You all deserve an apology and an update so … I’m sorry.
News
The news from here is that the Spring semester is almost over and Day Job issues are being resolved. I have a job for another year. It’s a new and exciting direction for a job that I’ve had for 10 years now, so it’s all good. What that means is that demands on my time should become less urgent, leaving room for writing once again.
My plan is to shelve Cape Grace for the moment and focus on finishing the Trader’s Tales. Captain’s Share is underway and the series will wrap at Owner’s Share. Look for Captain’s Share by the end of the summer and Owner’s by the end of the year. That will be the end of the Trader’s Tales for a while.
While You’re Waiting
While you’re waiting for me you might consider some of these other fine Podiobooks:
Joe Cottonwood’s Clear Heart. It’s about a bunch of carpenters. Sounds about as exciting as a book about a guy who makes coffee, probably, but I loved this one for the story, the production values, and Susan Walker’s reading.
Philippa Balantine’s Chasing the Bard. This delightful tale is based on the premise that William Shakespeare was really embued with bardic magic. This is a very nicely done production with some voices you might recognize from other places. (For those who are looking for a ‘Family Friendly’ listen, avoid the infamous Episode 13. It won’t interrupt the main story flow although it does add a great deal for characterization. Your call.)
Tee Morris’s Billibub Baddings and the Case of the Singing Sword. Mikey Spillane meets JRR Tolkien in this hillarious romp. Sounds off-beat – and it is – but a nice piece of work.
PG Holyfield’s Murder at Avedon Hill. This epic tale of murder and magic is finally wrapping up. By the time you get to the end, the last episode should be posted. It’s been two years in the making and it’s worth the wait.
Terry Fallis’s Best Laid Plans. A novel about Canadian politics? Oh, yes. Terry’s done a great job with this one. Funny, insightful, and well done.
Then there’s always Mur Lafferty, JC Hutchins, Scott Sigler. These are such well-known works, you’ve probably either listened or skipped them from your list, but if you haven’t considered them, please give them a chance.
Other Voices
You might also listen to me in other places. I’ve done some guest spots and interviews here and there:
J. Daniel Sawyer’s Predestination and Other Games of Chance: Antithesis Book I. This is a gritty and not at all safe for work, small children, or some adults. I play the part of Senator Bill Shelley.
Dead Robot’s Society. I was on there being silly with PG Holyfield and the rest of the gang. I had fun being a bit goofy, but there are some comments of questionable taste, so listen with caution.
Guild of the Cowry Catchers is Abigail Hilton’s upcoming release. It’s in production now, but I play the part of Gerard Holovar, the chief of police. I’m not sure where this story will go (I’m only into chapter 10 now and have NOT read ahead) but it’s shaping up to be a really interesting fantasy work. If you like the fantastical, you might like this one. You can get a feel for this universe in Abbie’s previous work, The Prophet of Panamindorah, Book I.
Thanks for hanging in there, Crew! I’ll try to do a better job of keeping you updated.
Nate, I just wanted to mention that I LOVE the trader’s tales, and I grinned every time I heard you on Predestination ( I assume you’ll continue Bill’s part for as long as Bill survives?)
I gotta tell you, I don’t know how you do it, but until Ish got to the Billy there was almost No real conflict, yet you kept me enraptured. I know I’m not alone on this, since you got a good chunk of gushing praise from Dan Sawyer, Pip Ballantine (and what a surprise to see her on the Billy, btw), and Chris Lester, Author of the Metamor City Podcast http://www.metamorcity.com/ FYI: Also not particularly Work-safe, but much less likely to get you fired than Predestination.
Looking forward to Captain’s Share, and VERY glad to hear that It will continue with Owner’s Share. Excellent series, Despite the spoiler-y titles. ;)
I can’t wait for Captain’s share to come out. :D
Fantastic news! About your job and about the upcoming book. Thanks for the links and summaries of other books.
Nate – Thanks for the update. It’s good to hear that your employment situation has stabilized and is looking interesting as well. You’re fortunate.
Looking forward to the next Trader’s Tale installments, but you have no need to apologize. We’ll all be here when you’re ready.
Let me just jump in here to decidedly second Theodore’s recommendation of the Metamor City podcast. Next to Nathan’s work, Chris Lester’s Making The Cut (which is only part of the goodness the Metamor City podcast has given us so far) is the only podiobook I keep on my iPod at all times, just in case I get stuck somewhere waiting. While it almost certainly won’t have you smiling all the time like the Share stories do, Making the Cut has some of the most interesting characters I’ve ever met anywhere (and that includes not only the dozens of podiobooks I’ve listened to, but also a library’s worth of dead tree books). I think part of the reason for this is that Chris Lester is a biologist, which gives the myriad of non-human and extra-human creatures his world is populated with just that little bit of extra credibility they need to truly draw you in.
Metamor City is a world in which magic and technology have truly evolved alongside each other, and it is populated by all sorts of magical and mythological beings, which makes this fantasy as much as it is science fiction. I started out a skeptic about it, because I’d never thought of myself as a ‘fantasy fan’ before, but I have to say, Making the Cut may just have changed my mind forever. So even if what you know about it now doesn’t excite you all that much, please go and have a listen!
Also, Nathan, re: your skipping over Cape Grace for now in favor of Captain’s Share: yay! No, actually: yay cubed!
I was never quite willing to admit this before, because I figured you writing Cape Grace was orders of magnitude better than you writing nothing at all, but secretly, I was really praying for you to just get Cape Grace over with already, so you could get started on the sequel to my beloved Ishmael’s story. Blame it on the fact that I don’t really want to know how Otto Krug became the sort of man who let his daughter be molested by a man who obviously wasn’t worth being her husband.
All that aside, I’m really glad for you that you’re not finding yourself without a job in this economy, and I wish you good luck with the new turn in your career you’re about to take!
My 2 cents worth:
Firstly I think that this is the best news I have heard all year. I am really happy the the day job is secure and that you will be able to write again. I was just listening to DS (again) and I think when Ish describes his reading binge he should have included “The excelent works of Nathan Lowel” in his list :)
Seconondly, I think we should not be so hard on Otto. Remember that Sarah’s mother dies giving birth to Sarah. I can imagine that for someone as “spiritual” as Otto that this can be a major blow for him and shake his beliefs to the core.
Ahh well I am sure we will find out one day.
Nate, are you going to post it one chapter at a time or the whole thing at once?
The first five episodes will go up at the same time with the initial release, and my habit is to put up 3 to 5 episodes at a time. Basically as soon as I get them done and into the queue. This requires some work on the part of the Podiobook staff so I try not to ask them to do something for me every day, which is why I bundle it up.
My goal is 10-14 days from the time of first release to final episode. (I learned my lesson in Full Share and I’ll NEVER do that again.)
Nathan is back. Good news, indeed! I’m glad real life has resolved so well.
Fellow fans, all the recommendations are solid, but let me encourage you to listen to Abbie Hilton’s Guild of the Cowry Catchers. I heard a clip, and it was very good – Nathan sounds like Nathan, and the part sounds full of possibilities and predicaments. Yum!
Thanks, Gail.
I’ve only heard bits and pieces but Abbie says I’m doing ok so … on with the show.
Reminds me! I owe her audio .. like *now*
Ack
Yay, new fiction from Nate! Boo, people praising my nemesis! Oh well.
7 days until I get to see Nate again. That makes me happy, even if Lester will be there. ;-)
This is gonna be fun, PG. I’m so looking forward to seeing the gang again.
Thanks for the plugs Nathan and Gail! Cowry Catchers is scheduled to launch on December 12. I want all of Book 1 finished and all of Book 2 recorded before I release anything. This is a little frustrating for my voice actors, I think – the opposite of instant gratification – but the podcast will come out consistently once I start releasing it. Nathan’s performance is much better than “OK.” lol Mr. Modesty.
Just a quiet note to let you know how very much I have enjoyed your first five audiobooks. I have listened to the entire series at least four or five times and never seem to tire of them. I compliment you not only on your writing creativity, but also on your skills in presenting the books so well in the audio format.
I’m very much looking forward to any new efforts which glide from under your pen (squeek out of from under the keyboard ? ).
I’m REALLY looking forward to Captain’s Share and Owner’s Share. I enjoyed the way the Horatio Hornblower novels tracked Horatio thru his career and I love the Ishmael Wong story just as much.
I hope you are having a great time at Balticon. :)
~claps~
i’ve been enjoying your work since the beginning!
please take your time and enjoy (if that’s possible) the writing process
one request … erm, is it possible to have more fully enfranchised female main characters in the next one? while i enjoyed the last story, i’m not sure i can handle another tale of potential sexual violence around every corner.
I’ll see what I can do, Cicely. :)
Ishmael will be older in the next one. That *should* be a stabilizing influence.
Nate, how’s the story coming along? I find that I really do miss Ish and the crew. I was so immersed in the Universe you created that I’m having withdrawls. Even listening to the series 3 times was not enough. I just finished Sigler’s Nocturnal for the 2nd time (I was one of the characters btw, AND I didn’t die!!). Moving on to his Contagious and hoping that will take me into Captains Share. If not , then it’s The Share series again. Hope all is going well with you.
Captain’s Share SHOULD be out this summer. How close to the end of August, I don’t know yet :)
Nathan, I’m so glad to hear about the day job and the soon-to-be Captain’s Share. The characters from the Golden Age seem so real, like friends I don’t see enough! Thanks…hang in there.
Great news about the continuing saga, same thoughts as others here – these are characters I have really missed. I love your writing and the way you voice brings them into being electrifying people. Can’t wait for more.
I know it’s repeating what many have said already, but I am so glad that your back on here, well and with things looking good, work, writing etc. Since finding quarter share (not long after you released half share) I’ve not been able to get enough. Whilst waiting for double share to be completed I must have listened to the others several times, a totally immersive and enjoyable experience. I have to say for a few months I was quite worried that you’d disappeared and I’d be left crying into my whisky bottles (I bottle whisky for a living) not knowing what happens next to Mr Wang or the full story of how Sarah Krugg came to be on the Lois McKendrick. SO what a relief when the urge to listen dulcet tones drew me back here and now I know there’s more to look forward to. All the best and I look forward with anticipation to all your future releases.
I started making coffee in the break-room at work today and glimpsed the bottle of white vinegar behind the tin of coffee. I got such vivid image of Messmate Ish cleaning out the coffee urns in Quarter Share that when I returned to my desk I pulled up my Trader Diary folder and loaded Quarter Share into my media player to start over listening to it… again. I hope you’re happy Mr. Lowell, I’ve listened to your books so many times that I can’t even do mundane tasks like making coffee anymore without being reminded of them.