My "Other" Books

I hope everyone is having a fabulous December and looking forward to the holidays. Just thought I'd pop in and say hi, catch up, tell you about my "other" series in case you don't know about it yet.

But first, there are a couple other places you can go to try and win a copy of my book:

1. Friend and author Bree Despain's sequel to THE DARK DIVINE is coming out on the 28th, and she's running a contest on her blog. Not only can you get my book, you can also win a Kindle! CLICK HERE.

2. Another friend, Liz Carlston, author of THE CHRISTMAS STONE, is giving away my book and other cool stuff on her blog as well: CLICK HERE.

Okay, now I can't tell you how THRILLED I am at how the Maze Runner Trilogy is selling. It's beyond anything I could've ever dreamed when I was starting out, and I'm so thankful to all of you for being a part of it. Thank you thank you thank you.

Many of you keep commenting about how you're dying for the third book, can't wait, stuff like that. All of which makes my day every time I hear it. Maybe I have a solution for your waiting angst.

You should check out my other series, The 13th Reality, which is ongoing but still kinda quiet. I know I'm extremely biased, but I really think you guys will enjoy it. The first two books are in paperback, and the third is out in hardback (pb coming in February):

Book 1, The Journal of Curious Letters

Book 2, The Hunt for Dark Infinity

Book 3, The Blade of Shattered Hope

It's a story of quantum physics and alternate realities, riddles and mysteries, hideous creatures and evil people hellbent on gaining power, retro and futuristic weaponry. I know at first glance it appears to be for a younger audience, but I really believe all ages will enjoy it.

I don't mean to sound like a salesman. It's just that I poured a lot of heart and soul into this series and I want more people to discover it. So give it a chance if you haven't yet.

To find out more, CLICK HERE.

And that's all for now. Talk soon.....

Stuff

Here are some odds and ends for you on this fine day:

1. Thanks to everyone who commented on my last post or two to enter a drawing for a signed book. And the winner is.... Karen Pellett. Congrats! Give me your email address and I'll send you a copy.

2. I know there was a lot of buzz about the Maze Runner movie on Twitter and the Internet last week, and many of you have asked me about it. I just want to comment that my official response is "no comment." Sorry! I'm just not allowed to talk about it yet because nothing is final or official.

3. Here's some good news for you, though: We just sold rights in Italy! I was wondering when that lovely country would join the party. (Hey, did you know that it's shaped like a boot? It is! Really! Look at it on a map!) Anyway, we're very excited, and we've almost accomplished our goal of taking over the continent of Europe in its entirety.

4. There are some recent interviews with me out there that I thought some of you would like to see. They are...

5. This one is part of a "Best of 2010" series, where the questions were very random: CLICK HERE. (You can win my book here by commenting!)

6. This is my first interview ever in Spanish: CLICK HERE. And no, I don't speak the language. They were nice enough to translate.

7. There's also an interview with me up on Amazon: CLICK HERE.

8. We are also happy to announce that Barnes and Noble named The Scorch Trials as one of the 10 Best Teen Books of 2010! Check it out: CLICK HERE.

9. The Falcons are now 10-2. Yeah.

10. We finally bought a snowblower, just to ensure that it won't snow again for the rest of the winter. So far, so true.

Harry Potter and the Maze Runner

No, that's not the name of the 8th book in the HP series, and no, I'm not trying to start a rumor that there will BE an 8th book. But I did just save a bunch of money by switching to Geico. Haha. Okay, that joke's run old.

By the way, you may have noticed, I've blogged TWICE this week. Where is my applause?

I just wanted to announce something cool that some of you can look for. Do you live in the following cities: Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Washington DC, or San Francisco?

Yes, I understand that you don't live in ALL of those cities. But one of them?

For the next two weeks, they are showing a book trailer for The Maze Runner trilogy before the new Harry Potter movie and giving out DVDs that have the longer trailer and other promotional materials for my books and a few others (Eragon, Nicholas Flamel, Golden Compass, etc.).

That's all I know. I don't know which theaters or anything like that, but I'd love to hear from anyone who happens to be there to witness it. Tell us in the comments! I'm sad that it's not where I live, because that'd be really awesome to see my book up on the big screen in any form. Maybe one day. Wink, wink.

Hey, if you missed my last post, check it out: CLICK HERE. I'm giving away a signed book (a comment here OR there counts)...

And if you don't yet, come follow me on Twitter (CLICK HERE) and/or Friend me on Facebook (CLICK HERE).

Now go and start prepping that stomach of yours to consume as much food as possible next week!

Random Updates

Hello there, Blogger Nation. I've been working hard on two different projects, keeping busy. But I figured it was high time I got on here and said hi. The following is what I've been up to and what's been on my mind, in no particular order:

1. I had my last event of the year on Saturday, and I want to thank B&N and all the people who came. I was pleasantly surprised by the great turnout - thank you! And here's a picture of Melissa and Matt, who came with the coolest t-shirts ever (btw, I signed those before they put them on!):


2. We've recently had a couple more foreign rights sales, this time in Portugal and Thailand. Every one of these still blows me away, to think of people in another country reading my story in a different language. So awesome!

3. I stumbled across this Maze Runner fanfiction poem on the Internet by Cheerfully Blue. Go check it out: CLICK HERE. There are also a few videos on YouTube that gave me a kick. Find them when you're bored.

4. I'm happy to say that The Scorch Trials has spent its first four weeks on The New York Times Bestseller List. I really want to thank all of you who made this happen. My readers are the coolest on the planet.

5. I'm knee deep in revisions for The Death Cure. Krista Marino (my editor) has reached down my throat and pulled all of my guts out (um, not literally), making this book so much better. I don't know what I would do without her. Probably be an accountant or something.

6. I've also outlined in detail my next project, which is something I can't tell you about. hehe.

7. People keep asking me why they can't find my book at the iBook store. Answer: Random House doesn't yet have an agreement with Apple. If you have an iPad or iPhone, download another ereader app (like Kindle or Nook, for free) and then you can get it.

8. My Atlanta Falcons have the best record in the NFL. Yeah.

9. Anyone out there a fan of The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen Donaldson (and the sequel series, The Second Chronicles)? Those were the first fantasy books I ever read, and they have a special place in my heart (and, literally, in my home). The third book in the LAST Chronicles just came out, and I was excited to buy it and place it on the shelf. I'm waiting for the series to be done before I read them. (I know, I'm a hypocrite, expecting all of you to read mine as they come out. haha)

10. I miss LOST. I miss LOST so much. Oh Jack, your face at the very end still haunts me!

11. We're about to begin the greatest six weeks of the year. My birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas (or your preferred holiday), and New Year's. Do you realize I'm going to be 38 years old? Is that when Social Security starts paying? I can't wait to get my senior discount at the theater...

12. I have the cutest, best kids on the planet. I know you think yours are, or that YOU are. But seriously. No. Mine.

13. Is anyone still reading? I'm shocked. If so, leave a comment telling us one thing you're thankful for (channel Thanksgiving dinner) and one thing you're hoping to get (or give) for the holidays. I'll pick a random winner and send out a signed book...

Have a great week!

Last Event of the Year, Book 3

Hey guys, really quick post today:

1. My last public event of 2010 will be on November 13th (Saturday) at 2:00 pm. It's a signing/Q&A and will be held at the Barnes and Noble at Jordan Landing in West Jordan, UT. If you live within 3 states distance, please come.

2. I got a lot of questions in the comments about when the third and final book (THE DEATH CURE) of the trilogy would be coming out. That book is currently in revisions and is scheduled to be released in October of next year. (2011 for those of you are date-tracking-challenged.)

3. Last, but not least: my Atlanta Hawks are 5-0 and my Atlanta Falcons are 5-2!!!!! And my Georgia Bulldogs are... Oops, gotta run!

Back from Tour

Happy November!

It's been three weeks since I last blogged, but I tried to keep everyone updated over on Twitter as I was traveling about the country. You can always go there (CLICK HERE) to catch up on my little tweets.

I had a great time on tour. I went from Boston to San Francisco with several stops in between, and met so many amazing people. I wish I could give a million shout outs, but I'd hate to forget anyone, and I'm sure I would. But a big thanks to all of the literary escorts, teachers, librarians, principals, and bookstore employees who made things happen. Also, huge thanks to my publicists, Noreen and Emily, for arranging such a complex schedule.

Most of all, thank you to all the students and readers out there!!!!! It was just spectacular to meet all of you, and it made me feel on top of the world to see your enthusiasm for my books. Thank you thank you thank you. I'll never forget the experiences I had with you.

My publisher, my agent, and I are thrilled with how THE SCORCH TRIALS has debuted, and I owe thanks to all of you out there. Thank you. It has spent its first two weeks so far on The New York Times bestseller list, and is also a USA Today and Indiebound bestseller. THE MAZE RUNNER is also hitting the lists. So, needless to say, we're all ecstatic, and I'm very thankful to my readers for making it happen.

Now I'm back for a few months, ready to work my butt off. First up is revisions on the third and final book of the trilogy, THE DEATH CURE. I think you're going to be very satisfied with how it all ends.

Anyway, thanks again to everybody out there! I look forward to the next few months of working and keeping in touch with you here, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

And I'd love to keep hearing your thoughts on the sequel, so please let us know in the comments.

The Scorch Trials. Tomorrow.

Wow, how did it become October 11th so fast? How did my countdown on the blog get to under one day? How did the Braves blow the game in the 9th inning last night?

I feel like I should say something profound today. My book comes out tomorrow, and I'm extremely excited for people to read it and I'm really looking forward to meeting some of you out on the road in the next couple of weeks. I guess that sums it up.

I think you'll like SCORCH. If you liked the first book (and I'm not arrogantly saying that's everyone, but if you DID like it), then I'm confident you'll love the sequel. It begins just hours after the first one ends, and I'm pretty sure you'll never be able to guess the direction it's going. Be sure and let us know here at the Dude what you think!!!!

Have you guys seen the trailer for SCORCH? It's short but really cool. I'll paste it at the bottom of this post.

If you're looking for the tour schedule, CLICK HERE. I hope all who live within a reasonable distance (say... 286 miles) to these events will come out. I wish everyone could make it to the official Launch Party tomorrow night (The King's English in SLC, 7:00 pm, 1532 S, 1500 E), but some of you may live more than 286 miles away.

I'll try to stay very connected as I'm out and about on the tour, especially with Twitter since it's easiest. CLICK HERE to follow me there. I always seem to get very interesting drivers, so you don't want to miss out on that commentary....

You can also friend me on Facebook (CLICK HERE) or follow this blog (CLICK HERE) or "Like" the official FB Maze Runner page (CLICK HERE). So many options!

Tomorrow. My book comes out tomorrow. That's awesome.

Here's the trailer (be sure and watch some of the fan made videos on YouTube. I love them!). If you can't see the whole thing, just go to the actual website: CLICK HERE.

Kirkus Review, Tour Dates

One week. One week from TODAY! The Scorch Trials will be in a bookstore near you. I'm so excited for all of you to read this book. Extremely excited. Here's hoping you'll like it.

I'm ecstatic to say that Kirkus sure seemed to like it! It REALLY made my month to get the following review. And what better way to preface the list of events of my upcoming tour. If you don't like slight spoilers, you might want to skip it though. I love at the end they label it not only as science fiction, but as a "thriller." That's music to my ears...

Here's the full review:

THE SCORCH TRIALS
Author: Dashner, James
Thomas led the Gladers to safety in The Maze Runner (2009). But after just one night’s rest, the survivors are told that a true haven is still a long way off. To reach it, they have to pass another trial: crossing an expanse of scorched earth while being pursued by the Cranks, humans infected by the Flare, a disease that inflicts madness. If they can just make it to the designated meeting point on time (and alive), they will be met by a rescue team from the shadowy organization behind these trials, receive the cure to the pandemic and never have to face danger again.

Constantly on the run and threatened, the Gladers struggle to win. Thomas tries to protect his friends while searching for Teresa, the lone girl from the Glade, and grappling with elusive returning memories. Taut and bleak, continually intriguing and surprising, this is a solid sequel that keeps both Thomas and readers wondering what is really going on. Hooked readers will hope they won’t have to wait long for the answers that have been promised in the next installment. (Science fiction/thriller. 12 & up)


TOUR EVENTS:

Official Launch Party (Please come and make it big and great!):

Tuesday, October 12th @ 7 p.m.
The King’s English
1511 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City, UT 84105

Wednesday, October 13th @ 7 p.m.
Borders
255 Grossman Dr.
Braintree, MA 02184

Thursday, October 14th @ 7 p.m.
Barnes and Noble
98 Middlesex Turnpike
Burlington, MA 01803

Friday, October 15th @ 7 p.m.
Boswell Book Company
2559 N. Downer Ave.
Milwaukee WI 53211

Saturday, October 16th @ 1:30 p.m.
Sheboygan Children’s Book Festival (sponsored by Next Chapter Bookshop)
Presentation and signing
Sheboygan, WI

Monday, October 18th @ 7 p.m.
Barnes and Noble
Greyhound Plaza
14709 US Hwy 31 North
Carmel, IN 14709

October 19th @ 7 p.m.
Left Bank Books
399 N. Euclid Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63108

Wednesday, October 20th at 7 p.m.
Barnes and Noble
Chesterfield Oaks
1600 Clarkson Rd.
Chesterfield, MO 63017

Thursday, October 21st @ 7 p.m.
Powell’s
2720 NW 29th Ave.
Portland, OR 97210

Friday, October 22nd @ 4 p.m.
A Children’s Place
4807 Northeast Fremont Street
Portland, OR 97213

Monday, October 25th @ 7 p.m.
Kepler’s
1010 El Camino Real
Menlo Park, CA 94025

Tuesday, October 26th @ 7 p.m.
Copperfield’s
2316 Montgomery Drive
Santa Rosa, CA 95405-5000

Wednesday, October 27th @ 10 a.m.
Book Passage
51 Tamal Vista Blvd.
Corte Madera, CA 94925
(In-store with school groups)

3 Weeks! Tour Dates.

It really hit me today. The Scorch Trials comes out in THREE weeks. That's nothing. That's, like, 21 days is all! Roughly.

Yes, in 21 days, on Tuesday the 12th of October, The Scorch Trials will be available in stores nationwide (USA and Canada only, other countries later). I'm so excited for you all to read this book. So, so excited. The early reviews are very positive (yay Kirkus!!!! review to be shown here soon) and I just can't wait for those who liked The Maze Runner to see which direction the story goes. I can promise you'll be surprised.

I wanted to give some heads up on events over the next month. I'll be a very busy boy, and I hope to meet many of you while out on the road. Please come and see me!

First up, for those of you in Utah, I'll be at the Orem library tomorrow (Wed the 21st) night at 7:00 pm.

Then I head to Toronto for the Teen Read Awards sponsored by the Indigo bookstore chain, as well as a few prepublicity events for TST. Sidenote: I'm very excited to meet Ally Carter!

After that, it's Austin TX for the big book festival on October 2nd. Anyone out there coming to that?

And then comes the official release tour. My release party will be held at the amazing King's English bookstore in Salt Lake City on October 12th (Tuesday) at 7:00 pm. To all my faithful and long time readers and friends in Utah, please come. Please come!

And then I head off to several cities. The schedule isn't set in stone yet, so look for that in the coming days. But I CAN tell you which cities I'll be visiting, and the dates, so you can mark your calendars. We're trying to go to different places than we did last year. More details to come...

Boston, 13th and 14th
Sheboygan Book Festival in Wisconsin, 16th
Indianapolis, 18th
St. Louis, 19th and 20th
Portland, 21st and 22nd
San Francisco, 23rd - 27th

I really hope to meet a lot of you. Be sure and let me know if you're a Duder!

More soon...

Finally, we've now spent two weeks on the NYT Bestseller List. Two is twice as good as one! Stay tuned for lots of fun stuff and information leading up to Release Day.

Sidenote for comments: What did you guys think of THE EVENT series premiere? I want it to replace LOST for me, even though I know that's impossible. I had mixed feelings. It's no LOST, but it was definitely intriguing.

The Limit by Kristen Landon

Hey guys. THANK YOU for all the congrats on hitting the NYT Bestseller list!!!! A lot of you have been hanging out here from the beginning, and you helped my book get there. So thank you very, very much.

Today I just wanted to give a quick shout out to a book that is now released and in a store near you.....

It's called THE LIMIT, by Kristen Landon. I had the fortune of reading this book early, and I absolutely loved it and gave it a blurb, which just so happens to be on the back cover! Here is a little more info:

An eighth grade girl was taken today . . .

With this first sentence, readers are immediately thrust into a fast-paced thriller that doesn’t let up for a moment. In a world not too far removed from our own, kids are being taken away to special workhouses if their families exceed the debt limit imposed by the government. Thirteen-year-old Matt briefly wonders if he might be next, but quickly dismisses the thought. After all, his parents are financially responsible, unlike the parents of those other kids. As long as his parents remain within their limit, the government will be satisfied and leave them alone. But all it takes is one fatal visit to the store to push Matt’s family over their limit–and to change his reality forever.

“The Limit depicts a frighteningly familiar world with an unsettling twist . . . will keep readers guessing all the way to the end as they cheer on Matt’s ingenuity and his relentless search for answers.”
- Margaret Peterson Haddix, bestselling author of the Shadow Children series

“The Limit is a wonderful book. This glimpse into a possible future becomes all the more frightening because of Landon’s incredibly developed characters and setting, making the whole experience feel all too real. Fast paced, full of great humor, adventure, and surprises, this is sure to be enjoyed by all ages.”
- James Dashner, author of The Maze Runner and The 13th Reality series

For more information, go check out Kristen's website: CLICK HERE.

You guys should all read it!

Maze Runner a NY Times Bestseller!

Today's been a good day for three very big reasons.

1. It's September 1st. To see how I feel about this date, go back and read my post from last year: CLICK HERE. Ignore all the stuff after the first bit.

2. I just turned in my manuscript for The Death Cure, the third and final book of The Maze Runner trilogy.

3. My agent called and gave me the news that The Maze Runner is now a NY Times Bestseller!

I have to admit, that last one hit me a lot harder than I ever would've thought. After all the years of hard work, all the rejections, all the revisions, all the disappointments, it really smacked me over the head and I got a little emotional. I'm so thankful to all the people who believed in me and helped this happen. ESPECIALLY all of my readers!!! Thank you.

Paperback, Facebook, Articles

Well hi there everybody! I hope your week is turning out just swell.

Just a few cool things:

1. The paperback of THE MAZE RUNNER is officially in stores! I'd love to hear from anyone who has picked it up, discovered it for the first time, what you think of the bonus material, etc. Speak!

2. Random House has put up an official Facebook page for the MAZE RUNNER trilogy, and I need all my Duders to show your presence! Check it out: CLICK HERE.

3. I owe a TON to the HUNGER GAMES trilogy. Though my series was sold to Random House well before the first book even came out, I was in the right place at the right time because the dystopian/post apocalyptic tale has really surged because of Suzanne Collins' books. Thank you Ms. Collins!!!! How has it helped me, you ask? Here are two examples:

4. I was mentioned in this USA TODAY article about the release of MOCKINGJAY: CLICK HERE.

5. As if that wasn't cool enough, a few days later, I was mentioned in this NEW YORK TIMES article: CLICK HERE.

6. Both of those were very surreal to me. I know I'm still acting like a giddy rookie, but I am and I can't help it!

7. Random thought of the day: I love my new iPad more than my children, but I would never tell them. Doh!

First Draft Done, Scorch Preview

I would just like to publicly announce (calmly and collectively) that I'm officially done with the first draft of THE DEATH CURE, the third and final book of THE MAZE RUNNER trilogy. I'm happy about this, but I'm choosing to act like I've been there before and not make a fool of myself. There'll be no giddy rants or silly phrases about dancing or jumping or kissing complete strangers, and certainly nothing about knocking over old ladies in the park, my old standard.

And now I have an incredibly busy two weeks of revising and editing before I send it off to my editor.

To celebrate, I thought I'd reveal the little summary thingamajig that will be on the inside cover flap of THE SCORCH TRIALS, because I've noticed it's not available anywhere on the Internet yet. Honestly, I don't know why. But since it'll be on the book, I'm assuming it's okay to share with you guys.

It's always impossible to make these things perfect. As I read the paragraphs, some things in it are KINDA true, but when you read the book you'll see it from a different perspective. But it definitely gives you the flavor of what the book is about. And it contains a lot of spoilers.

Personally, I don't think you should read it. I never do. I like to go into a book knowing absolutely nothing, which is the same reason I refuse to watch movie previews. But then again, most people think I'm weird about this, so whatever. If you want to read it, read it. If you don't, STOP NOW!

!SPOILER ALERT!

The Maze was only the beginning...

Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end. No more puzzles. No more Variables. And no more running. Thomas was sure that escape meant he and the Gladers would get their lives back. But no one really knew what sort of life they were going back to.

In the Maze, life was easy. They had food, and shelter, and safety... until Teresa triggered the end. In the world outside the Maze, however, the end was triggered long ago.

Burned by sun flares and baked by a new, brutal climate, much of the earth is a wasteland. Government has disintegrated--and with it, order--and now Cranks, people covered in festering wounds and driven to murderous insanity by the infectious disease known as the Flare, roam the crumbling cities hunting for their next victim... and meal.

The Gladers are far from done running. Instead of freedom, they find themselves faced with another trial. They must cross the Scorch, the most burned-out section of the world, and arrive at a safe haven in two weeks. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.

Thomas can only wonder--does he hold the secret of freedom somewhere in his mind? Or will he forever be at the mercy of WICKED?

!END OF SPOILER ALERT!

I really think you guys will like it. It's very different from Book One, and you really start finding out what's going on behind the scenes, the bigger picture of WHY they're being put through these trials. Not everything, but a lot is answered. Of course, new questions arise...

Less than two months away!!! And remember, the paperback comes out in one week!

Quick Updates

Just wanted to drop in and give a few tidbits of information:

1. I'm participating with a BUNCH of authors in a "Writing for Charity" event on Saturday, August 21st at the Waterford School in Sandy, UT. All proceeds go to buying books for under privileged children (and that's a good thing in case you're wondering). Some of the authors include Shannon Hale, Brandon Mull, Bree Despain, Brandon Sanderson, Jessica Day George, Dan Wells, Wendy Toliver, Sara Zarr, Anne Bowen, Emily Wing Smith... okay, you get the point.

If you have any interest in writing, or just like to meet authors, check it out. The evening event will be a lot of fun, and, ahem, yours truly will be serving as the MC, so you never know what might happen. For all the details, CLICK HERE.

2. I'm working hard on the third and final book of the MAZE trilogy, THE DEATH CURE. I'm writing the climax right now, which is very bittersweet because it means I'm almost done with this story. Boohoo.

3. The paperback for THE MAZE RUNNER comes out in two weeks!!! (Tues, August 24.) That's the same day as MOCKINGJAY, so at least I know a lot of people will be in the stores. The first two chapters of THE SCORCH TRIALS are in the paperback of MAZE, and there's also another little surprise that I'm not allowed to share yet...

4. Speaking of SCORCH, it comes out in two months! (Tues, Oct. 12.) I'll be going all over the country that month, so hopefully I'll get to see/meet a lot of you. Looking forward to it.

5. If you live in the United Kingdom (that's not Disneyland, for my less educated readers), MAZE is now available there. I'd love to hear from some of our UK Duders if you've seen it, read it, whatever. I know you're out there!

6. My wife has officially agreed that I can get a brand new iPad as a reward for something that, ahem, I'm not allowed to tell you about yet. (I do love throwing that around. I really do.) I would just like the world to know that I'm very excited about this.

7. I swear I had more to talk about, but I should cut it short anyway. Lots of writing to do!

8. Have a wonderful day.

9. Oh, this just in: a soon-to-be giveaway of the SCORCH ARC from our very own faithful Duder, Dave: CLICK HERE.

And the ARC goes to...

Alas, our fun and exciting contest has come to an end. (Don't you hate when people use the word alas?) I'm kinda sad because I really enjoyed reading about all the good deeds you guys have been doing out there. I know they were things you would've done anyway, and it makes me proud of my Duders. You're all good people.

This wasn't easy. We had over 350 entries! Through a joint collaboration of my family's efforts, and combining randomness and goodness, the winners of an ARC for THE SCORCH TRIALS are as follows:

Shallee

Scott Pollack

Jenny Granola

Eric

Leesie

Congratulations!!!! Please let me know your email address, and we'll contact you to get your mailing address. And be sure and let us know what you think! (especially, ahem, if you, ahem, like it.)

Note: For those of you who know me personally and entered, we purposefully didn't pick you. Sorry about that. I figured you can come over and borrow it. Haha.

More ARCs!

Wow, over 250 comments for our giveaway contest!

My publicist has graciously allowed me to give away FIVE ARCs instead of just one! That's five times the number that I thought originally. (Because at first I was only going to give away one. And five times one is five.)

Because of this switcheroo, I'm extending the contest by 24 hours. Not just to give more people a chance, but because I need to put some thought into the winners. It was going to be random, but now I think I'll do a mix of random and judging your deeds for some that stand out. Maybe I'll let my kids decide one...

For those of you who haven't entered yet, feel free to leave the comment on this post. Both will count.

I have to tell you guys. Wow. I've read each and every entry, and I'm really blown away. There's been a lot of good done in the world for this, and I say thank you!

The Scorch Trials ARC Contest

As promised, today begins the official contest to win an advanced copy of the sequel to THE MAZE RUNNER. It's very simple:

I want some good to come out of this, so here's how you enter. Leave a comment telling us about a good deed you plan to do/have done this week. It doesn't have to be big or elaborate. Just something simple. Make another person's day. Make a donation. Save the world. Convince the NFL to move to 18 games. Whatever.

The contest will be open until Thursday (Aug 5) at noon (MST), at which time I'll announce the winner. Good luck!!!

ARCs!!!

Look at this beautiful chunk of paper I got in the mail:

I love it! I can't wait for the hardback now. Just over two months to publication. I'll run a contest to win an ARC beginning Monday, since a lot more people seem to check in on that day. Be sure to come back and enter.

In the meanwhile, it's been a long time since I've mentioned the incredible book trailer that was created for MAZE. Has everyone seen it? Check it out:

Inception by Christopher Nolan

I'd like to share a quote from the acknowledgements of my second 13th Reality book, which was written way before I'd ever heard of a movie called INCEPTION and before THE DARK KNIGHT came out.

"Thanks to the mother of Christopher Nolan for going through the pain of birthing him."

I'm so glad I wrote that. I knew I loved the genius of this man just after three movies: MEMENTO, THE PRESTIGE, and BATMAN BEGINS. (And a lot of credit goes to his brother as well, Jonathon, who has co-written some of the scripts.)

And then came INCEPTION.

I love movies. If anything, I love movies even more than I love books (which is pure blasphemy so pretend you didn't hear me just say that). I see any movie that has even the slightest, remotest chance of being good, including the many great indies. Most of my best writing sessions happen right after I've gone to the theater and been inspired by a brilliant movie. Or sometimes even a dumb one.

Among these countless movies, I have those that I call "Event" movies. These are the ones that go to the top of my list as soon as I hear about them. I'd say there are only four or five of these a year. When I first heard about INCEPTION, I was hit by an instant trifecta of information: Christopher Nolan, Leonardo DiCaprio, and the words, "Your mind is the scene of the crime." I knew I had an "Event" movie, and started counting down the days.

I saw it the day it came out. And then again the next day. Cuz I'm like that.

And I wasn't in the least bit disappointed, even after all that build up. I absolutely loved every single minute of it, both times. It's firmly entrenched in the James Dashner's Top Five Movies of All Time list. (I actually couldn't name you those top five movies, I just every once in a blue moon give a movie that designation. It just might be more than five by now. Yes, it makes sense. Go with it.)

INCEPTION is utterly brilliant. I feel like I can't do it justice. If you haven't seen it, do so immediately. And then do it again because it's even better the second time around. Every single aspect of this movie is brilliant. And I can't go on because I don't want to spoil it and I don't want to use the word "brilliant" too many times. You don't need to know anything else: just go see it. The less you know, the better the experience you'll have.

Why can't more people make movies like this? Trippy, visually stunning, creative, mind-bending, well cast, well acted, well written, heart-wrenching, the MUSIC (yay Hans Zimmer!), brilliant brilliant brilliant. Oops, sorry. I won't use that word again, I promise. A day hasn't gone by since last weekend where I haven't thought about it. Now that's an Event movie.

I only want to comment on three more things about it.

1. I had a major epiphany about the creation process in this movie. (This isn't really a spoiler, so don't worry.) Leo and Ellen Page have a conversation about how the mind works during the process of creating a dream. Leo draws two curved arrows that point at each other, forming a circle. He says the mind simultaneously CREATES and PERCEIVES, and the two become indistinguishable from each other.

Never in my life have I been able to describe how I write books until that moment. It became even more clear when Ellen responds by saying that when she designs architecture, she feels as if she's DISCOVERING it, not necessarily creating it.

This is how it is for me. I can sit for hours and hours, trying to come up with good ideas, but they usually doesn't flow until I sit at the computer and start typing. Then I feel like it becomes just as Leo described it. I can't tell the difference between my mind creating ideas and perceiving them. I honestly can't. They happen simultaneously, feeding off each other to form the story. It really is like discovery more than creation.

I don't know if that seems as cool and mind-blowing to anyone else, but to me it was a real life changing realization. Food for thought.

2. I won't spoil anything, but I loved the way the movie literally ends, right before the credits. If you've seen it, you know what I'm talking about. It couldn't have ended any other way, and I love the many layers of small questions it brings up. For me, that was the final stamp on how perfect a movie it was. Just how old were his kids, what were they wearing.......

3. I've heard several people rip on the trailer for this movie. Say huh? That, I just don't get. Now, you all know I try to avoid trailers because they spoil movies, but I've watched this one several times since going. I think it's one of the greatest trailers ever. That loud, tonal, booming sound. That's my new favorite sound.

Anyway, there you have it. INCEPTION is a movie that I will own, that I will watch many times. I plan to see it in the theater again. I really, really loved it, and I hope everyone will go see it.

Because it's brilliant. Doh!

The Dude is Back

This is a teaser blog post. I'm officially announcing that I'm going to be back and at it beginning next week here on the Dashner Dude. I'm looking forward to hanging out with you guys more often as we get ready for the release of THE SCORCH TRIALS.

On Monday I'm going to discuss INCEPTION, one of the greatest movie going experiences (twice) I've had in a long time. And it also gave me an epiphany on the creation process, which will be fun to talk about.

See you soon.......

Covers: Spanish and Portuguese Maze Runner

Hi everybody! We're coming up on some exciting things in the world of The Dashner Dude as we inch closer to the paperback release of THE MAZE RUNNER (Aug 24) and the hardback release of THE SCORCH TRIALS (Oct 12). Soon we'll have an advance copy giveaway, as well as a lot more information about the sequel. (By the way, it IS a direct sequel, beginning four hours after Book 1 ends.)

But today I want to show off the INCREDIBLE covers from V&R publishing in Brazil. These books are going to be released this fall and available anywhere in Latin and South America. I absolutely love the artwork and the design. Thanks to Maria Nazareth from V&R for sending these to me. I can't wait to get copies!

Here they are. The artist's name is Marcelo Orsi Blanco (check out his website: CLICK HERE), and he's awesome. What do you guys think?

Indigo Teen Read Awards

I'm happy to announce that THE MAZE RUNNER is a nominee in the first ever Teen Read Awards presented by Indigo, the largest bookstore retail chain in Canada. I'm very honored!

There are several categories, and MAZE is nominated in the category of "Best Hero," along with some pretty good company: Holly Black, Scott Westerfeld, and Ally Carter. I'm a long shot against such established talent, but I'm just happy to be included. No, really! (I know, sounds like the pathetic rant of a guy about to lose.)

The hero is, of course, Thomas. Poor guy. Memory wipes, Griever stings, has to run all those miles and miles. I'm glad he gets something in return. Especially right before he has to go through all the crap in THE SCORCH TRIALS.

The part I'm most excited about: I get to go to Toronto for the awards gala in September! I've never been there and I can't wait to visit. See, I KNEW Canada was awesome.

To learn more about the awards, and to, ahem, vote, please CLICK HERE. If I win, I'll give 37 billion dollars to charity. (Like I said, I'm just happy to be nominated!)

The New Yorker and etc.

Happy Tuesday everyone! We are back from our vacation to visit my family in Georgia, and I've settled in for a long summer of hard work. Here's a random list of the latest...

1. The main task at hand is writing THE DEATH CURE, Book 3 of THE MAZE RUNNER. It now stands around 15,000 words and I have a long way to go. But thanks to my editor, who made me outline this one as part of our revisions for Book 2, it should be a smooth and fairly quick experience.

2. I'm really excited to share that my book and I are mentioned in an article in the current issue of THE NEW YORKER. It's a special 2-week issue, so you should be able to buy it on newstands or in bookstores for the next week or so. Or, you can read it online: CLICK HERE.

3. Funny story about this article. When my publicist told me about it, she seemed extra excited. Then my editor did as well. Then Random House sent out a special email about it. Finally, I realized maybe I just wasn't quite getting it when my agent emailed me and asked if I ever thought I'd be in the New Yorker. I told him I didn't know it was such a big deal, and he only responded with, "Oh, James, that's what I love about you."

Anyway, I've repented and I'm thrilled and thank you New Yorker! I'm honored. And I bought 4 hard copies.

4. THE SCORCH TRIALS is just about complete, and I imagine we're only a few weeks away from ARCs. I've gone through the copyedits and I imagine it's already been typeset by now. It'll be out in less than 4 months!!!!

5. I enjoyed everyone's reaction to my thoughts on the LOST finale. I only have one more thing to say about it. Some people were disappointed because not every single little thing was answered. For example, WHY is the island the heart of the world? HOW does it work? WHAT is the smoke monster? Yada yada.

To you I say this: Were you satisfied when George Lucas explained to us how the Force works, mitachloriyabbadabbadoians, and all that? It was much better when we just knew the Force was magic and really cool. LOST was not about nitty gritty explanations. It was about characters and fate and redemption and speculating, all of which would've been ruined by a seven hour finale where all was explained in detail.

6. So I'm kind of keeping up with the World Cup. And I think I'm the only one on the planet that actually likes the sound of those beehive horns. It just creates a cool atmosphere that makes me feel like something really important is going on. I just wish people actually scored in soccer. That'd be nice.

7. I haven't seen a movie in like three weeks. This shames me to no end.

8. We're getting our backyard done and it'll finally be done by tonight. My kids can finally play outside without getting ticks, spider bites, or weed rashes.

9. I'd like someone to please invent a big machine that causes the Earth to have no humidity without causing damage to the environment. My kids couldn't handle it in Georgia. We kept trying to do things outside and they'd beg to go back in. We left Georgia in the 90s with 110 percent humidity and arrived in Utah with no humidity and 60 degrees. I love it here.

10. Dear Bud Sehlig, Commissioner of Major League Baseball: I've analyzed your decision not to award Armando Galarraga a perfect game even though the obvious bad call came on the last out. And my official conclusion is that you are a d bag.

Back to work for me!

My Thoughts on LOST Series Finale

I know I'm officially the last person on Earth to do this, but here's what I think. Don't worry, no serious spoilers until the last section, which will be properly labelled.

I absolutely loved the series finale. I honestly can't think of one thing, not one, that I would change. It was heartbreaking, brilliant, moving, awesome. I just don't understand the haters out there. They baffle me. Everyone is certainly entitled to their own opinion, it's just really annoying when they're wrong.

The whole series was an experience I'll never forget. Easily the best thing I've ever seen on television, by a trillion light years the best, and probably tied with the LORD OF THE RINGS movies and SAVING PRIVATE RYAN and LES MISERABLES in terms of media / entertainment that affected me on a superhuman level. I'll never forget it, especially the finale, which still haunts me as I write this.

Jack!!!!!!!!!!

Oh Jack. Jackity Jack Jack. Your face in the final scene has made me half depressed and half in awe since your eye closed. And the music! And the writing! And the acting! And the directing! Everything about that finale and the series itself can only be summed up by one word in my (sadly) limited vocabulary. (Hey, I'm just an author.) That word is BRILLIANT.

I can't get over it. I didn't think something could be that good. The writers and creators should be given a special award that no one else ever receives. And that award should be called the YOU'RE MORE BRILLIANT THAN ANYBODY ELSE EVER AWARD. I don't say any of this lightly. I see tons of movies, watch lots of shows, read lots of books. And LOST is one of a kind, a true once-in-a-lifetime experience. I'll never never ever ever forget it.

I'm really glad that we watched it, week by agonizing week, year by agonizing year, from the very first airing of the pilot. That waiting and expecting and speculating was half the fun. We plan on waiting about five years and then watching the whole thing over again with our kids. I can't wait!

SPOILER ALERT

There's a lot of debate out there about what happened in the finale. I think it can be summed up pretty easily. Just like Jack's dad said, everything, every single thing that occured on the island really did happen. It is the heart of the world and in the end Jack saved it. He died to save it. His best friends escaped and lived out happy lives back home. Hurley and Ben safeguarded the island for many many years, maybe centuries. All these people died at different times along an extensive timeline.

Once they did, all at their separate times, their souls entered an alternate reality which they collectively created, their very own Heaven, where past, present, and future are the same. Just like Jack's dad said, "there is no now, here." They all discovered each other once again, in several scenes that I can't imagine have ever been topped in the happy tears department. And then they gathered and went to some special place beyond.

Ben wasn't ready, still had things to atone for. That's why he didn't go.

That's about it. And how incredibly BRILLIANT is it that the very first shot of the series was Jack's eye opening, and the very last was that same eye closing. I know it's simple, but it's just really really awesome, too.

SPOILER ALERT OVER

I don't know what else to say. I'd love to hear any thoughts you guys might have. Even from those who for some reason feel like it's their role in life to tell everyone how stupid LOST is, even though the vast majority of them haven't seen even half the episodes because it got too "complicated." Ya know, some things you just shouldn't admit to people.

Sorry if I sound petty or defensive. I just love this show so much that I feel like it's my kid or something, and it hurts to see people rip on it. And usually they have nothing intelligent to say, just, "Man, that show is so lame. I'm gonna go watch CSI: Kentucky."

And lost in all this (ha, sorry for the pun) is the effect the show has had on my own writing. I took something away from every single episode. The writing, the structure, the plotting, the character development. How they end episodes, even commercial breaks. The visuals. All of it helped my writing more than perhaps any other one identifiable thing.

Which leads to my final thought: to the creative talent of LOST, every one of you, both behind and off the screen, I say thank you. I can only hope that somehow you get neurotic in the middle of the night and google your own show and find this blog post. I can only speak for myself, but you gave me something, a six year experience, that changed my life and will remain with me FOREVER. Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!

Time to Catch Up

How's everyone doing? I thought it was high time I play catch up and answer some of your questions as well. So here we go, in no particular order...

1. I've never been so excited for and yet dread something so much: the series finale of LOST, coming up this Sunday. I'm going to be so incredibly sad when it's over, and yet I'm dying to see the last episode. But it's the last one EVER. Oh the pain. The horror!

2. Speaking of TV, we've fallen completely in love with the show MODERN FAMILY. It is so so so good!!!! We actually look forward to it more than THE OFFICE, which I can't believe just came out of my mouth, or fingertips, or whatever.

3. I'm finally reading THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO. It has me very captivated, although I can't really say why.

4. For those really faithful Duders, I thought I'd give you an update on my ACL surgeryified knee. It's doing really well. I've been jogging a lot and it feels good. Two more months until I can play basketball and ski again!!!! (Although I'm doubting we'll have much snow to ski on in July.)

5. Oh, you want some book related stuff? Okay, I can do that. We went through a lot of revisions and fine tuning for THE SCORCH TRIALS, but I believe we are finally done. And I'm very proud of the final result, and thrilled with what Krista pulled out of me to make it better. I can't believe it comes out in 5 months!

6. We'll only have teaser chapters at BEA, so I'm sorry if that disappoints anyone. Here's my schedule by the way: Signing TST chapters at 9:00 am Wednesday in the Random House booth, then signing THE 13TH REALITY Book 3 at 11:00 am Wednesday in the main autographing area. On Thursday I'll be signing in the ABA Lounge at 10:30. I'll also be doing lots of luncheons, dinners, and other fun stuff. Can't wait!

7. I am now working very very hard on THE DEATH CURE, the third and final book in THE MAZE RUNNER trilogy. It's always so fun to be in first draft writing mode. Story and characters and creativity are all that matters at this point.

8. It's been a lot of fun for me to work with some of the translators doing my foreign versions of MAZE. I had never thought about how hard it can be to translate things like shuck and shank and WICKED and Griever into other languages.

9. I get asked this a lot, so in case you don't know: MAZE comes out in paperback on August 24th (same day as MOCKINGJAY!) and SCORCH comes out on October 12th.

10. My family has become obsessed with fish tacos. We eat them whenever and wherever we can. I'm not sure this is normal.

11. I had a great tour for Book 3 of 13TH REALITY. Thanks to all the students, teachers, bookstore employees, and readers I met in Phoenix, Denver, Dallas, Houston, Austin, St. Louis, and Salt Lake City. I really had me some good times. No more touring until October!

12. Thanks to Morgan for pointing out that Rick Riordan said on his blog that his son loved MAZE. The fact that this made me giddy is further proof that I'm still a fanboy and will probably never change.

Okay, so here's some Q&A:

First, as always, THANK YOU for all the nice comments about my books. Those never fail to make my day! I really appreciate each and every one.

Sally T, I'm sorry you missed me in Dallas!

Shelli, I AM coming to Atlanta to visit my family soon (counting down the days actually), but alas, no events are scheduled. Maybe next time!

Shaun Barger, thanks for the awesome writeup on apocalypse writing!

#1, Sorry, my schedule is just too crazy right now. :(

Jackson, we'll be catching up on 24 once LOST is over. I can only handle so many shows! And thanks for providing me with so many laughs in the comments.

Several have asked about ARCS for SCORCH. I don't really know much about when they'll be done and how many will be printed. But I'm sure I'll give at least a couple away on this here blog once I have some. And you can always request one through your channels with Random House. If you have said channel.

Someone started a forum for 13TH REALITY. Check it out: http://www.realitants.com/forum. Also, someone started a site for MAZE fans: http://www.thegladers.info. Thanks, guys, I'm honored and I hope people visit you.

Dave, I'm not into FLASHFORWARD or V. I don't commit to anything now until they prove they won't be cancelled!

Anonymous, yes, I used to teach at SLCC. That was fun while it lasted for a very short while.

Julie Belnap, I'm sorry I won't be at the teen writer's conference! I think they like to shake it up on who comes every year.

Traci, I'm sorry I missed a chance to sign your book. Crazy schedule lately!

Matt Hayes, I actually don't know the title for Book 4 of 13TH yet. I'll probably reveal that this fall.

Brin, I thought it was very cute how you asked me to explain quantum physics. Keep reading 13TH and you'll find out a little, but I'm not smart enough to explain it any more than that!

Christie asked about how you get published. Scroll down on the right side of my blog and you'll see links to lots of stuff I've written about that. Best of luck!!!

Michelle, it would really be hard to commit to something next March because I'll probably be on tour. Maybe contact me again as it gets closer?

Anonymous, all of my books are on the Kindle and Nook and other ereaders now.

Cupcake wants to know when I'll come to Canada. No plans as of yet. Maybe push a bookstore there to request it through Random House.

Mary, as we get closer to the UK release, that would be great! Maybe towards the end of July?

Morgan asked how long the Gladers had been around before Thomas showed up. There was an original group of about 25, and Thomas came two years later.

Brian asked about that panel I did in NY with Scott Westerfeld, Michael Grant and Carrie Ryan. Ya know, I never did hear if that got put up on the Internet. Could someone google that and try to find it for us?

June asked about Group B and WICKED's true intentions. I... can't... say... a... word... about... it...

For those of you asking about interviews, appearances, etc., please forgive me for not responding. If you're still interested, try again in late June or July, as that's when my schedule will calm down quite a bit for awhile. Thank you for your interest.

Wow, long post. I love you all!!!!!

Houston and Austin

Guys, I know I've been quiet, but I promise to be more active on the blog soon!

Meanwhile, for those of you in Houston and Austin, this is where I'll be Monday and Tuesday, each time with FABLEHAVEN's Brandon Mull:

Monday
5:00 pm
Blue Willow Bookshop
14532 Memorial Drive
Houston TX 77079

Tuesday
3:30 pm
Book People
603 North Lamar Blvd
Austin TX 78703

Come see us!!!!

Turkey, Poland, and Tour oh my!

Well hi there! It's been a day or two (or thirteen) since I last blogged, so I figured I better get on here and give you guys an update. I've been very busy with the release of the third book in 13TH REALITY, with lots of good times. And other stuff.

So, without further adieu, here's one of my infamous numbered updates of randomness:

1. We recently sold rights to THE MAZE RUNNER trilogy in Poland and Turkey, which I think is just pretty cool.

2. Off the top of my head, here is the current list of languages/ territories in which you'll soon be able to read about Grievers hurting young people:

United Kingdom
France
Germany
Russia
Taiwan
Spanish (Spain)
Spanish (Latin and South America)
Portuguese (Brazil)
Greece
Poland
Turkey

Hmmmm. Am I forgetting somewhere? I think this it.

3. We've had some great events since I last blogged. The launch party in Utah, schools and signings in the Dallas and Phoenix areas. For all those who came, THANK YOU. It really means a lot to have such awesome support. I hope you like those books you bought!

4. The Hawks are up 2-0 in their series with the Bucks, the first time they've been up in a series 2-0 since 1970. Oh yeah.

5. The Braves have a winning record. All is well so far in the sporting world.

6. I'm really excited for the Storymakers writing conference in Provo UT this weekend, mainly because my AWESOME INCREDIBLE SUPERHUMAN editor Krista Marino will be there from Random House. It'll be fun to hang out with her and let her tell me in person what I'm doing wrong in my latest book. I'm also excited to see all my "regular" friends who go way back at this conference.

7. There are still a few stops on the tour coming up, including Denver, St. Louis, Houston, and then New York City for BEA. For details (that I have so far), CLICK HERE.

8. Phoenix is hot. It's April, and it's hot. I don't think I'd like to be here in July.

9. Leesie from the comments: you seem very sweet and kind. And you keep asking me to respond to an email. I'm sorry to say I have not received said email. I'm really sorry!!! Maybe you used an old address or something? I don't use author@jamesdashner anymore, by the way. Tell me what you're looking for in the comments and I'll see what I can do to help. Sound good?

10. Which reminds me, a lot of you have asked questions in the comments, and some good ones at that. I promise I'll get to them as soon as possible. Just not tonight because my eyeballs feel like sandpaper covered lima beans. I'm tired I guess.

11. I'm ashamed to say that I'm way behind on LOST and 24. Very ashamed. By the same token, I can't believe my good fortune that I have so many episodes to watch! No spoilers or I will hunt you down and make you watch Family Matters reruns.

12. I'm reading a fascinating book that I'm just loving, and it's not my usual kinda book. It's called PILLARS OF THE EARTH by Ken Follet. It's about the 1100s and the building of a cathedral. Life tweren't easy back then. And I'm pretty sure everyone smelled like armpits and doodoo. I'm very thankful for my Degree Deoderant and toilets.

13. Just one more shout out and thank you to all the incredible people I've met so far on this little tour. I don't dare start naming names because I will leave out someone and get hunted down and have to watch reruns of Family Matters. But you've all been so great and so nice to me. Thank you.

Until next time, nanu nanu!!!!!!

Launch Party Tonight! And Misc...

Book 3 of my series THE 13TH REALITY (THE BLADE OF SHATTERED HOPE) is officially out, and we're going to celebrate tonight with lots of food and good times. There will also be giveaways, including 30 t-shirts. I hope all of you can make it. That's right. All of you. There'll be dancing grannies and six-legged bears!

The fun begins at 6:30, Barnes and Noble, West Jordan UT. The one at the Jordan Landing shopping center.

Also, if you live in Utah and want to see me make a fool of myself, tune in to the 5:00 Channel 2 news and you'll see a piece on me. They invaded my home and even made me play the drums in my office. Okay, that might've been my idea, something I'm sure I'll regret the rest of my life. Hopefully it didn't make the cut!

I'll also be coming to Dallas, Phoenix, Denver and St. Louis soon. For details on those events, CLICK HERE.

Finally, you have to read this article that appeared in the New York Times. One of our most faithful Dashner Duders (Thanks Dave!) was interviewed about his family's blog, and he mentioned THE MAZE RUNNER with high praise. I'm proud to say I was his very first interview. CLICK HERE to read it.

Oh, one more thing. Or two more things. MAZE has received another couple of bits of good news: It's been nominated for the American Library Association's Best Fiction for Young Adults and the Kentucky Bluegrass Awards. Thank you ALA and state of Kentucky!!!

See you all tonight. You heard me. All of you.

Tour Details and Misc.

Since it's coming right up on us, I figured I better get my tour dates and details out there for everyone to see. But first, a couple of interesting things you can go read:

1. I did an article for the Guide to Literary Agents website, called "7 Things I've Learned So Far." If you're an aspiring writer, you might want to take a look. CLICK HERE.

2. I can't really say much more, but the end of this article in VARIETY magazine gives a glimpse into where we are with film rights to THE MAZE RUNNER. CLICK HERE. More as I can share it...

Now, onto tour details for the release of Book 3 in THE 13TH REALITY: THE BLADE OF SHATTERED HOPE.

The official launch party will be held at the Barnes & Noble in West Jordan, UT (Jordan Landing Shopping Center) on Friday, April 9th, at 6:30 pm. Angie Wager, the CRM there, has been supporting me since before pretty much anyone else. We're going to make this a lot of fun with giveaways, good food, a reading, etc. Please, if you live anywhere close, try to make it!!!

I'm also happy to announce that Simon & Schuster is sending me and Brandon Mull (FABLEHAVEN) on a little jaunt to Houston (May 10) and Austin (May 11) Texas, where we'll be presenting and signing together. Details coming.

Here is a list of my other upcoming events:

Wednesday, April 14
6:30p.m.- Signing
Barnes & Noble
861 North East Mall Blvd.
Hurst, TX 76053
817-284-3243

Monday, April 19
Signing- 6:00p.m.
Barnes & Noble
1758 S. Val Vista Dr.
Mesa, AZ 85204
480-454-8514

Tuesday, April 20
6:30p.m.- Signing
Deseret Book
1350 S. Gilbert Rd. #4
Mesa, AZ 85204
480-926-3234

Tuesday, April 27
6:30p.m.- Signing
Barnes & Noble
8374 South Willow St.
Lone Tree, Co 80124
303-706-9660

Saturday, May 1
2-4p.m.- Signing
Barnes & Noble
330 East University Parkway
Orem, UT 84058
801-224-3526

Tuesday, May 4
6:30p.m.- Signing
Deseret Book
1110 E. Fort Union Blvd. 4M
Midvale, UT
801-561-8777

Friday, May 7
Signing- 6:30p.m.
Barnes & Noble
721 Gravois Rd.
Fenton, MO 63026
636-326-4619

Scorch Cover, 2009 Sales

Two quick things today that are interesting.

First, the cover for THE SCORCH TRIALS is NOT final, but it's popping up all over the Internet somehow, so I wanted to make sure I let you know about it before you heard it from another source. You can CLICK HERE to see it on Amazon, and I've seen it on a few blogs as well. There will be changes to make it even better, but that's basically it. What do you think?

The word "Companion" will be replaced with "Sequel" because it's most definitely a direct sequel. Also, the colors will be more vibrant and the sky amped up a bit. Once we have a final version, I'll put it up on the blog more officially.

Second, Publisher's Weekly did an article on sales numbers for 2009, and I'm ecstatic to see that THE MAZE RUNNER is included in the Top 100 (#97) for new hardcovers! Considering the competition and the fact it was only out for 3 months of the year, I'm thinking that's not too shabby! We've sold a lot through things like the Scholastic Book Fair, which don't show up on Bookscan, NY Times, etc., so this number really surprised me and made my day.

Here is the article if you'd like to see it: CLICK HERE. Fascinating stuff. I'm not quite in Stephenie Meyer's league yet. Haha.

I hope everyone is off to a great week so far...

UK Trailer, Latest Q&A

I thought I'd answer some of your questions from the comments today.

If that bores you, then go check out the UK trailer for Maze Runner, coming in August from Scholastic/Chicken House. CLICK HERE. It's basically the same as the U.S. one, but some of you may have not even seen that one.

Onto the questions...

Several people asked about the next book after Maze. It's called THE SCORCH TRIALS and comes out on October 12th. There's a countdown on the right side of the blog. Hey, we're almost down to 200 days!!!

Emma wondered where I got the ideas for Maze. Well, besides my crazy and slightly disturbing imagination, I always say the book was definitely inspired by two of my favorites growing up: ENDER'S GAME and LORD OF THE FLIES.

Thanks for all the yays from those in cities I'm visiting on tour, and the boos from those I'm not. Both make me feel good and appreciated! I really hope to meet a lot of you. Unless you're the lady from MISERY.

Rue from Dallas wants to know where you can find specifics about my upcoming tours. As soon as I have them, they'll be posted here, so stay tuned.

Dave asked about New York, and I did forget to say that I'm coming there for BEA at the end of May, but I don't think I have any events outside of that.

Mary at The Sweet Bookshelf wants me to come to the UK - I would love to!!!!! Who knows. I've never been to Europe, but I really want to go sometime soon. We'll see if one of the publishers there brings me out, or I guess I could arrange a couple of events if we go on vacation. We shall see! Do they like Americans?

Magenta wondered who came up with the UK cover. Well, I don't really know - the design team there, I guess. But I do love it!!!

Arning asked what my book is about. Well, the best thing would be for you to read the little teaser printed on the book flap, which is also available all over the Internet. Google is your friend!

Morgan wants to know how many books are planned in THE 13TH REALITY series. Five. So two years from now both of my series will be done and who knows what'll come next...

Graham Bradley asked when we'd be able to see the cover for SCORCH. Soon, my friend. Soon. It's really cool.

LuAnn Staheli's middle school class wondered why Sato is on the cover of Book 3 of 13th. We're kind of going with a theme, a different character on the cover with each book. Tick, then Mistress Jane, and now Sato. He might be my favorite character, by the way.

Jennifer Jenkins was nice enough to ask me about my knee. It's recovering nicely, except I must've done something to it because it's swollen and stiff today. I hope it's nothing serious!!!

Debbie the Nerf Goddess (nice name!) brought up a good point. The US and Greek covers both use the same awesome artwork by Philip Straub, but show different angles, the Greek one showing the sky above. Why? I don't know. Different tastes. I can't decide which one I like more.

Juliet Crane asked how far in the future MAZE is set. Excellent, excellent question! Well, it's never really revealed in the books, but in my mind it's over 200 years.

Alyssa hoped I could post the first couple of chapters of SCORCH for everyone. Well, not yet. But I think Random House will do that within the next couple of months.

Taffy asked about the last amazing movie I watched. I really loved THE GHOST WRITER, and not just because I have a mancrush on Ewan Mcgregor.

Ender wanted to know how I'm liking LOST so far. Love it as always. Though I'm actually behind on the show (I know - shame, shame), so I might talk about it more once I'm caught up.

There ya go. Thank you again for ALL the comments. I love reading them and staying in touch with you guys. My next post will be a full update on all the little things going on in my life. Talk soon...

Upcoming Chat on Twitter

I wanted to let you guys know about an online chat in which I'll be participating with a bunch of huge YA authors (figuratively speaking of course). The incredible Georgia McBride (author of the upcoming urban fantasy series PRAEFATIO in 2011) founded YALITCHAT, and the biggest one yet is coming up on April 14th and 15th.

Look at this lineup!!!

April 14th: Melissa Marr, A.S. King, Becca Fitzpatrick, Lisa McMann, Ellen Hopkins, Margaret Stohl, Carrie Ryan, Alyson Noel

April 15th: Holly Black, Michelle Zink, Scott Westerfeld, Kami Garcia, Cassandra Clare, Bree Despain, James Dashner, Sarah Rees Brennan

I'm honored to be included, and excited to make a fool of myself in such company!

Details:

Both evening chats take place from 9:00 to 11:00 pm EST.

It all takes place on twitter under the hashtag of #yalitchat.

The official website for yalitchat: http://yalitchat.wordpress.com/

Here's the link for it on Ning: http://yalitchat.ning.com/

To follow along you simply search for #yalitchat on twitter then keep up! We'll be answering your questions so be sure and pipe in.

If you're not following me on twitter yet, please do! CLICK HERE to do so.

May everyone have a most joyous and non-sucky weekend. Talk to ya next week.

Tour Dates and TDD Winner

And the winner of THE DARK DIVINE by Bree Despain is...

Jackson Porter!!!!

Congratulations, my friend. Throw me an email address and I'll contact you. You're gonna love the book!

I also wanted to announce the dates and cities for my upcoming tour for Book 3 of THE 13TH REALITY. I don't have any hard details yet, but at least you can hopefully set aside the day to come see me. Please don't make me beg.

Dallas TX: April 13, 14

Phoenix, AZ: April 19, 20

Denver, CO: April 26, 27

Salt Lake City, UT: May 1-4

St. Louis, MO: May 5-7

I'm also happy to announce that Random House has told me I'll be visiting the following cities this fall when THE SCORCH TRIALS is released in October (all tentative):

San Francisco, CA
Boston, MA
St. Louis, MO
Portland, OR
St. Paul, MN
Madison, WI
Salt Lake City, UT

I love it that I'll be going to a lot of new cities this time around. And I hope to meet many Dashner Duders along the way.....

I thoroughly enjoyed watching the Oscars last night. I love Steve Martin and really wish he was my uncle. And a huge congrats to Kathryn Bigelow and everyone involved with THE HURT LOCKER. Amazing movie.

Countdown to THE PACIFIC on HBO: 6 days.

UK Cover for The Maze Runner

What do you think? I absolutely love it. Feels like a movie poster to me, which is pretty much the highest praise I can give something.

This book will be coming out in the UK in August from Scholastic/Chicken House. I had the good fortune to talk to a lot of the people responsible there on a phone conference, and they are wonderful!!! I wish/hope I can go there at some point and meet them and all my new readers. And I want to see castles. And Big Ben, Parliament... (what movie?)

Check out their website page for the book and what else they have to offer (CLICK HERE). They're incredible, and they'll also be publishing TMR in Germany. Chicken House rules!

I'm knee deep in my second round of revisions this week for THE SCORCH TRIALS. Krista always knows how to step it up and pull things out of me I didn't know I had! I'm also mourning the end of the Olympics. *sniff*

If you missed seeing the cover for Book 3 of THE 13TH REALITY or you want to enter the contest to win Bree Despain's THE DARK DIVINE, then CLICK HERE. I'll announce the winner later this week. (Coming soon: tour dates and Q&A from the comments.)

Back to revisions...

Book 3 Cover, Giveaway: THE DARK DIVINE

Well hey there.

Two things today:

1. I can finally show you the cover for Book 3 of THE 13TH REALITY (coming April 6). It's by Brandon Dorman, and I love, love, love it! For the record, that's Sato on the cover.

2. To celebrate, I'm giving away a signed copy of my good friend Bree Despain's book, THE DARK DIVINE. To be eligible, all you have to do is leave a comment and let me know what you think of the new cover. Or Bree's cover. Or the techniques of curling.

I'll announce the winner next week, at which time I'll also be announcing my tour cities and dates for the release of Book 3 in April. So, without further ado, here is the cover:

13th Book 2 Paperback: Come and Get it!

Just wanted to let everyone know that the second book of THE 13TH REALITY is now available in paperback.

I said this when we first revealed the new cover, but I'll say it again: I love, love, love it!!! Kudos to the artist, Owen Richardson. The inside illustrations are the same as the hardback, done by the equally talented Bryan Beus.

We continue to get a steady stream of newcomers to the Dashner Dude, so I'll just give a quick recap of this series. Book 1 (THE JOURNAL OF CURIOUS LETTERS) and Book 2 (THE HUNT FOR DARK INFINITY) are now available in paperback. Book 3 (THE BLADE OF SHATTERED HOPE) comes out on April 7th. We should be revealing that cover here on the blog very, very soon.

I have two publishers for this series. The hardbacks are done by Shadow Mountain, the people who brought you FABLEHAVEN. The paperbacks are from Aladdin, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, and they've decided to have different covers, but keep the inside illustrations. It's scheduled to be five books in total.

The basic premise: a group of scientists called the Realitants study alternate realities. In the Thirteenth, they've discovered that science has been mutated into a dark magic. Very bad things happen.

How's that for short and sweet?

Many of you found me through THE MAZE RUNNER. If you liked that, I hope you'll give THE 13TH REALITY a try. I'm really proud of it, especially as it gets deeper and deeper into the story. Enjoy!

I'll answer your questions from the comments in my next post. I hope everyone is enjoying the Olympics. Pretty sure I've watched more coverage than anyone save Bob Costas. Curling rocks! So does biathlon! And all the usual stuff. The Alpine skiing is my #1 favorite though. And hockey. And short track speed skating.

Talk again soon...

Greek Cover for Maze Runner

In Greece, the book will be called THE TEST. What do you guys think?

Some quick background: The book is coming out in March (I think) from Platypus Publications, the same publisher that did Twilight and Hunger Games in Greece. They told me that The Maze Runner didn't sound very cool in Greek, hence the title change. Also, they decided to use more of the full cover art by Philip Straub. I really love it!!!

LTUE and Great Pub

I had so much fun at LTUE (the scifi and fantasy symposium at BYU). I don't know how else to describe it. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I served on some great panels, mingled with many writers and Duders, had a wonderful book signing, and read a couple of chapters from THE SCORCH TRIALS to a very enthusiastic audience.

Just a sampling of my favorite moments:

1. I was honored to record a couple of live podcasts of WRITING EXCUSES with Brandon Sanderson (MISTBORN, WHEEL OF TIME), Howard Tayler (SCHLOCK MERCENARY), and Dan Wells (I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER). These guys are hilarious, and all three of them are very good friends. So you can imagine the fun we had, especially fed by the crowd of people that was hundreds if not pushing a thousand. You can listen, for free, to the result by CLICKING HERE. You can also learn more about these three yahoos who made me the butt of all their jokes.

2. Speaking of being the butt of jokes, I was also "honored" to be the main buttster for Brandon's keynote address on Saturday, also in front of many people. Best line: Brandon squinted at his notes and said, "This is getting too dry, make fun of Dashner." He looked at me and said, "You stink." Then he said, "My notes actually say that, 'squint at notes and then tell Dashner he stinks.'" Hey, any publicity is good publicity!

3. Brandon's address was really, really, really good. The basic gist was that there is some great stuff in speculative fiction and people who say differently are stupid (though he said it much more intelligently and inspiringly). Boo yah! I don't think I ever realized just how funny Brandon was until this conference, where he was Guest of Honor and really let himself go.

4. Serving on a panel and talking with L.E. Modesitt Jr., one of the most successful scifi/fantasy authors ever. I've known him for several years now, and he's always been so real and down to Earth and inspiring.

5. What I mostly enjoyed was seeing and hanging out with the attendees at the conference. It gets better every year, and I really had a great time. Hello to everyone I met, saw again, ate with, talked with, discussed writing with, etc. Especially to the Duders who came!!!


I also wanted to share a couple of cool articles in which THE MAZE RUNNER was mentioned, especially since these are both huge publications:

1. The L.A. Times: CLICK HERE.

2. Publisher's Weekly: CLICK HERE.

Q&A from the Comments

Time to catch up on some of your questions! Before we get to that, just a reminder that I'll be at the LTUE event at BYU this weekend (11th-13th), including a signing on Friday at noon in the bookstore and a reading of THE SCORCH TRIALS on Saturday at 6:00. I'll also be speaking on several panels. For details, CLICK HERE.

As for the Superbowl, I didn't care who won since my Falcons weren't there. But I really, really wanted overtime so I was very upset when Mr. Manning threw that interception instead of tying up the game. Boo.

One more thing: We're very, very close to revealing the cover for THE BLADE OF SHATTERED HOPE, Book 3 of THE 13TH REALITY. Stay tuned!

Okay, onto your questions...

First off, as always, THANK YOU for all the nice words, congrats, etc. in the comments that continue to perk me up throughout the day. I read them all and love getting them!!!

Quite a few people asked when my next two books will be coming out. Book 3 of THE 13TH REALITY comes out April 6, and Book 2 of THE MAZE RUNNER comes out October 12th.

Charles: Is the latest generation more or less creative because of all the visual media that is so prevalent now? I would say more only because I feel that movies and television really influence my writing, just as much as books in terms of IDEAS. Though if you want to be a writer, reading books is first in priority because that's the best education on HOW to write.

Anonymous: Will there be a 13TH REALITY movie? Nothing in the works as of yet, I'm afraid. However, THE LIGHTNING THIEF comes out this Friday, so we can all be happy!

Erin G: How important is research to your writing? Well, I make most of my stuff up, so I only do a little. However, when I do reference something that needs to be authentic, I look it up. And I always try to have the proper background for the science I throw in.

Karen: Will you be coming to Honolulu anytime soon? Nothing on the schedule, but maybe I need to do something about that! I've never been there, would love to visit.

Emchien asked about more specific details on LTUE. Basically, you just need to know that everything is on the 3rd floor of the Wilkinson Center, and you can find everything from there pretty easily. EXCEPT for the signings, which I believe will be in the bookstore.

SPOILER ALERT! "It's what I want to be" asked who Minho and Zart were named after in TMR. Well, since this book is in the future, I purposefully had a couple of the names come from people who don't exist yet. Like Minho. But Zart is named after a famous composer. Begins with a Mo. END SPOILER ALERT!

Epsilon: How do you pace your writing during the day so as not to get burned out? When I'm in full first draft writing mode, I like to do an hour or two first thing in the morning, then do another session that afternoon, sometimes after seeing a movie to juice up my creativity factory. Other things to do in between are answering email, blogging, taking care of author business stuff, etc.

Aubrey (aka Stacey): How was your trip to California? We had a great time! We got really lucky because the big series of rain storms didn't hit until we were just about done. Although that did make our flight get cancelled and force us to stay an extra day and watch the rain. But we had perfect weather for Sea World and Lego Land. Kids loved it! Dad (that's me) ate lots of junk food!

Libby D: Any events in SoCal soon? I think there's a very good chance I'll be coming there for one of the tours for my releases this year. Stay tuned for the schedules!

Anna: How do we go about booking you for a school visit? Well, due to the time constraints of trying to have two series going on at once, I'm really only doing school visits during the release tours. The best way to make that happen is to go through your local bookstore, and have them go through their contacts with Random House or Shadow Mountain/Simon & Schuster. Thank you for your interest!

Jessica: What was your inspiration for TMR? I think the three things that shaped my ideas for this story the most are: The books ENDER'S GAME and LORD OF THE FLIES, and the TV show LOST.

Jan von Hartz: THANKS for including me in the St. Louis Book Battle. That's so cool and I'm very honored!

Editor Tyler: Any way I can get your autograph? I do lots of events, so stay tuned and try to catch me sometime, okay?

SandPMom: Any relatives in Maryland? Well, I have two brothers and a couple of cousins in that area...

That's about it for now. Thanks again for hanging out with me here, and we'll talk again soon. I hope to see some of you at BYU this weekend!

Happy Superbowl Weekend

Hey everybody - be happy, the weekend is here! The Game is coming. Yeah, that's right. All those awesome commercials and the tasty party finger food. Maybe even some football.

A few things:

1. I'm very honored to be a nominee for a Whitney Award this year (Speculative Fiction). Thanks to everyone on the Whitney committee!!!

2. Don't forget: I'll be at the Southtown Mall Barnes and Noble in Sandy, UT tomorrow (Saturday the 6th) starting at 1:00, with many other authors. Come see us!

3. Also, remember the LTUE symposium next weekend (11th, 12th, 13th) at BYU. My reading has been changed to 6:00 on Saturday night, where I'll be doing the first chapter or two from THE SCORCH TRIALS. My signing is still Friday at noon. For more details, CLICK HERE.

4. LOST. I know I've ranted and raved about this show before, and I'll do it again. I've been looking forward to this, the finale season, for many months and years. During the season premiere on Tuesday, I sat riveted the entire time. Honestly, I don't even care what the resolution is or what's behind it all. The sheer brilliance of every aspect of the show is enough for me. I love it as much as any type of entertainment I've ever experienced. Maybe the most.

If you are a writer, you can learn a lot from this show. Character development. How to reveal the layers of a mystery. How to structure chapters. All in all, just how to tell a story. I love LOST. I love it love it love it love it.

5. What have I been working on? I received the typeset pages for THE 13TH REALITY Book 3, so I've been going through those, almost done. I've also seen the cover and the inside illustrations, done by the very talented Brandon Dorman. (Not to worry, Bryan Beus will be back for Book 4!) Hopefully we'll reveal the cover next week, and the book comes out on April 6! In the meantime, go check out the paperbacks for books 1 and 2.

6. My knee is recovering well from ACL surgery. I've been a good boy and gone to physical therapy 3 times a week (Hi Drew, Chevelle, and crew!) and done lots of exercises at home. It's still swollen and hurts, but not too bad. I really appreciate all the well wishes on Twitter, Facebook, and in the comments. Thanks!!!

7. I'm past due to answer your questions from the comments. Here is a Dashner Gare-On-Tee: I'll do that early next week. So if you have more, let me know. I love hearing from you guys.

8. I'm reading a book that you will all hear about this summer. It's called THE PASSAGE by Justin Cronin. It is amazing. Unique, deep, scary, brilliant. Comes out in June. I also just received the ARC for Book 1 in DJ MacHale's upcoming new series, MORPHEUS ROAD. It's about ghosts!

Well, gotta run for now. Have a great weekend and we'll see you on Monday!