What’s in your email?
The simple act of logging into Outlook this morning reminded me of what fun it can be to have this job. I never know what might have conjured up overnight, either in response to some question I’d sent out earlier or some topic brand-new and surprising. My email is like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates–some smooth and creamy, some dark and rich, with a couple of nuts thrown in for good measure.
Today’s in-box was typical of what I find every day:
• Peter F. Hamilton giving me the name of his art director at Macmillan UK. We’ve recently bought the right to create an omnibus of Peter’s first three novels, Mindstar Rising, The Nano Flower, and A Quantum Murder, which we’re going to title The Mandel Files and publish next summer. And we like the art on the separate British mass markets and might want to use it over here, thus the need to get in touch with the UK art director.
• An invitation from Del Rey’s publicist to come over to his side of the floor and watch bestselling author Justin Cronin (author of the gripping new vampire novel The Passage) on the Today Show. Cronin was invited to speak about five books which made a big impact on him as a writer, and one of them is Del Rey’s classic novel by George Stewart, Earth Abides. I ran over with a pen to catch what he said: “Earth Abides is one of the great post-apocalyptic novels of all time.” Thanks for the quote, Justin!
• An article in the comics/graphic novel/pop culture e-newsletter ICv2 announcing Del Rey’s latest acquisition: two more graphic novels starring Dean Koontz’s beloved character Odd Thomas (we published In Odd We Trust in 2008 and have another, Odd Is On Our Side, coming out this October). Plus two more emails from people who had seen the article and were saying congratulations.
• And then, of course, the day’s email from my best friend, who forwards me bizarre news stories that entertain both of us. Today it was about the deeply drunken guy who fell asleep on a pool float and ended up a mile off the Florida coast. At least he was wearing a life vest.
