A Draft Declared! and other news of note

Last night, I finished the Good Enough Draft of Salvage Right (the 25th novel in the Liaden Universe®, built and maintained by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, publishing since! 1988, with a brief hiatus because Big Publishing), which presently weighs in at +/- 106,000 words.

Am I going to leap Right Into revision? you ask.

I am not.  I have done, and doubtless with do again, but this time? The book is due to Madame in June.  Which means I have the Incredible Luxury of taking two weeks off to rest my brain and Think About Other Things before I leap into Revisionland.

Why does my brain need rest? Aren’t I a writer?  Isn’t Making Stuff Up(tm) What I Do?

My brain needs rest because writing is hard.  One definition of Writer is “someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people;” I am definitely a writer.  And while Making Stuff Up is cool, then you have to Keep Track of It.

Tinsori Light has been eating my brain since — checks notes — November 15, 2021.  Six months of riot, bedlam, and derring-do.  Jeez, no wonder I’m tired.

But most of it’s on the page now, and my head feels weirdly empty, as it does when a long project is complete.

So, today, instead of choosing faces, or leaping into the fray with Jen Sin, I will be doing housework, and hope to make a good start clearing six month’s worth of Chore IOUs.

In other news — I did promise other news — Steve is simultaneously working on a commissioned short story and the next Jethri novel — Trade Lanes.

We will be attending the ChiCon 8, the World Science Fiction Convention to be held in Chicago September 1-5. We have purchased train tickets and reserved a hotel room. No word yet on if either of us has been chosen for panels. Be sure that we’ll publish our schedule in All The Usual Places, once we have one.  Yes, we are hoping to host a Friends of Liad breakfast.  More news on that front as we have it, as well.

Fair Trade, which came out in hardcover and ebook* just last Monday, continues to do well.  If you’ve read the book, please consider posting a review in the venue of your choice.  Reviews not only drive the Algorithm Engines at the Big Stores, but they also help other readers make Important Buying Decisions.

And here we are, all caught up.

Now I need to clean the bathroom.

_____________
*Nope — no word on an audiobook.  The person at Baen who is responsible for this aspect of things is reportedly “working on it.”

 

 

Books read in 2022

25  A Lady Awakened, Cecelia Grant (Blackshear Family #1) (e)
24  Nettle and Bone, T. Kingfisher (e)
23  Shadow of the Swan, Nicola M. Cameron (Hidden Empire #1) (e)
22  Amongst Our Weapons, Ben Aaronovitch (Rivers of London #9) (e)
21  To My Muse, Nicola M. Cameron (e)
20  Unfit to Print, KJ Charles (e)
19  When Blood Lies, C.S. Harris (Sebastian St. Cyr #17)
18  The Last Revival of Opal and Nev, Dawnie Walton (e)
17  Bruno, Chief of Police: A Mystery of the French Countryside, Martin Walker (Bruno, Chief of Police #1) (e)
16  Spellswept, Stephanie Burgis (The Harwood Spellbook #2) (e)
15  Last Guard, Nalini Singh (Psy-Changeling Trinity #5) (re-read aloud w/Steve)
14  Dragonsbane, Barbara Hambly (Winterlands #1) (e)
13  Naked Once More, Elizabeth Peters (Jacqueline Kirby #4) (e)
12  The Pride of Chanur, CJ Cherryh (Chanur #1) (e) (re-read)
11  Written in Red, Anne Bishop (The Others #1)(re-read)
10  Shadow Scale, Rachel Hartman (Seraphina #2) (e)
9   Seraphina, Rachel Hartman (Seraphina #1) (e)
8   Grave Reservations, Cherie Priest (Booking Agents Series #1) (e)
7   Gothel and the Maiden Prince, W.R. Gingell (e)
6   A Gathering of Gargoyles, Meredith Ann Pierce (Darkangel #2)
5   Crystal Lattice, Paul Aurelius (The Crystal Cities #1) (pre-pub provided by the author) (e)
4   The 5th Gender, G.L. Carriger (A Tinkered Stars Mystery) (e)
3   Magic Lessons, Alice Hoffman (Practical Magic #1 or #3, depending) (e)
2   Snowspelled, Stephanie Burgis (The Harwood Spellbook #1) (e)
1   Widdershins, Jordan L. Hawk (Whyborn and Griffin #1) (e)

Disambiguation Post!

The next Jethri novel will not — that is NOT — be published “this fall.” The next Jethri novel — Trade Lanes — is due on Madame’s desk this fall. This is a very different thing.

This is what the Lee and Miller Writing Schedule looks like:
Salvage Right:  due on Madame’s desk June 2022
Trade Lanes:  due on Madame’s desk September 2022
Untitled Liaden/Redlands book:  due on Madame’s desk June 2023

This is what the Lee and Miller Publication Schedule looks like:
Scout’s Progress anniversary reprint: March 2023
Salvage Right: Summer 2023
Trade Lanes: Fall 2023

Note the progression: First, we turn the book in. Then, Madame and her team work their magic. Then, the book is published.

Thank you for your attention to this process.

Books read in 2022

24  Nettle and Bone, T. Kingfisher (e)
23  Shadow of the Swan, Nicola M. Cameron (Hidden Empire #1) (e)
22  Amongst Our Weapons, Ben Aaronovitch (Rivers of London #9) (e)
21  To My Muse, Nicola M. Cameron (e)
20  Unfit to Print, KJ Charles (e)
19  When Blood Lies, C.S. Harris (Sebastian St. Cyr #17)
18  The Last Revival of Opal and Nev, Dawnie Walton (e)
17  Bruno, Chief of Police: A Mystery of the French Countryside, Martin Walker (Bruno, Chief of Police #1) (e)
16  Spellswept, Stephanie Burgis (The Harwood Spellbook #2) (e)
15  Last Guard, Nalini Singh (Psy-Changeling Trinity #5) (re-read aloud w/Steve)
14  Dragonsbane, Barbara Hambly (Winterlands #1) (e)
13  Naked Once More, Elizabeth Peters (Jacqueline Kirby #4) (e)
12  The Pride of Chanur, CJ Cherryh (Chanur #1) (e) (re-read)
11  Written in Red, Anne Bishop (The Others #1)(re-read)
10  Shadow Scale, Rachel Hartman (Seraphina #2) (e)
9   Seraphina, Rachel Hartman (Seraphina #1) (e)
8   Grave Reservations, Cherie Priest (Booking Agents Series #1) (e)
7   Gothel and the Maiden Prince, W.R. Gingell (e)
6   A Gathering of Gargoyles, Meredith Ann Pierce (Darkangel #2)
5   Crystal Lattice, Paul Aurelius (The Crystal Cities #1) (pre-pub provided by the author) (e)
4   The 5th Gender, G.L. Carriger (A Tinkered Stars Mystery) (e)
3   Magic Lessons, Alice Hoffman (Practical Magic #1 or #3, depending) (e)
2   Snowspelled, Stephanie Burgis (The Harwood Spellbook #1) (e)
1   Widdershins, Jordan L. Hawk (Whyborn and Griffin #1) (e)

Books read in 2022

23  Shadow of the Swan, Nicola M. Cameron (Hidden Empire #1) (e)
22  Amongst Our Weapons, Ben Aaronovitch (Rivers of London #9) (e)
21  To My Muse, Nicola M. Cameron (e)
20  Unfit to Print, KJ Charles (e)
19  When Blood Lies, C.S. Harris (Sebastian St. Cyr #17)
18  The Last Revival of Opal and Nev, Dawnie Walton (e)
17  Bruno, Chief of Police: A Mystery of the French Countryside, Martin Walker (Bruno, Chief of Police #1) (e)
16  Spellswept, Stephanie Burgis (The Harwood Spellbook #2) (e)
15  Last Guard, Nalini Singh (Psy-Changeling Trinity #5) (re-read aloud w/Steve)
14  Dragonsbane, Barbara Hambly (Winterlands #1) (e)
13  Naked Once More, Elizabeth Peters (Jacqueline Kirby #4) (e)
12  The Pride of Chanur, CJ Cherryh (Chanur #1) (e) (re-read)
11  Written in Red, Anne Bishop (The Others #1)(re-read)
10  Shadow Scale, Rachel Hartman (Seraphina #2) (e)
9   Seraphina, Rachel Hartman (Seraphina #1) (e)
8   Grave Reservations, Cherie Priest (Booking Agents Series #1) (e)
7   Gothel and the Maiden Prince, W.R. Gingell (e)
6   A Gathering of Gargoyles, Meredith Ann Pierce (Darkangel #2)
5   Crystal Lattice, Paul Aurelius (The Crystal Cities #1) (pre-pub provided by the author) (e)
4   The 5th Gender, G.L. Carriger (A Tinkered Stars Mystery) (e)
3   Magic Lessons, Alice Hoffman (Practical Magic #1 or #3, depending) (e)
2   Snowspelled, Stephanie Burgis (The Harwood Spellbook #1) (e)
1   Widdershins, Jordan L. Hawk (Whyborn and Griffin #1) (e)

Procrastinators take note!

In six days (US), it will be May 3.

Why do you care?

Because on that day, Fair Trade by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, the 24th novel set in their Liaden Universe®, will be published!

You are encouraged to take any — or all! — of the following actions before May 3.

1   Preorder the ebook from the vendor of your choice, and start May 3 with that little happy thrill you get when you see a new book has downloaded to your ereader.

2   Preorder a signed hardcover from Uncle Hugo’s.

3   Preorder a hardcover from the bookstore of your choice.

4   Block out time to read Fair Trade, and make sure there’s plenty of food in the fridge, favorite beverages and snacks on-hand, because once you start reading, you won’t want to stop.

Fair Trader cover art by David Mattingly

 

That was the week that was

When last we heard from Yr Hmbl Narrator, she was looking forward to eight glorious, empty days, with nothing to do but play on Tinsori Light.

And that’s sorta what happened.  To a point.

I knew going into the week that I needed to complete my application to take part on panels at ChiCon 8, which is ohsomuch more complicated than you’re envisioning, and with a deadline involved, but I figured to pursue that project during my writing breaks.

It started out well.

Steve had a dental appointment on Monday, but my services as a chauffeur were not needed, so I stayed home and — wrote.  Tuesday was also pretty good, right up to the point where we heard from the narrator for Liaden Universe® Constellation, Volume Two (coming soon from Tantor!  link), who was requesting a Weird Word List and a recording of same.

This was great news!  Only — Weeding through more than a dozen stories for the Weird Words consumes Serious Time, and — book isn’t going to write itself.  Happily, I hit on the notion of asking for volunteers, and giving each of them one story to read.  And — long story short — many hands quickly returned separate lists of Weird Words, which I was able to compile into a list over the next few days.

Meanwhile, in Wednesday, we took Belle to the vet for her annual wellness check, and, later that same day, Steve and I got long overdue hair cuts.  The day was further livened by the arrival of 12 cases (240 books) hardcover edition of Fair Trade, for us to sign, repack and get ready to be picked up by UPS on Monday and given a ride to Uncle Hugo’s in Minneapolis.

While 240 isn’t a lot of books (back in the Meisha Merlin days, we signed thousands (yes, it’s true) and mailed them, too), but it’s a goodly number, plus I’m not a young thing of 50 anymore.  So, we took some time to sign books, and box them back up — all done by Saturday evening, when I bore down and finished the ChiCon survey.

While Steve was signing the last two boxes of books, I recorded half of the Weird Word list for the narrator.  While I was signing the last &c, Steve recorded the other half of the Weird Word list for the narrator.

Then, he boxed up the signed books, sealed the cases, attached the UPS forms, and in short got everything ready for Monday’s pickup, while I?

Finally got back to work on the WIP.

And discovered that my laptop has died.

Today, I’ve been writing.  Sixteen hundred words on the day, so far, and Salvage Right has just broken 93,000 words.  Support at System 76 has gotten back to me with a suggested course of action for the laptop, which I’ll pursue this evening, and tomorrow! Between 12 and 5, UPS will swing by and pick up 12 cases of Fair Trade and take them to the Uncle.

So, next week’s looking pretty good for writing — there’s some phone calls and Real Life stuff to deal with, and a Zoom interview with Baen host Griffin Barber on Thursday night, but pretty clear.

*fingers crossed*

I want to say that the cats have been very supportive during these unscheduled rushes and boxings.  Trooper was particularly involved in the signing part of things.

Here’s a picture of Trooper, supervising Steve:

 

 

 

 

And here’s a picture of Trooper being removed from the signing table by Yrs Trly.  For scale, I am six foot tall, and weigh 165 lbs.  Trooper weighs just a thought over 17 lbs.

 

 

 

 

So!  Now we’re all caught up.  If you preordered a signed copy of Fair Trade from Uncle Hugo’s, you may commence waiting for delivery on May 2.

 

 

Fair Trade, the 24th Liaden Universe® novel

Fair Trade, by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, the 24th novel set in the Liaden Universe®, a space opera geography of their own devising will be published on May 3.

What, you may ask, does this mean?

I will tell you.

It means that on May 3, the book will be simultaneously published as a hardcover and an ebook, and you — yes, you! — will able to buy it at the vendor of your choice.

Before May 3, you may:

1   Preorder the hardcover from the bookseller of your choice

1a  If you want a SIGNED copy of the hardcover, you may preorder it from Uncle Hugo’s only.  Here’s your link.

2   You may preorder the ebook edition of Fair Trade from Amazon, BN, and other ebook vendors.

None of the above precludes any of the others.  They exist simultaneously in time, space, and probability.

For those who consume audiobooks:  No audiobook edition of Fair Trade has been scheduled.  The person responsible for these negotiations tells us he’s working on it.

And that’s the entire contents of my head regarding Fair Trade, except, yanno — buy it, enjoy it, tell your friends!

 

Books read in 2022

22  Amongst Our Weapons, Ben Aaronovitch (Rivers of London #9) (e)
21  To My Muse, Nicola M. Cameron (e)
20  Unfit to Print, KJ Charles (e)
19  When Blood Lies, C.S. Harris (Sebastian St. Cyr #17)
18  The Last Revival of Opal and Nev, Dawnie Walton (e)
17  Bruno, Chief of Police: A Mystery of the French Countryside, Martin Walker (Bruno, Chief of Police #1) (e)
16  Spellswept, Stephanie Burgis (The Harwood Spellbook #2) (e)
15  Last Guard, Nalini Singh (Psy-Changeling Trinity #5) (re-read aloud w/Steve)
14  Dragonsbane, Barbara Hambly (Winterlands #1) (e)
13  Naked Once More, Elizabeth Peters (Jacqueline Kirby #4) (e)
12  The Pride of Chanur, CJ Cherryh (Chanur #1) (e) (re-read)
11  Written in Red, Anne Bishop (The Others #1)(re-read)
10  Shadow Scale, Rachel Hartman (Seraphina #2) (e)
9   Seraphina, Rachel Hartman (Seraphina #1) (e)
8   Grave Reservations, Cherie Priest (Booking Agents Series #1) (e)
7   Gothel and the Maiden Prince, W.R. Gingell (e)
6   A Gathering of Gargoyles, Meredith Ann Pierce (Darkangel #2)
5   Crystal Lattice, Paul Aurelius (The Crystal Cities #1) (pre-pub provided by the author) (e)
4   The 5th Gender, G.L. Carriger (A Tinkered Stars Mystery) (e)
3   Magic Lessons, Alice Hoffman (Practical Magic #1 or #3, depending) (e)
2   Snowspelled, Stephanie Burgis (The Harwood Spellbook #1) (e)
1   Widdershins, Jordan L. Hawk (Whyborn and Griffin #1) (e)