More photos from SISTERHOOD OF DUNE tour
Posted By Kevin J. Anderson on January 27, 2012
Some shots fans have sent me of the signings in Houston, Atlanta, and Minneapolis—obviously still a lot of support from my Star Wars fans as well.
Remembering Curie
Posted By Kevin J. Anderson on January 13, 2012
We just lost our beloved cat Curie, a Russian blue, who gave us eighteen years of happiness and precious company. For those of you who have pets, I don’t need to explain how terribly painful it is; for those who don’t have pets, there’s no way I can explain it.
Curie was old, had arthritis, and liked nothing more than to spend hours curled up on my lap. She could be quite insistent about it: if I was trying to use my laptop or read a magazine, she would come up beside me and reach out with her paw in a very human gesture, nudging me again and again, “Hey, this is my laptime.”
She had been losing weight recently, sleeping more and more. When I left on my book tour, on an early morning flight, I made sure to pet her and say goodbye, but I didn’t give a thought to the fact that it would be the last time I ever saw her. Curie had been in our lives for so long.
We got her as a kitten from the Humane Society. After six months we had a scare when a routine test indicated that she had been exposed to feline leukemia in the shelter. Because we had other cats, the vet recommended we put her down immediately before she infected the others, but we had him run a second test—only to find that it was a false positive. No leukemia after all.
Curie loved catnip more than any of our other felines, getting herself all dopey as she rolled around with catnip toys. For some reason, she was fascinated with shoes and liked to stick her face in my tennies or hiking boots when I left them by the door. She also dominated the cat post by the window, as she spent hours watching “bird TV” outside.
One morning of my book tour, I flew into another city and Rebecca called me on the cell phone as I was walking to the baggage claim after getting off the plane. Curie had taken a serious turn for the worse. When she got up that morning she found Curie in the floor in her room, breathing heavily, barely able to move. Rebecca rushed her to the vet, and called me again with the grim update that Curie had a large tumor, her systems were shutting down, and that she had only hours left to live. I talked with the vet, who said that with superhuman efforts we might be able to keep Curie alive for another day or two…but almost certainly not until I could get back home. And she was clearly suffering.
Rebecca and I reached the only decision we could. Rebecca held Curie on her lap while I was on the speakerphone, hoping she could hear and recognize my voice. And as I sat crying in a bookstore parking lot very far from home, the vet sent Curie away from her suffering.
Then I had to pull myself together and do a booksigning fifteen minutes later. That was a very rough day.
It saddens me beyond measure that my travels denied Curie her precious laptime in the last week of her life. When I came home from tour yesterday, we picked up Curie’s remains from the vet and Rebecca and I buried her on the hill behind our house. We looked through our pictures of her, remembering all her funny quirks, how much we loved having her around. She warmed our laps as much as she warmed our hearts.
Curie demonstrates her signature “Hey, where’s my lap?” nudge
Enough room on the lap for Curie and Harrison
CURIE
1994–2012
SISTERHOOD OF DUNE tour wrapup
Posted By Kevin J. Anderson on January 12, 2012
I’m sitting in the Houston airport, waiting to board the plane home after doing SISTERHOOD OF DUNE talks and appearances in nine cities. The hotels were nice, the many fans were wonderful…but home is awfully nice, too.
After Atlanta, I flew to Orlando—my first official signing in Florida in many years. I had a nice crowd and a good turnout from the Florida garrison of the 501st Legion, and afterward I went to dinner with some friends and fans. I stayed in a suite in a gorgeous resort in Disney World…for about 7 hours, then I was off to Dallas at sunrise the next morning. Even though I got to the airport early in the morning, the plane didn’t seem to want to leave Orlando. first delayed by two hours, then cancelled, and I had to wait in standby for another flight (which was full), then had a confirmed seat on an afternoon flight that got me in to Dallas with very little time before my evening event. Nothing like a little excitement.
Meanwhile, Brian had made his way down the coast to Mysterious Galaxy in Redondo Beach and then Vroman’s in Pasadena, also drawing nice crowds. In Pasadena he met a fan who had named his daughter Alia.
My crowd in Dallas was the largest on the tour so far, about 80 people, and I went out with some alumni from the Superstars Writing Seminar for dinner at a local Mexican restaurant. A terrific turnout from the Star Garrison of the 501st (I was even wearing one of their shirts). Next day, off to Houston for a day of bookstore visits, stock signings, and an evening event out at the gigantic Woodlands Mall.
In late afternoon I received word from our agent that SISTERHOOD OF DUNE had hit the New York Times bestseller list—and that marks my fiftieth national or international bestseller over the course of my career. (Yes, definitely cause for a second beer late that night.)
In the true spirit of Texans insisting on doing everything *bigger* the crowd in Houston was even larger than the one in Dallas, the largest turnout on the tour, at 97 people. I had planned to go out to dinner at a well-known local BBQ joint afterward, but there were so many people we didn’t get out of the bookstore until 10 PM, and the restaurants were all closed. We did manage to find a Cheesecake Factory that stayed open until 11, and had a nice dinner there.
I haven’t received a report yet on Brian’s signing last night at Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego. He still has two more appearances in the next few days up in Bellingham WA and Vancouver BC.
And now, up early and checked in at the airport for the home flight. Thanks for all of you who came out to see either Brian or myself, and a round of applause for all the 501sters who came out to troop at my signings (they were present at all but two of my events). I hope you enjoy SISTERHOOD OF DUNE.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Posted By Kevin J. Anderson on January 7, 2012
The SISTERHOOD OF DUNE tour began on January 3. Brian spent the day going around Seattle signing stock in area bookstores, while I hit the stores in Colorado Springs, Denver, and Boulder (14 bookstores in all). That evening’s event at Barnes & Noble drew 55 people, including 15 fully costumed Star Wars fans. (Yes, it was a Dune signing, but I’ve done 54 Star Wars books as well, and many of the SW fans are also big Dune fans. I love it when they come out to support the events.)
Next day I was off to Minneapolis while Brian went to Portland. I signed the stock in the area bookstores, then did my evening event at famed specialty SF story, Uncle Hugo’s. Thursday, while Brian took the train down to Sacramento, I did the Chicago area (15 bookstores in the vicinity) and gave a talk at the Fremont Public Library in Mundelein, and afterward had dinner with Dave and Denise Dorman and other friends at a Chicago microbrewery.
Friday, off to Dayton, OH for more book signings and an evening event at Books & Co, also with a group of 501sters, and another one today in Cincinnati. Brian had a very crowded event in Sacramento last night, and he is on the train to LA for his Redondo Beach event (at Mysterious Galaxy)—he even called me to check in while I was giving my talk in Cincinnati (said Hi to the audience and told me to remind them to turn off their cell phones!) Now, I’m about to have dinner with Mike, Carol, and Laura Resnick. Tomorrow, I head to Atlanta for my next signing…
These are some photos that fans have shared with me. We’re signing a lot of books and having a lot of fun. Brian and I hope to see you at one of our remaining events.
New SISTERHOOD OF DUNE Hits Bookstores Today
Posted By Kevin J. Anderson on January 3, 2012
I packed the suitcase last night while Rebecca and I watched a DVD of “Arrested Development” and this morning I’m ready to head off, spending the morning in Colorado Springs at bookstores signing copies of SISTERHOOD OF DUNE, as soon as the stores unpack their boxes. I’ll spend the afternoon in Denver and Boulder doing dropby signings at numerous stores, then I’ll get to the Lone Tree Barnes & Noble for my formal talk and signing event tonight at 7 PM. Brian has a similar schedule today all around the Seattle area, ending up at the University Book Store for his debut signing tonight.
For a major book release, sales in the first week make a big difference. Bestseller lists measure the speed of sales in one-week chunks (they call this “velocity”), so the more copies that sell in a single week, the higher the book ranks on the lists. If you plan to buy Sisterhood of Dune, it would help us a lot if you could pick up your copy in the week of January 3–9.
The UK edition of SISTERHOOD should be available on January 5.
SISTERHOOD OF DUNE Tour Starts Tomorrow
Posted By Kevin J. Anderson on January 2, 2012
The first new Dune novel in 2-1/2 years, SISTERHOOD OF DUNE, is released in the US tomorrow, Jan 3. Brian Herbert and I are launching our “double tour,” with Brian doing the initial signing at University Book Store in Seattle and I’ll be at the Barnes & Noble in Lone Tree (Denver area).
***Everyone who attends one of the signings will receive a gift card for a free Kevin J. Anderson eBook. We’ll also have bookmarks, posters, and other goodies while they last. And don’t be surprised if you see stormtroopers, Mandalorians, or other costumed characters at some of my signings.
TOUR DETAILS
Brian and I hope to see you at one of our events
Jan 3, Tuesday
DENVER: Kevin—B&N, Lone Tree, CO/7pm
SEATTLE: Brian—University Bookstore, Seattle, WA /7pm
Jan 4, Wednesday
MINNEAPOLIS, MN: Kevin—Uncle Hugo’s/5:30 PM
PORTLAND, OR: Brian—Powells Books/7pm
Jan 5, Thursday
CHICAGO area: Kevin—Fremont library, Mundelein IL/7pm
Jan 6, Friday
DAYTON, OH: Kevin—Books & Co at the Greene/7pm
SACRAMENTO, CA: Brian—B&N/7pm
Jan 7, Saturday
CINCINNATI, OH: Kevin—Joseph-Beth Bookselllers/1 PM
Jan 8, Sunday
ATLANTA (Decatur): Kevin—Eagle Eye Bookstore/2 PM
REDONDO BEACH, CA: Brian—Mysterious Galaxy Redondo Beach/2:30pm
Jan 9, Monday
ORLANDO: Kevin—B&N East Colonial Dr./7pm
PASADENA: Brian—Vroman’s Bookstore/7pm
Jan 10, Tuesday
DALLAS: Kevin—B&N West NW Hwy/7pm
Jan 11, Wednesday
HOUSTON: Kevin—B&N The Woodlands/7pm
SAN DIEGO: Brian—Mysterious Galaxy /7:00p
Jan 14, Saturday
BELLINGHAM, WA: Brian—Village Books/2pm
Jan 15, Sunday
BURNABY, BC: Brian—Chapters Metrotown
For addresses and full tour details, click here.
SISTERHOOD OF DUNE Tour Primer: What Happens at a Book Signing?
Posted By Kevin J. Anderson on December 29, 2011
I get a lot of questions from people interested in coming to one of our booksigning events. I’ll try to answer the most common ones below, so you know what to expect if you attend a signing. The SISTERHOOD OF DUNE “double tour” starts on Tuesday Jan 3, with my appearance in Denver and Brian’s appearance in Seattle. For anyone interested in coming to hear us talk and get their books signed, this is what you can expect.
Brian and I are embarking on our tours at the same time, but hitting different cities around the US to cover twice as much territory. This gives us a chance to meet the fans, chat with them and answer questions, autograph their books. At a book signing, I will give a talk about the new book and some of our other projects, maybe describe the life of a writer, how we came to be bestselling novelists. (Some authors like to do a reading from their novels, but we’d rather have a chance to give the fans something fresh…and besides, author readings are often boring!) I’ll answer questions from the audience, then move on to signing books. Depending on the size of the crowd, some stores give out tickets or numbers; don’t worry, I will stay until everyone has all of their books autographed. Brian does the same thing.
Here are some common questions we get:
Do you charge for your autographs?
No. You’ve already bought the book, and we hope you’ll enjoy it enough to try some of our other titles.
Do I have to buy the new book?
No. While this tour is to promote the release of Sisterhood of Dune, we are in the business of developing a base of readers who will follow our work, not just to sell a few extra copies of one particular title. (We are, of course, very happy if you buy the new book!)
Will you sign your other books?
Yes, Brian and I will each sign any of our other novels.
Can I bring my old books from home?
Yes. I’ve published over 100 novels over more than 20 years; you are welcome to bring in any copies you have on your shelves, no matter how battered they may be. Please bear in mind, however, that the bookstore hosting the event is the one who sponsored the signing, so as a courtesy it would be polite if you purchased some item from the store, even just a paperback.
Do you have a limit on how many you’ll sign?
No. We will each stay until we’ve taken care of everyone. Out of consideration to other people in line, though, we limit the number to 4-5 at a time, and then you can go back through the line as many times as you like…or just wait until the crowd has died down and then come up.
We will personalize the books, if you wish. (This takes a lot longer, however, so try to limit to only a few personalizations, or wait until the end.)
Can I take a photo?
Yes, you are welcome to take photos of us, or with us.
The only thing we sometimes avoid is shaking hands—signing so many books, day after day, tends to make our wrists and hands sore, and shaking hands exacerbates that. We’ll probably do a “fist bump” instead.
I will be in Denver, Minneapolis, Chicago, Dayton, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Orlando, Dallas, and Houston. Brian’s leg of the tour takes him from Seattle to Portland, Sacramento, Redondo Beach, Pasadena, San Diego, then up to Bellingham (WA) and Vancouver (BC). Click here for a full tour schedule.
And if you haven’t yet seen it, click to watch the new SISTERHOOD OF DUNE book trailer.
2011 Publication Roundup
Posted By Kevin J. Anderson on December 26, 2011
Yes, I thought it felt like a busy year! Gathering the covers of all the books I had released this past calendar year, I didn’t know if I could put them all on a single page. HELLHOLE with Brian Herbert, and a new Saga of Seven Suns prequel VEILED ALLIANCES; the third Terra Incognita novel came out in trade paperback, as well as the mass-market paperback of Book 2, and the original eBook story “Mythical Creatures”; there was also the new SF story TAU CETI, the third Star Challengers novel with Rebecca Moesta, the paperback of BLOOD LITE II, and several original eBooks.
I plan to keep up the pace for next year, too.
Library Journal starred review for SISTERHOOD OF DUNE
Posted By Kevin J. Anderson on December 22, 2011
Herbert, Brian & Kevin J. Anderson. Sisterhood of Dune. Tor. Jan. 2012. c.4960. ISBN 9780765322739. $27.99 SF **starred review**
In the aftermath of the Butlerian Jihad and the destruction of all thinking machines, human planetary governments reorganize themselves in to the First Imperium under the leadership of Faykan Butler, now known as Corrino (after the decisive battle of Corrin). Eight decades later, a number of schools have arisen to push the human mind to its highest levels. This includes the training of Mentats as human computers, the development of the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood as practitioners of mental and social manipulation, and the bizarre transformation of men and women into mutated Navigators who use their minds to allow instantaneous interplanetary travel. Amid these changes, youthful members of disgraced House Harkonnen seek vengeance against the Atreides hero responsible for Harkonnens’ downfall, while the Butlerian movement under the leadership of zealot Manford Torondo seeks to root out every vestige of machine dependence. VERDICT: With their usual fidelity to the vision of the late Frank Herbert, coauthors Herbert (Frank’s son) and Anderson (The Winds of Dune) continue to illuminate heretofore hidden areas of the Dune time line. Fully realized characters and intricate plotting will put this title high on fans’ to-read list.
New SISTERHOOD OF DUNE book trailer
Posted By Kevin J. Anderson on December 22, 2011
Tor Books and Circle of Seven productions has just released a wonderful new book trailer for SISTERHOOD OF DUNE, narrated by Scott Brick, who is the reader on all of the Dune audiobooks. It’s a little over a minute long.
Link: SISTERHOOD OF DUNE TRAILER
We hope to see you on our national book-signing tour in January. Click here for the complete SISTERHOOD OF DUNE tour calendar.