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What a week!  The past few days have been the reward that all writers work toward.

I spend a lot of time alone in a room with a laptop listening to the voices in my head.  Ha.  That's right.  Be afraid!  ;)

Now all of a sudden the December titles are real, actual books in real, actual stores -- and I'm out there, too, meeting new fans and old friends.  The process itself is long and slow.  That's not to say the work isn't enjoyable.  For me, writing is like playing both sides of a gigantic, involving, multi-level chess game.  I'm the good guys.  I'm the bad guys.  But the manuscript unfolds in increments over most of a year, followed by weeks of editing and rewrites and page proofs.  Every book is a marathon.

The funny part is that if you met me, you might be surprised to find that I'm a very normal, happy, boring family guy.  I've written this dark trilogy of sci fi thrillers because once you accept the premise of the books, that the only safe places on Earth are above 10,000 feet, things get tense in a hurry.  There's no way to write a Mary Poppins version of the end of the world, not if you're honest, and it was important to me to give the series as much reality as I could summon.    

I've spent a lot of time with these characters, admiring their grit and strength and loyalty to each other.  So I was excited but also a bit sad to wrap up the story with Plague Zone.

At the same time, there's the feeling that at last the fun begins!  A book never takes its first breath until it's in stores -- and look at this gorgeous tower in Barnes & Noble.  I grew up as a serious bookworm, so it's a heady feeling indeed to see my work racked on the front-of-store displays nationwide.

My publisher also put together a nice author event at my local Borders.  Despite the Thanksgiving holiday, we had a good crowd of twenty people, including some fans who'd driven an hour to meet me and talk about the books (and to get free cookies and coffee; Borders takes care of you!).

Much farther away in Portland, Oregon, a superfan staged an event of his own.  This photo was sent to me by Brian C., who stalked his local Powell's the night before Plague Zone's release in a full hazmat suit.  How crazy and awesome is that!!!

"Cam Najarro is my personal Harry Potter," Brian emailed me, referring to one of the heroes in the books, "so I came armored in goggles, respirator, and gloves.  How else would anyone be safe from the nanopocalypse?"

Brian reports that he was neither tased by the police nor dragged away screaming.  In fact, the Powell's staff calmly informed him that Zone was in stock and he went home happy.

Me, too.

It's deeply gratifying to strike a chord with so many people all over the world.  Isn't it amazing what you can accomplish sitting alone in a room with a laptop?

For more from Jeff Carlson, check out our feature on Plague War. Or visit his website for excerpts, contests and more.