Happy Labour Day! What’s in your backpack?

It’s Labour Day and here in most of Canada that means all the kids go back to school tomorrow. (Kicking and screaming optional.)

If I was going back to school, here’s what I might be sneaking into my backpack alongside those brand-new notebooks and shiny new pens.

Books from my To Be Read pile:

anthology – Naked City: Tales of Urban Fantasy
Kelley Armstrong – The Calling
Cassandra Clare – The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones; City of Ashes; City of Glass
John Green – The Fault in Our Stars
Kim Harrison – The Hollows Insider: New fiction, facts, maps, murders, and more in the world of Rachel Morgan
Suzanne McLeod – The Sweet Scent of Blood
Jeanne C. Stein – The Watcher
Amanda Stevens – The Prophet

What’s on the Kobo?

J.C. Daniels – Blade Song (Colbana Files)
Sable Grace – Ascension: A Dark Breed Novel
Suzanne McLeod – The Shifting Price of Prey
Alexandra Sokoloff – Huntress Moon (The Huntress/FBI Thrillers)
Michael P. Spradlin – Blood Riders

By the way, you can get your own Yoda backpack at Think Geek:

Urban Fantasy at Geek and Sundry!

If you missed the first Storyboard show at Geek & Sundry, you can still catch it on YouTube. The show was hosted by fantasy author Pat Rothfuss and featured a discussion about urban fantasy with a few of the genre’s top authors: Jim Butcher, Emma Bull and Diana Rowland.

Here’s a quick recap of things they discussed:

– The definition of urban fantasy

– Where these authors get their ideas

– The depth of worldbuilding involved in creating an urban fantasy versus creating an epic/traditional fantasy

– Sex in urban fantasy – Is it a requirement of the genre? Do the authors feel pressure to put sex scenes in their books? Is sex part of character building?

– Is urban fantasy the modern equivalent of fairy tales or myths?

– Writing tips from the authors

– And reading recommendations. (You can skip to the list of recommendations in  the dooblydoo of the video.)

Holiday Gifts for the UF fan

There’s always the books, movies, or TV shows on DVD, but if you’re looking for a last-minute, something-special stocking stuffer, then have a look at these ideas:

From Kim Harrison: t-shirts, Burning Bunny pin, charms for a charm bracelet, seed packets.

For the Melissa Marr fan: t-shirts, buttons, and lots more.

For the Charlaine Harris or True Blood fan: t-shirts, beer glass and more.

For the Kelley Armstrong fan: t-shirts, mugs, pillows and more.

For Stephenie Meyer fans: t-shirts, jewelry, and more.

For the Jim Butcher fan: charm bracelet, Bob the skull, and more,  t-shirts & more.

For Jeaniene Frost fans: t-shirts and more.

For the Lori Devoti fan: t-shirts, dog shirts and more.

Art by author Maggie Steifvater: paintings and t-shirts and more.

If you’re lucky enough to be in the Kamloops, B.C. area, get some jewelry by author Chandra Rooney: bracelets.

Twilight, Fringe, Armstrong, Butcher, Hamilton and more in the news

Robert Pattinson, who plays teenage vampire Edward Cullen in the upcoming film Twilight, was group interviewed by SciFi.com and others at Comic Con.

“[It’s] very difficult to see, really, what he’s thinking.” Pattinson said. “Because he’s always hiding things from Bella all the time. And especially when I read the unfinished [book,] Midnight Sun, which is from Edward’s … perspective, that kind of changed, because it helped things a bit.”

New blog Suvudu.com, has posted video footage of Kelley Armstrong signing for fans at Comicon.

Another new blog, Tor.com, was also at Comicon and nabbed Dresden Files author Jim Butcher for an interview in a storage room (plus bonus video material).

Laurell K Hamilton has posted a new episode of her podcast via her blog and is hoping to make it a monthly event.

From the Washington Post, Young Adult novels about life on the fringes, a look at Ivy by Julie Hearn, Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr, Little Brother by Corey Doctorow, and The Underneath by Kathi Appelt.

Just when you thought there was nothing left to be told of Batman’s story… Neil Gaiman will be writing Batman.

According to the trailer for the comic version of The Stand, Stephen King is “the greatest science fiction, fantasy and horror writer of our generation.” Hmmm. Horror maybe, but  SF and fantasy? I’d put Neil Gaiman over King for fantasy. Not sure about SF. Who do you think reigns supreme in horror, SF and fantasy?

JJ Abrams leaked info about his new TV series Fringe. It’s typical Abrams, mytho-scientific, and inspired by 1970s movie Altered States. But I’ll be giving it a try because it’s got Pacey:

 

Cover Art for Jim Butcher’s Turn Coat

Artist Christian McGrath has posted the cover for the 11th installment of Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files, Turn Coat. Gorgeous! I love the touch of red and the scary, hooded dudes in the background.

Next Dresden Files Book

Turn Coat – Book 11 of the Dresden Files

From Jim Butcher’s website:

When Morgan shows up on Harry’s doorstep, broken, bleeding, and begging for protection from the Wardens, Harry finds himself at odds with the White Council yet again.

To be released in hardcover from Roc publishing, April 2009.

A Host Book Giveaway, Chat, Reviews and More!

WordPress is not cooperating and won’t allow me to upload any graphics, so today’s news is nekkid.  I’m thrilled with the response to the current poll, so keep voting!  When I have the results, I will start a second thread on “why” folks feel the way they do about the UF Elements they chose.  Enjoy!

AUTHORS

Evil Editor will be hosting a Book Chat for Stephenie Meyer’s The Host on Thursday May 29 at 6:00 p.m. EDT.

REVIEWS

Kimberly at Darque Reviews reviews Blood Noir by Laurell K. Hamilton.

Booksmugglers reviews The Host by Stephenie Meyer.

Avidbookreader reviews Club Dead by Charlaine Harris.

Michelle Lee reviews Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews.

Transitional Man over at Everything2 gives an in depth review of Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files Universe.

Flames reviews Feast of Fools by Rachel Caine.

Books4Ever reviews Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr.

CONTESTS/GIVEAWAYS

Avidbookreader is giving away three copies of Stephenie Meyer’s The Host.