Blog – Page 77 – Sharon Lee, Writer

Liaden Universe® InfoDump No. 136

Liaden Universe® InfoDump #136

IN THIS ISSUE:
1 Diviner’s Bow Preorders: Instructions from the Uncle
2 Diviner’s Bow eARC Available
3 Sea Wrack and Changewind Audio
4 Sea Wrack and Changewind Ebook and Paper
5 New Short Story on Splinter Universe
6 Ribbon Dance Audio
7 Deadline for Next Liaden Novel
8 Convention and Other Appearances

DIVINER’S BOW PREORDERS: INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE UNCLE
The instructions appear here exactly as I received them. They also appeared in the lastest “How’s Business,” Uncle Hugo’s newsletter. If you require further guidance, please contact UncleHugoATaolDOTcom

THE INSTRUCTIONS:
“Back in December I sent the guy who manages the website information about 3 forthcoming signed hardcovers and asked him to get them onto the website by early January so that people could start ordering them in advance, but he has been having health issues and isn’t sure when he’ll get the books listed.

“The three signed books are
1) Demon Daughter by Lois McMaster Bujold ($45.00, signed numbered tipped-in signature page), the latest in the Penric series, which we expected to receive around the end of January but we received last Monday (though we received fewer than we ordered);
2) Heart of the Mountain by Larry Correia ($30.00, signed bookplate, final volume of the Saga of the Forgotten Warrior series) which we expect to receive around the first of February;
3) Diviner’s Bow by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller ($28.00, signed bookplate signed by Sharon Lee, Liaden Universe #27) which we expect to receive at the end of March.

“Fortunately, we set up a work-around many years ago for people to securely pass along their credit card information when the regular system of ordering through the website doesn’t work:

“Go to UncleHugo.com
Click “Browse Our Merchandise” on the upper left corner of the home page
On the next page, click “Submit Credit Card Information”
On the next page, “Add to Cart” the imaginary item priced at $4.00
Checkout (as a guest — the shopping basket’s software for setting up an account with password is full of bugs and seldom works correctly)
When the shopping basket forwards your “imaginary” order to me, I’ll match it up with your real order and be able to process the real order. (This requires that you send an e-mail telling me what your real order is.)”

DIVINER’S BOW eARC
The electronic Advance Reading Copy of Diviner’s Bow, the 27th novel in the Liaden Universe® created by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller is now available from Baen. Here’s the link

SPOILER SPACE: For those who wish to Talk About Diviner’s Bow with others who have read the novel, without spoiling it for those who are waiting until the release date in April, here’s the link to the author-provided spoiler discussion space

DIVINER’S BOW HARDCOVER AND EBOOK will release from Baen on April 1.

SEA WRACK AND CHANGEWIND AUDIO
The audio editon of Sea Wrack and Changewind, by Sharon Lee, which collects all of the Archers Beach short works, is available from Tantor Media, narrated by Alex Picard. Here’s the link

SEA WRACK AND CHANGEWIND EBOOK and PAPER may be purchased at your favorite vendor (that does include Amazon and Baen). This “universal link” is provided as a courtesy

Stories included are: “Emancipated Child,”, “How Nathan Archer Came to be a Prince of the Land of the Flowers,” “The Gift of Music,” “The night don’t seem so lonely,” “Will-o’-the-Wisp,” “The Wolf ‘s Bride,” “The Road to Pomona’s,” “The Vestals of Midnight,” and “Wolf in the Wind.” The author’s foreword is original to this volume.

NEW SHORT STORY on SPLINTER UNIVERSE
“Core Values,” regarding the case of Geritsi slentAlin, who appears in Liaden Universe® novels, Trader’s Leap, Ribbon Dance, and Diviner’s Bow, by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, is now on Splinter Universe, where those who have an interest may read it.

Those who have an interest may also donate, to the story, to the site, to the Coon Cat Food Bank, or to the author. A donation is not required to read the story.

“Core Values” Introduction

“Core Values”

RIBBON DANCE AUDIO
Tantor has acquired the right to produce the audio edition of Ribbon Dance, which will be narrated by Alex Picard. Publication date is August 12. Mark your calendars.

DEADLINE: The deadline for the 28th novel in the Liaden Universe®, title TBA, is April 15 2026. NOTE: This is the date that the book is to be turned in to the publisher, NOT the publication date.

CONVENTIONS AND OTHER APPEARANCES
Sharon has no plans to travel in the immediate future.

THE SMALL PRINT
Sites of Interest:
Lee and Miller Patreon Support Page

Pinbeam Books: an online catalog, with vendor links, to all Lee-and-Miller, Miller, and Lee self-published works

Splinter Universe: features outtakes, splinters, oddities from the Lee&Miller writing career, currently changes irregularly.

Welcome to Liad: The official homepage for Liaden Universe® news

Sharon Lee’s Blog

Facebook Connections:
Steve Miller Memorial Page

Sharon on BlueSky

Sharon on Xitter

DISCLAIMER
This InfoDump is a product of the Liaden Universe®, accept no imitations. You have received this message because you asked for it. If you wish to subscribe to the Liaden Universe® email list, to unsubscribe from the Liaden Universe® email list, or to change your delivery email address, go here

Snow Date

What went before: Yesterday was not a good day. Nuff said.

Monday, grey and cold. Snow showers in the forecast.

Went to bed early; got up to the 6:45 alarm. Breakfast was a blueberry muffin and some English Cheddar. First cup of tea is to hand.

Today’s Plan insomuch as it can be said to be a plan is to finish my cup of tea, do my duty to the cats, fill a Yeti with yet more hot tea and go camp out at the Verizon store until it’s time to go to the dentist. I do have to let an InfoDump out into the cyberlanes today, but that will be AD — After Dentist.

So, do I understand this correctly — there’s another John Carter movie (cleverly titled JOHN CARTER 2)? Thirteen years after the original “mega-flop”? The ways of The Mouse are mysterious, indeed.

What’s your Plan for Monday?

In which pets keep us healthy

What went before: I backed up my phone, in anticipation of getting its screen replaced, one way or another.

The WIP broke 2,000 words, which was good, but they were not the words, or perhaps the feel, that I wanted, which is why word count is such a flawed indicator of progress.

Firefly and Tali sniffed noses! And Firefly initiated the contact! Big step in the right direction. Later on, of course, she raised Holy Heck when Tali tried to join us on the blanket to read. One step forward…

Fast forward to!

Sunday. It was snowing when the cats woke me with a BANG! at 5:30, after I had grumped at Trooper for yelling at me to get up at 4:45. Anyhow.

The snow’s stopped and the sun is doing a country dance with the clouds.

Breakfast was scrambled eggs, sausage, and toast with jelly, because I was Just. That. Cranky. Lunch — who needs lunch? Honestly, this constant having to eat a meal is really annoying. I sympathize with the Haosa.

After breakfast, I sat in the office comfy chair under the nice heated throw, and alternated glaring out the window, researching details in Salvage Right, and handwriting letters, to see if that produced more of the Feel I was going for, and — yeah, it did. No surprises, there, really, except for the perennial one — You knew handwriting those letters would improve the flow, so why did you type them? The ways writers find to impede their own process is just mind boggling.

My lap has been host to several cats. Rookie is having a tough morning — he got himself so underfoot that I stepped on his tail, and we had to have a love-fest to Make It Better. Ten minutes later, he tried to jump from my desk to the chair, only it spun just as he took off, and he crash-landed on the floor. Firefly smacked him in the head, since he’d just missed landing on her.

First load of towels is in the dryer; second load in the washer. Cat bowls have been refilled. The oven is heating for sugar cookies. Maybe I’ll have sugar cookies for lunch.

Today’s to-do includes more research, writing, and probably glaring. Laundry, obviously, and one’s duty to the cats. Drafting an InfoDump so it can be ready to go when I get the word that the Liaden Universe News list is up and delivering. Oh, and sweeping the front steps.

So! What time did your family pet(s) wake you up this morning?

Alarums and Excursions

What went before: The WIP has broken its first milestone of 1,000 words, and in fact weighed in at 1,300 words at close of bidness.

Also, I solicited information on how to get a cracked phone screen repaired. (I dropped my phone on Sunday, and broke the screen — a personal first, though I’d hate to tell you how many times I’ve dropped my phone over the years.)

Onward.

Saturday. Chilly and bright. Were here in Central Maine are rejoicing in a Severe Weather Alert. The ‘beans apparently found an unopened bag of Winter in the back studio that nobody uses and slipped the knot.

We are therefore expecting, between 7pm this evening and 1pm tomorrow, 4-6 inches of snow. Note to self, turn the car around in the garage so it’s facing out. I was lazy yesterday and pulled straight in.

So! We here at the Cat Farm and Confusion Factory have already experienced alarums and excursions, and that’s before we view the result of Shan’s first bout of letter-writing.

Alarum the First: Walked into the living room to find that the front door was not only unlocked, but ajar. It is of course entirely possible, not to say likely, that what happened is that I failed to lock the door last night and either air pressure or Midnight Cat Wrasslin popped it. This is also, of course, not the first thing one thinks when they find the front door open upon waking in the morning, and knowing oneself alone in the house.

So, a walk-around, heart in mouth, accompanied by cats who wished to inform me that their bowls! were! empty! They weren’t wrong (this error has since been amended), but it seemed unlikely that the Theoretical Intruder had been a Giant Polydactyl Cat, who had jimmied the door in order to steal a snack.

We appear to be secure, and yes, I should get a deadbolt, but then someone would have to install it, and, given that Someone is Not Me, the point is moot.

Alarum the Second: I had determined to have cottage cheese with pineapple cut into it for breakfast, with toast. When I opened the carton of cottage cheese that I had purchased yesterday, the carton was half full of — milk. This was distressing. I mean, the reason I eat cottage cheese is so I won’t have to drink milk, vile stuff that it is (unless, y’know, properly treated with chocolate, or fermented into skyr or yogurt or cheese). Investigation discovered the cheese curds beneath the milk, so I strained the carton. The actual food thus recovered was fine and the toast was excellent.

Given the above, it seems somewhat poor-spirited to note that there were Dusty Cat Prints on the stove top this morning. I appreciate that a girl has to investigate; I only hope she doesn’t lead the others into Error.

At this point, however, I’m a little leery of predicting, or indeed making, lunch. I think there might be some potato and leek soup. It might be a good day for potato and leek soup.

What else? Ah. My new Lunchtime Read is The Sign of the Dragon by Mary Soon Lee, illustrated by Gary McCluskey. It has a Goblin Emperor vibe, and I’m enjoying it, though I’m only about 25 pages in.

Today’s chores include — laundry! Also, closing down the Guest Parlor, since it seems we’re Past That now, turning the car around (yes, that needs to be on the list, or I’ll forget to do it), eating something for lunch, and recording the results of Shan’s letters the First and Second.

That should, she said hopefully, keep me busy.

I see that the Elm Plaza Verizon store opens at 9am on Monday (it’s also open today and tomorrow, but that’s not pertinent to this discussion). I have a dental appointment at 12:45 on Monday, so I could plan on hitting Verizon at the stroke of 9, making sure I have a book or six with me, and if they’re not able to deal with me before noon, go to the dentist. This is the Current Plan.

What’s your Current Plan?

Tali continues to Settle In.

Foraging Run

Friday. Cold and … dull, really. It looks like a Very Grumpy day out there, despite the new snow. ‘beans are calling for another snow event overnight Saturday into early Sunday.

Breakfast was salad with a side of bread, so I could do honor to the tomato, finish up the lettuce, and also the cottage cheese. It may be a fact that this house runs on cottage cheese. Currently thinking about going to the store for milk (hot chocolate!), and cottage cheese. Will defer action, if any, until I’ve finished my second cup of tea.

Lunch may be a yam. I think I have a yam. If I go to the grocery, I can be sure I have a yam.

pause for supply check — I have TWO yams. Riches unsung.

I finished reading Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent, which was interesting not only for forcing me think about Shakespeare, which I haven’t done in decades, but for insight into how actors do their particular art. Over on the Other Side, I’m reading Market Forces, Midlife Recorder 7.

Regarding the Important Things In Life, Cats: I saw Rook and Tali touch noses this morning, and neither one hissed. It looked to me as though Rook had initiated the greeting. Later, of course, he ambushed and tried to murder her. Right now, after having disputed her right to the comfy chair in my office, I note that Tali is in the comfy chair, napping, and Rook is on the floor directly before the chair, showing his belly.

A little while ago, Firefly wandered by, looked into the chair, saw Tali, sort of nodded to herself and moved off to get a mouthful of crunchies. No hissing.

I believe we’re making progress.

I do want to devote most of this day to writing, which means if I’m going to the grocery, I’d better go soon. I’m really missing Steve on this getting up to speed part. I had a Realization last evening that Changes Everything (yes, yes, I’ve only written one letter; it’s a Writer Thing). I went back to Steve’s office to run it past him, and — sat in his chair at the desk for awhile.

Sun’s out now. Guess I’ll finish my tea and go out to the store. Then that will be Done, and the weekend before me.

What’s the weather where you are?

Cat census. Rook has since shifted his position to achieve MSE (Maximum Sun Exposure)

Books read in 2025

11 Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent, Judi Dench with Brendan O’Hea (e)
10 Code Yellow in Gretna Green (#5 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
9    Seeing Red in Gretna Green (#4 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
8    Ties that Bond in Gretna Green (#3 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
7    Painting the Blues in Gretna Green (#2 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
6 Midlife in Gretna Green (#1 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
5    The Goblin Emperor, Katherine Addison (Author), Kyle McCarley (Narrator) re-re-re&c-read (audio)
4    The House in the Cerulean Sea, TJ Klune (e)
3    A Gentleman in Search of a Wife (Lord Julian #5) Grace Burrowes (e)
2    A Gentleman in Pursuit of the Truth (Lord Julian #4) Grace Burrowes (e)
1    A Gentleman in Challenging Circumstances (Lord Julian #3) Grace Burrowes (e)

Thursday’s child has far to go

Thursday. Grey and cold. Apparently the snow risked a speeding ticket to get to us by noon, instead of four, as previously predicted.

Breakfast was rice cakes, cream cheese, grapes, tea. Second cup of tea to hand. Lunch will likely come down to tuna melt, because — snow. Also, lazy.

Tali is not AT ALL convinced that I should sing “Me and Julio” along with the radio. Let’s hope they don’t play “Werewolves of London” anytime soon.

Last night I broke a cat food dish — of course one of four that “matched.” The cats don’t care and, sometime when it’s not set to snow a blizzard, I’ll be dropping by the Dollar Store, or Goodwill to pick up replacements, but I hate to break things.

We’ve had a busy few days in Maine, and not in a good way. On Monday, police answered a call of domestic violence, which resulted in a many hours armed standoff. The proximate cause of this situation, Steven Righini, had posted messages ranting against abortion, Democrats, and other Liberal Evils. His hostages were his SO and their baby. Mr. Righini was eventually shot and killed by officers, but not before he had shot and wounded Officer Johnathan Russell and killed his K9 partner, Preacher.

On Tuesday, a guy walked into our local Wal*Mart and stabbed himself in the neck. And, yesterday, another person, not yet apprehended, went into the food court at the South Portland Mall and killed someone.

It would be nice if Karma and the Rule of Three could expedite the paperwork, is all I’m saying.

Ashley’s due to arrive in about an hour to clean. I will be retiring to Steve’s office, as I do, which means it will be open for cat business for the first time since Monday.

I have a big stack of Who Knows What to sort through. This afternoon, I intend to write.

And that’s the news at the start of the day.

How’s your day starting out?

This morning’s cat census. I note that Rook is slightly confused. When I walked into the bedroom, he and Tali were on the bed. Rook was showing his belly and hissing at the same time.

Books read in 2025

10 Code Yellow in Gretna Green (#5 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
9    Seeing Red in Gretna Green (#4 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
8    Ties that Bond in Gretna Green (#3 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
7    Painting the Blues in Gretna Green (#2 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
6 Midlife in Gretna Green (#1 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
5    The Goblin Emperor, Katherine Addison (Author), Kyle McCarley (Narrator) re-re-re&c-read (audio)
4    The House in the Cerulean Sea, TJ Klune (e)
3    A Gentleman in Search of a Wife (Lord Julian #5) Grace Burrowes (e)
2    A Gentleman in Pursuit of the Truth (Lord Julian #4) Grace Burrowes (e)
1    A Gentleman in Challenging Circumstances (Lord Julian #3) Grace Burrowes (e)

All’s well that ends well, feline edition

Well. Where to start?

Ah. Thank you to everyone who read and kindly donated to “Core Values.”

If you haven’t read the story yet, here’s your link to the introduction, which itself includes a link to the story. You may read the story for free. Those who wish may also donate, to the story, to the site, to the Coon Cat Food Bank, or to the author. A donation is not required to read the story.

Now we can get to the Important Topic of Tali.

Tali found the Guest Parlor too small. Because I have a Very Weird House, I was able, after yesterday’s breakfast, to close off the hallway in which the Guest Parlor is located, closing the door to Steve’s office at one end, and the rest of the house, at the other end. This gave Tali the Guest Parlor, a short hallway, a cul de sac which is glorified as the Laundry Room, and a big window overlooking the Long Back Yard. I also put Trooper in with her, thinking he could share some more pearls of feline wisdom.

This is what that looked like, when I peered in a couple hours later.

After lunch, Trooper and I traded places. I took my laptop back to the laundry room, and sat in the chair I’d moved in from Steve’s office, and finished inputting corrections to “Core Values.” Tali several times leapt into my lap — she gives epic head bumps — and tried her paw at editing the story.

Firefly was still being hissy, and Rook was taking his cue from her, so I visited Tali once or twice on the evening, but my intention was to leave her in Steve’s hallway until at least Thursday afternoon (I had a doctor’s appointment this morning, and Ashley is coming tomorrow morning to do the cleaning).

At 5am this morning, Trooper opened the door to Steve’s hallway, and let Tali out.

I got up, turned on all the lights, and prepared myself to run interference (Tali does not like to be picked up. She will jump in my lap, but she Does. Not. Want. me to pick her up, and I had … reservations about allowing a cat who will not allow me to pick her up roaming the house.). Trooper, however, had appointed himself Tour Guide. He took Tali downstairs, where the Accommodations are (she has a litter pan in the Guest Parlor, but apparently it’s not the best arrangement), he showed her the food station and the cat fountain. He walked her right past Firefly, who was hissing, and Rook, who was likewise.

Since he had it in paw, I got dressed and put the kettle on for tea.

Tali eventually went back to her hallway. I followed her in, closed the door, and sat down. She jumped into my lap, and we had a cuddle while chatting out her first impressions.

I let her out again when I got back from my Annual Wellness appointment (spoiler: I’m healthy).

I must say Tali’s being very smart about integrating herself. She spent some time in the bedroom, and has explored the rest of the rooms once or twice, entirely unfazed by hissing sillies. She offers no aggression, nor does she hiss back; it’s merely nothing to do with her, what those cats are carrying on about.

Occasionally, she goes back to her hallway for a breather.

And that’s where we are right now. Trooper, Firefly, and Rook are in my office with me, and Tali is exploring the living room.

New Story at Splinter Universe

“Core Values,” regarding the case of Geritsi slentAlin, who appears in Liaden Universe® novels, Trader’s Leap, Ribbon Dance, and Diviner’s Bow, by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, is now on Splinter Universe, where those who have an interest may read it.

Those who have an interest may also donate, to the story, to the site, to the Coon Cat Food Bank, or to the author. A donation is not required to read the story.

Core Values Introduction

Core Values