Let me tell you a story.
Or rather, let me tell you a story about a story. (For those of you who know me, this shouldn’t come as a surprise.)
Back in 2001, when I was toiling in the salt mines of grad school, my girlfriend Sarah and I had very different sleep schedules. I was up late, and she went to bed early.
One night, when she was going to bed, she jokingly asked me to tell her a story.
So I did, starting with with the most saccharine faerie-tale beginning I could think of: “Once upon a time,” I said. “There was a Princess who lived in a Marzapan castle….”
The story was so cute and sweet that it began to irritate me even as I was telling it. And so I twisted it around until it was something entirely different. Something dark and strange. An older sort of Faerie tale.
When I finished, Sarah lay in bed, looking up at me with big eyes. “Now I can’t sleep,” she said.
So I told a second ending to the story. A sweet ending. A funny ending. A happy ending. An ending that made everything all better again. Sarah relaxed.
But that second ending irritated me again. It was too sweet and perfect.
So I gave the story a third ending. The perfect ending. An ending with teeth in it.
That night Sarah didn’t get to sleep in any sort of timely fashion, but the next day she told some friends about it. I repeated the story for them, and one of them said, “I’d love to draw that.”
Now a lot of times, that’s where things would stop. But the friend who spoke up was none other than Nathan Taylor: he’s the guy that drew the map for the US edition of the book. And he turned my puerile scrawlings for the Worldbuilder logo…
Into something cool and respectable looking:
I knew Nate was a great cartoonist and illustrator, as you can see for yourself over here or here.
But he completely blew me away with the illustrations he did for the Princess book. Here’s a little taste:
Just yesterday, Subterranean Press announced The Adventures of the Princess and Mr. Whiffle: the Thing Beneath the Bed on their website, making it available for pre-order.
So I wanted to mention it here on the blog as quickly as possible. Apparently it’s been selling really quickly, and the limited leatherbound edition they’re printing is already half sold-out. So if you want one of those, you should get over there and order it sooner rather than later.
Edit: Apparently everyone wanted a limited edition, so they sold out about 9:00 this morning. Sorry about that. I don’t think anyone expected it to sell quite so quickly as that.
That said, it’s only the limited edition that sold out. There are still regular hardcovers available.
Also, Bill over at Subterranean Press has offered to throw five ARC copies of the princess book in with his other donations to Worldbuilders. If you win one of those, you get to see the finished product months before it comes out.
- Five ARC copies of The Adventures of the Princess and Mr. Whiffle: the Thing Beneath the Bed by Patrick Rothfuss and Nathan Taylor. Signed by the Author.
It’s a picture book that’s not for children. I can say with some certainty that it should never be read to children. But it’s perfect for adults with a dark sense of humor and a love of old-school faerie tales.
Stay tuned. We still have a lot more to come. New blogs every day or so…
pat
As always, with thanks to: Subterranean Press.
53 Comments
Okay, fuck it. I need to buy one even if I don’t have any money.
Oy… that sounds like something my friends and I would tell one of my friend’s little half sisters.
Congratulations on the new book, Pat!
Now we have a problem. You see, I got all excited and purchased the book, but it won’t be out until July. I just got married. I haven’t changed my name yet (although it will happen real soon) and when I do, the name on my credit card will change. So now I’m scared of changing my name in case the payment isn’t scheduled to go out until July. I don’t preorder often, so I don’t know how these things work. Eeep
Yea…shouldn’t have bought that. Can’t afford it.
At least I don’t need to worry about remembering to buy a birthday present! :D
@Alicia
“Because these books are limited editions, we only accept paid reservations for forthcoming titles, and charge your credit card at the time your order is placed.”
Just found that on the website.
:)
Pat,
The book looks great. I’m a big fan of illustrated-kids’-books-for-adults. Although, come to think of it, I can’t actually recall ever having read one…still, I’m looking forward to seeing this. Also, Mr. Taylor’s artwork looks brilliant. It’s crisp and clean, yet maintains an almost wistful quality (which is ironic given the nature of the book you describe) much like Bill Watterson’s style. Looking at it, I can almost imagine a “The Name of the Wind” graphic novel…you should tell Mr. Taylor that he could be the next Todd McFarlane…
rip
WV: stumat – a subcategory of hazmat, or hazard materials, describing week-old leftover soup one finds in the back of the refrigerator.
Tyson: I’m w/ you, buddy. Austin Phelps (American Educator and Clergyman, 1820-1890) said, “Wear the old coat and buy the new book.” Hope you already have a warm coat…
Half an hour ago I was thinking: ‘Oh, it’s not so bad you spend €30 this weekend renting bad and worse movies while you should have been studying for exams and now you don’t even have any money to put on the phone so you can call your mother to ask her if she might be able to pick you up at the station because there wasn’t going to be a bus for another hour and it was raining and you were cold and you had a headache and if she please, please wanted to come over so you didn’t have to go insane just sitting still for over an hour so you didn’t have to walk through the rain, through the cold for over 6km.’
Now I can’t buy the book nor afford money for my phone. At least I saw some crap-ass movies this weekend. *sigh*
-Congratz on a cool little-kiddies-but-not-really-book.
Aww, pat, I’m looking forward to this! Ordered the limited thingy last night.
Thanks a lot, and good luck with future writing!
The limited is sold out. Already.
ACK! This is what happens when I am unplugged for a day. The leather-bound edition sold out before I even knew it existed. Very sad.
Sorry guys. I don’t think anyone expected them to sell this quickly….
Sold out already. Sadness. Will we see this on Amazon?
any shot for more limited editions to be be made? (though that would kinda defeat the purpose of limited :)
would love to pick one up.
Hey all,
Just a reminder that though the signed limited edition may be sold out, the trade hardcover is still in good supply at this point.
Best,
Bill
SubPress
Of course I wanted a limited but I reserved a trade because the limited was sold out. Pat could have written two words on a napkin and I will wear my old coat and still purchase it for $25 bucks. Awesome quote from the 1800’s clergyman by the way. Now how to convince myself to purchase the picture version… I already have like three ‘Name of the Winds’ with two gaping holes in my book case for books 2 and 3….
O Deep, Deep Sadness
why and how did I miss this?
The limited gone.
Oh well. Maybe I’ll win an ARC and everything will be right in the world again.
Hi! I’m from Germany and I hope I can buy it soon in Germany too!!!
Kristin: You can order it to germany, you know =) International shipping thingy! :D
Dammit Pat. I really want this… But I probably shouldn’t… But I want it… But I shouldn’t…
Fuck it, I want it.
Awww. Even the trade version looks to be sold out. I had no idea you were writing this, but it sounds awesome. :^(
. . . or I could be completely misreading the order page. I’m ordering this.
You had me at the part where I learned there was not one but three endings. I know it’s less than three weeks to Christmas–I guess I’ll count this as an early (or late) present to myself! Also, what a great way to pass the time until books 2 and 3.
Pat,
Can’t you do special foreigner prices like signed books in other languages? Would love that…
Oh gods! I.. I musn’t! But I must! I will! I did! I totally did! Looking forward to this a lot!
Patrick,
I just ordered a Trade edition and I am very excited.
Are you planning to release Lettered or Limited Editions of your Kingkiller books Also?
Thanks, Eric.
Hey fuck you, release a real book.
Get bent, Ivan.
Disappointed I missed the limited. Really disappointed. But I got the trade. I’ll just have to get it signed the old fashioned way.
Ivan: Your pitiful mewling amuses me. I suspect you have a tiny dick.
Wow, just wow Ivan. That is just disrespectful and disgraceful. You can present a different view on a topic without being so cruel.
In response to that, I may not have read this book yet, but having read Name of the Wind, I assume that Patrick Rothfuss is a perfectionist, because that book was near perfect. Therefore, for Patrick to release this, he must feel that it is pretty entertaining and well written book. Just because something doesn’t suit your particular taste, that doesn’t mean it isn’t a REAL BOOK. I’m not a fan of Sarah Palin, but I would never say that her book, even if she didn’t really write it, wasn’t a real book, because someone somewhere spent hours upon hours shaping it.
Books are works of love, so maybe next time show a little class and lighten up on the hate.
And I am very excited for the story. I love adultish fairy tales or re imaginings of those tales. I recommend The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly, a beautiful, dark tale that re imagines several classic fairy tales with dark twists.
Sadly, it now seems that all of them are sold out. Any way they’ll be printing more?
Any book by Pat Rothfuss is a real book! <3
Any dark, twisted fairie tale by Pat Rothfuss is sure to be deliciously entertaining. I ordered one immediately.
<3 Liz
The art looks great. (what you showed any ways) Love the bit with the girl and the horse stick.
I always thought it would be cool if entertainers could actually ban people from their creative work.
Musicians, Authors, Actors , Directors, artists, etc.
In practice it would be nearly imposable to do but I can imagine someone going up to the redgister and the cashier saying
” I am sorry but your on this Authors Banned list.” lol
wv-unab1—– As in the Coneheads Movie ” Did I hear a Niner in there?”
-plucky
That drawing you did for your Worldbuilders logo has to be the most spectacularly, hilariously awful thing I’ve ever seen. Well done.
While I haven’t seen any of the other illustrations from the book, the few that I have lend me to believe they will be great. Maybe some prints of a particular badass print would sell/auction/inspire well for the worldbuilders auction. I know the “luring the draccus” is already teasing my wallet, why not go for broke. :)
The website says it will not come out until July 2010. Is this the case for pre-orders?
This looks awesome and I already added it to my wishlist for the next decade.
One minor detail baffles me: Is it “Mr. Whiffle” as written in your text or “Mr. Wiffle” as on the Illustration http://www.patrickrothfuss.com/blog/uploaded_images/Princess-Cover—smaller-jpg-771695.jpg
Is one of things beneath the bed the missing h perhaps ? :-)
Good catch. That’s just an older copy of the cover, actually. We were spelling the name both ways at various points in the revision.
Is there a reason you chose to be Pat Rothfuss for this instead of Patrick Rothfuss?
I agree with Tyson…I’m seriously broke and even asked the artist of Luring the Draccus (very VERY nice guy if he could hold one for me), but the book! it’s $25! I’ll buy it now even if I don’t have the money…
And shame on you Mr. Fussy! (for putting some of us in debt and for telling us late). Some of us collect books and would have liked a limited edition…. :( thanks a lot…
on second thought…need to settle current bills first.
Mr. Fussy, do you know if it’ll be available…like always? Like say after July 2010?
Would appreciate a reply! thx!
Laura,
I honestly don’t know. I know their plan is to do 2000 copies of the trade in hardcover. But I don’t know how quickly those will sell, or if they’re planning on a second printing if they sell out.
I’ll ask…
I had the pleasure of having Mr. Rothfuss read this story to me this past summer. It is wonderful and I would read it to my 6 year old son, of course my 6 year old son’s first story was The Call of Cthulhu and he just had a heated discussion with his cousin about hope Santa and the Tooth Fairy were not real, but ghosts and aliens were, so there you go.
PS. Buy the book it is lovely
Does anyone know if these will only be available by ordering them from Subterranean, or will the also go to national bookstores, too?
Hey Pat,
Saw the announcement email from SubPress and quickly ordered the limited! I’ve learned not to rest on my laurels with SubPress releases, especially ones that are a fraction of what some of their other limited editions cost =)
I can’t wait to get it. I love faerie tales, especially ones for adults, cause really we’re all kids at heart.
That said, Nate’s drawings look kick a**! His work is amazing and I hope that SubPress would pick him up to do other novels and/or covers after this. They hold just the right amount of sweetness, can’t wait to see what he does with the “teeth” part =)
Anyways, good luck to you both and I’ll be donating soon for World Builders!
NOOOOOO! I missed out on the special edition! I need to start checking your blog nightly. I guess I’ll be buying it on ebay for $500+ O.o
I did pre-order the trade though, it should be a real fun read!
Wish I could order one, sadly I have no idea where I’ll be when it comes out, course I’ll probably end up ordering one when I do have a place that I know I’ll be for more than a month, if I remember to that is.
I love faerie tales but I was wondering if you could give us a quick synopsis. Whatever the inside cover would say on a regular book. I’m a junkie looking for a fix!
According to Subterranean Press’s blog, the preorder has already sold more than 1,000 of the planned 2,000 trade copies. Amazing! Also I feel more justified for preordering something for myself in December.
Anyone know when the books are supposed to ship?
I shall be getting this. Thank you for your awesomeness.
Also, could you (or some one else) please post the link to that site where the artist made the picture with the draccus, Kvothe, and Denna? I wanted to order one but I can’t seem to find the posting of it any more.
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