Year: 2017

BRIEF CASES

At long last, we have cover art and a release date for the second anthology of Dresden Files short stories, Brief Cases! Click to embiggen:

Synopsis:

The world of Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard, is rife with intrigue–and creatures of all supernatural stripes. And you’ll make their intimate acquaintance as Harry delves into the dark side of truth, justice, and the American way in this must-have short story collection.

From the Wild West to the bleachers at Wrigley Field, humans, zombies, incubi, and even fey royalty appear; ready to blur the line between friend and foe. In the never-before-published ‘Zoo Day,’ Harry treads new ground as a dad, while fan-favorite characters Molly Carpenter, his onetime apprentice, White Council Warden Anastasia Luccio, and even Bigfoot stalk through the pages of more classic tales.

With twelve stories in all, Brief Cases offers both longtime fans and first-time readers tantalizing glimpses into Harry’s funny, gritty, and unforgettable realm, whetting their appetites for more to come from the wizard with a heart of gold.

You can snag a copy of this coveted compilation on JUNE 5TH, 2018! Preorder it in hardcover or Kindle from the Jim-Butcher.com store.

Previously-published stories in Brief Cases include: “Curses,” from The Naked City; “AAAA Wizardry,” from the Dresden Files RPG; “Even Hand,” from Dark and Stormy Knights; “B is for Bigfoot,” from Under My Hat: Tales From the Cauldron; “I was a Teenage Bigfoot,” from Blood Lite 3: Aftertaste; “Bigfoot on Campus,” from Hex Appeal; “Bombshells,” from Dangerous Women, edited by George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois; “Jury Duty,” from Unbound; “Cold Case,” from Shadowed Souls; “Day One,” from Unfettered II; and “A Fistful of Warlocks,” from Straight Outta Tombstone.

Brief Cases will also include “Zoo Day,” a brand-new novella, original to this collection.

CON SEASON 2018

We have our first convention dates for 2018. Plan your travel schedules accordingly!

Confusion SF
Detroit, MI
Jan 18th – 21st

Superstars Writing Seminar
Colorado Springs, CO
Jan 31st – Feb 3rd

Pensacon
Pensacola, FL
Feb 23rd – 26th

Pikes Peak Writers Conference
Colorado Springs, CO
April 27th – 29th

Emerald City Comicon
Seattle, WA
March 1st – 4th, 2018

One last post before intrepid webmistress Priscilla zips off to join Jim and Kitty at Salt Lake City Con!

First off, we have a couple more events to announce for 2017:

September 28, 7:00pm
Colorado State University
Lory Student Center Ballroom (1500)
1101 Center Ave Mall
Fort Collins, CO 80521
Contemporary fantasy author Jim Butcher, a Hugo Award nominee and #1 New York Times bestselling author, will be speaking about his latest book and the dozens more he’s published during his long career. THIS EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, BUT SEATING IS LIMITED. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

November 21, 6:30pm
Author Talk and Book Signing
Denver Public Library, Park Hill Branch
4705 Montview Blvd
Denver, CO 80207
720-865-0250

If you can’t attend, you can always whet your appetite for more juicy tidbits and hilarious stories by checking out 5280 Geek’s podcast interview with Jim from the Straight Outta Tombstone release party!

And now, this weekend’s main event:

SALT LAKE CITY CON SCHEDULE

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21:

Fantasy: Blending Realism with Magical Systems
5:00 – 6:00pm, Room 250A
Jim Butcher, Jody Lynn Nye, Patrick Rothfuss, Brandon Sanderson, Tad Williams. Moderator: David Farland

Signing with Shadow Mountain Booksellers
7:00 – 8:00pm, Booth 1807

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22:

Signing with Bard’s Tower
12:30 – 1:30pm, Booth 301

A Shadowy Reflection of You: A Villain’s Story
2:00 – 3:00 pm, Room 151D
Jim Butcher, Charlie Holmberg, Emily R. King, Tad Williams, Timothy Zahn. Moderator: Michael A. Stackpole

Worldbuilders Party (TICKETS REQUIRED–SEE DESCRIPTION)
4:00 – 8:00 pm, Room 355 B & C
Jim’s table is long-since sold out, but you can still snag a ticket to hang out and game with Timothy Zahn, Brian McClellan, Zoraida Cordova, Dan Wells, Kai Charles and Kay-B of Black Girl Nerds, and many more! Read more about the event, then grab your seat here.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23:

Fantasy Tropes: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly
12 – 1:00 pm, Room 255B
Jim Butcher, Larry Correia, Matthew J. Kirby, Brian McClellan, Patrick Rothfuss. Moderator: Brian Lee Durfee

Signing with Badali Jewelry
1:30 – 2:30pm, Booths 720 & 722

Signing with Shadow Mountain
3:00 – 4:00pm, Booth 1807

Spotlight on Jim Butcher
5:00 – 6:00pm, Room 151D

Plot and Character and Scene and Setting: A Guide to Story
8:00 – 9:00pm, Room 150G
Jim Butcher (Moderator), Michaelbrent Collings, Tyler Jolley, Mary Robinette Kowal, Jody Lynn Nye, J. Scott Savage

BONUS:

Night Light: A Dresden Files Noir Fan Film Screening
Thursday, 8pm — 255E
When some of Chicago’s minor magical talents become the targets of abuse, the police chalk it up to isolated incidents of self-inflicted harm. But Harry Dresden’s not waiting for someone to die. He’s planning a solid pre-emptive strike against whomever or whatever is stalking the city’s most vulnerable practitioners. The screening will be followed by the extended trailer of Tower of Turtles’ Fall 2017 release of RED SUN: an action fan film of The Dresden Files.
Amy Gruss, Suzanne Solomon, Priscilla Spencer

Hope to see you there!

We’re back from DragonCon, and we have all kinds of Butchery goodness to report!

SIDE JOBS SALE!

First off, there’s a massive sale on Side Jobs going on now! For a limited time, fans can nab the Ebook of the first anthology of Dresden Files shorts for $1.99! Download it from the vendor of your choice (Amazon, B&N, Books A Million, Google Play, iBooks, or Kobo) via Penguin Random House. This sale ends September 17th, so don’t miss out!

COMICS WIN BIG AT DRAGON CON

To our surprise and delight (and slight confusion), Jim and his collaborators at Dynamite Entertainment took home two Dragon Awards: Best Graphic Novel for “Wild Card” and Best Comic Book for “Dog Men.” No, we’re not certain what the difference between the categories is either, but we’re nevertheless grateful for your support! Jim had a signing at the same time as the ceremony and was unable to attend, but he sent his friend Landon Solomon, Dresden cosplayer and lead actor in the Dresden Files fan films Night Light and Red Sun, to accept the awards on his behalf. We hope DragonCon’s AV setup can recover from the proximity to Harry’s Murphyonic field! Watch the video here.

Congratulations to the entire Dynamite team, including Jim’s fellow writer Mark Powers, artists Carlos Gomez and Diego Galindo, colorist Mohan, letterer Bill Tortolini, editor Anthony Marques, and Thematic Consultants Pamela Shaw Alexander, Mickey Finn, Fred Hicks, and Priscilla Spencer.

PANEL VIDEOS

Disappointed you didn’t get to attend Jim’s panels? We have the next best thing. Check ’em out!

• The Logic of Magic
• Jim’s Solo Panel
• Monster Hunter Files
• Magnificent Men of SFF (audio only)
• Urban Fantasy from the Beginning
• Keeping the Peace

And finally…

BONUS HAMILTON COSPLAY EPICNESS

       

Aaron Burr: Torre Neal
Thomas Jefferson: Wayne Adams
Maria Reynolds: Alie Holden
Peggy Schuyler: Shauna Lloyd
Angelica Schuyler Church: Priscilla Spencer
Eliza Schuyler Hamilton: Kitty Krell
Alexander Hamilton (in green): Jim Butcher
Alexander Hamilton (in black): James Butcher
King George: Suzanne Solomon

Photographs by Torre Neal. Costumes by Kitty Krell, with the exception of Wayne’s, Suzy’s, James’, and Shauna’s bodice.

And that’s it for this year!  Hope to see you later this month at Jim’s final con of 2017, Salt Lake City Comic Con!

We have Jim’s schedule for DragonCon, and it’s intense! Readers will have abundant opportunities to hear Jim speak and get their books signed, and even to attend the premiere of the Dresden Files fan film Red Sun!

Note: We highly recommend showing up EARLY to signings to avoid disappointment. Previous DragonCon signing lines have been capped before the signing even began! In order to accommodate as many fans as possible, Jim can sign only TWO ITEMS per person per trip through the line.

Also, contrary to what the official schedule says, Jim will NOT be participating in the “First Contact Improv” or “Into the Dark” events Friday and Saturday nights. His schedule was published on the app before anyone consulted him on it. Come on, Dragon Con! Give the guy a little time to recharge! 😀

FRIDAY

Dresden Files: Actor & Author
11:30am – 12:30am — Marriott Imperial Ballroom
Audience Q&A about the Dresden Files television series with the author who created Harry Dresden on the page & the actor who brought him to life on the screen.
Panelists: Jim Butcher and Paul Blackthorne, with Moderator Carol Malcolm.

The Logic of Magic
1:00pm – 2:00pm — Hyatt Embassy EF
Magic may not be real, but it still must make a certain kind of sense. What’s involved in developing a magical system for a story that feels internally consistent & believable?
Panelists: Jim Butcher, Kathryn Hinds, Faith Hunter, and Elizabeth Moon.

Autograph Session
4:00pm – 5:00pm — Marriott International Hall South 4-5

SATURDAY

An Hour with Jim Butcher
01:00pm – 2:00pm — Hyatt Regency VI-VII
Audience Q&A with the bestselling author of the Dresden Files, Codex Alera, & Cinder Spires series.

Autograph Session
2:30pm – 3:30pm — Marriott International Hall South 4-5

Monster Hunter Files
4:00pm – 5:00pm — Hyatt Regency VI-VII
Focus on the upcoming anthology of stories set in the world of Larry Correia’s Monster Hunter International!
Panelists: Jim Butcher, Larry Correia, Faith Hunter, Kelly Lockhart, Jonathan Maberry, Jody Lynn Nye.

Autograph Session
06:00pm – 7:00pm — Booth 817, Exhibit Hall 3rd Floor (AmericasMart Bldg 2)

SUNDAY

Signing with Badali Jewelry
01:00pm – 2:00pm — Booth 2422, Exhibit Hall 2nd Floor (AmericasMart Bldg 2)
NOTE: A free ticket will be required.  They can be picked up at our booth at any point during the convention.  People can also request one before the convention by emailing Badali Jewelry.

Magnificent Men of Sci-Fi/Fantasy
2:30pm – 3:30pm — Hyatt Regency VI-VII
The top men of our genres discuss their careers & offer advice to new writers.
Panelists: Kevin J. Anderson, Jim Butcher, Larry Correia, Peter David, Nancy Knight, and Larry Niven.

From the Beginning: The Evolution of the Urban Fantasy Protagonist
7:00pm – 8:00pm — Westin Peachtree Ballroom
The authors on our panel have played vital roles in the advancement of the Urban Fantasy genre. We’ll discuss how their seminal characters have developed & changed over time, all while continuing to influence the field.
Panelists: Patricia Briggs, Jim Butcher, Laurel K. Hamilton, Kim Harrison, Sherrilyn Kenyon.

MONDAY

Keeping the Peace: Liaison Characters in UF
11:30am – 12:30pm — Westin Chastain 1-2 – Westin
Whether striving to improve communication & relations between supernatural & human communities, or between different groups within the supernatural world, our panelists’ characters often find themselves in the position of peacemaker.
Panelists: Patricia Briggs, Jim Butcher, Delilah S. Dawson, Kim Harrison, Nancy Holzner, Faith Hunter.

BONUS EVENTS

Dresden Files Cosplay Group Shoot
Friday at 6:30pm — Walton-Spring Park (behind the Westin, in front of the Doubletree)
If Rainy: Landing, Chastain Level, Westin Peachtree
For the past several years, photographer Andrea Gonzales has organized a group photo shoot for Dresden Cosplayers. Join the fun!

Red Sun: A Dresden Universe Fan Film
Sunday at 10:00pm – 12:30am — Westin Savannah Ballroom
Tower of Turtles Productions presents their full-length feature Dresden Universe fan film, Red Sun. The story takes place between Small Favor & Turn Coat.

Fans can also meet Tyler Walpole, artist for the Dresden Files Co-Operative Card game and The Blood of Dragons! He’ll be selling original prints at Booth 229 on the 3rd floor of AmericasMart Building 2.

As you all know, we try to avoid posting more than once a week, but we thought you’d want to know this immediately! We have a general release date for Brief Cases, the second anthology of Dresden Files short stories: Summer 2018!

Brief Cases will include the following Dresdenverse stories:

• “Curses” — Harry is hired to remove the Billy Goat Curse from Wrigley Field
• “AAAA Wizardry” — Harry teaches young Wardens his procedure for dealing with supernatural nasties.
• “Even Hand” — Marcone clashes with a rival supernatural power.
• The Bigfoot Trilogy: “B is for Bigfoot,” “I Was A Teenage Bigfoot,” and “Bigfoot on Campus”
• “Bombshells” — Molly teams up with Justine and Andi to thwart a Fomor plot.
• “Jury Duty” — Harry endures Jury Duty.
• “Cold Case” — Molly teams up with Ramirez to take on a Lovecraft-esque cult.
• “Day One” — Butters’ first mission.
• “A Fistful of Warlocks” — Luccio takes on necromancers in the Wild West.
• Plus a new Dresden Files novella starring Maggie and Mouse!

We’ll let you know as soon as we have a more specific date to announce. Subscribe to our mailing list if you want to be among the first to know!