Need more numbers jokes.
At any rate, Five Things I learned writing Nine Tenths.
The big idea is me over at John Scalzi's THE BIG IDEA
John Scalzi has long hosted writers over at his website for The Big Idea, and I’m there talking about character and choices and related things in my head as I wrote Nine Tenths.
In which I am sincere about NINE TENTHS
Nine Tenths publishes tomorrow.
This book is so many things. My first published novel. A creative endeavor spanning years. An idea that felt fresh and new before getting lost in a crush of superhero media, only to possess enough spark to be found again.
I loved this book so much I wrote a sequel before any contract existed (don’t do that.) When necessary I pushed this book from my mind so I could write new books about new characters. And when publishing became possible I found the book again, and rediscovered my joy for the world I’d created.
This book forced me to talk about my writing as real instead of a cute hobby—undermining your work doesn’t encourage people to come along for the ride. You have to stand in front of your creation. Be proud. Be your own advocate.
Many author friends encouraged me along the way, and I thank them. More recently I’ve received strong support from my non-writing friends. Some who didn’t know I wrote at all, others who were proud my journey resulted in a thing you can hold in your hand. (You hold your e-reader don’t get pedantic.)
I’m not much for blog posts, but your first book only comes around once. I hope people enjoy Nine Tenths. I hope people want more of my writing. But regardless, I enjoyed writing this book. I know it’s possible for the words I put down, the hours I spend holed up and isolated, to become a real story. A real book people can read.
Let’s see what happens next.
Civilian Reader hosts NINE TENTHS (well, the first chapter)
Some people want to read a little bit before they buy. I get that. And so does Civilian Reader, which is why the first chapter of Nine Tenths is up on the site!
Peter Clines is excellent, and also says cool things about NINE TENTHS
NYT bestselling author Peter Clines (The Broken Room and Paradox Bound) had a ton of very nice things to say about NINE TENTHS.
People have been trying to do superhero noir for years now, and then Jeff Macfee rolls in and crushes them all with a simple, warts-and-all tale of ordinary people trying to make a living in a world where superpowers have become common. Nine Tenths is just fantastic.
And he went above and beyond, also saying:
Not only does Macfee write the best goddamn superpowers noir ever with Nine Tenths, he’s got the gall to make it look easy. You should buy two copies just to hate-read them both.
I’m beyond happy people are enjoying the book.