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On the Road: Tor/Forge Author Events in July

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

Elizabeth Bear, Stone Mad

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Friday, July 13th
Brookline Booksmith
Brookline, MA
7:00 PM

Ruthanna Emrys, Deep Roots

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Tuesday, July 10th
East City Bookshop
Washington, DC
6:30 PM

W. Bruce Cameron, Max’s Story

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Thursday, July 5th
River Falls Library
River Falls, WI
10:30 AM
Books provided by Chapter 2 Books.

Thursday, July 5th
Angel’s Pet World
Hudson, WI
5:00 PM
Books provided by Chapter 2 Books.

Saturday, July 7th
St. Louis County Library
St. Louis, MO
1:00 PM
Books provided by The Novel Neighbor.

Sunday, July 8th
Anderson’s Bookshop
Naperville, IL
2:00 PM

Jacqueline Carey, Starless

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Monday, July 16th
Herrick District Library
Holland, MI
7:00 PM

Sherrilyn Kenyon, Death Doesn’t Bargain

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Tuesday, July 17th
Barnes & Noble
San Diego, CA
7:00 PM

Orly Konig, Carousel Beach

Thursday, July 5th
Browseabout Books
Rehoboth Beach, DE
1:00 PM
Also with Shelley Noble.

Thursday, July 5th
Bethany Beach Books
Bethany Beach, DE
6:30 PM

Nancy Kress, If Tomorrow Comes

Wednesday, July 11th
Elliott Bay Book Company
Seattle, WA
7:00 PM
Also with Daryl Gregory and Django Wexler.

William Martin, Bound for Gold

Tuesday, July 10th
Book Passage
San Francisco, CA
6:00 PM

Tuesday, July 17th
Harvard Book Store
Cambridge, MA
7:00 PM

Wednesday, July 18th
Sandwich Library
Sandwich, MA
7:00 PM
Books provided by Titcomb’s Bookshop.

Friday, July 20th
Brewster Bookstore
Brewster, MA
10:00 AM

Saturday, July 21st
Yellow Umbrella
Chatham, MA
12:00 PM

Tuesday, July 31st
Avon Free Public Library
Avon, CT
6:30 PM

Jessica Pennington, Love Songs and Other Lies

Saturday, July 14th
Chicago Public Library
Chicago, IL
2:00 PM
Also with Megan Bannen, Nisha Sharma, and Sarah Henning.

Sunday, July 15th
Anderson’s Bookshop
La Grange, IL
2:00 PM
Also with Christina June, Laurie Devore, Stacey Kade, and Gloria Chao.

Veronica Rossi, Seeker

Tuesday, July 10th
Books Inc
Alameda, CA
7:00 PM
In conversation with Jeff Giles and S.J. Kincaid.

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New Releases: 5/22/18

Anger Is a Gift by Mark Oshiro

Image Place holder  of - 17 Moss Jeffries is many things—considerate student, devoted son, loyal friend and affectionate boyfriend, enthusiastic nerd.

But sometimes Moss still wishes he could be someone else—someone without panic attacks, someone whose father was still alive, someone who hadn’t become a rallying point for a community because of one horrible night.

And most of all, he wishes he didn’t feel so stuck.

Becoming Bonnie by Jenni L. Walsh

Placeholder of  -88 The summer of 1927 might be the height of the Roaring Twenties, but Bonnelyn Parker is more likely to belt out a church hymn than sling drinks at an illicit juice joint. She’s a sharp girl with plans to overcome her family’s poverty, provide for herself, and maybe someday marry her boyfriend, Roy Thornton. But when Roy springs a proposal on her, and financial woes jeopardize her ambitions, Bonnelyn finds salvation in an unlikely place: Dallas’s newest speakeasy, Doc’s. But her life—like her country—is headed for a crash.

Bonnie Parker is about to meet Clyde Barrow.

Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow

Image Placeholder of - 5 Jules is a young man barely a century old. He’s lived long enough to see the cure for death and the end of scarcity, to learn ten languages and compose three symphonies…and to realize his boyhood dream of taking up residence in Disney World.

Disney World! The greatest artistic achievement of the long-ago twentieth century. Now in the care of a network of volunteer “ad-hocs” who keep the classic attractions running as they always have, enhanced with only the smallest high-tech touches.

Eastern Standard Tribe by Cory Doctorow

Poster Placeholder of - 17 Art is an up-and-coming interface designer, working on the management of data flow along the Massachusetts Turnpike. He’s doing the best work of his career and can guarantee that the system will be, without a question, the most counterintuitive, user-hostile piece of software ever pushed forth onto the world.

Why? Because Art is an industrial saboteur. He may live in London and work for an EU telecommunications megacorp, but Art’s real home is the Eastern Standard Tribe.

In the Eye of Heaven by David Keck

Place holder  of - 90 Durand is simply a good squire trying to become a good knight in a harsh and unforgiving world.

After fourteen years of grueling training, Durand’s knighthood and inheritance, the lordship of a small village in his father’s duchy, seemed assured. However, Fate saw otherwise. When the long lost son of the knight of that village unexpectedly returns, Durand must forge his own name and fortune.

Makers by Cory Doctorow

Perry and Lester invent things—seashell robots that make toast, Boogie Woogie Elmo dolls that drive cars. They also invent entirely new economic systems, like the “New Work,” a New Deal for the technological era. Barefoot bankers cross the nation, microinvesting in high-tech communal mini-startups like Perry and Lester’s. Together, they transform the country, and Andrea Fleeks, a journo-turned-blogger, is there to document it.

The Rapture of the Nerds by Cory Doctorow & Charles Stross

Welcome to the fractured future, at the dusk of the twenty-first century.

Earth has a population of roughly a billion hominids. For the most part, they are happy with their lot, living in a preserve at the bottom of a gravity well. Those who are unhappy have emigrated, joining one or another of the swarming densethinker clades that fog the inner solar system with a dust of molecular machinery so thick that it obscures the sun.

Seeker by Veronica Rossi

When Daryn claimed she was seeing “visions” during her sophomore year of high school, no one believed the truth. She wasn’t losing her mind, she was gaining the Sight—the ability to see the future. If she just paid attention to the visions, they’d provide her with clues and show her how she could help people. Really help them. Daryn embraced her role as a Seeker. The work she did was important. She saved lives.

Until Sebastian.

Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town by Cory Doctorow

Alan is a middle-aged entrepeneur who moves to a bohemian neighborhood of Toronto. Living next door is a young woman who reveals to him that she has wings—which grow back after each attempt to cut them off.

Alan understands. He himself has a secret or two. His father is a mountain, his mother is a washing machine, and among his brothers are sets of Russian nesting dolls.

Walkaway by Cory Doctorow

Hubert Vernon Rudolph Clayton Irving Wilson Alva Anton Jeff Harley Timothy Curtis Cleveland Cecil Ollie Edmund Eli Wiley Marvin Ellis Espinoza—known to his friends as Hubert, Etc—was too old to be at that Communist party.

But after watching the breakdown of modern society, he really has no where left to be—except amongst the dregs of disaffected youth who party all night and heap scorn on the sheep they see on the morning commute. After falling in with Natalie, an ultra-rich heiress trying to escape the clutches of her repressive father, the two decide to give up fully on formal society—and walk away.

NEW FROM TOR.COM

American Hippo by Sarah Gailey

In 2017 Sarah Gailey made her debut with River of Teeth and Taste of Marrow, two action-packed novellas that introduced readers to an alternate America in which hippos rule the colossal swamp that was once the Mississippi River. Now readers have the chance to own both novellas in American Hippo, a single, beautiful volume.

NEW IN MANGA

The Dungeon of Black Company Vol. 1 Story and art by Youhei Yasumura

Himouto! Umaru-chan Vol. 1 Story and art by Sankaku Head

How to Treat Magical Beasts: Mine and Master’s Medical Journal Vol. 1 Story and art by Kajiya

Magical Girl Spec-Ops Asuka Vol. 3 Story by Makoto Fukami; Art by Seigo Tokiya

Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid: Kanna’s Daily Life Vol. 2 Story by coolkyousinnjya; Art by Mitsuhiro Kimura

Saint Seiya: Saintia Shō Vol. 2 Story and art by Chimaki Kuori

Ultra Kaiju Anthropomorphic Project Vol. 1 Character designs by POP; story and art by Shun Kazakami

Yokai Rental Shop Vol. 3 Story and art by Shin Mashiba

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New Releases: 5/8/18

Happy New Release Day! Here’s what went on sale today.

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells

Place holder  of - 47 It has a dark past—one in which a number of humans were killed. A past that caused it to christen itself “Murderbot”. But it has only vague memories of the massacre that spawned that title, and it wants to know more. Teaming up with a Research Transport vessel named ART (you don’t want to know what the “A” stands for), Murderbot heads to the mining facility where it went rogue.

What it discovers will forever change the way it thinks…

Carousel Beach by Orly Konig

Poster Placeholder of - 45 Orly’s Konig’s Carousel Beach is a powerful novel that untangles the secrets of love, heartbreak, and misunderstandings between three generations of women.

A cryptic letter on her grandmother’s grave and a mysterious inscription on a carousel horse leads artist Maya Brice to Hank Hauser, the ninety-year-old carver of the beloved carousel she has been hired to restore in time for its Fourth of July reopening in her Delaware beach town.

Death Doesn’t Bargain by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Image Place holder  of - 41 The Deadmen are back…

But so are the demons who have broken free of their eternal prison and are bent on mankind’s destruction. The worst of the lot is Vine, determined to claim their lives for taking hers. She will see the world burn…and has the perfect lure to destroy them all. One of their own.

The Evil That Men Do by Robert Gleason

Image Placeholder of - 82 Income inequality and the offshore hoarding of illicit black funds have reached such extremes that the earth’s democracies are in peril. The oligarchs are taking over. The People worldwide, however, are rising up, and they demand that the UN seize and redistribute all that illegal filthy lucre. But it will not be easy. The world’s oligarchs will not go gentle.

Give-a-Damn Jones by Bill Pronzini

Placeholder of  -50 Not all the folks who roamed the Old West were cowhands, rustlers, or cardsharps. And they certainly weren’t all heroes.

Give-a-Damn Jones, a free-spirited itinerant typographer, hates his nickname almost as much as the rumors spread about him. He’s a kind soul who keeps finding himself in the wrong place at the wrong time.

NEW IN MANGA

The Bride Was a Boy Story and art by Chii

Devilman: The Classic Collection Vol. 1 Story and art by Go Nagai

New Game! Vol. 2 Story and art on Shoutarou Tokunou

Toradora! (Light Novel) Vol. 1 Story by Yuyuko Takemiya, Art by Yasu

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Fantasy Firsts Sweepstakes

It’s November, which means we are entering the last month of our Fantasy Firsts program. We wanted to say thank you with a special sweepstakes, featuring ALL the titles we highlighted this past year. That’s 40 fantastic reads from 40 different series to add to your TBR stack! Plus, we’re including an added bonus: two sandblasted book dragon mugs, so you can enjoy your coffee or tea in style while you read.

Sign up for a chance to win:

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*Birth Month
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OFFICIAL RULES

Fantasy Firsts Sweepstakes

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 WHERE PROHIBITED.

  1. ELIGIBILITY: The Fantasy Firsts 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, 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 5), 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.
  1. HOW TO ENTER: The entry period for the Sweepstakes begins at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time (ET) on Wednesday, November 1, 2017 and continues through 11:59 p.m. ET on Sunday, November 19, 2017 (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. To enter the Sweepstakes, during the Entry Period, entrants must access, complete and submit the Sweepstakes entry form (which will require entrant to submit his or her e-mail address and such other information as Sponsor may require), found in entrant’s Facebook newsfeed or alternatively by visiting Sponsor’s website located at https://www.torforgeblog.com/2017/11/01/fantasy-firsts-sweepstakes-15/ (the “Website”) and following the on screen entry instructions. The Facebook entry form may be pre-filled with information provided by the Facebook platform. There is a limit of one entry per person and per email address. All entries must be completed and received by Sponsor prior to the conclusion of the Entry Period. Entry times will be determined using Sponsor’s computer, which will be the official clock for the Sweepstakes. 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.
  1. WINNER SELECTION AND NOTIFICATION: Following the conclusion of the Entry Period, one (1) 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. The odds of winning will depend on the number of eligible entries received. The potential winner will be notified by e-mail (sent to the e-mail address provided by the entrant when entering), or using other contact information provided by the potential winner, in Sponsor’s discretion. If the initial notification requires a response, the potential winner must respond to Sponsor’s initial notification attempt within 72 hours. 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).
  1. PRIZE: One (1) Grand Prize(s) will be offered. The Grand Prize consists of one (1) hardcover copy of THE GUNS ABOVE by Robyn Bennis, one (1) trade paperback copy of RED RIGHT HAND by Levi Black, one (1) hardcover copy of ROAR by Cora Carmack, one (1) hardcover copy of THE ALCHEMY OF MASQUES AND MIRRORS by Curtis Craddock, one (1) hardcover copy of CHILD OF A HIDDEN SEA by A.M. Dellamonica, one (1) trade paperback copy of TRUTHWITCH by Susan Dennard, one (1) hardcover copy of CROSSROADS OF CANOPY by Thoraiya Dyer, one (1) hardcover copy of DEATH’S MISTRESS by Terry Goodkind, one (1) hardcover copy of STEEPLEJACK by A.J. Hartley, one (1) hardcover copy of DEADMEN WALKING by Sherrilyn Kenyon, one (1) hardcover copy of EVERY HEART A DOORWAY by Seanan McGuire, one (1) trade paperback copy of THE HUM AND THE SHIVER by Alex Bledsoe, one (1) trade paperback copy of RANGE OF GHOSTS by Elizabeth Bear, one (1) trade paperback copy of A NATURAL HISTORY OF DRAGONS by Marie Brennan, one (1) trade paperback copy of SERIOUSLY WICKED by Tina Connolly, one (1) trade paperback copy of THE LIBRARIANS AND THE LOST LAMP by Greg Cox, one (1) trade paperback copy of DANCER’S LAMENT by Ian C. Esslemont, one (1) trade paperback copy of FORGE OF DARKNESS by Steven Erikson, one (1) trade paperback copy of FINN FANCY NECROMANCY by Randy Henderson, one (1) trade paperback copy of ROYAL STREET by Suzanne Johnson, one (1) trade paperback copy of THE EYE OF THE WORLD by Robert Jordon, one (1) trade paperback copy of THE SHARDS OF HEAVEN by Michael Livingston, one (1) trade paperback copy of THE MAGIC OF RECLUCE by L.E. Modesitt, Jr., one (1) trade paperback copy of RIDERS by Veronica Rossi, one (1) trade paperback copy of THE WAY OF KINGS by Brandon Sanderson, one (1) trade paperback copy of A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC by V.E. Schwab, one (1) trade paperback copy of THE EMPEROR’S BLADES by Brian Staveley, one (1) trade paperback copy of UPDRAFT by Fran Wilde, one (1) ARC of THE MIDNIGHT FRONT by David Mack, one (1) mass market paperback copy of THE SIX-GUN TAROT by R.S. Belcher, one (1) mass market paperback copy of THE DINOSAUR LORDS by Victor Milan, one (1) mass market paperback copy of THE SLEEPING KING by Cindy Dees and Bill Flippin, one (1) mass market paperback copy of TOUCHSTONE by Melanie Rawn, one (1) mass market paperback copy by THE INCREMENTALISTS by Steven Brust and Skyler White, one (1) mass market paperback copy of CROWN OF VENGEANCE by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory, one (1) mass market paperback copy of IMAGER by L.E. Modesitt, Jr., one (1) mass market paperback copy of LAMENTATION by Ken Scholes, one (1) mass market paperback copy of THE ETERNA FILES by Leanna Renee Heiber, one (1) mass market paperback copy of KUSHIEL’S DART by Jacqueline Carey, and one (1) mass market paperback copy of AMERICAN CRAFTSMEN by Tom Doyle, and one (1) set of two Book dragon mugs. The approximate retail value (“ARV“) of the Grand Prize is $551.56 USD. 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. 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. All federal, state and local taxes on the value of the prize are the responsibility of the winner. For U.S. residents, an IRS form 1099 will be issued if required by law.
  1. 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, Facebook, 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 the Website, the provision, acceptance or use of any prize or any component thereof or any use of the entrant’s name as permitted pursuant to these Official Rules, 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 the Website, 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 the Website, 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.
  1. 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, 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 or local law, order or regulation or court order) or in the event of any change to the terms governing the use of Facebook or the application or interpretation of such terms. In the event of termination of the Sweepstakes, a notice will be posted on the Website or Sponsor’s Facebook page 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 the Website 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 OR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM 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 authorized account holder of the email address submitted at the time of entry. “Authorized account holder” means the person who is assigned an email address by an internet provider, online service provider or other organization (e.g., business, educational institute, etc.) that is responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted email address. An entrant may be required to provide proof (in a form acceptable to Sponsor, including, without limitation, government-issued photo identification) that he or she is the authorized account holder of the email address associated with the entry in question. 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.
  1. 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.
  1. USE OF INFORMATION: Please review the Sponsor’s Privacy Notice at https://us.macmillan.com/privacy-notice. By entering the sweepstakes, entrant hereby agrees to Sponsor’s collection and use of their personal information in accordance with such Notice, including the use of entrant’s personal information to send email updates about Tor Books and other information from Sponsor and its related companies.
  1. WINNER NAME AND RULES REQUESTS:For the name(s) 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 Fantasy First 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.
  1. 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, Facebook.

© 2017 Macmillan. All rights reserved.





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Tor Teen Back to School Sweepstakes

It’s August, and that means we’re in the final days of summer. It’s nearly time to head back to school, but hopefully there’s still a bit of time—time to get that last beach trip in, that last dip in the pool, or that last lazy afternoon with a book and a frosty lemonade. Whatever your ideal last days of summer consist of, we want to give you a pile of books to keep you company and to last you well into the new school year. Take a look at the titles we’re offering:

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Sign up for to receive our monthly Tor Teen newsletter to enter for your chance to win:

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Tor Teen Back to School Sweepstakes

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  1. To Enter: Submit your entry by fully completing the sign-up form found at https://www.torforgeblog.com/2017/08/21/tor-teen-back-to-school-sweepstakes (the “Site”). Sweepstakes begins online at 12:30 AM Eastern Time (ET) on Monday, August 21, 2017 and ends at 11:59 PM ET on Friday, August 25, 2017. Your entry will sign you up to receive emailed news related to Tor Teen as well as enter you into the sweepstakes.

Limit one entry per person or household. The entry must be fully completed; mechanically reproduced; incomplete and/or illegible entries will not be accepted. In case of dispute with respect to online entries, entries will be declared made by the authorized account holder of the e-mail address submitted at the time of entry. “Authorized account holder” is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet Access Provider, on-line service provider, or other organization (e.g., business, educational institution, etc.) that is responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address. Entries become property of Sponsor and will not be returned. Automated entries are prohibited, and any use of such automated devices will cause disqualification. Sponsor and its advertising and promotions agencies are not responsible for lost, late, illegible, misdirected or stolen entries or transmissions, or problems of any kind whether mechanical, human or electronic.

  1. Random Drawing: A random drawing will be held from all eligible, correctly completed entries received on a timely basis, on or about Monday, August 28, 2017, by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC, whose decisions concerning all matters related to this sweepstakes are final.
  2. Notice to Winners: Winner will be notified by e-mail. Winner may be required to sign and return an affidavit of eligibility and publicity/liability release within fifteen (15) days of notification attempt or prize may be awarded to alternate winner. Return of any prize notification as undeliverable will result in disqualification and alternate winner will be selected. If a winner is a minor in his/her jurisdiction of residence, prize will be awarded to minor’s parent or legal guardian, who must follow all prize claim procedures specified herein and sign and return all required documents.
  3. Prize: One (1) Grand Prize winner(s) will receive Flying by Carrie Jones, Enhanced by Carrie Jones, The Rains by Gregg Hurwitz, Last Chance by Gregg Hurwitz, Ferocious by Paula Stokes, Vicarious by Paula Stokes, Firebrand by A.J. Hartley, Steeplejack by A.J. Hartley, Roar by Cora Carmack, Vassa in the Night by Sarah Porter, When I Cast Your Shadow by Sarah Porter, Seeker by Veronica Rossi, Riders by Veronica Rossi, The Dark Intercept by Julia Keller. Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”) of the Prize: $231.86.

    Approximate retail value of all prizes: $231.86.

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New Releases: 5/16/17

Seeker by Veronica Rossi

Poster Placeholder of - 21When Daryn claimed she was seeing “visions” during her sophomore year of high school, no one believed the truth. She wasn’t losing her mind, she was gaining the Sight—the ability to see the future. If she just paid attention to the visions, they’d provide her with clues and show her how she could help people. Really help them. Daryn embraced her role as a Seeker. The work she did was important. She saved lives.

Until Sebastian.

Tower Down by David Hagberg

Image Placeholder of - 16A freelance killer, code-named Al-Nassar, “the Eagle,” topples a New York City pencil tower and sends it crashing down onto the street. Hundreds of people are killed—both the multi-billionaires inside and the innocent bystanders on the sidewalks more than one thousand feet below. It’s like 9/11 all over again.

CIA legend Kirk McGarvey believes that someone in the Saudi Arabian government is behind the attack. The internal pinch of sharply declining oil revenues and the escalating costs of defending its borders against ISIS have made the Kingdom desperate. The Saudis hope to force the US to return to the Mideast and destroy their enemies, including ISIS.

NEW IN PAPERBACK: 

Riders by Veronica Rossi

Placeholder of  -47For eighteen-year-old Gideon Blake, nothing but death can keep him from achieving his goal of becoming a U.S. Army Ranger. As it turns out, it does.

Recovering from the accident that most definitely killed him, Gideon finds himself with strange new powers and a bizarre cuff he can’t remove. His death has brought to life his real destiny. He has become War, one of the legendary four horsemen of the apocalypse.

NEW FROM TOR.COM:

Greedy Pigs by Matt Wallace

Place holder  of - 53Politics is a dirty game. When the team at Sin du Jour accidentally caters a meal for the President of the United States and his entourage, they discover a conspiracy that has been in place since before living memory. Meanwhile, the Shadow Government that oversees the co-existence of the natural and supernatural worlds is under threat from the most unlikely of sources.

NEW IN MANGA:

Bloom Into You Vol. 2 Story and art Nakatani Nio

Shomin Sample: I Was Abducted by an Elite All-Girls School as a Sample Commoner Vol. 5 Story by Nanatsuki Takafumi; Art by Risumai

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On the Road: Tor/Forge Author Events in May

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

Robyn Bennis, The Guns Above

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Saturday, May 6
Borderlands Café
San Francisco, CA
6:30 PM
Also with Megan E. O’Keefe.

Sunday, May 7
American Bookbinders Museum
San Francisco, CA
6:30 PM
SF in SF Reading Series – also with Ellen Klages and David D. Levine, books provided by Borderlands Books.

Marie Brennan, Within the Sanctuary of Wings

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Monday, May 8
Poisoned Pen
Scottsdale, AZ
7:00 PM

Tuesday, May 9
Mysterious Galaxy
San Diego, CA
7:30 PM

Thursday, May 11
University Bookstore
Seattle, WA
7:00 PM
Also with Todd Lockwood.

W. Bruce Cameron, A Dog’s Way Home

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Sunday, May 14
Alamo Drafthouse
Kansas City, MO
4:00 PM
​Film screening of A Dog’s Purpose and book signing, Books provided by Rainy Day Books.

Tuesday, May 16
Book Passage
Sausalito, CA
6:00 PM

Thursday, May 18
Tattered Cover
Littleton, CO
7:00 PM

Monday, May 22
Alamo Drafthouse
Dallas, TX
6:30 PM
​Film screening of A Dog’s Purpose and book signing. Books provided by Half Price Books.

Tuesday, May 23
Off Square Books
Oxford, MS
5:00 PM

Jacqueline Carey, Miranda and Caliban

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Tuesday, May 23
Schuler Books & Music
Lansing, MI
7:00 PM

Cory Doctorow, Walkaway

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Monday, May 1
Cambridge Public Library
Cambridge, MA
6:30 PM
In conversation with Joi Ito.

Tuesday, May 2
Politics and Prose
Washington, DC
7:00 PM
In conversation with Amie Stepanovich.

Wednesday, May 3
New York Public Library – Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
New York, NY
7:00 PM
Celeste Bartos Forum

Thursday, May 4
Fountain Books
Richmond, VA
6:30 PM

Friday, May 5
Flyleaf Books
Chapel Hill, NC
7:00 PM

Saturday, May 6
Joseph-Beth Booksellers
Cincinnati, OH
7:00 PM

Sunday, May 7
The Royal George Theater
Chicago, IL
7:00 PM
In conversation with Max Temkin. Books provided by Volumes Bookcafe.

Tuesday, May 9
Tattered Cover
Denver, CO
7:00 PM

Wednesday, May 10
Book People
Austin, TX
7:00 PM

Thursday, May 11
Brazos Bookstore
Houston, TX
7:00 PM

Friday, May 12
Doubletree Hilton
Scottsdale, AZ
7:00 PM
In conversation with Brian David Johnson.  Books provided by the Poisoned Pen.

Saturday, May 13
Mysterious Galaxy
San Diego, CA
4:00 PM
Mysterious Galaxy Birthday Bash, with ticketed book signing.

Sunday, May 14
Powell’s City of Books
Portland, OR
7:30 PM
In conversation with Andy Baio.

Monday, May 15
Neptune Theatre
Seattle, WA
7:00 PM
In conversation with Neal Stephenson. Books provided by the University Bookstore.

Tuesday, May 16
Village Books
Bellingham, WA
7:00 PM

Saturday, May 20
Dark Delicacies
Burbank, CA
2:00 PM

Sarah Gailey, River of Teeth

Friday, May 19
Borderlands Café
San Francisco, CA
6:00 PM

Malka Older, Infomocracy

Tuesday, May 9
Charmington’s
Baltimore, MD
7:00 PM
Writers and Words Reading Series – also with Kondwani Kidel, Nathan Hollaway, and Tecla Tesnau.

Veronica Rossi, Seeker

Tuesday, May 16
Kepler’s Books
Menlo Park, CA
7:00 PM
Also with Evelyn Skye.

Jenni L. Walsh, Becoming Bonnie

Saturday, May 13
Newtown Bookshop
Newtown, PA
1:00 PM

Tuesday, May 16
Barnes & Noble
Princeton, NJ
7:00 PM
Also with Lee Kelly.

Wednesday, May 17
Doylestown Bookshop
Doylestown, PA
6:30 PM

Wednesday, May 24
Narberth Bookshop
Narberth, PA
6:30 PM

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Write Like A Painter

Image Place holder  of - 40Written by Veronica Rossi

On May 16th, Seeker, the sequel to Riders, will release. I’m really proud of it, but for part of writing process, I felt utterly lost in the woods. I wanted to bring sword fights and swoons to the story, but deep themes like forgiveness and redemption kept showing up instead. Not what I wanted. Clearly, I’d gone wrong somewhere. Then I remembered: there are no mistakes in art. There is only process.

We writers think we have control over our creative process, but the best we can really do is coax it along. We read books that teach us how to structure scenes and how to create characters. We attend conferences and join critique groups. But in the end, the book has its own ideas about what it wants to be. More and more, I believe we’re simply the vessel, holding the story inside us. If we’re clumsy, hasty, disrespectful, we make a mess as we spill our tale. But if we take our time, the pour is clean.

Before I officially and wholeheartedly became a writer, I was a painter. I attended the California College of the Arts in San Francisco, and I painted every day, and dealt with the struggles of working in that art form—how to stay inspired, how to paint with skill, how to marry inspiration with skill to produce something true. Sound familiar? It is, very much so. Creativity is a journey with many roads leading to the same place—Art. Here are a few of the similarities I’ve discovered between writing and painting:

Art is Work – Part of being a creative person is committing to the work involved in discovering your style, your voice. How do you do this? Devour the things you love. If you love a book, let that love be an obsession. Dig in. Read the book again and again. Buy the audio. Transcribe a chapter. Study. Highlight. If it’s a painting, try some sketches inspired by the piece. Your job is to figure out why you love it. Internalize the art until it’s inside you. Your internal artist has an incredible storage system called the subconscious. Nothing ever gets lost or wasted. Just get the good stuff in there. The rest is not really up to you.

Watch Out for Mud – Part of trusting the process is not forcing the process. In painting with oils, you can overwork a canvas to the point that paints blend together, creating an awful muddy color. It’s actually worse than mud—it’s the color of a cadaver. Usually this happens when you’re overthinking it. You’re creating with your head, not your heart. You’re saying, “It could be a little more this, or a little more that,” instead of asking, “how can I make this more true, more honest?” I do this all the time. I think it comes from wanting so badly to create something great. But greatness cannot be rushed or forced. Greatness requires patience. It requires trust and confidence. So, slow down. If you think you’re making mud, back off. Take some time to meditate on the piece, or the scene. Wrong turns are part of the process. It’s up to you to see them, and to correct your course.

Turn Your Canvas – One of the earliest tricks I learned in art school was to flip the canvas by 90 degrees and step back. This simple trick allows you to see the composition in a new way, giving you a fresh perspective. I use several methods to achieve this “turn of the canvas” in my writing; some are incredibly simple and effective:

  • Change the font
  • Open your document on an e-reader or in another program
  • Print and bind your pages
  • Send your scene to an audio program and listen to your writing
  • Read your writing out loud, or have a friend read it to you

Learn the Rules So You Can Break Them – I loved this rule in art school. We embraced it. We copied the masters. Renaissance painters like Michelangelo and Da Vinci. We copied Picasso, Dali, Monet, Matisse. We fell incredibly short most of the time, but that wasn’t the point. The point was to learn the strokes, the colors. By learning the language of art, you can play with it. Defy it, bend it, stretch it. In writing, you read to learn the art of language. So read broadly. Read everything—things you hate, things you love, things you never thought you’d ever read. Just read. Then forget the rules and have some fun.

Trust the Process – Such a cliché, isn’t it? Yet, after half a dozen books written, I have to remind myself of this all the time. Trust the process. Trust. The Process. And remember that it will never be the same process twice. You’re never writing the same book, or painting the same painting. Even if you’re rewriting or repainting something, you are not the same the second (or third or fourth or hundredth) time. You’ve had new experiences. You’ve learned something (even if you don’t know it.) Trust the process. Do it.

Once, in art school, I was trying to forcibly squeeze oil paint from a tube that had coagulated. I was standing in front of a painting that was almost done when I did this. You know what’s coming, right? A geyser of paint exploded across a piece I’d spent all day perfecting. Raw Sienna. A beautiful color. Like dirt that’s alive—dirt that has the ruddy life of blood in it. Beautiful, but not when it’s everywhere. After this materials eruption, I didn’t know if I wanted to laugh or cry. I think I did both. But then it was time to adapt. I could’ve tried to scoop the paint away with a palette knife—and likely ruined the entire canvas. Instead, I took a brush and got to work—and got exactly the painting that was asking to be made, a painting rich with earth tones. A piece with a pulse, bolder than it would’ve ever been had I not trusted the process.

Art loves mistakes, they say. Knowing that, why not create full-throttle?

What are some of our approaches to creativity?

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Follow Veronica Rossi on Twitter, on Facebook, and on her website.

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Building a Solid Writing Practice One Goal at a Time

Welcome back to Fantasy Firsts. Today we’re featuring a guest post by Riders author Veronica Rossi on how you can build a better writing habit. Seeker, the sequel to Riders, will be available on May 16th.

I’m a big believer in setting goals. Personal. Professional. Spiritual. You name it. I firmly believe you stand a much better chance of getting somewhere if you know where you’re trying to go.

Goals have been a huge part of my writing life. I wrote my first published novel, Under the Never Sky, by sitting down exactly seven years ago and planning twelve-months’ worth of targets. Without an editor to establish deadlines, I took on that role myself. I bought a calendar and projected drafting and revision goals that were specific and realistic. I had a good idea by then of my average productivity so I created milestones I felt pretty confident I could meet. And I did. It wasn’t always perfect. Some months I fell behind. Others I surged ahead. But having those targets—and hitting them—was tremendously encouraging. Big things are accomplished in small steps.

My second YA series begins with Riders. It’s a modern-day fantasy about four teens who unwittingly become incarnations of the four horsemen. These poor guys—War, Death, Famine, and Conquest—do not want to be what they’ve become but the only way to change their situation is to complete a mission. With the help of a visionary girl, they must protect a sacred object from some truly bad baddies.

Riders, which releases on February 16th, was written in a similar process as Under the Never Sky. Take out the scope. Focus on the summit. Project distance and elevation. Plan the route. Prep the materials. And go.

If you stick to a plan, you can write a solid draft of a book in a year. Really.

Having written several novels now, my focus as a writer has shifted. I know I can create books so my 2016 writing goals are about digging deeper. And though they’re writing-oriented I think a few might be helpful to anyone pursuing a creative endeavor. Without further ado, here they are:

  1. Answer the “Why” — My husband recently read Start With the Why by Simon Sinek, based on his TED Talk of the same title. Though I’ve only seen the latter, we’ve been having many discussions about the central tenet of Sinek’s argument. Though it’s primarily geared toward business-minded folks, Sinek poses a question that he believes everyone should consider: What’s your Why? Why do you do what you do? In my case: why do I write?I honestly thought it would be an easier question to answer. After all, I’ve been writing seriously for a dozen years now and I love writing. However to truly answer that question requires some honest soul-searching. Do I write to understand myself? To understand the world? To inspire others? What, specifically, is the desire that pulls me forward, book after book?Most writers are familiar with the story premise or logline. Usually a formula that goes something like: Character does X despite facing Y obstacles in order to achieve Z goal. But what’s my logline? Why does Veronica write in the face of deadlines, writer’s block, etc. to achieve novels? I want to understand the true nature of the force that propels me to tell stories. Sinek explains that we attract people who have similar Whys. That is, whatever it is that motivates me is the very thing that aligns my readers with me. So. By having a firm grasp on my Why, I think I’ll be able to write even better stories and more fully enjoy my work. As I said above, when you know where you want to go, you have a much greater chance of actually getting there.
  2. Step Away From the Computer — I took a month away from the Internet last summer and it was glorious. Seriously. It had an undeniable impact on my mood and my creativity. I was more relaxed. My focus improved. Even my imagination. I plan to do another month-long break this year.In addition to that, I’m going to spend more time working in notebooks. Not just journaling, which I already do, but writing. I started this recently and was shocked to find that my hand grew tired after only a page or two! Scary. But I’ve also found that I take greater care in crafting sentences when I put pen to paper. It causes me to slow down, to think. That’s a great benefit. I make my trade by creating good ideas and sentences—so anything I can do to improve on them is absolutely a priority.
  3. Learn! — A dear writing friend of mine and I have been scheming for the past few months about the classes we plan to take this year. Poetry. Screenwriting. Short stories, maybe? Gasp! Perhaps. If we’re bold enough. We both always want to improve as writers so we’ll be taking online classes that push us out of our comfort zones, right into the growth zone!
  4. Expand Horizons — Before I became a novelist, I was an oil painter. I spent a few years painting commissioned works as my profession. While I’m not sure I’ll go back to painting, I do want to bring another outlet into my life—and it doesn’t necessarily need to be creative. I started running last year and that had a strong positive impact on me. Like painting, running provided me with “non-thinking” time with no no room for email, Twitter, daily chores, or anything else.This goal ties in with the social media break I mentioned above. Too much external input can actually bring me to a point where I don’t even hear my own thoughts anymore. Through these “non-thinking” activities, my subconscious mind gets to stand up, stretch, and step into the spotlight for a while. With every passing year I see the importance of this increase. Making a practice of mental “quiet time” is critical for my creative health.
  5. Be Patient — I’ve been writing on deadline for the past five years. Hustling. For five years. Even before that, when I was trying to get published, I felt this tremendous impatience to hurry things along. I wanted the agent so I could get the book deal so I could publish a book so I could be published so I could…?Write! Write more, of course! It’s what I love to do. It’s a circular deal. I didn’t realize that for a long time, but writing is the work and the reward—so why rush? A good friend of mine has a great way of describing it. He says: Writing to get published is a pie-eating contest where the prize is more pie. So, my goal is to take my time. Make a great pie. The best one possible. The writing is the reward.

So, in addition to revising the sequel to Riders, those are some of the things I’ll be working on this coming year. I think they all fall under the umbrella of being more thoughtful and connected to one of the great passions in my life. What are some of your goals, writing or otherwise? What’s your Why?

Order Your Copy

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Follow Veronica Rossi on Twitter at @rossibooks, on Facebook, and on her website.

(This is a rerun of a post that originally ran on February 1st, 2016.)

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Sneak Peek: Seeker by Veronica Rossi

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When Daryn claimed she was seeing “visions” during her sophomore year of high school, no one believed the truth. She wasn’t losing her mind, she was gaining the Sight—the ability to see the future. If she just paid attention to the visions, they’d provide her with clues and show her how she could help people. Really help them. Daryn embraced her role as a Seeker. The work she did was important. She saved lives.

Until Sebastian.

Sebastian was her first—and worst—mistake.

Since the moment she inadvertently sealed him in a dark dimension with Samrael—the last surviving demon in the Kindred—guilt has plagued her. Daryn knows Sebastian is alive and waiting for help. It’s up to her to rescue him. But now that she needs the Sight more than ever to guide her, the visions have stopped.

Daryn must rely on her instincts, her intelligence, and on blind faith to lead the riders who are counting on her in search of Sebastian. As they delve into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems and where Samrael is steadily amassing power, Daryn faces the ultimate test. Will she have to become evil to destroy evil? The very fate of humankind rests in the answer.

The next in the series that began with RidersSeeker will become available May 16th. Please enjoy this excerpt.

Chapter 1

DARYN 

You don’t know what anger is until you’ve spent time with a mare in a truly foul mood.

Shadow is livid.

I’ve been back for two days now but she’s still mad at me—and determined to let me know it. Usually I can sense what she’s feeling by intuition. No need for that right now, with the tantrum she’s throwing. Twelve hundred pounds of black mare ripping the earth open with her hooves isn’t exactly tough to read.

As Jode would say if he were here, Shadow’s off her trolley.

She rounds the far side of the enclosure and loops back, breaking into another charge and coming right at me. In the stormy after noon light she almost looks like a normal horse. If you didn’t know her, you might look past the unusual blackness of her coat and the smoky wisps that trail behind her lean body. You might not even notice that she’s too fast, and just a little too elegant. But the prolonged eye contact she makes with me and the intelligence in her eyes? Total giveaway.

As she closes in, she lowers her head and shows no sign of slowing down. I brace my feet and prepare to jump back behind the fence. Shadow would never hurt me intentionally, but then I never meant to hurt Gideon and Sebastian.

Sometimes you hurt people even when it’s the last thing you want to do.

With only a few feet left between us, she stops suddenly, her hooves gouging the mud, kicking up a wave of wet spatter that flies right at me.

“Wow.” I wipe my face, spitting out bits of mud. “Thanks, girl!”

Her level stare makes it clear she’s in no mood to joke around.

Do you see? Do you see how scared I was when you left me? Do you see how you upset me?

“I know, Shadow. You’re furious and you have every right to be. Tell me all about it. I’m listening.”

I hope she senses how sorry I am. I hated leaving her for a week, knowing how much she’s suffered after we lost Sebastian. She went from being totally confident and calm to sensitive about almost every thing. Other people can set her off. So can airplanes and cars. Fortunately there’s almost none of that out here in Wyoming.

I’m the only one she trusts— and I left her. But my road trip to Georgia gave me the answer I needed. After so many months of indecision, I know what I need to do. When you’re putting your life in danger, it’s only right to be positive about it. I’m positive.

Shadow snorts. I expect her to kick into another rampage but she looks past me just as I hear the screen door bang closed behind me. Turning, I see Isabel. My friend, roommate, mentor, and fellow Seeker steps off the porch of the cabin we’ve been renting.

Home, Daryn.

I’ve been here eight months. You’d think I could call it that by now.

Isabel lifts the edges of her wool poncho to keep them from dragging in the mud as she walks over. She takes her time, choosing her steps around the puddles with care. Iz never rushes through anything. Behind her the line of smoke struggling up from the chimney is erased by a storm gust, only to struggle up again. We’ll get either snow or freezing rain to night. Again. As far as I can tell, spring in Wyoming is a misnomer.

“This looks promising,” Isabel says. “Have you two made up?” She props her arms on the fence beside me and smiles, her broad cheeks like rising mountains. She has a face for looking into sunsets and windstorms and futures— which she does as a Seeker. Which I used to do too, until every thing changed after my epic fail last fall.

“I think we’re getting there.” Shadow has backed up and turned toward the river, striking a pose like we’ll be sketching her, rant concluded for now. I stuff my cold hands into my pockets and make myself ask the question I’ve been holding all day. “What about you? Have you forgiven me?”

I left Isabel for a week, too. She’s not my mother. I didn’t need to ask her permission. But I could’ve run it by her.

“I was never angry with you, Daryn.” Isabel brushes a lock of her hair behind her ear, most of it already escaped from the bun she swept back before her morning shift at Franklin Ranch, where we both work. She regards me with bright eyes, goldish green at the edges and warm brown at the very center. “I was worried. There’s a big difference. And the note you left helped.”

I wonder how much good it really did. I didn’t tell her where I was going or how long I’d be gone— only that I needed to figure something out. I still haven’t told her anything, but I should. After all she’s done for me, I owe her some answers. As long as they don’t give away too much.

“So…” Where to begin? How far back does my regret extend?

Isabel’s eyebrows lift. “So…?”

“I was on the computer at the ranch about two weeks ago doing some research.”

“Research?”

“On the friends I used to have until I disappointed them horribly? Gideon, Jode, and Marcus? I wanted to see how they’re doing. Whether they’re okay.” And hopefully not as miserable as I am, I add silently. “I came across an announcement. An event where I knew they’d all be and I couldn’t resist. I had to go see them in, um…” On three, Daryn. One, two, three. “In Georgia.”

Saying it out loud makes it sound even more extreme and I almost wince, but Isabel doesn’t react.

“Why Georgia?” she asks, like she’s not at all surprised that I drove four thousand miles in nine days.

“Marcus enlisted. It was a graduation celebration for him from the Ranger program— the one Gideon was in, too. I knew Gideon and Jode would be there for it. They’d never miss something that important.”

I couldn’t miss it, either. For several reasons.

“And how was it? Did you get a chance to talk through everything? Were they angry with you?”

She knows this is my greatest fear. That Gideon, Marcus, and Jode will blame me for what happened to Sebastian. I mean, I blame me. Why shouldn’t they? It’s a fear that’s kept me immobilized here for more than half a year. That, and no longer having visions to tell me where I’m needed.

Right after the battle against the Kindred, aka my epic fail, they completely stopped. I’ve been totally cut off from the future. Without visions, I’ve felt incomplete. I’ve felt this constant quiet dread, like I’ve forgotten something important. Except it’s not that I can’t remember what I should know. It’s that I can’t foresee it.

“No, they weren’t angry with me.”

“That’s good,” Iz says, brightly.

“Not really. It’s not anything.” Isabel’s smile fades. I can’t look at her anymore, so I look at Shadow. With the daylight fading and the darkness reaching for her, anxiety curls low in my stomach. Her coat is so black, so deep black, I’ve always had an irrational terror of losing her at night. “I didn’t talk to them.”

My words sound confessional and they hang in the stormy silence. A cold breeze sweeps across our property, stirring the trees at the edges of the fi eld and lifting a lone hawk into the unsettled sky.

“Daryn . . . You went all that way and you didn’t speak to them?”

“I chickened out, Isabel! I couldn’t figure out what to say! ‘Sorry’? What good would that do? I’m the one with the Sight. Was the one. I knew we’d have that showdown with the Kindred. I should’ve had a better plan. I should’ve anticipated every outcome. But I didn’t and Gideon lost his hand because of me and Sebastian’s hurt or possibly dead but definitely trapped in a realm with a demon. A realm I opened. How do you apologize for that? For making a mistake that big? What could I have said to make any kind of difference?”

Isabel carries a meditative quiet about her. I love it. I used to try to emulate it. She taught me that the quieter you are, the more you hear and see and understand and even feel. Quiet lets you fill yourself up. There’s wisdom to be found in listening, in silence. But since my screw-up, I’m not always quiet. I have a new volume, a yelling volume. It comes out of nowhere too, like those air horns people bring to sporting events. Just hit the right nerve and WAAHHHH!

It’s awful. Isabel doesn’t deserve it. Neither does Shadow. She takes a few steps toward me before she realizes I’m fine. Mostly fine.

My throat feels raw and I’m biting down so hard I may crack my own teeth. Isabel reaches over and squeezes my wrist with her strong potter’s hand. I watch the hawk riding the storm winds as I wait for the tears that have welled up to be reabsorbed into my eyes. To the west the clouds have broken and are spilling themselves open. Unlike me.

“This is as close as I got.” I slip my phone out of my pocket and pull up the only photo I took during my week away. I’ve looked at it five hundred times and every time it hits me with
a different feeling. This time it triggers an aching, wishing feeling, like I want to be that hawk up there, gliding through a storm like fear is just a myth.

Isabel takes the phone. “Is this Gideon?” She must see the answer on my face, because she turns back to the phone and studies the photo. I wonder if she’s looking for his prosthetic hand. You can’t see it in the photo. I could barely see it in real life. “He’s handsome.”

“It’s a picture of his back.” He was turned away and standing in a crowd about forty feet away from where I lurked like a stalker. Which I technically was.

“Yes, but I can tell.”

A smile rises inside me. This should be good. “How can you tell, Iz?” I waggle my eyebrows. “Does he have a handsome back? Do you think his butt is handsome?”

She rolls her eyes. “If you must know, he has a handsome bearing. He holds himself like he’s comfortable with the moment. I extrapolated from that.” She hands the phone back. “And I’m right, aren’t I?”

“Kind of. ‘Hot’ fits him better than ‘handsome’ does, but…what ever.” Appreciating Gideon’s handsomeness is like standing in front of a bakery window full of the most delicious things I’ve ever seen— then trying the door and realizing it’s locked. And realizing I’m the one who locked it.

“I know this has been hard for you, Daryn.”

“I only wish I hadn’t sucked you down with me.” I’ve wondered if I’m her current mission as a Seeker. Maybe her Sight told her how much I’d need her?

“You haven’t.”

“Well, regardless, thanks. For every thing. For being marooned here with me.” I scan the vastness that’s all around me. So beautiful and isolating.

“You don’t have to thank me, you know that,” she says easily, but there’s a rare intensity in her gaze. She pats my arm, glancing toward the cabin. “It’s getting dark and I’ve got soup on the stove. Come inside? We’ll talk some more over dinner.”

“I’ll be right in.” I listen to her trudge away, the bang of the screen door telling me she’s inside.

Shadow moves closer, bobbing her head, her eyes never leaving me. Somehow I can feel that she knows more, senses more, than even Isabel.

What aren’t you saying? What are you planning?

I climb off the fence and sweep my hand down her strong neck. The curls of her darkness wrap around my fingers, following my movement. She feels like sun-warmed silk. Like steadiness.

“We’re going after Sebastian to night, girl,” I tell her. “It’s time to make things right.”

Copyright © 2017 by Veronica Rossi

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