Hey Brandon, I'd just like to tell you about something.

[Swiggly]

I've just gotten around to reading the chapters of Scribbler that you put up on your blog, and I like them. They're different, they're new, and as always a delightfully creative magic system. This one seems like its a lot more modern than your other stories, but your style continues to make my day. Sadly, I won't be around that often in the next week (at least) because even though we've just started burnout and there are a couple weeks of school left, my english teacher doesn't think so. We still have all of our daily assignments which are a complete waste of time and I have to write a persuasive essay. I need to read a good book every day, at least an hour or two to stay happy. If I don't, I get depressed, which is just something weird with me. I dunno if other people have it, but when I'm all depressed and don't have time to do things, I don't even procrastinate and go on the computer. Anyway, I really like scribbler, wish you would post more chapters very soon, and I'm off to write a persuasive essay about living green and the way we need to help our environment.

[Jamestown]

I know I'll be chastised by Brandon's brother, but I admit up front that I am a newbie of the highest order, ignorant to all forum etiquette. I figured this was a good a place as any to post a quick comment.

First off, for the record, I just want to say I dig Brandon "Sandypants" Sanderson and all of his books. I'm especially looking forward to Alcatraz. I heard Brandon read the first couple of chapters, and it's very good--it has that certain indefinable "magic" that I love about children's fantasy literature. I hereby predict that in five years (or less), he will be famous around the world as a children's author, not a grumpy-old-adult author. (I admit some bias here)

Brandon, I met with Chris at Shadow Mountain yesterday and he told me of your idea to do a "Three Amigos" tour of independent bookstores with Dave Wolverton and myself next spring. This sounded like the single coolest idea in the history of cool ideas to me. I hope it works out.

Anyway, I check this forum all the time and figured it was high time I left a message. I know some of you and you guys crack me up.

Cheers,

James Dashner

[EUOL]

...

Sandypants?

And Swiggly, thanks a bunch for the vote of confidence!  Means a lot to me!  We're looking to find Scribbler a home right now. 

(p.s.  James.  When the heck'm I getting an ARC of your next book, punk? )

[Jamestown]

You don't like Sandypants? Sorry, I was born with this bizarre urge to give people nicknames. It kind of fits, however. Your next book is about a bag of sand, you wear pants, etc.

The ARCs should be done in September (the book comes out next March 13th). Don't worry, you'll be getting one! I need that Sanderson quote: "Good gods above - Dashner writes like freaking Stephen King; I laughed, I cried, I peed my pants."

Hey, is Scholastic's plan to have one Alcatraz book a year, every October? If you sell Scribbler, would it perchance come out under a different name or what? I guess an author can have 3 series out at once, but it would seem odd.

[EUOL]

Yeah, one a year in October or so. 

And, you guessed it.  I'd be looking at a pseudonym for Scribbler.  I would worry about flooding the market, and would want to start up a second 'brand' name for myself. 

I didn't write Scribbler with that all in mind, though.  I just had to get it out of my system.  Now that it's done, we have to decide what to do with it.  Plus, Scholastic has my first-refusal rights for children's, so it will probably go to them first.  (Unless I write another book and send that one instead.)

Right now, Scribbler has to take a back seat to me finishing my work for Tor. 

[stacer]

Scott Westerfeld had 3 series out at once (Peeps, Uglies, and Midnighters)--I think it was 6 books in two and a half years or something--and they're all NY Times best-sellers, so I don't think you can go too wrong with having numerous series out at once.

[Swiggly]

Scott Westerfeld had 3 series out at once (Peeps, Uglies, and Midnighters)--I think it was 6 books in two and a half years or something--and they're all NY Times best-sellers, so I don't think you can go too wrong with having numerous series out at once.

I don't think the uglies trilogy was very good. The concept of the world was okay, but I thought the plotline was absolutely terrible. There always has to have some sort of cheesy love thing mixed with really crappy friendships.