WSFA Press Announces two new books to celebrate Capclave’s Guests of Honor

Posted in Announcement, Capclave, Publishing, WSFA Press on March 20th, 2010

CORRECTION AND ADDITION:

We made a typo on last night’s post that needs to be corrected.  The price for last year’s Reincarnations is $28.00 including shipping and handling, rather than the $23 which was specified in that post.  We’ve also updated the previous post to avoid any additional confusion.

But in addition to the the offerings previously listed, we have added yet one more option.  This year for $60, you can pre-order a special bundle including all three books, which will also be delivered to you at Capclave.

Last year, WSFA Press was resurrected to help celebrate Capclave 2009’s Guest of Honor Harry Turtledove. The book Reincarnations premiered at Capclave and sold well. We have very few of the signed and numbered volumes left in stock.

This year, WSFA Press is publishing two books: Fire Watch by Connie Willis and The Three Quests of the Wizard Sarnod, by Jeff VanderMeer (with an afterwards by Ann VanderMeer–our 3rd Guest of Honor). Each book will be a limited signed and numbered edition of 500 copies, chosen to match the Capclave membership, which is being capped at 500 members. The books will be released at Capclave and only available to non-attendees after the convention.

WSFA Press Special Offer on Capclave Registration:
Included this year is the ability to pre-order WSFA Press’ two newest books, The Three Quests of the Wizard Sarnod, by Jeff VanderMeer–

The Wizard Sarnod has lived in isolation on an island in the middle of a lake for centuries. But one day, the Nose of Memory arrives to destroy his calm by dredging up the past, and he must send three of his familiars to the subterranean Underhinds on a quest to find two people, long banished: his brother and a former lover. In the Underhinds, they will encounter living dirigibles, fire dragons, the Bloat Toad, unimaginable perils, and long-buried secrets . . . Based on Jack Vance’s Dying Earth series, The Three Quests of the Wizard Sarnod is a longer and very different version of a story published in the Dozois-Martin edited Songs from the Dying Earth.

The Three Quests of the Wizard Sarnod will be published by WSFA Press in 2010, and released at WSFA’s annual Capclave convention as a special 500-copy limited and signed hardcover edition, with an introduction by Jeff VanderMeer and an afterward by Ann VanderMeer.Designed by John Coulthart, a well-known British graphic artist, illustrator, author and designer, the book will be signed by Ann VanderMeer, Jeff VanderMeer, and John Coulthart. (Capclave special price: $20).

and Fire Watch by Connie Willis:

Fire Watch is a science-fiction story written in 1982 by Connie Willis, involving a time-traveling historian who goes back to The Blitz in London, to participate in the fire watch at St. Paul’s Cathedral. This story is in the same universe as Willis’ newly released novel Blackout and the upcoming October release, All Clear.

Fire Watch will be published by WSFA Press in 2010, and released at WSFA’s annual Capclave convention as a special 500-copy limited and signed hardcover edition, with an introduction by James Patrick Kelly, designed by John Coulthart, a well-known British graphic artist, illustrator, author and designer, and signed by all Willis, Kelly, and Coulthart. (Capclave special price: $20).

Both of these volumes will be premiering at Capclave, and now is your chance to reserve a copy for yourself. In addition, we are again offering a special deal on last year’s WSFA Press special book, Reincarnations, by Harry Turtledove. There are only a small number of these signed and numbered, limited-edition copies remaining. The special Capclave price includes $3.00 for shipping and handling (Total: $28), and this volume will be mailed to you now.

For those now registering to attend Capclave, the option to pre-order the two new WSFA Press books or a copy of last year’s book is listed on the registration form.

If you have already registered for Capclave 2010 and wish to pre-order a book, send email to webmaster@capclave.org to receive information on how to pre-order.

Capclave 2010 website up and live…

Posted in Capclave on November 13th, 2009

Capclave Dodo -- where reading is not extinctJust today the last fiddlybits on the new Capclave 2010 website got finished up and the site is live. We even have a registration link so you can sign up for the convention on line.

The Guests of Honor for Capclave, which will be held October 22-24th, 2010 at the Rockville Hilton (1750 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852), will be

    Connie Willis
    Ann VanderMeer
    Jeff VanderMeer

All these guests are standouts and the convention should be great.

Capclave is the Washington, DC areas literary science fiction convention and in the past the convention has had kaffeklatches; readings by authors; a dealers’ room (lots and lots of books); space science presentations from NASA scientists; workshops on writing, reviewing, contracts & negotiating basics for writers, publicity for writers, and getting an agent; a hospitality suite, room parties, filking, and board gaming. The WSFA Small Press Award Ceremony is traditionally presented during a Saturday night event.

The membership will be capped at 500 this year. So, check out the website — bookmark it and check back often because we’ll be adding details as we delve into planning the programming schedule and invite participants. The website also has a link to the Capclave blog which will have the most recent news about what’s going on. And since I’m the chair of Capclave 2010, you’ll probably hearing a lot about Capclave here in my blog too.

Right now membership rates are the lowest they are going to be — $35 per person. Membership prices will go up on January 1st to $45 and raise again on July 1st and October 1st. Capclave does offer special rates for active military and students with proof of their status.

So, if you enjoy science fiction, fantasy, and related writings or you are an aspiring writer, or you’re a professional (author, editor, publisher, reviewer, etc.) in the genre — join us in October 2010 for a great convention.

Jeff VanderMeer reads and reviews 60 in 60 days…

Posted in CSA, Reading, Writing on January 14th, 2009

Jeff VanderMeer 60 in 60 daysI’ve met Jeff at several conventions — doubt he’d remember me. I’ve also sat in on several panels and heard him speak. Occasionally, maybe once or twice a month, I get over to his blog and sort of catch up on what’s he’s doing — mainly because he’s thoughtful, intelligent, opinionated, and interesting. Those are the criteria I usually use when visiting blogs. I don’t have to agree with a blog just be informed and/or entertained.

Anyway, he’s now reviewing the Penguin Great Ideas series by reading and reviewing one book a day for 60 days. Today (1/13/09) he is up to book #26 Revelation and the book of Job. These are the books that perhaps we all should have read at one time or another — we’d be richer for it I’m sure. Having read through VanderMeer’s reviews, I’m certainly thinking I’m going to need to look in on this series.

You can read Penguin’s page about the series and they have this to say about the books:

Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves – and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives – and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization, and helped make us who we are.

At Penguin’s blog, they have coverage of Jeff VanderMeer’s efforts to read and review 60 in 60 days.

Every now and then I decide I’m going to improve my understanding of myself, the world, and everything. I know the answer is 42, but how did it get there. In my last foray to improve myself, I read Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations. Surprisingly, I loved the book. It wasn’t what I expected it to be — dull as dust and like dragging my eyeballs over sand. Instead it’s simply a man’s thoughts on life and his place in it — what he wishes to be and how he hopes to achieve his goals. It was a bit like reading someone’s diary. Many of his thoughts gave me much to think about in relation to my time and my life. So, it was well worth the effort. This was the #2 of 60 on VanderMeer’s blog.

Some of the classics that they suggest you read in college are really good reading. My belief is that maybe if instructors didn’t tell us how necessary it is to read these wonderful works of philosophy and “deep thinking” then maybe it wouldn’t trigger our “fear of failure to understand” and we’d just read them as we would anything else and find that indeed they are good books well worth reading. For example, I found Herodotus to be a bit of a gossip and when you read his words they’re like reading a travelogue.  On the other hand, the translation notes are a hard slog through a swamp with hidden quicksand pools.

So, pop over to Jeff VanderMeer’s blog and read what he has to say about the books in the Great Idea Series. You may find yourself putting some of them on your reading list — I know I did. Now, if I could figure out how to get the time to actually read them — I’d be golden.