Ketchup

I spent last night at SFinSF, a literary program in San Francisco much like an intimate, two-panel con in the company of Bram Stoker Award winner Nancy Etchmendy, Hugo and Nebula Award winner Terry Bisson, and Dragon Scroll winner Chen Po -- you know, the Dragon Warrior. Sometimes being a writer is ass-whompingly cool.

How was your weekend?

My friend and evil genius Steven Savile is about to hit the U.S. market in a big way. I recommend that we all load up on shotgun shells and dry food goods, because the end is nigh!

Get a load of this:

Two thousand years ago, thirty shekels were paid to secure the most infamous betrayal of all time. Melted down by the grandsons of Judas Iscariot, Menahem, and Eleazar ben Jair in the dark heart of the Sicarii fortress, Masada, the silver was re-forged as a dagger. When the Sicarii zealots committed mass suicide in AD73, the dagger of Iscariot and the truth of his sacrifice were lost. Until now.

A religious cult calling itself the Disciples of Judas has risen in the Middle East. Its influence is pernicious, its reach long. In thirteen cities across Europe thirteen people martyr themselves in the name of Judas, promising forty days and forty nights of terror. On the last day, they promise, faith will fall. Everything you believe in will be proved wrong.

In a race against time and prophecy -- believing the terrorists intend to assassinate the Pope -- a team of combat specialists codenamed Ogmios tracks a labyrinthine course through truth, shades of truth and outright lies that will take them all the way into the heart of the Holy See itself.

And today is Day One.

Holy crap, dudes! This book is seeing high praise from the likes of Douglas Preston, Steven Alten, and many, many more top names as the next big thriller Godzilla -- big enough to knock off the likes of Dan Brown. So run. Run for your bomb shelters now.

Silver releases 1/19/10 .

Meanwhile, here's a creepy little trailer to tease your brain:

Labels: international bestselling author, new thriller, Silver, Steven Savile

Aha ha HA ha ha ha ha! I got you again, Kat!

I was going to call this entry "Rok Pandemie, or, I Think I See A Pattern Developing Here"... but honestly, messing with Kat's mind is just too sweet. ;)

This is the cover for the Czech edition of Plague Year, which I'm told is due out in February. Love the gas mask. Love the byline above the title. Love it love it love it. I think the whole concept has a stark, metallic feel almost like a Terminator movie poster, nicely offset by the caution grid across the bottom and the blood red biohazard symbol. Nicely done, BBArt! Also, the book is in hard cover, which is what every paperback writer dreams about. Wow.

Labels: Czech Republic, PLAGUE YEAR, Rok pandemie, teasing Kat

Whoa. Where am I? The good news is that I've got a big fat chunk of the new book put together along with a tasty little outline to see me through the rest, so that feels good indeed. Also, there's been some powder skiing and you know how I like that! Alas, we still have yet to send out our Christmas cards... last year we didn't manage that until February 5th, a personal best... but hey, what's more important? Santa? Or the book?

In the meantime, I've finally posted my introduction for "Christmas Fire" on YouTube. Don't miss it! I'm wearing a funny hat. And... what's wrong with my face!?!

Clearly I'm going to have to change the thumbnail image. Don't blink or you'll miss it. Ha.



More soon. I swear it! :)

My latest story for Asimov's, "A Lovely Little Christmas Fire," has just been released as a podcast on the ever-great Starship Sofa along with this awesome new cover art by Tom Bevan.

Burn, baby! Burn!

Our narrator for this wacky holiday adventure is the indomitable Amy H. Sturgis, who does yet another bang-up job with the high tech action and romance of ours heroes, Julie Beauchain and William Highsong.

Starship Sofa continues to be a fun show and I highly recommend 'em. Check it out here.

Labels: A Lovely Little Christmas Fire, Amy H Sturgis, Julie Beauchain, Starship Sofa

One of my favorite writers died yesterday. (You all know Ketchup isn't exactly the hot spot of breaking news.)

I consider Dan O'Bannon among my early influences. Growing up in a sci fi household, I was just the right age to be W*O*W*ed when Alien hit theaters. Later, I discovered The Return of the Living Dead on my own, since my parents hadn't been interested in letting me watch this one as a young teenager... but I freaking LOVE zombie movies and Return is my second-favorite of the entire genre behind only Romero's Day Of The Dead, and that's only because Day has the awesomely disturbing revelation of Bub, a zombie, remembering things from his previous life. Plus the insane combat.

In Return, for the most part, the characters act intelligently throughout their apocalypse, which is a rarity in horror films, so that puts this film at the very top. Plus you've got Frank and Freddie blamming the bejeezus out of the split dog with a crutch.

"What are we going to do!?! What are we going to do!?!?"

"We're going to KILL IT!"

Wham!!!

Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha.

Great stuff. Solid writing, sweet concepts. Rest in peace, Dan.

Labels: Alien, Dan O'Bannon, The Return of the Living Dead

Late as usual. That the new book is out during the holidays is *not* helping me keep up with things -- but what a great problem to have! Last Saturday I was in downtown Sacramento, the scene of the big finale of Plague Year, for an appearance on the CBS morning show with Lori White and Cody Stark followed by a Plague Zone signing at Book Lovers. The TV gig was especially cool; this was only my fifth TV appearance and I'm still kind of gaga about the lights and cameras and producers with headsets.

Foolishly, I do not have a photo of the Book Lovers event, which saw a nice crowd of 15+ people. There was a video camera running for those of you who've asked me to tape a book signing and put it on YouTube. In theory, I'll get the file converted and uploaded sometime before, oh, 2014. ;)

You find the two biggest clips from Good Day Sacramento here and here.

Marshal Zeringue with the Campaign for the American Reader has also posted the Page 69 Test for Plague Zone.

Labels: Book Lovers, CBS Good Day Sacramento, PLAGUE ZONE, TV