Macro Monday Dreams Of Autumn, And Bears Bad News

All right, summer, you’re too damn hot to handle. It’s time to go, chop chop, let’s bring fall in. Let’s get some pretty leaves falling, some cooler air, some nice breezes, some kids back to school — hell, I’ll even take the traditional AUTUMNAL PRACTICE of the PUMPKIN SPICE ENEMA. That’s a thing, isn’t it? I’m pretty sure it’s a thing.

That macro there is, by the way, a fallen leaf with some waterdrops on it.

Now, onward, to news-shellacked tiddle-bits.

GeekDad reviewed Invasive! “Wendig’s short and sweet chapters will keep you reading ‘just one more’ because he’s an obvious master at cliffhanger chapter endings.”

Speculate SF not only reviewed it, but then had a follow-up interview with me on the podcast! Go check those out, and then support ’em.

At Bookish, I swing by and offer up a selection of my favorite CREATURE FEATURE novels! Need new books to read, then clicky-clicky.

Paul Tremblay, who writes horror that is (like True Detective in its way) what I consider “supernatural-adjacent,” said of the book — “INVASIVE by @ChuckWendig: smart, relentless, Crichton-esque (but with so much better chararcter work) fun. Get some!” Which is really kind, because Paul is an amazing author. Even though he’s a math teacher. I guess I shouldn’t let ants kill him. Fine. *calls off ant army* *sulks*

I’ve also added an appearance: I’ll be with Fran Wilde on 9/27 at B&N Rittenhouse! COME SAY HI.

Probably something else I’m forgetting, but so it goes.

Now, onward to the BAD NEWS BEAR, who bites you and infects you with bad news.

Hyperion, at Marvel, has been canceled. This week will see the final issue (starring Iron Man, which means I got to write Iron Man, which is a badge I will now wear forever with great bluster), and the six issues will be collected together for purchase. It’s sad. I’m super-bummed about it. But it was a strange book with a Marvel character who never really had the spotlight. I was really pleased that Katie and Christina let me do the weird small-town-horror I wanted to do with it (killer clowns and worm guy!). The art by Nik Virella and Marc Laming was swoonworthy, and the Romulo aced the colors in a way that made me not only swoon, but faint and hit my head on the coffee table. The book was honestly canceled the day the first issue came out, so it wasn’t really down to anything that we’d done on the book but rather down to the way that store orders fell off, as I understand it — again, because Hyperion is more of a fringe character. But he’s a fringe character that I hoped I got to give some more life to, pulling him away from the margins a little and making him more interesting. Marvel was really supportive and continues to be, and I hope to do some more work with them in the future. Thanks everyone for reading the book! Hope you enjoy the last issue, coming out this week. I’m sorry there won’t be more!

*belligerent sobbing ensues*

And since we’re at it, let’s deliver a second bite from the BAD NEWS BEAR.

Folks ask me now and again when the sequel to The Hellsblood Bride will hit. I had originally conceived of the Mookie Pearl stories as a trilogy. And the answer to that is… a tiny shrug emoji?

I want to do that third book, I do. I’m not sure yet the finances or the time line up.

Here’s the deal —

The Blue Blazes is the introduction to the Hell underneath Manhattan and of Mookie and Nora, and then Hellsblood Bride shows us a lot more of Hell and the mythology while complicating the hell (ahem) out of Mookie and Nora’s stories. Some may remember that there was some, um, publishing shenanigans around those books, so last year I managed to get the rights back and publish them myself in October, which means we’re coming up on one year after release. I do very little to support them in terms of pushing their sales because really, I don’t have that in me. (It’s why self-publishing is tricky — you gotta stay hungry and be as much a salesman as an author, and honestly, it’s tiring as fuck. This ceaseless parade of reminding people about the book and building buzz and juggling your strategies. I really just want to write books. An unrealistic demand, maybe, but it’s why I like partnering with smart publishers who will, ideally, do that part for me.) Even without pushing the books, they’ve done okay. First month I had already paid for the cover and the e-book design and after that, the money has been nice enough. But maybe not nice enough to justify that third book.

Which means, at present: no plans to do so. (Unless a publisher wants it? Dangle, dangle.)

Which is a bummer! I know. The second book is an ending, but boy howdy is it a rough one. The third book would pull the series out of that dark place, but again, I don’t think I’m getting there any time soon, so for now, that means Mookie’s tale ends where it ends there in Hellsblood Bride. If the book sales surge or by next year start to pick up for RANDOM COSMIC REASON, I’ll re-evaluate. This isn’t a never, but definitely qualifies as a not right now.

If you want to check out any of these books (and book sales, for the record, help support this blog and obviously the books overall):

Blue Blazes: Amazon / Buy Direct From Terribleminds

Hellsblood Bride: Amazon | Buy Direct From Terribleminds

Invasive: Indiebound | Amazon | B&N