Tag Archives: Dark Urban Fantasy

October 3, 2010 · 9:51 am

Covers!

Here’s the cover for Marianne’s new YA book Burn Bright. Verrrry cool!

Burn Bright is the first books of marianne’s new YA series.

In Ixion music and party are our only beliefs. Darkness is our comfort. We have few rules but they are absolute . . .

Retra doesn’t want to go to Ixion, the island of ever-night, ever-youth and never-sleep. Retra is a Seal – sealed minds, sealed community. She doesn’t crave parties and pleasure, experience and freedom.

But her brother Joel left for Ixion two years ago, and Retra is determined to find him. Braving the intense pain of her obedience strip to escape the only home she’s ever known, Retra stows away on the barge that will take her to her brother.

When she can’t find Joel, Retra finds herself drawn deeper into the intoxicating world of Ixion. Come to me, whispers a voice in her head. Who are the Ripers, the mysterious guardians of Ixion? What are the Night Creatures Retra can see in the shadows? And what happens to those who grow too old for Ixion?

Retra will find that Ixion has its pleasures, but its secrets are deadly. Will friendship, and the creation of an eternal bond with a Riper, be enough to save her from the darkness?

Listen well, baby bats. Burn bright, but do not stray from the paths. Remember, when you live in a place of darkness you also live with creatures of the dark.

Burn Bright is due to be published early 2011.

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Filed under Australian Writers, Children's Books, Covers, Dark Urban Fantasy, Fun Stuff, Genre, Promoting Friend's Books

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September 24, 2010 · 8:58 pm

Fancy becoming a hobbit?

According to BBC New Entertainment & Arts, Peter Jackson is looking for short people to play hobbits in the movie of the same name. (Following on from yesterday’s post ‘hobbit’ is another word created by an author that has made it into the Oxford dictionary).

So if you are a keen on the hobbit or film making, here’s an opportunity to do both. When watching the special features on Lord of the Rings (extended version) the one thing that came through clearly was how dedicated everyone behind the scenes was to getting the film just right. Clearly it was a life changing experience for many and they were sorry when the making of the films was over.

There just aren’t enough opportunities for creative people to work on something great.

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Filed under creativity, Fun Stuff, Genre, Movies & TV Shows, The World in all its Absurdity

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August 26, 2010 · 3:38 am

Drop by and say Hi

On Saturday the 28th of August, I’m going to be at Logan North Library so drop by and say Hi.

I’ll be with the romantic by cynical Trent Jamieson, author of Death Most Definite, the pocket rocket Kylie Chan, author of the Dark Heaven series, the lovely Louise Cusack author and mentor, and Anthony Puttee author of the Johnny Marsh books.

We’ll be talking about promoting your books and this is all part of Logan North Library’s month of Speculative Fiction. So you are sure to see Darth Vader and a Storm Trouper or two!

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Filed under Australian Writers, Dark Urban Fantasy, Fantasy books, Fun Stuff, Genre, Mentoring, Promoting Friend's Books, Publishing Industry, Specialist Bookshops, The Writing Fraternity

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August 13, 2010 · 11:32 pm

Friday the 13th – perfect date to launch Trent’s book

Here we are at Trent’s book launch. That’s Marianne de Pierres on the left, Trent with his books, then I’m behind him in the pink beret (was having a bad hair day, the curls would not behave) and Kylie Chan.

It was a great evening over at Avid Reader in West End. The previous two days we’d have pouring rain then gale force winds. Everything settled down so the garden terrace was still and the night was clear. There was standing room only as Trent’s friends and family came to support him. Marianne and I have known Trent for fifteen years since the Vision Writers group started and he’s been part of ROR for the last 9.

Books and writers aren’t made over night. You put in a long apprenticeship and then once you are published the work gets harder!

Feeling very proud and happy for Trent.

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July 26, 2010 · 10:23 am

When friends have books coming out …

I get to celebrate!

Over at the ROR blog Kylie Chan has done a post on Sustaining Plots. Since this is book six of her Dark Heaven series, she can speak with authority. She’s also doing a giveaway of ‘Hell to Heaven’.

Go Kylie!

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July 21, 2010 · 8:21 am

Go Trent!

My good friend Trent Jamieson has been interviewed over at The Australian Literature Review.

He talks about how he writes:

‘Well, I’m not much of a planner, so first drafts are generally me trying things out and trying to make sense of stuff. Most of this book was written at the Toowong Library (in the local history section) in longhand. I’d walk down there every weekday, that I wasn’t working, listening to the same music to get me in the right frame of mind (mainly, for the first book Okkervil River, Gotye, and Spoon) and write until I’d filled about eight pages or so of my notebook. Then I’d go home and type them into my computer.’

Having read Trent’s book in its final form before it went off to the publisher (and loving it then) I’m really looking forward to getting a copy of it when it released.

And over at the Galaxy blog, Trent has done a guest post on his new series and writing in general.

For more on Trent and his weird and wondferful world view, drop by his blog.

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July 6, 2010 · 9:18 am

Currently Reading …

I commute to work which is a half hour trip both ways. To save myself from boredom- also to save myself from reading over people’s shoulders as I can’t seem to resist the written word – I bring a book to read.

I’ve always enjoyed Georgette Heyer’s comedy of manners. This series has that sense of fun.

Werewolves, vampires and parasols, oh my!

I watched a documentary recently on the demise of the romance movie. Screenwriters were saying – Where is the romance and sexual tension if the guy and girl can hop into bed on the first date and no one blinks an eye.

In this series there is a great deal of eye blinking going on. I read it on the train and try not to giggle aloud.

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Filed under Currently Reading, Fun Stuff, Genre, Nourish the Writer, Resonance, The Writing Fraternity

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June 30, 2010 · 8:46 pm

DUF Giveaway

It is always a thrill when someone you’ve known for years gets published. Here is the cover of Nicole Murphy’s new  book, first of a series. They are dark urban fantasy.

Over on the ROR blog Nicole is talking about the process of getting published and there’s a giveaway!

The Dream of Asarlai is an urban fantasy trilogy being published in Australia by HarperVoyager. The first book, Secret Ones, is due to hit the shelves in July, with the other two books appearing next year.

Here’s the blurb.

She′s from an ancient clan. He has no family. Can they save the world … together?

Maggie Shaunessy is used to keeping secrets. She′s a fantastic teacher, but she′s also gadda, part of a hidden, powerful race – and she has a habit of annoying the wrong people.

Until Lucas Valeroso meets Maggie, he had no idea what awaited him: super-human powers, a smart and beautiful woman interested in more than unlocking his new abilities and, above all, a sense of belonging.

But dark ambition and dangerous bigotry are emerging in the gadda ranks. Lucas′s new family might cast him out before he′s even truly found his place. And Maggie must work with new allies to find and retrieve a missing artefact before the entire world is changed for all time.

′fresh and interesting approach to an urban fantasy series′ Bookseller+Publisher’

Support Aussie authors not only becaue they’re Australian, but because they write damn fine books!

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June 29, 2010 · 11:19 am

Dark Urban Fantasy of Another Flavour

Just when you thought you’d seen all the permutations you possible could in the Dark Urban Fantasy genre along comes something fresh.

Power and Majesty by Tansy Rayner Roberts.

Of course I am biased. I read Tansy’s book in draft form before it was published as part of a ROR writers retreat. And I’ve been hanging out for the next instalment ever since.

She takes the decadence and frivolity of Ancient Rome, combines it with the Roaring Twenties, Sky Battles and Seriously Sexy Shape-shifters. Impossible you say?

See here for a taste.

But don’t listen to me. See here and here for what the reviewers are saying.

And if that doesn’t convince you, go here for a podcast reading.

And the best thing is that we RORees are on a countdown for another ROR right before World Con in September,  so I get to read book two of the Creature Court!

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June 26, 2010 · 10:05 am

Lovers of Dark Urban Fantasy …

For those of you who like Dark Urban Fantasy, here is a review of Trent Jamieson’s book. Death Most Definite. They say:

‘The fascinating central premise of Death as a corporate interest is handled in a serious and frighteningly credible manner, allowing for some engrossing and inventive world-building on the author’s part; the twist-laden plot belts along at breathtaking pace from page one (‘unputdownable’ is a fair description)’

Naturally, I’m delighted with this. I got to read Trent’s book in the final draft at ROR in March 2009 when we stayed in Maleny. Lots of delicious cooking, thanks to Dirk Flinthart, lots of wine and lots of talk about the craft of writing, while analysing my friends’ wonderful books. What could be better?

And here is the bookplate I designed for Trent. Look out for book one of his Death Works trilogy in the bookstores in August.

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