Starred Publishers Weekly review and Disch interview

Nice!

The Word of God
*STAR* Satire, sociology, religion and biography get tossed into a blender in New Wave poet and fantasist Disch’s latest roller-coaster ride. Claiming that he himself is God, Disch (Camp Concentration) uses notions of divinity to explore his own, sometimes fictionalized life as well as modern culture, dancing in and out of the narrative and weaving in a short story that underlines and mocks the points made in bursts of biography, poetry and no-holds-barred social commentary. Disch also brings in old grudges with fellow author Philip K. Dick, alternately harsh (condemning the “bitter, burnt-out, alcoholic all-American loser” to a personalized hell) and tongue-in-cheek, but for the most part the narrative avoids getting lost in self-indulgence. The careful reader will tease out many solid truths from the tangle of humor, history, surrealism and speculation. The density of ideas packed into this short book is as impressive as Disch’s mastery of his craft. (July)

Also, there's Adam Knave's companion interview, in which Disch reveals a bit more about his divinity.

Now if Kirkus will be as kind to us when they review Steampunk on the 15th. If it's a starred review, I won't even complain about their bizarre new policy of charging $15 for a tear sheet (a copy of the review). Never seen anyone charge for a tear sheet. Of course you could just buy the issue for $25, which is $12.50 off of the single issue price. I know it's mostly for libraries, but, well, yikes.

Authentically steampunk

I was totally unprepared for the sheer fun madness of Maker Faire, which was both huge and very well attended. The highlight for me was The Heather Gold Show's live webcast on being retaining one's authenticity while being a part of a (sub)culture (in this case, Steampunk). The panel featured some very incisive SP folks who were nice enough to chat with me afterward. There was Jake Von Slatt from The Steampunk Workshop, who exemplifies the Maker spirit and is every bit as sweet as I'd imagined from his online presence; the rather dashing Captain Robert, who fronts the SP band Abney Park; and Libby Bulloff, wildly creative artist and proprietress of Exoskeleton Cabaret, and Steampunk Magazine editor. I also met Steampunk Magazine's highly knowledgeable editor and publisher Magpie, who first published the excellent Rachel Pollack story "Reflected Light," which was reprinted in Steampunk. Magpie is considering moving into book publishing (do it, Magpie!). I got to show off and pass out a few copies of Steampunk (which I smuggled in), and everyone was delighted and impressed by it (naturally).

Maker Faire

Well, I'll sorta be representing Tachyon at Maker Faire in San Mateo tomorrow, and I will have flyers and a few copies of Steampunk in my everpresent plain black backpack (maybe someone will finally steampunkify it for me). But mostly I'll be saying hi to the folks from the Steampunk Workshop and wondering at marvelous oddities like the lifesize mousetrap and the 3D Lego Zoetrope. Come marvel.

Steampunk out today and on Boing Boing too

Steampunk is out and in stores today. It's not too late to get your sale priced, personalized copy from Ann and Jeff VanderMeer. Signed and with your own hand drawn, one of a kind zeppelin lovingly rendered by the multi-talented editors. Seriously. Order by May 15th...

Cory Doctorow's an old-school steampunk fan, and he's just enthusiastically Boing Boinged Steampunk:

"Last month, I mentioned Ann and Jeff Vandermeer's Steampunk anthology in passing, but the book deserves better than that. I've just spent several highly entertaining hours with my advance review copy and I'm knocked out. What a great piece of work this is, from the fascinating triumvirate of essays that recount the history of steampunk in literature and describe its contemporary appeal to the top-notch works of fiction inside, from forgotten proto-steampunk gems by Michael Moorcock and James Blaylock to contemporary pieces from Neal Stephenson, Jay Lake, Ted Chiang and Paul Di Filippo (among many others). Summer's almost here - time to do some leisure reading, and what better place to start than here?"

Incidentally, Cory's YA novel, Little Brother, is just out this week. I'm waiting on my copy and you should be too.

ABCs of Steampunk

Courtesy of the intrepid publicity-machine Matt Staggs, we bring you the download of Jeff VanderMeer being interviewed on Australian public radio! The link on the Aussie Broadcasting Corporation website (now I know my ABCs...) turns out to be to the entire Book Show broadcast, so now you can just enjoy Jeff's Steampunk riffs and go on about your busy Monday. I gotta do that too, darn it.

They're only imaginary dogs

Nancy Kress has just blogged about reviewing the galleys for her new thriller, Dogs. I only have an inkling of how hard it would be rereading your entire book; when I review my own cover or ad or publicity copy it's usually quite the cringefest. Luckily Nancy's a total pro (implying I'm not? Oops.), and knows to resist the urge to rewrite. Inserting substantive edits into copy edited galleys = potential introduction of glaring errors, and only me to catch them since the proofreader is reviewing the galleys simultaneously with the author. I just can't take that kind of pressure. Ask Jacob. No, don't.

However, if we were making major edits, here's a good suggestion from a mysterious poster to Nancy's blog, "cd," as to how to improve the novel: "I just can't believe you kill dogs - dogs! - in this novel. Could you fix that in the galleys? Maybe, you know, make it rats or weasels instead that carry disease? Surely the press wouldn't mind."

Hmmm. I suppose fewer calls from the SPCA would be nice. What's PETA's stance on vermin?

Good luck at the Nebula Awards, Nancy.

and the Locus Award nominations go to...

...Michael Swanwick, for The Dog Said Bow-Wow, and for the story within the collection, "A Small Room in Koboldtown." And Peter S. Beagle for two pieces from his upcoming Tachyon collection We Never Talk about My Brother, the titlular novella and the short story, "The Last and Only, or, Mr. Moscowitz Becomes French." Other folks we've worked with garnering nods include Ted Chiang, Gene Wolfe, Michael Chabon, Charles Stross, Joanna Russ, Cory Doctorow, Kelly Link, Gavin Grant, David G. Hartwell, Michael Whelan, and John Picacio. Check out the full list for details. Good luck everyone, particularly Michael and Peter. Yes, I'm a home team fan. Supposed to be.

Aussies in zeppelins

The Australian Broadcast Company has just broadcast an interview with Jeff VanderMeer about steampunk (and Steampunk). You'll need to skip about halfway through the show, bypassing Isabel Allende (unless you're a fan of hers). The Book Show's interviewer (or as the Aussies say, "presenter"), Ramona Koval, is cool, curious, and irreverent (plus, the cute accent), and Jeff gets to riff (always good) on elfpunk, the subtype of the mad scientist (a.k.a. concerned researcher), and why goths don't appreciate his fashion sense.

Also, if you haven't checked out Jeff, Ann, and the Evil Monkey's Guide to Kosher Imaginary Animals, well, then how will you know if you can eat chupacabras this week? And a happy Passover to you too...

Starred PW review for Steampunk

The nitty gritty:

"The VanderMeers (The New Weird) have assembled another outstanding theme anthology.... This is a superb introduction to one of the most popular and inventive subgenres in science fiction."

Full on:

[STAR] Steampunk
Edited by Ann & Jeff VanderMeer (Tachyon)

"The VanderMeers (The New Weird) have assembled another outstanding theme anthology, this one featuring stories set in alternate Victorian eras. Michael Moorcock, the godfather of steampunk, is represented by an excerpt from his classic novel The Warlord of the Air. In “Lord Kelvin's Machine,” a fine tale from prolific steampunk author James P. Blaylock, mad scientists plot to throw the Earth into the path of a passing comet, declaring that “science will save us this time, gentlemen, if it doesn't kill us first.” Michael Chabon's vivid and moving “The Martian Agent, a Planetary Romance” recounts the lives of two young brothers in the aftermath of George Custer's mutiny against Queen Victoria, while historical fantasist Mary Gentle describes a classic struggle between safety and progress in “A Sun in the Attic.” This is a superb introduction to one of the most popular and inventive subgenres in science fiction."

Vantastic!

Fun over the weekend

Two terrific reading events this weekend that Bay Area sf fans will want to check out:

Peter Beagle reading and signing at Clayton Books

Saturday April 19th, 2 p.m.
Clayton Books
5433 Clayton Road
Clayton, CA (near Walnut Creek. Map it.)
(925) 673-3325

SF in SF - Patricia McKillip and David Lunde

Sunday, April 20th, 6 p.m.
sponsored by Tachyon Publications
SF in SF
Science Fiction. San Francisco.
A perfect fit.

Please join us for a reading, discussion, and signing moderated by Terry Bisson

Variety Children’s Charity
The Variety Preview Room
582 Market St. @ Montgomery
1st floor of The Hobart Bldg.
www.varietync.org

Cash bar - opens at 5:00PM. Seating is limited, and on a first-come, first-seated basis, so get there early!