Publishers Weekly: Glover returns to the alternate 1930s America of her Murder and Magic series in this thrilling spin-off, an intoxicating blend of mystery and fantasy. Velma Frye’s days as a bootlegger of forbidden magic are behind her, and she now divides her time between performing high-flying aerial stunts and working as an investigator for magical rights group the Magnolia Muses. Trouble arises when a magic-fueled fight over a pocket watch breaks out after one of Velma’s air shows. She learns the pocket watch is one of many enchanted objects that have been causing unexplained violent incidents across the country, including one that led to a woman’s death. Velma sets off to locate the rest of the dangerous artifacts and gains an unexpected travel companion, the annoyingly charming journalist Dillon Harris. Dillon’s inquisitive nature and skills as a spellcaster prove useful for Velma’s investigation, and together they discover that the enchanted objects are part of a deadly conspiracy with unexpected ties to Velma’s family. The complex mystery keeps readers on their toes and the pages flying. The colorful cast, unique magic system, and slow-burning, enemies-to-lovers romance between Velma and Dillon add to the fun. New readers and returning fans alike will devour this.
After a long, hard journey west, Cleve Trewe is ready to settle down. He’s got his beautiful wife Berry in San Francisco, a baby on the way, and his sights set on a gorgeous piece of land in the Sierras. This sweet slice of heaven is aptly named Sweet River, and it’s the perfect place to build a ranch, farm, and home for his family. Problem is, Cleve’s not the only one with his eyes on the land. A big-time cattle baron named Asa Hawthorn is prepared to use threats, intimidation—and armed thugs—to get what he wants. Worse yet, Cleve knows the man from the darkest days of the Civil War . . .
Cleve’s not about to surrender his claim.. He’s got his buddy Kanaway by his side, a family of Paiute Indians on his team, and the property papers ready to sign. That’s when the real trouble starts. To squash the deal, Hawthorn unleashes his deadliest henchmen—including a would-be gunfighter from Cleve’s past and a killer-for-hire who never misses. The Paiute family recognizes some of them as the men who slaughtered their tribe—a massacre that Cleve suspects was the work of Asa Hawthorn. Either way, a major battle is brewing. And the crystal blue waters of Sweet River are about to turn red . . .
The 2024 Aurora Awards winners have been announced and we’re thrilled to share that the following DMLA authors have won in the Best Novel and Best Short Story categories!
Best Novel: The Valkyrie, Kate Heartfield, HarperVoyager
Best Short Story: “At Every Door A Ghost”, Premee Mohamed, Communications Breakdown, MIT Press
KNOCK KNOCK, OPEN WIDE author Neil Sharpson’s picture book debut DON’T TRUST FISH, which explains in a scientific and reasonable way why fish cannot be trusted, illustrated by Caldecott Medalist and National Book Award winner for A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING Dan Santat, to Kate Harrison at Dial, at auction, for publication in spring 2025, by Jennie Goloboy for the author, and by Jodi Reamer at Writers House for the illustrator.
The 2024 Locus Awards finalists have been announced and we’re excited to see so many DMLA authors on this list!
- System Collapse, Martha Wells (Tordotcom)
- Witch King, Martha Wells (Tordotcom)
- The Reformatory, Tananarive Due (Saga; Titan UK)
- The Saint of Bright Doors, Vajra Chandrasekera (Tordotcom)
- The Salt Grows Heavy, Cassandra Khaw (Nightfire; Titan UK)
- “At Every Door a Ghost”, Premee Mohamed (Communications Breakdown)
- “Suppertime”, Tananarive Due (New Suns 2)
- “Those Hitchhiking Kids“, Darcie Little Badger (The Sunday Morning Transport 4/2/23)
- The Year’s Best African Speculative Fiction (2022), Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki & Eugen Bacon & Milton Davis, eds. (Caezic)
- The Wishing Pool and Other Stories, Tananarive Due (Akashic)
- No One Will Come Back For Us, Premee Mohamed (Undertow)
- Skin Thief, Suzan Palumbo (Neon Hemlock)
- 101 Horror Books to Read Before You’re Murdered, Sadie Hartmann (Page Street Publishing)
The 2024 Aurora Award Nominations are in and we’re excited to see so many DMLA authors on this fantastic list of nominees!
Best Novel:
- The Valkyrie, Kate Heartfield, HarperVoyager
Best Novelette/Novella:
- “The Most Strongest Obeah Woman of the World”, Nalo Hopkinson, Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror, Random House
Best Short Story:
- “At Every Door A Ghost”, Premee Mohamed, Communications Breakdown, MIT Press
Best Related Work:
- No One Will Come Back for Us and Other Stories, Premee Mohamed, Undertow Publications
- Skin Thief: Stories, Suzan Palumbo, Neon Hemlock Press
Dutch rights to New York Times bestselling author Martha Wells’ ALL SYSTEMS RED, ARTIFICIAL CONDITION, ROGUE PROTOCOL, and EXIT STRATEGY, the first four books in The Murderbot Diaries series, to De Fontein, by Vere Bank at Sebes & Bisseling in association with Michael Curry for Jennifer Jackson.
French audio rights to LJ Andrews’s THE EVER KING, to Noa Rosen at Theleme, at auction, by Sarah Dray at Anna Jarota Agency, on behalf of Katie Shea Boutillier.
Italian rights to Kate Heartfield’s THE TAPESTRY OF TIME, to Marco Rana at Edizioni E/O, by Stefania Fietta at Donzelli Fietta, on behalf of Katie Shea Boutillier at Donald Maass Literary Agency for Jennie Goloboy.
Spanish rights to Nebula Award winner Premee Mohamed’s THE BUTCHER OF THE FOREST, to Duermevela, by Amaiur Fernández at International Editors Co. in association with Michael Curry.
Turkish rights to LJ Andrews’s Broken Kingdoms series and Ever Seas series, to Juno Kitap, in a multi-book deal, at auction, by Merve Ongen at Anatolialit Agency, on behalf of Katie Shea Boutillier.
A band of mercenaries fight deadly enemies and solve ancient riddles to plunder the tomb of Egypt’s robber pharaoh in this break-neck historical adventure-thriller.
701 BCE. Assyria lays siege to Jerusalem, last stronghold of the Judeans.
In an audacious raid, a band of Kushite mercenaries—the Desert Mice—help force the Assyrians back from the gates of Jerusalem. But when a greedy general cheats them of their payment, the mercenaries must turn to plundering the dead: a fabled tyrant and his long-lost tomb.
In crossing an ancient pharaoh, the mercenaries will befoul themselves in an Egyptian power struggle and draw the gaze of a wrathful foreign king. Pursued by scheming nobles and a malevolent torturer, the Desert Mice set sail down the Nile—toward the Valley of the Kings.
Congratulations to all the DMLA authors who made the BSFA shortlist!
BEST SHORT NON FICTION
Dominant Themes in Afro-Centric Fiction, Eugen Bacon (Aurealis)
BEST SHORTER FICTION (Novellas, novelettes)
Broken Paradise, Eugen Bacon (Luna Press Publishing)
BEST COLLECTION
Mothersound: The Sauútiverse Anthology (edited by Wole Talabi), Eugen Bacon (Android Press)
No One Will Come Back for Us, Premee Mohamed (Undertow)
The British Science Fiction Association Awards Longlist has been announced and many congratulations to the following DMLA authors who have been nominated for this year’s award in the following categories!
Best Collection:
Year’s Best African Speculative Fiction 2022 – Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, Eugen Bacon, Milton Davis (Arc Manor)
Languages of Water – Editor, Eugen Bacon (MVMedia)
The Skin Thief – Suzan Palumbo (Neon Hemlock)
No One Will Come Back for Us – Premee Mohamed (Undertow)
Best Novel:
A Second Chance for Yesterday – RA Sinn (Solaris)
The Saint of Bright Doors – Vajra Chandrasekera (tordotcom)
The Valkyrie – Kate Heartfield (HarperCollins)
Witch King – Martha Wells (tordotcom)
Best Short Fiction:
Paperweight – Eugen Bacon & Claire Rhoden (Mothersound)
Sina the Child with No Echo – Eugen Bacon (Mothersound)
Best Shot Non-Fiction:
Dominant Themes in Afro-Centric Fiction – Eugen Bacon (Aurealis)
Best Shorter Fiction:
Broken Paradise – Eugen Bacon (Luna Press)