Brent Weeks

Book Signing in San Diego

brent — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:37:35 +0000

The wonderful folks at the famous Mysterious Galaxy bookstore have invited me to do an informal signing this Friday, July 3rd at 5-6 ish pm. Drop by and see my bright shining face, ask me some questions, and buy a signed book. This will be only like my second official book-signing, so if I haven’t yet mastered the art of chatting while signing, you’ll have to understand that as my mother liked to say, I’m a late-bloomer. Someday, I’ll be a regular James Garfield. (Though I’m not sure you’d want my books signed in Greek and Latin, even if I did do it simultaneously.)

David Gemmell Legend Award Results

brent — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:51:45 +0000

So… I lost. In a hard-fought, publicly-voted contest which logged 11,000 votes, I lost. No battle axe, no body cavity search with Homeland Security, no barbaric yawps from the rooftops of the world–or even London. Congratulations to Andrzej Sapkowski and his Blood of Elves for making a grown man cry. (The grown man in question being Joe Abercrombie. I, for the record, am more like an over-grown child, and I barely sniffled.) For more details about my crushing defeat, read the Guardian article or check out the Legend Award site which has pictures and eventually will have an audio recording of the ceremony. Orbit has more info, and here’s one attendee’s take on the awards night.

I am getting a small pewter battle axe, which I will use if ever attacked by a pack of feral toy poodles and miniature schnauzers. (Do you have that dream, too?)

Many thanks to the David Gemmell Legend Award Committee and to all the folks who worked so hard to put this award together and make it such a topnotch event, and thank you to all the fans who voted. Especially if you voted for me!

Audiobooks!

brent — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:07:13 +0000

I’m pleased to announce that Tantor Media has purchased the rights to produce audiobooks of the complete Night Angel Trilogy. They have contracted actor Paul Boehmer to narrate. Work is already underway and the audiobook of The Way of Shadows will be available July 16th, followed by Shadow’s Edge on August 13th, and Beyond the Shadows on September 13th. Audio samples should be available on the linked pages soon. The books will be available both as audio CDs and mp3 CDs. They’re also available for pre-order HERE at Amazon.com and doubtless elsewhere as well.

I Can Has Battle Axe?

brent — Wed, 27 May 2009 21:32:03 +0000

It’s not often you get a chance to try to take one of these past Homeland Security.

Allegedly, a half-sized one of these guys is the prize for the first inaugural David Gemmell Legend Award for fantasy, for which I have made the short list. Made by the Raven Armoury, this is a replica of Druss the Legend’s axe from a number of Gemmell novels.

So, if you can spare me 8 seconds, I might have quite an adventure. (TSA agent: “Sir, do you have anything to declare?” Brent: “GAAARRRR!!!”)

1) Start my adventure by CLICKING HERE.

2) Find the most deserving book. Find my book.

3) Click the button next to my book.

4) Click “Vote.”

5) Check your watch. If it took you more than 8 seconds, that kindergarten diploma you’re so proud of is a forgery. Err, I meant to say, thank you for thinking so deeply about who truly deserves this award. Ahem.

Regardless of whom you vote for, if you like deep, conflicted characters and fast-paced stories with a side of redemption, read my books. Err, I meant to say, check out David Gemmell. I think you’ll like his work. (Please vote only once and please vote before May 31.)

Oh, and if I win, I will pose a cat with my battle axe. Some of you doubtless understand. Though I don’t know how my friends might take it: ”Can I borrow your cat?” Why? “Um, I have this big, sharp battle axe…” You sick, nasty piece of work! “No, it’s not like that!”

Author Peter V. Brett Takes Your Questions

brent — Thu, 14 May 2009 18:11:51 +0000

Many of you probably already know Peter V. Brett and his debut novel The Warded Man (US)/ The Painted Man (UK). It’s a great book and I highly recommend it. This weekend, Peter has agreed to come to our forum and answer YOUR questions about his book and its coming sequel, The Desert Spear. If you have questions for Peter V. Brett, please join us HERE and post your questions by this Saturday, May 16th. (You’ll have to be registered to ask questions, but registration takes maybe fifteen seconds, and you won’t need to register to read anything.) If you’d like to jump straight to Peter’s homepage, it’s HERE. And of course, the obligatory Amazon link (for Amazon UK click HERE). And thank you to Peter for agreeing to come by!

Coming in Complex Chinese

brent — Fri, 08 May 2009 22:59:57 +0000

I am happy to report that Fullon Books has made, and I have accepted, an offer to publish the Night Angel trilogy in Complex Chinese. So far as my limited understanding goes, for publishing, China is split into two language “territories”: Simple Chinese and Complex Chinese. Complex Chinese includes Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao. Translating big epic fantasy books into Chinese is, I understand, a particular struggle because it simply takes so much more space–and thus more paper, and thus more printing expenses and fewer books per rack, and thus lower inventories, and thus lower profits unless you can sell a lot. So this is awesome, a great vote of confidence from Fullon Books and a cool opportunity. A big thank you to Gray Tan of the Grayhawk Agency and to Cameron McClure of DMLA.

Last Among Equals

brent — Thu, 07 May 2009 15:12:02 +0000

So after being knocked off my perch on the New York Times Extended Best Seller List after a mere two weeks, it looks like I’m…

That’s right. I’m BACK. Yeah, keep scrolling. Further. Further. There I am! At number 35, out of–you guessed it!–35. Needless to say, this isn’t a bad place to be last place. The odd thing I learned is that my sales numbers have been pretty much rock solid over the last month, so my fluctuations up and down and off the list are either because other people on the list have had their sales fluctuate or because of that pencil-neck joke. But hey, I’m not complaining. Getting on the list for even one week is a whole lot more than most writers get. Ever.

So, cheers, New York Times, and if I make it high enough, I promise I’ll buy a print edition. (But $10 for the Sunday paper? Seriously?)

Everything’s Big in … France?

brent — Sat, 02 May 2009 17:28:20 +0000

Recently got my copies of The Way of Shadows as translated into Dutch and French. I think now I can say, “I’m big in France.” (If only literally.)

Here are shots of the books next to their American counterpart.

(Click any to enlarge.)

How cool is that? It’s still amazing and very weird to think that someone with whom I couldn’t communicate if I met them in real life could read what I’ve poured so much of my life into. So thank you to my translators Peter Cuijpers and Olivier Debernard, and to editors Jürgen Snoeren and Stéphane Marsan of Mynx and Bragelonne respectively.

David Gemmell Legend Award Finals

brent — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 22:29:20 +0000

A while ago, I told you that I had been nominated to the longlist for the David Gemmell Legend Award for fantasy. That list of 78 authors was nominated by publishers and put to a popular vote to decide on a shortlist of five authors.

Along with incredible, established talents like Juliet Marillier, Joe Abercrombie, Brandon Sanderson, and Polish best seller Andrzej Sapkowski, one debut author made the list. (Go on, guess.) Orbit publishing director Tim Holman issued THIS very nice press release. So, thank you very much, because it was people like you–who visited this web page and voted for me–who got me in. It’s an honor just to be listed with these great authors.

BUT! Although I fully expect to get creamed in the finals, I feel pretty optimistic, like THIS.

The winner of the David Gemmell Legend Award is chosen by the public. That means you don’t have to go to a convention, you don’t have to be part of a secret cabal, you don’t have to dress up as a Wookiee, it just takes 3 clicks. Start HERE. Seriously, it’s simple enough that I figured it out. (Though my wife explained the big words.) Voting is open now and ends May 31.

A note: because you aren’t required to login, in order to make sure you only vote once, they monitor votes per ip address. So even if both you and your brother or wife or whatever liked the book, be aware that double votes per household will get both tossed out. (And yes, I imagine some of you are techno-savvy enough to circumvent the system, but please don’t. Cheating to help me would devalue the award, and I don’t want that.)

Thank you again for voting for me, for telling your friends about my books, and just being awesome fans.

Up 2!

brent — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 18:22:08 +0000

This week, I scrambled up two more spots on the New York Times Extended Best Seller List. I am now perched at #29. Whoo hoo! I also figured out that “best seller” is two words. I’m told it behooves a writer to know how to spell. Compound adjectives confound.

And I got this very cool picture (thanks, Heather H.!) this week, taken at a Borders. Nice folks to rub shoulders with, huh?

(Click to enlarge.)