Maze Runner Prepub Tour Day 6

Friday, 6:19 am:

Oopsie daisy, looks like I never quite updated yesterday. I had quite the jam packed schedule and spent the little free time I had with another Dashner Dude, my brother David. Yeah, he's a stud. Yeah, he used to be the lead singer of a heavy metal band called Lazarus. That's right.

Anyway, I've got a lot of stuff to tell you about, including an account of the Four Ladies of Utter Awesome (aka the FLUA aka the Random House reps in DC aka the GJDALOEWHEC - I'll tell you what that stands for later). This, and much much more.

However, I'm about to fly back home and don't have time to give everything justice. But as the Prepub tour is now on hiatus until June 4th in Salt Lake City, I'll be able to give ya some good details later on today. Probably after I take some serious nappage in my own bed.

In the meantime, here's a couple of cool things to chew on:

1. I found out my release tour in October will include EIGHT cities! New York, Washington DC, Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Phoenix and Denver. I hope to somehow end up in Atlanta as well since that's where I grew up.

2. RH is printing 90,000 teaser chapter booklets and will have them displayed in coffee shops, bookstores, theaters and other places in ten cities.

I PROMISE to update later on today. Have a good one!

Friday, 4:50 pm:

Ah, home. Safe and sound. Fully napped and refreshed. Just finished playing football with the kids and wiping snotty noses. Did you guys know that the Dashner Dude blog easily broke its record for hits in one week? Congrats to the Duders!

Okay. I shall now pull it together and give the last update for the week. And, I hereby proclaim and announce that on Monday I shall reveal the cover for MAZE. Um, if Krista lets me. Pretty sure she will since the RH reps were showing everyone. I shall also quit using the words "I shall."

Dinner in Chicago. Wednesday night at Naha. Pouring rain and lightning exploding in the sky. Awesome. We had fine folks from Borders, 57th Street Books, Anderson Book Shop, Bookstall, Northbrook, Chicago, and Indian Trails Public Libraries. Also, several people from ALA/Booklist, including the Editor in Chief, Bill Ott.

Besides the usual awesomeness, two things stand out you'll find interesting. First, one lady got drunk off her nethers and said many interesting things. Second, a top secret mission called The Angela Project kicked off in full force. Angela was the only one brave enough to tell me she didn't really love the book this week. (Or, my real hope, the only one who in fact felt that way!)

I promised her that by the time she dies, she'll come around and have "I love James Dashner's books" engraved on her tombstone. It may take some hypnosis and perhaps even a bit of brain implants and electronic pulse manipulation, but the Project will succeed. Have faith.

A special thanks to the RH sales rep, Tim Mooney, one of the most down-to-earth, genuine guys I've ever met. So far 3-for-3 on the wicked awesome sales reps.

The next morning, one of my favorite drivers of the week took me to the airport. Thankfully, there was very heavy traffic because I didn't want to leave the car. I grew up in the south, and so did Mike. And he spent the entire drive telling me stories about growing up without running water, listening to ghost stories at his cousin's little store then walking home terrified, driving this really rich lady all over the country in a Hummer, etc. All kinds of goodies.

And he said something really sweet about his wife. They've been married forty years and he joked that it was because he "cain't get rid of her." But then he quickly grew serious and said, "I gotta tell ya the truth. Don't know what I'd do without that woman." You had to hear it from his mouth to get the full depth of how much he meant it. Mike's the Man.

Flew to Washington DC. I have two brothers there, but I didn't even bother telling them I was coming because I knew we wouldn't have time to get together. Well, I miscalculated because I ended up with 2 hours before my first event. So I called David and we went to my hotel and talked up a storm the whole time. It was really great. (My other brother Michael couldn't get out of work. Responsible. Bleck.)

Next we went to Politics and Prose, a very famous bookstore in the DC area. The lovely Jory Hearst had quite a few students read and love the book, but because of schedules only Mark and Devon could come. These guys were so cool and reminded me of me so much when I was that age it kinda freaked me out. We had a great time, and they also grilled me until I gave things away from Book 2!

And then came the last event of the week, and what a Finale. I don't know what made last night's dinner so special - maybe because I knew that was it. Maybe because we had fewer people so I got to know everyone a little more. Maybe because we had FOUR RH reps, all of whom made it a clean sweep: 7-for-7 on the wicked awesomeness.

Emily Bruce, Nicole DuFort, Sarah Wingfield, and Lauren... wait. I never got Lauren's last name! I'm so embarrassed. Anyway, they were definitely worth the dubbing of FLUA as I mentioned earlier. Also the Give James Dashner A Lot Of Encouragement While He Eats Club. :) Thank you guys SO MUCH!!!

I loved the little postcards Nicole and Emily created with the cover. So, so cool. They put the phrase "WICKED is good" on the back, which is something most of you don't understand but it has to do with the book. Mwaaa haaa haaa haaa.

Anyway, we had a great, great time. Thanks to everyone from Barnes and Noble, Narnia Books, DC Public Library, and the University of Maryland. And Paul for taking me around and giving me a few very interesting history lessons on DC.

And so I came home. What a treat to see Frank again at the airport to drive me. My hope is that he asked for the job and that it kind of becomes a regular thing. And, in a fitting end to the trip, I finally got the nerve to sit in the front seat. Frank gave me some sound marriage advice on the road, and then it was home sweet home. So good to see my wife and kids. So good.

Well, that's it. I'll be home for a week or so and then it's off to New York City, my first time. I will never, never, never, never, never forget the last few days. My heartfelt thanks to my publicists, Noreen Marchisi and Emily Pourciao, for all the hard work to plan the tour. And thanks to all the sales reps, media escorts, booksellers, librarians, and all others involved.

With all of my heart (the oldest cliche in the book but there you have it), thank you. I hope my book delivers after all that. Can you say pressure?

Tune in Monday for the reveal of the cover. Or, um, you... um, might want to go take a peek at the Random House website. Bye!