James Hynes

My fishing buddy Maud Newton has posted my reading list for Next (don't worry, there won't be an exam). And at the Campaign for the American Reader, I put Next to the Page 69 Test. It passes with flying colors.

There is also a new review of the book at Monsters and Critics, and at The Second Pass, there's a precis of the critical reaction so far.

And this just in (4/1/10): I talk about Next with Jack Palmer at BombBlog.

But wait, there's more (4/2/10): I provide stray answers to Gregory Cowles's Stray Questions on the Paper Cuts blog at the New York Times.

Ron Charles has reviewed Next in this morning's Washington Post. And you can read my defense of unlikable characters in fiction at the Powell's Books website.

Tod Goldberg has a review of Next in this Sunday's Los Angeles Times.

I know I promised I'd never mention it again, but I'd be remiss if I didn't thank everybody who came out to my event at BookPeople last night, especially all the friends and co-workers who showed up not only on a Friday night, but on the first Friday night of SXSW. Given all the groovy young talent pouring into town this weekend, listening to me read can't have been at the top of anyone's list. Hell, even I wouldn't have shown up if I didn't have to.

But somehow, I had a full house, everybody laughed at all the right places, and a lot of folks bought books. So thanks again for coming out and for all your good wishes. Thanks, too, to BookPeople for hosting such a successful and relaxed event, and thanks especially to Mimi Mayer for taking pictures.

So now I guess I have to start writing another book.

One last time, and then I'll never mention it again: I'll be reading from Next at BookPeople tonight, at 7 p.m.

Two new reviews of Next have appeared: this one from the New York Times, by Janet Maslin, and this one, from Fiction Addict, by Lori Twichell.

Next has been available in some stores and on line for about a week now, but today is the actual official publication date, and in honor of the occasion, my friend John Marks has reposted an interview we did last year, at Purple State of Mind.

Another pub day special: my nostalgic ramble through the playlist of songs referenced in Next, in the order in which they appear in the book, at largehearted boy.

The book has also received its first newspaper review, from the Austin American-Statesman. And the radio interview I did at KOOP in Austin last week is also now available as a podcast; thanks again to Francois Pointeau, Dillon McKinsey, and Lee Davis. I enjoyed our conversation.

If you live in or near Austin, I'll be doing a reading and book signing at BookPeople at 603 North Lamar on Friday, March 12, at 7 p.m.

And, as always, if you go here you can purchase the book, read an excerpt, and read reviews.

I spoke too soon this morning: although the official release date for Next is March 9, it turns out the book is already in stores, or at least in two stores in Austin, Texas. Not that I was checking or anything—honestly, I wasn't—but I saw it on display at BookPeople this evening, and I saw another couple of copies at a Barnes and Noble. I didn't see any at my local Borders—again, still not checking—but I'm hoping it's just a day or two away.

So there it is: the die is cast, the Rubicon has been crossed, my new book has been released into the wild. As I said earlier today, you can find it at fine indie bookstores such as Schuler Books, or you can order it directly from such online emporia as IndieBound, Powell's, Barnes and Noble, Borders, or Amazon. You can read or find links to all of the book's reviews here, and you can read the first chapter here. And, again, I'll be talking about the book, live, on the radio, on Wednesday, March 3, and appearing at BookPeople a week from from Friday, March 13.