Worldcon was fantastic, Dublin was fantastic, the people were brilliant, Jeanette Ng’s acceptance speech for the Campbell Award was a classic, and I had an absolutely magnificent time. And I would like to fall over and sleep for a week, but alas, I’m now back at work, because that is how the cruel world works.

But meanwhile, here’s a splendid sweepstake/giveaway from my US publisher: enter for a chance to win The Invisible Library, Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine, Word to the Wise by Jenn McKinlay, The Library of the Unwritten by A.J. Hackwith, and The Bodies in the Library by Marty Wingate.

https://sweeps.penguinrandomhouse.com/enter/back-to-school-library-sweepstakes

After Edge-Lit at Derby – which was excellent! – Worldcon in Dublin is now on the horizon, and I’ve just received my schedule. For anyone who wants to know where I’ll be (with the usual caveats, subject to possible last-minute change, you know how conventions are) . . .

A portable kind of magic: why we love books-about-books

15 Aug 2019, Thursday 14:00 – 14:50, Liffey Room-1 (CCD)

Whether it’s a library of every book ever written, a compendium of magical creatures, or a hitchhiker’s guide to the universe, we’ve always loved a good story-about-a-story. What is behind our fascination with books and libraries, and why does it translate so well to SFF? How does the history of book-making connect to our myths and legends, and what shape will our meta-stories take in the future?

Now We Are Witnesses: Doctor Who’s New Historicals Format: Panel

16 Aug 2019, Friday 11:00 – 11:50, Wicklow Room-1 (CCD)

It’s the other revolution of the Chris Chibnall era; he gave us the closest thing to “pure” historical stories that Doctor Who has seen for decades. We will discuss the evolution of Doctor Who’s historical adventures over time, as well as considering why these two episodes worked so well, why Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor was the right Doctor for these stories, and what other adventures lie in the future.

Hammer Horror

16 Aug 2019, Friday 14:30 – 15:20, Odeon 3 (Point Square Dublin)

Terry Pratchett, Guillermo del Toro and writers of Doctor Who (during the Tom Baker period) have all evinced admiration and  inspiration from a set of horror flicks produced by a long dormant British film producer Horror Films from the 1950s and 1960s. Our panellists look at what makes them so enamoured of their productions.

Down the rabbit hole: the appeal of portal fantasy

18 Aug 2019, Sunday 10:00 – 10:50, Liffey Room-2 (CCD)

In portal fantasies people are transported from our world to another, which allows the reader to learn about this new world at the same time as the protagonist. What is the appeal of portal versus secondary world fantasies? Why are portal fantasies so often written for children and teens rather than adult readers? The panel will discuss the appeal of portal fantasy and its place in the fantasy genre.

Autographs: Sunday at 13:00

18 Aug 2019, Sunday 13:00 – 13:50, Level 4 Foyer (CCD)

Reading: Genevieve Cogman

19 Aug 2019, Monday 14:00 – 14:20, Wicklow Room-5 (Workshops) (CCD)

The year marches on, and there’s less than a fortnight to go till Edge-Lit 8 in Derby, which I will be attending (see https://www.derbyquad.co.uk/whats-on/events/edge-lit-8 for details). The lineup and schedule sound excellent, and I just need to get the copy-edits of book 6 (UK and US) finished and handed in . . .

The Invisible Library is on ebook offer at amazon.uk at the moment, at just 99p for (I think) the rest of July. I apologise to the rest of the world – believe me, there have been plenty of moments when I’ve seen a marvellous ebook offer on amazon.com and been unable to take advantage due to my own location.

And speaking of the rest of the world, The Lost Word (or A Trama Perdida) comes out in Brazil on the 9th August. Many thanks to my publishers, Morro Branco.

I’m also in the middle of working on book 7. You know what they say – when in doubt, have your villains threaten to burn down a library, or a London, or something like that. Besides, as any villain would be quick to point out, it’s all Irene’s fault for being there in the first place, everyone and everything would be safe if not for her presence, etc, etc. That bit of self-justifying reasoning probably goes all the way back to the first villain who ever twirled a moustache.

There’s hardly time to do any sewing in the evenings – and I’m regretting having started a large project which involves sewing in a lot of loose ends. Mental note: if I ever do something in this pattern again, use a different method to quilt it. Ah well. I will feel very virtuous and accomplished when it’s done – and I will be able to get on with all the wonderful projects which I’ve thought of while being chained to the current project. (You know how that works.) I might even have it done in time for Worldcon in August, which is coming up fast . . .

And… the Library book Six has emerged from the shadows! Librarians, Fae, dragons, and all other readers, welcome to…

The Secret Chapter

(Note – this is the UK cover and the UK Amazon link. I’ll be providing the US cover when it becomes available . . .)

In the latest novel in Genevieve Cogman’s historical fantasy Invisible Library series, Irene and Kai have to team up with an unlikely band of misfits to pull off an amazing art heist, or risk the wrath of a dangerous villain in his secret island lair…

A Librarian spy’s work is never done, and after their latest adventure, Irene is summoned back to the Library. The world where she grew up is in danger of veering into chaos – so she needs to obtain a particular book to stop this happening. And the only copy of the edition they need is in the hands of a notorious Fae broker and trader in rare objects: Mr Nemo.

Irene and Kai make their way to Mr Nemo’s remote Caribbean island, and are invited to dinner – which includes unlikely company. And Mr Nemo has an offer for everyone there. He wants them to form a team to steal a specific painting from a specific world. And he swears that that he will give Irene the book she seeks, if she joins them – but only if he has the painting within the week.

No one can resist the deal he offers. But to get their rewards, they’ll have to work together. And is this really possible when the team includes a dragon techie plus assorted Fae – filling the roles of gambler, driver and ‘the muscle’? Their goal? A specific museum in Vienna, in an early twenty-first-century world. Here, their toughest challenge might be each other.

First up: The Invisible Library is currently available as an ebook for 99 cents from various American sources. (Sorry, UK and other residents. I know how it feels – I’m UK myself, after all.) I think it may only be reduced till the 7th April, so . . .

Kindle: https://amzn.to/2Tx5nqd
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-invisible-library-genevieve-cogman/1120258722 …
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-invisible-library-3 …

In other news, I’m attending the following conventions this year (and possibly others, depending on how things go):

Eastercon – 19-22 April – https://www.ytterbium.org.uk/

Worldcon – 15-19 August – https://dublin2019.com/ (no, not the Colo-Proctology one)

I have seen the UK and US covers for book six of the Invisible Library series, and there is a title, and I hope to share these with you as soon as possible . . .

For the last few weeks – well, the last couple of months – I’ve had my head down and been working, both at the day job and at the writing. (And at sewing! I was at the Harrogate Spring Quilt Show on Saturday, and spent far too much on fabric . . .)

I’m currently waiting for the edits on book six (any day now) and working on the first draft of book seven. Yes, I do know what the title of book six is, and I’ve seen both the planned UK and US covers, and they’re gorgeous. I’ll share them as soon as I can.

And in the meantime, if anyone out there is still considering their Hugo nominations, The Mortal Word is eligible for Best Novel, and the whole Invisible Library series is now eligible for Best Series. So . . . just mentioning it.

(And yes, I am going to be at Dublin 2019 in August.)

I’ve just randomly selected the winners and sent out the audiobook codes. Congratulations to everyone!

The winners were the following people: if you’re one of them, and you haven’t received a Goodreads message or an email from me, then please comment and let me know.

Goodreads blog:
L.E. Doggett
Jenn
Gordon

Wordpress blog:
Jennifer
transcendlove

Merry Christmas, happy new year, the compliments of the season, and I hope everyone enjoys whatever holidays you celebrate. Best wishes to everyone. Take care.

And that’s a wrap! No more giveaway entries, please.

I’ll try to get the results out later this evening or tomorrow. Many thanks to everyone who was interested.

Ho ho ho!

The Mortal Word audiobook is now out, and I propose a giveaway. Reply to this post (either here, or on Goodreads) and tell me which other book from the Invisible Library series you would also like as an audiobook, and five lucky winners will get both the audiobook of The Mortal Word, and also the one that they’ve requested!

Closing date/time to enter the giveaway and leave a comment is midnight (24:00) UK time, on Friday 21st December. I’ll try to select the winners and email out the audiobook authorisation codes on Saturday 22nd. (Before going home on Sunday 23rd to my parents for the holiday . . .)

Many thanks to everyone who’s already bought and enjoyed The Mortal Word, or any other books from the series. (And remember, every author likes getting good reviews on Amazon as a Christmas present . . .)

The Mortal Word has hit the shelves – well, physically hit the shelves, electronically hit the metaphorical electronic shelves, you know what I mean . . .

Thank you to everyone who’s picked it up. Thank you very much indeed – I hope you enjoy it. I can’t say much more than that. I mean, I really, really hope you enjoy it. My Lego figures on my desk of General Leia and the Fourth Doctor and Lam Ching Ying as the One-Eyebrow Priest hope you enjoy it. (They’re very cooperative. Either that or I’ve been drinking too much coffee.)

I’m delighted to share that The Mortal Word is on the Amazon list for December Best Books of the Month: Science Fiction & Fantasy – which is awesome! (Many other fantastic books are also there, such as Swordheart by T Kingfisher, or How Long ‘Til Black Future Month? by N. K. Jemisin, so I’m in really cool company.)

So what next? I hand in my current draft of book 6 to my editor, and I get working on book 7. Truly there is no rest for the wicked. Or for authors. And I get ready for Christmas – time to do the Christmas shopping . . .