the Author
August
19
33 Comments

State of the Author, August 2013 edition

Posted in Appearances, Cast, DAW, ebooks, Elantra, Essalieyan, Luna, writing, Conventions.

I am home. I have more or less recov­ered from the flight between Melbourne and Toronto (Michelle is not the world’s best trav­eler, for all kinds of reasons, not the least of which is: when I get off the plane, the first thing I want to do is crawl into my own bed and sleep for a day.) I loved Melbourne, though. I got a lot of work done, there.

I have been working on Cast in Flame. My simple “Kaylin needs to find a new apart­ment plot” has kind of been hit hard by two unfore­seen compli­ca­tions. Unfore­seen because I had orig­i­nally thought of doing this story before Kaylin went to the West March. After the West March has compli­ca­tions that arise natu­rally from Cast in Sorrow. (I am enough out of it that I actu­ally typed out a chunk of the compli­ca­tions and then real­ized they would be spoilers…)

I have been working on War. I might have mentioned that I am very behind in War. I should prob­ably now mention that the book on which I’m currently working is no longer called War. It’s now called Oracle. The book after Oracle is now War.

This might sound confusing. What it means, in the shorter factual version, is that the book is being split and will be two books, the first of which is Oracle and the last of which is War.

The forums I asked about last month are func­tional, but not pret­ti­fied yet. They should be ready to go by the time Cast in Sorrow is out in the wilds, and there is a spoiler topic in place for that — but the forums are pretty flex­ible, and anyone can create discus­sion topics within the subforums.

Drey’s Book Blog is featuring me as the author of the month. And doing a give-away. The first piece posted was a Q&A inter­view.

And I am most of the way through the work that has to be done to upload The House War as an ebook series avail­able to UK (and other) readers. They have different covers, and I’ll post those here as they go up. They won’t be going up on Smash­words, though. In order to use Smash­words, I have to retain all ebook rights, and I don’t with these books. So they’ll be avail­able on amazon, and the iBook store; I have to look into Kobo as well.

Last: I will be attending the Worldcon in San Antonio this year. I’ll put up my schedule in a couple of days.

33 Responses to State of the Author, August 2013 edition

  1. Dan Pierson says:
    August 19, 2013 at 6:26 pm

    Ha! I’ve been telling Donna (my wife, who has yet to read any of this) that there’s no way you could fit every­thing you hinted at in one book. Neither a surprise nor a disap­point­ment, looking forward to Oracle.

  2. Paul (Drak Bibliophile) Howard says:
    August 19, 2013 at 6:29 pm

    Look forward to seeing the new forums. [Smile]

  3. Chris G. says:
    August 19, 2013 at 6:30 pm

    Apart­ment? Does this mean that she won’t be living in the High Halls? :(

    I knew it was unlikely, but still. :(

    Although what­ever does happen will still be fine, I’m sure. :)

    Two more House War books? I think that many of us would have bet, our own money too, on that happening. :) I have faith that you can finish the series in two more, and it gives Jody Lee another cover to illus­trate, so that’s a plus. :)

    Q&A? Yay! :)

  4. michelle says:
    August 19, 2013 at 6:34 pm

    I real­ized I forgot to add links to the post, added links imme­di­ately, and discov­ered that people had already posted in response >.>.

    Oddly enough, a number of people have been telling me that one book is a tad … opti­mistic. When a certain even occurred in Battle, my husband said, “You can’t do this if you really think you have any chance of finishing this in one book.”

    And I said, “But, but, but — this is the House War!”.

  5. michelle says:
    August 19, 2013 at 6:36 pm

    If you refresh, you’ll see a link to the Q&A — I forgot to add it when I posted >.. Kaylin would enjoy living in the High Halls about as much as she enjoys living the Impe­rial Palace: not at all. She likes the idea that she can relax and let her figu­ra­tive hair down when she gets home; the idea that she has to worry about her behavior (or her life) inside her own home is… diffi­cult for her. 

  6. michelle says:
    August 19, 2013 at 6:37 pm

    I’m looking forward to them, too :).

  7. amergina says:
    August 19, 2013 at 6:38 pm

    More Michelle books are always a good thing in my mind, even if it does mean a fraz­zled Michelle. ;)

  8. Chris G. says:
    August 19, 2013 at 6:42 pm

    Much thanks for the link! 

    I know she wouldn’t enjoy living there, but I *know* that I would enjoy reading it. (hee hee) Ah well, can I vote for a close involve­ment with the Human Caste Court as my second “it won’t happen but would be darn enter­taining if it did” choice? Okay, okay, I’ll stop now.

  9. michelle says:
    August 19, 2013 at 6:50 pm

    It does mean an entirely fraz­zled Michelle. Someone recently asked me how I could get so much done (I laughed). I said, “it’s easy. You over­es­ti­mate the amount of work you can actu­ally get done, say yes to all of it, and then avoid the bits you don’t like by doing the work you do like, instead of avoiding work by doing housework. >.>

  10. hjbau says:
    August 19, 2013 at 8:51 pm

    More House Wars books. No complaint here. I also just kept wondering how in the world is there really going to be only one more book in this series? Happy writing, remember to breath and to eat and to sleep and to play with your kids, we are all happy to wait.

  11. Adenike says:
    August 19, 2013 at 10:37 pm

    ahh, those long inter­na­tional trips. Going there I can never fall asleep because I am excited. I can’t seem to stay awake on my way home I have also learned to take 1 – 2 days off after I land because I am useless. 

    Even though I don’t have Cast in Sorrow yet, I look forward to Cast in Flame. I wondered after even beyond these as yet, unknown compli­ca­tions, how could Kaylin find an apart­ment after Peril consid­ering the require­ments of the Dragon Court and her restricted funding situ­a­tion. Unless other things happened while she was gone for 2 months. Oh look, I can start my year of spec­u­la­tion now. 

    However, yay on another House War book. I really did not think every­thing was going to be finished in one book.… unless it was 3x the size of your normal length. I seem to remember when the House War was 2 books, then became 4, and now.. 8? :) I am glad that the books are going to be avail­able in the UK and beyond. I got my friend addicted to your books after seducing her with the Broken Crown. I had to bring the books when I went to visit NZ earlier this year. It will be much easier to just buy her an e‑copy and gift it. 

    On a random note, I am enforcing my ellip­tical time by using your books. It is amazing how I went from 30 minutes to an hour because I am not allowing myself to read unless I am on the machine. Thanks!

  12. Tchula says:
    August 20, 2013 at 6:04 am

    Whoo-hoo! Another House War book! I pretty much figured there was no way you could fit Jewel’s visit to the oracle, and all the rest of the house war machi­na­tions into one book, but I don’t think any of us will be crying about it. Heh heh. More words!

  13. controuble says:
    August 20, 2013 at 6:43 am

    Worldcon, YAY! I will be there (with a much smaller box of books :) ), working in the art show for Scott since he was kind enough to come work for me last year.
    Cast in Sorrow comes out the day I have to start setting up — hope I can get out to buy a copy…

  14. drey72 says:
    August 20, 2013 at 7:27 am

    Some­times even husbands are right… ;)

  15. Earle Davis says:
    August 20, 2013 at 9:56 am

    I have always hoped that there would be 2 – 4 more House War books due to all the other stories that are part of War. Can’t wait for Oracle.
    In addi­tion to the High Halls and the palace, don’t forget Castle Night­shade and the fief of Tiamaris other places she could live. Don’t forget Belladuso will want to live with her, so she will have lots of advice from friends and not-friends about where to live. It ought to be fun, can’t wait for it just like I am having a hard time waiting on Sorrow.

  16. Ralph says:
    August 20, 2013 at 10:30 am

    As all of the comments have said, no one thought you could fit all you want (need) to say in one book. We are not in the slightest bit upset to read more of your work!! Cast In Flame , huh? Could BellusDeo take over the Human run fife?
    Rest, relax and leave us to spec­u­late for awhile;)

  17. michelle says:
    August 20, 2013 at 12:37 pm

    I’m now kind of wondering if anyone but me thought that it was one more book…

  18. Hilda says:
    August 20, 2013 at 2:03 pm

    Dear Michelle, I’m so glad we have these great news.We, your faithful followers, all knew that it was impos­sible for one more book to complete all the things Jewel must do in her travels (the list of pending matters was exten­sively discussed following Battle); plus I’m sure at least 1/3 of the new book must tell us what is going on with her faithful band left behind in Terafin. But believe me, it’s so hard to wait for all these events, battles, conquests, adven­tures, magic, new char­ac­ters, etc.Some comments, however, made me think that some of us have forgotten that after these two forth­coming books, you promised us another series. We know that with you a series may be 4 books going on 7.Michelle, although I’m a rela­tively new reader (3 years), two days ago I turned 74; I would like to be able to read all of them (3 or 4 times). (No pres­sure though).Friends and family are becoming addicted too. Not rushing.…..
    Following some previous comments, I think that either Night­shade, who created so many compli­ca­tions by selling people; or the Emperor who needs Bellusdeo to be happy, should “buy” a spanking apart­ment for both of them and the familiar who hope­fully will have his/her name. I’m also still looking forward to
    Kaylin going to Night­shade’s fief to visit the heart of the Castle, as he asked her before the Barrani bomb.

  19. Hilda says:
    August 20, 2013 at 2:13 pm

    Sorry, forgot to mention. Won’t it be a good idea for either Bellusdeo or Kaylin to take over another fief? I forget how many are supposed to be, but we don’t know anything about them, except in one early book Night­shade mentioned a woman fieflord (fieflady?), which I always thought it could be Kailyn’s real mother. So many Cast books with people going and coming from two fiefs into or from Elantra, and there is never any other fief citizen causing problems.

  20. Jo says:
    August 20, 2013 at 4:22 pm

    Hello Ms Sagara, I couldn’t find another way to contact you directly, but I wanted to make you aware that there is a video and link on youtube to down­load the ebook of Cast in Peril for free. I have the link and will send it to you if you wish but obvi­ously didn’t want to post it publicly.

  21. David Y says:
    August 20, 2013 at 7:18 pm

    Michelle, my only fear is that, as a half gener­a­tion or so older than you, I won;t live to see the end of the House series.
    And I may not see Kaylin marry the Dragon Emperor.

  22. hjbau says:
    August 20, 2013 at 7:20 pm

    Kaylin is going to marry the dragon emperor? I think i am still behind a book and need to get caught up because i think i missed something.

  23. michelle says:
    August 20, 2013 at 8:21 pm

    You really did not miss anything that would lead to that conclusion >.

  24. Lesa says:
    August 20, 2013 at 9:05 pm

    Wow!!!! I am so looking forward to August 27. It’s my welcome back to school to me, even with students. :)I don’t know how I am going to read that whole book and get up and see kids the next day. :) :)

  25. Jacob says:
    August 20, 2013 at 10:45 pm

    I guess sacri­fices will have to be made. The kids can wait.

  26. Agustine says:
    August 20, 2013 at 11:32 pm

    Yayyy!!! Another book in House War series! (dancing with joy)

  27. Melissa says:
    August 21, 2013 at 4:05 am

    You were here? Bother. I didn’t realize.

    I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. I spent a YEAR in Toronto and never thought to go to one of your events.

  28. Alan says:
    August 21, 2013 at 3:14 pm

    Michelle, we love you but when you tell us one more book we hear three, maybe four.

    It’s one of the best things about your work.

  29. David Y says:
    August 21, 2013 at 6:06 pm

    My little joke. He hasn’t even met her yet. I trust that doesn’t turn into a spoiler — it was the most ridicu­lous thing I could say.

  30. Hilda says:
    August 27, 2013 at 4:14 pm

    Received my SORROW. I has been sitting in the mail box since noon, I guess about the time the mailman comes. My son found it when he came from work. I was expecting it tomorrow. What a great evening.
    Michelle, where do we go if we have comments. I know you mentioned some­thing new, but I went to your main page and couldn’t find anything for Sorrow.

  31. Tchula says:
    August 27, 2013 at 4:52 pm

    Hilda, you can comment on the Forums if you wish. Just click forums in the upper right of the screen. I think you have to register again to post, but there is a topic there for the Sagara novels. You can also start a topic if you like. Michelle is out of town at Worldcon this week, I think.

    Yay for Cast in Sorrow on Kindle, since my paper copy hasn’t arrived yet! :-D

  32. hjbau says:
    August 27, 2013 at 5:10 pm

    The forums actu­ally are? Wow. Awesome.

  33. Rita LM says:
    September 16, 2013 at 2:31 pm

    OK, I just found you and your series ‘Chron­i­cles of Elantra’. You are now on my favorite author list along with Jean Auel, Dean Koontz and JK Rowling, you’re an incred­ible writer, thank you. I’ve just finished ‘Sorrow’ and wanted to tell you to write faster, please:) I just started reading this series about 2 weeks ago and I don’t know if I can wait another year for ‘Fire’, it was wonderful reading them one after the other. Guess I’ll have to starting re-reading them, I will also check out your other series, they seem to have high marks also. And for my 2 cents, it’s Kaylin and Severn with chil­dren maybe living in Tiamaris. How ever it works out, just keep them coming. I am recom­mending you to everyone I know.

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