originally posted by Annette
Congratulations Janny. 
originally posted by Sleo
Yay! Our hero always brings the goods! I can't wait!
Congrats!
originally posted by Paige Madison
Woohoo! Congratulations! I bet you're so happy it's finally written!
originally posted by Hellcat
Congrats Janny! Enjoy &insert beverage here
Hellcat
originally posted by Julie
About that snippet?
originally posted by Annette
Just wondering, having looked at what we can pre-order so far, the Aussie's can pre-order the kindle version, the trade paperback version is up on a few sites, but no hardback version. Do you know yet Janny if there will be a hardback version? How were the sales for Initiate's Trial, good enough to get another hardback?
Annette: I have no idea on hardback - if you want a CLUE on sales of Initiate's Trial, do a comparison check of registered copies/ratings and reviews at either
www.librarything.com
or www.goodreads.com
Then compare the number you see to ANY OTHER FANTASY TITLE!!! and you will notice very quickly how well the title has been supported by readership…an author is ONLY as good as sales on their last book.
I can deliver the quality; I can't do the word of mouth…reader support carries the day once the books are published.
No posted page for a hardback could be ominous; I don't know. The numbers talk.
There needs to be more other readers chiming into the discussions online…thank you profoundly to all of you who have done this. It is critical to establishing readership. Times have changed. Participation here at Paravia doesn't outreach to new people.
Publishers only care about the bottom line.
For Instance: today. On r/fantasy (some of you may have joined that forum to post for the AMA) - there is a thread titled 'What do I do now' put up by a reader who has just completed Erikson's very broad, very complicated Malazan series, and looking to find something new.
Light and Shadows was fortunate to get a mention, here but - ! It was by a reader WHO HAS NOT READ IT YET, so that undermines the effectiveness.
If you are in r/fantasy, IF you know Erikson's Malazan and liked it - a chime in post by a reader saying why Light and Shadows may work for this reader would be seen by a lot of eyes.
I always see a jump in stats when there is an intelligent response to forum questions - it HAS to be knowledgeable, and it HAS to be spontaneous, and it needs to be done by someone who is a member of the community who is established there.
This is the stuff I cannot do. Self promo wears out your welcome.
originally posted by David Cornelson
So now that the writing is done, what's the timeline/process? I imagine a small dragon stops by to pick it up and fly it to London where gnomes turn it into typeset pages and faeries take your intended cover and hand sew it on each volume. Amazon drones take them across the world and drop them down chimneys.
Am I right?
Hah - I wish. Hardly.
If I work on revisions/polish of language at a rate of 20 pages per day, I can be done in 50 days. You will note the time I finished, today…I run those pages frontwards and backwards. Then I have to key in the changes.
Then proofing and final check.
Then the manuscript gets turned in; they put it into production, while I draw the interiors and do the cover art.
Last two books there was no editor on the job working the copy; I had to do more after copy-edit; Initiate's Trial required six more weeks of my work to reach the form you see it in publication today.
If things go the same route, then I will be starting the draft of the next book (Song of the Mysteries) in April '16.
None of this 'timeline' accounts for: interruptions, caring for Mother, holidays, a convention as guest in November, proofing of a backlist book for e release, the constant work of social media/essential to keeping awareness current since it has been a long wait from the last release. Or worry. There's worry. :0
originally posted by Julie
Lovely light at the end of the tunnel. Perhaps next summer then?
originally posted by Sharn Davies
Congrats on the draft. The Malazan empire series is not broad though in my opinion I thought it was good. Doesn't hold a candle to Paravia though
originally posted by DarthJazy
I hope spreading the word to my patrons at the Library has got you more sales. When ever I get a Science Fiction or Fantasy fan I tell them to try Janny. With any luck this will help increase your sales.
Starting revisions on Ch Set 4 - that puts me 235 pages down the staggering stack. 650 to go.
originally posted by Annette
Thanks for the update Janny, hope it all goes that fast for you.
originally posted by David Cornelson
You know Janny when you report numbers…we all try to math it out for a publish date.
But I love the numbers.
You really can't project at this stage, either can I. I've plowed through 275, now, with 710 to go. Some days have no distractions, some are left footed from the get go. I work whenever I can, and most nights very late.
Current soundtrack: E. S. Posthumus, Manju.
You can hear it (with a stunning video of today's Friesians, originally bred as war horses for knights) - surely will lift your day, it is breathtaking.
http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Y5XJbSqwriM?rel=0
originally posted by Gary Coady
Ready for it, whenever it's ready!
I just found another tidbit in SF this weekend that I never noticed before! Jaelot, eh…
Also, I came across a really interesting musical group this month; Irish-inspired bodhr’n and fiddle (also bouzouki, mandolin and others) and Austrian-inspired yodelling.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3ESCDRi1ZM
originally posted by Dorothy
Janny-thank you so much for posting the link to the video of the Friesians. My daughter and I loved it! What beautiful animals.