Brent Weeks's Blog, page 62
September 3, 2013
Fan Art Submission #7
August 29, 2013
Sam Sykes Intros Brent Weeks
A few months ago, the kind folks at Bubonicon asked me if there was anyone else attending that would write a brief introduction about me for the Con’s program book. At the time, I only knew two other authors who were attending: Sam Sykes and George R.R. Martin. One of these two is a good friend. So naturally I asked George.
He said no.*
That left me with Sam. Behold the horror:
by Sam Sykes
Who is Brent Weeks?
The question cannot be answered by measure of time, but by measure of humanity. For to ask “who is Brent Weeks,” we must first ask, “Who are we to know Brent Weeks?”
Is he the author of bestselling books such as The Night Angel trilogy and The Lightbringer series? Of course. Are his books produced in countless countries and languages? Absolutely. Has he been nominated for many awards and earned the devotion of millions of readers who speak his name in whispers, as a dying man mutters to his children? This is known.
But it is what is unknown about Brent Weeks that makes him who he is.
Born in the rugged mountains of Montana, Brent Weeks bent the bars on his first crib and wandered out into the snow. There, he was adopted by a clan of grizzly bears. He grew large by suckling at the teats of a two-ton Kodiak and feasting on the chewed-up carcasses of deer she emptied into his craw. When he came of age, he challenged his bear father, Ursoc the Moon-Eye, to a duel and ate his liver, thus earning the right to be called a man.
Much of Brent’s skill as an author comes from stalking and devouring smaller, weaker writers. He is much-lauded for his prowess at the hunt, having accumulated a throne of the bleached bones of those who have challenged. Great magazines such as American Emu, Much Mucho Mali! and Ta-Da: The Magazine By and For Aspiring Magicians have been forgotten after Brent Weeks feasts upon their writers.
But a man is much more than his birth, and the legend of Brent Weeks does not end in bestseller lists and awards. It ends in fire. It ends in darkness. It ends in disaster.
Brent Weeks was the first man to land on the moon, and later, the first man to fake the moon landing so that humanity might have hope.
Brent Weeks was the founder of the East India Company and for a time was known as the “Naked Tiger” in the Raj’s court. Upon heavy reflections of his sins, Brent later disbanded the Company and penned, in penance, an account of exactly how many elephants he fired out of cannons at protestors.
Brent Weeks discovered the cure for Black Plague and, wishing something to use it on, invented the Black Plague and unleashed it upon Europe, killing millions.
The Inuit tribes of Northern Alaska have twenty-six different words for “Brent Weeks.” Twelve of them are curses. Five are noises a woman in labor or a grandmother slipping on an ice patch makes. Exactly two are words one utters to an elder to show respect, but in a grudging sort of way, like when they break wind at the dinner table and oh god it smells like onions but you can’t say boo because he’s your grandpa so you just sort of hum and say “Brent Weeks.”
To know Brent Weeks is to know more than simply excellent books and a brilliant imagination. To know Brent Weeks is to know (dramatic pause) ourselves.
*Yes, I made this up.
Brent in the Albuquerque Journal
by CAPSLOCK
Adrian Gomez of The Albuquerque Journal interviewed Brent last week as part of a preview for Bubonicon. Though you’ll need to answer 1 short poll question to access it, you can go HERE to check it out.
August 28, 2013
Goodreads Giveaway Winners
by CAPSLOCK
The Goodreads giveaway for the signed copy of The Blinding Knife in trade paperback has closed. The three winners, Shari F., Judy L., and Liza F. will be receiving their prize shortly. Thanks to everyone who participated!
August 27, 2013
Brent Muses on the Plot Twist
by CAPSLOCK
As part of the launch for the new Blinding Knife trade paperback, Orbit has posted Brent’s musings on “The Best Possible Betrayal, or The Fine Art of the Plot Twist in Your Back.” And we know how well Brent does a plot twist. Go HERE to read it.
The Blinding Knife: Trade Paperback
by CAPSLOCK
The Blinding Knife is available today in trade paperback online and in bookstores everywhere. Go HERE to order yours if you haven’t already.
What will you get?
1. TWO exclusive chapters of The Broken Eye, the next book in The Lightbringer Series (remember THIS? Now you can actually read it!)*
2. A complete glossary, character list, map and appendix of The Lightbringer world.
3. A more compact version to hand off to friends and family:
4. And look how well it goes together with The Black Prism trade paperback!
*UPDATE FROM BRENT for UK READERS: Those of you who get the copy distributed from the U.K. WILL NOT find the extra chapters. I’m really sorry about this — I only found about it about a week ago (after the printing was already completed). I hope you really enjoy Brian McClellan’s chapters of Promise of Blood, which is there instead. All the other extras are there.
August 23, 2013
SFWA Readings
by CAPSLOCK
We are so excited to announce that Brent will be participating in two special SFWA readings this October with two very influential authors: the first event will be with Greg Bear and the second with Terry Brooks. Fantasy author Peter Orullian, author of the epic fantasy The Unremembered, is hosting both events, so you’ll be getting a triple dose of SF/F author awesomeness each evening!
Brent’s first reading (with Greg Bear) will be on Tuesday, October 15th at the Wilde Rover Irish Pub & Restaurant in Seattle at 7pm. Go HERE to register.
The second reading (with Terry Brooks) will be on Wednesday, October 16th at the McMenamin’s Kennedy School in Portland at 7pm. Go HERE to register.
More details HERE.
August 20, 2013
Giveaway: The Blinding Knife Trade Paperback
by CAPSLOCK
To celebrate the launch of the trade paperback version of The Blinding Knife, Brent is giving away three signed copies via Goodreads. The contest ends next Tuesday, August 27th — the same day as the book release — so go HERE for a chance to win. (This giveaway is for the U.S. only, though we plan to do some more international giveaways in the near future!)
Besides the awesome appendix, character list, and glossary included in the hardcover edition, the trade paperback also has the first two chapters of The Broken Eye. Click on any of the icons below to pre-order your copy!
August 19, 2013
What’s with the Hooded Man?
Aidan Moher of the influential fantasy blog, A Dribble of Ink, has often expressed his hatred of the over-abundance of Hooded Man covers in fantasy.
He interviews Lauren Panepinto, creative director of Orbit, and designer of my covers (which the eagle-eyed among you have noticed feature hooded men) about a design that became a trope that became a cliché. Check it out HERE.
Fan Art Submission #6
by CAPSLOCK
From fan artist Ben D. comes another look at Durzo Blint:
I like how menacing he looks as he holds the knife. Very Durzo.
(Also, new poll!)
