Maybe you hate the droning sound of your own voice in your head. Maybe the part of storytelling you like the most is the telling. Maybe you don’t like the look of the printed word on paper (gross). Maybe you want to keep your eyes on the road when you’re driving.
Whatever the reason you love audiobooks, you’ll be excited to know I have started production on an aural version of my dystopian satire Utopia PR.
Audiobook cover for Utopia PR
I for one cannot wait to hear the voices of Blake “The Hammer” Hamner and his presidential PR comrades come to life in glorious stereo sound. I wrote the novel in a style that I think is a great match for the spoken word. Narrator Tristan Wright has signed on for the project through Findaway Voices. Utopia PR designer Bailey McGinn will square-ify the cover per audiobook convention.
I had a great experience with Findaway on The Wanderer and the New West and am looking forward to hearing Utopia PR. I’m not yet ready to announce a release date, but please keep your eye on my blog–and subscribe to my newsletter–for updates on this exciting project.
People keep asking me if I’m going to write about the pandemic — I guess because I write dystopian fiction? The short answer is … no.
First and foremost, I don’t think I’m ready to process all that just yet. Things are better than last fall, though it still feels like we’ve got a long way to go. And, like, what is there to add at this point?
It was a huge relief, actually, writing a silly comedy like Utopia PR. Things have been been dark enough the past few years, and I just wanted to have a little fun! I was thrilled to learn recently that my novel was accepted into Wool author Hugh Howey’s sci-fi contest, the Self-Published Science Fiction Competition (SPSFC). Book review blog Fantasy-Faction has Utopia PR in round one. I’m feeling cautiously optimistic, but I also know my little comedy is going up against a bunch of hard sci-fi books and the competition will be stiff. It’s been nice getting a little buzz around the book just from being accepted into the contest. Honestly, I’m just hoping to get a review or two before it’s all over.
I’ve already had some good luck in competitions. Utopia PR recently got an honorable mention from IndieReader for its cool cover design by Bailey McGinn! That’s after the words won a humor award in IndieReader’s annual Discovery Awards. That cover definitely makes the book stand out at Barnes & Noble:
When I said it was nice to write a comedy for a change, I didn’t mean to imply I’m done with drama. In fact, lately my brain has been buzzing with ideas for another book set in the New West. It’s very early days — basically, I’m writing down a bunch of notes, rereading the first novel, and outlining character arcs at this point. But what I have so far does feel promising.
One thing that’s helped get the creative juices flowing (so to speak) again is taking a writing course by Batman writer Scott Snyder. His technical knowledge and obvious enthusiasm for writing and teaching has been inspiring. I’m not writing a comic book (though I certainly would if I could find the right artist!), but a lot of the lessons apply to any type of story. And superhero storytelling has always been a big influence on my non-graphic work. It’s not too late to join the course, by the way! Look for me in the course’s official Discord.
By the way, what do you think of the new design for my website? Don’t forget to visit the homepage for adambenderwrites.com before you say. If you want to skip straight to the blog, you can also use the address watchadam.blog for a nifty shortcut.
The Wanderer hits another bullseye with a great review from Publishers Weekly, plus Kirkus Reviews features the novel as an Indie Book of the Month!
Thanks to everyone who has picked up a copy (digital or physical) of my new novel, The Wanderer and the New West. I continue to be blown away by the kind words and excitement I’m hearing from critics and new readers about my Dystopian Western.
Recently, the Wanderer tossed his hat into the ring for the BookLife Prize by Publishers Weekly. While winners won’t be announced for several months, all entrants receive a critical assessment from Publishers Weekly, and I’m happy to report that I just received an 8 out of 10!
Here’s my favorite line: “Bender’s prose and ability to weave poignancy and humor throughout the story elevates his novel above others in the genre.”
Meanwhile, Kirkus Reviews featured my novel in their magazine for a second time, this time in a list of the “Indie Books of the Month” for April! if you don’t subscribe, here’s the online list.
Yep, that’s definitely one for the bulletin board.
Oh, this was pretty cool. My book appeared in the Spring Books issue of The New York Review of Books. I swear I didn’t plan this at all, but the cover story was all about American gun culture.
Critics are great, but I really love hearing what readers think. It’s been awesome seeing all of your reviews on Goodreads and Amazon. Please keep them coming! I’m an indie author with a limited marketing budget, so this is really the best way to help me spread the word.
Don’t have a copy yet? Check out the official page for more details on where you can buy my novel.
Charity & Events
I’m always excited to support a good cause. I donated a signed copy of The Wanderer and the New West for the annual Writers for Hope auction during Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April. The auction is organized by Kelly Johnson and proceeds went to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN).
Last weekend, I donated autographed copies of my three novels for a silent auction at the Delaware Valley Legacy Fund (DVLF) Heroes awards, started 11 years ago to honor individuals whose work and leadership advance the rights of the LGBT community.
Coming up, look out for the Wanderer at BookExpo 2018 in New York City from May 30 to June 1 as part of the New Title Showcase! Then, my novel will appear June 22-25 at the American Library Association 2018 conference.
Here are some excerpts about the Dystopian Western:
“A dystopian view of an America that many may well see as a path the country is already headed down … I couldn’t put this book down and read it quickly and easily.” — Grant Leishman for Readers’ Favorite (5 Stars)
“The setting is absorbing, pulling in the reader like a captivating movie, and I couldn’t help getting the same feeling I get when I watch the series ‘Arrow.’ It won’t be surprising if this story ends up on screen.” — Arya Fomonyuy for Readers’ Favorite (5 Stars)
“The action is continuous and horrific … revealing vistas of the future and especially the dangerous paths poor and greed based politics are forcing mankind to follow.” — Deepak Menon for Readers’ Favorite (5 Stars)
“Brutally honest and scarily real, The Wanderer and the New West is a brilliant novel. Raw and gritty, this novel lays down the bare truth without sugar coating anything.” — Rabia Tanveer for Readers’ Favorite (5 Stars)
“Bender creates vivid characters in the plot that will resonate with any reader … The author helped me visualize the impact of lawlessness on the media, technology and any nation as a whole.” — Edith Wairimu for Readers’ Favorite (5 Stars)
The Wanderer and the New West — Words by Adam Bender. Cover by Ben McLeod.
I’m thrilled to see early reviewers connecting with my new novel, and look forward to hearing what you think! Stay tuned to this blog and subscribe to my newsletter for updates on the novel’s release. You can also pre-order the eBook version now at Amazon and other online retailers.
I’m very excited to announce that professional editor Jim Spivey has joined the project to proofread the novel! Jim’s job is to seek and destroy typos and grammar and style problems. Like my first editor, Jim previously edited for DC Comics. He later did production for Hachette and directed editorial for Kirkus. Check out Jim’s full profile on Reedsy, but you can bet his more than two decades of professional experience means a super-polished read when the new book reaches your hands!
Meanwhile, I’ve begun work writing my next next novel! It’s a political satire following Blake “The Hammer” Hamner, PR crisis adviser for a dystopian president. Believe me, this past year has provided a wealth of material! The novel’s working title is Utopia PR. It started life as a short story, but that felt too short. I also tried it as a screenplay, and while I think it would still work well as a film someday, I ultimately decided that a prose version provided some advantages.
Can’t wait to share all of this with you. Assuming all goes well, I hope to announce a release date for the Wanderer in the not-too-distant future. Stay tuned!
