The State of Ohio

The Butcher's Thumb author Greg Haas appeared recently on statewide PBS show The State of Ohio.  A great interview with host Karen Kasler about the book's blend of fiction and non-fiction, political messaging, and the role of media.

You can also watch the entire show here:

Bookstore Update: All of Ohio

On the heels of our very successful reading at the Barnes & Noble at Lennox Center, the corporate offices have decided to stock The Butcher's Thumb in each of their Ohio stores.

That means Cleveland, Dayton, Youngstown, Cincinnati, Akron, Toledo and Mansfield, in addition to the local Columbus stores already stocking the book.

The B&N Lennox reading drew an audience of around 75 people, and we sold out the store's on-hand copies.  In all, we sold 50 books!

We are thrilled that Barnes and Noble sees potential in the novel, and that our work is paying off.  From the beginning we've believed that growing this book would take time and happen in stages, and it would seem to be playing out exactly that way.

We've still got some road to travel, so please consider telling your local bookstores about The Butcher's Thumb, no matter where you are.  (You can order the novel through just about any bookstore.)  Or spread the word online, especially to your friends around Ohio.  We are grateful most of all for the support of our readers and that the book has resonated with them.

New Review: Shelf Unbound

“For those who like their spies Russian, their martinis shaken, and their heroes flawed with a dash of conscience, this entertaining and thought-provoking novel gets a big thumbs-up.” – Shelf Unbound

That's an excerpt from a review of The Butcher's Thumb in the new issue of Shelf Unbound, a fine e-magazine which started up last month. You can take a sneak peek at the entire review here.  It's a beautifully laid-out web experience with an interface that's easy to use.

REMINDER:  Greg Haas will read tomorrow night, Tues. Oct. 5th, at the Barnes & Noble at Lennox Center here in Columbus, Ohio.  The event begins at 7pm is free to the public. 

Senatorial Praise and an Upcoming Reading

Here's a new bit of praise from a man who knows politics:

“Greg Haas knows politics, and is an excellent writer.  That combination makes The Butcher's Thumb riveting, instructional, and good literature.” – Sherrod Brown, U.S. Senator (D-Ohio)

Mr. Brown has been in politics since the early 80s, serving as Ohio's Secretary of State, a U.S. representative of Ohio's 13th District, and has been a senator since 2006.  We're humbled by his kind words!

In Other News:

A free reading at the Barnes & Noble in the Lennox Center on Tuesday, October 5th.  7pm start time.  Plenty of books for sale and another chance to catch Greg Haas reading from The Butcher's Thumb.

Excellent Review from Temple, TX

Here's a snapshot of a review from the Temple Daily Telegram out of Temple, TX, dated Aug. 15, 2010.  Probably the finest review the novel has received so far!

Coming to a Store Near You (If You Live Near Columbus)

It's terribly exciting to tell you that The Butcher's Thumb should be available at Barnes & Noble stores sometime this week in the Columbus area.  That's a hard copy (well, softcover) on the shelf in the fiction section.

The folks at the local Barnes & Noble stores here in Columbus have been enthusiastic and helpful in making this happen, as have the good people at B&N corporate.  The success of any book owes a lot to the work and interest of bookstore staffs.

Along those lines, we're thrilled, too, that the novel is also available locally at Beehive Books in Delaware, Ohio (nowhere near any Barnes & Noble...ahem).  If you've never been to the Beehive, you owe yourself a treat.  Excellent coffee, fine selection of literature, and an intelligent, friendly staff.  All on Sandusky Street in the heart of Delaware's downtown.  A big thanks to them for carrying the book. 

So if you've been putting off your summer reading, march on down to your favorite local bookstore and have a gander the book for yourself.

Behind the Political Curtain

Local monthly 614 features a brief review of The Butcher's Thumb in its August issue.  The article, "The Ugly Truth", discusses two other local books as well, both memoirs:  Good Behavior by Nathan Henry and We Never Learn:  The Gunk Punk Undergut 1988-2001 by Eric Davidson.  In all, three very different takes on what are, indeed, the ugly truths of our society which need to be told. 

Contributor Erin Norris writes:  "By exposing and satirizing the wag-the-dog tactics of the most powerful people in the country, Haas brings the public face-to-face with the other side of the political curtain."

Read the entire feature here or pick up 614 at locales near you.