Posts Tagged ‘The Next Generation’

Meet the 2012 Scribe Award nominees

The International Association of Media Tie-in Writers (IAMTW) has just announced the nominees for its next round of Scribe Awards, which recognize excellence in the field of writing for media tie-in franchises (such as Star Wars, Star Trek, or any property that exists in another medium, such as comics, games, film, or TV).

This year’s big surprise: something I wrote actually received a nomination. Which means that when the winners are announced this July at the IAMTW’s panel at Comic-Con International in San Diego, I will get to say the immortal words, “It’s an honor just to have been nominated.”

Here is the full list of this year’s nominees, by category:

Original Novel
Star Trek: The Rings of Time by Greg Cox
Tannhäuser: Rising Sun, Falling Shadows by Robert T. Jeschonek
Star Trek: The Next Generation – Cold Equations, Book 1: The Persistence of Memory by David Mack
Darksiders: The Abomination Vault by Ari Marmell
Pathfinder: City of the Fallen Sky by Tim Pratt
Dungeons and Dragons Online: Skein of Shadows by Marsheila Rockwell
Mike Hammer: Lady, Go Die! by Mickey Spillane & Max Collins

Adapted Novel
Clockwork Angels by Kevin J. Anderson
Batman: The Dark Knight Rises by Greg Cox
Batman: The Dark Knight Rises (YA novelization) by Stacia Deutsch
Poptropica: Astroknights Island by Tracey West

Audio
Dark Shadows: The Eternal Actress by Nev Fountain
Dark Shadows: Dress Me in Dark Dreams by Marty Ross
Doctor Who: Companion Chronicles: Project Nirvana by Cavan Scott & Mark Wright

My congratulations and best wishes go out to all the other nominees, especially my friends Greg Cox and Kevin J. Anderson.

 

A Literary Trek into “Divided We Fall”

Matthew Rushing and Christopher Jones of the Literary Treks podcast on Trek.fm delve into one of my earliest contributions to the Star Trek universe — Divided We Fall, the four-issue Deep Space Nine / The Next Generation crossover comic-book miniseries I co-wrote in 2001 with John J. Ordover.

Overall, their comments regarding the writing are very positive, and it’s fun to hear such an in-depth discussion of something I wrote more than a decade ago.

Their conversation about the miniseries starts 31 minutes into the episode. Give it a listen.

 

 

I Can’t Please Everyone

Robert Lyons at The Trek Lit Report has finally posted his review of The Body Electric, the final volume in my bestselling Star Trek: The Next Generation trilogy Cold Equations … and aside from the prologue and the epilogue, he really didn’t like it.

Of the prologue and epilogue, he wrote:

“As we enter into the prologue of The Body Electric, Mack is once again on course for a true KO of a story. His recounting, in retrospect, of the death of Lal, from her point of view, is nothing short of breathtaking. His epilogue, which serves to fill in further detail concerning Lal, is equally moving. These two elements of the book are some of the most meaningful prose ever penned surrounding android life in the Star Trek universe.”

 

Unfortunately, the rest of the book disappointed him greatly:

“The Body Electric suffers from an incomprehensible ‘enemy’, a pedantic man-child, and a misidentified android, and leaves a very empty, hollow feeling in the stomach upon completion. Mack’s development of Data 2.0 goes too far opposite of all we came to know about Data in the collective TNG experience of him, and leaves me very fearful for the future direction of this beloved member of the Next Generation family.”

Ah, well. That’s the way it goes sometimes. Robert, I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the book, and I hope my next novel, A Ceremony of Losses (November 2013), is more to your liking.

Cold Equations by the Numbers

For those who just can’t get enough of my behind-the-scenes, inside-baseball stories about the start of my writing career, my work on the Star Trek Destiny trilogy, or the origin and development of my newest trilogy, Cold Equations, hosts Christopher Jones and Matthew Rushing at Trek.fm present an audio podcast interview with yours truly.

The interview can be streamed from their website, downloaded as an mp3, or accessed via podcast subscriptions on iTunes and elsewhere. My segment starts roughly 35 minutes into the episode.

In case you need an additional incentive to check it out, I also shared with them an exclusive news tidbit about the the meaning behind the name of the upcoming Star Trek novel miniseries The Fall, which will include my next novel, A Ceremony of Losses.

 

Win a signed copy of the Cold Equations trilogy

The fine folks over at TrekRadio.net are celebrating their first year of free-to-play streaming service with a special giveaway promotion: a free, autographed copy of all three volumes of my bestselling Star Trek trilogy Cold Equations.

The promotion is aimed at players of the Star Trek Online MMORPG, but if you’re not part of that game just tell TrekRadio that I sent you.

Entering is easy: send an e-mail to timewarp@trekradio.net between now and February 3, 2013, telling them what you would name your very own Star Trek starship, and why you chose that name. The hosts at TrekRadio will select one winner from all eligible entries received.

Get more details about the Cold Equations giveaway on their website, and stay tuned for news of an upcoming live on-air interview with yours truly on TrekRadio.net (start polishing up those call-in questions, folks!).

 

More love for Cold Equations…

The first two books of my Cold Equations trilogy — The Persistence of Memory and Silent Weapons — have been listed by Angela Schuch of SciFiChick.com on her “Best Books of 2012“ roundup, in the science-fiction category, alongside works by such august company as William C. Dietz, Orson Scott Card, Robert J. Sawyer, Timothy Zahn, John Scalzi, Rachel Caine, and fellow Star Trek authors Greg Cox and Dayton Ward. Awesome!

In related news, Dan Gunther of Trek Lit Reviews has posted the first official review I’ve seen for the trilogy’s third book, The Body Electric. Here’s a sample of his remarks:

“The epilogue … nearly had me in tears. David Mack is good at writing galaxy-changing events, but he is equally adept at tender character moments that really pack an emotional punch.”

“The Body Electric [is] a satisfying conclusion to the Cold Equations trilogy. … [It’s] a highly compelling and well-told novel that had me guessing until the end.”

So, there you have it. Go forth ye Trek fans and purchase thee several copies at once!

 

The Body Electric — eBooks now on sale!

Quick news about Star Trek: The Next Generation – Cold Equations, Book III: The Body Electric: The on-sale date for electronic editions (iBook, eBook, Nook, Kindle, etc.) of this title has been moved up to today. Those of you who buy and read your books electronically can get the final volume of the Cold Equations trilogy now.

(The print version is still scheduled for release next Wednesday, though I’m hearing rumors some Barnes & Noble stores have started shelving it already.)

That is all. You may now resume your preparations for the nonexistent approaching Mayan apocalypse.