Tor moved into publishing novellas. Here’s the press release listing brief descriptions of their first ten books:
New York, NY – Tuesday, February 3, 2015 Last summer Tor.com announced the formation of a new
publishing program, dedicated to publishing the best novellas and short novels from emerging
writers as well as established authors. Following an extensive period of reading and
commissioning, we are excited to announce our inaugural list.
All of the books published under the new program will be made available in ebook, print on
demand, and audio formats via online retailers. Your local brick-and-mortar store will also be
able to order these for you.
We will be publishing three to four books a month beginning in September 2015, and these
include:
The Last Witness
by K. J. Parker
When you need a memory to be wiped, he’s the one you call. Transferring unwanted memories to
his own mind is the only form of magic he’s ever been good at. But now, he’s holding so many
memories he’s not always sure which ones are actually his, any more. Some of them are
sensitive; all of them are private. And there are those who would kill to access the secrets
he’s trying to bury…
A classic Parker tale with a strong supporting cast of princes, courtiers, merchants,
academics, and generally unsavory people.
Every Heart a Doorway, Every Word a Prayer
by multiple Hugo winner Seanan McGuire
Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows under
a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and into old wells, and emerging
somewhere… else. They have their adventures, live out their stories, and – if they’re lucky –
die before they reach the end. Because magical lands have little use for used-up miracle
children, and those who win find themselves spat back into a world that isn’t theirs anymore.
But what happens to the children in fantasy stories, when their tales inevitably end?
Sorcerer of the Wildeeps
by Kai Ashante Wilson (DEBUT)
The Sorcerer Demane bears the bloodline of the long-departed Gods, granting him the strength
and grace to pass through a troubled world. Still, he longs for more, for the love of his
Captain and the freedom to express it. Horrors stalk the road they travel in this dark—but
joyous—epic fantasy from an exciting new talent. Tor.com has been proud to publish Wilson’s
short fiction in the past, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to bring his work to a
commercial audience.
The Builders
by Daniel Polansky, author of the Low Town series
A missing eye.
A broken wing.
A stolen country.
The last job didn’t end well.
Years go by, and scars fade, but memories only fester. For the animals of the Captain’s
company, survival has meant keeping a low profile, building a new life, and trying to forget
the war they lost. But now the Captain’s whiskers are twitching at the idea of evening the
score.
Of Sorrow and Such
by Angela Slatter
Mistress Gideon is a witch. The locals of Edda’s Meadow, if they suspect it of her, say nary a
word—Gideon has been good to the community, and it’s always better to keep on her good side.
Just in case.
When a foolish young shapeshifter goes against the wishes of her pack, and gets herself very
publicly caught, the authorities find it impossible to deny the existence of the witches in
their midst; Gideon and her like are captured, and tortured, bound for a fiery end.
Should Gideon give up her sisters in return for a quick death? Or is there a way to turn the
situation to her advantage?
A tale of loyalty and betrayal, of hope and everlasting damnation from a World Fantasy Award
finalist.
The Drowning Eyes
by Emily Foster (DEBUT)
When the Dragon Ships began to tear through the trade lanes and ravage coastal towns, the hopes
of the archipelago turned to the Windspeakers on Tash. They could steal the breeze from the
dragons’ sails and save the islands from their wrath. But the Windspeakers are gone, leaving
only the young apprentice Shina to bring their magic back and save her people. The Drowning
Eyes is the debut release for Emily Foster, who we discovered during our open submissions
period.
With additional stories from:
Paul Cornell
Mary Robinette Kowal
Alter S. Reiss
Scott Harrison
Sylvia Spruck Wrigley
David Tallerman
Guy Haley
Michael R Underwood
Matt Wallace
and many more…
Senior Editor Lee Harris said, “We’ve been working hard to find some great novellas to launch
our line, and we’ve been delighted by the quality and breadth of the stories we received. We
can’t wait to share them with our readers.”
The Tor.com novella program is headed by Publisher Fritz Foy and Associate Publisher Irene
Gallo. The editorial team is led by Senior Editor Lee Harris, with Carl Engle-Laird, Editorial
Assistant, and support from a team of commissioning editors, which includes Jonathan Strahan
and Justin Landon.
About Tor.com
Tor.com publishes original fiction, art, and commentary on fantasy, science fiction, and
related subjects across all media by a wide range of writers from all corners of the field—
including professionals working in the genres as well as fans. The aim of the site is to
provoke, encourage, and enable interesting and rewarding conversations with and among our
readers. Tor.com debuted online July 20th, 2008 and currently reaches 1.5 million readers a
month.
Tor.com’s novella project acquires worldwide English rights in print, audio, and ebook formats.
All other rights are retained by the authors.
Note for Editors
Every Heart a Doorway, Every Word a Prayer by Seanan McGuire was acquired from Diana Fox of Fox
Literary, along with an as-yet unnamed second book.
The Shootout Solution by Michael R Underwood was acquired from Sara Megibow of KT Literary
Agency, along with a sequel, The Absconded Ambassador.