JMS Autobiography-"Becoming Superman" - NO Spoilers!

[Jan]

I could have sworn there was a thread for this but I can't find it.

JMS has mentioned a few times that he was writing his autobiography adn at one point several years ago he had posted a request to folks in certain places to take pictures of areas or streets or places where he'd lived or attended school and the like.

He posted a few months back that he was finishing it up. On Tuesday he posted that it was finished and when a fan asked how much of it was stuff that would be new:



Now...how can I get my hands on an Advanced Reader Copy....??

[sense8ional]

I hope there are digital copies.

[Hypatia]

It's been years since I read a biography, let alone an autobiography. But I'd buy and read that in a heartbeat.

I know there were some really tough times, but he made it through them. It would be interesting and an inspiration.

[Jan]

Just found this:

Harper Voyager Signs First Memoir

HarperCollins’s science fiction imprint, Harper Voyager, made a first with its acquisition of J. Michael Straczynski’s Saved by Superman. The book, to which David Pomerico took world English rights, will be the first memoir that Voyager has published. Straczynski has written in a variety of styles (including screenplays, comics, and novels) and is arguably best known as the creator of the TV series Babylon 5. The memoir, Voyager said, chronicles his experience “growing up surrounded by poverty, violence, alcoholism and domestic abuse” and how he “wrote his way out of some of [those] harrowing conditions.” Neil Gaiman is contributing a foreword to the book, which was sold by Emma Parry at Janklow & Nesbit Associates and is slated for a 2019 release.

2019?!?!?

[Ubik]

Just found this:

2019?!?!?

I guess Harper Collins probably has their release schedules planned at least a year ahead? Is the book definitely finished? Maybe some finals edits or something?

[Jan]

I guess Harper Collins probably has their release schedules planned at least a year ahead? Is the book definitely finished? Maybe some finals edits or something?

Pretty sure it's the former, though it's possible that there might be a few edits. JMS posted that it was complete some time back.

Another article about the book:

But, beyond fandom, it was the shocking strength of Joe's personal story that convinced the Voyager team to acquire this nonfiction work. 'His childhood was so absolutely beyond anything I could think someone could survive,' Pomerico shares. 'He didn't just come through-he thrived. And it is that story which is going to be an inspiration to artists and loners. It is simply captivating in its own right.'

[Jan]

Comments from JMS:

Asked if there will be future volumes:

I've precluded the possibility of sequels by making sure I die at the end of the story.

Shit...spoiler....

On whether thie book might be premature, as JMS' career is 'just getting started':

Yeah, but as you get older, being premature comes with the territory....

Basically, the first half of the book is the growing-up-under-horrendous-conditions story, then that shifts in the second part to the rangs-to-sorta-riches-Hollywood-story. Still trying to fit in the and-gets-bitten-by-a-werewolf-and-hunts-for-fresh-prey part.

And to those who've asked about the Spring 2019 publication date: yes, the book is finished, and in the publisher's hands. They picked that date because the company doesn't have any other significant memoirs/autobiographies coming out at that time to compete, and that will give them time to work out a really extensive book tour.

[Melanie]

As everyone else, he is the oldest he's been (in this lifetime at least).

I look forward to reading it.

[DaveNarn]

Looking forward to buying the book and wouldn't mind seeing the mini-series on the Lifetime channel some day.

[Jonas]

I guess Harper Collins probably has their release schedules planned at least a year ahead? Is the book definitely finished? Maybe some finals edits or something?

It's normal. Traditional print publishing is generally pretty slow, despite print-on-demand technologies and all that.

[Hypatia]

That is really great news. Thanks a lot for sharing that.

[sftv]

Book Tour

Definitely need to make sure that The Poisoned Pen hosts a Phoenix area stop....

[Jan]

Not really news but JMS still plans on doing a book tour for the autobiography.



No dates or territories have been set so far.

[Looney]

Still so nervous about this. I will buy it, but I still don't know if I will read it. I guess the best possible scenario is to get an autographed copy on the book tour so then he can't asked if I read it yet.

[Jan]

Still so nervous about this. I will buy it, but I still don't know if I will read it. I guess the best possible scenario is to get an autographed copy on the book tour so then he can't asked if I read it yet.

I'm sure there's going to be some hard stuff to read. Just some of the stories he told last year at SDCC were pretty bad. His father was a monster. His mother, I think was perhaps more mentally ill than evil; I hope so, at least.