Holly Black, No Longer Dry Like a Martini

From Cory Doctorow on boingboing:

"Now here's some cool news: Holly Black and Ellen Kushner have sold another volume of stories in the venerable and beloved Bordertown series. This was a series of linked stories and novels about a world in which the Kingdom of the Fairy returns to Earth, connected by a mystical gateway, and about the goings-on in the Bordertown that sits in between the world of humans and the world of magic, a town where technology and sorcery only work intermittently and runaways, rejects, nutcases and heroes gather. It had an incredibly powerful impact on me as a young reader, sparking a lifelong love-affair with contemporary fantasy."

I can't wait to read his story.

Everyone writing urban fantasy with faeries today owes a debt to Terri Windling and to Borderlands/Bordertown, a series of shared-world anthologies about life in a town that shared a border with Elfland. I loved those books--they completely blew my mind when I first read them--and, along with other works by writers in the series (Ellen Kushner, Charles deLint, Emma Bull, frx), had a huge and obvious influence on my own writing.

I can't even tell you what I would have done to write a story in a Bordertown book, so when Ellen Kushner approached me about editing a new Bordertown anthology with her (and with Terri's blessing and introduction), I freaked out. Yes, I said, yes yes yes yes! And lo, I wasn't the only one.

From Publisher's Lunch:

Holly Black and Ellen Kushner's WELCOME TO BORDERTOWN, a return to Terri Windling's groundbreaking urban fantasy shared world featuring new stories from many of the original writers including Emma Bull, Charles de Lint and Will Shetterly, as well as new works by writers who were inspired by the original series, including Cassandra Clare, Cory Doctorow, Kelly Link and more, to Mallory Loehr at Random House Children's, at auction, for publication in Summer 2011, by Barry Goldblatt at Barry Goldblatt Literary and Christopher Schelling at Ralph M. Vicinanza (NA).

See ellen_kushner's post on the subject here and Terri's here.

What do you think?

http://www.blackholly.com

GAH. I totally spaced on posting this, but I am going to be reading at Mysterious Galaxy tomorrow:

Time: Wednesday, July 1, 2009 7:00 p.m.
Location: Mysterious Galaxy
Title of Event: A visit with Clarion Instructor Holly Black
Holly Black kicks off this summer's series of visits from instructors at the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers' Workshop. Fans of the Spiderwick Chronicles should note Holly will return with Tony DiTerlizzi in September for The Wyrm King, the final book in the series. Holly will also discuss her young adult novels, like Ironside, and her graphic novels, including The Good Neighbors: Book One, Kin.

If you're in the area, come out and say hello! I am going to be reading from The White Cat.

I am going to be reading from The White Cat on Tuesday in Amherst as part of the Juniper Festival. If you're around, come and have a listen. I will be reading with poet Mark Doty.

7:30 pm, Bezanson Recital Hall, Fine Arts Center, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Open to the public

The editions are coming out in August in the UK for the adult market. This will be the first adult editions of these books. I love the covers. So moody and stylish!



Here's a link to TITHE on the S&S UK site.

No, really. This bird is EATING MY HOUSE!

I forgot to post this -- I'm doing a signing tomorrow at Books of Wonder in New York City for Troll's Eye View with Ellen Datlow, Ellen Kushner, and Delia Sherman.

TROLL’S EYE VIEW: A BOOK OF VILLAINOUS TALES
Sunday, June 7th
1 - 3pm

If you're in the area, come out and say hullo!

If this isn't faerie furniture, I don't know what is:

I've been talking some about my upcoming projects, but I wanted to put them all down in one place. It's helpful for me to see them like this, because now that I've finished THE WHITE CAT and WYRM KING revisions (but not copyedits etc.), I have to remake my schedule to get everything done.

You know, looking down at this list, I suddenly understand why I'm so tired and my house is a mess.

Books That Are Written and/or Edited and Coming Out In The Near Future

THE WHITE CAT - The first book in a series of three about grifters, curse magic and memory. The book comes out in May 2010. I should be able to post a first chapter soon.

THE WYRM KING - The last book in the Spiderwick Chronicles. It comes out in September of 2009. I posted more about the book here.

GOOD NEIGHBORS BOOK 2: KITH - This book should be out sometime this autumn (it's scheduled for September/October of 2009). I wrote more about the book in this post.

THE POISON EATERS AND OTHER STORIES - A collection of the short stories I've been writing over the last seven years. Will be published by Small Beer Press (under their Big Mouth imprint) and will include two new never-before-published stories, one of which is set in the Modern Faerie Tale world. I'm actually going to be starting that story now as I need to finish it by the end of the summer, so if you have any thoughts - let me know.

ANGELS FALL - A Canterbury Tales-esque graphic novel (stories being told as part of a larger story) that Rebecca Guay is illustrating and editing. I wrote the frame story for it as well as one of the individual stories and I really love it a lot. I think I'm allowed to talk about it. Since she's still working on the full color art for it, I don't think it will be out until 2010 or 2011 at the soonest.

GEEKTASTIC - An anthology I edited with the fantastic Cecil Castellucci. One of the most fun projects I've ever done and and one of the things I'm most proud of doing. Will be out in August 2009.

ZOMBIES Vs. UNICORNS - An anthology I am editing with the fantabulous Justine Larbalestier. I am only editing the unicorn side, but am cruelly subjected to reading the stories from both sides. Actually, so far there are lots of the sort of zombies I don't mind. Low percentage of shambling. Also, some very good fiction.

Unwritten Books That Are Coming Out in The More Distant Future

GOOD NEIGHBORS BOOK 3: KIND - This book should be out in September/October of 2010. You will hear me moaning about writing it all through the month of June and probably some of July.

THE BLACK GLOVE - The sequel to THE WHITE CAT and the book that I am currently plotting. I know a lot of what happens in the book, but I'm not sure that's a plot.

THE UNTITLED THIRD NOVEL - The sequel to THE BLACK GLOVE and the third in what I'm calling The Worker Books (I don't think anyone else likes that for a series title). This isn't due until early 2011, thankfully.

And In Answer to The Movie Question

I know there are a bunch of rumors going around and I know what's going on behind the scenes, but there's still no news fit to share. So, for right now, the answer is still no.

I just finished a massive edit on THE WYRM KING, the final book in the Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles series, and now it's done. DONE.

And with it, so is Spiderwick. The idea of not working on those books anymore is bittersweet and hard for me to get my head around. I've been writing Spiderwick for as long as I've been a professional author. Even when TITHE came out in 2002, I was working on the first two Spiderwick chapter books--they were published in Spring of 2003. It's been a huge part of my journey to be a full-time writer.

It's been a crazy, amazing run and I know I am going to miss it--and especially I am going to miss working with Tony. He's an amazing artist and never lets me get away with anything when there's a way to make it better, but more than that, he's an amazing friend.

Of course, it also means that I'm going to have time to do some other projects I've been looking forward to--like a new YA trilogy. But still, the future is freaking me out!

Okay, you HATED Roiben on the new covers of Ironside. I get it. I really get it.

And I showed all the comments to my fabulous editor and fantastic designer and we shall see what they do. I've taken the book covers down from the site because at this point, they're not final.

So there you go!

There has been some question about what Cat TV looks like. Now you know:

The cover for the second graphic novel, Good Neighbors Book II: Kith, is up! The description goes like this:

Rue Silver's life is not what it appears to be. Her mother is a faerie, and has been taken back to the faerie realm. As Rue goes to bring her back, she must travel deep into an inhuman world. At the same time, the faerie realm is venturing into our world too, and taking its toll on those Rue loves. When her grandfather's plans threaten Rue's city, she realizes that she's the only one who can stop him. But is Rue a human or a faerie? Where does she fit? How does she know the difference between love and enchantment?

Oh -- and I am going to be at the Spoutwood Faerie Festival in Pennsylvania this weekend hanging out with Charles Vess, Ari Berk and Faerie Magazine. Hope to see some of you there!

Several people asked me about how the new cat was doing. She seems like she's adjusting to life inside the house. To wit:

Signs for the trip to Canada point to awesome:



I am also going to be at Salisbury University (in Maryland) next week (without Cassie, sadly):

Thursday, April 16, 2009
Salisbury University (Wicomico Room, Guerrieri Center)
4:30 Film: The Spiderwick Chronicles, introduced by Dr. Elsie Walker (editor of Literature/Film Quarterly)
6:50 Book signing and reception with Holly Black
7:30 Presentation by Holly Black

Friday, April 17, 2009
Easton High School (Talbot Auditorium)
7:00 Presentation by Holly Black
8:00 Book signing and reception with Holly Black

I've made up giftish thingies for you guys and Cassie has one too. We're not handing them out to everyone, but if you tell us the code word at one of our events, we'll give one to you (so long as supplies last).

My code word: WHITE CAT

Her code word: CLOCKWORK

One time Cassie said that Theo was always coming up with anime solutions to real life problems. Never was this more true than in the last week.

The problem was that the new white cat got out again. We saw her hanging around the yard, but couldn't get her to come back inside. Then, she disappeared. We were sad. Then Theo got a gleam in his eye.

Theo: We need a Havahart trap.
Holly: You want to trap the cat? What if it scares her?
Theo: We didn't play with her enough when she was here.
Holly: And trapping her counts as play?

Theo came back a few hours later with a brand new trap and set it up in the garage. A few hours later, we heart a ringing snap and went out to find a bewildered looking possum inside. After a few moments of dithering, Theo decided to drive it out to a large field about a mile away. Then he returned and set up the trap.

Nothing.

He changed the food configuration.

Nothing.

Then he went out and started purchasing spy equipment. Two cameras with video hook-ups to our television so that we could watch the food bowls in the garage. We watched Cat TV for two nights and saw a mouse, two other cats, and an enormous raccoon. There is nothing stranger than watching your own house in a way that shows you how little you know about what goes on inside of it.

He waited until the cat came into the garage, then snuck outside like a ninja and closed the back door to the garage, trapping her inside. Then he went through the door and scooped her up. After all that, she seems happy to be back and is sitting on his lap like nothing happened.

I'm just glad I don't have to watch Cat TV anymore.

Have some travel news coming up later today.

Good Neighbors got a nomination for an Eisner in the teen/tween category. SQUEEE!

Behold:

Best Publication for Teens/Tweens

Coraline, by Neil Gaiman, adapted by P. Craig Russell (HarperCollins Children’s Books)

Crogan’s Vengeance, by Chris Schweizer (Oni)

The Good Neighbors, Book 1: Kin, by Holly Black and Ted Naifeh (Scholastic Graphix)

Rapunzel’s Revenge, by Shannon and Dean Hale and Nathan Hale (Bloomsbury Children’s Books)

Skim, by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki (Groundwood Books)


YAY also for Shannon and Dean and Nathan and the fabulous Rapunzel's Revenge!

Details of the Vancouver event with Cassandra Clare remain mostly the same:

FRIDAY April 24, 2009, 7pm

Vancouver Kidsbooks
Venue: West Point Grey United Church Hall
Sanctuary Room
4595 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V6R 2A4
604-738-5335

BUT, "due to the popularity of this event, each person will require a ticket to attend. Tickets are $5.00 per person and are fully redeemable toward any of the authors' books at the event." More details at the store's site, including the link to buying tickets.

Since several people have asked: We will sign all the books you bring or buy at the store. I am happy to sign Spiderwick books. I am happy to sign Cassie's books or the books of other people entirely. I have been practicing my forgery. What? I needed to research for my next book...

Nothing makes me happier than to see the Stuff for the Teen Age 2009 video for Good Neighbors: Kin.

Check it out:



Thanks!!! I was extremely happy that the book was a selection for Fantasy and Science Fiction.