Free (Kindle DRM-free) Cinema Futura [Film Essays by SF/Fantasy Luminaries] + KDP

[ATDrake]

There's actually some fairly nice and semi-significant stuff in today's KDP Select exclusive-or-else-but-you-can-promo-5-days-out-of-90 slushpile.

But I'm promoting one of yesterday's finds to a feature, since it definitely looks significant enough that it deserves a spotlight.

Cinema Futura: Essays on Favourite Science Fiction Movies edited by Mark Morris and published by PS Publishing (who've also got another freebie-promoted work currently shortlisted for a BFSA award, as noted by Blue Tyson) was a series of film essays written by various sf/fantasy/horror writers to accompany the 2010 British Fantasy Convention.

This collection went on to be nominated for the 2011 British Fantasy Award for Best Non-Fiction and the previous similar set of essays, Cinema Macabre, itself was a multiple award nominee.

It's too bad that the TOC in this seems to be placed at the back and that the ISFDB entry doesn't yet list the contributions, because there are a lot of truly important authors from each genre giving their thoughts on classic and not-so-classic sfnal movies. Many of them, such as Pat Cadigan and Lucius Shepard and Brian Stableford and Joe R. Lansdale are multiply-awarded trend-setting ground-breaking writers in their subgenres, and almost everyone's got a fairly substantial Wikipedia entry.

If you've any interest in sf/fantasy/horror fiction and film or know someone who might, you should definitely be picking this one up.

Anyway, free without DRM for who knows how long (though this popped up yesterday so they've got a max of 4 more days left to freebie) @ Amazon main UK DE ES FR IT

Description
Following on from the huge critical and commercial success of Cinema Macabre (2006), comes Cinema Futura, which will be launched by PS Publishing at the British Fantasy Convention, September 17-19, 2010.

Cinema Macabre, a book of horror movie essays by fifty genre luminaries, was edited by Mark Morris, and went on to win the British Fantasy Award, and to be nominated for both an HWA Bram Stoker Award and an International Horror Guild Award.

Now Cinema Futura, containing an all-new roster of contributors and movies, is set to emulate that success. This time featuring a line-up of sixty genre luminaries, Cinema Futura is even bigger than its predecessor.

And what a stellar line-up it is! We have the inimitable Joe Lansdale extolling the virtues of Invaders of Mars, top crime writer John Connolly waxing lyrical about The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, and author of The Prestige, Christopher Priest telling us why he loves La Jetée. With further contributions from such top genre names as Lucius Shepard, David J. Schow, Alastair Reynolds, Stephen Volk, Sarah Pinborough, Robert Shearman, Peter F. Hamilton, Steven Erikson and many more, Cinema Futura is set to become an essential addition to the bookshelves of every movie buff and science-fiction fan worldwide.

On to today's slushpile yield. For the western readers, there's some fairly significant backlist stuff, and there also some things which may be of interest to people following current political affairs. Plus the usual mystery/romance/horror offerings.

Max McCoy, published by Kensington's Pinnacle imprint and also the author of Indiana Jones tie-in novels, offers the 20th Anniversary Edition of his western novel, which apparently won a Western Writers of America award for Best First Novel, with a new introduction by also-Pinnacle published Johnny D. Boggs, who is apparently a name well-known in western circles: The Sixth Rider He also offers a non-fiction work (apparently he was an award-winning journalist in his spare time) of interviews with Hiroshima and Nagasaki survivors: Zero Minutes to Midnight

Serious western fans will also want to be sure to pick up an addition from yesterday, Jory Sherman's collection with an introduction by Loren D. Estleman (it turns out that both of them are fairly significant western/crime writers): Shadows of Yesteryear: Western Short Stories

Greg Mitchell, co-author of a much-praised 1996 HarperCollins-published non-fiction work on the impact of Hiroshima and apparently former editor of the Nuclear Times publication, now offers his takes on: THE AGE OF WIKILEAKS: From Collateral Murder to Cablegate (and Beyond) and ATOMIC COVER-UP: Two U.S. Soldiers, Hiroshima & Nagasaki, and The Greatest Movie Never Made and DEAD RECKONING: Executions in America and BRADLEY MANNING: Truth and Consequences

Charlene Keel offers a retro-memoir of juicy anecdotes from her time as a flight attendant, originally paperbacked by Leisure Books in 1973: The Sky's the Limit

Edgar Award nominee Anthony Bruno offers an FBI vs organized crime thriller in his Gibbons and Tozzi series, originally published by Putnam in 1988: Bad Guys

Jeffrey Marks offers his small-press-published 2001 debut novel, an historical mystery with Ulysses S. Grant as the amateur sleuth, which from the cover, appears to have "A Silver Dagger Mystery" as the official series tag: The Ambush of My Name

Susan Parry offers a 2007 Viridian-paperbacked mystery in her UK-set Yorkshire Dales series. I don't care if it might actually turn out that "Viridian" is some sort of faux-self-pub CreateSpace name, because this one's got archaeologists in it: Death Carts

Previously-featured Avon-paperbacked Paul Bishop returns with an Elvis-impersonator-based mystery in what looks like a series: Suspicious Minds

Previously-featured Five Star published Michael Haskins offers another in his Mick Murphy Mystery series which pits his sleuth up against Central American death squads: Tijuana Weekend

UK writer Ken McClure offers the 6th in his Dr. Steven Dunbar medical thrillers, originally published by Allison & Busby in 2007: The Lazarus Strain

Peter Michael Rosenberg offers a psychological suspense thriller originally published by Simon & Schuster in 1995: Because It Makes My Heart Beat Faster

Robert W. Walker returns with the 4th in his Jessica Coran Forensic Pathologist thriller series, originally published by Jove in 1994. I think this one's a repeat freebie, but in case you missed it earlier: Pure Instinct

Gregory Miller (ISFDB entry) offers a set of spooky-looking fantasy stories: The Uncanny Valley: Tales from a Lost Town

Previously-featured Edgar and Bram Stoker award nominee Billie Sue Mosiman offers a collection of her short horror tales: Life Near the Bone

Steve Lockley (ISFDB entry) and Paul Lewis (ISFDB entry) team up once again to offer a YA suspense/horror thriller: The Quarry

Nova Scotia-based Canadian writer Chantal Boudreau (ISFDB entry) offers what looks like a horror take on Lord of the Flies (not that it had that far to go): Fervor

Newbie writer Jason Downes, if he's the same as homonymous guy with this ISFDB entry (bio may be a bit out of date but says he's got one named story published in a particular outlet and is working on a horror thriller, which seems to fit), offers some sort of Ireland-set general/literary/men's fiction personal drama adapting to unexpected life changes thing: Pony Fleming

Previously-featured suspense/horror-writer Scott Nicholson has a bunch of new freebies out if you'd like to see if you can slowly collect the lot of his works for $0.00: Linkage to pull them all up, watch out for sneak-price-reversions.

Barbara Samuel offers a 1995 HarperCollins-paperbacked historical romance: Lucien's Fall Thanks to Britomart for spotting this as well.

Becky Barker offers a 2007 Ellora's Cave (technically, their now defunct Cerridwen Press imprint) published looks like contemporary western romance (hey, it's got someone in modern clothes riding a horse on the cover and there's nothing in the blurb to suggest otherwise): Hanchart Land

Previously-featured Judy Powell offers a 2007-Lyons paperbacked contemporary romance which looks on the steamy side from the provided blurb: Hot Chocolat

Samhain-published Mona Risk offers a oontemporary romance: Right Name, Wrong Man

Samhain-published Tawny Taylor offers a new set of stories free to all via Smashwords: Wild, Wicked & Wanton (A trio of erotic menage BDSM paranormal stories)

Sky Purington, who has had a few works paperbacked by specialty romance imprint The Wild Rose Press offers an historical romance which she warns has strong sexual content: Fate's Monolith (The MacLomain Series- Book 1)

Previously-featured newbie writer Theresa Ragan says she has won 6 RWA Golden Heart nominations overall and that the following title was a 2008 finalist for said newbie-with-promising-manuscript award. She's being upfront and giving details and not claming to be an award-winning bestseller published in many vague outlets, so here's her romantic suspense: Finding Kate Huntley

Pamela Beason has written a bunch of print-published "how to use this particular Microsoft Word" guides from Wiley and others. She also claims to have won numerous mostly-unnamed awards for her fiction, but that's harder to verify and I'm not going to bother as all her romance writing looks self-pub. If you're interested, she offers a "romantic adventure novella": Call of the Jaguar

Previously-featured probably-self-pub Canadian author Cindy Bouchard offers another volume in her BC-set historical family saga, if you've been following them: Princes of the North 1909

I think I wondered at some point on the forums if one could mash up Christian fiction and noir, or if they were somehow incompatible because of the former's squeaky-clean requirements and the latter's obligate gritty darkness. Well, if you were also wondering, here's a chance to find out with a noir thriller with a committed Christian detective written by BC-resident Canadian Rick Dewhurst, who says he's got a B.A in English Literature from UVic, so hopefully he can tell a decent (or at least grammatical and punctuated) story: My Fear Lady (A Joe LaFlam Mystery)

This aspiring sf/fantasy author has no ISFDB entry. But their collection of apparently-deliberately-comedic short stories looks like it could be cracktastically entertaining, because they've certainly got imagination if they're writing about "conjoined twins with deadly harmony take a break from brewing moonshine to take down an ex-ATF agent who loves murder and methamphetamines", among others: Trailer Park Juggernauts

I've previously said that I'd like it if many more books came with Samhain-style content warnings, and newbie writer Rex Jameson obliges. He's also quite upfront about his absence of writing experience, much less accolades in his author bio (excepting that Bad Poetry Award), and responds to reviewer criticism by examining his book for flaws and correcting them if he feels the criticism is warranted, and I appreciate both in an author, so here are his two works which I personally will add a ranking bump to, even if I never get around to actually opening them:

Angels and Demons: Perspectives of a Violent Afterlife (PRODUCT WARNING: This work describes an alternate reality where God and the Devil have agreed to an afterlife that is based solely on how the person died. So, life and death aren't fair. It also contains strong language, violence, charred wings, and a naked angel running around Oslo. Sorry about that.)


Lucifer's Odyssey (Primal Patterns) (PRODUCT WARNING: This series contains strong language, violence, epic battles, magic, religious figures, inter-dimensional travel and multiverses, alternate histories and fables, demons and elves making whoopy, and some fish-headed guys talking and playing cards. You've been warned.)

Happy reading, if you manage to spot something you think you might like.

[mikaelalind]

Thank you. I picked up the Scott Nicholson freebie. I am waiting for Speeddating the dead to show up since it is on my Wishlist, but I have a feeling I have missed it .

I have a feeling I'll pick up the last two as well, since they sounds interesting.

[ATDrake]

Speed Dating with the Dead is part of the 3-novel Ethereal Messenger omnibus which is currently one of his freebies.

[mikaelalind]

Originally Posted by ATDrake

Speed Dating with the Dead is part of the 3-novel Ethereal Messenger omnibus which is currently one of his freebies.

I didn't realise that

[banjobama]

Pamela Beason has written a bunch of print-published "how to use this particular Microsoft Word" guides from Wiley and others. She also claims to have won numerous mostly-unnamed awards for her fiction, but that's harder to verify and I'm not going to bother as all her romance writing looks self-pub. If you're interested, she offers a "romantic adventure novella": Call of the Jaguar

I read a book of hers called Wild that she was promoting here on MR a looong time ago. It was good! Self-pub but you can't tell, if that makes sense.

[curtw]

Thanks for the pointer! It'll be interesting to see what one of my favorite authors (Lucius Shepard) has to say about one of my least favorite movies (Alphaville).

[phloxy]

Thanks, ATDrake! Picked up a nice stack!

[DebbyS]

Thank you for this great list! Finally yesterday I was convinced that it couldn't hurt to download/install Kindle for PC (as I don't have a Kindle). I downloaded a freebie book, converted it to a format my ereader can handle, and, wowser! what a great thing! Today I've just downloaded a ton more books thanks to your list. Your links lead to more links, too, what fun! Next on my list? Find time to actually read some of these suckers... oh, and finish my pBooks that I've scanned and want to make rtfs or epubs... yeah, I need a six-month vacation at least...!

ps: I just noted I have been granted some Karma! I feel great about that now, too!

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by DebbyS

Thank you for this great list! Finally yesterday I was convinced that it couldn't hurt to download/install Kindle for PC (as I don't have a Kindle). I downloaded a freebie book, converted it to a format my ereader can handle, and, wowser! what a great thing! Today I've just downloaded a ton more books thanks to your list. Your links lead to more links, too, what fun! Next on my list? Find time to actually read some of these suckers... oh, and finish my pBooks that I've scanned and want to make rtfs or epubs... yeah, I need a six-month vacation at least...!

ps: I just noted I have been granted some Karma! I feel great about that now, too!

I just love your enthusiasm! Welcome to the Kindle Freebie Klub!

[Dr. Drib]

Got some more thanks to you.

Pushing 900 ebooks, with about 650 (or more) these Indy titles.

Thanks!



Don

[ATDrake]

A few minor late additions:

Bell Bridge Books-published Deborah Grace Staley offers a short story: The Wedding Quilt (A Fast Break Romance)

Paul Henke, who has recently had a novel out from British publisher Methuen (I have some of their YA stuff still on my bookshelves), offers an older military action thriller which appears to have been small-press published circa 2000: Mayhem (Nick Hunter Series)

Previously-featured unknown newbie writer Barry Barroldson offers another comedic-looking sf/etc. genre crossover work: Nemesis Of The Cactus Uberlord His previously-freebied other title was enjoyed and recommended by MR moderator Dr. Drib over here in the What Are You Reading thread.

[Blue Tyson]

Thanks!

[crich70]

Tawny Taylor's book over at Smashwords is no longer free. It's now listed as $4.99.

[Blue Tyson]

There's another Ken McClure

Dr Steven Dunbar no 6 in fact

THE LAZARUS STRAIN

"Ex-Special Forces medic, Dr Steven Dunbar of the Sci-Med Inspectorate investigates an apparent attack by animal rights activists on a research institute in rural Norfolk. The director of the institute has been murdered after having been horrendously tortured and several experimental monkeys have been released into the wild. While police interest centres on the murder, Sci-Med's concern is focused on what the escaped animals might be infected with.

Steven is assured that it was only 'flu virus but why has the army been called in to hunt down and kill the freed animals – wearing full biohazard gear? "

[Blue Tyson]

dp - ignore