I have mentioned elsewhere that I’m more than a bit behind, and I’ve been working steadily in the hopes of digging myself out.
I love writing. I love being able to write for a living. But writing is an inherently creative process; it’s an art. Being able to write for a living necessitates the melding of the creative art with professional necessities, and sometimes, they don’t co-exist in an entirely optimal way. I am a big, big believer in the butt-in-chair school of writing, but I’m also aware that sometimes the fifty thousand words I’ve just written do not work. I try not to consider them lost time — but the truth is, they are. When I reach a point where the words do not work for me, I have no sunk cost fallacies; the words don’t work. I throw them out and I start again. But that’s two months or more of writing time that will never see the light of day.
So I have been mostly off-line, and will probably be keeping my head down for the rest of this month.
But: I have one link that I’d like to share, to an interview I did with Liz Bourke, which went live on tor.com on the 2nd of October. It’s a little on the long side, which will probably surprise no one. It’s here.
I also have news. Both in comments here and on Facebook, people have let me know that Cast in Peril is now available at audible.com. I’ll update the link on the book’s page later, but for now it’s here.
This means the entire Cast series is available.
Audible also bought the rights for the House War series and Silence, plus its two sequels. I don’t have release dates for any of these yet, but I’ve seen, signed, and returned the contracts. I’m really happy about both of these things.
And now, I am going back to my cave >.>
46 Responses to Two bits of news, and a link
Congratulations and good luck in your spelunking ^^. Loved Cast in Peril ^^
Thank you for the update!
I’ve created a fan site for you, fansofmichellesagarawest.wordpress.com, which I’m hoping to create as a community site, so that may divert some of the intense quantity of comments on your site, and then you can go over there and read it when you feel like it. :))
Yes, please write! As fantastic as the fan fiction is out here, your writing remains the best!
Your fans understand, you have three different series going on and each book are not short. so writing 3 books a year is work hard work:)))
But we really appreciate it, they are so good that we get greedy for the next one now, now.. He he..
You are one of the prolific writers, because hey .. 3 different books series that we love. Yeah!! If we did’t love the books we wouldn’t want the next so quickly, so THANK YOU:)))))
The audible news is AWESOME! I’ve slowly but surely been buying up the audible Cast novels. This is the first time I’ve owned books in two formats, and when available I plan on doing the same for the House books.
I hope you are able to write your way out!!
The audible book narrator is great! I have never listened to audible books, but I tried with the cast series. I like this narrator her different voices (or tones/accents) is very very good, I actually listened for three days straight until the whole book was read. I read the book first of course.
The audible really helped me clarify parts that i read.
I will continue to buy audibles, especially if the same narrator.
Thank you Michelle for all of your work and efforts. A hope you know that it is truly appreciated by your readers!!
There is a famous quote by Ernest Hemingway that says ” The Best People possess a feeling for beauty, the courage to take risks, the discipline to tell the truth, the capacity for sacrifice.” I would add to that ‘the ability to enrich the lives of others’. And, that would be the description I have for you.
Ralph
p.s.
Please don’t forget to take a few days and rest, for both your sake and ours :)
well stated Ralph
I really enjoy your writing and I just keep going over and over each book. Yes, I can hardily wait for the next one. You rest and keep on doing what you are doing, because it makes the best of the best books. :)
P.S.
Cast in Peril with my favorite color green is good!!!!!! Really, Really Good!!!!!
It was Kaylin saying “thank you” to the Hallione because in making the 2 of them stay together, the Consort forgave Kaylin; they are friendly again, Kaylin didn’t like that the Consort had been still angry at her. They were able to even laugh aloud.
“As a reader, I don’t like to be smacked over the head with things. I don’t want everything spelled out in obvious and painful ways. I am afraid to be too obvious.”
This. As a reader, there’s nothing so disappointing as be smacked in the head with heavy-handed exposition. Leaving room for interpretation lets us fill in the blanks and construct the characters we can continue to love. Ambiguity, mystery, making the reader *think*. This is what draws me back to my favorite authors, especially Michelle.
Here, here!
Michelle, yesterday, I went to my Amazon account and it has the book of Battle with its cover. I had pre-order it. I’m assuming it’s of the beautiful Lord Celleriant ready for battle. It’s a great cover. They are all excellent, but like the last two of Ellantra, this one is terrific; very well done. I have looked all over your website and haven’t found any mention of it. I inquired in the last C in P spoilers comments, but no one has responded. Amazon says they will deliver December 30. I asked in the Elantra series but I have no response from anyone. I know you are very busy, but wonder if we will see any chapter in 3 or 4 weeks. Maybe Amazon is spoiling your news. Hope you can read this one.
Hilda, hooray! A fellow MSW fan who is familiar with several series!
Have you read her short stories? They are these jewels she has wrapped up and gifted to all of her fans for only 0.99 or 2.99 on Amazon.com, and you can download them onto a bunch of devices for free even if you don’t have a Kindle. Michelle puts these wonderful introductions on each one and I love them.
I have never created a fansite for anyone, but I had to do it for Michelle because she gives so much of herself in her work. If you want to see my reviews for “Birthnight” (her first published story), “Gifted” (her first written/sold story) and “Echoes” (the first story of her Essalieyan Chronicles) you can check out the fansite: fansofmichellesagarawest.wordpress.com.
We have no intention of pulling people away from this site, so we refer back to it often, and I link to where people can buy her stories — I just think it’s a crime against humanity that she isn’t as famous as J.K. Rowlings and if we can build a forum where more people are introduced to her and can share about her writings, then that is good. :) Feel free to comment on the other series and we’ll build up discussion boards, etc. to accommodate.
Joanna, for over two years I have read practically nothing but Michelle in all her forms. Thanks to another fan, I also got the short stories which helped a lot. All her readers should at some point read her short stories. There are lots of fans that move from one series to another, and then don’t know which they like best. I love all with Kaylin (my first) and Jewel. In the Elantra website we keep asking her to write short stories on different times of Kaylin’s life, or on any other of Elantra character so we get to know them better.
My books, except the hard covers, are in pieces. I reread them so much, but every time I do so I discover something new: a detail here , another detail there; and doors open for speculation, for a glimpse to the future, for clarifying a past incident.
I do have the Nook and I’m starting to duplicate the stories there.
Saying all this, it worries me that Michelle hasn’t post or sent e-mail about Battle’s cover. She told us she is awfully busy and has no extra time, but for the last few years I have read all her books she notifies us of the covers as soon as she knows it. When I found it in my account in Amazon, I thought it was a mistake. We will wait for her message and she may tell us if and when she may post the first chapter. The book really will be a great Holidays present to all her readers.
Hi Hilda! Oh how awesome. I am newly introduced to Michelle — just found her last September, and didn’t know she had any other books so I waited patiently for the year to get CiP. I’ve discovered a plethora of other stories by her and I’m ecstatic!
If you have the time, I would sincerely appreciate the help in building up our fan site in terms of her short stories. I only have the eleven she recently re-released and I agree with you that every one of her fans should read her shorts!
Michelle is just AMAZING. I was laughing and crying with her “Gifted”, and “Birthnight” took my breath away. Most gorgeously written fable about that special birth that I have ever read.
I’ve loved lots of authors, but never one that I felt driven to promote to everyone and that I was sufficiently passionate to launch and maintain a fan site.
It’s great to meet fellow fans who appreciate her so much that all your books are literally falling apart. :)
You’re welcome to our site, anytime — fansofmichellesagarawest.wordpress.com.
Joanna, if you were introduced to Michelle Sagara about a year ago, there’s no way you have read all her books or series. Under Michelle West she has many other books. If you have not started on them yet, you better start now. It’s how we can endure the time in between books. I’m so glad I discovered her 2 years ago; if not I woud have gone crazy waiting for one book a year. Now we get about 3, and sometimes the short story in between.
Move to the Sun Sword series, which then became the House War series (about 6 books each) (the 12th Battle is coming out in 2 or 3 months), which later will become another 6 books series where all the characters from these last two series fight the final battle with the demons. So, the books where Jewel is the main character is evolving into a 3 series of 6 books each, and lots of short stories in between. Early in my readings, I found interesting that readers were expressing preference for Kaylin or for Jewel; so, I discovered Jewel. I love them both. They are so different heroines, in different worlds, but have lots in common.
For some years, lots of readers of the Sun Sword series were frustrated because the 5th book, Riven Shield, was not available. It became available again some few months ago. Move to this series, get Riven Shield right away, and start a new despair waiting from one book to another.
Thre’s so many other books related to these series and many short stories, you have years of enjoyment yet. I remember one time where her readers started a discussion about the famous swords (they also have names) and which will be the one to battle Allasakar. I understood a particular discussion, and why my suggestion was not reasonable, once another reader pointed me to a short story, Gifted, where a sword play a great role. so, read her short stories and her novellas about the blood brothers. This website gives you the names of all of them. Read also the readers comments for each books in this website. They are incredibly interesting. Have fun!!!
I don’t know if everyone has noticed but.…. drum roll, Battle the book and kindle edition are coming out the same day according to AMAZON!! Yeah:))
Yippeee!!!!
Shauntel, would you mind please posting something on the House of War series on our fansite for Michelle? I really want to build up that section of her site (because from the tiny bit of that series that I’ve read, she is AWESOME, of course.)
I seriously wonder if she has ever written anything even remotely crappy, because I just read her very first story written over two decades ago and it was one of the most beautiful stories I had ever read. I think she may be incapable of disappointing us.
My co-admin and I had to split up all of her works, because we are primarily Elantra fans, but we wanted to showcase all of Michelle’s awesomeness on our fansite so I have pages dedicated to each of the series but I’m building it slowly.
We would welcome your help, if you wanted to set up or recommend discussion boards, book reviews, etc. from any of her other books/series.
The site is fansofmichellesagarawest.wordpress.com. We refer back to this blog wherever possible — we just want to create a forum for all the fans to meet and get introduced to more of her works. It will be less painful for us all if we can dive into “Battle” in December, then “Touch” in May and then “Cast in Sorrow” in October. It means we only have to wait a few months before our next MSW Joy Package instead of a year.
I knew about the book because Amazon has it in my account with the cover, and wondered here about Michelle not announcing it yet. I don’t have Kindle; I have the Nook. For Michelle I prefer the books. The cover is stunning. My Holidays present.
Silence easily became one of my favorite books of all time after reading it earlier in the year, and I cannot wait for the story to continue. When there is a title and a date for book 2, I will do a little happy dance! No doubt about it!
Jamie! I know, right! Gah, will we ever get over how AWESOME Michelle is?
I just got a copy of “Silence” and within the first few lines I was transported — and I don’t even LIKE horror but she is such a brilliant, fantastic writer that I HAVE to keep reading.
And I’ve been doing reviews of her short stories, FRICKEN AWESOME!!! She is now my favorite author of all time, surpassing J.K Rowlings for me.
Please, I need your help on my fan site — it’s dedicated to Michelle and I need people who have read the other books. Right now it’s primarily Elantra fans, but I want to do a book review of Silence and get discussion boards going and everything. I’ll post discussion boards once I read it, but could you give me a book review or post on the Queen of the Dead page what you’d recommend so we can start up convos on this?
In May we get “Touch”!!! SO AWESOME!
My site (coadminned with A.Esther, a fellow poster on this blog) is fansofmichellesagarawest.wordpress.com. My mission in life is to introduce as many people as possible to as many of her works as possible so they can all have the amazing experience of her books that we all love and yearn for.
Joanna,
I applaud any and all attempts to get the writings of Michelle to as wide an audience as possible. I will add your fan site to my bookmarks. I don’t know if you are aware but there is a fan site for Michelle over at Yahoo groups. The site is : michellewest@groups.yahoo.com.
Our membership is over 500 strong and growing. The ListMom is Tchula. I am certain she would possibly be interested in linking the two sites.
I am glad you found our favorite gem of an author. Please drop in at the yahoo group and check us out.
Ralph
p.s.
I am trying to start a movement to get Michelle nominated for a Hugo Award in 2013!
Any suggestions on how we might help with the movement?
Chris,
First, you, and as many friends as you can get, have to become supporting members of the 2013 Worldcon ( http://www.worldcon.org). The cost is around $50.00. You, and they, will then be sent Hugo Award nomination papers.
Second, we have to vote and get one of Michelle’s novels to be one of the top 5 recipients of nominations on a Hugo ballet.
Lastly, get Michelle as many votes as possible to WIN the Hugo !
Knowing the quality of Michelle’s work, the hardest part will be to just get started. Her writing will do the rest!! Join me.
Ralph
Ralph, I’m sure the “desperately waited” forthcoming book, “BATTLE” will be the exactly right BOOK for what you need in nominating Michelle. It’s a perfect transition book. It’s going to end a long list of books, adventures, skirmishes, growing up, evolution of people and battles”; there should be a clear transition for Jewel and her “character den friends”. The series will most likely leave behind the Southern section of several books, and, will solidify Jewel’s den. I’m sure that the level of tension, suspense, battles will move the characters to their adult (Jewel’s friends/den) positions; Jewel’s position as the seeer for the crown will possibly come to pass. Avandar, the mages and major players will end in a transition to wait for the final battle with Alasakar. I can also see the end of the book as Jewel taking the way of the seers and leaving Aramarelas to fulfill her destiny. I, however, can’t speculate at all about Kiriel’s future in this book, and who will be temporarily left in charge of the House. Also, I think that Jewel will become Matriarch once she learns the way of the Seers. Rally, you should look forward to use this book for the award.
Hi Robert,
Hail fellow fansite moderator/contributor! What do we have to do to get our favorite author nominated for a Hugo award? I want to get her Elantra series picked up for a TV show. I imagine that would introduce a lot more people to her and they would all get carried away in her worlds like we have.
Thank you very much! I have noted your yahoo groups site on ours and I will write to Tchula.
I know (as a fellow author) that publishers take into account web site traffic, which was why we wanted to have ours on a site. I’m sure she gets tons of traffic through her blog, tumblr, etc. but I was hoping if we could amass a huge number of third-party interest it would prove to producers that it’s worth taking on her series.
I’m sure there are screenwriters who are fans of hers — they could write the treatise. :)
My email is jc.msw.fanweb.coadm1n@gmail.com. Please keep in touch with me as to our joined plotting to introduce the world to Michelle.
I’m doing book reviews of her short stories as well. Have you read her very first one? “Gifted”. Oh my gosh, that is AWESOME.
Joanna,
I think I have read ALL of her shorts. My favorite is “Ghostwood”. If ever there was written a story that you need two “hankies” to finish, it’s that one!
I know Michelle is working on getting more of her shorts available as eBooks. The Essalieyan shorts already are. They are also in a single book from Lulu Press, Memory of Stone and other Stories.
I will be glad to keep in touch. Do check in on the Yahoo group and meet Tchula and the gang. We have lively discussions ( sometimes arguments :) ) about Elantra and Michelle’s work as a whole.
Ralph
Thanks for getting back to me Ralph. I didn’t get an e-mail notification that you had replied to me, so I just saw your response now. Thanks for the info, I’ll do what I can to help.
Hello,
I just wanted to express my joy at reading the Elantra series. I do not read very quickly so I am amazed that I am reading now the last in the series that is now in print ( cast in peril ) and waiting anxiously for the release of Cast in sorrow and hope that there will be many, many more after.
Thank you again!!!
–William
I loved cast in peril…When will cast in sorrow come out?
Probably next September. These tend to come out a year apart.
Cast in Peril is a semi-finalist on Goodreads’ “Best Fantasy” books of 2012 (Idk why Skirmish isn’t there too?). It’s currently up against 19 other books in it’s category:
http://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-fantasy-books-2012#74614-Best-Fantasy
This seems like a great way to support Michelle if you can.
CHRIS, I frequently receive the Goodreads messages, but when I looked in the proposed awards I didn’t see any of Michelle’s, so I went on. I’ll get back and will vote. It’s very good news, but we need to announce it in all her websites. Thanks for the info.
Hilda,
As you wish it, so shall it be!
I posted Chris’s message, along with siting, to the Yahoo group and all my other science fiction book club friends.
Ralph
Thanks so much! I voted and I’ve posted it on our fan site.
Go, Michelle, go!
Chris,
Thanks for your info! I just voted for Cast In Peril on GoodReads. Let’s all work to get Michelle’s work the industry recognition they so richly deserve!
Ralph
Hi Michelle -
Just started reading your books — the Cast series.Loving them!
But frustrated! I prefer ebooks and Fury seems to be the latest available in the UK — the rest aren’t! I found a site where I I can get them free and have doenloaded 2 — Silence and Chaos. Then it struck me (a bit slow — sorry!) that you won’t be getting any money for these.
The site is http://www.freebookspot.es/ — is this legitamate or have I downloaded pirated copies? If so, is there a way I pay you for them?
Also — why can’t I get Kindle copies is the UK?
Thanks very much!
Dear Michelle,
Thank you for continually putting out great books. You have inspired me to begin writing my first book. I am very grateful for your insights on your writing process and can’t wait to get my hands on the next ‘Cast” book.
~Jenna
I just finished Cast in Peril AND Skirmish and am totally frustrated because the next book in these two series is not yet out.
I discovered your writing entirely be accident. I read everything Mercedes Lackey writes, and while I really dislike short stores, I read your short story, “Cast In Moonlight” in “Harvest Moon”, simply because her name was on the cover.
When I had read it I silently begged and pleaded the gods of all who love to read that there were other things written by you. I devoured the “Cast In.…” books, moved on to the house wars books and now am at a loss as to which one I should reread first while waiting for the next ones. So I’m wishing you long life, good health and speedy fingers just so I can selfishly have more of your works to read. You are my new favorite author.
Greetings Joriah!
Welcome to fandom! Michelle Sagara West is AWESOME.
When you say you’ve read the House of War, does that include the full series? You know that the Hunter’s Oath duology, the Sword series and the six short stories of the Essaylian Chronicles are all part of the House War universe?
You’ve got like ten more novels to read and six short stories, if you haven’t checked out those books. And that will carry you over until “Battle” is released!
Then you can start on her Queen of the Dead series if you want. She also has a bunch of great short stories (some of the reviews for those are on our fansite (fansofmichellesagarawest.wordpress.com). But there is still lots of MSW joy and adventure awaiting you!
Enjoy!!
Greetings Joriah!
Welcome to fandom! Michelle Sagara West is AWESOME.
When you say you’ve read the House of War, does that include the full series? You know that the Hunter’s Oath duology, the Sword series and the six short stories of the Essaylian Chronicles are all part of the House War universe?
You’ve got like ten more novels to read and six short stories, if you haven’t checked out those books. And that will carry you over until “Battle” is released!
Then you can start on her Queen of the Dead series if you want. She also has a bunch of great short stories (some of the reviews for those are on our fansite: fansofmichellesagarawest.wordpress.com). But there is still lots of MSW joy and adventure awaiting you!
Enjoy!!
Hi, Joriah. We are not surprised you love the Cast series books. If you keep checking and go way back on these websites, you are going to find thousands of dedicated fans. Since you got some advice from Joanna, I will suggest something different.
Michelle tried to help her fans when she decided to continue the Sun Sword series with the “House” series. So, about a year or so ago, she wrote a very extensive summary/description of events in both series trying to explain things that might be confusing for some readers. The House series started with its main characters when they were children, while the Sun Sword series has that main character as an adult meeting others that also became House characters.
I’m sorry I can’t tell you exactly how to find Michelle’s extensive explanation in her website, but it’s here because I read it. (maybe some other reader can tell you) And it does help a lot. Also, some of the short stories fill some gaps in the series, and help to understand characters actions. You will have more than enough to keep you busy reading for years, and will go back to them again and again because every time you reread you’ll get something new. Have fun.
HI HILDA AND JORIAH,
I’m sorry I didn’t respond to your posts sooner. I have been battling the flu this season. And then, was laid low by it myself. Due yourselves a favor, get the flu vaccination! This season’s flu SUCKS!!
To find that brief synopsis and recap that Michelle gave us, go to the Home page>on right hand side, select January 2012 archives. The recap is in three parts. Many of us found it extremely helpful to get us up to speed when Skirmish came out. Enjoy!!!
Ralph
p.s.
Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah,and the Happiest New Year to all!
Hi all, Sorry I’ve turned into “lurker mode” with many things going on in our life at home. Not much time to keep up with posts but I’ve read all you’ve written.
Want to wish you all the best holiday season ever and a very Happy New Year.
Can’t wait to find ALL the rest of Michele’s books to read under our tree. (Hoping, hoping, Santa please be good.)
Hugs,
Joriah
I love the Cast in series, but I have a major problem with them, or more accurately your publisher…
I can only use the excuse “They’re my wife’s” so many times when people see a Harlequin novel on my headboard. :)
Keep up the good work, I’d have the next Cast In book pre-ordered by now but it hasn’t come up yet… stupid slow internet. :P
*Yes, tongue firmly in cheek here :D
Hi Michelle and readers friends. I look at my e-mails everyday hoping to see a messsage from Michelle announcing BATTLE, and probably giving us a first chapter, as she used to do with all her books (at least since I started reading her books). Under this article from her, Michelle let us know how busy and behind schedule she has been and is trying to catch up. Please take care of yourself too.
I have been out of town for almost 3 weeks. Today, I checked my Amazon account and it tells me that my BATTLE book will arrive ” the,last day of the year at 8:00 p.m. What an incredible XMAS present, and the best New Year yet!!! I’m try to plan how I’m going to start reading it after celebrating New Year with my family.
2 MORE WEEKS of waiting. Very hard to wait, but I have done it since Amazon announced it.
Michelle, I hope everything is going well with you, our favorite author, and you are able to celebrate and enjoy these holidays with family and friends. Have a wonderful time. HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE !!!