"Author has book signing in Mount Pleasant"

Here is a copy of a news release I sent off to local news outlets about my book signing tomorrow:

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Internationally-renowned science fiction and fantasy author Lou Antonelli will have a book signing at Hasting Entertainment in Mount Pleasant from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, April 4.

Published by The Merry Blacksmith Press of Providence, Rhode Island, “Letters from Gardner” features short stories plus correspondence from Gardner Dozois, long-time editor of Asimov’s Science Fiction. The book covers a year-and-a-half period when Antonelli was trying to break into the science fiction field. He submitted 16 stories to Dozois, who had been editor of Asimov’s since 1985, before making his first sale. Dozois retired after accepting “A Rocket for the Republic” in 2004. The book reproduces the correspondence between the editor and author.

“I was the last person who ever went through this process with Dozois at Asimov’s, which is why I thought it needed to be chronicled,” Antonelli said.

The book also covers how the stories were edited and revised after crossing Dozois’ desk as a result of his input, also making it a writer’s manual. All of the submitted stories except one were later published in other venues. Antonelli subsequently has had 92 short stories and three collections published across the globe.

At 2 p.m. Saturday Antonelli will watch a live streaming feed for the Hugo Awards, given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year, organized and overseen by the World Science Fiction Society. The awards are given each year at the annual World Science Fiction Convention as the central focus of the event. The 2015 Hugo Awards will be presented at 73rd Worldcon, which is being held August 19-23, 2015 in Spokane, Washington, where the announcement will be made. Antonelli will be available for interviews afterwards.

He is a journalist and the managing editor of The Clarksville Times in Red River County, Texas. He is a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA) as well as the Society for the Advancement of Speculative Storytelling (SASS).

"Letters from Gardner - A Writer's Odyssey" contains 16 stories and is 246 pages long. It is available through Amazon or directly from the publisher, Merry Blacksmith Press, at orders@merryblacksmith.com.