Starscape - Tor/Forge Blog

Two sisters, two brothers, and the rebirth of the Deadtime Stories

January 9, 2012May 10, 2024torforge

When our editor offered us the opportunity to contribute an article to this newsletter about our middle grade horror series, Deadtime Stories, we were hesitant—until she wrote, “What we are unequivocally NOT looking for is an article about how you got your ideas …”

We couldn’t have been more relieved.

It’s not that we are incapable of waxing poetic about our creative process; it’s just that we don’t want to. Nor could we, really, without offending someone. Even our muse walked out on us—with good reason. Nobody wants to be trapped in a room with two menopausal women who act like eight-year-old boys.

It’s not that we don’t take our work seriously. We do. In fact, we take it so seriously that it is important to us that we identify with our audience. As a result, we have no choice but to play “What if …” for hours. No booger joke is beneath us; and there are entire days when bathroom humor rules.

Yes. That’s our process.

Writing horror and humor for middle grade readers is not for the faint of heart.

Anyway, since we’re not going to discuss the birth of our series, we thought it would be fun to tell you a little bit about its rebirth.

A couple of years ago, in a land full of tinsel, two filmmaking brothers, David and Scott Hillenbrand, were looking for brides …

Wait. We lie. We are, after all, fiction writers. The brothers weren’t really looking for brides; they were looking for projects suitable for children to produce as a live action film series. And so, we shipped them one—in the form of the original series of Deadtime Stories books published in 1996.

It was love at first sight. One month later, a marriage really was made.

Luckily for the brothers, we all live in different houses, on two different coasts. No way they wanted to be trapped in a room with us while we adapted the first two books into screenplays. Even Skyping was out of the question. If the honeymoon was to be a success, there could be no visuals; and no conversations about “special effects.”

With the screenplays for Grave Secrets and The Witching Game complete, the honeymoon was over, and the real magic kicked in.

It started with the casting of Diane Ladd and Jennifer Stone; and ended with a food truck.

Yes. That’s right. A food truck.

No. We’re not lying to you this time.

That food truck was magical. We couldn’t believe the meals that came out of that thing. No wonder everybody wants to work on a film set—you’ve got catering chefs feeding you morning, noon, and night! Talk about a dream come true. No cooking; no cleaning; no kidding!

In all seriousness, if we could take just one thing away from our entire movie making experience, it would have to be that truck.

Now, if we could only convince the brothers to add some massage tables to the set of The Witching Game, this really would be a marriage made in heaven!

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Author Features

Life, the Universe, and the Large White Object

November 1, 2011May 10, 2024torforge

by Caitlin Brennan

There’s something about a horse. You can share your life with a dog and worship your cat, but the horse is as close to a mythical creature as any of us is likely to get. Here is a large, powerful animal that has done everything from carrying armies to war to plowing fields and pulling logs out of the deep woods—and these days, hauling loads of fiber-optic cable where more modern forms of transport can’t go.

He’s not just transportation, either. He’s quite intelligent, but in a different way than a predator or a pack animal. He’s a herd animal and a prey animal, and he’s wired for cooperation. A good horse is a working partner, a loyal companion, and, in the right circumstances, a strong protector.

In sf terms, he’s a sentient alien with a sometimes inexplicable fondness for humans. In fantasy terms, he’s magic. Sometimes unicorn, sometimes dragon, and always Not a Tame Lion.

I’m a smallish-horse person myself. I like one I can see over, and I’m not tall. I’m quite content with one who runs below 15 hands (60 inches at the shoulder). Easier to groom and saddle, and much easier to climb aboard.

So once upon a time in the barn, a friend bought a horse off a video. “Big and calm,” the seller said, quoting a height that was not excessive–the “big” had more to do with mass than altitude. Perfect general-purpose vehicle for the non-riding husband, we agreed, and my friend arranged to ship her to my farm in Arizona.

We had warning. The compartment in the van was too small; she needed a larger one. We were expecting a widebody; we were not alarmed. The driver was in love. Wonderful mare, he said.

What came off the van was huuuuuuuge. A good three inches taller than advertised, and half again the mass. Friend’s expression was straight out of Edvard Munch’s The Scream.

This white mountain of a horse rolled right past her alleged owner, parked in front of me and looked me in the eye. Pure Star Trek moment. “I. Am for you.”

Human economics mean nothing to a horse. I was not her owner. Didn’t matter. She had made her choice, and the person who had bought and paid for her was not it.

That much horse standing straight up on her hindlegs refusing with prejudice to be handled by a human is impressive. And damned scary. (Feet the size of salad plates. Not exaggerating.)

For me she was a complete sweetheart. Followed me around like a 1400-pound lamb.

We yielded to the inevitable. Friend traded her for a much smaller, gentler mare who liked her quite well. The Big Girl stayed with me.

I look like a tweenager on her. My legs come halfway down her sides. She masses like an Imperial cruiser and handles like a Starfury. Riding her is like flying.

Her name is Pandora. She’s a yoga master as well as a riding instructor. As long as I’m there, she doesn’t care who rides her—and she’s a wonderful teacher. She has a large and devoted fan club.

Of course she has her own book. She gets to have adventures and visit alien worlds and save the universe. She’s a Magical Being, after all. It’s only right and proper.

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Author Features

Beasts, Boy Scouts, and a Kitty Named Jacko

September 12, 2011January 24, 2024torforge3 Comments

By Bill Willingham

Down the Mysterly River came about chiefly because of my love of talking animal stories: everything from the old French “beast tales” of Reynard and Joel Chandler Harris’ Uncle Remus stories, to the more modern tales like Jack London’s The Call of the Wild, C.S. Lewis’s tales of Narnia, Orwell’s Animal Farm and all the way to Richard Adams’s Watership Down. It was inevitable I’d try to do my own talking animal story someday.

No book has a single origin, though. I was thinking how long it had been since a story was done that casts the Boy Scouts in a favorable light, along the lines of James B. Garfield’s wonderful Follow My Leader. As so often is the case, two ideas that might not ordinarily fit together were combined, solely because they happened to both be on my mind at about the same time.

So, this story would be a talking animal tale that also had a Boy Scout in it.

Then of course, any good adventure book has to have good villains. In a fantasy setting the villain, or villains, have to be recognizable to readers. The frustrations they create for our heroes in the story also have to be frustrations that would bother the readers. Once again I drew upon things that were on my mind: in this case those who, for whatever reasons, can’t leave a good story alone. You know the type I’m talking about—the nameless, faceless studio bigwigs who decided their movie version of Moby Dick had to have a happy ending, with Ahab in a nice restaurant, with his wife, overlooking the harbor; or whoever decided Beowulf had to be stripped of his might and undaunted valor, and remade into a hero with feet of clay, who lies about his past deeds and forswears his oaths, thus sowing the seeds of his own doom.

Don’t get me wrong. I love a good happy ending, and I’m fine reading tales about heroes who turn out to be less than they claim, and thus bring about their own downfall. But I bristle at the need to change existing stories, wonderful and unique, to fit those tired old molds—to fit into the whims of the moment. Then there are the huge mega-media-entertainment corporations who strip-mine the works of others for stories, which are then homogenized, transmogrified, and rendered down into a tasteless pasty substance called, “valuable corporate properties.”

Thus, we had our villains for the book, the feared Blue Cutters.

But we weren’t done yet. In talking animal stories, just as in tales about real folks, it isn’t enough to have a selection of different types of animals. Each character, man or beast, has to have a different, distinct, and (one hopes) entertaining personality, and to act in ways true to that personality.

Because I like noble characters with an unshakable sense of honor and duty, we have Banderbrock the Badger. Because I like affable dunces with hidden depths, we have Walden the Bear. And because an unapologetic, rogue agent of chaos is always fun to throw into the mix, we have McTavish the Monster—the only one of our cast who was based on a real animal—our very first family cat.

When we first got him as a new, cute kitty, our littlest sister insisted he be named Jacko (pronounced Jaw-ko). But as he started to grow big and tough to the point where a cute kitty name simply wouldn’t do anymore, he turned into Jughead, who ruled all the other animals in our Newport Hills neighborhood with an iron hand. About the time Jughead killed his second of three local dogs, our next door neighbor, Scotty Givan, started calling him McTavish the Monster, which stuck. And so a legend was born.

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What's New

Starscape and Hill & Brand Kids Announce Deadtime Stories Books and Movies

August 2, 2011May 10, 2024torforge

Starscape and Hill & Brand Kids are thrilled to announce the upcoming DEADTIME STORIES for Kids books and movies, featuring Disney Channel star Jennifer Stone and
Oscar-nominated actress Diane Ladd!

New York, NY; August 2, 2011: Starscape, an imprint of Tor Books, is pleased to announce an exciting publishing project in association with Hill & Brand Kids – a delightfully scary series of middle grade books and coordinating films known as DEADTIME STORIES FOR KIDS!

Cool and creepy, funny and frightening…DEADTIME STORIES for Kids by the seasoned team of writers, Annette and Gina Cascone, offer thrills and chills without violence or gore.

Filmmaking brothers, Scott and David Hillenbrand, of Hill & Brand are producing and directing the DEADTIME STORIES films, which began production in July 2011. Tor’s Starscape imprint will be publishing the books the films are based upon, launching in January 2012 with Grave Secrets.

Each of the DEADTIME STORIES for Kids films will show one of the books being read by a babysitter to her young charges, and Hill & Brand have cast Disney Channel star Jennifer Stone (Wizards of Waverly Place) in this starring role.

Hill & Brand Kids are also pleased to announce that the first film, Grave Secrets, will feature Academy Award-nominated actress Diane Ladd.

“I have 10 grandchildren and I chose this project to leave something wonderful for them,” shared Ladd. “I love the story and the message it sends to children, as well as adults — that you should never judge someone without knowing their story.”

Jennifer Stone added that she was thrilled to be a part of a series that she would have loved to watch growing up. “As a kid, I always enjoyed things that were a little different. This isn’t your typical children’s programming. It’s smart and a little bit eerie, which is right up my alley.”

Also joining the cast that will bring the book series to life are Ashlee Jones (True Blood and The Bold and the Beautiful), Christian LeBlanc (The Young and the Restless and As The World Turns), Taylar Hender (Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer) and The Middle’s Devan Leos and Mackenzie Brooke Smith.

Further DEADTIME STORIES for Kids books and films will follow, including The Witching Game (March 2012), The Beast of Baskerville (May 2012), and Invasion of the Appleheads (July 2012).

“We are thrilled to partner with Hill & Brand on this very unique project. DEADTIME STORIES for Kids books and films promote the importance and lasting power of books,” says Starscape Publisher Kathleen Doherty.

Grave Secrets was adapted for the screen by the DEADTIME STORIES for Kids authors, Annette and Gina Cascone, who are looking forward to seeing their spine tingling storytelling come to life. Annette says, “There’s a reason Dianne Ladd is a three time Oscar nominee. We are in awe of her work. She makes us laugh, she makes us cry, and she definitely gives us more than goosebumps. And Jennifer Stone’s future is so bright, I’m putting my sunglasses on now!”

Gina says, “This is a writer’s dream. We are very proud to be published by Starscape. Everyone at Tor has shown so much enthusiasm and are a complete joy; and we couldn’t have asked for better partners in Hill & Brand. They are professional and creative, with complete respect for our screenplays.”

Educators, librarians, parents, and kids alike will find much to love about DEADTIME STORIES for Kids books and the coordinating films will help to promote the fun of reading.

About Annette and Gina Cascone

As sisters, Annette and Gina share the same last name. As writers, they share the same brain. As children, they found it difficult to share anything at all. The Cascone sisters grew up in New Jersey with their father, a criminal defense attorney, and their mother, who claimed to have ESP. They honed their storytelling skills early on in life, mainly to stay out of trouble. Now, they are telling their crazy stories to anyone who will listen.

The stats: Gina is older; Annette is not. Gina is married; Annette should be. Gina has two children; Annette borrowed one. Gina has a granddaughter; Annette has a grandniece. Gina has cats; Annette has dogs. They both have a sister named Elise. www.agcascone.com

About Tor Books/Starscape

Tor Books, an imprint of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC, is a New York-based publisher of hardcover and softcover books. Founded in 1980, Tor annually publishes what is arguably the largest and most diverse line of science fiction and fantasy ever produced by a single English-language publisher. In 2002, Tor launched Starscape, an imprint dedicated to publishing quality science fiction and fantasy for young readers, including books by critically acclaimed and award winning authors such as Cory Doctorow, Orson Scott Card, and David Lubar. Between an extensive hardcover and trade-softcover line, an Orb backlist program, and a stronghold in mass-market paperbacks, books from Tor have won every major award in the SF and fantasy fields, and has been named Best Publisher 24 years in a row in the Locus Poll, the largest consumer poll in SF.

About Hill & Brand Kids

Hill & Brand Kids is the family-friendly entertainment division of Hill & Brand was founded by filmmaker brothers Scott and David Hillenbrand. Specializing in the development and production of film and television, Hill & Brand regularly secures financing, worldwide distribution and manages projects across all genres. The brothers have served as producers and directors on the National Lampoon’s Dorm Daze franchise (MGM & Lionsgate), the vampire action comedy Transylmania (SONY), and the Lionsgate sci-fi thriller King Cobra and gamer cult classic Game Box 1.0. Based in Los Angeles, Hill & Brand Kids was launched in 2010, returning the Hillenbrands to their roots in family entertainment. The brothers’ previous experience includes popular kids television shows (live action and animated) such as Sweet Valley High (FOX), Power Rangers (FOX), Spiderman (FOX/Marvel), Pinocchio (HBO), and Space Cats (NBC). Off to a bold start, Hill & Brand Kids has acquired the rights to the book series DEADTIME STORIES for Kids and The Secret Life of Mitch Spinach (in development with KCET).

Events / What's New

David Lubar Book Signing: Pennsylvania

January 19, 2011May 10, 2024torforge

Pennsylvania residents, come meet David Lubar, author of Enter the Zombie, the concluding volume of the Nathan Abercrombie: Accidental Zombie series!

Time:
Saturday, January 22
1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

Address:
Wegmans, Downingtown
1056 East Lancaster Ave.
Downingtown, PA 19335

About the author: DAVID LUBAR created a sensation with his debut novel, Hidden Talents, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults. He is also the author of True Talents, Flip, and four short story collections: In the Land of the Lawn Weenies, Invasion of the Road Weenies, The Curse of the Campfire Weenies, and The Battle of the Red Hot Pepper Weenies, as well as the Nathan Abercrombie series.

Video

Book Trailer: House of the Star by Caitlin Brennan

November 10, 2010May 17, 2024torforge

About House of the Star: Elen is a princess of the kingdom of Ymbria. Her greatest wish is to become a rider of worldrunners: the magical horses that are the only safe way to travel the roads through the worlds of Faerie. Now Elen has the chance to fulfill her dream at last, but the price is much too high.

To become a worldrider, Elen must journey to the House of the Star on Earth, the Arizona ranch where the worldrunners live and breed. There, she must try to forge a peace with her people’s worst enemy—a traitor from the world of Caledon—and end the war that has been tearing their worlds apart for centuries. If Elen doesn’t succeed, the Master of the House of the Star will close both Ymbria and Caledon off from the worldroads forever. Can the wisdom of a worldrunner named Blanca help Elen in her quest to save her world?

Caitlin Brennan’s first novel for young readers is an enchanting tale of a very special breed of horses, the tribe of horse girls, and faerie magic.

What's New

Tor signs Bill Willingham to Starscape Imprint

January 5, 2010May 13, 2024torforge

Famed graphic novelist to debut middle grade fantasy novel

Tor Books is pleased to add Bill Willingham, New York Times bestselling author of the international Vertigo hit series, Fables, to their roster of award winning authors. Willingham makes his debut in Starscape, an imprint of Tor, with a new original fantasy novel for young readers.

“We are thrilled to be publishing the very talented Bill Willingham in our Starscape imprint. Bill’s first middle grade prose novel, Down the Mysterly River, is a spirited, by turns harrowing, occasionally laugh-out-loud, highly original fantasy that we are confident will enjoy every bit of success as his hugely popular Fables series,” says Kathleen Doherty, Publisher of Starscape/Tor Teen/Tor Kids.

In 2009, the Fables franchise vaulted Willingham into top position as the comics industry’s best selling international writer. Fables: War and Pieces was nominated for the first Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story and Willingham was awarded the prestigious Best Writer Eisner for his writing on both Fables and the DC Comics House of Mystery series. His first adult prose novel Peter & Max was recently included in School Library Journal’s “Best Adult Books for High School Students” and various Fables collections have been included on YALSA annual recommended lists in 2004 (YALSA: Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers) and 2007 (YALSA: Great Graphic Novels for Teens).

What's New

Tor & Forge Books at BEA

May 20, 2009May 16, 2024torforge

EVENTS AT BEA by DAY

THURSDAY, MAY 28th

Library Journal’s Pre-BEA Day of Dialog

Jordan Summers / Crimson & Red

2:45-4:00pm “Urban Fantasy Panel” McGraw-Hill Auditorium, 1221 Sixth Avenue

Monster Lit/Urban Fantasy: Demon hunters, vampires, werewolves, shape shifters, fairies, witches, zombies, all fit into this growing collection area, which crosses from teen to adult as well as from classic to pop lit (a Jane Austen-zombie mashup). What’s the attraction? Why now? Who are the authors to watch?

BEA Editors Buzz Panel

Harriet McDougal/ The Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson

4:15-5:15pm Room 1E14

BEA’s original and ultimate transfer of taste-making is back to where it all began. Insightful and passionate, this intimate editorial exchange will provide you with an insider’s perspective on some of the Fall’s new discoveries and potential breakouts.

Program Chair: John Freeman, American Editor, Granta

Editors: Deb Futter, VP, Editor-in-Chief, Grand Central Publishing with Leila Meacham’s ROSES; Paul Elie, Editor, FSG with Michael Sandel’s JUSTICE; Alexis Gargagliano, Editor, Scribner with Alex Lemon’s HAPPY; Harriet McDougal, Executive Editor, Tor Books with Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson’s THE GATHERING STORM; Ben Sevier, Sr. Editor, Dutton with Jonathan Tropper’s THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU; Robert Weil, Executive Editor, WW Norton with David Small’s STITCHES

FRIDAY, MAY 29th

Formal Autographings

Jordan Summers / Crimson / Table 7 / 9:30-10:30am (Woman’s Fiction/Romance Salute)

Karna Small Bodman / Final Finesse / Table 18 / 11:00am-12:00pm

David Lubar / My Rotten Life / Table 12 / 3:30-4:30pm (Juvenile Salute)

Bill Evans / Frozen Fire / Table 30 / Time 3:30-4:30pm

ABA Celebration Of Bookselling Luncheon

12:15-1:30pm / Special Events Hall

Karna Small Bodman / Final Finesse– Table 34

Brandon Sanderson / Warbreaker – Table 12

MWA (Mystery Writers of America) Booth Signing (Booth #3828)

1:30-2:30pm

Karna Small Bodman – Final Finesse

ABA Autographings in ABA Lounge

2:30-3:00pm

Karna Small Bodman – Final Finesse

Rooms 1E07 & 1E08, lower concourse

Authors Of Editors Buzz Stage

3:30pm

Brandon Sanderson – The Gathering Storm

Downtown Authors Stage

Host: John Freeman, US editor, Granta

Authors: Brandon Sanderson, THE GATHERING STORM – Tor Books

Jonathan Tropper, THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU – Dutton

SATURDAY, MAY 30th

Formal Autographings

Carolyn Rubenstein / Perseverance / Table 12 / 12:30-1:30pm (Family & Relationships Salute)
Jon Land / Strong Enough To Die / Table 22 / 3:30-4:30pm (Mystery/Thriller Salute)
George Mann / The Affinity Bridge/ Table 25 / 3:30-4:30pm (Sci-Fi Salute)
Brandon Sanderson / Warbreaker / Table 11 / 3:30-4:30pm (Sci-Fi Salute)
F. Paul Wilson / Ground Zero / Table 23 / 3:30-4:30pm (Mystery/Thriller Salute)

ABA Autographings in ABA Lounge

10:30-11:00am

Brandon Sanderson – Warbreaker

Rooms 1E07 & 1E08, lower concourse

SUNDAY, MAY 31st

Formal Autographings

Rhodi Hawk / A Twisted Ladder / Table 11 / 11:00am-12:00pm (New Fiction Authors Salute)

MEDIA COVERAGE AT BEA

KIRKUS BEA/ALA Big Book Guide – May 15th Supplement

David Lubar / My Rotten Life

PUBLISHERS MARKETPLACE

Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson / The Gathering Storm

Featured in “BEA Buzz ‘09” section: https://www.publishersmarketplace.com/BEA/Sanderson.html

PW SHOW DAILY – Saturday, May 30th

Carolyn Rubenstein / Perseverance

PW SHOW DAILY – Sunday, May 31st

Rhodi Hawk / A Twisted Ladder

BOOKEXPO AMERICA WEBSITE

Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson / The Gathering Storm

Featured at “Breakout Books at BEA”: https://www.bookexpoamerica.com/en/Breakout-Books/

INGRAM PODCASTS

David Lubar / My Rotten Life

Brandon Sanderson / Warbreaker

The podcasts will be posted to the Ingram Library Services’ Interact site following BEA

Beasts, Boy Scouts, and a Kitty Named Jacko

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