jpskewedthrone | Entries tagged with ur-bar

So, it's been a week since the After Hours: Tales From the Ur-Bar anthology was released and I thought I'd provide a few suggestions in case you'd like to help out with more sales. But first, thanks to everyone who's bought the anthology so far. We appreciate it! If you'd like to see more anthologies from us, please help out as much as you can. The more sales we get, the more anthologies they'll likely buy from us in the future! So, here are the best ways to help out:

1. Talk about the anthology with your friends! Word of mouth is still the best advertisement for any book out there. If you mention the anthology to your friends, even talk about your favorite story in the anthology and point the book out to them at the bookstore, perhaps they'll be intrigued enough to try it!

2. Write a review! Post it on your blog or website. It doesn't have to be a long review, just a few quick sentences saying you checked out the anthology and really enjoyed this story or that and think others should check it out as well. Talk about the "bar traveling through time" concept and mention a few of the time periods of the stories. Even a few short sentences and a mention of the title is enough to bring the anthology to people's attention.

3. Post a mini-review up on your Facebook Wall or on Twitter! Even just a short comment that you picked up the anthology and can't wait to read it helps. Or mention your favorite story, favorite author in the anthology, etc. Add a direct link to your favorite online bookstore so people can grab a copy of it.

4. Post a review of the anthology on Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com! These reviews not only help people decide whether they'll like a book, but the more reviews a book gets, the greater attention it gets paid by the search engines and the browsing engines such as "people who bought this also bought," etc. And again, it doesn't have to be a huge review. Just a few sentences, mention your favorite story in the anthology, talk about how much you liked the concept, or what made this anthology stand out from others, etc.

5. Link to the anthology using your favorite bookstore on your blog/website! Even if you haven't had a chance to read the anthology but are excited about it, mention it on your blog or website and provide a direct link to the book at your favorite online bookstore. Making it easier for someone to find the book helps!

So there are some quick and painless ways to help spread the word about the anthology. These first few weeks after the release date are the most crucial for book sales, so if you were thinking of picking up the book, do it now rather than a month from now. It will help us more in the long run. And again, if you've already got the book, thanks! We're working on our second anthology as we speak (not a Ur-Bar sequel, but if sales are high enough for this one, perhaps we'll have a sequel in the future)! We'd like to do a ton more.

Heeeee!!!! The first book review has appeared for the After Hours: Tales From the Ur-Bar anthology. Check it out here. Or you can find it on GoodReads. Best quote:

What started as an idea a group of authors came up with while in their cups translated magnificently into a collection that is the perfect combination of humorous and haunting. Each story has something new to offer--a bit of insight, a cunning use of Gil and his bar--and they all come together to build a beautiful look at humanity as a whole, the good and the bad. Snatches of life from a barkeeps eyes, without all of the cliché.

Ok, that was most of the review, but you get the idea.

fireun goes on with short little sentences for each story, which was nice. If you haven't preordered this anthology yet, I must ask, why not? There is now evidence that it is NOT JUST THE EDITORS who think it rocks! *grin*

Visit the webpage to find out more.

Hey, all, just thought I'd let everyone know that the After Hours: Tales From the Ur-Bar website has just gone live. A list of events for the anthology are listed on the "Home" page. Icons and banners are available on the "About" page, so you can help spread the word about the anthology. Of course there are mini descriptions of the stories along with links to the editors' and contributing authors' webpages under the "Table of Contents" page. And lastly, some convenient links for you to preorder the book! Check it out!

Joshua Palmatier and Patricia Bray (

pbray)are thrilled to announce that their new anthology project THE MODERN FAE’S GUIDE TO SURVIVING HUMANITY was sold to DAW books.

Anthology Description:

The Fae are among us. This anthology will celebrate and explore how the Fae have adapted to the modern world and the increasing hordes of humanity that plague it. What if that tall stranger sitting next to you on the airplane is really one of the Fae? What about the CEO that you never see with the office on the top floor full of trees? And what happens when a faery ring appears in a rooftop garden in central New York City?

The anthology is invitation only, and we've lined up an extremely talented crew of authors who plan to submit. Stories are due March 1st, and best guess is that the anthology will be published in 2012.

And don't forget our first ever endeavor into the realms of editing: After Hours: Tales from the Ur-Bar will be hitting stores March 2011. Preorder your copy today!

Apparently, After Hours: Tales from the Ur-Bar is going to be available on Kindle. Preorder your copy today!

I have now created an After Hours: Tales from the Ur-Bar LJ community so that everyone can keep track of events such as signings, readings, etc related to the anthology. Feel free to join the community!

http://community.livejournal.com/afterhoursurbar/

I've gotten ahold of a better version of the cover for the After Hours: Tales from the Ur-Bar anthology coming out this March 2011. See the cover behind the cut, and preorder your copy today!

( MASSIVE MASSIVE COVER ART!!! Enter at your own risk! )

After Hours: Tales from the Ur-Bar

The first bar, created by the Sumerians after they were given the gift of beer by the gods, was known as the Ur-Bar. Although it has since been destroyed, its spirit lives on--in each age there is one bar that captures the essence of the original Ur-Bar, where drinks are mixed with magic and served with a side of destiny and intrigue.

Table of Contents

“An Alewife In Kish” by Benjamin Tate.

“Why the Vikings Had No Bars” by S.C. Butler.

“The Emperor’s New God” by Jennifer Dunne.

“The Tale That Wagged the Dog” by Barbara Ashford.

“Sake and Other Spirits” by Maria V. Snyder.

“The Fortune-Teller Makes Her Will” by Kari Sperring.

“The Tavern Fire” by D.B. Jackson.

“Last Call” by Patricia Bray.

“The Alchemy of Alcohol” by Seanan McGuire.

“The Grand Tour” by Juliet McKenna.

“Paris 24” by Laura Anne Gilman.

“Steady Hands and a Heart of Oak” by Ian Tregillis.

“Forbidden” by Avery Shade.

“Where We Are Is Hell” by Jackie Kessler.

“Idzu-Bar” by Anton Strout.

****************

Buy from: Borders | Powell’s | Indiebound | B & N | Amazon

We can finally announce the table of contents for the anthology AFTER HOURS: TALES FROM THE UR-BAR, edited by Joshua Palmatier & Patricia Bray, available on March 1st, 2011. Preorder your copy today! As a reader, I have to say that I think we've put together a great set of stories from some of the best authors out there today. Check all of them out!

After Hours: Tales from the Ur-Bar

The first bar, created by the Sumerians after they were given the gift of beer by the gods, was known as the Ur-Bar. Although it has since been destroyed, its spirit lives on--in each age there is one bar that captures the essence of the original Ur-Bar, where drinks are mixed with magic and served with a side of destiny and intrigue.

Table of Contents

“An Alewife In Kish” by Benjamin Tate.

“Why the Vikings Had No Bars” by S.C. Butler.

“The Emperor’s New God” by Jennifer Dunne.

“The Tale That Wagged the Dog” by Barbara Ashford.

“Sake and Other Spirits” by Maria V. Snyder.

“The Fortune-Teller Makes Her Will” by Kari Sperring.

“The Tavern Fire” by D.B. Jackson.

“Last Call” by Patricia Bray.

“The Alchemy of Alcohol” by Seanan McGuire.

“The Grand Tour” by Juliet McKenna.

“Paris 24” by Laura Anne Gilman.

“Steady Hands and a Heart of Oak” by Ian Tregillis.

“Forbidden” by Avery Shade.

“Where We Are Is Hell” by Jackie Kessler.

“Idzu-Bar” by Anton Strout.

*********

Let the drooling commence. For some extra fun, try to match the descriptions of the stories to the author who wrote it at

pbray's blog!

As you all have no doubt noticed, I've recently become an editor. Patricia Bray (

pbray) and I sold the anthology AFTER HOURS: TALES FROM THE UR-BAR to DAW Books through Tekno, and it currently has a release date of March 1, 2011. Mark your calendars. Or better yet, preorder your copy at various places online. The anthology has been finished and is handed in. We're waiting on contracts being officially signed before releasing the official Table of Contents for the whole thing.

However, MY contract arrived yesterday and I'VE signed it and sent it back. So I figure I can plug my story at least. *grin*

Actually, for the anthology, it's a Benjamin Tate story. I figured "Joshua Palmatier" would get enough notice being the editor, so decided Ben needed his own exposure with his own story. His story is actually the origin story of the bar: how it came to be, and how Gilgamesh ended up being the owner/bartender of the establishment known of as the Ur-Bar. Here's a little tease about the anthology itself, and a description of the origin story called An Alewife In Kish:

After Hours: Tales from the Ur-Bar

The first bar, created by the Sumerians after they were given the gift of beer by the gods, was known as the Ur-Bar. Although it has since been destroyed, its spirit lives on--in each age there is one bar that captures the essence of the original Ur-Bar, where drinks are mixed with magic and served with a side of destiny and intrigue.

“An Alewife In Kish” by Benjamin Tate: Condemned by the gods to spend her life serving others, the alewife Kubaba tricks Gilgamesh into taking her place as the undying guardian of the Ur-Bar.

If you search diligently, you may be able to figure out the majority of the table of contents without the official announcement, since I think most of the authors will reveal themselves once their contracts are signed. I really think this anthology came together well, and I REALLY think readers are going to enjoy the stories inside. Once it hits the shelves, keep watch. There will be epic signings in various locations and cons, I'm sure.

With alcohol, of course. *grin*

In a fit of self . . . um, googling, I decided to see if the anthology that Patricia Bray (

pbray) and I are working on has made it onto the internets . . . and LO! I have discovered that it is already up on Amazon.com!

http://www.amazon.com/After-Hours-Ur-Bar-Joshua-Palmatier/dp/0756406595/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I39FEJMJYN3SST&colid=2RXPXQ5K8MSMQ

The release date stated is March 2011, although I'm certain this is subject to change, although it appears that we are organized editors and pretty much have the anthology in hand right now, with only copy edits left to go. I expect that we will be making an announcement as to the Table of Contents here shortly . . . say within the next week?

But until then, drool over the possibility of the preorder! I command it!

(Oh, and buy Well of Sorrows by Benjamin Tate and read it while you wait.)

But I especially hate one-line synopses of short stories.

We've been asked to send the table of contents, author names, and ONE-SENTENCE synopses of the stories in our After Hours: Tales from the Ur-bar anthology in to DAW within the next two days. So right now, at this moment, I am attempting to summarize 15 stories, each with one sentence, in a way that makes those stories sound intriguing and interesting and COOL (they're all cool).

I love being an editor.

But I hate being an editor.

I'd like to announce the sekrit projekt that Patricia Bray and I have been dancing around and hinting at for the past few months: an anthology sale! DAW Books, through Tekno, has officially bought the rights to an SF&F anthology called AFTER HOURS: TALES FROM THE UR-BAR, to be edited by Joshua Palmatier and Patricia Bray. This is an invitation-only anthology and is NOT open to . . . well, open submissions. The invitations have already been sent. Here's the mini-description of the anthology and the types of stories that it will contain:

The first bar, created by the Sumerians after they were given the gift of beer by the gods, was known as the Ur-Bar. Although it has since been destroyed, its spirit lives on--in each age there is one bar that captures the essence of the original Ur-Bar, where drinks are mixed with magic and served with a side of destiny and intrigue. Heroes, villains, poets and thieves may be found within its walls; when the gods visit Earth they stop by the Ur-Bar for a drink.

The entire idea occurred during drinks at a convention among a group of great authors, and for once we wrote the idea down and sold it. The due date is summer 2010, so the best guess for a release date is sometime in 2011. We'll keep you posted when that becomes final, and also when the table of contents has been finalized.

I'm really excited about this. I get to be an editor! It adds something new to my publishing credentials, and I get to work with a bunch of great authors. And guess where all of the anthology meetings are going to be held? *grin*