Results tagged “joe schreiber”

Zombie week continues at Suvudu and Random House. I love watching those Max Brooks zombies gnawing away at the Suvudu logo above, don’t you? So cool.

Joe Schreiber has posted some great photos from the amazing turnouts he got while on his author tour for his haunted house novel No Doors, No Windows and his New York Times bestseller Star Wars: Death Troopers. See the widget below for a clip from the audio book. Finally, ForceCast has a great Podcast featuring a review of the book and interview with Joe up on their site.

It’s very fitting that ZOMBIE WEEK (see them gnawing away above?) begins on the same day that we announce the winner of the Star Wars: Death Troopers Fan Video Trailer Contest. I don’t think anyone was surprised that 5ive By 5ive Studios took home the Grand Prize. Everything just worked brilliantly in this video (above), from the miniatures to the standing sets, and the participation of Eddie Dennis and his mocked up zombiefied armor just sealed the deal. Brilliant work. theNonchalantNod will receive a prize package that includes a signed copy of the book from Joe Schreiber as well as a library of Star Wars books. Our four runners up also created fun and exciting videos that we loved. They will also receive signed copies of Star Wars: Death Troopers. Thank you to everyone who participated, either by creating a video or voting for one. It was a fantastic experience and a lot of fun. Joe Schreiber summed it up best, “Every single one of these videos was a dose of zombified fan brilliance. But 5ive by 5ive’s contribution was simply next level — I can’t tell you how many people came up to me while I was on tour and told me that trailer was the first way they got interested in the book. In a word — magic.”

The Force was with all of you.

In other Zombie news, our friends at the Star Wars official fan site have posted a great (and spoiler heavy) interview Bonnie Burton conducted with Joe Schreiber. It’s a great read. Check it out here. And whatever you do, do not click on the blood splatters found throughout the interview. You’ve been warned!

Finally, it’s not zombie related, but there are still plenty of tasty guts to look at (and taste!). Our good friend, and amazing Star Wars artist, Chris Trevas was married a few weeks ago. There were Stormtrooper ushers and the usual geek accents on hand, but what is quickly making its way through the InterWebs these days is the brilliant grooms cake that Courtney Clark from Cake Nouveau made. Hmmm….all I can think is 1) I hope I meet a cool lady who would let me have a tauntaun guts cake at our wedding and 2) I want the piece with the most guts please!

Congratulations to Chris and Julie! The Force will be with you, always.

The Star Wars universe has seen it all.

Six movies. A hilarious Christmas special. A great cartoon series. A campy television movie. Several comic book series at Dark Horse. Even a semi-romance novel in Star Wars: The Courtship of Princess Leia.

But today we have a first for the Star Wars universe—the first horror novel!

Star Wars: Death Troopers, written by Joe Schreiber, is now in bookstores everywhere.

The premise of the story is a relatively simple one:

The Imperial prison barge Purge carrying some of the worst scum in the universe discovers a derelict Star Destroyer in the deep recesses of space—and finds more than it bargained for.

Because on the Star Destroyer is a secret so powerful it could undo the rebel cause.

My initial thoughts: Star Wars: Death Troopers is great fun!

Regarding the previous contest and the NEW contest (please read):

An error in the submission of one of our five finalist videos has necessitated the withdrawal of that video and its replacement with an alternative entrant. The voting phase of the Star Wars: Death Troopers fan video contest is therefore being relaunched as of October 9th and will run through October 22. All votes previously taken will be wiped clean, and all finalists, including the one you have not yet seen, will begin at 0%. Please review the selections again and cast your votes now!

The New Contest: Cast your vote here.

I love books.

I love signed books.

I love signed books that make people money.

For almost a decade now I have run The Signed Page, a small online signed books business that suddenly is not so small. It has been great fun watching it grow; it has been more fun meeting people from all over the world who share my love for signed genre books. I have even met a few of them in person and all have been true enthusiasts.

For cover price, I feel I’ve helped build some pretty nice libraries out there!

Last week I received an email from one of my customers. She has been there from almost the beginning and has ordered dozens if not hundreds of the signed books that have graced the website. She is a voracious reader but she genuinely loves collecting. In the email she reminded me of a book she had purchased and how it has been a great book but also a great investment financially. It was a first printing book that took the fantasy genre by storm, had a low print run, and now is quite rare to find.

If you do find it, it is going for more than $200 on the low end and $500 plus on the high.

That signed book is The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss.

My customer asked me if I had any forthcoming events that could yield a similar outcome—the combination of great read and financial investment.

So it got me thinking: What books are coming out this fall that might be read, sit still on one’s shelf for a few years and yet make them money?

Here is what I came up with!

Publication of Star Wars: Death Troopers by Joe Schreiber is now less then four weeks away. As October 13th rapidly approaches we’ll continue to roll out some fun features to celebrate the first true horror novel to take place within the Star Wars universe. To date infected Stormtroopers ran amok at San Diego Comic Con, we’ve asked fans to create their own video trailer for the book, and various letters from the Purge have been disseminated to the public hinting at events from the novel. Before this post is finished, you will get a first look at the actual book itself.

But first, a word from our sponsor. Joe Schreiber will be touring to celebrate the publication of his two new novels, Star Wars: Death Troopers and No Doors, No Windows. For information and tour dates please visit Del Rey/Random House.

Now back to what you really want to read…jump for an excerpt from Star Wars: Death Troopers by Joe Schreiber!

There’s a lot of fun Star Wars news to pass along today, so I’m going to dive right into it. Star Wars: The Essential Atlas authors Jason Fry and Dan Wallace were guests on Fictional Frontiers most recent episode. “Launched June 8, 2008 on WNJC 1360AM Radio - Philadelphia, Fictional Frontiers is a live one-hour journey through the comic/novel, film, and television universes. Seeking caller opinions, host Sohaib Awan will engage listeners in one-on-one debates and discussions. In addition, Fictional Frontiers will tap into its reservoir of industry guests for insights into upcoming trends and projects.”

Fictional Frontiers with Sohaib - (Episode 64) - Part V

In addition, our friends at the official Star Wars website have created a new online companion for the book. Star Wars: The Essential Atlas Online Companion features a fantastic behind the scenes article written by Jason and Dan about the birth of the book, extensive endnotes for the book, an updated living Appendix of all of the planets and systems in the galaxy, and more. Oh wait…did I mention the new map Jason and Dan created with help from Modi? The Outer Rim Territories map with defined sectors! I’ll show you a sneak peek. For the full map you’ll need to visit the Online Companion.

For any Twitter fans out there, check out Stormtrooper TK329’s new Twitter account. Someone has taken the time to post as an Imperial Stormtrooper on board a star destroyer. “Hopefully I can make people understand what we do and inspire others to serve the Empire’s noble cause.” Looks like fun.

October brings the release of two books I’m really excited about (that’s an understatement). The first is Star Wars: Death Troopers by Joe Schreiber, the first true horror novel to take place in the Star Wars universe, on sale October 13. The second is Star Wars: The Complete Vader by Ryder Windham and Pete Vilmur, on sale October 27. I’ll post a lot of fun material on this book in the next few weeks. The book is a gorgeous hardcover coffee table style book that reveals everything we ever wanted to know about the Dark Lord of the Sith, both as the character and as a global pop culture icon. Its loaded with tons of rare photos and some fun interactive features and pullouts. As a starter, check out this interview with Ryder and Pete at the official site. Lots of great information and photos.

Finally, I have to leave you with this bit of fun. Animals With Lightsabers. The photo says it all (and its just one of many on this site).

Keep reading Suvudu for more Star Wars coolness.

May the Force be with you!

Recently several messages were recovered from the Imperial Prison Barge Purge, after its discovery in the Unknown Regions. The somewhat cryptic messages give us a brief glimpse into what may have happened on board the ship before the mysterious “event” took place. Jump to read one of the messages and find links for all of them.

Resident Del Rey horror author Joe Schreiber was recently interviewed at Dread Central.com (a great website for all things horror) to discuss his two extremely creepy, upcoming horror novels coming out this fall; No Doors, No Windows and Star Wars: Death Troopers. Both hit store shelves on October 13th.

To learn how Joe came up the idea for No Doors, No Windows and find out about a terrifying moment in his childhood, just click the link.

Joe Schreiber’s Dread Central interview.

Members of the 501st Legion dressed up as zombified Imperial Officers and Stormtroopers in honor of Joe Schreiber’s upcoming novel Star Wars: Death Troopers. The novel is a true horror novel set in the Star Wars universe and has been generating a lot of buzz and excitement throughout San Diego Comic Con.

In the almost thirteen years I’ve been working in the publishing industry, that time spent frequenting publishers and bookstores and websites and writers’ lives, I’ve learned a great deal about the business of publishing—from editor in chiefs to readers.

The saddest truth I’ve discovered in all of that time from readers is this:

• There are a lot of people in the world who consider themselves writers.
• Few of those people actually finish a novel.

You would think with so many sitting down with a pad and pencil or before a keyboard that there would be more people completing what they have started. It isn’t the case though, at least from what I have seen. Every day I receive emails from fans of established authors broaching the subject. Those email discussions go something like this:

• “How do I get published?” the curious emailer asks.
• “Have you finished your book?” I write back, already knowing the answer.
• “No, I haven’t,” the curious emailer responds. “But I just want to know how to get published.”
• “When you finish your book,” I reply with, I have to admit, a snarky grin on my face, “I will help place you on the path to getting published.”

99.9% of the answers are similar to that very simple exchange. And despite my very sincere offer of helping those people get their work in front of agents and editors, only twice has someone written me back after completing their book. Twice! Out of thousands of emails I’ve received and responded to.

The sad part of that equation is that many people don’t know what it feels like to finish a novel.

And oddly, from what you will read, maybe they are the lucky ones!

Yesterday I finished the first draft of The Dark Thorn, a book I am calling an “urban quest fantasy,” as it has elements of urban fantasy and high fantasy thrown together in a hybrid incorporating Celtic mythology, the history of the British Isles, the history of the Vatican and Arthurian legend. Having finished one book before, I am also aware of the amount of work still needing to be put in. There are scenes that need to be rewritten. There is an overall line edit I need to complete. There is a query letter to write and rewrite until perfect. There is a summary and an outline I should create in case I am asked for them. There is a marketing platform I should put together to show why and where my potential sales will come from. All important.

While that forthcoming work hangs upon me, I am still giddy with the realization I finished my second novel. When I wrote the last word of the book and saved the file, I sat back in my chair, stretched, took a deep breath, and all other ills in my life went away. I had done it. I had finished it. There was not another word to write. A complete story had been saved on my computer—and backed up elsewhere. I left my apartment to visit my favorite watering hole. I didn’t take my laptop for the first time in a year. I had a glass of wine. I sat and watched the USA beat Trinidad & Tobago in a World Cup Qualifying soccer match and didn’t feel guilty about not working on a story centered around other characters. After all, that story was finished!

But what is it like when an already published author finishes a first draft?

How do they feel?

What goes through their head?

I asked several of my writer friends last night what they feel upon finishing a first draft. Here is what they had to say:

I don’t know how to say this delicately, so I’m just going to come straight out with it… Joe Schreiber f*&%ing rocks! If you love it when the hairs on your arms stand straight up, if you love it when your heart races from sudden fear as you walk out of a dark room in your own house late at night (you know the feeling!), or if you just love horror in general than you need to pick up his books and read them. I read Chasing the Dead and loved it. Eat the Dark freaked me out so much I stopped reading it at night and had to finish the bloody thing during daylight hours. Star Wars: Death Troopers (yes, it’s two words now) and No Doors, No Windows will both publish this fall. I’ve read the manuscript for Death Troopers and it is every bit as scary, gory, and cool as that cover image leads you to believe it might be.

Joe surprised us with an appearance at New York Comic Con last month and we jumped at the chance to throw him in front of the Suvudu camera and ask him a couple questions.

Part One:

Jump for more with Joe.

This October Del Rey will publish the first Star Wars horror novel, Deathtroopers, written by Joe Schreiber. We’re keeping the gory details of the story a secret, but we do want to share this awesome cover with you.

How cool is this?!

I’m back with the latest batch of free online horror fiction. Full short stories, and even an unpublished novel. And it costs you nada:

Joe Schreiber, author of the terrifying novels Chasing the Dead and Eat the Dark is serializing an entire unpublished novel at his blog called Stillwater which he describes as “Ordinary People” meets “Jaws.” Start at the beginning here and the click the “newer post” link at the bottom to catch up.

Then head on over to Kealan Patrick Burke’s site. One of the most acclaimed writers (and anthology editors) of dark fiction in the small press, Burke is on the verge of breaking out big-time. Trust me. His Free Fiction area will give you a sampling of a couple of his short stories. Be able to say “I was reading him when….”

And last but not least, Douglas Clegg has posted his acclaimed short story “Becoming Men” over at his website. It’s a killer coming-of-age pitch-black tale. Don’t miss it.