Post: Mission Statement, Releases, and New Members!

So what do you guys think? How does the new Laire look?

Not much different, you say? True, visually at least. It's the content that's about to change. This is The Cosmic Laire of Science Fiction and Fantasy, so it needs to reflect such a place, otherwise it would be like pulling up to a Holiday Inn and it's more like a Motel 6 inside - not that I have anything against Motel 6 ... if you're into Mos Eisley ...

That means this place is dedicated to bringing you the best and latest of science fiction and fantasy, including all subgenres in all mediums, through there will be frequent book talk and option, reviews and the occasional interview, three times a week, unless a very, very special announcement has to be made (like tomorrow). Still seeing how this works out, so again, don't mind the mess, and don't worry - we run a never-ending supply of crullers here, and our Shout-Out tradition to new members will never go away; because you are all awesome!

All forward thrusters to full ... Let the blog launching commence!

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First up, we have The Golem and the Jinni, by Helene Wecker.

Chava is a golem, a creature made of clay, brought to life to by a disgraced rabbi who dabbles in dark Kabbalistic magic. When her master-the husband who commissioned her-dies at sea on the voyage from Poland, she is unmoored and adrift as the ship arrives in New York harbor in 1899.

Ahmad is a jinni, a being of fire, born in the ancient Syrian desert. Trapped in an old copper flask by a Bedouin wizard centuries ago, he is released accidentally by a tinsmith in a Lower Manhattan shop. Though he is no longer imprisoned, Ahmad is not entirely free-an unbreakable band of iron around his wrist binds him to the physical world.

Overwhelmed by the incessant longing and fears of the humans around her, the cautious and tentative Chava-imbued with extraordinary physical strength-fears losing control and inflicting harm. Baptized by the tinsmith who makes him his apprentice, the handsome and capricious Ahmad-an entity of inquisitive intelligence and carefree pleasure-chafes at monotony and human dullness. Like their immigrant neighbors, the Golem and the Jinni struggle to make their way in this strange new place while masking the supernatural origins that could destroy them.   

(From Goodreads)

And now, some sci-fi action with CyberStorm, by Matthew Mater.

Mike Mitchell, an average New Yorker already struggling to keep his family together, suddenly finds himself fighting just to keep them alive when an increasingly bizarre string of disasters start appearing on the world’s news networks. As the world and cyberworlds come crashing down, bending perception and reality, a monster snowstorm cuts New York off from the world, becoming a wintry tomb where no one can be trusted, and nothing is what it seems...

CyberStorm is a techno-thriller set in present-day New York City that will appeal to fans of Michael Crichton and Tom Clancy as well as devotees of William Gibson and Neal Stephenson. It is an exploration of the human condition as the cyberworld collides with our own, a compelling portrait of a possible future that is all too terrifyingly real.

(From Goodreads)

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Check this out! A couple new members have joined the crew. If you'd take a moment to visit these bloggers, I'm sure they'll appreciate it.

Donea Lee

and

Sarah Foster

I also have to give a special Shout-Out to the one and only Gina Gao of Modern World. Her posts are guaranteed to make you think, like a big bowl of blogging brain food to start the day. Hmm ... Brains ...

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Update: Since this is the week of LDStorymakers, I can't expect to get much writing done. Hosting a pre-conference dinner adds to that, but I'm super excited for it! And I hope to catch up on a couple ARCs I'm reading. I can't wait to review them! Yeah. Indefinite break from writing this week, but not for this blog. I have a review, an essay, and a special movie trailer that I've waited my whole life to show you!

I'll take pictures and provide an overview of the conference. Oh! I've been invited to be on a podcast also, and I will let you know when and where you can hear it, next week. Wish me luck, guys. I'll need it!

Stick around! There's more awesomeness in store, my friends. Bring a fat wallet and come hungry. I'm warming the virtual crullers now!

What are you guys up to this week? How was Iron Man 3? Any sci-fi and fantasy topics or writing advice you'd like me to dish out?

I'm David, and if I dream of electric sheep, then ... am I a robot?