Dan Wells day 04/01/2011
 
  Today is Dan Well’s day here at the blog.  Mostly because I’m going to his book signing tonight and because I spent last night writing critiques instead of fiddling more with Angel Odyssey.  (And, yeah, I decided to not go after the March 31st novel completing deadline.  Some wise folks suggested I wait until after Norwescon and the writer’s workshop there, since I’m workshopping chapter 1.)

 

Anyway, on with Dan Well’s day!  Dan is a horror (and soon, fantasy) author best known for his book I am not a Serial Killer.  I recommend the book and may get around to writing a review of it here later on.  Dan is also 1/3rd of the awesomeness that is “Writing Excuses” (http://www.writingexcuses.com/)  Writing excuses is an excellent podcast, some of the episodes are particularly useful to new writers and writers looking to break into the publishing world.  I met Dan briefly at World Fantasy Convention.  I would have loved to talk longer with him but he was playing a zombie board game and I didn’t want to kibbitz.  (And I’m shy but...Rabble anyway)

 

Dan did something interesting and difficult in I am not a Serial Killer.  He created a pair of sympathetic character that we normally wouldn’t want to sympathize with:  One is a sociopath and the other is a murderer (and then some). In fact, the murderer might be even more sympathetic than the main character, John Wayne Cleaver.  The book crossed over into YA, partially due to the age of the protagonist and did well.  The second book, Mister Monster. Raises the stakes of creepiness (and as a cat owner let me say: shame on you) and is also well worth reading.

 

Tonight is the signing for the third and final book in the series, I Don’t Want to Kill You.  After the signing, a bunch of us are planning on getting some dinner with him.  He’s a good guy, I’m looking forward to hanging out with him and maybe picking his brain a little.  Hopefully I don’t come off as creepy as John Wayne Cleaver.

 

Check out Dan at http://www.fearfulsymmetry.net/ and buy his books!

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