NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS - ARCHIVE



10.01.07
When I was in Ann Arbor a couple of weeks ago, I did an interview with Cult Pop, a terrific local TV show. The interview is available here. Thanks to Jim and Jerry!

Also, my friend and fellow Outfit member Libby Hellman has created a YouTube music video to promote the release of CHICAGO BLUES, a kick-ass short story antho. Check it out here.


09.18.07
Page 289 on Book the Third. Getting there. I'm traveling for the next ten days or so, then hitting the Great Lakes Bookseller show here in Chicago, and then I'm locking my ass in the den and only coming out for the occasional bathroom break and coffee so strong it's crunchy. If fortune smiles, I'll be done in October.

In other news, the advanced copies of my second novel, AT THE CITY'S EDGE, went out about two weeks ago, and feedback is starting to trickle in. It's been very positive thus far, and a couple of booksellers in particular have gone out of their way to say nice things, for which I am forever indebted. Special thanks to Janine Wilson of Seattle Mystery Bookshop, Jamie Agnew of Aunt Agatha's, and Greg Swanson of the Waldenbooks in Peru, Illinois.


08.29.07
Nothing major to report, just kind of rolling along. I broke page 250 on the new novel, which is exciting. I'm guessing I've got about 100 left. I also took a week off to write a short story for the second Thuglit anthology, "Sex, Thugs, and Rock and Roll," a book that includes such imposing authors as Joe Lansdale, Sean Doolittle, Jess Walter, and Jason Starr, all of whom, if I'm not mistaken, have either been nominated for or won an Edgar. Anyway, the story is a noirish piece that I think turned out pretty well.

I'll be in Ann Arbor next weekend for the Kerrytown Book Fair. I went to school at U of Mich, so it's always nice to return. If you live in the area, the fair is well worth your time. Something like 100 exhibitors, a passle of authors, and a chance to visit the wonderful Aunt Agatha's.

Oh, and this Friday I'm going to Puerto Rico to learn how to surf with a buddy of mine. Wish me balance and shark-free waters.


08.10.07
I wrote 5,129 words today. I'm fucking bulletproof.


08.07.07
I'm part of an anthology called CHICAGO BLUES, edited by Libby Fischer Hellman. It's a very cool collection, including authors like Sara Paretsky, Max Allan Collins, Joe Konrath and many others, including the entire Outfit Collective.

The book won't be out until October, but we just got the Kirkus review, and it's a doozy:
Twenty-one excellent reasons to stay out of the Windy City.

It's amazing how many things can go wrong in Chicago, whether you buy into Stuart Kaminsky's high-stakes poker game or head out to Wrigley Field with D.C. Brod. David J. Walker's cops are as crooked as his crooks, and the open mike at Jack Fredrickson's bar turns out to be devilish. Even series regulars have the blues. J.A. Konrath pits Lt. Jack Daniels against a bomber who's beyond suicidal; Kris Nelscott's first short case for Smokey Dalton requires him to be as sensitive and brave as her novels; Michael Allen Dymmoch serves up an ice-cold case for Det. John Thinnes. Most of the 17 new stories are more notable for their deep-blue mood than for their plot, but Sam Reaves's Mob anecdote has enough double crosses for a TV series, and Mary V. Welk's ER nurse is memorably chilling. Of the four reprints, Barbara D'Amato's "The Lower Wacker Hilton" and Sara Paretsky's "Publicity Stunts" deserve another look, and Marcus Sakey's "No One" is worth reading for its arctic final word. Other contributors include Kevin Guilfoile, Sean Chercover, Max Allan Collins, Michael Black, Steve Mandel, Sam Hill, Ron Levitsky, Brian Pinkerton and editor Hellmann, none of them in a good mood.

In the superfluous headnotes, the authors, all with close ties to the city, agree that Chicago is bold, reeking and real — a gift to mystery writers — and every single one of them is right.
Kirkus has a well-deserved reputation for being tough critics, so this is a real thrill. To celebrate, I'll be giving away signed copies to a couple of lucky folks randomly selected from my mailing list. Click here to join!


07.24.07
Don't know when this was officially posted, but I just found out that THE BLADE ITSELF has been selected as one of the best first novels of 2007 by Deadly Pleasures Magazine!


07.17.07
I'm pleased to announce that St. Martin's has sold Italian rights to THE BLADE ITSELF, which means you can find my first novel in the UK, Germany, Japan, Sweden, Poland, the Netherlands, France, Canada, and now Italy.

Boggles the mind. I couldn't be happier about it, of course, but it's still a little startling.


07.10.07
Well, it's up on Amazon, so I assume it's okay to go public. My second novel, AT THE CITY'S EDGE, now has a jacket.

In a former life, I ran a graphic design studio, so this is very personal stuff. I have to say that I'm absolutely giddy. It's edgy, dynamic, evocative, and unlike most anything else I've seen out there.

What do you think? Would you pick it up?


07.09.07
There's an interview here, if you're interested. Thanks to John Kenyon for having me.

Also, I posted a new article in my Tips For Writers section, this one focused on how to write a perfect query letter. You need a query letter to land an agent, so if you're at that stage, you might want to check it out.

Finally, I'll be at ThrillerFest this weekend--hope to see some of you there!


07.06.07
My group blog, The Outfit, is featured today on the front of the Tempo section in the Chicago Tribune! The timing is great, as we started about a year ago. Come by and wish us happy birthday--or better still, hang out and join the conversation.


06.15.07
I'm pleased to announce that French rights for my second novel, AT THE CITY'S EDGE, have sold to Cherche Midi, which also published THE BLADE ITSELF. They did a dynamite job, and I'm thrilled to be part of their list.

Rights have also sold in the U.K., to Penguin, and in Japan, to Hayakawa.


05.29.07
At long last, I've uploaded an excerpt of my second book, AT THE CITY'S EDGE. I don't have an exact release date yet, but it will definitely be in the winter of 2008, probably late January or early February. Also a standalone set in Chicago, the book is the story of a discharged soldier who returns from Iraq to find a similar war raging in his South Side neighborhood.

Read the excerpt here.


05.27.07
The weekend after next is Printer's Row, one of my favorite Chicago events. I'm on a panel on Saturday afternoon (details to the right). My wife and I have been attending Printer's Row for as long as we've lived in Chicago, so it's something of a thrill to be speaking there.

Also, I'll be on a panel at ThrillerFest this July, discussing the benefits and drawbacks of series characters with authors Jon Land, Jack DuBrul, Christine Goff, Judith Kelman, and my buddy Sean Chercover. As I don't write a series, I guess I'll be the official devil's advocate. Should be a good time; if you're going to T-Fest, come out and see us. We're on at 2:00 on Friday.


05.15.07
So last week I promised very big news. Sorry to tease y'all, but I wasn't able to announce it until everything went public, which happened yesterday.

I have been offered and accepted a four-book contract with Dutton, publishers of such giants as Harlan Coben, T. Jefferson Parker, Stephen White, John Lescroart, and Ken Follett. I'll be edited by Ben Sevier.

I'm sad to leave St. Martin's Minotaur, a publishing house of the first order, peopled by some of the most passionate and talented individuals I've ever met. But I'm also excited to be taking this next step, and to be working with Ben, a good friend and the guy who originally signed me.


05.04.07
I got some very, very big news today. I can't announce anything now, but stop back in a week or so.


04.24.07
Today is my birthday; I'm 33. I've now had four seperate friends point out all the people who died at this age: John Belushi, Chris Farley, Jesus Christ.

Man. And I thought getting past 27 (Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain) was the trick.

Guess I better look both ways before I cross the street.


04.12.07
Last year I was thrilled to be included in an anthology called THESE GUNS FOR HIRE. It's a collection of hitman stories written by a Who's Who of crime fiction: Jeff Abbott, Lawrence Block, Ken Bruen, Reed Farrell Coleman, Max Allan Collins, Sean Doolittle, David Ellis, Victor Gischler, Kent Kreuger, David Morrell, P.J. Parrish, M.J. Rose, all edited by my good friend J.A. Konrath. It's a great book; I'd definitely recommend picking up a copy.

Then, at Love is Murder, Ben LeRoy of Bleak House Books cornered me to read my story to put online as sample. The full story is available as an audio download here, read by yours truly. It's one of my favorites—hope you enjoy!


03.29.07
So though I'm still running around doing a lot of promotion on THE BLADE ITSELF, there's a long lag in this industry, the net result of which is that I'm actually starting on my third book right now.

The good news is that my second book has gotten some terrific praise from the folks at St. Martin's, always what a writer wants to hear. I also got my first blurb, from my friend (and NYT bestselling author) David Morrell, who wrote:
"Palpably exciting. Marcus Sakey is a hot talent who knows how to thrill a reader. ACCELERANT goes from zero to sixty in a blazing rush."
This is, as you can imagine, pretty thrilling for me.

Of course, the bad news is that it's unlikely to be called ACCELERANT anymore. In fact, in the past month it's had at least four names, and probably a hundred others suggested. It's a tricky thing, settling on a name. Here's hoping we all fall in love with one soon.


03.23.07
Done with touring.

Okay, not really. Actually, I'll be doing stuff all year long. But an event last night at the Ransom District Library (thanks again to Katie, Erin, and the rest of the crew) marked the end of the frenetic part of my schedule. Now it's time to concentrate on a third book.

I finally had time this morning to put up some pictures from my release, launch parties, and tour. They're here, if you're interested.


03.09.07
I seem to be having trouble receiving email. Not all of it, mind you, but just enough to screw me up.

I'm working with my ISP to resolve this. In the meantime, if you emailed me and I haven't replied, please try me again — I may well not have gotten it.


03.08.07
This isn't really news, but it made me laugh. Check out the banner my old buddy Brian Vincent sent:



Good to have friends in high places. I didn't think the blurb from old WIlliam was going to come through.

This Sunday I'm doing a big reading as part of Columbia College's StoryWeek. It's at SmartBar, on an actual stage and everything, and the event is free. If you got nothing better to do, come watch me pretend to be a rock star.


02.26.07
I'm back from a driving tour of the Midwest. If you're looking for signed copies of THE BLADE ITSELF, and live near Indianapolis, Kokomo, Dayton, Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Lexington, or Pittsburgh, chances are your local store has 'em.

Thanks to all the booksellers who hosted me, especially Jim Huang of the Mystery Company, Paul Klein of Barnes & Noble, and the folks at Joseph-Beth (Rachel, Hali, Jeff, Amy and the rest of the crew.)


02.14.07
Just found out that THE BLADE ITSELF was January's #1 bestselling hardcover in independent mystery stores!

I've always been a huge fan of indies — suffice it to say I now love them even more.


01.31.07
THE BLADE ITSELF was reviewed on NPR's "All Things Considered"! You can listen here.

It's a very strange experience to hear the radio talking about people you made up.


01.29.07
I have a short story up over at Five Chapters, a very cool new fiction site that serializes shorts. I'm in incredible company: previous stories were written by Anthony Swofford, author of the magnificent memoir JARHEAD, Jess Walter, who won the Edgar for CITIZEN VINCE, and Arthur Phillips, whose PRAGUE was one of the finest debuts I've ever read.

This story, "Cobalt," is very different from my crime stuff, but it's a personal favorite of mine, and I'm thrilled to see it find such a wonderful home.


01.23.07
More reviews, including my favorite to date, from the San Jose Mercury News.

Off to New York tomorrow, where I'll be signing stock in the mystery book stores, doing an interview on XM Satellite Radio, and having dinner with folks from St. Martin's. I love New York, and I adore my publishers, so it should be great fun.

Then straight from there to Atlanta, for my launch party (details to the right). If you live near the ATL, come out and say hi! Beer's on me.


01.16.07
Lots of new reviews, including kind words from the New York Times Book Review, the Chicago Tribune, and the Washington Post.

Want a signed copy of THE BLADE ITSELF? The BookBitch is giving one away.

Also, I'll be on Chicago Public Radio's Eight Forty-Eight tomorrow morning. If you miss it and are so inclined, they archive the programs here.


01.09.07
Here we go. THE BLADE ITSELF is on sale as of today!

Buy it at an independent bookstore, or via Amazon, Borders, or Barnes & Noble.


01.05.07
THE BLADE ITSELF was reviewed in the January 12 issue of Entertainment Weekly, which praised the "snappy writing and a hair-raising climax", and rated it a B+, a great grade from a tough venue!


1.04.07
Janet Maslin reviewed THE BLADE ITSELF in this morning's New York Times!
"A first-time author who successfully jump-starts his first book...tight and propulsive...a story that delivers a kick and leaves no loose ends."
It's surreal in the extreme to see me staring back at me from the pages of the Times. But as a friend pointed out, the other way to get your picture in the paper is to get arrested. I think I like this better.

The full review is here, if you're interested.


12.20.06
Novelists, as a breed, are strange people. We write in a vacuum, with little indication how the work is received until well after we've moved on to something else. And a concrete measurement for success? Forget it. Which is why we do stupid things like obsess over our Amazon rating.

Normally, I'm pretty restrained. But I was curious to see if the CBS Sunday Morning review of THE BLADE ITSELF made any difference.

Umm, yeah. As of this morning, my not-yet-released book was the 620th hottest seller on Amazon, out of God knows how many millions.

This isn't a real number, and all it means is that some people preordered it after watching the review. By the end of the week, I'm sure I'll be back down around 742,639, where I belong. But it's pretty cool for now.


12.18.06
Gasp. Sputter.

Yesterday, on CBS Sunday Morning, New York Times book critic Janet Maslin reviewed THE BLADE ITSELF. "Kind" isn't a strong enough word for what she was:
"The first page turner of 2007...a tight, suspenseful story of old friends' star-crossed destiny. A new author putting his best foot forward; that's how immortality gets started."
I'm stunned, happy, and more than a little humbled.


12.04.06
I'm thrilled to announce that the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association has selected THE BLADE ITSELF as a "Book To Die For"! It's a wonderful feeling to know that anyone enjoyed your work. But when it's an organization of booksellers dedicated specifically to your genre, it's about enough to knock you out of your chair.

Special thanks to Janine Wilson of Seattle Mystery Bookstore for the generous review!


12.02.06
My group blog The Outfit was featured in today's Chicago Sun-Times. The picture doesn't really convey just how cold we were out there.


11.28.06
Just got the dates for this year's Golden Gloves. I'm not a sports fan, but I love me some Golden Gloves. Never miss a year.

I'll be getting a group together to go. It's a great time--beer drinking, fist waving, loud screaming, casual betting. If you'd like to join, I'd love to have you. Sign up for my mailing list and I'll send out a mass email when the time comes.


11.23.06
This February, I'll be attending Love is Murder, Chicago's premier mystery / thriller conference. It's a great con; a little quieter than the biggies, which means more time to chat with authors and readers.

Cooler still, I'll be on two panels, both featuring all-star writers. The first is "Writing Violence," with Ken Bruen, Anne Perry, Todd Stone, and Mike Manno; the second, with Ken Bruen, Shane Gericke, Laura Caldwell, and Barb D'Amato, is entitled "Just for the Thrill".

Let me say that again. Not one but two panels with Ken Bruen. How fucking cool is that? It's not just that he's hysterical and gives great panel--it's that he's Ken Fucking Bruen.


11.17.06
If you heard somebody screaming happily, that was me. I just found out that BLADE will be reviewed in Entertainment Weekly!

Don't know the official date yet, but sometime in January. I'll post here as soon as I know more.


11.15.06
THE BLADE ITSELF has been selected as a Book Sense Pick for January 2007! This means that it will be heavily promoted to independent book stores across the country, and that the cover and review be featured in the January edition of Book Sense.

Independent bookstores are the soul of this business, and it's a huge honor to have been selected.


11.05.06
When I was a kid, I discovered this amazing author named David Morrell, a bestseller who wrote, among many wonderful novels, FIRST BLOOD, the book that introduced John Rambo.

Several years ago I met David at a conference, and we've stayed in touch. He's my mentor for Killer Year, and in order to help with my release, he interviewed me. Which is, I realize, ass-backward. However, it was certainly a thrill for me. Check it out!


10.25.06
The people at Book Sense said some very nice things about THE BLADE ITSELF.


10.13.06
More reviews, this time Library Journal--starred!--and Kirkus.


10.10.06
I'm excited to say that I've signed with a film agent. Sarah Self, of The Gersh Agency will be representing THE BLADE ITSELF in Hollywood. As I'm a huge movie geek, that's exciting news for me — fingers crossed!


10.02.06
The first review is in, a starred review from Publishers Weekly. You can check it out here; when my agent called to read it to me, I pretty much fell out of my chair.


09.18.06
At long last, I've got a cover! Click to see a larger version.

I'm thrilled with it — to me it's distinctive, moody, and evocative. And I think the simplicity and color choices will really help it stand out on the shelves. The artists at Minotaur outdid themselves.

If you're interested in reading more about the process, check out my latest post on The Outfit


08.18.06
I just discovered I'll be on a panel at Bouchercon. I'll be joining authors John Galligan, Libby Fischer Hellman, Christine Kling, and moderator David Skibbins to explore the topic "Redemption vs. Respect in Crime Fiction: What Do Men and Women Seek?" It's Saturday, September 30, at 2:30 pm -- come out and see us!


08.01.06
THE BLADE ITSELF has been selected as one of four books to ship in Minotaur's promotional box. This box goes out to about a thousand reviewers and booksellers to highlight the upcoming quarter. I'm flattered to appear alongside veterans Val McDermid and Dana Stabenow, as well as fellow Killer Year member Marc Lecard.


07.26.06
I've got a short story appearing in THESE GUNS FOR HIRE, a collection of hitman stories featuring world-class authors like David Morrell, William Kent Kreuger, PJ Parrish, Max Allan Collins, and Jeff Abbott, selected and edited by the indefatigable J.A. Konrath. The anthology will be released at Bouchercon, and is already racking up preorders. Get yours now!


07.22.06
I finished the first draft of my second novel, tentatively titled ACCELERANT. There is no better feeling in the world. Even landing a book contract pales before the pure joy of typing "THE END".


07.07.06
I'm proud to announce the birth of The Outfit, a new group blog I'm floored to be part of. After all, my co-bloggers are Sara Paretsky, Barbara D'Amato, Libby Hellmann, Sean Chercover, Michael Allen Dymmoch, and Kevin Guilfoile. Between them they've won just about every award there is, and dominated the bestseller lists. Come join our conversation on crime, Chicago, and writing.


06.16.06
More than any year in recent memory, 2007 is looking tremendous for debut crime novels. It's going to be a Killer Year, and this is your chance to explore some of the most anticipated debuts of 2007.


04.12.06
Another foreign sale, this time to Cherche Midi in France. Still can't get over how cool that is.


03.13.06
One of my literary heroes is an author named George Pelecanos, a writer that truly elevates the genre. So you can imagine how excited I am to receive this blurb from him:

"The Blade Itself is a rocket…taut, involving, and memorable…Marcus Sakey is an authentic, original new voice in crime fiction."


12.19.05
More foreign sales — The Blade Itself will also be published in Germany (Goldmann), Holland (Unieboek), Sweden (Natur & Kultur), and Poland (Sonia Draga). This brings the grand total up to six foreign countries, plus Canada through Minotaur, my domestic publisher.

There aren't words for how weird — and nice — it was to type that.


11.15.05
I love my foreign rights editor — just found out both books will be published in Japan by Hayakawa, one of the country's most respected houses. Very exciting.


11.04.05
Got a call from my editor this morning — they've sold the UK rights to both books! They'll be published by Michael Joseph, the fiction imprint of Penguin UK. This is a huge thing — the UK is a difficult market to break into, and Penguin is a prestige publisher. Feet haven't touched floor in hours.