Results tagged “dan simmons”

I cannot believe it has been a year.

I guess it is true, the old adage: Time flies when having fun!

It has been an interesting year, one filled with magic, wonder and learning. Suvudu launched right before the 2008 San Diego Comic Con on July 18, 2008 and covered that convention with a few hearty souls who fought through the masses of fellow geeks and nerds to bring great video content of the event to the internet(s). We had hopes but we really didn’t know what to expect with the website. Like any newborn, it could grow in many different ways, shapes and spurts. We were confident, however, that we had something to offer connoisseurs of fantasy and science fiction in books, movies and comic books—and we weren’t wrong.

Thankfully, Suvudu was well received and then took off into the stratosphere.

Looking back, Suvudu has grown considerably. I contributed the initial launching post HERE, and since then we’ve had numerous editors, publicists and writers blog about an array of topics.

Like Ali Kokmen, Del Rey employee and Manga Expert!

Oh. Wait. We’ve done far more than standing Against the Darkness!

Continue on to read a year in mini-review as well as what we have planned for the future!

I normally post on Fridays, but not this week, because the Random House offices will be closed. That’s because we’re playing company-wide office merry-go-round: Hundreds of staffers are packing books, manuscripts, files, supplies, everything they own into orange rolling crates and shifting to new office spaces. As I was removing from the corkboard behind my computer all the memorabilia from years of sitting at this desk—and many a long-forgotten desk of yore—I suddenly realized that I could inflict the experience on the readers of Suvudu. Well, heck, it could qualify as an episode in publishing history.

What I’m taking off the board and carefully moving to my new office, six floors up from here with a lovely southern exposure:

• Hand-drawn cartoon by Dan Simmons chronicling a book tour for—as I recall—The Fall of Hyperion, from my days at Bantam long ago

(Click the image to get a closer look.)
• Thank-you card from William Gibson for the present of a spider-monkey skull (upon the signing of a new contract, also at Bantam)
• Photos of two cute Japanese teenagers in cosplay outfits, souvenir of a business trip to Tokyo
• Postcard of Darth Vader sipping a martini, with the words JOIN US! …Lord Vader & Lucas Licensing invite you for cocktails, details to follow
• Photo of Terry Brooks and his wife, Judine


• Voodoo doll liberally festooned with pins, present from a former assistant


• Scroll of honor from the Los Angeles County Probation Department—which runs the Operation Read Literacy Program—in thanks for a donation of hundreds of copies of Fahrenheit 451


• Shoulder patch of the Windy City Rollers (women’s roller derby team), sent by Chicago author Jennifer Stevenson, who’s a skater-in-training


• Button reading “The Editor is always right. You will listen to the Editor. The Editor is God!”


• Another button, this one reading “Cute but Dangerous”—present from an author.


• Yet another button: “Returns Suck.” (Referencing book returns from stores.)

And more. But that’s enough. Even though I’ve filled eight boxes so far, I have lots of packing left to do. And writers wonder why we don’t respond more quickly on their submissions.

As I wrote two days ago HERE when I featured Subterranean Press, I am an avid Dan Simmons fan. Ever since Hyperion, the man simply doesn’t have a bad book in his sci-fi/fantasy work. And whenever he comes out with a new novel I buy it on release day.

Luckily, two years in a row, Dan has visited Seattle on tour and held signing events at the fantastic University Bookstore where this time he spoke about his new book, Drood.

The premise of Drood is brilliant, in my opinion.

On June 9, 1865, author Charles Dickens was traveling by rail when, by human error, the train jumped the tracks. Many cars tumbled off, killing those within. Interestingly enough, the only first class car to not derail contained Dickens, who helped the wounded and dying as best he could until help arrived. For the next five years until his death on June 9, 1870—exactly five years after the accident—Dickens would be plagued by darkness and failing health, interested in death, the occult and hypnotism, only able to write half a novel in The Mystery of Edwin Drood and never staying in one place for very long.

Dan brings to the fore those final five years of Charles Dickens’ life in Drood!

And reveals the dark mysterious descent of arguably the 19th century’s greatest writer.

In the forthcoming seven videos, Dan gives a far more in depth look at the life of Charles Dickens and Drood. He then reads from the book and answers questions from the audience.

Here is A Speech, Reading and Q&A with Dan Simmons! Enjoy!

Part I of VII:

For the other six parts to Dan’s event, continue on!

Every once in a while I will bring attention to something that I want for my collection—in hopes of finding a few others out there with common interest as well as highlighting a book I think deserves it.

The Subterranean Press edition of Drood, written by Dan Simmons, is one such book.

Dan was just in town, talking about Drood and the last five years in the life of Charles Dickens. It was utterly fascinating. Tomorrow I will post seven videos of Dan talking about Drood as well as reading from Drood, but I just couldn’t resist posting the Subterranean Press edition simply because it is gorgeous! The man on the cover is obviously Dickens, but if you look closely at his hat you see it is constructed of a collapsing train bridge, the event that altered the life of arguably the most famous writer in the 19th century. As that bridge collapsed, so did Dickens’ life, and the character of Drood rises up out of the smoke behind the train. That literary cover is just too beautiful and poignant not to love.

If you are a fan of beautifully wrought books or a fan of Dan Simmons, Subterranean Press is taking orders for that book now. Check it out HERE!