by Gail Z. Martin
Lots of good stuff coming up in 2014!
April 1, Reign of Ash comes out from Orbit Books. It’s the immediate sequel to Ice Forged, so it picks up right where the action left off.
Then June 25, my new urban fantasy series launches with Deadly Curiosities, a new novel from Solaris Books. Deadly Curiosities (the novel) takes place in modern-day Charleston, SC and introduces you to Cassidy Kincaide, owner of Trifles & Folly, an antique and curio shop that exists to get magically dangerous items out of circulation. If you’ve read any of my Deadly Curiosities Adventures short stories, you’ll know that Cassidy is the latest in a long line of Trifles & Folly owners with a dangerous supernatural history.
I love the new cover, by artist Chris McGrath, who also does the Dresden Files covers.
Kickstarters have opened up some additional anthology fun. Through Feb. 12, I’m part of the Icarus: A Graphic Novel Kickstarter for Silence in the Library Publishing. The graphic novel is written by Gregory A. Wilson and illustrated by Matt Slay. I’m a stretch goal author, meaning that if we reach my stretch goal with funding, LucasArts artist Joe Corroney will illustrate my story! Please consider funding: https://www.tinyurl.com/IcarusComic
The Athena’s Daughters Kickstarter anthology, which features my story “Retribution” (also for Silence in the Library Publishing) funded at over 500%, meaning we blew through 30 stretch goals, added a bunch of additional short stories to the anthology, and rewarded funders with a ton of e-stories, ebooks, music CDs, art and other goodies. Athena’s Daughters is all about adventurous female characters written by kick-ass women authors. The Kickstarter even spawned a companion volume, Apollo’s Daughters! While the Kickstarter is over, you can still order the ebook and trade paperback here for both anthologies: https://www.silenceinthelibrarypublishing.com/store/
Speaking of short stories, I’ll be continuing to bring out a new short story on ebook every month. Look for more in the Jonmarc Vahanian Adventures as Jonmarc heads toward Principality and a chance to join up with the mercenaries. In the Deadly Curiosities Adventures, expect more about Sorren, Dante, Coltt and Cassidy across the centuries as they battle magically malicious heirlooms.
I’m excited to be in seven new anthologies in 2014, with some storytelling that is going in totally different directions! I’m in the British Fantasy Society’s “Unexpected Journeys,” and “Athena’s Daughters,” as well as “Clockwork Universe: Steampunk vs. Aliens” for Zombies Need Brains Press, and a superhero story for “With Great Power.” Plus I’ve just promised a new steampunk story and an urban fantasy story to Dark Oak Press, and a monster story to Big Bad2!
And stay tuned, because I’ve got some surprises coming up that I can’t talk about just yet!
Expect to see a lot of me at conventions in 2014! Here’s the list of cons plus book signings for the two new novels:
• Jan 10-12 Illogicon, Cary, NC
• Jan 17-20 Arisia, Boston, MA
• Feb 21-23 Mysticon, Roanoke, VA
• March 23-24 Arizona Renaissance Festival, Apache Junction, AZ
• Apr. 5 Book signing at Barnes & Noble, Birkdale Huntersville, NC
• Apr. 12 Book signing at Barnes & Noble Morrison (South Park), Charlotte, NC
• Reddit Featured author set up for April
• Reddit Ask Me Anything for April pending
• Apr. 18 – 20 Awesomecon, Washington, DC
• April 25-27 Ravencon, Richmond VA
• May 3 Book signing Books A Million, Concord Mills
• May 10 Book signing Books A Million, Carolina Mall, Concord, NC
• May 21-23 Book Expo, New York City
• May 23 – 25 Balticon, Hunt Valley, MC
• May 30 – Jun 1 ConCarolinas, Charlotte, NC
• June 21 Hawthorn Moon Online Event
• Jun 27-29 LibertyCon, Chattanooga, TN
• Reddit Featured author set up for July
• Reddit Ask Me Anything for July pending
• Book signings in stores July/Aug.
• Jul 11-13 Congregate, Winston-Salem, NC
• Labor Day Weekend DragonCon Atlanta, GA
• Oct. Carolina Renaissance Festival, Charlotte, NC (dates TBD)
• Oct. ContraFlow, New Orleans, LA
• October Days of the Dead Online Event
• Nov. 7-9 World Fantasy
• Nov. 14-16 Atomacon, Charleston SC
Please join me on Twitter @GailZMartin, and on Facebook.com/WinterKingdoms.
I also host a live Meetup group every month in the north Charlotte area where we talk about writing and publishing. It’s free and lots of fun—come join us! https://www.meetup.com/Thrifty-Author-Publishing-Success-Network/
If you don’t like to drive or don’t live near Charlotte, I host a monthly discussion on Goodreads that lurches from fandom to fantasy and sometimes into writing and publishing—always something new! https://www.goodreads.com/GailZMartin
If Pinterest is more your style, I’ve got a couple of boards you might like: Sci Fi Convention Memories with the photos I take in my travels (https://www.pinterest.com/gzmartin/sci-fi-convention-memories/) and Abandoned Places https://www.pinterest.com/gzmartin/abandoned-places/
And look for excerpts and maybe an original full-length piece or two on Wattpad: https://wattpad.com/GailZMartin
