Blockade Billy
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| Blockade Billy | |
|---|---|
 First edition cover |
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| Author(s) | Stephen King |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Sports fiction Suspense fiction |
| Publisher | Cemetery Dance |
| Publication date | April 20, 2010 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 112 |
| ISBN | 978-1587672286 |
| Preceded by | Under the Dome |
| Followed by | 11/22/63 |
Blockade Billy is a 2010 novella by Stephen King. It tells the story of William "Blockade Billy" Blakely, a fictional catcher who briefly played for the New Jersey Titans[1] during the 1957 season.[2] It took King two weeks to write it.[3] Stephen King had the following to say about the novella:
Contents |
[edit] Synopsis
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This section requires expansion. |
The publisher's description on the book's front inside cover reads:
He may have been the greatest player the game has ever seen, but today no one remembers his name. He was the first—and only—player to have his existence completely removed from the record books. Even his team is long forgotten, barely a footnote in the game's history.
Every effort was made to erase any evidence that William Blakely played professional baseball, and with good reason. Blockade Billy had a secret darker than any pill or injection that might cause a scandal in sports today. His secret was much, much worse.
[edit] Release
The book was published by Cemetery Dance on April 20, 2010 as a trade hardcover, timed to coincide with the opening of the 2010 MLB season.[6] It has cover art by Glen Orbik and interior artwork by Alex McVey.[7] First copies of the book will include William Blakely's baseball card.[4] Brian Freeman's Lonely Road Books will be releasing a deluxe signed edition of Blockade Billy in the summer of 2010.[8] On May 25, 2010, Simon & Schuster released the novella as an audiobook, as well as a trade edition hardcover, featuring a bonus short story, "Morality" (originally published in the July 2009 issue of Esquire).[9]
[edit] Editions
- Cemetery Dance Publications trade dustjacketed hardcover edition (April 20, 2010)
- 1st edition, 1st printing limited to 10,000 copies and comes shink wrapped with a William "Blockade Billy" Blakely baseball card. Optional slipcases from Cemetery Dance were available for a limited time at an additional fee[10][11]
- 2nd printing limited to 10,000 copies sent to libraries
- Scribner trade hardcover (May 25, 2010)
- Simon & Schuster audiobook and e-book (May 25, 2010)
- Also contains the bonus previously printed short story "Morality." Craig Wasson will be reading the audiobook version[12]
- Lonely Road Books (Summer, 2010)
- Signed Limited Edition - comes in a traycase and features new additional artwork from Alex McVey and Glen Orbik (the book will be signed by them too), a William "Blockade Billy" Blakely baseball card, and a signed Stephen King baseball card
- Signed Lettered Edition - comes in a hand-made custom box with all of the Limited Edition bonuses plus an original piece of artwork and an art portfolio[13]
[edit] References
- ^ "Blockade Billy by Stephen King". Cemeterydance.com. http://www.cemeterydance.com/blockadebilly/index.html. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
- ^ Sheehan, Bill (2010-04-21). "Book review: 'Blockade Billy' by Stephen King". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/20/AR2010042004357.html.
- ^ Sandomir, Richard (2010-06-20). "In ‘Blockade Billy,' King Mixes His Two Passions". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/21/sports/baseball/21king.html.
- ^ a b Cemetery Dance Publications. "Blockade Billy: Cemetery Dance Publications". Cemeterydance.com. http://www.cemeterydance.com/sh/king04.html. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
- ^ http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/lunch/archives/006358.php
- ^ "Stephen King Puts the Frights Into Baseball". http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=10247504.[dead link]
- ^ "Blockade Billy by Stephen King: About the Contributors". Cemeterydance.com. http://www.cemeterydance.com/blockadebilly/aboutcontributors.html. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
- ^ "Stephen King's Blockade Billy Sneaking Out April 20th; More Full Dark, No Stars Details". Dreadcentral.com. http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/36780/stephen-kings-blockade-billy-sneaking-out-april-20th-more-full-dark-no-stars-details. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
- ^ a b "Blockade Billy | Book by Stephen King - Simon & Schuster". Books.simonandschuster.com. http://books.simonandschuster.com/Blockade-Billy/Stephen-King/9781451608212. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
- ^ "Lilja's Library - The World of Stephen King [1996 - 2010]". Liljas-library.com. http://www.liljas-library.com/article.php?id=1977. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
- ^ Cemetery Dance Publications. "Cemetery Dance Publications". Cemeterydance.com. http://www.cemeterydance.com/page/CDP/PROD/x_bbslip. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
- ^ "Blockade Billy Audiobook on CD by Stephen King, Mare Winningham, Craig Wasson - Simon & Schuster". Books.simonandschuster.com. http://books.simonandschuster.com/Blockade-Billy/Stephen-King/9781442336582. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
- ^ "Blockade Billy by Stephen King". Lonely Road Books. http://www.lonelyroadbooks.com/books/blockadebilly/about.html. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
