July Updates: Booklife, Finch, Kosher Guide, Last Drink, Steampunk, Etc.

(Yes, I'm chained to them forever, Booklife and Finch, their pub dates so close together that even the ARCs came in around the same time.)The Kosher Guide to Imaginary AnimalsOut in February of next year, and I'm thrilled to announce that in addition to an introduction by Joseph Nigg and the entries on the imaginary animals, the book will feature a conversation between my wife Ann and Duff Goldman, star of Ace of Cakes, about the best ways to cook some of these beasties. Like, erm, hobbit. Goldman's hilarious.Booklife/FinchThe ARCs are going out now, the East-West Coast tour is getting firmed up (full list of dates by the end of July), and more blurbs have come in. I'll mix 'em up, but I think it'll be clear what's for what..."Beautifully horrible, grippingly repellent...Chinatown meets Naked Lunch with a sprinkling of Tetsuo II: The Bodyhammer. A must for fans of fantasy, noir, great writing, or, of course, fungus." - Joe Abercrombie"Many books tell us how to write, but Jeff VanderMeer's Booklife tells us how to be an author, specifically in today's dynamic and quickly-changing world of new media and social networking. Whether you're a beginner or an industry veteran just getting comfortable with your presence online, Booklife will have something for you. VanderMeer made me think, question my own path, and make plans for a more focused move forward." - Mur Lafferty"Jeff VanderMeer has written a fascinating book on managing a writing career, including promotion, use of new media, career paths, resources, networking, conventions and--not incidentally!--balancing all of this with actual writing. Recommended for anyone who writes, wants to write, or has written and now wonders what to do next." - Nancy Kress"Wow, what a cool novel. Heavy with shadows and dark as sin, detective, fantasy...I loved it. In fact, I'm a little jealous." - Joe R. Lansdale"A frank, revealing, riveting manual by a writer for writers, not simply on how to be a better wordsmith, but on how to be a better human being." - Minister FaustAnd here are some photos of the awesome, awesome interior of Booklife, designed by the amazing John Coulthart...Last Drink Bird HeadThis charity antho of microfictions is about to enter pre-production for projected release at World Fantasy, and I'll have a full list of contributors soon. If you are a contributor, thanks for being patient about progress on this, and on getting you contracts. Since we're not making any money on it, it's dangerous for me as a freelancer to spend too much time in any one week on it.Steampunk IIWe're in preliminary negotiations to do a second reprint Steampunk anthology with Tachyon. If we do go forward, as I believe we will, it'll focus on the last ten years and we'll be having an open reading period where writers can send us their reprints via email for consideration. So as not to miss anything and so we can have as much diversity as possible. Please don't query now, though--we will make sure everybody knows when we're reading, and how to submit to us, if this comes about.?????Three other projects are in the works, and we hope to be able to announce at least two of them soon. The other will take a little longer, but will feature, among others, AM, MM, CM, CP, KB, TW, GN...well, I'd better stop talking about it or I'm gonna jinx it. Yes, I'm a tease...