November News Roundup

* Overheard in the Store:

"You just called 'Westeros','Dextrose'!  Westeros is the land.  Dextrose is sugar.  I am NEVER going to let you live that down."

"[H. P. Lovecraft] stories are like a magic-eye image of a goth Georgia O'Keefe painting.  Just unfocus your eyes & witness the beginning and the end."

"Sometimes I forget to ask myself, 'Will doing this thing make me an a**hole?', & then I usually run into trouble."

* The wondrous Tanarive Due & Guest of Honor David Gerrold are scheduled to host Hugo Awards Ceremony.  Can't wait! - https://www.facebook.com/david.gerrold/posts/10204191553801406?pnref=story

* Sad news: the SF/F Translation Awards are shutting down.  Read their farewell here - http://www.sfftawards.org/?p=695

* An unpublished 1959 essay by Isaac Asimov is finally seeing the light of day.  It was shared after Asimov left the GLIPAR contract.  It's as valid now as it was then - http://www.technologyreview.com/view/531911/isaac-asimov-asks-how-do-people-get-new-ideas/

* And a triptych of Amazonian news:

Amazon and Simon & Schuster finally reach an agreement, but unfortunately since it's being kept super-secret-hush-hush it's impossible for us to tell which of them gave in more - http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/industry-deals/article/64461-s-s-amazon-agree-on-version-of-agency-pricing.html

Amazon is going to open physical store, which when you consider their beginnings and raison d'etre, makes about as much sense as a fur coat in August in Florida but . . . okay -  http://online.wsj.com/articles/amazon-to-open-first-store-1412879124

And finally, Amazon releases their Diversity stats waaaay after other companies and the results are not exactly good, especially since they refuse to break down their numbers as other companies have: http://www.blackenterprise.com/career/top-careers/amazon-diversity-numbers/ & https://gigaom.com/2014/10/31/late-to-the-party-amazon-finally-publishes-its-diversity-numbers/

* The amazing and skilled Zilpha Keatley Snyder died on October 8th.  This is a great loss to the children's/YA field and to us all.  Zilpha was best known for her novels THE EGYPT GAME, THE HEADLESS CUPID, THE WITCHES OF WORM & the GREEN SKY TRILOGY, which lead to one of the first computer games (written by the book's author and considered canon, 1984's BELOW THE ROOT) - http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/14/books/zilpha-keatley-snyder-author-of-eerie-childrens-tales-dies-at-87.html?_r=0

* For those of us who came up in the 80s/90s there is a new free fan-made Pokemon game that is sweeping the internetz!  People who had no interest in Pokemon in their youth are enjoying this like never before - http://kotaku.com/fan-made-pokemon-game-is-more-exciting-than-the-real-th-1655072789/

* io9 give us their monthly list of the most exciting new SF/F books coming out in November - http://io9.com/the-most-exciting-new-science-fiction-and-fantasy-books-1654859090

* The Geffen Awards, which are presented by the Israeli Society for Science Fiction and Fantasy, have announced their 2014 Winners - http://geffen.sf-f.org.il/?page_id=79

* Nicola Griffith wins the Washington State Book Award for her absolutely fantastic historical novel HILD: http://asknicola.blogspot.com/2014/10/hild-wins-washington-state-book-award.html

* Deliciously dark fan-made film catches the more serious side of Sabrina that's been recently explored in Archie comics - http://comicsalliance.com/sabrina-chilling-adventures-witch-girl-fan-film-video/

* Charlie Jane Anders and Abhimanyu Das give us a list of 20 Dr. Who plots that are based on actual science - http://io9.com/20-doctor-who-stories-that-are-based-on-real-science-1655056800

* Comics Master Bill Watterson has drawn a one page comic which will be a poster for this year's Angouleme festival - http://www.forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/2014/comics-bill-wattersons-angou-poster-relevealed/#prettyPhoto

* In news of Mother Nature showing you that everything you thought you knew is wrong, Lucien Beaumont captures on film a lone porcupine fending off 17 lions and surviving- http://blog.londolozi.com/2014/10/a-prickly-encounter-lions-vs-porcupine/

* The excavation of a 3,400 year-old temple by seven residents of the apartments above results in their arrest - http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/9/40/114274/Heritage/Ancient-Egypt/Giza-men-arrested-after-digging-up-ancient-temple-.aspx

* Annalee Newitz breaks down why "Interstellar" is both the best and worst space opera you'll see - http://io9.com/interstellar-is-the-best-and-worst-space-opera-youll-ev-1654807305

* Four pieces of wonderful Marvel news:

Behind-the-scenes footage has arrived for both the upcoming Ant-Man film and Avengers: Age of Ultron - http://www.slashfilm.com/ant-man-footage-avengers-age-of-ultron/

Speaking of Ant-Man, significant changes to the synopsis for the Ant-Man movie clear some things up, sort of - http://screenrant.com/ant-man-new-synopsis-master-thief-heist/

Speaking of first views, the first view of the Agent Carter mini-series featuring Agent Peggy Carter during WWII has arrived and it looks amazing!  http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Agent-Carter-Footage-Pump-You-Up-Series-68220.html

And finally, Marvel announced release dates for a string of nine films, fulfilling many geek dreams, wishes, and sacrifices by revealing that both Captain Marvel & Black Panther are getting feature films! - http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/10/28/marvel-confirms-movies-for-black-panther-captain-marvel-more

* So we've finally gotten the title for the new Star Wars film STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS.   Head over here to see how this title might play into the latest rumors on Luke Skywalker's fate - http://sciencefiction.com/2014/11/06/official-title-star-wars-episode-vii-just-announced/

* Andy Serkis, everyone's favorite body motion actor, will be in the new Star Wars film, but is but he will also be voicing the antagonist in an upcoming Robin Hood-esque futuristic game called VOLUME by THOMAS WAS ALONE creator Mike Bithell- http://www.gamespot.com/articles/lord-of-the-rings-actor-andy-serkis-playing-villai/1100-6423334/

* George R.R. Martin says "No one ever gets the Iron Throne right" - http://www.businessinsider.com/george-rr-martin-no-one-gets-game-of-thrones-iron-throne-right-2014-10

* An interesting post on the decline of writing income,  and how your class background and parents' economic status might limit your artistic dreams.  A lot to chew on and talk about - http://www.nappertime.com/george-r-r-martins-sister-the-economics-of-being-a-writer/