Jim Butcher

We know it’s not the update you’re waiting for, but hopefully you’ll think it’s still cheerworthy!

First, we’re pleased to announce that Jim and Kitty will be returning to DragonCon this year. We don’t yet have their schedule for panels and signings, but we’ll update the site as soon as we have those details. In the meantime, if you’re a fan of cosplay, we suggest you consider attending the annual Dresden Files DragonCon Cosplay Shoot. It’s a lot of fun! Hope to see you there.

Next, Tor is holding a giveaway for the new paperback edition of Brief Cases! If you haven’t picked up this collection of Dresdenverse short stories, you’ll definitely want to. It contains twelve new stories from a variety of perspectives, including Harry, Marcone, Molly, Butters, Luccio, and even Maggie and Mouse! Will you be one of the lucky five to snag a copy?

Their sweepstakes is open to legal residents of the United States and Canada (excluding Quebec). To enter, comment on their post beginning at 2:00PM ET on July 2nd. Sweepstakes ends at 11:59 PM ET on July 5th. Void outside the United States and Canada. Limit one entry per person or household.

If you don’t feel like trying your luck or if you want to read it faster, you can buy a copy from our store.

Peace Talks is close to complete! Jim tweeted this morning that he’d finished the finale, and has only the wrap-up chapter to go. Look for the long-awaited “THE END” tweet soon, with hopefully a release date announcement soon to follow!

Our partners at Worldbuilders Market have produced a range of new Dresden goodies to help raise funds for worthy charities! All are officially licensed, and all proceeds go to Worldbuilders’ mission of fighting global poverty.

Worldbuilders also has fabulous new swag for fans of Kelly Sue DeConnick, Kevin Hearne, Mary Robinette Kowal, Patrick Rothfuss, The Adventure Zone, Rat Queens, and more. Check them out!

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As Jim approaches completion of his manuscript for “Peace Talks,” he’s excited to talk about Harry’s latest exploits with his fans.  The long-awaited 16th novel of The Dresden Files is set at a summit of the various supernatural movers and shakers who shape Harry’s world, united to formulate a peace treaty with the Fomor.  However, Jim has noticed an unsettling trend among his readers, and he wanted to put a stop to some of the misinformation circulating around the fandom.

“Folks seem to have gotten the wrong impression about this book.  It’s called ‘Peace Talks.’ It’s about peace.  Generally, everyone is nice to each other and they have a good time.  They sing a few songs and drink some good beer, then they go home with everything happily resolved.”

While this may seem something of a departure from Harry’s previous adventures, after two dozen novels under his belt, Jim says he’s ready to expand upon his typical formula and experiment with other styles of storytelling.  That’s not to say there’s no conflict, however.  “Man, can you imagine how tense it’s gonna be to choose between the chicken or the fish entree when you’re seated between a harpy and the creature from the Black Lagoon?  Honestly, the host should’ve just gone for lasagna.”

Who will be at the peace talks, you may ask?  “I think the readers are going to like this one.  We’ll get to see a lot of characters we haven’t heard from in a while.  At the risk of spoilers, there’s a great scene with Marcone and King Korb calmly discussing a point of bureaucratic minutiae regarding water rights.  It’s gonna be wild.”

When his editor confronted him with quotes claiming this would be his “most supernaturally violent book to date,” Jim seemed confused at first. “Yeah.  A bunch of Accorded dignitaries just DESTROY an entire tray of cheesecakes.  They’re like piranha.  Not a single crumb of that sweet graham cracker crust remained.”

He encourages fans to watch this space or subscribe to our mailing list to stay informed regarding further developments. His publisher won’t set a release date until the manuscript is completed, so keep an eye on Jim’s twitter for the words “The End.” We promise, he won’t post them on April Fool’s Day.

Jim wrote a new short story, Christmas Eve, as a gift for his fans last night, but you guys were so jazzed to read it that the mass enthusiasm crashed his website! Only now are we able to update his blog accordingly. We’ve also updated the Upcoming Works page, so if there’s anything you missed in the past year, you can get caught up.

Next, a couple swag announcements:

Badali Jewelry, officially licensed jewelers of a bevy of Dresden Files goodies, are doing a sitewide 15% off sale through January 13th! If you’ve been coveting Harry’s ruby pentacle or shield bracelet, Lasciel’s coin, a Bob the Skull necklace, or gorgeous pieces from Lord of the Rings, Kingkiller Chronicle, and more, now’s your chance to score a sweet discount! Use the code TREAT15 to save 15% on your entire order.

Also, the spectacular sculptors at the Hamilton Collection have heard your requests, and they’re now offering their Harry Dresden piece with a “No Hat” option! If you’ve already placed your order and want to modify it, reach out to their customer service department as soon as possible so they can keep an accurate sense of demand. Or if you prefer the classic Chris McGrath hat look, awesome! Everyone goes home happy.

That’s it for tonight. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Jim and all of us at jim-butcher.com! Again, here’s Christmas Eve.