NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS



04.25.08
I'm delighted to announce that we have a publication date for my next novel. Entitled GOOD PEOPLE, it comes out this August. It will be my Dutton debut, and I have to say, it's my personal favorite of the books I've written.

Click here to check it out and read an excerpt.



03.18.08
I recently spoke at the Southern Voices Literary Festival in Hoover, Alabama. It's a great event, one I urge you to attend if you live nearby. But the reason I bring it up is that they taped my appearance.   If you're interested, check it out here.



03.11.08
So this is a fun link...



02.29.08
I'm thrilled to announce that THE BLADE ITSELF has been nominated for a Strand Critic's Award for Best First Novel! The award, given out by acclaimed Strand Magazine, is judged by critics from daily papers, including the Boston Herald, Washington Post, and L.A. Times.

My deep and sincere thanks to the judges, and to the Strand — this is truly an honor.



02.18.08
So many things to talk about. Let's start with the funny story. When I was signing in Seattle, I had drinks with a group of authors and friends. During conversation with the divine Christa Faust, it came out that I was the only one at the table that had not had a fan email me a nude picture. Apparently, this is common for everybody else. Who knew?

Anyway, Christa, proactive perv that she is, sounded the trumpet on her blog:
OK Faustketeers, I need your help to right a terrible injustice. Last night over cocktails at Zig Zag, we discovered that Marcus Sakey was the only writer at the table who had never received a naked photo from a fan. What kind of a world is this where a nice young man like Marcus has never received a single blurry cell phone photo of an adoring fan's genitals? That's just wrong.

Show Marcus some love, and some skin. First, buy his book. Then let him know how much you love it. How much you really REALLY love it. Bonus points if you send a nude photo of yourself holding one of his books. Double bonus points if you can hold the book without using your hands. Triple if it's the hardcover.
All I'll say on the subject is that I have since had the situation remedied. By far the best entry, however, comes from my friend Martel Sardina. They say a picture is worth a thousand words — this one left me speechless and sputtering, with hot coffee dripping into my keyboard.





So thank you Martel, and thank you Christa. Christa, by the way, will be at Centuries & Sleuths in Chicago on Sunday March 2nd. I highly recommend you catch her, and pick up a copy or three of her new novel MONEY SHOT.

On the touring front, I've just returned from the Southern Voices Conference , which was an absolute blast. It's one of the best run festivals I've ever attended, and it was a real honor to be included. Special thanks to Linda, Amanda, Carrie, Patricia, Bryce, Jeremy, and Steve, all of whom went way above and beyond.

Finally, it's always nice to come home to good news. First, I discovered that rights to AT THE CITY'S EDGE have just been sold to Natur & Kultur in Sweden. They did a dynamite job on my first book, so I'm thrilled they'll be handling the second.

And as if that weren't enough, there were two wonderful reviews in the Chicago Tribune, one for AT THE CITY'S EDGE ("Sakey's latest solidifies his position as the new reigning prince of crime fiction,") and the other for KILLER YEAR ("an exceptional collection of crime fiction short stories.") Thanks very much to reviewer Paul Goat Allen for his generous comments.

I'm home now for a couple of days, and then off to South Carolina, for the SC Book Festival. Hope to see you there!



02.12.08
I just returned from the west coast, where I signed in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle. The first two were with my friend the delightful Laura Caldwell; the third I shared with new Jell-O wrestling partners Sue Ann Jaffarian and Christa Faust.

Afterward, we retired to the bar with everyone we could wrangle, which turned out to be quite a few people on each occasion, and resulted in some, shall we say, highly memorable conversations. A big thank you to everyone who came out to see us, and especially to the booksellers: Linda, Bobby, Carly, Bill, Fran, Janine, and JB.

Next up is an event in Chicago with the ladies of the 24/8 Book Club, then back on the road, heading for Alabama and South Carolina. Hope to see you out there!



02.09.08
I'm excited to announce that KILLER YEAR, one of the anthologies I'm part of, just sold in the UK at auction. The book features a bunch of my friends, so maybe I'm biased, but it's a dynamite anthology, one of the best I've ever read, so I'm thrilled to see it will be available elsewhere.



01.31.08
My touring is officially underway, and I'm having a ball. Thanks to the folks who have hosted me thus far, especially Jon & Ruth Jordan, Mystery One, and Read Between the Lynes. Tonight I'll be at another favorite indie bookstore, The Book Cellar, then it's a conference for the weekend, a day or two off, and a trip out west. In between, I'll try to post photos from the launch party and the road.

A couple of newsworthy items: The Chicago Sun-Times posted a terrific review of AT THE CITY'S EDGE. You can read the full text here, but a couple of highlights:
"Marcus Sakey...proves just as shrewd an observer of cultural politics...The action is fast and furious...A hyperrealistic look at our most downtrodden communities."
Also, I'm flattered to be the subject of a feature story in yesterday's Toledo Blade.



01.14.08
I got two amazing emails yesterday. The first was from a friend with this link to a New York Post interview with Rachael Ray, who mentions my debut novel in passing:
"I love crime books, and THE BLADE ITSELF by Marcus Sakey is just fantastic. I can't put it down."
I'm delighted when anybody likes my books, but as I'm both a passionate cook and a fan of hers, it was a particular thrill.

The second email was from Robin Agnew, of Aunt Agatha's bookstore, who emailed to announce that I've been nominated for a Dilys Winn Award. The Dilys is given by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association to the novel they most enjoyed selling over the past year, which makes it a damn happy thing. Not to mention the fact that the other nominees are all tremendous: Kent Krueger, Rhys Bowen, Deanna Rayburn and Lisa Lutz.

Suffice to say, I'm thrilled and flattered. Thank you all!



01.11.08
Receiving this box is just as thrilling on a second novel as on a first...

In other news, I wrapped up revisions on my third novel today. I'm really pleased with it, and I think my editor will be as well.

With that out of the way, I'm free to concentrate on promoting my second novel, AT THE CITY'S EDGE, which comes out January 22nd. As you can see to the right, I've got a pretty extensive tour schedule, all kicked off with a launch party on Wednesday the 23rd.

If you're free and live in or near Chicago, I'd love to have you join me and my friend author Laura Caldwell at the fabulous Landmark Lounge, 1633 N. Halsted. We're popping for food and drinks, and there will be books available for sale, so come help us celebrate.



01.02.08
I'm pleased to announce that AT THE CITY'S EDGE has been chosen a "Killer Book" by the Independent Mystery Bookseller's Association. The review, by Robin Agnew of Aunt Agatha’s in Ann Arbor:
Marcus Sakey’s first book, The Blade Itself, was chock full of obvious talent, but to me it felt a little bit slick. In this second outing, Sakey has thrown away any slickness and retained his gifts of prose, narrative, character development and a great way with a hook. The hook in this book is Jason, a recently returned Iraq war vet, beset unawares by some thugs who want something from his brother. When Jason goes to ask his brother, Michael, the owner of a crummy bar on the south side of Chicago, his brother blows him off; when his bar burns to the ground the next day with Michael inside it, Jason is left with his brother’s secret, his nine year old nephew, and a need to find a way to move past the war and figure out the problems in his unexpected new life.

Brilliantly tying together the gangbangers that plagued his brother’s life with the vivid memories of Iraq inside Jason’s head, Sakey sets Jason adrift in a world where nothing is untouched by corruption. I guess that’s the real definition of noir, and in Sakey’s talented hands, it feels new. Using the unsteady Jason as the reader’s conduit in to this scary ride through the dark underbelly of Chicago shows real depth on the part of this rapidly maturing writer. And because the characters are equally as compelling as the situations, this is a very strong and memorable novel, not to be missed.
Thanks, Robin! Folks in Michigan should check out her store — it's terrific.

Meanwhile, hope you all had a happy holiday season.


12.20.07
Seems to be a season of good fortune. THE BLADE ITSELF made two more "Best Of 2007" lists, January Magazine and E! Online.

In other news, I just returned from visiting my brother, and am weighed down with steak and Bell's beer. Not making the revision process go any faster.

Finally, I got cover flats for my new book, AT THE CITY'S EDGE, and they look amazing. Couldn't be more thrilled. I think it will really stand out.


12.14.07
Oline Cogdill, reviewer extraordinaire, yesterday released her list of the top mysteries of the year. It's a great selection, including some real stunners like Laura Lippmann's WHAT THE DEAD KNOW and John Hart's DOWN RIVER, as well as novels by my friends Sean Chercover and Theresa Schwegel, and so I'm flattered to say that she selected THE BLADE ITSELF as one of the best debuts of the year.

She also named CHICAGO BLUES one of the year's best anthologies. It really is a hell of a collection, one I'm thrilled to be part of.


12.04.07
Two bits of news. First, I'm honored to announce that THE BLADE ITSELF was selected by Book Bitch as one of the best thrillers of the year. This is a particular pleasure given the other folks on the list.

Also, another generous review for AT THE CITY'S EDGE:
"Intricate...relentless...Sakey's gritty Chicago is wonderfully evoked. [A] brutally effective action-heavy thriller, ready-made for film."
Kirkus


11.27.07
The paperback of THE BLADE ITSELF is now available. Sporting a brand new cover, it's the perfect stocking stuffer. What says "holiday joy" like mayhem and crime?



11.20.07 - Esquire calls THE BLADE ITSELF one of "Year's 5 Best Reads"
If you heard a clunking sound, that was my jaw hitting the floor. This weekend I got an email from a friend suggesting I grab a copy of the December issue of Esquire and check out page 48.

I'm thrilled, flattered, and more than a little flabbergasted to say they've named my first novel one of their Top 5 Reads of 2007. In his note, T. Jefferson Parker writes:
"This book landed on my desk uninvited. With it was a letter from the book's editor saying that he had never published a better debut crime novel. I looked at the stack of manuscripts sent to me for quotes. There were spiderwebs on them. I decided to read one page. Just one. Three hundred pages later I put it down. It's smart, sad, relentless, and believable. It has style and attitude. I love Sakey's Chicago. I love the way his characters fight the riptides of place and time that carry them so far from their good intentions. They remind me of people I've known."
It's going to be a very nice Thanksgiving indeed.


11.13.07
Early reviews are starting to come in for my second book, AT THE CITY'S EDGE. Library Journal writes:
"Sakey's conspiracy and corruption scenarios twist together in startling ways in this ambitious thriller. It's fast paced from the get-go and just as good as Sakey's stellar debut. If you don't already, start recommending him to all your George Pelecanos fans. Highly recommended."
Publisher's Weekly says:
"High-tension action, intricate plotting and a Chicago setting that thrums and pulses with the feel of the city...Sakey, who draws disturbing and thought-provoking parallels between Baghdad and Chicago, provides enough narrow escapes, traps and obstacles to satisfy a Die Hard fan, but enough meat to please readers who demand more than pyrotechnics."
And from Booklist:
"A modern noir played out in a corrupt Chicago setting dominated by political chicanery, rampaging gentrification, and gang turf wars. Sakey is a name to watch for devotees of Pelecanos, Lehane, and other chroniclers of the urban jungle."
As I've spent the last, oh, three years focusing mostly on my first novel — there's a long lag in the publishing world — it's exciting to get feedback on something new. The hardcover comes out in January, and as you can see, I'll be touring extensively to support it.



11.07.07
Done!

I finished Book the Third last week. Tentatively entitled EVERY PRECIOUS THING, it follows a middle-class couple who, desperate to preserve their dreams of a family, steal a large sum of money they find in their tenant's apartment.

The few people who have read it thus far have said very kind things, and it's with my editor now, which means that I get to spend the next few weeks planning my tour to support AT THE CITY'S EDGE, listening to music too loud, and maybe dodging out to catch weekday matinees of No Country For Old Men and American Gangster.


10.22.07 - Ben Affleck options film rights to THE BLADE ITSELF
Tremendous news. The film rights to THE BLADE ITSELF have been picked up by Miramax, with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon's LivePlanet producing.

This is exciting for more reasons than I can easily count, but the foremost of them is that these are the folks behind Gone, Baby, Gone, the recently released adaptation of Dennis Lehane's novel. I caught the Chicago premiere, and the film is flat-out fantastic. To have that crew adapting my novel is beyond thrilling.


10.01.07
When I was in Ann Arbor a couple of weeks ago, I did an interview with Cult Pop, a terrific local TV show. The interview is available here. Thanks to Jim and Jerry!

Also, my friend and fellow Outfit member Libby Hellman has created a YouTube music video to promote the release of CHICAGO BLUES, a kick-ass short story antho. Check it out here.


09.18.07
Page 289 on Book the Third. Getting there. I'm traveling for the next ten days or so, then hitting the Great Lakes Bookseller show here in Chicago, and then I'm locking my ass in the den and only coming out for the occasional bathroom break and coffee so strong it's crunchy. If fortune smiles, I'll be done in October.

In other news, the advanced copies of my second novel, AT THE CITY'S EDGE, went out about two weeks ago, and feedback is starting to trickle in. It's been very positive thus far, and a couple of booksellers in particular have gone out of their way to say nice things, for which I am forever indebted. Special thanks to Janine Wilson of Seattle Mystery Bookshop, Jamie Agnew of Aunt Agatha's, and Greg Swanson of the Waldenbooks in Peru, Illinois.


08.29.07
Nothing major to report, just kind of rolling along. I broke page 250 on the new novel, which is exciting. I'm guessing I've got about 100 left. I also took a week off to write a short story for the second Thuglit anthology, "Sex, Thugs, and Rock and Roll," a book that includes such imposing authors as Joe Lansdale, Sean Doolittle, Jess Walter, and Jason Starr, all of whom, if I'm not mistaken, have either been nominated for or won an Edgar. Anyway, the story is a noirish piece that I think turned out pretty well.

I'll be in Ann Arbor next weekend for the Kerrytown Book Fair. I went to school at U of Mich, so it's always nice to return. If you live in the area, the fair is well worth your time. Something like 100 exhibitors, a passle of authors, and a chance to visit the wonderful Aunt Agatha's.

Oh, and this Friday I'm going to Puerto Rico to learn how to surf with a buddy of mine. Wish me balance and shark-free waters.


08.10.07
I wrote 5,129 words today. I'm fucking bulletproof.


08.07.07
I'm part of an anthology called CHICAGO BLUES, edited by Libby Fischer Hellman. It's a very cool collection, including authors like Sara Paretsky, Max Allan Collins, Joe Konrath and many others, including the entire Outfit Collective.

The book won't be out until October, but we just got the Kirkus review, and it's a doozy:
Twenty-one excellent reasons to stay out of the Windy City.

It's amazing how many things can go wrong in Chicago, whether you buy into Stuart Kaminsky's high-stakes poker game or head out to Wrigley Field with D.C. Brod. David J. Walker's cops are as crooked as his crooks, and the open mike at Jack Fredrickson's bar turns out to be devilish. Even series regulars have the blues. J.A. Konrath pits Lt. Jack Daniels against a bomber who's beyond suicidal; Kris Nelscott's first short case for Smokey Dalton requires him to be as sensitive and brave as her novels; Michael Allen Dymmoch serves up an ice-cold case for Det. John Thinnes. Most of the 17 new stories are more notable for their deep-blue mood than for their plot, but Sam Reaves's Mob anecdote has enough double crosses for a TV series, and Mary V. Welk's ER nurse is memorably chilling. Of the four reprints, Barbara D'Amato's "The Lower Wacker Hilton" and Sara Paretsky's "Publicity Stunts" deserve another look, and Marcus Sakey's "No One" is worth reading for its arctic final word. Other contributors include Kevin Guilfoile, Sean Chercover, Max Allan Collins, Michael Black, Steve Mandel, Sam Hill, Ron Levitsky, Brian Pinkerton and editor Hellmann, none of them in a good mood.

In the superfluous headnotes, the authors, all with close ties to the city, agree that Chicago is bold, reeking and real — a gift to mystery writers — and every single one of them is right.
Kirkus has a well-deserved reputation for being tough critics, so this is a real thrill. To celebrate, I'll be giving away signed copies to a couple of lucky folks randomly selected from my mailing list. Click here to join!


07.24.07
Don't know when this was officially posted, but I just found out that THE BLADE ITSELF has been selected as one of the best first novels of 2007 by Deadly Pleasures Magazine!


07.17.07
I'm pleased to announce that St. Martin's has sold Italian rights to THE BLADE ITSELF, which means you can find my first novel in the UK, Germany, Japan, Sweden, Poland, the Netherlands, France, Canada, and now Italy.

Boggles the mind. I couldn't be happier about it, of course, but it's still a little startling.


07.10.07
Well, it's up on Amazon, so I assume it's okay to go public. My second novel, AT THE CITY'S EDGE, now has a jacket.

In a former life, I ran a graphic design studio, so this is very personal stuff. I have to say that I'm absolutely giddy. It's edgy, dynamic, evocative, and unlike most anything else I've seen out there.

What do you think? Would you pick it up?


07.09.07
There's an interview here, if you're interested. Thanks to John Kenyon for having me.

Also, I posted a new article in my Tips For Writers section, this one focused on how to write a perfect query letter. You need a query letter to land an agent, so if you're at that stage, you might want to check it out.

Finally, I'll be at ThrillerFest this weekend--hope to see some of you there!


07.06.07
My group blog, The Outfit, is featured today on the front of the Tempo section in the Chicago Tribune! The timing is great, as we started about a year ago. Come by and wish us happy birthday--or better still, hang out and join the conversation.


06.15.07
I'm pleased to announce that French rights for my second novel, AT THE CITY'S EDGE, have sold to Cherche Midi, which also published THE BLADE ITSELF. They did a dynamite job, and I'm thrilled to be part of their list.

Rights have also sold in the U.K., to Penguin, and in Japan, to Hayakawa.


05.29.07
At long last, I've uploaded an excerpt of my second book, AT THE CITY'S EDGE. I don't have an exact release date yet, but it will definitely be in the winter of 2008, probably late January or early February. Also a standalone set in Chicago, the book is the story of a discharged soldier who returns from Iraq to find a similar war raging in his South Side neighborhood.

Read the excerpt here.


05.27.07
The weekend after next is Printer's Row, one of my favorite Chicago events. I'm on a panel on Saturday afternoon (details to the right). My wife and I have been attending Printer's Row for as long as we've lived in Chicago, so it's something of a thrill to be speaking there.

Also, I'll be on a panel at ThrillerFest this July, discussing the benefits and drawbacks of series characters with authors Jon Land, Jack DuBrul, Christine Goff, Judith Kelman, and my buddy Sean Chercover. As I don't write a series, I guess I'll be the official devil's advocate. Should be a good time; if you're going to T-Fest, come out and see us. We're on at 2:00 on Friday.


05.15.07
So last week I promised very big news. Sorry to tease y'all, but I wasn't able to announce it until everything went public, which happened yesterday.

I have been offered and accepted a four-book contract with Dutton, publishers of such giants as Harlan Coben, T. Jefferson Parker, Stephen White, John Lescroart, and Ken Follett. I'll be edited by Ben Sevier.

I'm sad to leave St. Martin's Minotaur, a publishing house of the first order, peopled by some of the most passionate and talented individuals I've ever met. But I'm also excited to be taking this next step, and to be working with Ben, a good friend and the guy who originally signed me.


05.04.07
I got some very, very big news today. I can't announce anything now, but stop back in a week or so.


04.24.07
Today is my birthday; I'm 33. I've now had four seperate friends point out all the people who died at this age: John Belushi, Chris Farley, Jesus Christ.

Man. And I thought getting past 27 (Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain) was the trick.

Guess I better look both ways before I cross the street.


For previous news, visit the archives