News – updates on books, events, appearances, etc.

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    John Brown will keynote at American Fork Arts Council writers conference

    ByJohn Brown

    The city of American Fork is putting on what looks to be a great writer’s conference. I’m very pleased to announce that I’ve been asked to present the keynote speech.

    Keynote: The 3 Things You Must Learn to Write Killer Stories
    When: Saturday, April 25, 2009, 9:00 AM
    Location:
    American Fork City Arts Council
    31 N. Church Street
    American Fork, UT 84003
    (801)763-3081

    This looks like a great opportunity if you’re a writer. Here’s what the organizers envision.

    We have editors from Desert Book, Covenant and Cedar Fort coming to speak as well as National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr, Kristen Langdon, Ginger Churchill, Linda Bethers, Anita Stansfield and others. The goal is to provide a space for local writers to interact with local editors and local authors for inspiration, motivation and guidance in the tricky world of writing and publishing. To that end, the editors will be holding a query letter clinic using query letters from participants, which I think will be super useful. The editors are also speaking on what they want and don’t want as far as submissions, and the state of regional publishing in 2009 given the world upheaval. The authors will all be speaking on how they got an agent, how they got a book deal, what they have learned about writing.

    More info: American Fork Arts Council

  • If you liked “From the Clay of His Heart” you can nominate for Hugo

    ByJohn Brown

    You may nominate works for the 2009 Hugo award if you either:

    • were an attending or supporting member of Denvention 3 (the 2008 World Science Fiction Convention); OR
    • are an attending or supporting member of Anticipation (the 2009 World Science Fiction Convention) before January 31, 2009

    If you liked “From the Clay of His Heart” and want to nominate it in the novelette category, all you need to do is go here and fill out this form before Saturday, February 28, 2009. You can nominate up to 5 stories in each category.

    If you want to read it, you can do so online if you have an IGMS vol 8 subscription ($2.50). If you don’t plan on subscribing to that issue, post a comment, and I’ll make sure you get a copy.

    Here are nomination numbers for last year’s awards. What this shows is that 40 nominations puts a novel on the final ballot. 17 nominations put a short story there.

    Best Novel (382 nominating ballots cast):
    65 – Brasyl by Ian McDonald
    58 – The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michael Chabon
    58 – Rollback by Robert J. Sawyer
    41 – The Last Colony by John Scalzi
    40 – Halting State by Charles Stross

    Best Novella (220 nominating ballots cast):
    52 – “Memorare” by Gene Wolfe
    50 – “Recovering Apollo 8” by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
    49 – “All Seated on the Ground” by Connie Willis
    39 – “The Fountain of Age” by Nancy Kress
    34 – “Stars Seen Through Stone” by Lucius Shepard

    Best Novelette (243 nominating ballots cast):
    69 – “The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate” by Ted Chiang
    45 – “Dark Integers” by Greg Egan
    24 – “Finisterra” by David Moles
    22 – “The Cambist and Lord Iron” Daniel Abraham

    Best Short Story (270 nominating ballots cast):
    46 – “Tideline” by Elizabeth Bear
    29 – “Last Contact” by Stephen Baster
    28 – “Distant Replay” by Mike Resnick
    25 – “A Small Room in Koboldtown” by Michael Swanwick
    17 – “Who’s Afraid of Wolf 359?” by Ken MacLeod

  • Press Release – Utah Author Selected for Best SFF Stories 2008

    ByJohn Brown

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    UTAH AUTHOR SELECTED FOR BEST STORIES OF 2008

    Will Present Keys to Successful Fiction at BYU Symposium

    LAKETOWN, UTAH |  February 9, 2009 |  Utah author John Brown’s novelette, “From the Clay of His Heart,” has just been listed as one of the best stories of 2008 by Locus Magazine, the main trade publication for the field of science fiction and fantasy. Locus Magazine selected its list from the hundreds of stories published and reviewed in 2008. Brown’s novelette will also be included in the annual Year’s Best Fantasy anthology edited by Hugo award-winning editor David G. Hartwell.

    “I’m thrilled with the recognition,” says Brown. “Still, I suppose you’d have to be a potato head not to squeeze some drama out of a story that’s a mix of religion, thieves, monsters, and love.”

    Brown will present his views on the keys to successful fiction in a lecture and workshop titled “The 3 Things You Must Learn To Write Killer Stories” at BYU on Friday evening, February 20, 2009 as part of Life, The Universe, & Everything, a symposium on science fiction & fantasy. Admission is free and open to all.

    John Brown is an award-winning Utah author. His epic fantasy, Servant of a Dark God, will be released in September 2009 by Tor, the largest publisher of science fiction and fantasy in the world. For more information on the author visit: http://JohnDBrown.com

    MORE INFO

    Click on image. Artwork for “From the Clay of His Heart” which will appeared in Locus Magazine’s recommended reading for 2008 and will appear in the Year’s Best Fantasy #9 edited by David Hartwell. 

  • “From the Clay of His Heart” to be included in Year’s Best Fantasy #9

    ByJohn Brown

    More good news! I just found out that my novelette, “From the Clay of His Heart,” will be included in this year’s annual Year’s Best Fantasy anthology edited by David Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer. The anthology will be released in the summer of 2009.

     

     

     

     

     

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  • “From the Clay of His Heart” makes Locus Magazine’s 2008 recommended reading list

    ByJohn Brown

    Locus Magazine, the trade publication for the science fiction and fantasy genre, has listed my novelette, “From the Clay of His Heart,” on their 2008 recommended reading list.

    Yea!

    Lots of other goodies out there as well.

     

     

     

     

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