A Letter To The Autism Hater’s Kids

On August 21, 2013September 22, 2013 By AdminIn Navel Gazing33 Comments

Hi There

My name is Darren. I thought I would get in touch. I live a long way away – on the other side of Canada, in fact – so we’ll probably never see each other in person. I thought a letter might be the next best thing to say hello and pass on something important, something I hope you take to heart.

A letter. Your mum wrote one. It is evil. Unforgivable. The police say it isn’t a ‘hate crime’, but that’s just what the law says: it is hateful and it is criminal. That’s not just my opinion – that’s how many, many, many people feel about it. The words in her letter – they should never be written down, never spoken. They should never even find a way into your brain. Your mum’s letter shouldn’t have happened. But it did. She has to live with its consequences for the rest of her life.

You don’t.

Continue reading “A Letter To The Autism Hater’s Kids” →

All Natural Cover

On August 11, 2013 By AdminIn Loose Shorts, NewsLeave a comment

Exciting Press are publishing my brand new short story, It’s Only Natural. And they’ve given it a cover and everything!

Details of the release will be forthcoming shortly – in the meantime, gaze upon the image above and let your imagination wander into the limitless realms of what characters and dialogues and happenstances may reside within…

Or you could say ‘Bugger that!” and just wait for it to come out.

A Story From Me, A Title From You

On July 8, 2013July 23, 2013 By AdminIn News1 Comment

With the imminent Exciting Press publication of my 2008 work, The Umbilical Word, I’ve decided the novel needs some cosmetic surgery. Nothing too drastic. No collagen in the prose or liposuction of the plot. Just a small alteration to the face of the book.

A title-job.

But rather than entrust this delicate operation to my own shaky-handed devices, I’m entrusting it to an expert:

You!

Continue reading “A Story From Me, A Title From You” →

Fight To Be Free

On May 26, 2013May 26, 2013 By AdminIn NewsLeave a comment

As I write this, people all across North America are scrambling (yes, SCRAMBLING) to download a free e-copy of my novel, Kindling. At the same time, they are resisting the temptation to repeat the dose with noted public brainwasher, Nick Earls, and his work, Monica Bloom.

Why so?

Because no one wants to live under the tyranny that will ensue if Earls is victorious. Sure, Nick presents as a humble Australian artisan; a benevolent genius who authors stories as luminous as his work to aid humanity. Don’t be fooled: if, at the conclusion of May 28, the man known in closed literary circles as “The Cocked Fist” (see picture above) has more freebies shared to his name than mine, the entire world will go to Hell. Your children, and your children’s children, will suffer under an oppressive regime of eminently likeable characters and delightfully crafted narratives. This is Hunger Games, people. Minus the hunger. And without the games.

So do the right thing. Get your complimentary copy of Kindling and play your part in ensuring the stable, loving, entirely problem-free world we all love and cherish is maintained.

And be careful with any retort Earls may have to this missive.

This is a man who wrote The Fix.

Fanning The Flames: ‘Kindling’ Released in North America

On April 27, 2013April 27, 2013 By AdminIn NewsLeave a comment

Courtesy of the fine folk at Exciting Press, Kindling is available for the first time in the Home of the Brave and in the True North, Strong and Free.

Now, apart from continental accessibility, what’s different about this publication compared to the original Aussie release in 2010?

Exclusively e-book (Kindle for the first 90 days, then in other formats subsequent)
Hawt new cover
Cheap as chips ($4.99 in the US; $5.12 in CAN)
Much less ink
Zero chance of paper cuts
Author is slightly older (though still sexy)
Every single copy downloaded has a different ending
Nazi zombies
Vampire zombies
Zombie zombies

As you can see from this extensive list, the work is TOTALLY different, barely recognizable from before. So, grab the new and improved Kindling while internet stocks last!

(Warning: Some of the statements above may be the product of author hubris and/or inebriation…)

Kindling in Kindle format for North America – buy the US version here and the CAN version here.

Kindling Some Autism Awareness

On April 2, 2013 By AdminIn NewsLeave a comment

April is ‘World Autism Awareness Month’. April 2 is ‘World Autism Awareness Day‘.

And I am proud to announce Kindling has been officially selected as the ‘World Autism Awareness Novel of Awesomeness’.

To commemorate this prestigious achievement, I have pasted below an excerpt from the book, soon to be published in the US and Canada through Exciting Press. The scene describes an epiphany for a grandfather coming to grips with his “lost” grandson. It’s a moment of not just awareness, but of true understanding. It’s my favourite moment in the entire story.

I hope it stays with you throughout April, and beyond.

Continue reading “Kindling Some Autism Awareness” →

Billy, Don’t Use My Number

On March 13, 2013April 3, 2013 By AdminIn Arguwrite1 Comment

Writers love to tell you their word counts.

“Just did 500 words before breakfast!”

“Got my 1,000 words done for the day!”

“30,000 words done on the new novel!”

We take great delight in passing on the numbers we produce. I have been no exception. If you trawled back through my Facebook and Twitter posts, you would find statements similar to those above (though probably not without profanity).

Well, I’m here to tell you that’s all in the past. Aside from those punching the keyboard, no digits will ever again offer any implied measure of my authorial efforts. And if my colleagues on the shelves have a high regard for the craft – as I know they do – they will avoid any future reference to word counts, too.

Continue reading “Billy, Don’t Use My Number” →

Fire Up The New ‘Kindling’ Cover!

On March 6, 2013 By AdminIn NewsLeave a comment

With the US/Canada ebook release of Kindling mere days away, here’s an insider’s view of the hot new cover (you see what I did there?). Two burning thumbs-up to Exciting Press Creative Director, Will Entrekin, for his fine work.

One thing about this confronting image – it ought to make fans concerned for Kieran’s safety very angry. I can imagine the hate-mail arriving already:

You sent your 10 year old, autism-diagnosed protagonist into this fiery maelstrom!? Really!? What sort of sicko author does that!? What sort of monster are you!?

(Note to self: send your next 10 year old, autism-diagnosed protagonist to a lovely inviting forest, full of marshmallows and rainbows and dolphins…and zombies.)

There’ll Always Be Fireflies

On February 9, 2013February 9, 2013 By AdminIn Navel Gazing3 Comments

(Pic Source: luxirare.com)

The inspirational tale of Team Hoyt came past me again recently. For those disinclined to click the link, it shares the incredible story of father, Dick, disabled son, Rick, and the thousand plus marathons / triathlons they have performed as one, dad towing and wheeling and pushing his paralyzed boy all the way. Their thirty-five year odyssey is replete with details to make the heart swell and the eyes tear up, but this one provided particular pause for me:

With $5,000 in 1972 and a skilled group of engineers at Tufts University, an interactive computer was built for Rick. This computer consisted of a cursor being used to highlight every letter of the alphabet. Once the letter Rick wanted was highlighted, he was able to select it by just a simple tap with his head against a head piece attached to his wheelchair. When the computer was originally first brought home, Rick surprised everyone with his first words. Instead of saying, “Hi, Mom,” or “Hi, Dad,” Rick’s first “spoken” words were: “Go, Bruins!” The Boston Bruins were in the Stanley Cup finals that season. It was clear from that moment on, that Rick loved sports and followed the game just like anyone else.

That pivotal moment of communication breakthrough must have been like a glorious dawn; the perennial night finally receding as the sun climbs over the horizon, never to set again on the Hoyt family. I can only imagine how good it felt to see that light.

I can only imagine.

Continue reading “There’ll Always Be Fireflies” →

Exciting Backlist Deal

On January 22, 2013January 22, 2013 By AdminIn NewsLeave a comment

(Pic Source: James Hibberd)

Exciting Press figures my venn diagram is a little more adjacent than Snooki’s.

In a deal announced by Exciting’s Creative Director, Will Entrekin, the cutting edge US indie publisher and I have signed a four book deal, encompassing my backlist quartet of novels – Kindling, The Umbilical Word, Most Valuable Potential and The Procrastinator. The deal permits me to join a stable of wonderful writing talent that includes James Brown, Kurt Wenzel and Aussie literary icon, Nick Earls.

I’m really thrilled about the opportunities ahead with this partnership. It represents a new lease of life for all my once-upon-a-time-in-print works. Particularly gratifying is that, for the first time in any format, Kindling will be available in North America.

Stay tuned for release details and dates. And if you’re a fan of Snooki, I’m sorry this post was so long.