…but we are gaining on our difficulty.
Those of you who’ve been with us a while know that this hasn’t been our easiest year. Jane’s illness threw us. She hadn’t been able to work on things for months, and finally found out why; when I knew she was sick but not with what, my concentration went to blazes, and I am only now pulling out of it; Lynn had her own problems; and things just piled up and kept piling on.
We are all three beginning to dig our way out of the deep emotional pit we had gotten into. We are recovering our energy. And we have learned things about how to do things more efficiently.
We are going to be plowing into Closed Circle with energy and better organization. We have some new offerings in final stages of preparation, and I am working hard on the current book, which is showing signs of being a good one. The Foreigner series will be available from DAW in e-book: you should start seeing these. I have not been idle: I have gotten rights to other books that I will bring out: ie, we have an agreement that makes everybody happy. Books we have promised you that ARE ready or nearly so will turn up (we earnestly hope) before Christmas. Do not despair of Seeking North. I have been the hang-up, and I am about to launch back into that as soon as I get through this current rocky bit with the book.
Good luck with the work. We’ll be here!
There is always so much to do, isn’t there? What a great world it would be if some of us could just write and not worry about all those pesky other things (even when some are things we like to do).
Today is my ‘day off’ and my list has only eight items to get done, including some much needed updates for the Conspiracy of Authors site. All in all, I’d rather be working on the ouline for The Wrath of Bunny Hopper.
It is great to hear that things are looking up for all three of you. Life just seems to throw things at us sometimes. I will be glad when things start improving in my neck of the woods.
I have a backlog of things to read, but I am looking forward to having more from Closed Circle. I figure it will all be available in ebooks sooner or later.
It will be fantastic to read more of Seeking North. Good stuff from all three authors.
I would like for you all to be free of worry, but I worry that you would then be free of art. Life informs art. You are all great writers because you live your lives and transform it into art. I bet the agony of this year will show up in the books you all write, transformed in one way or another, we here might not even recognize it. But I can’t really wish you not to live your lives, hard though they be often enough.
But maybe that is really too superficial under the circs. And easy to say since everything has worked out pretty much okay (losing Efanor apart).
Seeking North has been wonderful! Thank you all for doing this and please don’t stress about it. We will be here when the next installment comes out, waiting patiently to pick up any of the threads and see where they lead. As for the next Foreigner book and the other projects you mentioned, I look forward to them in pleasant anticipation but only when your schedules and real life allow.
I am glad to hear that you’re getting better – pacing yourselves is a necessary item on the to-do list, because if you don’t, nothing will get done.
Give yourselves an amnesty for the Closed Circle and start a new schedule based on how much there is to do and how much time you have to invest in it. Don’t try to catch up on everything at once *and* try to do more at the same time. *Nobody* can do that, and you’ll just set yourselves up for failure.
The above was brought to you from the ‘Learn from my Fail’ department of the Realm of the Green Knight.
You and your work are worth waiting for. Empty Nest is right; don’t stress about it — any of it. We readers want your quality work, not your fastest work!
You all are very kind. I will tell you, we three writers have the best readers, the best people. I would write if I could only write in my head, but the thought of you good people waiting for it—and your satisfaction when it reaches your hands—is the best thing in the world, like sunrises and the spring wind.
I think we would all rather wait and know that you are happy with your work. Your main obligation is to yourselves; we are the beneficiaries. But there is great happiness when the books come out.
I’ve been watching figure skating this afternoon. I am completely charmed by Davis & White. I am always a sucker for a Strauss waltz, but their free style transcended ice dancing and went to another level. They were always with the music , using it to interpret a waltz. It was a delight to see them totally in the moment.
I wonder if you writers really do know the GLEE we feel when we’ve just received one of your new ones in our hot little hands. that feeling of great pleasures to come is really unlike anything else.
We love it when you produce a new work, but please remember to take care of yourselves as well. It benefits no one if you and Jane and Lynn are burnt out and stressed. When was the last time you got a chance to go skating?
I think it is life and NOT the writing that’s the problem …. you two are SO determined to do all sorts of things to your house and garden that I would consider way beyond my strength and skills ….. anyway, looking forward very much to the next books – great enjoyment involved … but I get lots of enjoyment from rereading all the old ones, so, no sweat!
CJ, one of the things I like about your books is, besides being entertaining, they’re something like a metaphor. They have a thoughful observation(s) as a kernel. The Mri were very samurai/Zen-like, but it’s also about motivation, personal responsibility, and (Mri) personal freedom vs (Hulag) regimentation. (Which side are “credit scores” on? 😉 ) It also shows personal freedom and personal responsibility are not antithetical.
So I read your books thinking, “What is she really saying here?”
Julia Eklar said it pretty well: http://www.lyricsmuse.com/tracks/julia-ecklar-crane-dance
[ref. to Karate Kid.] 😉
Like any good craftsperson, you don’t settle for second best. That’s why I have a whole shelf and a half of your books — every one I can get my hands on, actually.
Wait, what? Foreigner on e-book? WOOOO-HOOOO! Finally! This is wonderful news, you just made my day. 😀
Does anyone know why the e books are not available for UK buyers? I would love to have an easily portable version- the hardbacks are a bit bulky to cart around when travelling.