After several upcoming Brain Lag books had to be delayed, the first of these, The Fabulist Play Cycle by Hugh A. D. Spencer, has received a new release date.
The Fabulist Play Cycle is a collection of radio scripts telling the story of disillusioned writers in the early- to mid-20th century, who defined the course of science fiction to this day. Loosely based on the actual history of the genre, these hilarious plays take the reader through “Amazing Struggles”, “Astonishing Failures”, and “Disappointing Success”, with a liberal sprinkling of the fantastic to heighten the satire.
The book will now be launching January 12, 2024 in trade paperback (388 pages, ISBN 978-1-998795-05-5, $23.99 CAD) and ebook (ISBN 978-1-998795-06-2, $4.99) formats. It will also feature a foreword written by Dr. Allan Weiss, professor in the departments of English and Humanities at York University and author of Making the Rounds; an afterword by Spencer; and illustrations by artist Emily O’Brien. The Fabulist Play Cycle is currently available for preorder through all major book retailers, including Chapters/Indigo, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon, as well as directly through the publisher.
As part of the book’s updated release, a launch party will be held at the Merril Collection of Science Fiction, Speculation & Fantasy in the Lillian H. Smith branch of the Toronto Public Library, 239 College Street, on Thursday, January 18 at 5:30 p.m. The event will be free and open to the public and will feature readings, discussion, and book signing.
Spencer has been published for over thirty years in On Spec, various volumes of Tesseracts, and many more magazines and anthologies. He is a member of the long-running Cecil Street Writers Group, which includes authors such as Terri Favro (The Sisters Sputnik), David Nickle (Knife Fight and Other Stories), and Natalie Zina Walschots (Hench). Spencer has been nominated multiple times for the Aurora Award, including for his museum exhibit work on science fiction in popular culture.
The Fabulist Play Cycle will be Brain Lag’s 48th released title and fifth book from Spencer, following his novels Extreme Dentistry (2014) and The Hard Side of the Moon (2021) and his collections Why I Hunt Flying Saucers and Other Fantasticals (2016) and The Progressive Apparatus and More Fantasticals (2021). Brain Lag has other titles releasing in February and March and will be revealing new release dates for more previously announced books soon.
Media inquiries and requests to contact the author can be directed to publishing@brain-lag.com.
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