I was tremendously excited this weekend to see that W00tstock is coming to Seattle! For those unfamiliar with the concept, w00tstock is a festival of geekdom put on by the musical duo of Paul & Storm.

For decades, geeks were ostracized, picked on, laughed at and punished by the sun’s harmful UV rays. But there is only so long that a people can be kept down before they rise up against their oppressors; and, indeed, the dawn of the 21st century has seen the ascendancy of geeks and geek culture.

We now celebrate that rise to power–and let’s face it, nerds pretty much run everything now–with w00tstock, a special event for geeks of every stripe. Television host/special-effects artist Adam Savage (“MythBusters”), actor/author/blogger Wil Wheaton (“Star Trek: The Next Generation”, “Stand By Me”) and music-comedy duo Paul and Storm (hey; that’s us!) present a night of songs, readings, comedy, demonstrations, short films, special guests, and other clever widgets born from and dedicated to the enthusiasms, obsessions, trials and joys of geek pride.

This is the dawning of the Age of Geekdom–and its voices will ring true at w00tstock.

In addition to the above named featured guests previous w00tstocks featured special guests from The Guild, including a live acoustic performance of Date My Avatar with Felicia Day and the hilarious comedy stylings of Knights of Good guild leader Vork.

Paul & Storm and crew will be coming to the Moore Theater on Friday, May 7. Tickets go on sale this Wednesday, February 24. Grab them quick!

Plenty more news under the fold

Writers of urban fantasy or paranormal romance may be interested to hear that publisher Warren Lapine and Tir Na Nog Press have revitalized Dreams of Decadence magazine with a slight change in format. As stated on the DoD Facebook page “OLD DoD was strictly a vampire mag, NEW DoD has a much broader focus. Werewolves, fairies, succubi, etc…bring ‘em on”. Editor Angela Kessler has put out an open call for submissions on the DoD website;

Fiction: Looking for well-written, plot-driven stories, 1,000-7,000 words, with well-developed characters. We want to see original ideas and story concepts, not rehashes. I like stories that explore new territory or offer a new perspective. Some of my favorite writers are Patricia Briggs, Charles De Lint, Charlaine Harris, Laurell K. Hamilton, and J. D. Robb. I like elegantly-crafted prose, but remember: stories do need well-developed characters and plot no matter how lovely the writing style may be. We are pleased to announce that we are paying 1 to 7 cents per word for original fiction.
Poetry: $5 for short poems such as haiku, $10 for longer ones. Multiple submissions encouraged.

Anime

• British horror magazine Rue Morgue had an interview with Vampire Hunter D creator Hideyuki Kikuchi which was picked up by website AnimeVice. In the interview Kikuchi indicated that he is currently working on a live-action VHD movie with Resident Evil (the video game, not the movie) producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi. He also says in the interview that he is writing a new novel about vampires, entitled Yashakiden and planning a new VHD anime series in Japan.

• Studio Ghibli has released a teaser trailer for their new film Karigurashi No Arrietty (The Borrower Arrietty) which is based on Mary Norton’s book The Borrowers. The film will be the first directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi, who served as a key animator on Princess Mononoke and Howl’s Moving Castle. No word on when the film might make it to the U.S.
  
  KnA teaser
  by manuloz

Books

• The SFWA has announced the nominees for this year’s Nebula Awards. This year’s awards will be presented at a banquet in Cocoa Beach, Florida on May 15. The nominees are:
  • Short story
    • “Hooves and the Hovel of Abdel Jameela,” Saladin Ahmed (Clockwork Phoenix 2, Norilana Press, Jul09)
    • “I Remember the Future,” Michael A. Burstein (I Remember the Future, Apex Press, Nov08)
    • “Non-Zero Probabilities,” N. K. Jemisin (Clarkesworld, Nov09)
    • “Spar,” Kij Johnson (Clarkesworld, Oct09)
    • “Going Deep,” James Patrick Kelly (Asimov’s Science Fiction, Jun09)
    • “Bridesicle,” Will McIntosh (Asimov’s Science Fiction, Jan09)
  • Novelette
    • “The Gambler,” Paolo Bacigalupi (Fast Forward 2, Pyr Books, Oct08)
    • “Vinegar Peace, or the Wrong-Way Used-Adult Orphanage,” Michael Bishop (Asimov’s Science Fiction, Jul08)
    • “I Needs Must Part, The Policeman Said,” Richard Bowes (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Dec09)
    • “Sinner, Baker, Fabulist, Priest; Red Mask, Black Mask, Gentleman, Beast,” Eugie Foster (Interzone, Jan/Feb09)
    • “Divining Light,” Ted Kosmatka (Asimov’s Science Fiction, Aug08)
    • “A Memory of Wind,” Rachel Swirsky (Tor.com, Nov09)
  • Novella
    • The Women of Nell Gwynne’s, by Kage Baker (Subterranean Press, Jun09)
    • “Arkfall,” Carolyn Ives Gilman (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Sep09)
    • “Act One,” Nancy Kress (Asimov’s Science Fiction, Mar09)
    • Shambling Towards Hiroshima, by James Morrow (Tachyon, Feb09)
    • “Sublimation Angels,” Jason Sanford (Interzone, Sep/Oct09)
    • The God Engines, by John Scalzi (Subterranean Press, Dec09)
  • Novel
    • The Windup Girl, by Paolo Bacigalupi (Nightshade, Sep09)
    • The Love We Share Without Knowing, by Christopher Barzak (Bantam, Nov08)
    • Flesh and Fire, by Laura Anne Gilman (Pocket, Oct09)
    • The City & The City, by China Miéville (Del Rey, May09)
    • Boneshaker, by Cherie Priest (Tor, Sep09)
    • Finch, by Jeff VanderMeer (Underland Press, Oct09)

  If you want to hear author Cherie Priest talk about her Nebula nominated book Boneshaker, check out Episode #35 of our podcast! She was part of our Author Explosion that week.

• The Horror Writers Association has announced the nominees for the 2009 Bram Stoker Awards. The nominees are:
  • Superior Achievement in a Novel
    • Audrey’s Door by Sarah Langan (Harper)
    • Patient Zero: A Joe Ledger Novel by Jonathan Maberry (St. Martin’s Griffin)
    • Quarantined by Joe McKinney (Lachesis Publishing)
    • Cursed by Jeremy Shipp (Raw Dog Screaming Press)
  • Superior Achievement in a First Novel
    • Breathers by S. G. Browne (Broadway Books)
    • Solomon’s Grave by Daniel G. Keohane (Dragon Moon Press)
    • Damnable by Hank Schwaeble (Jove)
    • The Little Sleep by Paul Tremblay (Henry Holt)
  • Superior Achievement in Long Fiction
    • “Dreaming Robot Monster” by Mort Castle (Mighty Unclean)
    • The Hunger of Empty Vessels by Scott Edelman (Bad Moon Books)
    • The Lucid Dreaming by Lisa Morton (Bad Moon Books)
    • Doc Good’s Traveling Show by Gene O’Neill (Bad Moon Books)
  • Superior Achievement in Short Fiction
    • “Keeping Watch” by Nate Kenyon (Monstrous: 20 Tales of Giant Creature Terror)
    • “The Crossing of Aldo Ray” by Weston Ochse (The Dead That Walk)
    • “In the Porches of My Ears” by Norman Prentiss (Postscripts #18)
    • “The Night Nurse” by Harry Shannon (Horror Drive-in)
  • Superior Achievement in a Collection
    • Martyrs and Monsters by Robert Dunbar (DarkHart Press)
    • Got to Kill Them All and Other Stories by Dennis Etchison (Cemetery Dance)
    • A Taste of Tenderloin by Gene O’Neill (Apex Book Company)
    • In the Closet, Under the Bed by Lee Thomas (Dark Scribe Press)
  • Superior Achievement in an Anthology
    • He is Legend: An Anthology Celebrating Richard Matheson edited by Christopher Conlon (Gauntlet Press)
    • Lovecraft Unbound edited by Ellen Datlow (Dark Horse Books)
    • Poe edited by Ellen Datlow (Solaris) [See SF Signal review]
    • Midnight Walk edited by Lisa Morton (Darkhouse Publishing)
  • Superior Achievement in Nonfiction
    • Writers Workshop of Horror by Michael Knost (Woodland Press)
    • Cinema Knife Fight by L. L. Soares and Michael Arruda (Fearzone)
    • The Stephen King Illustrated Companion by Bev Vincent (Fall River Press)
    • Stephen King: The Non-fiction by Rocky Wood and Justin Brook (Cemetery Dance)
  • Superior Achievement in Poetry
    • Double Visions by Bruce Boston (Dark Regions)
    • North Left of Earth by Bruce Boston (Sam’s Dot)
    • Barfodder by Rain Graves (Cemetery Dance)
    • Chimeric Machines by Lucy A. Snyder (Creative Guy Publishing)

  If you want to hear S.G. Browne talk about his Bram Stoker nominated book Breathers, check out Episode #24 of our podcast. He was featured in an Author Spotlight in that episode. We have harassed Jeremy C Shipp numerous times to try and interview him for the podcast because I love his work but he doesn’t do voice interviews often. Or at all really. Still rooting for him!

Movies

• The Academy of Science Fiction Fantasy and Horror Films has announced the nominees for the Annual Saturn Awards. Notable nominees include:
  • Best Science Fiction Film
    • The Book of Eli
    • Knowing
    • Moon
    • Star Trek
    • Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
    • X-Men Origins: Wolverine
  • Best Fantasy Film
    • Avatar
    • Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
    • The Lovely Bones
    • The Time Traveler’s Wife
    • Watchmen
    • Where the Wild Things Are
  • Best Horror Film
    • The Box
    • Drag Me to Hell
    • Frozen
    • The Last House on the Left
    • The Twilight Saga: New Moon
    • Zombieland

  A full list of the nominees can be found on the Academy website

TV

• Wil Wheaton will be making another appearance on The Big Bang Theory. Word from the man himself via his blog
  

  Well, it’s official. Evil Wil Wheaton is going back to The Big Bang Theory!

  Even though my personal motto is Don’t Be A Dick, I’ve wanted to play an arch enemy for pretty much my entire career, and I love that [Big Bang Theory Executive Producer and Co-Creator] Bill [Prady] described me that way, because I was kind of hoping I’d earn that position in the Big Bang canon.

  Wil’s second Big Bang Theory episode shoots on March 2 and should air soon after.

• The BBC has put out a new Dr. Who teaser trailer featuring Matt Smith as the 11th Doctor and Karen Gillan as his new companion. There is also a fancy new logo for the show. Enjoy!
  

  New episodes of Dr. Who start in the spring.