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)

  1. You rock… now the next edition of Celebrity Poker will have to take you. TV star, movie star, best-selling author… can David Schwimmer say all that!?!?!?

  4. It’s the epic announcement that’s sweeping the nation!
    ***happy monkey dance***happy monkey dance***happy monkey dance***
    File this under the heading, “When fan-f***ing-tastic things happen to terrific people!!!” Major congrats, and I hope this brings all the success you could possibly want–plus loads more time to write!
    All the best to you, Anne, the boys and the zoo,
    Syd

  7. Congratulations Wil, I look forward to your other books because I only received my copy of Dancing Barefoot on Monday and read it straight away and loved it. Well done 🙂

  9. THAT’S A GOOCHER WIL!
    I was hopeing for a sitcom….
    you know,
    “Married with step children
    and a dog…
    way to go! I don’t even think any of the old
    STNG crew has had a book deal…

  10. How wonderful Wil!! Congratulations!! WWDN was my happy place today!!! (ANd boy did I need a happy place, influenza A is kicking my family’s ass!)
    You totally deserve this, and I can’t wait!

  11. Okay, I have to be uber-annoying geek fangirl for one moment here, and I promise you that I won’t ever do it again.
    This morning, as I was reading the FANTASTICALLY AWESOME MEGA-COOL EPIC ANNOUNCEMENT today, a thought struck me. After the pain went away, I realized something. This transition you are going through is, in a way, like what your character, Wesley, went through. Wesley was a great Starfleet cadet, just as you are a great actor, but both of you were meant for something better. Wesley went off with the Traveler, and you? You became a fantastic parent. Oh, and the book deal is cool, too :).
    Congratulations on your well-earned book deal! I know this is the beginning of wonderful things for you.
    Kim

  12. Please delete this from the thread, but do check out:
    http://comments.fuckedcompany.com/fc/phparchives/search.php?search=oreilly
    and
    http://comments.fuckedcompany.com/fc/phparchives/search.php?search=nutshell
    and
    http://comments.fuckedcompany.com/phpcomments/index.php?newsid=80975&page=1&parentid=0&crapfilter=1
    I had the misfortune of working at O’Reilly.
    Some authors have been treated not-so-well, however because of your following and who you are, you’ll proably be treated fine. If your books don’t sell well enough by Tim’s standards, don’t be surprised if you get some BS explanation from someone about why some of their promises have changed.
    I hope your experiences with O’Reilly are much better than that of too many people I know. (There are people who have very good experiences with O’Reilly…unfortunately that’s far from most.) If you do some research, you’ll find that some successful authors have left O’Reilly for other publishers. How well you get treated also depends on your editor, and his clout, largly based on how well his books sell overall.
    Best wishes to you.

  13. Wil mate…
    That is the most excellent news!
    Congratulations!
    We, your adoring fans have known for so long, that you are a great, talented, passionate writer (and an all-round great guy as well).
    BUT!
    Now, finally, it is acknowledged by someone who knows the business of writing and is prepared to put their money where it counts.
    So what if you are just a geek… geeks are good, geeks have a life, geeks can make it pay, geeks can go places…
    Wil, you rule… you are the Lord of the Geeks!
    I’m looking forward to hopefully seeing your three books – as well as all those other ones still in your head – on the shelves of “where all good books are sold” stores here in Australia.
    J.K. Rowing had better beware…
    HERE COMES WIL!!!
    …you know though…. a kidlet would have been just as excellent…!

  14. YAY!!!!!!
    JUST read the post.
    its well deserved wil.
    will we be able to get it here in England wil?
    itd really like to read it but dont have a major card so i cant get it on amazon.
    HELP!!!
    cant wait for JAG!!!!!

  16. Jumpin’ Jesus on a Pogo Stick!! That’s so awesome(as you know)!! We couldn’t be happier for you Wil! I can’t wait to get it next time I walk into Powells!!
    DKC3

  17. Well done Wil, you deserve the success you are now finding. Just do me a favour okay, and don’t rush JAG just to get it on the shelves sooner – I know I would rather wait a few months for a really good book, than have a mediocre book right now.
    I hope you will still have time to update the site while you are writing, often it the highlight of my otherwise dull work day.
    And PLEASE do a tour of the UK!! I personally would love to geek out in your presence 😉

  20. If nothing else, this website is always good for a good cry. For you to let us into your life this way, it makes us feel so much a part of it. That is a very rare thing- thank you for your bravery in doing that. I don’t know if you can have any idea how much what you are doing affects our lives and how we think- and not in a celebrity sort of way. It just feels like one human being touching another through being willing to say how we really feel and who we really are.
    Thank you so much, Wil.

  21. CONGRATULATIONS WIL!
    How fantastic – I can’t help but feel as absolutely elated as you surely are after reading your news!
    What a well deserved milestone this is for you, yet one of many more such stand-out moments to come, I’m sure. I can’t wait to have your books in my collection!
    My first post – woohoo! – and what a great topic!
    All the best, Lis 🙂

  22. **punches fist in the air and does a happy dance**
    Yayayay!! What wonderful, *epic* news, indeed! The fantastic mojo has really fallen on you hard this time around, and it couldn’t have happened to a nicer person.
    You rock, Wil!

  23. Being one of the 3,000 buyers and readers; 14 times, so far; of Dancing Barefoot, I applaud you Wil. It couldn’t happen to a better person. Really, sincerely!! You know I mean it, from deep in my heart. From Russell (7-20-72–87)and myself, go get ’em! All my very best, as ever, Donna…RI

  24. Congrats to someone who deserves it! I can’t wait to go to a bookstore and see your book. And if it’s out before the holidays, I have a huge list of people that will be receiving your wondrous work of literature for X-MAS!
    On another note, I just wanted to say that I really admire the way in which you share your love of Anne with the world! I know a lot of husbands who seem ashamed to be caught saying that they love their wife in front of their friends, let alone the whole world! Kuddos to you!
    Give Anne, Ferris, and the boys a big hug for me!
    Congrats once again!

  25. Don’t often post a comment, but I read everything you write, and I’ve been following your development for some time now. That is some great news, and I am very happy for you.
    Never took you for a DM fan, though… 😉

  26. Congrats from Downunder mate,
    We *never* thought anything you did was piss weak, not even WC. Now you can blow a major raspberry at all the trolls who pysched you out when you go to collect your NY best seller dude gong!
    ONYA!
    Hooroo.

  27. You really should feel ashamed for keeping us in suspense all this time! *giggle* By now, I figured that whatever it was had fallen through. I just had to post though, and tell you that I am so excited for you! Congratulations!

  31. Wil,
    PLEASE READ THIS AND LET US KNOW !!!.
    I have just rung O’Rielly’s here in the UK about buying a copy of “Dancing Barefoot”. The lady who answered told me that “they have been warned about people ringing up about this book” (I was the second person to ring – wanted to be the first but somebody else’s fingers must work better than mine).
    The list that lets them know the details (including dates a book will be available in the UK) is not due until next week, so she took my number and will call me as soon as she knows something.
    She went on to tell me that, according to her information, the book won’t be available until mid January in the US. so it looks like all your fans over there won’t get a copy until AFTER CHRISTMAS.

  33. I am so excited! I came upon this site late in the game & missed out on a copy of Dancing Barefoot. Now I’ll be able to get it & I’ll soon be able to pick up a copy of Just A Geek! And I might even pick up the web design book, although I am already a web designer.
    This makes me happy beyond belief!
    And, be sure to post a shedule of your book signing tours & do your very best to come to Atlanta! I want my books signed. Will you sign Dancing Barefoot? Sometimes book signings don’t allow that sort of thing.

  35. Way to Go!!! I’ve not read many of the comments, but I’ve gotta say that this rocks! now I can ask my parents to get “Dancing Barefoot” for me this Christmas and my mom can take it to China for me when she comes next month! w00t! I’m gonna introduce China to the wonderful world of Wil Wheaton, just you wait!

  36. Hi Wil, I’m so happy you are doing well. I just wanted to let you know that your whole life has really be an inspiration for me recently. I look back on my somewhat short (19 year) life and sometimes regret alot of things and feel I’ve missed out, but you’ve shown me that there is so much down the road for me. Thank you Wil.
    And best of luck with your writing!

  39. Hey Wil,
    Congratulations on the book deal. Many of us in the trenches have been working towards or desiring of such a thing for a very long time, and we basically know it’s never going to happen. It’s always nice to hear someone we “know” hit the jackpot.
    I hope you know that you got the deal because a) you’re talented, and b) you have a large following that sold a lot of copies of your book. Your book’s great — I do love it — but always remember the fact that you’re a celebrity already helped in your success.
    This isn’t criticism, it’s just something to keep in mind as you embark on your journey. Don’t take anything for granted… and you bet your booty I’ll be reading “Just a Geek.”

  43. mid-JANUARY!!!
    i cant wait that long!
    cant you do something about that wil?
    i am absolutly positive you would be a storm in the U.K. come and do a tour in birmingham (england) and ill scream as loud as 10,000 fans.
    and i always have loved wesley! still do actually!

  46. Hey, here’s the press release! This is so exciting!
    http://press.oreilly.com/pub/pr/1125
    And they quote your blog entry, how about that? Ha, you’re a blogger, a geek, and then a Trek actor. Geek before Trek.
    I see the website book is due in 2005. That’s good. From what you said in the blog I was wondering how in the world you was going to get that book out by the Summer if you were going to be book touring with JAG in the Spring. Remember, Wil, we want a monkey on the cover! I vote for the Howler monkey.
    Again, congratulations!

  47. AWESOME!! That’s amazing news, Wil, congratulations!! It couldn’t be more deserved, you’ve put so much of yourself into these books. Way to go!

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