Jason Kirk's Blog, page 3

What you might be missing about "weird"

First, quickly:

HELL IS A WORLD WITHOUT YOU audiobook coming August 2024. Subscribe to this Substack to be the first to know. Also this is where the College Football Watch Grid happens.

Raleigh, North Carolina: Join us Sunday, August 25 at Quail Ridge Books for a Q&A/reading/signing/whatever with Michael Surber, Demetri Ravanos, and *the* Emily Kirk. Your ticket includes a copy at basically retail price!

The day prior in Raleigh, the Shutdown Fullcast will headline the first-ever Sports Podcast Fe...

Thank you

Final charity donation number:

Proceeds from Hell Is a World Without You ’s first three months will fund a final Trevor Project donation of $56,100. (We sent the first $39K in December, another $6,979 just now, and the rest as royalties arrive.) To put this number into book-industry context: Well, it’s a really fucking good number, and now it’ll do some real-world good, benefiting the lives of LGBTQ youth. THANK YOU AGAIN!!!

New writeups of my novel from:

Book and Film Globe: “Kirk pulls off a mirac...

How much of that was real?

Business!!! More recs for everyone to buy my novel that’d already been recommended by dozens of excellent creators:

Kirkus Reviews, the librarian-trusted reviewer awarding its uncommon “GET IT” accolade: "Layered with humor. Meticulously examines Christianity. Blends sublimely. Hilariously blunt. Endearing."

Independent Book Review, which revealed top-tier “STARRED” status: “Joyous and sobering. Intensity balanced by humor. Brilliant, taboo-shirking. Searing emotional honesty. Wonderful novel.”

Fun...

104 very Evangelical references in my novel

Business:

Wednesday, January 17 at 8 p.m. ET, we’ll do a live audio chat about my novel in the Moon Crew Booster Club Discord, to which VBS Patreon subscribers have access. We’ll try and delineate a No Spoilers Zone for a while, we’ll do another chat in a couple months, and anyone’s free to ask me anything about the book whenever they like otherwise. (Anyone else with Discord access is totally welcome to participate! Tbh, I created that Discord but also currently have no idea how many ways there ...

The entire history of the Rapture

First, some business:

HELL IS A WORLD WITHOUT YOU has donated its first $39,000+ in proceeds to the Trevor Project. Mind you, that’s already about four times the typical debut novel’s entire advance. All other proceeds received by 2/12/2024 will also be donated. Tell someone to buy it.

Some new reviews:

Publishers Weekly/BookLife: “Brutal honesty and extensive empathy. Tear-inducing. A resonant novel with laugh-out-loud comedy and poignant insight.”

Independent Book Review: “Joyous and sobering. ...

WATCH GRID: CFB's entire postseason

First, the local business:

Hell Is a World Without You has sold thousands of copies in its first week and a half, many of them pay-what-you-want hardcovers. That’s [an algebra-failer continues crunching numbers] quite a bit of money already set aside for the Trevor Project. This #niche book has also sold out a 500-person venue for its February launch party in Atlanta, thanks to a #niche podcast.

It’s newly available at Google Play and Apple Books, and reader reviews are trickling in on Goodreads a...

FAQs about my book :)

[Note for sports fans: No CFB Watch Grid this week. It’s all really obvious! I’ll do one for bowl season, though.]

Sup, I wrote a novel, available for preorders (or at least they were supposed to be preorders lmao). All money I make from Hell Is a World Without You sales by February 12, 2024 will go to the Trevor Project.

Also, our book launch party is on February 16 at Monday Night Brewing’s Garage in Atlanta, with the Shutdown Fullcast doing “Church Disasters” live. Tickets and details here. Not...

The Bobby Petrino shenanigans timeline, 2001-2023

An older version of this post appeared at SB Nation in 2014, co-bylined with my pal Pete Volk. Because Bobby Petrino is Bobby Petrino, it has needed regular updates ever since. While I have you here, buy my novel for charity and in general. We’re also doing a live book launch in Atlanta on 2/16 with the Shutdown Fullcast.

Bobby Petrino is 137-71 as a college head coach. He's also notorious for moving on from jobs ASAP while amassing memorable scandals.

To say the least, Petrino does not have a ste...

Buy my book, 'HELL IS A WORLD WITHOUT YOU'

Sup, I’ve spent several years/decades writing something that was professionally edited and is really good, according to the many lovely testimonials below. It’s live almost everywhere right now.

First, here’s the sales pitch:

“Rarely has an Evangelical upbringing been depicted with the relentless honesty, wide-ranging empathy, and Superbad-meets-Siddhartha playfulness of HELL IS A WORLD WITHOUT YOU.

“During the time of Pizza Hut buffets, 9/11, and all-night Mario Kart parties, a grieving teenager ...

Preorder my book, 'HELL IS A WORLD WITHOUT YOU'

Sup, I’ve spent several years/decades writing something that’s really good, according to the 20 lovely testimonials below. It’s since been edited by professionals. Publish is set for February 12, 2024.

First, here’s the sales pitch:

“Rarely has an Evangelical upbringing been depicted with the relentless honesty, wide-ranging empathy, and Superbad-meets-Siddhartha playfulness of HELL IS A WORLD WITHOUT YOU.

“During the time of Pizza Hut buffets, 9/11, and all-night Mario Kart parties, a grieving te...