In which Memories of the Future Volume One is released

Memories_of_the_Future_by_Wil_WheatonI am beyond excited to announce the release of my newest book, Memories of the Future, Volume One.

I worked harder on this book than anything since Just a Geek, and it wouldn't have been possible without a bunch of people, who I thank in the book, but wanted to thank here, as well:

Andrew Hackard, Brent Spiner, David Gerrold, Jamais Cascio, John Rogers, Keith McDuffee, Memory Alpha, Phil Plait, Will Hindmarch, .tws, everyone who read and commented on my original posts at TV Squad, and especially to my wife and kids, who watched more TNG than they ever thought possible while I was working on this.

If you've just heard about Memories of the Future for the first time, and are wondering what it is, I'd like to share the introduction with you, which I think explains the whole thing rather well:

Introduction to Memories of the Future

In August 2006, Brad Hill, an editor at Weblogs, Inc., hired me to write humorous reviews of Star Trek: The Next Generation from my unique point of view as an actor and a fan of the show.

I started at the beginning of the first season, re-watching episodes that I hadn’t seen in a decade or longer, faithfully recording and sharing the memories they released. Along the way, I came up with some silly episode recaps, and an interesting perspective on the first season, twenty years after we brought it to life. The columns were very well-received, and tons of readers asked me if they’d be collected into a book. I didn’t plan on it originally, but AOL cut TV Squad’s budget before I’d even made it to the halfway point of the first year, and I decided that putting the entire season into a book wasn’t just a good way to finish the season, it was a moral imperative.

A few months after I began working on this book in earnest, at the 2009 Nebula awards dinner, I sat at a table with David Gerrold, who is best-known for writing the original series classic The Trouble With Tribbles. (Fun fact: David wrote and sold The Trouble with Tribbles when he was 19. My wife Anne asked him how he had the courage to do that, and David told her, "Because nobody told me I couldn't." That's so awesome, and everyone who is creative should commit that to memory.)

We were talking about all kinds of writerly stuff, and I mentioned to David that I was working on this book. As I started to describe it to him, I could see that he wasn't into it, but was too polite to tell me why.

After a minute, he said, "You have to be careful with your tell-all book…"

"Ah, that's why he wasn't into it." I thought.

"It's not a tell-all book. I hate those things," I said. "It's more like you're flipping through your high school yearbook with your friends."

I called on all my improv skills and held an imaginary book in my hands.

"It's like, 'Hey! I remember this, and I remember that, and did you know that this funny thing happened there, and … oh God … I can't believe I thought that was cool…'"

His face lit up. "That sounds like a book I'd like to read."

Here it is, David. I hope you enjoy it. (Additional fun fact: David Gerrold suggested me for the role of Wesley. If he hadn't done that, I don't know that I'd have ever voluntarily worn a pumpkin-colored sweater.

Despite that, though, I'm extremely grateful to David for convincing Bob Justman and Gene Roddenberry to take a chance on me.)

Volume One takes you from the pilot to Datalore. Volume Two will take you from Angel One to The Neutral Zone. During our journey together, we’ll certainly be going where no one has gone before, except those times when we go 20% to the left of where the original series went and talk about stuff a whole bunch without actually doing anything … but that’s part of what makes the first season so much fun to watch, especially knowing how greatThe Next Generation eventually became.

Put on your shoulder pads, set a course for 1987, emit an inverse-tacyon pulse into the heart of the anomaly, and engage! By Riker’s beard, you shall be avenged! (Um, as soon as Riker’s beard shows up, next season.)

Namaste,

Wil Wheaton
Pasadena
June 2009

Man, I can't believe I wrote that all the way back in June. This really has taken a long time to get across the finish line, hasn't it?

For the last six weeks, I've been doing podcast previews from the book. I think they're pretty amusing, and they're also a pretty good way to figure out if this book is something you'll enjoy:

I've also put up an extensive preview on the book's product page at Lulu, so you can take a look inside the book and read the chapters that cover Encounter at Farpoint Part 1 and Justice. If you have this thing called The Internet, you can also read the chapters in their original, unedited form at TV Squad.

There are bound to be some FAQS about this book, so let me attempt to answer a few of them now:

Q: Will there be an audiobook?

A: Maybe. I'm hopeful that this book sells well enough to justify the amount of time and energy that goes into creating an audio version.

Q: Will there be a digital version, a version for my Kindle, or [my electronic reading device]?

A: Probably.

Q: When?

A: Soon. 

Q: Why not now?

A: Because I haven't decided how I want to release a digital version (how to make different formats available or just do the PDF that is easy at Lulu) and what a fair price for it will be.

New Answer: Yes. The PDF is $10 at Lulu, on the same page where you can order the print version. Enjoy!

Q: Can I buy a signed copy?

A: Well, you can buy a copy and bring it to a con or something, and I'll be happy to sign it for you there, but since this is printed on-demand, when you order it, there's no way for me to sign it before it makes its way into your hands, tentacles, clamps, or whatever you use to hold a book.

Q: Will there be a 300 like you did for The Happiest Days of Our Lives?

A: I hope I can do that; it's just a matter of making the economics work.

Q: Will this be in regular bookstores?

A: Probably not. I'm an indie publisher with razor-thin margins, and since the vast majority of my customers are online, it just doesn't make sense to end up with a few cents on the dollar per sale, which is what would happen if I were to get this distributed into bookstores. I've blogged extensively about how and why I publish the way that I do. If I can find the links to those posts, I'll add them here.

Q: What about Amazon? Can I get it at Amazon?

A: Sometimes Lulu sells books through Amazon. If this is one of the titles they choose, then you'll be able to get it there. If you can, I'll update this post. I think it ends up costing the same whether you get it from Amazon or Lulu, though.

Q: Why is shipping so expensive?

A: That's a Lulu question, not a me question.

Q: So why did you put it here?

A: Because it's frequently asked.

Q: I'm not in the US. Do I need to wait for a World edition?

A: No. One of the many cool things about using print on demand from Lulu is that the book will be printed in whatever country you place your order, which keeps jobs closer to home, limits delivery and shipping fees and time, and makes everyone happy. Yay!

Q: You didn't answer my question.

A: That's not a question, it's a statement. But go ahead and ask it in comments, and I'll do my best to answer it there.

So there you go. As always, thank you for your support. I hope you enjoy my Memories of the Future.  

117 thoughts on “In which Memories of the Future Volume One is released”

  5. Congrats on getting the book out, will either wait for digital version or if I can’t contain myself cave and buy both 😉 Either I hope it’s a run away success.

  6. Awesome, congrats!! Really really enjoying the podcast.
    Hope the digital version comes out soon. I really just don’t buy paper books any more. And seeing as how this is the first book in a 14-book series…..well, I can’t really commit to paying (($19.87 + shipping) x 14) for your wit, no matter how witty the wit may be!
    A less expensive digital version, however, without any shipping costs, probably brings the equation back down to a happy place.
    Again, congrats to you!

  8. TRUE STORY:
    I was dying to get Robert Englund’s book today. I walked quite a ways to a bookstore. It was not going to be there until tomorrow, which does seem to defeat the purpose of A RELEASE DATE.
    Tried Amazon. They put me into a Groundhog Day-esque loop of infinite “enter your shipto address/proceed to checkout.”
    I said FINE, WORLD, SCREW YOU, I WILL BUY WIL WHEATON’S BOOK RIGHT NOW AND THAT WILL MAKE ME HAPPY.
    I bought your book right now, and that made me happy. In conclusion, thank you for writing it, and I can’t wait to read it.

  9. One copy ordered from the Brit side of the Atlantic! I liked the ‘Lulu thank you’ message – classy touch 🙂
    Now I can’t wait for it to arrive.
    In the spirit of creative sharing – here’s something I made at school back in the early 90s when I was about 12, and I think the class had been instructed to make a vase. I will never forget the look of utter bafflement on my art teacher’s face (she also demanded to know what a ‘Wheaton’ was). My parents discovered it in their loft recently and they refuse to part with it. Enjoy 😉
    http://twitpic.com/lezjf
    Congrats on the book launch – you were awesome when I was 12 and you’re even more awesome now x

  11. Probably answered elsewhere on your site, but why did you name it ‘Monolith Press?’ I have a guess, but we all know what happens when we assume.
    It makes an ass out of ume (thurman)*. 😉
    *Yes, I know that’s not how she spells her name, but it’s the only way to make the joke work. Creative license, people!
    One book ordered. Thanks Wil.

  12. As they say in the WooT world: IN FOR ONE.
    (And “if I like it” (heh — read, “the exact moment I finish it”), surely, in for more as gifts.)
    gabu

  13. Purchased! Happy!
    I will NOT be waiting for the electronic version. There is something about an ink-and-paper book that takes up space on my shelf that makes the work somehow more important, more valued, more permanent, and I suppose even more loved. I am also much more likely to reread it or just flip through it if it is in my face on the shelf and not buried on my hard drive somewhere.
    I feel for the trees, but I like my books.
    Although the thought of umpteen volumes is frightening, as long as I buy them every time they come out, the credit card will not scream.

  15. Payday for me is tomorrow and so is my purchase. Which I’ll have you sign at next year’s Emerald City ComiCon.
    BTW, my mom is Leslie McKenzie, who set you up nicely when you came to Seattle for PAX. The Guinness was my idea. :o)

  16. When I saw that basket and saw that it had Guinness in it, I squeed a little.
    That was so kind and so awesome of you and your mom. Thank you!

  17. You’re very welcome, Wil. But really it was just a little thank you from us to you for being a wonderful, down-to-earth person. I know, I know, you’re just this guy, but seriously man, you’re a good guy. We are all huge Big Bang Theory fans so your ep next week is just a kickass bonus. Nuff said. Carry on.

  18. I’m a Lulu writer too and I love lulu. I’m so anxious for my copy to reach my doorstep, I’m a ST:TNG fan since day 1. Thank you so much, Wil for sharing your memories and your talent

  21. The book is out! w00t! I’ve been waiting for this since you stopped writing those reviews on TVsquad. I guess I’m as excited about reading this book as you are about releasing it. 🙂
    Too bad I can’t order it right away. The way Hungarian post works, I would most likely be waiting for weeks, and then it isn’t guaranteed I’d ever get the thing unless I pay almost as much for shipping as I did for the book. And even then, it’s iffy. Many “worldwide” webshops stopped postal shipping to Hungary altogether because of this.
    I hope you’ll be doing an electronic version soon. I don’t really care about the format, as long as it displays on a wintel PC.

  22. Ordered!
    Digital versions are convenient, but there’s nothing like the heft of a physical book in my hands. Besides, my only portable e-reader is my iPhone and I get claustrophobic focusing on such small print for hours on end.
    Grats on the launch, Wil!

  27. Wil, I could be wrong but I believe for $35 Lulu has “Global Distribution Package” which gets you an ISBN which gets your book put up on Amazon.com, BN.Com, Target.com, etc.

  29. I cannot wait to get this at the end of the month! In the meantime I am going to advertise the crap out of this awesomeness!

  32. I have them all, and Memories of the Future is on order. I’d recommend Just a geek because it covers Wil’s childhood memories, and some of the stories make me cry, they are so wonderful. They ALL are excellent though, tough choice. Good luck

  34. Try the PDF version of Sunken Treasure. It’s a cheap sampler of a lot of my stuff, and for $5 you can find out if you’re even interested in the other things I’ve written, and if you are, where you should spend your money.

  36. Kickass! I can’t believe that in just a few short days I’ll be reading my very own copy of Memories of the Future Volume One! I had just been talking to Alicia and Anna on Twitter yesterday, saying that I thought the book was coming out on October 12th, which was yesterday, so I was close. One day off isn’t so bad!
    God, I’m like a kid hopped up on too much sugar with the Star Trek stuff lately. Case in point: You tweeted that you were drinking coffee out of a 20th Anniversary TNG mug, referring to yourself as a nerd, and I tweeted you back about how I freaked out like a little kid when my sister got me vintage Next Gen action figures in mint condition for my birthday a little bit over a week ago. My 36th birthday. So that makes us both nerds, and you know what, who cares? I like being a geek/nerd, or whatever other adjective you want to use to describe people like us because in just a few short days, I’ll have my very own copy of Wil Wheaton’s latest book in my hands. I cannot wait to read this book!

  40. Regarding the possible audio version… I know this is probably highly impractical, but it’d be awesome if it could be made of live readings, something like the recording Pulp Gamer did at Phoenix Comicon 2008 and you posted a while ago. True that the sound quality gets a lot worse, and some things might be lost in the room noise, but the crowd response, and your reactions to the people, make the reading even funnier than it already is. It wouldn’t be appropriate for more intimate books like Just a geek, but it’d be perfect for this kind of stuff!

  41. That’s GREAT! And your art teacher sounds like a mean old crank. If one of my students (granted, they’re about 8 years younger than you were at the time you made that vase) made something as cool as that, I’d love it and make sure to praise the heck out of that kid, in addition to proudly displaying it somewhere in the classroom where everyone could see it. I totally understand why your parents wouldn’t want to part with it, as well. It’s a memento of a time in all of your lives when simple things like a homemade vase brought joy into your household. Definitely worth cherishing.

  43. Can’t order it yet, but I’m gonna do everything in my power to get it Thursday or Friday. I’ve already decided to put all your other books (except Sunken Treasure) on my Christmas list 🙂

  44. Since this is print on demand, does that mean you are not going to be selling copies at yout booth at conventions?

  45. Okay, first time poster (I think), you don’t know me, but is there any chance that you could consider doing fewer books with more pages if this series is going to continue? I find 138 pages for US$27 kinda steep, and I probably would even if I hadn’t lost my job last year. 14 books at this kind of price? Not a pleasant prospect right now.

  47. Because it’s POD, I have to purchase copies myself that I would take to cons. Everyone who is buying the book now is helping to fund the eventual order I hope to place in time for cons like Phoenix Comicon and Emerald City Comicon, which are the only two I have lined up at the moment.

  48. There won’t be 14 books, because I’m only doing 2 volumes per season for the first 4 seasons.
    But, um, wow. $27 seems outrageous. Did you choose the least-expensive shipping option?

  49. If Wil does the Global Distribution Packages (which is $75, my bad), it will take a few days for the ISBN to filter down into the various online retailers’ databases. Just FYI.

  50. PCC is a go? SWEET! I’m trying to get there from the East Coast! We shall see! (Con charity is Kids Need to Read, for which I volunteer and blog, so it’s big deal for us, but I’m not sure I can swing it.)

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“The library is a safe place.”

In order to survive, I disassociated for much of my childhood, but I clearly remember the books. That's where I found comfort, companionship, inspiration and validation. It's where the imagination that powers everything I do creatively in my life today was born. And it all started in that library, with that librarian. She was one of the first people I can remember asking me, "What do you like? What's important to you? What do you want to know more about? How can I help you find it?"

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