Hey folks! Delighted that I can reveal this terrifyingly gorgeous cover for my next novel, The Burial Tide!
It’s an Irish folklore influenced horror novel (if you liked Knock Knock you’ll dig it) set on a remote island on the west coast of Ireland where nothing is what it seems. Should be hitting shelves 9th of September!
Hey folks! As I’ve already mentioned, my third book The Burial Tide is due to hit shelves in Spring of next year. BUT! I can now reveal that my FOURTH book will also be released at around the same time!
That’s right! There will be twin Sharpson book babies in the new year. So what’s the newest addition about? Well, after starting out with a hard-boiled sci-fi/spy-thriller and two Celtic mythology influenceD horror novels, I’ve decided the next step in my writing career will be…a picture book about fish for kids aged three to seven.
Don’t Trust Fish will be published by Penguin Dial in the US, Andersen Press in the UK and Ireland and Penguin Australia in Kazakhstan *checks notes* I mean Australia and New Zealand.
Oh, and it’s illustrated by DAN FREAKING SANTAT, #1 NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLING AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR AND WINNER OF A FRICKETY FRUCKETY CALDECOTT MEDAL.
Dude. Is. Legit.
Anyway, this is something I’ve been sitting on since the Pandemic and I cannot tell you how happy and proud and excited I am to finally get this out in the world.
More news to come!
MOUSE OUT.
Honestly it still feels like I’ve just quit my job and started as a professional writer but no. I’ve been doing this for a few years apparently. And it’s already time to announce my third novel.
What even is time? Anyway; BEHOLD!
This one is going to be much closer to Knock Knock than When the Sparrow Falls (I mean, duh, right?) and I’m so excited for you all to finally read it.
More news to come!
So last month I did my first stand up set since before the pandemic in Whelan’s Comedy Club. Why didn’t I post this earlier? Well, Russia invaded Ukraine the next day and it didn’t feel like people would be in the mood, y’know.
Anyway, I was really happy with the response to this and I hope you enjoy.
The day is finally upon!
Join me and John Scalzi tonight at 6pm Eastern Time. Admission is free and you can book your tickets HERE.
Hey did you know I have a book coming out at the end of the month? (I know, I know, I need to be less shy and retiring about these things). Anyway, I have some really exciting virtual events lined up to launch this sucker.
29th June
Oh yes, THAT John Scalzi. We’ll be in discussion in an event hosted by Fountain Bookstore in Virginia. I wanted to call it “Gettin’ Palsy with Scalzi” but they said no and that’s fine.
Join us at 6pm Eastern Time, Thursday June 29th. Admission is free and you can book your tickets HERE.
10th July
Oh yes, THAT Cory Doctorow. Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego will be hosting this one at 2pm Pacific Time, Saturday 10th of July and you can reserve a place HERE.
27th July
And lastly but by no means leastly, my friends Trilby Black, Daniel M. Bensen and I all have books coming out at the same time so we’re having a joint launch hosted by Magers and Quinn bookstore in Minneapolis on Tuesday, Jul 27th at 5:00 PM IST and you can book tickets HERE. Tickets for this event will be $5 and attendees will receive virtual event access and a $5 off code for use at magersandquinn.com. Attendees also have a chance to win prizes during the event! Follow @magersandquinn or the authors on social media and share our posts about the event, and you’ll be entered to win fabulous prizes!
Oh I have been itching to show you guys this one!
This is the cover for the UK edition of When the Sparrow Falls and it is a feast for the eye.
See what I did there? Matt Needle, the artist, gave us three concepts for the cover and honestly picking one was one of the hardest parts of this whole process because they were all so beautiful. But I think we picked the right one. It manages to pack in so many of the themes of the book in one deceptively simple image. I love it. And if you want to get a first peek at the inside of the book, Rebellion have released and excerpt which you can read here.
My new novel, When the Sparrow Falls, is now available to pre-order!:
“Welcome to the Caspian Republic. The last bastion of true humanity in a world given over to artificial intelligence.
Stray from the path towards anything “machine” and the state will correct you.
When propagandist Paulo Xirau dies, and is discovered to himself be a “machine”, State Security Agent Nikolai South is given a new assignment he could hardly want less: chaperone the widow, Lily, the only “machine” visitor ever invited from the outside world, and help her determine what happened to her husband.
Nikolai knows it will be nearly impossible to complete the job without running afoul of the Party—but when he sees that Lily bears an eerie resemblance to his late wife, Nikolai stumbles on a larger plot, one that exposes all the lies he’s told himself and which may bring down the Republic for good.
WHEN THE SPARROW FALLS illuminates authoritarianism, complicity, and identity in the digital age, in a page turning, darkly-funny, frightening and touching story that recalls Philip K. Dick, John Le Carré and Kurt Vonnegut in equal measure.”
When the Sparrow Falls will be published by TOR on June 29 2021, but you can order it now from the following retailers!
“So I said to him: “Sir, if your attempts at neo-realism were any more bourgeois, they would have political rights in the Ancien Regime!””
“Very droll.”
“Yes. Quite.”
“Sick burn, Salman.”
“So Mouse, before we invite you to join our exclusive club for novelists, what were you doing before you took up the quill?”
“Oh, you know. One blogs a little. Film reviews. Cultural critiques. All very serious and highbrow. No talking maps.”
“Talking…well, very good. Very good. I’m delighted to welcome you..”
“MWA HA HA HA! Nobody move!”
“Dude, not cool! I’m with people who matter!”
“Mouse! Who is this rakish, uncouth rodent?!”
“Sigh. This is my evil twin brother the Unscrupulous Mouse. He’s a supervillain”
“I think you should leave.”
“Yeah, no shit, Salman. Okay, asshole what are you doing here?”
“What the hell is wrong with you?! Disney release a movie set in Ireland and it’s the worst thing ever and you don’t review it?! That’s three of your wheelhouses right there!”
“I reviewed Darby O’Gill, it was fine!”
“Not that one, fool! Artemis Fowl! The new Cromwell!”
“Look, I don’t have time to drop everything every time Disney goes plop plop. I’m a busy writer now, and quite frankly too good for that sort of thing.”
“FINE! I’LL DO IT MYSELF!”
I loved the Artemis Fowl books. Growing up as an evil mouse in Ireland I didn’t have many role models. Sure, there were a few villains I aspired to. The cartoon villains that were beaten by the heroes every Saturday morning or the Irish politicians using their power for personal gain. But there wasn’t a kid villain that I could root for! I wanted someone that outsmarted the good guys! Someone who’s plans weren’t foiled every week. Then Artemis Fowl entered my life. Not only was he a smart villain, he was Irish too! Then after a few books into the series, I heard the news! They were making an Artemis Fowl movie! Holy crap! young me squeaked! I’ll finally see my hero villain on the big screen!
Originally intended to be launched as a franchise by Miramax way back in 2001, the film languished in development hell until Disney acquired the rights in 2013. And I hate them for what they have done.
“Excellent. I feed on your hate.”
Okay, let’s get this over with.
Howdy all, know what today is?
It’s Cover Reveal For The US Edition of Mouse’s Book Day! (and has been since the introduction of the Julian Calendar in 709).
HERE IT IS!
Ain’t it pretty?
unshavedmouse 