In addition to the t-shirts I mentioned in the last post, the Messenger today brought another something very special, my sample copies of Der große Basar, the German translation/extended edition of The Great Bazaar.

Der große Basar isn’t just a translation of the US edition, though. It really is unique. In addition to another beautiful cover painting, the German edition has a bunch of all-new  illustrations, including a gorgeous fold-out map of Fort Krasia, The Desert Spear:

Der große Basar also includes Brayan’s Gold, an all-new Arlen Messenger novella exclusive to the German edition. This story isn’t even being published in English, the language it was written in, until later this year! It’s a German worldwide exclusive, at least for the next few months.

Here are some links to recent German reviews since the book came out:

Games Orbit

Faerie Fire

Suite 101

Crazy Culture Clap

Reviews on Thalia Books

The Warded Man MMPB released yesterday, and my while I think my carefully plotted wards all activated properly, the drain on the grid might have affected the weather. The sky was overcast yesterday morning as my agent and I embarked on our quest to sign every book we could find in Manhattan and Brooklyn in a single day, sunup to sundown. I had 200 signed bookplates in my pocket, along with the signing pens my mother gave me a couple of years ago. Joshua had a backpack full of xeroxed press reviews about the book, and paperback samples to give as gifts to any bookstore staff who expressed an interest in reading fantasy to keep or just leave in their break rooms.

We started out in Park Slope Brooklyn at the 7th Avenue Barnes and Noble, where they had eight copies in stock, but they had just arrived, and were not yet shelved. This is one of the main reasons authors should do this sort of thing on release day. There were probably ten stores we visited over the course of the day that had not yet shelved the books.

I want to be clear that this is not the fault of the stores or their employees, at least not at the ground level. In most cases, the books (which the store had ordered months in advance) had been delivered that very day, or just the night before. Stores receive a lot of books in these shipments, and it takes time to inventory and shelve them all. Most stores shelve the bestsellers first (as any smart business should), and in places without a lot of staff, it can take days to get around to a new author like me.

But by coming in and introducing ourselves to the staff, we were not only able to have the books shelved immediately with good facing, but made even more enticing by the “Author signed” stickers now adorning the front. I slipped a signed bookplate into every copy, so that any readers who enjoy the book enough to want to buy The Desert Spear (Free excerpt with that link!) in April will be able to peel off the sticker backing, and, PRESTO! make their new hardcover into a signed book.

From Park Slope we went to another couple of stores in Brooklyn, and then took the subway into Manhattan, starting out on Wall Street at the Borders down there, and then making a zig-zaggy loop up the east side of the island and then going crosstown at the top and zig-zagging back down the west. We visited 20 bookstores in all, and I signed 108 books, plus another half dozen that we gave to store staff, bringing the total up to 114. We met a lot of great, hard working, and friendly store staff & customers, and had fun geeking out about books with them. It was also an opportunity to thank the floor workers for what they do. I used to manage a comic shop, and know how difficult a job retail sellers have. And they usually do it with a cheery smile.

It was a great day, but even after a night’s rest, my feet are still killing me.

Did I mention that the MMPB has an exclusive Desert Spear excerpt not available online at the back?

Also in the news is The Great Bazaar. Subterranean Press reports that there are only about 75 copies of the trade version left, and the limited edition is already sold out. It is unlikely these books will last much longer, and there are no plans to go back on press. If you are at all interested, I strongly suggest you order soon. I love that little book dearly, and consider it’s events Canon that give real depth to some of my favorite characters in the series.

Not convinced? Check out what Blood of the Muse has to say about The Great Bazaar.

Last but not least, there is some more news on The Desert Spear:

Aidan Moher has posted a New Exclusive Desert Spear Excerpt on his blog A Dribble of Ink. I know that people wanted some Arlen/Leesha/Rojer action, so I came through this time around with a delicious appetizer for that. Check it out.

There have also been some great new reviews popping up, now that the release date is looming. The Superfast Reader follows up the interview we did a few weeks ago with this review.

Other glowing reviews appearing, like this one from Library Journal, or:

“…Those willing to give Jardir his due will see him develop depth and perspective that give his inevitable confrontation with Arlen magnitude. This more brutal sequel emphasizes political and romantic intrigue without losing the urgency of the demon war.”

-Booklist

“…Well-drawn characters, fascinating worldbuilding, action and conflict make for an exciting page-turner.”

* * * * 1/2

-Romantic Times

Finally, Recorded Books has announced the upcoming audio book of The Desert Spear, which will again feature the talented narrator Pete Bradbury, whose silken rumble of a voice could charm the panties off a marble statue of Athena. His reading of The Warded Man is available now, and it’s fantastic.

An hour later, I realize all I’ve done is sit and read the book, and haven’t looked for shit.

Damn thing sucked me in.

But at the end of the day, The Desert Spear is Jardir’s book. He’s on the cover for a reason, and readers will have the chance to get to know him very well.

Starting now.

I’ve just made a new addition to the Excisions page, a deleted scene from The Desert Spear entitled Rojer’s Mummery. Normally I would wait until the book was published to print deleted scenes, but this one is spoiler-free and involves characters from the first book, so I thought it would be a fun thing to put up for those of you eager for the next book. I hope you enjoy it.