Emily Dickinson had it wrong: There is no star cruiser like a book. When you want to journey past the furthermost limits of your own imagination, you turn to books. And August's new book releases are just packed with brilliant new ideas and thrilling stories, from some of the world's best writers.

Many creators are skittish, if not downright hostile, when it comes to fans creating derivative works. But some other creators and producers actually embrace fans' creativity — and Angry Robot Books is taking that tendency to the next level.

For many new authors, the hardest part of getting published is just getting the attention of publishers. You have a brilliant book, but the publishing industry seems huge and monolithic. Except that now, publishers are paying attention to online sources.