Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Highlights from Release Day
Yesterday was release day for The Year of the Storm. It was also a day full of links and excitement surrounding the book. Here are the highlights:
Interview at Litreactor
http://litreactor.com/interviews/10-questions-with-john-mantooth
-This is my favorite because I really respect Keith Rawson as a reviewer and this is what he says about The Year of the Storm in his introduction:
Debut novels are a dime a dozen; I hate to say it, but it’s a cold hard fact. With the sheer number of books being produced by the big 5, small presses, micro presses, and no presses on a daily basis, it’s near impossible for a first time storyteller to gain any sort of attention for a project they’ve slaved over their entire lives, which is a shame. But it is what it is, and I’m more than guilty of passing over a debut author because one of my standard bearers has a new novel coming out the same day.
But there are debuts which immediately grab my attention and demand to be read, and The Year of the Stormby John Mantooth is the very definition of “attention grabber.” It is a flat out page turner. It is a rare thriller which combines elements of rural noir, supernatural horror, and is an intense dual coming of age story that is as spellbinding as anything from horror masters such as Stephen King and Laird Barron.
The Year of the Storm is without question my debut novel of 2013, and one which I hope you’ll be willing to take a chance on.
Guest blog at SFsignal
http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2013/06/guest-post-john-mantooth-on-fitting-a-square-book-in-the-round-hole-of-genre/
Interview at My Bookish Ways
http://www.mybookishways.com/2013/06/interview-john-mantooth-author-of-the-year-of-the-storm.html
Interview at The Qwillery
http://qwillery.blogspot.com/2013/06/interview-with-john-mantooth-author-of.html
And at my buddy Kurt's blog
http://kurtdinan.wordpress.com/2013/06/05/a-conversation-with-john-mantooth/
Friday, May 31, 2013
Very Random Thoughts Four Days Before The Release of My Novel
On Tuesday, my first novel hits the shelves. It's something I've dreamed about for a very long time, certainly since high school, but most likely even before that. How does it feel? It feels good, of course. It feels like I've accomplished something. It feels like the end of a journey, but also the beginning. I'm anxious, but it's the kind of anxiety that is a privilege, so I'll savor it rather than complain about it. Mostly, I just want the day to come already.
I'm also feeling nostalgic. Reflective is the best way to put it, I suppose. I'm thinking about my old house, the little room with the IBM computer, typing away on that fantasy novel that nobody bought (hell, I couldn't even get an agent to read the thing). I'm remembering waiting in front of the IBM for an email to pop up that would tell me I had finally made a pro sale. When it finally did, I felt a momentary twinge of pleasure and got back to work, wondering what it would feel like to sell a novel one day. I imagined myself running around the house, screaming my head off. I imagined a release of every tension I'd ever pent up, my eureka moment, my salvation from a world that was increasingly boring and scary to me. When we moved to the new house, I started selling more short fiction. I felt momentum building, even while I saw so many holes in my ability, my stories, my craft. I sold a story to Ellen Datlow for her Haunted Legends anthology, and this was the closest I ever came to my eureka moment. I ran to the door and hollered for my wife. She came running because she thought I'd been injured. I was barely able to get the words out, to tell her that I'd sold a story to the anthology that everybody wanted to be in. This was a turning point. If I could write a short story that Ellen Datlow wanted, I could write a novel that one of the big six wanted. It was probably a little irrational, but that's how I saw it at the time.
When I finally did sell the novel, it wasn't like I expected it to be. There was no single moment when everything changed, but rather little ones that allowed me to gradually get used to the idea my book was going to be published. First there was the call from my agent. An editor wanted to talk on the phone. Does that mean she wants to buy the book? I asked. Maybe. Maybe not, she said. Then I was asked to rewrite and resubmit. I did. An email came. The editor was pleased with the changes. Does that mean she wants to buy the book? I texted my agent. Maybe. Maybe not, she texted back. When it was finally official, I was ecstatic, but I didn't run all over the house screaming my head off. Instead, I sat in a chair in my front yard (this was almost exactly a year ago) and soaked it all in. I was thankful. I was excited. But I also wanted more. I'd heard about this sort of thing before. Wanting more, never being satisfied. I believe it was John Rector who first told me that there's always another novel to write, always another goal, and that I should just enjoy the ride of the first one because it would never happen again. He was right, even though I think I've worried far too much over the course of the year to actually make a case that I've been "enjoying the ride." But it's not to late to start is it?
Four more days. I'm going to enjoy all of them.
After that I'm going to get that next novel finished.
I'm also feeling nostalgic. Reflective is the best way to put it, I suppose. I'm thinking about my old house, the little room with the IBM computer, typing away on that fantasy novel that nobody bought (hell, I couldn't even get an agent to read the thing). I'm remembering waiting in front of the IBM for an email to pop up that would tell me I had finally made a pro sale. When it finally did, I felt a momentary twinge of pleasure and got back to work, wondering what it would feel like to sell a novel one day. I imagined myself running around the house, screaming my head off. I imagined a release of every tension I'd ever pent up, my eureka moment, my salvation from a world that was increasingly boring and scary to me. When we moved to the new house, I started selling more short fiction. I felt momentum building, even while I saw so many holes in my ability, my stories, my craft. I sold a story to Ellen Datlow for her Haunted Legends anthology, and this was the closest I ever came to my eureka moment. I ran to the door and hollered for my wife. She came running because she thought I'd been injured. I was barely able to get the words out, to tell her that I'd sold a story to the anthology that everybody wanted to be in. This was a turning point. If I could write a short story that Ellen Datlow wanted, I could write a novel that one of the big six wanted. It was probably a little irrational, but that's how I saw it at the time.
When I finally did sell the novel, it wasn't like I expected it to be. There was no single moment when everything changed, but rather little ones that allowed me to gradually get used to the idea my book was going to be published. First there was the call from my agent. An editor wanted to talk on the phone. Does that mean she wants to buy the book? I asked. Maybe. Maybe not, she said. Then I was asked to rewrite and resubmit. I did. An email came. The editor was pleased with the changes. Does that mean she wants to buy the book? I texted my agent. Maybe. Maybe not, she texted back. When it was finally official, I was ecstatic, but I didn't run all over the house screaming my head off. Instead, I sat in a chair in my front yard (this was almost exactly a year ago) and soaked it all in. I was thankful. I was excited. But I also wanted more. I'd heard about this sort of thing before. Wanting more, never being satisfied. I believe it was John Rector who first told me that there's always another novel to write, always another goal, and that I should just enjoy the ride of the first one because it would never happen again. He was right, even though I think I've worried far too much over the course of the year to actually make a case that I've been "enjoying the ride." But it's not to late to start is it?
Four more days. I'm going to enjoy all of them.
After that I'm going to get that next novel finished.
Friday, February 15, 2013
Four Months
In four months, The Year of the Storm comes out from
Penguin/ Berkley. Though it's
still a ways away, I've got a few updates to report. First, I can finally reveal the cover...
I'm extremely pleased with it. What do you think?
Speaking of extremely pleased, I also have received the
first two blurbs for the book.
John Rector has been a friend since I began writing back in
2002 when we were both publishing in little for the love magazines. He has since gone on to be a
bestselling author, and I've, well, I'm trying. Heh. Anyway, he was kind enough to read TYOTS for me and he
offered this amazing blurb:
"Powerful, dark, and heartfelt. The Year of the Storm
is a wonderful coming of age novel by a very talented new writer. An astounding
debut."
- John Rector Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author of
Already Gone, The Grove, and The Cold Kiss.
Pretty cool, huh?
The second blurb comes from Frank Bill. If you're not familiar with Bill, you
will be. He's already published a
universally well-regarded collection called Crimes in Southern Indiana, and
he's got an awesome looking novel due out this spring from FSG called
Donnybrook. Here's what he had to
say about TYOTS:
“A dark and mysterious southern-gothic story with hints of
Tom Franklin’s Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter and Stephen King’s novella The
Body, John Mantooth’s voice is masculine and powerful, flavoring the pages with
the Alabama wilderness, the turmoil of family and how all of these elements
work to shape and nurture teenage boys into men.”
-Frank Bill,
author of Crimes in Southern Indiana and Donnybrook
I've got to say, that one feels really good as I am a huge
fan of The Body and Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter. Not sure my book's in the class of those two, but I've never
been one not to take a compliment.
If any of this looks interesting to you, I do hope you'll
consider preordering...
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Five books I loved in 2012
I don't know when these books were published, I only know that I read them in 2012 and each book, in its own way, took over my life for a little while (the way all good books should). Here's the list in no particular order with links so you can order them!
Dare Me- Megan Abbott
Cheerleading goes noir. A beautifully written novel. I'm always in awe of how Abbot gets into secret worlds, in this case it's the secret world of cheerleaders and teenage girls.
Volt- Alan Heathcock
For some reason, I didn't read many collections this year. I suppose it was because I was working on a novel, but this one by Heathcock reminded me why I love collections so much. This guy can write, and though the stories are typically dark and gritty, there is an underlying grace that I really admired. Well worth checking out.
The Next Time You See Me- Holly Goddard Jones
A gorgeous novel that switches viewpoints between characters that enthrall and disturb in equal measure. I loved the middle school angle (I teach middle school), and this novel solidifies HGJ's status as one of my favorite writers.
A Monster Calls- Patrick Ness
I'm a sucker for novels that blend reality and fantasy so smoothly. Also, I think Ness nailed the teenage angst and confusion when dealing with a sick parent. A fast, touching read. Really excellent art, too.
The Devil All the Time- Donald Ray Pollack
A dark, dark midwestern gothic about the wages of violence. Hell, I'd even classify it as straight up horror. This book isn't for everyone, but if you like McCarthy, Gay, Franklin, etc., you will devour this one.
Dare Me- Megan Abbott
Cheerleading goes noir. A beautifully written novel. I'm always in awe of how Abbot gets into secret worlds, in this case it's the secret world of cheerleaders and teenage girls.
Volt- Alan Heathcock
For some reason, I didn't read many collections this year. I suppose it was because I was working on a novel, but this one by Heathcock reminded me why I love collections so much. This guy can write, and though the stories are typically dark and gritty, there is an underlying grace that I really admired. Well worth checking out.
The Next Time You See Me- Holly Goddard Jones
A gorgeous novel that switches viewpoints between characters that enthrall and disturb in equal measure. I loved the middle school angle (I teach middle school), and this novel solidifies HGJ's status as one of my favorite writers.
A Monster Calls- Patrick Ness
I'm a sucker for novels that blend reality and fantasy so smoothly. Also, I think Ness nailed the teenage angst and confusion when dealing with a sick parent. A fast, touching read. Really excellent art, too.
The Devil All the Time- Donald Ray Pollack
A dark, dark midwestern gothic about the wages of violence. Hell, I'd even classify it as straight up horror. This book isn't for everyone, but if you like McCarthy, Gay, Franklin, etc., you will devour this one.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
The Next Big Thing or A Day Late and a Tag Short
Apologies to Bracken MacLeod (who so kindly tagged me in this blog tour) for dropping the ball and coming in late with my post. I'm also going to be one person short, as I only managed to wrangle four of the five people required.
So, rather than waste anymore time, I'll get started.
1. What is the title of your book?
The Year of the Storm.
2. Where did the idea come from for the book?
It came from two places. First, that place inside of me that wonders about missing people. What about the ones who are never found? Where do they go? Letting my imagination run wild with that led to the book. The other place the book came from was a painting. It was passed down to me after my grandmother died, and according to the story my aunt told me, the artist was one of my grandmother’s sisters. My aunt described her as different. Quiet, withdrawn. She wrote poetry and painted. Never married. The painting itself reflects this kind of quiet solitude. It’s just a little cabin in the woods at dusk. There’s a lake nearby. A single light burns inside. I put it aside but never stopped thinking about it. Somehow, it merged with my curiosity about missing people, and I had the seeds of the book. If I say much more, I’ll risk giving stuff away, so… next question.
3. What genre does your book fall under?
Southern Gothic. Is that a genre? If not, I’ll say literary horror.
4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Well, the main character is fourteen, and I don’t know the name of a single actor that age, but the secondary character, Walter Pike, is a quick-tempered Vietnam vet, and I think Robert Duvall would be perfect for him.
5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
That’s tough. How about...
Boy tries to find his mother and Autistic sister who have disappeared in the Alabama woods.
6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I’m represented by Beth Fleisher of Clearsailing Creatives. She’s great! And THE YEAR OF THE STORM comes out in June 2013 from Berkley/ Penguin. You can preorder it here for a very discounted price.
7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
First draft probably took about eight months. The other drafts took about two years.
8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
That’s tough. Beverly Bambury was kind of enough to read this for me when it was in the final editing stages and she compared it to Boy's Life by Robert McCammon (which I love) and The Thief of Time by Clive Barker (which I’ve never read).
9. Who or What inspired you to write this book?
See answer #2
10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Well, as you might expect from a book titled THE YEAR OF THE STORM, there’s a lot of bad weather in there. And ghosts. Murder too. Oh, why don’t I just say it? There’s something for everyone.
I've tagged four others that will posting on their respective blogs sometime next week. First up is the inimitable Sam W. Anderson. I've known Sam since 2006, and not only is he a phenomenally talented writer, he's also one of the true nice guys in the business. Do check out his Money Run stories here.
Next is Usman Tanveer Malik. I met Usman at the Horror Library on Zoetrope. He's been extraordinarily supportive of my writing, and I hope to be able to return the favor to him one day. He doesn't have a lot out there right now, but I have a feeling that's going to change soon.
Speaking of supportive, I've also tagged Erik Smetana. Many of you probably know Erik as the editor of the sports infused journal, Stymie, but Erik is also a very talented writer in his own right. I'm looking forward to seeing what he's working on next week.
Finally, I'd like to introduce Danny Evarts. He's not a writer. He's an artist. And a damn good one too. I know because Danny did the interiors for my collection, Shoebox Train Wreck, and if you've seen the book, you've seen how amazing they are. Like all the others I've tagged, Danny is one of the good guys, and I'd love to work with him again.
Well, that's it. Go ahead and check out the other blogs and be on the look out for their posts on Dec. 12.
So, rather than waste anymore time, I'll get started.
1. What is the title of your book?
The Year of the Storm.
2. Where did the idea come from for the book?
It came from two places. First, that place inside of me that wonders about missing people. What about the ones who are never found? Where do they go? Letting my imagination run wild with that led to the book. The other place the book came from was a painting. It was passed down to me after my grandmother died, and according to the story my aunt told me, the artist was one of my grandmother’s sisters. My aunt described her as different. Quiet, withdrawn. She wrote poetry and painted. Never married. The painting itself reflects this kind of quiet solitude. It’s just a little cabin in the woods at dusk. There’s a lake nearby. A single light burns inside. I put it aside but never stopped thinking about it. Somehow, it merged with my curiosity about missing people, and I had the seeds of the book. If I say much more, I’ll risk giving stuff away, so… next question.
3. What genre does your book fall under?
Southern Gothic. Is that a genre? If not, I’ll say literary horror.
4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Well, the main character is fourteen, and I don’t know the name of a single actor that age, but the secondary character, Walter Pike, is a quick-tempered Vietnam vet, and I think Robert Duvall would be perfect for him.
5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
That’s tough. How about...
Boy tries to find his mother and Autistic sister who have disappeared in the Alabama woods.
6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I’m represented by Beth Fleisher of Clearsailing Creatives. She’s great! And THE YEAR OF THE STORM comes out in June 2013 from Berkley/ Penguin. You can preorder it here for a very discounted price.
7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
First draft probably took about eight months. The other drafts took about two years.
8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
That’s tough. Beverly Bambury was kind of enough to read this for me when it was in the final editing stages and she compared it to Boy's Life by Robert McCammon (which I love) and The Thief of Time by Clive Barker (which I’ve never read).
9. Who or What inspired you to write this book?
See answer #2
10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Well, as you might expect from a book titled THE YEAR OF THE STORM, there’s a lot of bad weather in there. And ghosts. Murder too. Oh, why don’t I just say it? There’s something for everyone.
I've tagged four others that will posting on their respective blogs sometime next week. First up is the inimitable Sam W. Anderson. I've known Sam since 2006, and not only is he a phenomenally talented writer, he's also one of the true nice guys in the business. Do check out his Money Run stories here.
Next is Usman Tanveer Malik. I met Usman at the Horror Library on Zoetrope. He's been extraordinarily supportive of my writing, and I hope to be able to return the favor to him one day. He doesn't have a lot out there right now, but I have a feeling that's going to change soon.
Speaking of supportive, I've also tagged Erik Smetana. Many of you probably know Erik as the editor of the sports infused journal, Stymie, but Erik is also a very talented writer in his own right. I'm looking forward to seeing what he's working on next week.
Finally, I'd like to introduce Danny Evarts. He's not a writer. He's an artist. And a damn good one too. I know because Danny did the interiors for my collection, Shoebox Train Wreck, and if you've seen the book, you've seen how amazing they are. Like all the others I've tagged, Danny is one of the good guys, and I'd love to work with him again.
Well, that's it. Go ahead and check out the other blogs and be on the look out for their posts on Dec. 12.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Changes
Slip is no more. Well, the book still exists, but the name is history. The new title is The Year of the Storm. I think this is a better fit and will work better with expected cover art, not to mention that it's more evocative than Slip. It was tough to let go at first, but now I'm completely sold on the new title. Just need to get used to referring to it as The Year of the Storm.
Another change is the release date. Instead of the fall of 2013, the book will be out in June of 2013. Very excited about this as well. Less than one year!
More later.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
I Officially Have Something to Post About
I don't update this blog much. Mostly because I'm pretty boring. I teach. I write. I read. I do the family thing. I check email for good news from my agent. That's pretty much it. That and fail miserably at trying to promote my fledgling writing career.
Then one afternoon, my humdrum existence was interrupted when I innocently checked my email and found one from my agent (the talented Beth Fleisher). It said that an editor from Penguin wanted to talk to me on the phone about possibly revising Slip (that's my Southern Gothic, murder mystery, coming of age story set in rural Alabama). I immediately emailed Beth back and said I might possibly be able to make some time to discuss Slip with an editor from Penguin (actually I said, ARE YOU EFFING KIDDING ME? OF COURSE I'LL TALK TO HER).
From there, things got crazy. The editor, Amanda Ng (smart editor that she is) said the book needed to be pushed a little bit in a certain direction (I'm not telling what direction), and I agreed. So, I immediately spent the next two weeks pushing. Pushing very hard. I pushed and I pushed and I pushed some more until I had a much better book. I sent it back in, and five days later my agent texted me and said we had an offer. Who said publishing was slow?
Did I mention the offer was from Penguin? I'm still reeling a little from it all.
Details? I'm glad you asked. Trade paperback and e-versions, due out in the fall of 2013 from Penguin/ Berkley.
That's all I know for now.
Then one afternoon, my humdrum existence was interrupted when I innocently checked my email and found one from my agent (the talented Beth Fleisher). It said that an editor from Penguin wanted to talk to me on the phone about possibly revising Slip (that's my Southern Gothic, murder mystery, coming of age story set in rural Alabama). I immediately emailed Beth back and said I might possibly be able to make some time to discuss Slip with an editor from Penguin (actually I said, ARE YOU EFFING KIDDING ME? OF COURSE I'LL TALK TO HER).
From there, things got crazy. The editor, Amanda Ng (smart editor that she is) said the book needed to be pushed a little bit in a certain direction (I'm not telling what direction), and I agreed. So, I immediately spent the next two weeks pushing. Pushing very hard. I pushed and I pushed and I pushed some more until I had a much better book. I sent it back in, and five days later my agent texted me and said we had an offer. Who said publishing was slow?
Did I mention the offer was from Penguin? I'm still reeling a little from it all.
Details? I'm glad you asked. Trade paperback and e-versions, due out in the fall of 2013 from Penguin/ Berkley.
That's all I know for now.
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