It's July and things are heating up...and not just on the thermometer. There's lots of serious interest in both MEG and The LOCH being made into major motion pictures (sorry - no details yet or my producer will beat me with a pointy stick), The LOCH mass market rights have been sold to Tor/Forge (St. Martins Press) as their lead paperback title for May 2009...coinciding with the hardback debut of MEG: Hell's Aquarium...and I just saved a ton on my car insurance (okay, commence my beating). Most important, I need your input on the MEG: Hell's Aquarium cover (see below). With that, here's your update for July 2008!

MEG: Hell's Aquarium
I stated back in 2006 - 2007 that I was holding back the publication of the fourth MEG novel until the MEG movie was released. Well, I changed my mind. The book came out so good that I wanted it out ASAP. The pub date is May 2009, the publisher is VARIANCE, and aggressive new independent publisher. Check them out by clicking below.

Go to Variance Website...

Erik Hollander has designed two amazing book covers and we are not sure which one to use. YOU DECIDE! Go to SteveAlten.com and cast your vote for the preferred hardback cover design! One vote per e- mail please.

Vote on the bookcover you like best.

Character Contest Winners
Back in January I announced a contest to promote the SHELL GAME videos. Here are the contest winners. The current novel I am working on is called GRIM REAPER, which would debut in October of 2009. It will be a mind-boggling read, scary as hell (or should I say the 9 levels of hell).

The following winners need to send me their NAMES and PHYSICAL DESCRIPTIONS/INTERESTING BIOS at Meg82159@aol.com, subject: CONTEST WINNER.<> Character Contest Top Promoters 1) James Gelet 2) Nichole Garcia 3) Jerammie Wright 4) Shawn Ray Dalinky 5) Leslie Manual 6) Gary Groves 7) Caree Crossman 8) Rosanne Dunlap 9) Sarah Rose 10) Jennie Backman 11) Paul Agricola 12)Zach Gary 13) Farah Alil 14) Wendi Metz, 15) Summer Steelmen 16)J ames Thomsen 17) Anna Hefterman 18 )Jon Clark 19) Jeffrey Cook 20) Annete Bunce 21) Lori Parris 22) Laura Graziano 23)Lela Dorrington 24)Donna 25)Terry Stringer 26) Mike McDowell 27) Karen Sampson 28) Ryan Glinka 29) Matthew Kushner 30) Lydia Gagnon 31)Cisco Canju 32) Steve Willick 33) Trevor Morlan 34) Josh S 35) Derek Lankford 36) Kyle Bartsch 37) Jason Atchley

For those DOMAIN fans (among the more passionate fans to be sure) I have NOT forgotten about PHOBOS, part three of the trilogy. The storyline is outlined, and I will probably start writing the book in late fall 2008, targeting Summer 2010 as a release (possibly sooner). DOMAIN was a big best-seller in Spain this year and received more attention than it did in the States. Hopefully we'll get interest for a movie after MEG moves into development, which would push up a release date.

LIVING TIPS: Donate a Mammogram - FREE!
Breast cancer is a major killer. My wife lost her best- friend to it several years ago, so we know first-hand the importance of early detection. The following site was sent to me by a reader. By simply visiting the site the corporate sponsors will donate a free mammogram a day to an underprivileged woman. It takes less than a minute to go to their site and click on 'donating a mammogram' for free (pink window in the middle). This doesn't cost you a thing. Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate mammogram in exchange for advertising.

Donate a Mammorgram Today...

THE SHELL GAME - Last call for First Edition hardback!
For book collectors, first edition hardbacks hold their value and then some. Most of the 40,000 first editions of The SHELL GAME have been sold, but they can still be had up until the end of August. We'll be pushing out second editions for a September - November push that coincides with the Presidential Election.

New edition of MEG slowly hitting stores
The new publisher is APELLES, the new ISBN is 978- 1-59955-169-2. Teachers can order quantities at discounts by calling 800-SKY-BOOK.


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That's all for now. Stay well, stay safe please, SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THE SHELL GAME and know this author appreciates you very much.

Sincerely,


Steve Alten
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Email: meg82159@aol.com
Web: http://www.stevealten.com