No, I’m not going to prank you. I’m just getting my feet under me from last week and that’s how I feel.
For those that don’t follow my daily walk, I spent last week (Mar 24-Apr 1) in Lincoln City, OR, at a writer’s workshop on Character Voice and Setting run by Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch.
Yikes. Major brain strain and HUGE feeling of accomplishment coming out on this side. All you people will reap the benefit from that with the new writing that’ll be coming out over the next few weeks.
Ridan surfaced right after my last post — but has since disappeared again. I’m fairly confident things will be getting back on track this month.
There are some things that I probably need to make clear.
1. I can’t tell you everything I know.
2. I don’t threaten.
While I appreciate that many of you are frustrated by the situation, ultimately it’s a business decision that I’m constantly evaluating. The books will be available for decades after they get through the pipeline. They’ll have the opportunity to find hundreds of thousands of new fans over the next half century or so. They’re going to be around for a long time. This situation is temporary.
So.
Looking forward, there will be new work coming out this month. I’m not sure exactly what because my gray matter is still recovering from the rotor-rootering I got in Lincoln City last week. I can tell you my writing has improved by at least an order of magnitude. Just seeing the difference between what I wrote the week before I went compared to what I’ve written since I got back has proven that to me. It will be reflected in the Ravenwood sequel even though that means it’ll probably be delayed.
There’s a space opera short going into the Galileo Games anthology Have Blaster, Will Travel. You can learn more about that at their Kickstarter page. If you want to contribute to that, it’ll help out (and for a buck they’ll send you my story).
Oh, sorry about the comments. I logged in tonight to a mess of moderation that I’ve neglected. I think there were only two spammers in there, but the rest of them are now released. I didn’t realize how many had built up.
That’s about it for now. I need to get some words herded.
In addition to liking your books and your narration, I very much appreciate your positive and professional tone. Even faced with a frustrating situation, you’ve kept a calm, pleasant public face. Thank you for the good example :)
“I need to get some words herded.”
Herding words…I like that. Git along little wordies!
You sound really jazzed and very clear on moving forward. Makes me glad for you.
Be well.
“Word herder” is actually a JC Hutchins saying. It’s one of his user handles somewhere.
:)
Great to hear things are progressing with your writing. I look forward to future projects and patiently await the release of the rest of the Hard Covers of the Share books. However you go I will follow. Keep up the great work. :)
I hope you don’t change your writing too much. I liked it the way it was. Including the Character Voice.
Have you ever come to the Jackson Hole Writers’ Conference? Unfortunately, my vacation will be spent on a sailboat in the San Juan islands, so I will miss this year’s session featuring Anita Daimant (sp?)–Red Tent. If you would attend NEXT summer (2013) I might be consoled. I have never been, but have been fantisizing about it for years. One of our local reporters from the Helena Independent Record did a story about his attendance, describing it as very worthwhile. I just have to make sure my daughter gets married in August (not June) next year. :)
Thanks, Betsy. They’ll still be my stories .. just richer, I think. :)
And Sandy, I haven’t done the Jackson Hole conference. Maybe I should. Wyoming’s just next door. :)
My thoughts exactly–but NEXT year, so I can take a workshop from you!!
Good luck! I’d gladly pay $1 (or more!) for more Nathan Lowell.
I also would love to take a writing workshop taught by Nathan. I have always wanted to write Science Fiction, wrote my first great novel while in middle school, one where we had to meet an alien invasion by converting, WW II ships into space ships, with more modern submarines being “stealth” ships. But I failed miserably at it. Isn’t even readable by my adult self. I have done pretty well writing non-fiction articles for magazines, newspapers, and etc. in areas where I have some expertise. But just never had much ability in fiction. Who knows, with the right direction, and workshops, maybe I could write Sci-Fi.
I yearn, *yearn* for the Double Share ebook! I served in the Navy, and the Share books have carved out a special place in my heart for how they let me reminisce.
But as I languish, I couldn’t help but take some amusement from one of Sandy’s delightful lines:
“Unfortunately, my vacation will be spent on a sailboat in the San Juan islands…”
Ah, the vexations of life. :>
Loved all of the Solar Trader books I’ve been able to get my hands on, and I’m waiting eagerly to find out how long it’ll be before I can dive into the rest. Beautiful, well paced writing with a solid, down-to-earth feel to it that makes it seem like something that could happen right now to people we know. Definitely a great example of a well thought out story. Nathan is one of my current favorite authors, and I’ll continue coming back to find out what he’s bringing out next.
If you’re becoming an order of magnitude better, then Tee Morris and Pip Ballantine are really going to hate you :) And that’s a good thing, as it pushes their writing onwards.
On their podcasts on http://www.theshareddesk.com/ they keep saying they hate you, but also that they’ve got to get you on as a guest. I hope you’ll be appearing thereon sometime soon.
Growth in an artist is always welcome…..in new ventures. I just finished Ravenwood… so delightful. A well told tale for all readers of all ages.
Patience is a key attribute in your story lines, and also in our quest to read more stories. Is there an unconscious Jungian subtext to all this? We’ll just wait and see.
Da Bear
Hi, I continue to check in every once in a while to see if the rest of Solar Clipper is available. (sigh) It’s great that you’re so patient with Ridan–their lack of professionalism hasn’t cost you yours; but really, Captain, you ought to consider moving on.
The thing is, I’ll still buy the rest of the Solar Clipper whether it’s Ridan or not, but I won’t buy anything else you (or any other author) publishes through them, they’ve dropped the ball so consistently.
Granted one has to wait for an author to write a new book in a series (I hate waiting) like Heinz ketchup, the anticipation is sauce. But when the books have been written, and it’s neglect by the editor/publisher, well that’s just plain annoying (in this case, really, really, annoying).
‘luck.
Yes, the delay on Solar Clipper is incredibly annoying.
At this point, I’d even take an unproofed transcription just to read the rest of the story.
Nice article about Scott Sigler at Yahoo.
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/scott-sigler-used-free-media-become-best-selling-170005749.html
As I pointed out last month, there’s really nothing to worry about. Ridan’s webpage clearly states they’re still on track to get Double Share out by Xmas 2011.
http://ridanpublishing.com/other_share.html
Wow. Dropped by to see if anything had changed. Nope. Pity.
You do realize, Nate, that Tee and Pip have managed to get a novel written and published through traditional means (Harper, no less) in the time it’s taken Ridan to do… Nothing, except tick off your fan base?
Sure hope your cryptic messages about the end of April are suggestions that things will soon break free.
I waited a while hoping to see any new updates re: Ridan-Double Share situation, and I’m disappointed to see that nothing new has occurred.
If the reason for the delay by the publisher is due to health, I want to share some personal observations. I have one customer who had brain surgery. She was a food critic for a national newspaper. After the surgery, she was forced to retire because she had constant tremors, and could not sit and write.
A second customer had a stroke, and then suffered a second stroke. Her left limbs are like wood, and move stiffly. She also had to retire.
My point is that if Ridan is delaying your work for health reasons, there is a possibility that they would never be able to finish the edits and publish your work.
Your loyalty to Ridan is admirable, if not foolish, but ultimately you need to set a deadline (whether you disclose it or not) as to how much longer you will allow your transcript of Double Share to sit on a desk somewhere, collecting dust.
Just finished reading the series through Full Share. I’ll be looking forward to more in the series when it comes out on ebook! Sadly audio books aren’t an option for me, as I am hearing handicapped.
*Sigh*!!! I really want to pay you for the work you’ve done and the entertainment you’ve brought to me. Perhaps I’ll find another way. :-)
@Shirley – You can always use the Pay Author button over on Podiobooks.com!
http://www.podiobooks.com/title/quarter-share