Color me gobsmacked: Personal Effects: Dark Art, the transmedia supernatural thriller novel I wrote with Jordan Weisman, is required reading for an English course at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
The class is ENGL 376MM: World Building, and is taught by Zach Whalen, an assistant professor in the department of English, Linguistics and Communication. More on Whalen in a moment -- first, get a taste of what this class is all about:
Our goal will be to [explore] world building within the expressive practices supported by New Media technologies, and we will proceed by examining texts that imagine Virtual Reality technology or Alternate Worlds. The culmination of this will be to collaboratively design and deploy an Alternate Reality Game of our own.
Students are also required to become active bloggers during the course, build and describe a virtual world, and research -- and make a class presentation about -- a specific ARG campaign.
Dude, I so want to be in college again, just to take this class.
Dr. Whalen definitely has the chops to rock his students' socks: He teaches in the area of New Media Studies, and his research focuses on videogames. According to his website, he earned his Ph.D. "by completing a dissertation on the textuality of videogame typography. Also, in 2008, Vanderbilt University Press published Playing the Past: History and Nostalgia in Video Games, the collection of essays I co-edited with Laurie N. Taylor."
His book looks awesome. I just bought it on Amazon.
Especially flattering is that Personal Effects is required alongside Neal Stephenson's classic, Snow Crash. (SC is one of my favorite novels.) Also on the reading list is the very insightful This is Not a Game: A Guide to Alternate Reality Gaming by Dave Szulborski.
I can't quite wrap my head around the fact that my novel will be read in a college classroom -- but I'm absolutely jazzed by the news. I'm very proud of Personal Effects and the "out of book" experience we created for it, and am humbled Dr. Whalen felt it was worthy to include in his curriculum.
Most important, I'm delighted that teachers like Whalen understand the cultural significance of this emerging form of storytelling, are embracing it, and are sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm with their students.
Are you okay to go? J.C. is, and drops killer announcements in this episode. Fire up your MP3 players and take a good listen: Hutch announces the winners of the Personal Effects: Dark Art swag giveaway contests ... including the winner of the priceless Sword of Blood!
Winners: Expect an email in day or so. Hutch needs your snail mail address.
If Hutch didn't announce your name (but met the qualifications he mentions in the episode), email him. We'll hook you up with swag.
The anthem for Hey, Everybody! is "Chip Away" by Jane's Addition, distributed freely via BitTorrent and the Nine Inch Nails/Jane's Addiction tour site, Ninja2009.com.
Like what you hear? Please leave a comment, and tell a friend about the show, and about Personal Effects: Dark Art!
It's another terrific interview this week, featuring brilliant storyteller and musician Phil Rossi. The man chats with J.C. about the upcoming print release of his novel Crescent, his new transmedia podcast novel Harvey, the craft of writing, and much more. It's a red-hot episode!
Purchase Personal Effects: Dark Art
PHASE TWO: Madness In The Streets
The Sword of Motherf***ing Blood Giveaway (Scroll to the bottom of the page for all the details.)
The anthem for Hey, Everybody! is "Chip Away" by Jane's Addition, distributed freely via BitTorrent and the Nine Inch Nails/Jane's Addiction tour site, Ninja2009.com.
Like what you hear? Please leave a comment, and tell a friend about the show, and about Personal Effects: Dark Art!
Hot damn! Personal Effects: Dark Art continues to chug along most mightily as J.C. serves up another State of the Book address. Highlights also include: J.C. going off on a 1980s G.I. Joe cartoon tangent, J.C. nearly choking to death on-air, the return of the invisible toasting glass, J.C. chatting about the Sword of Blood giveaway, and the new goal we have as Personal Effects fans -- the 4 for 400 for 4,000 campaign.
Download this sonuvagun, like, now.
Purchase Personal Effects: Dark Art
PHASE TWO: Madness In The Streets
The Sword of Motherf***ing Blood Giveaway (Scroll to the bottom of the page for all the details.)
The anthem for Hey, Everybody! is "Chip Away" by Jane's Addition, distributed freely via BitTorrent and the Nine Inch Nails/Jane's Addiction tour site, Ninja2009.com.
Like what you hear? Please leave a comment, and tell a friend about the show, and about Personal Effects: Dark Art!
J.C. interviews writer/podcaster/vidcaster/dark god Matt Wallace in this epically-awesome conversation. You will not only be introduced to the badassery that is Mr. Wallace -- you will bear witness to history in the making as J.C. and Matt announce the most compelling, amazing and jaw-droppingly cool giveaway ever conceived, like, EVER.
Get ready to say, "Oh, shit."
Purchase Personal Effects: Dark Art
PHASE TWO: Madness In The Streets
The Sword of Motherf***ing Blood Giveaway (Scroll to the bottom of the page for all the details.)
The anthem for Hey, Everybody! is "Chip Away" by Jane's Addition, distributed freely via BitTorrent and the Nine Inch Nails/Jane's Addiction tour site, Ninja2009.com.
Like what you hear? Please leave a comment, and tell a friend about the show, and about Personal Effects: Dark Art!
Welcome to the first of at least two Personal Effects: Dark Art audio excerpt episodes. It is my supreme pleasure to present Chapters 1 and 2 in this episode.
SYNOPSIS:
Zach Taylor strides into Brinkvale Psychiatric Hospital, and is presented with his strangest case to date: Martin Grace, a blind serial killer.
In which J.C. briefs you on Week Two sales of Personal Effects: Dark Art, tells you about his ambitious Phase Two project, and educates you on the importance of Getting Your Ass To Mars.
Purchase Personal Effects: Dark Art
PHASE TWO: Madness In The Streets
The anthem for Hey, Everybody! is "Chip Away" by Jane's Addition, distributed freely via BitTorrent and the Nine Inch Nails/Jane's Addiction tour site, Ninja2009.com.
Like what you hear? Please leave a comment, and tell a friend about the show, and about Personal Effects: Dark Art!
Apologies for the delay in releasing the latest episode of Sword of Blood. J.C. kinda had a big book launch last week, and has been scrambling to catch up ever since. Plus, he's been creating some cool stuff for you, which will be released later this week.
This week's Sword of Blood episode is a short one, but it's packed with some exciting and disturbing sequences. This will be the last Sword of Blood episode for the next two weeks. On Friday, June 26 and Friday, July 3, you will experience audio excerpts from Personal Effects: Dark Art. You'll learn why in J.C.'s chatter after the episode.
SYNOPSIS:
Zach takes a call. Hen reveals her knowledge of The Charred.
NEW TO J.C.'s FICTION, OR PODCASTING?
I've been releasing free audiobooks since 2006, and am gearing up for the June 9 release of Personal Effects: Dark Art, a novel that combines the traditional novel experience with a multimedia-fueled "out of book" narrative that unfolds via phone, email and websites. Pre-order a copy of Personal Effects: Dark Art today.
Listen to the episode by clicking the "play" button below. Catch up with the story by visiting the Sword of Blood synopsis page. Learn how to subscribe this podcast here.
It's the DAY ONE DEBRIEF in which J.C. gives you a full (if sleep-depped, rambling) report on how Personal Effects: Dark Art performed online and in bookstores yesterday, its mainstream debut. There is muchly gushing, muchly chatter about Phase Two, and some swearing. Because Hutch swears.
Links/stuff mentioned in this epsiode:
You'll hear more from J.C. in just a few hours. Now, he shall sleep.
The anthem for Hey, Everybody! is "Chip Away" by Jane's Addition, distributed freely via BitTorrent and the Nine Inch Nails/Jane's Addiction tour site, Ninja2009.com.
Like what you hear? Please leave a comment, and tell a friend about the show, and about Personal Effects: Dark Art!
Hey there! Yesterday was a huge day for Personal Effects: Dark Art (see liveblogging reports here and here; older updates are at the bottom the page), and we kicked some major booty. The adventure's just starting, however.
If you're new to JCHutchins.net and want to learn more about Personal Effects, please visit this page. There, you'll get the full skinny on this groundbreaking novel (which I co-authored with game designer Jordan Weisman). Be sure to check out the sidebar on that page for even more goodies and information about the book.
New fans and old can feast thier peepers and ears on these really cool blogs/projects/podcasts that rolled out recently, all covering PE:DA:
Dan Tabor's text interview with me for Geekadelphia
Jay Hathaway's text interview with me for SuicideGirls
If you enjoy this content, and are persuaded to purchase a copy of Personal Effects: Dark Art, the book is now available in North American bookstores, and for immediate purchase online.
NOTE: For up-to-date posts, visit http://jchutchins.net/live2. This post is stuffed to the gills!
Welcome to the Personal Effects: Dark ArtLIVEBLOG experiment! Today is the release date for Personal Effects in North American bookstores, and I'll be documenting the entire experience -- from sales rankings, to giveaways, to content YOU send me -- here throughout the day. Be a part of the celebration and ORDER THE BOOK HERE.
Most-recent updates will be near the top of the page; all updates will be timestamped U.S. East Coast time. Let's have some fun! Be sure to sound off in the comments along the way!
Note that links to any online retailer do not imply my endorsement of one retailer over another. Updates are provided for informational and update purposes.
---- BEGIN UPDATES ----
10:48 PM
The LIVEBLOG post has gotten too big for its britches! Standby as I create a new post to accommodate new content!
--J.C.
10:26 PM
Technology conspired against the Hutch! Lost an entire (and awesome) update here, but will try to post pics a bit later. Update time!
Current sales rank online: 8 in sci-fi (holding strong), 21 in fantasy (holding strong), 66 in mystery & thrillers (up from from 70!), 330 overall (up from 371)!
As you know, there are TWO giveaways currently underway for today:
1) Call 206-984-2992, follow the instructions in the message, and then send me an email (7thSonNovel@gmail.com) telling me what you said.
2) Visit the Trailers page, and post one of the vlurbs on your site, tweet it, or email FIVE friends, and then send me an email (7thSonNovel@gmail.com) stating your mission compliance.
And now ... a THIRD GIVEAWAY opportunity!
3) This one's sinfully easy, but critically important. The gig:
This is about personal word of mouth
Email TEN FRIENDS / FAMILY MEMBERS who you dig most dearly
Tell them all about Personal Effects: Dark Art, and ask them to watch the main video on the home page
CC me -- 7thSonNovel@gmail.com -- on your email
That's it.
Can you do that? Sure you can. Ping ten pals, direct them to my site, and ask them to watch a video. Easy peasy. All giveaways end at midnight EST.
I'll randomly select two winners from the bunch. Your prize: signed copies of Personal Effects: Dark Art. You can't beat that with a stick! Get emailin'!
9:05 PM
Personal Effects: Dark Art maintains momentum!
Current sales rank online: 8 in sci-fi (holding strong), 21 in fantasy (holding strong), 70 in mystery & thrillers (down from 68), 371 overall (up from 373).
Where are my West Coast peeps? Time for you to crack some knuckles, hit the streets (or sites) and purchase a copy of the book...
Have you checked out the red-hot (yet PG-13 rated) PDF featuring Suicide Girls Annika and Lumi ... and the "personal effects" from PE:DA?Click here to get the full story, or click the image below to download the PDF. If the photos leave you salivating for more, check out SuicideGirls.com to become a member (a mere $4/month) and view the full adults-only set titled, "Personal Effects."
Books just got a whole helluva lot sexier.
Click to download the PDF
8:23 PM
Here are some fun unboxing photos from Brian Webber!
You. Continue. To. Bring. It. Check out this AMAZING update!
Current sales rank online: 8 in sci-fi (up from 10!), 21 in fantasy (up from 24!), 68 in mystery & thrillers (up from 71!), 373 overall (up from 408). We've cracked 400! Can we hit Top 5 in sci-fi and Top 20 in fantasy? It's up to you!
It's time to bring up the reserves, my peeps. If you've been holding out, head to your local bookstore or order online tonight!
Let's blow the roof off this sumbitch.
7:27 PM
Another photo update! I want YOUR photo here on the site today ... but the only way to do that is to hit your local bookstore and snag a copy. Can you do that? Are you willing to become one of the stellar folk below who've documented their awesomeness? I surely hope so. (Of course, if you'd rather order online, I can oblige.) Snap a pic, send it to 7thSonNovel@gmail.com, bask in the glory of your peers!
On with the superstars!
Bruce Lerner
daecabhir
David Perry's Spock and Chekhov
EdGizmo
Eric J. Frank
FancyFembot
frankstendal
gravityquest
Jack Staples
Luis
Pavlina
Podcast Junky
Stewart Boyles
zahooee
syntheticjesso
Wired Pig
7:05 PM
I have PUNISHED the dishes! And what's this? A new chart update! Ever higher!
Current sales rank online: 10 in sci-fi (slipped a notch here), 24 in fantasy (up from 27!), 71 in mystery & thrillers (up from 79!), 408 overall (up from 452). We're gunning for 400 now, peeps!
MORE photos from Personal Effects fans! Can you feel the love? I can. It's warm and fuzzy. (Or is that my Brinkvale straightjacket?) Email me YOUR PE:DA pic at 7thSonNovel@gmail.com!
Brandon
CrazzyWarrior
Michael Ward
Randy Hinkley
silent_e
Tiggr
6:00 PM
ASCENSION CONTINUES!!
Current sales rank online: 9 in sci-fi, 27 in fantasy, 79 in mystery & thrillers, 452 overall. JETPACK ON!
Will continue adding Brick-And-Mortar Hollas in the update slot below! Keep the support coming!
5:20 PM
Let's have some fun for the rest of this hour. I've been leaning on those online sales ranks all day ... but let's show some love for the folks who bought copies in real-life brick-and-mortar stores. Did YOU buy your book in-store? Shoot me a quick email -- 7thSonNovel@gmail.com -- or an @ reply on Twitter (I'm @jchutchins), telling me where you snagged your copy, and we'll give the store mad props here in this update section!
Email me! @ me! Give me a BRICK-AND-MORTAR HOLLA!
@frankstendal sez: "Borders in PDX did not fail me..."
Check out these AMAZING Personal Effects-related videos from folks who've purchased a copy: Mataxes, violetrogue and Karl Schild. Astoundingly awesome!
More pics from the wild! This is amazing! Send me YOUR pic with Personal Effects: Dark Art at 7thSonNovel@gmail.com!
BenPick
Dr. Duran aka Zed
Pavlina
Steve Saylor
Thomas Reed
3:25 PM
Another GIVEAWAY CONTEST! If you've been following the live updates here, you know that two lucky folks will snag a signed copy of PE:DA by calling...
206-984-2992
...following the instructions in the message, and then sending me an email (7thSonNovel@gmail.com) telling me what you said. But let's have some more fun, and give away TWO MORE copies!
Here's what you do: visit the Trailers page and pick your favorite video blurb from the ones found there. EMBED THE VIDEO at your site/blog, or post it to your Facebook page. If you don't have a site/FB, post a link to your favorite vlurb on Twitter. If you don't have a Twitter account, EMAIL FIVE FRIENDS a link to your favorite video, or to the Trailers page.
That's it. Either 1) post a vlurb on your site ... 2) tweet it ... or 3) email five friends a link to the vlurb/Trailers page.
Once you've done that, EMAIL ME at 7thSonNovel@gmail.com and I'll randomly select two vlurb evangelists from the bunch. They'll win signed copies of Personal Effects: Dark Art!
Both giveaways are running until the end of June 9. Get crackin'!
3:00 PM
Ascension continues! Current sales rank online: 11 in sci-fi, 34 in fantasy, 89 in mystery & thrillers, 557 overall. Eking closer to the top 500! Rock on!
Also, check out the brilliant Jared Axelrod's post about his wife J.R. Blackwell's project HER STORY -- details of which can be found below. Support experimental fiction (J.R. and Mur Lafferty are co-creators) andPersonal Effects at the same time! Thanks for spreading the word, Jared!
2:37 PM
The ever-awesome C.C. Chapman has posted an UNBOXING VIDEO of his copy of Personal Effects: Dark Art! Check it out! Thanks, C.C.!
Can YOU share your unboxing video? Please do! Upload your vid to a video sharing site like YouTube, email me the link at 7thSonNovel@gmail.com, and I'll post it here! So cool!
2:28 PM
MORE awesome pics from Personal Effects fans! Check 'em out ... and if YOU have a copy on-hand, send it my way. I'll get it here on the page! 7thSonNovel@gmail.com
Barely
Beth Case
Keith Burtis
Paulette Jaxton
And standby for more awesomeness! Rumors suggest an UNBOXING VIDEO is on the way!
1:56 PM
Current sales rank online: 12 in sci-fi, 34 in fantasy, 93 in mystery & thrillers, 581 overall. We just might crack 500, folks! Keep the support coming!
Also: Incredible! Twitter is overflowing with positive comments, public sightings and more, re: PE:DA. Check out the stream here.
And also: I'm stunned and flattered by Matthew Wayne Selznick's 1,000+ word review of Personal Effects. If you're on the fence about the book, check out his thorough review for more information.
And another also: Escape Pod founder Stephen Eley also has some kind things to say about PE:DA ... and my interview (along with Jordan Weisman) with the BBC is now online and available for download!
1:20 PM
Some recordings I've received so far for the Celebration Line giveaway! Scroll down to get all the deets!
Sweet Christmas! More photos rolling in from you generous folk! Behold the amazing pics of fans like YOU who've picked up a copy of the book. It's good to see Scott Sigler represented here (those books class up his pasty mug), and check the hilarious pic by Stephanie, which proves that you need more than one copy of PE:DA in the house to keep folks civil!
Remember: Win a signed copy of Personal Effects: Dark Art! Call the Brinkvale Personal Effects Launch Celebration Line, leave a celebratory message, and then send me an email (7thSonNovel@gmail.com) telling me what you said. The two callers with the most creative and fun message wins a copy of PE:DA! You have all day, June 9, to participate. The number:
206-984-2992
Chart update coming soon, peeps.
David Perry
Richard Green
Scott Sigler
Stephanie Harvey
Vlad
12:15 PM
Holy smokes, stellar news abounds! Check this:
Current sales rank online: 16 in sci-fi, 50 in fantasy, 774 overall. Heading toward the stratosphere, peeps!
PLUS -- CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT: Win a signed copy of Personal Effects: Dark Art! Call the Brinkvale Personal Effects Launch Celebration Line, leave your craziest, coolest celebratory message, and then send me an email (7thSonNovel@gmail.com) telling me what you said. The two callers with the most creative and fun message wins a copy of PE:DA! The number:
206-984-2992
Get creative! Get crazy! Get committed! (You have all day today, June 9, to participate.)
PLUS -- ANOTHER GIVEAWAY!Check out "Her Side," a multimedia experiment created by Mur Lafferty and J.R. Blackwell! This is a STELLARLY awesome experiment in fiction, and it supports Personal Effects!Visit the site for details, and support this brilliant new way of telling stories from Mur and J.R.! I have the coolest pals on the planet.
PLUS! Another thank you video from J.C. ... you guys are rocking my socks!
MOREPersonal Effects: Dark Art photos are rolling in. So awesome. Check 'em ... and check this fancy news: the book is #2 in the Sci-Fi "Hot New Releases" section. Keep spreading the word!
LUNCHTIME for East Coasters is fast-approaching. Will you pick up your copy of PE:DA during the break? Contribute to the cause, and be sure to take a pic of you with your book! Send it to 7thSonNovel@gmail.com, and I'll post it here!
Thomas "cmdln" Gideon
JP Harvey
11:00 AM
Current sales rank online: 16 in sci-fi, 56 in fantasy, 819 overall. Higher! Higher!
SuicideGirls.com has unleashed its "Personal Effects" photo set on the site. Check it out here. Membership is required to view the adults-only set; it's $4/month. (Money well-spent, if you ask me.)
I also serves up a video shout of muchly gratitude for YOUR help in making Personal Effects: Dark Art a hit-in-the-making. Thank you!
Holy moley, check out these AWESOME colored pages from Anthony Epp! He printed out the fun (and funny!) Personal Effects: Dark Art coloring book, and did some art therapy of his own! How cool! Send me YOUR colored pages, and I'll post them here at the site! Email them to 7thSonNovel@gmail.com !
From Anthony Epp
From Anthony Epp
From Anthony Epp
10:00 AM: Stores now open on the East Coast
Current sales rank online: 29 in sci-fi, 90 in fantasy, 1,063 overall. Onward and upward!
EEE! UPDATE: Current sales rank online: 17 in sci-fi, 62 in fantasy, 867 overall. Highest ranking yet!
Muchly superfandom is being displayed in the Tweetspace and on blogs. Check out some of the kindness being displayed over at Twitter ... and be sure to check out the kind comments of Jason Penney, DC Perry and James Durham at their sites -- and at the Masks of Eris blog, too. Too cool for school!
Giveaways are coming: Signed copies of Personal Effects: Dark Art ... and signed copies of super-rare Advanced Reader Copies of the novel, too! Let's wait for the West Coast to wake up first, and then we'll unleash some evangelical badassery upon the Web!
8:40 AM
Current sales rank online: 24 in sci-fi, 75 in fantasy, 1,264 overall.
Even MORE photos of you awesome folks with your copies of Personal Effects are rolling in! Hot damn, check out these supercool pics of these PE:DA superfans!
Donna Phillips
From Eddie Haynes
Laura
The Encaffienated ONE
8:05 AM
You guys have sent me some AWESOME photos of you with your copies of Personal Effects: Dark Art!Here are a few that have rolled in so far; I'll post more throughout the day. Be sure to send me your pics at 7thSonNovel@gmail.com , and I'll get them on the site today!
MA in PA
Brian Saxon
Icepick
Drew Beatty
7:39 AM
Just posted the PG-13-rated, stellarly sexy PDF excerpt of SucideGirls' "Personal Effects" photo set. Find it here. The full, adults-only nude photo set will be available at SuicideGirls.com later today. SuicideGirls used the out-of-book artifacts as props in an in-world story told in the Personal Effects universe.
Also, the SUPERVLURB is now live, featuring 12 of the most influential names in podcast fiction. Too awesome for words. Check it here.
I'm guzzling the nectar of the gods -- Dunkin' Donuts iced coffee -- and prepping some fun content to post here later in the day, including photos of YOU with your copies of Personal Effects: Dark Art. Have a pic of you with your copy? Email it to me: 7thSonNovel@gmail.com...
Note: This is part of a groundbreaking cross-promotion with the alternative pin-up site SuicideGirls. This content -- and the accompanying PDF -- is adult in nature. Discretion is advised.See the complete, unedited, nude pin-up “Personal Effects” photo set at SuicideGirls.com.
PERSONAL EFFECTS
A Suicide Girls photo story featuring Annika and Lumi, and transmedia items from the novel Personal Effects: Dark Art
My pal Rachael Webster (a.k.a. PixelVixen707, SuicideGirls' Hit Play columnist) asked me to take a look at the personal effects of Martin Grace, a patient and possible serial killer, who resides at Brinkvale Psychiatric Hospital where her boyfriend, art therapist Zach Taylor works. Rachael's been worried about Zach ever since he started working with Martin at the behest of his Brinkvale boss, who needs to know if Martin is fit to stand trial.
Zach has been wondering about Martin's innocence, but Zach's dad, the District Attorney, is convinced he's a stone-cold killer. Guilty or innocent, Martin has really got under Zach's skin and in his mind in a very disturbing way, so Rachael wanted a fresh set of eyes to sort through the evidence she, Zach and his brother Lucas have found so far. Is this guy really a deadly psychopath? Could he be a danger to Zach -- or even Rachael? I called in my buddies Lumi (such a scintillating beauty) and Zoetica (a photographer with an eye for erotic detail) to help solve the mystery. Everywhere around us were personal effects; traces of a veiled injustice perhaps? A mystery.
Perhaps, by solving it with me, Lumi will reveal secrets of her own. Unfortunately we got a little distracted, and didn't pay as much attention to the clues as perhaps we should have (who knew playing detective could be so hot?). Can you help solve this mystery?
Behold, the SUPERVLURB, an epic video blurb endorsement of Personal Effects: Dark Art featuring a dozen of the most influential creators in the podcast fiction community. All have read the novel. All have something to say. If you're a superfan of podcast fiction, you're gonna love the SUPERVLURB.
uchly thanks go out to these incredible, generous storytellers. Without their years of support for my work, I dare say Personal Effects: Dark Art would never have happened to me. They are all ultracreative people, and worthy of your time and attention. Visit their sites. Listen to their work. You won't be disappointed.
Philippa Ballantine
Author of: Chasing the Bard, Digital Magic, Weather Child
Scott Sigler
New York Times bestselling author of: Infected, Contagious, Ancestor
Seth Harwood
Author of: Jack Wakes Up, Jack Palms 2 & 3, Young Junius
Mark Yoshimoto Nemcoff
Author of: Number One with a Bullet, Shadow Falls, Diary of a Madman
Christiana Ellis
Author of: Nina Kimberly the Merciless, Space Casey
Matt Wallace
Parsec Award-winning author of The Next Fix, The Failed Cities Monologues
James Melzer
Author of: The Zombie Chronicles - Escape
Stephen Eley
Editor of Escape Pod, and publisher of the horror fiction podcast Pseudopod
Mark Jeffrey
Author of: The Pocket and the Pendant, The Two Travelers
SuicideGirls.com, Thriller Author Team Up To Release Groundbreaking Online Promotion Of A Very 'Novel' Novel
June 8, 2009
For immediate release
Press contact: J.C. Hutchins -- 7thSonNovel@gmail.com
For high-resolution photos: Nicole Powers -- nicole@suicidegirls.com
In an innovative cross-promotion never seen in publishing, alternative pin-up website SuicideGirls.com has partnered with St. Martin's Press and thriller novelists J.C. Hutchins and Jordan Weisman to prove that paper and ink can transcend the two dimensional printed page in surprising and sexy ways.
To celebrate the June 9 release of Hutchins' and Weisman's groundbreaking supernatural thriller novel Personal Effects: Dark Art, SuicideGirls will debut several multimedia-fueled experiences on its popular site, including videos, an interactive scavenger hunt for readers, and a steamy Personal Effects-themed pin-up photo set featuring Suicide Girls Annika and Lumi. Hutchins will release and/or link to this content at his website, JCHutchins.net.
It's a saucy, unconventional way to promote an equally unconventional book. Personal Effects: Dark Art chronicles the life of Zach Taylor, an enthusiastic art therapist who uses patients' personal effects to treat their psychoses. In a thrilling twist, these personal effects actually come with the book, propelling readers into novel-enhancing narratives told via email, phone, and on the Web. Readers can investigate the novel's dangerous mystery, and discover plot twists that hero Zach Taylor may never experience.
Further blurring the lines between reality and fiction, Personal Effects character Rachael Webster is now guest blogging at SuicideGirls, writing its "Hit Play" gaming column, which has garnered a loyal following. Rachael also has her own blog at PixelVixen707.com.
"Personal Effects blurs the lines between reality and fiction in an interesting way. It's a compulsive, page-turning mystery with characters that leap off the page and compel the reader to seek answers beyond the confines of the book's covers. We're very excited to be a part of J.C.'s paper and pixilated vision, which is unique, smart, sexy, geeky and creative -- like those in our community," says SuicideGirls' co-founder, Missy.
Hutchins agrees. "It's a perfect match, from an audience perspective," he says. "SuicideGirls' readership is edgy, well-educated, progressive and online-savvy. Further, SuicideGirls has a lot to offer my current fans -- killer interviews, exceptionally-crafted columns on culture and Internet life."
In addition to Rachael Webster's "Hit Play" column, SuicideGirls and Hutchins have several special Personal Effects-themed promotions planned for release at their sites, including:
An innovative, sexy photo shoot featuring Suicide Girls Annika and Lumi, and the trailblazing personal effects that accompany the novel, such as business and ID cards, photographs and legal documents. Several clues are also embedded in the photoset.
SG will release video blog posts, mentioning its friend Rachael Webster (who is also tattooed, pierced and geeky), and her "Hit Play" column
SG personalities will be "committed" to Brinkvale Psychiatric (the spooky setting for Personal Effects), and share their authentic-looking patient paperwork with SG readers...
...they will blog about their stay at "The Brink"...
...clues in their blog posts and patient paperwork will propel SG readers to Brinkvale's website (BrinkvalePsychiatric.com)...
...and there, fans can "hack" into a doctor's profile page, and learn more about the staffers' incarceration via additional SG-exclusive content.
SG Managing Editor Nicole Powers will provide a video testimonial, endorsing the novel
"SuicideGirls truly 'gets' the reality-blurring intent powering the Personal Effects experience, and is fully embracing it," Hutchins says. "The staff loves the book, and wants to integrate that 'out of book' experience into the website for their readers. I think SuicideGirls fans, and fans of my work, will get a kick out of this cross-promotion."
# # #
About J.C. Hutchins – JCHutchins.net
Since 2006, J.C. Hutchins has released free serialized audiobook thrillers, using the Internet and unique "zero budget" promotions to build his audience, reaching nearly 4 million episode downloads to date. The first of these novels (titled 7th Son: Descent) will be published this fall; the series has been optioned by Warner Bros. Hutchins' work has been covered in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Time.com, Asimov's Science Fiction magazine, and on the BBC. Personal Effects: Dark Art is his print novel debut.
About SuicideGirls – SuicideGirls.com
With a vibrant, sex positive community of women (and men), SuicideGirls was founded on the belief that creativity, personality and intelligence are not incompatible with sexy, compelling entertainment, and millions of people agree. The site mixes the smarts, enthusiasm and DIY attitude of the best music and alternative culture sites with an unapologetic, grassroots approach to sexuality. In the same way Playboy Magazine became a beacon and guide to the swinging bachelor of the 1960s, SuicideGirls is at the forefront of a generation of young women and men whose ideals about sexuality do not conform with what mainstream media is reporting.
SuicideGirls features the hottest modern pin-up pictures of tattooed and pierced women who challenge and redefine notions of beauty. Similarly, SuicideGuirls champions freethinkers and those with an alternative perspective. Featured interviews include Leonard Nimoy, Larry Charles, Sofia Coppola, Chuck Palahniuk, Dennis Hopper, Marilyn Manson, Joan Jett, and Twitter CEO Evan Willaims, to name but a few. Celebrity and guest columnists include Steal Back Your Vote's Greg Palast, Star Trek's Wil Wheaton (who writes a monthly Geek In Review column), Anthrax's Scott Ian (Food Coma), Rob Corddry and Margaret Cho.
Although started as a two person operation out of a loft in downtown Portland, OR in 2001, in five short years SuicideGirls grew its audience to over 5 million unique visitors a month, becoming a cultural phenomenon along the way. Today, SuicideGirls has hundreds of thousands of subscribers, over a thousand models, a successful book, several TV specials, a clothing line and two DVDs in stores (with a third on its way). SuicideGirls has also just released Flip Strip, which became the fourth most popular free iPhone App at the iTunes store, garnering more than 1 million downloads in a matter of days following its release.
About St. Martin's Press – StMartins.com
St. Martin's Press is a book publisher headquartered in the iconic Flatiron Building in New York City. Currently, St. Martin's Press is one of the United States' largest publishers, bringing to the public some 700 titles a year under eight imprints, which include St. Martin's Press (mainstream and bestseller books), St. Martin's Griffin (mainstream paperback books, including science fiction and romance), St. Martin's Minotaur (mystery, suspense, and thrillers), Picador (specialty books), Thomas Dunne Books (suspense and mainstream), and Truman Talley Books (business and specialty books).
In 2004, a strange, powerful way to communicate emerged on the Internet. Folks soon called it "podcasting."
And then, seemingly moments later, there was Mur Lafferty, dazzling the podosphere with her delightful Geek Fu Action Grip essays ... and the editing Voices, the first-ever podcast fiction anthology ... and then creating the influential I Should Be Writing podcast ... and then co-founding the horror fiction podcast Pseudopod ... and then releasing her stellar Heaven fantasy novella series ... and then the superhero comedy epic Playing For Keeps ... andthen making us laugh with her zombie audiocomedy The Takeover ... and then ... well ...
Somewhere along the way, she became a legend in podcasting.
Mur Lafferty is an ever-experimenting icon in the space, representing the fleet-footed creativity and potential of this emerging method of releasing stories. She's a helluva tale-teller to boot, and I'm honored to present her video endorsement of Personal Effects: Dark Art here.
Pre-order the novel. Toss a copy of Mur's Playing for Keeps in that online shopping cart while you're at it. You'll thank me later.
As always, co-producer/editor Michael Bekemeyer gets a big salute for his editing skills. Find the first nine trailers here.
Word of mouth is the key to Personal Effects: Dark Art's success. Spread the word about this awesome video promotion by embedding the video on your blog. Email this page to friends. Tweet it. Facebook it. If you think this video is worthy of sharing, please do what you can to spread the word.
More videos are coming. Personal Effects: Dark Art. In bookstores everywhere TUESDAY. Pre-order now.
I've had the great fortune of meeting Mike Monello, a person I consider one of the most brilliant marketers on the planet. Why? Because he understands the most critical component of all evangelism: storytelling.
He was a co-producer on The Blair Witch Project -- and equally significant, produced and edited the legendary quasi-documentary Curse of the Blair Witch, which was released on the Sci-Fi Channel 10 years ago. That short film -- and the (mostly) online-fueled word of mouth campaign that followed -- helped make Blair Witch a bona-fide cultural phenomenon.
It was the unconventional, immersive, fiction-meets-reality narrative of Blair Witch and Curse of the Blair Witch that moved viewers, and compelled them to share that story with friends and family. Mike played a critical role in that. With the company he co-founded, Campfire, he's gone on to create and/or supervise transmedia campaigns for True Blood, F.E.A.R. 2, Terminator: Salvation, and other brands.
And now he's here, to tell you what he thought about Personal Effects: Dark Art. We are days away from the book's release in bookstores everywhere. Pre-order the novel, or visit your favorite bookstore on June 9 to purchase a copy.
As always, co-producer/editor Michael Bekemeyer gets a big salute for his editing skills. Find the first eight trailers here.
Word of mouth is the key to Personal Effects: Dark Art's success. Spread the word about this awesome video promotion by embedding the video on your blog. Email this page to friends. Tweet it. Facebook it. If you think this video is worthy of sharing, please do what you can to spread the word.
More videos are coming. Personal Effects: Dark Art. In bookstores everywhere this June. Pre-order now.
Hot damn, it's another "Hey, Everybody!"-packed week -- this is the first of two episodes to drop this week. It's a big-big debrief on J.C.'s recent adventures at Balticon 43, which was held Memorial Day weekend.
There are muchly ruminations, including recaps on J.C.'s first public reading, the Stranger Things SINGULARITY event, the Personal Effects: Dark Art launch party, his impressions about the PE:DA novel itself, and some philosophical ramblings here and there. Someone get this guy a frickin' script!
Be sure to answer J.C.'s call to action regarding the Personal Effects "Swag Bag." Send him an email with your thoughts! And do please consider pre-ordering a copy of Personal Effects: Dark Art.
Sponsor: Scott's Sigler's The Rookieis available for pre-order. Use the discount code "hutch" to save $3!
Sponsor: Scott Sigler and Seth Harwood's Author Boot Camp will soon be underway. Learn more at AuthorBootCamp.com, use the code "hutch1" and save $100 on registration! What a deal!
The anthem for Hey, Everybody! is "Chip Away" by Jane's Addition, distributed freely via BitTorrent and the Nine Inch Nails/Jane's Addiction tour site, Ninja2009.com.
Like what you hear? Please leave a comment, and tell a friend about the show, and about Personal Effects: Dark Art!
Make no mistake: As an author, I'm tremendously grateful for the positive reviews that industry publications such as Publishers Weekly and The Library Journal have recently given my debut thriller, Personal Effects: Dark Art. Those publications' comments represent invaluable validation of my skills, and bring credibility to the story I've told.
But nothing beats the comments of a "real" reader (like this one) -- someone like you and me, an in-the-trenches lover of books who's far removed from the publishing biz. That's why I was delighted to read Greg's comments over at his A Life In The Day blog, in which he reviewed Dark Art. A snippet:
(P)eppered throughout the book and the included papers are websites to visit with background on the characters and on The Brink, phone numbers and voicemail codes .... All these enhance the total experience, and I found myself more invested in how the novel played out. ...
As for the story itself, J.C. Hutchins and Jordan Weisman have crafted a fine horror/thriller that can stand on its own, without the "out of book" experience. Incredibly well-drawn characters ... and an involving story made this a novel that I didn't want to put down. I had to know what happened next to the characters, and some nights begrudgingly set aside the book so I could get some sleep.
You can't beat that review with a stick, peeps. Many thanks to Greg for the killer review. Check it out here -- and if you’d like to support this trailblazing new breed of storytelling, consider pre-ordering a copy of the book.
I'm very proud to report that my debut supernatural thriller Personal Effects: Dark Art was recently covered in The Washington Post by "@Play" columnist Mike Musgrove. Mike's article is a perfect introduction to the novel, and the "out of book" experience that accompanies it. Check it out here, and if you're feeling generous, leave a comment and share it on Facebook.
If you're a first-time visitor to my site thanks to the story, welcome! Personal Effects: Dark Art has been praised as "a stellar first" by Publisher's Weekly (starred review), and called "cutting-edge experimental fiction ... that may herald the future of modern fiction" by Library Journal. Permit me to give you a tour of the Personal Effects-related content here at JCHutchins.net:
More info on Personal Effects: Dark Art, and reviews from novelists and filmmakers such as Gore Verbinski, director of Pirates of the Caribbean and The Ring
Personal Effects: Sword of Blood, the free groundbreaking podcast-exclusive audionovella prequel to Dark Art
Commit Yourself To The Brink, a community-fueled art experiment where fans can become patients in the asylum seen in Personal Effects: Dark Art
The groundbreaking "vlurb" video blurb trailers, feauring video endorsements from celeb storytellers such as the creators of Friday the 13th, Final Destination and The Blair Witch Project
Even more killer content is coming as we near Personal Effects: Dark Art's June 9 release date, so please keep returning to the site, or subscribe to the blog. Thanks so much for your interest ... and if you'd like to support this trailblazing new breed of storytelling, consider pre-ordering a copy of the book.
I was delighted to recently appear on the awesome public access television program Geeks With Issues to talk about Personal Effects: Dark Art,7th Son, and other sundry geek topics. I had a blast appearing live via Skype video, and hanging with the Geeks With Issues crew. Check it out!
