the final countdown!

"Anxious" and "DjD" were the first to excavate HABIBI's release date, even before it was known to me.

I confirmed with Pantheon that SEPTEMBER 20th, 2011 will indeed be the official debut day. THAT'S EXACTLY EIGHT MONTHS FROM TODAY.

Sounds like forever, I know, but fellow authors assure me this is how the book world operates, and that autumn is prime time.

I'm simply happy the debut lands one day before my 36th birthday. (Speaking of… happy birthday to JD and KB today!)

The book will be $29.95 — 672 b&w pages — clothbound hardcover with stamped gold foil, and look something like the mock-up above. On the

right are a handful of cover ideas that didn't make the cut. Thank you ALL for your New Year's greetings and your continued patience in this

long, drawn-out process. Thank you for not giving up on me after so many years. Looking forward to meeting and catching up on the upcoming tour.