Here's the first David Farris e-Newsletter, something we send only with the triple promises that (1) they'll be rare, (2) no spammer could get an e-mail address out of me for anything, and (3) we will promptly remove anyone from the recipient list who so requests. (See below.)

Now that that's out of the way…

Yesterday (Saturday, 2 October,) we got in the mail one of the fat envelopes from Literary Arts of Oregon: Lie Still has been named one of four finalists for their annual "Ken Kesey Award for the Novel." (See: www.literary-arts.org/oba.) Needless to say, we're thrilled. Colson Whitehead will be the judge. Awards banquet Nov. 18 will tell, though right now I'm finding the designation "finalist" to be pretty damned exciting.

(If the late Professor Kesey is sitting wherever late pranksters sit, perusing these tomes, I'd hazard a guess which parts of LS are making him smile the most.)

I'm currently featured on Readerville.com. From their website:

Readerville is founded on the idea that literature -- and discussion thereof -- is one of life's finest pursuits.

The Readerville Forum provides a broad and flexible space for readers, writers, librarians, publishers, critics and anyone else who loves books to have thoughtful and engaging discussions about everything from favorite books and authors to why they buy what they buy to current writing conundrums to the latest literary news.

Readerville Events bring visiting authors and industry insiders to Readerville for week-long discussions of their work.

Our Author Gallery affords you the opportunity to discover writers you might not have heard of, and to learn more about those you already know and love.

Stop in and check it out! www.readerville.com

Harper Collins has set the release of the soft cover version of LIE STILL for the end of November. Friends and fans who have been holding their breath will be able to exhale just in time for the holidays.

Those of you who have read the book might be curious about the new cover featuring a woman lying quite still on a gurney, possibly dead. If you are trying to remember which character she was in the book, don't worry about it: She's mainly an "artist's conception." There actually is a dead woman on a gurney in the book, but it's hardly a major scene. I was a little mystified at first, but the marketing arm of the publishing world isn't about subtlety. The cover screams "pick me and take me home." Given the fake boobs portrayed, it just might work.

So keep your eyes peeled for the paperback in airports and grocery stores. If you don't see it, throw a tantrum. And if your book club is looking for that perfect read, tell them LIE STILL. I'll have a reader's guide ready soon.

Would you like to join my mailing list and receive occasional email updates? Several times a year I'm planning to prepare an email newsletter so I can stay in better touch with friends and fans regarding my writing. I want to more readily share important information with you about LIE STILL, movie deals, upcoming writing projects, and author events I'll be participating in. The newsletter will also let you know about new features we'll be adding to the website, such as a discussion board so I can get to know you better.

To sign up, please click here to visit my website's newsletter page and fill in the form. And if you know of others who would be interested in LIE STILL, my newsletter, and my website, please forward this e-newsletter and/or my website information to them.

Please note the information you provide will be kept confidential and used only for the purpose of sending occasional email updates.

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