So...release has been great. Maxed out just inside the top 3k, which isn't my record since PIT OF NO RETURN was just outside the top 1k for awhile, but there's a vastly higher amount of novels being published these days and they probably equal out. Reviews are great, no gnashing about the singular timeline yet. It's really nice to see the fanbase start to find the series again and purchase the new book without any delay, considering how harrowing and miserable the journey to get here has been.
One thing that does annoy me...I've already made half of my total take on EVERCHANGING DILEMMA within one week of SEISMIC SEMESTER being out. Now, KENP wise, we are talking about an 800 page novel versus a 250 page novel, but...more of you need to give MancyVerse Moments a try! Especially EVERCHANGING DILEMMA.
I pity the fans that skip these novels and pick up MOST OBVIOUS TRAP totally confused why we've moved from A to F.
And that's where we're heading.
These are the three books I'll be working on over the next couple/few year(s).
VICKY VON WELF AND THE MANCY MASQUERADE
THE FOUL MOUTH AND THE MOST OBVIOUS TRAP
THE FOUL MOUTH AND THE WAR TO END ALL WARS
Probably in that order release-wise. The Vicky novel has to release before MOST OBVIOUS TRAP since it takes place a month or so before FM7 (the fabled, long in coming FM7). January 2020 versus Feb/March 2020 in our timeline. AGAIN there will be no pandemic in the MancyVerse since...I need my characters flying (or World-Breaking) around the globe, not stuck inside learning how to bake bread while watching Tiger King.
There's a possibility I'll get a massive push of inspiration for WAR TO END ALL WARS and finish it first, but I just spent so much time on our lovely teenage bullshit that I'm very overdosed at the moment and looking for something else to dive into with a bit more weight...and more vampires...and more dragons.
The Vicky novel obviously has Vicky as the main POV, but with a small slice of Tyson and a surprise or two. Those of you that have emailed me worrying that the Singles would not have a place in the mainline because you love them so much now and don't want them to disappear since they're still students will immediately be put at ease!
Heck, here's a tease:
“Self-flagellation?” Juliette brightly quipped.
Brother choked on his wine and took a moment to recover. “Um…one hopes not.”
Just like PIT OF NO RETURN was in many ways a sequel to TROUBLED BOOMWORM, THE MOST OBVIOUS TRAP is in many ways a sequel to HEADLESS HUNNY. It's a vampire novel. You can probably guess who is gonna show up. You will also finally get to properly meet my favorite Divine.
And, of course, WAR TO END ALL WARS is a direct sequel to SEISMIC SEMESTER, finally wrapping up the school timeline with the wild 2016 Winter War. Hijinks will ensue.
Healthwise, I'm feeling good by my standards and have started physio, which is an every Friday kind of thing at the moment. So that will eat up some of my time, but the long term benefits are in my favor for sure.
I'll let you all poke and prod me with a Q&A end of this month or start of next month, until then the discussion thread is all yours.
As President of the Annie B fan club, I approve of The Most Obvious Trap.
ReplyDeleteAm deep into my full series re-read (later than usual, for ... reasons), but Mancy Martial Artist is up next. Also, reading in the suggested order, so plugging the short stories and novellas in as appropriate. I hope Seismic Semester gets the recognition it deserves, Boss. I have now read it like... three times just because...
ReplyDeleteFucker, we need you alive to write so if some time needs to be spent on PT, then do it. Side note, I'm actually going to be a bit disappointed when the main school storyline eventually gets finished with WTEAW, so I'll have a question or two regarding that for the Q&A. As always, thanks for the books, they always bring a smile to my face and a chuckle when reading, but a grimace when I realize that I only have so much time to read.
ReplyDeleteEverchanging Dilemma was just fucking excellent….writing was superb, top of the novella list for sure for me, just about to start Seismic Semester now!
ReplyDeleteEverchanging dilema is probably tied with meet the Bonnie's for my favorite in-between story. Seismic semester started a bit rough but then really picked up steam. Cannot wait for WTEAW. But Vicky's next! Yay!
ReplyDeleteWait--there are fans who HAVEN'T read Everchanging Dilemma?!!!! But then they don't know that ___ is crushing on ___, and ____ was possessed by ____, and ___ and ___ are Vegas besties?!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteY'all need to fix this RIGHT NOW and go get Everchanging and read it pronto.
Everchanging Dilemma might be the best of all of them story wise.
DeleteRead Seismic and I was so happy to have these characters back I've reread most of the series. Great work, you make many people happy.
ReplyDeleteSS could do with pruning. The stream of consciousness gets a bit drawn out in the middle.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, it’s something that has become more and more pronounced as the series progresses. Obviously I still love the series since I’m here posting about it, but that’s definitely the one criticism I have of the last couple of books.
DeleteNot sure I agree - although of course it's a matter of opinion. It's definitely less action-based that some of the previous books, but I think some of the slower and more introspective passages are vital, and a good reflection of KH starting to realise he has responsibilities, and the looming traps of leaving the institution and being an adult.
DeleteI guess it's also partly the restrictions of such a linear narrative framework, but there's not much to be done about that unless RR has an even bigger twist than expected planned for us!
Just my tuppence'orth...
I pushed steam of consciousness more starting with FM5, it hit its zenith in Assault on Dread Fortress Paine, and I've been actively pulling back and pruning more and more every novel since.
DeleteAny left in Seismic Semester in my view is either A) funny B) providing world-building C) has important information that the reader might not realize is important information yet D) exists to uphold the illusion that this is a real time monologue being told to a tape and not a normal novel.
Maybe if you point to specific examples that you didn't like I might better understand your dislike. But, mostly, I feel I've already taken this complaint to heart and actively worked to address it and if you're still not pleased with the result, then you're just going to have to accept my writing for what it is and not 100% your cup of tea.