Fans Save the Monstrumologist Series

Last week, fans of Rick Yancey's award-winning YA horror series The Monstrumologist learned that no more books in the series would be forthcoming.  Though critically acclaimed--the first book won the 2010 Printz Award--Simon & Schuster had decided not to continue the delightfully gory, relentlessly creepy saga of a monstrous race of zombie-like creatures known as Anthropophagi, who require human hosts in order to breed.  According to Yancey in an interview with Bookshelves of Doom last week, the publisher cited low sales as their reason for dumping the series after it had filled its contractual obligations to publish just three books.

Godzilla to Get a Criterion release?

Citing several insider sources from Criterion, film writer and translator August Ragone is reporting on his blog that the mighty distributor Janus Films has finally acquired the rights to Godzilla, the original 1954 film in which the city-smashing monster made his, erm, giant debut.

NY Times to YA Publishing: Stop Being So Girly

Presumably discontent with having an entertainment industry that is primarily focused on men, the NY Times lashed out at the Young Adult publishing industry Friday for having too many girl books. Yes, you heard that right. In an article entitled "Boys and Reading: Is There Any Hope?" author Robert Lipsyte speaks about the publishing industry's desire to "demystify to the overwhelmingly female audience the testosterone code that would get teenage boys reading," and says that in order to get boys to read, they need to "be approached individually with books about their fears, choices, possibilities and relationships — the kind of reading that will prick their dormant empathy, involve them with fictional characters and lead them into deeper engagement with their own lives. This is what turns boys into readers." Because apparently what turns girls into readers is passing around copies of Twilight in between nail-painting sessions at fifth-grade slumber parties. Or something.

Connie Willis Wins Eleventh Hugo, Absolutely No One is Surprised

The votes are in, and WorldCon attendees in Reno learned Saturday night that this year's Hugo for Best Novel goes to Connie Willis, perennial favorite ever since her first win for Best Short Story over 30 years ago. The author of the Oxford Universe, made famous in the time-traveling steampunk fantasies The Doomsday Book and To Say Nothing of the Dog, Willis picked this one up for her 2010 omnibus release of the latest two novels in the series, Blackout and All Clear. Like To Say Nothing of the Dog, Blackout/All Clear return the reader to World War II and Willis' relish for combining meticulous historical realism with brilliant technological innovation and moments of pure fantasy.

Fangirls and Lit Cons: the New Hybrid

Saturday was the last day to submit programming for Sirens, but registration will be open until September 7th (and again opening day) for this literary conference with a fannish twist: it's all about women and girls in fantasy fiction. Sirens began 2 years ago in Vail, Colorado, where each October since a host of female writers and readers have gathered to discuss a smorgasbord of topics related to women and fiction: female literary tropes and genre conventions, how to survive the world of publishing, queer stories and magic--even workshops on how to make your own fairy wings. (We're guessing that one didn't make it into Wiscon.)