After spending a terrific weekend in Syracuse, NY, with my girlfriend and her daughter(I need to update my website’s bio!) I came home to what turned out to be icing on the cake. The hard working folks at Simon & Schuster’s subrights department and specifically Lisa Keim have done it again. The Iron Elves trilogy has just been sold to Blanvalet, a division of RHGermany. I’ve almost got the complete UN security council at this point with the US, UK, Russia, and France, with Japan too and only China as a holdout 🙂 (And yes, I know Germany and Japan aren’t part of the permanent SC). Oh, and to add just that extra bit of sunshine, Tantor Audio have picked up The Light of Burning Shadows to come out this year.

Thank you all!

S&S UK have picked up the third Iron Elves book as well so it’s crumpets for breakfast. I actually grew up eating crumpets and LOVE them with butter and jam. Crumpets make toast taste like carpet in comparison.

And I’m off on a last minute mini-adventure that should be a lot of fun.

I am incredibly fortunate to be able to say that my experience with Pocket Books of Simon & Schuster continues to be terrific, and I’m thrilled to announce that the relationship goes on. We’ve just finalized the deal for the third novel in the Iron Elves trilogy. Huge thanks to my agent, Don Maass, my editor Ed Schlesinger, and Publisher Louise Burke for this newest vote of confidence, and a very special thanks to Deputy Publisher Anthony Ziccardi for making it all happen.

Now I just have to write it…

Centuries from now scientists will discover that television was the first true time machine in its ability to distort time by stealing it without our even realizing it was happening. One minute you’ve sat down to watch a half hour comedy, and three hours later you’ve been transported into the future and an entire bag of Oreo’s has disappeared, and you feel slightly ill. Still, there are a few programs I enjoy and that I actually find useful as research.

Deadliest Catch on the Discovery Channel tops the list. If you’re working on a novel with a group of characters on any kind of quest/adventure where they’ll face mortal dangers – willingly – you’ll reap a bounty by watching a couple of episodes. And it’s just a terrific show.

It’s got everything – young, inexperienced rookies out to prove themselves, seasoned veterans who’ve seen it all, driven captains who will push their men to their very limits, unforeseen dangers that can strike at any minute, tension, camaraderie, heartache, fear, joy, and elusive treasure.

I like The Girls Next Door, too, for pretty much the same reasons…yup.

Sad news.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/jun/04/david-eddings-dies