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Events / What's New

On the Road: Tor/Forge Author Events for August

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Eterna and Omega by Leanna Renee Hieber Repo Madness by W. Bruce Cameron Arabella of Mars by David D. Levine

Tor/Forge authors are on the road in August! See who is coming to a city near you this month.

Levi Black, Red Right Hand

Wednesday, August 3
Orlando Public Library
Orlando, FL
6:30 PM

Robert Brockway, The Empty Ones

Tuesday, August 30
Powell’s City of Books
Portland, OR
7:00 PM

W. Bruce Cameron, Repo Madness

Tuesday, August 23
Grand Rapids Public Library
Grand Rapids, MI
7:00 PM

Thursday, August 25
Darcy Library of Beulah
Beaulah, MI
7:00 PM

Saturday, August 27
Saturn Booksellers
Gaylord, MI
11:30 AM

Orson Scott Card and Aaron Johnston, The Swarm

Friday, August 5
Barnes & Noble
Orem, UT
7:00 PM

S. B. Divya, Runtime and Greg Van Eekhout, Pacific Fire

Saturday, August 6
Mysterious Galaxy
San Diego, CA
2:00 PM

Leanna Renee Hieber, Eterna and Omega

Tuesday, August 9
Barnes & Noble
West Chester, OH
7:00 PM

Thursday, August 11
Morris-Jumel Museum
New York, NY
7:00 PM

Wednesday, August 17
KGB Bar
New York, NY
7:00 PM

Mary Robinette Kowal, Ghost Talkers

Tuesday, August 16
Volumes Bookcafe
Book Launch Party
Chicago, IL
7:00 PM

Wednesday, August 31
Boswell Book Company
Milwaukee, WI
7:00 PM
Also with Ada Palmer, Too Like the Lightning

David D. Levine, Arabella of Mars

Saturday, August 13
Writers with Drinks
San Francisco, CA
7:30 PM

Sunday, August 14
American Bookbinders Museum
SF in SF
San Francisco, CA
6:30 PM
Also with Cecil Castellucci and Ben Loory

Tuesday, August 30
SFWA Reading
Wilde Rover Irish Pub and Restaurant
Also with Sandra Odell and Django Wexler
Seattle, WA
7:00 PM

Thomas Olde Heuvelt, Hex

Monday, August 1
Quail Ridge Books & Music
Raleigh, NC
7:00 PM

Malka Older, Infomocracy

Thursday, August 4
Internal Matter
Books provided by Brookline Booksmith
Also with Liz Hauck, Caitlin FitzGerald, and Allana Tarnto
Boston, MA
6:30 PM

Wendy N. Wagner, Pathfinder Tales: Starspawn

Tuesday, August 16
Powell’s Books at Cedar Hills Crossing
Beaverton, OR
7:00 PM

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New Releases

New Releases: 7/26/16

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Here’s what went on sale today!

Four Roads Cross by Max Gladstone

Four Roads Cross by Max GladstoneFour Roads Cross, the great city of Alt Coulumb is in crisis. The moon goddess Seril, long thought dead, is back–and the people of Alt Coulumb aren’t happy. Protests rock the city, and Kos Everburning’s creditors attempt a hostile takeover of the fire god’s church. Tara Abernathy, the god’s in-house Craftswoman, must defend the church against the world’s fiercest necromantic firm–and against her old classmate, a rising star in the Craftwork world. As if that weren’t enough, Cat and Raz, supporting characters from Three Parts Dead, are back too, fighting monster pirates; skeleton kings drink frozen cocktails, defying several principles of anatomy; jails, hospitals, and temples are broken into and out of; choirs of flame sing over Alt Coulumb; demons pose significant problems; a farmers’ market proves more important to world affairs than seems likely; doctors of theology strike back; Monk-Technician Abelard performs several miracles; The Rats! play Walsh’s Place; and dragons give almost-helpful counsel.

Indomitable by W. C. Bauers

Indomitable by W. C. BauersLieutenant Paen barely survived her last encounter with the Lusitanian Empire. And she’s got a newly reconstituted unit of green marines to whip into shape before they deploy. Light-years away, on the edge of the Verge, a massive vein of rare ore is discovered on the mining planet of Sheol, which ignites an arms race and a proxy war between the Republic and the Lusitanians. Paen and Victor Company are ordered to Sheol, to reinforce the planet and hold it at all costs. On the eve of their deployment, a friendly fire incident occurs, putting Paen’s career in jeopardy and stripping her of her command. When the Lusitanians send mercenaries to raid Sheol and destabilize its mining operations, matters reach crisis levels. Disgraced and angry, Promise is offered one shot to get back into her mechsuit. But she’ll have to jump across the galaxy and possibly storm the gates of hell itself.

Night Talk by George Noory

Night Talk by George NooryA late-night talk-show host fascinated by the paranormal becomes entangled in a deadly conspiracy in Night Talk, from #1 all-night radio host George Noory. Greg Nowell is a voice in the darkness–a late-night talk-show host who tackles controversial subjects, from angels to aliens and government agencies so deep in shadow that the puppet strings they use to exercise control are invisible. Greg’s world explodes when government agents accuse him of having received ultra-secret files from Ethan Shaw, a hacker intent on exposing a secret cabal with tentacles throughout the government. When Shaw is killed and the evidence points to Greg, the radio personality goes on the run, stalked by a demented assassin. As he tries to unravel the deadly secrets the hacker uncovered, Greg is helped by Alyssa Neal, a mysterious woman who says Shaw also dragged her into the boiling cauldron of intrigue. He seeks help from callers to his show who don’t trust the government, have gone “under the radar,” or are angry and paranoid about the vast gathering of information and invasions of privacy by government agencies.

Red Right Hand by Levi Black

Red Right Hand by Levi BlackCharlie Tristan Moore isn’t a hero. She’s a survivor. Already wrestling with the demons of her past, she finds herself tested as never before when she arrives home one night to find herself under attack by three monstrous skinhounds straight out of a nightmare. Just as hope seems lost, she is saved by a sinister Man in Black, dressed in a long, dark coat that seems to possess a life of its own and wielding a black-bladed sword in his grisly red right hand. The Man in Black, a diabolical Elder God, demands she become his Acolyte and embrace a dark magick she never knew she possessed. Now she must join The Man in Black in his crusade to track down and destroy his fellow Elder Gods, supposedly to save humanity from being devoured for all eternity. But is The Man in Black truly the lesser of two evils–or a menace far more treacherous than the eldritch horrors she’s battling in his name?

NEW FROM TOR.COM:

City of Wolves by Willow Palecek

City of Wolves by Willow PalecekAlexander Drake, Investigator for Hire, doesn’t like working for the Nobility, and doesn’t prefer to take jobs from strange men who accost him in alleyways. A combination of hired muscle and ready silver have a way of changing a man’s mind. A lord has been killed, his body found covered in bite marks. Even worse, the late lord’s will is missing, and not everyone wants Drake to find it. Solving the case might plunge Drake into deeper danger.

NOW IN PAPERBACK:

Only Wounded by Patrick Taylor

Only Wounded by Patrick TaylorIreland, home of legendary poets and storytellers, has been wracked by bloody sectarian violence over the last quarter century. Bombs and guns were, and once again are, the primary negotiation tools used by Catholic and Protestant extremists in the conflict surrounding the sovereignty of Northern Ireland-the six counties known as Ulster. Only Wounded centers on the hopes and despairs of everyday life during these new Troubles. New York Times bestselling author Patrick Taylor traces an intricate narrative path through Ulster, detailing sensitive, unbiased portraits of the ordinary-and not so ordinary-people caught in the partisan brutality of Northern Ireland.

Pacific Fire by Greg van Eekhout

Pacific Fire by Greg van EekhoutI’m Sam. I’m just this guy. Okay, yeah, I’m a golem created from the substance of his own magic by the late Hierarch of Southern California. With a lot of work, I might be able to wield magic myself. I kind of doubt it, though. Not like Daniel Blackland can. Daniel’s the reason the Hierarch’s gone and I’m still alive. He’s also the reason I’ve lived my entire life on the run. Daniel’s determined to protect me. To teach me. Now it’s worse. Because things are happening back in LA. Very bad people are building a Pacific firedrake, a kind of ultimate weapon of mass magical destruction. Daniel seemed to think only he could stop them. Now Daniel’s been hurt. I managed to get us to the place run by the Emmas. They seem to be healing him, but he isn’t going anyplace soon. Do I even have a reason for existing, if it isn’t to prevent this firedrake from happening? I’m good at escaping from things. Now I’ve escaped from Daniel and the Emmas, and I’m on my way to LA.

This may be the worst idea I ever had.

NEW IN MANGA:

Golden Time Vol. 4 by Yuyuko Takemiya

Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto Vol. 4 by Nami Sano

See upcoming releases.

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Events / What's New

Tor Books at Phoenix ComicCon

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PhoenixCC It’s time for Phoenix ComicCon! We have authors on a bunch of exciting panels this year, plus our own Director of Publicity Patty Garcia will tell you all about some of the books we love this year in the Totally Tor! panel on Thursday. Here’s the lineup:

Wednesday, June 1

The Poisoned Pen, Scottsdale, AZ

7:00 PM
Hosted by Kevin Hearne and featuring Patrick Rothfuss, Brandon Sanderson, Pierce Brown, Beth Cato, Adam Christopher, Ryan Dalton, Leanna Renee Hieber, Jason Hough, Mary Robinette Kowal, Tom Leveen, Michael Martinez, Brian McClellan, Joseph Nassise, Sarah Remy, V.E. Schwab, Scott Sigler, Michael J. Sullivan, Sam Sykes, Dan Wells, and Django Wexler

Thursday, June 2

  • 3:00 – 4:00 PM Evil as Heck
    It’s not enough to have a faceless villian who hides in the shadows, our authors discuss whether villiany can be a sympathetic motivation. Featuring Dan Wells, Mary Robinette Kowal, and V.E. Schwab.
    Location: North 128B
  • 4:30 – 5:30 PM Totally Tor!
    What’s new from Tor! Join Patty Garcia, Director of Publicity for Tor Books as she takes you through current and upcoming releases, and a take a sneak peak at big titles coming in 2017! Raffle and giveaways throughout the presentation.
    Location: North 129A

Friday, June 3

  • 12:30 – 2:30 PM Writing Excuses Podcast
    Join Writing Excuses hosts Brandon Sanderson, Dan Wells, Mary Robinette Kowal and Howard Taylor as they interview Alan Dean Foster, Greg Van Eekhout, Trina Philips and Victoria Schwab.
    Location: West 301A
  • 12:00 – 1:00 PM Trope Talks: Kick Ass Heroines
    As a protagonist, a woman of action is high in demand. This Trope Talk focus on the allure of woman of action and where she is going next. Featuring Alyssa Wong, Christina Henry, Dan Wells, Django Wexler, Lexie Dunne, and Yvonne Navarro.
    Location: North 128A
  • 1:30 – 2:30 PM Spotlight: Adam Christopher
    Comics, super-heroes, and science fiction Adam Christopher does it all, come geek out with one of Tor’s most celebrated authors.
    Location: North 128A
  • 1:30 – 2:30 PM Is This a Kissing Book?
    Are romantic relations really important to fantasy? Is the pursuit of love just as important as the hero conquering all? Our panel of authors discuss where romance fits in the crafting of fantasy. Featuring Bradley Beaulieu, Leanna Renee Hieber, Sam Sykes, and Suzanne Young.
    Location: North 129A
  • 3:00 – 4:00 PM Building a Believable World: The Deets
    Building a believable a world is more than just a good map, our pannelist discuss the finer points of constructing a believable universe. Featuring Bradley Beaulieu, Brandon Sanderson, Dan Wells, Michael Martinez, Shannon Messenger, and Victoria Schwab.
    Location: North 129A
  • 4:30 – 5:30 PM Spotlight: Victoria Schwab
    Join Victoria Schwab, best selling author of A Darker Shade of Magic, in a one hour discussion of books, tea, and magic.
    Location: North 128A
  • 6:00 – 7:00 PM Would You Lie to Me?
    Authors lie for a living, but are they any good at knowing when they are being lied to? Hosted by Jason Hough, our two teams of authors will try to outwit each other and discern fact from fiction. Featuring Beth Cato, Brandon Sanderson, Jason Hough, Mary Robinette Kowal, Sam Sykes, Scott Sigler, and Victoria Schwab.
    Location: North 128B

Saturday, June 4

  • 10:30 – 11:30 AM Crossing the Streams: Genre Splicing
    It’s too much to ask genres to stay neat and organized. As the number of genres grow, so too does the chance for cross-genres to be born. Our panelists discuss what happens stories refuse to stay in one genre and behave. Featuring Adam Christopher, Aprilynne Pike, Michael Martinez, Neo Edmund, and Yvonne Navarro.
    Location: North 128A
  • 10:30 – 11:30 AM Mother Flippin’ Wizards
    Everyone loves a good magic system, but what impact does it have on characters? Our panelists will talk about their favorite stories and their favorite wizards from Gandalf to Harry Potter and discuss how magic impacts people on a personal level. Featuring Bradley Beaulieu, Christina Henry, Leanna Renee Hieber, Sam Sykes, and Victoria Schwab.
    Location: North 129A
  • 12:00 – 1:00 PM Spotlight: Brandon Sanderson
    Fantasy’s favorite son comes to Phoenix. Join best selling author Brandon Sanderson for a discussion of his projects past, present, and future.
    Location: North 129A
  • 12:00 – 1:00 PM Beyond the Comics: Superheroes in Literature
    With superheroes being more popular than ever, superhero fiction is on the rise. Or panelists discuss the next tall building for this genre to leap. Featuring Adam Christopher, Lexie Dunne, Ryan Dalton, and Weston Ochse.
    Location: North 128A
  • 1:30 – 2:30 PM Glowy Swords: Magical MacGuffins
    The One Ring, Harry Potter’s wand, Excalibur, epic fantasy is full of magical MacGuffins, but is this just a mere plot device or is there a deeper purpose? Featuring Alyssa Wong, Brandon Sanderson, Patrick Rothfuss, Sam Sykes, and Victoria Schwab.
    Location: North 129A
  • 1:30 – 2:30 PM Trope Talks: Unlikely Heroes
    Reluctant, unsuitable, or just plain bad- heroes come in more varieties than ever this Trope Talk focuses on writing less than heroic protagonists. Featuring Dan Wells, Django Wexler, Kevin Hearne, Sarah Remy, Shannon Messenger, and Todd Lockwood.
    Location: North 128A
  • 4:30 – 5:30 PM Author Batsu
    Join your favorite authors for Phoenix Comicon’s 3rd Annual Batsu game. Authors will play a Russian Roulette style game and hope to survive another year. Featuring Sam Sykes, Alyssa Wong, Becky Chambers, Jason Hough, Mary Robinette Kowal, Pierce Brown, and Scott Sigler.
    Location: North 129A
  • 6:00 – 9:00 PM Drinks with Authors
    Join our Author Guests for a glass or two in an informal setting. There will be door prizes and other giveaways from our participating publishers.
    Location: North 120 Seating and Events

Sunday, June 5

  • 12:00 – 1:00 PM Shared Worlds
    Some names carry the weight of a legacy with them. Authors who work in shared worlds are tasked with not only coming up with original creations, but building on what’s come before. Our panelists discuss establishing and helping legacy worlds. Featuring Adam Christopher, Jody Lynn Nye, Neo Edmund, and Yvonne Navarro.
    Location: North 128A
  • 1:30 – 2:30 PM Someone Else’s Sandbox
    TV, Film, Comics, RPGs every property has a story to tell, these are the author who flesh out our favorite visual universes. Join these media-tie in craftspeople in a discussion about writing in someone else’s sandbox. Featuring Adam Christopher, Alan Dean Foster, Michael Kogge, and Yvonne Navarro.
    Location: North 128B
  • 1:30 – 2:30 PM World Building: Are We Still Talking About This?
    It sometimes feels like worldbuilding and magic systems are the be-all, end-all of fantasy. Our panelists gather to discuss the times when it matters and the times when it doesn’t. Featuring Greg Van Eekhout, John Peck/Jack Heckel, Michael Martinez, and Sarah Remy.
    Location: North 129A
  • 1:30 – 2:30 PM Worst Panel in the World
    At the end of another fine year of Phoenix Comicon, the grim survivors of the authors who made it out gather for one last hangover panel. Come shoot the breeze with authors as they discuss what’s fun and terrible in their industry. Featuring Dan Wells, Sam Sykes, Scott Sigler, and Suzanne Young.
    Location: North 128A
  • 3:00 – 4:00 PM Mythology and Folklore
    Fantasy has always borrowed heavily from the myths and legends around the globe. As the genre expands, so too do the myths we draw upon. Our panelists discuss their favorite legends throughout history and how they use them in their work. Featuring Alyssa Wong, Joseph Nassise, Mary Robinette Kowal, and Todd Lockwood.
    Location: North 129A
  • 4:30 – 5:30 PM Embarrassing Author Con Stories
    Everyone’s got one. Sometimes they witnessed it. Sometimes they were a part of it. Sometimes they caused it. Our authors relive hilariously awkward and light-heartedly embarrassing experiences at conventions. Featuring Kevin Hearne, Leanna Renee Hieber, Mary Robinette Kowal, Patrick Rothfuss, Pierce Brown, Sam Sykes, and Shannon Messenger.
    Location: North 128B

Events / What's New

On the Road: Tor/Forge Author Events in September

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Vienna by William S. KirbyUpdraft by Fran WildeLuna: New Moon by Ian McDonald

Tor/Forge authors are on the road in September! Once a month, we’re collecting info about all of our upcoming author events. Check and see who’ll be coming to a city near you:

W. Bruce Cameron, The Dog Master

Sunday, September 6
AJC Decatur Book Festival
Decatur, GA
2:30 PM

Monday, September 21—Tuesday, September 22
McLean & Eakin Booksellers
Booktopia 2015
Petoskey, MI

William S. Kirby, Vienna

Thursday, September 3
Tattered Cover
Denver, CO
7:00 PM

Tuesday, September 8
Boulder Bookstore
Boulder, CO
7:30 PM

Wednesday, September 9
Poisoned Pen
Scottsdale, AZ
7:00 PM

Thursday, September 10
Murder by the Book
Houston, TX
6:30 PM

Friday, September 11
Auntie’s Bookstore
Spokane, WA
7:00 PM

Sunday, September 13
Mysterious Galaxy
Also with Reed Farrel Coleman
San Diego, CA
2:00 PM

Jane Lindskold, Artemis Invaded

Saturday, September 5
National Book Festival
Washington, D.C.
11:50 PM Presentation
1:00 PM Signing

Saturday, September 12
NMSU Bookstore
Also with Victor Milán and Melinda Snodgrass
Las Cruces, NM
1:00 PM

Tuesday, September 22
Sip Coffee & Beer House
Books provided by Poisoned Pen
Also with Victor Milán and Melinda Snodgrass
Scottsdale, AZ
7:00 PM

Ian McDonald, Luna: New Moon

Thursday, September 24
The Last Bookstore
Also with Melinda Snodgrass
Los Angeles, CA
7:00 PM

Saturday, September 26
Borderlands Books
San Francisco, CA
3:00 PM

Monday, September 28
Powell’s Books
Beaverton, OR
7:00 PM

Victor Milán, The Dinosaur Lords

Saturday, September 12
NMSU Bookstore
Also with Jane Lindskold and Melinda Snodgrass
Las Cruces, NM
1:00 PM

Tuesday, September 22
Sip Coffee & Beer House
Books provided by Poisoned Pen
Also with Jane Lindskold and Melinda Snodgrass
Scottsdale, AZ
7:00 PM

John Scalzi, The End of All Things

Tuesday, September 1
Books and Company
Beavercreek, OH
7:00 PM

Thursday, September 3
Barnes & Noble at Ohio State
Columbus, OH
7:00 PM

Melinda Snodgrass, The Edge of Dawn

Saturday, September 12
NMSU Bookstore
Also with Victor Milán and Jane Lindskold
Las Cruces, NM
1:00 PM

Tuesday, September 22
Sip Coffee & Beer House
Books provided by Poisoned Pen
Also with Victor Milán and Jane Lindskold
Scottsdale, AZ
7:00 PM

Thursday, September 24
The Last Bookstore
Also with Ian McDonald
Los Angeles, CA
7:00 PM

Michael Swanwick, Chasing the Phoenix

Wednesday, September 9
The Future of Philly Sci-Fi and Fantasy at the Free Library of Philadelphia
Presented by Geekadelphia
Also with Gregory Frost, Stephanie Feldman, Fran Wilde, and Siobhan Carroll, moderated by Jon McGoran
Philadelphia, PA
7:00 PM

Monday, September 21
Penn Bookstore
Philadelphia, PA
6:00 PM

Greg van Eekhout, Dragon Coast

Tuesday, September 15
Borderlands Books
Also with Seanan McGuire and Fran Wilde
San Francisco, CA
5:00 PM

Saturday, September 19
Mysterious Galaxy
Also with Adam Rakunas and Fran Wilde
San Diego, CA
2:00 PM

Fran Wilde, Updraft

Tuesday, September 1
Barnes & Noble
Philadelphia, PA
7:00 PM

Wednesday, September 2
The Doylestown Bookshop
In conversation with Chuck Wendig
Doylestown, PA
6:30 PM

Sunday, September 6
AJC Decatur Book Festival
New Fantasy Fiction with Cindy Dees, moderated by Justin Colussy-Estes
Decatur, GA
3:45 PM

Wednesday, September 9
The Future of Philly Sci-Fi and Fantasy at the Free Library of Philadelphia
Presented by Geekadelphia
Also with Gregory Frost, Stephanie Feldman, Michael Swanwick, and Siobhan Carroll, moderated by Jon McGoran
Philadelphia, PA
7:00 PM

Saturday, September 12
Writers with Drinks
The Elbo Room
Also with Eli Horowitz, Ruth Galm, Bucky Sinister, Maisha Z. Johnson, and Debbie Yee
San Francisco, CA
7:00 PM

Tuesday, September 15
Borderlands Books
Also with Seanan McGuire and Greg van Eekhout
San Francisco, CA
5:00 PM

Saturday, September 19
Mysterious Galaxy
Also with Adam Rakunas and Greg van Eekhout
San Diego, CA
2:00 PM

Monday, September 21
University Bookstore
Seattle, WA
7:00 PM

Thursday, September 24
The Library of Congress
Washington, D.C.
12:00 PM

September 26—27
Baltimore Book Festival
Baltimore, MD

Monday, September 28
Main Point Books
Also with Gregory Frost
Bryn Mawr, PA
7:00 PM

Anne A. Wilson, Hover

Tuesday, September 1
Barnes & Noble
Scottsdale, AZ
7:00 PM

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Excerpts

Sneak Peek: Dragon Coast by Greg van Eekhout

torforge4 Comments

Dragon Coast by Greg van Eekhout Read an excerpt from Dragon Coast, the sequel to Greg Van Eekhout’s California Bones and Pacific Fire, in which Daniel Blackland must pull off the most improbable theft of all.

Chapter One

Sam lived in a world of bones. He found them throughout the dragon, wherever he walked, embedded in the tissues lining every artery, every organ, every cavity, like fossils in rock. The bones came from griffin and basilisk and garuda raptor and lesser dragons, from creatures of earth and fire and flight. The Pacific firedrake was a patchwork creature, constructed of bits and odds and ends from hundreds of other creatures, and Sam figured all the bones he found were leftover parts. He couldn’t be sure. He was alone inside the dragon, without anyone to explain his world to him.

(more…)

Events / What's New

Tor Books Announces Programming for San Diego Comic-Con 2015

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Tor30SDCC

Tor Books is heading to San Diego Comic-Con!

 

Once again Tor (Booth #2707) continues our wildly popular *in-booth signings and giveaways, offering you a chance to meet your favorite authors up close and personal and pick up free books. We’ve got a great line up including appearances by: Brandon Sanderson, Charlie Jane Anders, Susan Dennard, and more!

For excerpts, a spotlight on our newest authors, panel schedules, giveaway times and much more, please visit torbooks2015.com. And make sure to follow @TorBooks on Twitter for up to date information and last minute events.

Wednesday, July 8

Thursday, July 9

  • 1:00pm—2:00pm Resurgence of Science Fiction, Room 32AB
    Welcome to the promised land, oh geeks and nerds: your time has come. Star Wars is getting new movies, and so is Star Trek. Andy Weir’s The Martian and John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War are heading to the big and small screens and Mars One is looking for volunteers—Science Fiction and the draw of technology, futurism, space and the final frontier are hot on everyone’s mind. Come join Adam Christopher (Made To Kill), Margaret Stohl, Peter Clines, and others as they discuss this renaissance of SF and why now is an exciting time to live in, for both fiction and fact.
  • 2:30pm—3:00pm Signing to follow in the autographing area, Table AA06
  • 1:30pm—2:30pm Authors of Epic Fantasy, Room 24ABC
    How do you best describe stories of epic fantasy? Expansive worlds with long histories, huge casts of characters, political intrigue, massive battles, magic, legend, and much more… they are indeed epic! Join authors of fantasy fiction Peter Orullian (Trial of Intentions), Susan Dennard (Truthwitch), Peter Brett, and others as they discuss their own works, as well as other popular series that have made epic fantasy one of pop culture’s most successful genres.
  • 3:00pm—4:00pm Signing to follow in the autographing area, Table AA09
  • 2:00pm Tor Booth (#2707) Signing: Greg Van Eekhout, Pacific Fire
  • 3:00pm—4:00pm Worldbuilding, Room 25ABC
    Fact: worlds are important. But how are they made? Join our panel of top authors as they describe how they set the stage for their stories and create a living universe for their characters. Moderated by Charlie Jane Anders (All the Birds in the Sky).
  • 4:30pm—5:30pm Signing to follow in the autographing area, Table AA09
  • 4:00pm—5:00pm I’m Sleeping with the Lights On: Horror and Thriller Authors in Discussion, Room 25ABC
    Horror and thriller books have an amazing way of keeping readers up at night. From demons to zombies, and from historical to even seemingly mundane settings, certain authors can find bone-chilling ways to make sure the reader keep turning the pages. Join Robert Brockway (The Unnoticeables), Mary Kubica, Matthew Riley, and others as they discuss their books and what motivates them to scare you! Moderated by Del Howison (Midian Unmade), owner of the Dark Delicacies Bookstore.
  • 5:30pm—6:30pm Signing to follow in the autographing area, Table AA09

Friday, July 10

  • 11:30am—12:30pm Gender in Science Fiction, Room 24ABC
    Pizza rolls, not gender roles! From the strong female protagonist to the battle of the sexes, Science Fiction has long given us the ability to challenge the way we think about traditional gender roles. Come listen to Maryelizbeth Yturralde, owner of the bookstore Mysterious Galaxy, lead acclaimed authors such as Wes Chu (Time Salvager), Nick Cole, and more in a discussion about the importance of gender in Science Fiction, how Science Fiction novels open our minds to non-traditional ideas, and just what is the difference between gender and sex.
  • 1:00pm—2:00pm Signing to follow in the autographing area, Table AA09
  • 12:00pm—1:00pm Autographing Area, Table AA18 Signing: Luis Royo, The Ice Dragon
  • 2:00pm Tor Booth (#2707) Signing: Brandon Sanderson In-booth sales by Mysterious Galaxy

Saturday, July 11th

  • 12:00pm—1:00pm Family Feud: Sci-Fi vs. Fantasy, Room 7AB
    Calling all Nerds! Since the dawn of time we have argued and contemplated crucial matters: What’s cooler? Who would win in a fight? Who would lose? Star Trek or Star Wars? Ironman or Captain America? Now, in an open forum, join us as other diehard Nerds and geek experts—including Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn series), Chuck Palahniuk, Ernie Cline, and others—prove their mettle by squaring off into furious debates about the hottest topics in geek culture.
  • 1:30pm—2:30pm Signing to follow in the autographing area, Table AA09
  • 4:00pm—5:00pm Epic Fantasy, Room 29AB
    Learn about fantasy literature and book-to-movie adaptations from New York Times bestselling authors Heather Brewer, Jonathan Maberry, Kami Garcia, Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn series) and Maggie Stiefvater. Moderated by Henry Herz.
  • 5:00pm Tor Booth (#2707) Signing: Adam Christopher, Made to Kill

Sunday, July 12

All Tor Booth signings are on a first come first serve basis and while supplies lasts. Limit one book per person.

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What's New

Knee Deep in Mud for Art’s Sake

torforge2 Comments

Pacific Fire by Greg Van Eekhout
By Greg van Eekhout

I almost died writing Pacific Fire. Not to be whiny or anything. But I almost died.

For the second book in the California Bones trilogy, I needed some new, weird, Californian settings, and the Salton Sea fit the bill. Formed in 1905 when engineers accidentally flooded 343 square miles of Southern California desert, the Salton Sea is an eerie slow-motion disaster. From a distance, it shimmers a lovely blue against the craggy brown foothills surrounding it. Up close, it looks like a vast toxic spill, or, as Joel K. Bourne Jr. described it in National Geographic, a lake of dark beer that smells like sulfur and rot. Bombay Beach is strewn with dead fish, and the white sand is actually the pulverized remains of older dead fish.

Salvation MountainReal estate developers in the 1950’s promised buyers a desert paradise, like Palm Springs, only with water. What’s left today are die-hards who like cheap housing and distance between them and the rest of the world. They hang on in the few communities that dot the coast, a few houses and trailers amid the rotting timbers, exposed foundations, and boom boxes and CRT computer monitors abandoned in place. There’s Slab City, an RV campsite and squatters’ colony built on the site of a decommissioned World War II Marine base. And there’s Salvation Mountain, a devotional art installation/residence painted on the side of a mountain by the late Leonard Knight.

The Salton Sea is a weird place, and a wonderful place, and an example of the amazingly wrong and foolish things Californians do when they try to plant paradise in the desert. It had to be in my book, and I had to go there. So, one morning my wife and I set out from our home in San Diego and drove the few hours from one sea to another.

Our first stop was the mud pots in Niland, a field where geothermic activity pushes hot water up through mud to form bubbling, belching, mini-volcanoes. There were a few families tromping around and peering inside the craters, and it all seemed pretty fun and safe. I mean, there were little kids sliding down the sides of the volcanoes, so how dangerous could it be? The fact that my wife thought it prudent to stay back near the car to guard it against…I don’t know, threats…meant nothing to me. I grabbed my gear, by which I mean my phone so I could take pictures, and ventured into the field.

Niland Mud PotsThe mud is actually quite beautiful: smooth and creamy gray, you can soak in it at a Palm Springs spa. I got pretty intimate with the mud. So, there I was, exploring and snapping photos, minding my own business, when I said to myself, “This footing seems a bit unstable, so better watch where I

oh god I’m sinking into the mud it is all the way up to my thigh and I can’t use my hands to get out because I am holding my expensive new phone and it is only one week old!”

That’s what I said. A nearby dad said, “See, that’s why I told you kids not to walk there.” And a nearby kid said, “He’s gonna be dirty.” And then I said, “I hate all people and things.”

Salton Sea MudSomehow, eventually, with no help from anyone, I managed to extricate myself, though I came pretty close to never being seen again by anyone except mole people. I spent the rest of the day exploring the Salton Sea with a full-leg cast of encrusted mud that one could have signed with a Sharpie if one felt so inclined. My wife managed to save my new phone by digging out mud with her Swiss Army knife, but to this day I have to attach the charger with a rubber band.

Well. That’s pretty much it. I admit I didn’t really almost die, but I was humiliated and uncomfortable, and, really, anyone would agree that’s worse than death. I guess my characters in Pacific Fire might not agree, because some of them actually die, but that’s what they get for being in one of my books.

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Sweepstakes

Not at San Diego Comic-Con Sweepstakes – Swag Bag #1

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We hope to see many of you San Diego Comic-Con! If you are there, stop by Booth #2707 to say hi or to participate in one of our many events.

Can’t make it? You can still get some or our swag when you enter our Not at San Diego Comic-Con Sweepstakes! Just sign up for our newsletter, and you’ll be entered for a chance to win this awesome swag bag:

SDCC swag bag

This prize includes:

  • Wheel of Time bag
  • California Bones coaster set
  • Lock In keychain
  • Dragon Age poster
  • The Way of Kings magnet set
  • The Accidental Highwayman by Ben Tripp
  • Among Others by Jo Walton
  • Blindsight by Peter Watts
  • California Bones by Greg van Eekhout
  • Dark Shadows: Wolf Moon Rising by Lara Parker
  • Dragon Age: The Masked Empire by Patrick Weekes
  • Glamour in Glass by Mary Robinette Kowal
  • Lock In by John Scalzi
  • The Omen Machine by Terry Goodkind
  • Hurricane Fever by Tobias S. Buckell
  • Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone
  • The Time Traveler’s Almanac edited by Ann & Jeff VanderMeer

Sign up for your chance to win today!

And, after you sign up to enter this sweepstakes, head over here to enter for a chance to win our other amazing swag bag!

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A purchase does not improve your chances of winning. Sweepstakes open to legal residents of 50 United States, D.C., and Canada (excluding Quebec), who are 18 or older as of the date of entry. To enter, complete the entry form here beginning at 12:00 AM Eastern Time (ET) July 23, 2014. Sweepstakes ends at 11:59 PM ET July 27, 2014. Void outside the United States and Canada and where prohibited by law. Please see full details and official rules here. Sponsor: Tom Doherty Associates, LLC, 175 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10010.

What's New

Tor Books Announces Programming for San Diego Comic-Con 2014

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Tor Books is heading to San Diego Comic-Con!

Placeholder of -88 Once again Tor (Booth# 2707) continues our wildly popular *in-booth signings and giveaways, offering you a chance to meet your favorite authors up close and personal and pick up free books. We’ve got a great line up including appearances by: John Scalzi, Greg van Eekhout, Tobias Buckell, and Tor Teen debut author Ben Tripp.

 


Thursday, July 24th

  • 12:00 – 1:00am Panel: Fairy Tale Remix, Room 32AB
    Tor Teen author Ben Tripp (The Accidental Highwayman) joins Marissa Meyer (The Lunar Chronicles) and others that will give insight to the fairy tales of old, and new!
  • 1:30pm – 2:30 pm Signing to follow in the autographing area, Table AA09
  • 1:30pm – Author Reading Spotlight – John Scalzi, Science Fiction Author Cosplay, Horton Grand Theater, 444 4th Ave, between Island and J Street.
    John Scalzi reads from his forthcoming near-future thriller, Lock In, answers audience questions and maybe even serenades them on the ukulele!
  • 3:00pm – 4:00pm Panel: When Magic & Myth Meet Main Street, Room 25ABC
    When stories mix modern cities like Paris, LA, New York with magic, myth and demon spawn they are collectively known as Urban Fantasy, and many of today’s popular authors are adding their otherworldly ingredients to the melting pots of modern (and not-so-modern) society. Join some of today’s top urban fantasy authors, including Greg van Eekhout (California Bones), Jim Butcher, Seanan McGuire and others as they discuss why something old with something new equals gold.
  • 4:30pm – 5:30pm Signing to follow in the autographing area, Table AA09

Friday, July 25th

  • 1:00pm – 2:00pm Panel: 101 Ways to Kill a Man, Room 32AB
    Coming up with creative ways to commit mayhem and murder is the lifeblood of these talented thriller authors. A fatal chimera virus; hybridized bioengineered parasites; murderous microchips; lethal electric stimuli; deathstrike via satellite targeting. How many ways can you kill someone? Join top thriller authors Tobias Buckell (Hurricane Fever), Greg Hurwitz (Don’t Look Back) and others as they discuss the art of delivering deadly thrills. But don’t worry too much. A little light reading never killed anyone.
  • 2:30pm – 3:30pm Signing to follow in the autographing area, Table AA09

Saturday, July 26th

  • 12:00pm Tor Booth (#2707) Signing: Hurricane Fever – Tobias Buckell
  • 2:30pm – 3:30pm Panel: The Art of Fear, Room 8
    Horror novels have been keeping us at night for years. From puppets that come to life, to creepy-crawly worm, haunted towns, demons out for blood, killer wolves, possible possessions, to the apocalypse, these authors give you goosebumps while you read. Glen Hirschberg (Motherless Child), moderates this panel featuring, Mira Grant and others as they discuss their novels, the writing process, and why you keep the light on while you read.
  • 4:00pm – 5:00pm Signing to follow in the autographing area, Table AA09

Make sure to follow @TorBooks on Twitter for up to date information and last minute events!

All Tor Booth signings are on a first come first serve basis and while supplies lasts. Limit one book per person.

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