It’s a bit tough for me to believe that The Skies Belong to Us is finally out today. As dedicated followers of this project know, I’ve been working on the book for nearly four years, and there were many moments when its completion seemed an impossibility. The Grand Empress and the progeny can attest to all the dark moods I passed through while shaping the text—they’re saints for putting up with it all.
The notecard above was the seed of the The Skies—the first time I ever jotted down the idea. I pinned it to my corkboard in October 2009, as I do with many random story notions that pop into my skull. For reasons that will hopefully be clear if you check out the book, I just couldn’t let this tale go untold.
Please support the cause if you can. Microkhan is a lovely creative outlet, but it’s the books that should (theoretically) pay for the portable soccer nets that Microkhan Jr. so desperately craves.
Jesse // Jun 18, 2013 at 9:41 am
I woke up this morning to see that it had been downloaded to my Android tablet. Hopefully the Google Play store pays out to you as well as Amazon does.
Brendan I. Koerner // Jun 18, 2013 at 10:37 am
@Jesse: Thanks a million for forking over your hard-earned cash. The payout should be identical for all downloads, regardless of platform. When Microkhan Jr. scores his first goal on those nets, I’ll remind him to keep you in his thoughts.
Tom Graves // Jun 18, 2013 at 11:44 am
Word is out — this is a book I should read. Bought the ebook and look forward to an evening spent in the skies. I love it when a writer seizes upon an interesting moment in time and fleshes it out into a great story. If this one lives up to its recommendations — as I do not doubt that it will — I will be on the hunt for more by Mr. Koerner.
Brendan I. Koerner // Jun 18, 2013 at 1:01 pm
@Tom Graves: Awesome, thank you. May your evening aloft be a pleasant one.
David McAdams // Jun 18, 2013 at 2:26 pm
Great storytelling, meticulous research, and an amazing eye for compelling detail have always characterized Brendan I. Koerner. As one of your long-time fans (since about 1990 — do I remember correctly, it all began with a little something called “Koerner’s Korner”?), all I can say is … Congratulations, and thanks!
Brendan I. Koerner // Jun 18, 2013 at 4:29 pm
@David McAdams: Wow, you’re taking me back. Hopefully my writing has improved somewhat since early adolescence–if nothing else, I think I’m now far more cognizant of minimizing my adverb usage. Thanks a mil for sticking with me all these years, and for the congrats. Hope you dig The Skies!
minderbender // Jun 18, 2013 at 9:17 pm
I see that Kirkus Reviews liked it so I will give it a shot.
marklondon // Jun 18, 2013 at 10:06 pm
Saw it today at Diesel the bookstore, in Brentwood. Bought it.
Michael E. Sievers // Jun 19, 2013 at 9:50 am
Ordered a physical copy from Amazon yesterday before later discovering on my Kindle that I’d pre-ordered the download. Guess you get a two-fer out of me, Brendan. You should crack open a quality brew while watching Jr. shoot at the soccer net! 🙂 BTW – I’m amazed you could even read your notecard enough to remember your story idea! And…Koerner’s Korner…that takes me back. Congrats and looking forward to digging in!
Brendan I. Koerner // Jun 19, 2013 at 10:33 am
@minderbender: And if Kirkus liked it, you know it’s gonna be SOLID GOLD. Enjoy, good sir.
Brendan I. Koerner // Jun 19, 2013 at 10:34 am
@marklondon: Thanks a mil for buying a copy in my beloved hometown. I’ll be at Book Soup on July 11th, in case you want to swing by and get it signed.
Brendan I. Koerner // Jun 19, 2013 at 10:35 am
@Michael E. Sievers: Seriously, my penmanship is atrocious, but I have the unique ability to decipher those seemingly abstract scribblings. Thanks for doubling down on THE SKIES–drop a line when you’re done, I’d love to hear your take.
Captured Shadow // Jun 19, 2013 at 4:56 pm
Congratulations on the publication.
Let me know if your promo tour brings you out to Oregon (home of 2 of the top 8 beer cities in the usa)
Brendan I. Koerner // Jun 19, 2013 at 8:00 pm
@Captured Shadow: Thank you, my man. A nice chunk of the book is set in Coos Bay, so I really should have scheduled at least a Portland visit. But touring funds were limited, so I had to settle for San Francisco and Los Angeles, at least for the summer. Maybe in September, though–will keep you posted.
Sam // Jun 25, 2013 at 10:22 am
Looks like an excellent read, I can’t wait to go through it. Let me know if your tour comes through Atlanta.
I am also to see if you have any other projects on your corkboard.
Brendan I. Koerner // Jun 25, 2013 at 11:10 am
@Sam: I’ll actually be in Atlanta on July 18th, and would be delighted if you could swing by. Details here:
http://atlantaplanit.com/events/event.php?eid=52435
Matt // Jun 25, 2013 at 12:23 pm
Read the CNN article and just popped out of work and ordered a copy from my local bookstore here in Philly. Should be in on Thursday and will be reading it this weekend on the beach. Looks awesome.
Brendan I. Koerner // Jun 25, 2013 at 3:11 pm
@Matt: Thanks a mil for supporting THE SKIES and, perhaps more important, your local bookstore. Hope the tale makes your beach time that much more pleasant.
Kathleen Murray-Moran // Jul 8, 2013 at 6:00 pm
Your book is proof that a hijacking in the 70s is still a riveting read. I’ve written a book, After The Bomb Explodes, which is agented but has not yet been picked up, about the hijacking on 9/11/76, when a bomb left in Grand Central Station exploded and killed my husband, a member of the NYPD bomb squad. Can’t wait to read your book, which I will include in my proposal. Can you tell me who your agent is? Thanks. Kathleen
Brendan I. Koerner // Jul 9, 2013 at 7:57 pm
@Kathleen Murray-Moran: Thank you, and please contact me via email if you’d like to discuss your project: brendan AT microkhan DOT com
Steve Esposito // Sep 23, 2013 at 6:38 pm
Just shot you an email, loving your book! Will write a review when finished and submit to The Freeman, but no telling if they will run it. At the “worst” it will be on Amazon and my personal blog.
I can only hope that the book on a terrorist bank bomber from the same era reads as smooth as yours.
V/r,
Steve