Jim Nelson's Blog, page 2

Kobo & me

For some time now, I’ve been planning to make my older books available on ebook platforms not named after South American rainforests. After a couple of years of putting it off—I’m a notorious procrastinator—a friend and professional acquaintance in New Zealand asked why he couldn’t get my books from Kobo, his preferred platform. That set me in motion.

(It was not my first time hearing this suggestion. A reader from Canada asked me the same question a few years back.)

Previously, the on...

Pre-order “A Man Named Baskerville: Special Edition”

Pre-orders for the special hardcover edition of are now available—

Amazon (USA)Amazon (UK)

retells the infamous Arthur Conan Doyle mystery in a way never told before. It’s a sizzling new take on a classic hailed as a masterpiece of the English language, named one of the most influential books ever by the BBC and Le Monde, and beloved by Sherlock Holmes fans worldwide for over a century.

“Nelson...

Ten years of blogging: Waiting for Neuro

Fan-made movie poster for William Gibson’s Neuromancer.

Previously: A unique manifesto

In this series where I review my last ten years of blogging, I tend to focus on posts that either made some waves, or posts with subjects I want to take up again. The 2022 post I want to return to has both qualities. It regards William Gibson’s cyberpunk classic Neuromancer.

Back then, I wrote about the Waiting for Godot-like patience the book’s fans have endured in anticipation of a movie adaptation....

Secret Agenda: Watergate, Deep Throat and the CIA by Jim Hougan

(This was originally written for Astral Codex Ten’s annual book review contest, but did not make the final round. I’m posting it here for anyone interested in American political history, as well as for all the Watergate buffs out there. You know who you are. Enjoy.)

“I had this nagging feeling that the Watergate might turn out like the Reichstag fire. You know, forty years from now will people still be asking did the guy set it and was he a German or was he just a crazy Dutchman?”...

“A Man Named Baskerville: Special Edition” Kickstarter crosses the finish line

And that’s a wrap—MX Publishing’s closed earlier today with 81 backers pledging £1,842 (USD$2,241) toward the upcoming Special Edition hardback.

Learn more about on my web site. I should have more information soon on the hardback edition, as well as an upcoming audiobook.

Thanks, everyone! Here’s to a great 2025.

Published 18 January 2025.

Kickstarter update: “A Man Named Baskerville: Special Edition”

With MX Publishing producing a special hardcover edition of , they launched a Kickstarter to get the word out and defray costs.

There’s still time to join in, and plenty of donor rewards remain available. If you donate before the deadline, you can claim:

A Man Named Baskerville PDFsSigned paperback copiesSigned copies of the forthcoming hardcover first editionand exclus...

Ten years of blogging: A unique manifesto

The Atlantic magazine, July/August 2001. This issue featured the first installment of B. R. Myer’s original “A Reader’s Manifesto”

Previously: Flaubertian three-dimensionalism

My favorite blog post for 2021 would have to be my review of B. R. Myers A Reader’s Manifesto, a book of literary criticism with a remarkable life: It started as a different book, was published as a two-part essay in The Atlantic, and then was published in book form yet again. (The history of its repeated rebirth i...

A year ago: “A Charlie Brown Christmas”

Last December, I posted some thoughts on “A Charlie Brown Christmas” that kind of took off. Here’s how it opens:

Last night, I saw a live performance of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” at the San Francisco Symphony. One of the people I went with had never seen the original television cartoon—yes, it’s true.

Afterwards, she asked a simple question: “Why did Charlie Brown pick such a bad tree for Christmas?”

Here it is again, one year later:

The other meaning of “A Charlie Brown Christm...

“A Man Named Baskerville: Special Edition” Kickstarter starts now

As mentioned in my , MX Publishing is holding to spread the word of the publication of a special hardcover edition of A Man Named Baskerville as well as a forthcoming audiobook.

Well, the Kickstarter has started, and I’m asking for your help. There are some great donor rewards for your generous contribution:

A Man Named Baskerville PDFsSigned paperback copiesSigned copies of the hardcover first editionExclusive Hound Megapacks, which incl...

Coming soon – A MAN NAMED BASKERVILLE: Special Edition & audiobook

I’m pleased to announce that I’ve signed with MX Publishing in London to release two new editions of , my reinterpretation of the classic Sherlock Holmes mystery.

Some time in early 2025, you should expect to see a new hardcover and audiobook of Baskerville. I’m especially excited about the audiobook, as this will be the first one produced for my novels.

In order to offset publication costs, MX Publishing will be running a Kickstarter. The donor gift tiers are ...