Tim Downs's Blog, page 5
November 11, 2009
You Don't Know Nick – Day 2
Last night's question: In First the Dead, what was the name of the organization of forensic specialists that Nick was in New Orleans volunteering with?
Answer: Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team
Winner: Hannah Williamson
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November 10, 2009
November 9, 2009
"You Don't Know Nick" Contest! Free books to winners!
Last month Simon & Schuster released a bind-up of my first two Bug Man novels, Shoofly Pie and Chop Shop. "Bind-up" is the term publishers use to describe two separate novels published under a single cover; the term you and I might use is "bargain." (Christmas shopping tip: There's no cheaper way to buy my first two novels.)
With the holidays fast approaching I'm in the mood to give things away, so I've decided to host a contest to give away some free copies of the new book. I'm calling the c...
November 3, 2009
The Polls are Closed and the Votes are Counted
SPOILER ALERT! THIS COMMENT DISCUSSES THE SURPRISE ENDING OF ENDS OF THE EARTH! READER BEWARE!
Midnight last night marked the final deadline for voting for the conclusion of my latest novel, Ends of the Earth. If you followed the voting results along the way (by clicking on the gigantic red-white-and-blue link on my website that said "VOTE RESULTS," in case you overlooked it) then the outcome is not exactly a surprise to you: Alena Savard shot off to an early lead and never lost it. After...
November 2, 2009
Last Chance to Cast Your Vote
Tomorrow at midnight (Tuesday, November 3rd) is the final deadline for casting your vote to determine the official conclusion to Ends of the Earth. I hated to have to set a deadline, since comments continue to come in from readers who just finished the book and barely cast their votes in time to be counted. I know there are lots of other readers who won't pick up the book until a month or a year from now (or a decade, thanks to libraries) and those readers will feel just as strongly about...
October 22, 2009
What is it about Halloween?
For those of you who only know me as a novelist, you might be interested to know that my first real job was writing and drawing a daily comic strip. My strip was called Downstown, and it was syndicated by the same people that also represented Doonesbury, Cathy, The Far Side, and Calvin & Hobbes (I love to drop those names because it makes my strip sound more famous than it was). What, you've never heard of Downstown? Well, that might be because I retired the strip before some of you were...
October 18, 2009
And the Winners Are…
Hugh Laurie as forensic entomologist Nick Polchak
Mark Harmon as FBI agent Nathan Donovan
Jennifer Garner as terrorism expert Macy Donovan
In a contest that was too close to call, Hugh Laurie narrowly edged out Jeff Goldblum to win the role of Dr. Nick Polchak, forensic entomologist. Mark Harmon, on the other hand, was the runaway favorite to play the role of FBI agent Nathan Donovan. The voting was close once again between Jennifer Garner and CSI's Marg Helgenberger for the role of...
October 15, 2009
Final Casting Call: Pick the Winners
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It's been about a week since I asked you to help cast an imaginary Bug Man movie starring Nick Polchak, Nathan Donovan, and Macy Donovan. It's been a lot of fun and I've had a lot of laughs over some of your casting suggestions. What surprised me most was the diversity of your responses. I expected to see just a handful of names repeated again and again, but what I found was just the opposite. Everyone seemed to have a different suggestion, which tells me something I find...
October 12, 2009
Go Ahead, Stuff the Ballot Box
SPOILER ALERT! THIS POST DISCUSSES THE SURPRISE ENDING OF ENDS OF THE EARTH! READER BEWARE!
They say that all good things must come to an end, and that means I'm forced to set a deadline for voting on the cliffhanger ending of Ends of the Earth—so I've chosen Election Day, Tuesday, November 3rd, at midnight. It seems fitting, doesn't it?
I hate to see this end because I've really enjoyed saying "cliffhanger ending"--not to mention reading all of your comments and opinions on how the story...
October 9, 2009
Effort Like This Should be Recognized
SPOILER ALERT! THIS COMMENT DISCUSSES THE SURPRISE ENDING OF ENDS OF THE EARTH! READER BEWARE!
I received a lovely card by snail mail today from Carol McKitrick of Findlay, Ohio. Her card reads:
Dear Friends,
I have no computer but I believe I have the best ending to your new book "Ends of the Earth." It should be Alena he has asked to marry him. He is not cut out for the snobby life with Kathryn. Alena offers a more challenging life & that is what Nick wants, a more knowledge-seeking life...
