Read George R.R. Martin - [Wild Cards 18] for Free Online

salt-of-the-earth, blue-collar types, there’s Todd. A lifelong construction worker, Todd can create temporary girders with his mind. I’m not sure how he’s going to play on the tube, since I haven’t heard him speak a single sentence yet that was fit for broadcast. Anyone who thinks of the network as “a damn friendly bunch of cocksuckers” is okay by me. (Hey, Kenny, can we say “cocksuckers” on the Internet?)
    Gardener—aka Jerusha Carter. She plants things. They grow. Gardener, get it?
    And, of course, myself.
    Now for the predictions:
    First one out is going to be Gardener. Be serious.
    “Stop, foul villain, or I shall carpet your lawn with giant daffodils!” How useful is that?
    Drummer Boy is also going to be out within the first round or two. The guy’s a rock star. One little thing to tweak his ego, and he’s outta here.
    And for evil team dynamics, keep your eye on Earth Witch versus Curveball. Earth Witch isn’t the kind of girl that gets asked out to the dance, and Curveball… well, like the poet said, everyone has a secret hatred for the prettiest girl in the room.
    There’s gonna be blood. Count on it.
    80 COMMENTS | POST COMMENT
FROM THE DESK OF
REBECCA LIEBERMAN
    from: Becca
    to: Michael Berman
    re:
American Hero
promo copy
    Hey, Mike.
    Here’s the promotional copy and head shots for the
American Hero
print campaign, for your approval. Please get your tweaks and changes back to me by the 17th. Thanks. (There’s two head shots for Tiffani, you’ll notice, one normal and one where she’s gone diamond. Let me know which one you want to use. Oh, and Alan wants to tint Toad Man green in his head shot, though it’s my understanding that he’s only green as a toad. What do you say?)
    There will be four broadsheets, one for each team. We’ll be slapping them on buses in the top twenty media markets, as well as the El in Chicago, the NYC subway, and most major airports. We’ll also be using them as full-page ads in
People, Us, Entertainment Weekly, Daily Variety, Hollywood Reporter, Aces, TV Guide, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, Parade
, and assorted Sunday supplements. If Drummer Boy survives the first few cuts and makes a good run, I might be able to get him the cover of
Rolling Stone
as well.
    We’re also planning a major giveaway of promotional T-shirts the week that
AH
premieres. Each shirt will have the picture of a contestant on the front, with the team slogan and emblem on the back. The idea is one to a customer, so we can track the demand and get a better idea which contestants are most popular. And the deal with Burger King’s about to close, so we’ll also have a line of special promotional cups. Be the first kid on your block to collect all twenty-eight. We’ll be tracking those, too.
    Plus, we’re lining up some regional media in the home markets of each contestant—print features, local television, etc. When the time is right,
Maxim
and
Playboy
have both expressed interest in doing photo spreads on some of our female contestants.
Maxim
has Jade Blossom at the top of their list, but Hefwants Curveball. Must be that whole girl-next-door thing. Maybe you could have Peregrine talk to her.
Playboy
worked for Peri once upon a time. I think my father still has the centerfold hanging in the garage. (No one seems to want Toad Man or Holy Roller to take off their clothes, can’t think why.) So, take a look and shoot these back to me ASAP.
    luv,
Becca

    HELP IS WHERE THE HEARTS ARE.
    ANA delves deep. Stone and soil, clay and sand, they’re all putty in her hands. She’s the
    EARTH WITCH!
    Ana Cortez
    Las Vegas, New Mexico
    KATE’s the all-American girl with the all-American arm. She’ll zip it past you or throw it through you. Nobody can hit
    CURVEBALL!
    Kathleen Brandt
    Portland, Oregon
    MIKE’s large, he’s loud, he’s pierced, he has six arms and attitude to spare. He’ll rock you and he’ll roll you. Let’s hear it for
    DRUMMER BOY!
    Michael Vogali
    On Tour, the World
    Keep