You should totally buy it.

It’s no secret that Myke and I have been friends a long time. Heck. I remember back in 1991, when he spelled his name M-i-k-e like a normal person.

Yeah, yeah. Like I should talk…

Anyway, Myke and I have a long history of kicking each other’s asses editorially (and with weapons). I met Myke briefly while we were in High School. It was the early 90′s, and we both had crazy heavy metal hair. We didn’t really become friends until college, where we played a lot of Dungeons & Dragons (For those who speak fluent geek, we played Edition 2.0 which evolved into 2.5, Forgotten Realms setting) together.

I’ve spoken before about how Dungeons & Dragons has made me a better storyteller. I used to run friggin’ EPIC games, where I would take the map of Faerun in the Forgotten Realms, pick a spot that hadn’t been explored in any of the novels or boxed sets, and write up a huge, complex story set in that obscure place. I would create plots, sub-plots, characters, backstories, twists, turns, and emotional motivations.

Then my players, Myke included, would just go in and kill everything. And I would have to toss aside my careful plans and dance like a motherfucker to keep up with them, and more importantly, keep them going in the direction I intended. They would deliberately seek out loopholes in my storytelling and try to game the system, or just ignore the boring “talky” parts and get down to dicing and dividing treasure.

Because there are two parts to storytelling: What you want to say, and what your audience is going to hear. Sadly, the two are almost never the same, and the purpose, after all, is to entertain an audience, yourself included.

A year or so later, Myke ran a game, and I gleefully fucked with his the same damn way.

We were also preparing for the pain of rejection letters by ritualistically hitting each other with bamboo swords:

Fast forward to 1998. I have moved to Brooklyn and he to DC. We don’t talk much anymore. Myke tell me he’s been working on a fantasy novel. I say, “Huh. Me too.” I sent him whatever shit project I was working on at the time, and he sends me the first draft of a book called “Latent”.

It would later be renamed, “Control Point.”

In the ensuing 15 years we have relentlessly broken each other’s books, finding tiny weak spots and driving knives into them, forcing each other to improve our craft and pass the other’s gauntlet. We would cover each other’s work in red ink, and call each other saying, “Nice try. Here are the parts that suck, here’s WHY they suck, and here’s my suggestions on how to fix them.”

So there are a lot of Myke’s ideas in my work. The Krasian Watchers, for instance, are laddermen on his suggestion. There are also a lot of my ideas in Myke’s work. For instance, he wanted to call the water sorcerers in Control Point “aquamancers”. I told him tying them forever to the lamest of all superheroes was a bad idea, and suggested he go with “hydromancers”. True story.

Sometimes, we would argue:

So believe me when I say, I couldn’t be more excited about this launch if it was my own book. Because in some small way, it is.

This is not to say that Myke doesn’t deserve all the credit for how awesome Control Point is. The man works obsessively and ruthlessly to make ever second of his books riveting.

Seriously. Stop reading this and go read his reviews. There’s like a million of them already, and they’re all glowing.

Control Point is a military fantasy story set in an alternate version of our modern world where magic ebbs and wanes over the course of every thousand years, much like the waxing and waning of the moon. When it waxes, people with latent magic ability suddenly manifest incredible powers.

They are then drafted, broken down, and trained to fight America’s enemies in the Supernatural Operations Corps. They’re the lucky ones. Those who manifest prohibited powers like necromancy (zombies) are shot in the head.

Lt. Oscar Britton starts as a ‘normal’ human, serving the army in hunting down magical fugitives. That is, until he manifests a prohibited magic himself, and overnight becomes Public Enemy #1.

The fun starts there, and doesn’t stop till the end.

Oh, and I’ve read the sequel, Fortress Frontier. It is even better.

If you want to hear us discuss writing and our history of alpha reading, you can check out our recent podcast interview with The Functional Nerds.

Peter V. Brett will a guest of honor at ConFusion 2012 this January 20-22 in Troy, Michigan. Never heard of it? ConFusion is a fan-run annual fantasy and science fiction convention complete with panels, parties and more. I would encourage everyone in the Detroit area to go. You can find out details on registration here.

There is a great lineup this year, hosted by Subterranean Press, including Myke Cole, Pat Rothfuss, Joe Abercrombie, Brent Weeks, Tobias Buckell, Saladin Ahmed, and more.

Here is Peter’s schedule! Check him out at all these fantastic panels:

Friday January 20th at 7pm in Salon F: Fantasy and Horror

Steve Buchheit, Peter V. Brett, Ferrett Steinmetz, Violette Malan, Howard Andrew Jones

Friday January 20th at 8pm in Salon E: Opening Ceremonies

Saturday January 21st at 10am in Salon H: Reading

Peter V. Brett, Brent Weeks

Saturday January 21st at 1pm in Salon E: Worldbuilding 101

Cat Rambo, Patrick Rothfuss, Peter V. Brett, Brent Weeks

Saturday January 21st at 4pm in Salon F: Non-Western Fantasy

Peter V. Brett, Kameron Hurley, Christian Klaver, Howard Andrew Jones, Saladin Ahmed

Saturday January 21st at 5pm in Salon E: Mass Autograph Session

EVERYONE

Sunday January 22nd at 1pm in Salon G: Horses and Swords and Castles, Oh My!

Myke Cole, Patrick Rothfuss, Joe Abercrombie, Peter V. Brett, Bradley Beaulieu

NY ComicCon went great this year. I did two panels and two signings, got to meet lots of fans, spend time with good friends, gawk at amazing costumes, and generally have a blast:

On Thursday I got to finally meet Jennie from SF blog Fantasy Faction. You can read her own ComicCon report here, complete with tons of pictures, including yours truly. Jennie also recorded and posted my reading of a (very short, as I only had 5 minutes) scene from The Daylight War in the Friday Del Rey/Spectra Panel:

I also did a great panel on Saturday with a lot of great authors. Felicia Day was doing a panel just previous and I tried to go up to her onstage to tell her The Guild is awesome, but she was mobbed:

I would like to note, with no creepy stalkerism, that she is even prettier in person.

Someone recorded and posted part of the panel on Ustream. The angle and sound quality aren’t ideal, but not terrible, either. Please be patient with the short ad you have to watch at first:

Winter Is Here: Epic Fantasy Takes The Throne
Date: Saturday, October 15
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Location: 1A15
Speakers: Brandon Sanderson, David Chandler, Nils Johnson-Shelton , Peter Brett , Philippa Ballantine , Rae Carson
Description: Long a staple of the SF/F genre, epic fantasy is poised to take a coup over the bestseller lists, thanks in part to HBO’s fantastically popular series based upon George R.R. Martin’s “Game of Thrones” novel. This summer saw signing lines hundreds of readers deep (luckily none with swords in hand) for #1 New York Times bestselling author Patrick Rothfuss’ American appearance. Now, in a special spotlight session exclusive to New York Comic Con, we pair internationally bestselling author Brandon Sanderson with Peter Brett and epic fantasy debut authors Rae Carson, David Chandler and Nils Johnson-Shelton talk about why swords and sorcerers, king-makers and kingslayers; dragons and high drama have renewed resonance in fiction.
Track: Sci-Fi / Fantasy

Lots of updated info on my appearances as my one of my favorite conventions, NY ComicCon draws nigh. Here is the latest:

Friday, October 14

Don’t be fooled by the name of my first panel. While there will certainly be discussion of steampunk and zombies, this is basically a showcase panel for  all of Random House’s genre offerings in the year to come (including epic fantasy by yours truly). Not to be missed!

The Del Rey Spectra Steampunk Zombie Invasion

Date: Friday, October 14
1:15 pm – 2:15 pm

Location: 1A23

Description: Join authors Peter Brett, Naomi Novik, Lia Habel, C.E. Murphy, Scott Westerfeld, plus Del Rey Spectra editorial staff as they reveal strange and ominous projects in the works. Limited prizes to be awarded, while supplies last.

Track: Sci-Fi / Fantasy

Signing: Peter V. Brett

Date: Friday, October 14
3 pm – 4 pm

Location: Del Rey Booth

Saturday, October 15

I will be going at 4pm to see my fellow JABberwocky authors Myke Cole and Jack Campbell at their panel:

Accelerate to Attack Speed: Military Science Fiction

Date: Saturday, October 15
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Location: 1A02

Speakers: Jack Campbell, Myke Cole, Taylor Anderson

Description: Military SF/F authors have kept readers at the edge or their seats by incorporating wartime experience and strategies of armed conflict into the far-future and alternate history worlds they create. Not since Luke Skywalker blasted the hell out of the Death Star have we seen such interest in war-inspired science fiction and fantasy. Perhaps a sign of the time we’re in (and whatever might be said, we all bow before Scalzi’s influence) people just want books about good guys defeating unfriendly space invaders and plausible visions of a future military. May the force be with everyone in the audience as Taylor Anderson, Jack Campbell , and Myke Cole, fire up their ammo and discuss this Semper Fi friendly subgenre of popular fiction.

Track: Sci-Fi / Fantasy

After that panel I will be running over to the Del Rey booth for another signing…

Signing: Peter V. Brett

Date: Saturday, October 15
5 pm – 6 pm

Location: Del Rey Booth

Then my big panel with another great JABberwocky author, Brandon Sanderson…

Winter Is Here: Epic Fantasy Takes The Throne

Date: Saturday, October 15
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Location: 1A15

Speakers: Brandon Sanderson, David Chandler, Nils Johnson-Shelton , Peter Brett , Philippa Ballantine , Rae Carson

Description: Long a staple of the SF/F genre, epic fantasy is poised to take a coup over the bestseller lists, thanks in part to HBO’s fantastically popular series based upon George R.R. Martin’s “Game of Thrones” novel.  This summer saw signing lines hundreds of readers deep (luckily none with swords in hand) for #1 New York Times bestselling author Patrick Rothfuss’ American appearance.  Now, in a special spotlight session exclusive to New York Comic Con, we pair internationally bestselling author Brandon Sanderson with Peter Brett and epic fantasy debut authors Rae Carson, David Chandler and Nils Johnson-Shelton talk about why swords and sorcerers, king-makers and kingslayers; dragons and high drama have renewed resonance in fiction.

Track: Sci-Fi / Fantasy

If you have the means, I highly recommend you attend. It’s a life experience not to be missed, and unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. Plus, countless hot people walking around in costumes!

See you there, I hope!

As you probably know, I love NY ComicCon. If you have the means, I highly recommend you attend. It’s a life experience not to be missed, and unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. Not only is it the second biggest genre con in the world after San Diego CC, but it is right in my backyard, and I can go back and forth from home in under an hour. No packing, airports and hotels!

I like being in new places, but I hate traveling. Ironic.

Anyway, they are starting to book me for events, and while there are more to come, like signings and the like, there are a couple already on the calendar, so I thought I would give folks a head’s up:

The Del Rey Spectra Steampunk Zombie Jamboree

Friday, October 14

Room # : 1A23

1:15PM – 2:15PM

Don’t be fooled by the name. While there will certainly be discussion of steampunk and zombies (and I will have my banjo handy) this is basically a showcase panel for  all of Random House’s genre offerings in the year to come (including epic fantasy by yours truly). Not to be missed!

WINTER IS HERE: EPIC FANTASY TAKES THE THRONE

Saturday, October 15

Room #: 1A15

6:30PM – 7:30PM

Long a staple of the SF/F genre, epic fantasy is poised to take a coup over the bestseller lists, thanks in part to HBO’s fantastically popular series based upon George R.R. Martin’s “Game of Thrones” novel.  This summer saw signing lines hundreds of readers deep (luckily none with swords in hand) for #1 New York Times bestselling author Patrick Rothfuss’ American appearance.  Now, in a special spotlight session exclusive to New York Comic Con, we pair internationally bestselling author Brandon Sanderson with Peter Brett and epic fantasy debut authors Rae Carson, David Chandler and Nils Johnson-Shelton talk about why swords and sorcerers, king-makers and kingslayers; dragons and high drama have renewed resonance in fiction.

Historically, if you put me and my nemesis Brandon Sanderson in the same room, we will debate all night. Add in some other up and coming debut authors, and you have con gold. Also, this panel is timed perfectly for me to hit a local bar afterward with a crowd of cool kids from the con. Make nice and you might get an invite!

Other events to come when the schedule is finalized. See you there, I hope!