Preston asked Brent Hartinger:

Isn't it about time you used your considerable talent to write about somebody other than Russell Middlebrook? I stopped reading your books after THE THING I DIDN'T KNOW I DIDN'T KNOW because it was so boring to read more of Russell muddling through a stagnant brain. Please do us a favor and invent a new guy who will excite us as much as Middlebrook used to do so those of us who are fed up can love your work again.

Brent Hartinger Well, in fairness to me, plenty of people really like the new books (sales have been fantastic). And I'd argue the new Russel trilogy is actually very different from the earlier books.

But your feedback is noted. And you'll be happy to know I have lots of other projects in the works -- both novels and movie projects.

One thing you should know is that authors usually don't have a lot of control over what actually gets released, and when. It can take 2-3 years for a publisher to release something once they buy it (and it can also take at least that long for my agent to sell it). And that's after I spent a year or two writing it.

The point being, a lot of what I've written in the last five years is sort of in a "holding pattern," as my agents and publishers decide exactly when to put it out there. I have no say.

The Russel books are completely different, because I published them myself. That's how I was able to release these three latest books in a little over a year. Plus, I wanted everyone to have the whole trilogy as soon as possible.

But as I said, your feedback is noted!

Brent

flag