HEY, I SOLD A BOOK.
Harper Voyager acquired rights to my novel, Zeroes, in a two-book deal, with publication slated for 2015. What the hell is this book, you ask? Well:
When five hackers — an Anonymous-style rabble rouser, an Arab Spring hactivist, a black-hat hacker, an old-school cipherpunk, and an online troll — are scooped up by the U.S. government and told they face prison sentences or worse, they take the deal that’s offered them: working as white-hat hackers in service to their nation. Forced into an uneasy alliance, threatened by their warring personalities and sabotaged by rival hackers, the five begin to fear for their lives as their orders grow increasingly dark and strange. But it’s only when they discover the truth behind the sinister NSA program that they realize the stakes go well beyond anything they could have imagined . . .
A fast-paced, character-driven thriller with a timely and provocative premise, Zeroes is Michael Crichton meets The X Files shot through with the DNA of Daniel Suarez, Cory Doctorow, and Stephen King.
The second book is as-yet-unnamed.
So: woo! This is exciting stuff. Very geeked for you guys to read this book.
IT’S FULL OF SECRETS AND TWISTS AND GOVERNMENTAL TECHNO-MALEVOLENCE.
Thanks to my agent, Stacia Decker at DMLA, for brokering the deal. And thanks to Harper for loving the book in the first place! So. Uh. Ahem. Is 2015 here yet?
*checks watch*
*pokes calendar*
More cool news to come soon, I think!
Alisa Russell says:
Sounds like a great book! Can’t wait for 2015!
April 17, 2014 — 9:08 AM
urdith says:
Congratulations! And it’s early, so I read GOVERNMENTAL TECHNO-MALEVOLENCE as “GOVERNMENT TECHNO MALE VIOLENCE.” Which does not seem in appropriate in some ways…
April 17, 2014 — 9:08 AM
Alena says:
Congratulations! Sounds like something to look forward to. \o/
April 17, 2014 — 9:08 AM
Bryon Quertermous says:
Hey, congrats. But Jesus, HOW many books are you writing next year?
April 17, 2014 — 9:09 AM
terribleminds says:
Next year? Not that many. This year? LOTS. And thanks. 😀
April 17, 2014 — 9:10 AM
Bryon Quertermous says:
Oh, that’s good. Though I don’t really care as long as my days are full of many, many Wendig books.
April 17, 2014 — 11:08 AM
Emily Wenstrom says:
Congrats! Can’t wait to read it … you write so fast I can hardly keep up to consume them all!
April 17, 2014 — 9:10 AM
terribleminds says:
I’m counting on the Long Tail, here, I guess. 😀
April 17, 2014 — 9:11 AM
Tammy Sparks says:
There can never be enough Wendig books out in the world, I say. Congrats Chuck!!
April 17, 2014 — 9:10 AM
Michael Patrick Hicks says:
Oh man, sounds amazing. Congrats, Chuck!
April 17, 2014 — 9:10 AM
Mike says:
Hot damn, congrats! I’m also getting a bit of a Leverage vibe on this, which I hope isn’t just wishful thinking.
Is the first already written, or did you sell on proposal?
April 17, 2014 — 9:12 AM
terribleminds says:
Sold on proposal — I think I’ve got ~20k written, though, and had that in with the proposal.
And a Leverage vibe is not entirely out-of-season, no…
April 17, 2014 — 9:27 AM
Mike says:
“And a Leverage vibe is not entirely out-of-season, no…”
*look of anticipatory glee*
April 17, 2014 — 9:31 AM
Melissa Osburn says:
Congratulations! Zeroes sounds awesome! 😀
April 17, 2014 — 9:12 AM
Paul Weimer says:
Congratulations! Your book Empire only continues to grow and expand.
April 17, 2014 — 9:12 AM
Norma Parfitt says:
You are too prolific. You know that don’cha?
Some of us poor slobs manage a couple of reasonable paragraphs in the time it takes you to do a first draft.
It’s SO not fair……….
April 17, 2014 — 9:13 AM
pashortt says:
Awesome! This sounds very cool.
Do you find it’s easier or harder to work on edits and write sequels if you have a multi-book deal?
April 17, 2014 — 9:14 AM
terribleminds says:
It’s neither easier nor harder — I just compartmentalize, use my spreadsheet, and write! And thank you!
April 17, 2014 — 9:17 AM
Dan Goldman (@dan_goldman) says:
Congrats! ZEROES sounds like a ripping yarn.
For Book 2, perhaps… “ONES”?
April 17, 2014 — 9:16 AM
Ambrosia Rose says:
Gah, you beat me to the sequel-title suggestion. Even if it is a bit Cory Doctorow-level obvious. 🙂
April 17, 2014 — 9:44 AM
Steve Hall says:
Beat me to the suggestion, too!
April 17, 2014 — 11:46 AM
Priscellie says:
Ditto. Threequel: One-Zeroes. 😀
April 17, 2014 — 4:22 PM
donnaeve says:
Yay! Yay! Yay! (okay gotta quit jumping now, too old for that shit)
Very nice, and good for you! The premise of the book sounds great!!
April 17, 2014 — 9:29 AM
Beth Turnage says:
Congrats!
April 17, 2014 — 9:31 AM
Catastrophe Jones says:
So so so very thrilled! Can’t wait to see it out. Congrats, Wendig! 🙂
April 17, 2014 — 9:31 AM
Therin Knite says:
Congrats!
“Zeroes is Michael Crichton meets The X Files shot through with the DNA of Daniel Suarez, Cory Doctorow, and Stephen King.”
That sounds pretty awesome. And you sold it on proposal? Wow. Nice. 🙂
April 17, 2014 — 9:37 AM
Kathryn Goldman says:
Congratulations! I just picked up Under the Empyrean Sky and am working my way through your oeuvre. But the way you write, I’ll never catch up.
April 17, 2014 — 9:43 AM
Whimsy and Nonsense says:
Congratulations!!!
April 17, 2014 — 9:52 AM
Kay Camden says:
Sounds awesome and very relevant. Your productivity isn’t human, and I’m gonna be the first to say what we’re all thinking: I hate you. 🙂
Congratulations.
April 17, 2014 — 9:54 AM
terribleminds says:
I feed off of hate, so — DANGEROUS MOVE.
😉
Thanks, Kay!
April 17, 2014 — 10:19 AM
Ian Hiatt (@ihiatt) says:
literary_contentment {
DO{variable(Zeroes_Wendig)=”Not Ordered” run(Search_For_Zeroes)}
};
Search_For_Zeroes {
IF{run(Check_Indie_Stores)=”Ordered”,
or run(Check_Amazon)=”Ordered”,
or run(Camp_Out_In_Front_Of_Harper)=”Ordered”
setVariable(Zeroes_Wendig)=”Ordered”,
setVariable(Reader_Status)=”Appeased”;
else setVariable(Reader_Status)=”Unhappy”}
};
April 17, 2014 — 10:08 AM
terribleminds says:
Well-played.
April 17, 2014 — 10:18 AM
Caroline Lambe says:
Yay!! Congrats Chuck!
April 17, 2014 — 10:14 AM
sarieland says:
I think this calls for a virtual toast. Everyone raise your mugs high…Here’s to supercool writers getting book deals! Yay Chuck! *clink*
April 17, 2014 — 10:18 AM
Mieke Zamora-Mackay says:
Congratulations, Chuck! *raise glass and blows kiss*
April 17, 2014 — 10:28 AM
joeturner87 says:
Congrats Chuck. Sounds like a great read.
April 17, 2014 — 10:32 AM
ardenrr says:
Yeah!! This sounds awesome 🙂 Many congrats!! *Throws confetti bomb
April 17, 2014 — 10:34 AM
Jimmie says:
Congratulations, Chuck!
This book doesn’t sound like the kind of story I’d like much, but the great thing (for me) about how you write is that even though you write a couple books that don’t interest me, you also write a couple books that do. I can be happy in the knowledge that if I’m only reasonably patient, you’ll give me a story that’ll just light me up inside. That’s a big deal to me and I appreciate you for it.
April 17, 2014 — 10:35 AM
terribleminds says:
I like to write all kinds of things for all kinds of folks, so that’s good to hear, Jimmie! Thanks.
April 17, 2014 — 10:36 AM
Anthony says:
Considering your writing gets better with every book, I can’t wait to see this. How much research did you have to do on hacking terms/methods? Or did you just wing it with stuff picked up around the old gaming tables?
April 17, 2014 — 10:48 AM
terribleminds says:
I’ve been reading hacker/tech/near-future books for the last year or so. Been enlightening, but also clear that this stuff moves fast and it’s important not to bog down in it too much, lest it read like a tech manual. The one *very important thing* I learned is that hacking is more about people than it is about technology. And that hooked me.
April 17, 2014 — 10:54 AM
underastarlitsky says:
Totally off tangent (sorta), but you saying hacking is more about people than technology – it reminds me of The Walking Dead, where i’m always telling people who aren’t fans of zombies (like myself!) that it’s more about the people, than it is about zombies…*and now back to your regularly scheduled programming*
April 17, 2014 — 8:01 PM
terribleminds says:
And, by the way, thanks for saying so! I appreciate that.
April 17, 2014 — 10:55 AM
Dannie Morin (@Dannie_Morin) says:
Well done! Mazel tov!
April 17, 2014 — 11:05 AM
Sabrina E. Ogden says:
Wonderful news, Chuck! Truly spectacular!
April 17, 2014 — 11:14 AM
robinlmartinez says:
Wow! Congrats, Chuck 🙂
April 17, 2014 — 11:19 AM
Nancy McKnight says:
Great news! Congrats!
April 17, 2014 — 11:29 AM
TheMariaLima says:
Congrats!!!
April 17, 2014 — 11:51 AM
nlhartmannn says:
Bravo! Only 260 days till 2015. 🙂
April 17, 2014 — 11:56 AM
Silver James says:
Congrats! Sounds like a hellava project! 😀
April 17, 2014 — 11:59 AM
boydstun215 says:
You, sir, are a writing machine. Congratulations on the book deal. Can’t wait to read these new titles.
April 17, 2014 — 1:13 PM
Beverly says:
Congratulations. 🙂
April 17, 2014 — 1:38 PM
Margaret Atwood says:
Congratulations!
April 17, 2014 — 1:42 PM
Wendy Christopher says:
Congratulations, Chuck! You kept that one quiet, you dark horse you 😉 And what with all the other projects you’re involved in, I think you must surely be a shoo-in for the Busiest Writer of The Year Award (it’s a real thing, honest it is – ooh look what’s that thing over there *hastily puts away tinfoil and sticky-backed plastic*)
April 17, 2014 — 2:20 PM
Mark says:
You had me sold at Michael Crichton meets the X-Files. Congrats, can’t wait for this as it really sounds like my cuppa tea. Wish you hadn’t told us till a week before it hit the shelves though, as I hate waiting.
Apologies if you find this next question rude but how much did you get paid for it? I dunno if that’s too personal a question for such an open space but it’s the kinda question a novice asks a master, no?
April 17, 2014 — 2:49 PM
thelizwithzombies says:
I am not going to get in the middle of this, because it’s Chuck’s decision, but just so you know, Publisher’s Weekly runs a newsletter where they announce deals.
They use terms like “nice deal, very nice deal” etc. Each term has it’s own pay bracket. If I remember correctly, though, the brackets are rather large, as in from “1-100k” being a “nice” deal. It gives you a large ballpark to consider, but it does give you some information about what’s currently selling, and how well.
April 17, 2014 — 3:22 PM
Kyra Dune says:
Congratulations.
April 17, 2014 — 3:13 PM
thelizwithzombies says:
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! I am always on the look out for more cyberpunk and seeing a series released by one of my favorite authors just made my day!
What books in the genre are your favorites? Which ones did you read in preparation for this series?
How many times did you watch Johnny Mnemonic, and am I the only one who can’t stop laughing when Ice-T and Jones the dolphin show up?
April 17, 2014 — 3:26 PM
wordsfromjeff says:
Congratulations, Chuck!
April 17, 2014 — 3:26 PM
M T McGuire says:
Nice going. Top job.
April 17, 2014 — 4:26 PM
Kaleb J.D Russell says:
Congratulations Chuck!! Never stop! Even in death you must create amazing stories for us to consume!
April 17, 2014 — 5:07 PM
Maya Prasad says:
Awesome, I love the premise! Congratulations!
April 17, 2014 — 6:06 PM
Debbie says:
Congratulations! Look forward to reading it!
April 17, 2014 — 7:37 PM
mshatch says:
Excellent news and awesome premise. I’m always up for governmental techno-malevolence 🙂
April 17, 2014 — 7:49 PM
underastarlitsky says:
*high five* *fist bump* *weird secret celebratory handshake that looks more like a gymnastics routine*. CONGRATS! that is awesome, and the book sounds fantastic! initially I thought the blurb reminded me of WIlliam Gibson (but undoubtedly WAY better, cuz the one and only William Gibson book i was forced to read in High School (Neuromancer) bored me to tears…maybe it just wasn’t my thing at the time)…but i also know he’s behind The Matrix so…*shrugs*
April 17, 2014 — 7:56 PM
terribleminds says:
Thanks, awesome humans! And thanks too to Harper Voyager for taking a chance on this book!
April 17, 2014 — 8:37 PM