Stone Soup Digest 04/22/22

Welcome to the Stone Soup Weekly Digest! This is where I share what I'm up to and some of my favorite things from around the internet. Subscribe to Stone Soup to get this in your inbox every week.

This week has been so thrilling! I’m writing to you from high up in the mountains, at 7500 feet of elevation. I’m writing a lot, and hanging out with beloved friends, and spending time with a couple of very beautiful and opinionated cats who like their breakfast very early in the morning. There are massive ravens up here who like to shout about how great it is to be ravens.

The other exciting part of this week is that my first Buffy comic came out! The Vampire Slayer #1 is available now everywhere books are sold. Eagle-eyed readers have already spotted a couple of things in this issue that are setting up some character development in the series. It’s really fun to write a scenario in which the gang faces a giant crab – but more than that, it’s incredibly rewarding to bring a fresh lens to the Buffyverse.

Go pick up a copy at your local comic shop or online today!

25% off preorders at Barnes & Noble

You may have already seen authors and publishers talking about how, in this current moment of supply chain crisis, preorders are more important than ever. If you’re looking forward to a book, placing a preorder now might be the thing that ensures that enough copies of that book will be printed. Barnes & Noble is currently running a 25% off deal on preorders, including audiobooks! Go check it out and preorder the things you hope to read later this year.

Ignyte awards nominations

The Ignyte Awards celebrate the vibrancy and diversity of the current and future landscape of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror by recognizing incredible feats in storytelling and outstanding efforts towards inclusivity within the genre. Check out this year’s incredible shortlist and vote now!

Bagworm Caterpillars

Bagworm caterpillars are cool. They build a little bag for themselves and camouflage it with sticks and leaves. That link contains some photos of neat bagworm setups, and this one contains more detailed information on the species.

Publishers Weekly loved Watch/Worlds/Burn

This is a lovely PW review of a wonderful anthology about possible futures.

I’m Reading: Number One Fan by Meg Elison

On her way to a speaking engagement, bestselling novelist Eli Grey gets into a cab and accepts a drink from the driver, trusting that everything is fine. She wakes up chained in the stranger's basement. With no close family or friends expecting her to check in, Eli knows she needs to save herself. She soon realizes that her abduction wasn't random, and though she thinks she might recognize her captor, she can't figure out what he wants. Her only clues are that he's very familiar with her books and deeply invested in the fantastical world she creates. What follows is a test of wills as Eli pits herself against a man who believes she owes him everything--and is determined to take it from her.

Featured New Release: Fevered Star by Rebecca Roanhorse

The great city of Tova is shattered. The sun is held within the smothering grip of the Crow God's eclipse, but a comet that marks the death of a ruler and heralds the rise of a new order is imminent.

The Meridian: a land where magic has been codified and the worship of gods suppressed. How do you live when legends come to life, and the faith you had is rewarded?

As sea captain Xiala is swept up in the chaos and currents of change, she finds an unexpected ally in the former Priest of Knives. For the Clan Matriarchs of Tova, tense alliances form as far-flung enemies gather and the war in the heavens is reflected upon the earth.

And for Serapio and Naranpa, both now living avatars, the struggle for free will and personhood in the face of destiny rages. How will Serapio stay human when he is steeped in prophecy and surrounded by those who desire only his power? Is there a future for Naranpa in a transformed Tova without her total destruction?

Welcome back to the fantasy series of the decade in Fevered Star--book two of Between Earth and Sky.

Add Fevered Star to your tbr here. Order it from your local independent bookseller, or order it via Bookshop.org to support independent booksellers throughout the US and the UK. For international shipping, you can try Barnes & Noble. If you prefer audiobooks, here’s a Libro.fm link. You can also request Fevered Star from your local library — here’s how to get in touch with them. And if you need to order from the Bad River Website, here’s a link that will leverage your order for good.

As you’re surely aware, queer and trans children are still under attack across the United States; Ukraine is fighting against a Russian invasion; AAPI communities are facing discrimination and violence. If you’re struggling to figure out how to help, here are some places to start.

If you’re a paying subscriber, come by the Stone Soup Supper Club for our weekly chat! I can’t wait to find out how you’re doing.

—Gailey