Status on Last Days
From Brian Evenson:
I heard from Victoria Blake, my publisher, that copies of Last Days have arrived to her, which means I should see the final copy soon and that it’ll start appearing in stores and online any day now. So, I’m in that odd moment where the book both is and isn’t alive: it exists, it made it into the world despite the economy, initial blog attention and advanced reviews have been good; but people aren’t holding it in their hands yet. Now I’ll wait to see how things click with readers and other reviewers. I’ve got an excellent introduction from Peter Straub, so hopefully that will get a few people interested in the book that didn’t know it before.
Every book is a new experience, but this one feels newer than most. I’ve had a book with an introduction before—philosopher Alphonso Lingis wrote an introduction for Altmann’s Tongue—but that was a reprint; this is the original edition. Cover artwork is by filmmaker Karim Ghahwagi, from one of the stills he took when he was doing character stills for his screenplay for the novel, so that’s new. I got not one but two reviews in Locus, so that’s new. I’ve never published a book that was an expansion of a previously published chapbook, so that’s new. Alongside the paperback, we’re doing a simultaneous limited edition hardback, with each cover personalized by hand by my, so that’s new. Borders is filing the book in the Horror section, so that’s new: I’ve been in Mystery and Literature before (and in SF for the Aliens novel I did), but never Horror, though I’m very comfortable there. And Underland Press is new as well—I’m their first title, which feels both very exciting and like stepping into the unknown, probably for both of us. It’s been a pleasure to have Last Days published by someone who really believes in the book, and the support and professionalism have been very high. Now I’m keeping my fingers crossed that all the hard work will pay off, and that the book will get into the hands of readers who will be willing to brave its weirdness…
February 10, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Saw four copies at Moe’s in Berkeley on Saturday the 7th, actually! Congrats again.
February 10, 2009 at 7:23 pm
I’ve asked my local public library to order Last Days. They’re usually open to my suggestions, so we’ll see.
February 11, 2009 at 8:50 am
Thanks Bill. That rocks.
February 11, 2009 at 8:50 am
First sighting! Yippie!
February 11, 2009 at 10:28 am
I saw your book at St Mark’s Place in the East Village in New York already. I would have bought it, but I’d pre-ordered from Amazon where it’s listed as out of stock. Sigh.
February 11, 2009 at 12:47 pm
I greatly enjoyed Last Days. Congratulations on a terrific book.
February 11, 2009 at 1:44 pm
Oh, let me add that I’ve read the online excerpt and, yes, I like it very much.
February 11, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Victoria,
Any chance of the Foreward being posted on the Underland site anytime soon? I’ve already read and reviewed Last Days based on the galley sent to me back in October, but I am curious to know what Straub had to say about the book.
February 13, 2009 at 9:44 am
Hi Larry. Good idea to post the intro. I’ll work on this when I return to Portland, and I’ll post it online as an extra. Thanks for the nudge (and for the excellent review)! Victoria
February 13, 2009 at 9:15 pm
Cool! And glad you enjoyed the review!