Hi all. I wanted to report on what was happening with Mister
Slaughter. Unfortunately we don't have a publisher yet, but never
fear, we're still pushing ahead. The deal is that I just didn't think
Pocket did a very good job with The Queen of Bedlam. There was
no promotion at all (well, there was a small ad in the New York Times
Review of Books, but that was because the publisher at Pocket liked the
cover), and I just can't throw Mister Slaughter into the fire.
If you guys want to know where I am mentally, just read the commentaries
in the new Pocket editions of Boy's Life and Gone South.
I'm not saying you should buy them if you already have them, but take a
look at those commentaries. They tell a harsh story, but it's where I
am.
Due to the economy, publishers are buying fewer books and seem to be
reluctant to put money in promotion or author's tours. If the book
doesn't make X amount of profits, whoever championed that particular
book gets his or her head cut off, because of the corporate structure of
the publishing world. And in my particular case and the case of Pocket,
I honestly think they have no idea how to promote the Matthew Corbett
series. Really...I don't think they understand the books or see the
potential in Matthew's story.
Wouldn't be the first time, guys. Recall that I had to fight to keep
Boy's Life from being turned into a run-of-the-mill mystery
piece, and that was only one of many fights I had with Pocket over the
years.
So here I am again, similar to when I took Speaks the Nightbird
home and thought I was done with publishing. This time, though, I have
lots of options and I'm determined to continue Matthew's story to the
finish. The problem is that sorting all this out is going to take some
time, and I want to be careful that I find the right people in the
business who'll help me continue on.
I had hoped that Mister Slaughter would be out in October of
2009, but it probably won't be. I'm cleaning house, and what I have to
do may add several more months to the schedule.
One of the elements of Mister Slaughter is that Matthew is really
beaten and bruised by Tyranthus Slaughter during the course of the book,
but he never gives up. The book is about not quitting in the face of
adversity, as a matter of fact. Matthew is not a quitter. He's a good
example for me to follow, and that's what I intend to do.
Thank you for hanging in with me, and hopefully within a month or so,
I'll have some better news.
Best Wishes,
Robert McCammon
October 30, 2008
2008-10-28 — Fan-created cover for Swan Song
Lauren Vinita has created a book cover for Swan Song that she'd
like to see. You can see her complete cover in the Fan
Art Gallery or by clicking on the image to the right. Thanks, Lauren!
2008-10-15 — Original artwork for British Boy's Life paperback
I recently found the website for artist Mark Salwowski, whose artwork was used for
the cover of the British paperback edition of Boy's Life. The original
artwork for that cover is available for sale on Mark's website, along with a bunch of
other great artwork. You can also find downloadable wallpapers and more there.
Mark has given me permission to add the scan of the original art to the Book Cover Gallery. Thanks, Mark!
Click on the image to the right to see a larger version of the art.
2008-09-26 — French cover art for Le Visage du Mal
French publisher Bragelonne has published volume 2 of their translation
of Speaks the Nightbird.
Le chant de l'oiseau de nuit, Tome 2: Le Visage du Mal is available now.
The cover artwork, shown on the right, has been added to the Book Cover Gallery. Thanks to Leslie at Bragelonne for
the image!
2008-09-16 — An Update from Robert McCammon
Hi everybody,
I wanted to check in and tell you how much I appreciate your comments.
I guess it would be a cliche to say that your positive response to my
work is one of the major things that keep me going, but this doesn't
make it any less true. A writer very often feels like he or she is
working in the dark, so any candle of response is much appreciated.
Again, thank you for taking the time to write in and let me know.
I finished Mister Slaughter in June, but I'm still waiting to see
exactly when the book's going to be published. My agent and publisher
are "in talks" (another cliche, I suppose, but again true) and I'm
hoping to find out something within the next couple of weeks.
In the meantime, I wanted to tell you what the future holds. Knowing
from experience that nothing can be written in stone, my plan is to
write a contemporary novel next, before I do the next Matthew Corbett
book. It's about a rock band and is set in the summer of 2008, but
that's about all I can say right now.
The Matthew Corbett books are a real challenge to do, with putting
together the story and the research, and I've decided it would be fun
(?) to do this book set in the here-and-now before getting started on
the next Matthew story.
As a matter of fact, I hope to do another contemporary book after I
finish the next Matthew book as well. I'm planning on doing seven more
Matthew books, so it looks like I'm not going to be sitting around in
retirement like I thought I was going to be a few years ago, so in
that instance my crystal ball was severely cracked. And I'm glad it
was, because I really am enjoying writing the Matthew series.
So...that's basically where I'm going for the next few years. At one
point I'd hoped to be able to do a Matthew book every year, but
they're too complicated for that and I do need some downtime between
them. This idea about the band has really reached out and grabbed me,
so we'll see. This is kinda scary for me because I haven't written a
contemporary book for a good long while (as in many years).
Again, thanks for your comments and your participation on the website.
Thanks for all your well-wishes and your appreciation of my work, and
I'll talk to you again further along the way.
Best Wishes,
Robert McCammon
2008-09-13 — Still waiting and graphic reprint
We're still waiting for news about Mister Slaughter. As soon as I
have anything to report, I'll post it!
In 1992, Innovation Books published a comic adaptation of Robert McCammon's
short story "Nightcrawlers" in a series of graphic novels entitled
J.N. Williamson's Masques. In January 2009, Checker Book Publishing
will reprint some of those stories, including "Nightcrawlers," in a
new hardcover edition, also titled J.N. Williamson's Masques. The book
can be pre-ordered
via Amazon.com now. The cover art is pictured at the right.
2008-08-07 — New L'Heure du Loup paperback artwork
French publisher Bragelonne, under their Milady imprint, is releasing a new
paperback edition of L'Heure du Loup, a French translation of
The Wolf's Hour. The new cover artwork has been added to the Book Cover
Gallery. Thanks to Leslie at Bragelonne for the image!
2008-08-01 — New Gone South trade paperback artwork
The new cover artwork for the upcoming Pocket Books trade paperback edition
of Gone South has been added to the Book Cover
Gallery. This new edition of Gone South includes a brand-new
foreword by Robert McCammon. It is scheduled for publication on October 14,
2008.
2008-07-16 — New artwork by Troy Palmer
Troy Palmer has contributed some great new artwork he created that
was inspired by his
recent reading of Robert McCammon's Boy's Life. You can find it on Troy's page in the Fan
Artwork Gallery.
Thanks, Troy!
2008-07-14 — Several Italian covers added to Gallery
Several new-to-the-site Italian book covers have been added to the Book Cover Gallery. Thanks to Ernesto Vegetti for the
scans!
Spanish publisher Ediciones B reissued mass-market paperback editions of El
Príncipe de los Infernios (Baal) and Mary Terror
(MINE) in October 2007.
2008-07-10 — New Italian edition of They Thirst
Italian publisher Mondadori has released a paperback edition of Hanno
Sete, the Italian translation of They Thirst by Paulo de Crescenzo. This is the same translation
that was published in hardcover by Gargoyle Books in 2005. The new cover,
shown to the right, has been added to the Book Cover
Gallery.
Robert McCammon has completed writing Mister Slaughter, the third
book in the Matthew Corbett series! Since he literally just finished it,
there's no information yet on when it might be published.
2008-06-13 — Game inspiration, Blue World mention
I've created a Robert
McCammon page at Facebook.com. It's still a work-in-progress, but please
feel free to "become a fan" of the page if you have a Facebook account.
Game developer Chuck Wendig checked in with a pointer to a page for
the upcoming White Wolf game Hunter: The
Vigil. The teaser page lists some of the game's inspirations, which
include Robert McCammon's Stinger and Swan Song.
Meanwhile, Psych isn't the only upcoming acting gig for Webber this year. In
fact, he is currently working on Blue World, a thriller film based on the short
story of Robert McCammon.
2008-05-01 — French website for Speaks the Nightbird launched
French publisher Bragelonne has launched a new website to promote
Le Procès de la Sorcière, the French translation of Robert
McCammon's Speaks the Nightbird (book 1).
They've also posted a video trailer for the book on
the site and
on YouTube.
2008-04-20 — Southern KY Book Fest photos
My photos from Robert McCammon's signing at the Southern KY Book Fest
in Bowling Green, KY, on April 19, 2008, can be viewed
by clicking here. We had a great
time meeting and talking with everyone!
2008-04-16 — Blue World movie news & more French editions
French publisher Bragelonne plans to release
Le chant de l'oiseau de nuit, Tome 2 around September 25, 2008.
They also plan to reissue L'Heure du Loup, a French translation of
The Wolf's Hour, in August 2008 under the Milady imprint. More reissues
are planned for the future. I'll be working with Bragelonne to provide more
information as it becomes available.
Producer Michael Nehs has provided a brief update on the status of the
Blue World movie. Shooting is now scheduled to begin mid-summer, and
the following actors have been cast:
2008-04-11 — French translation of Speaks the Nightbird
French publisher Bragelonne will be releasing
Le chant de l'oiseau de nuit, Tome 1 : Le procès de la sorcière, a
French translation of Robert McCammon's Speaks the Nightbird (book 1), on April 25,
2008. The translation is by Benoît Domis and will be published as a
paperback. Click on the image to the right to see a larger version of the
cover.
Robert McCammon was awarded the Grand Master Award by the World
Horror Convention in Salt Lake City, UT, on March 29, 2008. Unfortunately,
McCammon was unable to attend the presentation. For more information on
the award, click here
to visit the 2008 World Horror Convention site.
Pocket Books will be reissuing Robert McCammon's Boy's Life in a new
trade paperback edition in July 2008. The edition will include a new foreword
by Robert McCammon. Click on the image to the right to see a larger version of
the new cover.
Robert McCammon will be attending the Southern Kentucky Book Fest in Bowling
Green, KY, on April 19, 2008. In addition to appearing in the signing room, he
will be participating in a panel discussion at 2 PM in Room 5. The panel title
is "Murderous Queens, A Lost Continent, & Swashbuckling Pirates:
Truth & Fiction in History."
2008-03-20 — Thriller Award nomination!
Robert McCammon's The Queen of Bedlam has been nominated for the 2008 Thriller
Award in the Best Paperback Original category! The Thriller Awards are given
out by the International Thriller
Writers. Here are all the nominees:
BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL 2008
The Last Nightingale by Anthony Flacco (Ballantine)
A Thousand Bones by P.J. Parrish (Pocket)
The Midnight Road by Tom Piccirilli (Bantam)
The Queen of Bedlam by Robert McCammon (Pocket)
Shattered by Jay Bonansinga (Pinnacle)
The winners will be announced this summer at Thrillerfest 2008 at the Grand
Hyatt in New York City during a gala banquet on Saturday, July 12, 2008.
You can read more about the awards on the International
Thriller Writers website. Congratulations to Robert McCammon on the
nomination!
2008-03-18 — Russian magazine interview with McCammon
T'ma (Darkness), the Eastern Europe Horror and Dark Fiction
E-zine, recently conducted an interview with Robert McCammon using questions
from Russian fans of McCammon's work. You can read the interview here, as
well as find links to the Russian website hosting the interview and
downloadable magazine.
The Albertville, AL, newspaper Sand Mountain Reporter ran a
review of Boy's Life in the March 18 issue. The review, titled
"No better read than this 'Boy's Life,'" can be read
on
their website or by clicking
here.
2008-02-27 — Another speed metal band; new German cover
Canadian speed metal band Kilyakai has posted "Job's Mask," a song
inspired by Robert McCammon's Swan Song, on their MySpace page. The lyrics
are helpfully provided. Thanks to band member Wes for letting me know!
The cover for a new German edition of the anthology Hot Blood, which
includes Robert McCammon's "The
Thang," has been added to the Book Cover
Gallery.
2008-02-19 — The Rap Sheet article/interview Part 4 is online
The fourth and final part of Ali Karim's article about Robert McCammon has
been posted on
The Rap Sheet. This part includes a new interview with McCammon.
2008-02-17 — More articles about Blue World, vintage review
I've come across a couple more articles/blogs stating
that filming of
the Blue World movie will begin in Milwaukee in May. You can read the
blog entry here
and the news article here.
2008-02-13 — More trade paperback reissues in 2008, CD reissue
Pocket Books will be publishing new trade paperback editions of
Boy's Life (July 1, 2008; ISBN 1-4165-7778-5) and Gone South (October 14,
2008; ISBN 1-4165-7779-3).
Boy's Life can be pre-ordered now on
the SimonSays.com
website and on
Amazon.com.
Phoenix Audio has released an unabridged audio CD of Stalkers: 19 Original
Tales by the Masters of Terror. This anthology includes Robert McCammon's
short story "Lizardman."
The disc can be ordered from Amazon.com
and Barnes & Noble.
(This is a CD reissue of the 1992 Dove Audio cassette release. Despite the
title, it only contains the same 8 stories in that release.)
The hardcover edition of The Queen of Bedlam is almost sold out, and Pocket Books
does not currently plan to do a second printing of the hardcover. It is no
longer available via SimonSays.com, and retailers are finding that they can
no longer get copies. The Alabama Booksmith still has a handful of signed
copies, and
Amazon.com
still lists the book as being in-stock. If you want the hardcover
edition and haven't bought it yet, you should order it soon....
A reminder to Italian readers: Robert McCammon's La Via Oscura, an
Italian translation of Mystery Walk, is in stores now from Gargoyle Books!
2008-02-08 — New McCammon article/review/interview
A new, 4-part Robert McCammon article/review/interview by Ali Karim has
been started on The
Rap Sheet.
A new-to-me Dutch cover for MINE has been added to the Book Cover Gallery. Click here or on the image to view a larger
version.
2008-01-31 — Video from the 1989 World Fantasy Convention
From the Archives! Way back in 1989, Robert McCammon was the Guest of Honor at the World
Fantasy Convention in Seattle, WA. I've just posted an 11-minute video of
the Q&A part of "An Hour with Robert McCammon" to YouTube in
two parts. Click here to watch the videos, or you can
download an audio-only MP3.
Thanks to Sephera Giron for sending me the videotape back in 1989!
2008-01-25 — Speed metal songs based on McCammon novels
Speed metal band Engorged based two songs on their 2004 album "Where
Monsters Dwell" on Robert McCammon novels. The songs are
"Stinger," based on Stinger, of course, and "Werewolf
Militia," based on The Wolf's Hour. You can listen to "Stinger" on the
Engorged MySpace page, and you
can read the lyrics here.
An update on the Blue World movie from producer Michael Nehs is
expected within the next couple of weeks. A couple of recent website articles
have revealed some information about the shooting schedule, the woman playing
Debbie Stoner, and a recent parterning with another movie company. Click here to read the most recent
information about the movie.
The latest installment of HorrorWorld's Pod of
Horror includes a new interview with Robert McCammon (as well as an
interview with Jonathan Maberry and more). You can download the podcast
directly using this link.
Thanks to HorrorWorld, the McCammon portion of the podcast is available
separately here.
A new audio interview with Robert McCammon is available for download from
LeisureTalk.net. The 56-minute
interview is the latest episode of David's Book Talk, conducted by David
English. You can download the MP3 directly by clicking here.
Thanks, David! (The interview will remain on their front page until December
16, at which time it will be moved to their archives.)
2007-11-30 — More Bedlam reviews
More reviews of The Queen of Bedlam have been posted:
Today's "Living" section in The Birmingham News includes
a brief report on the recent Literacy Council event with Robert McCammon. You
can read the article
on
their website.
2007-11-26 — New McCammon interview
On October 15, 2007, I sat down with Robert McCammon to talk about The
Queen of Bedlam. The interview is now available as both a transcription
and downloadable MP3 audio files.
To download an MP3 file, right-click on the link above and choose "Save target
as..." or whatever similar option you have.
2007-11-22 — New Russian book
Russian publisher ACT has re-released their Russian-language translation of
Speaks the Nightbird with new cover art, which has been added to the Book Cover Gallery.
2007-11-14
Film director Frank Darabont still hopes to get a film version of Robert
McCammon's MINE made. In a new interview
with SCI FI Wire, Darabont talks about his future projects. Here are the
MINE-relevant bits:
Darabont Mulls 451 Remake
Writer-director Frank Darabont told SCI FI Wire that he's considering remaking
Fahrenheit 451 and doing a film based on Robert McCammon's SF novel
Mine, among other options for his next project. Darabont (the
upcoming The Mist) said that
Fahrenheit 451, based on Ray Bradbury's classic SF novel, is closest to
becoming a reality.
[...]
Mine, meanwhile, is Robert McCammon's psychological horror tale
about a deeply disturbed female 1960s revolutionary who kidnaps a baby,
goes on a killing spree and sparks a desperate chase. "That is also
in the works," Darabont said.
"We're working on that, too. That is an intense and primal thriller. It's a
female-driven thriller, which is perhaps one of the reasons that it's not an
obvious 'yes' for a studio. The hero and the villain are great women's roles,
and studios kind of have to be talked into that thing, because it's not the
obvious to them."
--- Ian Spelling
2007-11-11
Today's issue of The Huntsville Times includes
an article entitled "Which
books speak to you over and over?" The author, the editor of the Arts
section of the paper, writes about Robert McCammon's novels and includes some
quotes from a recent phone interview with McCammon. Thanks to Joe Howe for
the link!
2007-11-09
As of today, Robert McCammon is about 60 pages into the writing of
the third Matthew Corbett novel. The planned title is Mr. Slaughter,
and he hopes to have it finished in February 2008.
WBHM 90.3 FM, Birmingham's public radio
station, conducted an interview with Robert McCammon for their Tapestry
program. The topics of discussion are The Queen of Bedlam and Boy's Life. You can
listen to the interview on the WBHM Tapestry
website. You'll find both the aired interview and an extended interview
there.
An interview article about Robert McCammon, entitled "Back in the game"
and written by Alec Harvey, will run in Sunday's issue of The Birmingham
News. You can read
the article on their website.
We have two winners!
Elton Porter and Robert Ballantyne were the names pulled from the hat by my
daughter. Out of 404 entries, they've each won a signed hardcover copy of
The Queen of Bedlam. I've emailed both of them to get shipping
addresses. Thanks for participating, and sorry I didn't have more to give
away!
2007-11-01
On Wednesday, November 14, 2007, Robert McCammon will be featured in a
Signature Series fundraising event for the Literacy Council of Birmingham, AL,
which promotes literacy in Central Alabama.
From the Literacy Council
website:
On Wednesday, November 14th at 6:30 PM, meet best-selling author Robert
McCammon at the home of Chandler and Jane Paris Smith. Signature Series events
feature America's most fascinating authors at private cocktail receptions in
Birmingham's most dazzling homes.
Robert McCammon is the author of Boy's Life, which is required reading
in 75% of high schools in America. McCammon is a wonderful hidden gem,
living right here in Vestavia Hills. His latest novel, The Queen of
Bedlam, set in 1702, is a
sequel to the 2002 award-winning Speaks the Nightbird. In The
Queen of Bedlam, a magistrate's clerk becomes involved in the hunt
for a serial killer.
A new article in
Screen Magazine about Frontsight Productions' new sound studio,
Templar Sounds, includes this tidbit about their planned film version of
Robert McCammon's "Blue World":
And if that isn't a big enough project, Nehs has some film work going on through
Frontsight Productions, as well. The feature Blue World, which is
based on the
book by Robert McCammon and directed by Rivkin, is scheduled to begin shooting
late this fall, but Nehs says this time frame might be delayed until January
due to actor availability. Nehs says Blue World will be completed from start to
finish right here in Chicago—with the post and scoring taking place at
Templar Sounds.
2007-10-22
The October 26, 2007, issue of Entertainment Weekly includes a
capsule review of The Queen of Bedlam. You can read the review here (warning:
mild spoiler!).
Italian publisher Gargoyle Books will be publishing an Italian translation
of Mystery Walk in February 2008! The hardcover book, titled
La Via Oscura, is pictured below.
French publisher Albin Michel has just released a new trade paperback
edition of Le Mystère du Lac, which is a translation of Boy's Life.
The cover is pictured below.
2007-10-19
My local Barnes & Noble has The Queen of Bedlam on the shelves
now, and if they do, pretty much every other place should have them now, too!
The Barnes & Noble "New Arrivals" table in Bowling Green, KY
2007-10-18
In September 2006, Robert McCammon addressed a Florida school board that
was considering banning Boy's Life from a local high school library.
The text of Robert McCammon's
address was made available late last year, and now a video of the
address is available on YouTube (or, if you prefer, you can choose to download
audio-only MP3s). Many thanks to Mary Dysart for sending me the video.
Check the links to the left for all sorts of information related to the works
of Robert McCammon.
Introduction
Robert McCammon is the award-winning author of 14 novels and numerous short
stories. In the 1980s, McCammon's horror novels were among the most popular
published, including such bestsellers
as Swan Song,
They Thirst, and
Stinger. In the 1990s, McCammon's
work turned toward the mainstream, with such novels as the phenomenal
Boy's Life, MINE, and Gone South.
Now, after a ten-year hiatus, a new Robert McCammon novel,
Speaks the Nightbird, is available from
River City Publishing!
This web site is the official Robert McCammon web site. In addition to
information and news related to Speaks the Nightbird, you'll also
find short fiction, a bibliography, interviews, and lots more.
Available in a two-volume
paperback from Pocket Books!
Library Journal:
"Highly recommended...."
Stephen King:
"...an excellent story..."
Sandra Brown:
"...a deeply satisfying read."
Publishers Weekly:
"A compulsively readable yarn."
Rocky Mountain News:
"...will keep readers glued to the pages."
The Clarion-Ledger:
"Powerful and tense, thrilling and atmospheric..."
The Courier:
"A welcome return...."
Robert McCammon, author of the best-sellers Boy's Life and
Gone South,
returns to the forefront of American fiction with Speaks the
Nightbird.
Is there a witch in Carolina in 1699? The people of the town of Fount Royal
think so. Her name is Rachel; she's foreign, beautiful, and brave--no
wonder so many people hate her.
Comes a traveling magistrate to hold a witch trial, and his clerk, Matthew.
The evidence spells doom for Rachel: witch's tools are found in her home,
she will not speak the Lord's Prayer, and witnesses swear they've seen her
commit unspeakable acts with the Devil himself.
But Matthew hears the call of the nightbird. He wonders--is there any such
thing as witchcraft? If Rachel can fly through the night on wings of evil,
why hasn't she escaped from the town gaol?
And the town itself--who murdered Rachel's husband? How did the ratcatcher
learn to hypnotize his prey? Who stands to gain if the witch is
burned?
God and Satan are indeed at war in Fount Royal, and even the innocent are
not safe. In the end, Matthew follows his head and his heart, and Rachel
keeps an unlikely appointment with destiny.
Birmingham's Robert McCammon wrote a string of successful novels, then
spent several years out of the spotlight while he grew and changed as an
author. Now he and River City Publishing agree the time is right for the
epic tale Speaks the Nightbird to be told.
