So I finished the first draft of The Unholy Consult 3:14 pm, yesterday afternoon. Things are feeling kinda surreal – it’s been a helluva long haul, man! There’s still a tremendous amount of work to be done. I have exhaustive rewrites planned for a couple of the plot-lines – about a quarter of the book all told. But for whatever reason I became insanely meticulous fleshing out the master plot, and even though it remains uber-generic all the way down, I’m pretty sure nothing like it has been written before. Whether that’s a good or bad thing, I don’t know. The best I can do is take it to the limit of my abilities and nothing more.
Almost finished, Justin. I’m thinking about another week or so for the rewrite, a week for touch ups, and then I’ll be sending the ms out to my agent and editors. I’ll be making an announcement when the time comes.
Orbit are not anticipating a 2014 release date for The Unholy Consult, but are thinking 2015 if the final MS is handed in soon.
That might only change (my speculation, nothing from Orbit) if Overlook decide to go for an early release and Orbit decide to adjust to prevent early sales going to the American edition. And of course if all depends on when RSB hands in the final MS.
My agent has the book, and I’m having several copies of the manuscript printed up and bound to distribute to some keen-eyed friends today. That’s as much as I can say detail-wise, at the moment. As soon as my publishers and my agent and I have the details hashed out I will post them here post-haste.
As for the novel, still no word on pub dates, but I did spend the past two days with my friend Madness going through the manuscript, so if you’re curious as to his impressions, appraisals, by all means visit the SECOND APOCALYPSE FORUM and plague him with questions…
It’s been quiet around these parts, and my housekeeping has left much to be desired. For that I apologize. I’ve received scads of emails and off-topic queries on the status of the book, and though I wish I could say I have news to share with you, I don’t. I’ve received feedback from several readers now, but nothing officially editorial. I’m in the process of cleaning up the issues emerging from the feedback I’ve received now.
Thanks, Massimiliano. No decisions have been made on whether the tome will be divided or not. If so, the first will be called The Great Ordeal, and the second, The Unholy Consult. I say Aspect-Emperor because no matter how it’s packaged, the series is done. And I think it will please… hope…
The problem, of course, is the more they tell me I’m not welcome at the party, the more convinced I become that I’m offering something genuinely critical, the very thing they pretend to be. I’m wrapping up the rewrites on The Aspect-Emperor now and will be sending out the manuscript in January.
So we can expect to get an excerpt from the book in the near future?
Yes. :)
When I get the book out the door (which should be any day now!), most definitely!
And lastly, things keep dragging on with my publishers regarding The Unholy Consult. My delay turning the manuscript in and the quick turnover of editorial staff in the industry means that no one was up to speed on the series–but six months on from submission, and still we have no word. My fear (not my agent’s) is that they might be re-evaluating their commitment to the series–the way all publishers are reviewing their commitments to their midlist authors. I know for a fact that other publishers are interested in snapping the series up, so there’s no need to organize a wake, but who knows what kind of delay would result. Perhaps shooting them emails explaining why they should believe this series will continue growing might help? I dunno.
I've finally spoken to my Overlook editor: apparently they’ve been deluged with emails and even phone calls! It has him excited about the book at least. We still have a couple more details to hammer out, and things need to be squared away with Orbit, but hopefully I should be able to make an announcement soon
Let everyone know that both Overlook and Orbit have *noticed.* Some are excited, and some are angered, but either way, meat is definitely back on the menu! I should have an update soon.
And lastly, I spoke to Erik Hane, my US editor, last week, and he asked me to assure everyone that Overlook is very committed to the series, so there’s no reason plague them with calls (apparently someone tweeted their phone number!). Publication dates, as well as some big announcements regarding the future of the series, will be made soon. I have to tell you, I feel like Achamian most of the time: it’s hard to express just how gratifying it is to be believed now and again. Seriously, thanks to you all.
Hilarious! I’ll be giving a chapter to the infinitely patient Pat at the Hotlist, and perhaps another bit to Adrian over at Grimdark, but not until we have some firm dates on the table.
Just got back to find there’s been some developments! I’d resolved to say nothing anticipating anything–it just makes me feel foolish anymore. Until we have all the details hammered out, there’s not much I can say except that Overlook’s July 2016 date is tentative. I fear I can’t comment on their press release, either. Things seem to be close, though.
I know it’s been a preposterously long haul, folks, but hold on just a bit longer. The laws of physics are bound to kick in at some point, after which I can start delivering some more reliable predictions.
Whoever the Dunyain are--we will find out more about them on July 5th, 2016! Overlook Press has CONFIRMED the release date on Amazon!
http://i.imgur.com/bZJbNq0.png?1
my UK publisher has finally come to terms on the fourth book.
I had intended on chronicling what’s been going on behind the scenes these past months, the ups and downs, the false starts, the miscommunications, but now I’m really not sure what purpose would be served outside prolonging the prolonging. The important thing is that The Great Ordeal will be published next year, and The Unholy Consult will be published the year following. The exact dates still need to be worked out between my US and UK publishers–I’ll pass those along as soon as I know them.
Why has the book been split? For the same reason The Prince of Nothing was split into a trilogy many moons ago: not because of greedy publishers or a greedy me, but because the story proved longer in the execution than in the planning, plain and simple.
Would you say that Unholy Consult would be about the same size as Great Ordeal , which is listed at just below 500 pages by Overlook?
The file is bigger, but then the Encyclopedic Glossary has grown quite big. My guess is that the story will weigh in somewhere over 400 pages, with the EG taking up another 200 or so. My guess.
Please, sir. May we have our merest fraction now?
Part of the problem was that my Overlook editor quit (without forewarning), so as it stands, I’m still waiting to be assigned editors for either Overlook or Orbit. As soon as that happens, I can get Pat the rest of the chapter I promised him way back, as well as work out something with Grimdark magazine. You shall have you taste soon enough.
so is there any hope to have an extended encyclopedic glossary coming out toghether with The Unholy Consult or as a separate piece?
Just out of curiosity, have you already started writing The Book That Should Not Be Named? :P
Or anything else related to Eärwa? (such as the Isûphiryas).
The EG was the big reason for splitting the books, and its only thing still requiring any serious work. I’ve been writing fragments for the final series for years now–as soon as I’ve finished it and rewritten TUC, the final dualogy is my first priority.
I’m already working on the copy edited version of The Great Ordeal, so the July release date looks firm.
Hey guys,
Good news! Just heard back from Scott and it appears that we can expect that second part of the Achamian extract in early May! :) I told him we'd take it any time, so we'll see how it goes.
Cheers,
Patrick