Fans of Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor's horror podcast have two reasons to celebrate this month. The Welcome to Night Vale book coming out on October 20, and the fandom's pre-orders have skyrocketed Welcome to Night Vale: A Novel to bestseller status. Yes, listeners, it's possible that we are all alone in the universe, but at least we'll have something chilling to read before Halloween.
The Welcome to Night Vale podcast first aired in June 2012, and writers Fink and Cranor continue to put out two new episodes each month. Cecil Baldwin — the voice of Night Vale Community Radio host Cecil Palmer — is the series' only regular voice actor, leading listeners through the fictional town's local news stories.
Being a low-budget indie hasn't limited Welcome to Night Vale's success. The series regularly tops podcast recommendations and rankings lists, thanks to its thousands of downloads and cult-like appeal. Fans have been drawn in by Night Vale's narrative stylings, which frequently garner comparisons to both Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon and Lovecraftian horror. In March, when Welcome to Night Vale: A Novel hit retailers for pre-order, fans clamoring for their copies pushed the book to the #2 spot on Amazon's Book Best Seller list.
If you aren't already familiar with the series, there's no reason to panic. Welcome to Night Vale: A Novel is designed to be accessible to readers who have never listened to the podcast. There will, of course, be in-jokes and references a-plenty for devotees. But the all-new stories, featuring characters Diane Crayton and Jackie Fierro, won't leave newcomers foundering in the Night Vale sea.
You can still pre-order Welcome to Night Vale: A Novel from your favorite retailer. The book hits store shelves on October 20, and Fink and Cranor will kick off a 21-date book tour on October 21. Some locations — like, ahem, Chapel Hill — are already sold out, so get your tickets while you can.
And now, the weather.
