Rucksack Universe Author and Pratchett Enthusiast, Anthony St. Clair joins us to wrap up our reading of Terry Pratchett’s Wyrd Sisters. Is Granny Weatherwax a conduit for Pratchett’s righteous anger? Does Tom live next to Nanny Ogg? All these mysteries and more revealed.

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WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?    
Tom: The Dalmore 12 year old    
Veronica: Bulleit Bourbon   
Anthony: A delicious coffee stout of some description.
    
QUICK BURNS
    
Joanna:  It looks like Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is going to come out soon. 7-part miniseries     

Clyde: A passage which was cut from A Wrinkle in Time has been found by Madeleine L’Engle’s granddaughter and published by the Wall Street Journal.    
    
Tamahome: Don’t know if you covered the Arthur C. Clarke award nominees. It’s a juried award, different from the Hugo’s, and different from Arthur C. Clarke novels as well.    
    
Dara: Gollancz acquires sequel to Sir Arthur C. Clarke’s A Meeting with Medusa, written by Alastair Reynolds and Stephen Baxter
    
Dara: Cover reveal for Charlie Jane Anders’s debut novel All the Birds in the Sky was posted on Tor. Coming Feb. 2, 2016
    
Sky: Mark Lawrence (Empire of Thorns, Red Queen’s War) has a new 3 book deal from Harper Collins for “Red Sister”, this one featuring a female protagonist.
    
BARE YOUR SWORD
    
Hi Tom and Veronica,    
    
Just wanted to drop a note quick and say that Tom I immediately thought oh man this is like Hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy for fantasy too as I got into this book. It really has that same vibe and I also had no idea Pratchett’s work was like that. Fun stuff.    
    
Also I am listening to the audio version and it appears to be an older recording so I could see why that has put some off but I am kind of enjoying the old school vibe.    
    
Thanks,    
Drew R. 
    
BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION    
    
Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett   
Study guide
io9 Guide to Discworld    
      
Next month: Sword of Rhiannon by Leigh Brackett – discussion on how to obtain it in Goodreads.   
Audiobook
Used copies    
EBook (Under the name Sea-Kings of Mars)    
Wikipedia article    

ADDENDUMS    
    
 Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons at patreon.com/swordandlaser Thank you to all the folks who back our show and if you would like to support the show that way head to patreon.com/swordandlaser    
    
You can also support the show by buying books through our links! Find links to the books we talk about and some of our favorites at swordandlaser.com/picks    

We’re excited and fearful about a new chapter from George R.R. Martin’s Winds of Winter, we’re hopeful about new books from John Scalzi and Ann Leckie and we’re just a little wistful and/or angry about the Hugos.  

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WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?    
Tom: Newcastle Brown Ale    
Veronica: Viognier White Wine    
    
QUICK BURNS 
    
Sword & Laser Collection Contest    
    
Sandra: Behold!  A new chapter from Winds of Winter    
    
Eleanor (via Steven): BBC Radio 4 have three sets of programs celebrating the work of Ursula Le Guin. 

Dara: Ann Leckie sold another Ancillary story to Orbit, to be published in 2017.     
    
Sandra: Cover Art and Release Schedule for John Scalzi’s The End of All Things Novellas

Paul: The Tiptree awards and for 2014 have been announced. 

People are dropping out of the Hugos    

Aidan –  Two Hugo nominees have been disqualified due to ineligibility  

Pssst: Aidan’s also got a short story collection coming out    

Ewan: The whole Hugos Thing   
    
BARE YOUR SWORD

Just a quick heads up that the Discworld Reading Order Guide now has an official Facebook page!
We are gearing up toward releasing the final (sad, I know) 3.0 version of the Guide soon and will be taking suggestions for the draft on the /r/Discworld subreddit and on Facebook once the draft is published. Looking forward to hearing from S&L Pratchett fans.

– Krzysztof Kietzman 

What COMICS Are You Reading    
    
BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION    
    
Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett    
    
Brendan: Discworld graffiti showing up in London    
    
Neil Gaiman on Terry Pratchett’s inspiration
    
Question about selecting out of print books as our book pick    
    
ADDENDUMS    
    
Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons at patreon.com/swordandlaser Thank you to all the folks who back our show and if you would like to support the show that way head to patreon.com/swordandlaser
    
You can also support the show by buying books through our links! Find links to the books we talk about and some of our favorites at swordandlaser.com/picks    

Good news, everyone! You know we love Inkshares, and now we’ve partnered with them to kick off their Collections. What does this mean?

To debut the Sword & Laser Collection on Inkshares, we will publish the five science fiction and fantasy projects with the most pre-orders by May 31st, 2015. Sword & Laser will choose their personal favorite from the top five and make it the debut book in their Collection.

The debut Sword & Laser Collection author will receive an interview on the Sword & Laser podcast. All five winners will receive a coaching session from Gary Whitta, Star Wars: Rogue One co-writer and author of Abomination, in addition to having their book published and distributed into independent bookstores, Amazon, Apple, and Barnes & Noble.

You can read all about the content over on Inkshares. Can’t wait to see what you guys are working on!

We give our last thoughts on The Goblin Emperor, kick of our April pick, Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett and discuss why some author names are bigger than their titles. But what really gets this episode going is the debate about whether a reader has the right to “clean up” an author’s language. 

Download file here!

WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?    
Tom: Suntory Hakushu 12 Year Old    
Veronica: Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt 12yr
    
QUICK BURNS
    
Rob: James Marsters fans rejoice! They are releasing a new audio version of Ghost Story read by Marsters.
    
David (LA, CA) Steven Spielberg to Direct Ready Player One.    
    
Mark: Clean Reader, a profanity-free ereader, best explained by Chuck Wendig
    
Yento: This wasn’t unexpected but HBO confirmed they will finish Game of Thrones first.    
    
Trike: Game Of Thrones May Circle Back To Characters And Plots That Were Skipped    
    
Carl Poppa    
    
BARE YOUR SWORD
    
Is it still about the author or is it about the title?
    
BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION    
    
Kick off Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett    

Wrap up The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison    
    
Oh you poor villains…    
    
In the end I liked this book    
    
ADDENDUMS    
    
 Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons at patreon.com/swordandlaser Thank you to all the folks who back our show and if you would like to support the show that way head to patreon.com/swordandlaser    
    
You can also support the show by buying books through our links! Find links to the books we talk about and some of our favorites at swordandlaser.com/picks    

We talk with Peter V. Brett about his new book, cool tattoos and the last enjoyable book he read. The Skull Throne, 4th in the Demon Cycle series, comes out March 31, 2015. 

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just now, William Gibson tries VR headset for the 1st time."they did it!" w/ @arikuschnir @amandapalmer @GreatDismal pic.twitter.com/Vi0sAHAUH6

— perry chen (@perrychen) March 20, 2015

William Gibson, author of seminal cyberpunk novel Neuromancer, tries out a virtual reality headset and deems this iteration of cyberspace up to snuff. Hey, if he’s happy, we’re happy!

We bid adieu to Terry Pratchett and commemorate him with one more book pick next month. We cheer for Chuck Wendig being picked for the next Star Wars novel. And we wonder if we are too much like the Goblin Emperor. Are you?

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QUICK BURNS
    
Paul: Terry Pratchett has passed away    
Sandra: There will be one more DiscWorld novel    
    
Dara: Gollancz plans to publish The Thorn of Emberlain by the end of 2015. They also revealed the cover.    
    
Alpha Young Writers scholarship drive    
    
Dara: HBO wants 10 seasons of Game of Thrones
Mark: George RR Martin is sad but cancels WorldCon Saratoga and ComicCon “(Should I complete and deliver WINDS OF WINTER before these cons roll round, I reserve the right to change my mind).”

Joanna: Lois McMaster Bujold just announced that she has sold a book about Cordelia Vorkosigan to Baen, titled “Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen” and tentatively scheduled for February 2016. 
    
Sky: 20 new books will be released in the new Star Wars universe in a series dubbed “Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, that span multiple publishers and age groups and fills in the gaps between Return of the Jedi and the upcoming The Force Awakens. Including Chuck Wendig! — Details on the first standalone Star Wars movie including the title “Rogue One” and director and release date for episode VIII: Rian Johnson / May 26, 2017    

Tamahome : Station Eleven a finalist to be nominated for the Faulkner
    
BARE YOUR SWORD

Hey guys, just heard your podcast for the first time and really enjoyed it.

I’m a designer and concept artist that works in film and games and just thought I’d share the fact that I just finished working with Denis (Den-ee) on his upcoming sci fi film The Story of Your Life which will star Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner.

I can’t say anything about the movie i just worked on, but I wanted to voice my support for Denis as the choice to direct the new Bladerunner. People may not be super familiar with him, but if they watch his films, they’ll see that he’s could do a great job with it. He’s got a kind of dark, gritty style and , fingers crossed, could be what this new Bladerunner film needs. I really like the idea of a less “Hollywood” type of director tackling this story.

Anyway, thanks! And if you’d like to see what kind of fantasy and scifi design work I do, please check out my site: www.theartofpeterkonig.com

-Peter

—

March Madness SF/Fantasy Style
    
BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION    

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison    

Next time we’ll kick off a Terry Pratchett book. Watch the goodreads group for the announcement of which one    

ADDENDUMS    
    
Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons at patreon.com/swordandlaser Thank you to all the folks who back our show and if you would like to support the show that way head to patreon.com/swordandlaser    
    
You can also support the show by buying books through our links! Find links to the books we talk about and some of our favorites at swordandlaser.com/picks    

Sarah Monette, a.k.a. Katherine Addison, tells us why you’re all right about the Goblin Emperor, why the wizards in the book are so stubborn about using magic, and shares tips for inventing a language. 

Download direct link here!

Here at Sword & Laser, we love encouraging people to try writing for themselves, even if it’s just during NaNoWriMo! But the Alpha SF/F/H Workshop is helping many young writers, ages 14-19, learn their trade with the help of volunteers at their yearly workshop in Pittsburg. But they need our help!
 

Writing genre fiction can be a lonely business for teens. The Alpha SF/F/H Workshop brings together young writers, aged 14 to 19, for ten days of creation and peer review critiques. At the end of the workshop, students leave with new skills and a vibrant network of support.

Alphans have published in dozens of markets, including Lightspeed, Clarkesworld, Analog and Strange Horizons. Many of them have placed and won in contests such as The Dell Magazine Award, Writers of the Future, and the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.

Tamora Pierce, author of young adult series such as Protector of the Small and The Provost’s Dog, has instructed at the workshop every year since its inception. This year, instructors include Ellen Kushner, author of the beloved Riverside books recently adapted into an award winning Audible series, Delia Sherman of Freedom Maze fame, and the Andre Norton-award winning Alaya Dawn Johnson.

Alpha works hard to keep costs low–every staff member is a volunteer, and the tuition is kept at the lowest possible level–but prospective students often require financial aid. This year–as they have for the past several–alumni have contributed writing and art to an illustrated flash fiction anthology and offered it as a donor reward in the entirely alumni-organized scholarship fund drive.

The Alpha alumni fundraiser will run March 17-26. Would you consider giving us a signal boost? Donations really do change the course of our young writers’ lives.

To learn more about the Alpha SF/F/H Young Writers’ Workshop, please visit the Alpha website, and check out our latest video, featuring interviews with Bruce Coville and Tamora Pierce.

So much good news! Some of our favorite stories are becoming movies and TV shows and we even have good news of a popular indie author getting picked up by Tor. And we even make a stab at predicting the Nebula winner. Yet controversy rages in the Untheileneise court. Especially about how to pronounced Untheileneise.

Download direct link here!

WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?    
Tom: Nothing. I’m tired.    
Veronica: Nothing, I have to go to a dance class after this!    
    
QUICK BURNS
    
“Mark Nebula nominees are up at including S&L March pick The Goblin Emperor and the current pick Annihilation Will the Supreme S&L go out on a limb and predict a winner? ”    
    
Rob: Amazon picked up a full season of Man in the High Castle     
    
David: The City & the City may be coming to TV!    
    
Allister: This sounds great. Kazuo Ishiguro is writing a novel with elves and ogres. The Buried Giant is set after the departure of the Romans from Britain and draws on Arthurian themes whilst being influenced by samurai movies/films and westerns.    
    
Stephen: Becky Chamber’s well reviewed self published The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet has been picked up by TOR for wider distribution.     
    
Louie: Blade Runner sequel gets its director and star. Denis Villeneuve (Prisoners) is in negotiations to direct Harrison Ford.     
Warren: Harrison Ford to reprise role as Deckard in ‘Blade Runner’ sequel    
    
Dara: Paramount is trying to acquire the rights to The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester.    
    
David: Bryan Singer looking to adapt The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
Apparently they’re going to rename it Uprising. Maybe they’re just using it to mine it for elements instead of really adapting it? Is the original (famous!) title that movie-unfriendly? ”    
    
BARE YOUR SWORD
    
I also wanted to comment on the topic of alternative sexuality in SciFi.  It’s funny because it seems like the last few books I have read in the genre are in fact exploring the idea that in the future sexuality isn’t your standard hetero relationship.   The “Commonwealth Saga” by  Peter F. Hamilton had many different types of partnering, as a standard course throughout. Which also continued in his “The Dreaming Void” series.  Also “Hollow World” by Michael J. Sullivan had a very experimental play on sexuality (can’t go into it since… Spoilers) and was really the whole point of the book.  I know these are just a few books, but it just feels like many of the newer books coming out have mixed things up.  Or at least not taken a hetero relationship as a standard assumption. –    Travis E
    
BOOK OF THE MONTH DISCUSSION    
    
The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison    
    
Sarah Monette – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia    
The Goblin Emperor – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia    
SarahMonette.com: Who am I?    
Katherine Addison || FAQ    
SFF In Conversation: Katherine Addison on The Goblin Emperor and Grimdark | The Book Smugglers    
The Book Plank: Author interview with Sarah Monette // Katherine Addison    
        
ADDENDUMS    
    
 Our show is currently entirely funded by our patrons at patreon.com/swordandlaser Thank you to all the folks who back our show and if you would like to support the show that way head to patreon.com/swordandlaser.   
    
You can also support the show by buying books through our links! Find links to the books we talk about and some of our favorites at swordandlaser.com/picks