Hey, Kids! E-Books!

I am a proud member of the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers (IAMTW), consisting of all the fine women and men who write your favorite media tie-in books and stories, from novels based on Monk, Burn Notice, Murder She Wrote, or the latest blockbuster movie novelization, to the comic books and coloring books featuring Dr. Who and the Penguins of Madagascar.

It's only natural that you get almost 200 writers together, you're gonna wind up with a book! In this case, it's Tied In: The Business, History, and Craft of media Tie-In Writing, featuring articles by such tie-in luminaries as Tod Goldberg, Jeff Marriotte, Max Allan Collins, Elizabeth Massie, Donald Bain, Robert Greenberger, David Spencer, Greg Cox, Burl Barer, Jeff Ayers, Nancy Holder, John Cox, Brandie Tarvin, William C. Dietz, Alina Adams, William Rabkin, and my own humble self ("Pictures to Prose: Comic Book and Comic Strip Tie-Ins," page 77). It's a fairly complete survey of the American media tie-in scene from early on through today, written by the folks who write these things and is edited by our illustrious co-founder, Lee Goldberg. I've been learning a bit myself reading through it!

Tied In: The Business, History, and Craft of Media Tie-In Writing is currently available as an e-book at Smashwords or Amazon (you'll find a link to the right). An ink and paper edition will be available in a few weeks, published through Amazon CreateSpace. I'll let you know when that happens!

I AM a Tie-In Writer!

As the little glyph off to the left (and above, in this post) shows, I'm a proud member of the 150+ member strong IAMTW, the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers. We're the gals and guys who write novelizations and original books based on movies, TV shows, video games, comic books, and other media properties. Among are number are such bestselling authors as James Rollins, Max Allan Collins, Donald Bane, Jeff Marriotte, Raymond Benson and Nancy Holder.

Like all such groups, we hand out awards, in our case, the Scribes, honoring excellence in licensed tie-in writing. 2009 marks the third annual Scribes, nominees for which were just announced by our fearless leader and co-founder, Lee Goldberg. The winners will be announced at a ceremony at Comicon in San Diego in July.

Best General Fiction Original
BURN NOTICE: THE FIX by Tod Goldberg
CRIMINAL MINDS: FINISHING SCHOOL by Max Allan Collins
CSI: HEADHUNTER by Greg Cox

Best General Fiction Adapted
DEATH DEFYING ACTS by Greg Cox
INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL by James Rollins
THE TUDORS: KING TAKES QUEEN by Elizabeth Massie
THE WACKNESS by Dale C. Phillips
X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE by Max Allan Collins

Best Speculative Fiction Original
GHOST WHISPERER: REVENGE by Doranna Durgin
RAVENLOFT: THE COVENANT, HEAVEN'S BONES by Samantha Henderson
STARGATE SG-1: HYDRA by Holly Scott & Jamie Duncan
STAR TREK: TEROK NOR, DAY OF THE VIPERS by James Swallow

Best Speculative Fiction Adapted
HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY by Bob Greenberger
THE MUTANT CHRONICLES by Matt Forbeck
STAR WARS - THE CLONE WARS: WILD SPACE by Karen Miller
UNDERWORLD: RISE OF THE LYCANS by Greg Cox

Best Young Adult Original
DR. WHO: THE EYELESS by Lance Parkin
PRIMEVAL: SHADOW OF THE JAGUAR by Steven Savile
DISNEY CLUB PENGUIN: STOWAWAY! ADVENTURES AT SEA by Tracey West

Best Young Adult Adapted
IRON MAN: THE JUNIOR NOVEL by Stephen D. Sullivan
THE DARK KNIGHT: THE JUNIOR NOVEL by Stacia Deutsch and Rhody Cohen
JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH 3D by Tracey West

Grandmaster Award
The highest honor the IAMTW can bestow is the Grandmaster Award, which recognizes a writer for his or her extensive and exceptional work in the tie-in field. This year's honoree is Keith R.A. DeCandido. He has written over thirty novels, most of them original tie-ins or novelizations. His work includes many Star Trek novels, as well as original books in the CSI: NY and Supernatural tie-in series, to name just a few.

Congratulations to all our nominees. I urge you to run right out and pick up as many of the above mentioned books as you can lay your hands on. As a judge in the Best General Fiction Adapted category, I can tell you there's not a bum read in the lot! I'm proud to call some of these people friends and honored to be considered a colleague by the rest.

You're also invited to check out website and learn more about the organization and the many fine people who fill its ranks.

And The Award Goes To…

I’m a member of the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers (IAMTW), an organization founded by Lee Goldberg and Max Allan Collins for writers of movie, television, comic book, RPG and videogame adaptations and novelizations. You’re invited to check out the IAMTW website, where you’ll doubtless recognize the names of many of our members.

Yesterday, the group presented its Second Annual Scribe Awards for excellence in licensed tie-in writing at the San Diego Comic-Con on a panel hosted by member Andy Mangels. This year, the awards went to:

Best General Fiction-Original
Mr. Monk and the Two Assistants by Lee Goldberg

Best General Fiction-Adapted
American Gangster by Max Allan Collins

Best Speculative-Original
Stargate Atlantis: Casualties Of War by Elizabeth Christensen

Best Game-Related Original (Special Scribe Award)
Eberron: Night Of The Long Shadows By Paul Crilley

Best Speculative Fiction-Adapted
30 Days of Night by Tim Lebbon

Best Young Adult-Original
Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew #10: Ticket Trouble by Stacia Deutsch & Rhody Cohon

Best Young Adult-Adapted
The 12 Dogs of Christmas by Steven Paul Leiva

Grandmaster Award
Alan Dean Foster

Congratulations to all our winners. I recommend all these fine efforts, as well as the works of the other nominees, a list of which can be found on the IAMTW website.