Many of you on my friends list are writers, and many are horse enthusiasts. If you're either or both, you should be reading Judith Tarr's blog on Book View Cafe.

http://blog.bookviewcafe.com/category/judith-tarr/

Judy is, of course, one of our finest living writers as well as an avid horsewoman. Her blog is a wonderful resource for anyone wanting to incorporate horses in any way shape or form in their writing. Very good stuff indeed.

From Judith Tarr's LJ (dancinghorse):

"From now through December 1st, I will be offering the trade-paper edition of this book at one-third off the official price. That's $16 plus $5 shipping. Aaaannnnnd...here's the extra-special part: each copy you order from me will be signed. This is the brand-new twentieth-anniversary edition with a gorgeous cover by our own neutronjockey, a new introduction, and a bonus short story.

This sale is not available through lulu. It's our own, very special friends-and-extended-family holiday sale. (Yes, you may link and crosspost. Tell people to cite the name of this lj when they place an order.) Email me at capriole at gmail dot com and let me know how many copies you would like. I take Paypal at the gmail address (please add 5%) or check (no extra fee). I will send you my address for the check when you place your order. Multiple copies to the same address will get a discount on shipping. The large flat-rate Priority Mail box can hold at least six copies--fyi. 8)

All orders must be received and paid by December 1st. I will do my best to get everyone's copies out in time for Solstice.

This is a great gift for the horsekids in your family, and for the fantasy fans, as well as those whose copy of the original, with its ogodawful cover, is starting to show its age. If you haven't seen it before--go read the chapter. It's one of my favorite books-by-moi. I hope you will agree."


Everyone please go buy multiple copies...this is a marvelous book, and a great introduction to Judy's work for those few of you who haven't yet followed my orders suggestion to read everything of Judy's immediately. ;)

This book is beautifully written, tons of fun, and would make an excellent gift for everyone you know. Buy lots! Now!

Finally, the incredibly awesome site Badass of the Week has chosen to single out the brilliant Baldwin IV, the Leper King of Jerusalem, for the accolades he deserves.
http://www.badassoftheweek.com/baldwin.html

From the article:

"The once-feeble King was out there in front of the host of warriors, his hands and arms wrapped in bandages in an unsuccessful attempt to lessen the searing pain shooting through his body as he gripped his blade, as he spurred his horse on, leading a charge of 500 knights (and a few thousand local infantry) against an army of 26,000 battle-hardened veteran soldiers. The people who witnessed this got so ridiculously jacked that they each fought like a fucking roid-raging Yetis on PCP, swinging their blades at the unprepared invaders like cheesy 1980s slasher-movie villains assaulting a sorority house. The crusaders suffered heavy losses – over 2,000 casualties were reported in the aftermath – but in the process Baldwin IV and his knights somehow managed to snatch victory from the asshole of defeat and inflict the most devastating defeat the Invincible Saladin would ever suffer. Saladin's army was annihilated, many of his personal bodyguards were killed, and the great commander was lucky to escape the carnage with his life. He returned home to Egypt with fewer than a thousand survivors still under his command."

I first fell in love with Baldwin IV through reading Alamut, by the incomparable Judith Tarr. For my birthday, Judy wrote me a story about Baldwin, with a cameo appearance by my dearest Eowyn the Round Striped Cat. To say this was the best birthday present evar would be a gross understatement.

I know I've said it before here, but Judith Tarr is one of the finest authors to ever put words to paper, and Alamut is a work of such grandeur and genius that, for me, it is tied with Dune as the best damned book ever written. And soon it will be re-released in a glorious new edition with bonus material. When that happens, I insist that each and every one of you buy several copies and see for yourself how brilliant it is, how spectacular Judy is, and how the most Badass King of Jerusalem was immortalized by Judy's pen.

Book View Café, the Internet's only professional author cooperative, announces the creation of Book View Press. Book View Press will expand the Café authors' mission of bringing the best online fiction to the readers by bringing new work ready-to-read on the most popular ebook devices, including the Amazon Kindle, the Sony eReader and a variety of cell phones.


Rocket Boy and the Geek Girls

“Fasten your seatbelts and brace your tentacles. These all-star tales of epic wonder from the genre’s masters will sizzle through your mind like a spaceship on re-entry burn.”

— David Williams
Author of The Burning Sky

Aliens, technology, humanity, exploration, loss, transformation, and a title only the Internet’s original author’s cooperative could imagine.

An anthology of classic and favorite science fiction stories by the BVC authors, never before gathered in a single collection, Rocket Boy and the Geek Girls is the premier title from Book View Press.


Vonda N. McIntyre — Brenda W. Clough — Katharine Kerr
Judith Tarr — P.R. Frost — Pati Nagle — Madeleine Robins
Nancy Jane Moore — Sarah Zettel — Amy Sterling Casil
Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff — Jennifer Stevenson — Sylvia Kelso

Ready to read on the Kindle, Sony eReader, B&N Nook, iPhone and most other ebook readers and smart phones (with reader app.)

Available formats: PDF, EPUB, MOBI, .prc, .lit, .lrf

http://www.bookviewcafe.com/

This anthology features TWO Judith Tarr stories, so get your copy now!

Christmas is coming, my dears, so may I recommend something that would make a wonderful gift, either for yourself or your loved ones?

The 20th anniversary edition of Judith Tarr's brilliant book A Wind in Cairo is the perfect gift for any readers on your list. The new edition has a gorgeous new cover, bonus material, and a new introduction.

http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/a-wind-in-cairo/5524136

This edition was a labor of love for many people, and it far exceeds even our high expectations. Those of you who are familiar with Judy's work know that any book of hers is a treasure and a treat...this one, I think, is one of her very best.

Please, my dears...go buy yourself a copy of this book. It's a great introduction to Judy's work, and a story that will stay with you long after you turn the last page. Buy copies for all of your friends, and support a wonderful author and great human being in the process. I swear, you won't regret it. (Also available as an e-book!)

A Wind in Cairo by Judith Tarr

THE PRINCE: Spoiled, reckless, heedless of any wants or needs but his own, sentenced to a terrible fate for his sins against man, woman, and God

THE STALLION: Equally spoiled, equally reckless, bound until death to a bitter servitude

THE TURK'S HEIR: Fiercest of rivals, most devoted of enemies, whose armor hides a secret

Come into the world of the Arabian Nights, where magic and mystery meet; where justice lays a sinner low, and the magic of the heart turns hate to love.

Includes the full text of the original Bantam edition, slightly revised, with a new introduction and a bonus short story.

Some of you know I got the best birthday present ever this year...a short story from Judy of my very own featuring my favorite characters and with a cameo from my sweet cat Eowyn.

Judy is now offering to write stories on commission. You name the genre, plot, whatever. She'll write it for you, and send you a signed hard copy of it.

Be the envy of all of your friends, and get your own story today!

If you're a writer, Judy also offers mentoring. She'll help you out with plot points or characterization if you're stuck, or edit your finished work.

Here's the link to the relevant information:
http://dancinghorse.livejournal.com/187431.html

Tell her Gwyndyn sent you. ;)

*crossposted to judith_tarr_fan

Hello, my dears!

I just wanted to let you all know that there is now an LJ community for fans of the works of Judith Tarr, oh so cleverly called judith_tarr_fan.

Stop by and check it out!

I've mentioned here, many times, how deep my fangirl squeeee! runs for the books of the amazing Judith Tarr (dancinghorse).

Several of Judy's books are lamentably out-of-print, but they are now going to be re-released with bonus material.

Well, I can now reveal the awesomeness that is the Sekrit Project!

Sekrit Project Part the First: painstakingly, by hand, I typed in the entire text of A Wind in Cairo, since Judy didn't have a digital copy.

I learned a hell of a lot in the process...how important the nuts-and-bolts writing is. Why semicolons are awesome. Pacing of the story via punctuation and dialogue. Really nifty stuff.

Even better, I've had the privelege of getting to know Judy a little bit as a person...and she is just as kind and erudite and generous with her time as I had imagined. Her talent is almost as enormous as her heart.

The new edition of A Wind in Cairo will be available soon as both a trade paperback and an e-book. Details to follow.

This project has been such a joy for me...and I know it will be a joy for all of you to read.

Stop by Judy's Lj and check out the amazing new cover designed by neutronjockey!
http://dancinghorse.livejournal.com/200837.html

Any of you who are interested in quality science fiction, fantasy, and historical novels really need to do yourselves a favor and buy all of Judy's books forthwith. You'll be very glad you did.

Well, I've finished Part Two of Four of the Super Sekrit Project I've been working on. I should be able to share the awesomeness with y'all either next week or the one after.

Stay tuned!