rgz Newsflash: Cory Doctorow, For the Win

Can I give a shout out to TOR for hosting a lovely dinner with Cory Doctorow, YA author, blogger extraordinaire of Boing Boing, and enthusiastic activist? Here we are as happy as can be at Cafe Flora in Seattle. (Front row: Dia Calhoun and Holly Cupala. Back row: me and Cory)

We were celebrating the upcoming release of For the Win, Cory's sci-fi gaming book with some seriously kicking female characters. I had to give Cory props for giving us a character who takes a boy down who was intent on raping her, and then she says:

"I don't like you. You shouldn't chase girls or the girls might turn around and catch you."

For the Win is such an intelligent read. It cinches the entire world closer, and reaffirms how we all are truly connected. I read the work as engaged as I would be playing a multiplayer online game. In fact, I'd often lose sight that this was sci-fi! Sounds totally inline for our rgz, right? Stay tuned on that account!

Sitting beside Cory, Nancy Pearl, amidst an awesome table of book buyers and librarians, how could we not talk books? Here's a list of those batted around the table, some soon to be released, adult to board books, beginning with a couple video games:

Smokescreen by Alice Taylor, Cory's wife
Left 4 Dead, Alice's latest fav video game
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender
Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link
Taltos by Steven Brust (a first person fantasy with excellent exposition)
Dispossessed by Ursula Le Guin (Nancy's fav Ursula work)
The Passage by Justin Cronin
Under the Poppy by Kathe Koje
The Borrible Trilogy by Michael De Larrabeiti
Night Cars by Teddy Jam and Eric Beddows
It's Useful to Have a Duck by Isol

Talk about fun! It was a lovely night with wonderful folks from the children's industry. Happy launch, Cory, and safe travels!