Thursday, January 21, 2010

Good Things

Okay, so I still can't divulge specific details about what's happening in my career, but this is how the last two weeks have gone for me.

  • My first sci-fi novel, TIMECASTER, was accepted by Ace/Berkley. Pub date TBA.
  • German rights to AFRAID sold for a tidy amount.
  • I've had a story accepted into the horror anthology BLOOD LITE 2
  • I've had a story accepted into the horror anthology BATS IN THE BELFRY
  • Chinese rights to the Jack Daniels books have sold to China
  • I've had a story and an interview accepted by CEMETERY DANCE magazine
  • I've had another story accepted into a CEMETERY DANCE anthology
  • I'm in negotiations for a 7th Jack Daniels novel
  • I just signed a very high six figure deal for a thriller trilogy (more on this later)
  • I finished my Jack Kilborn novel ENDURANCE two days ago
  • I just got these links in my email this morning:
http://ramascreen.com/the-dowdle-bros-are-afraid/

http://blodic.us/entertainment/quarantine-s-dowdle-brothers-directing-adaptaiton-of-afraid-55-0.htm

http://networkedblogs.com/p25034176

So, in a nutshell, I've gotten more good news in two weeks than I have in 19 years of struggling in this business.

I don't deserve it any of it. But I'm sure happy it's happening.

More details to come as I'm allowed to reveal them. But feel free to spread the word about the AFRAID movie deal. Building buzz is important for this project to get greenlighted by a major studio.

I'd also be curious, for those who have read AFRAID, who you think should be cast as the heroes and villains. Since I have zero say in this, it's purely a fantasy exercise.

For the good guys I'd like Tom Skerritt as the Sheriff (though I wrote it picturing an older Bruce Willis), Mark Wahlberg as Josh the firefighter, Gwyneth Paltrow as Fran the waitress.

For bad guys, Andy Serkis would be a perfect homicidal pyro Bernie, William Baldwin would do a good job as the Ted Bundyesque Taylor, Lou Diamond Phillips would be cool as South American interrogator Santiago, and the hulking Ajax should go to Kane Hodder, who is a pro at that sort of role.

As for directors, the Dowdle Brothers are already attached, and a perfect fit. I loved QUARANTINE. I also loved their first film, THE POUGHKEEPSIE TAPES, about a serial killer who videotapes his victims (anyone who has read my Jack Daniels book WHISKEY SOUR will see some strong similarities.) POUGHKEEPSIE isn't out yet, but I got a bootleg through my nefarious underground connections. It's really a chilling movie, brilliantly executed. Can't wait until it comes out so I can get an official version.

Now I've got to stop fantasizing about Hollywood and get some writing done...

43 comments:

Stacey Cochran said...

Congratulations, Joe! I hope we get to see a screening at Bouchercon whenever this gets made!

_______________________

Stacey Cochran
Author of the bestselling indie novel CLAWS

Jude Hardin said...

Can I be the sheriff?

Ellen Brickley said...

Congratulations Joe :D

Tom Schreck said...

It's all just luck, you know.

Kristin Rae said...

Great things happening for you! Congrats!

Valerie Geary said...

Phew! I'm tired just reading all of that! But congratulations!! :D

Paul Greci said...

Congrats!! That's a ton of great news!

Beth Ciotta said...

Two words. WOW and YAY!


Happy dancing for you, Joe!

Jim said...

"I'm in negotiations for a 7th Jack Daniels novel"

Joe, I don't know if you're aware but Amazon just announced the DTP payment will go from 35% to 70% starting 6/30/10.

I see this as a major turning point where authors with existing fan bases will begin abandon their publishers and keep all the profits for themselves.

If you're negotiating to get in with a traditional publisher, you may be pointed in the wrong direction.

Just something to think about.

David H. Burton said...

Congrats! You don't deserve any of it. :) Now enjoy the hell out of it!

David Tanner said...

Congrats, Joe! But don't let it go to you're head because it's all just luck. :) Actually, Pat Robertson just told me it was because you made a pact with the Devil. I knew it had to be something like that.

Seriously, though, I'm glad to hear that you're moving forward. The best news, after the Afraid movie anouncement, was the negotiations on the seventh Jack Daniels novel. More Jack is always good news.

Ali Karim said...

"The Hard I work, the luckier I get" Springs to mind - well done, taken 19 years to be an overnite success

Kudos and Beer - Joe

Ali

Vincent Eaton said...

Well this is all good stuff. 18 years pays off. "Don't deserve it?" Who then? Paid the dues, collect the goods.

Barbra Annino said...

Whoop!

I think somewhere in there should be John Malkovich. In fact, most of the Con Air cast, I can picture in the movie.

So happy for you Joe!

Marcie Steele said...

That is just great news, Joe, congratulations on your 'luck'. So pleased for you. x

Barbra Annino said...

Also- The Rock

Hope to have a beer with you soon!

The\ said...

Congrats, Joe!

Anonymous said...

Can I just say-- that's awesome for you! I knew you would be famous someday. Hey-- you are just like a working actor that finally got noticed.

Yes, part of it is luck (we are all VERY lucky we don't live in Haiti, right? Those poor people). And part of it is hard work.

Jake said...

Congratulations, Joe, this is great news.

I know you've become some sort of pied piper to all the self published, ebook rats of the world, but it's good to see that the real game is still (and always will me) traditional publishing.

Aim said...

That's a hell of a lot of good stuff going on, Joe! Congrats to you. I still haven't finish reading "afraid" but I might be able to drag myself to the movie.

Anonymous said...

Many congratulations to you - that is amazing.

Scott Nicholson said...

Dang you sure do keep getting lucky!

Scott Nicholson
author of The Red Church

Olga said...

Wow! Congratulations, Joe!

Debbi said...

Way to go, Joe! Congrats!

::applause:: ::applause:: ::applause::

Marie Simas said...

Marry me!

JA Konrath said...

Thanks, all.

The cast of Con-Air would be pretty good...

Boyd Morrison said...

Congrats on all the good news, Joe!

Ruth said...

Congratulations!
Any chance of you selling your rights to Spain?

Monica said...

Amazing news! Congrats--you deserve it!

Brad R. Torgersen said...

Savor the sudden flurry of wins, Joe! That sounds like a heck of a two week ride. I doubt you'll be coming down from that 'high' even if you want to. Especially the news about the largish six-figure deal. That's something I certainly dream about, and probably every other fiction writer who is not already a bestseller dreams of it too.

But I think I understand, a little, about having a rush of good things happen after a very long time struggling. For me, it was 17 years of unpublished toil, and in the last 60 days I had my break-in pro fiction sale plus a second, perhaps even more important pro fiction sale; to a market even some of my long-time pro friends haven't been able to crack!

I am hoping to keep the "balloon" rising in 2010 and score some more sales. But it feels mighty, mighty good to be finally cracking through with some significant wins of my own.

Martel said...

Congratulations, Joe! And I would say that you do deserve it :)

Martel

Regge Ridgway said...

Be Afraid. Very Afraid. Like the novel and look forward to the flik.

Linda Acaster said...

I'm away four days and all hell breaks loose! This is fantastic. It couldn't happen to a better guy, one so into helping others. I shall smile now for the rest of the day!

Linda

Karen McQuestion said...

Great news, Joe! I'm so happy for you.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Konrath,

When you sell the movie rights is there a time limit for how long it will take the movie to get made? If it doesn't do the rights go back to you?

Sean

Michelle Moran said...

Congratulations, Joe!!!! You absolutely deserve it :]

Terri said...

Congratulations!
Wow, it's true hearing someone else's good news can make you happy :-)

Dave Keane said...

Okay, Joe, you say you don't "deserve" it. But how about karma? You've been pretty supportive to a lot of mystified, frustrated, and hopeful authors. So maybe all that good stuff is coming back at you. You say it's luck, but don't you think karma could be in play here? (And a lot of hard work doesn't hurt either.) Revel in it, baby!!!

Adam Pepper said...

I'll play Adam Pepper. I'm a dead ringer for him.

Congrats on selling the Chinese rights to China, it would be weird if you sold the Chinese rights to Korea...

Great news all around!

Theresa Milstein said...

Wow! When it rains it pours - torrential downpours!

You obviously work on a lot at the same time, and it all came together. Congratulations.

Sherryl said...

Congratulations, Joe. And you totally deserve it! You don't get all of that without a heck of a lot of hard work, not to mention the good work here at this blog.

Mary Stella said...

All great news, but this . . .

I'm in negotiations for a 7th Jack Daniels novel
I just signed a very high six figure deal for a thriller trilogy (more on this later)
I finished my Jack Kilborn novel ENDURANCE two days ago


Gargantuan WOOOHOOO and congratulations.

James F. Reilly said...

What the hell d'ya mean "you don't deserve it"? In a world in which those horrid Twilight books are raking in billions, you deserve it tenfold! Bravo, Joe. And it's not just luck; it's skill. You've entertained me for years because you're GOOD not because you're lucky.

As for my cast of Afraid, well, I pictured a...strange mix of actors when I read the book (I always "cast" books when I read them. Dunno why). Here's a few of 'em I remember...

Josh Duhamel...Josh
Piper Perabo...Fran
Michael Parks...Sheriff Streng
Sam Elliot...Warren
Nick Chinlund...Bernie
Derek Mears...Ajax