Juno Books

Nielsen BookScan has updated and DANCING WITH WEREWOLVES is #20 on the mass market horror/occult/psychological list for last week. (Don’t ask us why it is that, the BISAC code is “fantasy”.) It is #29 overall in the category (including hardcovers and trade paperbacks.) Stephen King, Tess Gerritson, Dean Koontz, James Patterson and the like precede it.

Congrats to Carole Nelson Douglas . . . and don’t *you* want to see why this book is so HOT?

The new FANTASY MAGAZINE is now online! They have something new every day there, so make sure you start checking it out.

FICTION BEYOND THE ORDINARY is something a group of our great writers came up with on their own. It is a blog written by a number of different writers offering their views and perspectives.

I imagine they can also bitch about us there Make sure you bookmark it!

As Stephen, who designs the covers has pointed out, he feels the art (by the talented Jennifer Reagles) for A MORTAL GLAMOUR is tuchas art. “Even though,” he points, she is sitting down, it is still a backside view.”

I’m not sure it qualifies . . .

As mentioned in the post below . . .actually I thought of this one and just forgot to get it . . .

As you know, we often discuss deep topics here at Juno and we feel the time has come to discuss, yes, butt covers. We show here only one subgenre — jean butts — but there are others you, as informed readers, are well aware of (low-back evening gowns, laced up the back, black-leather mini-skirts . . .).

We having nothing against bums on covers. Every one of these here are excellent works of art and most are good cover designs. We also realize that when doing a series there are only so many poses one can work with. As we have a theatrical background, we also know that “downstage center back-to-audience” is the second strongest position one can be in on the stage.

But we feel there are issues that should be addressed: Are there too many paranormal tuchas out there? Have artists gone haunch happy? Can you be a successful urban fantasy series with only frontals? Are rumps de rigieur for success these days? Does “kickassitude” mean ass must be portrayed at some point? What does derriere display mean to the modern reader? How many inches of hindquarters can be shown in the 21st century? What is the historical perspectives on the fanny? Is publishing being run by the seat of its pants? Just what is the back end on these deals? Are there any other synonyms for “backsides” we have missed?

We have yet to do a posterior cover here at Juno. We know the day will come when we are confronted with the decision “to butt or not to butt . . . ?” Or, perhaps, we have already missed the bottom boat and are lagging too far behind the crest of a fundamental wave to catch up?

Yet, as we approach attendance at the World Fantasy Convention (and other conventions) we do not see the best minds of our genre openly confronting these issues. Sadly, we do not hear public conversations concerning gluteus maximal messages.

We feel we need to ask you, the readers, for your input. So, please, express yourselves. Let us know what you think about these vital issues.

Katie McNeill has done a nice look at Juno Juno Books: Beyond Bounds on BlogCritics!

Kestrell has a new interview with me on her LiveJournal but it appears she’s having some tech troubles today. She posted she would email anyone the complete interview if they want it: kestrell@panix.com

I say all sorts of pithy and controversal things, so you’d best read it all

Everyone is all right, but Matt’s beloved “Nano Car” was totalled. You can read more on Matt’s Blog

Publishers Weekly:
While the millennium revelation in this fantastic first of a new paranormal series might not be a shocker for urban fantasy fans—i.e., vampires, werewolves, witches and zombies come out of the closet after Y2K—Douglas (Cat in a Red Hot Rage) handles the premise with such spectacular style, it feels fresh. Delilah Street, who was only 11 in 2000, is now 24 and works for WTCH, a Kansas TV station, as a paranormal investigative reporter. When Delilah angers an undead co-worker and is demoted, she moves to Sin City in hopes of finding a possible blood relative seen on CSI Las Vegas V. She gets a job with Hector Nightwine, the show’s producer, and falls in love with Ric Montoya, a former FBI agent who finds corpses by dowsing. Douglas spices the action with fabulous characters: Quicksilver, Delilah’s protective dog; CinSims (Cinema Simulacrums), dead celebrities recreated via science and magic; the oldest living vampire in Vegas, once a famous aviator; and Cocaine (aka Snow), a devilish albino rocker. Readers will eagerly await the sequel.
[Note: This was supposed to be a *starred* review, but the star seems to be missing online.]

* * *

Fresh Fiction: “What an original take on classic horror and servitude. Wow!!”

Alternative Worlds

Carole Nelson Douglas leaves her Midnight Louie series to provide fans with an entertaining urban fantasy with that rivals that of Kim Harrison and Kelly Armstrong. The protagonist jumps from the frying pan into the fire as she tries to stay one step ahead of her enemies and those who want to use her. DANCING WITH WEREWOLVES is a mystical delight.–Harriet Klausner

Alternative Worlds:

. . .When Ariel is in the city, there is a modern day feel to the storyline; but
when she is in the woods and at Louvel’s castle readers feel as if the
characters are in a fairy tale. The heroine is determined to learn the
truth about both men in her life even if it means going against Louvel’s
decrees. Readers will enjoy this enchanting romantic fantasy as the
audience will hope Ariel obtains her happily ever after. — Harriet Klausner

Dark Maiden

Alternative Worlds:
. . . DARK MAIDEN is an enthralling and entertaining dark fantasy that will
bewitch readers with its hypnotic storyline. Readers will empathize with
Sheila who has to cope with the loss of a child and supernatural attacks.
Norma Lehr is a talented writer who somehow makes the events that take
place in this tale as believable as her characters who behave in plausible
manners. Once the audience learns what motivates each of them it is
exciting reading about their encounter with and how they react to the
supernatural. — Harriet Klausner

From Coffee Time Romance:

This story was filled with beautiful imagery and powerful characters. The author is very adept at making you detest the evil characters as well as fall in love with the main characters. Elishiba and Amshazar are very noble and strong. They also come across realistically. The characters Mehmet and Sibias are well developed and perfectly evil. This is a truly fantastic tale of magic, and the struggle for power and love in all of its various forms.

[Guidelines can always be found on the GUIDELINE PAGE.]

I am no longer taking submissions for WARRIOR WOMEN.

NOVELS:
Due to submissions that either overlook or ignore our most basic guideline, let’s put it right up top:
The novel must have a strong female protagonist. You might get by with equal male and female protagonists, but that’s as far as we stretch. To further clarify: A protagonist is a character or characters whose intentions are the primary focus of a story.

Not a supporting character, not the hero’s girlfriend, not the main character of volume two in your trilogy which has a male protag in volume I (unless you want to submit only the second one). It is highly unlikely just changing the name of the protagonist from male to female will work. And, no, your novel is not an exception to this rule.

Juno is currently looking for novels from 80,000 to 120,000 words in length. We are looking for adventures for women (and hope they appeal to men, too) — fantasies with a focus on female characters.

We want stories with strong female protagonists or women who grow and become
empowered — women discovering themselves and discovering new worlds. Fascinating characters
interacting in plausible well-built worlds that can be contemporary, set in the past, completely fantastic, or
an alternate reality similar to ours. We’d like some romance or a relationship involved, but we aren’t looking for “category romance” by any means. Although some of our books are romantic, we don’t require he-and-she live-happily-ever-after-endings and recognize that, outside of genre romance, a happy ending doesn’t necessarily involve he-and-she-live-happily-ever. Stories can be fairly
erotic, but the focus is not on sex, but on character and story.

We are currently particularly interested in contemporary fantasy often referred to as “urban fantasy” these days: a woman with “kickassitude” and supernatural power (or some paranormal connection). But we are open to fantasy of any type, otherworldly or supernatural beings, alternate or secret history,
magical or psychic abilities, occult detectives, paranormal action-adventure,supernatural horror,
and encourage cross mixes. Traditional or non-traditional ethnicity or sexual orientation, as well as the more traditional are acceptable.

Some of our books might be called “paranormal romance”, but don’t let either word frighten you off. “Paranormal” really means “beyond the ordinary” and “romance” is defined as “an exciting and/or mysterious quality as of a heroic time or adventure” as well as “a story dealing with love”. But we realize people have varied ideas of what the term means. [”What Is “Paranormal Romance”, the introduction to the anthology Best New Paranormal Romance gives you a fuller idea of what we think about the term “paranormal romance” and what it is. You can download it in PDF here. Another essay, “The Paranormal Paradox” discusses definitional issues as well. You can get the gist of it here on the
blog.]

Please note: Our books are shelved as “fantasy” not “romance”. That being said, some of our books are “romance” as defined by the market category. Some might be called “mysteries” and even show up in the mystery section. Obviously genre boundaries are being crossed and we are delighted if stores want to put them
in any number of sections.

Submission Guidelines:

We prefer accept only emailed submissions attached in .doc, or .rtf. Please submit three chapters (or equivalent sample) and a synopsis. Although not required, it is best to have a finished manuscript before submitting. If we like it, we will usually want to see the entire ms.right away
before deciding whether to purchase. We are also still working on a tight schedule, so a substantially completed ms. will be to your advantage

For established fiction authors, we may be more likely to buy based on three chapters (or equivalent sample) and a synopsis.

Email for submissions or information: Paula Guran, editor@juno-books.com.

Chris Howard’s SEABORN will be published by Juno Books next summer, but in the mean time, he is giving giving away an all new edition of his novel, Nanowhere in PDF format. Free!

Cory Doctorow: “Interesting and well-written…Chris Howard has released an sf thriller Nanowhere under a Creative Commons license, along with a bunch of supplementary materials that purports to be the lab notes and publications of one of the book’s characters.”

Download Nanowhere

As you know, we take all reviews both good and not so good. The Publishers Weekly revew of Sylvia Kelso’s AMBERLIGHT is, shall we say, “mixed”. The reviewer did not care for the style in which the novel is written. We, of course, think they are mistaken. We’ll give you an edited version of the review below. But, to be fair, you can read the entire review here.

Publisher’s Weekly 2007-10-15
Kelso (Everran’s Bane) paints a hypnotic…portrait of a complex matriarchal society powered by “qherrique,” a semisentient stone that can control minds and power machinery. When a male Outlander is found on the streets of Amberlight, robbed, raped and left for dead by a girl gang, the qherrique informs Tellurith, the powerful head of Telluir House, that he must be kept alive. As Tellurith’s household nurses the stranger back to health, he reveals the terrible truth about the nearby rulers who purchase qherrique statuettes from Amberlight and use them to enslave people and wage war. As Tellurith comes to see and question the rampant poverty and bias in Amberlight, she opens a furious debate over the Houses’ responsibility to make sure qherrique is used wisely at home and abroad….[an] intriguing exploration of sexual politics and the difficult calculus of leadership. (Nov.)

Review on BLOG CRITICS:
…lush and exotic. I was pulled into the story, unable to set the book down as the kingdoms of Aleem and Karseedia came to life on the page. With haunting imagery and strong characters the story is filled with intrigue and romance…The supporting characters are just as finely drawn as the main characters…each is unique and holds a thread that weaves through this intricate tale of intrigue and magic….If you are looking for a quick read that will carry you away to somewhere else, Saskia Walker will take you there with Unveiling the Sorceress.

I am delighted to be the first-ever editor interview at the Fantasy Debut site Thanks to Tia!

That vast mystery of AOL’s rejection has been solved. According to them, since I included a LINK to geocities — that tripped the spam alarm. Can you believe?

Anyway — I’ve gone ahead and put the newsletter online. Make sure to read it so you will know about our NEW BOOKS that are available (including DANCING WITH WEREWOLVES. . . . newly avaialble ebooks of
– MATTERS OF THE BLOOD by Maria Lima (currently #2 in Fantasy Bestsellers behind Naomi Novik)

– THE ETERNAL ROSE by Gail Dayton

– UNVEILING THE SORCERESS by Saskia Walker

Find out abot the FREE BOOKMARKS now on DOWNLOADS PAGE. . .

And the fabulous THE [Dancing With] WOLVES QUIZ

The grand prize winner will receive:

. An Autographed copy of DANCING WITH WEREWOLVES by Carole Douglas Nelson

. The Wolf Man: The Legacy Collection (DVDs of: The Wolf Man / Werewolf of London / Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man / She-Wolf of London) from The Universal Monster Legacy Collection Series

. Stand in the Fire - a live album (recorded in 1981) by Warren Zevon [remastered and recently re-released] featuring (what else) “Werewolves of London”

That’s right…major prizes! The contest closes on OCTOBER 30 (midnight EST) and the winner will be announced on Halloween.

The publication schedule for 2008 has been updated.

and. . .

Ta-DAA! — I AM CAUGHT UP ON SUBMISSIONS!

Well, except maybe for the last day or so. I’ve asked for a second look at a few, but those folks have heard from me. Of course, things may have fallen through the cracks. If you haven’t received a reply, you might want to email me and check if I ever got it.

I got through a lot of submissions in record time because a lot of writers made it “easy” to reject their work. Editors aren’t looking for reasons to reject, but reasons to accept. But you can’t accept what isn’t acceptable. Check the newsletter for the TOP TEN REASONS FOR REJECTION IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS.

. . . and, of course, more.

I tried sending directly to you this morning and the newsletter is not going to come through to you. AOL has decided I am a spammer and for your protection isn’t going to allow it through. You might try emailing me and seeing if I can reply and include the newsletter. I will post it online as well soon.

Chances are you didn’t get it. Don’t ask me why, but AOL is saying a couple of dozen of you don’t exist. I doubt that. I’ll try to re-send one-by-one when I get the chance.

Borders has begun introducing new Web site, but you can’t buy stuff yet. (The company has been outsourcing its minimal site to Amazon.com for years.) The beta site (http://beta.bordersstores.com/online/store/Home) includes (according to a press release):

• The Magic Shelf, a 3-D, browseable virtual “shelf” of books that will show titles of the customers’
• interests (based on previous purchases and, I imagine, searches). Fancy, but possibly browser slowing for many.
• A BordersRewards.com site
• A Borders Book Club at BordersMedia.com, which includes the Borders Book Club
• Borders “Live at 01,” with events filmed at Borders flagship store in Ann Arbor, MI
• Borders Kitchen, with interviews and cooking demonstrations;
• Borders Guest Shortlist, with authors writing about books, movies, audio
• Borders at the Movies, with movie trailers and interviews with authors discussing books that have become or arebeing made into movies
• Borders Romance Reading Room

You can comment at: http://bordersbeta.gather.com/

We’d like to see a “What Juno Book to Buy Today” feature

Monsters & Critics Review:
“Blood Magic is a must read for any fan of fantasy or horror. However, don’t expect a book which simply follows genre conventions. Like Kirin, this novel is far more than it seems. And like Kirin, you’ll come away from this story wondering about the price paid for doing dark deeds–even when they are done for the best of reasons.”

Monsters and Critics Interview:
“It is this tension between Kirin’s desperate unhappiness, her inherent goodness in the face of her “evil” powers, and her iron will to live that provides the most interesting facets of the character’s personality to me, and I was constantly surprised at the actions the character would take while writing out a scene and plotting the novel’s course.”

Blogcritics’ Review:
Blood Magic is Matthew Cook’s debut and I have to admit that for a first book I am more than a little impressed. Once I started reading I found myself unable to put the book down as Kirin’s past and present rushed toward each other in a story that simply demands to be read. Not only does Cook tell a strong story, he gives us a strong convincing female protagonist, something not all male writers can pull off. he characters are solid, Kirin exceptional, and the story is perfectly balanced between the past and the present.

And another interview. . .

With Katie McNeill:
“I think the thing that all writers have to remember, though, is that editors are not the enemy! Without a writer’s stories, an editor would have nothing to publish. No publishing means no money for the imprint or magazine. Editors are actively looking for new writers and new manuscripts, believe me, and most (if not all) of them got into genre editing not to strike it rich but because they love to read the kind of stories we write. Just remember to always be polite and respectful, write about things you’re genuinely excited about, and always… always… do everything you can to continuously polish your writing and one day you’ll probably sell.”

Hey, I couldn’t resist excerpt that quote.

I had never heard of the League of Reluctant Adults, but how could I resist answering some questions for any group with that name? Our own Stacia Kane (aka December Quinn) thrust her tongue partially in cheek to interview me. I replied in kind. I doubt if you’ll get to read me discussing my Great Visionary Genius elsewhere. You can read the results here: Weekend Interview: Paula Guran, Juno Books Editor.

And…

Bookfetish has posted a kind review of BNRF2:

…Juno Publishing has recently been leading the pack in the world of paranormal romance and there is no better example then their latest offering, Best New Romantic Fantasy 2. From start to finish this anthology is packed with fifteen stories that range from heart-warming to heart-wrenching. The beauty inherent in each of these stories is enough to pull tears from even the hardest of hearts, without resorting to cheap tricks or tawdry romance novel dialogue.

Unlike many anthologies of this nature, this one includes entries from male and female authors. The stories run the gamut from the hypnotic and disjointed “The Depth Oracle” by Sonya Taaffe to the story of a breath-stealing ghost in “Journey into the Kingdom.” Each of the stories explores the nature of love in a paranormal context, where the idea of love and the possibilities are governed by rules that normal individuals never have to face. However, while the situations may be otherworldly, the emotions are still familiar and still understandable.

Those who are familiar with my reviews will know how I feel about romance novels and stories. I’m generally not a fan so this book was a wonderfully pleasant surprise. The stories have a way of pulling in the reader and not letting go until they’ve wrapped around your imagination and heart. Each one is beautifully written and though they are all very different, they speak to places inside of us that need to be reached.

…at Fantasy Debut!
Q: Did you have any historical sources for WIND FOLLOWER or did you make up this fantastically detailed world on your own?

A: Totally made up. When I first thought of it, I wanted to create an alternate Africa that had been invaded by Native Americans or by folks from Asia. There would also be a sojourning peoples who would be a third tribe. But I knew zip about African history, nada about Asian history, zilch about Native American history. Not really zip, nada, or zilch, but you know what I mean. Not enough to actually create a full-fledged respectable alternate Africa. So I decided to just make it some unknown continent on some unspecifiec planet in some unnamed universe. Most reviewers have been assuming Wind Follower’s setting is in Africa. It seems that my original thought — and my lack of specific description regarding the setting– worked its way into the zeitgeist of the novel anyway.

Grasping For the Wind Review:
Wind Follower is so unique in my own experience that I find it hard not to gush all over this novel….Wind Follower is not a book that can be pigeon-holed and every person will find something he or she loves, and something he or she dislikes. And that is McDonnell’s greatest triumph. No matter your reaction to the novel, you will be called to an emotional response of some kind to the characters….I highly recommend this book. Wind Follower struggles with the religious nature of man, the effects of racial hatred on belief, the intimacy of a marriage ruled by custom, and ability of forgiveness to transcend all transgressions. If you leave this novel on the bookstore shelf, you will be the poorer for it.

Chris howard blogs:I was in Barnes & Noble in North Shore Mall (Peabody, MA) at lunch to
pick up Scott Westerfeld’s Extras for my daughter Chloe (birthday present), and swung through the F&SF section to look for Juno Books authors on the shelves–and without really looking (I didn’t have a lot of time) I found Matt Cook’s Blood Magic, Carole McDonnell’s Wind Follower, and Best New Romantic Fantasy 2… What’s cool is that there are three copies of Matt’s book on the shelves and another two on the “Dark Fantasy” end cap along with Patricia Briggs and a bunch of others. Nice placement.

(You can see pictures if you use the link above.)

Disturbing the Universe Review

The majority of my top ten favorite science fiction and fantasy writers are women (sorry guys) and my radar is always out for new fiction in this vein. Carole McDonnell’s Wind Follower was an instant addition to my top ten list due to its beauty, power, and fearlessness.

That said, pardon me if I swoon at any time during this review….McDonnell has a solid grasp of her craft but what truly sets the novel apart is her breathtaking narrative vision and her deeply engrossing characters….Compelling, sympathetic characters are only the beginning. McDonnell spends the first part of the story enmeshing her reader in the lives and loves of this husband and wife pair, and then proceeds to push the characters we love to their very limits– not only of themselves but of their relationship. Everything, from clan politics to cultural traditions to the spirits themselves, is set at war against Satha and Loic and at times the hope for their triumph is indeed bleak. It is in the most desperate moments of the story that McDonnell’s deep spiritual sensitivity comes forth. Her characters find hope in the Creator at the exact moment of their greatest need, and I found that very powerful. She never hits you over the head with her religion but the greatest theme of the story is a very spiritual one– the preservation of truth amidst falsehood– and is woven through every other part….

In addition to all of this, Wind Follower unfolds in a astonishingly vivid, sometimes disturbing, world that mirrors our own current struggles of race, class, and culture. This is the type of novel that is meant to be read several times and will offer the reader something new with each journey. I am amazed at the talent of this author and certainly will be looking for more Carole McDonnell novels in the future.