Unfortunately, our scheduled blogger had to defer this month. But that’s okay, it works out because yesterday I forgot to post our ‘Sunday Giveaway’ so this week is is a ‘Monday Giveaway’.

We’re giving away a hardcover copy of Joe Haldeman’s new novel Starbound.

Carmen Dula and her husband have spent six years travelling to a distant solar system that is home to the enigmatic, powerful race known as “The Others,” in the hopes of finding enough common purpose between their species to forge a delicate truce.

By the time Carmen and her party return, fifty years have been consumed by relativity-and the Earthlings have not been idle, building a massive flotilla of warships to defend Earth against The Others. But The Others have more power than any could imagine-and they will brook no insolence from the upstart human race.

Haldeman is known for writing fast, fun and accessible SF and this one looks to be no different.

To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment below. Name an author who you believe writes fast and fun SF. I’ll pick a winner next weekend and announce the winner in the comments.

Speaking of fast and fun, have you tried Prime by Nate Kenyon?

There will be two winners this week. Today I’m giving away two mmpb copies of DAMNED NATION, an anthology of horror shorts that has been out of print for a few years.

The description of the anthology is simple enough: Hell on earth. Dangerous visions of incarnate damnation visited upon our delicate world by some of today’s most imaginative authors, including William F. Nolan, Poppy Z. Brite, Tom Piccirilli, Randy Chandler, Weston Ochse, Geoffrey Girard, and more. All new, never before published stories.

I’ve read most of the stories (twenty-two in all). I’ve honestly enjoyed each one. My particular favorites are the Piccirilli and Girard entries.

To enter, all I ask is that you share in a comment below your favorite Apex Magazine story or your favorite Apex Publications book. Easy enough, right?

Two winners will be chosen next weekend. The winners will be announced as a comment to this post.

We’re giving away another great Night Shade Books anthology today–The Improbable Adventures of Sherlock Holmes edited by John Joseph Adams.

Here are some of the best Holmes pastiches of the last 30 years, twenty-eight tales of mystery and the imagination detailing Holmes’s further exploits, as told by many of today’s greatest storytellers, including Stephen King, Anne Perry, Anthony Burgess, Neil Gaiman, Naomi Novik, Stephen Baxter, Tanith Lee, Michael Moorcock, and many more.

To be entered to win, all you need to do is leave a comment telling me your favorite mystery novel/story. Next Saturday, I’ll randomly choose a winner and make the announcement via a comment on this post.

Good luck!

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Today’s giveaway is a book from another genre I don’t frequent: paranormal romance. I’ve tried paranormal…just isn’t my cup of tea.

I do believe that paranormal romance is quite popular these days, yes?

This week’s free book is the MMPB Original Sin by Allison Brennan (Ballantine Books). Allison Brennan is the author of Sudden Death, Playing Dead, Tempting Evil, Killing Fear, Fear No Evil, The Kill, The Hunt, and The Prey.

From the press release I received:

In the novel, Fiona Donnelly heads an evil occult, and when she releases the Seven Deadly Sins from hell, no one is safe. The Deadly Sins are literally fallen angels, those who banded together with Lucifer during the battle with the Archangel Michael. When frightening events begin occurring in a small California town, Rafe Cooper, a former seminarian haunted by his own demons from the past, decides to take matters into his own hands. Fiona has done damage to all around her, including her very own daughter, Moira. Also guilt-ridden from terrible events in the past, Moira joins together with Rafe to track down the occult and destroy them.

To enter, all you have to do is give me a brief reason why you like paranormal romance in the comments. Maybe it’ll help me understand the phenomenon of this sub-genre better. A winner will be randomly chosen from the folks who comment and announced next Saturday via a comment to this blog post.

This week’s giveaway is the following two attractive hardcover titles from Roc (oddly, there’s no special section for the Roc imprint on the Penguin Group website).

Except the Queen
by Jane Yolen and Midori Snyder

Sisters Serena and Meteora were once proud members of the high court of the Fairy Queen–until they played a prank that angered her highness. Separated and banished to the mortal realm of Earth, they must find a way to survive in a strange world in which they have no power. But there is more to their new home than they first suspect…

A sympathetic Meteora bonds with a troubled young girl with an ornate tattoo on her neck. Meteora recognizes it as a magic symbol that will surely bring danger down on them all. Serena, meanwhile, takes in a tortured homeless boy whose mind is plagued by dark visions. The signs point to a rising power that threatens to tear asunder both fairy and human worlds.

And the sisters realize that perhaps the queen cast them from their homes not out of anger or spite- but because they were the only ones who could do what must be done…

and

The Adamantine Palace
by Stephen Deas

In short: dragons, intrigue, poison, mercenaries, and a big, dark history. If you like that sort of thing, then this is definitely worth a look.
–Sandstorm Reviews

Why don’t I want to keep they attractive hardcovers myself? Eh, these aren’t the sort of books I enjoy and since I’ll probably not read them I would like to get them to somebody who might.

To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment. In the comment tell me what your favorite YA fantasy. Winner will be announced next Saturday in a comment on this post (I’ll also contact the winner).