In the mail this week, I received a finished copy of Songs of Love and Death, an anthology of new fiction from romance, science fiction and fantasy authors you’ve probably never heard of, like Neil Gaiman, Marjorie M. Liu, Diana Gabaldon, Jim Butcher, Jo Beverly, Mary Jo Putney, Jacqueline Carey and some other people. Gosh, it’s amazing how people with no track record of really honking excellent fiction get to assemble into an anthology AND get really slurpy-good cover art, isn’t it? Outrageous when that happens.
Anyway, because (a) I have an ARC and (b) I’m not done with it yet and also (c) fantasy and science fiction are not what my brain is craving right now and (d) I certainly don’t need a hardcover copy (see [a] re: ARC) I decided to give my copy away. Right here, right now, like that 90’s pop song only with Neil Gaiman instead of Jesus Jones.
This book isn’t out until 16 November, and I’ll mail the book on Friday 5 November Priority Mail, so if you’re in the US, you’ll get it before the release date. I’ll absolutely throw in the customary Smart Bitch Swag that goes into every possible mailing (stickers, SBTB post its, random pieces of cat hair – you know, the regular swag).
If you are the winner, and you want to let me know what you think of it, please do send up a flare, or an email, or both. I can’t require such things due to pesky laws and regulations but I am always curious what people think of the books they win here at the hot pink palace of Bitchery.
What do you have to do to win? Tell me which story or which author you want to read the most – and if you can’t pick one because you’ve never heard of any of these people (gosh who ARE these upstart nobodies anyway? Does NO ONE vet these anthologies for People Who Are Amazing Writers requirement? Sheesh) – tell me which author of romance, fantasy, or science fiction you’d like to see in an anthology next.
Leave your entry in the comments, or, if you’re Neil Gaiman or Tanith Lee and you didn’t get your own copy, you can email me your entry at sarahATsmartbitchestrashybooksDOTcom with “Anthology giveaway” in the subject line. Comments close in 24 hours, and I’ll announce the winner tomorrow afternoon. If I get the address by Friday afternoon, I’ll mail it out Saturday morning. Standard disclaimers apply: I’m not being compensated for this giveaway except for one less hardback and a little less cat hair in my house. I’m watching the world wake up from history. Machine wash cold, lay flat to dry. Not suitable for anyone under the age of 6. May cause extreme giddiness in your pants.
Diana Gabaldon! Still need to finish Echo in the Bone as well, but based on her track record, I have plenty of time before the next release. S’ok, you get your money’s worth with a DG book!
NEIL GAIMAN 😀
This book has a crack team of authors behind it, but I’ll be most looking forward to reading Robin Hobb’s contribution. A friend introduced me to her work last year, and while I was underwhelmed by *Assasin’s Quest*, I was impressed by the *Ship of Magic* trilogy. I’m hoping that her newest work shows even more of a tapestry of characters!
Diana Gabaldon for sure—- such a HUGE fan!! Outlander is still my favourite – have read this one over and ovver!
Love the website – so much fun to read!
Kris
Neil Gaiman! Not to play favourites or anything – I promise to read them all 🙂
It’s gotta be Neil Gaiman. Because everybody knows that romance novels left for too long in the backseat of a car turn into Queen tapes. Also because he perfected the emo romance anti-hero with Death. ALSO because his very own fairytale romance Stardust is at the top of my list of romances that inspire my songwriting, my own fiction, and my strength to believe that I too deserve someone that will one day help me do what I do best- shine.
Oh, yeah- and those other authors are cool too, I guess.
What an incredible list of authors! And I’m intrigued by the mix of romance, sci fi, and fantasy writers. I’m picking Jim Butcher, Diana Gabaldon, and Marjorie M. Liu, who were all at NY Comic Con this year. Lovely, funny people.
reaction47: 47 blinks at the almost unrecognizable Jim Butcher, who cut off all his hair!
For Jim Butcher fans, check out Side Jobs, which includes a new short story set right after the cliffhanger in Changes.
Does that reference to Tanith Lee mean she has a story in it? I would pick her then, because The Silver Metal Lover is such a beautiful romance.
I am an avid fan of Jacqueline Carey’s novels and she’s been pimping the anthology on her site and Facebook, so I want to pick it up for no other reason than to read her story. Hopefully the other ones will be worth it, too!
Marjorie M. Liu. Doesn’t matter if I actually like her plots or characters or dialogue or whatever (it varies if I do or not), I think she has an incredible writing voice.
At first I thought, “How to choose?” And then I read farther and holy crap! Do you mean to say that Tanith Lee is one of the authors and she didn’t make the front cover? WTF! Underrated! So yeah, definitely Tanith Lee.
I really can’t pick which author’s story I’m most looking forward to… but if I absolutely positively must choose only one, it would be Jim Butcher. His Dresden Files series single handedly resurrected my hope for urban fantasy novels and I love his multi-dimensional characters.
How exciting for any of the authors listed alongside one Mr. Neil Gaiman! I’d have to say that my long-standing relationship with his work makes him my favorite but how on earth is a girl to choose? My relationship with Jim Butcher is newer but my love for Harry Dresden is INTENSE. He is my very favorite wizard in the whole world, except for one. His name just happens to be Harry, too! I also adore Jacqueline Carey’s work. Her world-building skills are AWESOME and such a way with words she has.
Now that George is finished editing this anthology, maybe he can finish A Song of Ice and Fire? I see what they did there with the title.
Huge Diana Gabaldon fan here, but I’m really interested to read these other authors as well.
I love me some Jacqueline Carey… but Neil Gaiman came to read some of his shorts at my school when his daughter was a senior (and me just a lowly froshie). So, both would be freakin’ awesome to read!
Also, I’m totes out of new things to read and have begun recycling some of my lesser read romances.
I am desperate to read anything by Jim Butcher while I wait for that horrifying cliff hanger to be resolved. My brain is always demanding MORE MORE MORE Sci-Fi and adult fantasy, not this “YA” shite written for 10 year olds I keep finding in the Sci-Fi section when it should be in childrens!
OK, maybe I should put down the coffee cup. I would very much like to read this ASAP. Thanks for sharing your swag.
I love most of those authors (and also cat fur), but I think I’m most looking forward to Jacqueline Carey’s story.
Tanith Lee, for certain, I’ve been reading her work since the 1970s. Then Neil Gaiman, because he is one of the best modern fantasy writers out there…then all the rest because I’m a total nerd for books.
Marjorie M. Liu … no Neil Gaiman … no Tanith Lee … no … argh! I can’t choose one … don’t make me!
My first instinct is Gaiman, but I really am in a constant state of waiting for more Dresden stories.
I’d love to read Gaiman’s, since I read his blog and he’s bound to mention it sooner or later. 🙂
Soooo hard to choose, I heart them all. I think overall, it’d have to be either Gabaldon or Gaiman, for their ability to write provocative stories that are powerful enough for me to want to read over and over.
I’m excited about Jacqueline Carey because I love her work. And Marjorie Liu because I’ve never heard of her.
I haven’t read stories from most of the authors and it’d be a good way to get to know them.
Jim butcher is he only one I have read before but almost all the others are on my to read list, this book may help me decide who I want to read first!
I’d have to say that, when it comes to “Love,” I want to read Diana Gabaldon’s story, but when it comes to “Death,” definitely Neil Gaiman’s. I also wonder what Mary Jo Putney has contributed, as the Amazon preorder listing doesn’t give any hint.
This book has a wide variety of stories which gives a chance for every reader to find a story they will enjoy. If you are looking for a book that is different from your normal novel and still has wide-ranging stories I would recommend giving this book a try. You won’t be sorry.
Jim Butcher… that man’s books are like crack to me and I seriously need another hit to tide me over until his next Dresden Files book (Codex Alara series is done).
Mary Jo Putney wrote one of the best takes on the Once & Future King ever, so I’d love to see what she’s going to do with this anthology….And please note I’ve never confused Neil Gaiman with Dylan Moran
I’m most anxious to read Diana Gabaldon’s story, but I definitely plan to read all the rest.
I’m in China at the moment, and I’m pleased (and somewhat surprised) to tell you that your site is not banned here. Surfing the web is painful and full of gaps with weird random things blocked (no on blogspot, yes on typepad), but SmartBitches comes through!
I would grab that book up in an instant for any of the authors, but Tanith Lee gets my #1 vote…. her short stories always bring the SEXY GOTHY AWESOMENESS so I just know it’ll be good!
Oh, I’d love, love, love to have that book.
Anthologies are a bit like a box of chocolates, to quote Forrest Gump. But it’s more in the sense that you buy them for something you know you like, and as a bonus you get the chance to try something new as well.
I mainly want this book because of the Gaiman story. Neil Gaiman is my absolute favourite author, and to me he can pretty much do no wrong. Some years ago a friend of mine lent me the entire Sandman collection to entertain me while I was sick, and before I knew it I was hooked. I love the worlds he creates.
Plus, it doesn’t spoil anything that Jim Butcher has a story there too. I’m knee deep in The Dresden Files, and I really like them!
I’m most interested in Gaiman, but there are an awful lot of good writers in there.
Definitely the Gabaldon. 🙂
“Gosh, it’s amazing how people with no track record of really honking excellent fiction get to assemble into an anthology AND get really slurpy-good cover art, isn’t it?”
Seriously? Dude, Neil Gaiman is a celebrated author (and not just of comics) and he lives in my home state! I guess that means I want to read him first. But it’s followed closely by Carrie Vaughn. And don’t overlook that this was edited by George R.R. Martin himself. If nothing else, the man does have a new HBO series starting in 2011 that promises cable-licious medieval sex scenes.
Pick me and I’ll give this book the review it deserves – first I’ll gush over with expectation, then I’ll cry over lame, truncated stories that read like minimalist college-age dribble written for artsy-fartsy professors the author is half in love with (every anthology has them), and finally I’ll wow you with my sesquipedalian wit.
I promise!
Jacqueline Carey! I’ve only skimmed her in the book store thus far. Though I’m curious about the Jim Butcher. I have another anthology at home with him in it, and I actually assigned that story to my popular genres class this semester.
Oh my word! What a bonanza of a book, since three of my favorite authors are included – Diana Gabaldon, Jo Beverley, and Mary Jo Putney! There’s no contest about who I’m most anxious to read, though. It’s Diana Gabaldon’s story concerning the family history of one of the Outlander series main characters. This is major news for all Outlander and Gabaldon fans, and we’re all eagerly awaiting the book’s release!
Serious giddiness in my pants, indeed! I’d read Diana Gabaldon right away because I’m re-reading her Outlander series. I introduced my best friend to the series and she’s ready to kill me cause that’s all she wants to do now is immerse herself in the Gabaldon world. But hey, so much more exciting than scrubbing toilets, ain’t it?
The idea of Jo Beverly and Neil Gaiman in the same book is very, very intriguing! I want to see the juxtaposition!
The Jacqueline Carey story. I’ve been wanting to try her books for a while now.