Duane Swierczynski's Blog

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Headed Up the River

It's Bouchercon time again, this time in lovely exciting vibrant downtown Albany N.Y.! I'll be there, doing whatever it is that people in Albany do this time of year. But I'll also be on a few panels, as well as a group signing. If you're Boucher-bound, here's where I'll be panel-wise:

Thursday 2:40-3:35 p.m. (Room 3)
The Ballad of Billy the Kid: Writing Characters That Do What They Want. Moderator: Sarah Byrne. Panel: Sandra Brannan, Tricia Fields, Joe Lansdale, Sasscer Hill, Your Humble Polish Narrator.

Friday 10:20-11:15 a.m. (Room 1)
The Night is Still Young: The New Noir. Moderator: Reed Farrel Coleman. Panel: Hilary Davidson, Dick Lochte, John Rector, Todd Robinson, Jason Starr, Your Humble Polish Narrator.

Later on Friday, I'm part of a special Little, Brown/Mulholland books group signing with Megan Abbott, Marcia Clark, Joe Lansdale, Lawrence Block and Matthew Quirk from 1:15 until 2 p.m.

And as I did in Cleveland last year, I'm going to pack a few Hardie novels in my trademark green backpack (circa 1998 and still going strong) to give away. If you see me, then point and yell, "Shoot, it's Duane Swierczynski!" I'll give you a copy of the third Hardie novel, Point and Shoot. While supplies last, or until I get paranoid enough to run away and hide somewhere. Most likely a dark bar.

My San Diego Comic-Con Schedule

I'm very happy (and flattered) to be a special guest at this year's San Diego Comic-Con. Does that mean I'll be poolside, sipping bourbon and reading a trashy novel? Hell no. My ass will be in plenty of panels and signings. Such as...

Dark Horse: (Super)Powered by Creators
The latter half of 2012 saw the return of two of Dark Horse's classic characters, Ghost and X, the appearance of new faces like Michael Avon Oeming's The Victories and Francesco Francavilla's The Black Beetle, and the reimagination a hero from yesteryear, Captain Midnight! Join Dark Horse publisher Mike Richardson, PR director Jeremy Atkins, and a cast of the industry's top talent, including Joe Casey (Catalyst, Sex), Francesco Francavilla (The Black Beetle), Duane Swierczynski (X, Two Past Midnight), Joshua Williamson (Captain Midnight, Masks and Mobsters), Tim Seeley and Mike Norton (Revival, The Occultist), along with comics newcomer Donny Cates (Buzzkill), for a look at an exciting new cast of characters!

Thursday July 18, 2013 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Room 23ABC


Keep 'Em At the Edge of Their Seats
The gory, gruesome, and paranoia-inducing elements in these novels will take readers on a jet-fueled ride to the dark side. These writers spare no expense to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up with stories that will surprise you at every turn. Their protagonists solve crimes, kick ass, and don't let anyone-or anything-stand in their way. Thrill to the discussion with James Rollins (Eye of God), Duane Swierczynski (Point and Shoot), Stephen Blackmoore (Dead Things), Charlie Huston (Skinner), Jeffrey J. Mariotte (Season of the Wolf), and Roger Hobbs (Ghostman), led by David Mariotte of Mysterious Galaxy.

Thursday July 18, 2013 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Room 25ABC


The Pole With Soul: Spotlight on Duane Swierczynski
Con special guest Duane writes violent, bloody, pulpy comics (Judge Dredd, X, Bloodshot) and violent, bloody, pulpy novels (Fun & Games, Point & Shoot, Severance Package). But deep down inside, he's a sweetheart. Which is why he's inviting you to hang out with him for a special afternoon of prizes! Surprise guests! A soul-searching Q&A! And a hug. (Okay, maybe not a hug.)

Friday July 19, 2013 12:30pm - 1:30pm
Room 8


Judge Dredd Comics: IDW and Rebellion
You'll get 20 years in an Iso-Cube if you miss this one! Join IDW's Dirk Wood and Chris Ryall, along with Judge Dredd writer Duane Swierczynski, 2000AD's Ben Smith, creatorsHenry Flint and John Higgins, and more for a drokkin' good time discussing everyone's favorite Mega-City One judge.

Saturday July 20, 2013 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Room 9

You'll also be able to catch me at the Hachette (home of Mulholland Books!) booth at 11 a.m. on Thursday and the Dark Horse booth right after that at noon, joined by crazy-talented X artist Eric Nguyen, where we'll both be signing something exclusive (and free). There's also a group signing following that "Keep 'Em at the Edge" panel at 5:30, and I'll be at the IDW booth at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Otherwise, look for the drunk guy at the pool* with a copy of a Jackie Collins** novel fanned out on his ample*** belly.

* There is no pool.
** I've never read a word of Jackie Collins.
*** My belly, shockingly, is not as ample as it used to be.

A Note from Lou Boxer: Announcing Noir Riot 2014!

From the whiskey-soaked desk of Lou Boxer...

Dear Friends of Noir and NoirCon 2014, 

After Lou Boxer and Matthew Louis tested the waters with the successful 2012 anthology, Atomic Noir, the two impresarios have re-teamed to create Noir Riot, the official journal of NoirCon, to be published by Gutter Books.  

NoirCon, which has taken place on even-numbered years since 2008, is produced by Lou Boxer and is among the most popular crime fiction conferences in the U.S. Gutter Books, the brainchild of Matthew Louis, is a small press dedicated to high production values and the edgier possibilities of the written word.  

Noir Riot aims to bring readers a biennial (that's every other year), up-to-the-minute picture of the noir/hard-boiled universe in a high quality, easy-access format. The editors are looking for fiction, nonfiction, and even poetry that explores the relationship between classic crime fiction and the issues that affect all of us today. 

Overseeing the operation as managing editor is Cullen Gallagher, a Brooklyn-based freelance writer, expert on all things noir, and regular contributor at the Los Angeles Review of Books. The different sections will feature either editorial advisement or writing by heavyweights such as Duane Swierczynski, Ed Pettit, Dennis Tafoya and Allan Guthrie, with more participants to be announced as the first issue takes shape. 

The official launch of the journal, which will be distributed in print throughout the U.S. and Canada, will be held at NoirCon 2014 (October 29 through November 2).  

Submissions open July 1. If you're interested in contributing, contacting the Noir Riot team, or learning more, visit www.noirriot.com, and check back regularly for updates. 

The official launch of the journal, which will be distributed in print throughout the U.S. and Canada, will be held at NoirCon 2014 (October 29 through November 2).  

Submissions open July 1. If you're interested in contributing, contacting the Noir Riot team, or learning more, visit www.noirriot.com, and check back regularly for updates. 

Noir Riot has three components: Noir Poetry, Noir Fiction and Noir Non-Fiction.  Rules and guidelines can be found at www.noirriot.com guidelines. Please join us. Thank you very much. 

Cullen Gallagher 

Matt Louis 

Lou Boxer 

And the Winners Are...

The Mulholland Books Randomizing Machine has spoken! Here are the 10 lucky winners in the Point & Shoot Giveaway.

Three grand prizes (a box full of pulp/vintage paperbacks from my own collection, as shown above) will go to...

Cotton C. in Claremont, CA
Chris W. in Powell, TN
Robert G. in W. Asbury Park, NJ

Seven runner-up prizes (signed comics or an earlier novel of mine) will go to...

Danny B. in Philadelphia, PA
Craig R. in Brooklyn, NY
Jeff M. in Greenland, NH
Edward C. in Rockville, MD
Lauren O'B. in Alameda, CA
David F. in Montclair, NJ
Matthew D. in Royersford, PA

(Runners-up: If you have a specific request for a comic or novel, just let me know. You can reach me by email, the comments below, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, or carrier pigeon.)

But remember: everybody's a winner in this contest. If you entered, you'll be receiving a thank-you post card from yours truly within the next two weeks. Yes, some of them will have an oversized colon on it. Sorry!

Consider This Your Formal Invitation... to Party Hardie!

Charlie Hardie would rather be house sitting. (Illustration by the immortal Kody Chamberlain.)
C'mon. How could I resist?

It's a launch party for a novel featuring a character named Hardie. As a child of the 80s, I had truly had no choice.

But all of you are invited to Philadelphia to Party Hardie! with me to celebrate the release of Point & Shoot, the third (and final) Charlie Hardie novel.

When? Saturday, May 11, 2 p.m.

Where? The amazing Port Richmond Books, 3037 Richmond Street, Philadelphia PA. A former silent movie house crammed with a vast, vast array of hardcovers and paperbacks. Like the Tardis, it is somehow far bigger on the inside. It's one of my favorite places on Earth.

Why? What, did you skip the top of this post? To celebrate the publication of Point & Shoot. We'll have beer, wine, snacks and plenty of books on hand.

Who? Greg Gillespie -- bon vivant, actor and co-owner of the store -- will be doing a Q&A-type thing with me. Other than that, it'll just be us chilling, snacking and drinking beer and/or wine. (I don't recommend both at the same time.) I'll sign anything you want. Yes, including body parts. Even parts not attached to human bodies.

Thanks to Amanda Lang, Pamela Brown, the rest of the Mulholland Books gang, as well as Greg and and his partner in crime Deen Kogan, for putting this shindig together. And hope to see some of you there.

(And stay tuned; later today I'll be announcing the 10 lucky winners of the Point & Shoot giveaway thing!)

One Week Until Charlie Hardie Returns...

... which means you have just seven days to order a copy and enter the Point & Shoot Pre-Order Giveaway. (Full details here.)

Exactly what am I giving away?

Well, everybody who pre-orders -- you, your grandmother, your creepy cousin everyone avoids at funerals, everybody -- receives a hand-written postcard from Philly, thanking you for keeping Hardie alive.

But 10 people, chosen at random by Mulholland Books, will receive one of 10 glorious prizes.

Winners #1-3 will receive a box of pulp/vintage crime paperbacks, just like the ones you see above. Wait; not "just like." Those are the ones I'm giving away. Along with a couple dozen others. Yes, I'm raiding my own shelves to spread the paperback love. (Winners: Try to ignore the dried teardrops on these boxes; parting with these will be sweet, sweet sorrow.)

Winners #4-10 will receive a signed trade paperback of one of the comics I write (Birds of Prey, Judge Dredd, Godzilla, maybe even a Bloodshot) or a signed copy of one of my novels that are a little scarce these days (Secret Dead Men, The Wheelman hardcover, The Blonde hardcover). If you're one of these winners, you tell me what you want and I'll do my best to dig it up, sign it, and send it to you.

And again, everybody -- you, the guy next door, the ex-wife of the guy next door, you know, the one with the lazy eye -- receives a postcard.

Thanks in advance and good luck. If anyone needs me, I'll be sitting by my bookshelves, sobbing incoherently.

The Joy of X

Today X #0, the first issue of my new Dark Horse series (with superstar artist Eric Nguyen), smashes into comic shops and e-readers everywhere. This issue collects the three short X installments ("The Pigs") featured in Dark Horse Presents earlier this year, and sets the stage for the first full story arc kicking off in early May.

And while X is technically a superhero comic, it's really a down-and-dirty crime story, and possibly the most violent thing I've written. But it's not entirely my fault. Eric eggs me on, I swear!

Anyway, if you like my novels Fun & Games and Severance Package, I think you'd feel right at home with X, despite the cape.

You can read more about X in a Q&A I did with Newsarama's Albert Ching a few months ago, and there are more Q&As on the way.

I hope you'll give it a shot and let me know what you think.

Also, the sausage thing was totally inspired by the Lee Marvin/Gene Hackman flick, Prime Cut.

For Appearances' Sake (2013 Edition)

Winter has been long and harsh. I've pretty much been in hibernation since NoirCon 2012. Happily, there are quite a few events that are bringing me out of the nerd cave in the near future:

Tri-State Comic-Con (Tricon) in Huntington, West Virginia (April 6): That's right, I'll be leaving one tri-state area (PA-NJ-DE) for another (WV-OH-KY) and loving every minute of it. I'll have lots of crime novels and comics with me (including some hard to find items) for your purchasing pleasure. Plus I'll be on a panel with fellow Valiant scribe Robert "The Vendetta" Venditti. (Note: I just made up that nickname because it sounded cool.)

Free Comic Book Day at Third Eye Comics in Annapolis, MD (May 4): I'll be at a table with fellow Valiant Comics scribe (and Harbinger Wars crossover partner) Joshua "The Art of the Deal" Dysart all morning long. (Note: Also made up this nickname.)

Party Hardie at Port Richmond Books in Philadelphia, PA (May 11): Time and details to follow, but this is the official launch party for Point & Shoot, the third novel in my Charlie Hardie trilogy. Plenty of books, booze, and back-and-forth. If you're anywhere near the Greater Philadelphia area, stop on by. My hope is that we'll end up at Julie's across the street until the wee hours of the night.

Motor City Comic Con in Novi, Michigan (May 17-19): I'm a lifelong RoboCop fan. Shockingly,  I've never visited the greater Detroit area. This has been a mistake. Now it's time to erase that mistake. I'm happy to be joined by Manuel Garcia, my partner-in-crime for the first nine issues of Bloodshot, as well as our Black Widow run.

San Diego Comic-Con (July 18-21): I'm a full-on special guest this year, which means you'll find me feeling all kinds of special. Not sure of my itinerary quite yet, but I'll keep you posted closer to the date.

If you're anywhere near these five locations, stop by! Say "yo"!

The Point & Shoot Pre-Order Giveaway

Point & Shoot, the long-awaited third installment in my Charlie Hardie series, will be out April 30th. I know some of you have had this sucker pre-ordered for a while, and I'd like to thank you personally -- along with everyone else who pre-orders a copy.

That's right... it's postcard time again!

Two years ago I sent dozens of postcards from various stops on a cross-country driving tour to people who pre-ordered Fun & Games.

This year, I'm more or less staying put here in Philadelphia (working on the next novel), but that doesn't mean I can't send you a thin slice of postal thanks. So if you pre-order P&S at any time, right up to the pub date (April 30), I'll send you a personalized postcard, thanking you. The postcards will be as cheesy and tasteless and weird as can be. If you pre-ordered two years ago, you know what I mean. And my handwriting kind of sucks, but that's part of the charm. (Right?)

But that's not all. Ten names will be chosen at random to receive pulpy-type prizes, including signed novels or comics and sweet vintage paperbacks from my own collection.

The prize thing, sadly, is limited to readers in the U.S. But I'll send a postcard anywhere in the world. All you have to do is fill out the handy form below!

Huge props to Pamela Brown, Amanda Lang and the Mulholland Books gang for helping me organize this madness. And thanks to all of you (ever-so-patient) Charlie Hardie fans out there.


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