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.
I’m seriously looking forward to the Diana Gabaldon story…I think it’s supposed to be about Roger’s parents’, during WWII. I’m also looking forward to the net Carey story…
i would love to read Jim Butcher’s new short story for one reason and one reason only. he did something to a character that we all now and love, something terrible that makes his fans want to both kill and kidnap him (well at least the fans that i know). kill, because he only did it to torment us at a crucial point of the plot of the series (at least in my mind, getting laid is crucial isn’t it?) and kidnap, because if we do that we can make him explain himself and write the next book faster (and possibly influence him to make up for the fact that he tormented both the fans and the character). if i cant do any of the above i’ll settle for reading his newest short story and freaking out over what he’s done to his characters now.
I think I’m most excited about Ms Liu’s short story – I’ve got a couple of anthologies that have her writing in them and it just blows me away. I also wish Kelly Armstrong and Sarah Reese Brennan would pop up in more anthologies – probably two of my favourite writers. Ms. Armstrong did an awesome short story “But Can He Bake a Cherry Pie” in an anthology I bought a while back and I can’t wait for more!
I really wanna read the stories by Neil Gaiman and Yasmine Galenorn.
I really, really want to read both the Gaiman and Gabaldon stories. They are two of my favorites. I am also looking forward to reading the “others.” There might be an undiscovered (at least by me) gem!
Hope I am not too late. I really would like to read a Jim Butcher story. Haven’t got to read one of his yet.
katsrus(at)gmail(dot)com
Carrie Vaughn because I’m a fan of her Kitty Norville series.
YOU GUYS. I totally got an email this morning that wondered WTF was wrong with me that I’d never heard of Diana Gabaldon. I can’t even type out the noise I made when I read that email. It was something along the lines of “ksnnnnrrrrffffppppppttt.”
I really want to read the stories from Marjorie Liu (love the Dirk and Steele series) and Neil Gaiman (American Gods is one of my favorite books.
Love, love, love Diana Gabaldon. I’m also looking forward to reading Neil Gaiman.
Marjorie Liu – love her Dirk and Steele series.
How to choose?! I think, like many other above, I’m torn between Neil Gaiman and Diana Gabaldon. I’m excited to read this, since they all have such different voices and styles. Speaking of voices, Neil Gaiman has voiced some of his own audiobooks, and they are wonderful!
Wait a minute, wait a minute. You’re saying Tanith Lee has a story in this book and her name didn’t make the cover? Well I was going to say I’d read the Neil Gaiman first, because you-just-never-know what he’ll kick out, but Tanith Freaking Lee?
Oh I love her creepy magnificence. And I’ll be happy to tell you waht I thought of the book.
I’ve read several of those authors at some point but there are several I honestly do not know. I’ve seen Carrive Vaughn on a blog somewhere and have never heard of Jacqeline Carey or Neil Gaiman. Yes, I really do live under a rock.
I would love to read this for the chance to hear the new (to me) voices. And because I don’t get enough good short fiction.
Neil Gaiman! Cause he da bomb!
monkey dust, monkey dust (this increases my chances of winning in case you were wondering)
Neil Gaiman! I love his work. Creepy and wonderful.
Gabaldon (followed closely by Gaiman).
I love Jo Beverly and Marjorie Liu, although I’ve also read Gaiman, Gabaldon, Butcher, and Putney. Thanks for the offer.
I had seen this thing mentioned in a list of new releases and wondered when it was coming out. I think I’m most excited about the Gabaldon and Gaiman stories, but Jim Butcher and Tanith Lee are up there for me, and a lot of people have recommended Jacqueline Carey to me as well.
Diana Gabaldon! I have her Outlander series and started reading it AGAIN this summer. I am currently on book 5 – having taken breaks to read the Smart Bitches Summer Book club reading. 🙂
I love the way i can “see” the imagery and “feel” the emotions of the characters in her books.
I am a huge anthology fan, like many others, and find it is a great way to try out new authors. But honestly, I’m totally pumped to read a new Neil Gaiman story. That man never writes fast enough for me.
Well, I gotta say Neil Gaiman is probably the biggest draw. I do enjoy Diana Gabaldon and Jim Butcher too, though, and I am VERY INTERESTED in the other authors—if they’re being thrown in with a bunch of authors I like, then there is a pretty big chance I will also like them!
Wow, it’s like someone picked a bunch of my favorites and put them together. It would be an incredibly hard decision between Jo Beverley, Mary Jo Putney, and Neil Gaiman. I think I’d probably start with the Jo Beverley because I love her stories. They are always fun and contain a lot of intrigue.
I can’t decide between Neil Gaiman and Carrie Vaughn, so a hot threesome may be the way to go 😉
Neil Gaiman.
Coincidently, I just finished reading The Graveyard Book to my son and he loved it so much he’s sleeping with the book.
I dreamed about going to a reading of this book and meeting Neil Gaiman last night. Please please please choose me!
I’m most looking forward to the story by Diana Gabaldon. Neil Gaiman is a close second. I haven’t read the other authors.
Do I have to pick just ONE? HUMMM. If I had to pick one of these upstart newcomers no one has heard of
I’d pick Marjorie Liu.
Gosh, too hard to choose. Gaiman or Liu or Carey, but really, I look forward to reading them all. Fingers crossed, but thanks for bringing this to my attention regardless. *Eyes towering stack of TBR, adds one more Jenga-style*
I’m looking forward to the Jo Beverley story…and to trying out the rest of the authors, many of which are new to me.
I’m looking forward most to the story by Diana Gabaldon
My best friend just introduced me to Neil Gaiman and Jim Butcher this past summer and now I am feeding my addiction whenever possible.
Diana Gabaldon because I haven’t had the time or nerve to start one of her 900 page tomes but a short story sounds just about right!!
it is SO hard to pick which story i’d read first between those authors, because so many are favourites. i’m also quite torn between neil gaiman and diana gabaldon – i think because they both write things that haunt me (in a good way). i think about their stories and characters long after i’ve put a book down. neil is just edging out the others, because i just looked at the pics of him at the House on the Rock and i’ve been hankering for something new to read from him.
oh oh oh, me! I want so bad because of the Jim Butcher / Dresden Files story! I love most of the other authors too, but that one in particular because I’m in the middle of re-reading the entire Dresden Files series.
Hard to pick just one! I love Gabaldon and Beverly, but I have to confess, the only Gaiman I’ve read is Stardust, and I was pregnant, so I don’t remember it at all. I loved the movie and I think I loved the book, but I have no idea. I’d like to give some of his other stuff a try, now that my brain isn’t total mush.
I would love to read Marjorie Liu’s story. Every story I’ve ever read by her in an anthology, I’ve loved. I’d like to see if that continues.
Oh, so hard to choose! It’s such an interesting mix of author’s I’ve read and adore (Gabaldon, Beverly, Putney) and ones I’ve heard of but never read (Butcher, Liu).
I’m going to close my eyes, twirl around three times, and stick a pin in my computer monitor (I’m at work so it’s not like I’m ruining my *own* monior).
The winner is…it looks like I’m most looking forward to reading Gabaldon.
Cat hair? Giddiness in pants? Book? WANT.
Ohh I’d Love to win this Antho looks great! Butcher, Gabaldon, Liu, and the list of super authors goes on – drooling on this end :).
Pam S
pams00 @ aol.com