Happy Birthday Preston Black

Preston Black may believe he's under the curse of 27 but to me he's been a bit of a good luck charm. This week we've finally released THE DEVIL AND PRESTON BLACK in its first widely available print edition so I've been thinking a lot about Preston. Meeting him was a casual affair (I realize he's a fictional character but feel I know him very well, as if we've met many times). See THE DEVIL AND PRESTON BLACK was never officially submitted to RDSP. Instead it was indirectly acquired.

When we were introduced to Jason Jack Miller and Heidi Ruby Miller at the Frostburg Indie Lit Festival by our mutual friend Michael Arnzen we were instantly impressed by how publishing-smart the Millers were. Then Jason mailed me a copy of his Seton Hill thesis novel that he'd had printed up with a note that basically said 'feel free to read this if you want.' I was curious and began reading.

That's when Preston cast his spell. Hard-headed but passionate, determined to do his worst, Preston was endearing and infuriating at the same time. As I read I began to contemplate adding Miller to the RDSP team. But he'd already successfully published an ebook edition of THE DEVIL AND PRESTON BLACK and was well on his way to releasing the follow-up, HELLBENDER. Would he even be interested? But you don't run across an author with as much business savvy and writing talent as Miller has every day so I figured it couldn't hurt to sit down and talk.

The awesome and unique partnership that has come from that is pretty well documented (see this post and Preston Black's Opening Act). So I wanted to take some time out to wish Preston Black a happy birthday: Glad the Curse of 27 didn't get you, bro! Anxiously waiting to see where THE REVELATIONS OF PRESTON BLACK will take us next.