Coming Soon: The Adventures of The Princess and Mr. Whiffle.

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:

(Awww…)

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.



(Huzzah for Subterranean Press! Double Huzzah!)
This entry was posted in cool things, Nathan Taylor, Sarah, side projects, Subterranean PressBy Pat54 Responses

53 Comments

  1. Tyson
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 1:39 PM | Permalink

    Okay, fuck it. I need to buy one even if I don’t have any money.

  2. musicgeek
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 1:54 PM | Permalink

    Oy… that sounds like something my friends and I would tell one of my friend’s little half sisters.

  3. Monica
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 1:55 PM | Permalink

    Congratulations on the new book, Pat!

  4. Alicia
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 2:05 PM | Permalink

    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

  5. Dave
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 2:11 PM | Permalink

    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

  6. Dave
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 2:13 PM | Permalink

    @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.

    :)

  7. ripshin
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 2:24 PM | Permalink

    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.

  8. Jon
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 2:35 PM | Permalink

    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…

  9. devryl
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 2:55 PM | Permalink

    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.

  10. Anech
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 3:05 PM | Permalink

    Aww, pat, I’m looking forward to this! Ordered the limited thingy last night.
    Thanks a lot, and good luck with future writing!

  11. pws
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 3:20 PM | Permalink

    The limited is sold out. Already.

  12. Roswitha
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 3:30 PM | Permalink

    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.

  13. Pat
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 3:32 PM | Permalink

    Sorry guys. I don’t think anyone expected them to sell this quickly….

  14. JenMo
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 3:33 PM | Permalink

    Sold out already. Sadness. Will we see this on Amazon?

  15. KB
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 3:47 PM | Permalink

    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.

  16. Subterranean
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 3:59 PM | Permalink

    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

  17. h28koala
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 4:05 PM | Permalink

    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….

  18. logankstewart
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 4:50 PM | Permalink

    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.

  19. Kristin
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 5:19 PM | Permalink

    Hi! I’m from Germany and I hope I can buy it soon in Germany too!!!

  20. Anech
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 5:37 PM | Permalink

    Kristin: You can order it to germany, you know =) International shipping thingy! :D

  21. Geddy
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 5:41 PM | Permalink

    Dammit Pat. I really want this… But I probably shouldn’t… But I want it… But I shouldn’t…

    Fuck it, I want it.

  22. Kreeblah
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 6:35 PM | Permalink

    Awww. Even the trade version looks to be sold out. I had no idea you were writing this, but it sounds awesome. :^(

  23. Kreeblah
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 6:36 PM | Permalink

    . . . or I could be completely misreading the order page. I’m ordering this.

  24. Katie
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 6:49 PM | Permalink

    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.

  25. Anonymous
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 6:55 PM | Permalink

    Pat,

    Can’t you do special foreigner prices like signed books in other languages? Would love that…

  26. Bombie
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 7:05 PM | Permalink

    Oh gods! I.. I musn’t! But I must! I will! I did! I totally did! Looking forward to this a lot!

  27. Anonymous
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 8:05 PM | Permalink

    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.

  28. Ivan Grasilich
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 8:44 PM | Permalink

    Hey fuck you, release a real book.

  29. JVR
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 10:12 PM | Permalink

    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.

  30. Anonymous
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 10:18 PM | Permalink

    Ivan: Your pitiful mewling amuses me. I suspect you have a tiny dick.

  31. Matt Lyons
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 10:31 PM | Permalink

    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.

  32. Matt Lyons
    Posted December 8, 2009 at 10:36 PM | Permalink

    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.

  33. Laurel
    Posted December 9, 2009 at 12:13 AM | Permalink

    Sadly, it now seems that all of them are sold out. Any way they’ll be printing more?

  34. Anonymous
    Posted December 9, 2009 at 12:53 AM | Permalink

    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

  35. Anonymous
    Posted December 9, 2009 at 2:05 AM | Permalink

    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

  36. Trevor
    Posted December 9, 2009 at 3:00 AM | Permalink

    That drawing you did for your Worldbuilders logo has to be the most spectacularly, hilariously awful thing I’ve ever seen. Well done.

  37. bryan.bischof
    Posted December 9, 2009 at 4:22 AM | Permalink

    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. :)

  38. Jacob
    Posted December 9, 2009 at 4:42 AM | Permalink

    The website says it will not come out until July 2010. Is this the case for pre-orders?

  39. riverstomp
    Posted December 9, 2009 at 9:12 AM | Permalink

    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 ? :-)

  40. Pat
    Posted December 9, 2009 at 9:14 AM | Permalink

    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.

  41. Anonymous
    Posted December 9, 2009 at 10:00 AM | Permalink

    Is there a reason you chose to be Pat Rothfuss for this instead of Patrick Rothfuss?

  42. LaurafromNY
    Posted December 10, 2009 at 3:10 PM | Permalink

    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…

  43. LaurafromNY
    Posted December 10, 2009 at 3:21 PM | Permalink

    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!

  44. Pat
    Posted December 10, 2009 at 3:43 PM | Permalink

    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…

  45. Anonymous
    Posted December 10, 2009 at 7:59 PM | Permalink

    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

  46. logankstewart
    Posted December 10, 2009 at 8:01 PM | Permalink

    Does anyone know if these will only be available by ordering them from Subterranean, or will the also go to national bookstores, too?

  47. Nadine
    Posted December 11, 2009 at 6:12 AM | Permalink

    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!

  48. Ali
    Posted December 12, 2009 at 9:06 PM | Permalink

    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!

  49. RAH
    Posted December 14, 2009 at 1:49 AM | Permalink

    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.

  50. Sarah
    Posted December 14, 2009 at 12:05 PM | Permalink

    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!

  51. Katie
    Posted December 14, 2009 at 9:54 PM | Permalink

    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.

  52. Anonymous
    Posted December 21, 2009 at 2:43 PM | Permalink

    Anyone know when the books are supposed to ship?

  53. thecowofchaos11
    Posted June 9, 2010 at 12:27 PM | Permalink

    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.

One Trackback

Post a Comment

Your email is never published nor shared. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  • RSS info

  • Visit Worldbuilders!

  • Our Store

  • Previous Posts

  • Archives



  • Bookmark this Blog!

    (IE and Firefox users only - Safari users, click Command-D)