A Little Bit of Everything
Yes!
A scrap of writing news, two new audiobooks available (along with one pre-order), and a recent podcast of interest. As well, expect another Substack-published post tomorrow (or later today, depending on your time zone); I’m part of a small collective action.
THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD BEGINS IN ICE: Stories and Essays from the World of Cold Magic is scheduled to be published Summer 2024, by Fairwood Press, as I have previously announced.
Today I sent in the copy-edited manuscript to the publisher, so the ms now goes into production.
The book will be published in ebook and trade paperback.
The publisher has priced out a Deluxe Edition (6x9, with dust jacket, smyth sewn, headbands, a 2 pg color frontispiece (two Julie Dillon illustrations), and an added chapbook containing Cold Fire Chapter 31.5). This would constitute a limited run of likely no more than 200 copies, and a minimum of 100 copies need to sell in order for the publisher to recoup printing costs (none of us are getting rich on this! it’s more of a ‘break even’ situation).
This deluxe edition would run $40 (maybe a bit more), in part because of page count (and paper costs). Pre-orders will be super crucial for this to happen, and it is possible the deluxe edition would come out a little later than the regular edition (because printing places have very tight schedules). I will let you all know as soon as I have any definite action you can take.
Obviously if you can’t afford a Deluxe Edition (which for some reason always has to be capped), that is also totally understandable! The ebook and trade paperback edition will be commensurately cheaper, but will lack the 2 color illustrations, the chapbook, and the fancy bookish elements.
As previously noted, each story will have one illustration (except The Secret Journal of Beatrice Hassi Barahal, to be reproduced in full with all 28 Julie Dillon illustrations). I’ve commission a half dozen additional artists, and the first illustration of this new group has already come in. It’s fabulous! I can’t wait for you to see it, and all the rest.
Alas, the rush of audiobooks is slowly coming to an end. I’ve been a bit overwhelmed by the speed with which Tantor Media brought out the four Novels of the Jaran, as well as (at a slightly slower clip) the Crossroads Trilogy.
The Law of Becoming (Jaran 4) is now available, narration by Cindy Kate.
Shadow Gate (Crossroads 2) is now available, narration by Zehra Jane Naqvi.
Meanwhile, Traitors’ Gate (Crossroads 3) will become available on January 16, 2024 (note: the page shows the Tor Books cover, but the published audiobook will have a different cover, which I’ve seen and which fits with the first two).
Lots and lots of running time on these books! Accomplished voice actors! Enjoy!
I was interviewed by Rachael Herron on her long-running podcast, How Do You Write.
We talked about how to heal a tired writer’s heart, and other subjects, and just in general had a great conversation. (Note: Rachael has some podcast business she deals with at the front of the podcast, so my segment starts at about 12:00)
You can find the interview in podcast format
or on YouTube video format.
It is increasingly likely that I will be moving this newsletter off Substack in the next few months. I’m probably going to try MailPoet so I can shift everything over to my WordPress website/domain I Make Up Worlds (and kateelliott.com). But regardless, it will take me a little while longer, and I will experiment as needed to make sure that if/when the changeover comes, I will make it as painless for you all as possible (by which I mean, hopefully you won’t have to do anything, just keep receiving the newsletter). I’ll keep you posted.
By the way, if you are NOT on Bluesky and would like an invite code, let me know. I have several to give out. Just reply to this (by email, preferably).
But wait! What about Finn?
I’m sharing this because I like the framing. He’s waiting for his walk, of course.
As always, I could not do this without you. Thank you.
Kate Elliott