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Editor has approved the title for Book V: Crown of Renewal. Scheduled to release late May 2014, though that’s always subject to change . You will soon notice that title as a category (like, um, for this post.)
The chapters I was working on today, supposedly sequential, refused to meet at the join (like badly sawed boards), so there’s revision work to be done there. Those chapters and another one (or two) will answer perennial questions of the “Yes, but what ever happened to…???” variety. (And no, all such questions won’t be answered yet.)
Unfortunately for the struggling writer, other questions arose, of the “Wait–why didn’t X notice that right at the beginning??? X isn’t blind, unconscious, dead, or stupid…” Along with that was “But I wrote a whole 12 1/2 pages depending on X not noticing that. Good pages. Exciting pages. Major plot points with foreshadowing of other major plot points pages. I don’t want to dump them…maybe X could have a headache?” (No, dear readers, X will not fail to notice [that thing X might be expected to notice] because of a headache. Some less flimsy solution will be found. In fact, I think I have one that improves the whole plotline (DUH–why can’t I think of these things first?)
One of the other chapters I worked on today seems to have tied itself up neatly (at this point, with this book, I don’t trust that, but it was a relief after several hours attempting better joinery of the other two.) It may be the last chapter, or it may be the last of one POV.
A note on the website/blog availability. SFF.net hopes nothing will be offline, but some things may be slower, during the annual spring cleaning. The earlier outages were for replacing and adding servers, so things could be shifted to different servers for the Big Clean.
And a note on Lifestuff. The fitness program is helping some things and revealing (like a book in progress) new things to work on. I may actually have to give in and see a medical person. I rode in the Autism Society of Austin’s annual fundraiser (bike riding, not horse riding) on Sunday, my first time to ride “in public,” in sight of real bike riders. We had dress rehearsal Monday night for the hymn festival last night (Tuesday, if you’re on the other side of the world.) The dress rehearsal was a dismal morass of error (not just mine) but we rocked the house in the actual performance. Into those three days I inserted some extra miles of riding on Sunday (the Family Ride was only 2 miles) and rode 7 miles on both Monday and Tuesday. Today, it was collapse time other than writing, though I did go get the mail and a loaf of bread (just about a mile) and (on waking up from a very necessary nap) turn the heels of a pair of socks-in-progress while my mind was still foggy. That’s my excuse for why extending the heel reinforcement pattern through the heel turn didn’t….quite…come out right. I would like to make 35 miles on the bike this week, but weather and writing may not allow.
Comment by SnowGator — April 24, 2013 @ 8:27 pm
Hurray for the new title! And the fitness program. I was able to put Book 4 out of my mind for a few months, but now that the release date is getting closer I’m getting more and more excited to see it. I’m mentally scheduling my Echoes re-read to synch up with the release.
Comment by elizabeth — April 24, 2013 @ 10:49 pm
I was really glad to get confirmation, having suggested that one months ago. I had another in mind but it wasn’t deemed suitable.
Comment by Wickersham's Conscience — April 25, 2013 @ 12:02 am
A promising title.
You make writing sound like working a jigsaw puzzle, where you create the pieces as you go along. It all has to fit together at the end, the pieces have to be interesting themselves and it all has to fit inside a frame.
And congratulations on the fitness program. Keep it up, because it is very good for you and we’d all like that.
Comment by Richard — April 25, 2013 @ 1:40 am
May book V when finished, besides being the crowning achievement of the series, leave its writer (and readers too) feeling renewed.
Comment by SnowGator — April 25, 2013 @ 4:04 am
I know you’ve explained the process thoroughly, and I understand the reasons, but it still feels wrong that after such enormous effort and creative energy get poured into writing a book for over a year, that you can’t title it as you please. In some ways it seems worse than not being able to name your own child. Ah well, the realities of the writing world. I feel I’ve learned so much about your craft through the peeks behind the curtain that you’ve allowed us. Thank you!
Comment by elizabeth — April 25, 2013 @ 7:07 am
Wickersham’s Conscience: It is rather like that, though I have a vague notion what the picture on the puzzle is supposed to be. Bits of it are quite clear (but do they fit in the left middle or the right lower corner?) The fitness thing…made it possible to bike 7 miles on both Monday and Tuesday and still have the energy to sing at the dress rehearsal one night and the performance the other. Last year I couldn’t have done that.
Richard: I certainly hope Crown’s eventual readers feel it works and gives them that “Ahhh” of satisfaction at the end.
SnowGator: The realities of any creative career (and probably any career–I don’t suppose even the most outwardly glamorous and exciting are that way to those in them) are sometimes a nuisance. But we are not the solitary geniuses in the ivory tower and even those solitary geniuses (when they existed and the world was more in awe of someone literate enough to spin a story) had to deal with other nuisance realities. Like the prologue that isn’t there in Limits, the title I initially planned for Book V was one I’d held in mind for years. Things change over years, including the story itself and the attitudes and desires of readers. (That prologue, written back at the start of the whole group, was deftly sliced from more than one book–though not all–along the way. Some people (many of them editors) hate prologues and others like them. I like them if they’re well-written, but…prologues have a lousy reputation right now. My tastes were formed a long time ago now, the tastes of a reader whose first, and still major, entertainment was in books.) Maybe I’ll be able to use the other title someday for some other book–or maybe not.
Comment by Daniel Glover — April 25, 2013 @ 3:00 pm
Revival sounds like an uplifting ending. Mmm, wonder WHICH crown.
Comment by Linda — April 25, 2013 @ 5:07 pm
Two more years to wait … hmmm. Well, a hopeful sounding title should make the wait a bit better than one which leaves a feeling of foreboding.
Here’s hoping your path between here and there is smooth.
Funny, I’ve noticed that anticipating the release of a book by a favorite author is pretty much the least stressful type of anticipation I’ve ever experienced. I know I’m looking forward to an experience I will really enjoy.
Comment by Richard — April 26, 2013 @ 1:56 am
Linda, round down please not up: a year and a bit sounds more bearable. With Limits to come first.
Comment by Iphinome — April 26, 2013 @ 1:57 am
Not for nothing, as a person who buys books you have one more vote in favor of prologues.
Comment by Adam Baker — April 26, 2013 @ 6:24 am
Congrats on the name, I like it! And good luck on making your biking goal
Comment by Annabel — April 26, 2013 @ 8:19 am
When do we get to pre-order it? Can’t wait….
Comment by Kerry aka Trouble — April 26, 2013 @ 8:50 am
@Daniel Glover – Renewal, not revival. As for which crown? Probably the one Dorrin found 🙂
Comment by Jenn — April 26, 2013 @ 10:49 am
So the crown make it to a head. I wonder how many seek to put it on.
I cannot wait.
When will you be replacing Echoes with Limits on the home site? then I can drool with out going to goodreads all the time.
Comment by Jonathan Schor — April 26, 2013 @ 12:14 pm
Crown of Renewal – or Keiri goes back to the dentist.
Comment by Daniel Glover — April 26, 2013 @ 3:07 pm
I guess I was reading into the title the revival I am needing. 😉
Comment by Jenn — April 26, 2013 @ 3:50 pm
Daniel
Please don’t bring a squirrel to the revival.
Comment by GinnyW — April 26, 2013 @ 3:59 pm
“Crown of Renewal” has a nice ring to it and picks up on “Kings of the North” in a positive way too. I like it! It makes it more real somehow, although actually reading Limits of Power will be the real impetus for anticipation.
I hope the seams join up in time
Comment by Daniel Glover — April 26, 2013 @ 5:08 pm
Jenn,
Have you heard the Salty Dogs too!
Comment by Richard — April 27, 2013 @ 5:32 am
Elizabeth,
please post Limits‘ prologue here (as a snippet) since it wasn’t allowed in the book.
Comment by Jenn — April 27, 2013 @ 6:44 am
Daniel,
No I will have to look them up.
Richard,
I join you in channeling my inner 5 year old:
Please Please Please PLEASE I will wash dished for a WHOLE week!
Comment by Susan — April 27, 2013 @ 3:41 pm
Pretty please, with whipped cream and a cherry on top!
Comment by Susan — April 27, 2013 @ 3:42 pm
And I’ll dry!
Comment by elizabeth — April 27, 2013 @ 7:12 pm
Richard, Susan: You get your wish. It’s up.
Comment by elizabeth — April 27, 2013 @ 11:41 pm
Also should mention…Saturday I performed the minor but important formality of changing the name of the subfolder for that book from “Kieri V” to “Crown of Renewal.” Up until the title’s approved, the space I’m working in has only a series clue and number.
Comment by Catmadknitter — April 28, 2013 @ 8:29 am
Crown of Renewal? The curiosity BURNS.
Comment by Richard — April 28, 2013 @ 2:51 pm
The esoterica people mention here are so often worth following up. Thank you Jenn for mentioning the squirrel revival song – but Daniel, all I’ve found worthy mention of so far is the Original Salty Dogs Jazz Band, which seems quite unrelated, so I’ll need another clue.
Comment by Daniel Glover — April 29, 2013 @ 6:09 am
Richard,
The Salty Dogs are a, now retired, barbershop quartet, one of whose songs had a chorus that started, “The squirrel went berserk, in the (First Mount Righteous Church) …”. At least I think that was the name of the church. 🙂 It’s been awhile since I heard them sing it. They were out of Minneapolis. I’ve been meaning to see if I can find more info but haven’t had a chance yet myself.
Comment by Jenn — April 29, 2013 @ 10:24 am
Appears to be the same song.
Comment by Daniel Glover — April 29, 2013 @ 12:35 pm
Mmm, I always knew them as a barbershop quartet. But they did play instruments, so they could have billed themselves as a jazz group. They certainly could swing it hard.
Comment by Daniel Glover — April 29, 2013 @ 12:42 pm
Mmm,
Nope, different group. Here’s what I could find.
http://www.minneapoliscommodores.org/htm/quartets.html#salty_dogs
Comment by GinnyW — April 29, 2013 @ 1:43 pm
I do enjoy the things you all know – the squirrel revival put a good laugh into my day.
I was much encouraged by the projected May release date, it means waiting less than a year after Limits comes out. In only about 6 weeks now.
I exhausted myself digging up about twenty square feet of garden (to get rid of the spring weeds) and hauling off the refuse. Your fitness program must be much better than mine.
This is a patch of garden that we used, many years ago, as a rubble pile. Then we decided to reclaim it and tried to generate soil by planting some currant and raspberry bushes. Then bindweed attacked the bushes. The soil is coming along, but there isn’t more than an inch or two before the rocks come up. The rocks do not seem to bother the weeds, though, the roots go all through.
We have two apple trees planted in the rubble, and they are BLOOMING! Finally. Maybe this year some apples?
Comment by elizabeth — April 29, 2013 @ 2:17 pm
GinnyW: might be a good idea to check soil pH, depending on what you used for rubble. Some things (concrete chunks, for instance) affect pH a lot and may need amendment for your garden to thrive. You may already know this. And you may already know that to get deeper soil quickly, raised beds are the way to go.
Comment by Nigel — April 30, 2013 @ 1:53 am
Ordered as its now available on Amazon for Pre-Order
Comment by Jenn — April 30, 2013 @ 7:16 am
GinnyW
Make sure you prune the apple trees well otherwise the apples will be small and useless.
Comment by GinnyW — April 30, 2013 @ 2:48 pm
The rubble definitely makes the soil basic, and we keep adding compost, which is also basic. Although for a while my husband collected all of the coffee grounds from his office to add. Unfortunately, he now has a different job and commutes by public transportation, so he can’t collect coffee grounds and bring them home as easily. They were great for keeping the soil pH up.
The weeds are the major problem. The garden is in an urban community garden, and that patch is right next to the compost bin. So we have our own weeds, and also our neighbor’s weeds to contend with. Hence the bindweed, which should never have been composted to begin with.
This year we bought salt hay (hay from a salt marsh) to try to mulch the soil to keep the weeds away. And in due time, to make more soil. We also hauled some heavy clay from our side yard, which we had to dig up this fall to replace the sewer line, but it had to be broken up and dug in.
Even small apples would be nice. So far we have no more than 2 or 3 blooms per tree.
Comment by Sharidann — May 7, 2013 @ 2:34 am
Great Title!
And good to see you keep fit! 🙂
Comment by Sam Barnett-Cormack — May 15, 2013 @ 8:36 am
I like this title. Gives us lots of thoughts and ideas as to where the plot might go 🙂