The Qwillery

Another Monday!

There are 2 debuts this week:

Corporate Gunslinger by Doug Engstrom;

and

The Lightness by Emily Temple.




From formerly featured DAC Authors:

Beneath the Twisted Trees (Song of Shattered Sands 4) by Bradley P. Beaulieu is out in Trade Paperback;

and

The Unconquered City (Chronicles of Ghadid 3) by K. A Doore.

Debut novels are highlighted in blue. Novels, etc. by formerly featured DAC Authors are highlighted in green.

June 16, 2020

TITLE	AUTHOR	SERIES
Roar (h2tp)	Cecelia Ahern	SS/MR/LF/CW
Beneath the Twisted Trees (h2tp)	Bradley P. Beaulieu	F/DF - Song of Shattered Sands 4
Glorious: A Science Fiction Novel	Gregory Benford Larry Niven	SF/HSF/AC - Bowl of Heaven 3
Touch the Night (e)	Max Booth III	H
Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre	Max Brooks	H/SF/Sus
Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas	Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis Margaret Jull Costa (Tr) Robin Patterson (Tr)	LF/MR
The Unconquered City	K. A. Doore	F - Chronicles of Ghadid 3
Corporate Gunslinger (D)	Doug Engstrom	Dys
Hella	David Gerrold	SF/SE/HSF/SO
American Demon	Kim Harrison	UF/PF/PNR - Hollows 14
Before This Is Over (h2tp)	Amanda Hickie	Disaster/Dys/Psy/SF/AP/PA/Th
Royal Assassin (The Illustrated Anniversary Edition)	Robin Hobb	F - Farseer Trilogy 2
Lockdown: Stories of Crime, Terror, and Hope During a Pandemic	Nick Kolakowski (Ed) Steve Weddle (Ed)	SS/H - Anthology
After the End (h2tp)	Clare Mackintosh	CW/LF/Sagas
Shadowplay	Joseph O’Connor	LF/Hist/Gothic
Rachael's Return	Janet Rebhan	CW/MR/FL/SupTh
The Witcher Stories Boxed Set: The Last Wish, Sword of Destiny: Introducing the Witcher	Andrzej Sapkowski	F - The Witcher
The Lightness (D)	Emily Temple	LF
The Grand Tour	E. Catherine Tobler	F/MR - Collection
Salvation Day (h2tp)	Kali Wallace	SF/TechTh/H

D - Debut
e - eBook
Ed - Editor
h2mm - Hardcover to Mass Market Paperback
h2tp - Hardcover to Trade Paperback
Ke - Kindle eBook
ri - reissue or reprint
tp2mm - Trade Paperback to Mass Market Paperback
Tr - Translator



AC - Alien Contact
AF - Afrofuturism
AH - Alternative History
AP - Apocalyptic
BlHu - Black Humor
CF - Contemporary Fantasy
CoA - Coming of Age
CW - Contemporary Women
DF - Dark Fantasy
Dys - Dystopian
F - Fantasy
FairyT - Fairy Tales
FL - Family Life
FolkT - Folk Tales
FR - Fantasy Romance
GenEng - Genetic Engineering
GH - Ghost(s)
H - Horror
HC - History and Criticism
Hist - Historical
HistF - Historical Fantasy
HSF - Hard Science Fiction
HU - Humorous
LF - Literary Fiction
LM - Legend and Mythology
LMF - Legends, Myths, Fables
M - Mystery
MR - Magical Realism
MTI - Media Tie-In
Occ - Occult
P - Paranormal
PA - Post Apocalyptic
PCM - Paranormal Cozy Mystery
PF - Paranormal Fantasy
PNR - Paranormal Romance
Pol - Political
PopCul - Popular Culture
Psy - Psychological
PsyTh - Psychological Thriller
RF - Romantic Fantasy
SE - Space Exploration
SF - Science Fiction
SFR - Science Fiction Romance
SH - Superheroes
SO - Space Opera
SpecFic - Speculative Fiction
SS - Short Stories
Sup - Supernatural
SupTh - Supernatural Thriller
Sus - Suspense
TechTh - Technological Thriller
TT - Time Travel

Note: Not all genres and formats are found in the books, etc. listed above.

Tor Books, in partnership with Den of Geek, is pleased to announce TorCon 2020, an all-new virtual convention that brings all the fun of a convention to the comfort of your couch. From Thursday, June 11th through Sunday, June 14th, Tor and Tor.com Publishing are presenting eight panels featuring over twenty of your favorite authors across different platforms, in conversation with each other—and with you!

Join authors including Cory Doctorow, Neil Gaiman, Nnedi Okorafor, Christopher Paolini, Brandon Sanderson, V.E. Schwab, a very special screening of Night of the Living Dead, and many more for four days of pure geekery, exclusive content, sneak peeks, giveaways, and more.

Check out the lineup below and find links to all the event registrations on the TorCon Landing Page.

Let us know if you have any questions, and don't forget to tune in and geek out with us!




Thursday 6/11:

• 7 PM ET/4 PM PT: Christopher Paolini and Brandon Sanderson in conversation
  Bestselling authors, SFF icons, and friends Christopher Paolini (To Sleep in a Sea of Stars) and Brandon Sanderson (Rhythm of War) chat about their upcoming projects, their writing processes, science fiction, fantasy, and everything in between. We’re taking question for this one in advance, so leave yours in the comments!
  Register Here

Friday 6/12:

• 5 PM ET/2 PM PT: Neil Gaiman and V.E. Schwab in conversation
  V.E. Schwab (The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue) and Neil Gaiman (The Annotated American Gods) have created some of our all time favorite worlds, and now they’re together, live and in conversation. Join in the fun and ask them your questions via Crowdcast!
  Register Here

Saturday 6/13:

• 1 PM ET/10 AM PT: “Books & Brunch” Facebook Live Reading Series
  Nothing pairs better with brunch than books. Join Calculating Stars author Mary Robinette Kowal for a balanced brunchfest of book talk…and a sneak peek at her upcoming “Lady Astronauts” novel, The Relentless Moon.
  Register Here

• 5 PM ET/2 PM PT: Chaotic Communal Storytime
  Authors can take inspiration from anything to write stories that move us emotionally and transport us to other worlds. Now let’s see how they do when we’re the inspiration. Join K.A. Doore (The Unconquered City), S.L. Huang (Critical Point, Burning Roses), Arkady Martine (A Memory Called Empire), and Kit Rocha (Deal With the Devil) as they use your writing prompts to create a brand new story—and talk about their craft and inspirations along the way.
  Register Here

• 8 PM ET/5 PM PT: Nighttime Drive-In Screening of Night of the Living Dead
  George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead is one of the scariest, most famous horror movies of all time. Join masters of the horror genre for a live screening of this classic and an undead celebration for The Living Dead, Romero’s forthcoming zombie novel, with his co-author Daniel Kraus and special guests Paul Tremblay (Survivor Song), Grady Hendrix (The Southern Bookclub’s Guide to Slaying Vampires), and Cassandra Khaw (Nothing But Blackened Teeth).
  Register Here

Sunday 6/14:

• 1 PM ET/10 AM PT: “Books & Brunch” Facebook Live Reading series
  Nothing pairs better with brunch than books. Join even more authors for a balanced brunchfest of book talk…and a sneak peek at their upcoming books!
  Register Here

• 4 PM ET/1 PM PT: Chaos & Cosmos
  Pop culture has shifted its attention to the messy, the morally ambiguous, and the weird, and we’re all in on that! Come join some of the genre’s most exciting authors as they discuss how they are breaking traditional rules of genre fiction, creating compelling and truly thought-provoking works of science fiction and fantasy – and how chaos may reign in both fantasy worlds, the cosmos, and the real world alike. Panelists include Kate Elliott (Unconquerable Sun), Andrea Hairston (Master of Poisons), Alaya Dawn Johnson (Trouble the Saints), and Ryan Van Loan (The Sin in the Steel), moderated by Kayti Burt of Den of Geek.
  Register Here

• 7 PM ET/4 PM PT: Cory Doctorow and Nnedi Okorafor in conversation
  Technology. Science. Politics. Their books touch on all of these, and now…they’re talking about it. Join critically acclaimed, award-winning authors Cory Doctorow (Attack Surface, Little Brother) and Nnedi Okorafor (Binti, Remote Control) for a discussion moderated by Kayti Burt of Den of Geek.
  Register Here

It is the last Monday in April!

There are no debuts this week.

From formerly featured DAC Authors:

A Veil of Spears (Song of Shattered Sands 3) by Bradley B. Beaulieu is out in Mass Market Paperback;

Ghost Monday (Eric Carter 5) by Stephen Blackmoore;

Starbreaker (Nightchaser 2) by Amanda Bouchet;

The Perfect Assassin (Chronicles of Ghadid 1) by K.A. Doore is out in Mass Market Paperback;

and

The Human Son by Adrian J. Walker.

Debut novels are highlighted in blue. Novels, etc. by formerly featured DAC Authors are highlighted in green.

April 28, 2020

TITLE	AUTHOR	SERIES
Pass of Fire (h2mm)	Taylor Anderson	SF/AH - Destroyermen 14
A Veil of Spears (tp2mm)	Bradley P. Beaulieu	F/DF - Song of Shattered Sands 3
Ghost Money	Stephen Blackmoore	UF/DF/CF - Eric Carter 5
Starbreaker	Amanda Bouchet	PNR/SFR - Nightchaser 2
Triumphant (h2mm)	Jack Campbell	SF - The Genesis Fleet 3
Of Honey and Wildfires (Ke)	Sarah Chorn	DF/F
The Hive (h2mm)	Orson Scott Card Aaron Johnston	SF/SO - Second Formic War 2
The Perfect Assassin (tp2mm)	K. A. Doore	F - Chronicles of Ghadid 1
The Horusian Wars: Divination	John French	SF - Warhammer 40,000
Empire City	Matt Gallagher	LF/AH
By Demons Possessed (tp2mm)	P. C. Hodgell	F - Kencyrath 6
Critical Point	S. L. Huang	SF/TechTh - Cas Russell 3
Wheel of Time Premium Boxed Set IV: Books 10-12 (Crossroads of Twilight, Knife of Dreams, The Gathering Storm)	Robert Jordan	F - Wheel of Time
Crossroads of Twilight (ri)	Robert Jordan	F - Wheel of Time 10
The Gathering Storm (ri)	Robert Jordan Brandon Sanderson	F - Wheel of Time 12
Knife of Dreams (ri)	Robert Jordan	F - Wheel of Time 11
Eye Spy (h2mm)	Mercedes Lackey	F/DF - Valdemar: Family Spies 2
The Gate of Ivory	Bernard Lazare Brian Stableford (Tr)	F - Anthology
The Revenant Express (h2tp)	George Mann	SP/Cr/M/PI - Newbury & Hobbes Investigation 5
Sons of the Selenar	Graham McNeill	SF/SO - Horus Heresy: Siege of Terra
The Master's Apprentice	Oliver Pötzsch Lisa Reinhardt (Tr)	HistF - Faust 1
Murder Can Confuse Your Chihuahua	Rose Pressey	PCM - A Haunted Craft Fair Mystery 2
A Witch in Time	Wm. Mark Simmons	F/HU - Halflife Chronicles 5
Age of Legend (h2mm)	Michael J. Sullivan	F/HistF - Legends of the First Empire 4
The Human Son	Adrian J. Walker	SF
The Gordian Protocol (h2mm)	David Weber Jacob Holo	SF/TT
Texas Hold'em (h2tp)	Wild Cards Trust George R.R. Martin (Ed)	SF/SH - Wild Cards 21
Mrs. Morris and the Witch	Traci Wilton	PCM - A Salem B&B Mystery 2

April 29, 2020

TITLE	AUTHOR	SERIES
Anything Resembling Love: A Tor.com Original (e)	S. Qiouyi Lu	F

April 30, 2020

TITLE	AUTHOR	SERIES
Unexpected Stories	Octavia E. Butler	SF - Collection
The Postutopian Adventures of Darger and Surplus	Michael Swanwick	F - Darger and Surplus
Jack	Connie Willis	SF

D - Debut
e - eBook
Ed - Editor
h2mm - Hardcover to Mass Market Paperback
h2tp - Hardcover to Trade Paperback
Ke - Kindle eBook
ri - reissue or reprint
tp2mm - Trade Paperback to Mass Market Paperback
Tr - Translator



AB - Absurdist
AC - Alien Contact
AH - Alternate History
AP - Apocalyptic
BlHu - Black Humour
CF - Contemporary Fantasy
CH - Cultural Heritage
Cr - Crime
CW - Contemporary Women
CyP - Cyperpunk
DF - Dark Fantasy
Dys - Dystopian
Esp - Espionage
F - Fantasy
FairyT - Fairy Tales
FL - Family Life
FolkT - Folk Tales
GenEng - Genetic Engineering
H - Horror
HC - History and Criticism
Hist - Historical
HistF - Historical Fantasy
HSF - Hard Science Fiction
HU - Humorous
LF - Literary Fiction
LM - Legend and Mythology
M - Mystery
MR - Magical Realism
MTI - Media Tie-In
Occ - Occult
P - Paranormal
PA - Post Apocalyptic
PI - Private Investigator(s)
PM - Paranormal Mystery
PNR - Paranormal Romance
Pol - Political
PP - Police Procedural
Psy - Psychological
PsyTh - Psychological Thriller
RF - Romantic Fantasy
SE - Space Exploration
SF - Science Fiction
SH - Superheroes
SO - Space Opera
SP - Steampunk
Spec - Speculative
STR - Small Town and Rural
Sup - Supernatural
SupTh - Supernatural Thriller
TechTh - Technological Thriller
Th - Thriller
TT - Time Travel
UF - Urban Fantasy
VisM - Visionary and Metaphysical

Note: Not all genres and formats are found in the books, etc. listed above.

Happy Monday!

There is one debut this week:

Queen of the Conquered (Islands of Blood and Storm 1) by Kacen Callender (Adult Debut);




From formerly featured DAC Authors:

The Killing Light (Sacred Throne 3) by Myke Cole;

The Impossible Contract (Chronicles of Ghadid 2) by K. A. Doore;

Revolution (A Cold War Magic Novel 2) by W. L. Goodwater;

Dispel Illusion (Impossible Times 3) by Mark Lawrence (Kindle eBook);

Talk Like a Man (Outspoken Authors ) by Nisi Shawl;

and

Flamebringer (Heartstone 3) by Elle Katharine White.

Debut novels are highlighted in blue. Novels, etc. by formerly featured DAC Authors are highlighted in green.

November 12, 2019

TITLE	AUTHOR	SERIES
The Zen of R2-D2: Ancient Wisdom from a Galaxy Far, Far Away	Matthew Bortolin	Philosophy/Buddhist
The World's Favorite Ghost Stories: 13 Creepy Tales from Around the Globe	Tony Brueski	GH/P/SupTh
Queen of the Conquered (D-Adult)	Kacen Callender	F/CoA/HistF - Islands of Blood and Storm 1
Alliance Rising	C. J. Cherryh Jane S. Fancher	SF/HSF/SO - The Hinder Stars 1
The Killing Light	Myke Cole	F - Sacred Throne 3
The Best of Glen Cook	Glen Cook	F/DF
The Andromeda Evolution	Michael Crichton Daniel H. Wilson	SF
The Impossible Contract	K. A. Doore	F - Chronicles of Ghadid 2
X-Men: The Mutant Empire Omnibus	Christopher Golden	MTI/SH
Revolution	W.L. Goodwater	HistF/AH/Espionage - A Cold War Magic Novel 2
The Reckoning	Kris Greene	CF - Dark Storm 3
A Sanctuary of Spirits	Leanna Renee Hieber	HistF/GH - A Spectral City Novel 2
Starship Alchemon	Christopher Hinz	SF/SO/SE
To The Blight: The Eye of the World, Part II	Robert Jordan	Wheel of Time
1922	Stephen King	H
The Langoliers	Stephen King	H
Told Again: Old Tales Told Again (ri)	Walter de la Mare	FairyT/FolkT/LM - Oddly Modern Fairy Tales 8
Dangerous Women 1 (ri)	George R. R. Martin  (Ed) Gardner Dozois (Ed)	F - Anthology
I Am Legend (ri)	Richard Matheson	H/SF/AP/PA
The Menace from Farside	Ian McDonald	SF/SE/HSF/SO
The Pursuit of William Abbey	Claire North	SupTh/Occ/Sup/Sus
Dead Sky	Weston Ochse	SF
The Last Wish (ri)	Andrzej Sapkowski	F - Witcher
Realm of Ash	Tasha Suri	F/FR/HistF - Books of Ambha 2
Earth and Ember (e)	John F.D. Taff	SupTh/PSus/H - The Fearing 4
Tooth and Claw (ri)	Jo Walton	F
Into Bones like Oil	Kaaron Warren	H/GH
Peter Watts Is An Angry Sentient Tumor: Revenge Fantasies and Essays	Peter Watts	SF - Collection
War of the Spark: Forsaken	Greg Weisman	F - Magic: The Gathering 2
Castle of Blood	C L Werner	H - Warhammer Horror
Flamebringer	Elle Katharine White	F - Heartstone 3
Queen of All the Nightbirds	Craig Wolf	H/P/DF/GH

November 13, 2019

TITLE	AUTHOR	SERIES
The Butterfly Kid	Chester Anderson	SF/AC/HU - The Greenwich Village Trilogy 1
The Unicorn Girl	Michael Kurland	SF/AC/HU - The Greenwich Village Trilogy2
The New Voices of Science Fiction	Hannu Rajaniemi (Ed) Jacon Weisman (Ed)	SF/HSF/GenEng/AP/PA - Anthology
Carlucci's Heart	Richard Paul Russo	CyP/SF - : The Carlucci Trilogy 3
The Probability Pad	T.A. Waters	SF/AC/HU - The Greenwich Village Trilogy3

November 14, 2019

TITLE	AUTHOR	SERIES
Dispel Illusion (Ke)	Mark Lawrence	SF/TT - Impossible Times 3
Mistletoe	Alison Littlewood	UF/GH
J.R.R. Tolkien: A Guide for the Perplexed	Toby Widdicombe	SF/HC - Guides for the Perplexed

November 15, 2019

TITLE	AUTHOR	SERIES
Talk Like a Man	Nisi Shawl	SF/AH - Outspoken Authors

November 16, 2019

TITLE	AUTHOR	SERIES
Rise	Kim Lakin-Smith	Dys/SF

D - Debut
e - eBook
Ed - Editor
h2mm - Hardcover to Mass Market Paperback
h2tp - Hardcover to Trade Paperback
mm - Mass Market Paperback
ri - reissue or reprint
tp2mm - Trade Paperback to Mass Market Paperback
Tr - Translator



AB - Absurdist
AC - Alien Contact
AH - Alternative History
AP - Apocalyptic
CF - Contemporary Fantasy
CoA - Coming of Age
Cr - Crime
CW - Contemporary Women
CyP - Cyperpunk
DF - Dark Fantasy
Dys - Dystopian
F - Fantasy
FairyT - Fairy Tales
FL - Family Life
FolkT - Folk Tales
FR - Fantasy Romance
GenEng - Genetic Engineering
GH - Ghost(s)
H - Horror
Hist - Historical
HistF - Historical Fantasy
HSF - Hard Science Fiction
HU - Humorous
LC - Literary Criticism
LF - Literary Fiction
LM - Legend and Mythology
MD - Mystery and Detective
MR - Magical Realism
MTI - Media Tie-In
Occ - Occult
P - Paranormal
PA - Post Apocalyptic
PNR - Paranormal Romance
PolTh - Political Thriller
Psy - Psychological
PsyTh - Psychological Thriller
RF - Romantic Fantasy
SE - Space Exploration
SF - Science Fiction
SH - Superheroes
SO - Space Opera
SP - Steampunk
SS - Short Stories
Sup - Supernatural
SupTh - Supernatural Thriller
Sus - Suspense
TT - Time Travel
UF - Urban Fantasy

Note: Not all genres and formats are found in the books, etc. listed above.

TQ:  Welcome to The Qwillery. What is the first piece you remember writing?

K. A.:  A story about a girl who climbs rainbow mountain and becomes a ballerina – with illustrations and everything. I’m sure it made a lot of sense to me at the time in 2nd grade.



TQ:  Are you a plotter, a pantser or a hybrid?

K. A.:  I’m a pantser, through and through, to the point where I can’t even write a synopsis until I’ve at least written a draft zero.

I did try plotting, once. And that story is still just an outline somewhere, which only proves I should never do that again. Know your process, folks.



TQ:  What is the most challenging thing for you about writing?

K. A.:  That first draft. It used to be the easiest thing, and the most fun, but now that the gap between my final drafts and my first drafts has widened so much, it’s hard to look past the hot, steaming mess that is Draft Zero and just get it down. But alas, as much as I’ve tried, you can’t edit a blank page.



TQ:  What has influenced / influences your writing?

K. A.:  I love Annie Dillard’s lyrical writing style and I love Seanan McGuire’s fast-paced and tight plots, so please blame both for my continuous attempts at writing both lyrical and fast-paced. Whether or not I ever actually achieve that goal is up to the reader, but I’m going to keep trying!



TQ:  Describe The Perfect Assassin using only 5 words.

K. A.:  Oh, I can do one better and describe the whole trilogy with five words:
Queer! Assassins! Saving! The! Day!



TQ:  Tell us something about The Perfect Assassin that is not found in the book description.

K. A.:  It’s gay!

No really, I’ve tried to be very clear that I’m a queer author writing books with queer characters in the hopes that readers looking for that will find it. It’s not always obvious in the descriptions – which I absolutely 100% get – so I’ve been looking for other ways to make it obvious. Which has mostly involved a lot of shouting and waving my arms.



TQ:  What inspired you to write The Perfect Assassin? What appeals to you about writing Fantasy?

K. A.:  My editor.

Okay I guess I should explain that one, huh? Fun fact: even though TPA is my debut, it’s not the first book I wrote in the trilogy. I’d originally written a standalone and when Tor expressed interest in acquiring it, they also expressed interest in turning it into a trilogy. I couldn’t see a way to write two sequels from that starting point, but my editor suggested I write a prequel instead and specifically about Amastan.

That was all the inspiration I needed. Amastan pretty much told me his story himself and here we are.

As for what appeals to me about writing fantasy, it’s the freedom to make and explore a whole world. You can do anything, be anyone, explore any concept – it’s limitless and vast and breathtaking. I’ve tried writing other genres, but fantasy always creeps back in. A little bit of magic, I think, is necessary to keep things interesting.



TQ:  What sort of research did you do for The Perfect Assassin?

K. A.:  I spent a solid chunk of months living in the university library. Thank the patron saints for inter-library loans. I also lived in the Sonoran Desert for six years which, while not quite the same sort of desert as Ghadid is set in, still helped me understand and write the extreme heat and weather.



TQ:  Please tell us about the cover for The Perfect Assassin.

K. A.:  It’s very striking – literally, hah. Larry Rostant is the cover artist, and he did both the photography as well as the design. He’s kind of amazing.

As you can probably guess, it shows the main character Amastan. But what most people tend to miss is that, while the red is pretty, yes, it’s actually plot-related. There are spirits in the story called jaan, which, left unattended, quickly become deadly. Most of the time they’re invisible and you wouldn’t even know they were there until it’s too late. But when they’re particularly new and strong, they look like a smear of red.

Which means technically there are two characters on the cover.



TQ:  In The Perfect Assassin who was the easiest character to write and why? The hardest and why?

K. A.:  The easy: Tamella aka the Serpent of Ghadid aka Amastan’s teacher. I had a pretty good idea of her as a badass woman who did amazing stuff in her own time, but has since been forced to keep a low profile. It was just so easy to channel her frustration, but also her acceptance of her new role.

The hardest was Yufit. I had to write several scenes from his point of view just so I knew what was going through his head. It’s always been hard for me to write the love interest, because the main character is so infatuated that they can forget the other person has a life of their own. So balancing that self-centeredness, but also making certain Yufit still has his own character moments, was a hard line to walk.



TQ:  Which question about The Perfect Assassin do you wish someone would ask? Ask it and answer it!

K. A.:

Q: Which character in TPA could you beat in a fair fight?

A: Literally none of them. Barag is the closest, but he’d probably offer me tea and then his wife would shank me. Which would be her version of a fair fight, so.



TQ:  Give us one or two of your favorite non-spoilery quotes from The Perfect Assassin.

K. A.:  Let’s go with weather-related, because weather plays a big part in the story:

“Dusk fell like dust, coating the world in a darkness that accumulated in one continuous, ever-thickening, layer. The clouds hadn’t broken yet, but they were denser now, billowing and dark. They hunched on the horizon like a brooding crow, flashes of light briefly illuminating their depths.”



TQ:  What's next?

K. A.:  The second book – The Impossible Contract – which follows Thana on her own adventures, will be out next November, and I just turned in edits on the third book – The Unconquered City – which will be out summer of 2020. After that, I’ve got a few projects bubbling on the back burner, so we’ll just have to see!



TQ:  Thank you for joining us at The Qwillery.

K. A.:  Thank you for having me!

The Perfect Assassin
Chronicles of Ghadid 1
Tor Books, March 19, 2019
Trade Paperback and eBook, 352 pages

A novice assassin is on the hunt for someone killing their own in K. A. Doore's The Perfect Assassin, a breakout high fantasy beginning the Chronicles of Ghadid series.

Divine justice is written in blood.

Or so Amastan has been taught. As a new assassin in the Basbowen family, he’s already having second thoughts about taking a life. A scarcity of contracts ends up being just what he needs.

Until, unexpectedly, Amastan finds the body of a very important drum chief. Until, impossibly, Basbowen’s finest start showing up dead, with their murderous jaan running wild in the dusty streets of Ghadid. Until, inevitably, Amastan is ordered to solve these murders, before the family gets blamed.

Every life has its price, but when the tables are turned, Amastan must find this perfect assassin or be their next target.

“The Perfect Assassin is a thrilling fantastical mystery that had me racing through the pages.” —S. A. Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass

“Full of rooftop fights, frightening magic, and nonstop excitement and mystery, I absolutely loved it from start to finish!” — Sarah Beth Durst

The Impossible Contract
Chronicles of Ghadid 2
Tor Books, November 12, 2019
Trade Paperback and eBook, 352 pages

Second in K. A. Doore's high fantasy adventure series the Chronicles of Ghadid, a determined assassin travels to the heart of the Empire in pursuit of a powerful mark, for fans of Robin Hobb, Sarah J. Maas, and S. A. Chakraborty

Thana has a huge reputation to live up to as daughter of the Serpent, who rules over Ghadid’s secret clan of assassins. Opportunity to prove herself arrives when Thana accepts her first contract on Heru, a dangerous foreign diplomat with the ability to bind a person’s soul under his control.

She may be in over her head, especially when Heru is targeted by a rival sorcerer who sends hordes of the undead to attack them both. When Heru flees, Thana has no choice than to pursue him across the sands to the Empire that intends to capture Ghadid inside its iron grip.

A stranger in a strange city, Thana’s only ally is Mo, a healer who may be too noble for her own good. Meanwhile, otherworldly and political dangers lurk around every corner, and even more sinister plans are uncovered which could lead to worldwide devastation. Can Thana rise to the challenge—even if it means facing off against an ancient evil?

About K. A.

K.A. Doore grew up in Florida, but has since lived in lush Washington, arid Arizona, and cherry-infused Michigan. While recovering from climate whiplash, she’s raised chickens, learned entirely too much about property assessment, photographed cacti, and now develops online trainings.




Website  ~  Twitter @KA_Doore

Happy Monday!

There are 2 debuts this week:

The Perfect Assassin (Chronicles of Ghadid 1) by K. A. Doore;

and

The Municipalists by Seth Fried.




From formerly featured DAC authors:

The Grey Bastards (The Lot Lands 1) by Jonathan French is out in Trade Paperback;

Rainbirds by Clarissa Goenawan out in Trade Paperback;

The Light Brigade by Kameron Hurley;

MEM by Bethany C. Morrow is out in Trade Paperback;

and

Boundary Broken (Boundary Magic 4) by Melissa F. Olson.

Debut novels are highlighted in blue. Novels, etc. by formerly featured DAC Authors are highlighted in green.

March 19, 2019

TITLE	AUTHOR	SERIES
Knights of the Empire	Dan Abnett	F - Warhammer Chronicles
Macragge's Honour	Dan Abnett	SF/SO - Horus Heresy
The Skinner (ri)	Neal Asher	SF - Spatterjay 1
Soulkeeper	David Dalglish	F/DF - Keepers 1
Tomorrow (h2tp)	Damian Dibben	Hist/HistF/MR
HALO: The Flood (ri)	William C. Dietz	SF - HALO
Radicalized	Cory Doctorow	SF/CyP - Collection
The Perfect Assassin (D)	K. A. Doore	F - Chronicles of Ghadid 1
The Deepest Blue	Sarah Beth Durst	F - Tales of Renthia
The Grey Bastards (h2tp)	Jonathan French	F/DF - The Lot Lands 1
The Municipalists (D)	Seth Fried	SF/TechTh
Rainbirds (h2tp)	Clarissa Goenawan	Psy/Cr/MR
Zero Bomb	M.T Hill	TechTh/SF
The Light Brigade	Kameron Hurley	SF/TT
The Man Who Walked Through Cracks: The Collected Short Fiction of R.A. Lafferty, volume 5	R. A. Lafferty	H/SS
Firefly - The Magnificent Nine (e)	James Lovegrove	MTI/SF/SO
Inspection	Josh Malerman	PsyTh/H/CoA
Luna: Moon Rising	Ian McDonald	SF/SE/HSF/SO - Luna 3
The Witch's Kind	Louisa Morgan	MR/Occ/Sup/HistF
MEM (h2tp)	Bethany C. Morrow	F/HistF
HALO: The Fall of Reach	Eric Nylund	SF - HALO
HALO: First Strike (ri)	Eric Nylund	SF - HALO
Boundary Broken	Melissa F. Olson	UF - Boundary Magic 4
Sooner or Later Everything Falls Into the Sea: Stories	Sarah Pinsker	CF/SF - Collection
Black Moon: The Complete Tales of Jules de Grandin, Volume Five	Seabury Quinn	SF - Complete Tales of Jules de Grandin 5
Permafrost	Alastair Reynolds	SF/TT/HSF/AP/PA
Shadespire: The Mirrored City	Josh Reynolds	F - Warhammer: Age of Sigmar
The Chaos Function	Jack Skillingstead	SF/AP/PA
War Criminals	Gavin G. Smith	SF/HSF/CyP/AC - Bastard Legion 3
Unfettered III	Shawn Speakman (Ed)	F/SF - Anthology

D - Debut
e - eBook
Ed - Editor
h2mm - Hardcover to Mass Market Paperback
h2tp - Hardcover to Trade Paperback
ri - reissue or reprint
tp2mm - Trade Paperback to Mass Market Paperback
Tr - Translator



AB - Absurdist
AC - Alien Contact
AH - Alternative History
AP - Apocalyptic
CF - Contemporary Fantasy
CoA - Coming of Age
Cr - Crime
CyP - Cyberpunk
DF - Dark Fantasy
Dys - Dystopian
F - Fantasy
FairyT - Fairy Tales
FolkT - Folk Tales
FR - Fantasy Romance
GenEng - Genetic Engineering
GH - Ghost(s)
H - Horror
Hist - Historical
HistF - Historical Fantasy
HSF - Hard Science Fiction
HU - Humor
LF - Literary Fiction
LM - Legend and Mythology
M - Mystery
MR - Magical Realism
MTI - Media Tie-In
Occ - Occult
P - Paranormal
PA - Post Apocalyptic
PCM - Parnormal Cozy Mystery
PerfArts - Performing Arts
PNR - Paranormal Romance
Psy - Psychological
PsyTh - Psychological Thriller
RF - Romantic Fantasy
SE - Space Exploration
SF - Science Fiction
SFR - Science Fiction Romance
SH - Superheroes
SO - Space Opera
SP - Steampunk
Spec - Speculative
SpecFic - Speculative Fiction
SS - Short Stories
Sup - Supernatural
SupTh - Supernatural Thriller
Sus - Suspense
TechTh - Technological Thriller
Th - Thriller
TT - Time Travel
UF - Urban Fantasy
VisM - Visionary and Metaphysical

Note: Not all genres and formats are found in the books, etc. listed above.

Each month you will be able to vote for your favorite cover from that month's debut novels. At the end of the year the 12 monthly winners will be pitted against each other to choose the 2019 Debut Novel Cover of the Year. Please note that a debut novel cover is eligible in the month in which the novel is published in the US. Cover artist/illustrator/designer information is provided when we have it.

I'm using PollCode for this vote. After you the check the circle next to your favorite, click "Vote" to record your vote. If you'd like to see the real-time results click "View". This will take you to the PollCode site where you may see the results. If you want to come back to The Qwillery click "Back" and you will return to this page. Voting will end sometime on April 6, 2019, unless the vote is extended. If the vote is extended the ending date will be updated.

Vote for your favorite March 2019 Debut Cover!

Creation Machine

Famous Men Who Never Lived

If, Then

Infinite Detail

A Memory Called Empire

The Migration

Miranda in Milan

The Municipalists

The Old Drift

The Perfect Assassin

The Reign of the Kingfisher

Titanshade

Today I Am Carey

The Widening Gyre

The Woman in the Dark

 

pollcode.com free polls

Andrew Bannister

Creation Machine
Spin Trilogy 1
Tor Books, March 5, 2019
Trade Paperback and eBook, 368 pages

Creation Machine is a fast-paced, whip-smart science fiction debut from Andrew Bannister introducing the stunning galaxy called the Spin.

In the vast, artificial galaxy called the Spin, a rebellion has been crushed.

Viklun Hass is eliminating all remnants of the opposition. Starting with his daughter.

But Fleare Hass has had time to plan her next move from exile to the very frontiers of a new war.

For hundreds of millions of years, the planets and stars of the Spin have been the only testament to the god-like engineers that created them. Now, beneath the surface of a ruined planet, one of their machines has been found.

K. Chess

Famous Men Who Never Lived
Tin House Book, March 5, 2019
Hardcover and eBook, 324 pages

For readers of Station Eleven and Exit West, Famous Men Who Never Lived explores the effects of displacement on our identities, the communities that come together through circumstance, and the power of art to save us.

Wherever Hel looks, New York City is both reassuringly familiar and terribly wrong. As one of the thousands who fled the outbreak of nuclear war in an alternate United States―an alternate timeline―she finds herself living as a refugee in our own not-so-parallel New York. The slang and technology are foreign to her, the politics and art unrecognizable. While others, like her partner Vikram, attempt to assimilate, Hel refuses to reclaim her former career or create a new life. Instead, she obsessively rereads Vikram’s copy of The Pyronauts―a science fiction masterwork in her world that now only exists as a single flimsy paperback―and becomes determined to create a museum dedicated to preserving the remaining artifacts and memories of her vanished culture.

But the refugees are unwelcome and Hel’s efforts are met with either indifference or hostility. And when the only copy of The Pyronauts goes missing, Hel must decide how far she is willing to go to recover it and finally face her own anger, guilt, and grief over what she has truly lost.

Kate Hope Day

If, Then
Random House, March 12, 2019
Hardcover and eBook, 272 pages

“A must-read—a gorgeous literary novel that asks us to imagine all the possible versions of ourselves that might exist.”—J. Courtney Sullivan, New York Times bestselling author of Saints for All Occasions

The residents of a sleepy mountain town are rocked by troubling visions of an alternate reality in this dazzling debut that combines the family-driven suspense of Celeste Ng’s Little Fires Everywhere with the inventive storytelling of The Immortalists.

In the quiet haven of Clearing, Oregon, four neighbors find their lives upended when they begin to see themselves in parallel realities. Ginny, a devoted surgeon whose work often takes precedence over her family, has a baffling vision of a beautiful co-worker in Ginny’s own bed and begins to doubt the solidity of her marriage. Ginny’s husband, Mark, a wildlife scientist, sees a vision that suggests impending devastation and grows increasingly paranoid, threatening the safety of his wife and son. Samara, a young woman desperately mourning the recent death of her mother and questioning why her father seems to be coping with such ease, witnesses an apparition of her mother healthy and vibrant and wonders about the secrets her parents may have kept from her. Cass, a brilliant scholar struggling with the demands of new motherhood, catches a glimpse of herself pregnant again, just as she’s on the brink of returning to the project that could define her career.

At first the visions are relatively benign, but they grow increasingly disturbing—and, in some cases, frightening. When a natural disaster threatens Clearing, it becomes obvious that the visions were not what they first seemed and that the town will never be the same.

Startling, deeply imagined, and compulsively readable, Kate Hope Day’s debut novel is about the choices we make that shape our lives and determine our destinies—the moments that alter us so profoundly that it feels as if we’ve entered another reality.

K. A. Doore

The Perfect Assassin
Chronicles of Ghadid 1
Tor Books, March 19, 2019
Trade Paperback and eBook, 352 pages

A novice assassin is on the hunt for someone killing their own in K. A. Doore's The Perfect Assassin, a breakout high fantasy beginning the Chronicles of Ghadid series.

Divine justice is written in blood.

Or so Amastan has been taught. As a new assassin in the Basbowen family, he’s already having second thoughts about taking a life. A scarcity of contracts ends up being just what he needs.

Until, unexpectedly, Amastan finds the body of a very important drum chief. Until, impossibly, Basbowen’s finest start showing up dead, with their murderous jaan running wild in the dusty streets of Ghadid. Until, inevitably, Amastan is ordered to solve these murders, before the family gets blamed.

Every life has its price, but when the tables are turned, Amastan must find this perfect assassin or be their next target.

“The Perfect Assassin is a thrilling fantastical mystery that had me racing through the pages.” —S. A. Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass

“Full of rooftop fights, frightening magic, and nonstop excitement and mystery, I absolutely loved it from start to finish!” — Sarah Beth Durst

Katharine Duckett

Miranda in Milan
Tor.com, March 26, 2019
Trade Paperback and eBook, 2019 pages

With Miranda in Milan, debut author Katharine Duckett reimagines the consequences of Shakespeare’s The Tempest, casting Miranda into a Milanese pit of vipers and building a queer love story that lifts off the page in whirlwinds of feeling.

After the tempest, after the reunion, after her father drowned his books, Miranda was meant to enter a brave new world. Naples awaited her, and Ferdinand, and a throne. Instead she finds herself in Milan, in her father’s castle, surrounded by hostile servants who treat her like a ghost. Whispers cling to her like spiderwebs, whispers that carry her dead mother’s name. And though he promised to give away his power, Milan is once again contorting around Prospero’s dark arts.

With only Dorothea, her sole companion and confidant to aid her, Miranda must cut through the mystery and find the truth about her father, her mother, and herself.

“Love and lust, mothers and monsters, magicians and masked balls, all delivered with Shakespearean panache.” —Nicola Griffith, author of Hild

“Miranda in Milan is somehow both utterly charming and perfectly sinister, and altogether delightful. A pleasure for any lover of romance, myth, and magic—whether or not they're fans of the Bard.” —Cherie Priest, author of Boneshaker and I Am Princess X

Seth Fried

The Municipalists
Penguin Book, March 19, 2019
Trade Paperback and eBook, 272 pages

A novel about an unlikely pair of lonely outsiders–one human, one AI–on an adventure to save the great American city of Metropolis written by “one of the most exciting new voices in fiction” (Charles Yu)

*Named Library’s Journal‘s “Debut of the Month” and one of NYLON‘s “50 Books You’ll Want to Read in 2019″*

In Metropolis, the gleaming city of tomorrow, the dream of the great American city has been achieved. But all that is about to change, unless a neurotic, rule-following bureaucrat and an irreverent, freewheeling artificial intelligence can save the city from a mysterious terrorist plot that threatens its very existence.

Henry Thompson has dedicated his life to improving America’s infrastructure as a proud employee of the United States Municipal Survey. So when the agency comes under attack, he dutifully accepts his unexpected mission to visit Metropolis looking for answers. But his plans to investigate quietly, quickly, and carefully are interrupted by his new partner: a day-drinking know-it-all named OWEN, who also turns out to be the projected embodiment of the agency’s supercomputer. Soon, Henry and OWEN are fighting to save not only their own lives and those of the city’s millions of inhabitants, but also the soul of Metropolis. The Municipalists is a thrilling, funny, and touching adventure story, a tour-de-force of imagination that trenchantly explores our relationships to the cities around us and the technologies guiding us into the future.

Michael R. Johnston

The Widening Gyre
The Remembrance War 1
Flame Tree Press, March 14, 2019
Hardcover, Trade Paperback, 256 pages

Eight hundred years ago, the Zhen Empire discovered a broken human colony ship drifting in the fringes of their space. The Zhen gave the humans a place to live and folded them into their Empire as a client state. But it hasn’t been easy. Not all Zhen were eager to welcome another species into their Empire, and humans have faced persecution. For hundreds of years, human languages and history were outlawed subjects, as the Zhen tried to mold humans into their image. Earth and the cultures it nourished for millennia are forgotten, little more than legends.

One of the first humans to be allowed to serve in the Zhen military, Tajen Hunt became a war hero at the Battle of Elkari, the only human to be named an official Hero of the Empire. He was given command of a task force, and sent to do the Empire’s bidding in their war with the enigmatic Tabrans. But when he failed in a crucial mission, causing the deaths of millions of people, he resigned in disgrace and faded into life on the fringes as a lone independent pilot.

When Tajen discovers his brother, Daav, has been killed by agents of the Empire, he, his niece, and their newly-hired crew set out to finish his brother’s quest: to find Earth, the legendary homeworld of humanity. What they discover will shatter 800 years of peace in the Empire, and start a war that could be the end of the human race.

Helen Marshall

The Migration
Random House Canada, March 5, 2019
Trade Paperback and eBook, 304 pages

“A dark fable that somehow feels both timeless and urgently topical. The Migration is heart-wringing and powerful, but over and above that, it’s just vivid and immersive and enthralling throughout.” –M.R. Carey, author of The Girl with All the Gifts

When I was younger I didn’t know a thing about death. I thought it meant stillness, a body gone limp. A marionette with its strings cut. Death was like a long vacation–a going away. Not this.

Storms and flooding are worsening around the world, and a mysterious immune disorder has begun to afflict the young. Sophie Perella is about to begin her senior year of high school in Toronto when her little sister, Kira, is diagnosed. Their parents’ marriage falters under the strain, and Sophie’s mother takes the girls to Oxford, England, to live with their Aunt Irene. An Oxford University professor and historical epidemiologist obsessed with relics of the Black Death, Irene works with a Centre that specializes in treating people with the illness. She is a friend to Sophie, and offers a window into a strange and ancient history of human plague and recovery. Sophie just wants to understand what’s happening now; but as mortality rates climb, and reports emerge of bodily tremors in the deceased, it becomes clear there is nothing normal about this condition–and that the dead aren’t staying dead. When Kira succumbs, Sophie faces an unimaginable choice: let go of the sister she knows, or take action to embrace something terrifying and new.
     Tender and chilling, unsettling and hopeful, The Migration is a story of a young woman’s dawning awareness of mortality and the power of the human heart to thrive in cataclysmic circumstances.

Arkady Martine

A Memory Called Empire
Tor Books, March 26, 2019
Hardcover and eBook, 464 pages

"A Memory Called Empire perfectly balances action and intrigue with matters of empire and identity. All around brilliant space opera, I absolutely love it."—Ann Leckie, author of Ancillary Justice

Ambassador Mahit Dzmare arrives in the center of the multi-system Teixcalaanli Empire only to discover that her predecessor, the previous ambassador from their small but fiercely independent mining Station, has died. But no one will admit that his death wasn't an accident—or that Mahit might be next to die, during a time of political instability in the highest echelons of the imperial court.

Now, Mahit must discover who is behind the murder, rescue herself, and save her Station from Teixcalaan's unceasing expansion—all while navigating an alien culture that is all too seductive, engaging in intrigues of her own, and hiding a deadly technological secret—one that might spell the end of her Station and her way of life—or rescue it from annihilation.

A fascinating space opera debut novel, Arkady Martine's A Memory Called Empire is an interstellar mystery adventure.

"The most thrilling ride ever. This book has everything I love."—Charlie Jane Anders, author of All the Birds in the Sky

T. J. Martinson

The Reign of the Kingfisher
Flatiron Books, March 5, 2019
Hardcover and eBook, 352 pages

30 years ago a superhero tried to save Chicago. Now the city is again under siege, in this gritty, suspenseful, and beautifully written novel from award-winning debut author T.J. Martinson

Somewhere in Chicago, a roomful of people have been taken hostage. The hostages will be killed one by one, the masked gunman says on-screen, unless the police will admit that they faked the death of the legendary superhero called the Kingfisher and helped him to give up his defense of the city thirty years ago.

Retired reporter Marcus Waters made his name as a journalist covering the enigmatic superhero’s five years of cleaning up Chicago’s streets. Then the Kingfisher died, Chicago resumed its violent turmoil, and Marcus slid back into obscurity.

But did the Kingfisher really die? And who would take hostages connected to the Kingfisher's past attempts to clean up the streets? With the help of disgraced police officer Lucinda Tillman and a young hacktivist named Wren, Marcus will explore the city's violence, corruption, and chaos to figure out if the vigilante hero died tragically, or gave up hope and abandoned the city—and for the hostages, the clock is ticking.

Tim Maughan

Infinite Detail
MCD x FSG Originals, March 5, 2019
Trade Paperback and eBook, 384 pages

A timely and uncanny portrait of a world in the wake of fake news, diminished privacy, and a total shutdown of the Internet

BEFORE: In Bristol’s center lies the Croft, a digital no-man’s-land cut off from the surveillance, Big Data dependence, and corporate-sponsored, globally hegemonic aspirations that have overrun the rest of the world. Ten years in, it’s become a center of creative counterculture. But it’s fraying at the edges, radicalizing from inside. How will it fare when its chief architect, Rushdi Mannan, takes off to meet his boyfriend in New York City—now the apotheosis of the new techno-utopian global metropolis?

AFTER: An act of anonymous cyberterrorism has permanently switched off the Internet. Global trade, travel, and communication have collapsed. The luxuries that characterized modern life are scarce. In the Croft, Mary—who has visions of people presumed dead—is sought out by grieving families seeking connections to lost ones. But does Mary have a gift or is she just hustling to stay alive? Like Grids, who runs the Croft’s black market like personal turf. Or like Tyrone, who hoards music (culled from cassettes, the only medium to survive the crash) and tattered sneakers like treasure.

The world of Infinite Detail is a small step shy of our own: utterly dependent on technology, constantly brokering autonomy and privacy for comfort and convenience. With Infinite Detail, Tim Maughan makes the hitherto-unimaginable come true: the End of the Internet, the End of the World as We Know It.

Vanessa Savage

The Woman in the Dark
Grand Central Publishing, March 12, 2019
Hardcover and eBook, 352 pages

In the vein of The Couple Next Door, a debut psychological thriller about a woman who moves with her family to the gothic seaside house where her husband grew up — and where 15 years ago another family was brutally slaughtered.

Sarah and Patrick are happy. But after her mother’s death, Sarah spirals into depression and overdoses on sleeping pills. While Sarah claims it was an accident, her teenage children aren’t so sure. Patrick decides they all need a fresh start and he knows just the place, since the idyllic family home where he was raised has recently come up for sale. There’s only one catch: for the past fifteen years, it has become infamous as the “Murder House”, standing empty after a family was stabbed to death within its walls.

Patrick believes they can bring the house back to its former glory, so Sarah, uprooted from everything she knows, pours her energy into painting, gardening, and giving the rotting old structure the warmth of home. But with locals hinting that the house is haunted, the news that the murderer has been paroled, strange writing on the walls, and creepy “gifts” arriving on the doorstep at odd hours, Sarah can’t shake the feeling that something just isn’t right. Not with the house, not with the town, or even with her own, loving husband — whose stories about his perfect childhood suddenly aren’t adding up. Can Sarah uncover the secrets of the Murder House before another family is destroyed?

Namwali Serpell

The Old Drift
Hogarth, March 26, 2019
Hardcover and eBook, 576 pages

An electrifying debut from the winner of the 2015 Caine Prize for African writing, The Old Drift is the Great Zambian Novel you didn’t know you were waiting for

On the banks of the Zambezi River, a few miles from the majestic Victoria Falls, there was once a colonial settlement called The Old Drift. Here begins the epic story of a small African nation, told by a mysterious swarm-like chorus that calls itself man’s greatest nemesis. The tale? A playful panorama of history, fairytale, romance and science fiction. The moral? To err is human.

In 1904, in a smoky room at the hotel across the river, an Old Drifter named Percy M. Clark, foggy with fever, makes a mistake that entangles the fates of an Italian hotelier and an African busboy. This sets off a cycle of unwitting retribution between three Zambian families (black, white, brown) as they collide and converge over the course of the century, into the present and beyond. As the generations pass, their lives – their triumphs, errors, losses and hopes – form a symphony about what it means to be human.

From a woman covered with hair and another plagued with endless tears, to forbidden love affairs and fiery political ones, to homegrown technological marvels like Afronauts, microdrones and viral vaccines – this gripping, unforgettable novel sweeps over the years and the globe, subverting expectations along the way. Exploding with color and energy, The Old Drift is a testament to our yearning to create and cross borders, and a meditation on the slow, grand passage of time.

Martin L. Shoemaker

Today I Am Carey
Baen, March 5, 2019
Trade Paperback and eBook, 336 pages

REMARKABLE DEBUT NOVEL FROM CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED AUTHOR MARTIN L. SHOEMAKER. 

Shoemaker proves why he has consitently been praised as one of the best story writers in SF today with this touching, thoughtful, action-packed debut novel, based on his award-winning short story Today I am Paul.

TODAY

Mildred has Alzheimer's. As memories fade, she acquires the aid of a full-time android to assist her in everyday life. Carey. Carey takes care of Mildred, but its true mission is to fill in the gaps in Mildred’s past. To bring yesterday into today by becoming a copy. But not merely a copy of a physical person. A copy from the inside out.

I AM

After Mildred passes, Carey must find a new purpose. For a time, that purpose is Mildred’s family. To keep them safe from harm. To be of service. There is Paul Owens, the overworked scientist and business leader. Susan Owens, the dedicated teacher. And Millie, a curious little girl who will grow up alongside her android best friend. And Carey will grow up with her. Carey cannot age. But Carey can change.

CAREY

Carey struggles. Carey seeks to understand life’s challenges. Carey makes its own path. Carey must learn to live. To grow. To care. To survive. To be.

Dan Stout

Titanshade
The Carter Archives 1
DAW, March 12, 2019
Hardcover and eBook, 416 pages

This noir fantasy thriller from a debut author introduces the gritty town of Titanshade, where danger lurks around every corner.

Carter’s a homicide cop in Titanshade, an oil boomtown where 8-tracks are state of the art, disco rules the radio, and all the best sorcerers wear designer labels. It’s also a metropolis teetering on the edge of disaster. As its oil reserves run dry, the city’s future hangs on a possible investment from the reclusive amphibians known as Squibs.

But now negotiations have been derailed by the horrific murder of a Squib diplomat. The pressure’s never been higher to make a quick arrest, even as Carter’s investigation leads him into conflict with the city’s elite. Undermined by corrupt coworkers and falsified evidence, and with a suspect list that includes power-hungry politicians, oil magnates, and mad scientists, Carter must find the killer before the investigation turns into a witch-hunt and those closest to him pay the ultimate price on the filthy streets of Titanshade.