Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Who Are You Wearing?


On red carpets at movie premieres, awards ceremonies, and Correspondents' Dinners, the fashion reporters and photographers will shout out when one of the slinky celebrities walks by in a shrink-wrap dress, and they always ask the same thing:

"Who are you wearing?"

Well, I'm not likely ever to be in such a situation, and even if I am that lucky, nobody will care who I'm wearing, but it's a pity, because I have a terrific answer all set for them.

I'm wearing me.

No, I don't design clothing. But I've decided that whenever a novel of mine is published (as NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEED will be in only six days and counting!), I'm going to make sure to have an article of clothing made with the cover of the book blatantly emblazoned upon it.

Cheap advertising? Sure. But why should I advertise someone else's product on a t-shirt with an expensively designed logo on it, when I can show the world (or that tiny part of it that might see me walking around) my own product, for my own benefit, and have them ask me about what it all means?

Okay, so it's not going to generate thousands of sales. Might be better if I could get Scarlett Johanssen to wear the shirt, but the odds of that are not great. And besides, at the end of the day, I'll have a nice keepsake to remind me of each book in its own right.

What's not to like?

Want a NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEED t-shirt? Well, I don't have any spares, but you can buy one here. Look at it this way: It'll have a much larger impact on a small business than walking around in something that says "I'm With Stupid" on it.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Barry Eisler, J.M. Snyder and Destiny Booze

I sense a conspiracy: Whenever I add a friend on Facebook (and there are over 2000 of you now--thank you!), I get the requisite email notice, suggesting people I might want to contact who are on my new friends' lists as well. And, since I rarely-if-ever pass up a chance to tell someone new about NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEED, I'm tickled to do so.

Here's the thing, though: They're always the same three people. Barry Eisler, J.M. Snyder, and Destiny Booze.

Destiny Booze?

Now, I'd be perfectly happy to add all three of these authors--and yes, they're all authors--to my friends list. Except maybe Ms. Booze, whose name creeps me out just a little. But when I try to do so, I'm rewarded with a prompt that informs me this person has exceeded his/her limit of friends (boo hoo), so I can't add them to my list.

So Facebook invites me to contact and add people, and then tells me I can't add them. That seems just a hair pointless, to me.

Yes, I understand that this is a blatant plea for me to "Like" the author in question. But someone who likes to brag about having too many friends (with a limit of 5000) is not someone I'm going to "Like" sight unseen. So I'm not rushing in.

So Eisler, Snyder, and especially you, Booze: You're not my friends yet. But I do have a question.

How the heck did you get 5000 friends?

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Killer Characters

Hey, check out the new Facebook page for Killer Characters! I'm very excited to be a part of this new blog--our characters will post for us, and I'll be posting the second of every month. There are some terrific cozy authors involved--a full list is on the Facebook page--and it's going to be a LOT of fun! Take a look!

Who Dat?

There's another author running around (on the Internet) saying he's me. He's not. I know that because this morning when I woke up, there I was.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

E.J. at Meanderings and Muses

I'm featured today (and the rest of this week, I think) at Meanderings and Muses, thanks to the lovely Kaye Barley. And in this post, the truth is revealed: My Secret Identity!

Monday, May 17, 2010

You From Joisey?

Many years ago, during what we here in New Jersey call "the Joe Piscopo Era," there was a sketch on Saturday Night Live (now called "SNL" because we don't have the time to say whole words anymore) in which Piscopo, dressed as what New Yorkers think people from my home state dress like, would meet someone else (often Debbie Harry) from here and scream at each other, "You from Joisey? I'm from Joisey!" (Yes, I know Piscopo is a native Jerseyan, but his costume designer wasn't. And we've been trying to live that guy down for decades now.)

That was the whole sketch. No, I don't get it, either.

I've lived in New Jersey my whole life, which is more than a short time. I've been to every corner of the place, met lots of natives, defended it when it needed defending and decried stupid politicians (like some New York city mayors and our own current governor) who seem to look down on us. I've heard all sorts of opinions, lived through countless "what exit" jokes, been expected to chuckle when it's suggested that most of our residents are in the mob and the rest live on a toxic waste site.

But I've never, EVER, heard anyone from here say "Joisey."

Not once. Zero times. Never. And believe me, I would have noticed. I keep an ear out for such things. Nobody from New Jersey actually talks like that when we're not consciously trying to be ironic. Granted, some of you from more straightforward states might not understand NJ Irony, but you can trust me when I tell you: We don't EVER say "Joisey" seriously.

In fact, the only people I've ever heard say such a silly word are Manhattanites who think they're being clever and condescending, and Brooklynites, who actually talk like that.

Even the cast of "Jersey Shore," while completely trashing any chance we had to rehabilitate a false image of the state, don't say "Joisey." And I'd like to point out, only two of THEM are even from the Garden State (See? Even our state nickname is ironic!).

When I meet someone from, say, Arkansas, I try very hard to say the name of the state the way they'd say it. If I'm talking to a persona from Texas, it's possible we'll allude to some political differences (or not), but at least I'm still perfectly capable of saying "Texas" properly. I like to think that if I ran into an Oregonian, I'd try to pronounce the name of the state the way they say it should be pronounced, which sounds to me like "Origun," because I figure they know better than I do. If corrected, I will accede to the native on such a point.

So do me a favor and--just when you meet me--don't say "Joisey."

There's no such place.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Get a signed NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEED bookmark!

If you'd like a NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEED bookmark signed by E.J. Copperman, just send your email and snail mail addresses to: ejcopperman [at] gmail [dot] com, and one will be on its way! While supplies last (meaning, until I run out of stamps)!

4 WEEKS until NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEED!

Remember: To you it's $7.99 (or less). To me, it's a career.

Back on Twitter!

The misunderstand has been cleared up, and I'm back on Twitter! If you're not following yet, please do take a look: https://twitter.com/ejcop

The first copies of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEED have arrived at my house, and I've gotta tell ya--they look terrific! Kudos to all those at Berkley responsible for the cover and design!

Monday, May 10, 2010

1400 Authors?

Of the more than 1400 lovely people who have agreed to be my friend on Facebook, I am now convinced that seven are not authors. Which is fine with me--I love authors! But it is interesting. Now: how to reach the rest of the population... ?

Monday, May 3, 2010

First Chapter Available!

If you want to read the first chapter of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEED (and you know you do), come on over to my website. Be the first on your block to get a taste of the new ghostly mystery series! And then drop me a line at ejcopperman [at] gmail [dot] com and let me know what you think!

Sunday, May 2, 2010

ARC WINNERS!!!!

Congratulations to FIONA MARSDEN and ROB KVIDT, winners of the ARC contest for NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEED! I sincerely wish I could send one to everybody who entered, but the sad truth is, I only had these two left.

By the way, the cover's designer insists there are 35 birds on the front cover. Some of them are a little less obvious than others. But since nobody got exactly the right number, I took the two who came closest.

Thanks to EVERYONE who entered for your interest. I hope when the book is available June 1, you'll still want to read NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEED!

E.J.