Although Jonathan wasn’t able to join us on this one,they got into some fascinating stories about Thomas Pynchon, Octavia Butler, Harlan’s famous house (including the “grottoâ€), the role of small-press publishers in the history of the field, and what it all looks like from the perspective of a legendary writer in his 81st year.
Note: There’s a break at the 42min mark when Gary’s cat stepped on his laptop and paused the recording. A few minutes were missed, but conversation continued!!
Winter is coming. Well, in Perth. An early storm huffed and puffed and knocked the power out part way through a ramble on awards and longevity (or something). We persevered. The power came back up and we rambled on. Â This is an old-style episode about nothing much. If that’s your thing, then have at it!
As always, we do hope you enjoy it. And we’re planning for MidAmericon!
So I’ve been working away. In amongst editing anthologies, pitching new ones, working for Locus, recording podcasts, and such, I’ve been working with the team at Tor.com to bring you some pretty exciting novellas and short fiction. Â The latest one, Impersonations, is a fantastic novel-length adventure by Walter Jon Williams set in his Praxis series. Â I love Walter’s work and I love this story, which features his longtime hero Caro Sula.
While the book is not coming out till later this year, I’m really excited to see the cover by Jaime Jones revealed by Irene, Lee and the Tor.com team.
Impersonations, A Tale of the Praxis
Having made the unforgivable mistake of winning a war without the proper permission, Captain Caroline Sula has been exiled to Earth, a distant backwater far from the heart of Empire, the sort of place where careers go to die. Sula sees her posting as a chance for an extended vacation amid the rubble of Earth’s long history, but there are parts of her own past she doesn’t want known.
When an old acquaintance shows up on Earth Sula is faced with possible exposure. Then a mysterious warship turns up in her dockyard. Someone is forging evidence that could send her to prison, while another group is rummaging around in her past. And there is an assassin on her trail. Sula has to put all the pieces together before she ends up dead, disgraced, or exposed.
With this novel-length adventure featuring one of his most popular characters, Nebula winner Walter Jon Williams returns to the universe the Praxis in fine style!
(coming from Tor.com, 2016)
James Patrick Kelly said of it:
One of the great space opera series of all time continues with Impersonations. Know however, that this book easily stands on its own with a tight focus on Captain the Lady Sula and her new assignment on Earth. And what a great future Earth this is, at once familiar and deliciously transformed by centuries of domination by the alien Shaa. Mysteries and secrets, murders and natural disasters and above all politics played as a blood sport are all on offer by this masterful writer. Walter Jon Williams owns this genre!
You can order it soon. Â Below are the other novellas I’ve been working on for Tor.com of late.
There won’t be a new episode of the Coode Street Podcast this week. Gary attending the Nebula weekend, so with one thing or another, we can’t seem to work out timing. We both figure you’ll all be fine till next week. You will, won’t you? Let us know what you’re going to do instead of listen to the podcast this week on Twitter at @coodestreet
This week writer, editor and now publisher Jack Dann, a long-time friend of the podcast, joins Jonathan and Gary to discuss his role in launching new small press publishing imprint PS Australia and his forthcoming anthology, Dreaming in the Dark.
In a wide-ranging discussion, we touch on the plans for the new imprint, the state of the market for short fiction, the state of the Australian genre marketplace, and the historical role of the ‘Dreaming’ series of anthologies.
As always, we’d like to thank Jack for being a guest on the podcast, and hope you all enjoy the episode!
