Nebula Noms, Hunger Games, Minister of Chance and AM2

Tickets for The Hunger Games are on sale now.


Search #HungerGames50 on Twitter or visit the official The Hunger Games Facebook page for a list of 50 sites giving away tickets to the LA World Premiere on March 12. The Hunger Games hits theaters March 23rd!


I know my loyal readers are getting sick of me going on about the abfab sci-fi radio drama The Minister of Chance, but, well, deal. I love it! Here's an interview with cast member Jenny Agutter (I remember her from Logan's Run, one of the few good sci-fi films from my youth).

Nebula Awards Nominees have been announced. My friends are dominating in the Novella category and I see that a story from Panverse Three, for which I have a review copy languishing, is in that category as well. Guess I better bump it up in my queue. Or at least read the story, "The Man Who Ended History: A Documentary" by Ken Liu. Read the full list of nominees over at Locus.

Lookout for Lockout. New poster!


Haps to watch for at AM2 in Anaheim this June

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (February 15, 2012) The ever popular ACE ATTORNEY
(Gyakuten Saiban-2012/Mystery, Drama/Approx. 130 min) manga and video game
comes alive in this live action feature film to be screened EXCLUSIVELY at
this summer¹s most anticipated Anime, Manga and Music event AM2. Two
screenings will be available-one EXCLUSIVELY for Passport holders ONLY and
the second for Passport holders preferred (with general attendees as seating
permits). More info and attendee registration can be found at
www.am2con.org

SYNOPSIS
In 20XX, to prevent the rise of vicious crimes the government introduces
"bench trials" a new justice system where the defense and prosecutor go
head-to-head in open court. Within just three days, a guilty or not guilty
verdict is decided.

Talented attorney Mia Fey, who shows understanding for her junior lawyer,
Phoenix Wright (Hiroki Narimiya), is murdered. Arrested for the murder is
her spirit medium in training sister Maya Fey (Mirei Kiritani). Phoenix
believes in Maya¹s innocence and takes the case where he meets Prosecutor
Miles Edgeworth (Takumi Saito), a level-headed, prodigy attorney and
childhood friend. An intense courtroom battle unfolds as testimony and
evidence are presented.

After the trial, Phoenix receives word that Miles has been arrested for
murder! Phoenix steps forward to defend Miles. Opposing council is none
other than Miles¹s master, legendary prosecutor von Karma (Ryo Ishibashi)
who has been undefeated in court for 40 years. As the trial goes on, the 15
year old DL-6 case, where Miles¹s father Gregory Edgeworth was shot and
killed in the evidence room, is examined closely.

What will become of Phoenix, Miles and Maya? What dangerous truth lies
behind this mysterious case?

And
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (February 17, 2012) Celebrated character designer and
director, TOSHIHIRO KAWAMOTO, of such famed animes as COWBOY BEBOP, MOBILE
SUITE GUNDAM ZZ, MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM 0080, MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM 0083, TEKKAMAN
BLADE, BLOOD THE LAST VAMPIRE, ESCAFLOWNE, MOBILE ANGEL ANGELIC LAYER, WITCH
HUNTER ROBIN, FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST, SCRAPPED PRINCESS, EUREKA SEVEN, OURAN
HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB, GHOST IN THE SHELL and outside of Japan as the
character designer and animation director for the beloved many more will
attend this summer¹s most aniticipated anime, manga and music convention AM2
(June 15-17, 2012; Anaheim Convention Center and Anaheim Hilton). More info
and attendee registration can be found at www.am2con.org

Interview, trailers and freebies

I'm a huge Minister of Chance fan as you already know if you're a regular reader. In case you're new to Science Fiction and Other ODDysseys, I'm including my review from March 2011 again here so you know what I'm talking about, why I love it so and why you'll want to watch the interview below.

The Minister of Chance
Radiophonic Serial
Writer, Producer, Director: Dan Freeman
Starring: Julian Wadham, Jenny Agutter, Lauren Crace (as Kitty), Paul Darrow, Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann.

Radio shows rock! You don't think so? You haven't heard The Minister of Chance. It's not just visual sound effects that have come a long way. I got totally lost in the story like I was there. The Minister of Chance is a new British science fiction audio series which is sort of like Nazi Germany taking over a backward planet instead of France. But these invaders will politely send you to the dungeon or to the labor camp and wonder why you're not honored to do it. The invaders believe in magic, not science. Their leader is the Witch Prime and their standard salutation is "Happy Spells".



While smuggling food to a scientist who is part of the resistance, Kitty encounters the Minister of Chance. The atmosphere and humor will whisk you away to a world you've never imagined. You'll laugh at Kitty's protestations as she follows the Minister of Chance through a door that wasn't there a second ago and across the frost bridge into another realm. A far cry from slinging ales at the pub where she worked. The Cockney does get a bit thick at times for those unaccustomed to it, but it's so worth it for the flavor that it adds.

The witty, sarcastic dialog and the acting are flawless. I should know. I've listened four times. :) It's space opera at its best. Right up there with Dr. Who. Jonathon Barnes recently interviewed Julian Wadham, who plays The Minister of Chance, over at his Pantisocracy blog.

Here's an interview with Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred. Doctor Who fans should especially enjoy this interview.


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Phoenix Pick’s free ebook for February is Stephen Leigh’s The Shape of Silence. The coupon code is 9991463 and will be good from February 2 through February 29. Download link at www.PPickings.com.

Short Description of the Book:

"Replete with adventure, mystery, and sociological conflict."—Publishers Weekly

First contact was never supposed to be like this.

A sudden rift appears in near-earth space, causing electronic components to permanently fail and cause total chaos. As Earth's fragile technological society disintegrates, no one can answer the obvious question: What is the rift, and who or what has created it?

A new generation comes to age attempting to answer these questions, and Taria Spears, an anthropologist, is selected as part of the crew on the exploratory ship Lightbringer. Lightbringer's mission is to investigate the worm-hole-like Rift and, if possible, to pass through it to find out what lies on the other side, and to seek some answers.

But what if all they find is an alien culture where sound, not sight is the primary sense?

In addition,

Arc Manor/Phoenix Pick is sponsoring a writer’s workshop with some outstanding talent. Participants include Toni Weisskopf (Head of Baen Publishing), Eleanor Wood (Spectrum Literary Agency, representing Bujold, Heinlein estate, etc.), Mike Resnick (GOH this year’s Worldcon), Kevin J. Anderson, Nancy Kress and a few others (full details at www.SailSuccess.com).

Interested? Leave a comment to get a coupon for $75 off your registration.
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Advanced ticket sales through www.movietickets.com and www.fandango.com for The Hunger Games begin on Feb. 22. To get email or text alerts to remind you when the tickets go on sale, go to The Hunger Games facebook page.

Look out for Lockout!


Here's a teaser for a new Indie Web series still in development.

The Silent City - Teaser from Silent City on Vimeo.