Courtesy of the author

The cover of "The French Revolution" - click to see full-size

San Francisco author Matt Stewart’s debut novel “The French Revolution” is officially released today, on Bastille Day. The story is set here in the Bay Area, not France, but the journey this book has taken to publication has been truly revolutionary.

This is actually the novel’s second Bastille Day premiere. Stewart first released the book on July 14, 2009 via Twitter, at no more than 140 characters at a time. It was a stunt that got him national media exposure, and soon he had a deal to put the book in printed form from Soft Skull Press.

Don’t fret – the novel is not constrained by Twitter formats in the printed release. But the whole notion of communicating in such micro-bursts made me wonder if it was possible to conduct an interview with the author within Twitter restraints.

A Twitterview, so to speak.

Proving that he’s a good sport, Stewart agreed to give it a try… 

Courtesy photo

Author Matt Stewart

@scottjames: Your book is called The French Revolution, but it's #San Francisco, not #Paris. Got something against @MarieAntoinette?

@mjfstewart: Paris & SF r similar: gourmet food, love of protests, views. I know WAY more juicy details re: SF tho, so setting @thefrenchrev here won out 

@scottjames: We're doing this interview within Twitter format limits because that's how you first published the novel. The first novel tweeted, right?

@mjfstewart: When I put the novel on Twitter, a few others claimed to be 1st. I made the most noise - and now "own" the title & associated infamy

@scottjames: And that led to a book deal. People don’t realize how difficult it is to get a book published, esp a 1st novel. #understatement 

@mjfstewart: Really, years of working on the story was key to a book deal. That said, Twitter helped me stand out in a crowded, talented market.

@scottjames: Hmmmm... you must know that being a talented writer is no guarantee of publication. In fact, many awful books are published.

@mjfstewart: Luck is huge. But I believe in bending luck with hard work, discipline and metered zaniness. And don’t forget karma.

@scottjames: Don't you think it's interesting, tho, that the new ideas for publishing are not coming from NY publishers? Amazon, Apple, Scribd, you, etc 

@mjfstewart: Many older institutions strive to protect how they've always done it. Out here, our only tradition is constant innovation. I love it.

@scottjames: I've heard publishing is like the Titanic - except the iceberg is 10 miles away, everyone sees it, but the ship still hits it & sinks.

@mjfstewart: Then let's order more lifeboats, trick em out, and head for the Caymans. The publishing party's gonna get more defragmented - and fun.

@scottjames: In 140 characters or less, what’s the elevator pitch for The French Revolution?

@mjfstewart: San Francisco family saga loosely structured on the French Revolution. Funny, tragic, imaginative - with literary guillotines galore.

@scottjames: Wow. You made it with 7 characters to spare. What was the inspiration? Were you forced to read A Tale of 2 Cities 2 much in school?

@mjfstewart: Influences were Rushdie's THE GROUND BENEATH HER FEET, a thrillingly written allegory, & A CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES -imagination overload!

@mjfstewart: Also - yes - I read Tale of 2 Cities in HS & loved it. The actual French Revolution is loaded w/ juicy drama – makes for a helluva tale

@scottjames: I think you might get a little flack for your descriptions of the morbidly obese. Do you have a hidden cruel streak?

@mjfstewart: I've struggled with weight my whole life & tried to describe that battle colorfully. Also, it’s a metaphor for the historical French Rev

@scottjames: In this PC world: male author + fat jokes (re: woman) = trouble. Is this a novel for guys? It feels very guy-to-guy.

@mjfstewart: I tried to make this book a good read, period. Obesity thread is 1 of many-I also tangle w/ foodies, politicos, music biz, druggies, etc. 

@scottjames: What are you hoping readers will feel after reading your novel? 

@mjfstewart: A surge in revolutionary zeal. And that the book’s worth passing on to a friend.

@scottjames: You're launching the novel, appropriately enough, on Bastille Day. Should we expect beheadings? Cake?

@mjfstewart: I'm releasing a free French Rev #iPhone app for readers to zap any page w/ camera & load bonus content (videos, etc)-think "clickable paper"

@scottjames: More literary inventions?! Other authors are going to be jealous.

@mjfstewart: Viva la revolution!