Andy Weir will explain how he fell into a print deal as the guest speaker for the California Writers Club Tri-Valley Branch on Saturday, May 16, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. at the Four Points by Sheraton, 5115 Hopyard, Pleasanton.
Andy Weir was first hired as a programmer for a national laboratory at age fifteen and has been working as a software engineer ever since. He is also a lifelong space nerd and a devoted hobbyist of subjects like relativistic physics, orbital mechanics, and the history of manned spaceflight. The Martian is his first novel. It was originally self-published in 2011 after which Crown Publishing purchased the rights and re-released it in 2014. A science fiction novel, the story follows an American astronaut, Mark Watney, as he becomes stranded alone on Mars and must improvise in order to survive. It has been described as an Apollo 13 meets Cast Away.
The Martian clinched first place from Indie Choices Book Awards 2015 for Adult Debut Book of the Year. He will receive the award May 28 at the BookExpo America in New York City, NY. Weir’s novel is a finalist in the International Thriller Writers first novel category and the adult fiction category of independent bookstore owners who are members of the American Booksellers Association. The American Library Association recognized this novel with the Alex Award for the ten best adult books that appeal to teen audiences. The Martian, a film to be directed by Ridley Scott and starring Matt Damon, is scheduled for release in November 2015.
Andy compares himself to his story’s hero, Mark Watney, by saying he is on the same level of a smart-a**. “It was a really easy book to write; I just had him say what I would say. However, he’s smarter than I am and considerably more brave.” Find out more at andyweirauthor.com.