Newsletter 08/09

August 2009

I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer despite the weird weather patterns around most of the country. Here on Long Island, we’re experiencing record rain and low temperatures, but I’m stuck in my writing room six or seven days a week this summer so I don’t care. And it’s all about me.

In my last Newsletter, I told you about the problem I had with my government check from the Bestselling Author’s Relief Fund (BARF), but since then, the government has declared me Too Big To Fail, and has sent me, in lieu of a bailout check, a note of encouragement, telling me to hang in there.

Meanwhile, I’m taking advantage of the Cash for Clunker Books program. I’ve sent the Treasury Department dozens of old books that I didn’t like (no, I won’t name the authors) along with a signed statement saying the books were clunkers. Now I think I’m supposed to buy better books, send the receipts to the government, and get a check. I’ll let you know what happens.

Back in April, I said I was working on the sequel to The Lion’s Game. I’m still working on it, and I can report that it’s a great book and a worthy successor to The Lion’s Game. I also have a title — The Lion. Short and simple, and it leaves enough room for my name in BIG letters. If you haven’t read The Lion’s Game, please do so before The Lion is published next June — in time for Father’s Day!

In April, I also mentioned that my last novel, The Gate House would be issued in paperback in November. A small change here — The Gate House will be issued in trade paperback. This is the hardcover-size paperback that so many people like because the type is bigger, and the price is smaller than the hardcover. Please look for this in November in bookstores or your favorite online book source. This trade paperback edition of The Gate House will include a preview chapter of The Lion — for free!

Also, as I mentioned, my last John Corey book, Wild Fire, will be issued this fall in the trade paperback size edition. Included in this edition will also be the preview chapter of THE LION, and John Corey’s recipe for Pigs-in-a-Blanket, space permitting.

So, to recap: the trade paperback of The Gate House and Wild Fire will be issued this fall and will include (at no extra charge) a preview chapter of The Lion. The Lion hardcover will be published in June 2010.

And now some news from Hollywood: One of my earlier, and most successful novels, The Charm School is moving closer to the big screen. Bristol Bay Productions, with Frank Marshall, as producer, have hired Ericson Core to direct The Charm School. They also have a screenplay by Frank Pearson, and they have begun casting. This is exciting news, and this is a very talented and smart team, so I know they’ll be calling me about playing one of my characters in the movie.

If you haven’t read The Charm School, it’s available in paperback, audiobook, and e-book, and you might want to cast the characters in your head, and look for a good part for me. I do alpha males really well.

There’s more news about making my books into movies, but I’ll wait for further developments, which I’ll report in my next Newsletter.

For my summer reading, I’ve received an advance copy of South of Broad by Pat Conroy, published by Random House/Nan A. Talese, and I highly recommend it. It will be released Tuesday, August 11.

For your summer reading, I recommend any of my novels, all of which (except The Gate House) are available in various paperback formats, including an edible edition. Most of my books are also available in audio and a variety of e-book formats. And for poolside reading, don’t forget that e-book devices, such as the Kindle and Sony Reader are waterproof and can be read underwater. (Kidding!)

I wish all my readers and Newsletter subscribers a wonderful summer and good summer reading.

Sincerely,