new Lakewalker novella impending
I am pleased to report that I have finished the first draft of a new novella in the world of The Sharing Knife. Functionally a novella, anyway; its length, at the moment, is a tad over 49,000 words, so it's technically a short novel. This falls in an odd limbo in categorization -- the official cap for a novella is 40k or 45k words, but the minimum contractual length for a commercially published novel is usually 100k. (It was 80k back when I started, but word-count inflation has occurred since then.) Since it's headed for original e-publication, I don't have to care, so the main concern is to label it so readers won't charge in expecting something twice as long.
The working title was "Barr & Lily", which is also its subject matter, being a sort of slice-of-Lakewalker-life character study. However, that won't do for the final, since it sounds a bit too much like the name of a tea company. The current front-runner is "Knife Children", but I'm not sure yet if that is going to stick.
It takes place about a dozen years after the events of the tetralogy, but should be perfectly readable as a stand-alone. (Old readers will gratify me if they can refrain from fending off potential new readers by telling them they have to read four other books first.)
I won't claim there's no action, *cough*, but the cadre of readers who process only physical violence as "action" may find a sad lack of climactic boss fights. This story has other kinds of business to attend to.
Once my eyes recover from the final push, there's still some editing and proofreading to go, plus arranging for a suitable e-cover. So I'm guessing publication sometime in late January. I will of course post updates here when things are finalized.
Happy holidays to all --
Ta, L.
The working title was "Barr & Lily", which is also its subject matter, being a sort of slice-of-Lakewalker-life character study. However, that won't do for the final, since it sounds a bit too much like the name of a tea company. The current front-runner is "Knife Children", but I'm not sure yet if that is going to stick.
It takes place about a dozen years after the events of the tetralogy, but should be perfectly readable as a stand-alone. (Old readers will gratify me if they can refrain from fending off potential new readers by telling them they have to read four other books first.)
I won't claim there's no action, *cough*, but the cadre of readers who process only physical violence as "action" may find a sad lack of climactic boss fights. This story has other kinds of business to attend to.
Once my eyes recover from the final push, there's still some editing and proofreading to go, plus arranging for a suitable e-cover. So I'm guessing publication sometime in late January. I will of course post updates here when things are finalized.
Happy holidays to all --
Ta, L.
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Ed
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Dec 25, 2018 09:46AM
Thank you for a wonderful Christmas surprise. I await.
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What marvellous news! Thank you so much Lois, and a Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Love the news. The Sharing Knife novels are one of my most re-read books, so maybe it's time to read again the entire tetralogy :-)
KNIFE CHILDREN is good. Without knowing enough about the story (good excuse) how about SHARING CHILDREN. Oh... how about KNIFE KIDS. :-) I'd better quite before I get silly.
Ekaser wrote: "KNIFE CHILDREN is good. Without knowing enough about the story (good excuse) how about SHARING CHILDREN. Oh... how about KNIFE KIDS. :-) I'd better quite before I get silly."One of my friends likes "Home Ground", but that one sounds like a coffee shop to me.
Titles, argh.
L.
Lois wrote: One of my friends likes "Home Ground", but that one sounds like a coffee shop...":-) Yes. "Life on the Knife's Edge" or "Double-Edged Knife" or "Two Sides of a Knife" or "After the Knife" or "Driving the Knife Home" :-) "Two Lifes for a Knife"? "Knife Brats"? Okay, now I'm just getting silly again. Yes, "Titles, argh."
Terry wrote: "What about "Knife Knowing You"?"Behave.
:-), L.
Fabulous news, Lois! I can hardly wait to read it, under whatever title you choose!Cheers and Happy New Year!
Lorraine
If “knife” is necessary, and mainstream appeal is a plus, then “Children of the Knife” has that Jean Auel sound to it.
Exciting news! What a wonderful treat for January!
This is great. Underrated world and I absolutely love what you do with the romance. Hope everything is well, Lois!
The Price family is delighted. If it gets published as an audiobook as well, we'll be doubly pleased.
Lovely!I’m still boggled by the word-count characterization limbo of the work. Novelette? Novelloid? I think “short novel” works, though. Ah, well, good thing it will be an original e-publication. I have been enjoying this format for your work.
You might consider a title like "Heritage" or "Inheritance" in keeping with your other single word titles in this world. Possibly "Descendants", "Relatives". Kick a Thesaurus and see what falls out! I am sure the book will be a delight, and current readers will read it without looking at the title. Good luck finding a good one! And Happy New Year in less than a week!
Thank you, Lois, I'll look forward to reading!
An unexpected announcement, but I always welcome anything that you choose to write. I had been wondering what you were working on.
Oh, one of my favorite worlds! I'm glad you decided to revisit it. :) Looking forward to it immensely.
Great news, well done! I did recently complete my quest to read all your work within a year of starting :) It was a wonderful year. Yay for more!
My best regards from New Zealand.
Grace wrote: "Great news, well done! I did recently complete my quest to read all your work within a year of starting :) It was a wonderful year. Yay for more!
My best regards from New Zealand."
What an awesome quest. Congrats on completing it.
Which series is your favorite?
Favorite Character?
Best from New Jersey USA
What a wonderful new year present for us all! Many thanks, beloved author.
Great news! Is the title a nod to Wolf Children?
Wondetful news! Now that I own a tablet with Kindle, I won't have to wait at my bookstore (let alone Library--6 week wait for latest Lee Child title). Need a beta reader? I beta-read "Cetaganda" for you a decade + ago. And won't spill even a quarter of a bean.Richad the Mad Librarin.
Diana wrote: "You might consider a title like "Heritage" or "Inheritance" in keeping with your other single word titles in this world. Possibly "Descendants", "Relatives". Kick a Thesaurus and see what falls out..."What about "Lily's Gift"? Not that Barr exactly gifted her... I'll sign any release form you like.
Richard the Mad Librarian.
Richard wrote: "Diana wrote: "You might consider a title like "Heritage" or "Inheritance" in keeping with your other single word titles in this world. Possibly "Descendants", "Relatives". Kick a Thesaurus and see ..."Titles are not copyrightable, for obvious practical reasons.
@ 27, Wolf Children did cross my thought-stream, but the process was more, "Knife Daughter"? No, puts too tight a focus on one character at the expense of the other -- "Knife Children" at least casts a wider net. Titles do direct readers' attention, like road signs, so one must be careful not to start them down the wrong track. Bland is better than misleading, but thematic is best of all if one can get it.
Am now facing the revisions stage, my least favorite part of writing. Some writers, I am told, relish revisions, fondly imagining them as a chance to improve the work; I dread them, as a chance to screw it up. I will be cranky for a while.
Ta, L.
My tuppence worth by way of a title suggestion:Children Of The Sharing Knife
That would link it more directly to the tetralogy.
Awesome! Very much looking forward to reading more of your work and worlds, as ever.
Great news. I'm looking forward to it. Thanks for every book you wrote so far, and for those to come.
Children of the Legacy.Legacy's Children.
Just throwing out a couple of ideas. :)
Just completing my umpteenth re-listening to the tetraolgy, a favorite bedtime story. What marvelous vivid, three-dimensional characters!Thank you again for all your books.
Michael wrote: "Which series is your favorite?Favorite Character?"
..."
Miles, of course, probably due to the sheer quantity of time spent in his head. Ista and Penric are great too, as are Ivan and Gregor and so many more. I've already dived into another reread.
I have just finished my re-read of the last 2 books, the ones that contain Barr. I had listened to all 4 audiobooks in 2018, but felt the need to refresh my memory before Barr and Lily appears. I had planned to do a slow re-read, ending in mid to late January, but once I got started . . .
Update of sorts, it does look like "Knife Children" has settled in to be the final title.And now to puzzle over the cover. Which I don't think anyone who hasn't read it can help with, alas. I'm drifting toward something iconic, such as a picture of a bone knife, which sidesteps a million thorny problems with character portraiture, but nothing is set yet.
Ta, L.
This is my first day back on the computer in the new year, and I got not one, but two bits of exciting book news! Both you and Jennifer Crusie are in the last stages of your stories! Congratulations, and I'm so looking forward to publication day!
SO EXCITED!!! I LOVE THIS SERIES!!! I've read or listened to all of it at least 4 times now. Thank you and Bless you Lois!!!
Wild delight, with dancing.Here’s a more-or-less random Sharing Knife question. In chapter 18 of Horizon, Sumac sings a song that sounds old to Fawn’s ears. I immediately had one come to mind, so I wondered if you had one in mind when writing the scene. If not—well, great world-building, as usual.
Néna wrote: "Wild delight, with dancing.Here’s a more-or-less random Sharing Knife question. In chapter 18 of Horizon, Sumac sings a song that sounds old to Fawn’s ears. I immediately had one come to mind, so..."
I did, but I don't remember now what it was. Might've been "Greensleeves" or "Scarborough Fair", something folky of that ilk.
Ta, L.
Very excited to hear about another story in this amazing world! Thank you for sharing (pun intended) more stories with us! Learning anything about what happened after the first four books will be very satisfying, but I do have a question. Will there ever be a prequel story? I always thought it would be interesting to learn about Lakewalker history and how malices came to be. Probably too big an endevour to undertake during retirement, but the origin of this world always seemed fascinating to me.
" (Old readers will gratify me if they can refrain from fending off potential new readers by telling them they have to read four other books first.)"I'd look at this as old readers telling new readers that they GET to read the other 4 first :-)
Like another commenter (commentOr?), the Wide Green World books are my most reread ones. They live on my Kindle and I'm quite sure I've read each one at least 6 times.
Aha. I immediately heard ‘Loch Lomond’ but that’s not precisely right.Lois wrote: "Néna wrote: "Wild delight, with dancing.
Here’s a more-or-less random Sharing Knife question. In chapter 18 of Horizon, Sumac sings a song that sounds old to Fawn’s ears. I immediately had one com..."
Lois wrote: "Néna wrote: "Wild delight, with dancing.
Here’s a more-or-less random Sharing Knife question. In chapter 18 of Horizon, Sumac sings a song that sounds old to Fawn’s ears. I immediately had one com..."
