Category: The Writing Life

PSA: Who’s Writing Which for When?

Lee and Miller are under contract to Baen Books for three Liaden Universe® novels after Fair Trade, which will be published in May.  Those novels are:

1   The sequel to Fair Trade (title TBD) — Steve Miller, Lead Writer

2   Tinsori Light: The Novel (better title coming along RSN) — Sharon Lee, Lead Writer

3   A Liaden Novel to be Named Later — Sharon Lee, Lead Writer probably?  At the moment, I’m leaning toward going back to the Redlands and checking in with Padi, Tekelia, Aunt Astra, Eet, and the gang. This could change, as all things may change, and only reflect my thoughts at the moment.

For those who have been playing along at home for a long time, the above three novels complete the Triple Threat contract with Baen.

We do not at the moment have any short works under contract, but that, too, could change.

Here ends the PSA.

Writer at work

So, today was a Thinky Day.  I spent almost all of it in the Comfy Chair in my office, with notebook and pens (and the occasional coon cat) working out bits and schticks: what happens when, what absolutely must happen, what I’d like to happen (a far different thing, ref. The Wrong Lance), and who does what to whom.

I haven’t written a book in exactly this way before, but they’re all different, and, let’s face it, given the last few years, I’m different.  If Tinsori Light: The Novel (actual title TBD) needs to be carefully worked out in modest detail via pen and paper before ever fingers hit the keyboard, that’s certainly doable.  I have plenty of paper, and plenty of ink (though I’m going to have to splurge on another bottle of Dragon’s Blood if this goes on, as we all hope that it will, for some time yet).

It’s very pleasant sometimes to just sit and work inside your own head, shutting out the din of Oughts and Musts and Haven’t You Dones from the outside world.  Sadly, I can’t do it every day, but it’s nice to get revisit that headspace now and then.

I hope you all have time for a bit of quiet contemplation as the year winds down.

Here’s a snippet from the WIP:

“I am under the impression that the delm wishes this station to reflect Korval’s on-going commitment to the realities that govern the universe that received the diaspora. Am I correct in this assumption?”

“Are you asking if I am privy to the delm’s necessities?”

“An impertinence. Forgive me. Unvarnished, what I wish to know is if Korval prefers tools which are untainted by the Old Technology.”

Happy Holidays

So!  The boss is giving us a half-day today, on account of we worked on the Solstice.

I was raised in the tradition of gift-giving and trees and special music and family gathering and so on for December 25, and some of those practices form part of my personal traditions.  I like to send cards, so I send Solstice cards. I like the tree decorating thing, but we have cats, and I still have ornaments that belonged to my grandmother, so — we forego the tree, though we do have greens in the house in the shape of fresh wreathes.  Since I love to distraction Things That Light Up, we have glass trees to accompany the ceramic Christmas tree Steve’s mother made him years ago.  We have a special meal, or two, or three, and take some time off — how much depending on how near the nearest deadline looms — to read, play Scrabble or cards, watch a movie, whatever.  It’s a nice break in routine, and who doesn’t need a break?

All of which is to say — happy holiday to those who celebrate; happy weekend to those who have one; happy day to those for whom these next few days are days-in-the-life.

Stay safe.  Remember to tell the people you care about that you love them.  Raise your face to the sky and smile at the stars.  Be kind, and be happy.

Monday catch-me-up

When last we saw Our Humble Narrator, she had acquired a vehicle, and skirted an accident of someone else’s devising.

Having acquired a Vehicle of My Own, I of course have since remained sedately at home.

We did have a crew in from the Dump Guys to take a scant pick-up truck load of junk out of the garage and rearrange the Necessary so that both cars could actually fit inside.  This turned out to be good timing, and Tinsori was not subjected to the indignity of sitting out in the snow during our recent little inch/two inch showers.

Some who read here may be pleased to know that writing has been going on.  Steve is hard at work on the sequel to Fair Trade.  That’s due at Baen this summer.

I’m working on a novel set at Tinsori Light — the a follow to Trader’s Leap and Accepting the Lance.  It’s about 15,000 words and moving in a forwarder direction.  The characters in one narrative line really want to Talk About It, while the other set of characters are being shy.  Well, it’s early days; they’ll come around eventually.  In the meantime, I’ll sit with the talkative set.

It seems we will be having a Quiet to Very Quiet Yule here at the Cat Farm and Confusion Factory, which is nothing very out of the ordinary.  December’s a good month to stay inside, up here in the northlands.

So, there’s all the news I have at the moment.

Everybody stay safe.

 

 

Liaden Universe® Volume Five Disambiguation Post

As advertised elsewhere, here is the T(able) o(f) C(ontents) for the upcoming A Liaden Universe® Constellation Number 5.  In which “upcoming” = February 2022.

Authors’ Foreword
Fortune’s Favors
Opportunity to Seize
Shout of Honor
Command Decision
Dark Secrets
A Visit to the Galaxy Ballroom
The Gate that Locks the Tree
Preferred Seating
Ambient Conditions
Dead Men Dream

Several people have written in confusion because, though they are faithful consumers of the Pinbeam Chapbooks, they do not seem to have the story here-entitled “Opportunity to Seize.”

The story under the title appeared in the chapbook Fortune’s Favors:  Adventures in the Liaden Universe® No. 28 as the outtake from Neogenesis.  In the chapbook, the outtake is only designated by what had been its chapter heading when it was still part of Neogenesis, and that was!

SUREBLEAK
Dudley Avenue and Farley Street

The reason this was changed was to make it less confusing for all the folks who wrote after Fortune’s Favors was published, wondering what the heck “the last scene” had to do with “the story.”  By changing the story designation, we have of course confused even more people.

*bows*

We Live to Consternate.

CORRECTION: From Every Storm a Rainbow

Due to a combination of factors, including Yr Humble Narrator forgetting to write down an amended date at the time it was amended, it comes about that the Liaden Universe® story “From Every Storm a Rainbow” will be the Lead Story on Baen.com for December.  That means it will show up on the front page below the new books on or around December 15, 16, 17.

As discussed in various venues, “. . .Rainbow,” is a Sinit Caylon story.  We last saw Sinit in Mouse and Dragon when she was poised on one end of a Very Large Learning Curve.

If you’ve forgotten Sinit, the December date for the story’s arrival means that you have time to — *evil grin* — re-read Mouse and Dragon.  I did that a couple of months ago and can testify that it’s quite good.

In any case, and repeating for those who came in late — Mark your calendars for real this time!  “From Every Story a Rainbow,” Baen.com, mid-December 2021.

Brief Updatery

  1.  BREAD ALONE

For those who collect, the paper edition of BREAD ALONE:  Adventures in the Liaden Universe® Number 34 is for sale from Amazon.  Here’s your link.

The ebook edition of BREAD ALONE is available for pre-order from the electronic bookstore of your choice*.  It will be published on November 25, the USian Thanksgiving Day.

*The ebook edition of BREAD ALONE will be available for download from Baen.com “before the parades start” on Thanksgiving Day.

2.  LIADEN “HOLIDAY” STORY ON BAEN.COM

To the best of my ability to calculate, Liaden short story “From Every Storm a Rainbow” will be published to the front page at Baen.com this week.  Possibly today, maybe tomorrow.  Note that you will have to scroll down a bit to get to the story.

3.  WHAT ON EARTH ARE THEY ABOUT?

Steve is working on the sequel to the upcoming Jethri Gobeln novel FAIR TRADE*.

Sharon is working on a novel dealing with the new arrangements at Tinsori Light.

Neither of these projects has titles as yet.

*In which “upcoming” = May 3, 2022.

4.  THE STATE OF SHARON’S DESK

Some of you will recall that I straightened my desk after turning in BREAD ALONE.  This was so I could begin my next project with a tidy desk, which is something that I Do.  In extreme cases, I have to tidy the entire house before I can begin a new project, but this was not an extreme case.

So!  This is what the desk looked like on the evening of November 14:

This is what the desk looks like this morning, November 16:

And here’s a close-up of my user manuals. The one on the bottom worries me a bit.

And, that?  Is all I’ve got.

Everybody stay safe.

 

 

Writers at play

So, we took a couple days off (for those recently come to the site, “we” is myself, Sharon Lee, and my long-time collaborator-in-life, Steve Miller).  We’d tried to do something like taking a few days off in August, but spiking COVID numbers and a freaking out oncologist kinda put paid to that.

This time, however, we lucked into an apartment in Belfast to use as a base, and we managed to keep away from crowds, even though part of our stay was on a holiday weekend.

Now, yes, we are doing revisions on Fair Trade, and they’re due realsoonnow, but!  All the new scenes but two have been written, and all that remains beyond that is putting the manuscript back together, reading it one! more! time! for continuity and send it back to Madame the Publisher.  Since we’re freelancers, we, err, pushed hard to get five “free” days, which meant that my back went out on Tuesday night, and we missed one day of vacay, but we had fun on the days remaining.

The little apartment in Belfast had much to recommend it — a downtown location within walking distance of everything, and furnishings including a gas fireplace,  fridge, microwave, electric kettle, coffeemaker, and a toaster that could do everything but play bridge.  It was inadequately lighted to our way of thinking, but, forewarned, we packed in our own LED lights and so could see to play Scrabble and Rummy in the evening.

In no particular order, we went to Owls Head, Blue Hill, Deer Isle, Stonington, Swan Lake, Bucksport, Lincolnville, Camden, Rockland, and so on.  All familiar territory, barring the islands, which I don’t get to often enough; pleasant driving, and good weather.

At Owls Head, we took in the Light and the Transportation Museum; at Blue Hill, we viewed the reversing falls.  We walked around Stonington Village for a bit, took pictures, and played tourist.  It was late by the time we hit the end of the line, though, and we had to head back before I was finished.  One of these days, we’re just going to have to get up early, and say, Today, to Stonington!  And go there without any other faffing around on the way.  We can faff on the way home, if there’s time.

So, anyway, we’re home now, and I’ve got a scene to write, and a COVID booster to schedule, and some follow-up medical things to follow up on — Life as Usual, in other words.

Hoping your days are pleasant and smooth.

Here are some photos from our adventures.

 

A personal note

My last five books read are:
Subtle Blood, KJ Charles
Fugitive Telemetry, Martha Wells
The Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows, Olivia Waite
The Hellion’s Waltz, Olivia Waite
Logan’s Run, William F. Nolan & George Clayton Johnson

…I re-read Logan’s Run to say good-bye to Mr. Nolan, who left us last week, along with too many others.

I first read Logan’s Run in 1967. I was 15 and it was possibly the Most Amazing Thing I’d read, to that date. I re-read it many times since, but it’s probably been twenty years since the last re-read. The story is pretty basic, which I knew even at 15, and doesn’t bear close scrutiny. But the world building, and the narrative — I had never read anything so spare — and the sheer drive of the thing was…wow.

The umpty-mumble re-read wasn’t quite so wow, but I’m old and grumpy, and full-grown writers read differently than writers-in-the-making.

Still — thank you, Mr. Nolan.

Hail and farewell.