Things that I think are great

Party with me at The Mysterious Bookshop

robwhart Ash McKenna, Events, New Yorked, Things that I think are great

bookstore 8

I know it’s a little early, but I’m excited, and it’s official, and now you can’t claim that you made other plans that night: The release party for New Yorked will be held at The Mysterious Bookshop on the day of the book’s release, June 9.

This is a place that’s near and dear to my heart. Not just because I’ve been a customer for years, and not just because it’s where my office is (down in the basement)—but because it’s the last crime and mystery specialty store in Manhattan. It’s an institution. And it’s an honor to have my first major book event there.

So come on down. You can respond to the Facebook event here, or just write it down on your calendar like a Luddite. June 9, 6:30 p.m., 58 Warren Street, Manhattan.

There will be booze. Maybe snacks, too. But definitely booze.

If you’re not able to attend but you want a signed copy of the book, order it from Mysterious—I’ll sign any copy sold by and delivered from the store.

Galleys! Plus, first review from a stranger!

robwhart Ash McKenna, Marketing and promotion, New Yorked, Things that I think are great

10359391_10205524150565801_2839162067821429887_nWhen your first novel is published, you’re in store for a long line of firsts: First edits. First proof pages. First galleys. First Goodreads review, etc.

I was lucky to get two firsts yesterday: My galleys came in, and they look fantastic. (Also in: Not Even Past by Dave White, a gorgeous-looking Polis paperback that proves I’m in really solid hands here—it’s a testament to a high standard of quality.)

Then, I got my first review from a stranger! People I know have read it, and while I trust their comments, there’s still a little part of me that feels they’re being kind because they know me. And here’s the first person who I’ve never met, who I wasn’t even friends with on Facebook, who has already finished the book.

Reading the review last night, I was struck speechless. That someone would respond so positively to something I wrote is an incredible feeling.

This was a great introduction to Rob Hart. If you haven’t heard about him, it’s time for you to get acquainted with him. You can thank me later.

Read the whole review here.

Two new blog posts to flog, on feminism and ‘The Strain’

robwhart LitReactor, Rant, Things that I think are great

Got two new blog posts up on the interwebs. They are very different from each other.

Here’s a piece about why I think The Strain is a dumb television show and how I think it could be better, for LitReactor:

Top 10 Ways to Make ‘The Strain’ Less Stupid

Here’s a piece about having a little girl and being a feminist and wanting to be a better man, for Nailed:

Sweet Potato Girl

One is sarcastic and one is not. Both feature generous use of the word ‘fuck.’ Some things never change. Enjoy.

Two new blog posts!

robwhart Ash McKenna, LitReactor, New Yorked, Publishing, Things that I think are great

Over at LitReactor, I’ve got a new installment in my Path to Publication series. This time I talk about TV rights, sequels, synopses, and show off the pretty new cover for New Yorked.

And over at the Mulholland Books blog, I’ve got a piece that explores a very important question: What do you do with a giant pile of Jim Thompson books?

Only one of the options I discovered involves body disposal.

Go forth and read stuff!

I have a book deal again!

robwhart Ash McKenna, City of Rose, New Yorked, Things that I think are great, Uncategorized

I’m thrilled to announce that—after my publisher abruptly shut down and dropped me last month—my books have found a new home: Polis Books.

Jason Pinter, the head of Polis, is a smart, passionate guy, and it’s great to be with a publisher that’s at the vanguard of the industry.

Here’s the official announcement from Publishers Marketplace:

Rob Hart’s debut novel NEW YORKED, about self-described “blunt instrument” Ash McKenna who wakes up to find that the woman he loves has been murdered, and must cut through the city’s underworld to find her killer while confronting his own family history of violence, along with a sequel, CITY OF ROSE, to Jason Pinter at Polis Books by Bree Ogden at D4EO Literary Agency.

Major props to my agent, Bree. She is a rockstar superhero.

It sucks losing a book deal. Here’s a thing you worked your whole life to achieve, and then you actually achieve it, and then it gets taken from you. It’s depressing on a level that’s hard to put into words. Luckily I had the support of an amazing community of writers and readers who reached out with a kind word, or the offer of a drink, or just a ‘like’ on Facebook. Every little bit helped, and it kept the days from being as dark as they could have been.

Now, though, it’s back into the light. Time to put the gears of war back into motion.

Look for New Yorked in print and digital in Summer 2015, with City of Rose to follow in Fall/Winter.

It’s official: I’ve got a series.

robwhart Ash McKenna, City of Rose, New Yorked, Publishing, Things that I think are great

When I first conceived of New Yorked, it was meant to be a standalone novel. One and done. But I really enjoyed writing Ash McKenna, even though he’s a bit of a dumbass.

Plus, his voice sounds a bit like my voice, so I figured that for subsequent stories in the crime genre, the protagonist would sound too much like him, or like me.

So I started kicking around ideas for a series. Taking some of the books I wanted to write and twisting them around Ash. Let them serve as vehicles for this kid who’s seeking his moral compass. The more I thought about it, the more excited I got.

Exhibit A is excited about it, too. So much that they’ve agreed to buy the second book in the series, tentatively titled City of Rose.

This is hugely exciting. The folks at Exhibit A have been a pleasure to work with. They’ve got the guts and the vision to make this thing work. And the idea of me making a living writing books is becoming slightly less insane.

At the same time, it’s terrifying. Because now I’m committed. I have to write the damn thing. And Exhibit A is putting a lot of faith in me—they trust that I can do this. I don’t want to let them down.

I don’t think I will. Because the exciting part is way overshadowing the terrifying part.

So, New Yorked will hit in January 2015. We’re toying with Autumn 2015 for City of Rose, which will mean a lot less Titanfall and a lot more hours locked in my office. We’ll see how that goes.

Speaking of, want to learn more about the next installment? Check out the Exhibit A website, where the official announcement just hit.

Want to learn even more about the series? Tonight I’ll be interviewed by the brilliant ladies at the Books & Booze podcast, and I’ll spill some more details about it—including the mechanics of how the series will work, because that part, I’ve got mapped out. And it’s going to be a lot of fun. So you have to listen to the show.

I’ll blast out the link as soon as it’s live.

And mad props to my agent, Bree Ogden. This lady is unstoppable.