All the news that’s fit to capsulize!
R.I.P. JOSEPH MCGEE
Horror author-on-the-rise Joseph McGee, 23, died Thanksgiving Day from complications with diabetes. I had exchanged several e-mails with Joe recently when he sent us his latest work for review, THE REAPER, and he was extremely gracious and kind. I looked forward to future writing from him and future correspondence, but here’s another for the “gone much too soon” file. Contributions can be made in his name to The Robert W. Hansen Diabetes Fund, c/o The Fraternal Order of Eagles, 53-55 Norfolk St., Worcester, MA 01604.
WHAT WOULD DANICA MCKELLAR DO?
Penguin asked more than 30 of its authors for some suggestions on what books to give — and ask for — this holiday season. Robert B. Parker, Stewart O’Nan, Nick Hornby, W.E.B. Griffin, Jasper Fforde, Leonard Maltin, Mike Lupica and Nathaniel Philbrick are among those chiming in.
‘ROCK’ ON!
If you haven’t read made yourself a fan of “Jingle Book Rock!” yet on Facebook, you’re running out of time to win some free books! Winners will be announced on Dec. 15. Simply by joining, you could win Simon Wood’s WE ALL FALL DOWN, Matt Richel’s HOOKED, Ivo Stourton’s THE NIGHT CLIMBERS or Eric Lerner’s PINKERTON’S SECRET.
AHOY!
Witness in-pirate-garb readings from Ann and Jeff VanderMeer’s all-star pirate anthology FAST SHIPS, BLACK SAILS in the video below, with musical accompaniment from Danny Fontaine and the Horns of Fury. After you’re watched, be sure to swim over to snag a free downloadable story by “pirate-laureate” Neil Williamson, entitled “The Last Note of the Song,” which isn’t in the book.
‘WULF’ CUB
R. Scot Johns has retold the epic poem “Beowulf” in a full-fledged historical fantasy novel titled THE SAGA OF BEOWULF. Johns calls it the “first complete and accurate novelization” of the 10th-century classic. “I wanted to tell the story in its entirety, and in the original setting of 6th century pagan Scandinavia,” he said. “It had never been done before in its full scope, with both the historical and mythological elements intact. It took me 10 years, so know I know why.” You can download the first several chapters at Fantasy Castle Books. —Rod Lott
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Man, that’s terrible news about Joseph McGee. I just read RATCATCHER, and a review will be on my blog today. McGee was a talented guy, and I’ve ordered the second book in the series, already. This is just very, very sad.
RATCATCHER is from James McGee, not Joseph. As far as know, James is A-OK! But still sad about Joseph.
Still sad, indeed. I need to wake up before I read blogs, though.
Damn shame about Joseph McGee. I’m sure he had many more stories yet to share.