110 Comments on “Whatever Holiday Shopping Guide 2014, Day One: Traditionally Published Books”

1. The Girl in the Road is about a young woman who walks across the Arabian Sea on a floating pontoon bridge.

   I’m happy to say critics like it.

   I’m even happier to say it apparently leads to fistfights.

   Merry Onam, lovers.

2. Hello, all!

   Set in a city among the bones of a fallen titan, SHIELD AND CROCUS is a superhero fantasy novel that pits a group of heroes against the five infighting tyrants which have ruled the city for fifty years. The leader of the heroes makes a bargain with his nemesis to tip the scales of power and work to free the city.

   It’s got sorcerers, cyborgs, gadgets, transmogrifying storms, and lots of action. I hope you’ll enjoy: http://www.amazon.com/Shield-Crocus-Michael-R-Underwood-ebook/dp/B00HWI5OOK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417442591&sr=8-1&keywords=shield+and+crocus

3. My novel, ALL THOSE BROKEN ANGELS, is a YA Horror ghost story set in Savannah.

   “Another slow-motion car crash of a story characterized by scant but thrilling detail and tense, pulsing scenes that often feel more like threatening gestures.”—BOOKLIST (starred review)

   “A complex, intense mystery that surprises and chills.”—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

4. Like military history? Have a friend/parent/spouse/someone you met on the street who likes military history? Interested in two counterinsurgency campaigns where the United States did well rather than badly (*cough*Afghanistan*cough*Iraq*)? I have two books for your consideration:

   The first is on a little known guerrilla war in the Philippines that the United States surprised itself by winning. It has action, thrills, mud, Douglas MacArthur’s father, Teddy Roosevelt, William Howard Taft and his traveling bath. Starred review on Kirkus.

   Available here.

   The second is on a simultaneous conflict in China, the Boxer Rebellion. This one has a mysterious Dowager Empress, a mystical and violent peasant movement (with an arresting slogan “Exterminate the Foreigners!”), Medals of Honor, wall scaling, and a British lieutenant going for an afternoon walk that ends with an exploding fort. The Wall Street Journal liked it . It’s so big that it got a Big Idea piece here on Chez Scalzi.

   Available here.

5. My collection “Irregular Verbs and Other Stories” was featured in the Big Idea here back in June: http://whatever.scalzi.com/2014/06/17/the-big-idea-matthew-johnson/

   Meet a guilt-ridden nurse who atones for her sins by joining her zombified patients in exile; a lone soldier standing guard on a desolate Arctic island against an invasion that may be all in his mind; a folksinger who tries to unionize Hell; and a private eye who only takes your case after you die. Visit a resettlement centre for refugees from ancient Rome; a lost country recreated by its last citizen on the Internet; and a restaurant where the owner’s ghost lingers for one final party. Discover the inflationary effects of a dragon’s hoard, the secret connection between Mark Twain and Frankenstein, and the magic power of blackberry jam.

   Publishers Weekly sez, “readers interested in modern speculative fiction would be strongly recommended to make this their next choice.” http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-77148-177-9

6. THE SEEKER STAR is the second book of the Grayline Sisters trilogy, and it’s the story of how Violet Grayline went into space looking for her missing sisters. It’s got mysterious aliens, political conspiracies, feminism, romance, and butt kickings. If there’s one thing governments, generals, aliens, and priests will learn, it’s to never, ever underestimate Violet Grayline.

   What will you give up to change the world?

   http://www.amazon.com/Seeker-Star-Grayline-Sisters-Book-ebook/dp/B00PUKZKIW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1417443085&sr=8-2&keywords=susan+jane+bigelow

7. Thanks John.

   Two books of mine just recently made available via major retailers in the US are Final Days and its sequel, The Thousand Emperors (which got a starred review in Publishers Weekly, if that floats your boat). Both are published by Tor in paperback and ebook.

   Final Days: in 2235, more than a dozen interstellar colonies are linked to Earth. Several years before, the loss of the link to the Galileo system stranded Saul Dumont on Earth, far from his wife and child. Now, just weeks away from the Galileo link finally being re-established, he stumbles across a conspiracy to suppress the discovery of a second, alien network of wormholes leading billions of years into the future. A covert expedition has meanwhile been sent to investigate this second network, but when an accident occurs and a member of the expedition, Mitchell Stone, disappears, they realize that they are dealing with something far beyond their understanding.

   When a second expedition travels, via the alien wormholes, to Earth in the near future of 2245, they discover a devastated, lifeless solar system—all except for one man, Mitchell Stone, recovered from an experimental cryogenics facility in the ruins of a lunar city. Stone may be the only surviving witness to the coming destruction of the Earth. But why is he the only survivor—and once he’s brought back to the present, is there any way he and Saul can prevent the destruction that’s coming?

   The Thousand Emperors is set several centuries after the events of Final Days: Archivist Luc Gabion is dying, slowly, victim of a forced technology implant while on assignment. He brought down a powerful terrorist, but at great cost, and this new tech brings unexpected dangers.

   Luc must meanwhile investigate the Thousand Emperors, rulers of the Tian Di’s stellar empire, after one of their number is murdered. But the technology in his head supersedes anything he’s encountered, and forces him to see things he knows are forbidden. As the truth emerges, he realises how much trouble he’s in – especially since any one of the suspects could have him executed on a whim…

8. I have two novels available from Tor Books at all the usual places(Amazon, B&N, Powells): DELIA’S SHADOW and A BARRICADE IN HELL. Both books are dark historical fantasy, ghost story murder mysteries, set in 1915 and 1917 San Francisco. The two books are stand alone stories that feature the same main characters. A third book set in 1919, AGAINST A BRIGHTENING SKY, comes out in October of 2015.

   These books are about murder and magic, betrayal and friendship, ghosts and love. That’s the perfect holiday combination.

   You can read the first three chapters of DELIA’S SHADOW here: http://www.jaimeleemoyer.com/books/delias-shadow/

   And the first three chapters of A BARRICADE IN HELL are here: http://www.jaimeleemoyer.com/books/book-two/

9. My military fantasy SHADOW OPS trilogy (CONTROL POINT, FORTRESS FRONTIER and BREACH ZONE) is described as “Black Hawk Down meets the X-Men.” I like to describe it as “if Harry Potter had joined the SEALs instead of going to Hogworts.”

   Gun and sorcery. It’s action-packed stuff, but functions at a deeper level, asking questions about what we’re willing to give up to put fear to bed.

   CONTROL POINT – http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Ops-Control-Myke-Cole/dp/1937007243/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417443602&sr=8-1&keywords=Myke+Cole

   FORTRESS FRONTIER – http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Ops-Fortress-Myke-Cole/dp/0425256367/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y

   BREACH ZONE – http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Ops-Breach-Myke-Cole/dp/0425256375/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_z

   Hope you’ll check me out. Happy holidays to all!

10. Hello! Here’s a meta-marketing pitch for my not-yet-a-classic WHAT PRECISION, SUCH RESTRAINT:

    A young man seeking to hack into his own unconscious mind.
    An academic conference on the metaphysics of flies.
    An apocalyptic world where punctuation has been outlawed.
    An eating disorder that produces collectible antiques.
    A mix of allegory, satire, randomly generated numbers, spam messages rearranged into haiku form, plagiarism, and bad writing presented in the more sophisticated if still unpalatable guise of literary experimentation, Phil Jourdan’s collection of stories is infuriating, challenging and other marketing buzzwords.

    If this tickles your pickle, follow this path to the land of Amazon, where I have yet to make a fortune! http://www.amazon.com/What-Precision-Such-Restraint-Jourdan-ebook/dp/B00BO2XBWM

11. This is a little different, but I’m promoting my picture book Princess Charming- aimed at children 4-7. But let’s be honest, who (at any age) doesn’t love a good fairy tale?

    Princess Amelia dreams of finding true love, with the help of a little magic and a loyal friend.

    A lesbian fairytale, ‘Princess Charming’ presents a new twist on a classic idea, creating a world where sleeping spells and mischief are matched only by the truest of loves. The words are brought to life by beautiful and dreamlike art that will leave the reader floating in a realm of fantasy where love knows no bounds.

    Amazon Link- http://www.amazon.com/dp/1623809703/ref=cm_sw_su_dp
    Barnes & Nobel- http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/princess-charming-sarah-wildsmith/1117532786?ean=9781623809706

12. Thanks for the holiday shopping guide, John!

    Just wanted to chime in and say that I have a new book out in time for the holidays…

    CHASING POWER is a YA fantasy novel, published by Bloomsbury. It’s about Kayla, a sixteen-year-old girl who can move things with her mind, and Daniel, a boy who can teleport across continents and who lies as easily as he travels. Together, they embark on an Indiana-Jones-style adventure to find and steal an ancient incantation, written on three indestructible stones and hidden millennia ago, all to rescue Daniel’s kidnapped mother. But Kayla has no idea that this rescue mission will lead back to her own family, and to betrayals that she may not be able to forgive… or survive.

    If you’re interested, more information about CHASING POWER can be found on my website, including the first two chapters: http://www.sarahbethdurst.com/ChasingPower.htm

    CHASING POWER is available in all the usual bookish spots, and autographed copies are available via Books of Wonder: http://www.booksofwondershop.com/chasingpower.aspx

    Happy holidays, everyone!

13. Hi everyone! I write The Powder Mage Trilogy, a flintlock epic fantasy (think Sharpe’s Rifles meets Brandon Sanderson or Brent Weeks). My first book, Promise of Blood, won the David Gemmell Morningstar Award for Best Debut and was a finalist in the Goodreads Choice Awards. It was blurbed by best-selling authors Brandon Sanderson, Brent Weeks, and Peter V. Brett.

    You can get my second book The Crimson Campaign in bookstores now and the third and final book in the series, The Autumn Republic, will be out in February of 2015. To learn a little more about the series you can find them at your favorite physical or online bookstore or check out my website.

    You can also get signed copies directly from me via my website store in the link above, with 30% off copies of Promise of Blood with the code BLACKPOWDERFRIDAY and 10% off orders over $49 with the code BLACKPOWDER10

14. Thanks for this opportunity, Mr. Scalzi

    My book Skin Deep Magic is a collection of short fictions that examines issues of race and gender through the lens of magical realism, fantasy and weird fiction.

15. If you or someone you know likes romantic thrillers check out my latest book, FAR GONE, which received a starred review from Publishers Weekly: “Bestseller Griffin delivers the goods with this perfectly gritty romantic thriller.”
    Available at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Far-Gone-Laura-Griffin-ebook/dp/B00DPM7YTU/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=1394028336
    and B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/far-gone-laura-griffin/1115884812?ean=9781451689341
    Happy holidays!

16. Three novels for your consideration:

    SET THIS HOUSE IN ORDER, which won a James Tiptree, Jr. award, concerns a friendship between two people with multiple personalities: Andy Gage, who has an imaginary house in his head where his different “souls” all live, and Penny Driver, who wants to learn how to build a house of her own.

    BAD MONKEYS is my Philip K. Dick novel. Arrested for murder, Jane Charlotte tells the police that she’s a member of a secret organization that fights evil. Her division, the Department for the Final Disposition of Irredeemable Persons – “Bad Monkeys” for short – is charged with killing especially evil men. Now a jail psychiatrist has to figure out whether Jane is lying, crazy, or playing a different game altogether.

    THE MIRAGE is a post-9/11 thriller set in an alternate reality where the U.S. and the Middle East have traded places. Check out the Big Idea essay I wrote for it here.

    You can read more about these and my other novels on my website.

17. Aah! I forgot to mention — for the rest of today, IRREGULAR VERBS AND OTHER STORIES, and all other CZP ebooks, are 80% off: http://chizinepub.com/

18. A Chicago millionaire is in need of a nanny for his rambunctious nephew. The woman who answers the call? His sister’s friend who had a crush on him 16 years ago…

    Meet Landon and Kimber in
    THE MILLIONAIRE AFFAIR

    http://www.jessicalemmon.com/the-millionaire-affair/

    :) Happy book shopping!

19. Have a child on your list? The beautifully illustrated Solar System Forecast will entertain and teach your little one about weather on the planets.
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1607185326/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&sr=&qid=

20. If you’re as big a fan of murder as I am you should check out my books: VENGEANCE BOUND and PROMISE OF SHADOWS.
    Vengeance Bound is about Amelie Ainsworth, who is possessed by the Furies and spends her days playing at being normal and her nights carrying out the Furies dark justice.
    Promise of Shadows features tons of Greek mythology, a snarky Harpy, and more dark magic than you can shake a stick at. Oh, and MURDER.
    SO.
    MUCH.
    MURDER.
    Kirkus also thinks it’s pretty swell, and you can read the review here: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/justina-ireland/promise-of-shadows/

21. Teach your kids (or yourself!) how to program and shoot flaming cows (yes, flaming cows) with “Learn to Program with Minecraft Plugins (2nd edition): Create Flaming Cows in Java Using CanaryMod.” (ISBN: 978-1-94122-294-2, published 10/29/2014).

    I am a software developer, and tried a couple of different ways to teach my son how to program. Along the way we started developing plugins to the MInecraft game. It was a lot of fun and a great way to learn Java. Here’s the blurb:

    The bestselling, kid-tested book for Minecraft is now updated for CanaryMod! Write your own Minecraft plugins and watch your code come to life with flaming cows, flying creepers, teleportation, and interactivity. Add your own features to the Minecraft game by developing Java code that “plugs in” to the server. You’ll manipulate and control elements in the 3D graphical game environment without having to write tons of code or learn huge frameworks. No previous programming experience necessary.

    The ebook is available at 50% on CyberMonday at pragprog.com, paperback and Kindle available in all the usual places.

22. Half in Love with Artful Death is the 21st (or thereabouts) mystery novel featuring East Texas Sheriff Dan Rhodes of Blacklin County, Texas, which is apparently the Murder Capitol of the United States, considering the number of people who’ve been bumped off there since 1986.

    Available wherever fine books are sold. The sheriff and I appreciate your support.

    Bill Crider

23. Heya folks! Keith R.A. DeCandido here. Once again, muchos thankos to John for letting us plug in his back yard…..

    I’ve got three new books that may be of interest to you or the folks you give gifts to.

    First is The Klingon Art of War, a Star Trek coffee table book from Simon & Schuster that’s presented as a text published in the Klingon Empire with ten precepts on how to live your life as a proper warrior, with examples from throughout Klingon history from the time of Kahless all the way to the post-Dominion War era, with lovely painted illustrations at the top of each precept.

    “While fandom purists will be thrilled by the ‘historically’ accurate new information provided by the appendixes, speculative fans in general may find something to ponder with this book. In this harried day and age where war, from a Western standpoint, is viewed economically or from a great, uncompassionate distance, the Klingon sense of honor and moral-codified combat is refreshing.” —Tangent Online

    Then we’ve got Farscape Volume 7: The War for the Uncharted Territories, BOOM! Studios’s graphic novel collecting the big 12-issue storyline that I cowrote with Farscape creator Rockne S. O’Bannon for the monthly comic book series in 2010-2011 (with nifty art by Will Sliney of Spider-Man 2099 fame). This has Crichton, Aeryn, and the rest of the gang on Moya as the last vanguard against the Kkore, who have conquered much of the region — with Scorpius at their side. This is a major game-changer in the Farscape universe, and a must-have for fans of the late, lamented TV show.

    “I adored this book. The story was good, truly epic in scope. A war to end all wars that brings together familiar faces. This is where I truly enjoyed myself. It was a reunion for me with all these wonderful characters I loved. John, Aeryn, Moya, Pilot, Rigel and so many more. I didn’t realize how much I’d missed them until they were there again. It helps that the arc was co-written by the show’s creator, Rockne S. O’Bannon. This contributed, I’m sure, to the familiarity of the voices of the characters.” —WhatchaReading.com

    Finally, there’s the first ever novel based on the hit FOX TV show Sleepy Hollow. Entitled Children of the Revolution, it has Ichabod Crane and Abbie Mills trying to stop the thefts of a bunch of Revolutionary War-era artifacts that are being stolen while leaving brutally murdered bodies behind. Worse, the purpose these artifacts are being gathered for is one that will profoundly affect Crane and Mills’s war against demonkind. Comes complete with 18th century flashbacks and lots of Crane Disapproving Rants, this book should be enjoyed by fans of the show.

    “DeCandido’s narrative also spends time with the museum workers and cops who get unknowingly swept up into the mystery, which adds a wonderful element to the book that the show unfortunately glosses over. People who would just be background dressing—seen from the perspective of Mills and Crane as (possibly headless) victims—are now given backstory to set against the cosmic war they don’t even know exists. While I love the show, it doesn’t really slow down long enough for us to understand just how high the stakes are. Seeing more of the people infected by Pestilence in ‘John Doe,’ or seeing the families of the murdered Masons in ‘The Midnight Ride’ would give us a better sense of the war’s vast scale. In the novel, we get the sense that even the tertiary characters are dealing with the consequences of this fight, not just Crane and the Mills sisters.” —Tor.com

    So check ’em out. There’s a full guide to my work (complete with ordering links) on my blog.

24. Hey All! I think this is the first DIY/maker posting on this thread. Nifty! Snip, Burn, Solder, Shred: Seriously Geeky Stuff to Make with Your Kids includes two dozen projects that range from rainy-day crafty (sewing sock squids, making E-Z screen prints, etc.) to science-project-y (quick-n-easy water rockets, homebrew electric guitars, “tickleboxes” to shock your friends). Lots of snipping, sawing, drilling, hammering, soldering, measuring twice, cutting once, and so on. Every project is designed 1) to result in something fun that 2) costs very little to build while 3) teaching you some fundamental skill/technique/principle, so that you are ready to modify the thing you just built or build a totally new thing. Projects are based on ones I did with my students as a teacher at an alternative K-12, and suitable for all ages and skill levels (I find that the water rockets and some of the musical instruments especially appeal to middle-aged men with desk jobs. Just saying.)

    Thanks John!

25. If you’ve ever gotten into an argument about whether a book is science fiction or not, or gotten frustrated while resetting your watch during a trip, or wondered how your Congressional district’s borders got so weird-looking, you are in need of ALONG THOSE LINES: The Boundaries That Create Our World.

    A thoughtful but irreverent nonfiction examination of the human love for delineation, ALONG THOSE LINES considers the borders we use to divide such things as territories, genders, genres, time zones, species, and comics panels–and you may be surprised to learn how many of those borders are all but imaginary.

    Featuring interviews with experts including Hugo-winning writer/artist Ursula Vernon, sculptor Shawn Smith, umpire/physics teacher Greg Jacobs, and Tim Gallagher, author and rediscoverer of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, ATL is available in both trade paperback and Kindle editions.

    As Slate.com put it, this is “a delightful and curious book about borders, boundaries, fences, and lines.”

    Thanks–and thanks to our kindly buttercream-frosting-coated proprietor for the ad space!

26. I’ve got clever goblins and kick-ass princesses and magic librarians.

    The first book of the current series is called Libriomancer, about a Michigan librarian who can pull things out of books, kills sparkling vampires, and has a pet spider who sets random things on fire. Book two, Codex Born, came out in paperback a few months ago, and #3, Unbound, will be out in January.

    Bookstore link is at http://jimchines.com/bookstore

    If you decide to pick up one of my books as a present for someone else, I’d be happy to send a signed bookplate to go with it. (U.S. only, I’m afraid, because postage.) Drop me a note using the Contact page on my website, and I’ll send one your way until supplies run out.

27. ISABELLA’S LIBRETTO is an ideal gift for a young adult (12-17) who is passionate about her talent! Isabella dal Cello is a 14-year-old musician in Vivaldi’s all-female orchestra in Venice, Italy, in 1715, and her “little story” recounts the experience that changes her life forever. Available at the “big places,” but also through Nashville’s fabulous independent bookstore, Parnassus Books– http://www.parnassusbooks.net/book/%5Bmodel%5D-577 .
    I’m happy to run up to the bookstore and personalize it for you! Just note that request on the order form :).

28. Thanks, John, for this opportunity!

    FALLING is my second novel, a page-turner about an ex-cop turned private security consultant who picks up a hitchhiker one day while on the way to a job, and later discovers the young woman is a vigilante wanted by the FBI.

    Here is the publisher’s blurb:

    Hitchhiking is dangerous. Picking up a hitchhiker even more so. Amy Squires knows this but as an ex-cop and private security consultant she feels safe enough to pick up a young woman thumbing a ride on a blistering hot day. A surprising attraction smolders between them, but they part company—until later that night when Kael Harding reappears outside Amy’s hotel room.

    Never one to question her instincts, Amy welcomes what seems to be an uncomplicated one-night stand. The morning brings another surprise—Kael is anything but a carefree young woman hitchhiking her way across the country.

    While perfectly willing to stand up for victims and their rights, and known to push the limits, everything Amy believes about herself and justice is challenged by Kael—and exactly how far Kael is willing to go. How can a future possibly be considered when the risks are so high?

    FALLING is available in paperback and e-book format. You can find it at the link below, where there is also a sample to read.

    http://www.bellabooks.com/9781594933691e-prod.html

29. Thanks for the opportunity, John!

    My current book is a part of my “Chronicles of the Pneumatic Zeppelin” series, a high adventure tale described as a “swashbuckling steampunk Pirates of the Caribbean.” The first book, “Romulus Buckle and the City of the Founders” received a starred review from Booklist. The first two novels are available from 47North in all online bookstores and all formats.

    Series Intro: the Chronicles of the Pneumatic Zeppelin steampunk series follows the adventures of a war zeppelin crew across the skies of a post-apocalyptic California. Humanity has barely survived total extinction during a brutal alien invasion and has built a new Victorian-based, steam-powered civilization out of the frozen ashes of the old world. With war imminent, Captain Romulus Buckle and the crew of the Pneumatic Zeppelin must navigate a perilous, unknown landscape filled with treacherous enemies and alien beasts on a quest to defeat an evil power so profound it defies the imagination.

    Its a blast to be here! Best, Richard Ellis Preston, Jr. (Author)

    http://www.amazon.com/Romulus-Founders-Chronicles-Pneumatic-Zeppelin/dp/1611099188/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417446028&sr=8-1&keywords=romulus+buckle

    http://www.amazon.com/Romulus-Engines-Chronicles-Pneumatic-Zeppelin/dp/1477807683/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y

30. Thank you, John!

    My first novel came out this past February. If you have a hankering for urban fantasy, Night Owls might be for you:

    Night Owls bookstore is the one spot on campus open late enough to help out even the most practiced slacker. The employees’ penchant for fighting the evil creatures of the night is just a perk…

    It’s got an ensemble cast, two ass-kicking heroines, and, of course, bookseller jokes. Fun fact: when I was asked about cover art, my only real request was that if our kind host and Jim Hines ever did another cover pose contest, neither would end up in traction recreating it.

    Indiebound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780425272480
    B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/night-owls-lauren-m-roy/1116335030?ean=9780425272480&itm=1&usri=9780425272480
    Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0425272486

    (Bonus reason to pick it up: the sequel comes out in February 2015, so if you like it, you don’t have a long wait for more!)

31. Like urban fantasy and anthropology? My series (SILVER, TARNISHED, and REFLECTED) follows more than the adventures of werewolves trying to stay hidden in the Pacific Northwest. It also delves into their history, culture, religion, and oral tradition. Ever wondered what happened to the Roanoke colonists or what would happen if a werewolf was injected with silver nitrate and went mad? Read to find out!

    Find out more!

32. What a great idea for a thread. My name is George O’Connor, and I’m here to humbly suggest the new boxset of my graphic novel series OLYMPIANS for the young Greek mythophiles in your life. Each volume spotlights a member on the greek pantheon, and there are 6 volumes so far– ZEUS, ATHENA, HERA, HADES, POSEIDON and APHRODITE– all also available individually outside of the boxed set. They’re high-action yet impeccably researched, and are a great way to introduce someone to classical mythology. The next book in the series, ARES will ship in January.

    I’m also going to suggest my new picture book IF I HAD A RAPTOR for all the young dinosaur fans on your lists. An adorable young girl imagines what it would be like to have a velociraptor for a pet, and finds the answer might be remarkably familiar to any cat owners out there.

    Thanks a lot!

33. My name is Thom Zahler, and I write and draw Love and Capes, the Harvey-nominated super hero situation comedy comic book published by IDW.

    Abby and Mark are a typical couple. At least, that’s what Abby thinks. Unknown to her, her boyfriend is not just an accountant, but also the super-powered crime-fighter, the Crusader! See Mark tell Abby he’s The Crusader. Find out how Abby deals with some of his super-ex-girlfriends. And learn the difference between a weakness and an allergy. Experience their first Christmas and beyond!

    There are four volumes in the series, each containing six issues of the series, and each acting as a “season”. Introductions by Mark Waid, Kurt and Ann Busiek, Gail Simone and Greg Weisman, respectively. If you like fun comics and relationships that work, I recommend it highly!

34. Looking for science fiction stories written by women in recent decades?

    THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF SF STORIES BY WOMEN collects 33 stories by authors from around the world, showcasing the tremendous science fiction that women are writing.

    The anthology received a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly and was included in their Best Books of 2014.

35. Thanks for the opportunity, Mr. Scalzi.

    INK MAGE is an epic fantasy novel that follows the adventures of Rina Veraiin, a young duchess in exile. To help in her quest for vengeance, she is gifted with magical tattoos by a dying wizard. Each new tattoo gives Rina another extraordinary power.

    The book is available in paperback, but Amazon currently has a cheapo kindle price for Cyber Monday: http://www.amazon.com/Ink-Mage-Victor-Gischler-ebook/dp/B00EOSI8JE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417442481&sr=8-1&keywords=ink+mage

36. I’m the editor of WAR STORIES: NEW MILITARY SCIENCE FICTION, which came out earlier this year from Apex Books. It’s an anthology of military science fiction, edited by myself and Jaym Gates. We both like military SF, but have been wanting to see more material about the impact of war, and the stories we assembled take a broad look at war in four broad sections: Wartime Systems, Combat, Armored Force and Aftermath. Authors included are: Joe Haldeman, Ken Liu, James L. Cambias, Linda Nagata, Yoon Ha Lee, Karin Lowachee and quite a few more!

    Here’s Apex’s page for it: http://www.apexbookcompany.com/products/war-stories (it’s also available at all good bookstores.)

37. My first collection of poetry IN THE MEANTIME came out in September. A collection of poems, is divided into three sections that each focus on life, loss and love and how those three concepts work together in order to create an experience of a full existence.

    This heartfelt collection of poems reads like a litany of affirmations and a celebration of the ordinary things we take for granted every day. There is sadness here; of course, but it is handled wish wisdom and compassion. We read poems to remember what makes us human, and Rowena Carenen’s, In The Meantime, A Collection of Poems, is a virtual manual for how to live a good life. Read these poems and learn how to savor every moment!

    –Marjory Wentworth, South Carolina Poet Laureate

    http://www.amazon.com/Meantime-collection-poems-Rowena-Carenen/dp/0990314804/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1417449027&sr=1-4&keywords=in+the+meantime

38. Rings of Anubis has been compared to Elizabeth Peters’ fantastic Amelia Peabody books, and has more than one thing in common with The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec. Visit steampunk Paris and Cairo via airship, where there are strange beasties afoot (and aloft!).

39. Margerit Sovitre had learned to ignore the mystical visions that had haunted her since childhood until an unexpected inheritance plunged her into a world of thaumaturgy and political intrigue. Daughter of Mystery is a Regency-era historic fantasy centered on female characters and diverse relationships, intellectual magic and unexpected adventure? Liz Bourke said, “Daughter of Mystery is probably the best fantasy romance I have read.” This story may also appeal to YA readers with its coming-of-age themes. Available through all major online booksellers or see the publisher’s listing at Bella Books for more information.

40. Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance fans, take note! If you like Charlaine Harris, Laurell K Hamilton, Kelley Armstrong and Ilona Andrews, this is a series for you!

    The last book in the Secret McQueen series, about a half vampire half werewolf bounty hunter, is releasing later this month (A Secret to Die For, Dec 16). To celebrate, the digital version of first book in the series is on sale for 99 cents for a limited time. (Paperbacks available at most major book chains for regular price)

    The brief blurb:

    Abandoned at birth by her werewolf mother, hired as a teen by the NYC vampire council to kill rogues, Secret McQueen’s life careens between the undead and howling at the moon. When an enemy from her past returns, she is forced to call on every ounce of her mixed heritage to save herself—and everyone else in the city she calls home. Then there’s the slight problem of werewolf king Lucas Rain, who seems to think they share some sort of destined soul bond. Too bad she’s attracted to his second in command.

    Something Secret This Way Comes on Amazon

    Something Secret This Way Comes on Nook

    SierraDean.com

    (Thank you, John, for this amazing opportunity to share!)

41. If you use the Internet (who doesn’t?), The Quantum Breach is a must read. Forget what you see in movies,The Quantum Breach impeccably describes how hackers do their dirty work. With hacks at Target and Home Depot, we’re all vulnerable. The Quantum Breach is a fast paced thriller that will make you second guess everything you post online!

    http://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Breach-Denver-Acey/dp/1462114342/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417449843&sr=8-1&keywords=denver+acey

42. My latest is a collaboration with my writing partner, Jeffrey J. Mariotte, in the Jonathan Maberry-edited OUT OF TUNE anthology from JournalStone, a collection of dark fantasy/horror stories based on old ballads. Our story is “John Barleycorn Must Die.” Other contributors include Seanan McGuire, Christopher Golden, Nancy Holder, Simon R. Green, and many more. Check it out!

    http://www.amazon.com/Out-Tune-Christopher-Golden/dp/194016169X/

    Thanks, John!

    Regards,
    Marsheila (Marcy) Rockwell
    http://www.marsheilarockwell.com/

43. Hello all! Happy Holidays and Thank you, John!

    Trace of Magic is my latest book, a fantasy, noir, romance, mystery, with a magical mafia.

    Even the most powerful tracers can’t track you if the magical trace you leave behind is too old. But I can track almost anything, even dead trace. That makes me a unicorn, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and the Loch Ness Monster all rolled into one. In a word, I am unique. A very special snowflake. And if anyone ever finds out, I’ll be dead or a slave to one of the Tyet criminal factions.

    Riley Hollis has quietly traced kidnapped children and quietly tipped the cops to their whereabouts one too many times. Now she’s on the radar of Detective Clay Price, a cop in the pocket of a powerful magic Tyet faction. When he blackmails her into doing a dangerous trace for him, Riley will have to break every rule that keeps her safe. Or become a Tyet pawn in a deadly, magical war.

    Read an Excerpt here: http://www.dianapfrancis.com/diamond-city-magic-books/

44. Stranger, a YA novel by Sherwood Smith and Rachel Manija Brown, is out now from Viking. It’s set in a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles, and has all the diversity of the real city – with the addition of mutant powers. It got some early notoriety as the “Yes Gay YA” book when the authors refused an agent’s request to make a gay character straight. But it could equally well be called “The X-Men in the post-apocalyptic Wild West,” or “The one with the sandwich-stealing telekinetic squirrels.”

    Kirkus gave it a starred review, writing, “Yes, it’s another post-apocalyptic series opener, but it’s infused with a generous spirit—call it a utopian dystopia. […] Characterization is rich and stereotype-free. For gays and lesbians, sexual orientation is neither more nor less a defining characteristic than it is for heterosexuals. Equally exceptional is the depiction of conflict. The confusing adrenaline rush of war is followed by PTSD, its lingering afterimage. The five dynamic narrators and action-packed plot deliver thrills while slyly undermining genre clichés. A first-rate page turner that leaves its own compelling afterimage.”

    “There’s a sense of optimism, wonder and beauty that is so rare in YA.” – Tina, Amazon reviewer.

45. Happy Giftgiving Holidays!

    I write (occasionally) award-winning medieval historical fantasy for tweens, so if you’d like some France-Brittany conflict with your Sleeping Beauty castles, or German manorial systems with your dragons, or Romanian principalities with your Underworld marriage proposals, please check out my books. The latest is The Castle Behind Thorns. http://www.harpercollins.com/9780062311863/the-castle-behind-thorns

46. PREMONITIONS is the story of Karyn Ames and her crew of thieves, who specialize in stealing occult items. Karyn sees pieces of the future in visions and hallucinations, and she needs to take a very expensive, rare black market drug to keep them under control. When a notorious crime lord and practitioner of dark magic offers Karyn and company a dangerous job and enough cash to keep Karyn in the present tense for a good long while to come, the crew starts planning a heist that will end up pitting them against forces they can’t even begin to understand.

    PREMONITIONS is urban fantasy with strong elements of horror and crime fiction. The folks at Library Journal called it a “sterling urban fantasy debut with a great cast of characters” and gave it an awfully kind starred review.

    Thanks!

47. Thanks so much for this, John!

    Make It Mighty Ugly is a handbook for vanquishing creative demons. No matter what you make, write, or do, you have that BS voice in your head that tells you not to bother because you suck. (If you know in the depths of your gut that you’re not creative, well, that’s BS, too.)

    A looming new year is as good a time as any to stare down those demons so you can shut them up, right? (Of course right. I know this for a fact.)

    (If you’ve already entered battle against your stupid demons, I’ll be so bold as to suggest MIMU would make a great, meaningful gift for anyone you know and/or love who may need a hand battling theirs. I’m selling signed copies, too.)

48. Thanks for the opportunity!

    The SHADOW WORLD SERIES is thus far five books, which take place in a version of Austin, Texas where powerful vampires run the night. Our heroine, Miranda, is an up and coming musician when her empathic gift drives her mad, leading her to the doorstep of the most feared and revered vampire in the South: Prime David Solomon, an accomplished warrior, diplomat, and Doctor Who enthusiast. They, along with their allies from all over the world, must band together to access ancient power denied their kind centuries ago in order to stop a threat that’s even older than they are.

    Publisher’s Weekly says of QUEEN OF SHADOWS (book 1) “Sylvan’s powerful debut is packed with startling action, sensual romance, and delightfully nerdy vampires.” While the series is often mislabeled as “paranormal romance,” it’s definitely urban fantasy – the relationship mores are unconventional and growing steadily moreso as the series goes on.

    Books 1-5 were printed by Ace Urban Fantasy but subsequent volumes will be self-published.

49. Hi everyone and happy holidays!

    I’ll throw in a quick plug for my time travel series, where each book is “a lively romp through history, science, and the academic world in the wake of a crime.” The books are available in print, Kindle, and audiobook format (wonderfully narrated by Mary Robinette Kowal)!

    The Far Time Incident (Book 1 in Incident Series): Thanks to the time travel lab at St. Sunniva University, history is no longer a mystery. But when the beloved co-inventor of the university’s time machine suffers a deadly accident, Julia Olsen, dean’s assistant, is tasked with helping Campus Security Chief Nate Kirkland find out what happened. When the investigation points toward murder, Julia and Nate find themselves caught in a deadly coverup that strands them in ancient Pompeii on the eve of the eruption of the world’s most infamous volcano. With the help of their companions—a Shakespearean scholar and two grad students—Julia and the chief must outwit history itself and expose the school’s saboteur before it’s too late.

    http://www.amazon.com/The-Time-Incident-Series-Book/dp/1611099099/
    http://www.amazon.com/The-Runestone-Incident-Series-Book/dp/1477849505/

50. My new book isn’t technically out until next Tuesday, but I’ve seen copies on store shelves, so I hope that makes it fair game…

    Eureka: Discovering Your Inner Scientist is an attempt to break down a common misconception about the nature of science, namely that it’s an arcane and difficult subject that only an elite few can handle. In fact, science is something we all use, every day, often without even realizing it.

    Science is properly understood not as a collection of knowledge, but a process: you look at the world, you think about why it might work that way, you test your model with experiments and observations, and then you tell everyone you know the results. This process is as old as humanity– as far back as we have evidence of humans, we see traces of people doing science. It’s also central to any number of everyday tasks, from card games to sports to reading or watching mysteries.

    Eureka looks at a number of hobbies that illustrate different aspects of this process, and connects them to examples of great scientific discoveries from history. How is Vera Rubin’s discovery of dark matter like playing a game of bridge? Quantum physics like the solution to a crossword puzzle? Precision timekeeping like playing basketball? Read the book, and find out…

    (I think there will be a Big Idea post with a little more detail in the near future. Which reminds me, I need to send John stuff for the Big Idea post…)

51. My magnum opus (so far) Pirates of Mars is now available from Audible.com. It’s also available in dead-tree and electronic versions.

    The book itself? Like the label on the tin says, it’s pirates running amok on a near-future Mars and the people who decide to fight them.

52. Thanks for the opportunity, John.

    The Time Roads (Tor Books, October 2014) is an alternate history about mathematics, murder, and time. Set in a world where Ireland is an empire, and England a dependency, these four braided tales tell the story of the brilliant Éireann scientists who have already bent the laws of nature for Man’s benefit. And who now are striving to conquer the nature of time.

    Gene Wolfe called THE TIME ROADS “Breathtakingly original.”

    Library Journal said, “Bernobich subtly blends these interlocking stories so skillfully the true impact is felt only after the last page is turned.”

    RT Book Reviews rated THE TIME ROADS a Top Pick and nominated it for Best Fantasy Novel for its 2014 Reviewers’ Choice Awards.

53. Thanks, John!

    My debut novel A CALCULATED LIFE was shortlisted this year for two awards—The Philip K Dick Award 2013 and The Kitschies Golden Tentacle. See if it’s your kind of science fiction:

    A Calculated Life is a dystopian vision of corporate life later in the 21st century when big business and state institutions are thriving thanks to a compliant, stratified and segregated workforce. Hyper-intelligent professionals live in affluence within the metropolis while menials live out in the subsidized, but spartan, enclaves. There are upsides for everyone. Advances in genetic engineering have freed the population from addictive tendencies. Violent crime is a rarity.

    Mayhew McCline, a corporation that detects global trends, recruits a young woman, Jayna, who instantly becomes the firm’s star performer. Despite her flawless track record, Jayna is feeling twitchy. She knows she’s making stupid mistakes. But no one has noticed, yet.

    Working on a hunch that she’s too sheltered from real-world unpredictability, she embarks on an experiment to disrupt her proscribed daily routine. Unwittingly, she sets a path that leads to clandestine forays beyond the metropolis, forbidden relationships and disloyalty.

    Happy reading…
    http://www.amazon.com/A-Calculated-Life-ebook/dp/B00DWFCA30/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379863802&sr=8-1&keywords=a+calculated+life

54. Although I’m not actually the editor on this project, the Virtual Reality Beginner’s Guide and Smartphone VR Viewer is the first release from the publishing company where I work, Regan Arts, and you can get it at our website or from your local bookstore. It’s inspired by Google Cardboard’s design for an assemble-it-yourself device that you can use to view immersive 3D animation using your smartphone.

    I had to put a bunch of them together for media kits, so I can assure you the viewer really IS easy to assemble, and every animation I’ve seen so far has been awesome.

55. In HUNTED, FBI profiler Evelyn Baine discovers just how deadly it can be to get inside the head of a killer. NYT bestselling author of the Rizzoli & Isles series, Tess Gerritsen, said, “HUNTED is a nonstop, thrilling read that will leave you breathless, and Evelyn Baine is a sharp and gutsy heroine you’ll want to follow for many books to come.”

    The sequel, VANISHED, releases Dec. 30th. Eighteen years ago, FBI profiler Evelyn Baine’s best friend disappeared. Now, the Nursery Rhyme Killer is back – and if Evelyn doesn’t catch him, she may be the next to disappear. Best-selling author R.L. Stine says, “Want to read a top-rate thriller? VANISHED had me turning page after page. Wow. When you talk about our most-promising new thriller writers, put Elizabeth Heiter on the list!”

    To find on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Heiter/e/B00DMU3ANE/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

    To find on Barnes & Noble: http://m.barnesandnoble.com/c/elizabeth%20heiter/0

    http://www.elizabethheiter.com

56. Maplecroft is my most recent offering. It’s either (a). a 19th century gothic epistolary love-letter to Dracula via Lovecraft, or (b). Lizzie Borden fights Cthulhu with an axe. Whichever you like best.

57. Thanks for doing this, John! I have two series I’d like to quickly mention, just because they’re different in tone. My urban fantasy series begins with DEAD SPOTS, a novel about a young woman with a unique ability to nullify the supernatural. From the back cover: “Scarlett Bernard knows about personal space: step within ten feet of her, and any supernatural spells or demonic forces are instantly defused—vampires and werewolves become human again, and witches can’t get out so much as a “hocus pocus.” This special skill makes her a null and very valuable to Los Angeles’s three most powerful magical communities, who utilize her ability to scrub crime scenes clean of all traces of the paranormal to keep humanity, and the LAPD, in the dark.”
    http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Spots-Scarlett-Bernard-Novel-ebook/dp/B007ZDKENS/ref=asap_B0099VUF6U_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1417441981&sr=1-3

    My other, non-supernatural mystery series starts with THE BIG KEEP, which features a different kind of hardboiled detective. “Former Chicago cop Selena “Lena” Dane has been going through the motions at her private investigation agency for years now. But then Lena learns that she’s unexpectedly pregnant just as she takes on a heartbreaking new client: Nate Christianti, a fourteen-year-old boy in search of his biological father, Jason.”
    http://www.amazon.com/Big-Keep-Lena-Mystery-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B00L5ENMBE/ref=la_B0099VUF6U_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1417457277&sr=1-5

    Happy Holidays – and happy reading!

58. Thanks, as always, for the space, John. We’ll try to leave it in as good a condition as we found it.

    My second novel is The Enceladus Crisis, sequel to last year’s The Daedalus Incident. Both are set between two dimensions — a 22nd century that very much could be our future, and a late 18th century in which sailing ships ply the Void between planets and Napoleon is on the rise.

    Yeah. Sailing ships in space, y’all. Get at me.

    Folks seemed to like both books, and I hope you do too. They’re available wherever fine books are sold, but the links above are to Mysterious Galaxy, which has signed copies available (as well as Kobo ebooks). Support local booksellers!

    Happy holidays!

59. Described as “Bladerunner for the fantasy crowd,” my debut novel RADIANT is the story of a homeless girl who attempts to save the ghost of a young woman who hasn’t died. It has ghosts, floating towers, post-apocalyptic ruins, and an economy that runs on magic. (No romance – sorry, romance fans.)

    RADIANT has been getting great reviews, and was chosen as one of Publishers Weekly’s Top 10 SFF Books for Fall 2014. Available in trade paperback, ebook, and audiobook.

    You can read the first chapter free on my website: http://karinasumnersmith.com/novels/radiant/

    See more: http://www.amazon.com/Radiant-Towers-Trilogy-Book-One/dp/194045610X/

60. My first novel THE ULTRA THIN MAN appeared from Tor this past August. It’s a space opera noir, a fast-paced near-future thriller where aliens, terrorists, and interplanetary conspiracies collide. Crowell and Brindos, two detectives on the case, are forced to fight through intrigue to discover the depths of the conspiracy. And to answer the all-important question: Who, and what, is the Ultra Thin Man?

    A starred Publisher’s Weekly review called it “a splendidly lively debut.”

    More information about the book is on my website, including summary, reviews, and links to fine booksellers: http://patrickswenson.net/novel/the-ultra-thin-man/

61. The Amado Women: Four women linked by birth, separated by secrets. Family drama.
    For some of us, that’s the only kind.
    The novel, out this summer from Cinco Puntos, got loving from the Library Journal, Shelf Awareness, Rumpus, [PANK] and LA Review of Books.
    Best seller at Vroman’s in Pasadena,
    Check it out on Amazon or Goodreads or my website
    http://www.desireezamorano.com and I hope you choose to order it from an independent bookstore.

62. Poetry! Parenting! Horror Movies! It’s all in The Baby That Ate Cincinnati by Matt Mason.

    It’s about that other side of things, the bit with the wonder and the magic as well as the terror of trying to redefine yourself and your place in the universe with what is really a very strange and monumental change in who you are, what you do, and what you truly fear. Ultimately, you know, it’s life affirming, just like all classic scary movies, by the time the credits roll.
    http://www.powells.com/biblio/9781936205943

63. Universal Alien, Book 10 in my Alien/Katherine “Kitty” Katt series releases tomorrow (Dec. 2nd). On sale in all bookstores (http://bit.ly/1rYQeMd) including excellent independents and online (http://amzn.to/1rNAIqi) retailers, as is the rest of the series. :-D (If you don’t know anything about this series, start with Book 1/Touched by an Alien, also available wherever fine books, and just plain old regular books, are sold. The Alien series is science fiction with a lot of action, humor, and romance. But no cooties. I promise. Well, maybe space cooties. But I digress…)

    The process of saving her planet – yet again – is violently interrupted when Kitty is thrown into an alternate reality.

    “The tenth outing of Koch’s insanely fun Alien series…. Hilarious, thrilling adventures that are sure to make readers giggle and grin!” —RT Book Reviews (top pick!)

    Find out more about this and everything else that comes out of my head at: http://www.ginikoch.com

64. Thanks for the opportunity, John. I’m probably best known for my tie-in graphic novels and novels — my most recent, STAR WARS: A NEW DAWN, is now available in hardcover, softcover, and e-book from Random House/Del Rey. It’s a fun book about the beginning of the Rebellion, and a good introductory point for new readers looking to get into (or for past readers looking to get back into) Star Wars fiction. Links to many major retailers here: http://atrandom.com/a-new-dawn/

    But I wanted to give a quick word to my own OVERDRAFT: THE ORION OFFENSIVE, which will appeal to fans of pulp space opera. When a rogue stock trader accidentally bankrupts an interstellar expedition from his desktop, the expedition’s enforcers decide not to go quietly into unemployment. Instead, they draft him into their service as a trader on the frontier, forcing him to get their money back one planet at a time by dealing with the dangerous species no one else will get near! An entertaining story with an episodic feel (it was originally released as a serial), Overdraft should amuse anyone who’s ever wanted to see aliens take on Wall Street.

    It’s available in print, e-book, and audiobook now from all major retailers. Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Overdraft-Offensive-John-Jackson-Miller/dp/1477807527/ref=tmm_pap_title_0

65. Do you like poetry? Funny things? Sad things?

    Check out my chapbook “Toast is Just Bread That Put Up a Fight,” a short collection of poetry that focuses on the concept of the feminine in regards to religion and sexuality. One of the poems in it, “I Think I Would Like to Die From Hypothermia” was just nominated for the Pushcart Prize as well!

    So far people are calling it both hilarious and heart-wrenching. It mixes humor with tragedy, all the while keeping readers interested.

    Check it out on Amazon!

    http://www.amazon.com/Toast-Just-Bread-That-Fight/dp/0692265686/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1406989958&sr=8-2&keywords=Emily+Ramser

66. My newest books are:

    The trade paperback of Stories of the Raksura I: The Falling World & The Tale of Indigo and Cloud
    This is a novella collection set in the same world as the Books of the Raksura series (The Cloud Roads, The Serpent Sea, and The Siren Depths)

    The paperback edition of Star Wars: Razor’s Edge

    They’re both also out in ebook and audiobook. You can find info about them and everything else I have out at my web site.

67. Thanks for creating this thread!
    My name is Tim Hamilton and I’d like to mention my newest children’s book I wrote and illustrated,
    “But…” A humorous children’s book about the importance of quick-thinking. Eddie’s Aunt Sue is laid up with a broken leg, and Eddie (along with his dog Phil) must do her chores. To make matters worse, they learn that they have to throw Sue’s friend, Captain Rugbeard a pirate birthday party! Eddie and Phil rush to decorate, and with little time to spare, get a present for the pirate Captain; BUT. . . the present they choose poses an embarrassing, and pirate enraging situation. Can Eddie and Phil come up with a clever solution, or will they suffer the wrath of an angry pirate? This hilarious picture book will keep young readers on the edges of their seats.
    • Hardcover: 32 pages
    • Publisher: Holiday House
    • Language: English
    • ISBN-10: 0823430464
    • ISBN-13: 978-0823430468
    • Product Dimensions: 0.5 x 8.5 x 10.5 inches
    Please support your local book store!!!!
    But if you don’t have one:
    http://www.amazon.com/But-Tim-Hamilton/dp/0823430464/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417461126&sr=8-1&keywords=But+%2B+tim+hamilton

68. It is an opportunity for me to say thanks for many, many of your great books, John!

    So I’m using the chance to present my bestselling novel
    Boston Run – The Marathon-Thriller

    ‘Brian Harding has always been a good athlete – but never a great one! The Boston marathon represents his second attempt at the 26 miles stretch but Brian knows he will win this time. A new drug is able to enhance his performance. The substance breaks down during the run so that it can no longer be detected after crossing the finish line. A seemingly perfect plan.
    However, the NSA National Security Agency is waiting for Brian, in addition to the 150,000 dollar prize money. The formula for this new drug is incredibly valuable and NSA operations manager Rachel Parker knows that she needs to take a sample of Brian’s blood before he reaches the home straight. The chase is on.’

    Currently only available as a German edition it will hopefully be available in English by next year?!

    Are you interested for more?
    … look here …

69. The Best of Electric Velocipede showcases a breathtaking thirty-four pieces of high quality work published during its run. If you’ve never read the magazine, you’re in for a treat. If you’re already a fan, you’ll find all your favorites and a lot of great writing that deserves a second look. With a foreword by editor John Klima and introduction by Shane Jones.
    Available from your favorite online retailer or directly from the publisher:
    http://www.fairwoodpress.com/catalog/item/7650871/10098125.htm

70. All three volumes of THE SEVEN-PETALED SHIELD, my epic fantasy trilogy, are available in mass market paperback from DAW at all the usual outlets. Look for Middle Eastern and Central Asian horse nomad cultures, kick-ass women heroes, magnificent horses (not to mention weirdly wonderful supernatural beasties), friends and lovers, parents and children, and conquering evil through compassion.

71. MITSY AND MARTY MOUSE VISIT GRANDPA

    This super cute children’s story tells a “Golden Rule” tail of two little mice who learn about the importance caring for the feelings of others when they make a trip to Grandpa’s house. Watch out for the bees!

    http://www.amazon.com/Mitsy-Marty-Mouse-Visit-Grandpa/dp/1614487405/

72. The first two volumes of the Luther Strode series are available for your loved ones (and heck, your hated ones too) this holiday season.

    The Luther Strode books are about a geeky kid who sends away for a Charles Atlas style bodybuilding course, gets it, does it, and develops superhuman powers. And ends up the target of a murder cult as old as mankind, looking to recruit him.

    Merriment does NOT ensure.

    These are graphic novels, and they’re written to be fairly self contained – you can read them in any order you like.

    The Strange Talent of Luther Strode

    http://www.amazon.com/Strange-Talent-Luther-Strode-Vol/dp/1607065312

    The Legend of Luther Strode

    http://www.amazon.com/The-Legend-Luther-Strode-Volume/dp/1607067730/ref=pd_sim_b_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1ZSV420BE25GB3RW5XEH

    The third and final book will be out in 2015.

    Or, for something almost but not entirely different, there’s my love letter to westerns and 70’s revenge flicks, Dead Body Road, about an ex cop tracking down the men responsible for his wife’s death.

    http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Body-Road-Justin-Jordan/dp/1632150476/ref=pd_sim_b_23?ie=UTF8&refRID=1ZSV420BE25GB3RW5XEH

    And a goodly chunk of other comics. All there in the Amazon profile.

73. My book, Excavation: A Memoir, tells the story about my younger self, a bookish, insecure girl living with alcoholic parents in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles in the late 1980s and early 1990s. My relationship with a charming and deeply flawed private school teacher fifteen years my senior appeared to give me the kind of power teenagers wish for, regardless of consequences. My teacher—now a registered sex offender—continually encouraged my passion for writing while making me promise I was not leaving any written record about our dangerous sexual relationship. This conflicted relationship with my teacher may have been just five years long, but would imprint itself on me and my later relationships, queer and straight, for the rest of my life.

    In Excavation: A Memoir, the black and white of the standard victim/perpetrator stereotype gives way to unsettling grays. The present-day narrator reflects on the girl she once was, as well as the teacher and parent she has become.

    Get your copy at Powell’s: http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-9781892061706-1
    Also available on Kindle and will be released next year as an Audible audio book. Thanks for reading!

74. Thanks John! This is very cool.

    My name is Steph Cha and I write L.A. noir with a Korean-American protagonist and a feminist slant. My books are called Follow Her Home and Beware Beware and are both published by St. Martin’s Minotaur. The L.A. Times review for Beware Beware ended with this sentence, which I plan to engrave on my tombstone: “Nathanael West and Raymond Chandler proud.” I’ve done panels at L.A. Times Festival of Books and Decatur Book Festival, which I mention because I’ve talked super awkwardly to Mr. Scalzi at both.

    Books available widely. I like my independents, and many of them have websites where you can order directly (Skylight Books, Vroman’s, Mysterious Galaxy, Poisoned Pen…). Here’s my website, where you can see pictures of my dog: http://bystephcha.wordpress.com.

75. Daniel José Older and I co-edited Long Hidden: Speculative Stories from the Margins of History, published by Crossed Genres in May 2014. It’s an anthology of historical speculative fiction (mostly fantasy, but there’s a bit of SF and a couple of stories verging on horror) featuring marginalized people: people of color, immigrants, queer people, trans people, pregnant and unmarried women, young children, peasants and workers, and more. Contributors include Sofia Samatar, Sabrina Vourvoulias, Victor LaValle, Tananarive Due, Sunny Moraine, and Nnedi Okorafor.

    Reviews have been extremely positive. The Rejectionist called it “wonderful and necessary”. The Future Fire declared it “one of the strongest speculative fiction anthologies I’ve read”. The book currently has a 4.13 rating on Goodreads thanks to over 120 ratings and reviews.

    If you’d like to try before you buy, here’s a recording of Victor and Sofia reading from their Long Hidden stories at KGB Bar in July 2014. You can also read our introduction here.

    Here’s how to buy Long Hidden in print ($19.95) or digital ($9.99). I hope you enjoy it!

76. Hello! You might possibly like my steampunk/alternate history/fantasy series out from Tor Books, thus far comprising Gideon Smith and the Mechanical Girl and Gideon Smith and the Brass Dragon.
    Don’t feel you have to, though. There are a lot of great books from other people in this list.
    Some people have said the Gideon Smith books are heaps of fun, though. Maybe you could borrow them from the library? Don’t put yourself out, though. And there are a lot of good books further up the list.
    Bye.
    http://www.amazon.com/Gideon-Smith-Brass-Dragon-Barnett/dp/0765334259

77. Thanks for this opportunity!

    My first novel, Falling Sky, came out from Pyr this past October. It’s a post-apocalyptic adventure novel with airships. It’s been compared to The Walking Dead and Firefly.

    My Big Idea post (from this very website) can be found here.

78. My debut Otherbound (Amulet Books/ABRAMS) is a YA fantasy novel about a boy from our world who’s spent ten years involuntarily witnessing the life of a servant girl from another world every time he blinks … and what happens when they finally learn to communicate.

    Read it if you like the idea of Netherlands-inspired fantasy worlds, mind possession, death curses, runaway princesses, queer/PoC/disabled main characters, and discussion of bodily autonomy, agency, and consent. People call it “nuanced” a lot; I like these people.

    Otherbound got starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, and BCCB; other places like Strange Horizons, SFX Magazine, Locus Magazine, The Horn Book Magazine, Booklist and the Book Smugglers also dug it. Hopefully you will, too!

79. Would You Baptize an Extraterrestrial? (Image Books, published October 2014)

    I’m a planetary scientist who gives a lot of science presentations at SF conventions, especially in Chicago and Boston (and at Worldcons). But since I am also a Jesuit brother who works at the Vatican Observatory, inevitably I get lots of science-and-religion questions…

    The trouble is, these are actually questions without answers. Just as science is not merely a big book of “facts” (nor is religion just a big book of “rules”), so these questions are best served not with “answers: but with a dialogue. My colleague Paul Mueller and I created just such a dialogue. Here’s a link to an interview we had in America magazine which gives a flavor…

    http://americamagazine.org/content/all-things/‘would-you-baptize-extraterrestrial’-author-qa-vatican-astronomers-guy

    If you wind up agreeing with everything we say, we’ve failed. But if we get you to laugh on occasion, that’s no bad thing. Warning, though: as one critic notes, the number of puns grows exponentially with the number of Jesuits in the conversation.

80. Nothing quite warms the heart over the holidays like a story of spleen-eating demons, told from the perspective of a 21 year-old obituary writer who wakes up on a slab in the morgue.

    *cue “White Christmas”

    So, about my novel POE.

    > Winner of the 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award for Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror.

    > Publisher’s Weekly called it, “A delightful, bravura piece of gothic pop…fans of Neil Gaiman and the aforementioned Buffy will be immediately taken, but there’s a literate edge to the pyrotechnics that makes for an unlikely and welcome marriage between the spook story and literature of altogether less ectoplasmic substance.”

    > For one glorious day it was the #1 Amazon bestseller in both Fantasy and Horror.

    If you need a break from holiday cheer, have burned through all the episodes of Buffy, Supernatural, and Being Human, and want to settle in for something snarky with a dose of light-ish horror, you can pick up POE for less than a latte and one of those mini-scones that’s packed with 350 calories.

    Oh, and the numbers are real. When you come to them, just skim. Otherwise I’ve heard bad things happen.

    Enjoy!

    http://www.amazon.com/Poe-J-Lincoln-Fenn-ebook/dp/B00CQC9O5M

81. If you’re looking for a fun steampunk-themed adventure book for teens on the younger end of the YA range that are just emerging out of middle grade stories,

    LEGACY OF THE CLOCKWORK KEY and RISE OF THE ARCANE FIRE are both available from Simon Pulse. They follow the adventures of Meg Whitlock, a clock maker’s daughter who discovers her family is deeply involved in a secret order of half-mad inventors. The only problem is, their inventions could destroy the world.

    You can watch the trailer and discover more about both books at my website, http://www.kristinbailey.com

    The third book in the trilogy releases in February, and has received a starred review from Kirkus.

    “Clever machines, well-drawn relationships of varying constellations, literal death traps and world-threatening intrigue, headlined by an aspirational heroine, make this a winner.” -Kirkus Reviews

    I hope you enjoy them, and happy holidays to all.

    LEGACY OF THE CLOCKWORK KEY
    http://amzn.com/1442440260

    And

    RISE OF THE ARCANE FIRE
    http://amzn.com/1442468025

82. Thank you for this opportunity, John.

    My first novel was just released, “A Ragged Magic,” from Per Aspera Press. It’s my “Teenage witch survives life-threatening danger and terrible grief, and must learn to use an ill-gained, untrustworthy magic to save herself and the ones she loves from death and destruction” book. It’s getting good reviews. I’m really proud of it. And go check out the cover. It’s so very pretty.

    Here’s the Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Ragged-Magic-Runebound-Book-ebook/dp/B00O2R1SX0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417475672&sr=8-1&keywords=a+ragged+magic The ebook is currently on sale!

    And here’s a link to the University Bookstore here in Seattle – you can request a signed copy if you like! http://www4.bookstore.washington.edu/_trade/ShowTitleUBS2.taf?ActionArg=Title&ISBN=9781941662045&SKU=&sdb=ALL

83. “A Loon Alone” by Pamela Love

    In this realistic picture book, a loon chick encounters other animals on his pond after becoming separated from his mother. Now, night is coming—and whose red eyes are those, looking right at him?

    http://www.amazon.com/A-Loon-Alone-Pamela-Love/dp/0892725710

    Other books in the same vein are “A Cub Explores” (a bear cub) and “A Moose’s Morning”.

    My historical fiction picture book is “Lighthouse Seeds”, based on the true story of how lighthouse keepers on Mount Desert Rock, off the coast of Maine, made a barren rock bloom.

84. THE GODLESS is my latest novel. It was published by Thomas Dunne in the States in August (and Tor UK in the UK).

    It is set in a world where all the gods have died. Their bodies lie across the landscape: they kneel in forrests, lie beneath mountains, and rest at the bottom of the ocean. On the back of one such mountain, a small city by Mireea is about to be invaded by an army that is led by priests (or so they have heard). The narrative switches between three main characters, and reviewers have praised the definition of that, and the unique concept of time that exists in the book.

    You can read a sample of it here, at Tor.com http://www.tor.com/features/series/ben-peeks-the-godless-on-torcom

    And you can buy it here: http://www.amazon.com/Godless-Children-Book-One/dp/1250050022/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417477917&sr=8-1&keywords=ben+peek

85. The Clockwork Dagger mixes up steampunk and epic fantasy as healer Octavia Leander sets out on an airship journey and finds herself tangled up with terrorists, intrigue, and royalty.

    The book came out in September from Harper Voyager and is available most everywhere shiny new books are sold. The sequel, The Clockwork Crown, is out in June.

    Some content was stripped by our security filters, but it should be possible for one of your Editors to embed the content for you.

86. Dream Girl is a young adult adventure/romance geared for ages 13+.

    For Christine, dreams have never meant much. Until she meets Gabriel. Everyone thinks Christine should stay away from her new coworker at the library-thanks to his bad reputation-but when her dreams grow more vivid and she becomes entangled in a dangerous dream world with Gabriel every night, she can’t stay away. Soon it’s clear there is far more to dreams than Christine ever imagined, and now she’s on the path to making the biggest, and strangest, decision of her life.

    It got good reviews from the San Francisco Book Review and Voice of Youth Advocates.

    It’s available from all the usual suspects, but if you’re interested in a signed/personalized copy, you can purchase that from a local independent bookstore, Blue Frog Books: http://www.bluefrogbooksandmore.com/book/9780985956295

    Thanks for checking it out!

87. What a fun idea! I loved scrolling through all of the other entries.

    I’d like to offer up the first two books in my TWELVE KINGDOMS fantasy series. THE MARK OF THE TALA is up for book of the year and the sequel, which came out last week, THE TEARS OF THE ROSE, is up for best Fantasy Romance – both from the RT Reviewers Choice Awards.

    Library Journal gave THE MARK OF THE TALA a Starred review and said:

    “This well-written and swooningly romantic fantasy will appeal to fans of Juliet Marillier’s “Sevenwaters” series or Robin McKinley’s The Hero and the Crown.“

    More info here! http://www.jeffekennedy.com/category/books/?series=twelve-kingdom

    http://www.jeffekennedy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/jeffekennedyseries.jpg

88. Are you a fan of Downton Abbey and Pride & Prejudice? Of course you are. Because they’re both amazing. If you like just a hint of fantasy and magic thrown into your historical romances for good measure, then you’d probably love my debut novel ARCANA.

    Set in the early 1900s of London, ARCANA is centered around the reluctant debut of Katherine Sinclair, a girl who is not entirely human. She must keep her magical abilities hidden from not only potential suitors–and the man she falls in love with–but an ancient brotherhood who feeds on this rare type of magic.

    ARCANA was released November 11th from Talos Press, and it’s available as an ebook, hardcover, and audiobook from all the usual places.

    I have the first chapter up on my website if you’d like to take a look: http://jessicaleake.com/books/arcana-chapter-one-exerpt/

    Here’s the Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Arcana-Novel-Jessica-Leake-ebook/dp/1940456142/

    Thanks for looking!

89. As Lisa Evans, quilt historian and independent scholar:

    “‘The Same Quilte Being Olde and Worene:’ The Mystery of Henry VIII’s Green Quilt,” in Medieval Clothing and Textiles 4, ed. Robin Netherton and Gale Owen-Crocker – did you know Henry VIII had over a hundred quilts? And one of them might have figured in his divorce from Catherine of Aragon? My first paper for this hardcover journal series reportedly had one of the editors all but in tears, and not for the reasons you might think.

    “Anomaly or Sole Survivor? The Impruneta Cushion and Early Italian ‘Patchwork'” in Medieval Clothing and Textiles 8, ed. Robin Netherton and Gale Owen-Crocker – this is the first paper in English on a rare textile: the patchwork funerary cushion of Bishop Antonio degli Agli, who died in 1477. Perfect for anyone who still believes that patchwork is modern, American, or exclusively calico.

    “Forward Into the Past: Reenactors and the Quest for Authenticity” in “Can These Bones Come to Life?” Insights from Reconstruction, Reenactment, and Re-Creation, ed. Michael A. Cramer – reenactors have an uneasy relationship with academia, not least because recreating the material culture of the past may or may not take the latest research into account. This paper, part of the proceedings from the “Can These Bones Come to Life?” panels at the Kalamazoo Medieval Studies Congress, argues that scholars and reenactors have much to teach each other, with a look at perhaps the most successful collaboration to date: The Plimoth Jacket project, which drew upon both worlds to bring a lost embroidery technique to breathtaking life.

90. Thanks, John! And Happy Holidays to all! Under the pseudonym “Stan Kirby,” my writing partner and I write the Captain Awesome books for Simon And Schuster. Captain Awesome is really Eugene McGillicudy, leader of the Sunnyview Superhero Squad that includes his two best friends – Charlie Thomas Jones (Nacho Cheese Man, with the power of spray cheese) and Sally Williams (Super Sal, the town’s fastest human). Together with a pet hamster called Turbo, they fight the villains that all kids have: teachers, principals, neighbors, zoo animals, babies and barking dogs. We just delivered the manuscript for #15 and #12 (set in the high-stakes world of miniature golf) was just published. Kirkus gave the series a starred review when it debuted, and we got favorable notices from both Booklist and Publisher’s Weekly. Perfect for kids in the 6-9 demo who might be outgrowing Captain Underpants and looking to continue their comical superhero journey. Each book features illustrations by the immensely talented George O’Connor (see his post earlier in this thread). Here’s the link: http://goo.gl/zIae4W

91. The book! Ghost Train to New Orleans (Shambling Guides 2) from Orbit Books.

    The blurb! The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy meets Neverwhere. In other words, a human writes travel books for monsters. Chaos ensues. Book 1 was New York, Book 2 is New Orleans.

    Book 1 of the series was the winner of the 2014 Manly Wade Wellman Award.

92. I have two titles out December 9th from Nightscape Press and available now for pre-order.

    First is Fantasy For Good, which will benefit the Colon Cancer Alliance, featuring new fiction from Michael Moorcock, Piers Anthony, Carrie Vaughn, Kelley Armstrong, Alan Dean Foster, Jackie Kessler, Katharine Kerr, David Farland, Jane Lindskold, Nnedi Okorafor, Todd McCaffrey and many more, plus stories from Neil Gaiman, George R. R. Martin, and Roger Zelazny. Roger’s son, Trent, provides a moving introduction about his father’s battle with cancer.

    http://www.amazon.com/Fantasy-Good-Charitable-George-Martin-ebook/dp/B00NJY4GUE

    Second is The Patchwork House, my debut novel. This is a haunted house story featuring a malevolent entity that can manipulate time…

    http://www.amazon.com/Patchwork-House-Richard-Salter-ebook/dp/B00PXJN5Y6

    Thanks for this opportunity to post this!

93. Hi all!

    THE LAST CHANGELING is the story of a faerie princess (think less like Disney, more like the Princess of the Dark Faeries) who’s intent on overthrowing her mother’s corrupt court and freeing her people from bondage. But to do this, she’ll need to slip into the mortal world to find a human offering, which she can use to cement an alliance with the Queen of the Bright Faeries.

    Probably, she shouldn’t get entangled in high school politics, encourage a group of students to overthrow the bully who’s trying to keep same-sex couples from attending prom, or fall in love with the human she’s planning to steal. But faerie princesses are difficult to control.

    The book has lots of queer characters, and while it’s aimed at teens, it’s yet to cause any adults to run screaming in the opposite direction (far as I know). Kirkus liked my male lead: “Not your standard-issue, paranormal-romance hero, he’s a believable teen with a sense of humor” and VOYA called it “a story that will not only keep readers on the edge of their seats, but challenge them to think about identity in new ways.”

    Thanks for reading, and many thanks to John for hosting this! Check out the book at Amazon and IndieBound

94. Oh, I wanna play. My book GEEKS, GIRLS, AND SECRET IDENTITIES (Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic) is about three 12 year old boys who discover that the new secret identity of their hometown superhero, Captain Stupendous, is a 12 year old girl. Problem: she doesn’t actually want to be a superhero. There were assorted “hey, this book doesn’t suck, that Mike Jung is one talented, dashing, good-looking, impeccably dressed…” Oh hell, now I’m just lying. The reviews were good, and I’ve always been a terrible slob. http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780545335485

95. The Blackguard, described by multi-award winning author Todd Borg as “two parts Hunter S Thompson and one part John Kennedy Toole … pour over a story about an isolated town of white supremacists and you get an outrageous, acidic story that will keep your attention” is currently on sale.

    The first of Ben Garrido’s three novels about broken identity, The Blackguard follows young engineer Marcus Hunyadi as he tries to separate Nevada’s ancient and isolated town of Enclave from its immense natural resources, protect a child of tainted blood, and attain the power he craves.

    A fast, minimalist novel filled with cutting irony and dark humor, The Blackguard is a world both alien and uncomfortably familiar. Gripping, unsentimental and disturbing, Garrido’s story will ask how much you really care about your roots.

    The paperback, published by Lucky Bat Books, is available at http://www.amazon.com/The-Blackguard-Ben-Garrido/dp/1939051746/ref=tmm_pap_title_0.

96. Time’s Crossroads

    http://www.amazon.com/Times-Crossroads-Gregg-Macklin/dp/150061999X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1417528724&sr=1-1&keywords=time%27s+crossroads
    Available on Kindle, Nook, and Kobo

    Caden thought his life had a direction, a purpose he aspired to, until a phone call from the doctor sent him home to his dying father’s bedside. His dying father has a secret, that will change his plans and life forever. What will he do with his father’s secret?

97. What happens when a couple of comic book nerds get turned into vampires and exercise their lifelong Batman fetish by becoming private investigators?

    The Black Knight Chronicles.

    http://www.amazon.com/The-Black-Knight-Chronicles-Omnibus-ebook/dp/B00992YGVY/ref=pd_sim_kstore_6?ie=UTF8&refRID=1HYGKZ7ZB82SE1KK76VP

    The first three volumes are available in an omnibus edition (listed above) and tells the story of Jimmy Black and Greg Knightwood as they try to save the world, get the girl and avoid the mother of all sunburn cases.

    The Black Knight Chronicles has been likened to The Dresden Files, Jay & Silent Bob, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. So basically I rip off Jim Butcher, Kevin Smith, and Joss Whedon. I can live with that.

    Four books currently available from Bell Bridge Books, wherever books or e-books are sold. Book five will drop early 2015.

98. What a cool idea! Happy Holidays!

    If you’ve read Jane Austen’s classic six novels and are looking for something with a modern twist, give AUSTENTATIOUS and AUSTENSIBLY ORDINARY a try! Set in Austin, Texas, they follow the trail of a magical journal that just might be channeling the match-making spirit of Ms. Austen. A little mystery, a little magic, and a lot of romance!

    AUSTENSIBLY ORDINARY was featured in FIRST for Women magazine (2013) and mentioned on USAToday.com as a “Hot Read to Warm Up Our Extremities” (2014).

    Both are available as paperback (Kensington), ebook, and audiobook.

99. Cheers to Holidays with a big pile of books to read!

    REFLECTIONS ON A JOURNEY is a moving tale of life’s journeys derailed by economic collapse and family turmoil.

    In the early part of the 20th Century, a determined young man named John McQuaid sets out on a journey away from his ancestral home in Kansas toward the forested mountains of Oregon. Leaving his family’s troubles behind, he lifts himself into a place of power and respect as a builder in the flourishing city of Portland. But as the Great Depression tightens its grip, he becomes resigned to watching the joy and beauty fade in the woman he loves as his ability to provide for her and their children collapses along with the economy.

    Decades later as the Great Recession intensifies, Bonnie Todd begins to wonder whether she too will end up living in squalor like her grandparents after the Depression ended their dreams. Following the breakup of her marriage and receipt of yet another pink slip, Bonnie finds that she must reinvent her life and discover meaning in a new world.

    Paperback and eBook are available at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=laurel+standley

100. Who Should Have Won the Oscars?

     If you’ve ever wondered why the Oscars seem to go to the wrong movies, WHO Won?!? is the book for you. Beginning with the first Oscar ceremony, Robert James looks at all the major categories, slashing and burning his way through the bad, praising the good, and offering the best for your consideration. A comic, biting analysis of hundreds of films, WHO Won?!? is a guide to the wonderful movies you missed – and a warning against the ones you should never have seen in the first place.

     Volume One, 1927-1943 covers the Golden Age of Hollywood, from the death of the silent picture to the heights of studio Hollywood. Year by year, the author considers and discusses the Academy’s choices, as well as those which should have been nominated, finishing each category with those which should have won. He often includes some of the history behind the making of the films, as well as how the movies reflect on America. More than just an examination of the choices the Academy made (or should have made), WHO Won?!? provides a yearbook of American cinema, both glorious and disastrous. Deftly switching from the ridiculous to the sublime and back again, WHO Won?!? will leave you both laughing and thinking.

     As Norma Desmond says in Sunset Blvd., in here, it’s “…just us, the cameras, and those wonderful people out there in the dark!” This time around in Volume Two, we take up the moonlit shadows and night terrors of Hollywood from 1944-1952, as the studio system begins collapsing and the censorship boards show their first fracturing. Hollywood dimmed the lights as film noir emerged, along with more serious, adult pictures. Sadly, the arrival of television also pushed Hollywood into producing more Big Dumb Movies, although the rise of spectacle could sometimes pay off. The Supreme Court would break up the studios. Congress would do even more damage by launching an investigation of Hollywood, driving the studios to stop making more than a handful of pictures for mature minds while they frantically searched for some new way to bring people back into the theaters. At the same time, Hollywood would begin its own persecution with the blacklist, driving many out of work, even as it drove itself into a corner with little room to do anything but play it safe.

     Volume One and Two now available!

     http://www.amazon.com/WHO-Irreverent-Look-Oscars-Volume/dp/069231721X/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1417546111&sr=1-2

     http://www.amazon.com/WHO-Irreverent-Look-Oscars-Volume/dp/0692317244/ref=pd_sim_b_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1GA5XZDZ9CBFAQWEBJ0E

101. What would you do if your family won millions in the lottery when you were a kid and now all that’s left after their extravagant spending is what’s held in trust for you until your eighteenth birthday—which is next week? Stein, masterful author of complex teen novels…proves herself once again. Floridian Leni is astute, anguished by her older sister’s news that the lottery was rigged, and just the right character to lend credibility to her discovery of evil at the root of the mess surrounding her family and an angel to help her through it. Romance, money, and mysticism are woven into a satisfying tale. –Booklist

     http://www.amazon.com/Spoils-Tammar-Stein/dp/0375870628/ref=asap_B001HMOFLA_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1417547558&sr=1-1

102. Something a bit different – for here, at least. Remember all those times you’ve gotten annoyed at your co-irkers at your day job, and gone around muttering, “Why don’t they just follow the damned process?” Or the time you actually got a chance to document what everyone *should* be doing, and then couldn’t figure out why they wouldn’t go do it? Or the time someone tried to sell you on the One Right Way to run your business?

     My book Successful Business Process Management is informal and easy to read, yet it gives you an understanding of how to structure your business processes and tailor them to your company, launch them properly so people know what to do, and monitor them to make sure they work as expected.

     Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powell’s

103. What if Robinson Crusoe wasn’t shipwrecked in 17th century south pacific, but 23rd century post apocalypse America? If you enjoy kick ass action-adventure with some clever sci-fi twists, check out my novel Robinson Crusoe 2244. It’s like eating an extra-large pizza with all your favorite toppings, drinking a six-pack of your favorite beer while making love to everyone on your list! Best of all, you wake up the next morning and have lost six pounds. Enjoy!

     http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MC3S1KE

104. My book is “Fallen Down World,” the first in a coming series. Here is the link to print and Kindle on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fallen-Down-World-K-Douglas/dp/1500374598/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1417574207&sr=1-1&keywords=fallen+down+world

     It is an apocalyptic book geared to the young adult and above crowd. Here is a bit of story:

     Florida was supposed to be all sunny beaches and Disney World, the perfect vacation. Instead, fifteen-year-old Dani is the only member of her family not struck with a ferocious new flu. Now the only part of Florida she cares about is the road out. Home is what her family needs, but home is a thousand miles away. Dani’s family aren’t the only ones who are sick. The hospitals and highways are littered with the dead and dying. Dani is soon adrift in a world where she struggles to find food and fuel as she tries to get her family home. In this terrifying new world, every stranger is a threat and each mile is a battle. But home isn’t the salvation Dani hopes for. Now, she needs to survive in a world that will never be the same.

105. Hi! Thanks for this opportunity! My debut YA sci-fi/fantasy, WORDLESS, that just released this August:

     In Eden City, a member of the illiterate wordless class would never dream of meeting the all-powerful Words . . . much less of running away with one. So when a gorgeous girl literally falls into his lap during a routine trash run, seventeen-year-old Tavin Barnes isn’t sure if it’s the luckiest or worst day of his life. That girl is Khaya, the Word of Life, who can heal a wound or command an ivy bush to devour a city block with ease. And yet she needs Tavin’s help.

     By aiding Khaya’s escape from the seemingly idyllic confines of Eden City, Tavin unwittingly throws himself into the heart of a conflict that is threatening to tear the world apart. Eden City’s elite will stop at nothing to protect the shocking secret Khaya hides, and they enlist the other Words, each with their own frightening powers, to bring her back

     Here’s what the critics are saying:

     “The right amount of pizzazz in the form of cinematic action and naked, sexy fun…. [An] intriguing, original science-fantasy setting sure to attract fans.” – Kirkus Reviews

     “Strickland’s fast-paced debut… raises questions of identity and belonging…. Even the least ethical characters prove emotionally vulnerable.” – Publishers Weekly

     “Impressive mythology and fast-paced adventure.” – Booklist

     Here’s a link to Powell’s (though it’s also on Amazon, B&N, and others!): http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-9780738739663-1

106. “No one knew what had happened to the world Before.
     Or why.
     Or how.
     Only that what had been Before was now gone and all that was left was After.

     Of course, none of that was Mason’s concern at this moment. His concern was that of making contact.”

     The world was ruined long ago. How that happened, or why it did, is unknown to those who remain. Life has moved on and the apocalypse that created world of After has forever altered the world. Mutations have occurred in all forms of life creating a new biosphere. Even the genealogy of man is now as clear as the altered and burned atmosphere itself. Some men remain unchanged and as normal as the ancients from Before, while some have developed strange and wondrous abilities. Society has been reduced to small entities trying to carve out an existence in whatever way they can.

     Now someone has decided that the destruction of the world has gone far enough. Unfortunately, that someone has chosen its Paladin, and Mason is not the Paladin sort. He never asked for the tasks that have been bestowed upon him to complete. Still he finds himself gathering others to his side. Each new ‘Contact’ leads him further down the path of correcting the wrongs of the world of After. Sometimes in little ways, and sometimes in ways beyond his understanding.

     “Part 1 – Contact” A complete Novella spanning several chapters that introduces the reader to the darkly rich, Post Apocalyptic world of After. A harsh world on the edge of either rebirth or deeper ruin. Here we meet the dark and powerful people who struggle to push it in one direction or the other.

     This is available here: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/325654
     or here http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DD4HY3Q

     This edition now includes a preview of Part 2!

107. The Steampunk Alphabet – a book that I wrote and illustrated, this is an all ages book for book and art lovers. Richly illustrated pictures, fun rhymes, made in a board book style. You can get it autographed from my site or on Amazon.

108. American Craftsmen. A contemporary fantasy of military intrigue in which Poe and Hawthorne are imagined to have written thinly veiled nonfiction. http://www.amazon.com/American-Craftsmen-Tom-Doyle/dp/0765337517

109. What would you do if you woke up in the body Christ left behind after he shuffled off this mortal coil? Well, if you’re Cross, you’d spend the next 2,000 years being an all-out rogue, hunting down angels for their grace, hanging out with colourful characters like King Arthur and the faerie queen, and learning how to harness the mysterious powers of your body. Like resurrection. That one will come in handy. A lot.

     In The Mona Lisa Sacrifice, Cross must now play the part of reluctant hero, as an angel comes to him for help finding the Mona Lisa — the real one, not the painting. In return, the angel promises to hand over Judas, the ancient trickster god who betrayed Christ and killed Penelope, Cross’s one true love over the ages. But nothing is ever what it seems when Judas is involved, and when a group of renegade angels looking for a new holy war show up, things truly go to hell.

     The Mona Lisa Sacrifice is the first book in the Cross series. The second, The Dead Hamlets, will be published in January 2015, and the third will be out in the fall of 2015.

     http://www.amazon.com/Mona-Lisa-Sacrifice-Book-Cross-ebook/dp/B00BATWN5U

110. Thanks for this!
     I’m a garden designer and Cultivating Garden Style helps readers define their personal style and create a reflection of that in their own garden. Lots of practical advice and even more inspiration, a wonderful gift for a new homeowner, people with a full set of greenfingers, or an avid armchair gardener.

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