Very Important News About My 2016 Novel Release (and Other Fiction Plans)
Posted on December 28, 2015 Posted by John Scalzi 79 Comments
So, here’s the Very Important News about my 2016 novel release:
Currently, there isn’t one. Not a new one, anyway.
Which isn’t to say I’m not writing a novel in 2016. In fact, I’m writing two(!). Merely that Tor has decided to wait until 2017 to release the next new one.
Why the wait? Among other things, because Tor just dropped a ton of money on me so we want to make sure we debut this next novel, the first in the new contract, just right. I’m on board with this plan — note the “we” in that last sentence — since (again, among other things) I actually want to try to earn out the silly large chunks of money Tor has dropped on me. I also don’t mind the extra time it gives me to write/tweak the novels I’m currently working on.
Note that 2016 isn’t the first year without a new Scalzi novel: 2009 and 2010 were likewise new novel-free. And then came the nice run of Fuzzy Nation, Redshirts, Human Division, Lock In and The End of All Things. We did all right after the last pause, is what I’m saying. I think we’ll be okay with this one too.
(For those curious about the novels I’m currently working on: One is a YA, and the other is a space opera, planned to be the first in a new series, the latter being the one that will likely be the 2017 release. For more details on these, you’re just going to have to wait. I know, I know, waiting sucks. I’ll make it worth it, promise.)
Does this mean that there will be no fiction work from me in 2016? Not at all. Here’s what you’ll definitely see on tap for 2016 (i.e., done and awaiting publication):
* The paperback release of The End of All Things, currently scheduled for May 31st.
* The novella “The Dispatcher,” which will debut first as an audiobook through Audible, and then later in printed/eBook form through Subterranean Press. This is my first foray into contemporary fantasy, and I think you guys are going to enjoy the hell out of it. No solid release date yet but almost certainly in 2016.
* A short story called “On the Wall” which I co-wrote with my pal Dave Klecha, which is part of the Black Tide Rising anthology, co-edited by John Ringo, for Baen. Yes, that John Ringo and that Baen. Pick your jaws up off the floor, people. I’ve made no bones about liking Baen as a publisher, and I’ve noted for a while that John Ringo and I get on pretty well despite our various differences and occasional snark. Also, it was a ton of fun to write in his universe and with Dave. The BTR anthology comes out June 7th.
There’s also a strong likelihood I will have something else released from Subterranean Press in 2016. More details on that when everything’s hammered out. Plus! I may have a short story or two out in ’16, pending scheduling. Again, more information on that later if something positive happens in that direction.
All of which is to say that you won’t lack for fiction from me in 2016. It’ll be there.
Would you ever consider writing a short story for one of Weber’s Honorverse anthologies? I’d enjoy reading your take on that SF universe.
I heard you read from “The Dispatcher” on your tour, and am excited to get to hear the rest of it! It’s a really neat concept. I’m having to cut back on my book-buying budget a bit due to med bills but my brother was awesome and gave me an Audible subscription for Christmas, so hooray! Heck, if the release date timing works, I may give him a copy for his birthday ^^
For those who didn’t see our illustrious host on his last tour, he read from “The Dispatcher.” IMO it offered everything we like about his writing. So much so, in fact, that I’ve been wondering ever since just when it would be released.
Kufat:
In general I don’t write for anthologies, so it’s unlikely. I wrote for this one specifically to see what co-writing would be like, and because given the (incorrectly) oft-assumed bad blood between me and Baen in general, I thought it would be useful to bury that particular assumption (and also because John Ringo invited me, which I thought was a gracious gesture).
My reaction is the same as the title of this blog.
Oh, I’ll buy and read the new novels when they’re released, but I’m not exactly counting the days. I hope you mostly stick to SF but if the YA gets decent reviews and sounds good, I’ll read that too. Fantasy, I’ll probably skip.
Thanks for reminding me about Lock In. I’ve been meaning to pick it up for a while now. Got lots of Amazon GCs for Christmas, so now it’s in my Kindle to-read pile.
:-)
Have to admit that I am selfishly disappointed. Thought a “Lock In” sequel would be out in ’16. But when I went to pre-order on Christmas Day and couldn’t find it, I suspected that it wouldn’t be. Well, something to look forward to in ’17 maybe?
Can we help out by camping on your lawn? We can even pitch in for a porta-potty. Consider the advantages: “encouragement”, first readers, cheering squad,… Well?????
We will even be enthusiastic about the musical interludes on your new axe!
When the will book about uses for a goat see the light of day?
Imagine Luke Sykwalker’s face, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
I was really hoping for a sequel to Locked in, or maybe a sequel to Redshirts this year. Hoping your TV shows come out this year?!?
We read the paperback of “the end of all things” a while ago. We got it through Amazon from England. It’s a large format paperback, which we like since our eyesight is not so good with tiny print.
Why do they release hardcover first and then wait a long time to release the paperback? Since we mostly read in bed, the paperback is easier for us.
Assumed no books in 2016 cuz you were too busy taking cat pictures. Good to learn otherwise. As usual, you write it and I’ll read it–you never disappoint.
Any plans for fantasy novel? I’m pretty interested in seeing what you would do in that genre. I really enjoyed ‘the God engines’ and plan on checking out ‘the dispatcher’ too. But a full length Scalzi fantasy novel might be the excuse I need to go back to the genre.
Oh, John Sclazi, nooooo! :)
Actually, it sounds like a fun story all round, with Mr. Ringo’s invitation and the co-writer aspect. I’m not sure why people would think you have an issue with Baen, they publish books, you write books, seems like a good match, so what’s the issue (apart from fairly terrible cover art, but even with that, it gives them an identity and you can spot their books from 10 paces)?
I guess I’ll have to wait impatiently for new novels, but the Dispatchers sounds intriguing.
Really looking forward to The Dispatcher. The hint you gave us at your read at The Last Bookstore in L.A. was pretty tempting.
I quite enjoy all your audiobooks (just finished listening to The Ghost Brigades the other day). Do you have a narrator picked for this 2016 audiobook? I’m excited to listen!
I, for one, am GLAD you have no books coming out this year! (Because I’m behind on your existing catalog. Gives me time to catch up. I look most forward to your space opera!)
S. J. Pajonas:
I don’t pick out the narrator, Audible does (although Audible has been very good about listening to my suggestions). Audible is still in the process of picking a narrator. I can’t say anything about that, except to say that I know of at least one person they are considering, and if that person says yes, it will be pretty damn cool.
Heh. Amusingly enough, I just finished reading your “10 Things to Remember About Authors” post and the comments following it (got there as I so often do, by following a link in a different post of yours), so even if I were the sort to berate you for not releasing a novel in 2016, I’d know better. As it is, you shared a lot more about the reasons for no 2016 novel than we have any right to expect, along with giving us other reasons to eagerly anticipate what the year will bring instead.
Purely, totally selfishly, I am very much looking forward to reading more about the Lock In characters and universe. But you know, if that takes a few more years to hit the market, well, that just means I’ll have to explore some other writers in the meantime. Wow – what a hardship, eh? Funny thing is, there’s this blog I read where the host regularly posts these “Big Idea” pieces by other writers, and I’ve got a TBR list a mile long from those (currently reading Saturn Run, as it happens).
So enjoy your 2016, sir, and thank you for giving us a glimpse of what we can anticipate in the months to come. May you enjoy health and happiness in ample measure to facilitate the creative process.
I hope this leisurely schedule gives you plenty of time to post regular pet pictures.
(We have fish. I’m pondering blogging about Scamperfins.)
I am of the firm opinion that novels – and other creative endeavors – should take as long as they take, period. Hell, I am still waiting for GRRM’s Winds of Winter, not to mention David Gerrold’s next Chtorr novel – I think I can be patient and wait until 2017 for your next offering. It sounds like the delay on your next novel is more business scheduling and marketing as opposed to writing, which of course is understandable, but my point still holds, I think :-).
The Dispatcher sounds very intriguing. Especially as I am in fact a police dispatcher and happen to love urban fantasy. Is it too much to hope that it is that kind of dispatcher and not in fact a person who dispatches(kills) people?
Darn. This makes me regret plunging through “The End of All Things” in just three days.
Looking forward to all the upcoming works, but really glad to hear “The Dispatcher” will be out in 2016 after hearing you read the snippet at WorldCon.
No new novel doesn’t bother me as much as the fact that, with no new novel for you to tour on, I’m going to miss my annual autumn “drive down the mountain to Raleigh, NC for Scalzi + used bookstore crawl + great restaurant ME day.” Darn you. :)
Given how business-like you are about writing and delivering, we can at least be sure of 2017 :). In the meantime, what is happening with ‘The High Castle’ please? is that permanently on hold? And might some of your other books be made more available? – eg, getting ‘Hate Mail’ into e-form for the UK Kindle?
2016 is shaping up to be a terrible year for new books. You’re the third author I read who has announced that they won’t be releasing any new novels until 2017. I’m going to spend the entire year going through my shelves for old stuff I haven’t read in a while to fill in the time. Life is hard, is it not?
Scott:
This will be an excellent time to take a chance on some new authors!
New space opera? Count me in! Going to try and make a serious dent in my reading list in 2016 to prepare.
This is just bad planning, John. Obviously you should’ve had yourself cloned years ago. How else are you supposed to satisfy the hordes of Scalziheads who thirst for at least four or five longform works per year? At least create an OldManScalzi, a SpaceOperaScalzi and an SJWScalzi to take the pressure off Scalzi Prime.
Scamperfins! Love it. I think I shall post pictures of my Scamperfowl (e.g. chickens)
“I wrote for this one specifically to see what co-writing would be like, and because given the (incorrectly) oft-assumed bad blood between me and Baen in general, I thought it would be useful to bury that particular assumption (and also because John Ringo invited me, which I thought was a gracious gesture).”
Darn. I so wanted to call you “Darth Scalzi”. Oh, well…
I suspect this is all predicated on you spending more quality time with the scamperbeasts™.
I’m going to echo Not the Reddit Chris S’s “Oh John Scalzi, Nooooooooo”, but without the smiley.
I doubt anyone who reads Whatever is actually surprised that you’d publish something with Baen, but I’m really baffled by what you saw in Ringo’s Black Tide books to invite your attention. I enjoyed a lot of Ringo’s earlier books so I gave these a shot. I waded through the first one and a half and found they were some of the more misogynistic and dumbly jingoistic things I’d run across outside of a Redit thread. The jingoistic “America, Fuck Yeah” bits often didn’t even make sense within the context of the story.
I sort of view them as a reverse World War Z. Max Brooks created a zombie apocalypse where he wasn’t worried about the mechanics of of the origin, but rather an interesting examination of the fallout. Ringo created a zombie apocalypse with a carefully thought out and detailed origin story, and then proceeds to ignore the entire setup to write about how sexually desirable teenage gunbunnies are.
So I’m morbidly curious what attracted you to this anthology over other opportunities.
Ryan H:
Because I felt like it.
Fair enough! I mean, that’s the only reason needed to justify any creative output.
I’m not sure how to write this. I don’t want to imply that you need anyone’s permission (let alone mine) to write anything. Or that you have any obligation to defend what you write to random posters on the internet. I’m just really baffled by this particular choice, and this seemed like the place to express that bafflement.
I’m just glad I’m not the only one who got tired real fast of “adult men find buxom teenage girls hot.” It’s not exactly a shocking revelation.
I read the whole series and overall liked it fine, but I kind of envy you not having finished it. The ending was rushed and ignored some important plot threads, and also threw in the dumbest idea of the entire series at the last minute. I mean, you think Emma Watson manning a gatling gun on a helicopter was dumb? You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.
That said, I’m looking forward to the anthology. It’s an interesting world, despite being Yet Another (Not Really)-Zombie Setting, and I’m curious to see what other authors do with it.
OK, I’m a little intrigued. As a lay person in the world of authoring, publishing, and their associated contracts: Is there a difference between “to earn” and “to earn out”?
PS — Oxford comma intentional.
Can’t say I’m surprised your writing a story in an anthology co-edited by John Ringo. I’ve almost been expecting something like this for a while given the number of times you’ve mentioned Baen and Ringo. Sounds like an interesting read.
Thanks for the publishing schedule update. Good to know what to expect. As always you’ve got the business part of your writing firmly in place. Congrats on having new experiments and experiences. Good for the brain and I’ll bet it helps keep the creative juices flowing.
Dear Sir Scalzi, would you ever consider writing The Beginning Of All Things? Say about how the CU came to be and how things with Earth got so screwed up? I enjoy those parts of the universe that happen on Earth (as well as your way of writing about Earth in the Android’s Dream). The characters like Albert Birnbaum, the ‘yapping in the brush’ dude, and Dirk Moeller, the ‘medium rare’ junkie and a real fart, well these sidekicks amuse me immensely. I’m dieing to know the early history and the first encounters of the third kind, and yes, the politics! You are so good at making up political conflicts that actually rival the real politics these days (which should be counted as an accomplishment!). Anyway, good luck on your quest to perfection in 2016!
Talitha Kum:
At this point, no plans for OMW prequels.
Peter M, et al:
I can’t speak to the rest of the contributions, but as for my and Dave’s, neither teenage girls nor their potential hotness is a matter under consideration.
Re no prequel, Definitely a bummer.
I can’t speak to the rest of the contributions, but as for my and Dave’s, neither teenage girls nor their potential hotness is a matter under consideration.
I’m sold, then. Not that I wasn’t already.
I’ll also second the interest in an OMW prequel, on the off chance you ever find yourself thinking about it but decide, “I can’t do it for only one sale. If only a second person had expressed interest!”
I understand that one of my constant detractors is asserting that the reason the first book of my new contract comes out in 2017 and not 2016 is because I turned in a manuscript and it was terrible and now Tor is trying to salvage things. This is the same person, if memory serves, who asserted that Lock In was a failure and Tor was planning to dump me, shortly before Tor, in fact, handed me a multi-million dollar contract, which included a sequel to Lock In.
Now, as then, his head is up his ass and he’s speaking on things he knows nothing about. I haven’t turned in a manuscript; there’s no manuscript to turn in. They (remember I’m working on two) haven’t been written yet. To be clear, the only thing I’ve turned in to Tor since submitting my manuscript for The End of All Things is my contract for the next set of books. That was accepted without any additional revision, I would note.
For the avoidance of doubt, you should assume that any speculation about me or my career coming from that quarter is based on equal parts of ignorance, craven maliciousness, and pathetic longing for my attention, and almost certainly false. Anything said by that person about me is likely to be incorrect, down to and including indefinite articles.
Considering you always let us know how the latest work is coming along, Mr. Man-Crush is pretending he hasn’t been obsessively refreshing your blog.
(You forgot to say he’s not so good with the math either.)
Re Peter M., Re OMW prequel. We have a movement here! No pressure, Sir Scalzi! P.S. just read some of your thoughts on refugees and Muslim-inspired bedwetting. It is wonderful to find one more reason to like you, outside your fiction. This world goes to hell, and I’d prefer that to happen on pages of my favourite books. But current politics makes it all too real. All more reasons for that prequel because it would be a shame if the world ends tomorrow and I won’t know the whole story :). It’s a fine drug you’ve produced, Sir Scalzi :)
Yay! I hope it comes through for you. (And I totally meant the collective you of you and your team of people who do all the cool stuff on the backend, Tor, Audible, Agent, Editor, etc.) I have really enjoyed your audiobooks, all the narrators, so I’m sure Audible will pick someone great.
When are you going to get around to releasing OLD MAN’S WAR in hardcover to match the others in the series from Tor? I keep hoping…
Old Man’s War was released in hardcover in 2005.
I’ll add my voice to those who would be very interested in an OMW prequel. In particular, I’d love to read your take on the Battle of Armstrong, which has been referenced a few times, if memory recalls. Maybe a series of loosely-tied vignettes from that era? At any rate, as much as I enjoy the brand new stuff, I do hope you revisit that period of the OMW universe in some way over the next decade :-).
Re prequel. It’s a movement of 3 now :). Got me thinking. Can I do some fan fiction here? Don’t know if its a bad tone, hope not, but it got me thinking. General Gau. He is the key to the CU. At no point it was said how old his species live, right? Say, he was exiled from power for some political reasons. And he needed to form an alliance. So he reaches out to Earth who are virgin at that point about everything universe. He takes a group of human delegates, gives them technology (secretly, no other aliens know). And so the CU is formed. But the humans pulled the rug from under Gau’s feet and went independent. And Gau, a gentleman that he is, with his code of ethics, had to swallow this pill. From then on Gau has this thing about humans, he is somewhat attached, enough to care, but also is enraged. Of course, I’m only re-reading human division at this point so that I can savor the end of all things. Will get to it this weekend. Maybe something in the last book won’t work with this idea.
Nah, man, three people wanting prequels is just an organization. To qualify as a movement we’ll need fifty people, I said FIFTY people, and we’ll have to walk in here every day and sing a bar of Alice’s Restaurant. With feeling. I don’t really got that kind of time, and to be honest I’m afraid of the guys on the Group W bench.
PeterM, maybe you just need to practice that ‘feeling’ on the Alice’s Restaurant (what a reference!) Once the OMW Prequel Corporation of Monsters is formally established, we can vote on the official anthem. I propose Alice of a different kind. ‘Who the fuck is Alice?’ to be exact. But after all, it’s up to The Man to indulge us or not.
John, would you mind clarifying a couple of points? I’m a bit confused.
You write, “Tor has decided to wait until 2017 to release the next new one.” The verb ‘wait’ implies that Tor had in fact scheduled a new John Scalzi novel for publication in 2016, but subsequently decided to delay that release for a year, does it not? Otherwise you would have said something like, ‘the new novel’s not coming out ’til 2017, because that’s when it’s contracted to appear.’
Certainly the two manuscripts you are currently working on could not have been scheduled for publication in 2016. Indeed, Tor cannot have decide to “wait” to release them: if one or both is to be completed in 2016, publishing schedules dictate that it (they) could only come out in 2017 at the earliest.
Therefore, the “new one” which Tor has decided to wait until 2017 to release must, by definition, be a novel which has already been submitted, in whole or in part.
To explain the delay, you say that, “Among other things,” Tor wanted to “make sure we debut this next novel, the first in the new contract, just right.” So, two final questions. What are the “other things” which contributed to Tor’s decision. And, what do the words “make sure we debut this next novel … just right” mean, exactly.
Do they mean that Tor wanted to ensure that all of the appropriate sales and marketing strategies, scheduled promotional events, cover art etc etc are correct and in place, which processes would already have been in place and to industry standards for a 2016 release?
Or do they mean that Tor wanted to ensure the ‘debut’ novel itself is just right, in an editorial sense? Indeed, you write that you “don’t mind the extra time it gives me to write/tweak the novels I’m currently working on.” Because as a writer, my experience is that you write the novels you are writing and you tweak the novels you have already written.
I hope you don’t mind answering these questions. From my reading of Whatever, it seems that you are perfectly happy to share—within reason of course—much of the detail of your publishing practices.
But in this instance, the information shared is to some degree unclear, specifically when you append the statement “I haven’t turned in a manuscript; there’s no manuscript to turn in.” Depending on the answers to the above questions, that means either:
1.) there was never any novel scheduled for publication by Tor in 2016, and hence your statement in paragraph three was either wrong, incorrectly worded, or unnecessary, (and in fact all three) or
2.) you did turn in a manuscript, contra to the above statement, and its scheduled 2016 publication date was subsequently deferred until 2017.
Thanks for your time, and Happy New Year!
I also noted that when you mentioned that tor was deciding to wait, that you did not clarify that you had stopped beating your wife yet ?
@ Docgrognard
Wife-beating’s got nothing to do with it. Mr. Scalzi makes a series of statements above which, at second glance, could promote a degree confusion in the reader, rather than clarity. I figure if they’re important enough to warrant writing, they’re important enough to warrant elucidation, if that seems necessary to the reader. So I asked some clear and direct questions.
Seems unproblematic to me. As to wife-beating, whether he does or indeed doesn’t do it (still) has nothing to do with the question at hand, so I don’t know why you bring it up.
… a degree of confusion …
Every. Time
Interesting. A cross between a sealion and a rules lawyer/concern troll. Doubt if its a new species, but worth noting in my spotting book.
I don’t know what a rules lawyer or a concern troll are. If what you’re trying to say is that you think I’m an asshole for asking a few legitimate questions, just go right ahead and say it, Doc.
Dave:
Dude, you are sooooooo overthinking this.
My next book from Tor is scheduled for 2017. I haven’t turned in anything to Tor since The End of All Things, excepting a contract.
And that’s it. It’s not complicated, or unclear.
John,
thanks for your concise reply. I appreciate it, even though it is nothing but dissembling.
Despite your claim, and in the absence of answering any of the actual questions posed, the question does in fact remain unclear.
In the original post you wrote, “Tor has decided to wait until 2017 to release the next [novel].” My question remains: Was a John Scalzi novel scheduled by Tor for publication in 2016, yes or no?
If you don’t wish to provide an answer, I can appreciate that. But please don’t give me any of this dude, you’re overthinking this nonsense. Either answer the question or don’t.
Thanks in advance. And Happy New Year!
Dave:
If you don’t want to be told you’re overthinking, maybe you shouldn’t overthink. Likewise, and for future reference, the definition of “dissembling” is not actually “not providing Dave an answer in exactly the way he prefers.”
Dave, you should probably resign yourself to the the idea neither I nor anyone here is obliged to give you the discussion you want, just because you want it.
My answer to your question, incidentally, is: Dude, you’re still overthinking soooooo much. As a hint moving forward, this is likely to be the answer from me to you with regard to other questions on this topic. Hope that helps.
Best to you in the new year as well!
John,
no, neither you nor anyone here is obliged to give me the discussion I want. Thing is, I didn’t want a discussion. I asked for a certain clarification regarding a subject you yourself willfully, voluntarily and of your own accord published the details of.
But again, you didn’t answer the question. Except of course you did. Thanks.
Happy New Year!
A CHRONIC FISHSPACKLING , and a happy new year to you all, too
Doc,
well, it’s not ‘asshole,’ but I guess it’ll do …
“[T]his is likely to be the answer from me to you with regard to other questions on this topic.”
That’s cool—like I said, you already actually answered my question.
Dave, don’t know you, but really, GET A LIFE!
Get a life? This advice coming from a woman who can write “So he reaches out to Earth who are virgin at that point about everything universe” and somehow believe that it’s a sentence in English? Yeah, nah, as we say in these parts.
Dave, et all:
Stop already and move on.
Dave, for anyone with even a lukewarm IQ, Mr. Scalzi has indeed answered your questions. Thank you for asking.
Guys, let’s try to be more polite with each other, please. I’m hoping not to Mallet people the close to the end of the year.
Just a quick note to David: how many foreign languages do you speak at least as ‘bad’ as I speak English? Write a sentence in Russian or Ukrainian, and let me get my red pen out, then let’s talk. And yes, get a life, because you sound like a jealous mean person with too much time on your hands.
[Deleted for obviously not moving on. Additional snarky comments by Dave and people responding to him subsequently snipped – JS]
[Deleted, unread, because I think at this point Dave needs to do something else than be on this thread. Dave, this is my way of telling you to go on, already. Enjoy your new year or something – JS]
OK. Why the hell would someone be sooo obsessed with other’s work contract? Why would this person spend so much time writing venomous shit instead of writing own Great Books (because, no brainer, there is a hurt ego involved). I for once am stunned how public Scalzi is. The last time I was binge reading the author, it was Haruki Murakami, and that guy does not spend any time to chat with fans. I think Scalzi’s books speak for themselves. They hold up to competition in digital media with oversaturated market. They grab you with the first sentence and deliver consistent sci fi world experience. I DO NOT UNDESRTAND such pathological interest to Scalzi’s contract. Althought I dabble in writing myself (not professionally), I am able to be ecstatic of others success. This is great that authors make living. It makes the industry a better place for everyone. All boats rize together, you know. And what was that about dogma? And if someone is such a great person and is worth anything, gee, feel free to create own media bubble, internet is public, you know. What, nobody’s folliwing you? Ouch. BTW, feel free to correct my grammar :) OK. I try hard not to write here any more. It’s like arguing with an Idiot Wind…
Any plans on writing the next book in the old man’s war universe? Just started reading “the end of all things” and I dont want to stop after that.
Oh criminitly.
I come here looking to offer some good natured ribbing in favor of getting The Dispatcher released sooner…like tomorrow would almost be soon enough….and wander into a parsefest?
Just…..erg.
More seriously, The Dispatcher will probably be the reason I join Audible*. Sooooo….soonish isn’t quite fast enough. Teasing us on your tour last year just isn’t fair!
OK, really more seriously, I hope this year is better for one and all.
Regards,
Dann
*some folks have digitial/print reading preferences. I prefer to read books instead of having them read to me.
The problem for me is that I didn’t discover you until after the “last pause” and enjoyed an ability to binge it all, only forced to wait for Human Division and The End of All Things. OK, crying done. I’ll quietly wait for the new books in 2017.
Delighted to see you stepping up (with Dave) for the Ringo anthology. I’m a long-time Baen fan(*), and while Ringo enjoys killing off his characters with a bit too much glee for my taste he’s otherwise a solid writer. The whole Puppies mess was stupid and unnecessarily divisive, and I’m really happy to see hands from both sides reaching out to close the divide back up.
Thanks for doing your part for that, and I’m looking forward to seeing the result.
(* – OK, mostly a Bujold, Weber, Flint, and Lackey fan, but many other authors I’ve tried via Webscriptions have been pretty good too. Jim Baen was a darn good judge of talent, and built a really fine stable of writers over there. I was happy to get the chance to meet him at Chicon in 2000 before he passed on.)