Fans of science fiction writer and pottymouthed blogger Chuck Wendig will be happy to hear that the author’s Blackbirds is being adapted for a TV series at Starz. Blackbirds tells the story of Miriam Black, a hitchhiker with the ability to see how a person will die by touching them. The books—which as of this writing include Blackbirds, Mockingbird, and The Cormorant—are violent and funny and marvelously plotted. When I read the first book, I jokingly described it as “That’s So Raven except with sex and swears and meth and lots of stabbings,” and I’m delighted at the news that it will be coming to TV. Now would probably be as good a time as any to pick up Blackbirds in book form.

Wendig himself is an interesting guy, providing something of a template for how to succeed as a writer in this brave new digital world. Like John Green and John Scalzi, Wendig’s success is partly due to untiring commitment to his personal web platform, which in Wendig’s case takes the form of his blog, Terribleminds, where he’s developed a signature voice that’s obscene and funny and smart and entirely Chuck Wendig. On the blog, he wades into issues of importance to writers and readers, like traditional vs. self-publishing, genre, and diversity, and he frequently hands over the keys to his platform to other writers who deserve the exposure. The guy also has some serious hustle, putting out tons of fantastic work through both traditional and self-pub channels. His published work includes fiction as well as books of advice for writers.

It’s awesome news—because Blackbirds is awesome, and so is Chuck.