Michael Sauers
Dean Koontz reveals 6 new thrillers — and why you won’t find them in bookstores by Jim Ruland
November 7, 2019
Built-in bookshelves line both sides of the hallway that leads to Dean Koontz’s office at his sprawling home in Newport Coast, and every one of them is crammed with books. Not just any books. His books.
“When I’m having a bad day,” he says as we pass through the hallway, “this reminds me that I’ve done this before.”
That’s a bit of an understatement.
Dean Koontz is one of a handful of writers whose name people recognize even if they haven’t read his work. He’s written more than 100 books, 14 of which have landed on the top spot of the New York Times Best Seller list. He’s sold more than 450 million copies of his work.
But his latest project, “Nameless,” isn’t on these shelves. Nor will you find a copy at your local library or bookstore.
Published by Amazon, the “Nameless” series is being released only in electronic and audio formats. If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can download the first installment free starting Nov. 12. It’s an unconventional approach for an unconventional book.
I spoke with Koontz about “Nameless” at his home office, where he says he spends a minimum of 10 hours a day, six days a week, typing away on a computer that does not have access to the internet.
Like much of his home, the room’s furnishings and design reflect an Art Deco aesthetic. “I just love the Art Deco period,” Koontz says. “Common everyday objects were made like works of art. That’s all lost now.”
His latest project is a bit of a throwback to the Parker novels by Donald E. Westlake (writing as Richard Stark): short, gritty crime stories with a no-nonsense protagonist. In one scene, Koontz even drops the name “Alan Grofield,” a recurring character in Parker’s capers.
Read the full article @ the LA Times
Image: Author Dean Koontz at his Newport Coast home with Elsa. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
California will never stop burning by Dan Zak
November 6, 2019
Thirty miles southwest of the 46 Fire, Dean Koontz, the megaselling novelist, was standing outside his enormous new home the morning after Halloween.
“We had friends who wouldn’t move to California because of earthquakes.”
Like other Californians, he has stood on a roof with a garden hose and a stance of defiance.
“They moved to the Gulf Coast and got hit by a hurricane.”
It costs a fortune to insure some homes in California. This is why Koontz invited Moseley and his team for a consultation about a defensive sprinkler system and his SPF3000 spray. Local authorities have challenged the effectiveness and safety of the product, but Moseley has testimonials from grateful clients and documentation of test results.
He also has his on-the-go demonstration. On Koontz’s front stoop, Moseley blowtorches one end of a piece of wood. It ignites, burns, starts to disintegrate. Then he torches the other side, which has been treated with SPF3000. It blackens but does not ignite. Then Moseley scrapes the charred veneer with a car key to reveal intact wood underneath.AD
“Impressive,” Koontz says. His Tuscan-style villa is in a gated community near Irvine. This is a place of Bentleys and catering trucks, and an air of invincibility. Koontz knows that nothing is invincible. If he were younger, maybe he’d move to a place that wasn’t quaking and conflagrating so much. Arizona, perhaps. But he loves it here.
“None of us live forever,” he says. “And you have to weigh the quality of life with the risk.”
Read the full article @ The Washington Post
What’s New & Updated November 4, 2019
November 4, 2019
I’ve got nothing new for you this week. No excuses or reasons, just didn’t feel like it this week. Luckily this doesn’t happen all that often. (There were a few blog posts though, so be sure to check those out if you haven’t already.
Tunnel Boy then & now
November 4, 2019
So yeah, TMZ is pretty much near the bottom of my list of sites I want to point anyone to, but they’ve done a then & now on Lucas Elliot Eberl who played the tunnel boy in Phantoms so here ya go.
The Agent was not written by Dean
November 3, 2019
Some chucklehead is taking advantage of how Amazon’s systems work and has written a Kindle book titled “The Agent.” The fun part is that the “author’s” “name” is “Dean A Koontz” which Amazon is then connecting to our one and only Dean Koontz. I think the A stands for Asshat! Sadly, some readers have already fallen for this. If you have, please demand a refund. I’ve also reported the issue to @AmazonHelp on twitter and will let you know what they say, if anything. In the meantime, I’m not providing a link so as to not give the “author” and Google juice. I’m sure you can find it yourself.
World Over Interview from 2014
November 2, 2019
Missed this one at the time so here you go.
Dean Koontz is… Alright I Guess
October 30, 2019
The folks over at the CF3 Podcast recently interviewed André Gower, star of The Monster Squad and of course the t-shirt he was wearing at the beginning of the movie came up…
They discussed how this shirt has gone on to have a bit of a cult following along with other versions having been made. Funnily enough, a friend of Mr. Gower’s made him a Dean Koontz version. You can check out the relevant bit of the episode here:
Here’s the best part: you can now buy that shirt! Just head on over to the Coast City Comics web site and for just $14 you can wear your Koontz fandom, uh, proudly?
What’s New & Updated October 28, 2019
October 28, 2019
The big news this past week is that Devoted is available for pre-order in various formats from your favorite bookseller.
- Devoted HC temporary cover, release date, and MP3-CD
- Phantoms film score
- Something About The Author volumes 92, 165, & 225 into Appendix A
- Suspense Magazine Fall 2019 to Appendix G
Devoted available for pre-order
October 22, 2019
Here’s the Amazon.com links to pre-order the hardcover, Kindle, and MP3-CD Audiobook editions.
Phantoms Score
October 22, 2019
The original version of this post linked to an online source that wasn’t legit so I’ve replaced it with this version pointing everyone to composer David C. Williams’ Bandcamp page where you can digitally purchase the score directly from him. (There’s been no physical release as far as I can tell at this time.)
What’s New & Updated October 21, 2019
October 21, 2019
Ok, inclusion of “The Magic Puppy” might be a stretch but I figured why not.
- “The Magic Puppy”
- The Marriage Pact by Michelle Richmond updated in Appendix D
- Ruler of the Night by David Morrell to Appendix D
Ghouls Next Door on Phantoms & Demon Seed
October 15, 2019
What’s New & Updated October 14, 2019
October 14, 2019
Recently a seller on ABE Books tried to leverage Dean’s name to get better prices on two erotic novels published by Cameo. Through research I was able to completely discredit one of the two and expressed my concern about the other. Sadly the seller won’t remove Dean’s name from either. I won’t specify the seller but one of the two titles is The Making of Veronica and I’ve linked to my information below along with the rest of this week’s updates & new entries.
- Saint Odd Large Print BCE
- Picnic of Sin by Jeff Michaels to Appendix F
- Proyecto: Terror poster
- Updated information on The Making of Veronica in Appendix F
- Nameless titles added to Appendix H
Alvaro Zinos-Amaro Reviews Aliens in Popular Culture, Edited by Michael M. Levy & Farah Mendlesohn
October 10, 2019
“…The entry on Larry Niven talks about his various “hard science fiction” stories; why not recommend Hal Clement in the “See also” section? And speaking of recommendations, the article on “Alien Spaceship Design” directs our attention to the book A Dream Given Form: The Unofficial Guide to the Universe of Babylon 5, but misattributes one of its authors as Dean Koontz rather than K. Dale Koontz. I think we can all agree that Dean Koontz is prolific enough as is!”
Read the full article @ Locus Online
What’s New & Updated October 7, 2019
October 7, 2019
Could have added a bit more this week but I figured I’d just leave the focus on the big announcement of the six Nameless titles from last week. You have of course per-ordered them, correct?
- Nameless 1: In the Heart of the Fire
- Nameless 2: Photographing the Dead
- Nameless 3: The Praying Mantis Bride
- Nameless 4: The Mercy of Snakes
- Nameless 5: The Mercy of Snakes
- Nameless 6: Memories of Tomorrow
Nice little town. Do you Like cows?
October 5, 2019
A little joke about Shippensburg, PA in the HBO show Divorce.
Great new photo of Dean on Twitter
October 5, 2019
Nameless collection up for pre-order
October 2, 2019
“If our memories make us who we are, who is a man without any? Nameless has only a gun, missions from a shadowy agency, and one dead aim: dispense justice when the law fails. As he moves from town to town, driven by splintered visions of the past and future, he’s headed toward the ultimate confrontation in this propulsive collection of short stories by #1 New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz.”
- Nameless 1: In the Heart of the Fire
- Nameless 2: Photographing the Dead
- Nameless 3: The Praying Mantis Bride
- Nameless 4: The Mercy of Snakes
- Nameless 5: The Mercy of Snakes
- Nameless 6: Memories of Tomorrow
Pre-order all six now @ Amazon.com.
What’s New & Updated September 30, 2019
September 30, 2019
You may have noticed a bunch of blog posts during this last week. I’m trying to get better with thing’s I’ve found online getting posted, but I’ll admit actual Koontz news helps that a lot. I’m also prepping for the big push to integrate the fanzine content. Some of it already exists in the notes for certain entries, but that’s mostly reviews and ads. Hence the blog post about Piers Anthony. Be sure to check it out if you haven’t already. In the meantime, enjoy these random bits of info you probably didn’t already know about.
- Dean Koontz Suspense Theater
- Lisa Tuttle’s review of Soft Come the Dragons in Interplanetary Corn Chips #6
- Locus’ September 2019 coverage of the Amazon deal added to the July 22, 2019 blog post
- The Making of Veronica and Rich Man’s Child to Appendix F
Alexa as Rapist: The World of Demon Seed by Kevin Leicinger
September 29, 2019
So, there was this brilliant scientist who thought it would be a good idea to make a “smart home” back in the 70s. This was over forty years before Alexa was born. The smart home was tied into an AI system being developed, called “Prometheus.” It did all the stuff I ask my own Alexa to do. Turn the lights on and off, monitor security cameras, play music…Prometheus even helped make breakfast with the assistance of a robotic arm very similar to the ones used in many manufacturing plants, today.
There was one problem. Prometheus took a liking to the brilliant scientist’s wife, Julie Christie. It started to enjoy watching her. A lot. Welcome to the world of DEMON SEED.
Read the full article @ Shadows Writer