Solar Clipper Diary

News from the Golden Age

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Happy Holidays

On Tuesday, Evo Terra contacted me about a scheduling mix up with Podiobooks releases and offered the opportunity to give all of my fans a bit of an early Christmas present. I’ve been recording like mad and teasing everybody with how many episodes I’ve gotten done ever since.

The title went live last night with five episodes, almost three hours worth of holiday cheer. It’ll be up on iTunes as soon as the feed clears Apple approval. I’ll get it added to my master feed as soon as I remember how to do it.

I wish you all a happy holiday season and safe and prosperous new year.

NL

Half Share

Well, we’re two months late, but Half Share is up in Kindle format. The paperback will be along as soon as it falls out of the pipeline on the Amazon end.

We’ve already started on Full Share in order to get back on our production target of April, 2011, and might even manage to get Ravenwood in over the summer.

A lot of people have asked for a “pre order link” or some such thing but our choice not to do that was actually deliberate, not an oversight. I don’t want my books listed until they’re actually available. If you can see them, then you can buy them. It’s probably bad business and might cost me some sales, but the books will be available for a long time. Sorry for any inconvenience that causes people, but I want to make sure we’re not publishing vapor-text.

Given how long it took me to get my act together on this one, that’s probably a good thing.

Sneak Peek?

Is it a “peek” if you’re listening? Is there some other term?

Update: We have a Podiobook release date: noonish on January 10, 2011.

Owner’s Share


A Trader’s Tale from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper : Book Six

When Diurnia Salvage and Transport undergoes a change in management, Captain Ishmael Horatio Wang finds himself adrift in a sea of red ink, and intrigue. He dives in only to find that he is over his head in a universe where cut-throat competition takes on an all new meaning.

What price will he pay for his Owner’s Share?



I’ve started recording. It’ll be 30 episodes total and I have no idea how long it will take. It’s a lot of words!

I need music!

I’ve permission from Tom Joad to use Larry O’Gaff

I’ve used the fiddle music of J. F. Archer before and rather fancy this Anchorachan Strathspey for Owner’s Share. He also has Garrison’s Frolic, which is a sailor’s tune from the early 1800s. Mr. Archer has a rather substantial collection at the Internet Archive. Is there one you like better than these?

I’m also listening to a whole bunch of other stuff, like this collection from Xerfa and AlionSonny.

Keep in mind that I have some rather inflexible requirements for my music. The intro must not be longer than 20 seconds — 15 is better — and I’ll probably only use the first 30 seconds and the last 60 seconds of anything I pick. That’s how long my intro and outro runs. Ideally the piece ends with a nice bump and not a slow fade, but that’s negotiable.

Have suggestions? Leave me a link in the comments.

December? What?

Oh mercy! When did it get to be December? About ten days ago by the calendar but my body says it’s really November 41st.

Or something.

State of the Onion:
> Half Share is still in layout. I still haven’t seen the galley. The cover art has been out for awhile and I’m watching the mail for my copy. I’ll let everybody know when I see it. Yes, unlike NY publishers, we’ll be releasing e- and paper at the same time and as soon as possible. The limited edition hardcovers may lag a bit but they’ll be along.

> Owner’s Share has had a full revision finally. I didn’t get to 150k but it’s a lot shorter than 220k and I think it’s a lot tighter. I’ve started looking for music and the production recording will begin as soon as I have a quiet house now that the Lung Crud is releasing its grip on my chest.

> I think there are still a few of the commemorative coffee mugs left and if you’re looking for some other Golden Age swag, try the Cafe Press Store. (I really need to get some new designs up there, I think.)

> The StarShipSofa episode with my first narration for them – a Tad Williams short called “The Tenth Muse” – and it even has a lil interview with me conducted by Tony C. Smith himself. There should be another story coming along soon.

> I need to get back on my feet and walking. I miss the exercise. Watch for #tommw starting again soon if you follow me on twitter. That’s “Tweeting On My Morning Walk” for those who didn’t catch it the first time around.

Safe voyage and a happy holiday season to one and all.

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