Archive for Orbit Australia

‘Twas the Night Before the Uprising…

St. Nick by way of the undead… Brought to you by the fabulously talented (and creatively deranged) Seanan McGuire, winner of this year’s Campbell Award, aka Mira Grant, the author of Feed and Deadline, amazing books that you really must read. And if you have already read Feed then you know that, and I know you’re buying like 10 copies to pass along as holiday presents! Enjoy! Below is a link to a jpeg version, suitable for making into ecards, facebook links, wallpapers, etc. and a pdf set up for printing letter-size. ENJOY!

Lo-Res Jpeg •   Hi-Res Jpeg •    PDF

Epic Loot #6: Leviathan Wakes Poster

I have to admit, one of the perks of working in the Art Department is never having to look hard for wonderful things to adorn your walls. I admit I have been printing out an extra copy or two of these Loot prints to decorate my office, and I’m definitely making room for this fabulous Leviathan Wakes art by Daniel Dociu.

Enter for a chance to win this art print on fancy glossy paper by signing up after the jump! We’ll choose one winner on Wednesday, December 22nd.

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Epic Loot #5: Night Angel Trilogy Mashup Poster

More Epic Loot today from the Art Department, and it’s a good one! Like Brent Weeks? Like the Night Angel Trilogy? (The Way of Shadows, Shadow’s Edge, and Beyond the Shadows)? Well how about a schnazzy mashup of all three epic Calvin Chu-illustrated covers?

Printed on glossy high-quality art paper, this one is definitely suitable for framing. Sign up after the jump for a chance to win it! We’ll select one winner on Wednesday, December 22.

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Orbit on 2010’s Best-Of Lists

We are pleased to announce that Orbit titles are once again plentifully represented in this year’s Best Of lists, including those at Amazon, Publishers Weekly, Financial Times, the Times of London, NPR and more.

Congratulations to all of our recognized authors as we look forward to having Orbit books appear on even more lists in 2011! This year’s full rundown appears after the jump.
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Epic Loot 3: The Castings Trilogy

It’s that time of the year — good cheer, decorations, warm fires, and of course: Loot! We’ve traveled deep into the Orbit HQ dungeon and returned with a chest of magnificent offerings that we’ll be giving away  over the next few weeks.  So check back here (or follow us on twitter or facebook) for updates, and chances to win. Check out today’s loot after the jump!
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Triple Honors for HULL ZERO THREE

Greg Bear’s HULL ZERO THREE is the talk of the web this morning.

First off, Paul DiFilippo at The Speculator at the Barnes & Noble Review, discussing the types of science fiction represented in 2010, selects HULL as exemplary of Hardcore SF, noting that “Greg Bear is one contemporary master of the old ways, and in Hull Zero Three he gives the generation starship theme—crystallized beautifully by Robert Heinlein in 1941’s ‘Universe’—a vigorous makeover.”

At NPR.org, Glen Weldon picks HULL as one of 2010’s Most Transporting Books, noting that “Bear is a pro who knows his way around a starship’s bulkhead and keeps the narrative taut and suspenseful. Importantly, he leavens his hero’s grim steel-and-space ordeal with flashes of lyrical language and imagery.”

And last but far from least, iTunes/iBooks has chosen HULL as one of its Best Science Fiction & Fantasy titles of the year.

Congratulations Greg! And if you haven’t yet read HULL ZERO THREE (or given it as a Holiday gift), well…

Epic Loot 2: Feed and Deadline Posters

It’s that time of the year — good cheer, decorations, warm fires, and of course: Loot! We’ve traveled deep into the Orbit HQ dungeon and returned with a chest of magnificent offerings that we’ll be giving away  over the next few weeks.  So check back here (or follow us on twitter or facebook) for updates, and chances to win.

Epic Loot 2: Win Poster-Size Prints of FEED and DEADLINE!

I have been very pleased to hear how much people have been loving the covers for Mira Grant (aka Seanan McGuire)’s Feed and Deadline. A few people have even asked for posters, how flattering. So today’s Epic Loot is a fancy art print of both covers, to adorn your bedroom, bathroom, secret lab, etc. printed on super glossy art paper. Totally suitable for framing…and thank you to Art Director Kirk Benshoff for modeling them...
UPDATE! This contest is now closed.

If You Meet the Writer On the Road, Say: Keep Writing

Robert Jackson Bennett, who came onto the scene at the start of 2010 with his critically acclaimed debut MR. SHIVERS, and whose next novel THE COMPANY MAN will be published by Orbit in April 2011, has written a guest post at Inkpunks where he addresses every writer’s Greatest Unknown; what they can — and can’t — do in the face of that mystery; and how to accept the existence of that mystery and do the one thing doable: keep writing.

The performance of a book, that figure so desperately desired by so many terrified authors, is a constant moving target. It’s not unlike space travel: you are moving, and your target is moving, and by the time you’ve figured out where your target is then the distance between you has changed hugely.

Go read.

A Deathly Sort of Summer

Managing Death comes out in a few weeks, and it’s the perfect escape from a cold winter. I’ve never known an icy Christmas season, in Australia things are reversed, and heat is the order of the day.

As we head towards Christmas in Brisbane things start to heat up, the air shimmers with heat and humidity as though the sky itself is sweating. Dark clouds build on the horizon in the afternoon and tremendous storms strike the city, cooling everything down, but only briefly. (more…)