Publishers Weekly Write-Up

The folks over at Publishers Weekly called last week and very politely asked me -- now, just where in the hell did you come from? I responded, and they wrote it up into a very flattering little bio.

An avid science fiction fan, Wilson started writing short stories in high school and submitted pieces to a number of SF zines. All the stories were rejected. Without much thought to a career as a writer, he enrolled at the University of Tulsa and got his degree in computer science.

 Publishers Weekly

Nice Little Review of Bro-Jitsu

A fun review of Bro-Jitsu: The Martial Art of Sibling Rivalry has gone up over at Collateral Bloggage. (Plus bonus interview!)

No, this isn't a how-to manual; it's a nostalgia piece, reminding us of what we endured and perpetrated as kids. Particularly funny to me were the tactics for succeeding at sibling irritation while also avoiding detection by Parental Referees, and even better, getting the victim into trouble for something you actually started. Awesome.

SH: In the book, you warn about the dangers involved in trying Bro-Jitsu moves on Only Children. What advice can you give the father who wants to train his Only Child in the ways of Bro-Jitsu?

DW: Sadly, the sacred bond of brother or sisterhood cannot be replicated in an only child. But there is an easy and fun solution: Make another baby immediately. (Agreed.)

AMP sells to Summit and Director Alex Proyas

After long and difficult negotiations, I have decided to sell film rights to my upcoming novel AMP to Summit Entertainment. Alex Proyas (The Crow, Dark City, I,Robot, Knowing) is attached to produce and likely direct. Couldn't be more excited about the potential for this project!

Click here to read the scoop at Deadline Hollywood!

Doubleday is getting "AMP"ED!

I'm very happy to report that I've sold my next novel to Doubleday. The novel is called AMP. I'll be working with editor Jason Kaufman once again, and I should be busy for the next 12 to 18 months!

Read the full announcement at Publisher's Weekly.

"Agent Laurie Fox at Linda Chester closed the deal. Wilson wrote the forthcoming Robopocalypse, which Doubleday is publishing in June and which picked up a significant amount of press after it was announced that Steven Spielberg will be adapting the novel for Dreamworks in a planned 2011 feature. Amp is a techno-thriller that, as Fox explained, "explores and expands the definition of what it means to be human." Justin Manask is handling the film rights for the book."

A Boy and His Bot -- Pre-Review

My next book, a young adult novel called A BOY AND HIS BOT, will be released in January 2011. And let me say, I loved writing this book. So many crazy ideas that couldn't fit into my other "adult" books made it into this one, from feral robots lost in the woods to "infinite" robots that never stop being built. It's a few months until it hits shelves, but for now I'm very excited by this positive-sounding (and accurate, in my opinion) description of the book from Publisher's Weekly:

"Wilson brings the expertise of his adult titles How to Survive a Robot Uprising and How to Build a Robot Army (and a Ph.D. in robotics) to his first middle-grade novel, a campy down-the-robot-hole adventure. Shy sixth-grader Code Lightfall is not a boy of action, but on a field trip, he falls down a hole in Mek Mound, an ancient Oklahoman pyramid where his grandfather disappeared a year earlier. Code finds himself lost in Mekhos, a metallic land of robots ("Mekhos makes no sense!" he complains. "You robots are impossible. Everything is either too small to see or too big to figure out"). When Code discovers that his grandfather is being controlled by the evil Immortalis, who is holding captive the sacred Robonomicon, he teams up with friends Peep, a robot bug, and Gary, a crazed "atomic slaughterbot," and travels through treacherous territory to the Celestial City to prevent the destruction of the robot and human worlds. With a goofy sense of humor and plenty of action, Wilson presents a coming-of-age journey with shades of Alice in Wonderland and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. " --PW

Spielberg officially directing ROBOPOCALYPSE

Uh, hmm. Sort of at a loss for words here. Somebody pinch me?

Deadline Hollywood has the full story.

Savants Fous!

The Mad Scientist Hall of Fame (which I co-authored with psychologist Anna C. Long) has been translated into French. This is very fitting, considering that several of the best mad scientists ever hail from France -- including Marie Curie and August Piccard. (And Dr. Moreau definitely sounds French!)

Check out the awesomely redesigned cover in this image:

The Father Life

The Father Life (the men's magazine for dads -- so you better keep out, ladies!) has reviewed Bro-Jitsu. They liked it and you can click here to read the full text.

But one thing stood out to me about the review. Bathrooms. Here are a couple quotes:

"I enjoyed this text as a very entertaining bathroom read and highly recommend it..."

"I also appreciate the brevity of the text. This helped make it an excellent bathroom reader."

Leading me to ask myself, "How do I feel about the fact that people are dropping the kids off at the pool while reading my book?" Hmm...

I definitely didn't have this reading state in mind while I was writing. There are no special scatalogical references beyond those natural to youth. That said, I do understand the sentiment. Bro-Jitsu is easy to read because it is written in small chunks that are easy to digest and just plop into your head. (Sorry, that was gross.)

Now that I think about it, I'm sort of flattered that people are reading my work while in this very vulnerable state. Also, imagining people giggling while sitting on the toilet kind of cracks me up. And last, the review was written on a web site for fathers. That's what we do as fathers. We're gross. We're honest. We poop.

So, the moral of the story is that if you ever sit on the toilet, you should consider buying Bro-Jitsu.

Forget Zombies, Fear Robots!

I could never have guessed that Perez Hilton of all people had strong opinions about robots and zombies. Then again, I guess all of his opinions are strong! Yesterday, he weighed in on the possibility of Steven Spielberg directing the movie based on my book, Robopocalypse.

Perez Hilton

ROBOPOCALYPSE

Although I have finished writing ROBOPOCALYPSE (Doubleday releases it in June 2011), the movie is still in the works. There are a lot of unknowns, however. Like... who is directing?

Vulture is wondering!

Errant Parent interview

I did an extensive Q&A on the Errant Parent blog yesterday in which I share how I accidentally turned my own little brother into a monster.

Q: What sorts of injuries have you sustained over the years?

A: I've never suffered a permanent physical injury, although I still get a tingle when someone stands behind me and my back is exposed. As a 32-year-old man, I should know that my dentist is probably not going to punch me in the kidneys. That's why I count this reaction as a psychological scar.

Click here to read!

guest blog at dadrevolution.com

Should brothers and sisters bug each other, mess with each other, and kick each others butts? I think so. Here's why!

Click here to find out why!

And here's an excerpt...

The book came out a few months ago and I was excited. When the reviews started coming in, I was, well, I guess I was sort of proud and bemused when The School Library Journal said there was “real potential for damage.” And I was outright confused when Wired’s GeekDad called the book a “potential powder keg in the hands of a twelve-year-old boy.”

Dang.

They make it sound like I wrote some kind of Al Qaeda training manual for children, but I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the only kid who ever body slammed his brother onto the couch. I mean, as the author of Bro-Jitsu, I’m not claiming to have invented goobering around with your siblings. I’m just the messenger, here. The core moves that young humans (and to a lesser extent, young monkeys) have used on each other haven’t changed for millennia: it’s running after your siblings, running away from them, and telling on each other. Offense. Defense. Psychological. That’s the whole thing in a nutshell.

So what are the librarians and geeks so afraid of?

Sci-Fi Movies? Yes, Please.

The other day I agreed to be a judge for the Science Fiction + Fantasy Short Film Festival, sponsored by the Science Fiction Museum in Seattle. My advice to all participants is to use robots, and plenty of 'em. :)

Click here to read about it!

full body defensive fish wiggle

The Tulsa World is running an expose on my bro-jitsu childhood. You can read it by clicking here.

I think the writer (Matt Gleason) did a great job of capturing the true essence of brotherly love that goes behind every beating, while also mentioning a move that could knock your brother's tooth loose. As brothers and sisters we must walk a fine line, my friend. A very fine line.

Robonaut 2

Should humanoid robots be sent into outer-space with human astronauts? I chime in today on Wired Science.

My New Book is Out! BRO-JITSU!

My newest book is released today!

You can find it at Amazon.

Or buy online from my favorite neighborhood bookstore: Powell's.

Watch an awesome video by clicking here.

Inspired by growing up with my little brother -- and the physical and mental torture we inflicted on each other -- the book is called BRO-JITSU: The Martial Art of Sibling Smackdown. It categorizes all the mental and physical attacks that siblings use -- offensive, defensive, and psychological -- under a single martial art called Bro-Jitsu. Yes, this includes all the stuff you remember (fondly?) from your own childhood, such as pink bellies, dogpiles, dead arms, bloody knuckles, purple nurples (aka tune in to Tokyo), and the dreaded hanging spit fake.

I've even got the proper technique for chasing your sister with dog poop on the end of a stick. I'm nothing if not thorough, people.

And of course, don't forget the Sacred Vow of Bro-Jitsu -- never in the face.

So if you get the chance, please pick up a copy from Amazon or Barnes & Noble or your favorite book store. And share this message on to any childhood friends, brothers, sisters, or cousins who you think might be interested!


*** Oh, and just in case you aren't convinced that this is the pinnacle of my writing career, check out this sample text.

OFFENSIVE MOVE (in every sense of the word)

"Pull My Finger "

Extend your index finger and say with a straight face, “Pull my finger.” If by some cruel trick of fate your sister actually pulls your finger, immediately deliver a fart with the intensity of a sub-tropical storm. She should recoil in terror, unsure of whether you just filled your pants. If you aren’t sure either, then congratulations – you pulled this move off perfectly.

Countermove:

Back Away Slowly

When someone announces “Pull my finger,” it should be obvious that you are standing next to a trouser bomb that’s on a hair-trigger and set to explode. Raise your arms, palms out, and back away slowly. If the bomb isn’t triggered, you just might get out of this alive.

incredibly cool t-shirts

I've got a quick blog post up at a really awesome online t-shirt company called CUPPA T-SHIRTS. The post is introducing a new HOVERBOARD t-shirt and it involves Michael J. Fox making me cry.

Anyway, based on this moon property shirt (pictured), it should be kind of obvious that these are the coolest body-coverings ever, short of a silver spandex unitard.

(And is that Ronald Reagan in the picture?! He's living on the moon with angels, now.)

Book Best Kept Hidden From Parents

In a funny article, Publisher's Weekly has acknowledged the awesome power that BRO-JITSU will unleash amongst the youth of the world.

Read the article here.

But honestly, I don't think you have to be a kid to execute BRO-JITSU moves. Why, I just visited home and my brother gave me Hot Ears that left me discombobulated.

obituary for spirit rover

I've got an article up at Popular Mechanics Online lamenting the recent (sort of) death of the Spirit rover that's been trundling around Mars for over half a decade. I modeled the piece directly on the obituaries featured in the New York Times, so it was kind of fun. Sad, sad fun. Adios, Spirit.

Click here to read the article.

uncommon goods, uprising

I've been busy writing ROBOPOCALYPSE and haven't had a chance to post in a while, but I had to point out this stunning combination of items available at uncommon goods.

It's a plush BUNKBOT doll laser burn to the face, followed by a ROBOT UPRISING chainsaw-arm sucker-punch to the gut. Get some!