Archive for June 4th, 2016

Two chances to win a copy of Arabella!

Residents of the US and Canada have two ways to win a copy of Arabella of Mars this month!

  • Tor.com is giving away four galley copies through noon Eastern time on June 5. Just comment at this blog post to enter.
  • Goodreads is giving away nine copies of the final hardback through June 17. Go here to enter.

In case you are wondering why you might like to read this book, I recommend you check out this video trailer:

If that isn’t enough to convince you, Bookish.com named Arabella of Mars one of Summer 2016’s Must-Read Science Fiction & Fantasy Books, calling it “ideal for readers who want a good ol’ fashioned high seas (er, air?) adventure story,” and RT Book Reviews gave it a four-star review (subscription required), saying “Excellent, entertaining, humorous scenarios make up Levine’s latest. His storytelling will keep readers turning the pages with its slight edginess, light-hearted tone and clear, crisp dialogue. Arabella is strong, sassy and clever, and her journey, as she makes her way back to Mars on an airship, makes this story an engaging read.”

Kate’s progress: May

Not a lot of change to report, which is good! Kate continues on the same dose of steroids, 1.5mg per day; her aphasia and memory issues continue to be frustrating but not incapacitating, and her endurance, speed, strength, and balance are still much better than they were. She hasn’t used the walker in over a month and is getting around well with a cane. Sometimes she even forgets the cane and doesn’t notice for a while, which is a good sign although she should still use it for balance when walking outdoors. Her blood sugar is also well under control.

We have done a lot of travel this month, with both of us attending the Nebulas in Chicago and Wiscon in Madison, followed by a few days in Milwaukee with my dad. There was a lot of napping (for both of us!) on the trip, but otherwise she coped with the stress of travel quite well. I also spent a weekend in Seattle without her, and this time we did not have anyone stay with her while I was gone. This went well, so we’ll be doing the same for my solo travel going forward.

I’ll be contacting local people with more information about helping Kate while I’m out of town, but if you are planning a visit to Portland during June or July you should let us know — she (or we, if I’m in town) would love to see you.

I’m very glad Kate is doing so well now, because my first novel “Arabella of Mars” releases on July 12 and there’s a lot to do to promote that (plus finishing up book 2 at about the same time). I will be one of the Guests of Honor at the Westercon in Portland over the Fourth of July weekend, and I’ll be reading at Powell’s Cedar Hills on July 13 and the University Book Store in Seattle on July 29.

Other book tour stops include San Diego, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and beautiful Bainbridge Island. My full book tour schedule is here. Kate will be accompanying me on most of this travel.

Thanks to Mary, Mark, Melissa, Michelle, Sara, Geri, Rick, Marc & Patty, Bo, Anne, Ariel & Phil, and everyone else who helped out or shared a meal in May. We couldn’t do this without you.