At the beginning of this year, I teased some big things. I learned a lesson in teasers: It’s not a good idea unless the things you’re teasing are definite. Many of my hopes for 2016 haven’t quite panned out. I finished my second novel, but I’ve struggled to find a home for it. I’ve also finished some solid short stories, but it’s been a mix of rejection and taking a long time to hear back.
I get it. I’m shooting for the stars, and it takes a long time for even light to travel through interstellar space.
However, in the face of a disappointing 2016 (seriously, has anyone had a good 2016?), one of those things I teased (something big regarding Carrier) is definitely happening.
That’s an interior proof. But wait, wasn’t Carrier already published? Yes.
Permuted Press published Carrier in 2014 in a print-on-demand (POD) format. POD is exactly what it sounds like. Due to modern printing technology, some distributors have the capability to cost-effectively print small quantities of books as needed. This means, when my millions of fans went to Amazon and each purchased their very own copies of Carrier, those books were printed right then and shipped to those hungry readers hot off the presses.
I know what you’re thinking. If Permuted had used a more traditional publishing platform in which they print a ton of copies in one run, they could take advantage of lowering their own costs, thus reaping more of a benefit when they sell out of those copies.
Apparently, Permuted was thinking the same thing.
October 18th, Carrier will arrive in brick-and-mortar stores (aka, your local Barnes and Noble) across the nation.
Permuted is adopting more of a traditional publishing approach for some of its books. Apparently, someone over there thought Carrier would do well in stores (probably because of the kick-ass cover art by Jack Kaiser, because in all honesty, covers do sell books). The interior has been cleaned up a little bit, and it features new consideration given to some of the interior design. There are no changes to the story. The 50k words that explain all of your lingering questions will have to remain in the vault until the extended hardcover edition, which I’m totally not teasing (no, seriously, this isn’t a thing that’s ever going to happen, and I’d delete this sentence, but ah, screw it).
So, there’s one reason to be excited for 2016. I’ll get to post a bunch of selfies with my book on random shelves alongside other sci-fi/horror authors whose last names begin with the letter J. I imagine there are a handful of other Johnsons. It’s not exactly a unique name. Technically, though, I could find myself between Joe Hill and Stephen King, and I’ll take it.
As for that other stuff, I hope I can talk definitively about it soon. If you know anyone interested in publishing a sci-fi/horror novel about a [redacted] on an [redacted] that humanity is [redacted] and [redacted] with a focus on deep characters, meaningful storylines, and rich world building, send them my way.
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