Wednesday, July 29, 2009

13th Reality Paperbacks and Random Stuff

1. It looks like the release dates for the paperbacks of Book 1 (December 22, 2009) and Book 2 (February 23, 2010) of THE 13TH REALITY are now official. You can see the dates and preorder them on the Simon & Schuster website. CLICK HERE. Hopefully we'll see the new covers soon, too!

2. I still haven't heard from two of our ARC winners: Brooke Reviews and The Brain Lair. So if you tried to email me, I didn't get it! If anyone knows them, please pass the word that I need their address.

3. I'm reading through THE SCORCH TRIALS (Sequel to MAZE) one last time this week before I send it on to my editor and agent. It's always interesting to read something you've written after not looking at it for a month or two. You find mistakes and bad dialogue and all kinds of nasties that you just can't BELIEVE you missed. But overall, I'm pretty pleased with it. I'm kind of surprised at how dark it is. I think something might be wrong with my brain......

4. Speaking of dark, just finishing up GERALD'S GAME by Stephen King. Yowza. Not recommended for anyone under the age of 36.

5. So, I hurt my knee playing basketball a few months ago, and I've been putting off going to the doctor even though it still feels really weird. I keep hoping it's okay. Well, last night I ran 3 miles for the first time since the injury and everything seemed okay. Felt great, actually. But there's still something... off about it. Keep your fingers crossed. Guess I should just go to the stupid doctor, huh?

6. Can you feel it? Can you smell it in the air? Are you enjoying those tingles that shoot across your skin every time you think about it? Oh, you know what I'm talking about. I don't even need to say it, but I will: football is just around the corner. Every year when we approach August - that's when I start to feel it. Ah, yes, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. It is coming.

7. I'm already signed up for 3 fantasy football leagues with various groups of friends/family. Yes, there is definitely something wrong with my brain.

8. My agency sent me all these tax forms I have to fill out since we're selling rights internationally now. Is it normal that when I look at them I want to vomit? Just curious.

9. If anyone has a question for me, leave it in the comments. Maybe my next post can be a Q&A. I need something to blog about, so help an author out.

10. Have I ever mentioned that I like the number ten? Well, I do.

30 comments:

Kimberly Vanderhorst said...

I must confess that number eight tickles my funny bone a wee bit, considering your former profession and all. Aren't you rich and famous enough yet to hire someone else to do it? =P

John Ferguson said...

I read somewhere that filling out tax forms felt like a do-it-yourself mugging. I think that's about right.

Melony said...

3. Tell me about it. I just finished my book and the editing stuff drives me crazy..I am so dang repetitive!

4. You just broke my heart! I guess I can't read it now!

5. GO TO THE DOCTOR!

8. Taxes suck regardless of what language they are in..but it means you're making money in different languages too! See the bright side!

9. How did you overcome discouragement in yourself? I mean, did you ever just think, there's no way this will ever get published, what's the point?

Danyelle Ferguson said...

Internationally? Seriously, dude, you are awesome! Congrats!!! When's the movie coming out? =)

J.N. Future Author said...

Paperback is always nice! ^.^ I hope they make the spines look cool!

I'm so excited that Magenta got to read the Maze Runner, so thank you thank you thank you for allowing her that!

I have not heard of any recent signing by you! If I'm going to try and mug you for some of your other books, I need to be able to do it in person!

Kenny said...

GO TO THE DOCTOR.

d^_^b

James Dashner said...

Fine! I'll go to the doctor!

Kimberly, lol. I actually did hire a CPA, and he's looking at the forms now. I swore to never touch that stuff again!

Melony, I'll answer your question in my next post! Thanks for asking.

Danyelle, you didn't know about my foreign sales? Naughty! You haven't been reading the blog.

JN, nothing much scheduled right now, sorry. Stay tuned....

Aprilynne Pike said...

Ha! I didn't even notice my husband posted right above me. Great minds and all that.;)

*Kisses husband in front of James*

Sorry.:D

numberonedashnerfan said...

Yay congrats on the paperback dates I may have to buy them just to add on to all my james dashner stuff...lol....the doctor would most likley say somthing like you tore a legement ice it and wear a brace or the will be all like well I dont know whats wrong with you go to some specialist so they can tell you if there something wrong although if there is something wrong bad with it and you dont go to the doctor then you could end up making your knee worse your choose on going to the doctor or not ....the state makes perfect sence the block of the road and put new tar on it the first day of school for the little kids..ugh school starts next month ...Um question you used to be an accountant and your wanting to vomit at the sight of tax forms.... I think I have figured out by now that you like the number ten well writing list of ten....we should all go hang out and talk about james books...idk...James when is the next time you get to go to new york ....did you really sort of base Atticus from the book to kill a moking bird.....have you ever gone to build a bear before its like my fav place at the mall...tiki tiki

James Dashner said...

Ew, that's disgusting! Pikes, take it somewhere else. :)

#1, the name Atticus definitely came from To Kill a Mockinbird. Have you read it?

Laura said...

Glad to hear you take your fan's opinions so seriously. But, yes, go see an orthopedic surgeon. I can only tell you the best one in Idaho, so you're on your own.

Besides- I think you'll have a whole blog post on how that went.

See- two birds with one stone.

And, coming from a knee surgery vet- 8 knee surgeries on ONE knee so far- I can honestly say that you will be able to handle it. Stop worrying and get it over with.

Cranberryfries said...

10 is my all time favorite number. I think my brain just felt a little spark knowing that it's yours too!

Q: Do you have a word count goal per week or are you the sort that likes to fly by the seat of your pants?

Q: What's your favorite word?

Q: How are you liking your new neighborhood?

Q: Who's your favorite football team? (I apologize if others already know this as I'm new to your blog.)

Aprilynne Pike said...

Fine!

*grabs her husband and wanders off to someone else's blog*

:D

Unknown said...

Do a blog post about your fave teams from every sport. For example:

NHL: Pittsburg Penguins

NBA: Boston Celtics

MLB: Red Sox, but I also became a semi-fan of Cleveland after they embarrassed the Yankees a few months ago

NFL: The COLTS, baby!

NCAA: The Tide :-)

And tell us why.

Dave said...

Yeah! International tax forms!!! Woohoo! The price you pay for fame. Well, look at it this way, the more tax forms, the more you should be making!

Dave said...

Since this is a new post, check out my review of "THE MAZE RUNNER" at www.thelateinergangbookreviewspot.blogspot.com. There are NO SPOILERS and James gave the thumbs up on the review! Thanks fellow Dashnermaniacs!
Dave

numberonedashnerfan said...

James yah I have read it before For English we had to read it and right a readers response journal which is easeer than summerizing in my oppinoin and I have a test on that book on the first day of school.....

James Dashner said...

Sweet, next post is gonna be easy!

Graham, you make me sad. Your favorite teams are from all over the country. That just seems wrong. Every single one of my teams is in Georgia.

Magenta said...

Yay! You know what I love about your "10" lists? That I get to comment and write my own in response!

~ 1:Can't wait to see what the 13th Reality paperbacks' cover art looks like!
~ 2:Sorry, I don't know those fans of yours. Wish I did, 'cause I'd tell them they have got to email Dashner if they want to get a Maze ARC! Otherwise he might pick someone else. (Whoops, maybe that wasn't smart. Now everyone will want to keep quiet in an effort to be a replacement winner. :P)
~ 3:Hmm. I think in your 13th Reality series, Book 1 was more fun and playful than Book 2 is so far (which I'm 12 chapters from finishing.) Think about the titles: "Curious Letters" (ah, how curious!) and
"Dark Infinity" (*gasp* it's dark! Dun dun dun!) It's probably the same with the Maze series, right? I mean, "Maze Runner" (ah, someone is running? How healthy!) and
"Scorch Trials" (Yow! That's hot! And there are trials! Must be dark!) Seems like a pattern, huh? Dashner likes dark sequels.
~ 4:Sorry. I haven't read anything by Stephen King.
~ 5:If it still hurts after a few months, I say doctor, definitely.
~ 6:Unless it's the Superbowl, I don't do Football.
~ 7:Isn't there something wrong with everyone's brain? Those weird things about your fans in previous posts proves it.
~ 8:Tax forms? bleh.
~ 9:I'll think of questions later. Gotta go now.
~ 10: Ah. Love me a ten list.

Unknown said...

Well what the heck am I supposed to do? The only team we have in Vegas is UNLV and they suck so bad that they throw city-wide parties when they make it as far as the sweet 16---only to choke right after. I have to pick teams from other places, and for purely emotional reasons!

Unknown said...

James, my question is of the utmost importance.

...

...

How many licks does it take to get to the center of the Tootsie Pop?

numberonedashnerfan said...

kirsten well see lol my friend did a science fair project on that lol hope you dont mind lol so There are several factors, needless to say, even if it's the same person counting, the # of licks will differ at each attempt.
the number of licks needed to find the center depend on many different factors some are Pressure per square inch the tongue is applied to the surface of the tootsie pop The average amount of square inch in contact between tongue and tootsie pop etc according to the owl on the cermercail it takes One, a twooo-hooo, three... CRUNCH! but from our average it took us 1,693 but like mr. owl says the world may never now because everyone has a diff amount of saliva , etc....lol i am such a nerd....tiki tiki

numberonedashnerfan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Dedee said...

I have to say, reading your comments today just made my day. Especially Kims, but as we are bestest buddies, that shouldn't surprise anyone.

Tax forms are a form of evil perpetuated by our conspiring governments to over throw our freedoms and enslave us to the Overmind.

You have fabulous fans. And yes, you should probably go to the Dr. and yes, all that pda-ing up in the comment section should go somewhere else!

Heather Moore said...

Football season at my house started in May with practices and coach's meetings. My son will be playing freshman ball, and my husband is one of the coaches. Problem is that I'm totally paranoid because my son broke his arm last year in football. And he just broke his nose last week. Maybe I should put him back in piano lessons.

Whatever you do for your knee, don't go to a surgery-happy doctor. Get a 2nd opinion.

Erin said...

Hi James! I actually do have a question that I've been waiting to ask at an invitation such as this. :) How did YOU handle all the query/synopsis stuff that comes with trying to get published? Do you think you might ever post your query letter just so I might be able to see what a true (and awesome ;) author that got his book published/got an agent did? Because I've been looking around at sample query letters of books that have been published, but the problem is I haven't read any of those books so I can't determine how it relates to the person's actual book. I hope that question made sense. Anyway, I'll stop rambling now. You rock! :)

Unknown said...

Dave Barry wrote a book called "The Complete Guide to Guys", and he talked about how any time a guy gets a serious injury, he'll never go to the doctor, it's always "just a sprain".

Dave said...

why is it that i post a link to an AWESOME review of "MAZE' with no spoilers, and even James himself has read it and liked it and I can't get ANY of you fellow Dashner fanatics to check it out??? THis guys is one of the best authors I have ever read. I would have assumed that you all here agreed. do me a favor, check out the review and post something for me telling me if you liked it or not. I have 2 comments, 1 from Magenta and one from James himself. Im not "advertising" my site here, but i just started it up, and my first review was of "maze" out of any book. Obviously, i loved it. It does not contain spoilers, i promise and Magenta will vouch that it got her psyched to read it. Please guys check it out and leave a comment letting me know what you think. I want to write more reviews, but need some feedback as to whether my review was great, good, pr I should not quit my day job. Sorry James, for posting about it AGAIN, but you know how psyched I was to get it up there, I want to share it with your other fans. Thanks guys, and id really appreciate it. And JAMES, quick question, how many copies of the 2 paperbacks are they printing for the "13th series"? Im just curious, and also how many copies of the hardcovers of them have been printed and sold? Thanks!
Dave
www.thelateinergangbookreviewspot.blogspot.com

Matt Hayes said...

Finally! Football is near! Pre-season! Yes! Anyway, James, you should write a book about football since you love it so much. Like about a miniature-league football team of your favorite team. That'd be kind of cool. Just a thought, anyway.

Dave said...

Football...hmmm, I've been trying to avoid this here, but I better ask first. Will I still be allowed to post here if I'm a Giants fan? I'm born and raised in NJ. And I guess I should lay all the cards on the table. I'm a die hard Yankee fan also. Ok so let me know if I'm banned from the site and please don't throw too many things at me! James, as much as I love your books, and I do love
them, please let me know if you are a RED SOX fan or an EAGLES. I am
praying that you are anything but..if you are this could possibly be the first time any of us have spoken to any of YOU (redsox and eagles fans) in a not so ill tempered manner or volent way and I'd have to think of a way to stay both a fan of my teams and a fan of yours. Oh please just like any other teams!
Dave