Screenwriter and author John August

Arlo Finch in the Bookstores of America (and Canada)

February 6, 2018 Arlo Finch, Books, Projects

My first novel, *Arlo Finch in the Valley of Fire*, comes out today in stores throughout North America.

I’d love you to, well, buy it. People buying books makes future books possible.

It’s available at [massive online stores](http://www.amazon.com/dp/1626728143/?tag=johnaugustcom-20), [national chains](https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/arlo-finch-in-the-valley-of-fire-john-august/1126160967?ean=9781626728141) and your [local indie bookstore](https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781626728141).

Arlo Finch is middle-grade fantasy fiction. That’s the broad category that includes Harry Potter, Stranger Things and Star Wars. If that’s not your speed, you may have a son or daughter or nephew who would dig it.

How old does a kid need to be for Arlo? All kids are different, but eight seems a good general guideline. The audiobook might be a good option for younger sorts.

But if you’d like to help me out, there are a few other things you can do.

1. Review it on [Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31180257-arlo-finch-in-the-valley-of-fire) and [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/dp/1626728143/?tag=johnaugustcom-20).
2. Recommend it to parents, teachers and librarians. They’re the ones who put books into kids’ hands.
3. Post about on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

And if you’re in a bookstore in the next few weeks, find it on the shelf and take a peek inside. During my visit to the printing plant, I put special stickers in five books. I’m eager to learn where they turn up, so if you find one, let me know!

If you’re not listening to the [Launch podcast](http://wondery.fm/launchhome), the first four episodes are now up. Today’s is my favorite so far.

I hope you dig the book. I’m really proud of it, and hope to be able to make more of them. Your help can make that dream possible. Thanks!

The Next 117 Pages

Episode - 65

Go to Archive

February 6, 2018 Film Industry, Los Angeles, QandA, Scriptnotes, Words on the page, Writing Process

John and Craig talk about everything that comes after the oft-discussed First Three Pages, speculating on the kinds of issues they’d spot if they were looking at full scripts.

They also answer listener questions on topics ranging from proper spacing protocol to novelists rewriting their screenplay adaptations.

This episode originally aired on November 27, 2012.

Links:

* Scriptnotes T-shirts are [available](https://cottonbureau.com/people/scriptnotes-podcast) for one more week, including some old favorite styles, like [Gold Standard](https://cottonbureau.com/products/scriptnotes-gold-standard) and [Midnight Blue](https://cottonbureau.com/products/scriptnotes-midnight-blue)!
* You can catch John at one of his [book tour stops](http://read.macmillan.com/mcpg/arlo-finch/), or listen to [Launch](http://wondery.fm/launch) to keep up with him on the road.
* [“The exception that proves the rule”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exception_that_proves_the_rule) on Wikipedia
* Stuart’s post, [Learning from the Three Page Challenge](http://johnaugust.com/2012/learning-from-the-three-page-challenge)
* [Brining](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brining)
* [Cook’s Illustrated](http://www.cooksillustrated.com/)
* [Ticket to Ride](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ticket-to-ride/id432504470?mt=8) for iOS
* [German-style board games](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German-style_board_game) on Wikipedia
* [The Scriptnotes Listeners’ Guide!](johnaugust.com/guide)
* [The USB drives](https://store.johnaugust.com/collections/frontpage/products/scriptnotes-300-episode-usb-flash-drive) are available!
* [John August](https://twitter.com/johnaugust) on Twitter
* [Craig Mazin](https://twitter.com/clmazin) on Twitter
* [John on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/johnaugust/?hl=en)
* [Find past episodes](http://scriptnotes.net/)
* INTRO: [Folger’s “Peter Comes Home for Christmas”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4kNl7cQdcU)
* OUTRO: [Train Song](https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/train-song/id303463575?i=303463582) by Feist and Ben Gibbard on iTunes

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_65_rebroadcast.mp3).

I made another podcast

January 23, 2018 Launch

Today, I’m launching a new podcast series about the journey of making a book, from initial idea to bookstore shelves.

There’s a teaser for it in the new Scriptnotes that’s up this morning. But if you’re not a regular listener, I didn’t want you to miss the news.

The backstory: Two years ago, I decided to write my own novel. It turns out, I didn’t know much about how books are actually made. So I began recording interviews with everyone involved in the process.

The result is [Launch](http://wondery.fm/launch).

### Behind-the-scenes of making a book

Over the course of six episodes, we’ll be following how my first novel, [Arlo Finch in the Valley of Fire](http://johnaugust.com/arlofinch), was written, sold, edited and printed. We’ll visit Colorado forests and Virginia printing plants, talking to the people responsible for every decision along the way: editors, agents, artists and booksellers.

Plus a ton of great authors, without whom I would be very lost.

As I’m writing this blog post, I know how it all started, but how will it end? You’ll find out when I do. That’s part of what’s exciting about this podcast. There’s no way to know how this will all turn out.

**[Please take a listen and subscribe.](http://wondery.fm/launch)** The first two episodes are available today on Apple Podcasts and everywhere you like to listen.

And if you like the show, a rating and review would help a lot.

I’ll be answering questions in a later episode, so if you have one, just use the normal email: ask@johnaugust.com.

In February, I’ll be traveling on a two-week book tour, with live events in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, New York and Chicago. If you’d like to say hi, you can find the full schedule [here](http://johnaugust.com/arlofinch).

And don’t worry. Launch isn’t replacing Scriptnotes. Craig and I will keep doing the show every Tuesday like always.

But really: [Please subscribe.](http://wondery.fm/launch) I think you’ll like it.

Wait for It

January 2, 2018 Arlo Finch, Film Industry, Follow Up, Formatting, Rights and Copyright, Scriptnotes, Story and Plot, Weekend Read, WGA, Words on the page, Writing Process

John and Craig discuss suspense and its function in all genres, from thrillers to romcoms. They examine suspense of the known and of the unknown and the techniques available to construct it.

We also answer listeners questions about registering scripts with the WGA, how to overcome creative paralysis and unconventional sluglines.

Links:

* [The WGA’s page](http://www.wga.org/members/workplace-matters/sexual-harassment) regarding sexual harassment
* [The Wedding Planner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wedding_Planner), [Die Hard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Die_Hard), [Three’s Company](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three%27s_Company), [Man Up](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_Up_(film)), and the [old ketchup commercials](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoLoyg3JKRQ) are great examples of suspense
* Thanks to [Katie Dippold](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1767754/), who pitched the idea for this episode
* [Weekend Read](https://quoteunquoteapps.com/weekendread/) has many of this season’s awards scripts posted for your reading pleasure
* [Flipflop Solitaire](http://www.flipflopsolitaire.com) by Zach Gage, who also made [Really Bad Chess](http://www.reallybadchess.com)
* Slate’s podcast, [Slow Burn](http://www.slate.com/articles/slate_plus/watergate.html)
* [The Scriptnotes Listeners’ Guide!](johnaugust.com/guide)
* [The USB drives!](https://store.johnaugust.com/collections/frontpage/products/scriptnotes-300-episode-usb-flash-drive)
* [John August](https://twitter.com/johnaugust) on Twitter
* [Craig Mazin](https://twitter.com/clmazin) on Twitter
* [John on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/johnaugust/?hl=en)
* [Find past episodes](http://scriptnotes.net/)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Travis Newton ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_332.mp3).

**UPDATE 1-8-18:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2018/scriptnotes-ep-332-wait-for-it-transcript).

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