What a year, and some updates.
Sunday, July 8, 2012 at 4:52PM I'm a bit flabbergasted, really, at the continuing popularity of that quirky little novel-illustrated-with-photos I wrote awhile back, which debuted on the New York Times bestseller list last June and has remained there, somewhat stubbornly, for 56 weeks now. This bestseller-ness is something of an abstract concept (what does that mean? how many books? etc), but to put things in context Quirk Books crunched some numbers and used the results to create a nice infographic, which among other factoids points out that if you stacked up all the copies Miss P has sold to-date, they would be taller than Mount Everest:
In other words, I should feel very lucky, and I do. It's been a year of meeting engaged readers and passionate booksellers and librarians and being pleasantly weirded out by the fact that strangers seem to be at least dimly aware of who I am (this happens at book conferences and the like, not at, you know, the mall), and being made to feel welcome in this little corner of the book universe we call YA by a cadre of brilliant and charming and disarmingly unpretentious writers, several of whom I am grateful now to call friends. Even without an Everest-surpassing stack of sold books, all of that would've made for a very excellent year.
Hey, how about a little Q&A?
Q: When's the next Miss Peregrine book?
I'm working on it now! But second books are hard, especially if you want them not to suck, which I do. It'll be coming out in 2013 though exactly when in 2013 I'm not sure yet.
Q: What do I do till then?
You can pre-order Talking Pictures, my purdy coffee table book of captioned found photographs which comes out October 16th. Think of it this way: if Miss Peregrine was a story I made up about photographs I found, then Talking Pictures is photos that already have stories attached to them, written by anonymous hands years ago. (If you haven't seen the video where I explain what the heck a "talking picture" is, watch it here.) And oh, oh! There's a new cover for the book, which I'm really fond of:
Q: Are you doing any signings or events in my town?
I'll be at Comic-Con on Friday, July 13, for a signing at Quirk Books' booth, #1636, at 2pm. And I'll be giving away photos from my vintage photo collection! I don't have any signings scheduled after that, but things are always cropping up at the last minute, so I'll be sure and trumpet it from the treetops if something gets set up.
Q: Are you going to make any more videos?
Yes! I'm just not sure when. They take me forever, and book-writing also takes forever, and because I get paid to write books but not to make videos, book-writing tends to win. But I really miss making videos, and if I don't get back to it soon I'll be super pissed at myself. So: yes!
Thanks again for an amazing year. I can't wait to see what the next one brings.
Reader Comments (26)
I just finished "Miss Peregrine's..." and I enjoyed it very much. It is one of the most unique stories I've ever read. The addition of the quirky photos was also a bit of a dropped-jaw mind-blow.
I was hoping there might be more with these characters...? I would love to see them again.
Well done.
My thanks,
SJ
Can't wait for the next book. You, sir, are quite an awesome dude. :D
I am waiting patiently for this second book. I was not ready for the first one to end. It is for some reason a completely mesmerizing book- although after reading it a few times a couple things didn't make sense- but I'm so enthralled that idc!!! Not sure how you got me to feel so much for these fictional children, but I want badly for them to prevail!
I am fascinated by you......
I love the info graphic, even though it's not to scale ;)
When is the paperback version of Miss Peregrine coming out? I thought May, but it is not available in Dallas in paperback yet. I am waiting to teach it, having read the hardback version-which I loved, by the way.
I just read your book in three days...I may have read in two had I not been working for 2 of those days. It was amazing, and I am waiting for book two patiently. I was awesome. WAY TO GO!!!!!
Mr. Riggs,
When will the PAPERBACK version of Miss Peregrine...arrive in Dallas, Texas? I read it in hardback, but can only teach it in paperback version.
Super book!
Joanie Geffen
Just finished reading Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, Mr. Riggs. Excellent. I always looked forward to crawling into my bed and reading until my eyes forced me to close the book until another night. The imagery of your words haunted my mind's eye as I turned each page. There is a large antique store in a small town nearby and my daughter and I have come across old, weathered, nameless photographs there too which drew me to read your book. The only thing I thought about when looking at these old photographs was that these people, these couples and children were once alive. For the most part, they never looked happy in the pictures, but I would hope they had some happiness in their lives. Looking forward to the next book, and hopefully a movie!
I just read it, it was wonderful! Thank you for 6 straight hours of pure entertainment. ;) I will be anxiously awaiting the next one!!!
I have just finished reading Miss Peregrine's home for peculiar children. I love the story. Petty gripping with the photos and all.
One thing I dont understand. How come the children can leave the loop on a rescue mission? Didn't Charlotte aged 35 years in two days?
I just read the beginning of Talking Pictures ... and can tell this book is going to tear my heart out! My, oh, my! I've always felt sad and strangely intrusive when running across old discarded photos in antique stores, but Ransom Riggs is about to change all that! He offers such a heart-warming, wonderful vantage point by exploring the mysteries behind the photos, and somehow allows the subjects to live on. What can I say?? I'm at a loss for words!
All I can say is thank you!!!
Just finished Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children actually. Pretty damn good, Mr. Riggs. Cannot wait for the sequel. Let's see a little more action between Jacob and Emma, m'kay? ;)
Thoroughly enjoyed it!
Just finished Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children. I bought it for my middle schooler, but found once I glanced inside, that I could not put it down. I am thrilled that there is a second book in the works and excited to hear that a movie is also being made. Thank you so much for a book that truly takes the reader on an exciting escape from reality. I will be looking out for more novels by Mr. Riggs. Thanks again.
I bought Talking Pictures today at B&N (store, not the .com) Love it!! Thanks for compiling this wonderful snapshot of the world. I love all your work! can't wait for Miss P2. And the Talking Pictures video -----fantastic.
I wil start off by saying that i was completly blown away by your writing, but am very flabergasted by why the second has not come out. The story is far from over and must be prosued! When I read a story I always put my self in the story and make up my own characters as i go along (i relly dont normally tell people that,but for some reason I wanted to tell you) and I think that you couldent have placed the characters any other way. I will be truly horrifyed if you do not create more to you already amazing story. I have explored every option in order to find the second addition but have always come up dreadfly sorrowful. Please write another. I soppose I might sound a little strange, but in reality who isn't. I enjoyed the photos and am in to film making as well (i go to an art school) and have also been to florida and have always said it is my fovorit place in the world when approched with the question (that and this beautiful berry patch in kentucky). Please e=mail back your self and not some person that works for you, or otherwise do not answer. (you people think we cant tell when you acctually put the efort in)
Love Madison age 14
I was just checking to see when the sequel will be coming out...2013...can't wait! I hope you come to the Bay Area to do a book reading/signing.
I'm really exited for the second book of Miss Peregrines home for peculiar children. I not a person who actually read a lot, there is only a few books i actually liked. Your book is one of them. When i first just saw your book, i knew it was something special with it. So i bought it, and started to read. I find your book simply amazing, and the pictures in it just makes it even more exciting and awesome. I usually don't like scary things, and when the book first came out i read a few reviews of it, and the most people said it was pretty scary. So i kinda took it as a challenge for myself, to read a long, scary book. I didn't even dare to read it when it was dark outside first.
Now when i've read the book a few times, i feel like i'm starting to read more books and texts. So Ransom, i don't know if you'll see this but i want to thank you to make my life more special somehow. Thank you Ransom Riggs, and i'm looking forward to your next book!
(You are an amazing author)
(Sorry for my bad english, I'm from sweden. :) )
Hi Ransom. I picked up your book this weekend at our local book store. I saw it while browsing through the photography section and fell in love. I am a huge fan of old photographs. I have them scattered throughout my house, in old cheese boxes, vintage ashtrays and old dishes. My "Instant Ancestors" serve as coffee table books and are most intriguing to guest. I too love the ones with interesting writing on the front or back but seem to ponder over those with no text or perhaps not enough text longer. They make me wonder. After reading your book, I now find myself walking thru my house flipping over the photos to reread the backs. It is sad they don't have a home, that they were tossed out with the other items from a home as if the value is the same as the cracked dishes and soiled linens. I take them home to give them a family. My favorite is a deceased Louisiana boy lying in rest in his bed. On the back, he has no name but detailed information about the flowers surrounding him. I call him Robbin, after Donna Tartt's, Little Friend. Perhaps it's because of the hat sitting on the next bed. I use old photos in my art. I hope they don't mind. Do you think they mind? I try to always be kind. Thanks for sharing you collection with me. DMc
I just needed to say that, THIS IS THE BEST BOOK I'VE EVER READ!!!!! I cannot wait for the next book!!! There were wonderful descriptions and I felt a though I was in the cairn experiencing everything Jacob experienced. Great job keep up the good work !!!
Yay for awesome books! if anyone's interested, there are reviews for all of Ransom's books on my blog: http://bookinthebag.wordpress.com/
You mean a win for Facebook and Twitter. It’s not a win for everyone, it’s a loss for WordPress in the struggle for relevance. If WordPress were the go-to platform, then people would be asking why they can’t post to Facebook using their WordPress accounts, but we don’t see that happening.
In other words, I should feel very lucky, and I do. It's been a year of meeting engaged readers and passionate booksellers and librarians and being pleasantly weirded out by the fact that strangers seem to be at least dimly aware of who I am (this happens at book conferences and the like, not at, you know, the mall), and being made to feel welcome in this little corner of the book universe, thanks for blog post
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The photo of the girl with the chicken looks just like me! In fact, I keep trying to remember when I last held a chicken... Maybe she is a relative of mine. Any way to find out who she was?
Do you plan on making a sequel to Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children??? I really loved it and was wondering.