Tuesday, June 15, 2010

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!

32 comments:

T.J. said...

Number 10 was the best comment. There should be a campaign to get that game to be a perfect game. Umps are stupid and they should've been able to replay it.
I have to agree on the Lost thing. Some things would've been nice to have answers to, but still, they did a good job. When in life do you get all the answers?
Great post. And lunch/dinner invitation still stands, dude.

Unknown said...

Yeah, Sehlig is pretty much a turd.

On the plus side, I'll be getting an ARC of Scorch soon! The only thing that remains to be seen is how many bodies I leave in my wake. :-D

Anonymous said...

I love the lack of humidity here in Utah. It's so great! And I can't wait for the Scorch Trials!

Cecelia said...

I like the vuvuzelas, too! I'm kind of bummed that they'll be muting crowd noise for the rest of the tournament. Way to change reality, ESPN. Also? I sort of worry about the intelligence of the American people when they keep the jersey colors up under the team names for THE ENTIRE GAME. But you know, maybe we can't figure it out? Or something? Anyway, good luck writing, and congrats on The New Yorker article!

numberonedashnerfan said...

Hey James,
I'm glad your having a fantastic summer!(something I can't say for myself....exspecaily this week): ..........).....How's you knee doing?...so in my brothers yearbook(he had worn the 13th reality shirt to school a few times) some of his friendds wrote a nice message then all of a sudden it says ps. don't wear your 13th reality shirt anymore im jealous of it.............random question time, How do/did you get through books you didn't want to read but you have to for school(books like Lord Jim, Scarlet Letter, etc).........I can't wait for your next books to come out........and whats with this whole you not going to a movie recently,thats not like you.........TIKI TIKI DUDE!!!!!

Marta O. Smith said...

Maze Runner finally rose to the top of my towering "to be read" pile, and I'm wondering WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG TO READ THIS?!? It's good. Really, really good. Can't wait to get my hands on The Scorch Trials.

Unknown said...

Ha ha that's so cool! I especially thought it was very... interesting when the Maze Runner was included in cliff hanger books... can't wait for the 2nd one!!!!

Vanessa M. said...

Congrats on the New Yorker.

When you get ARCs out, please PLEASE hold some contests. We all love contests.... especially from the Dashner Dude...... And the words FREE and BOOKS and I-GET-TO-READ-IT-BEFORE-YOU-DO are amazing. Especially all together....

... said...

Hi, since I can't seem to find an email for you I just thought I'd be one of those annoying people who posts non-related comments on blogs. I just read The Maze Runner and it was awesome and I loved it. So much. And this is coming from a 17 year old girl and I'm fairly certain that I'm not the target audience but whatever it was an awesome book and I just wanted to thank you for writing it :D

Also, I want an ARC of The Scorch Trials so much you don't even know.

Magenta said...

1: Good luck with Death Cure! ^_^
2: I read the entire 3 page article. It was a really good one. So cool that you and Maze are mentioned in the New Yorker!
3: I spotted a spelling error. (Wow, even best-selling authors make 'em. Who knew? 0,o) You wrote spent instead of sent.
4: I agree with Vanessa. PLEASE have a contest for an ARC of Scorch Trials!!! You always give really good contests, and I'm sure it'd be a big hit. (I won an ARC off you before, so I bet I can do it again. ^_~)
7: My sibs and I just came back from seeing "How to Train Your Dragon." If you haven't seen it yet, it is awesome! I may blog about it later.
8: Good luck with the backyard.
9: Right now it's 86 degrees, in Florida at night. It can get really hot in the daytime. ~,~ 60 degrees sounds so awesome! I want to visit Utah so bad, for many reasons!

Magenta said...

By the way, I wrote a review for Blade of Shattered Hope on my Book Club blog recently. Check it out, when you have the time! ^_~ I even revamped the layout.

http://bettinasbooks2009.blogspot.com/2010/06/13th-reality-blade-of-shattered-hope-by.html

Lyssa(: said...

Hey James!

Oh, yeah I totally know what u mean about the Georgia weather. My little brother was on our towns B-ball team this year so many times we were stuck out there in the scorching weather. Lol.

I wanted to ask what do I need to do to get an advanced copy of The Scorch Trails? And also how many kids do you have?

Thank so much! :)

Alyssa

Matt Hayes said...

Hey, James,

When you can, you should post the first couple of chapters of THE SCORCH TRIALS on THE MAZE RUNNER wesbite.

Jackson Porter said...

Okay, I feel horrible. Definitely horrible. I haven't commented yet and this is the 14 comment. That's my worse yet.

Nothing to say but...

I can't believe you went on vacation!!!

Ha-ha, just kidding. It just got kind of boring without your blog posts.

-Jackson

MARY IN SCOTLAND said...

Oh, the humidity of the east! I grew up there and well...I'm not sure you ever get use to it, you just learn to live with it!

Can't wait for The Scorch Trials!

Congrats on The New Yorker!

Leesie Jones said...

All I read was "Leesie is getting the first ARC"
Did I miss something?
Haha

melissa @ 1lbr said...

Oh yeah! ARCs! I'll have to devise a plot to get one...

LouMac said...

James!

I have kind of had a busy schedule lately and haven't been able to get online. (Sports and stuff) I went to the bookmobile and guess what book I saw!?! The Blade of Shattered Hope! I was so excited! I was already reading a book. My mom wanted me to read Pride & Prejudice so I finally decided to do it. But I checked it out anyway. I decided I'd read about 3 chapters and then get back to P&P. Well, I laid down on my bed and got under the covers. That was my second mistake. (The first was checking it out...) I was hooked on the first page. I ended up reading fifteen chapters before it was time to go to bed. My mom told me to turn out the lights. So I did. The lights in my room anyways...I decided that the bathroom light doesn't count! I finished it and loved it. I think you are an awesome author and I can't wait for more.

Since I haven't been on in a while, I just want to say congratulations on everything that's happened lately. You definitely deserve it! I hope one day when I'm an author myself, I can have as much success as you. You have a rockin' summer!

Oh! And I have a quick question. Do you still live in South Jordan? Or is it a different address. I'm asking because I want to write you a letter. Or are you just overflowing with fan mail? :D

Dashnog-foliblu
Definition: type of sauce/dressing found in the Himalayas used on a special kind of noodles.

Usage: The first thing the boy pulled out of his backpack was some noodles so he could have them with his newly found foliblu sauce.

julie said...

thats awesome about the article, james!!! i CANNOT wait for scorch trials!! its already on my calendar :)
OOOOOOOOOOH!! so GUESS WHAT BOOK was on my summer required reading list??????? THE MAZE RUNNER!!! when i read the list i turned to my friend next to me and was like, "OMG you HAVE to read the maze runner it is SOOOOOO AWESOME so its about..."
*30 minutes later*
"....and so he wakes up from his changing and OMG its just so good!! do you want to borrow it???"
haha, jk but i really did freak out at my friend about it :D
just thought i'd let you know that its getting bigger in amherst, nh!!!!
<3julie

Anonymous said...

ok WOW i've tried to comment 3 TIMES on a reallllly long comment and now i really dont want to re-type it a 4TH TIME so all in all awesome about the article and OMG The Maze Runner was on my summer reading list and i cant wait for Scorch Trials.
goodness i hope this post.
<3julie
PS i was more enthusiastic in my other copies of the comment but it doesnt post, you start to lose excitment :D

Anonymous said...

wow so NOWWW it decides to show up!!! oh well.
haha now you have the long version and the condensed!!
<3julie

CreativeWriterDreammaker said...

I understand how you kids. Feel I have to be outside in 90 to 100 degrees everyday. The way I have to survive is by drinking tons of water.

Krystal said...

i was just wondering does anyone know if the scorch trials is actually the sequel to the maze runner because it says it is the companion to the maze runner on the cover. is it gonna be different characters and then in the third book it all gets linked together? i hope not :/ i cant stand it when authors do that.

Vanessa M. said...

it's a sequel. I think James said he was getting that "companion" bit fixed.

Anonymous said...

oh good! thanks :)

Lula! said...

I liked every bit of this...cheered your inclusion in The New Yorker (which I knew was A Very Big Deal because I watch Sex and the City), agree with the humidity in Georgia (just returned from a trip to the Aquarium, World of Coke, and Stone Mountain), and you know how I feel about Lost...

...but then I got to your "d-bag" comment and I went from like to LOVE.

For real.

Shelli (srjohannes) said...

Ji James, I met you at BEA and you gacve me a signed copy to give away on my blog and you agreed to inetrview. I am not sure how to get a hold of you directly.
my email is sjohannes@bilaninc.com.

Unknown said...

The Scorch Trials excerpt we got at BEA was such a tease - I am crossing my fingers that I won't be forgotten at ARC time!

For the record, Galarraga was robbed. If that had happened to Chamberlain or Pettitte, there would be riots in NYC.

aubtobobtolob said...

Sent you the gift from my dad (that was code for awesome read). Humidity is a killer, even up here in New York we get slammed. sigh. Good luck with the yard, no ticks how are you gonna manage that? They like grass! ;-)
cant wait for the new book!
The New Yorker is the most amazingly prestigious magazine for an author to be in. Hands down. Well done!

Anonymous said...

Hey, this has nothing to do with your post but I just saw that Thomas from the The Maze Runner was nominated to be one of the Best Heros on the Teen Reads Awards. You probably already saw it but I just wanted to tell you that I was really happy when I saw it. I would vote for it, but I don't live in Canada :(

Heather Moore said...

Congrats on the New Yorker. I guess if they say it's a big deal, then you'd better believe it ;)

Unknown said...

I'd just like to say that I found out about The Maze Runner in the article in the New Yorker, I got it from the library, read it in one day, and now I'm in love with it. I really can't wait for the next book!