Brandon Sanderson's Blog, page 54
November 18, 2014
New in the Brandon Sanderson Store + Updates
New Brandon Sanderson Store items are below, but first some updates!
Words of Radiance is in the final round of voting for the Goodreads Choice Awards in the category Best Fantasy of 2014. It’s up against nine other books, so if you’ve read many of them, consider voting for the one you liked best.
Legion: Skin Deep starts shipping out from Subterranean Press next week. You can preorder the signed, leatherbound limited edition hardcover plus ebook combo here. And now, you can also preorder the Audible audiobook edition here—for free. For the first month, Legion: Skin Deep will be free on Audible, so you don’t have to use a credit. After the first month is over, the price goes up. (But if you get it while it’s free, it stays free for you.)
Just a note: There’s a new Kindle store in the Netherlands, which I believe also works in Flanders. We’ll be adding links to all of the buy widgets on my site, but until then, you can find my books here. Most of my books there are in English, but the first two Mistborn books are available in Dutch.
At Westercon/FantasyCon, Charlie Harmon joined the Writing Excuses crew to talk about Disability in Narrative. We also sat down with bookseller Sara Glassman at the Out of Excuses Workshop and Retreat to talk about her perspective on the book industry. Give them a listen.
The Brandon Sanderson Store has a bunch of new items up for the holidays. Also, The Emperor’s Soul hardcovers are back in stock, along with more posters of the Table of Allomantic Metals.
Here are the new products:
Table of Feruchemical Metals poster
The First Ideal of the Knights Radiant poster
8-bit Szeth shirt
I Am a Stick shirt
Stormlight hoodie
Mistborn hoodie
Elsecallers glyph pendant
Remember, the holiday shipping deadlines are tight. Get your orders in as soon as you can!
November 3, 2014
Holiday Shipping Deadlines + Updates
Below you’ll find the holiday deadlines for the Brandon Sanderson Store. But before then, some updates!
Writing Excuses has three episodes I haven’t mentioned yet. All were recorded at Westercon or FantasyCon. First up, Mette Ivie Harrison and J.R. Johannson joined us to talk about writing for the mystery genre. Next, the incomparable Peter S. Beagle joined us to talk about getting in the writer’s mindset. Finally, M. Todd Gallowglass joined us to talk about tools for writing from oral storytelling.
National Novel Writing Month started two days ago, and I will be providing a NaNoWriMo pep talk in week 3. Until then, StoryBundle still has their NaNoWriMo Writing Tools Bundle of DRM-free ebooks available, including Shadows Beneath: the Writing Excuses Anthology.
Holiday Deadlines
Here are the deadlines for ordering items in order to receive them by December 24:
November 20: Personalized books, whether you live in the US or internationally. Ordering earlier than this is even safer.
December 1: Non-personalized items for international delivery.
December 15: Non-personalized items for delivery inside the US.
The Brandon Sanderson Store has signed books, apparel, prints, decals, and jewelry. We’ll also have some new items just in time for the holidays. Expect an announcement on these around November 15.
October 31, 2014
Tweets October 2014
BrandSanderson Fri Sep 19
The Way of Kings is free on iTunes in the US link and now Kindle too: link pic
ShankARaptor Tue Oct 21
@BrandSanderson You have fans outside of USA also! Why is it that you choose to shut them out of all these promotional offers!
BrandSanderson Wed Oct 22
@ShankARaptor Unfortunately, these promotions are run through my US publisher, not me myself. And the US publisher only sells books here.
BrandSanderson Wed Oct 22
@ShankARaptor For folks like you, we have to rely on my publishers outside the US to run promotions, which they don’t do quite as often.
BrandSanderson Wed Oct 01
Writers! StoryBundle has a NaNoWriMo Tools Bundle that includes Shadows Beneath. link pic
BrandSanderson Mon Oct 06
You can now preorder the Firefight audiobook on Audible. Comes out January 6th. link pic
BrandSanderson Mon Oct 06
My 2014 BYU creative writing lectures are finally being uploaded again. Check them out! link via @YouTube
BrandSanderson Tue Oct 07
Hour and a half layover in Atlanta. Going to try to hit all of the airport bookstores.
William_Pennell Tue Oct 07
@BrandSanderson can you write in one on page 3 ‘Look on page 144′ and then on 144 write…’Fool!’ thanks
BrandSanderson Tue Oct 07
@William_Pennell Ha. I will have to do that sometime.
BrandSanderson Tue Oct 07
First stop in Atlanta Airport, Simply Books in the F gates. Signed copies in attached picture. Ask for Michael at the store. He is awesome.
FourOfFiveWits Tue Oct 07
@BrandSanderson What’s the protocol for just walking in and signing books? Do you just ask someone working there? Like, “Hey, I’m this guy?”
BrandSanderson Tue Oct 07
@FourOfFiveWits If the staff isn’t busy, I grab my books and introduce myself. If they are busy, I just sign.
BrandSanderson Tue Oct 07
Next Atlanta airport stop: NYT bookstore, top of the escalators, E gates. WoT and Steelheart paperbacks!(See picture) pic
BaronAtomy Tue Oct 07
@BrandSanderson Are you guerilla-autographing? And if so, are you changing your signature arbitrarily?
BrandSanderson Tue Oct 07
@BaronAtomy It has changed over time, but I don’t change it arbitrarily.
lamguin Tue Oct 07
@BrandSanderson Are you sure you didn’t sign the Song of Ice and Fire books by “accident”?
BrandSanderson Tue Oct 07
@lamguin I was tempted…
BrandSanderson Tue Oct 07
I think I forgot the picture for F gate books. They have Mistborn books, but no WoT on the shelf when I was there. pic
BrandSanderson Tue Oct 07
Buckhead books (B Gates Atlanta) has the airport’s only copy of Words of Radiance. Also Mistborn, Steelheart in teen. pic
Phoecat13 Tue Oct 07
@BrandSanderson I just allowed myself to look through your stuff, (made myself stay away after severe book withdrawal) #OMGSTORMLIGHTARCHIVE
BrandSanderson Tue Oct 07
@Phoecat13 Thanks for giving them a try!
BrandSanderson Tue Oct 07
Last stop, Atlanta airport A gate Simply Books. Only store to have Hero of Ages. Also many others. Look in Simply Good Books and in Teen.
ConceiveITCorp Tue Oct 07
@BrandSanderson You should have signed them. That would have been a great Easter Egg for someone.
BrandSanderson Tue Oct 07
@ConceiveITCorp I sign them all.
whiting_jeff Tue Oct 07
@BrandSanderson I’m a sucker for a signed book even when I’ve already read it. #SLC pic
BrandSanderson Tue Oct 07
@whiting_jeff
BrandSanderson Tue Oct 07
Denver airport! There is a Tattered Cover bookstore in the middle of the C gates with signed copies of Steelheart inside.
BrandSanderson Wed Oct 08
All 3 Mistborn trilogy trade paperbacks are out! Also, here’s my New York Comic Con schedule. link pic
BrandSanderson Thu Oct 09
From yesterday: My #NYCC schedule Saturday, plus new Mistborn trade paperbacks. link pic
BrandSanderson Thu Oct 09
Denver! No signing here (just came for school visits) but I stopped at the Lone Pine B&N & left many signed books! Look in both teen & sf.
kinleigh_f Thu Oct 09
@BrandSanderson do you mean Lone Tree?
BrandSanderson Thu Oct 09
@kinleigh_f Yup! Sorry.
brianmedema Thu Oct 09
@BrandSanderson Was it the Lone *Tree* Barnes and Nobel? If so, totally stopping there after work.
BrandSanderson Thu Oct 09
@brianmedema Yup. Sorry! That is the one.
BrandSanderson Thu Oct 09
@BrandSanderson Yup. Sorry!
tsgraveline Thu Oct 09
@BrandSanderson Do you tell the booksellers when you do this or leave it as a gift for fans to find without a mark-up?
@tsgraveline @BrandSanderson I bought two. They were clearly marked as “autographed” by the store.
BrandSanderson Fri Oct 10
@brianmedema @tsgraveline It depends on the store. Those ones had employees who were friendly and not busy, so I introduced myself.
BrandSanderson Thu Oct 09
I had a great time at schools in Denver! As a reminder, I left signed copies of many of my books at the Lone Tree B&N. Next, New York.
BrandSanderson Thu Oct 09
My Reckoners novella Mitosis is now free on Audible for a limited time. link link pic
BrandSanderson Fri Oct 10
Missed it yesterday? The Mitosis audiobook is free on Audible for a limited time. link pic
BFOmega Fri Oct 10
@BrandSanderson Found a few things going through Atlanta. You’re kinda awesome. pic
BrandSanderson Fri Oct 10
@BFOmega Sweet!
BrandSanderson Fri Oct 10
Flying to/from Denver? The Hudson Books outside security (by the TSA pre line) has a single copy of the Rithmatist, now signed.
BrandSanderson Fri Oct 10
Also, Denver Airport, the Tattered Cover bookstore in the middle of the B Gates has many signed Steelheart and one Gathering Storm!
BrandSanderson Fri Oct 10
It looks like Mitosis being free on Audible applies worldwide except for the UK/Aus/NZ etc. Canada/Europe, go get it! link
BrandSanderson Sat Oct 11
New York Comic Con! Here’s my schedule today. Bring your books for me to sign! link #NYCC
BrandSanderson Sat Oct 11
#NYCC, my signing at Tor booth #2223 starts in 25 minutes. Bring books or buy some there! Here’s my full schedule: link
BrandSanderson Sat Oct 11
#NYCC! My Villains panel starts in 20 minutes in room 1A18, and then at 5:15 I’m signing at Autographing Table 19. Bring books!
BrandSanderson Tue Oct 14
I blurbed a book! The Accidental Highwayman, by Ben Tripp, out today. link pic
BrandSanderson Wed Oct 15
New Writing Excuses episodes. Also, next year’s workshop/retreat is on a cruise ship in the Caribbean. Sign up now! link
lsv Fri Oct 17
@BrandSanderson re-reading A Memory of Light while flying to LA. You really did the series justice.
BrandSanderson Sat Oct 18
@lsv It was an honor. Thanks! Sorry to miss you at GPSLC. Couldn’t break away from comiccon to come down to the place they were having it.
ThaddeusBartman Sat Oct 18
@BrandSanderson what are some of your favorite musicians?
BrandSanderson Sat Oct 18
@ThaddeusBartman I have a lot of them. Daft Punk, Chick Corea, Metallica, George Winston.
BrandSanderson Mon Oct 20
Wow, the Rithmatist was named #3 and Steelheart #8 on the 2014 YALSA Teens Top Ten list. Thanks to all the voters! link
BrandSanderson Mon Oct 20
There’s now a solo ebook for my Cosmere novella Sixth of the Dusk. link pic
AuthorJRVaca Mon Oct 20
@BrandSanderson just stop. Stop.
BrandSanderson Mon Oct 20
@AuthorJRVaca “You only fail if you stop writing.”
KameoY Mon Oct 20
@BrandSanderson Where can I find a sticker of Syl? What can one do to summon one their way?
BrandSanderson Tue Oct 21
@KameoY I mostly stick them in books I sign in airports. But we should be able to slide one into an order made through my store.
JoshSHill Mon Oct 20
@BrandSanderson Can I ask, who do I need to speak to if I’m a reviewer who wants to review ‘Shadows Beneath’ and ‘Sixth of the Dusk’?
BrandSanderson Tue Oct 21
@JoshSHill Talk to @PeterAhlstrom.
ArgentSun Tue Oct 21
@BrandSanderson @PeterAhlstrom @IzykStewart Can either one of you, pretty please, tell us if Alethi was inspired by the Elian Script?
PeterAhlstrom Tue Oct 21
@ArgentSun @BrandSanderson @IzykStewart It was not. The inspiration for the shapes was an EKG readout.
BrandSanderson Wed Oct 22
@PeterAhlstrom @ArgentSun @IzykStewart He might be speaking of the Thalyen script, which looks more like the Elian script than Alethi does.
@BrandSanderson @PeterAhlstrom @IzykStewart Right. I was thinking Alethi glyphpairs, which seem to share some ideas with Thaylen letters.
BrandSanderson Wed Oct 22
@ArgentSun @PeterAhlstrom @IzykStewart The glyphpairs are more Chinese influenced. But Isaac will have to answer on Thaylen.
BrandSanderson Tue Oct 21
There’s a new Allomancer Jak story in the Mistborn Adventure Game Alloy of Law supplement. +Annotations by Handerwym. link
BrandSanderson Tue Oct 21
The Mistborn Adventure Game Alloy of Law supplement is out, and Tor.com has a giveaway. link pic
pictonium Tue Oct 21
@BrandSanderson 77 pages into #Steelheart. Bought it on a whim as im a huge comicbook fan. And lemme tell you, this story is spectacular!
BrandSanderson Tue Oct 21
@pictonium Thanks!
@BrandSanderson i would love to know your inspiration for this. It feels really fresh but familiar
BrandSanderson Tue Oct 21
@pictonium Lots of things. Cyberpunk for the feel of the city and the underground rebels, late ’80s early ’90s graphic novels for tone.
BrandSanderson Wed Oct 22
Salt Lake airport! Signed books at the Weller Books just past terminal 1 security. Steelheart lenticulars inside. pic
IsaCantos Wed Oct 22
@BrandSanderson I just finished the first book of Mistborn and, with all due respect Mr. Writer, How could you? :’(
BrandSanderson Wed Oct 22
@IsaCantos He made me do it.
SupaTrey Wed Oct 22
just finished reading @BrandSanderson’s Mistborn. So. Good. Can’t wait to get into Book 2!
@BrandSanderson ALTHOUGH, I don’t really need to read the word “maladroitly” again any time soon.
BrandSanderson Wed Oct 22
@SupaTrey Maladroitly.
@BrandSanderson Like this: link
BrandSanderson Wed Oct 22
@SupaTrey Watch for inchoate too. I was really fond of that one during my early days.
Trashleigh96 Wed Oct 22
If @BrandSanderson signed the books at Cardiff Airport (Wales) I’d book a flight just to get them
BrandSanderson Wed Oct 22
@Trashleigh96 I will see what I can do. Train station is more likely out there though.
FrancoSantos3 Wed Oct 22
@BrandSanderson You are incredible. Thank you for giving me a lot of hours of good stories. Best wishes from Argentina, Brandon.
BrandSanderson Wed Oct 22
@FrancoSantos3 My pleasure! Thanks for reading.
SquillWill Wed Oct 22
@PeterAhlstrom @BrandSanderson Would you mind answering these? What defines a high Epic? How does Tia’s tier system work?
BrandSanderson Wed Oct 22
@SquillWill A high epic is one where you have to negate their powers somehow to kill them.
BrandSanderson Wed Oct 22
In honor of the Sixth of the Dusk ebook release, here is my new Twitter header image. link pic
BrandSanderson Wed Oct 22
Chicago O’Hare airport! Signed books w/goodies at Barbara’s Bookstore by Gate E3. See attached picture. pic
BrandSanderson Thu Oct 23
Chicago area! Signed books, with Steelheart lenticular postcards inside, can be found at the Orland Park Barnes and Noble.
zztke540 Thu Oct 23
@BrandSanderson what are you doing in Chicago? Any meet and greets?
BrandSanderson Thu Oct 23
@zztke540 Afraid not. School visits this time. Should be back for a real signing in January.
BrandSanderson Thu Oct 23
Signed books at Barbara’s Books in Burr Ridge Shopping Center with prizes inside! pic
TachyonPub Thu Oct 23
@BrandSanderson No signed copies of the Hugo Emperor’s Soul?
@TachyonPub @BrandSanderson They must be out of stock there!
BrandSanderson Thu Oct 23
@PeterAhlstrom @TachyonPub The B&N I just posted had one.
BrandSanderson Thu Oct 23
Chicago area! Oak Brook Center Barnes & Noble has signed books including Words of Radiance & Steelheart (w/goodies). pic
SurlyGreg Thu Oct 23
@BrandSanderson Did I miss an actual event so close to me?
BrandSanderson Thu Oct 23
@SurlyGreg Just school visits this time. If you join the mailing list, we will mail you when I am in town.
spidersilksnow Thu Oct 23
@BrandSanderson will you ever come down to LA?
BrandSanderson Thu Oct 23
@spidersilksnow most likely in Jan/Feb!
BrandSanderson Fri Oct 24
This school I am visiting has candy, buttons, and water bottles with pictures of my books. pic
BrandSanderson Fri Oct 24
Look what I found at this school library where I was presenting. @TheDanWells pic
ElrosValthonis Sat Oct 25
@BrandSanderson Although I”m from China mainland,I still try my best to collect your books whatever Eng or tradictionalCH,with honor! 山神一生推
BrandSanderson Sat Oct 25
@ElrosValthonis Sweet! Thanks for reading.
sbhelgesen Sat Oct 25
I’ve been checking airport bookstores for signed @BrandSanderson books every #TravelDay… and today at ORD…!!! pic
BrandSanderson Sat Oct 25
@sbhelgesen Nice!
BrandSanderson Sat Oct 25
I love Chicago O’Hare’s Barbara’s bookstores, so instead of eating lunch, I ran to each one and signed. Gates E3, B10, G1, & between H/K.
frickhwa Sat Oct 25
@BrandSanderson I keep wondering, when you and @PatrickRothfuss do this, do you talk to whoever is working or just go in and start doing it?
BrandSanderson Sat Oct 25
@frickhwa @PatrickRothfuss It depends on how busy the staff looks. I usually do introduce myself, particularly at stores I visit often.
Bearded_Arc Sat Oct 25
Look what I found at the Chicago airport. @BrandSanderson pic
BrandSanderson Sat Oct 25
@Bearded_Arc Sweet. Thanks for reading!
Jasp072010 Sat Oct 25
@BrandSanderson Good luck with your current tour Would you help a young author with a RT? link
BrandSanderson Sat Oct 25
@Jasp072010 I am sympathetic to your need for publicity, but I make it a policy not to recommend books I haven’t read.
BrandSanderson Sat Oct 25
@Jasp072010 I will try to give it a look. Either way, good luck!
jrusselldicks Mon Oct 27
@BrandSanderson How would a commoner go about obtaining ARCs of your novels without resorting to eBay and the like?
BrandSanderson Mon Oct 27
@jrusselldicks As long as you aren’t buying them ahead of release (as to not encourage such sales) I honestly don’t mind if you go to ebay.
BrandSanderson Mon Oct 27
@jrusselldicks But some booksellers can get them for you, particularly independents.
schlockfan Mon Oct 27
@BrandSanderson will you be at world fantasy con? Affects who I cosplay as. Uh, I mean, asking for a friend.
BrandSanderson Mon Oct 27
@schlockfan afraid not this year.
jnikkir Mon Oct 27
@BrandSanderson So… you based Obliteration’s look on another author, yes? Anyone figure it out? Might be a ~long shot~ but I have a guess XD
BrandSanderson Mon Oct 27
@jnikkir
BrandSanderson Tue Oct 28
57th GRAMMY AWARDS—For Your Consideration: Mistborn – The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson in 5.1 Surround Sound DTS link
BrandSanderson Wed Oct 29
The Rithmatist ebook is on sale today, $1.99 in US and Canada, €1.78 in Europe. link pic
irriadin Wed Oct 29
I am in Salt Lake City airport. The thing I’m most excited about? Looking for books signed by @BrandSanderson
BrandSanderson Wed Oct 29
@irriadin Did you find any? I left a large number at the Weller bookstore.
ilovemydanish Wed Oct 29
@BrandSanderson any shot I could ask (and get answered) a couple questions about religion in fantasy literature for a term paper?
BrandSanderson Thu Oct 30
@ilovemydanish Feel free to drop me an email. No promises, though.
October 29, 2014
The Rithmatist ebook on sale today
Just a quick note: the ebook of The Rithmatist is on sale today for $1.99 in the US and Canada, and it looks like it’s €1.78 in continental Europe. Check your local region to see the price there—links are on the right. I don’t know how long this lasts, but I’m guessing it’s just today.
And if you didn’t notice, last week I put out a new novella out in its own ebook: Sixth of the Dusk. Available worldwide.
Additionally, The Way of Kings ebook is still free in the US on the iBookstore and Amazon until the end of the year.
October 28, 2014
Grammy Awards Nominations: Mistborn
This is something that doesn’t apply to many of you, but if you’re a voting member of The Recording Academy, and you’re a Mistborn fan, you may want to take a look at your ballot.
57th GRAMMY AWARDS
For Your Consideration:
MISTBORN – THE FINAL EMPIRE
by Brandon Sanderson
in 5.1 Surround Sound DTS
The Graphic Audio editions of the Mistborn books (and Elantris and Warbreaker) aren’t your average audiobooks—they’re full-cast recordings with some sound effects, though they’re still nearly unabridged; only a few things such as dialogue tags (“she said”) get trimmed out, since by the voice actor you can know who’s talking.
If you’ve never experienced one, check it out below. And if you’re an Academy voter, I hope you’ll give it a listen as you consider the applicable category. Best of luck to everyone on the ballot in every category!
October 21, 2014
Mistborn Adventure Game Alloy of Law supplement, New Allomancer Jak story + Giveaway
A few weeks ago, Crafty Games, the makers of the Mistborn Adventure Game, released their second supplement for the game (after the Terris supplement). This new one covers the Alloy of Law era.
As in the original adventure game book, where I wrote a short story for the volume that features Kelsier, I’ve written a new piece for this supplement that features everyone’s favorite Roughs hero and correspondent: Allomancer Jak! These episodes follow his appearance in The Alloy of Law. Check out a preview here. Includes bonus annotations by Handerwym, Jak’s faithful Terris steward!
You can buy the Mistborn Adventure Game and the Alloy of Law supplement now. This week, Tor.com is running a contest to give away both books, and they’re also including a trade paperback of Mistborn. Their contest is open to residents of the US and Canada (but not Quebec). To enter, post a comment here.
Here’s what Crafty has to say about the new supplement:
Secure your vials and strap on your six-guns!
It’s 300 years after the fall of the Lord Ruler. The Final Empire is a distant memory, and the heroes who brought it down are legend. The rebels and thieving crews of old have been replaced with gunslingers, bounty hunters, shysters, and lawkeepers, and around every corner is a land of wild adventure, unlimited opportunity, ancient mystery, and ever-present danger. This is The Alloy of Law.
Alloy of Law is a core supplement for the Mistborn Adventure Game, helping players leap headlong into the thrilling world of the fourth book in Brandon Sanderson’s best-selling Mistborn series. This 320-page supplement features a wealth of new world information, game rules, and advice for playing this Old West-styled era, including:
An exclusive original story from Mistborn creator, Brandon Sanderson!
A comprehensive overview of the people, society, and history of the remade Scadrial, with new information not seen in the novel
Updated character and Crew creation. Play a metalmind-slinging Ferring, one of the powerful koloss-blooded, or a Twinborn — master of Allomancy and Feruchemy alike
Magic of The Alloy of Law era, including updates for all three Metallic Arts and rules for the godlike power of Compounding
Rules for technology, guns, and gunplay — with a magical twist
A gazetteer of the towns, cities, and key locations of the Elendel Basin and Roughs
An exploration of the faiths, politics, and secrets of The Alloy of Law…and beyond
Advice and inspiration for Narrators on running campaigns in The Alloy of Law era
A rogues’ gallery of noted personalities in the era, including novel heroes Wax, Wayne, and Marasi
Did you enjoy reading The Alloy of Law? Now you can make your own Mistborn stories.
Already play Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn Adventure Game? This book more than doubles the supplemental setting material.
Alloy of Law is available at fine book stores and hobby shops worldwide. You can also order print and digital (PDF) copies directly from the publisher, Crafty Games.
If you are a store owner and would like to discuss wholesale orders, please contact marketing@crafty-games.com
Allomancer Jak and the Pits of Eltania
Special bound collection of all three episodes! Edited and annotated by Handerwym, Jak’s own faithful Terris steward!
I begin this week’s letter as I awake to a mighty headache.
Truly, dear readers, this pain was incredible—and the effect was a din inside my mind not unlike that of a hundred rifles firing. I groaned and rolled to my knees in the darkened chamber; my face had been resting upon cold rock. My vision shook and took time to recover.
What had happened to me? I remembered my contest with the koloss challenger—a brute sized like a steamrail engine, with strength to match. I had defeated him with a bullet through the eye, had I not? Had I not in so doing maintained the loyalty of the entire koloss clan?
I climbed to my feet and felt gingerly at the back of my head. There, I found dried blood. Fear not, for the wound was not terrible. Surely I had weathered far worse. This was not nearly as bad as when I had found myself sinking in the ocean, my arms bound, my feet tied to a metal bust of the Survivor as I sank.
The arid air and whistling sound of the wind through broken rock indicated I was still in the Roughs, which was good. These lands of adventure and danger are my natural habitat, and I thrive upon the challenge they provide. If I were to spend too long in the safe and mundane environment of milky Elendel, I fear I would wilt away.
My enclosure was a natural cavern of some sort, with rough stone walls and drooping stalactites on the ceiling. The cavern was shallow, however, and I found that it ended only a few feet back from my initial position. I would not be escaping in that direction, then.
Cautious of potential gunfire, I edged to the front of the cavern and looked out. As I had guessed from the slight chill to the air, I was elevated. My cavern was on the wall of a small canyon, and the mouth opened only to a steep drop onto a group of rounded rocks far below.
Across from me, atop the ridge on the other side of the canyon, a group of blue figures watched my cavern. The hulking koloss were older ones, their skin stretched and broken, their bodies tattooed and draped with leather created from the skin of the men they had slain and eaten.
“Why have you stranded me here, dread beasts?” I shouted at them, my voice echoing in the canyon. “And what have you done with the fair Elizandra Dramali? If you have harmed one hair upon her ever-beauteous scalp, you shall know the fury of an Allomancer enraged!”
The savages offered me no reply. They sat around their smoldering fire, and did not even turn my direction.
Perhaps my situation was not as ideal as I had decided upon my first assessment. The canyon wall outside my cavern was as slick as glass and was as steep as the price of whiskey at Marlie’s waystop. I surely could not survive an attempt to climb down, not dizzy as I was from the wound.
But neither could I simply wait. Miss Dramali, my dear Elizandra, might surely be in danger. Curse that woman and her headstrong ways; she should have remained at camp as instructed. I had no idea what might have happened to her, nor to faithful Handerwym. The koloss would not dare harm him, because of their vow to the Terris people, but surely he feared for my safety.
I gave little thought to how I had reached this dire location. I needed metal. My system was clean of it; I had burned the last to steady my hands and eyes as I took the perfect shot at the koloss challenger to my throne. Unfortunately, my captors had stolen Glint—brutes though they are, the koloss are wise enough to take the guns from a man, particularly after seeing my skill with my trusty sidearm. They had also taken my vials of metal. Perhaps they wanted to see if those contained whiskey. Some Roughs Allomancers do store their metals in such solutions, but I have always abstained from the process. The mind of a gentleman adventurer needs to retain clarity at all times.
Surely the hidden pouch of tin in the heel of my boot would serve me. By misfortune, however, the heel’s hidden compartment seemed to have been knocked open during my initial scuffle with the koloss champion. I had lost the pouch! I made a note to myself to speak with Ranette about her heel contraption and its tendency to open unexpectedly.
Disaster! An Allomancer without metal. I was left with only my own wits as a tool. Those—though of no small measure—might not be enough. Who knew what kind of trouble the fair Elizandra might be in at this point?
Read the rest in the Mistborn Adventure Game Alloy of Law supplement!
Editor’s note: Indeed, this was the outcome of Jak’s brave—perhaps foolhardy—plan. See episode twenty-six. At this point, Jak had been “king” of the koloss for three episodes, and had survived the latest of challenges to his authority, getting closer to the secrets they held regarding the Survivor’s Treasure.
See “Allomancer Jak and the Mask of Ages,” episode fourteen. There, however, Jak writes that it was a bust of the Lord Mistborn. One wonders if Jak ever stops to read his accounts after their publication. Fortunately for me, he does not seem to.
One might wonder why Jak felt he needed to escape, as he had not discovered if he was imprisoned, and had not yet tried walking out through the front of the cavern. If you have this concern, might I remind you of the last eighteen times Jak awoke with a headache at the beginning of an episode? Each time, he had been captured in some fashion.
Jak is completely, blissfully unaware of modern scholarship regarding the koloss, which indicates that they rarely (if ever) use actual human skin for their trophies. Indeed, accounts of them eating humans are greatly exaggerated.
I was actually asleep. It had been a very long day. I’m sure I’d have worried about him if it had crossed my mind to do so. The bed the koloss provided, however, was surprisingly comfortable.
See episode twenty-five for our discovery of their vow not to harm the Terris, and their explanation for the respect they have paid me during our adventures. It is a matter which I have regarded with some interest.
Didn’t he just mention the whiskey he often drinks at the waystop? Perhaps the dens of thieves do not count as a place where a clear mind is required.
October 20, 2014
Sixth of the Dusk solo ebook out now!
Today marks the worldwide release of the standalone ebook for my Cosmere novella Sixth of the Dusk. It’s the same novella that I included in the ebook and hardcover of Shadows Beneath: the Writing Excuses Anthology, which also has stories from Mary Robinette Kowal, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. That book contains multiple drafts and detailed behind-the-scenes information on each story, but if you’re not interested in that and all you want is the final version of Sixth of the Dusk, now you can get it by itself.
Here’s the description:
A fascinating new novella in Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere, the universe shared by his Mistborn series and the #1 New York Times bestselling Stormlight Archive.
Sixth of the Dusk, set in a never-before-seen world, showcases a society on the brink of technological change. On the deadly island of Patji, where birds grant people magical talents and predators can sense the thoughts of their prey, a solitary trapper discovers that the island is not the only thing out to kill him. When he begins to see his own corpse at every turn, does this spell danger for his entire culture?
Read an excerpt here.
Sixth of the Dusk
Sixth of the Dusk, set in a never-before-seen world, showcases a society on the brink of technological change. On the deadly island of Patji, where birds grant people magical talents and predators can sense the thoughts of their prey, a solitary trapper discovers that the island is not the only thing out to kill him. When he begins to see his own corpse at every turn, does this spell danger for his entire culture?
Read an excerpt here.
For a detailed behind-the-scenes look at the creation of this novella, including brainstorming and workshopping session transcripts, the first draft, line-by-line edits, and an essay by Brandon, please see Shadows Beneath: The Writing Excuses Anthology .
October 15, 2014
Writing Excuses Episodes & Caribbean Retreat
There are two new Writing Excuses episodes to talk about:
Fan Writing, with Chris Garcia
The Convention-Author Relationship, with Deirdre Saoirse Moen
Both episodes were recorded at Westercon/FantasyCon earlier this year in front of a live audience. Chris has worked in fanzines for years (and won a Hugo Award for Best Fanzine), and Deirdre runs conventions. Both have lots of great stuff to say, so check the episodes out.
The Writing Excuses anthology, Shadows Beneath, is still included in the NaNoWriMo Writing Tools Bundle of DRM-free writing advice ebooks, as well as through the standard ebook vendors that you can see above. We also still have some copies of the hardcover (with the ebook included).
Writing Excuses also announced last week that the September 2015 Out of Excuses Writing Workshop and Retreat will take place not in Chattanooga as in previous years, but on a cruise ship in the Caribbean, with many more participant slots available. If that sounds interesting to you, check out the description and the registration page.
