user name or handle and likeness, and for winners the name, in perpetuity, throughout the world, in all media and formats whether now or later known or developed (including without limitation on Sponsor’s websites and Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and other social media channels), including without limitation for commercial use and in advertising and promotions, without further notice or compensation.
  7. RELEASE AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: By entering the Sweepstakes, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each entrant on behalf of himself or herself and anyone who succeeds to entrant’s rights and responsibilities including without limitation entrant’s heirs, executors, administrators, personal representatives, successors, assigns, agents, and attorneys, and with respect to minors entrant’s parents and legal guardians (collectively the “Entrant Parties”) releases Sponsor, each of Sponsor’s Affiliates, the licensees and licensors other than Entrant Parties including authors of each of the foregoing, all other companies involved in the development or operation of the Sweepstakes, Instagram, the successors and assigns of each of the foregoing and the directors, officers, employees and agents of each of the foregoing (collectively, the “Released Parties”) from and against any and all claims and causes of action of any kind that entrant and/or the Entrant Parties ever had, now have or might in the future have arising out of or relating to the Sweepstakes, participation in the Sweepstakes, the use of Instagram, the provision, acceptance or use of any prize or any component thereof, or any exercise by the Licensees of any of the rights granted in Section 6 above, including without limitation any and all claims and causes of action: (a) relating to any personal injury, death or property damage or loss sustained by any entrant or any other person, (b) based upon any allegation of violation of the right of privacy or publicity, misappropriation, defamation, or violation of any other personal or proprietary right, (c) based upon any allegation of infringement of copyright, trademark, trade dress, patent, trade secrets, moral rights or any intellectual property right, or (d) or based upon any allegation of a violation of the laws, rules or regulations relating to personal information and data security. Each entrant on behalf of himself or herself and the Entrant Parties agrees not to assert any such claim or cause of action against any of the Released Parties. Each entrant on behalf of himself or herself and the Entrant Parties assumes the risk of, and all liability for, any injury, loss or damage caused, or claimed to be caused, by participation in this Sweepstakes, the use of Instagram, or the provision, acceptance or use of any prize or any component of any prize. The Released Parties are not responsible for, and will not have any liability in connection with, any typographical or other error in the printing of the offer, administration of the Sweepstakes or in the announcement of the prize. The Released Parties are not responsible for, and will not have any liability in connection with, late, lost, delayed, illegible, damaged, corrupted or incomplete entries, incorrect or inaccurate capture of, damage to, or loss of entries or entry information, or any other human, mechanical or technical error of any kind relating to the operation of Instagram communications or attempted communications with any entrant or Entrant Parties, the submission, collection, storage and/or processing of entries or the administration of the Sweepstakes. The term “Affiliate” of Sponsor means any entity that directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with Sponsor. The term “control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of management and policies of an entity, or the ownership, directly or indirectly, of more than fifty percent (50%) of the equity interests of the entity.
  8. GENERAL RULES: Sponsor has the right, in its sole discretion, to modify these Official Rules (including without limitation by adjusting any of the dates and/or timeframes stipulated in these Official Rules) and to cancel, modify or suspend this Sweepstakes at any time in its discretion, including without limitation if a virus, bug, technical problem, entrant fraud or misconduct, failure or refusal of any person or entity involved in the development or operation of the Sweepstakes (including without limitation any author) to comply with such party’s obligations in connection with the Sweepstakes, failure or unavailability of any website or social media channel, account or platform on which the Sweepstakes is to be offered or other cause beyond the control of the Sponsor corrupts the administration, integrity, security or proper operation of the Sweepstakes or if for any other reason Sponsor is not able to conduct the Sweepstakes as planned (including without limitation in the event the Sweepstakes is interfered with by any fire, flood, epidemic, earthquake, explosion, labor dispute or strike, act of God or of public enemy, communications failure, riot or civil disturbance, war (declared or undeclared), terrorist threat or activity, federal, state, provincial, territorial or local law, order or regulation or court order) or in the event of any change to the terms governing the use of Instagram or the application or interpretation of such terms. In the event of termination of the Sweepstakes, a notice will be posted on Sponsor’s @torbooks Instagram account and a random drawing will be conducted to award the prize from among all eligible entries received prior to the time of termination. Sponsor has the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify or prohibit from participating in the Sweepstakes any individual who, in Sponsor’s discretion, Sponsor determines or believes (i) has tampered with the entry process or has undermined the legitimate operation of Instagram, or the Sweepstakes by cheating, hacking, deception or other unfair practices, (ii) has engaged in conduct that annoys, abuses, threatens or harasses any other entrant or any representative of Sponsor or (iii) has attempted or intends to attempt any of the foregoing. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEBSITE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SWEEPSTAKES OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THIS SWEEPSTAKES IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAW. SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR HAS THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES (INCLUDING ATTORNEYS’ FEES) FROM ANY PERSON INVOLVED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. The use of agents or automated devices, programs or methods to submit entries is prohibited and Sponsor has the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any entry that it believes may have been submitted using such an agent or automated device, program or method. In the event of a dispute regarding who submitted an entry, the entry will be deemed to have been submitted by the registered user of the social media account used to submit the Submission on the applicable platform. All federal, state, provincial, territorial and local laws and regulations apply. All entries become the property of Sponsor and will not be verified or returned. By participating in this Sweepstakes, entrants on behalf of themselves, and to the extent permitted by law on behalf of the Entrant Parties agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of Sponsor, which are final and binding in all respects. These Official Rules may not be reprinted or republished in any way without the prior written consent of Sponsor.
  9. DISPUTES: By entering the Sweepstakes, each entrant on behalf of himself or herself and the Entrant Parties agrees that, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, (a) any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with the Sweepstakes, or the provision, acceptance and/or use of any prize or prize component, will be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action (Note: Some jurisdictions do not allow restricting access to class actions. This provision will not apply to entrant if entrant lives in such a jurisdiction); (b) any and all claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering the Sweepstakes, but in no event attorneys’ fees; and (c) under no circumstances will any entrant or Entrant Party be permitted to obtain any award for, and each entrant and Entrant Party hereby waives all rights to claim, punitive, special, incidental or consequential damages and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased and any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules or the rights and obligations of the entrants, Entrant Parties and Sponsor in connection with the Sweepstakes shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York in the United States of America without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules or provisions that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of New York. Any legal proceedings arising out of this Sweepstakes or relating to these Official Rules shall be instituted only in the federal or state courts located in New York County in the State of New York, waiving any right to trial by jury, and each entrant and Entrant Party consents to jurisdiction therein with respect to any legal proceedings or disputes of whatever nature arising under or relating to these rules or the Sweepstakes. In the event of any conflict between these Official Rules and any Sweepstakes information provided elsewhere (including but not limited in advertising or marketing materials), these Official Rules shall prevail.
  10. USE OF INFORMATION: Personal information supplied is subject to applicable data protection laws and Sponsor’s Privacy Notice at https://us.macmillan.com/privacy-notice. By entering the sweepstakes, entrants acknowledge that they have read Sponsor’s Privacy Notice and hereby agree to Sponsor’s collection and use of their personal information in accordance with such laws and Privacy Notice.
  11. WINNER NAME AND RULES REQUESTS: For the name(s) of the winner(s) (or, if Sponsor does not collect the name(s) of the winner(s), the user name(s) or handles of the winner(s)), which will be available two weeks after the conclusion of the Entry Period, or a copy of these Official Rules, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to #FearlessWomen Sweepstakes, Tom Doherty Associates, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.  Winner name requests must be received by Sponsor within six months after the conclusion of the Entry Period.
  12. SPONSOR: Tom Doherty Associates, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.  The Sweepstakes is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram.

©2018 Macmillan Publishers. All rights reserved.

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Meet the #FearlessWomen: Kalina from City of Lies

Meet the #FearlessWomen: Kalina from City of Lies

Place holder  of - 91 Duty takes precedence over all else, and I knew what it meant to fail at it far better than my brother ever could.

Kalina and her brother Jovan are descended from a long line of proofers: poison-tasters that are tasked with the protection of the Chancellor and his family. As the eldest sibling, protecting the heir should have been Kalina’s job, but her disability causes her to be sickly, and the mantle was passed from her to Jovan.

Prevented from following her destiny by the harsh physical requirements of being a proofer, Kalina turns her focus to learning. When the unthinkable poisoning of the Chancellor occurs, Kalina quickly finds herself in the position of investigator. Her extensive knowledge of other cultures, poisons, and history prove on multiple occasions to be superior to that of the heir and Jovan.

I couldn’t attend a Council meeting, fight in a battle, or protect Tain from poison, but I had my own skills, and perhaps they were more suited to finding an enemy than even my brother’s.

It’s clear that Kalina’s greatest weakness is in fact, by far, her strongest attribute. People continually undermine Kalina in City of Lies by writing her off as inferior and weak (even her own brother). And while sometimes she is confined to bed rest, she never wastes a moment to expand her knowledge and connect the clues. Certainly, flying under the radar of the powerful never hurt anyone attempting to act as a spy. Whatever Kalina lacks in physical prowess, she makes up for tenfold in cunning intelligence and a relentless drive of determination.

In fact, because of her disability, Kalina serves to undermine the typical sword-and-crown epic fantasy tropes. Rather than focusing on an entire country, City of Lies stays almost entirely within the city limits of Silasta, with only briefs trips outside. Political intrigue and mystery are the driving forces of the plot—much of it subtly nudged forward by Kalina’s guiding hand. She is fearless in her search for answers, even at her own risk, and repeatedly goes above anyone’s expectations in order to bring her home, and her people, closer to a solution.

All of this and more serves to make Kalina one of the strongest characters in City of Lies. She’s a courteous leader, a viciously intelligent student, and possesses an intense willpower that brings her to the darkest parts of the city—and beyond. The challenges she faces are daunting, but if there’s one person who could ever outwit them, it’s Kalina.

Kalina serves as a smart reminder for readers and writers everywhere: never underestimate your opponent.

Order Your Copy of City of Lies

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Follow Sam Hawke on Twitter (@samhawkewrites), on Facebook, and on her website.

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#FearlessWomen Feminist Film Mashup with The Mary Sue

#FearlessWomen Feminist Film Mashup with The Mary Sue

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On Thursday, July 19th, Tor is sponsoring a playful and engaging feminist clip show/film analysis presented by Princess Weekes, Assistant Editor of The Mary Sue! We will be giving away free tote bags with a select #FearlessWoman book at the event.

Let’s break the mold of the oh-so-tired female narrative and challenge the ways we have come to accept female roles in film! Enjoy clips from a curated selection of films and see them through a new, feminist, pop cultural lens. This show is guaranteed to bring a fresh perspective while promoting a healthy camaraderie among event attendees.

Film clips slated to be shown and discussed are from a broad range of comedy, drama, and science fiction and fantasy—everything from Breakfast at Tiffany’s to Mad Max: Fury Road. Laugh and chat alongside The Mary Sue while sipping on the evening’s specialty cocktail and celebrating #FearlessWomen in film.

Get your tickets here!

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