SOULLESS Hits the Shelves

SOULLESS hit bookstores earlier this week, and I am totally psyched. The book looks great (and smells great, too--don't you love the smell of new books?), and so far the reviews and buzz have been excellent. Even cooler, from my POV, is that my 14 year old son snatched one from my office and read it last week and really liked it. Now one of his friends took his copy and is reading it. They usually don't pay that much attention to what I do, so this is a nice surprise, and perhaps it bodes well.

I'm also psyched because Halloween is my favorite day of the year, and fall my favorite season. Sweatshirt weather, the smell of wood-burning stoves, fall foliage...what I really want to do is go for a long walk and then come home and have a horror movie marathon, although I doubt I'll have the time.

SOULLESS, if I may say so, is perfect Halloween reading. Zombies, ghosts, communicating with the dead. Perfect for this time of year. Beyond that, it's also perfect for this election season, because it's about having faith in young America. But I'll leave politics out of it for now.

Here are some of the things being said about SOULLESS right now.

“SOULLESS grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go until the very last page. This is sharp, spiky horror by a master of the genre. Read it with the lights on...”
--Alex McAulay, author of Bad Girls and Oblivion Road

“Buckle up, horror fans! Soulless is a seriously freaky, creepy, gross-you-out, irresistible read. Pitting fierce spirits against wavering souls and unleashing ravenous zombies on their one-time loved ones, this tale of unlikely and imperfect heroes—running from and into the heart of apocalypse—had me in its grasp from start to 2a.m. finish. Then I checked outside my windows and left the lights on.”
--Cynthia Leitich-Smith, author of Tantalize

“This. Book. Is. Awesome. The best thing about SOULLESS, besides it's amazing characters, great dialogue, and superb writing, is the actual premise. I can honestly say that I have NEVER run across this plot line in any other book that I've ever read. That point right there makes picking up a copy of the book imperative. A wild ride through New York with an unforgettable cast of characters. This is one story that you won't soon forget. Needless to say, I loved SOULLESS. Even if you're not a typical zombie lover, you won't be able to resist this story - although you might stay up a bit late with the lights on.”
--www.teensreadtoo.com


“Not content to pen just another zombie apocalypse story, Golden goes for the throat by offering something completely new and singularly horrific. Golden has written a knockout with Soulless. His teenage heroes are conflicted, anxious, angry and scared by turns. Each of them makes moral choices and learn to live with them, as the fight to survive narrows their options. The story clicks along at racehorse speed, culminating in a surprising climax with some shattering repercussions. Christopher Golden's many readers and fans of zombie apocalypse survival horror will enjoy this novel without a doubt, but fans of character-driven adventure (with some horrific imagery) may want to give this a try as well. Recommended.”
--www.sfrevu.com

Mmmm. Halloween candy. Costumes. Parties. The only thing I don't like is that in my town trick or treating is done the Saturday night before Halloween, as a way to make it easier on parents who commute for work, I believe. In a sense it prolongs the holiday, which I appreciate. But to me it doesn't FEEL like Halloween. It isn't the night when the spooks REALLY come out, like they do October 31st. :) Still, I carve the jack o'lanterns and put the candles in, and my kids love it. (All right, the 14 and 12 year olds like it, but the six year old LOVES it.)

Also, it means we can go to my sister-in-law's house and trick or treat a second time, which is a bonus, especially because my kids are so picky about what candy they like that I get TONS of chocolate. It's a win-win.

All right. I've gone on long enough. Last thing--signings. I haven't been doing many this year, but if you're in the New England area, both Joe Hill (author of Heart-Shaped Box) and I will be signing at the Portsmouth Comic Book Show in Portsmouth, NH on November 16th. The gentleman who runs the show, Ralph DiBernardo, is a friend and puts on an excellent event. I'm very much looking forward to it, and I hope you'll drop by if you're in the area.

And, finally, if you're sufficiently intrigued by SOULLESS to go out and pick up a copy, please do e-mail me and let me know what you think.

PS: A little news break...MTV Books and I have just agreed on a deal for my second novel with them, but more on that later.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Chris