Juno Books

RT Book Reviews:

The second book in Bickle’s series about Anya Kalinczyk is just as wonderful as the first — Anya is a compelling and likable protagonist and Bickle does an outstanding job in her portrayal of the city of Detroit; there are ruins, yes, but also hope in the ashes. Anya never takes herself too seriously and there is a scene in a baby supercenter that is absolutely not to be missed. (4 Stars)

Bitten By Books:

Just as its predecessor in the series did, the marvelous Sparks hooks the reader from its very first page and refuses to let go…As before, Bickle creates a fully-realized world believable and fantastic at the same time. The city of Detroit once again provides a fascinating backdrop for the battle between the very visible and the unseen forces at work in the story. Almost a character in its own right, the deteriorating city fights for its survival just as Anya does. The author’s tactile imagery used to depict the ghosts and Sparky, hidden from the view of most humans, enables the reader to see and experience what Anya does and places them in the action.

As suspenseful and exciting as the story is with its rich setting and intriguing plot, the psychological examination of Anya adds even more depth to the narrative. Watching Anya learn to open herself to the possibility of close relationships proves emotional for the reader, as well. Anya chooses a career related to the most traumatic event of her life, the death of her mother for which she still feels responsible, but she still seeks to understand her metaphysical purpose as a Lantern.

Bickle’s deft hand with humor ensures that the serious subject matter does not overwhelm the tone, preventing too much darkness from hijacking this fabulous tale. An unforgettable scene in the fine arts museum manages to be both amusing and sinister at the same time. This excellent series remains a must-read for all urban fantasy fans.

Tarot Dame:

Dark Oracle is a mystery novel by new author Alayna Williams. When I received the book from Alayna, I was excited to dive into a story whose main character was a tarot reader, even if in the back of my mind, I expected the storyline to pale in comparison to the tarot bits I was looking forward to. I was delighted to find that the entire story captured my attention and held it. It kept me on my toes, turning pages, wanting to find out what happened next. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, start to finish. It contained action, mystery, mysticism, drama, romance and Tarot (as well as other divination methods)…When I finished the book, I wanted more. I wanted to know what was next for the characters. So I was very happy to hear Alayna’s answer to my question of whether there would be sequels: “DARK ORACLE is intended to be the first in a series. The sequel, ROGUE ORACLE, is coming out in March 2011…”

ROSWILA’S TAROT GALLERY:

…I’ve been delighted to find it’s a great read. The two threads woven through out of the intuitive arts (Tarot, for example) and hard science (quantum theory, I believe it is) I found especially enjoyable… As a Tarot reader, writer, teacher, and designer I can support her views on The Tarot…However, this book is above all a highly entertaining and intriguing mystery about a scientist who disappears while working on new technology that has possibly terrifying potential. I was intrigued and curious, concerned and delighted, start to finish. I was quite honestly briefly sad when this terrific ride was over!… But I’ll again emphasize that “Dark Oracle” is most of all an excellent mystery book. I’ve had the thought that in the future this old lady will be able to say “Oh yes, I read her first book and even back then it was quite obvious that she is a skilled imaginative writer.”

Highly recommended read whether you are left brain dominant or a Tarot fan, or neither.

More info!

Alternative Worlds:

The terrific second Kalinczyk urban fantasy is a great saga that works mostly because of the portrait of Detroit as a city with many ruins, but trying to recreate a new image. The heroine is fabulous as she keeps her wits and sense of humor in the midst of infernos (some created by unnatural arsons) while battling psychopathic and avarice arsonists and supernatural malevolent essences; in this preying on impoverish forlorn seeking miracles.

Scooper Speaks:

When I reviewed the first book I talked about Sparky, Anya’s elemental familiar. I really enjoyed him and that feeling still existed in “Sparks.”…As I neared the end of the book you couldn’t pry it from my hands. Add to that my love for the way Bickle contrasted people’s appearance in the spiritual world to that of reality, and you got a pleasantly dark book.

Turkish rights to Seressia Glass’s SHADOW BLADE, SHADOW CHASE, and SHADOW FALL have been sold to Pozitif by Asli Ermis at Asli Karasuil Telif Literary Agency on behalf of The Bent Agency.

Book Reviews of a Teenage Readaholic:

The author pulls you in from the very first page, you can always imagine being in the setting. The main character and the sidekicks are easily imaginable. I liked how the author wrote in 3rd person so she could tell the feelings of other characters. The author never left you hanging and wrote a good conclusion that ends this book but leaves room for another book. The writing was powerful and the vocabulary was appropriate. This book reminds me of the Red Pyramid, the Mortal Instruments series, and Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. My overall view of the book was that it was entertaining. I learned about Egyptian mythology, mostly about the gods. I would recommend this book to people because it is very well written and is full of adventure.

Fantasy Literature:

“…a great deal of fun. We travel with Kira, Khefar, and friends to London, Cairo, Aswan, and an eerie alternate dimension, and Seressia Glass puts them through the physical and emotional wringer several times. In terms of the adventure aspect, the Egypt sections could have used a little more description to help “transport” the reader there, but nonetheless the story is enjoyable. We also get plenty of development on the romance front…The plot is a good one, but it takes an unusually long time to get there.”

Fantasy Literature:

I’m not reading the CIRCLE series for the heroine-vampire-werewolf love triangle. It’s well-written as they go, but it’s not what makes this series unique, and it’s not why I’m here. What I love about Linda Robertson’s books are the unusually rich family and family-of-choice relationships; the beautiful, spiritual descriptions of magic and ritual…
The second half really sunk its teeth in… and wouldn’t let go. The central characters face deep losses and the need to step up and claim more power and responsibility. Plus, there’s lots of magic — and when Robertson’s writing magic, that means lovely writing and high emotion set into a well-researched framework. The plot builds up to a gripping climactic battle.

Larissa’s Life:

As much as I absolutely love Urban Fantasy, it is not often that a book or series brings something new to the table. When that happens, I can’t help but feel my love for the genre being reignited. I was pleasantly surprised by Embers a few months ago and was really excited about reading its sequel, Sparks. I have to say that Laura Bickle has done a superb job with this book and she has delivered an even better one than her debut…

Sparks is such a thrill ride that I did NOT want to get down from! I read the book in one sitting and the pace was perfect and full of non-stop action. I just know now that Laura Bickle is the kind of author that will only get better with each book and I really hope there will be more books in this series. This is an awesome new Urban Fantasy series that you just have to read. I absolutely recommend it!

Darque Reviews:

Fatal Circle is the third book in the Persephone Alcmedi universe, and moves forward in solidifying the roles of the main characters. Ms. Robertson balances a delicious love triangle with all of the conflict and action that fans expect in this heroine’s life. Fatal Circle is well written, fast moving, and fueled by a mix of romance and paranormal influence. A must read in the Persephone Alcmedi series!

As they did last year, Orbit books put a summer intern to work looking at (some, but not all) fantasy covers. This year’s results note, among other things, fantasy cover clichés (“castles”, “glowy magic”, and “swords”) are in decline, but dragons held steady. Damsels are rarely found in distress these days, but they found ‘more than 70 bad ass women — and that’s with a really strict definition of “bad ass” (must be either armed, in a fighting stance, or riding a motorcycle). Thanks to to the rise of urban fantasy (also known as paranormal fantasy) 2009′s covers were dominated by tough, well-armed women who are more likely to glower than cower.’ A futher report concentrated on “changing fashion in urban fantasy heroines”. Among the “findings”: “Abs are in: Fantasy’s heroines are spending less time at the tattoo parlor and more time at the gym, as toned midriffs overtook tattoos as the favored accessory”…and stiletto heels are out.

So, looking at Pocket Juno’s covers, we guess we do not have many “bad-ass heroines”. In 2009, only the cover of Amazon Ink met the Orbit definition. We don’t get much “badder” in 2010, either: Only Amazon Ink, Shadow Blade, and Shadow Chase meet Orbit’s definition.

And we still have—intentionally—not a single tattoo or gun

Urban Paranormal Blog:

…This book outdoes the first in more ways than I really could have imagined. Honestly, I didn’t think it would be better than the first book and was looking for a huge fail…

Key points: It moved so much faster than the first book.
There’s more drama in this book.
The action is tons better in this book. LOVED IT!

This book just never left me feeling empty or bored. It was a page turner that I finished in a day and a half and am SO GLAD I read this. Yikes it was great. So for those of you who weren’t into the first book, please make sure you get this one, it’s great. (5 Stars)

PW Daily is now reporting what appears to be mass confusion at Dorchester. Dorchester’s editorial director is now saying. “Dorchester is going digital, but only for the next six months,” despite the publisher announcing late last week that it would be dropping its mass market publishing program, releasing all its titles in e-book format and publishing select books via print-on-demand. Anonymous sources are saying various things, the editorial direct did not respond to questions about why her take on the publisher’s plans directly refutes what Dorchester’s president told the press, etc. Best to read the PW Daily article yourself. Personally, I know some anonymous sources who have had financial problems with Dorchester. I’d posit that none of this confusion is boding particular well for anyone.

On a brighter note. Subterranean Press has reached agreement to publish an exclusive Hard Case Crime volume, which will also be the first in the series to debut in hardcover. Volume #69 will resurrect a pair of early Lawrence Block novels: 69 Barrow Street and Strange Embrace, bound back to back in the classic “doubles” format, featuring brand new art by Robert McGinnis. Charles Ardai had “packaged” Hard Case Crime for Dorchester.

Curled Up With a Good Book:

Embers is on fire in the smoking supernatural world of urban fantasy. Sparking to life as new author Laura Bickle’s debut novel, this hot, gritty, paranormal mystery brings originality to a genre that covets expanding creativity in the paranormal and supernatural realms. For those who enjoy reads like Demon Inside by Stacia Kane, Matters of the Blood by Maria Lima or Deadtown by Nancy Holzner, Embers is right in league with this diverse selection of comparables. (4 stars)

Book Series Review:

I appreciate that Kira is still growing and learning and figuring things out. And I like that she’s learning to trust more people. Kira learns a good bit about her history during the course of Shadow Chase, but there is still an important piece of information missing, and I have a feeling that will be pretty important in future books.

As for the story elements: plot is once again exceptional, and there are mutliple plots going on, the longer term series arcs as well as the plots that get nicely tied up within this one book. The pacing had some issues, which is really too bad with as much action as there is in Shadow Chase. The prose and dialogue were well done, and character development is very well done. The world building in this series is incredible.

I’m going to give Shadow Chase a 9 of 10, knocking off a point for pacing. The series will get a 10 of 10, though, as this is a kick-ass series.

Book Rating: Shadow Chase: 9 of 10
Series Rating: Shadowchasers: 10 of 10

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ALSO: An interview I missed earlier with Seressia at Over the Edge Reviews

Juno has certainly gone through a lot of changes since the first blog post on 06 May 2006 02:51 pm. And it is still evolving.

I’ve thought long and hard about what this 100oth post should be. I still am not sure I should be so open about our biggest news. I’ve noticed editors don’t really say all that much publicly about a lot of stuff. There are good reasons for that. But Pocket Juno is different and so am I, so…

Instead of a-title-month for 2011, there will be six Pocket Juno books (and all are super—of course, I will soon be telling you more):

• Jan 2011: Arcane Circle (Circle Series #4), Linda Robertson
• Mar 2011: Rogue Oracle (Oracle Series #2), Alayna Williams
• June 2011: Shadow Fall (Shadowchasers #3), Seressia Glass
• Sept 2011: Concrete Savior (Blood Redemption #2), Yvonne Navarro
• Nov 2011 Blood Sacrifice (Bloodlines #5), Maria Lima
• Dec 2011: Virtual Virgin (Delilah Street #5), Carole Nelson Douglas

Beyond 28 November 2011—what I assume is the release date for Virtual Virgin—I don’t know.

All I know is that I continue as editor of Pocket Juno, that this is the full schedule for Pocket Juno 2011, and that I’m not offering contracts at the moment for future titles. (So, right now, no need for submissions.)

Yes, there are authors and books whose series have hooked you and characters you already love missing from that list. You wanted to see more and soon. And you wonder what the future will be for those on that list too. I know, I feel the same way—except more so.

I think we all understand that the better the sales, the brighter the future for any author.

One thing most readers—and writers and even some editors and many publishers—don’t understand is just how little control one (whether that “one” is a corporate entity or an individual) has in this business these days over so many factors. Publishing is in the middle of some very interesting times, so that makes it even more unpredictable. And Pocket Juno is just a tiny part of publishing.

Steve Wasserman (literary editor of Truthdig; former editor of the Los Angeles Times Book Review; former editorial director of Times Books at Random House, as well as editorial director of Hill & Wang at Farrar, Straus & Giroux; currently a literary agent) wrote on the impossibility of predicting the future of publishinga s a whole:

The predicament facing the publishing industry is best understood against the backdrop of several overlapping and contending crises: The first is the general challenge confronting publishers of adapting to the new digital and electronic technologies that are increasingly rendering traditional methods of production and distribution obsolete, and undercutting profit margins; the second is the profound structural transformation roiling the entire book-publishing and book-selling industry in the age of conglomeration and digitization; and the third and most troubling crisis is the sea change in the culture of literacy itself, the degree to which our overwhelmingly fast and visually furious culture renders serious reading increasingly irrelevant, hollowing out habits of attention indispensable for absorbing long-form narrative and the following of sustained argument.

There are ideas percolating for Juno, but they haven’t completely brewed yet. I can’t be pessimistic because the future may be even more exciting and fulfilling; but I can’t be overly optimistic either, one never can be in such “interesting times”.

I’m striving for a sort of zen balance right now.

Publishers Weekly Daily is reporting that Dorchester — whose strongest division is romance, but who also published horror, westerns, etc. — is  dropping print publishing “in favor of an e-book/print-on-demand model effective with its September titles that are ’shipping’ now…the editorial team remains intact, but the number of titles released monthly will likely be reduced from over 30 to 25. ”

Print copies will still be done for its book club business and “selected titles” will be printed-on-demand. There will be no more mass market paperbacks for retail distribution.

Prsident John Prebich said the company is working out a new royalty rate with authors and editors are talking to authors about the changes. Dorchester’s e-books are available at most major vendors and compatible with most platforms at an average price of $6.99. Trade paperbacks will be priced in the $12 to $15 range.

As far as the decision to drop the mass market format Prebich said: “These are like pioneer times in publishing. We felt like we needed to take some chances and make a bold move.”

Added: [More in Wall Street Journal article.]

From Telgraph.co.uk

A touch of Frost: the story of Penguin’s secret editor

She brought Graham Greene, Evelyn Waugh and Dorothy L Sayers to the masses and revolutionised the way we read, yet the life of Eunice Frost, the Penguin editor who devoted herself to the paperback, has been largely forgotten

* * *

…Eunice Frost became an editor at Penguin in the late 1930s and went on to be its first female director. Along with the firm’s founder, Allen Lane, she revolutionised the way we read by making good writing accessible to anyone for the price of a packet of cigarettes. So much was she the guiding spirit of the historic house that its penguin mascot and logo is named ‘Frostie’ after her. In 1958 she became the first woman in publishing to be awarded an OBE for services to literature.

Yet her name never appeared on any book, and even those who knew her well are still in the dark about the specifics of her life and the causes of her chronic regret. She died alone in 1998 at the age of 82, surrounded by piles of paper 5ft high. All this was scooped up one day by the Penguin archivists and brought to the Bristol basement in a van. Much of it could not be saved, and that which could has barely been looked at since…

Worth reading in full if you have any interest in the history of publishing.

If you are unaware of the history of Penguin and the paperback:
About Penguin
Penguin’s first Paperbacks
Penguin Books celebrates 75th birthday

In the U.S., Pocket Books expanded on Penguin’s idea and produced the first mass-market, pocket-sized paperback books in America in early 1939: Wikipedia

Lovin’ Me Some Romance:

A stunning collaboration of science and fantasy, DARK ORACLE is an unusual high stakes ride of government cover ups and mythological magic. While one would expect the blend to be jarring, its actually quite seamless making the novel interesting from beginning to end.

Embodying a rich epic feel, Tara and Harry traverse dozens of obstacles not only in search of the truth but also within their own inner obstacles allowing vast and blatant character growth. However, with the secondary love plot playing such a dynamic role in Tara’s healing, I would have liked to have seen more chemistry, more sexual tension. It would have pushed this book from good to stellar. But the research is still phenomenal in both the science and magical aspects.

DARK ORACLE has all the makings of a good series start. For Urban Fantasy readers wanting to jump on an up and coming thrill ride, hail a ticket fast and get ready to hang on!

The August Pocket Juno News is out (subscribe) with an exclusive sneak peek from SHADOW CHASE and a short Q&A with author Seressia Glass.

There are new excerpts posted for SPARKS, HIGHBORN and a new page for BLOOD HEAT.

One thing I forgot to report is that Laura Bickle/Alayna Williams shows up in the Smart Bitches Trashy Books RWA Music Video — about 2:35 into it.

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Meanwhile, no suggestions as far as post #1000?

If you notice the little counter to the right, I’m coming up on post #1000 soon. I’d like to make it something *Special*. Anyone have any ideas? What should the thousandth Juno Books post be about? Let’s get some ideas in quickly!

That’s the question The Boston Globe has posed, complete with the subtitle: The Nordic bad boys have pillaged their way into our hearts. Reporter Alex Beam claims “the ferocious, globe-trotting rapists, pillagers, and marauders who traveled the known world of the Middle Ages…may be popular culture’s latest object of fascination.”

Although a bookstore owner credits Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy with helping to reawaken interest in Scandinavian literature, the Globe citations of of Viking popularity include Charlaine Harris’s Eric Northman, but gives credit for his invention to “the HBO script scribblers”. Feh. Supposedly Oscar-winning screenwriter William Monahan is working on a Viking script for Leonardo DiCaprio. Then there’s Brian Wood’s Northlanders graphic novel series; the reissue of Frans Bengtsson’s 1954 “The Long Ships”, and news that Bernard Cornwell “plans to start writing the fifth volume of his best-selling Saxon Tales shortly.”
”
Also mentioned are two classic H. Rider Haggard novels and “Thief Eyes” by Janni Lee Simner (Which is quite good. Read this review from Cynthia Ward for Fantasy Magazine.

NOT mentioned, however, is our own Maria Lima’s 1200-plus-year-old hot Viking shapeshifter Tucker Kelly of the BLood Lines series! And if you want to see a Viking go berserk–Tucker does in BLOOD HEAT, coming this October! You want a Viking? We got a Viking!

Other Norse-based fantasy not mentioned: Kim Wilkins’ “Giants of the Frost” (2004) places a modern scientist female protag in what’s left of the realm of the Norse gods. NEil Gaiman used Norse myth in the Sandman series, “American Gods”, and “Odd and the Frost Giants”. I haven’t read Greg van Eekhout’s urban fantasy “Norse Code”, but I know it is based on Valkyrie mythology. There’s Diana Paxson’s “Brisingamen” (1984); Harry Harrison’s “The Hammer and The Cross”, “One King’s Way”, and “King and Emperor” (mid-90s); Poul Anderson’s “Hrolf Kraki’s Saga” (1977), “War of the Gods” (1997) , and “Mother of Kings” (2001). There is an even earlier Anderson, too, “The Broken Sword” in the 50s. L. Sprague DeCamp’s “The Incomplete Enchanter” (1941). David Drake’s “Northworld” (1990), “Vengeance” (1991), and “Justice” (1992) trilogy retells Norse mythology as military SF. And, uh, Tolkien’s trilogy is pretty darned Norse-influenced.

Any other ideas about sf/f based in Norse mythology?

Man, this Viking has a huge…tentacle!

Art by the fabulous Daren Bader.

RT Book Reviews:

The second book in Bickle’s series about Anya Kalinczyk is just as wonderful as the first—Anya is a compelling and likable protagonist and Bickle does an outstanding job in her portrayal of the city of Detroit; there are ruins, yes, but also hope in the ashes. Anya never takes herself too seriously and there is a scene in a baby supercenter that is absolutely not to be missed. (4 stars)

Book Fetish:
…Williams does a good job of keeping this urban fantasy moving along at a rapid clip. Tara and Li have an interesting chemistry, which adds a positive element to the story. With enough twists and turns to keep you guessing and enough action to keep the pages turning, Dark Oracle doesn’t disappoint.

MORE INFO

And no, I haven’t seen the book and I don’t think review copies have gone out either—but it’s out there…

SILVER ZOMBIE, fourth in the Delilah Street, PI series, will be released November 30, 2010.

BTW: Carole Nelson Douglas will be the Guest of Honor at the Malice Domestic 23 mystery convention April 23 - May 1, 2011!

Polish language rights to Stacia Kane’s PERSONAL DEMONS, DEMON INSIDE, and DEMON POSSESSED to Amber Publishing in Poland.

Stacia’s new Downside series from Del Rey has also debuted with UNHOLY MAGIC.