Saturday, July 19, 2008

Change the World Tour, Fall 2009 Edition


As promised, I thought I'd give you a few details about my upcoming 2-month tour this fall. Before you get excited, nothing is really concrete yet, so I won't be posting any actual dates or specifics.

THE MAZE RUNNER is due on September 15th. We then hope to visit as many cities and schools as possible between then and mid-November, after which we'll be rewarded with a 2-week family trip back home to Georgia. Yippee! (I really shouldn't use that word. Makes me look like a sissy. Yeah, that'll be the last time.)

Of course, to be able to do that, I can't have one of those pesky day jobs. I don't think I've ever talked much about my day job, and I think some of you probably thought I didn't HAVE a day job. (I wonder how many times I can use the words "day job" in one paragraph....)

Well, I'm a CPA, which is a shameful and embarrassing secret about me. I wish I could say I was a CIA spook, a welder, or a starter for the Falcons. But alas, I'm an accounting nerd.

For 3 more weeks, anyway. Boo yah!

Then I'm finally taking the leap. I will officially be a full-time author as of August 9th, 2008. This has been a dream of mine for a very long time, and it still seems too good to be true. But here it is.

It's been a pain figuring out health insurance, life insurance, retirement, blah blah blah. But we're almost there. The thing I'm most excited about? I'm actually going to let another CPA do my taxes. I hereby declare to the world that I hope to never count anything or add up anything again for the rest of my life. I studied accounting because I'm practical and wanted to get a job out of college. But I must say, as much as I've loved the people I've worked with, I never, never, never liked the work. Bleck.

Anyway, back to the tour.

Shadow Mountain has given us a certain budget, and my wife is helping the very awesome Roberta there in coordinating the tour. We know I'm going to New Hampshire, Idaho, Houston, San Francisco, Massachusetts, North Carolina, South Carolina, Atlanta, and Phoenix. We'll fill in a lot of the blanks with schools in Utah.

If you're interested in having me visit your school or town, please contact us at: the13threality AT gmail DOT com. If it doesn't work out for this fall, we'll also be doing a lot next winter and spring, especially when Book 2 comes out in March.

You'll have a much better chance if you can organize a cluster of schools that would last 2 or 3 days (3 or 4 schools a day), preferably near a major chain bookstore. Or, if your school has a decent budget for that kind of thing, I can come to a school for an entire day.

Anyway, email us and we can work out the details. Your first choice is probably Rick Riordan, who charges $2,500 a day and is booked out for 2 years. Well, if that doesn't work out for you, give me a shot. :-)

I'll post definitive dates once we have them.

15 comments:

Tamra Norton said...

Houston is VERY excited you're coming! You should have seen my 12-year-old's face when I broke the news.

Congrats on your new life as a FULL TIME WRITER!!!

J.N. Future Author said...

FULL TIME! does that mean no more blogging? CONGRATZ though!!! that is so exciting! and have a fun vacation, when it comes around.

Kimberly Vanderhorst said...

James Dashner?

You have arrived.

Yippeee!

Brian said...

Awesome! It's gonna be so cool for you to be a full time writer. Try to come to Seattle this time.

Shari said...

YEAHHHHH! A full time writer. WOW! I am so excited for you! I am in awe of you. Once again, don't forget the little people.
--Karen's friend

Anonymous said...

Awesome about going full time! Not counting anything anymore? I'm sure you'll be wanting to count up all of those book sales!

Q said...

Oh, congratulations! I think I would die if I were a CPA. Bleargh.

Suzy - Q said...

Dashner the former CPA.
I guess I can stop calling you my nemesis now...a little :)

Massachusetts, huh? Say hi to all those Bostonians for me! You'll have to let me know which schools you're visiting there, I might even have gone to some of them! And don't let the lack of R's confuse you, some of those people really are nice...some of them...maybe

LaFemmeSimple said...

So seriously, can I follow you around and document one of your book tours and make a photo book? lol

I'm seriously stoked that you guys are going to be here for two whole weeks! Can you PLEASE come visit the uber-cool bookstore in McDonough??? lol

Heather Moore said...

Good for you, James, in taking the leap. Send me a flier and I'll take it to my kids' schools.

Sharon said...

What! A tour! I see you'll be going all over, but why don't you go around in Utah? I would like to be able to actually come you know. and I must have you sign my copy of the 13th reality. I think you should concider Lone Peak High. It's a great school, and my friends would love to get their books signed to and a chance to actually meet you would rock! Just as a thought...please!

Crystal Liechty said...

The question is can grown-ups crash the schools? Or, more specifically, what's the security situation at these establishments?

Dedee said...

Congrats on quiting you job.

Rick Riordan charges 2500 a day?!?!?!

C. Michelle Jefferies said...

I know the kids at San Rafael Jr Hi here in emery county would love to have you come visit. (it could be that I kinda gushed about how cool you presentations were) :) I'm teaching a creative writing class for the school and they want some REAL AUTHORS not just me. :)

Rachelle Christensen said...

This is so awesome! I hope that you enjoy your new career change.