Christopher Golden's Blog, page 2

The Next Big Thing: FATHER GAETANO’S PUPPET CATECHISM

The Next Big Thing: FATHER GAETANO’S PUPPET CATECHISM So…most of you probably know this already…maybe…possibly. There’s a wonderful blog-contagion going on, something called THE NEXT BIG THING. A blog-hop, they call it, and in it authors are mean to answer a handful of questions about their latest work and then tag five or so other authors to do the same the following week. As you might imagine, it’s growing exponentially. I mean, do the math, right? A month or so ago, my good friend Stephen Volk ( http://www.stephenvolk.net/ ) asked me if I wanted to do it, but I was on a craaazy deadline for my upcoming thriller for St. Martin’s, SNOWBLIND, which is now complete. Then, a week or so ago, the great and funny and charming and brilliant Dana Cameron tagged me. I was on a different deadline, no less desperate, but I realized that if I didn’t jump in, I was going to miss the Next Big Thing entirely. The circus would have passed me by. Also, I didn’t want Dana mad at me. Bitch’ll cut a guy. Of course, I was supposed to have this blog up yesterday, so I may yet face her wrath. My answers to the questions—and the poor suckers I’ve tagged for next week—are below, but you should also go and check out Dana’s Next Big Thing blog from last week, and pick up her first urban fantasy, SEVEN KINDS OF HELL. Where did the idea come from for the book? CG: FATHER GAETANO’S PUPPET CATECHISM is the third book I’ve done with Mike Mignola. The prior novels (BALTIMORE and JOE GOLEM AND THE DROWNING CITY) were conceived by Mike. This one—though it has so many elements that are near and dear to Mike’s heart—was my idea. We were on the phone one day, talking about our love of puppets and how unnerving they can be, and the idea hit me pretty much fully-formed, which is rare but nice. It’s short and a St. Martin’s has made a beautiful little book that would make the perfect Christmas gift for anyone who loves fantasy, horror, or just plain weird. What genre does your book fall under? CG: It’s a supernatural story, so you could call it horror, but I think anyone who enjoys dark fantasy would enjoy it as well. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? CG: Funnily enough, it isn’t the actors I think of when I think of a film version of this story—it’s the style. I’d love to see it directed by someone like Henry Selick, done like Coraline or Corpse Bride. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? CG: In the aftermath of a critical World War II battle, Father Gaetano believes that God has called him to teach catechism to a group of young orphans and to restore their faith in God, but he soon finds that it can be dangerous to rely too much on what one perceives as the wishes of one’s creator. Oh, and there are puppets that come to life. [Two sentences. Sue me.] Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency? CG: The book was published about six weeks ago, but was sold at the very tail end of a period of many years in which I represented myself, so the answer to that question is neither. Shortly after selling the book to St. Martin’s, I signed on with the great, and dashingly handsome, Howard Morhaim, and I feel fortunate to have him in my corner. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? CG: About a month, I think. Remember, it’s a novella, not a full-length novel. I’m not sure how long it took Mike to do the illustrations. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? CG: I can’t think of any, really. I’m sure there are plenty and that readers can draw comparisons, but the first thing that comes to mind for me is The Twilight Zone, and not because of the various living doll stories that Serling did. There’s just something about the subtle alteration of reality, the eeriness, and the way in which that series always used the supernatural to explore larger themes that I loved, and the influence of that show on a lot of my work is clear. I do think that if you like creepy, then you’ll like this story. What else about your book might pique the reader's interest? CG: It’s got a gorgeous cover and creepy illustrations by my co-author, Mike Mignola, who is not only the creator of Hellboy, but the greatest and truest artist working in comics today. And those are the questions, folks. The lovely and ruthless Dana Cameron tagged me this week, but she also tagged three other great writers. Here’s what Dana had to say about them…. Toni L. P. Kelner ( ): I've been a fan of Toni's award-winning writing since her Laura Fleming books, and wait until you see her new series, starting with The Skeleton in the Armoire (as Leigh Perry)! I'll let her tell you about that next week! Kat Richardson's () latest novel Seawitch, was #3 on the Locus Hardcover Bestseller list for November! Kat and I got acquainted via anthologies Wolfsbane and Mistletoe (which Toni edited with Charlaine Harris) and most recently, Murder and Mayhem in Muskego. Elaine Viets () has TWO series: the Helen Hawthorne "Dead End Job" mysteries, and the Josie Marcus "Mystery Shopper mysteries." Elaine and I are both members of the Femmes Fatales (as is Toni), and she'll be posting her Next Big thing blog there. ******************* And now we get to the folks I’m tagging, the amazingly talented writers to whom I have spread the Next Big Thing contagion. Look for their posts next Tuesday, December 12th! S.G. Browne’s latest novels are Lucky Bastard (which has a neat little blurb from yours truly, every word of which I meant) and I Saw Zombies Eating Santa Claus…and you know you need that freakin’ book right now. Cherie Priest is the author of the hugely successful Clockwork Century novels, including Boneshaker and the latest, The Inexplicables. She’s also written creepy-as-all-get-out Southern Gothic supernatural tales and urban fantasy, has dynamite fashion sense, and different hair every time I see her. Caitlin Kittredge is the author of the ass-kicking urban fantasy Black London novels and the YA series The Iron Codex, which has the best titles. I mean, book two is The Nightmare Garden, that’s pretty damn cool. She once told me that she’s not ready for the zombie apocalypse but she is prepared for the kitten apocalypse. Make of that what you will. Yes, Amber Benson is the author of the Death's Daughter series of urban fantasy novels, among other things, and yes, she’s an actress-writer-director who has been elevated to the status of cult icon in recent years. She’s also my little sister, gave me the best nickname ever, and commandeers my daughter’s “princess bed” at every opportunity. As far as I know, the only thing that all four of these writers have in common is that they have all written short stories for anthologies I have edited, which means they bear the same psychological scars. Happy Holidays!!!

Master of Ceremonies - Tim Lebbon

For those who might be interested but who were, like me, sadly unable to attend Fantasycon in the UK last week, here's the appreciation I wrote about the weekend's master of ceremonies, Tim Lebbon. (Though "appreciation" might be the wrong word.) YOUR MASTER OF CEREMONIES… TIM LEBBON This is going to be difficult for you, my friends, but the truth must be told—Tim Lebbon only pretends to like you. Oh, he’s everyone’s chum when BFS events roll around, particularly Fantasycon. First with a joke or a knowing smile, first to give you a hearty “well done” after a reading or to console you when you’ve lost that award he’d been the loudest to insist you deserved. I’m sorry to have to be the one to tell you, but it’s all bullshit. Really, Tim Lebbon hates you. Hard to imagine, you say? Perhaps even now, as you read this, you’re going back over all of your Lebbon-interactions and examining them for some evidence of my claim. Perhaps you’re finding only instances that refute this assertion. Tim Lebbon, you may say, is not only a supremely talented writer but the kindest, humblest among us. The most supportive and enthusiastic. The most generous. The most handsome. Well, no, all right…you’re probably not saying that last one. Still, despite your insistent denials, you must be forced to see the truth, to accept that the Tim you know is but a mask to cover the rictus sneer of soul-crushing envy. Yes, he envies you, my friends…every last one of you. He envies the soft skin, coquettish eyes, and lovely figure of Mark Morris. He envies the sophisticated vocabulary, poise, and mannered self-control of Sarah Pinborough. The wardrobe of Kim Newman. The diction of Ramsey Campbell. The special gleam of Stephen Volk’s dome. The quiet reserve of Rio Youers. Adam Nevill’s eyelashes. Pete Crowther’s mustache. Graham Joyce’s buttocks. Tim Lebbon is a seething ball of envy. It isn’t just the writers he envies, either. Stephen Jones, Jo Fletcher, Simon Taylor and so many others will be able, if they but think for a moment, to recognize in Lebbon the editor’s greatest fear—the writer who knows better. Who wants your job, my friends, both because he believes he can do it better than you can but also because he wants to wield the gauntlet of editorial might, to strike down other writers with the dagger-sharp clarity of his narrative instincts. Writers. Editors. Artists. Even you people with far more reliable occupations for which you are regularly and more significantly paid…he envies you all. Cunning as the devil, he cozies up to you in order to glean whatever pearls of wisdom he might gather by simply being in your company. He offers a shoulder upon which you might cry, a joke or a wink or a pat on the back…but only if he believes it might lead to you buying a round at the bar later. In recent times he has crafted a new image for himself, that of an athlete—a marathon runner, of all things—an Iron Man. But I’m here to tell you that this is simply cover for the weight loss he has suffered due to the fact that he is so consumed with envy that he is often unable to eat. Do not be fooled, my friends. By now you must be wondering, who is Christopher Golden to make such outrageous accusations against one of the darlings of the BFS? Who, indeed, but he who has suffered so much at Tim Lebbon’s hands. He cannot write, you see. Not a word. Can barely read, except to recognize the work of his betters. And thanks to a youthful indiscretion on my part, I have been his manservant, his minion, and his ghost writer, lo, these past fifteen years and more, as far back as Mesmer. White, that novella so universally embraced as a modern classic, reprinted over and over again with Lebbon’s byline, optioned for film by the screenwriter Stephen Susco…mine. The Naming of Parts? Hush? Until She Sleeps? All mine. Desolation? Berserk? Dusk and Dawn and all of the other Noreela stories? Me. The Reach of Children? The Thief of Broken Toys? Yep. Even Tim’s most recent works, like Echo City, The Heretic Land, and Coldbrook…all were produced under duress and the threat of blackmail. Not The Nature of Balance, though. That crap was Tim’s. Yes, he’s won awards. Many, many awards, particularly from the BFS, the members of which apparently have a staggering inability to realize when someone is sucking up to them. Awards which should be mine. Over the years of my servitude, however, I have come to the realization that there may be just the tiniest sliver of humanity remaining in Tim Lebbon’s heart. Otherwise he would never have allowed me to share credit for Mind the Gap and the other Hidden Cities books, not to mention The Secret Journeys of Jack London. He took all of the money, though. Every last penny, like the Grinch plucking a crumb from the floor on Christmas Eve. Tim Lebbon… Oh, shit, I think he’s coming. I can hear his footsteps on the stairs. If he should discover my attempt to reveal the tralshgaouglda.&($$ald## Ahem. I first met Tim Lebbon on a moonlit hotel balcony at a New York City horror convention. It was very romantic. Music played nearby. Jack Ketchum attempted to woo a sequence of beautiful damsels. Tim and I, sadly, were immune to that atmosphere of romance and instead spoke about, of all things, art and commerce. We found, I think, an immediate kinship having to do with our attitudes about family, writing, and business. Instantly, a friendship was formed…and the dread began. BFS members will be intimately familiar with this dread. You see, though I was vaguely aware of Tim’s growing reputation as a “writer to watch,” I’d never read a word he’d written. We swapped books the next day and I prayed to the elder gods that he wouldn’t SUCK. You know how the story ends, I suspect. Tim Lebbon is one of the finest writers of horror and dark fantasy working today. As the author of White and Other Tales of Ruin, Face, The Nature of Balance, The Everlasting, and Berserk (among others), he’s proven himself a master of modern horror. Though he began in horror, over the years he’s also proven himself a radically original and refreshing voice in fantasy. He’s won all sorts of awards that I’m sure he’ll be happy to tell you all about if you bring him a beer. A slut for beer is Lebbon. After that first meeting, I asked Tim to write a Hellboy short story for an anthology I was editing, which led to me commissioning two Hellboy novels from him, as well as to our writing seven novels and a screenplay together, with more hopefully on the way. Truthfully, though, if you’ve ever read Tim’s work, you don’t need me to tell you how talented he is, how alive his characters seem, or how vivid the worlds he creates become with the turn of every page. Instead, let me tell you about my friend, Tim Lebbon. I grew up surrounded by women. My father wasn’t in the picture much and that left my mother and my sister, and all of my sister’s girlfriends, to raise my brother and me. All of my life I have gotten along better with women than with men. Of course there are exceptions, but the swaggering, chest-beating, dick-waving nonsense so common to my gender is incredibly off-putting to me. Few things distress me more than attending a gathering where the men are expected to bunch up in one room and talk about sports and beer and home improvement projects while the women sit around a table, gossiping and discussing their latest book club meeting or the achievements of their children. I love talking football, but there’s a limit, you know? At these gatherings, you’re much more likely to find me at the table with the women—at least they change the subject every few minutes. Really, though, I want the group to come together, the conversations to merge. Among writers, the clusters are less clearly defined, but often one group will be dedicated to the art of literature and the other to the commerce of publishing. Just as with those insufferable dinner parties, I fall right in the middle of those two groups, making a living in that place where art and commerce meet. What does any of this have to do with Tim Lebbon? Surely you must have guessed by now. He’s secretly a woman. No, no. Poor taste. The truth is, Tim is my brother. From the moment we first met I felt that we understood each other, that he had about him none of the artifice or ego that so often interfere with the process of establishing real connections between people. Our ambitions mirrored each other, not only professionally but personally as well. Tim is a writer—it’s what he was born to do, just as much a part of him as his name or the color of his eyes. But he is a father first. A husband first. His love for his family supersedes all other concerns. Yes, he is boisterous and quick with a joke. Yes, he is an athlete and he loves his beer. Those are things that contribute to making Tim excellent company. Some of my favorite memories of the past few years include vacationing with the Lebbons on Cape Cod, and a day spent book-shopping with Tim in Hay-on-Wye. But there is a deeper current running beneath that boisterousness and camaraderie, a seriousness of thought and feeling that make Tim also an excellent friend. To many of you who are reading this, it will come as no surprise. That, I truly believe, is our shared good fortune. Right, then. That part dispensed with, let me regale you with a list of his awards and read a selection of laudatory remarks that…ah, never mind. All right, Golden. You can come back to the keyboard, now. Forget that first bit. Just print up the part I wrote and sign your name. Twat. --Christopher Golden Bradford, Massachusetts 11th May, 2012

The John McIlveen Legal Fund

THE JOHN MCILVEEN LEGAL FUND.
Our great friend, John McIlveen--one of the best-loved members of our writing community--is involved in legal proceedings that may endanger his custodial rights as a parent. John is one of the most loving, giving fathers we know, and for the sake of his whole family, his friends have put together the John McIlveen Legal Fund to aid him in his efforts. Without our hel...p, John simply can't afford legal representation. He needs someone who knows the law and the Massachusetts court system. For legal reasons and for the sake of the family, we're keeping the details to a minimum, but let me be clear--John is not accused of any misconduct. He's a fantastic dad involved in a fight that is dramatically lopsided where dollars are concerned.
There are several ways that you can help. If you're an author, you could donate signed books for auction. When those auctions begin to be posted, readers can bid on them to help John and his family out. To everyone else who'd like to help, the best and fastest way is to donate directly to the PayPal account that has been set up specifically for this purpose. An anonymous donor has already pledged to match the first $1000!!! This challenge will cost thousands--possibly many thousands--so anything you can contribute would be deeply appreciated.
The other thing that you can do is spread the word. Share this on your own Facebook page or on Twitter or your blog. And if you know John personally, please comment here and let everyone else who might be considering a donation know what a wonderful guy and father he is! Thanks so much!
The PayPal email for the John McIlveen Legal Fund is JMcLF@comcast.net

21st Century Dead - official Table of Contents

I thought I'd blogged this before, but apparently not. Herewith, the official table of contents for 21st CENTURY DEAD, which hits stores in late June.

"Zombies Are Good For You: An Introduction" by Christopher Golden

"Biters" by Mark Morris

"Why Mothers Let Their Babies Watch Television: A Just-So Horror Story" by Chelsea Cain

"Carousel" by Orson Scott Card

"Reality Bites" by S.G. Browne

"The Drop" by Stephen Susco

"Antiparallelogram" by Amber Benson

"How We Escaped Our Certain Fate" by Dan Chaon

"A Mother's Love" by John McIlveen

"Down and Out in Dead Town" by Simon R. Green

"Devil Dust" by Caitlin Kittredge

"The Dead of Dromore" by Ken Bruen

"All the Comforts of Home: A Beacon Story" by John Skipp & Cody Goodfellow

"Ghost Dog & Pup: Stay" by Thomas E. Sniegoski

"Tic Boom, A Love Story" by Kurt Sutter

"Jack and Jill" by Jonathan Maberry

"Tender as Teeth" by Stephanie Crawford & Duane Swierczynski

"Couch Potato" by Brian Keene

"The Happy Bird and Other Tales" by Rio Youers

"Parasite" by Daniel H. Wilson

Welcome to the Drowning City. Hold Your Breath.

Hi all. Lots more news coming soon, but first, here's the cover to my upcoming second novel with Mike Mignola, arriving first quarter 2012 from St. Martin's Press, full of illustrations by Mike (who also did this cover, as any Mignola fan would know immediately). Hope you all dig it. The book is crazy cool, if I do say so myself.

JOE GOLEM AND THE DROWNING CITY

The cat's out of the bag.

Some time back, Mike Mignola and I mentioned we were writing a new novel together. Now that the announcement of the book has been made on Publishers Marketplace, I thought I'd share it with you. Much more to come.

"Mike Mignola & Christopher Golden's JOE GOLEM AND THE DROWNING CITY, a supernatural-steampunk illustrated novel following an orphaned teenage girl, an aging conjuror, a lunatic scientist, a Victorian occult detective, and the stalwart sidekick, Joe Golem, as they struggle for the fate of an alternate 1970s Lower Manhattan, which sank into the water during a catastrophe in 1925, leaving those unwilling or unable to abandon it to make a new life in streets turned to canals, to Michael Homler at St. Martin's, in a good deal, in a two-book deal, for publication in early 2012 (World)."

Bitten By Books Mega Chat - Secrets Revealed!

Tomorrow, I'll be hanging out all afternoon and into the evening online with the folks at Bitten By Books. Come by for a live chat, and win FREE signed copies of the new Octavian novel, or of THE WILD. Check it out:

You know you want to. You never know what secrets might come out, or what new projects might be accidentally announced before I'm supposed to reveal them.

Odyssey Writers Workshop

Just a quick post to mention I'll be a guest lecturer at Odyssey Writers Workshop this summer. Aspiring writers of horror, SF, and fantasy are encouraged to check out their six week program.


www.odysseyworkshop.org


From the folks at Odyssey....

Odyssey is one of the most highly respected workshops for writers of fantasy, science fiction, and horror writers. Top authors, editors, and agents serve as guest lecturers, and fifty-three percent of graduates go on to be published. The workshop, held annually on the campus of Saint Anselm College in Manchester, NH, combines an intensive learning and writing experience with in-depth feedback on students' manuscripts. Odyssey is for developing writers whose work is approaching publication quality and for published writers who want to improve their work. Director Jeanne Cavelos is a former senior editor at Bantam Doubleday Dell and winner of the World Fantasy Award.

This summer's workshop runs from June 6 through July 15. Guest lecturers are acclaimed authors Christopher Golden, Elizabeth Bear, Theodora Goss, Barry B. Longyear; and award-winning editor John Joseph Adams. The writer-in-residence is award-winning author Gary A. Braunbeck. The application deadline is April 8. For more information, visit www.odysseyworkshop.org.

The Secret Journeys of Jack London Blog Tour...come along!!

Are you ready to take a journey into the wild?

Bestselling authors Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon have teamed up to create THE SECRET JOURNEYS OF JACK LONDON. Jack certainly lived a wild life, which inspired Golden & Lebbon to create this new book series based on his real-life travels. They've taken his true stories and his fiction and mixed in urban legends and myths of the time. While THE SECRET JOURNEYS series is fiction, not biography, the books are extremely well-researched, and spooky elements add another level of intrigue to the richly detailed stories. 20th Century Fox has acquired the film rights to the series.

The first book, THE WILD, will be released on Tuesday, March 1st. When seventeen-year-old Jack London travels to Alaska to join the Klondike Gold Rush, the path he treads is not at all what he expected. Along the way, he encounters kidnappers, traders, traitors, and a mysterious wolf. Jack must face the wild head-on in order to survive.

The buzz for THE SECRET JOURNEYS OF JACK LONDON just keeps getting louder. 20th Century Fox has acquired the film rights to the series. Garth Nix, author of the Abhorsen Trilogy, declared: "A masterful mix of gold, cold, supernatural creatures, and dread magic makes this a great action adventure story." Mike Mignola, creator of Hellboy, calls THE WILD: "A great old-school adventure novel and the best use of the Wendigo legend I've ever read."

Authors Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon will launch a blog tour the day before the book's release, beginning at Bildungsroman http://slayground.livejournal.com on Monday, February 28th and traveling through the blogs of YA/kidlit bloggers who are also teachers, librarians, and/or adventurers through Tuesday, March 8th. Each tour stop will offer an exclusive piece of art from Greg Ruth, whose stunning illustrations give life to the characters, locations, and beasts throughout the book.

Here's the full schedule:

Monday, February 28th
Little Willow at Bildungsroman
http://slayground.livejournal.com

Tuesday, March 1st
Kiba Rika (Kimberly Hirsh) of Lectitans
http://lectitans.kimberlyhirsh.com/

Wednesday, March 2nd
Kim Baccellia from Si, Se Puede! and Young Adults Book Central
http://kbaccellia.livejournal.com/
http://yabookscentral.blogspot.com/

Thursday, March 3rd
Melissa Walker, author of Small Town Sinners
http://www.melissacwalker.com

Friday, March 4th
Justin from Little Shop of Stories
http://littleshopofstories.blogspot.com/

Monday, March 7th
Rebecca's Book Blog
http://rebeccasbookblog.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, March 8th
Martha Brockenbrough, author of Things That Make Us [Sic]
http://marthabrockenbrough.squarespac...

Download the electronic press kit for THE SECRET JOURNEYS OF JACK LONDON: http://www.christophergolden.com/jack/

Publishing details:

THE SECRET JOURNEYS OF JACK LONDON: THE WILD
Written by Christopher Golden & Tim Lebbon
Illustrated by Greg Ruth

$15.99
ISBN: 9780061863172
On sale: March 1st, 2011
Published by HarperCollins Childrens

http://www.christophergolden.com
http://www.timlebbon.net

The Monster's Corner lineup!

Well, I posted the cover for THE MONSTER'S CORNER, but now, here's the complete lineup for the anthology. I had so much fun putting this baby together. Tears and fears and laughter. Something for everyone.


The Awkward Age by David Liss
Saint John by Jonathan Maberry
Rue by Lauren Groff
Succumb by John McIlveen
Torn Stitches, Shattered Glass by Kevin J. Anderson
Rattler and the Mothman by Sharyn McCrumb
Big Man by David Moody
Rakshasi by Kelley Armstrong
Breeding the Demons by Nate Kenyon
Siren Song by Dana Stabenow
Less of a Girl by Chelsea Cain
The Cruel Thief of Rosy Infants by Tom Piccirilli
The Screaming Room by Sarah Pinborough
Wicked Be by Heather Graham
Specimen 313 by Jeff Strand
The Lake by Tananarive Due
The Other One by Michael Marshall Smith
And You Still Wonder Why Our First Impulse is to Kill You: An Alphabetized Faux-Manifesto transcribed, edited, and annotated (under duress and protest) by
Gary A. Braunbeck
Jesus and Satan Go Jogging in the Desert by Simon R. Green