In the last two weeks...

...Things have happened. Here is a brief recap of the events.

Photo: @bnschaumburg

• Meddling Kids was released on July 11. And judging by my editor's overuse of allcaps and exclamation points in his emails, I'd say there are reasons for satisfaction. It is now in its second reprint and it got among the top 25 sellers on Amazon in the first weekend.
• Early reviewers, bookstagrammers, booksellers' recommendations, and media mentions have played a great part in this. Especially influential was a review on npr that has set a new standard for positive criticism. To all, thank you.
• I was happy to be ordered two posts for Unbound Worlds and Read It Forward on the process of writing MK. I also had a conversation with Nick Spacek for Cinepunx, and there are more interviews to come soon.
• EDITED: As of today, MK is also a New York Times Bestseller. Jinkies and jeepers and zoinks and, well, holy f*ck.
  
• And I live in New York now. :)

I really should stop posting about Meddling Kids now

But it's really one of those days where I could just sit F5-ing my socials and I'd be really happy. On behalf of the Blyton Summer F*cking Detective Club, thanks for the welcome!

Meddling Kids: On sale today!

Meddling Mythbusting

I wrote an article on Unbound Worlds about my meticulous writing process. It's really edifying, in a "How not to write horror books" kind of way:

The very first scene of Meddling Kids recounts a nightmare just like the one I had the morning after the book was greenlit. The dreamer, Kerri, wakes up in a dismal apartment that was inspired by my hotel room in Manhattan from three nights before. And Kerri’s dog is a Weimaraner because, while in New York, I couldn’t stop thinking of a woman back in Barcelona who owns a Weimaraner. [Continue reading.]

You can read the full article here. Meanwhile, I'll be signing copies of MK for other dogs I love. Many projects on the way, big changes, much excitement.

Meddling Unboxing

ME, an author with a vast lexicon and excelling ability to express my emotions:  Ah!  Ah!  AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

So, yup.  Here they are.  Care for a sample?  Why not from the just-finished audio-book version narrated by the enchanting Kyla Garcia?  Well stop daydreaming about it, listen to her NOW!




Meddling Kids. Coming July 10th. Or was it 11th? Definitely not the 12th. Pre-order.

Meddling Tunes: Sing It Like Self-Promoting Authors Before Us Sang

The setting is one early readers of Meddling Kids will recognize: the boys' ward in the loony bin in Arkham (but the scene doesn't necessarily fit in the novel's timeline). The lead singer is Old Acker and backing vocals are provided by the other patients (Ethan, Craig, Adam, Kimrean). The tune is It's Easy M'Kay, from South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut.


And these are the lyrics:


Well, I used to be like you guys,
Raving about conspiracies and whatnot,
But why settle with that earthly yak,
When you can just gaze up
And see the abyss stare back?

Think about it, check out all the space out there.
What are the real odds we're alone or we ever were?
We're a nubile blue world caught between cosmic gangs
Coveted by tentacled colossi with fangs,
Sing it like twisted ancient cultists before us sang,
Cthulhu fhtagn!

First off, just relinquish your god--
You're a random flitting lifeform on a flimsy space pod.
Now ask, as you look into the past,
Were we humans the first rulers, and why should we be the last?
Step three, see the evidence and weep,
All the manuscripts talking of lost cities in the deep!
Go on, read the Necronomicon,
and find about the names that over ancient Earth rang
and sing along, Cthulhu Fhtagn!

Think about it, check out all the space out there.
What are the real odds we're alone or we ever were?
We are flowers in the battlefield of yin and the yang,
Innocent birdies caught in their sturm und drang,
Sing it like crazy liberal artists before us sang,
Cthulhu fhtagn!

First off, just relinquish your god--
You're a random flitting lifeform on a flimsy space pod.
Now ask, as you look into the past,
Were we humans the first rulers, and why should we be the last?
Step three, see the evidence and weep
All the manuscripts talking of lost cities in the deep!
Go on, read the Necronomicon,
Cause ph'nglui mglw'nafh R'lyeh fhtagn!
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh R'lyeh fhtagn!
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh,
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh,
Yeah!

We are hit-or-miss byproducts of the mighty big bang,
'bout to be devoured by the monsters that sprang,
Sing it like virgin horror writers before us sang,
Cthulhu Fhtagn!
Cthulhu Fhtagn!
Cthulhu Fhtaaaaa--
--aaaaa--
--aaAAH--
--aaagn!


Meddling Kids. Coming July 10th. Pre-order.