Paperback Writer

pm_final_cover_smEven after seven months on the market, The Painted Man has continues to sell like gangbusters in the UK. Better than I ever dreamed.

Well, okay. That’s not entirely true. I’ve dreamed of it selling millions of copies and spawning a Harry Potter-style franchise that made me so incredibly wealthy I could buy a private island with white sand beaches, clear water, and a french maid named Suzette to cater to my every whim while frequently bending over to adjust her garter straps.

Obviously that hasn’t happened.

But that said, the book has sold better than I ever expected it to actually do in the real world. Frankly, last September I was just praying it would sell well enough that Harper Voyager wouldn’t regret having taken a chance on me. I did that, and was relieved, but then things just got surreal. The hardback sold out of its second printing a couple of weeks ago, with Amazon.uk being flat out of copies, and most of the other online sellers listing limited availability. Even bookstores are running out, and the warehouse is empty.

But fear not! On April 2 in the UK, The Painted Man will be available in paperback! Already, still days before release, it has reached an Amazon sales rank higher than the hardback ever did on its best day:

  • Paperback: 560 pages
  • Publisher: HarperVoyager (2 April 2009)
  • ISBN-13: 978-0007276141
  • Product Dimensions: 17.3 x 11.2 x 3.6 cm
  • Average Customer Review:

    4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (92 customer reviews)

  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 217 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #9 in Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy
    #79 in Books > Fiction

Look out, Stephanie Meyer! The Painted Man is climbing up to kick some angsty vampire ass!

P.S.

Please don’t forget to vote for The Painted Man to win the David Gemmell Legend Award for Fantasy! Voting ends Tuesday.

Posted on March 29, 2009 at 10:03 pm by PeatB
Filed under Events, Sales, Writing
9 Comments »

9 responses to “Paperback Writer”

  1. Who the heck is Stephanie Meyer?

    Posted by Myke, on March 29th, 2009 at 10:07 pm

  2. She writes those Twilight books about angsty teen vampires. Incredibly successful. Like tens of millions of copies sold. She’s starting to give JK Rowling a run for her money.

    Even if I am someday so successful that I can hire Suzette, I will still have a ways to go before I hit Meyer territory.

    Posted by Peat, on March 29th, 2009 at 10:15 pm

  3. -vomits in her mouth a little-
    TWILIGHT IS A PLAGUE FROM GOD!

    Peat, I really really really do hope you beat Stephanie Meyer’s ass with your book. Maybe unlikely but I hope. I have read them. Really, the Painted Man’s tattoos pwn Edward’s sparkles.

    Anyhoo, THAT TOTALLY ROCKS! about the reprinting!

    How are sales in the US?

    Posted by Lo, on March 29th, 2009 at 11:35 pm

  4. Myke, maybe Stephanie Meyer is Stephenie Meyer’s evil twin.

    Posted by Joshua Bimes, on March 29th, 2009 at 11:55 pm

  5. That’s Awesome!! Congratulations!

    Posted by Denise, on March 30th, 2009 at 9:31 am

  6. I preordered the paperback from play.com a few weeks ago, it should arrive in a couple of weeks, if I’m lucky.

    I hope it’s good, the reviews I’ve seen were positive.

    Posted by Giacomo, on March 30th, 2009 at 2:34 pm

  7. Congrats on the performance of your book in the UK. I have to say, I just stumbled across your site here and holy hell, that cover is gorgeous. I’m intrigued! Has it released in the US yet?

    Posted by Alexander Field, on March 31st, 2009 at 3:00 am

  8. Hey Alexander, the book is out here in the US as THE WARDED MAN, on shelves in hardcover at all major bookstores. It has a totally different cover over here, though.

    The insides remain just as awesome.

    Posted by Peat, on March 31st, 2009 at 9:24 am

  9. Today I received my paperback copy of THE PAINTED MAN from Amazon.de (I live in Germany).

    The German edition DAS LIED DER DUNKELHEIT will be released in June 2009.
    German Cover

    Das Lied der Dunkelheit = The Song of The Darkness.

    So you see you also have fans in Germany.

    Anyway I prefer to read books in English instead of translations.

    Posted by edifanob, on April 3rd, 2009 at 5:11 pm