Spain!!!

A Taste For Red will be published in Spanish and Catalan by Macmillan Spain! Fantastico!
And a big shout out to all of the terrific students and faculty at Desoto Trail Elementary School. I had a great time. I loved seeing so many students dressed up as their favorite book characters; it was like Halloween all over again--which is a good thing.

Tallahassee Democrat

This week the Tallahassee Democrat printed a very nice article featuring myself and A Taste For Red. The reporter, Kathleen Laufenberg, drove out to the house and delved deep into the shallows of my writerly process. She managed to make me look and sound way cooler than I actually am, but I do deserve some credit since I constantly mentioned the heights of my coolness during the interview. You can check out the piece online at this little link here as well as a short video where I'm sounding a wee bit authorly and sporting an overly round head.

Making Svetlana Grimm

This is not a brand-spanking new video, but I wanted to see how Vimeo loaded on the blog.

Making Svetlana Grimm from lewis harris on Vimeo.

New Writers Event in Orlando 7/11/09

I'll be in Orlando, Florida on June 11 at the Barnes and Noble Colonial for a New Writers Event featuring Florida authors Judy Lindquist, Lola Wert, Melinda Driscoll, Ginger Bryant, Doris Bloodsworth, Antone Christopher, Reg Ivory, and myself. The event is Saturday afternoon between 1-3pm, so if you're in the Orlando area please stop by and say hi. I'll be signing copies of A Taste For Red and wearing my good shoes and a brand new shirt. Maybe new pants, too. My partner and I are still arguing about the pants.

Publishers Weekly Likes A Taste For Red

My editor emailed me a nice review for A Taste For Red from Publishers Weekly.
Of course, I like this part:

"Harris sets up deliciously sinister scenes between Svetlana and her teacher, whom Svetlana suspects is involved in the disappearance of three classmates. Reluctant heroine Svetlana has plenty of personality and wit...and although Harris leaves the door open for sequels, his fast-paced debut stands on its own."

I need to be mindful, however, not to let the opinions of others get too great a grip on my emotional steerage. That's a slippery slope, inevitably leading to back waxing and overpriced slacks.

Still, I deserve a cupcake or slice of pie or something in celebration. Maybe a cannoli.

Ruby Winkle, Rockford, and Bad Car Decisions

Writer and illustrator Meghan Killeen has a post about myself and A Taste for Red up at her blog. Meghan attended the Art Institute of California in San Francisco and hung out with the circus, which sounds cool. But what really sounds cool (at least to me) is that she once worked for a detective agency.

I was a huge fan of The Rockford Files when I was a kid. I wanted to grow up and wear sport coats and sideburns and cruise around town behind the wheel of a gold Firebird thwarting bad guys and tossing off clever remarks.

What person in their right mind wouldn't?

But I kinda shot myself in the foot when I bought my first car, a 1982 Toyota Tercel.

Book Review and ARC Giveaway

Over On J. Kaye's Book Blog, an advance reader copy of A Taste For Red is up for grabs.
She's even thrown in a nice comment about my book! Simply post a comment at her blog for a chance to win.

Book on the Brain

I dreamed about A TASTE FOR RED last night. I could relate to you the specifics of the dream--I'm sure that you can be trusted--but best not to risk it. Someone we don't know might read this post and then--wham!-- I'd find uniformed men brandishing enormous butterfly nets banging at the front door.
Best to be safe.
And best to take a break for a few days...or at least after today. Later I'm heading to a couple of bookstores and then to the Ocala Library, but after that I'll be laying low for the weekend. I'll be trapped in the Parent Zone, where nothing productive can happen anyway. I see lots of sausage and cake and baking soda in my future.
Surprisingly, it sounds just right.

Fuzzy rabbits, underwater vampires, and Lewis Harris

I like the above title, but it's not mine --it's from Bartography where Chris Barton has a nice interview with me posted at his blog.

Thanks for the great questions, Chris.

And congrats on your recent starred review from Kirkus! (along with the many other rave reviews for The Day-Glo Brothers)

A Taste for Red is Released!!

I went into the wonderful Inkwood Books in Tampa and it's available there. It's at BookPeople in Austin. It appears to be in stock at most Barnes and Noble. It's available online wherever fine books are sold online. It's on my mom's coffee table. It's in the trunk of my car. It's in libraries in Arizona, Vancouver, Boston, Tallahassee, and on and on and on. It's propping up the wobbly work bench in my brother's garage.

If it's not available on the shelf at your favorite bookseller, just ask. They'll be happy to order it. Seriously...they'll be "very happy." By simply requesting A Taste For Red, you'll be spreading thick spoonfuls of joy! You can't put a price on that (although for business purposes, your local book retailer might.)

I have to thank Clarion Books and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for doing a fantastic job getting A Taste For Red out into the world.

But mostly I have to thank my wonderful friends and family who have supported and encouraged me along the winding path to this happy moment. I thank the folks who've bought the book and the one's who will buy the book and those that will tell their friends about the book and that they must buy the book even if their children have to go without a meal to offset the cost of the book. I know...it's cruel, but really, what's one meal? Or two? A Taste For Red is distracting and oh so nutritious--they won't even notice.

Postcards From The Edge

I've been working on postcards and bookmarks lately. Do I need these things? Sure, I guess...everything says that I need them. It makes sense. I need something to show that I was there...I need to leave a trail.

I picked up an order of postcards the other day and they look terrific. I've been working on my bookmarks this afternoon and I've finalized the design. Haven't I? Well...at least for the moment. I've talked to some printers and then some more printers and then spoke to some other printers and now I'm ready to call a printer. I'm trying to determine if I want gloss or matte or one-sided color or two-side color or coating --whatever coating is...

It's just a bookmark...relax.

Just pick something and pay for it--big deal...but a get a receipt.

I'm a page folder anyway. Bookmarks are...well, for other folks. I love to fold the corners of pages. The top corner, the bottom corner, left page or right--it doesn't matter.

I used to worship books, and still do, but with less reverence. Now I like to abuse a book a bit. Take ownership of it. Leave a nice fat thumbprint or mustard stain. While backpacking, I've even ripped the pages from books to start a fire--then burned the rest of the book to lighten my load. Self-help books burn best.

I think it's the fumes.

A Taste for Red Arrives

It's an actual book! And I've got it in my hands! Thanks to all the folks at Clarion Books who helped make such a beautiful edition! If you're wondering how to get the book into your hands, here's a fragrant bouquet of online links. Or ask at your favorite bookstore!

Nice Review from Shelf Awareness

Shelf Awareness has posted a nice review of A Taste For Red, my forthcoming release from Clarion Books. I love the words funny pleasingly creepy debut. Especially in that order. Deliciously ironic twist make a fine trio of words as well.

Time is flying. The release of ATFR is now less than a month away! Unbelievable...and exciting. Pretty soon I'll be able to countdown the days on my fingers and toes! Unless something unfortunate happens. Just to play it safe, for the next few weeks I'll avoid working with threshers, combines, deli meat slicers, chainsaws, and power tools in general. I guess I should also make a payment to my bookie. Salvatore can be frighteningly operatic at times.

Audio and Egg News

On the book front: Random House is ready to begin production this month on the audio book edition of A TASTE FOR RED. The production will take place at studios in Los Angeles --which, however misplaced, makes me feel all "Hollywoody" inside. The book will be read by Jacklyn Gaines, and I can't wait to hear the results! The audio release is scheduled for June 23, 2009 --which is about a week after the hardcover debut.

And Easter has come and gone...
I'm still scratching at the scrapes and bites suffered during the course of the egg hunt. The obvious evidence of the bee sting to my forehead has completely disappeared. My face still looks a bit off, but that's mostly genetics, I think. I do have to applaud the folks charged with hiding the eggs --they took their task quite seriously. In fact, 3 of the 61 eggs remain undiscovered.

And libraries around the country have started ordering editions of A TASTE FOR RED! Google postings reveal that hardcover, audio, and digital versions of the book will eventually be making their way into the hands of unsuspecting readers! It's very exciting. So far, the majority of readers have been adults --and the feedback has been terrific! But what will young readers think? I'm both eager and nervous to find out...

My niece loved it --but she has too.

Links and Sausages

The first link is to Ingram Library Services and a nice review for A Taste for Red! Yes!
The second link is to my latest video on Youtube, Snake Attack, an amateurish attempt at animation based on a poetic diddy I composed back in my French Quarter days.
Let me know what you think --is it too depressing?...violent?...
and as for sausages...
Flip.
I'm out of sausage.

Random House Germany Will Publish A Taste for Red!

Is this old news? Kind of...
It was almost a year ago that the deal was in the works. And I was thrilled, of course--who wouldn't be? I never dreamed Svetlana Grimm would make her way beyond the English language. But the wheels of publishing can move at a glacial pace. Not much happened in the past year. Then this week I received, signed, and sent off the contracts! Yay! Now I'm one step closer to laying claim to the title International Author. The idea makes me salivate like Homer Simpson over a donut. I think it will be terrific to have a copy of my own book in a language that I can't even read. Now that's the height of excitement.
Will the title of the book be A Taste for Red? Or will it be the original title: Svetlana Grimm and the Circle of Red? Will the cover art be different? I don't have a clue, but I'm looking forward to finding out!
My heart swells with love for all things German. Maybe tonight I'll go for some wienerschnitzel and throw a Herzog flick in the DVD player. That sounds just about perfect.

A Taste for Red Music Video

I've posted two more videos on my Youtube page.

"A Taste for Red" is a sorta-kinda music video and "Making Svetlana Grimm" is a sorta-kinda making of "A Taste for Red" --or rather a making of the 'star' of the music video --which just happens to be a thrift shop doll that I did a Frankenstein number on. Check the videos out and give me some feedback. Feel free to rate and comment and share with everyone you know.

Seriously.

Everyone that you know.

Your eyelids are getting heavy.

Share the videos with everyone in your email address book.

Your arms are becoming heavy sandbags.

Send the video links to all of your contacts.

Relax.

You can hear only the sound of my...blog.

View my videos and share them with all of your contacts.

ALL of your contacts.

Comment, rate, and subscribe to my Youtube Channel.

Breathe.

You are in a safe place. Relax...relax...

Add my website to your favorites.

Shhhh.....

When I snap my fingers you will feel a deep inner peace.

Then you will squat and become a chicken.

You will try with all of your heart to lay an egg.

Good luck.

Seriously.

Snap.

A Taste for Red --Coming June 15, 2009

The publication date is official! June 15, 2009. (Only 7 months away!)

I received the Clarion Books Spring 2009 catalog.
My book, A Taste for Red, is featured in a super sweet two page spread; it includes an excerpt from the book and an author photo. The layout is terrific. I hadn't expected my picture to be in the catalog! It's the same photograph I use for the blog, but in the catalog it appears much darker.

I look mean in the catalog shot. A little smirky, and dangerous. The photo seems better suited to accompany a by-line in Soldier of Fortune magazine, maybe next to an article on grenade polishing or tips for spicing up those blah-blah C-rations (try adding curry!).

There's also a short author bio. My editor wrote it up for the book jacket. It describes me so: "He's worked as a massage therapist, a short-order cook, a room-service waiter, and a janitor."

At one point she had my stint as a "dishwasher" included, but I figured we could lose that one; I didn't want to look like I was bragging.

A Taste For Red will be an audio book!

I've received some terrific news from my publisher, Clarion Books. The audio rights for A Taste For Red have sold to Random House. Listening Library, the children's book division of Random House Audio, will release an audio version of A Taste For Red in June 2009 (estimated release). I found some initial info at Books On Tape. It looks like the book will be unabridged and on four cd's! Very exciting news. I'm all tingly! Who will do the reading? I hope it's Angelina Jolie! Or David Hyde Pierce (my mom loves him)! Or maybe even Dog the Bounty Hunter! Sometimes casting against type can be very effective...

A Taste For Red

The cover art for A Taste For Red has finally arrived! Great thanks to artist Victor Rivas and the folks at Clarion Books! I've sweated through many a night dreading the day when I would first view the cover of my very own book. Dreading it! What if I hated it? What if it curled my toes (in the worst way, I mean)? But no fear...it's terrific!

(Cover illustration copyright 2009 by Victor Rivas)

And now I can feel it --the release date for my book inching closer and closer...and I do mean inching. If there's one thing that the wonderful world of publishing teaches, it's patience --and I'm on the fast track! Spring 2009!

It seems that there is SO much to do to get ready...or at least I think that there is. When will I ever find the time to write? I've got so much...networking to do. Ugh. Can that be fun? Hmm...it's probably one of those Zen deals where perspective is everything, or the only thing. But I am looking forward to it --whatever it is...