My comedic fantasy is being published, and today I got to reveal the cover!

[Muz]

(Maybe this should be in the Media forum? I wasn't sure...)

I just wanted to share with the rest of the playground the official cover image for my first (NON-self-published) book, Zeus Is Dead: A Monstrously Inconvenient Adventure. Today is the first day I've been allowed to show the cover, so I'm just a tad bit excited.

Spoiler: cover image

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(There's a larger version on my website.)

Here's the back cover blurb:

Spoiler

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THE GODS ARE BACK. DID YOU MYTH THEM?

You probably saw the press conference. Nine months ago, Zeus’s murder catapulted the Greek gods back into our world. Now they revel in their new temples, casinos, and media empires—well, all except Apollo. A compulsive overachiever with a bursting portfolio of godly duties, the amount of email alone that he receives from rapacious mortals turns each of his days into a living hell.

Yet there may be hope, if only he can return Zeus to life! With the aid of Thalia, the muse of comedy and science fiction, Apollo will risk his very godhood to help sarcastic TV producer Tracy Wallace and a gamer-geek named Leif—two mortals who hold the key to Zeus’s resurrection. (Well, probably. Prophecies are tricky buggers.)

Soon an overflowing inbox will be the least of Apollo’s troubles. Whoever murdered Zeus will certainly kill again to prevent his return, and avoiding them would be far easier if Apollo could possibly figure out who they are.

Even worse, the muse is starting to get cranky.

Discover a world where reality TV heroes slay actual monsters and the gods have their own Twitter feeds: Zeus Is Dead: A Monstrously Inconvenient Adventure!

Incidentally, I'm looking for a few volunteers who'd like to help out and join the launch team--which essentially means you get to read a free advanced copy in exchange for writing an honest review around the time of the July 21st release, and just generally telling people you know about it. Let me know if you're interested.

That's not to say you'd be the first to read it. It's gotten great endorsements from 5 other authors (including Jody Lynn Nye). I won't let them all here (but they ARE listed here, if you're curious), but I'll leave you with this short one:

"A hilarious mythological tale of god-like proportions. Munz has crafted a tale of bizarro comic fantasy that sits comfortably among the ilk of Gaiman and Pratchett."
—Andrew Buckley, author of Death, the Devil, and the Goldfish

Did I mention that I'm excited!

...And yes, that IS a kitten with glowing eyes and bat wings. Why do you ask?

[Cristo Meyers]

Congratulations!

I'll be a test subject.

[Aolbain]

Living the dream, eh?

I would definitely be interested to help.

[lio45]

I would be thrilled to be among that group of early reviewers :)

And... wow, way to go!! Congratulations!!

[Muz]

Congratulations!

I'll be a test subject.

Living the dream, eh?

I would definitely be interested to help.

I would be thrilled to be among that group of early reviewers :)

And... wow, way to go!! Congratulations!!

Wow! Thanks for the interest. Here's the page with more info on signing up to being a test subject (please note: I am in no way affiliated with Aperture Science, Cave Johnson, or any geometric companion shapes of any kind). The best thing to do is either send an email to the address listed there, or use the contact form.
June 28th edit: Sorry, it's past the response deadline for this now, so I'm not allowed to take any more people for the advance-review-copy launch team. You'll just have to wait until the book is out in another few weeks...

40 more days until the release!

...Hey, I should probably update my sig soon, huh?

[Solamnicknight]

Congratulations! Hope the novel does well.

[Tepelle]

Oh, that's so exciting! I hope it all works out well for you. The blurb sounds pretty cool--can't wait to get my hands on it!

(One of my favorite things to do when I first pick up a book is to try to guess how the picture on the cover of the book is going to relate to the story inside. You've already got my mind going crazy!)

[Muz]

Oh, that's so exciting! I hope it all works out well for you. The blurb sounds pretty cool--can't wait to get my hands on it!

(One of my favorite things to do when I first pick up a book is to try to guess how the picture on the cover of the book is going to relate to the story inside. You've already got my mind going crazy!)

Thanks! :D Everything on the cover (including the knocked over model of the Eiffel Tower) has a reason for being there. Even the sundae.

...And especially the sundae.

[Krade]

Looks sweet. I signed up. The premise reminds me a bit of Divine Misfortune or American Gods. Both fantastic books.

So if we get it, I understand that we're supposed to read it and submit an honest review before the official release date and also maybe promote it via social media. Did I get the gist of that about right?

[GPuzzle]

Oh God I've just heard of it and I'm already getting hyped.

I NEED to buy this book.

[Kalmageddon]

Congratulations! This looks really promising!

[Muz]

Looks sweet. I signed up. The premise reminds me a bit of Divine Misfortune or American Gods. Both fantastic books.

So if we get it, I understand that we're supposed to read it and submit an honest review before the official release date and also maybe promote it via social media. Did I get the gist of that about right?

Pretty much! Though the timing is more like on or within a week after the official release date (along with social media talkings-about to help get the word out, yes). Just be sure to send an official request...

Oh God I've just heard of it and I'm already getting hyped.

I NEED to buy this book.

You. I like you.

[D20ragon]

Ooooh!
I wants this book badly!

[Muz]

Ooooh!
I wants this book badly!

It's coming! In a little over 3 more weeks! (Though if you sign up for my website mailing list, you'll get a password to read chapter 2 while you wait. The publisher just let me release that one yesterday. )

[Serpentine]

So very awesome! I'ma go sign up to review it now.

[lio45]

June 28th edit: Sorry, it's past the response deadline for this now, so I'm not allowed to take any more people for the advance-review-copy launch team. You'll just have to wait until the book is out in another few weeks...

Damn! That's what I get for being away from the internet for a couple weeks in a row!!!

Thanks for the PM (which I opened tonight, unfortunately).

[Flickerdart]

Is that a Blackberry made of solid gold? Even...even the screen? Stupid half-fiend kitten, you are not very good at smartphones.

[Muz]

Damn! That's what I get for being away from the internet for a couple weeks in a row!!!

Thanks for the PM (which I opened tonight, unfortunately).

Sorry about that. I had to turn away Serp, too, which really sucks because it's incredibly gratifying to see your interest! On the plus side, there's only three weeks until the official release! (And the first chapter is readable on my website in the meantime.)

Is that a Blackberry made of solid gold? Even...even the screen? Stupid half-fiend kitten, you are not very good at smartphones.

Hey, what do you expect from indulgent gods? (Though I figure just the casing is gold, and the screen is just reflecting the sunlight, but...yeah.)

[GPuzzle]

Ah, bollocks, I don't think it'll be available here in Brazil.

[Muz]

Ah, bollocks, I don't think it'll be available here in Brazil.

I'm not sure about the paperback, but I'm fairly certain the publisher distributes the ebook such that it'll be available on Amazon's Brazil site. I think.

[GPuzzle]

Don't own an ebook, so I think I'm screwed.

Goddamnit, it sounds so awesome!

[Flickerdart]

Don't own an ebook, so I think I'm screwed.

Goddamnit, it sounds so awesome!

You don't need a Kindle or Nook or whatever to read ebooks. When you download an ebook, it's either in PDF format (so you can use Reader to read it) or it's in an ebook format and you can download a reader program.

[Muz]

It's launch day!!! I'm excited! And exhausted! And caffeinated!

[Co co]

Congrats! How was the launch?

[Muz]

Congrats! How was the launch?

It went pretty well, I think, thanks for asking! I'm still in the midst of the "blog tour," (which has been a bit exhausting with all the guest posts and interviews, even though I'm not physically going anywhere), so we're still technically in launch phase. I've been obsessing over Amazon review numbers and rankings for a while.

The really awesome thing is I managed to get a post that included info about the book to go viral on Imgur last week, which resulted in a LOT more attention. (My website even crashed briefly before my host adjusted, and the book shot up to the #2 mythology book on Amazon UK and was in the top 15 in satire for Amazon US.)