Creeper will be be releasing the novel, The Last Days of James Scythe, on November 30th. Pre-orders are available via 404 Ink.
Tom DeLonge Announces Second Poet Anderson Book
Tom DeLonge has announced that the next Poet Anderson book will be titled Poet Anderson … In Darkness and due out January 30th:
Demonic shadow creatures are possessing the spirits of dreamers and using their bodies to enter the Waking World. To save reality from the maelstrom of nightmares, Jonas can no longer avoid his destiny.
Poet Anderson will have to sacrifice the Dreamscape…
George R.R. Martin Offers Update on Books
George R.R. Martin has updated his blog on the future of his books:
“And, yes, I know you all want to know about The Winds of Winter too. I’ve seen some truly weird reports about WOW on the internet of late, by ‘journalists’ who make their stories up out of whole cloth. I don’t know which story is more absurd, the one that says the book is finished and I’ve been sitting on it for some nefarious reason, or the one that says I have no pages. Both ‘reports’ are equally false and equally moronic. I am still working on it, I am still months away (how many? good question), I still have good days and bad days, and that’s all I care to say.
Review: Jesse Cannon – Processing Creativity
Jesse Cannon’s latest book takes a look at the creative process and how to get results that you’re happy with. While it focuses largely on music, it can easily apply to so much more than that. Processing Creativity: The Tools, Practices And Habits Used To Make Music You’re Happy With isn’t a behemoth of a book like Get More Fans, but it’s equally as effective. The book takes you through the motions of finding who is a best fit to work with, how to make music you’re happy with, and so much more.
Blog: The Hardy Boys The Final Chapter
I recently rediscovered my youth. It made me sneeze.
It lay unremembered at the top of a tall bookcase: 15 vintage Hardy Boys novels by Franklin W. Dixon. In getting them down I took a faceful of dust and beetle carapaces.
I carried the books to my favorite rocking chair, beside my favorite lamp, and reverently broke them open to revisit the literature that had inspired in me a lifelong love of language. The pages were as thick as a shirt collar and ochered with age. They smelled the way old books smell, faintly perfumed, quaintly mysterious, like the lining of Great-Grandma’s alligator handbag out in the steamer trunk. I began to read.
Pretty soon a new smell entered the room.
The Hardy Boys stank.
The Story Behind the ‘Essential Guide to Emo Culture’ 10 Years Later
Rabab Al-Sharif looks at the story behind the book, Everybody Hurts: An Essential Guide To Emo Culture, as it turns ten:
“A lot of people, mostly critics and Pitchfork disciples, were quick to write off emo as a passing trend. They thought it was a gateway music that would provide an adequately angsty soundtrack to your teen years. Then, after puberty passed, you’d throw away the eyeliner, hide the flat irons, and try to forget whether mics were for singing or for swinging,” Simon says.
I’ve known Leslie Simon for a long time now and I can’t believe it’s been ten years since this book came out. What a trip down memory lane. I can see my copy sitting on the bookshelf from where I write this.
Sidebar: Why is loading one page on AltPress.com over 16 MB? That website is a mess.
Obamas Sign Book Deal With Penguin Random House
Penguin Random House has signed a book deal with former President Barack Obama and the former first lady Michelle Obama:
The terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but publishing industry executives with knowledge of the bidding process said it probably stretched well into eight figures. Robert B. Barnett and Deneen C. Howell of Williams & Connolly represented the Obamas.
Penguin Random House acquired world rights to the books, and worldwide sales could be substantial. No decision has been made yet as to which of the company’s major imprints — which include Random House, Doubleday, Alfred A. Knopf and Crown — will publish the books. Mr. Obama’s previous books were published by Crown, which also published Mrs. Obama’s book “American Grown,” about the White House garden.
Review: Spoke: Images and Stories from the 1980s Washington, DC Punk Scene
Scott Crawford took what he worked on with Salad Days and brought it to a nice coffee table book format. He compiled a list of influential punk bands from the 80’s DC scene. Each entry gives the perspective of the band members, concert goers, photographers, and more. It’s a thorough look at the history without being overwhelming. The format works well since it focuses a lot on the images and sometimes those can tell stories better than words can.
I wouldn’t say I’m in tune with all of the punk bands from the 80’s era, let alone all of the ones around Washington D.C., but I’d like to think I know at least a little about punk music. This book has the bigger bands you’d expect with Fugazi, Bad Brains, and Minor Threat, but it’s the others that will surprise you if you haven’t done your homework. Ian MacKaye sprinkled his talents around in more bands than I had thought, so he’s a prominent feature in this book.
Read More “Spoke: Images and Stories from the 1980s Washington, DC Punk Scene”
Tom DeLonge Announces ‘Gods’ Book
Tom DeLonge’s next novel, Gods, will be out on March 7th. Pre-orders are up and the full press release can be found below.
Enter Shikari Are Releasing a Book
Enter Shikari will be releasing a book.
192 pages featuring all of Rou’s lyrics from Take To The Skies through to Hoodwinker, plus extensive essays by Rou with the meanings / backstories / inspirations behind a lot of the songs, plus a load of unseen photos and artwork expanding across the band’s career.
‘1984’ Rises to Top of Amazon Charts
George Orwell’s classic, 1984, has recently shot up the Amazon charts.
On Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning the book was #1 on Amazon’s computer-generated list of best-selling books. The list reflects hourly book sales.
The 68-year-old novel appeared on the list on Monday, hovered around the #6 spot for much of the day, rose to #2 by Tuesday afternoon and then hit #1.
John Darnielle Shares Novel New Teaser Trailer
John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats has posted a teaser trailer for his new novel, Universal Harvester.
New Book to Document 80’s D.C. Punk Scene
A new book featuring photos and interviews detailing the various bands from the 1980’s Washington D.C. punk scene is coming out early next year. The book is called Spoke and was compiled by Scott Crawford. It’ll be out on February 2nd.
Tom DeLonge Releases New YA Novel Series
Tom DeLonge has released the new young adult novel Strange Times: The Ghost in the Girl. The full press release can be found below.
Dave Grohl’s Mother to Release New Book
Dave Grohl’s mother, Virginia Hanlon Grohl, will be releasing a new book all about rock stars’ moms. It’s called From Cradle to Stage: Stories From the Mothers Who Rocked and Raised Rock Stars and is due out on April 25th, 2017. Pre-orders are now up. A more detailed summary can be found below.