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GRRM’s ‘A Dance with Dragons’ has a release date. No, really.

We’ve been waiting six years for the next installment of George R. R. Martin’s epic A Song of Ice and Fire series and now – finally – Entertainment Weekly has the scoop: A Dance With Dragons will come out July 12. And at more than 900 pages, it’ll probably be big enough to brain a moose.

With the Game of Thrones TV series (there’s a new trailer for that, too) debuting on April 17, I’m sure that the folks at HBO and Bantam are dancing in their respective hallways.

Though actually, I’m not even sure I believe it myself, yet. Is this real life? Someone pinch me. Is July even enough time to reread?!?

BUT! On his website, Martin says he’s not done yet. What gives?

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EUbits: Insider #124 brings Kemp short story, news of yet another Old Republic comic

Another Old Republic comic is coming. The new Insider contain news of a mini-series called The Lost Suns. Game writer Alexander Freed will be doing the writing honors, with the team from Blood of the Empire on art. Head on over to NJOE and/or Star Wars Universe for the full image and details.

This is the same issue that features Paul S. Kemp’s ‘The Third Lesson,‘ a Darth Malgus short story, so if you’re a fan of the era it’ll no doubt be worth picking up. On that note, Kemp is giving away a Deceived audiobook or two.

Also upcoming… Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff reveals a new tentative title for her and Reaves’ Coruscant Knights followup: The Last Jedi.

More on the Dark Side: Scott Allie talks more with MTV Geek about Qui-Gon Jinn’s adventures in the upcoming comic Star Wars: Jedi – The Dark Side. Without revealing whether Qui-Gon is the one to cross over to the dark side, Allie talks about developing a story about the Jedi’s imperfect judgment, with a plot that is flashbacked to in the YA books, and describes Qui-Gon’s role here as a “powerful Jedi out on the rim of the galaxy, angry and alone, like a hero from the Clint Eastwood western.”

Recent releases. John Jackson Miller has notes for Knight Errant.

Nonfiction. J. W. Rinzler tweets about a new Star Wars Art installment.

Learn something. In his latest blog entry, Drew Karpyshyn writes about how a book makes it from outline to novel.

Coming in the back way. A prequel fan’s review of Heir to the Empire. He liked it!

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Get your glue and scissors ready…

Break out the googly eyes!…because Club Jade is going to be hosting a craft contest! In anticipation of the release of Bonnie Burton’s The Star Wars Craft Book at the end of this month, Club Jade is having a Craft-athlon to help bring out the inner crafter in you! It will be a multiple event challenge, with the grand prize pack that includes the upcoming craft guide and a signed set of The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia, courtesy of our friends at Del Rey.

We’ll have more on the rules and the first Craft-athlon events later this week, but start scrounging your home for random household craft materials – like maybe a paper lunch bag, an old Star Wars shirt, or even a toilet paper tube.

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Other worlds: Tor.com readers name their top SF/F novels of the decade

Tor.com has wrapped up their reader’s poll, naming the top ten science fiction and fantasy novels of the decade:

  1. Old Man’s War by John Scalzi
  2. American Gods by Neil Gaiman
  3. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
  4. Blindsight by Peter Watts
  5. Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey
  6. A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
  7. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
  8. Anathem by Neal Stephenson
  9. Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
  10. Perdido Street Station by China Mieville

I’ve read half of them: I could see American Gods, Kushiel’s Dart, and A Storm of Swords among my own top reads, but I was distinctly underwhelmed by The Name of the Wind and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. (I’ve been putting off Old Man’s War – it’s in the pile!) What are your thoughts?

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Oscar, briefly: Inception takes VFX, Portman Best Actress

There were few surprises at tonight’s Oscars: Lone genre Best Picture nom Inception was awarded mostly in technical categories (including Visual Effects… Sorry, ILM.) And Natalie Portman did indeed win Best Actress for Black Swan.

For the rest, The King’s Speech cleaned up with 4 awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor for Colin Firth. Batman Jesus Christian Bale took home Best Supporting Actor for The Fighter. But perhaps most mind-blowing to this former teen of the 90’s: Trent Reznor now has an Oscar (for The Social Network score.)

As for the ceremony itself… It was pretty standard; All the real fun was (of course) partaking in all the snark on Twitter. I did greatly enjoy the auto-tune, though.

And yes, Irvin Kershner did make the In Memoriam reel, as did modelmaker Grant McCune.

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Razzies crown Shyamalan’s Airbender worst film of 2010

The Oscars are upon us tonight! But in the meantime, we have the Razzies, which last night awarded M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender Worst Picture, Worst Director, Worst Screenplay, Worst Eye-Gouging Misuse of 3-D and even Worst Supporting Actor in Jackson Rathbone, who was dual-nominated for Twilight: Eclipse.

Surprisingly, that’s the only ‘award’ for any of the Twilight crew – and all the other genre offerings. Sex and the City 2 was the runner-up with three Razzies, including Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel and Worst Actress for Sarah Jessica Parker. The remaining acting awards went to Ashton Kutcher and Jessica Alba.

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Snarky things on the Wookieepedia: Everything that has ruined Star Wars forever

Buried deep within the bowels of the Wookieepedia: A list of the many things that have ruined Star Wars! To quoth:

Fans realize something LFL does not, that robust 32-year-old billion-dollar franchises, while seemingly healthy, are in actuality as fragile as two bricks tied together with tissue paper. One mistake, one bad mis-step will cause the entire thing to shatter and fall apart; and Star Wars would be ruined forever.

Selections include midi-chlorians, Callista, Boba Fettishism and many, many more.

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Catching up with The Clone Wars

There’s no new Clone Wars tonight, but there are several tidbits of news.

First off, there’s another Chewbacca video and some finale rumor dispelling (Spoilers? Sort of?) going around.

On Twitter, an actress you might recognize reveals that she’ll be voicing a character… But given the lead time on these things, I’m guessing we probably won’t hear much more until next season.

More imminent is Free Comic Book Day on May 7 and StarWars.com has a preview of Dark Horse’s Savage Opress offering. (Psst, Avatar: The Last Airbender fans… That preview is over here.)

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Other worlds: Ladies lead Nebula nominations

Awards. The Nebula nominations are out, and up for best novel is one of my favorite reads of 2010, N.K. Jemisin’s The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. Also up are M.K. Hobson’s The Native Star, Mary Robinette Kowal’s Shades of Milk and Honey, Jack McDevitt’s Echo, Nnedi Okorafor’s Who Fears Death and Connie Willis’ two-in one punch of Blackout and All Clear.

The Hunger Games. A pair of LJers consider the geography of Panem – quite impressively. (Because who hasn’t wondered what District their state would end up in?)

Sookie Stackhouse. Author Charlaine Harris told Hero Complex that her next two books will wrap up the popular supernatural mystery series. And she’s writing a video game?

Upcoming. io9 lists the books they’re looking forward to for spring.

Optioned. The screen rights for John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War have been acquired by Paramount. Naturally, Scalzi has a few things to say on the matter.

Excerpt. Preview one of the year’s most anticipated fantasies, Patrick Rothfuss’ The Wise Man’s Fear.

Review. Andrew Liptak on Mike Stackpole’s latest, At The Queen’s Command.