Dick Hill Interview

The Guilded Earlobe has a nice interview up with Dick Hill, the wonderful audiobook narrator. He's put his talents to good use four times for me - with the Acacia Trilogy and with Pride of Carthage.

You can check out the interview HERE.

Clarion Write-a-Thon

Aspiring science fiction and fantasy writers? Any of you out there?

If so, you might want to check out The Clarion Foundation's annual Write-a-thon, a way to get some writing done, get connected to other writers and to do a bit of good. A quick description:

What is a write-a-thon, anyway? It’s just like a walk-a-thon. But instead of walking, we’re writing, and instead of making pledges per mile, we’re making pledges per word, chapter, or story. Writers get support, encouragement and motivation, and the option of joining a team with a writing mentor! Those who care about the writers in their life get a way to show their support. And money is raised for a literally fantastic cause — the Clarion Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers’ Workshop. All donations are made through The Clarion Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, EIN #20-3114945.

The sign up page is HERE.

Cool...
 

I just noticed that Nancy Pearl - the queen of America's librarians (and a bestselling author) - has blogged a short list of books that she hopes librarians recommend this summer. In particular, she's offer a list of titles that AREN'T new, so that readers can discover some books they might've missed.

Nice idea. It got even nicer when I looked at the list!

You can check it out HERE.

Summer in the Red Shack

Can I just mention that today looks to be a perfect summer day here in Western Massachusetts?

Low 80's. Low humidity. Sun all day. We've got friends coming over, and it's to be a day of swimming, kayaking, lounging about, snacking on early summer veg and maybe a little something on the grill.

G&T's will probably get in there somewhere.

Should be a very good day.

 This photo is the view from the one room shack/cottage we're staying in at the moment. If you're at all interested, you could visit my wife's site - The Shetland Trader - where she's just put up a few more photos of our current abode.

Staffer's Book Review

I love series reviews. Great to have an entire sequence of books discussed as a whole. I'm very pleased with a new review of the Acacia Trilogy, just up at Staffer's Book Review.

Among other things, the reviewer - Justin - writes that the series:

"...rekindled in me a love of fantasy and for that it will always hold a place in my pantheon. More importantly though, it's a series I'll pass it on to my children for the honesty that David Anthony Durham brings to the Known World."

Wonderful to hear that. You can read the whole thing HERE.

Race Roundtable Part Two

Just up at SF Signal, the continuation of the Roundtable Interview with Aliette de Bodard, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Ken Liu... and me! This time, it seems like I'm more optimistic than the group in general. Go figure...

It's HERE.

Thanks to Zachary Jernigan (a stellar writer, by the way) for putting it all together.

Complete Imaginales Interview

The whole interview from my trip to France is up at Actusf - complete with a guest appearance by my editor!

Check it out HERE.

Imaginales 2012... complete

I'm back from France! I had a terrific time, as ever. Imaginales was just as good as last time, better in some ways.

I did quite a few interviews, some audio, some video, some for print. I guess they'll make their way out into the world over the next few weeks. Was on a selection of panels. All went well, I think. I met a terrific group of writers. The international guests included Mercedes Lackey (great fun), Jaye Wells (one of the gang each evening, drinking and smoking like a local), Mary-Janice Davidson (a complete riot - unfiltered), and Naomi Novik (the only one of us that actually spoke decent French). I was also particularly happy to spend time with Kai Meyer, the bestselling German writer. I've been a fan of his middle grade novels for a long time, and we've corresponded in the past. (By the way, he's got a new YA series debuting in the US - Arcadia Awakens.)

Of course, there were plenty of French writers too! Between the panels and signing sessions and dinner and bar time I hung out with them. Just to name a few: Sire Cédric, Laurent Whale, Carina Rozenfeld, Marie Caillet, Nicolas Cluzeau, Marika Gallman, Lionel Davoust, Cassandra O'Donnell, Christophe Vacher, Sylvie Miller, Adrien Tomas, Anne Fakhouri, Pierre Bordage, Ayerdhal, Samantha Bailly... And there were many more! Good people all of them.

Oh, and I'm pleased to say I even had some fans! Lovely fans. I signed plenty of books, took a few pictures, kissed some cheeks. It was France, after all.

If you want to see how I roll in France, you could take a look at the series of videos from my extended interview section. It's an interesting process considering that the interview is conducted in French. And... ah... I don't speak French. (Not yet, at least. If they keep inviting me back I'm definitely going to learn.)

To get you started, the first part is here:




Anyway, I'm very pleased to have attended for a second time. Much thanks to the town of Epinal, the Imaginales coordinators and to my wonderful, dedicated, tireless publishing team at Le Pré aux clercs. Thank you.

Strange Horizons on The Sacred Band

Matt Hilliard recently published a very insightful review of TSB over at Strange Horizons. He says a lot of terrific stuff, actual analysis of theme and all that! Nice.

He concludes:

"The world's problems may not be solved, but the Acacia series shows us it is a victory just to confront those problems rather than shrinking back in despair at their size. The final political settlement at the end of the story is clearly not even remotely final, but it's a step in the right direction that carries with it hope that the sacrifices made might purchase a slightly better world for the next generation. It may not be possible to fix the world in a day, or even a lifetime, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't begin."

Agreed.

If you want to read more take a look HERE.