No Return

cI've taught a lot of aspiring novelists. MFA students. Undergrads. Various workshops. Literary fiction. Genre writers. Coast to coast and overseas.

I get around.

The crazy thing about it is that despite the hard work folks put in, the actual number of students that end up having an awesome book launch is relatively few. It's a hard game.

For most people.

At the moment, one student, Zachary Jernigan, is not most people. His debut novel, No Return, is heading for publication this spring, with terrific looking packaging and enthusiasm from Night Shade. Hardback, with this very impressive jacket design:

Click to enlarge and read all the goodness. Among it, is a blurb from myself. Just saying the truth, and that is:

“A visionary, violent, sexually charged, mystical novel – No Return challenges classification. Clearly, Zachary Jernigan has no respect for genre confines. His tale of gods hanging in the sky and a “constructed man” with glowing blue coals for his eyes and a motley band of fighters navigating a harsh landscape peopled by savage creatures and religious zealots… Well, it’s pure genius. Here’s hoping it’s just the first of many such works from this guy.” – David Anthony Durham

But, rest assured, more reputable people than me think similar things.

What's cool about this, for me, is that I read this material when it was shiny and new, fresh from Zach's brain. I can't claim any credit for him getting a publishing deal, of course. He did that on his own. In his own way. But still, it's with great satisfaction that I highlight this work. It's a couple months from publication, I think, but look out for it. If the description sounds of interest, please check it out.

This guy is the real deal. It's your job - should you choose to accept it - to make him write the sequel. And then more.

Oh, and... CLICK HERE TO ENTER TO WIN A COPY OF THE BOOK. Like, for free!

Outras Terras

A new cover, compliments of Saída de Emergência in Portugal! Nice, huh? I'd like to vacation here... after the turmoil dies down, of course.

Wild Cards Rolls On

I got an email from George RR Martin recently, detailing some good news about foreign deals for Wild Cards novels. I'm a contributor to the series, so I'm in the loop on such things. ;)

George wrote:

"We have a new Russian deal, this time with Exmo, for translation rights to the first seven books, from WILD CARDS through DEAD MAN'S HAND..."

At that point he says how much the advance is. Alas, I don't reckon he'd want me sharing such info, so on to the next bit.

"We also have a new Spanish language deal. This does not include Spain, but only Latin America. The publisher is Oceano, of Mexico, and the deal is for the same seven books, volumes one through seven. Oceano will pay an advance of..."

Almost got me. But, nope, I need to cut that there.

George concludes:

"So... Wild Cards rolls on, conquering the world nation by nation."

I love that. Now, admittedly, these books  all feature the original and early crew members. I'm not one of those, so this doesn't mean that anything of mine is included in these deals. But I'm inclined to believe that a rising tide lifts all boats, even my little dingy. So, I'm pleased for the series in general.

Yikes!

I haven't blogged/Facebooked for an entire month! That's crazy. What gives?

Ah... I dunno. A really lovely Christmas and New Years. That was part of it. Then off to teach the Stonecoast MFA residency. That was a thing, too.

Then I came back sixks az a... dog. I mean that. Some devil flu. Better now, though. Definitely.

And hanging over all of this is some serious tummy-churning writerly stuff. That I can't talk about so much. Working on it. Working on it. I swear.

So... since I'm writing at all, I should provide some new news. There are a few items that qualify as that, but I need to drag things out a bit. So, I offer this: Uberto Pasolini and Redwave Films have extended their film option for my first novel, Gabriel's Story. This is like the eight year they've done this, and I love it. The attached director is Alan Taylor, already awesome but soon to be huge as he's just directed the new THOR movie. Big time. (And last year he was the guy taking care of GRRM's Game of Thrones for HBO.) Does he still want my black western? Seems like it. He did, after all, write the screenplay for it!