Kage Baker has a new book just coming out.

Yes, she does. It is The Best of Kage Baker – a compilation of her shorter works edited and selected by your humble correspondent. It’s from Subterranean Press, it has a kick-ass cover by J.K. Potter – Kage’s very favourite of her illustrators – and it will be available on April 30th.

Walpurgisnacht! And also May Eve, that enchanted night for which Kipling wrote:

Oh, do not tell the priest our plight,
For he would call it a sin:
But we have been out in the woods all Night
A’conjuring summer in!

And we bring you news by word of mouth,
Good news for cattle and corn –
For now is the Sun come up in the South
By Oak and Ash and Thorn!

And here is the cover:  

And the first review is out from io9 at http://io9.com/5899744/april-books-stephen-kings-dark-tower-neal-stephensons-weird-history-and-more?tag=bookshelf-injection

And it’s a good review, too,  from the lovely Charlie Jane Anders.

Whoo-hoo! There are a lot of old faves here, but also some lesser known goodies – things published only once or in obscure places. Two novellas. Interior illustrations. I tried to pick things I know Kage herself liked, and had wanted to share with people. It’s gonna be a nice volume, Dear Readers, and I am very excited to be able to say at last – it’s coming!

And my thanks to the inestimable Mr. Tom Westlake, the Lord of Misrule, who sent me this lovely news.

In other news – it’s been a lovely soft Friday and I’ve spent the day as chocolate money, frivolously and happily. Haven’t really done a thing, except this blog entry in Kage’s service. But I’ve got a Peach Jamba Juice and a bag of Gummy Berry Lifesavers, and I’m gonna go off now and spend an indolent evening watching telly.

And sneaking back to the computer every now and then to gloat over the new book …