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Thread: Alex Verus Series
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2012-01-13, 08:03 AM (ISO 8601)
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Alex Verus Series
This is the thread for my new urban fantasy series being published this year, the Alex Verus novels!
The US edition was published on February 28 2012 by Ace Books, and here's the cover:
Spoiler
And the UK edition came out on March 1 2012 from Orbit, and looks like this:
Spoiler
Fated is the first in a series, and here are the release dates for the next two.
Book #2, Cursed: 29th May 2012 (US), 7th June 2012 (UK)
Book #3, Taken: 28th August 2012 (US), 6th September 2012 (UK)
About the Series
The series is urban fantasy, set in London, England. Magic is real, but most people don't believe in it and only a very small fraction can use it. The most skilled are called mages, and they can each use a specific type of magic determined by their personality - you can think of them in D&D terms as sorcerers or psions with very limited spell lists, or in WoD terms as mages who only get one part of one Sphere. The main character is Alex Verus, a diviner (aka a knowledge or probability mage) who runs a magic shop in Camden. Alex's magic lets him see the future but can't affect the physical world, and the first book follows his adventures as several other factions of mages try to use his abilities to gain access to a relic.
As of a few weeks ago, the series has a TVTropes page, too. Edits are appreciated!
Publicity with Jim Butcher
Genre-wise the closest match to my series is Jim Butcher's Dresden Files, which isn't a coincidence, as he's one of my favourite authors. In fact, we have the same US editor, Anne Sowards from Ace (she's excellent by the way).
Jim was kind enough to both read my book and send me a really nice email and blurb (which you can see an extract from on both front covers). He also did an email exchange/interview with me, which was hosted along with a review on Barnes & Noble!
My Website
As part of the run-up to the launch, I've revamped my old author's website, which can be found here. I've also started a blog, which I'm going to be updating regularly every Friday at 9 AM. The blog will contain reviews, news, and announcements about the series, but the main content will be the Encyclopaedia Arcana, a series of background/setting articles about the universe of the Alex Verus series.
The website also has affiliate links to where you can buy or pre-order the books (meaning I get a small extra amount of money) and extracts of the published and soon-to-be-published novels.
My Name
I've been on these forums for five years now, and one of the odd quirks I've had during that time is that I've always stayed anonymous (okay, any poster could probably have figured out my real name if they really tried, but the posters on these forums are quite good about respecting people's privacy). But there's not much point in doing that anymore, so I'm going to drop anonymity from now on. (I actually thought about changing my name to match my real one, but I've been going by Saph on these forums so long that I'm used to it. I'll just update my signature instead.)
Updates
I'll use this thread to post any further information about the series as the publication date approaches, as well as any Encyclopaedia Arcana articles. Post any questions or requests!
And finally, thanks to everyone who's helped out with suggestions or contributions over the last few years concerning my books - I've been a member of these forums for a long time and I've had lots of help from them.Last edited by Saph; 2012-05-11 at 04:45 PM.
I'm the author of the Alex Verus series of urban fantasy novels. Fated is the first, and the final book in the series, Risen, is out as of December 2021. For updates, check my blog!
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2012-01-13, 08:30 AM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Alex Verus #1: Fated
March 1st, you say? Colour me intrigued; I'll probably pick it up at some point.
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2012-01-13, 08:37 AM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Alex Verus #1: Fated
Pretty cool that Butcher wrote such a nice blurb for you.
Yep, it sounds good. I'll definitely take a look at it when it comes out over here. I don't have a fanatic's member card at my local bookstore for nothingAwesome fremetar by wxdruid.
From the discomfort of truth there is only one refuge and that is ignorance. I do not need to be comfortable, and I will not take refuge. I demand to *know*.
So I guess I have an internets? | And a trophy. | And a music cookie (whatever that is).
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2012-01-13, 08:51 AM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Alex Verus #1: Fated
**** this is awesome. I envy you with the strength of a thousand supernova now.
You got Magic Mech in My Police Procedural!
In this forum, Gaming is Serious Business, and Anyone Can Die. Not even your status as the Ensemble Darkhorse can guarantee your survival.
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2012-01-13, 12:28 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Alex Verus #1: Fated
I'm the author of the Alex Verus series of urban fantasy novels. Fated is the first, and the final book in the series, Risen, is out as of December 2021. For updates, check my blog!
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2012-01-13, 12:31 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Alex Verus #1: Fated
Might well buy a copy, but *reading* it is another matter...I have a stack of books about 3 feet high to get through first, and I keep getting distracted by video games!
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2012-01-13, 02:30 PM (ISO 8601)
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2012-01-13, 02:36 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Alex Verus #1: Fated
I'm the author of the Alex Verus series of urban fantasy novels. Fated is the first, and the final book in the series, Risen, is out as of December 2021. For updates, check my blog!
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2012-01-13, 02:55 PM (ISO 8601)
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2012-01-13, 07:26 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Alex Verus #1: Fated
Will be buying. As I said back when you were asking for title suggestions. Now I have an author name and title, so I shall be purchasing it sometime in the month after it comes out. Either that or waiting until all three are out and then purchasing them all, but probably better to see if it's good first.
I, sir, envy you.
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2012-01-13, 09:04 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Dec 2006
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- London, England.
Re: Alex Verus #1: Fated
I'm the author of the Alex Verus series of urban fantasy novels. Fated is the first, and the final book in the series, Risen, is out as of December 2021. For updates, check my blog!
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2012-01-13, 10:14 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Sep 2008
Re: Alex Verus #1: Fated
Totally picking this up
Rock on! Congratulations on getting your book published!Bienvenue Au Kébec !!!
Improve Kébec's Industry!
Improve Kébec's Transport!
Improve Kébec's Security!
My Trophies!
Spoiler
Also, if anyone has any sort of problem at all that they feel like talking about, my PM box is open.
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2012-01-20, 06:24 AM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Alex Verus #1: Fated
Second Encyclopaedia Arcana post is up: The Three Families. These are the 'families' of the magic system.
On another note, I'm going to be doing the email exchange with Jim Butcher this coming week. Trying to decide what questions to ask him at the moment - I've been reading the Dresden Files pretty much since they came out over here, so I'm looking forward to getting to do this.I'm the author of the Alex Verus series of urban fantasy novels. Fated is the first, and the final book in the series, Risen, is out as of December 2021. For updates, check my blog!
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2012-01-20, 10:54 AM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Alex Verus #1: Fated
Custom Melayl avatar by my cousin, ~thejason10, used with his permission. See his work at his Deviant Art page.
My works:Need help?SpoilerNational Suicide Prevention Lifeline (USA)
1-800-273-TALK (8255), 24/7
www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
In Australia: Lifeline, 13 11 14, 24/7
Reach Out Australia
Beyond Blue, 1300 22 4636
The Samaritans (UK too) UK: 08457 90 90 90, ROI: 1850 60 90 90
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2012-01-20, 01:54 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Alex Verus #1: Fated
Seems very interesting, definately going to pick up a copy. The magic sounds cool and it will be interesting to see how it is handled.
While we in the UK need to wait longer to get it we get a cooler cover so I'm happy.
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2012-01-20, 05:52 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Alex Verus #1: Fated
That's terrific, congratulations Saph! This is absolutely on my list of books-to-get. I like the simplicity of the title, btw.
I read the first chapter, very enjoyable. I liked the Dresden reference, nicely done. Is Luna an English name? The only other place I've ever heard it as a name is in Harry Potty. And you may cover this later in the book, but I'm curious: is Luna's curse only distance-based?
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2012-01-20, 07:00 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Dec 2006
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Re: Alex Verus #1: Fated
So do I.
It might be English (although I've never heard it used) but Luna has it because it's an Italian name - she's half-Italian, although I don't think I actually wrote that down until the second book.
The curse is primarily distance-based - there are some other factors that affect it, but that comes in later!I'm the author of the Alex Verus series of urban fantasy novels. Fated is the first, and the final book in the series, Risen, is out as of December 2021. For updates, check my blog!
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2012-01-20, 07:41 PM (ISO 8601)
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2012-01-21, 06:26 AM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Alex Verus #1: Fated
Picking up a copy when it comes out. Good luck. I hope you get movie rights bought.
Ceika is a beautiful, wonderful person. The avatar was made by his/her great talent, and depending on his/her sex and sexuality, I either have a giant crush or a totally appropriate liking for him/her.
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2012-01-21, 04:49 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Alex Verus #1: Fated
Heh. Minus the crack house part, that's not too far off how I imagined the last few years of her life to have been like. She would have spent a lot of time online.
Thanks! My agent's working on it, but movie rights are very very uncertain. One of the other authors my agent represents is called Eoin Colfer, whose first book was released in 2001 - the movie's been in development limbo for most of the years since then.I'm the author of the Alex Verus series of urban fantasy novels. Fated is the first, and the final book in the series, Risen, is out as of December 2021. For updates, check my blog!
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2012-01-21, 05:06 PM (ISO 8601)
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2012-01-21, 05:08 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Alex Verus #1: Fated
I'm the author of the Alex Verus series of urban fantasy novels. Fated is the first, and the final book in the series, Risen, is out as of December 2021. For updates, check my blog!
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2012-01-21, 07:23 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Alex Verus #1: Fated
It's something I might have enjoyed had it not been tied to the Dresden files. So much about the characters is altered that it doesn't feel right to call them the same.
Originally Posted by Wikipedia
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2012-01-22, 08:50 AM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Alex Verus #1: Fated
Custom Melayl avatar by my cousin, ~thejason10, used with his permission. See his work at his Deviant Art page.
My works:Need help?SpoilerNational Suicide Prevention Lifeline (USA)
1-800-273-TALK (8255), 24/7
www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
In Australia: Lifeline, 13 11 14, 24/7
Reach Out Australia
Beyond Blue, 1300 22 4636
The Samaritans (UK too) UK: 08457 90 90 90, ROI: 1850 60 90 90
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2012-01-23, 03:09 AM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Alex Verus #1: Fated
For me, though, it did get the "feel" of the books right. Especially the first few, less dark, books.
Oh, and Bob the Human Ghost was kinda amusing, I must admit.Awesome fremetar by wxdruid.
From the discomfort of truth there is only one refuge and that is ignorance. I do not need to be comfortable, and I will not take refuge. I demand to *know*.
So I guess I have an internets? | And a trophy. | And a music cookie (whatever that is).
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2012-01-23, 02:09 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2008
Re: Alex Verus #1: Fated
NICE!!! Congrats! Especially on getting the Jim Butcher endorsement. Looks like I'll have to check this out as well...
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2012-01-23, 03:22 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Alex Verus #1: Fated
I hope you're not offended by this - don't expect a movie. I doubt such a thing will happen. Enough books are stuck in production hell (Not just Artemis Fowl, but Ender's Game, Death: High Price of Living, and Rendezvous with Rama as well, off the top of my head)
But movie rights are the vast majority of an author's salary. If you get movie rights bought, it could mean that you could quit your day job (if you have one).
I should add that I am not an authority, but I spoke to Andrzej Sapkowski (Most successful Polish fantasy author, and I realize that's not THAT great) extensively on the subject and he said he refuses to trash talk the movies based on his books because it paid him more than anything else he did.Ceika is a beautiful, wonderful person. The avatar was made by his/her great talent, and depending on his/her sex and sexuality, I either have a giant crush or a totally appropriate liking for him/her.
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2012-01-23, 03:58 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Dec 2006
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- London, England.
Re: Alex Verus #1: Fated
Heh, don't worry. I've been a published author for long enough to have more than enough experience with how incredibly unreliable movie adaptions are. The mega-bestsellers are a fairly sure bet, but everything else is a complete crapshoot.
I'm doing the emails with Jim Butcher at the moment - it's pretty fun! I'll post the edited version once it's finished.I'm the author of the Alex Verus series of urban fantasy novels. Fated is the first, and the final book in the series, Risen, is out as of December 2021. For updates, check my blog!
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2012-01-23, 04:34 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Alex Verus #1: Fated
I didn't click on this thread for the longest time because I thought the thread's title is "Alex versus #1: Fated."
As in, somebody's weird VS thread pitting some character named Alex (and I'm supposed to know what/which Alex he's thinking of) and some character named #1 (or this is the first thread of an Alex vs Anybody). And he's pretentious enough to subtitle his VS thread "Fated."
I think you should change the title to "Published novel by yours truly, Alex Verus."Last edited by MLai; 2012-01-23 at 04:36 PM.
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2012-01-27, 06:27 AM (ISO 8601)
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Re: Alex Verus #1: Fated
Third Encyclopaedia Arcana post is up: Types of Magic.
This is the last general article on the magic system for a while - the next few will move on to the groups of people that live in the world.
I'm about halfway through the email exchange with Jim Butcher, and I'm really enjoying it. We've been talking about the differences between our protagonists (especially what they can do) and how that affects the stories you end up writing.I'm the author of the Alex Verus series of urban fantasy novels. Fated is the first, and the final book in the series, Risen, is out as of December 2021. For updates, check my blog!