28. The Wave in the Mind, Ursula K. Le Guin
27. The Boy from the Burren, Sheila Gilluly (e)
26. Dead Heat, Patricia Briggs (e)
25. Girl Genius: The Beast of the Rails, Kaja and Phil Foglio
24. A Bollywood Affair, Sonali Dev
23. Who Buries the Dead, C.S. Harris
22. Killer Instinct, Zoe Sharpe (e)
21. Devil’s Food, Kerry Greenwood (e)
20. The Making of a Marchioness, Frances Hodgson Burnett (e)
19. A Little Princess, Frances Hodgson Burnett (e)
18. Geekomancy, Michael R. Underwood (e)
17. The Perfect Rake, Anne Gracie
16. The Martian, Andy Weir
15. Blaze of Memory, Nalini Singh
14. Tracker, C.J. Cherryh (read out loud with Steve)
13. Chanur’s Legacy, C.J. Cherryh (re-read, read out loud with Steve)
12. Chanur’s Homecoming, C.J. Cherryh (re-read, read out loud with Steve)
11. The Kif Strike Back, C.J. Cherryh (re-read, read out loud with Steve)
10. Why Kings Confess, C.S. Harris
9. Chanur’s Venture, C.J. Cherryh (re-read, read out loud with Steve) (Note: the publisher’s note at the end of the book states that the next-in-series is Chanur’s Revenge. This is false. The next-in-series is The Kif Strike Back.)
8. Angels’ Blood, Nalini Singh (read out loud with Steve)
7. The Pride of Chanur, C.J. Cherryh (re-read, read out loud with Steve)
6. What Darkness Brings, C.S. Harris
5. When Maidens Mourn, C.S. Harris
4. Where Shadows Dance, C.S. Harris
3. What Remains of Heaven, C.S. Harris
2. Where Serpents Sleep, C.S. Harris
1. When Gods Die, C.S. Harris
Category: Blog
In which there are warnings and updates
Warning first, because that’s fair.
Do not try me today.
I really mean this.
I have no spoons, but I have lots of knives.
Thank you for your attention.
Now, Updates!
1. The Gift of Magic, an echapbook collecting two stories previously published on Baen.com, “The Gift of Music,” and “The night don’t seem so lonely,” is now available in the Kindle and the Nook stores at Amazon/BN respectively.
1a. Yes, I know the stories are individually available on the web for free. Thank you.
1b. I am exploring the possibility of publishing this chapbook to other ebook venues, and will make an announcement if and when exploration comes to fruition. Yes, I know about Smashwords, thank you. I have also recently been pointed at Draft to Digital, thank you.
1c. The Gift of Magic is dignified as Archers Beach #5. The Archers Beach books are, in order:
Archers Beach ONE: Carousel Tides
Archers Beach TWO: Carousel Sun
Archers Beach THREE: Carousel Seas
Archers Beach FOUR: Surfside
Archers Beach FIVE: The Gift of Magic
2. A Liaden Universe® Constellation Volume III is now available as an ebook in the Nook and Kindle stores. It may also be available in the ebook store you prefer; it’s worth checking out the possibility.
2a. The paper edition of Constellation III is due to be in stores on August 4.
2b. Those who preordered signed/personalized editions from Uncle Hugo, be of good heart. The books have not yet arrived here at the Confusion Factory, but we expect them at any moment. As soon as they do arrive, be assured that we will sign and personalized just as quickly as we’re able, and will get the books back on the road to Minneapolis so that they can be mailed to you.
2c. Yes, the book includes only reprints of short stories. No, I don’t know why Baen doesn’t publish the TOC in the book summary. The stories included are:
Code of Honor (Splinter Universe, 2014)
Eleutherious (Baen.com, 2013)
Guaranteed Delivery (Splinter Universe, 2011)
Intelligent Design (Baen.com, 2011)
Kin Ties (Splinter Universe, 2011)
King of the Cats (SRM Publisher, Ltd., 2002 in The Cat’s Job)
Landed Alien (Baen.com, 2012)
Moon’s Honor (Splinter Universe, 2013)
Out of True (Baen.com, 2013)
Roving Gambler (Splinter Universe, 2014)
The Rifle’s First Wife (Splinter Universe, 2014)
The Space at Tinsori Light (Splinter Universe, 2011)
3. We hear through the grapevine that Offworld Designs has begun shipping Tree-and-Dragon shirts to those people who ordered. They are now in the process of compiling a big enough pile of orders to do a second printing/embroidering. Here’s the search page for the Liaden items available. Please note that it is a search page; you must click on the image of the shirt of your choice in order to get detailed information.
3a. Yes, the only shirt color at this time is black. Yes, the thread/printing is gold. No, I’m sorry, there are no ladies tees available at this time.
4. The Nature Conservancy reports a successful treatment for White Nose Syndrome, which has been killing off the bat population at breathtaking rates. Here’s your link.
4a. Yes, I am aware that some people loathe and revile bats. I am not one of them.
5. Sprite and Belle had Second Breakfast together this morning:
Books read in 2015
27. The Boy from the Burren, Sheila Gilluly (e)
26. Dead Heat, Patricia Briggs (e)
25. Girl Genius: The Beast of the Rails, Kaja and Phil Foglio
24. A Bollywood Affair, Sonali Dev
23. Who Buries the Dead, C.S. Harris
22. Killer Instinct, Zoe Sharpe (e)
21. Devil’s Food, Kerry Greenwood (e)
20. The Making of a Marchioness, Frances Hodgson Burnett (e)
19. A Little Princess, Frances Hodgson Burnett (e)
18. Geekomancy, Michael R. Underwood (e)
17. The Perfect Rake, Anne Gracie
16. The Martian, Andy Weir
15. Blaze of Memory, Nalini Singh
14. Tracker, C.J. Cherryh (read out loud with Steve)
13. Chanur’s Legacy, C.J. Cherryh (re-read, read out loud with Steve)
12. Chanur’s Homecoming, C.J. Cherryh (re-read, read out loud with Steve)
11. The Kif Strike Back, C.J. Cherryh (re-read, read out loud with Steve)
10. Why Kings Confess, C.S. Harris
9. Chanur’s Venture, C.J. Cherryh (re-read, read out loud with Steve) (Note: the publisher’s note at the end of the book states that the next-in-series is Chanur’s Revenge. This is false. The next-in-series is The Kif Strike Back.)
8. Angels’ Blood, Nalini Singh (read out loud with Steve)
7. The Pride of Chanur, C.J. Cherryh (re-read, read out loud with Steve)
6. What Darkness Brings, C.S. Harris
5. When Maidens Mourn, C.S. Harris
4. Where Shadows Dance, C.S. Harris
3. What Remains of Heaven, C.S. Harris
2. Where Serpents Sleep, C.S. Harris
1. When Gods Die, C.S. Harris
More on ISBNs; self-pubs take note!
So, I girded up my electronic loins and went over to Bowker (https://www.myidentifiers.com/), to buy me some International Standard Book Numbers, and I found that (1) Bowker is having a Moon Landing Sale — 10% off bulk orders of ISBNs and (2) for the purpose of this sale, a block of 10 ISBNs qualifies as “bulk.” ISBNs are still stupidly expensive ($125 for ONE number? C’mon, guys.), but a $29.50 discount for 10 is still, yanno 10%.
As part of this exercise, Bowker — which has become Quite the Source for Self-Pubbing Services — asked me to take a survey, which I did.
One of the questions on the survey was: What is your primary reason for writing?
And the answers in the drop-down box were as follows:
1. NONE
2. I don’t write; I’m a publisher
3. Self-Expression
4. Religious/Evangelical
5. I want to be a professional author
6. Lead generation for my business endeavors
7. Advance self professionally/in my career/as a thought leader
8. I am an academic professional
9. It has always been my dream to write (because I love children *cough* sorry ’bout that. SL)
10. Hobby
Notice anything missing here?
It astonishes me that no one who buys ISBNs from Bowker writes primarily because they ARE a professional writer. Just. . .wow.
The to-do list is winning; the health insurance has turned ugly again, and will require a call-back, but I made the first call, dammit, and I’m claiming it.
1. Brush three cats
2. Untangle banking glitch
3. Make correx to ebook
4. Try one more cover design for ebook
5. Buy ISBNs (which I’ve been putting off; for some reason, cost of ISBNs is really bugging me)
6. Call the health insurance company and fuss about the incorrect invoice
7. There’s probably something else, but this’ll do to get me started
You can make a break, you can win or lose
So, yesterday. . .
Though it was better, it was obvious that the knee I’d fallen on last week was not progressing in the best way possible, so I bit the bullet and made an appointment with my doctor. First appointment was late afternoon, so I downloaded Patty Briggs’ Dead Heat as insurance that I would stay in the comfy chair until it was time to go, and so it came to pass.
The doctor agreed that matters might be moved along a bit more spritely, and prescribed a Brother to Penicillin. I managed two pills (out of a possible four) yesterday, and this morning, the swelling is gone, the redness is gone, and much of the lingering pain is gone. So — yay! Now, of course, I need to finish the course of the antibiotic, to Be Sure, but it was ever thus, with antibiotics.
On the positive side of medical news, the business with the Radiology Department last week, returns a negative, so I don’t at this point in time appear to have cancer. Also, yay!
Today’s to-do list is a little busy — this is what happens when you take An Entire Day in the comfy chair.
1. Brush three cats
2. Untangle banking glitch
3. Make correx to ebook
4. Try one more cover design for ebook
5. Buy ISBNs (which I’ve been putting off; for some reason, cost of ISBNs is really bugging me)
6. Call the health insurance company and fuss about the incorrect invoice
7. There’s probably something else, but this’ll do to get me started
I hope everybody has a pleasant and fulfilling day.
Today’s blog title brought to you by Mr. Glenn Frey, “The Heat is On.” Here’s your link.
Books read in 2015
26. Dead Heat, Patricia Briggs (e)
25. Girl Genius: The Beast of the Rails, Kaja and Phil Foglio
24. A Bollywood Affair, Sonali Dev
23. Who Buries the Dead, C.S. Harris
22. Killer Instinct, Zoe Sharpe (e)
21. Devil’s Food, Kerry Greenwood (e)
20. The Making of a Marchioness, Frances Hodgson Burnett (e)
19. A Little Princess, Frances Hodgson Burnett (e)
18. Geekomancy, Michael R. Underwood (e)
17. The Perfect Rake, Anne Gracie
16. The Martian, Andy Weir
15. Blaze of Memory, Nalini Singh
14. Tracker, C.J. Cherryh (read out loud with Steve)
13. Chanur’s Legacy, C.J. Cherryh (re-read, read out loud with Steve)
12. Chanur’s Homecoming, C.J. Cherryh (re-read, read out loud with Steve)
11. The Kif Strike Back, C.J. Cherryh (re-read, read out loud with Steve)
10. Why Kings Confess, C.S. Harris
9. Chanur’s Venture, C.J. Cherryh (re-read, read out loud with Steve) (Note: the publisher’s note at the end of the book states that the next-in-series is Chanur’s Revenge. This is false. The next-in-series is The Kif Strike Back.)
8. Angels’ Blood, Nalini Singh (read out loud with Steve)
7. The Pride of Chanur, C.J. Cherryh (re-read, read out loud with Steve)
6. What Darkness Brings, C.S. Harris
5. When Maidens Mourn, C.S. Harris
4. Where Shadows Dance, C.S. Harris
3. What Remains of Heaven, C.S. Harris
2. Where Serpents Sleep, C.S. Harris
1. When Gods Die, C.S. Harris
Chapter Thirteen: Shan and Priscilla Ride Again
A new Second Mate arrives on the Passage, eager to take up his duties, poor fellow.
Here’s your link to Chapter 13.
We have only two more chapters ahead of us, with the final chapter scheduled to be posted on August 3.
CORRECTION re new proposed new copyright regs
This is me eating crow.
I have taken down my previous blog post regarding the proposed new copyright regulations, and I apologize for not digging deeper into this myself. Rob Balder was kind enough to provide me with the following links to:
The actual report from the Copyright Office. Note: This is a pdf.
My apologies to the internets for dispensing misinformation.
Updates and Appeals
Asking favors first:
1. If you’re one of those speed-readin’ ebook-buyin’ folks, who have already purchased and devoured A Liaden Universe® Constellation, Volume III, please consider writing a reader review at Goodreads, BN, Amazon, Baen, or the site of your choice. Early reader reviews help potential readers/buyers of the paper edition, and those who may be on the fence about purchasing the e-edition to make up their minds. Thank you for your help.
2. In case, you missed yesterday’s post, the deadline for order Tree-and-Dragon shirts is fast approaching. Off-World Designs will be screenprinting and embroidering the order they have in hand by the end of next week, at which time, they’ll start “saving up” orders until they have enough to make up a new batch. Here’s your link to the Korval items at Offworld Design. NOTE: This link takes you to a search page. In order to learn more about each shirt, and/or to order, you have to click on the shirt of your dreams; this action will take you to a detail page.
3. I recently did an interview on behalf of A Liaden Universe® Constellation, Volume III, for the Baen Free Radio Hour. (In case you missed it, here’s the link.) This, oh, I don’t know — the dozenth? — podcast we/me/he have done, and we’re always pleased to be asked. But! We’re soliciting listener feedback. Are these presentations useful/entertaining for you? What do you listen for? What background information would you like to hear more about/less about? And the ever-popular etcetera.
So endeth the appeals.
* * *
Updatery. . .
Let’s see: Steve got home late enough on Thursday that by the time the pizza was gone, and the bottle empty, it was Friday. The cats are re-sorting themselves in order to provide coverage for two humans, and I’m feeling a little less under pressure to be All Things to All Coon Cats. Scrabble, of course, has long held the belief that I can take care of myself, with a little gentle poking from time to time; her primary mission is Steve, and she’s now back on the job full-time.
The preordered Constellations destined to be signed by us and then sent on to Uncle Hugo’s to be mailed, which were supposed to have arrived earlier in the week. . .have not yet arrived. There seems to be some confusion about Just When they will arrive; more news, perhaps, on Monday.
The result of my last visit to the vampyres has been read, and my thyroid medicine has thereby been adjusted upward another smidge, with a third blood test to scrutinize the serum levels in six weeks. Here’s the thing, though: the thyroid numbers themselves were normal, which they have been, since forever; but the numbers indicating how much hormone the pituitary gland is having to push out in order to make the thyroid do its thing is still elevated; the increase in meds is to try to take some of the pressure off of the pituitary.
What else?
My ribs still hurt, sigh, though the knee hardly hurts at all; and! it’s rainy and cool here in beautiful Central Maine, with thunderstorms due to start rolling in around 1:00. Tomorrow, the weatherbeans say the temperatures will leap back into the mid-to-high 80s(F/29C), so I’ll just revel in 69F/21C today, thanks.
In other news, I have a whole stack of dance videos here, and I’m thinking maybe I’ll just lay on the couch and watch other people exercise while I listen to the rain. That’s a good use of a rainy Saturday, ain’t it?
Everybody have a good weekend.
Oh! Steve brought me flowers yesterday. Aren’t they pretty?
Tree-and-Dragon Shirts Last Chance Til the Next Chance
Asyouknowbob, Steve and I recently collaborated with Offworld Designs to produce Korval logo t-shirts, polo shirts and denim shirts.
We insisted that the tshirts be Properly Screenprinted, rather than speed printed, and that the polos and the denims be embroidered. What this means is that the good folks at Offworld Design wait a while, until they have enough orders in hand to make a batch run reasonable.
We’ve just gotten a note from Offworld Design, stating that they have orders in-hand for 69 tshirts; 15 polos; 14 denim shirts, and that, at the end of next week, they will be taking those orders, and any additional orders that arrive beforehand, and doing the batch run.
These items will always either be in a state of preorder, or a state of being batched and mailed. They will not, at this time, be regular stock-on-hand.
This means that, if you’ve been meaning to order a shirt, but haven’t gotten around to it, now is the hour, unless you want to wait an indeterminate amount of time until 70ish orders have built up again and the second batch goes to screenprinting.
Here’s your link to the Korval items at Offworld Design. NOTE: This link takes you to a search page. In order to learn more about each shirt, and/or to order, you have to click on the shirt of your dreams; this action will take you to a detail page.