Kirkus Maximus

Well, now it's official. On the Wrong Track, my follow-up to Holmes on the Range, is wonderful...so go on and buy it already!

Not that On the Wrong Track is in stores yet or anything. That won't be till March. But at least one person (other than good ol' Slick Ben Sevier) has already read it, apparently. Cuz Slick Ben's replacement, Crafty Keith Kahla, just sent me the first review of the book. And praise be, it was a good one!

Now you might think a positive review wouldn't come as any surprise to me, On the Wrong Track being, of course, the best book since Mr. Gutenburrg took to printing up Bibles. But this review happened to appear in Kirkus, a magazine that's apparently known for its hard-to-please critics. The magazine gave Holmes on the Range its seal of approval a year ago, but there was no guarantee I'd be so blessed twice in a row.

But blessed I was, so pardon me a moment while I celebrate.

Yeeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaa!

Sorry about that. It just had to be done.

The review will appear in Kirkus' November 15 issue, by the way. The write-up's maybe a hundred words long, but it's the last twenty or so that really put the haaaaaaaaaaaa! in my Yeeeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaa!

And I quote -- "No sophomore slump in Big Red and Old Red's second case: crackling pace, lots of humor and appealing Wild West flavor."

Thanks, Kirkus! Looks like On the Wrong Track's getting started on the right one....

Otto "Big Red" Amlingmeyer
November 6, 1893

Comments

[John Schramm]

Wow, that's some awesome news, Big Red. Congratulations. You deserve it.

You too, Steve.

[Steve Hockensmith]

Thanks, John! The news about Kirkus came at just the right time -- I'd been struggling with a rough chapter for the *next* book, and it felt like the good review gave me the ego-boost I needed to pull myself out of my slump. Makes me kinda wonder, though: What's it gonna be like when I finally get a *bad* review? I can't dodge the damn things forever. Shiver....

-Steve

[Brett Battles]

Great news, Steve!! Can't WAIT to get my hands on ON THE WRONG TRACK...hint, hint....

Remember, I'm one of your biggest fans...

That Steven Hockensmith, he's one to watch!

[Steve Hockensmith]

Your hands may find themselves clutching ON THE WRONG TRACK sooner than you think, Brett.

That mailman -- he's one to watch....

-Steve

[Matt]

great news steve! but where's the shatner? "kirk" is in the title.

[Steve Hockensmith]

Where *isn't* the Shat these days? Ubiquity, thy name is Bill.

So whazzup, Pop? Haven't heard from you since il bambino bounced into your life. Shoot me a nizzle on the e-mizzle and lemme know how it's gizzlin'....

-Steve