Jim Butcher

Infobox Writer
name = Jim Butcher


imagesize = 250px
caption = Drawing of Jim Butcher by Michelle Parker
pseudonym =
birthdate = birth date and age|1971|10|26
birthplace = Independence, Missouri, United States
deathdate =
deathplace =
occupation = Novelist
nationality = American
period = April 2000–present
genre = Fantasy, Speculative fiction, Science fiction
subject =
movement =
notableworks = The Dresden Files, Codex Alera
influences = J. R. R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Lloyd Alexander
influenced =
website = http://www.jim-butcher.com/

Jim Butcher is a New York Times Best Selling authorcite web
url=http://www.jim-butcher.com/news/000120.php
title=Jim's New Books are Climbing the Charts
accessdate=2006-08-28
author=iago
date=2006-05-10
work=Jim-Butcher.Com,] iago is the online pseudonym of Fred Hicks, webmaster for [http://www.jim-butcher.com Jim-Butcher.Com] and co-author of the Dresden Files RPG.] most known for his contemporary fantasy book series "The Dresden Files". He also writes the "Codex Alera" series. Butcher (born in Independence, Missouri, United States, on October 26, 1971)cite web
url=http://www.jim-butcher.com/news/000027.php
title=Jim's Birthday!
accessdate=2006-08-28
author=iago
date=2004-10-26
work=Jim-Butcher.Com] grew up as the only son of his parents, and has two older sisters. He currently lives in Independence with his wife, [http://www.shannonkbutcher.com/ Shannon K. Butcher] (an author of romance novels), and one son, James Joseph.

Career biography

While he was sick with strep throat as a child, Butcher's sisters introduced him to "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Han Solo Adventures" novels to pass the time, thus beginning his fascination with fantasy and science fiction.cite book
last=Butcher
first=Jim
title=Dead Beat
publisher=ROC Books
year=2005
location=New York, NY
chapter=Author's Note
pages=395-396] As a teenager, he completed his first novel and set out to become a writer. After many unsuccessful attempts to enter the traditional fantasy genre (he cites J. R. R. Tolkien, Lloyd Alexander, and C.S. Lewis, among others, as major influences), he wrote the first book in "The Dresden Files"—about a professional wizard in modern-day Chicago—as an exercise for a writing course in 1996 at the age of 25.

For two years, Butcher floated his manuscript amongst various publishers before hitting the convention circuit to make contacts in the industry. After meeting Butcher in person, Ricia Mainhardt, the agent who discovered Laurell K. Hamilton, agreed to represent him, kick-starting his writing career.cite web
url=http://www.jim-butcher.com/jim/
title=About Jim
accessdate=2006-08-28
author=
year=2004
work=Jim-Butcher.Com] However, Butcher and Mainhardt have since parted ways; Jennifer Jackson is his current agent.cite web
url=http://www.jenniferjackson.org/clients.html
title=Clients
accessdate=2006-08-28
author=
date=
work=Jennifer Jackson] Since becoming published, Butcher has written two series: "The Dresden Files" and "Codex Alera". Both are still ongoing, and he has also written a Spider-Man novel, entitled "The Darkest Hours", released on June 27, 2006. In addition, he contributed a short story for publication in "My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding" with Charlaine Harris and Sherrilyn Kenyon, among others, released in October 2006. He has since contributed to the anthologies "Many Bloody Returns" in September 2007 and "My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon" in December 2007.cite web
url=http://www.jim-butcher.com/news/000236.php
title=Codex Alera
accessdate=2008-04-17
author= priscellie
date=2007-12-19
work=Jim-Butcher.Com] In October 2008, he will have another short story in "Blood Lite" and a novelette, "Backup", illustrated by Mike Mignola.cite web
url=http://www.jim-butcher.com/news/000269.php
title=The Mega-Minicast
accessdate=2008-04-26
author= priscellie
date=2008-04-09
work=Jim-Butcher.Com]

The Dresden Files series

Six months after Butcher was signed by Mainhardt, "Storm Front", the first novel in "The Dresden Files", was picked up by ROC for publishing. It was released as a paperback in April 2000. "Fool Moon" followed nine months later on January 1, 2001, and the third book, "Grave Peril", appeared on store shelves in September of that year. Thereafter, the release schedule slowed, with "Summer Knight" appearing on September 3, 2002. The fifth and sixth books, "Death Masks" and "Blood Rites", appeared in August 2003 and 2004, respectively. Coinciding with the release of "Blood Rites", Butcher published a Harry Dresden short story, entitled "Restoration of Faith", on his website, chronicling Harry's life before "The Dresden Files" as a private eye for Ragged Angel Investigations.cite web
url=http://www.jim-butcher.com/news/000019.php
title=Dresden Short Story: Restoration of Faith
accessdate=2006-08-28
author=iago
date=2004-08-24
work=Jim-Butcher.Com] In December 2004, the Science Fiction Book Club picked up the first three novels in the series for release in a hardcover omnibus edition entitled "Wizard for Hire" for a March–April 2005 rush release in order to arrive on store shelves before the seventh novel in May.cite web
url=http://www.jim-butcher.com/news/000050.php
title=Jim Updates Us
accessdate=2006-08-28
author=iago
date=2004-12-29
work=Jim-Butcher.Com]

"Dead Beat", released on May 3, 2005, was the first hardback release in the series by ROC. Unprecedented demand lead the initial run of 15,000 copies to sell through to stores in just three days, and the book immediately went into a second printing to prevent supply problems.cite web
url=http://www.jim-butcher.com/news/000076.php
title=Dead Beat's first run sells dry
accessdate=2006-08-28
author=iago
date=2005-05-08
work=Jim-Butcher.Com] A second omnibus edition, called "Wizard by Trade" and containing "Summer Knight" and "Death Masks", appeared in early 2006, followed by "Proven Guilty" on May 2, 2006, the same day as the paperback edition of "Dead Beat". "Proven Guilty" quickly climbed to #21 on the New York Times Best Seller List and #91 on the USA Today list. A third omnibus release from the Science Fiction Book Club entitled "Wizard at Large" and containing "Blood Rites" and "Dead Beat" was released in November 2006.cite web
url=http://thebookblogger.com/sfbc/2006/10/new_books_in_sfc_november.html
title=New Books in SFBC November
accessdate=2007-03-17
author=Wheeler, Andy
date=2006-10-17
work=Science Fiction Book Club]

A ninth book from ROC, "White Night", was released on April 3, 2007, following closely on the heels of a February paperback release for "Proven Guilty". "White Night" reached the top five of the New York Times Best Seller List on an initial run of 100,000 copies.cite web
url=http://www.jim-butcher.com/news/000182.php
title=White Night in NYT's top 5!
accessdate=2007-04-20
author= priscellie
date=2007-04-16
work=Jim-Butcher.Com] "Small Favor", the tenth book in the series, was released April 1, 2008.cite web
url=http://www.jim-butcher.com/books/dresden/10/
title=Jim-Butcher.Com: Books - Dresden Files - Book 10
accessdate=2007-08-20
work=Jim-Buther.Com] It debuted at number two on the New York Times Best Seller List, Butcher's highest debut ever,cite web
url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/books/bestseller/0420besthardfiction.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
title=Hardcover Fiction
accessdate=2008-04-14
author=New York Times
date=2008-04-20
work=New York Times] and number three on the USA TODAY best seller list.cite web
url=http://content.usatoday.com/life/books/booksdatabase/default.aspx
title=This week's top 150 best sellers
accessdate=2008-04-06
author=USA TODAY
date=2008-04-20
work=USA TODAY]

The series garners a strong following and is now available in several languages, including Russian, Spanish, Czech, Polish, German and Mandarin Chinese.

The Dresden Files in other media

Audiobooks and game

Due to the popularity of "The Dresden Files", [http://www.buzzymultimedia.com/ Buzzy Media Publishing] has released the first four novels as audiobooks in both audio and MP3 CD formats. They are voiced by actor James Marsters. "Storm Front" was released in July 2002 as an unabridged 8-CD set, with an unabridged 9-CD set of "Fool Moon" following in August 2003. The "Grave Peril" audiobook shipped as an unabridged 10-CD set on October 28, 2004, with a free t-shirt bundled with all purchases before December 26, 2004. "Summer Knight" was released March 31, 2007. All four have since been released in MP3-CD format with fewer discs.

Buzzy Multimedia announced in November 2007 that Penguin Audio had purchased the audio rights to the remaining Dresden Files novels, and the tenth novel, "Small Favor", would be next in line for audio treatment. The audio book was released simultaneously with the hardcover April 1, 2008.cite web
url=http://www.buzzymultimedia.com/small-favor-audiobook.html
title=Small Favor Audiobook
accessdate=2008-02-17
author=Buzzy Multimedia
work=Buzzy Multimedia Publishing] Jim-Butcher.com reports that Penguin Audio intends to produce and release the remaining novels as soon as James Marsters' schedule allows.cite web
url=http://www.jim-butcher.com/feedback/
title=Remaining Audiobooks
accessdate=2008-04-26
author=priscellie
work=Jim-Butcher.com]

On December 16, 2004 Butcher also inked a deal with [http://www.dresdenfilesrpg.com/ Evil Hat Productions] to release a role-playing game based on "The Dresden Files". The game uses a modified ruleset from Evil Hat's acclaimed Fate RPG. [cite web|url=http://www.jim-butcher.com/news/000047.php|title=jim-butcher.com|accessdate=2008-06-02]

Television show

Television writer and producer Morgan Gendel optioned "The Dresden Files" in June 2003, paving the way for a film or television release of the series.cite web
url=http://www.jim-butcher.com/news/000005.php
title=Morgan Gendel options the Dresden Files
accessdate=2006-08-28
author=iago
date=2003-06-23
work=Jim-Butcher.Com] On April 5, 2004, Sci Fi announced production of a two-hour backdoor pilot film of "The Dresden Files" based on the events of "Storm Front" in conjunction with Lions Gate Television and Saturn Films, with Nicolas Cage and Norm Golightly set to executive produce. Gendel was listed to write and executive produce the television series, along with Anthony Peckham.cite web
url=http://www.jim-butcher.com/news/000013.php
title=Sci Fi Channel announces intentions for Dresden pilot
accessdate=2006-08-28
author=iago
date=2004-04-05
work=Jim-Butcher.Com] Initially, Harry Dresden was listed as "Erik" Dresden, but by the end of 2004 the name had been canned in early drafts of the pilot in favor of Harry.

On October 5, 2005, "Variety" reported that the television project had been officially greenlit by Sci Fi, with Hans Beimler and Robert Wolfe coming onboard as executive producers with Cage, Golightly, and Gendel. Production of the pilot took place in Toronto, and the original intent was to air the pilot movie in the summer of 2006.cite web
url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117930240?categoryid=14&cs=1
title=Net cages sci-fi guy: Thesp ventures into TV with 'Dresden'
accessdate=2006-08-28
author=Martin, Denise
date=2005-10-05
work=Variety] In November, the Sci Fi Wire released casting details for the series, with Paul Blackthorne cast as Harry Dresden over James Marsters, who turned down the part because he was unwilling to relocate from Los Angeles.cite web
url=http://www.jim-butcher.com/news/000102.php
title=Jim comments on the casting
accessdate=2006-08-28
author=iago
date=2005-11-10
work=Jim-Butcher.Com] In May 2006, Sci Fi announced an initial purchase of eleven episodes of "The Dresden Files" and a January 2007 premiere of the two-hour pilot movie.cite web
url=http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=2&id=36229
title=Dresden Gets SCI FI Pickup
accessdate=2006-08-28
author=iago
date=2006-05-24
work=SCI FI Wire] However, the two-hour pilot was not shown, and the show premiered on January 21, 2007 with the episode "Birds of a Feather", originally intended to be the third episode.Fact|date=February 2007 The show garnered mixed reviewscite web
url=http://www.metacritic.com/tv/shows/dresdenfiles?q=Jim%20Butcher
title='Dresden Files' Manages Magic Believably
accessdate=2007-03-17
author=Wayne Hall
date=2007-03-16
work=SyFy Portal]

After the season one finale aired on April 15, 2007, fans began a letter campaign in an attempt to have the show renewed.cite web
url=http://maenad.tripod.com/saveharrydresden/
title=Dresden Files, The
accessdate=2008-02-18
author=CNET Networks, Inc.
work=Metacritic] Sci Fi decided not to continue production on the Dresden Files the following August.cite news
url = http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Roush-Dispatch/Dresden-Sci-Fis/800019821
title = Dresden in Sci Fi's Circular File
date=2007-08-03
author=Matt Roush
accessdate=2007-08-03
work = TV Guide]

The Codex Alera series

After the success of Dresden, Butcher returned to the traditional fantasy genre with his second series, "Codex Alera". The series chronicles the life of a young man named Tavi from the Calderon Valley of Alera on the world of Carna. The people of Alera have grown complacent with the trappings of empire (the story is based loosely on the late Roman Empire) and their control of powerful elemental forces known as furies. On March 3, 2003, Jim Butcher announced that Ace won a bidding war against rival publisher Del Rey Books for the rights to the series.cite web
url=http://www.jim-butcher.com/news/000004.php
title=Ace Buys Codex Alera
accessdate=2006-08-28
author=iago
date=2003-03-03
work=Jim-Butcher.Com]

The first novel in the series, "Furies of Calderon", was published in hardcover by Ace, and in August 2004, major booksellers began taking pre-orders for an October 5, 2004 release. "Furies of Calderon" was the first hardcover release for Butcher,cite web
url=http://www.jim-butcher.com/news/000018.php
title=Furies of Calderon is available for presale
accessdate=2006-08-28
author=iago
date=2004-08-18
work=Jim-Butcher.Com] and was a significant step forward in transitioning from a part-time to a full-time writer.cite web
url=http://www.jim-butcher.com/news/000020.php
title=A Comment on the Dresden Files Release Schedule
accessdate=2006-08-28
author=iago
date=2004-08-24
work=Jim-Butcher.Com] A paperback version followed in June, 2005, just a month before the release of the second book, "Academ's Fury". It was released in paperback on November 28, 2006, with the third novel, "Cursor's Fury", following on December 5.

While originally intended to be a six-book series, Codex Alera was initially signed as a trilogy. After the series showed success, Roc agreed to publish three more novels in the "Codex Alera" series.cite web
url=http://www.jim-butcher.com/news/000152.php
title=Cursor's Fury Hits the Shelves and The Future of Alera
accessdate=2007-03-30
author=hippie
date=2006-03-30
work=Jim-Butcher.Com] The fourth novel, "Captain's Fury", released December 4, 2007 and peaked at #17 on the New York Times Best Seller List. The fifth novel, "Princeps' Fury", will be released November 25, 2008. The title and release date for the sixth and final novel have not yet been made public, though it is widely speculated that in keeping with the naming convention of the series, it will be titled "First Lord's Fury".

Audio rights to the Codex Alera belong to Penguin Audio. "Captain's Fury" was released in audio format March 27, 2008, read by Kate Reading. Audio versions of the first three books will be released in November, 2008. The audio book of "Princeps' Fury" will be released simultaneously with the hardcover.cite web
url=http://www.jim-butcher.com/news/000269.php
title=The Mega-Minicast
accessdate=2008-04-26
author= priscellie
date=2008-04-09
work=Jim-Butcher.Com]

Bibliography

The Dresden Files

* " [http://jim-butcher.com/books/dresden/restoration/ Restoration of Faith] " (Harry Dresden short story)
* " [http://www.jim-butcher.com/books/dresden/vignette/ Vignette] " (Harry Dresden vignette)
* "Something Borrowed" (Harry Dresden short story), published in "My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding" (October 3, 2006, ISBN 0-312-34360-4)
* "It's My Birthday Too" (Harry Dresden short story), published in "Many Bloody Returns" (September 4, 2007, ISBN 0441015220)
* "Heorot" (Harry Dresden short story), published in "My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon" (December 26, 2007, ISBN 0-312-37504-2)
* "Day Off" (Harry Dresden short story), published in "Blood Lite" (October 21, 2008, ISBN 1416567836)
* "Welcome to the Jungle" (Harry Dresden graphic novel, illustrated by Ardian Syaf), published by Dabel Brothers (October 21, 2008, ISBN 0345507460)
* "" (Harry Dresden novelette, illustrated by Mike Mignola), published by Subterranean Press (October 31, 2008, ISBN 1596061820)

Codex Alera

Other

* "The Darkest Hours" (June 27, 2006, ISBN 1-4165-1068-0)

Notes and references

External links

* [http://www.dresdenfilesrpg.com/ Dresden Files RPG]
* [http://www.scifi.com/dresdenfiles/ SCIFI.COM | The Dresden Files]
* [http://butcherblock.libsyn.com/ The Butcher Block] : A podcast about Jim and his books.
* [http://www.jim-butcher.com/ The official Jim Butcher Site]
* [http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780143143390,00.html/ Penguin Audio] Register here to be notified when The Dresden Files 5..9 are released as audio books.