Connor Coyne

It’s been a big week already for Hungry Rats, with two of our biggest events in the last six months breaking over two days.

First, the book has been the subject of front-page Sunday coverage for the Flint Journal, Genesee County’s main newspaper with a readership of almost 230,000.  It’s hard to overstate how significant this is for the future of the novel, although I would happily have written the book for greater obscurity without overhanging violence and tragedy.  You can read the whole piece here: Flint native wrote novel before serial stabbings with eerie coincidences related to Abuelazam case.

“Coyne, who has a master’s degree in creative writing, crafted a novel sparked by that image about a teenage girl from a dysfunctional family who runs away from home in pursuit of the serial killer dubbed “The Rat Man.””

Second, Hungry Rats has been reviewed for the first issue of the Cleveland Review, and it was a juicy review at that.  You can read it in its entirety here: Hungry Rats by Connor Coyne.

“Hungry Rats is a murder mystery that imparts not only the eerie feeling that the reader is being watched — or is on trial for a crime she may or may not have committed — but also suggests that she is trapped in an increasingly macabre Choose Your Own Adventure.”

I don’t know if the rest of the week can possibly live up to the excitement of the first two days.  Although with my reading coming up at Quimby’s Bookstore in Chicago this Saturday, I’m going to give it my best shot!

—

Photo of the Flint Journal building provided by The Flint Journal.

Cover of the Cleveland Review provided by The Cleveland Review.

It’s December; it’s a hard time of year to be cold and hungry. With just 10 days left for purchases of Hungry Rats to benefit the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, I decided to turn up the heat a little with a contest!

If you plug Hungry Rats through Twitter, Facebook, or any other online public forum, each mention will earn you a chance to win a free copy of Hungry Rats. Right now, I’m planning to give away one free signed copy of the novel, but if enough people participate, I’ll give away up more copies.

How do you play? Just follow these simple steps.

1. Tweet, post on Facebook, share via a public forum A) a shoutout to Hungry Rats, B) charily/FBEM, and C) mention the website: hungry-rats.com. Here are some possibilities:

• “Murder 2010 and feed the hungry! Book sales to benefit Michigan charity: http://hungryrats.com
• “Murder mystery sales to benefit food bank thru 12/31/10. hungryrats.com”
• “Buy this awesome/dark/violent/grim/charitable book and help a great charity. http://hungryrats.com”

Of course, you can make you appeal more persuasive by telling your audience why you like the book and how this is a worthwhile project. You can read the first chapter for free here: http://hungry-rats.com/chapter-one.php

2. Message or Email me [connor at connorcoyne dot com] with a link to your post or status.

3. You can enter multiple entries, and are encouraged to do so. Each tweet/post/etc. will count at a separate entry. (Twitter users, don’t forget those hashtags: #contest #novel #mystery #crime, etc.) Message or email me with with any questions.

Looking forward to it!

~ Connor

As of today, my novel Hungry Rats is available for purchase! Buy your copy at a launch event (Chicago on 9/10, Flint on 9/16) for a modest discount, or order online today!

More at http://hungryrats.com.

First news first. And it’s good news! A suspect has been arrested in the Flint Serial Killer case. If you want you can read the news here.

But I’m also writing today with a HUGE announcement about Hungry Rats. Mark your calendars!

Wed. 9/1/2010:
Hungry Rats will be available for order from Lulu.com.

Fri. 9/10/2010:
CHICAGO, IL launch party.
Details TBA.

Fri. 9/17/2010:
FLINT, MI launch party.
328 N. Grand Traverse
810.237.GOOD
12-1 PM — lunchtime book signing
7-9 PM — launch party

Late 10/2010: Hungry Rats will be available for order from Amazon.com and retail booksellers (Barnes and Noble, Borders, independent booksellers, etc.)

A few other dates/events:

10/2010 ongoing: I will be touring the Midwest for readings and book signings.
Late 2010 or Early 2011: I will be hoping to make a quick tour of the Bay area, California.
12/31/2010: All profits I earn from Hungry Rats by this date will be donated to the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan.
Early 2011: I will be making a quick tour of the New York area.

As of today, the pace of things is going to pick up quickly. Remember, I don’t have a conventional marketing apparatus: this is all grassroots and DIY, and I’m counting on you! 5-6 times a week for the next couple months, I will be posting little things you can do to help me bring this book into the world: it might be sharing a link or recommending a bookstore, but it’s all important and I can’t do it without you.

If you are very interested in helping me out and wouldn’t mind receiving a short optional activity in your or Facebook email Inbox each day, please message me or email me at connor [at] connorcoyne [.] com.

I will be posting all of these activities on the Gothic Blog as well as on the Facebook Group Friends of Hungry Rats.

It has been a long road for this novel — 7 years — but the end is in sight! In fact, we can see it from here, and it’s only a few weeks away.

Your friend,

Connor