December 2008 | NEWS

News stories are listed below in chronological order (oldest stories at the top, newest stories at the bottom). Updates are posted regularly, so check this page frequently for the most recent information. We use a variety of sources for our reports, and are not responsible for any inaccurate information posted.

03 DECEMBER

DOCTOR WHO | CD updates & sale

Big Finish Productions have updated their website with the cover for an upcoming Seventh Doctor audio play, The Magic Mousetrap. [→]

Their annual Christmas Sale is also in full swing, lasting until January 9th, with major reductions on several Doctor Who spin-offs. [→]

Source: What's New, BigFinish.com

Links: The Magic Mousetrap, BigFinish.com; Christmas Sale, BigFinish.com

STARGATE | New audio info

Details of a new Stargate audio release, from Big Finish's upcoming second season of CDs, have been posted by writer James Swallow on his blog. [→]

His story, First Prime, is an SG-1 adventure which stars Christopher Judge as Teal'c. The guest actor is Noel Clarke, best known to genre fans as Mickey Smith in Doctor Who. With regards to plot, Swallow teased: "Part of First Prime's plotline involves Teal'c and Noel's character Sebe't fighting with staff weapons".

Other stories announced for the second season so far are Sharon Gosling's SG-1 tale Pathogen, starring Teryl Rothery with Christopher Judge, and the Atlantis adventure The Kindness of Strangers, which stars Paul McGillion with Neil Roberts.

Source/Link: "Jaffa Fight Club", jmswallow.livejournal.com

TORCHWOOD | Three new book covers

The covers for the next set of Torchwood novels have been posted on Amazon.com.

Images of Guy Adams's The House That Jack Built [→], Mark Morris's Bay of the Dead [→], and Sarah Pinborough's Into the Silence [→] were revealed.

The three books will be published in hardback, each costing £6.99, in 2009.

Source/Link: The House That Jack Built, Amazon.com; Bay of the Dead, Amazon.com; Into the Silence, Amazon.com

04 DECEMBER

STAR TREK | Palmieri departs

It has been reported today that Pocket Books have laid off many of their staff, including senior editor Marco Palmieri, perhaps best known for his work on Star Trek novels. [→]

Fellow editor Margaret Clark will take over his Trek duties, working on the company's tie-in lines with Jennifer Heddle and Ed Schlesinger.

Source/Link: "More Industry Layoffs", ComicsMix.com

09 DECEMBER

STAR TREK | Palmieri departs: reactions

After the recent news that editor Marco Palmieri lost his job as part of lay-offs at Pocket Books, many Star Trek authors have voiced their feelings online.

"He's moved beyond just being my editor, becoming also a patient mentor and a good friend," wrote Dayton Ward on his official blog. "I've told anyone who will listen that the thing I most enjoy about writing Star Trek is the collaborative nature of the process, the brainstorming sessions which take place in venues ranging from email to conference calls to the bar at the annual Shore Leave convention."

Ward also clarified that Palmieri's departure would not alter plans for 2009's Trek books. "Marco's influence on the fiction will be felt for quite a while," he explained, "as projects he was overseeing remain in various stages of development. Indeed, the story I'm writing right now is for a project he commissioned, due out late next summer. Now more than ever, I'm committed to completing this project as though he were still around, shepherding us and making sure we're bringing our best work to the table. It'll be satisfying to do that, but a little sad, as well." [→]

"All I can do is hope that Marco will find gainful employment in his field," blogged David Mack, whose first original novel was acquired by Palmieri, "so that his wonderful talents and energy do not go to waste. I hope he finds something better than what has been taken from him. And I hope that he and I will have the pleasure and privilege of working together again, crafting books and stories, very, very soon. Writing Star Trek books will not be the same without him there to guide my imagination." [→]

Keith R.A. DeCandido expressed his belief that "some of my best work has been under Marco's tutelage, in particular The Art of the Impossible, Articles of the Federation, and the forthcoming A Singular Destiny. [Marco's] presence at Pocket Books will be missed." [→]

On the TrekBBS message board, many readers have discussed their disapppointent and concern about the news, prompting Palmieri himself to respond.

"I’ve been spending the last few days enjoying quality time with my family, but a few well-wishers I’ve spoken with since my last day at Pocket told me about the comments being offered here and elsewhere online, and I just wanted to pop in and let you all know how much I appreciate the incredibly generous sentiments being expressed," he wrote, in the website's Literature section. "Really, it’s very touching, and even a little overwhelming.

"As I’ve already communicated to my authors, I'm taking these developments in stride, and staying upbeat. Life’s too short to do otherwise, and I hope to land on my feet as soon as possible.

"I had a great job. It was work, but it was also play, and I tried to make the most of the wonderful opportunities that had been given to me, even on the days when I was banging my head on the desk. The friends I made, especially my authors and the great folks I leave behind at Pocket, allowed me to have more fun than I ever imagined would be possible as an editor. I’ll always take pride in the work we did together, and grateful for the camaraderie that came with it. Even against the uncertainty that lies ahead, more than anything I feel truly blessed because of those connections." [→]

Source: LiveJournal.com; "Simon and Schuster cuts 35 jobs", TrekBBS.com

Links: "The Editor has left the building", daytonward.livejournal.com; "My Sensei Has Left the Building", infinitydog.livejournal.com; "my editor has been fired", kradical.livejournal.com; post in "Simon and Schuster cuts 35 jobs", TrekBBS.com

11 DECEMBER

DOCTOR WHO | Fitz and Izzy on audio!

The new issue of Doctor Who Magazine reveals that the Eighth Doctor's mid-2009 return to the Big Finish monthly range will see him in four new adventures with four different friends.

Following the success of previous releases such as Circular Time, 100 and Forty-Five, The Company of Friends will consist of four standalone twenty-five minute episodes, each starring a different companion alongside Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor.

The first story is Lance Parkin's Benny's Story, starring Lisa Bowerman as Bernice Summerfield. Benny first travelled alongside the Seventh Doctor in the Virgin New Adventures books, before branching out into her own series of novels and audio plays, portrayed by Bowerman. Benny previously appeared in the Seventh Doctor Who audios The Dark Flame and The Shadow of the Scourge, and met the Eighth Doctor in Parkin's novel The Dying Days.

The second story is Fitz's Story by Stephen Cole, introducing Matt di Angelo as Fitz Kreiner. Fitz was the longest-running companion in BBC Books' Eighth Doctor Adventures, starring in fifty novels, and he appears on audio for the first time, played by the popular EastEnders and Strictly Come Dancing star.

The third story is Izzy's Story by Alan Barnes, which sees DWM comic strip companion Izzy Sinclair make her audio debut, portrayed by Lost in Austen's Jemima Rooper.

Finally, Mary's Story by Jonathan Morris gives us the first glimpse of the Eighth Doctor's travels with real-life novelist Mary Shelley - as played by Julie Cox - who was mentioned as a companion back in Storm Warning.

The Company of Friends will be released in July 2009, priced £14.99.

(DWM #403, which also features casting news for The Magic Mousetrap, a preview of The Raincloud Man, and interviews with Gary Russell, Lance Parkin and Dan Abnett about their forthcoming Tenth Doctor novels, is out now.)

21 DECEMBER

DOCTOR WHO | New Big Finish podcasts

Three new episodes of Big Finish's podcast have been added to the company's website in the last few days.

The first, Episode 10, is presented by Paul Wilson and Barnaby Edwards, who discuss Forty-Five, Curse of the Daleks, Home Truths, The Transit of Venus, and the Eighth Doctor and Lucie's adventures. [→]

The second is a new Podlet, which looks at the sound design for Masters of War, and is presented by Martin Johnson. [→]

Finally, there's a special Christmas edition of the podcast, which is hosted by executive producer Nicholas Briggs, and line producer David Richardson. [→]

Source: Podcast, BigFinish.com

Links: Episode 10, Podcast, BigFinish.com; Sound Designer's Podlet: Masters of War, Podcast, BigFinish.com; Christmas Podcast, Podcast, BigFinish.com

DOCTOR WHO | Audio updates

Big Finish have updated their website with the cover for The Transit of Venus, the upcoming Companion Chronicle starring William Russell as Ian Chesterton. [→]

The third season of Eighth Doctor and Lucie adventures is also available for pre-order, with a low-cost subscription offer which includes both the weekly downloads and the later CD releases. [→]

Source: What's New, BigFinish.com

Links: The Transit of Venus, BigFinish.com; The New Eighth Doctor Adventures: Season Three, BigFinish.com

24 DECEMBER

STAR TREK | Kirsten Beyer interview

The German website TrekZone.de has published an interview with Star Trek author Kirsten Beyer, who is due to take over the reigns of the post-Endgame Voyager novels in the new year. [→]

An English-language version of the interview has also been posted on the TrekBBS message board. [→]

Source/Links: Literatur 6, TrekZone.de; "Interview with Kirsten Beyer", TrekBBS.com

26 DECEMBER

STAR TREK | Extract: A Singular Destiny

As a festive gift to fans, author Keith R.A. DeCandido has published an extract from his forthcoming novel A Singular Destiny on his official website. [→]

Source/Link: DeCandido.net