S&L Podcast - #149 - Interview with Nicholas Kaufmann

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This week we introduce you to Nicholas Kaufman, author of the new book Dying Is My Business  among many others! We cover questions about writing in an urban-fantasy world, whether self-publishing is worth it, and mispronouncing names (we'll give you one guess who started that topic...).

Nicholas Kaufmann's website 
http://www.nicholaskaufmann.com/

Nicholas Kaufman's Live Journal
http://nick-kaufmann.livejournal.com/

[GUEST POST] Nicholas Kaufmann on Why Some Boxes Should Never Be Opened
http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2013/10/guest-post-nicholas-kaufmann-on-why-some-boxes-should-never-be-opened/

Download the video here. 

Direct link to podcast!

S&L Podcast - #148 - Kick-off Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie

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We’re back and our Kickstarter is funded!  Hooray! That means Sword and Laser video episodes will return. And if we make our stretch goal you might get even more! We’re also here to wrap-up Boneshaker by Cherie Priest and Kick-off our November book from NaNoWriMo victor and first-time novelist Ann Leckie, Ancillary Justice.

CALENDAR

BOOK KICK-OFF

Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie
Inside 'Ancillary Justice': Q&A with Sci-Fi Author Ann Leckie
A Skillfully Composed Space Opera In 'Ancillary Justice'
“Nothing quite clarifies your thoughts like thinking you’re about to die.” Ann Leckie’s Ancillary Justice

BOOK WRAP-UP

Boneshaker (Clockwork Century) by Cherie Priest

Themes: Steampunk & Apathy

What did you think of the ending?

BARE YOUR SWORD

NaNoWriMo 2013 Folder
Divide and Conquer: A NaNoWriMo Alternative

EMAIL

I love the podcast but I have one tiny correction to what Tom said about ebooks and libraries. At least at the library district where I work, we can only lend out one copy of an ebook to one patron at a time. In other words, the ebook works just like a physical book. We have to buy multiple licenses in order for more than one person to check out a particular title. Also, some publishes put a limit on the number of checkouts a title can have. After that limit is hit, we have to buy another copy of the ebook.

Keep up the great work!

Chris

ADDENDUMS

Get Tom's new book 'Lot Beta' at tommerrittbooks.com

Sign-up for Veronica's vampire-unfriendly gift box at quarterly.co.

This podcast is brought to you by Audible.com the internet’s leading provider of audiobooks with more than 150,000 downloadable titles across all types of literature and featuring audio versions of many New York Times Best Sellers. For listeners of this podcast, Audible is offering a free audiobook, to give you a chance to try out their service. For a free audiobook of your choice go to audiblepodcast.com/sword.

This episode is brought to you by Squarespace, the all-in-one platform that makes it fast and easy to create your own professional website or online portfolio. For a free trial and 10% off, go to squarespace.com and use offer code SWORD10.

 

S&L Podcast - #147 - Interview with Bradley P. Beaulieu

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Bradley P. Bealieu, author of The Lays of Anuskaya,  was nice enough to take some time to chat with us about his books, his blogs and more. He's even a podcaster! We milk for details about his forthcoming book Twelve Kings in Sharakhai and put a few of your questions to him as well. Enjoy!

Bradley P. Bealieu's website Quillings.com

Download direct file here! 

S&L Podcast - #146 - Are you there zombie? It's me, Veronica

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Are ebooks killing reading? Why do zombies exist? What is Veronica drinking? All of these-- SOME of these questions, and more are answered on another thrilling edition of Sword and Laser.  

 WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?

Tom: Sutter Home Chardonnay

Veronica: Wine!

QUICK BURNS

WINNERS: 2013 Aurora Award

R. Scott Bakker completes THE UNHOLY CONSULT

Talking to Jo Fletcher About the British Invasion of U.S. Publishing

Video interview with Scott Lynch

Learn a New Language with this Animated Video Explanation of Elvish, Klingon, Dothraki and Na’vi

How L.A.'s "Last Bookstore" evolved from post-apocalyptic to magical

The Abomination of Ebooks: They Price People Out of Reading

CALENDAR

TV, MOVIES AND VIDEO GAMES

Sleepy Hollow on Fox

BOOK CHECK-IN

Boneshaker (Clockwork Century) by Cherie Priest

Boneshaker a Visual Guide (Spoiler-free Goodreads thread link)

BARE YOUR SWORD

You lost me at "zombies"

Did You Suffer Eighth Grade Syndrome?

Urban Fantasy Where to Start?

EMAIL

So I was just looking for a particular book that was recommended on the S&L video show a while ago. It's actually out of print and there are no e-book or audio versions available. The only copies on ebay were expensive first editions. Since there are no viable options to give money to the author (in this case his estate) or the publisher/rights holder, what are your thoughts on pirating such hard-to-find works (i.e., searching for an unauthorized epub version)? - Eric

ADDENDUMS

Veronica Tuckerizations for Robot Army! A Tuckerization is when an author writes the name of a person into their story. Only 2 Veronica Tuckerizations are available. They're priced at $100 a pop, but that gets you the Tuckerization as well as a copy of the anthology ebook. Back the Kickstarter!

Tom has a new book

[GUEST POST] Tom Merritt on His Science Fiction Retelling of King Arthur

This podcast is brought to you by Audible.com the internet’s leading provider of audiobooks with more than 150,000 downloadable titles across all types of literature and featuring audio versions of many New York Times Best Sellers. For listeners of this podcast, Audible is offering a free audiobook, to give you a chance to try out their service.For a free audiobook of your choice go to audiblepodcast.com/sword.

This episode is brought to you by Squarespace, the all-in-one platform that makes it fast and easy to create your own professional website or online portfolio. For a free trial and 10% off, go to squarespace.com and use offer code SWORD10.

Direct download link!

S&L Podcast - #145 - Hangout with Rob Reid

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It's been a year since we interviewed Rob Reid and so much has changed.  The price of his book has changed! His species has changed! Well, no. He's still human.  But his book did become 99 cents.  He explains why he loves this, and the mystery of the OTHER Rob Reid.  It's spoooooooky.

Year Zero by Rob Reid

YEAR ZERO EBOOK (BRIEFLY) AT 99¢ – AND THOUGHTS ON FREE VS. CHEAP VS. PRICEY

Download direct link to podcast!

Get a video download here. 

S&L Podcast - #144 - Kick-off Boneshaker by Cherie Priest

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Find out why Veronica liked a laser book better than Tom. Who's Hugo-award winning short story is becoming a TV show? And get an early NaNoWriMo pep talk.

WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?

Tom: 2012 Ande's Crossing Malbec

Veronica: 2007 St. Supéry Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

QUICK BURNS

Charlie Jane Anders’ “Six Months, Three Days” Coming to NBC

A New Grant to Encourage Science Fiction Writing from Diverse Worlds

Must reads of October

STAR WARS READS DAY RETURNS OCTOBER 5, 2013

Random House Launches Flipboard Magazines Curated by Margaret Atwood and for George R.R. Martin Fans

CALENDAR

Read down to October 15

BOOK KICK OFF

Boneshaker (Clockwork Century) by Cherie Priest

Authors guide to Cherie Priest

WRAP UP

The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester

Tech that should be there but is not.

Finished it. Loved it. Mmmm pulpy goodness.

Old Man Mose

BARE YOUR SWORD

NaNoWriMo 2013 is a month away!

Robin Hobb working on new ‘Fitz & Fool’

EMAIL

"Speaking of Inter Library Loan (ILL), I also was one of those kids who lived at their library. I used to use ILL to get books from all over. At one time, there was a fee hike, where ILL was going from free to $1. As a kid with just a paper route, there was no way I was going to be able to afford the new fees. I spent a few hours one afternoon filling out forms for ILL, to submit them the day before the pricing went into effect. The head librarian wanted to disallow this seeming abuse of the system, but the other librarians stuck up for me. These books trickled in for me for over a year, it was glorious.

Rob"

ADDENDUMS

HELP FUND MY ROBOT ARMY!!! & Other Improbable Kickstarters

This podcast is brought to you by Audible.com the internet’s leading provider of audiobooks with more than 150,000 downloadable titles across all types of literature and featuring audio versions of many New York Times Best Sellers. For listeners of this podcast, Audible is offering a free audiobook, to give you a chance to try out their service. For a free audiobook of your choice go to audiblepodcast.com/sword.

And also by Squarespace, the all-in-one platform that makes it fast and easy to create your own professional website or online portfolio. For a free trial and 10% off, go to squarespace.com and use offer code SWORD10.

Direct download here! 

S&L Podcast - #143 - Interview with Robyn Schneider

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We got chance to hang out (literally, Google hangout) with Robyn Schneider, author of many fine books, on top of many other talents! Find out her hidden secrets then go pick up her new book, The Beginning of Everything. Unless you're British. Then you'll need to look for Severed Heads, Broken Hearts.  She'll explain it all in the show.

As an added bonus, you can watch the video version of the interview at our new YouTube channel, or download the video version here.

Direct audio link here! 

 

 

S&L Podcast - #142 - Sexy wizard bear

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We're back in our normal locale and format and we even get a visit by a sexy wizard bear! You can't miss this episode.  Especially if you have opinions about Alfred Bester's The Demolished Man. 

WHAT ARE WE DRINKING?

Tom: Hendricks & Tonic with a slice of cucumber
Veronica: 2011 Hangtime Cellars Pinot Noir California

QUICK BURNS

It's Neil Gaiman's sexy wizard scene in the new Riverside audiobook!
No, seriously: Oyster comes pretty close to being a Netflix for ebooks
RIP Ann Crispin, Who Fought for the Writers
Frederik Pohl, Science Fiction Master Who Vaporized Utopias, Dies at 93
WINNERS: 2013 Hugo Awards
2013 Parsec Awards Winners & Finalists

CALENDAR

TV, MOVIES AND VIDEO GAMES

J.K. Rowling is writing a new movie in the Harry Potter-verse
‘Iron Man’ Writers Enter Sci-Fi Mystery TV Project for Alcon, ‘The Expanse’
Ron Howard confirms The Dark Tower is still in the works

BOOK CHECK-IN

The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester
Do you find Reich shallow?
Imagined slang that is then actually used
Is it still SciFi if there is ESP?
Utopia or Not?

BARE YOUR SWORD

Tamahome
The show title  should have been 'R. A. Salvamore'. 

YouTube video interview with author Robyn Schneider

New YouTube channel.

Subscribe! Subscribe! Subscribe! Please?

ADDENDUMS

This podcast is brought to you by Audible.com the internet’s leading provider of audiobooks with more than 150,000 downloadable titles across all types of literature and featuring audio versions of many New York Times Best Sellers. For listeners of this podcast, Audible is offering a free audiobook, to give you a chance to try out their service. For a free audiobook of your choice go to audiblepodcast.com/sword

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This episode is brought to you by Squarespace, the all-in-one platform that makes it fast and easy to create your own professional website or online portfolio.  For a free trial and  20% off, go to squarespace.com and use offer code SWORD9.

Download podcast here!

S&L Podcast - #141 - R.A. Salvatore some more!

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We've had R.A. Salvatore on the show once or twice , and we're happy to have him back once again to talk about The Companions (The Sundering #1), the upcoming Night of the Hunter, and his Kickstarter for DemonWars: Reformation! He has a lot of swords in the fire, as they say!

Download the file here! 

S&L Podcast - #140 - DragonCon 2013 with Jim Butcher!

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Another year, another wonderful DragonCon! This time we're joined by Jim Butcher, one of our favorite authors (and yours). We discuss his upcoming steampunk series The Cinder Spires, his tips for new authors, and who the best fantasy writer would be to have on your side in a bar fight.

Direct download link here!