Fred Van Lente's Blog: Maximum Fred, page 4

The Story Behind the Story: TEN DEAD COMEDIANS

For the terrific mystery blog The Rap Sheet I wrote a short essay on how my childhood experiences with bullying and comedy (!) led me to write my debut novel Ten Dead Comedians . Give it a read here.

See you at the MERRIMACK VALLEY HALLOWEEN BOOK FEST!

Thrilled Christopher Golden invited me to this year's Merrimack Valley Halloween Book Festival at the Haverhill Public Library in Haverhill Mass from 10am to 4:30pm this Saturday, October 21. I'll be headed up and tabling with my pal author Nicholas (DYING IS MY BUSINESS) Kaufmann and appearing on the "Comics in Horror" panel at 12:30pm. Attendance is free, so c'mon up and get your spook on!

FVL @ NYCC: Where to find me (UPDATED!)

My home base will be Artists Alley table E26 for my hometown New York Comic Con this year, but I will be running around to various and sundry events as well. If I'm not at E26, here's where I'll be, come say hi:

THURSDAY, Oct 5

11am - Noon: Signing with Ryan Dunlavey for Comic Book History of Comics at IDW (Booth 1844)

12:30pm-2:45pm: Artists Alley E26

3:00-3:50pm: Valiant Universe panel Room 1A05

FRIDAY, Oct 6

Open - 2:00pm: Artists Alley E26

2:15-3:00pm Signing at Valiant (Booth 1635)

4:30pm-6:00pm: Artists Alley E26

SATURDAY, Oct 7

10:00am-10:30am Signing at Marvel (Booth 1354)

11:15am-1:15pm: Artists Alley E26

1:30pm-2:30pm Is it Dark in Here or Is It Just My Book panel Room 1A24

2:45pm-3:45pm Signing at Autograph Area 23

4:00pm-6:00pm Artists Alley E26

SUNDAY, Oct 8

Open to 2:00pm Artists Alley E26

2:15-3:00pm Signing at Valiant (Booth 1635)

ACTION PRESIDENTS coming Feb 6 (and ready for pre-order)

Exciting news! For some time super-cartoonist Ryan Dunlavey and I have been working on the follow-up to our irreverent-but-accurate non-fiction graphic novels ACTION PHILOSOPHERS and COMIC BOOK HISTORY OF COMICS.

Well that new series, ACTION PRESIDENTS, is soon to be here from HarperCollins -- the first two volumes of the OGN series (110 pp+ per hardcover volume!) will be available on February 6, 2018, and they are available for pre-order right now:

Action Presidents Vol 1: GEORGE WASHINGTON!

Action Presidents Vol 2: ABRAHAM LINCOLN!

Real History! Fake Jokes! Aimed at the middle grade market but enjoyable for all ages, this comics series gives you the real story on America's First Executives -- and makes you laugh while doing it!

Comics Pro to Prose: How I Got There

I write about what it was like to make the leap from a decade as a comics scripter to the wide, woolly world of prose-writing with my first novel TEN DEAD COMEDIANS at the Quirk Books blog--check it out!

"It's a Funny Story..." Panel from SDCC

I was on a terrific panel at this year's Comic-Con International about writing humor, and these fine folks taped it and put it up on YouTube so I can share it with everyone. Too cool! Check it out here.

The official description and line up of funny folks are:

Everyone's heard the saying, "Dying is easy-it's comedy that's hard." The panelists discuss the challenges of creating humor that reaches an audience and how it can be used to temper serious tomes. Brendan Reichs (NEMISIS) guides the conversation with Brandon Snider (WHAT WOULD CAPTAIN PICARD DO?), Fred Van Lente (TEN DEAD COMEDIANS), Liz Climo (YOU DON'T WANT A UNICORN), Gini Koch (THE ALIEN SERIES), and Gabe Hudson (GORK, THE TEENAGE DRAGON).

SDCC 2017: Where to Find FVL

Only public appearances are Thursday and Saturday this year. Keepin' it light this time around... though many secret things are going on behind the scenes... (laughs evilly)

THURSDAY July 20

3:00 – 4:00 PM It’s a Funny Story…Writing Humor

Horton Grand Theater: 444 Fourth Ave

With Brandon Snider, Liz Climo, Gini Koch, Gabe Hudson, and John Hodgeman

4:30-5:30 PM Post-panel signing

Autograph area – AA09

SATURDAY July 22

12:00 - 12:45 PM Signing at MARVEL booth

Wherever that is ... look for the big Marvel sign I guess? I think they have trading cards with my name on it for me to sign, that should prove interesting.

2:00 - 3:00PM Valiant panel

Wikia.com stage at Petco Park (Yes, really)

6:00 - 7:00PM Bam! Spiff! Writing for Comics

Room 11

With Andy Schmidt and Eric Schultz

First rule of writing comics: Never ever use the word "Spiff"

#CONHACKS for San Diego Comic Con

Over at the Quirk Books blog, I tell you about the three places you can enjoy San Diego Comic Con without spending a dime:

1) Hotel bars
2) Between industry parties
3) Dumpsters.

Read it and weep... WITH JOY.

Happy Pub Day, TEN DEAD COMEDIANS!

After what feels like forever -- whew! -- copies of my stand-up murder mystery TEN DEAD COMEDIANS are now available in dead tree, e-book and audiobook everywhere those things are stored! I very much hope you enjoy it, and if you do, please give it a good review here on GOODREADS -- it very much helps.

Find your favorite place to buy it here at the book's official site.

Thanks again, and don't die (laughing)!

My BOOK POP TOUR dates and locations announced!

Exciting stuff as we gear up for the release of my first prose novel, the stand-up murder mystery TEN DEAD COMEDIANS on July 11th. That week I'm gonna do a bookstore blitz of the tristate area, literally three states in three days! If you are in PHILLY, JERSEY or QUEENS check out these dates and see if they work for you -- you'll also have fellow Quirkers Jason Rekulak and Grady Hendrix on the bill! And don't forget to reserve your copy of the book for 7/11!