Inkshares Partnering with Science and Entertainment Exchange To Review All Winning Titles for Scientific Accuracy
March 29, 2016 (San Francisco, CA)—Inkshares, a start-up crowdfunded book publisher, announced today that the next theme in their Nerdist and Geek & Sundry contest series will be “Hard Science Fiction,” hosted by Geek & Sundry, launching on April 4, 2016. This follows the conclusion of the Nerdist “Space Opera” contest, where Chrisopher Leone’s Champions of the Third Planet took the top prize: a full publishing deal with Inkshares, inclusion in the Nerdist Collection, and the opportunity to develop his work into other media such as movies, television, and digital productions.
The “Hard Science Fiction” theme follows the staggering success of Andy Weir’s The Martian, one of the biggest self-publishing success stories of recent years and now a blockbuster Oscar-nominated film. The three contest finalists with the most unique reader pre-orders will have their novels published by Inkshares with perks including editorial and design services, printing, marketing, and distribution into bookstores nationwide. Geek & Sundry will then select at least one of the winners to be the debut novel in their Inkshares Collection. And all three winning titles will receive a consultation for scientific accuracy from scientists at the Science and Entertainment Exchange, the Hollywood-facing arm of the National Academy of Sciences.
Geek & Sundry founder Felicia Day said, “I am a huge reader and am thrilled that we can offer the many creative people in our community the opportunity to publish their work. The theme of Hard Science is especially interesting now, when the VR of the 80’s Cyberpunk world is actually becoming reality. So I can’t wait to see what people submit.”
Rick Loverd, Program Director of The Science & Entertainment Exchange, said “We proudly support contemporary storytellers as they engage current and coming generations with far reaching visions that encourage more engagement in science, technology, engineering, and math. Narrative plays a critical role in coaxing people to dream big and then create a better future. Let’s all inspire the readers of today to work on the technical challenges of tomorrow.”
“We love the diversity within science fiction and fantasy, but hard science fiction holds a special place in our hearts” said Jeremy Thomas, CEO of Inkshares. “We think the best hard science fiction books have the capacity to inspire—to make readers feel like what might be fantasy in another context is not just possible, but inevitable. We believe there is an undiscovered hard science book out there with the power to shape our future, and we intend to find it on Inkshares.”
More information on the contest can be found on the Inkshares contest page. Stay tuned for additional theme announcements from Geek & Sundry and Nerdist, and follow along with the contest’s progress on Twitter@GeekandSundry, @Nerdist, and @Inkshares.
About Nerdist
Nerdist is a multi-platform creator of genre and popular culture content. Founded by CEO Chris Hardwick, its online presence includesNerdist.com featuring Nerdist News hosted by Jessica Chobot as well as weekly shows Because Science, The Dan Cave, and Nerdist Play; aPodcast Network including the flagship Nerdist Podcast; The Nerdist School comedy training program; and the Nerdist Alliance, a community of curated partnerships with some of YouTube’s most talented creators. Nerdist also produces content for television including @midnight for Comedy Central. Nerdist Industries is owned by Legendary Entertainment and is part of the Legendary Digital Networks which also includes Geek & Sundry and Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls.
About Geek & Sundry
Geek & Sundry is a digital entertainment company recognized for providing the best in award-winning Internet television content featuring leading voices in geek culture and lifestyle. Founded in 2012 by Felicia Day, the company offers a diverse content lineup of video games and tabletop gaming, such as Wil Wheaton’s TableTop, and explores the verticals of comics, music, literature, comedy and beyond. The network has also recently launchedGnSLive on Twitch that provides of 30 hours of live content every week. Geek & Sundry is owned by Legendary Entertainment and is part of the Legendary Digital Networks which also includes Nerdist Industries and Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls.
About The Science & Entertainment Exchange
The Science & Entertainment Exchange is a program of the National Academy of Sciences that connects entertainment industry professionals with top scientists and engineers to create a synergy between accurate science and engaging storylines in both film and TV programming.
About Inkshares
Inkshares is a reader-driven publisher. They have readers select the books they publish. Inkshares then edits, designs, prints, distributes, and markets any book that meets a pre-order threshold. Since launching in February 2014, 90 books have reached their pre-order goal on Inkshares and they’ve received coverage in theNew York Times,Wall Street Journal,Fast Company, andPublishers Weekly.