Well, gosh.
It’s been a long time coming, but now it’s almost here: the third and final book of the Milkweed Triptych. The concluding volume, Necessary Evil, will hit shelves on Tuesday, April 30 in the US (via Tor) and the UK/Commonwealth (via Orbit). That’s just over three weeks from today!
And to celebrate the publication of Necessary Evil, many very hard working people have put together a brief West Coast signing tour. My first signing tour—I’m amazed, delighted, and more than a little nervous. I’ll also be doing a couple of singings in New Mexico after returning from the Pacific Coast.
I’ve posted the full schedule of my upcoming signings below the cut. (All of the stops are now included in the appearances on my homepage, too.) Feel free to stop by if you’re in the area, or just passing through. I’d love to see some friendly faces! And, if you feel so inclined, please spread the word.
The tour will run from Thursday, May 2 to Monday, May 6. It’ll be a busy few days, thanks to the generosity, support, and all-around-coolness of the following venues:
Thursday, May 2, 7:00 pm: Powell’s Books at Cedar Hills Crossing (Beaverton, OR)
Friday, May 3, 7:30-8:30 pm: Mysterious Galaxy (Redondo Beach, CA)
Saturday, May 4, 2:00 pm: University Bookstore (Seattle, WA)
Sunday, May 5, 3:00 – 4:30 pm: Borderland Books (San Francisco, CA)
Monday, May 6, 7:00 pm: Mysterious Galaxy (San Diego, CA)
And, once I’m back in New Mexico, thanks to our awesome local bookstores:
Saturday, May 11, 3:00 pm: Alamosa Books (Albuquerque, NM)
Saturday, June 1, 1:00 – 3:00 pm: Page One Bookstore (Albuquerque, NM)
Like I said: feel free to stop by if you’re in the area, or just swinging through. And/or if you’d like to spread the word, that would be really swell of you. I think this is more signings for Necessary Evil than I did for Bitter Seeds and The Coldest War combined. (Of course, I’ll be more than happy to sign copies of those books, too. Heck, I’ll sign anything. Doesn’t have to be one of my own books.)
But wait! There’s more…
If you’d like to read a free sample from Necessary Evil, you can. Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist has the prologue, as does Orbit, and Tor.com has both the prologue and chapter 1 posted.
…and more…
Maybe you’ve read the excerpts, and your curiosity has been piqued, but you’d prefer to start reading at the beginning of the series. No problem! From now until May 1, Tor is selling the ebook edition of Bitter Seeds for just $2.99. And, in keeping with Tor’s policy, that’s a DRM-free edition, too.
…and more…
Now perhaps you’ve already read Bitter Seeds and The Coldest War, and you’ve been waiting patiently for the conclusion of the trilogy. First of all: you’re awesome, and I love you. (Only platonically, though, unless you’re Sara G. No offense if you’re not.) Second: how would you like to get that concluding volume for free? Well, that’s what this giveaway is for. Over at Goodreads, we’re giving away five copies of Necessary Evil. The giveaway runs until April 30.
…and more…
The Spanish edition of Bitter Seeds (Semillas Amargas) debuted on March 21, with volumes 2 (La Guerra Más Fría) and 3 (Un Mal Necesario) to come in May and July. With the series coming to a conclusion here and abroad, it’s fun to take a look at some of the many covers it has had (so far). My friends at the Zeno Agency have posted a gallery of Milkweed covers over at their blog. Neato!
(Of course, this gallery doesn’t include the original Palencar cover for Bitter Seeds, or the cover he painted for The Coldest War, or my proposed and very spoilerific cover for The Coldest War.)
…and more…
And finally, I was recently interviewed by all-around nice-guy (and new father!) Dominick Swennen over at Fantastical Imaginations.
Have fun on the tour, Ian! Be sure that the handlers provide you with color sorted bowls of m&m’s and all those rock star perks. That’s how book tours work, right?
Really, though, that’s great–can’t wait til the 30th.
I assume that’s how it works. If I find a single green M&M in my hotel room I will go straight back to my private jet and abandon the whole thing!
Ironically, I won’t be in the bay area the day your at Borderland (cool bookstore worked by appropriate nerdiness, If you actually have time to do any thing else in San Fran Don’t forget City Lights Bookstore which is where Howl got published. And If your into Sushi (not that there are many bad sushi places in San Fran), about 10 blocks away from Borderlands is an anime inspired Joint called Blowfish get Ritsu Roll. Also in that area is a cafe lunch place called Atlas. Plus dozens of Northern California Burrito shops including the place that it all started called El Faro’s) My heart sinks.
See what happened is my Father from Upstate New York and his wife are going to San Diego during that time so I said I would meet them there… Hey! Wait a minute. San Diego, Mysterious Galaxy!
Yay! Gonna try and be there to finally shake your hand. As long as my nerves don’t get the best of me to finally meet one of my OWW Heroes -hahahaha~! Maybe I will bring an original copy BitterSeed for you to sign!
I hope it all works out for my sake. Have a great Tour. If you have any questions about San fran, give me a e-mail.
Hey, Andrew!
I’d be delighted if I finally had a chance to meet you in person, after knowing you online for all these years. That would be a blast. Totally understand, though, if it doesn’t work out– your familial obligations should come first, especially when your dad and his wife are coming all the way across the country!
But heck, if you happen to be in SD when I’m there, feel free to swing by, if you’re not too busy. You’d be very welcome!
Thanks for all the terrific recommendations about San Francisco, too. Now I just wish I had more time to try them all. I’ll have a hard time deciding what I want to do during the short time I’m there.
really? you’re aren’t going to pop back up to the homegrounds? or are you going to wait until spring finally moves in up here after this current set of dates.. *snort*
Still waiting to hear about a Twin Cities destination!
I’d love to make it back to Minnesota (I haven’t been back since my signing at Uncle Hugo’s a few years ago). I’m hoping to get back some time this summer, though not as part of a signing tour.
But fitting Minnesota into this trip would introduce a pretty substantial dogleg into what’s an otherwise tight schedule. On the West Coast it’s possible to hit a sequence of specialty stores in (relatively) rapid succession. Flying halfway across the country, and then back the very next day, makes that harder 🙂
But someday I’ll make it back. Someday.