So at the end of the period, I’ll be coming off that experiment and resuming sales of the Ebook everywhere. To mark the occasion, I’m doing something I’ve never done — making the book free for a few days. If you ever wanted to try it but didn’t want to drop the $5, here’s your chance.

UPDATE: After 11,500 downloads, the promotion ended (a bit abruptly, I thought) around Noon mountain time today (2/27). Thanks to all the people that took Ravenwood to #8 in Free Kindle.

I got nothing. Believe me. If I had something, there’d be a post. If the book were available, you’d get a notice from my email list. You’d hear about it on twitter and probably Facebook. This resounding silence is, itself, the message. It’s what I got. Nada.

The situation is that Ridan still has Double Share. Robin left a comment on the last thread explaining where she’s been and what she’s been doing. She emailed me a couple of weeks ago but hasn’t sent me the edits yet. No, I’m not going to kick them to the curb because they’re late. I still believe we do better together than we can do individually and, as long as I believe that, the status will remain quo.

I am still working on the Ravenwood sequel — Zypheria’s Call — and I’m also adding the final act to a short story that I’ve had percolating for about five years now. It’s called “Divine Inspiration: A Blasphemy in Three Acts.” Highly speculative and some of you have heard parts of it. I’m just getting around to adding the last piece to my triptych.

So. That’s what I got.

I’m still planning on six books this year. I’ve got some other deals working including a “guest novella” for Scott Sigler’s GFL universe. There may be other news but the lawyers need to parse it before I can share it. (Yes, there are lawyers involved.)

In the meantime, did you know Deb Geary has a new book out? Great stuff. You should check it out.

Looking backwards for a moment, a year ago today I was worried that I’d need to find a job to keep the bills paid. This year, I’ve got a job–thanks to the thousands of people like you who’ve found my work. I need to get better and I need to get faster. My production in 2011 was limited to one podcast, two short stories, and a novella. We got Full Share released in May. I’m planning on six novel length works in 2012 along with a few shorter pieces. My new desk set up, a project schedule, and some grit should help. I also need to get better and more aware of the craft of story-telling. I’ll be taking a course in March and I’ve looked into getting some more formal training. I think the ‘school’ part of that will fall away but I’m looking forward to spending a week in Oregon with Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Dean Wesley Smith. That’s gonna be a blast.

Unfortunately, I don’t have the good news that you’re all waiting for. Double Share will not be out before Christmas as promised. Ridan has not yet returned the edits to me and I can’t imagine that–even if I got them back this morning–there’s time left for me to review almost 125k words, return them to Ridan, and leave time for them to review and publish. The only way we can make the deadline now is if Robin publishes the book without my seeing her edits. That’s something I suspect she will not do.

Yes, I know you’re disappointed. So am I. From a marketing perspective, all the momentum that the promotion of Quarter Share generated in November has almost disappeared. It’s not quite back to October levels, but it’s lost a lot of oomph. That means we’ll have to rebuild the franchise anew in 2012. At least there’s a solid base, even if a lot of people have given up on me. With any luck, the eventual release will spark enough interest to rebuild things.

Before you break out the torches and pitchforks–and to preempt the outcry–Ridan will finish out the Share books. As disappointing as this year has been in terms of their ability to meet production goals, I still like what they’ve managed to do with the books when we’ve gotten them released. In the short run, looking at things through the “I’m still waiting” lens, it’s hard to keep a big picture perspective. Looking at this strategically, the books will be in print for a long, long time. Getting them right is much more important than getting them now. The plan is to get the last three Share books released in the first quarter of 2012. Will we make it? I doubt it, but that’s the plan.

Also in my plans are another trilogy featuring Ishmael Wang, two more books in the Tanyth Fairport series, a Philip Carstairs novel, and at least two novella length works–one in Scott Sigler’s Galactic Football League universe and another story about Odin’s Outpost.

Speaking of Tanyth Fairport, I hired Kip Ayers to create a set of covers for the trilogy. I got the rough first draft of Zypheria’s Call–Tanyth’s book two–done in November and I’ve been pondering it ever since. I think I’ve found most of the flaws and I’ll be working to get those corrected and the book produced by the end of January. You can see the cover and keep track of other happenings in Tanyth’s world over on Lammas Wood.

Merry Christmas, joyous Yule, and a safe and prosperous New Year to one and all. Thank you, again, for adding so much to my life and I hope I can continue to add to yours in the months to come.

In case you missed it, my reading from BaltiCon 45 is up at the Balticon Podcast. In it, you’ll hear me read the story I did for JR Blackwell’s “Birthday Book” about Dr. Mercury.

If that’s not enough of my voice you can always catch my reading of “Blood Dauber” on StarShipSofa 206. There’s more in the wings there as soon as Tony gets it scheduled. Watch for my reading of Allen M. Steele’s “Observation Post.” It should show up fairly soon.

In other news …

The promised website overhaul hasn’t happened yet. It’s still rummaging around behind my eyes somewhere. It’ll get here.

Double Share has been pushed back again. Ridan will be trying to get it out before Christmas but those of you who are looking for it any day now, um, not so much. For what it’s worth, the three (yes, three) books ahead of it in line have been waiting for a year – longer in one case – for their turn in the chute and I fully support the decision that Ridan has made on this. It is disappointing, I know, and it has a significant financial effect on me as well, but that’s the price I pay for working with a publisher.

That’s one reason that I’ll be publishing Ravenwood myself. My goal is to have it out in time for Samhain, the pagan new year. You might know it as All Hallow’s Eve, or Halloween. The cover may not be as spiffy, and the layout will be my own, but I’ll be getting work out for you to read.

More to the point, Cape Grace is about to go into binge mode. I took a trip back to Maine last week to visit my sister and to smell Atlantic salt again. I’m rather excited to get this underway and to get it podcast for your enjoyment while we wait for Double Share to make its text debut.

Honestly, this has been a difficult year for me, and not for the reasons that so many of you have speculated about in the comments. Some stories are not mine to tell, so you’ll have to forgive me for not putting out spoilers on works that aren’t my own. I still have almost three months left to 2011, and that’s enough time to get my own little ship pointed in the correct direction and start building some momentum.

Let’s see if I can actually do it.

That is all. For now.

Best Speculative Fiction Story (Long Form)

* Novel-length stories containing elements of science fiction, fantasy or horror
* Story audio length (minus intro/promo) over 7 hours
* Uses only 1 or 2 people for the story presentation
* Work completed within the eligibility year and have not competed in a previous year
* Audio samples only, no video

It looks like I may have a chance to win a Parsec after all!

For reference, works completed between May 1, 2009, and April 30, 2010, are eligible for this year’s Parsec.

In my world, that’s two books — Captain’s Share (completed October 15, 2009 at something over 11 hours of audio), and Ravenwood (completed February , 2010 with more than 10 hours of audio). If they both make it to the finalist category, I’ll need to figure out which one to hold back. I made the mistake of competing against myself before and I think it was a strategic blunder.

Personally, I’m pleased to see these changes although I know that it puts some of my friends in an awkward spot. Well, we’ll see how it shakes out this year. I’ll still polish up my Susan Lucci Tiara for the ceremony.

While I’ve spent most of this month working on the second and third drafts of Ravenwood, it became increasingly clear to me that this world needed its own place to live. After at least a half an hour of thinking and wrangling ideas around, I decided to open a sister site for the stories of the Lammas Wood so that these very different tales can have room to grow unbounded by the coldness of the Deep Dark and the metal shells of solar clippers.

I’m looking forward to discovering this world with you, but rest assured that the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper is far from over.

Watch for Owner’s Share in the Spring and keep an eye open for news of a cellulose and ink variety in the next few days.

Safe voyage.

Coming soon January 4, 2010 to Podiobooks.com.

Tanyth Fairport makes one last pilgrimage in her quest to learn all she can about the herbs and medicinal plants of Aerony before settling down to write her magnum opus. When her trip is interrupted to help a small village, she learns that much of what she knows of the world may not be quite as it seems.

The mad month of November is winding down and the next book is on the horizon. This is NOT another science fiction novel set in the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper, but a Fantasy set in a whole new world. Stay tuned for adventure.

[UPDATE 11/28/09: At 113k words, the first draft is done. I'm probably gonna rest my brain pan and look for music for the podcast tomorrow, then start the second draft. Stay tuned.]

[UPDATE: 11/29/09: New cover art]

[UPDATE: 12/15/09: Second draft done. Release date set]