AZSF, in conjunction with The Poisoned Pen Bookstore, will be hosting the first in the AZSF Reading Series at The Sip Coffee and Beer House in Scottsdale, Arizona on September 22 at 7 pm. The inaugural event will feature Tor Books authors Melinda Snodgrass, Jane Lindskold, and Victor Milan. The Poisoned Pen calendar page has some additional information on the event.
Modeled after science fiction, fantasy, horror, and mystery reading series elsewhere (such as Fantastic Fiction at KGB, NYRSF Readings, Writers with Drinks, and Noir at the Bar), we are looking to have a more social event than the normal bookstore appearance where fans and readers can meet authors in a casual environment with drinks and snacks available for attendees. Each event will feature two to three authors reading from their current or recent work, followed by socializing, book signing, and a few giveaways.
Sip is located at 3617 N Goldwater Rd where Goldwater merges with Scottsdale Road North of Osborne. Parking is limited at the bar, but you can park in the Walgreen’s parking lot across the street. Happy hour runs from 4 pm to 7 pm, so showing up a little early is recommended.
The authors participating in the September 22nd event are:
Jane Lindskold – Artemis Invaded
Jane Lindskold is the award-winning, bestselling author of more than twenty novels, including the incredibly popular Firekeeper series (Through Wolf’s Eyes,Wolf’s Blood), as well as more than sixty shorter works. Several of her novels have been chosen by VOYA for their Best SF, Fantasy and Horror list. Lindskold’s work has been repeatedly praised for its sensitive depiction of worlds and cultures different from our own–especially those that aren’t in the least human. She resides in New Mexico.
In Artemis Invaded, Jane Lindskold returns to the world of Artemis, a pleasure planet that 
was lost for millennia, a place that holds secrets that could give mankind back unimaginable powers.
Stranded archaeologist Griffin is determined to make his way back to his home world with news of the Artemis discovery. He and his gene-modified native companion, the huntress Adara, and her psyche-linked puma Sand Shadow, set out to find another repository of the ancient technology in the hope that somehow Griffin will be able to contact his orbiting ship.
In the midst of this, Adara wrestles with her complex feelings for Griffin-and with the consequences of her and Sand Shadow’s new bond with the planet Artemis. Focused on his own goals, Griffin is unaware that his arrival on Artemis has created unexpected consequences for those he is coming to hold dear. Unwittingly, he has left a trail-and Artemis is about to be invaded.
Victor Milan – The Dinosaur Lords
The Dinosaur Lords is the start of a sprawling epic fantasy series by Victor Milan, who has written over 100 novels and is best known for his award winning novel Cybernetic Samurai and his contributions to George R. R. Martin’s Wild Cards shared universe . In previous worlds he’s been a cowboy and Albuquerque’s most popular all-night prog-rock DJ. He’s never outgrown his childhood love of dinosaurs…and hopes you didn’t either.
“It’s like a cross between Jurassic Park and Game of Thrones.” –George R. R. Martin
A world made by the Eight Creators on which to play out their games of passion and power, Paradise is a sprawling, diverse, often brutal place. Men and women live on Paradise as do dogs, cats, ferrets, goats, and horses. But dinosaurs predominate: wildlife, monsters, beasts of burden-and of war. Colossal plant-eaters like Brachiosaurus; terrifying meat-eaters like Allosaurus, and the most feared of all, Tyrannosaurus rex. Giant lizards swim warm seas. Birds (some with teeth) share the sky with flying reptiles that range in size from bat-sized insectivores to majestic and deadly Dragons.
Thus we are plunged into Victor Milán’s splendidly weird world of The Dinosaur Lords, a place that for all purposes mirrors 14th century Europe with its dynastic rivalries, religious wars, and byzantine politics…except the weapons of choice are dinosaurs. Where vast armies of dinosaur-mounted knights engage in battle. During the course of one of these epic battles, the enigmatic mercenary Dinosaur Lord Karyl Bogomirsky is defeated through betrayal and left for dead. He wakes, naked, wounded, partially amnesiac-and hunted. And embarks upon a journey that will shake his world.
Melinda Snodgrass – The Edge of Dawn
Melinda Snodgrass was a story editor and executive script consultant on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Her acclaimed episode, “The Measure of a Man,” was nominated for the Writer’s Guild Award for outstanding writing in a drama series. With George R. R. Martin, she co-created the popular Wild Cards series of shared-world novels and anthologies. She also writes urban fantasy under the name Phillipa Bornikova. She lives in New Mexico.
What do you do when the Earth is under assault from monstrous creatures by alternate dimensions and you’re the only person who can wield the weapon that can destroy them? That’s the situation facing Richard Oort, hero of the Melinda Snodgrass’s Edge of Dawn.
Lonely and overwhelmed after a series of terrifying, catastrophic global and personal events, Richard is still determined to save the world from the horrific Old Ones. He goes undercover in a Christian fundamentalist compound, playing house with an attractive FBI agent. At first, this only serves to increase his loneliness, missing his real family, but against all odds discovers another unique human who can use the paladin’s weapon, one who might be able to join him and lighten the burden of responsibility. There’s only one problem – Mosi is a nine year old Navajo girl.
Their enemies are trying to kill both Richard and Mosi-and have already killed Mosi’s family. To keep her safe Richard becomes her guardian, but an error in judgement leads to disaster and betrayal, and now the odd pair will need to summon all their strength to survive the coming battle. From the American southwest to a secret society in Turkey, the paladin and his ward try to stay in front of their enemies, but the world is at stake-and time is running short.
The AZSF Reading series will be scheduling more events in the near future. If you would like to be kept up to date on upcoming Arizona author events (including future AZSF Readings), keep an eye on the AZSF Blog, the AZSF.org Facebook Page or email me, Lee Whiteside, at azsf42 (at) gmail.com .
The AZSF Reading Series is being organized by Lee Whiteside in conjunction with The Poisoned Pen Bookstore. Lee has been working with science fiction and fantasy authors via conventions and other events for almost 30 years. He’s chaired multiple CopperCons and LepreCons, chaired the 2006 Nebula Awards Weekend, the 2009 North American Discworld Convention (honoring Terry Pratchett), and was the Books and Authors Manager for Phoenix Comicon from 2009 – 2014. He also runs the official website for award winning author Connie Willis, ConnieWillis.net .
