Well, it’s just about a month until The Obelisk Gate releases in print and ebook — August 16th in the US, August 18th in the UK, no idea why it’s different — and per my usual pre-publication tradition, I’m now posting the uncopyedited first chapter of the book for people to peruse (and if you like, preorder)! Alas, I have no information yet on the audiobook version, or whether it will again be read by the amazing Robin Miles.
Normally I would post the second chapter a month later, but I’ve belatedly realized that Amazon routinely includes the first two chapters in its “Look Inside” previews (I previously thought it was only one), so that would mean me posting uncopyedited text when a beautifully-formatted, copyedited version of the same material is also available, which makes no sense. So this will be the only one posted here at Epiphany.
(However, just to give something extra to the folks supporting my Patreon, I’m going to be posting the second chapter there today. Again, if you don’t want to or can’t join the Patreon, this will be available for free online once Amazon posts its “Look Inside!” Patrons are just getting an early look.)
Please don’t discuss spoilers online, for the sake of folks who would prefer not to read the preview!
I’m not going to read it — I’m going to save it for when the whole book comes out — but I am so excited for this. I was glooming and dooming about how it’s horrible hot summer and how the relentless march of time is carrying me inexorably to my eventual demise, one way or another… but the summer and the march of time are also bringing me to BOOK :D
just a quick note to say that i am looking forward to this book so very much. i have loved everything you have written to date–they are so engrossing! i wish this was available today, now, this minute :)
Will there be signed copies I can buy or having a release day signing?
Hi Tara,
I’ll probably do signed pre-orders through Word Books, as I’ve done before. Let me see if they’ve got a website up about that yet. I’ll update this post if so.
I pre-ordered in February and hoping the audio will get there to go with my Kindle version. I can’t decide if I’m going to read or not, but as a ‘patron’, the temptation level remains high.
According to Amazon, I pre-ordered the ebook back in June and am really looking forward to reading the next book. Since that’s the day I’m flying to Kansas City for Worldcon, I’ve got my airplane read already picked out.
Greetings, Sister.
I sent you a mail but it bounced :( I checked here and it seems you’ve had reasons to take it down. Well understood :)
Just wanted to know if you have a preferred digital outlet for me to buy your book Fifth Season and Obelisk gate to make sure you get the biggest cut. I was about to get it on Play Books via Google but wanted to make sure I didn’t pay the wrong people ;)
I’ve been a lazy reader this last year, I raced through the GoT books and didn’t make time to read anything else. Plus I had a daughter so time was scarce!
Today theverge.com did a little list on the best Sci fi and fantasy coming out in August and of course you were on it. I realized how much I missed your writing, the creative aspects of your world building hasn’t been forgotten since I read The Narcomancer. Do let me know if there is any other place I should be purchasing your book to support you the most; digitally mind you.
Hope all is good!
Hi Chimaobi,
It doesn’t matter where you buy it. I make the same amount on ebooks from Amazon or anywhere else; ditto print books; ditto audiobooks. As long as you’re not buying it used, it helps me. Even library checkouts help me. Thanks for asking. :)
How do library checkouts help the author? I am curious. I am definitely looking forward to reading the second book in the series but was probably not going to buy it but wait for the libraries I patronize to get it. I am glad to hear that library checkouts help the author. What’s the difference in scale between buying an ebook, printbook or checking out the book? (Or is each author’s deal different, and different with each book?)
Mad Professah,
Librarians buy books. When a book gets lots of requests for Interlibrary Loan or a wait list, they buy more books. When an entire library system for a city buys more books, that’s a lot of books. :) Granted, I would make more money if all those people were buying books instead of sharing them, but given that a lot of people use libraries because they can’t afford to buy books, and otherwise they either wouldn’t read it or they’d borrow it from someone who isn’t going to buy more books to meet demand… I’d rather have some money than no money.
There is no difference in scale between formats. (I’m not sure what you mean by that.) Are you talking about my cut? I’d rather not detail that because it’s complicated. There are pages and pages in my US contract of different rates that I get per each type of book being sold in X amounts versus Y amounts and so on. My foreign rights contracts have different ratios. To boil it down, though, it’s really all about the same. I make a slightly higher rate on ebooks, but since I sell a lot more print books than ebooks, it averages out. I make a moderate cut on audiobooks, but then I sell even fewer of those… so it averages out. Each author’s deal is indeed different, and different with each book, and different with each type of book, and different for the first 10,000 books versus the next 10,000, and so on. That gets negotiated with every book contract. And this is why agents are a good thing. :)
N.K., you don’t know me, but we’re fellow Launchpad alums. Anyway, my wife and I both loved the Fifth Season in audiobook, and can’t wait for the next one in audio. The reading by Robin Miles was astoundingly good, and I hope you get her for the Obelisk Gate, also.
Hello,
I am very much looking forward to this upcoming book! You have quickly become one of my favorite authors over the last few months (I read The Killing Moon and then read until there weren’t any more of your books left!). Do you ever do public readings at bookstores or other events? I’d love to stay in the loop and try to attend one if you do!
Thanks,
Asha