Update, Plus FM5.5 Q&A Session

Just did my taxes, so I probably need a night or two to recover from the emotional trauma.  That means you get my brief attention as I escape the full on Mad Scientist Mode I've been working under for the last three or four weeks.  No, I don't know how long it lasted.  Mad Scientist Mode gets a little weird after the first week and you start forgetting about what day of the week it is, much less how many weeks have gone by.  It's very foggy.  Foggier than Fresno, especially this year, since we've barely had any.

Needless to say, lots of writing has been done.  It's over 100k and almost 400 pages so far.  I always knew this one would be the BIG ONE, both in size and scope.  Unlike with FM5 which had a lot of emotional baggage to clear up before we could get to the CRAZY, FM6 hits the nitro at page 1 and doesn't stop.  Its twists are taken hard, with metal grinding the wall and wheels spinning for traction.  Just about every question readers could have regarding the world have been at least partially filled in.  Val's in it.  So's Ceinwyn.  And a billion others.  Some new Artificers join the fray and old ones are expanded, including Guild Master Massey.

Yup...and to think I'm not even at the halfway point yet.  King Henry won't enjoy the halfway point...

School Story...I'd say it's the second best school story after the one in FM3.  Someone already kicked the bucket and there will be more to follow.  It won't be surprising to anyone who has paid attention to hints that have been given in the Mainline but it will be memorable.

Usually I downplay this stuff.  Try to not get your hopes up, but...it's a fucking insane book.  The only question is if I can do it all justice.  So far, so good, I think, but you'll be the final arbiter as always.  If you survive reading it, that is; given all the mind explosions you'll be undertaking, some of you might not.  I fully expect some of you to even spike your Kindle into the ground once you finish it.  Not from frustration, but from a giant "hell yeah!"

That.  Fucking.  Good.

How fucking good?

Too early to tease?

Ceinwyn closed her eyes, the first person to recognize the magnitude of what I had done.  In the moment they opened, they had never seemed more all knowing, more ageless, or more omnipotent.  “I greet you, Glassbreaker.”

That.  Fucking.  Good.

And not even halfway done.

But writing fast, so don't worry.  I keep up this pace and an end of the year release is very doable.

Of course we can't forget the latest member of the family, FM5.5.  A runt, but everyone who has read it seems to have enjoyed it.  So I'm glad for that at least.  Admit it:  more happened than you thought was going to, didn't it?  Go ahead and consider this post a Q&A for FM5.5 and for the series as a whole, I might "read and find out" you, but trying doesn't hurt.

I also have a question for you, one I'm as yet undecided on:  would you like more intermediate novels like "King Henry and the Three Little Trips"?

Financially it's in a very odd place.  It sold, it made money, which my short stories never really did, but it also had an impact FAR below the last novel.  As a writer I do like spending time expanding the world away from King Henry, but growing the fanbase really is everything, and FM5.5 only marginally did so.  The real test might be to see how many fans on buying FM6 end up going back and grabbing FM5.5 once they realize they missed out.

Not that I'm thinking of writing ANOTHER intermediate novel between FM5 and FM6, but FM6.5 is possible.  Even telling you the name would be spoiling well beyond the tease above, but "Boomworm" might be in the title.  As well as another T-Bone story and something else from a POV that I think will have you screaming "holy fuckballs!".  Less interconnected than FM5.5, but even more oomph on the Mainline.  We'll see, and please give your opinions, since this will be happening well after FM6 is finished.  Months and months and months away.

FM6 has my almost total devotion at the moment.  Though I did have a short affair with Gush and finish a chapter in that book.  I love that book.  I love Ullie and Merr.  I can't wait for you to meet them.  I'll probably have another occasional affair with it going forward.  Don't think "Sky-Island 1827-E" when you think Gush.  Sky-Island was written as 300 pages of misery.  You were supposed to feel like shit by the time you finished it.  From the ratings it receives, I very much succeeded in my mission!

Gush is totally standalone, totally different world.  It's FUN.  It's an adventure.  It's a fantasy.  It's got a really cool magic system called Reservism, that's kind of something Sanderson-esqe meets the Law of Equivalent Exchange.  It's awesome, trust me!  Yes, I kicked you in the nethers with Sky-Island, but we'll have fun this time, I swear!

Well, I feel better now and pumped up for tackling another chunk of FM6 in the month ahead.  So...please ask away!

March 18th edit:  I'm going back in!  So it might be a week or two before I get back for answers.  Still ask by all means, just need to get back to King Henry and his latest perdiciment...may or may not be a ravaging horde involved!

There will also probably be some binge watching of Daredevil and maybe a trip to see Batman kick Superman's ass.  Other than that, Mad Scientist Mode activiate!