I’ve got lots to look forward to in 2013: the publication of my second novel, the release of one and possibly two audiobook versions of my novels, and the hope of another book deal for work after Celebromancy.

But there’s also really exciting work coming from friends and colleagues, much of it right away this month.

Here’s what I’m looking forward to in January:

Between by Kerry Schafer (1-29-13 Ace Books) Kerry is the other Book Country All-Star, meaning that she got a traditional book deal from the Book Country community, a few months before I got mine. Since hers was a paperback and ebook simultaneous print deal, the schedule was set a bit farther out. Between is an urban fantasy focused on dreams and a Dreamworld, which considering she has a Psych background and is a mental health professional, shows a lot of promise.

Prodigy by Marie Lu (1-29-13 Penguin Putnam). I read Legend early last year, and loved it. It felt, to me, more directly in the tradition of the formative dystopian novels like 1984, Brave New World, and We than most of the books coming out of the YA Dystopian wave started by The Hunger Games. I had the chance to digitally meet Marie last year, since we are both represented by the Nelson Literary Agency. She was also kind enough to give me a blurb on Geekomancy. I’ve been chomping at the bit to read on in this series, and I definitely recommend Legend to any Dystopian YA fans.

Shadow Ops: Fortress Frontier by Myke Cole – (1/29/13 Ace Books). This is the second book in Myke’s Shadow Ops series of military fantasies. I read the first book, Shadow Ops: Control Point, and was blown away by the marvelously-realized world that is very effectively described by the blurb from Peter Brett of “Black Hawk Down meets the X-Men.” Magic returns to earth, and the US government rapidly cracks down on the magic and presses the gifted into national service…except for the prohibited schools. Anyone who develops those powers is Kill On Sight. Myke has experience in the military world, and the whole book drips with authenticity. The second book follows a different lead from the first, so it seems like a reader could jump on with either.

And in my day-job world, we’ve got awesome stuff as well:

Broken by A.E. Rought (1-8-13 Strange Chemistry). This is our January book from Strange Chemistry, the YA imprint I work for (through Angry Robot Books). Broken is a Paranormal Romance with strong shades of a literary classic. I was particularly struck by how the novel conveys the intensity of teenage emotion and omnipresence of school gossip.

She Returns From War by Lee Collins (1-29-13 Angry Robot Books). This is the follow-up to Weird Western The Dead of Winter. I have a special place in my heart for Weird Westerns ever since I played Doomtown and the Deadlands RPG. Definitely read The Dead of Winter first, because there’s great play with established horror tropes and western genre conventions.

The Mad Scientist’s Daughter, by Cassandra Rose Clarke (1-29-13 Angry Robot Books) For fans of the ‘Data is a person, dammit!’ storylines on ST: TNG and of literary SF like The Time Traveler’s Wife. This is a true romance, with some truly beautiful writing and a literary, character-driven approach as opposed to a Lots of Rising Action Plot-Focused one. Meditative, challenging, and packing several emotional gut-punches.

EDIT: I originally listed the author of She Returns From War as the author for The Mad Scientist’s Daughter. That’s what I get for blogging at 1:00 while waiting for the laundry machines in my building to work on the second try at drying. Mea culpa.