The New Weird: The Contents

The New Weird, Jeff and Ann VanderMeer's first Tachyon anthology, has been turned in. I'm reading furiously - how else would you read New Weird fiction? - and it's clear that they've done a tremendous job (duh).

Since The New Weird won't be out until February of 2008 (I know, how will you stand it?), here's a sneak peek at the contents:

Introduction
"The New Weird: 'It's Alive?'" – Jeff VanderMeer

Stimuli
M. John Harrison – "The Luck in the Head"
Michael Moorcock – "Crossing into Cambodia"
Clive Barker – "In the Cities, the Hills"
Simon D. Ings – "The Braining of Mother Lamprey"
Kathe Koja – "The Neglected Garden"
Thomas Ligotti – "A Soft Voice Whispers Nothing"

Evidence
China Miéville – "Jack"
Jeffrey Thomas – "Immolation"
Jay Lake – "The Lizard of Ooze"
Brian Evenson – "Watson's Boy"
K .J. Bishop – "The Art of Dying"
Jeffrey Ford – "At Reparata”
Leena Krohn – "Letters from Tainaron"
Steph Swainston – "The Ride of the Gabbleratchet"
Alistair Rennie – "The Gutter Sees the Light That Never Shines" (original)

Discussion
"New Weird Discussions: The Creation of a Term"
Michael Cisco – "'New Weird': I Think We're the Scene"
Darja Malcolm-Clarke – "Tracking Phantoms"
K. J. Bishop – "Whose Words You Wear"
"European Editor Perspectives on the New Weird"

Laboratory (Original round-robin story)
"Festival Lives"
Preamble: Ann and Jeff VanderMeer
View 1: "Death in a Dirty Dhoti" – Paul Di Filippo
View 2: "Cornflowers Beside the Unuttered" – Cat Rambo
View 3: "All God's Chillun Got Wings" – Sarah Monette
View 4: "Locust-Mind" – Daniel Abraham
View 5: "Constable Chalch and the Ten Thousand Heroes" – Felix Gilman
View 6: "Golden Lads All Must..." – Hal Duncan
View 7: "Forfend the Heavens' Rending" – Conrad Williams

Recommended Reading
Biographical Notes

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Some spectacular stuff here, including early online discussions on the origins of the New Weird. We've been lucky enough to have online debates in our two Kelly and Kessel anthologies as well, Feeling Very Strange: The Slipstream Anthology, and Rewired: The Post Cyberpunk Anthology (out next Monday). The added value these conversations bring is tremendous.

You'll have to wait to hear more. I will say that this anthology is not for the faint of heart - I'm sure you can handle it, though.

Jill

Billet-doux by Thomas Disch

Prior to our 2008 publication of Thomas Disch's The Word of God, Or, the Holy Writ Rewritten, we've done an original broadside of Disch's recent poem, "Billet-doux." It's an account of Death's struggle to find his peers (or even just a friend), told with the delicious black-humor that you'd expect from Mr. Disch.

The broadside, limited to 150 signed, numbered copies, was published in honor of Tachyon's twelfth anniversary (celebrated yesterday at a grand soiree at Borderlands Books). It's a lovely piece, with original art and design by the very talented Barry Barnes at Trained Eye Graphics. If you couldn't make it to the party, you can still purchase the broadside from us.

Those of you wondering what the heck a broadside is (I know I was), check out the wiki (I know, lazy answer, am running late as always).

Website blowout - free shipping

We're feeling good. Perhaps a little too good, since we're offering free Media Mail shipping on all U.S. orders. No limit to how many books you order, the shipping's still on us. Insane, you say? It may well be, but we're doing it anyway.

What are we so jazzed about? Well, it's our twelfth anniversary, and you can come celebrate with us at Borderlands from 2-6 this Sunday, 9/16. And we've just released two new titles: Shatterday by Harlan Ellison, and The Dog Said Bow-Wow by Michael Swanwick. Plus Rewired: The Post-Cyberpunk Anthology will be out October 1st.

If you'd prefer Priority Mail, you can choose that in your shopping cart, but you gotta pay. The offer extends to pre-orders - just email us to reserve your forthcoming books. It's that easy. Limited time offer, good until September 30th at 11:59.59. So go ahead, shop.

2008 Spring/Summer Books

Hey – we’re back, after preparing to announce our Spring/Summer 2008 line. Check out the goods:

May 2008:
The Steampunk Anthology
Edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer
Trade paperback 14.95 / 978-1-892391-75-9

Contributors include Neal Stephenson, Joe Lansdale, Paul Di Filippo, Michael Chabon, Ted Chiang, James Blaylock, Jay Lake, Michael Moorcock, and Stepan Chapman. Whew. Jeff says: "the term 'steampunk' refers to a brand of often gonzo pseudo-Victorian fiction featuring alternate technologies such as dirigibles, steam-driven robots, and other automata.” It's going to be seriously fun.

June 2008:
Year's Best Fantasy 8
Edited by David G. Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer
Trade paperback 14.95 / 978-1-892391-76-6

Contributors likely to include (a touch too early in the year to promise): Neil Gaiman, Garth Nix, Tad Williams, Kage Baker, Michael Moorcock, and Elizabeth Hand. Another excellent Hartwell/Cramer hand-picked lineup. Booklist said Year's Best Fantasy 7, “constitute[s] a who's-who-and-cool in contemporary fantasy.”

July 2008:
The Word of God: Or, Holy Writ Rewritten
Thomas M. Disch
Trade paperback 14.95 / 978-1-892391-77-3
Limited (price TBD) / 978-1-892391-80-3

In early 2005 (A.D.), wearying of the world’s religious obsessions, doctrinal divisions, and perhaps his own career, Thomas M. Disch took matters into His Own hands and became the Deity. Then it got a little weird. An original novel by Disch, his first in nine years. No, not an novel - an event.

July 2008:
Dogs
Nancy Kress
Trade paperback 14.95 / 978-1-892391-78-0

Small town, virulent virus infecting dogs, CDC incompetence, and possibly, terrorists. Ex-FBI agent Tessa Sanderson's got her hands full. A terrific new biological thriller from Kress, who according to Publisher's Weekly, “creates chilling suspense as twisty as a DNA double helix.”

August 2008
The Stress of Her Regard
Tim Powers
Trade paperback 14.95 / 978-1-892391-78-0

Dr. Michael Crawford wakes up to a bed soaked by carnage and the impossibly savaged body of his bride. He flees England to escape the hangman's noose. His only hope lies with the most notorious poets of the age: Keats, Shelley, and Byron. A long-awaited reprint of the Powers classic - no more paying $20-30 for a used mass-market paperback (no, I'm not kidding; check ABE).

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I'll make our usual excellent offer: email to pre-order and we'll ship for free. While you're at it, reserve your copy of Rewired, out in just a couple of weeks.