i haven’t felt so alive in years

Posted on By Wil

Yesterday, (well, today, actually. I’m composing this at 8:16pm on Monday, while Anne and Ryan assemble a desk, because I won’t have time tomorrow to write this up) while I was digging a hole in my yard, I thought to myself, Man, there’s been a big build up to this. People are expecting a major announcement, and there’s no way it will live up to expectations.
One of these years, I’ll find some way to not be so goddamn insecure. It’s in my nature. Just part of being a nerd, I guess.
So, without (much) further ado . . .

WIL WHEATON dot NET PRESENTS
The Epic Announcement!
brought to you by Slurm

There’s been a lot of speculation about the epic announcement. Ideas have included:

  • Anne and I are hatching a kidlet of our own.

  • Several different variations on the “Wil’s gonna be back on Star Trek” theme.

  • I’m doing a voice over for a television show, like The Simpsons.

  • I’m doing a voice over for a Pixar Movie

  • I discovered a bunker in my backyard, and it’s filled with a thousand cases of Guinness.

There were some who thought it was acting related, and a few who thought it was literary related.

If you were one of the very few in that last group, you totally win a pizza and a trophy, because . . .
I have totally signed a three book deal with a major publisher. O’Reilly & Associates, to be precise.
Okay, I’m totally trying to play it all cool, but . . .
HOLY MOTHER OF CRAP!! WOOOO!!!!!! ROCK!
YEAH!!! KICK ASS BABY!!! UNGH!!! UNGH!!!
*pant*
*pant*
Sorry. I’ve been getting those massive rushes of excitement with alarming frequency. I hope you all understand.
This is a very exciting relationship for me, for several reasons. First, I am a huge geek, and without O’Reilly, I wouldn’t know HTML from LMNOP. I never would have been able to get Linux running, and Perl would be one of the not-quite-as-good-as-Mrs.-Garrett replacements on Diff’rent Strokes.
This means I will be able to get my books into more stores than I ever was with Monolith Press. It means I’ll be sent out on a real book signing tour. It means I’ll be on national television and radio to promote my work, and maybe even get a review in major newspapers or magazines.
Dancing Barefoot sold 3,000 copies in less than five months, without any of that, and I can’t wait to see how it does when it’s got the power and budget of a major publisher behind it.
It also means that I will never royally screw up days worth of orders again, and I will be free to work like crazy on Just A Geek because I won’t be running the business any more.
I spoke with my editor at O’Reilly this morning (” . . . my editor at O’Reilly!” that sounds so cool!), and he told me that O’Reilly is so excited to carry Dancing Barefoot, they’re going to have a printing available in time for the holidays. They are currently working on a plan with Powells to get it out there right away, and I understand that they are in talks with Amazon as well. If you’ve been kicking yourself in the pants, or punching yourself in the back of the head because you wanted Dancing Barefoot for a holiday gift and missed out, you can stop the madness right now!
It should be in most major book stores very soon and y — Oh my god! I’m going to walk into Vroman’s and see my book on the shelf!!! AHHH!!! That RULES!
RAWK! \m/
Oops. There it goes again. 🙂
O’Reilly will also publish Just A Geek in Spring of next year, and I’m going to write a currently untitled technical book on personal website design that I think will come out in Summer.
So, you see, when I made my audioblog post back in July, I had just gotten off the phone with Brett from O’Reilly, who had called to tell me that none other than Tim O’Reilly himself had come back from OSCon talking about “the Wil Wheaton phenomenon” and instructed Brett to tell me that he wanted to be my publisher. Since that day, we’ve been working out the details. They were actually finalized a few weeks ago, but we all decided to wait until today to release this epic news, because I guess December 2 is a good day to release news, and there’s a good chance some mainstream media outlets will pick this up.
I want all of you who read WWdN to know that none of this would ever have happened without you. Many of you have been here since the early days of Where’s My Burrito?. In this strange, impersonal-but-personal way, you’ve gone with me through the ups and downs (mostly downs) of my Sisyphean struggles in the acting world. You were excited with me when I was added to Nemesis and cried with me when I was cut. You have been there when I’ve loved, and when I’ve lost. I’ve introduced you to Ryan and Nolan, Ferris, and Anne, who is more than my world . . . she’s my entire universe.
You’ve supported me so much . . . I can’t tell you all how wonderful it feels to share my tremendous joy with all of you now. Everyone who has read Dancing Barefoot, or come to see me at a show, or left a comment on this site, Soapboxers, Farkers, Slashdotters . . . I’m sure I’m forgetting people . . . but every single one of you owns a piece of this amazing new chapter in my life.

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Comments (484)

  2. Wow! Congratulations, that is absolutely amazing. I’ve only been here for a few months (and am finally delurking) but believe me, I have most of my friends converted to this site.
    YAY! Here’s wishing you more goodluck in the future, and if you ever make it to Canada on that book tour of yours (toronto, hint hint) I’ll be there.
    Denise

  3. Just wanted to join the millions (or soon to be millions) of fans who are expressing such joy at your accomplishment…
    You’re writing is entertaining, inspirational, but most importantly of all – truthful. I wish you many many words to unleash upon the world.
    Fantastic news!
    (make sure you do a signing at the tattered cover/denver!)

  6. You rock, Wil!!! I can’t wait to see what kind of book tour they put together for you. I’m still waiting in L.A. I was sure months ago and I’m still sure now that you would get throngs of people wanting to meet you and have their books signed! Congrats!!!!!

  8. You rock, Wil!!! I can’t wait to see what kind of book tour they put together for you. I’m still waiting in L.A. I was sure months ago and I’m still sure now that you would get throngs of people wanting to meet you and have their books signed! Congrats!!!!!

  9. Good stuff, man.
    Lots of hard work, lots of blind stabs in the dark and walking down dark alleys to figure it out on your own–and it was worth every bit.
    Can’t wait for the movie.
    Who’ll play R2D2?

  10. Way to go, Wil!!
    I hope that when the book reaches Canada, I’ll have a chance to read it!
    Don’t forget to come by Montreal on your book tour!
    Love, Heather

  12. Hey Wil,
    Congratulations, I always knew you were going to be successful no matter what you did. I look forward to enjoying your career as a writer as much as I do your career as an actor. When you go on that book tour don’t forget to slot time in Toronto:)
    Cheers

  13. Hey Wil,
    You’ve earned every bit of it: writing with not much hope of a return, filling orders by hand, doing book signings … it’s all against the odds, and now you’re simply getting your just rewards. Justice isn’t guaranteed in this world, but it’s awfully nice when it happens.

  14. so fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! clearly you have the ability to entertain and move folks, and I’m glad those who control the resources recognize it
    wilhelm
    ps i was sooo right.

  19. Way ‘ta go Wil! I have enjoyed reading your website for awhile now. You have been through a lot of crap for a long time but you came out smelling like a rose.
    The animal for the O’Reilly book has to be a monkey (if it hasn’t already been taken).
    Again, congrats and I am SO looking forward to Just A Geek

  21. Make sure to get on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart when you’re doing the promoting. It is definately the right demographic.
    And congrats.

  22. Wil-congratulations man,nobody deserves it more!As far as writing goes you’re a natural-and what you’ve achieved with this community is something special.Got some space put by for the books-can’t wait!

  24. WAY TO GO UNCLE WIL!!!
    See what that “MONKEY MOJO” + YOUR EXCELLENT WRITING DOES!!!
    CONGRATS!! and MANY thanks for being HERE for US.
    You have done more good than you will EVER know.

  25. Yay Wil!
    Now I can finally used that pesky Amazon gift certificate on something I totally want. Maybe I’ll get a copy for my Dad for Xmas. He’s so hard to buy for and an old school geek (physics). Oh! and my brother-in-law. And maybe my Mom…
    Cheers

  26. Woo! Congrats Wil! 🙂
    I was lucky enough to have already bought Dancing Barefoot, but perhaps I’ll have to do it again, just because. 😀

  28. Yay Wil!!!!!
    That’s the most fantastic news.
    Now if you can just make that technical book easy enough for some of us that we become willing to try our own website, you really WILL be my hero!
    Congrats!
    Sarah

  31. Only one problem, Wil: We have only so much room for your fans at the hotel hosting Penquicon 2.0! We may have to reserve another overflow buffer at a neighboring hotel.
    Congratulations!

  32. Woohoo!!! Go Wil! I haven’t picked up the book yet, so I’ll wait to waltz into my local Barnes and Nobles to buy it.
    What happens if you hit a bestseller list? I think you may explode. 😉

  33. I’ve never actually posted here before, but I *had* to say CONGRATS! and give you a virtual handshake – because getting published is really damned cool, and getting signed is even cooler. It is epic.
    You’re awesome, Wil.

  34. *Dances the HUGE JAMONGUS HAPPY DANCE!!!**
    Wil Wheaton I’m damn damn damn damn.. well lots of damn prouds of you, Mr. Author you!!!
    Looks like I’ll have the army sleeping bag ready to camp out at your book signing.
    Gods.. that sounds so cool.
    woot!
    -MKF

  35. WOOHOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
    I am smiling like a doofus here at my trusty HP!!
    Add my congratulations to the list—just let us know whether ordering directly from you puts more $$ in your pocket than buying at a store.
    Though of course I can get MY copies signed at Penguicon!!!
    Ultra geeked for ya!
    :)Francinre

  39. Great news, Wil!
    Make sure they set you up to sign books at Macworld (San Francisco in January). If you make it there, stop by the Now Software booth and I’ll load you up with free software!
    Randy

  40. *beams*
    *wipes tear from eye*
    *holds Guiness up*
    “To Hooters.”
    *sips Guiness*
    *spits it out*
    *hands it to you instead and orders a brown cow*
    *ducks a flying (but empty) mug*
    Congrats, Wil.
    Jodie G.

  41. Congrats Wil! That’s amazing news. Can’t wait to finally get a copy of Dancing Barefoot of my own…hope to finally meet you on the book signing tour…Again, great job, we are all truly happy for you.

  42. Congrats on your book deals. Let us know when you are doing the voice over for the Simpons what day. Also let us know about the Pixar movie too. Congrats again.

  49. Your first book was so great I am sure yours others will be just as good. Millionaireplayboy will always help you spread the word.
    congrats

  50. I’ve never posted before, but I feel the need to be part of the WWDN phenomenon.
    We are fans of Wil Wheaton. And we are liegon.

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