(I know, I’m doing a lot of news-bit posts lately. I apologize! But we’re hitting a rather tumultous time of releases here — ZER0ES just landed. STAR WARS: AFTERMATH hits next week. BLACKBIRDS hits middle of September in gloriously shiny hardcover. It’s a busy time but it’ll quiet down again as fall rumbles on.)
Let us begin.
• Hey, look. It’s me over at The Mary Sue, interviewed about ZER0ES. My thoughts on the book, why I wrote it, and why hackers are awesome and artificial intelligence is scary.
• (Actually, The Mary Sue also has a few nice things to say about the book, including: “Chuck Wendig’s Zer0es is one hell of a novel that resonates particularly strongly in our day and age. It centers around a motley crew of hackers who find themselves bound together in a fight against a rogue AI that threatens their very lives. It’s exciting, and what’s more: it’s realistic. It’s that kind of near-future realism and these parallels that really make the book for me.”)
• Laura Roberts did a very nice review of the book here, but I cannot help but share a particular sentiment of hers now, one she both bolded and italicized: “Go read this fucking book now!”
• Kirkus did an article — 40 Years Of Hacker Sci-Fi In 7 Notable Works. It has the expected crowd of luminaries there — Stephenson, Gibson, Doctorow, and yet, somehow, this exclusive club must’ve had a bouncer go on break because I snuck into that list with ZER0ES. (This is where I repeat, as a mantra, I’M NOT WORTHY I’M NOT WORTHY.)
• As always, thank you for checking out the book. And here, one of those irritating (but sincere!) pleas: if you’ve read the book, please leave a review somewhere. Amazon reviews in particular have value — they determine what kinds of promotions Amazon and other marketing companies run. Publishers look at them. The industry in general monitors Amazon reviews because it suggests an engaged audience and fanbase.
• MOCKINGBIRD (Miriam Black book 2) remains $1.99 until Monday for your Kindle.
• B&N did a review of BLACKBIRDS this week. A choice snippet: “The book moves with the same hellzapoppin’ pace that has become Wendig’s trademark… Blackbirds unspools with the frenzy of a bag of mad cats, an unpredictably energetic thriller with a supernatural hook. It clocks in at under 300 pages, and he uses that compact canvas wisely. The themes are pitch black, the violence is quick and constant, and Miriam is charismatic enough to hold the chaos together.” The book is also a September pick at B&N alongside folks like Fran Wilde, Seanan McGuire, Ilana Myer, Zen Cho, Bradley Beaulieu, and more.
• Did I mention that AFTERMATH releases next week? *wibbles*
• Did I mention I’ll be at DragonCon next week? *wobbles*
• I may be headed to Charlotte, NC in November to do an event at Queens University.
• I may be headed to Brazil (!) in December to support the Brazilian release of AFTERMATH and the release there of BLACKBIRDS — it’ll be at ComicCon in, I believe, Sao Paulo? I’ve never been to Brazil, so happy to take advice from folks who have been there.
• And if you’re here in PA, I may see you at Doylestown Bookshop next week, where I’ll be emceeing and hanging out with the aforementioned Fran Wilde, whose Updraft releases soon. The event is on Wednesday and should be awesome because it’s a hella great store.
strugglingwriter says:
I am in PA. Did the map thingy to see how far Doylestown is away from me. 3.5 hours. Boo! Anything less than 2 and I would have made the treck (we need to get you to PSU sometime).
Looking forward to your Star Wars novel and I have Zer0es out from the library. Exciting times for you!
August 28, 2015 — 9:49 AM
Raul Silva says:
Hey Chuck, I’ve never posted anything here, but I can’t hold back a comment having read that you’re coming to Brazil. I bet you’ll truly enjoy it. People here tend to be open-minded, with positive eyes to diversity and all (from your comments on some subjects, I know you’re like that). Give Brazil a chance! Regards from a brazilian fan, Raul Silva.
August 28, 2015 — 10:00 AM
Tina says:
Yay to the possible Charlotte visit!
August 28, 2015 — 10:14 AM
jjtoner says:
Where is eBook Mockingbird $1.99? Not on Amazon ($11 + change).
August 28, 2015 — 11:32 AM
terribleminds says:
Where are you in the world? Most deals remain to a single geographic region. This one is US-Only.
August 28, 2015 — 12:23 PM
Geoffrey McAviney says:
Hi Chuck,
Just wondering if the trilogy that begins with Aftermath will be released by the time EpVII is released ?
Geoff(1batfastard)
UK.
August 28, 2015 — 11:54 AM
terribleminds says:
The whole trilogy? Well, VII comes out in December and AFTERMATH comes out next Friday, but the whole trilogy won’t be done by December, I apologize. 🙂
August 28, 2015 — 12:18 PM
Geoff. says:
Hi Again Chuck,
Firstly many thanks for taking the time to reply and there is no need to apologise at all as I am eager even though being an old fossil at 54 to read what happens after ROTJ.:)
I pre-ordered Aftermath a while ago, it was mentioned on the Collider Video show :- Jedi Council that you were writing a trilogy (Last week ?) So if the other two books are coming later than the film what made you decide to turn it into a trilogy or was that always the plan in the long run ?
Having asked the above questions would it have any effect in viewing the film as (Please correct if wrong:)) as I assume the other two books will also be in the same time period set before Ep VII The Force Awakens ? No matter what I am really looking forward to the Aftermath trilogy.
Geoff(1batfastard)
August 28, 2015 — 1:44 PM
terribleminds says:
I didn’t really decide to turn it into one, it was roughly conceived as a trilogy all along! (The only question was whether or not I would write all three books, and thankfully, they wanted me to.) All three books will indeed be set before VII. Enjoy the book!
August 28, 2015 — 2:31 PM
Geoff. says:
Hi Again Chuck,
That’s interesting to know so am really intrigued for the 2nd and 3rd book thanks’ again for your time will let you know when I have read the book, keep up your excellent work.
Geoff (1batfastard)
August 28, 2015 — 2:42 PM
elctrcrngr says:
“I don’t care much for lessons or moral imperatives with my fiction – certainly I have beliefs and ideas and those translate to the themes of the work, but that’s for the readers to suss out, not for me to tell them.” I loved your answer to the question about thematic intention in The Mary Sue interview. I really seem to struggle with implementing theme in my work, without getting preachy or lecturing. Possibly because, like Geoff, I’m basically a walking museum piece. Any tips?
August 28, 2015 — 8:50 PM
Amanda Hagarty says:
Holy hell. Your eBook is on sale for $1.99 from a regular price of $26.99? Publishers are crazy. But yay for the sale.
August 29, 2015 — 12:06 AM
Maicon Vollzin says:
Really happy that’ll come to Brazil! As a Brazilian I can tell you that in December is going to be melting hot here, prepare yourself for this — even though I’ve always lived here I’m never prepared for the summer heat enough.
I hope your dates be announced soon so I can buy the pass for the right day and be there for an autograph.
August 29, 2015 — 11:00 AM
Joshua says:
Chuck I’m new to your blog, but had heard your interview on Joanna Penn many moons ago.
Sorry to miss you in Doylestown! But let me buy you dinner – the bookstore is behind the tiny Doylestown Food Co-op https://goo.gl/maps/uQW4z. You’ll find Fire Eaters wood-fired pizza in the frozen section. I own Fire Eaters, and I’ll let Co-Op management know to hook you up with a pie. It’s a fully cooked, real, wood-fired pizza – all you need to do is melt the cheese in your own oven (about 12 minutes at 400F).
Would have been fun to meet you. Just can’t get out to Doylestown on Wed. Drat.
August 30, 2015 — 9:27 PM