“Declan Burke is his own genre. The Lammisters dazzles, beguiles and transcends. Virtuoso from start to finish.” – Eoin McNamee “This bourbon-smooth riot of jazz-age excess, high satire and Wodehouse flamboyance is a pitch-perfect bullseye of comic brilliance.” – Irish Independent Books of the Year 2019 “This rapid-fire novel deserves a place on any bookshelf that grants asylum to PG Wodehouse, Flann O’Brien or Kyril Bonfiglioli.” – Eoin Colfer, Guardian Best Books of the Year 2019 “The funniest book of the year.” – Sunday Independent “Declan Burke is one funny bastard. The Lammisters ... conducts a forensic analysis on the anatomy of a story.” – Liz Nugent “Burke’s exuberant prose takes centre stage … He plays with language like a jazz soloist stretching the boundaries of musical theory.” – Totally Dublin “A mega-meta smorgasbord of inventive language ... linguistic verve not just on every page but every line.Irish Times “Above all, The Lammisters gives the impression of a writer enjoying himself. And so, dear reader, should you.” – Sunday Times “A triumph of absurdity, which burlesques the literary canon from Shakespeare, Pope and Austen to Flann O’Brien … The Lammisters is very clever indeed.” – The Guardian

Thursday, November 4, 2010

On Beating Publishers With A Big Stick; and Ken Bruen’s Movies

First off, let me apologise for the erratic posting that the Three Regular Readers might have noticed here at CAP for the last while. The reasons why are positive, given that I’m swamped right now (yours truly in full-on nervous breakdown mode, right) with actual paying work, which is not something I’ll be complaining about any time in the near future, particularly as Ireland might do well to simply turn itself into one vast begging cap before the IMF finally decides to do the right thing. The other reason is that I’ve been beavering away at a redraft of A GONZO NOIR, aka BAD FOR GOOD, which I should have finished in the next week or so, all things being equal and a fair wind following, etc.
  Incidentally, if there are any bloggers and / or reviewers out there who fancy receiving a Word doc copy of said tome, which may or may not be labouring under the title of THE BABY KILLERS by the time it reaches you, I’d be delighted to provide a RARC (Ridiculously Advanced Review Copy). Please drop me a line at the usual address ...
  Once the redraft is completed, I’ll be turning my attention to other matters, including beating some unfortunate print-on-demand publisher with a big stick until it uncles and agrees to a reasonable price, and sundry other issues. All going well, following wind, etc., I’m hoping a print book version of A GONZO NOIR / BAD FOR GOOD / THE BABY KILLERS will see a shelf near you by April or May. I’m also planning to release it as an e-book, for all you e-reader fans out there. No, please, form an orderly queue, etc. …
  Meantime, and because I’ve been so busy, I’m way behind the curve with the trailers for the two forthcoming movies based on Ken Bruen novels, which hit the interweb last week. The first, LONDON BOULEVARD, starring Colin Farrell and Kiera Knightley, will be released on November 26th, if my information is correct, although I’m giving no one any guarantees on that one. Roll it there, Collette …
  The second movie, BLITZ, starring Jason Statham, is scheduled for a 2011 release, although I can’t be any more precise than that. Collette? In your own time, ma’am …

10 comments:

Eoin Purcell said...

Now they both look jolly good indeed!
Eoin

Dana King said...

Great news about your business. Anything to keep you off the streets.

LONDON BOULEVARD was one of my favorite books last year. The movie looks good, though it appears to bear only passing resemblance to the book. So it goes. You do these kinds of stories better on your side of the Atlantic, and anything with Ray Winstone as a gangster bears watching. I'm in.

BLITZ has potential. Again, if it were an American flick, I'd pass. But there's that trust in British Isles filmmakers, and Jason Statham is always fun ti watch.

Anonymous said...

I was actually here first.

(And please don't mention that woman - KK - in my presence.)

With reference to money, I have a few spare potatoes you can have. Not Vivaldi, the cheaper ones, which I'm less fond of.

Tales from the Birch Wood. said...

I cannot understand the current state of employment in Europe.

I have met people who have given others work, which they did for no remuneration, lured by the possibility that they would be brought into payed employment in time.

It never happened.

Here's hoping things pick up for 2011.

Working on a blog, at least one owns copyright to one's own work.

Sean Patrick Reardon said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sean Patrick Reardon said...

Great news about how busy you are, and even better news about the plans for the novel. Couldn't be happier for you!

Like Dana- The fact that both flicks are non-US productions has me sold. Stratham is great and UK filmakers def got it going on. Just saw a pretty cool crime movie with V.D'onofrio and E.Hawke called Staten Island, New York. Low budget, but most times, those are the best ones.

Unknown said...

How do I drop you a line, Dec? I'd be interested in a RARC and I'll bully each of my three regulars until they buy a copy.

BTW, I like the look of both movies.

Declan Burke said...

Much obliged, folks.

Ms Witch - at the risk of sounding a right pillock, KK used to be a gorgeous looking woman. Now she just looks pained, and sad. A desperately poor role model for any young woman.

Michael - hit me up at dbrodb(at)gmail.com ... and ta for the interest, squire.

Cheers, Dec

lil Gluckstern said...

I too am interested in a RARC, but in the interest of full disclosure, I would buy your book anyway. Glad you are busy; it couldn't happen to a nicer, more talented man.

Mike Dennis said...

Congrats on the good news, Dec. And thanks for including those great trailers. I'll be waiting for those films to be released.

I'll contact you about an RARC of your upcoming book.