Posts published in: 2013/02

The Hardest Part: M. David Blake on the 2013 Campbellian Pre-Reading Anthology

Posted on 2013-02-27 at 13:0 by montsamu

M. David Blake, whom I know simply as Marc, has the deepest memory for fandom and sf of just about anyone I can think of. He keeps up with novels, with short fiction, and even the fanzines. And! He's currently in his second year of eligibility for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, as I was lucky enough (very lucky!) to publish "Absinthe Fish" in Bull Spec #5 back in 2011, easily the most critically well-received short story from Bull Spec's run so far. He's also taken up editing, including Stu

Posted in The Hardest Part

Release Day Triple Feature: Ariel Djanikian, Tony Daniel, and PT McHugh

Posted on 2013-02-26 at 17:36 by montsamu

Three books by local authors make for a crowded release day today, with post-apocalyptic fiction, a Star Trek novel, and a YA time-travel historical fantasy book as well. And! Each author has at least one upcoming event to check out:

The Office of Mercy: A Novel by Ariel Djanikian (Viking Adult, February 21) -- Debut novel for this new Chapel Hill author: "Weaving philosophy and science together into a riveting, dystopian story of love and adventure, The Office of Mercy illuminates an all-too-real

Posted in local-author-release-day | Tagged ariel djanikian, PT McHugh, tony daniel

March newsletter: Ariel Djanikian, David Drake, Nathan Kotecki, A.J. Hartley, Ursula Vernon, and more

Posted on 2013-02-25 at 19:32 by montsamu

Vol 3. No 3. February 25, 2013:

Welcome a bit early to the March newsletter! I'm sneaking this one in ahead of the end of the month to make sure everybody gets a chance to hear about the Office of Mercy reading event tomorrow (Tuesday, February 26!) as new Chapel Hill author Ariel Djanikian debuts her debut novel at Flyleaf Books. And just a few days away, for those not making the commute over to Greensboro-High Point for StellarCon, is David Drake's signing at new Pittsboro bookstore Circle City Books on

Posted in newsletter

Friday quick updates: Feb 22, 2013

Posted on 2013-02-22 at 20:10 by montsamu

Hopefully some of you were among the excellent crowds at the Cory Doctorow and Brandon Sanderson events this past week. Speaking of crowds, there's sure to be quite a few people taking in both the Nevermore Horror Film Festival this weekend in Durham, and the sf convention MystiCon in Roanoke, VA. Here's what coming up in the next two weeks:

[And here's a handout flyer for wide distribution!]

FEBRUARY 2013

22-24 (Friday-Sunday) — Durham’s Carolina Theatre hosts the Nevermore Film Festival. More info: htt

Posted in Uncategorized

The Exploding Spaceship Reviews The Queen is Dead by Kate Locke and Shadows in Flight by Orson Scott Card

Posted on 2013-02-22 at 16:36 by angelablackwell

Review of The Queen is Dead

This is the second volume of Locke’s Immortal Empire series. The Spaceship reviewed the first volume, God Save the Queen, in our 2012 fantasy reads here: /2012/12/25/what-to-do-with-that-gift-card-part-1-fantasy-reads-for-2012/ .

Xandra Vardan continues her adventures in a quest to find the people who are experimenting on halvies (half-blood vampires or werewolves).  She begins to accept that she is the queen of the goblins and this is in turn places obligations on her from

Posted in The Exploding Spaceship

Release day: Six Heirs (The Secret of Ji #1), translated by Matthew Ross

Posted on 2013-02-19 at 17:53 by montsamu

Well, we've had release day posts for quite a few books now, but this is still a first for Bull Spec. It's not an author or artist or editor, but rather one of the translators whose local ties warrant the book's mention here. So, without further adieu...

Six Heirs (The Secret of Ji, #1) by Pierre Grimbert, Matthew Ross (Translator), and Eric Lamb (Translator) -- in print/ebook from AmazonCrossing -- narrated by Michael Page for Brilliance Audio. Here's the publisher copy:

From France’s most celebrated

Posted in local-author-release-day | Tagged matthew ross, secret of ji, six heirs

Video for Cory Doctorow's talk at Flyleaf Books

Posted on 2013-02-18 at 0:5 by montsamu

Calvin Powers, as he's done for some previous events, has posted a video from Cory Doctorow's talk on privacy and technology and other topics at Flyleaf Books yesterday. While I certainly have more to say about the excellent, interesting, and frankly inspiring event, the video is definitely worth sharing around. Check it out!

http://goo.gl/0S2nP

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="614"] photo by Calvin Powers[/caption]

Posted in Uncategorized

The Exploding Spaceship Roadtrip to Shevacon in Roanoke, VA

Posted on 2013-02-16 at 5:26 by angelablackwell

Your Humble Reviewers took a roadtrip to Roanoke, Virginia the weekend of February 8-10 to attend Shevacon at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center.  The hotel is a Doubletree hotel, which means you get chocolate chip cookies when you check in. The rooms are spacious and clean, although they are a bit pricey for a convention hotel; however, the location is so good that the expense is justified. The hotel bar serves good (though expensive) food and drink, but the appetizers and entrees are big enough for

Posted in The Exploding Spaceship

The Exploding Spaceship Reviews Ever After by Kim Harrison (and also takes a look at Quail Ridge Books and Music in Raleigh, NC)

Posted on 2013-02-16 at 5:11 by angelablackwell

Rachel has to help Trent and Quen keep their family together when enemies threaten in Kim Harrison’s latest Hollows novel. Rachel’s demon nature becomes both a help and a hindrance as she, Trent and Quen try to get everyone safely home. Rachel’s demon acquaintances are no help because the main enemy is a crazy demon created to help the demons conquer humans. This monster is damaging the ever-after and if the demons don’t do something about it their realm will cease to exist and magic will disappear.

Ivy

Posted in The Exploding Spaceship

Friday quick updates: Cory Doctorow tomorrow at 2 pm, Brandon Sanderson on Wednesday night

Posted on 2013-02-15 at 22:6 by montsamu

With two of the biggest events of the year in the next five days, it's a fun time to be a speculative fiction fan in the Triangle. You can still help spread the word, either by inviting friends via the Facebook links below, or posting or sharing or passing out one of the current flyers for the upcoming events:

FEBRUARY:

16 (Saturday) 2 pm — Flyleaf Books hosts Cory Doctorow for Homeland, sequel to Little Brother. More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/530598563635194/

16 (Saturday) 9 pm til late

Posted in Uncategorized