Thursday, March 04, 2010

The Bad Kitty Lounge: Open for Business

Working Stiffs is happy to have author Michael Wiley as our guest today.
Welcome, Michael!  One lucky commenter has the chance to win a copy
of Michael's new book. The winner will be
chosen at random tomorrow!


By Guest Blogger Michael Wiley

Two days ago, St. Martin’s Minotaur released my new mystery THE BAD KITTY LOUNGE, and I would like to say that a roar overwhelmed me as a crowd of thousands poured through the lounge doors demanding to know what was happening, who was killing whom, who was lying between whose legs, and what my private detective Joe Kozmarski was doing about it. I would like to say at least that a couple of hundred excited readers flung the door open, startling me as I stood behind the bar. I would even be content to say that the door creaked open once, and a lost reader entered and asked for directions to Michael Connelly’s house.

The truth is, I don’t know how many readers arrived and won’t know with any certainty until hard numbers start to come in sometime in a month or two. I can check Amazon five times a day. I can check Publisher’s Alley, which tracks certain sales in certain markets. But the information from such sites is incomplete and ambiguous. The reality is that I’m standing in the newly opened Bad Kitty Lounge and don’t know how many drinks have been ordered. The feeling is disconcerting.

That said, I love release day. I love the metaphorical possibilities, as if a book has been released from prison, as if its bottled up tension has been released, as if it has obtained balloon-like, gravity-defying freedom. I love these possibilities even as the reality is that some books (not mine, I’m glad to say; not yet) never get beyond the prison walls before being re-incarcerated, being re-bottled, falling like bricks to the ground. The reality, in other words, is that some books don’t sell. But on release day that potential future sadness is all in the unforeseeable distance.

So, I feel like jumping up and down on a sofa like Tom Cruise doing his Katie Holmes spot on Oprah. But instead, I’m here at the Bad Kitty Lounge – maybe alone, maybe with a crowd of readers (I don’t know) – quietly enjoying my surroundings. If others have come, they’ll get to know the people who work here with me. One’s a dead nun. Another’s a retired prostitute. Others include a blues guitarist, a real estate mogul, and a criminal forensics specialist. Good people, all of them – friends who’ve been with me since I wrote the first pages of this book. They like a party, too; they like crowds. They’ll welcome all who come.

Michael Wiley is the PWA award-winning, Shamus-nominated writer of the Joe Kozmarski mysteries THE LAST STRIPTEASE (2007) and THE BAD KITTY LOUNGE (2010). He lives with his family in Jacksonville, Florida. You can see more about Michael and his books on his website: http://www.michaelwileyonline.com/ 

19 comments:

Joyce Tremel said...

Welcome to Working Stiffs!

Love the title! I hope you get lots of customers in your lounge.

nancy martin said...

Michael, we shared a release day! (And a publisher!) I'll pick up the book on Friday evening.--I would have grabbed it because of the title alone, I think. See you at the company picnic!

Zita said...

Interesting post. Thanks for stopping by =)

Karen in Ohio said...

What a great title. I'd love to join you for a cocktail, Michael. Good luck with the book!

Laurie said...

Welcome! Good luck with your new book, and I too, hope you get lots of customers!

Jenna said...

Welcome to the Stiffs, Michael, and happy release day! I shared a release day with you and Nancy too, as it happens, so I know exactly where you're at and what you're feeling today, because I'm there and feeling it too. Fingers crossed for a blow-out week for you!

Michael Wiley said...

Thanks for the great welcome!

March 2 is a great release day, I think -- linked as it is to "Read Across America" day and Dr. Seuss's birthday. With a book titled THE BAD KITTY LOUNGE, I wasn't able to figure out a Seuss tie-in, but it's a good day nonetheless.

I'm looking forward to reading your co-birthdayed books, Nancy and Jennie.

Gina said...

"The bad kitty loungers had bellies of stars, but the good kitty loungers had none upon thars?"
Sorry. I can never resist an opportunity for a Seuss parody.

Joyce Tremel said...

The Cat in the Hat was quite a bad kitty. I think he'd feel right at home in the lounge.

Paula Matter said...

Welcome, Michael!

I love your title and those characters you hang out
with sound cool!

Gina--too funny, very clever!

Michael Wiley said...

Would you read it in a house?
Would you read it with a mouse?

I do not like it in a house.
I do not like it with a mouse.
I do not like it, no -- not me --
I do not like that Bad Kittee.

Would you read it in a box?
Would you read it with a fox?

Not in a box, not with a fox
Bad Kitty Lounge? It surely sucks.

Would you? Could you?
In a car?
Read it! Read it!
Here it are.

I would not, could not
In a car.

Would you? Could you?
With a goat?

Now, THAT'S obscene -- NOT with a goat!

Try it! Try it! And you may!
Try it and you may, I say.

If you will let me be,
I will try it -- you will see --
Saaay, I do like the Bad Kittee!

Joyce Tremel said...

ROFLOL! That is too funny. I love it!

I'm glad I'm not the only one who still has Green Eggs and Ham memorized, but I'm not sure I could rewrite it like you just did.

Patg said...

I love bad kitties, they remind me what is good and special about independence.
Hope you sell a million
Hope you get a movie contract
Now this is a stretch, but
Hope Oprah calls.
Patg

Jemi Fraser said...

You've still got time to be on Oprah before she calls it a day!! Good luck with this :)

Michael Wiley said...

Thanks, Patg and Jemi --

A friend suggested that since my book is set in Chicago and that's where Oprah is, she probably would be interested in me. I said that the geographical connection probably wouldn't be enough . . . .

Michael Wiley said...

I'm impressed that you still have Green Eggs and Ham memorized, Joyce. I had to sneak a peek.

Michael Wiley said...

Thanks, too, Zita, Karen, Laurie, and Jennie. I just got back from a book signing and am about ready for a bad kitty lounge drink myself.

Michael Wiley said...

Thanks for the invitation, Paula!

Unknown said...

Thanks for joining us, Michael!

Our winner for a copy of Michael's book is....

Karen in Ohio!

Karen, please e-mail me at
pjmatter AT comcast DOT net