Newsletter Archive

ParanoiaNovel.com

Well, I’m just back from a book tour that took me from Philadelphia to Mississippi, with stops in Memphis and Decatur (GA) and Cherokee, North Carolina.  Twelve cities, or 14, depending on how you’re counting.  One speeding ticket (from a sheriff in rural North Carolina) and one warning (from a Georgia State Trooper, for an expired plate on an Avis rental car).  You can read all about my adventures here, on my travel blog.

The big news is that after less than one week on sale, POWER PLAY debuted at #7 on the New York Times bestseller list --- my first time in the Top Ten, and by far my strongest selling book.  (The first week’s sales were up 87% over KILLER INSTINCT, according to my editor --- but who’s counting?)  It also hit #7 on the Publishers Weekly bestseller list, and #10 on the Wall Street Journal list, and #9 on the Washington Post list --- so top ten everywhere.

And for that I’m grateful most of all to you, my core readers, the subscribers to this newsletter.  Thanks for reading so enthusiastically, for telling others, for helping spread the word.  And for showing up at bookstores for signing events during the very busy back-to-school time of year.  It was great to meet so many of you. 

Like all writers, I sit there in a room alone, making up stories and only imagining the effect on my (theoretical) readers.  That’s why it’s so helpful, and in some ways so moving, to meet the people who actually read the books, to see what you like (or don’t), to find out what else you enjoy reading.  After all, a novelist is nothing more than a storyteller: without an audience, you’re nothing.  I’m delighted that so many of you seem to like POWER PLAY (and Jake) so much.
 

Although the tour is officially over, I’ll be making a few more appearances between now and the end for the year.  If you’re in the area, please come out and say hello!

If I didn’t make it to an event near you, you can still buy signed books from one of the fine booksellers listed here.

Friday, September 7, 2007 at 7:00 p.m.
POWER PLAY discussion and signing
Jabberwocky Books
50 Water Street
Newburyport, MA 01950
978-465-9359

Monday, October 22 at 7:00 p.m.
POWER PLAY discussion and signing
R. J. Julia
768 Boston Post Rd.
Madison, CT 06448
203-245-3959

Thursday, November 1, 2007 at 12:00 noon
"Books Are Fun" Signing Event
Brigham and Women's Hospital, Main Lobby
75 Francis Street
Boston, MA 02115

Saturday, November 10, 2007 (Time TBA)
Miami Book Fair International
Miami, Florida
www.miamibookfair.com

Sunday, November 11, 2007 at 9:55 a.m.
"Framing Exits and Entrances," a panel discussion with Joe, Chuck Hogan and Roberta Isleib, moderated by Hallie Ephron
New England Crime Bake --- registration required
Dedham, MA

If you haven’t already done so, there’s still time for you to read and comment on the interactive case study I wrote for the Harvard Business Review.  This case study describes CEO Cheryl Tobin’s first day at work, and sets the stage for the situation Jake Landry walks into in POWER PLAY. (As I've mentioned before, this is the first time the Harvard Business Review ever asked a fiction writer to do a case study for them --- an admitted fiction writer, anyway.) 

The Economist magazine highlighted this case study in an incredibly nice article about me in its August 25 issue; you can read it here.

POWER PLAY’s a hit not only in hardcover, but also on audiobook.  Audible.com just announced that the audio recording of POWER PLAY (read by Dennis Boutsikaris) was their #9 hit for the entire summer --- even though it didn’t come out until August 21! 

I’m a fan of audiobooks, especially on long car trips.  Audible.com asked for a list of my favorites, which is online --- but I’ll share them with you here:

ANGELA'S ASHES by Frank McCourt, read by the author.   Hilarious, heartbreaking, and what better narrator than McCourt himself?

THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO by Alexandre Dumas, read by David Case.  One of the all-time great stories, and a wonderful rendition.

THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE by James M. Cain, read by Stanley Tucci.  Short, sharp, classic.

THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS by John Buchan.  A classic thriller, brooding and paranoid.

THE INVISIBLE MAN by H.G. Wells, read by Scott Brick.  This story enthralled me as a kid, and Scott Brick's reading of it still does.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens, read by Jim Dale.  A story meant to be read aloud, and Dale's one of the greatest British narrators.

FREAKONOMICS by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner.  Kept my family totally entranced on a long car ride, and talking about it for miles afterward.

CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY by Roald Dahl, read by Eric Idle.  I love Roald Dahl's stories and have always loved this one, which is allegedly for kids but really for adults, and the reading is wonderful.

ME TALK PRETTY ONE DAY by David Sedaris.  Hard to go wrong with David Sedaris reading David Sedaris. Even comes as part of a boxed set along with NAKED and DRESS YOUR FAMILY IN CORDUROY AND DENIM.

What are some of your favorite audiobooks?  Leave your recommendations on my new discussion forum --- and if you’re not already a member of the discussion forum, keep reading…

I have been so pleased and touched by all the e-mails about POWER PLAY, and I’m tremendously grateful to all my MySpace friends.  But it’s time for me to get back to work on the next book --- and that means less time for individual e-mails, and less time on the social networking sites. 

Do me a favor?  E-mail us your mailing (snail-mail) address.  That way, we can send you a postcard to let you know when I’m going to be in your hometown.  We always offer newsletter subscribers freebies when you come to one of my appearances --- this year, everyone who showed up with the coupon from the Joseph Finder newsletter got a free POWER PLAY miniature flashlight, not for sale in stores!  (Or even on eBay.)  Click here and give us your mailing address, and in return we’ll send you a pad of POWER PLAY Post-Its (at least, until we run out).

And don’t forget to e-mail us pictures of your pet (your dog or cat or even pet iguana) with one of my books, so we can put it on the front page of JosephFinder.com!

We introduced Mia to a lobster this summer for the first time at our house on Cape Cod.  It was interesting, to say the least.  At first, she was terrified (she's not a brave dog, alas).  She backed away, nails skidding on the floor, then tentatively approached it, and every time the lobster raised his claws, she skittered away with a frightened whine.  Eventually she got closer and closer and decided this might be a new pal --- she even licked the lobster's head, seeming to enjoy the salty taste --- until the lobster raised both claws menacingly, and Mia raced away in sheer terror.  This approach-and-avoidance game continued until everyone started getting hungry and it was time to put the lobster in a very warm bath.

Just by signing up for this e-mail newsletter, you’re entered into a monthly drawing for a free signed book.  Congratulations to this month’s winners: Marcia Pullin of Paradise, CA; Trevor Gooding of Newton, IA; Hank Kallio of Los Angeles, CA; Michelle Knight of Dawson, PA; and Chris Rhea of Albany, OR.  They all win a free signed first edition of POWER PLAY!

Congratulations, too, to the most recent winners of our trivia contest: Sam Kesler, Bobby Mangahas, and Anne Gallick, who all knew that my golden retriever’s name is Mia.  Click here for the next trivia contest!

Thanks to all of you for your support.  Make today your POWER PLAY!

Best wishes,
Joseph Finder
Joe@josephfinder.com