John Joseph Adams – Page 21 – John Joseph Adams

Author Archive

New Anthology: OZ REIMAGINED

I recently sold a new anthology that I’m now free to announce: OZ REIMAGINED, which I’m co-editing with Douglas Cohen (formerly of Realms of Fantasy). Pop over to io9 to read the press release about the anthology. Below is the work-in-progress cover by artist Galen Dara, who will also be illustrating every story in the anthology. It contains “reimaginings” of L. Frank Baum’s Oz by a variety of authors, including: Orson Scott Card, Tad Williams, Jane Yolen, Seanan McGuire, Jonathan Maberry, Simon R. Green, David Farland, and many others–plus a foreword by Gregory Maguire, the renowned author of Wicked.

New Anthology: WASTELANDS 2

Good news, post-apocalyptic fiction fans: And no, I don’t mean the new TV show, Revolution. Even better: I’m going to be doing a follow up volume to my critically-acclaimed anthology, Wastelands, which will be called, at least for now, Wastelands 2.

As I’ve done with most of my other anthologies, I’d like to solicit recommendations, so if you have any outstanding examples of post-apocalyptic fiction you’d like to point out to me, please feel free to let me know about them by entering them into my post-apocalyptic fiction database.

As I did with my previous sequel anthology, The Living Dead 2, for Wastelands 2, I will likely be focusing on very new material, primarily stories published since Wastelands (Vol. 1) was assembled. The first volume was published in January 2008, but since it was mostly edited the year before, basically I’ll primarily be looking for material published from 2007-Present.

Since this is an anthology, obviously I’m primarily interested in short fiction, but if you want to recommend novels or novel series, that is welcome too, as I may include a “for further reading” list in the anthology. Note, however, that there is an extensive list of novels in Wastelands (Vol. 1), so again this would primarily be of interest for material published 2007-Present.

If you are a writer and would like to recommend your own short fiction, that is quite welcome. If you’d like to send me your story for consideration, please use my online submission system. If you’re submitting your own story for consideration, there is no need to also enter it into the database (but there’s no harm done if you do).

___________

ETA, to answer some questions that have come up:

I’m looking for reprints only. If you have an original, submit it to Lightspeed, so of course I’ll see it there, and if I like it enough to buy for Lightspeed, maybe I’ll want to include it in the anthology too.
It doesn’t matter where the story originally appeared (i.e., I’m not concerned about SFWA-qualifying markets or anything like that).
Although my *focus* is 2007-Present, it’s totally fine to recommend and/or submit a story that was published before 2007. *Some* material from before 2007 will definitely be in the book.
The deadline to submit your recommendations or reprints is January 1, 2013, though the sooner the better.
If you’d like to submit your own story, please do not query. If in doubt whether it is suitable, please just send it in. Feel free to explain anything you need to in your cover letter, and let that serve as your query.
If you’re not sure what qualifies as post-apocalyptic fiction, try reading my introduction to Wastelands (vol. 1) and/or my introduction to my dystopian anthology Brave New Worlds, both of which discuss the subject (the latter primarily in the context of explaining the difference between dystopian fiction and post-apocalyptic fiction).
Payment is 1 cent per word, plus a pro-rata share of the anthology’s earnings.

Brave New Worlds: Revised and Expanded Edition Forthcoming

Night Shade Books announced a new revised and expanded edition of my anthology Brave New Worlds today, which is coming out in December:

SAN FRANCISCO (August 25, 2012) — Night Shade Books are delighted to announce the release of a revised and expanded edition of the critically acclaimed anthology Brave New Worlds, edited by Hugo-nominated editor John Joseph Adams.

An engaging collection of thirty-six of the best dystopian short stories, Brave New Worlds is a shining example of fiction from today’s most visionary writers. To celebrate this rerelease, the new edition not only includes three additional fantastic stories but also an updated recommended reading list and a study guide written by renowned scholar and critic Gary K. Wolfe designed to help book clubs and classrooms discuss the stories in more detail.

Editor John Joseph Adams says, “Dystopian fiction has long been one of my favorite subgenres, and Brave New Worlds has been near and dear to me from the moment I started working on it. So it’s a great pleasure to be able to return to work on it once again, and to have it find new life in the marketplace so new readers can discover it for the first time.”

Editor in Chief Jeremy Lassen commented, “The many anthologies Adams has edited have helped redefine the boundaries of various SF/Fantasy subgenres. Brave New Worlds is an import book, and an important part of this genre conversation.”

With new stories from Ken Liu, Jennifer Pelland and Robert Reed added to an already exemplary list of authors including Neil Gaiman, Kim Stanley Robinson, and Ursula K. Le Guin, this is an anthology not to be missed.

Brave New Worlds is due for release December 4th 2012. For more information about this edition of Brave New Worlds, please visit our website at http://www.nightshadebooks.com/, or contact us at publicity@nightshadebooks.com.

Worldcon Schedule (i.e., Where You Can Find Me at Chicon)

August 30 through September 3, I’ll be attending Chicon 7, the 70th World Science Fiction Convention (more commonly known as “Worldcon”). Last year at Worldcon, I got married and lost two Hugos. This year, I’m still married, and again have the opportunity to lose two Hugos.

Here’s my itinerary for the convention:

Reading: John Joseph Adams

Fri Aug 31 1:30pm – Fri Aug 31 3:00pm – Haymarket

John Joseph Adams, Carrie Vaughn, Christie Yant

Readings from the magazines Nightmare and Lightspeed, and anthologies Armored and Epic, all edited by John Joseph Adams.

Filling the Magazines

Fri Aug 31 3:00pm – Fri Aug 31 4:30pm – Crystal A

Ellen Datlow, Gordon Van Gelder, Jason Sizemore, John Joseph Adams, Neil Clarke, Stanley Schmidt

Current and former magazine editors discuss how to be an effective magazine editor, and how the job has been changing as dead-tree magazines give way to web-based electron-based venues. And why can’t an e-zine have as many stories as they want since there isn’t a page count?

Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic or Both?

Fri Aug 31 6:00pm – Fri Aug 31 7:30pm – Buckingham

Alaya Dawn Johnson, Heather Urbanski, Hugh Howey, John Joseph Adams, Marie Bilodeau

This panel will examine novels like the Hunger Games trilogy that have elements of both dystopian writing and the post-apocalyptic tradition and explore what those distinctions may mean.

Creating Exciting Anthologies

Sat Sep 1 10:30am – Sat Sep 1 12:00pm – Crystal C

Ellen Datlow, Jennifer Brozek, Joan Spicci Saberhagen, John Helfers, John Joseph Adams, Richard Gilliam

We’re in a golden age of science fiction and fantasy anthologies with clever new ideas coming out monthly from major and minor publishers. But where do they come from? How do editors interest publishers and writers in their ideas? How do you make the hard decisions between great stories and great writing (when you can’t have both)?

Hugo Award Ceremony

Sun Sep 2 8:00pm – Sun Sep 2 10:00pm – Grand Ballroom

John Scalzi and other presenters

That thing where they give out the Hugo Awards, duh!

World Fantasy Award Nomination!

I’m honored to announce that I’m once again nominated for the World Fantasy Award (the “special award” for professionals working in the fantasy field). Thanks to all who thought I was deserving of this honor, and congratulations to all the other nominees. [World Fantasy Award nominees]

Alpha Writing Workshop & Confluence

Next week, I’m off to Pittsburgh to teach at the Alpha SF/F/H Workshop for Young Writers, and then I’ll be attending Confluence, the Pittsburgh-area science fiction convention next weekend (July 27-29).

Also, on Tuesday, July 24, Kij Johnson, Catherynne M. Valente, Tamora Pierce, and I will be doing a reading at the Greensburg Barnes & Noble at 7PM.

For those of you attending Confluence, here’s my schedule of events during the convention:

Fri 5:00 pm | Oak
Are You a Member Here?

The question is whether we, as a group of readers (bunch of geeks, tribe of SF/F/H fans) and writers have gotten too exclusive–with tropes, words and shorthand universes–and if there is new stuff being written that would be accessible to Joe and Jill Common-Person. Would they have as much fun reading “A Game of Thrones” or “We Can Remember if for You Wholesale” as watching it?

Panelists: Steve Ramey, Lawrence Connolly, John Joseph Adams, Sarah Goslee

Fri 10:00 pm | Consuite
Kaffeeklatsch

An informal group discussion over coffee. Note: You typically must sign up for Kaffeeklatsches in advance, and I believe that is the case at Confluence as well.

Participants: Jonathan Maberry, John Joseph Adams
Sat 10:00 am | Main Lobby
Autographing

Participants: John Joseph Adams, James Daniel Ross

Sat 4:00 pm | Oak
Editors: What Do They Really Want?

Good question–here are a few, what do they have to say?

Participants: John Joseph Adams, Jeff Young, Eric Beebe, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Sara Goslee

Sat 6:00 pm | Oak
Can’t we Just Get Along?

Stories, books, songs. With so many creative things to do, it’s only natural that sometimes we work together to create something beyond the scope and abilities of just one person. What are the good things and bad things about collaboration? Can compromise actually lead to a better result? Lyrics and music, Editors and writers ,the perils and perks of working together. Whether it be authors with authors, authors with songwriters, songwriters with songwriters, good results will always speak for themselves.

Participants: Jonah Knight, Rand Bellavia, John Joseph Adams, Christopher J Pisano

Sat 9:00 pm | Sycamore
Reading: The Living Dead 2

Short readings from the anthology The Living Dead 2, by several of the authors.

Participants: John Joseph Adams, Gary Braunbeck, Jonathan Maberry, David Barr Kirtley, Jamie Lackey

Nightmare Will Close to Submissions from July 15 to September 15

Nightmare will be temporarily closed to submissions from July 15 to September 15. This is due to the following factors:

We currently have a high volume of excellent material already in inventory.
I have three anthology deadlines coming up.
I’m in the process of buying and moving into a new house.
I’ll be teaching at the Alpha Writing Workshop in July (and then attending the Confluence convention).
I’ll be attending Worldcon at the end of August.

All those factors combined make it sensible for us to close to submissions for a time so I can focus on other editorial tasks, though of course #1 is the big one. But don’t despair! Take advantage of this time to polish up your stories to the best of your ability and have them ready to go when we re-open in September. Looking forward to seeing what you all come up with on the flip-side.

OTHER WORLDS THAN THESE Now on Sale & Official Website Launched

I’ve just launched the promotional site for my new anthology OTHER WORLDS THAN THESE, which you can find here: www.johnjosephadams.com/other-worlds-than-these. It features “free reads” (i.e., the text of a few stories from the anthology), along with Q&As with some of the authors, and just generally has more information about the book.

EPIC Table of Contents & Cover

Here’s the table of contents and cover copy for Epic.

Cover Copy

There is a sickness in the land. Prophets tell of the fall of empires, the rise of champions. Great beasts stir in vaults beneath the hills, beneath the waves. Armies mass. Gods walk. The world will be torn asunder.

Epic fantasy is storytelling at its biggest and best. From the creation myths and quest sagas of ancient times to the mega-popular fantasy novels of today, these are the stories that express our greatest hopes and fears, that create worlds so rich we long to return to them again and again, and that inspire us with their timeless values of courage and friendship in the face of ultimate evil—tales that transport us to the most ancient realms, and show us the most noble sacrifices, the most astonishing wonders.

Now acclaimed editor John Joseph Adams (Wastelands, The Living Dead) brings you the best tales set in the most popular settings of today’s leading authors of epic fantasy. Return again to lands you’ve loved, or visit magical new worlds. Victory against the coming darkness is never certain, but one thing’s for sure—your adventure will be epic.

Table of Contents

Foreword by Brent Weeks
“Homecoming” by Robin Hobb
“The Word of Unbinding” by Ursula K. Le Guin
“The Burning Man” by Tad Williams
“As the Wheel Turns” by Aliette de Bodard
“The Alchemist” by Paolo Bacigalupi
“Sandmagic” by Orson Scott Card
“The Road to Levinshir” by Patrick Rothfuss
“Rysn” by Brandon Sanderson
“While the Gods Laugh” by Michael Moorcock
“Mother of All Russiya” by Melanie Rawn
“Riding the Shore of the River of Death” by Kate Elliott
“The Bound Man” by Mary Robinette Kowal
“The Narcomancer” by N. K. Jemisin
“Strife Lingers in Memory” by Carrie Vaughn
“The Mad Apprentice” by Trudi Canavan
“Otherling” by Juliet Marillier
“The Mystery Knight” by George R. R. Martin

Cover (by John Coulthart)

NIGHTMARE Needs Slush Readers!

Now that Nightmare is fully-funded, we’re looking to the future, and that means opening to fiction submissions. (We’re currently planning to open on June 15; watch this space, or our Twitter stream @nightmaremag for details.) As such, we’re looking to fill out our editorial team, and that means finding some volunteer slush readers.

If you’re not familiar with the term, “slush” is what people in the publishing industry call unsolicited submissions–that is, stories that writers send in without an explicit invitation. Most magazines have an open submissions policy–as Nightmare will–which means that anyone in the world can send in a story for us to consider, and all those stories are collectively referred to as slush.

It’s too early to say how many submissions Nightmare will receive every month, but at Lightspeed, we receive around 700 monthly, so we need a team of dedicated readers to make recommendations to the editor. That means reading and evaluating submissions, and either recommending the editor read the story himself or recommending that he reject it. There’s a bit more to it than that, which we would discuss if you’re interested in applying for the position, but that’s the gist.

And why would anyone want to do such a thing? Well, reading slush is one of the best things a writer can do to improve his or her writing because it really helps you read as an editor (and by reading lots of stories that don’t work, you can’t help but learn lots of lessons). Also, if you’re interested in working in the editing field, it’s almost always where you start, so it’s good experience.

Before you apply, some details to consider:

This is a volunteer, unpaid position.
To avoid conflicts of interest, slush readers may not submit fiction to Nightmare (but they may submit to Lightspeed). If you quit as a slush reader/editorial staff member, you may submit fiction to the magazine six months after your last day.
Slush readers are expected to read at least 2-5 stories 4-7 days a week. To get the most out of the experience, reading at least 5 a day is recommended.
We will have a team who regularly process the slush. We will have a two-day turnaround (one for the slush readers and one for the editor to review and send rejections/acceptances).
Out of respect for the writers who submit to us, who cover a wide range of experience and skill, slush readers may not post online about the stories they read, even anonymously.
Nightmare accepts electronic submissions only, so you’ll have to be comfortable reading on your computer or ebook reading device. (If you have a Kindle or Kindle app, our submission system can be setup to forward submissions to your device.)

If you’re interested in applying to be a slush reader for Nightmare, please email me at johnjosephadams+nightmare@gmail.com. In your email, please provide the following information:

What are some of your favorite horror short stories? (Or if your experience is mostly with horror novels and/or films, that’s okay too.)
What is your writing/editing background? (If your background in either is nonexistent, that’s okay, though a love of horror fiction is paramount.)
Why are you interested in reading slush?
What you hope to get out of the experience?

Well, that about does it. We’re looking forward to hearing from you!

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