Editor & Anthologist…and Now Publisher

Today, it was announced that a took a big step forward (and sideways) in my career: Now I am not only an editor and anthologist, but a publisher as well. I just acquired the two magazines I edit–Lightspeed and Fantasy–from their current publisher, Prime Books. I’ll officially take over as publisher as of the January 2012 issue. Here’s the press release:

 

 

Prime Books Sells Magazines Lightspeed and Fantasy to Editor John Joseph Adams

ROCKVILLE, MD, NOV. 7—Prime Books is pleased to announce the sale and transfer of ownership of their acclaimed online magazines Lightspeed (www.lightspeedmagazine.com) and Fantasy (www.fantasy-magazine.com) to John Joseph Adams. Adams, the current editor of both magazines, will officially assume the role of publisher starting with the January 2012 issues.

“With the continuing expansion and success of Prime Books, my attention and time is increasingly consumed by book publishing,” publisher Sean Wallace said. “With John already doing a terrific job as editor, it simply made sense for him to take over as publisher as well.  We’re really thrilled that this has worked out for both John and Prime.”

New publisher John Joseph Adams says he is delighted at the prospect of taking over the magazines and looks forward to the challenges ahead. “It’s an exciting time to be involved in publishing,” he said. “Models are changing and so is the readership, and online magazines have a better shot at sustainability than ever have before. I believe the possibilities for growth are tremendous, and I look forward to staying in the vanguard of this new frontier.”

Fantasy Magazine was established in 2005, and has been edited by Sean Wallace, Paul Tremblay, and Cat Rambo, with Adams taking over as sole editor earlier this year. Lightspeed—published by Wallace and edited by Adams—debuted in June 2010 and was a 2011 Hugo Award nominee. Numerous stories originally published in Lightspeed and Fantasy have been reprinted in best-of-the-year anthologies, and Lightspeed and Fantasy stories have been nominated for the Hugo Award, the Nebula Award, the World Fantasy Award, the Theodore Sturgeon Award, and others. Lightspeed’s first year of fiction has just been published by Prime Books in the print anthology Lightspeed: Year One (ISBN: 978-1-60701-304-4).

About John Joseph Adams

In addition to his duties with Lightspeed and Fantasy, John Joseph Adams (www.johnjosephadams.com) is the bestselling editor of many anthologies including Wastelands, The Living Dead, Brave New Worlds, and The Way of the Wizard. In 2011, he was nominated for two Hugo Awards and two World Fantasy Awards.

About Prime Books

Established in 2001 and published by Hugo Award and World Fantasy Award-winner Sean Wallace, Prime Books (www.prime-books.com), is an independent publishing house specializing in science fiction, fantasy, and horror, with national distribution by Diamond Book Distributors.

Contacts

John Joseph Adams, john@lightspeedmagazine.com
Sean Wallace, prime@prime-books.com

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My 2011 World Fantasy Convention Schedule

This year’s World Fantasy Convention is being held in San Diego, October 27-30, at the Town and Country Resort/Convention Center.

Here’s where you’ll be able to find me during the convention:

Friday

Reading : John Joseph Adams
When: Friday, 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM
Where: Pacific 6/7
What: I’ll be reading “Three Deaths” by David Barr Kirtley, from my anthology Under the Moons of Mars: New Adventures on Barsoom.

Mass Autographing
When: Friday, 8:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Where: Town and Country/San Diego
How: Pen, Pencil, Crayon, Blood, whatever you prefer.

Saturday

Reading: The Way of the Wizard (group)
When: Saturday, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Where: Suite #TBD
Who: Genevieve Valentine, Wendy N. Wagner, Christie Yant, Vylar Kaftan, John R. Fultz, Rajan Khanna.

Reading: Fantasy Magazine (group)
When: Saturday, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Where: Suite #TBD
Who: Laura Anne Gilman, Cory Skerry, Kat Howard, Marissa K. Lingen, Tim Pratt, Brooke Bolander, Alaya Dawn Johnson.

Sunday

World Fantasy Awards Banquet
When: Sunday, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Where: Town and Country
Why: I’m up for two World Fantasy Awards!

***

You can probably also find me at my wife’s events throughout the weekend. Hope to see many of you at the con!

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Recent Developments

  • In my last post, pre-Worldcon, I was merely engaged. Now I am a (ludicrously happily) married man (and stepdad!). Read the Official Wedding Report on my lovely wife’s blog. (Here’s the Official Proposal Report, in case you missed that.)
  • Today I received Advance Review Copies of my forthcoming anthology, Under the Moons of Mars: New Adventures on Barsoom, which is forthcoming from Simon & Schuster in February. Word on the street is that the ARCs will be given out in the World Fantasy Convention goodie bags, to attendees.
  • I’m currently wrapping up work on Armored, an anthology of powered armor and mecha, forthcoming from Baen Books in April. I’ll be turning in the manuscript to my editor sometime in the next couple of days.

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Reno Gazette-Journal on Worldcon

The Reno Gazette-Journal has a nice article about Worldcon (which is in Reno this year), in which I’m quoted extensively:

“When you’re really into something like science fiction or fantasy when you’re growing up, it can be really isolating,” Adams said. “It’s really great to have an outlet like this because you go there, and you’re like, ‘Wow, these are my people.’ It’s really easy to feel comfortable there. You know, you can go to the parties, and you’re not going to be standing awkwardly in the corner because everybody in the room is going to have something in common with you.”

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My Worldcon Programming Schedule

Worldcon (Aug. 17 -21) is coming up this week. I’ll be arriving Wednesday evening, and departing early Sunday afternoon. If you’re looking for me and you can’t find me, email me or message me on Twitter or something–I’m sure I’ll still be obsessively checking both throughout the entire convention.

Here’s where you’ll be able to find me:

Panel: Fantasy and Horror in the New Century
When: Sat 11am – 12pm
Where: D03 (RSCC)
Who: Scott Edelman (M), John Joseph Adams, Susan T. Casper, Ellen Datlow, Nick Mamatas

What to look for and where to find on the darker side of literature.

Autographing

When: Sat 1pm – 2pm
Where: Hall 2 (RSCC)
Who: John Joseph Adams

Panel: Editing Anthologies
When: Sat 3pm – 4pm
Where: A09 (RSCC)
Who: David Malki! (M), Jennifer Brozek, John Joseph Adams, Ellen Datlow

How do editors approach anthologies?  Do they just call their friends, or do they (or their assistants) plow through slushpiles?  Do the “Best ofs” present special issues?

Pre-Hugo Reception
When: Sat 6pm – 8pm
Where: Capri (Peppermill)
Who: Hugo nominees and their guests

Hugo Award Ceremony
When: 8pm – 10pm (approx.)
Where: Tuscany Ballroom (Peppermill)

Reading: John Joseph Adams
When: Sun 11:30pm – 12pm
Where: A14 (RSCC)
Who: John Joseph Adams

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Under the Moons of Mars: New Adventures on Barsoom

I’ve just gotten the go ahead to post the cover and cover copy of my forthcoming anthology Under the Moons of Mars:  New Adventures on Barsoom (formerly titled The New Adventures of John Carter of Mars).

Readers of all ages have read and loved Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Mars series since the first book, A Princess of Mars, was published in 1912. Fans have marveled at the adventures of John Carter, an Earthman who suddenly finds himself on a strange new world: Mars. Now, in time for the 100th anniversary of that seminal work and the release of a Disney feature film, comes an anthology of original stories featuring John Carter of Mars, in brand new adventures. Collected by veteran anthology editor John Joseph Adams, this anthology features a forward by Tamora Pierce, stories and original art from titans of literature and illustrations such as Peter S. Beagle, Garth Nix, Charles Vess, and many more, plus a glossary of Mars by Richard A. Lupoff.

Note: This book is not licensed or authorized by, or in any way affiliated with, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. or any other entity associated with the Edgar Rice Burroughs estate.

The anthology is to be published by Simon & Schuster for Young Readers in February 2012. It’s now available for pre-order.

And here’s the full table of contents:

  • Foreword by Tamora Pierce
  • Introduction by John Joseph Adams
  • The Metal Men of Mars by Joe R. Lansdale
    • Illustrated by Gregory Manchess
  • Three Deaths by David Barr Kirtley
    • Illustrated by Charles Vess
  • The Ape-Man of Mars by Peter S. Beagle
    • Illustrated by Jeremy Bastian
  • A Tinker of Warhoon by Tobias S. Buckell
    • Illustrated by Chrissie Zullo
  • Vengeance of Mars by Robin Wasserman
    • Illustrated  by Misako Rocks
  • Woola’s Song by Theodora Goss
    • Illlustrated by Joe Sutphin
  • The River Gods of Mars by Austin Grossman
    • Illustrated by Meinert Hansen
  • The Bronze Man of Mars by L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
    • Illustrated by Tom Daly
  • A Game of Mars by Genevieve Valentine
    • Illustrated by Molly Crabapple
  • Sidekick of Mars by Garth Nix
    • Illustrated by Mike Cavallaro
  • The Ghost of the Superstition Mountains by Chris Claremont
    • Illustrated by John Picacio
  • The Jasoom Project by S. M. Stirling
    • Illustrated by Jeff Carlisle
  • Coming of Age in Barsoom by Catherynne M. Valente
    • Illustrated by Michael Wm. Kaluta
  • The Death Song of Dwar Guntha by Jonathan Maberry
    • Illustrated by Daren Bader
  • Appendix: A Barsoomian Gazetteer, or, Who’s Who and What’s What on Mars by Richard A. Lupoff

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My 2011 Readercon Schedule

I’ll be attending Readercon this year, held July 14-17, in Burlington, Mass. Here’s my schedule:

Friday July 15

12:00 PM – Autographing.
John Joseph Adams

2:30 PM – Reading.
John Joseph Adams

Adams reads selections from his anthologies and magazines.

5:00 PM – De Gustibus Est Disputandum When Editing Anthologies.
John Joseph Adams, Ellen Datlow, Gardner Dozois, John Kessel (leader), Howard Waldrop.

While any anthology has its no-brainer must-include great stories, the anthologist usually needs to flesh it out with selections from a broader pool of merely good stories. When should an editor choose their personal favorites from that pool, giving the anthology more of a coherent flavor but possibly limiting its audience, and when should they make a conscious effort to choose stories that will appeal to a wide variety of readers, so that there is “something for everyone”? How do the rules change when one is editing a themed anthology or a Year’s Best, or pitching to a larger or smaller publisher?

Saturday July 16

2:00 PM – Kaffeeklatsch.
John Joseph Adams

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2011 World Fantasy Awards Nomination Period Still Open

This year’s World Fantasy Award nomination period is still open. The 2011World Fantasy  Awards will be presented in San Diego, CA during the World Fantasy Convention (October 27-30). Deadline for nominating online is May 31.

Anyone who has a supporting or full membership from the 2010 World Fantasy Convention, or the upcoming 2011 World Fantasy Convention may nominate works. If you didn’t attend World Fantasy last year, and you don’t plan to attend this year, you can still nominate by purchasing a supporting membership.

Already registered? Go and nominate your favorite works! (Note: You may email your ballot to the award administrator, Rodger Turner, to the email address listed on the nomination ballot.)

Here’s a list of works I edited that are eligible in the various World Fantasy categories. Linked titles are available to read online for free. (Note that the World Fantasy categories are slightly different than the Nebulas and Hugos in regard to word counts: World Fantasy considers a Novella to be 10,000-40,000 words and Short Story to be 10,000 words or less, whereas the Nebulas and Hugos divide those categories differently, and have a third category (Novelette) in between.)

Titles annotated with DATLOW, HORTON, GURAN, or JONES indicate that the story in question has been selected for inclusion in the editor’s best-of-the-year anthology.

Novella (10,000 – 40,000 words)

  • Feeding the Feral Children—David Farland (The Way of the Wizard)
  • Life So Dear Or Peace So Sweet—C. C. Finlay (The Way of the Wizard)

Short Story (under 10,000 words)

Special Award, Professional

John Joseph Adams (for editing: The Living Dead 2, The Way of the Wizard)

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