And since then, nothing. Not a word. He never writes, he never calls…

Until last month, when A Time to Scatter Stonesshowed up on my hard drive. It’s a 30,000-word novella set in present time, with Matt and Elaine enjoying a well-earned retirement. Until…well, never mind.

Subterranean Press will publish a hardcover edition early next year, probably in January or February. Go ahead, have a look at Patrick Faricy’s terrific cover painting. Once the cover’s finished, Subterranean will greenlight the book for preorders—and if you want a copy, you’ll be best advised to take them up on their offer ASAP. Typically, Subterranean’s editions are all spoken for by the time they go to press, and a single press run is all a book gets. (Their Signed & Limited editions usually sell out well in advance of publication.)

That’s a word to the wise, and I can but hope it’s sufficient. I’ll let you know when you can place your preorders.

And I’ll be on it like a mongoose on a cobra. But what’s with the Springtime for Scudder bit? It’ll be the middle of winter when the book comes out.

Very true, and won’t it be a fine way to warm and brighten your days?

Well, I’m sure it will, but—

But why wait until then? The good news is you don’t have to, because it truly is a Matthew Scudder spring, and the highlight is John K. Snyder III’s perfect-pitch graphic novel rendition of Eight Million Ways to Die.

When my agent made the deal with IDW, I have to admit I wasn’t expecting much. I’ve precious little familiarity with graphic novels, and the experience I’ve had with having my work adapted for film has been, well, uneven. (I liked what Scott Frank and Liam Neeson brought to A Walk Among the Tombstones. I pretty much hated everything else.)

But I figured the graphic novel would be something I could live with. Sheesh, if I could survive Burglar and Nightmare Honeymoon, how bad could a comic-book version be?

Well, I flat-out love what JKS3 has done.

That’s comforting. But you just told us you don’t know much about graphic novels, so why should we take your word for it?

You don’t have to. Here’s what J. C. Vaughn had to say in the comics newsletter Scoop:“A masterpiece of crime fiction. Eight Million Ways To Die may well be Snyder’s magnum opus, and it is unquestionably the best work of his career. His art and colors flow together in stunning fashion, blending into a gritty, well-researched New York City of the early 1980s with a distinct cast of characters. From bars to back alleys, from high-end hookers to AA meetings, the atmosphere in this adaptation is more than just a mood or a setting; in Snyder’s hands it’s another character.”

I get the feeling he liked it.

Hang on, there’s more: “He captures the nuances and subtleties of Block’s story in a way Hollywood should study (they completely missed it) and brings together text and art seamlessly.”

Okay, I’m sold. How do I get a copy?

Click on the link and preorder. That way you lock in a first edition hardcover at a good price. Or, if you’re in New York, come to either of two signings the last week of June.

Who’s signing? You? Mr. Snyder?

Both of us.

On Wednesday, June 27, we’ll be at The Mysterious Bookshop, 58 Warren Street, New York NY 10007. (800-352-2840 or 212-587-1011)

On Thursday, June 28, we’ll move a couple of miles north to Midtown Comics, 200 West 40th Street @ 7th Avenue, New York NY 10018. (800.411.3341 or 212.302.8192)

I’m looking forward to both of these gigs, not least of all for the pleasure of JKS3’s company; we’ve bonded online but have yet to meet. It should be interesting to see what kind of gatherings we get. Mysterious may well be full of people who don’t have a clue who John is, while Midtown Comics is likely to overflow with staunch fans of his who’ve never heard of me.

What I want is a book signed by both of you. What I don’t want is to schlep all the way to New York.

That’s why the store listings have phone numbers. Both stores can furnish signed copies—until they run out, which is a possibility. Order early and you should be good.

A friend of mine has declared a moratorium on printed books. Will there be an eVersion?

There will indeed, and you can preorder it now. And while no one has yet figured out a way to make a graphic novel into an audiobook, the novel itself is available in unabridged audio. (Have a look. Some listeners might find the narrator objectionable, but I think he brings a certain je ne sais quoi to the enterprise.)

And for now that should do it for now as far as Matthew Scudder is concderned.

And what non-Scudder news do you have to report?

It’s not only non-Scudder. It’s non-Me.

Non-Block? Really?

I didn’t say non-Block. In fact the next two items are the farthest thing from non-Block. But I had precious little to do with either of them.

Do tell.

My pleasure. June 4 was the release date for The Truth About Parallel Lines, the debut as a novelist of one Jill D. Block. Her proud father had invited you to preorder the book, and I guess some of you did, because it’s off to a good start, selling briskly and gathering endorsements and bouquets along the way. It’s now available in both ebook and paperback form, and an audio version is in production.

Last week Jill got her first media review from Tom Callahan of BookReporter.com, a lengthy paean of which I’ll quote only the following:

How can you not read a novel that starts with this first line: “Holy shit. You’re having sex with Mr. Peanut?” Beth asked, just a little too loud, leaning forward in her chair. “Get out of here.”
…Jill D. Block is a serious novelist. I look forward to her second book and all that follow.

As do I. And may Jill and I both put in a word for our honorary cousin, Buffalo’s own Sandra Block? Her new novel, It Happened One Night, has been piling up great reviews on Amazon, which comes as no surprise to this reporter.

Whew. A relief now to get back to tooting my own horn. In the last newsletter I announced the paperback publication of Resume Speed and Other Stories, which the Amazon page tells us “assembles seven works of fiction written over a period of sixty years.” I said enough about it earlier, but this seems like an appropriate time to thank you for snatching up so many copies.

I also told you about two readings in which I participated last week, Noir at the Bar—Queens and the MWA reading at KGB Bar. I don’t know how or why I managed to book myself into two events on consecutive nights, but it worked out okay. I read the same selection each time, the opening pages of A Time to Scatter Stones, and people seemed to like it. And I had a good time.

And now you’ve once again booked yourself into two events, one right after the other.

Crikey, so I have! Whatever was I thinking of? All I can say is I hope a good many of y’all can come see me and John. Should be great fun.