Book 4

[The Author Guy]

Thanks!

Will do.

I also need to update Facebook, I’ve been promising them an update…it’s just that I keep thinking I’ll get back in gear and have some new timelines, but wrenches just keep flying my way. Almost like someone with 4 hands were tossing them at me….not to name any names.

[Glunk]

Wishing you a grand thanksgiving!
Tizzy will probably forget to bring the cookies to the party though.
Finally, don’t let the Alvar kill your holiday cheer.

The books are amazing; and I’m looking forward to the next installments.

[The Author Guy]

Thanks!

Tizzy did bring cookies, but…the way he gobbles down TG dinner with all four hands is a tad discomforting for most people.

So it’s a mixed bag.

[Venlin]

Hi! I’m new and was just wondering even after the books are released how much longer does it usually take for the audio book?

Oh also dear author you are the fluffing best author in quite a few multiverses and I was wondering if you have a Discord server for the world of Astlan?

Huh also why doesn’t my profile picture show up for me, hmm

[The Author Guy]

The Audio books take Tantor about 3 months after they get the final manuscript.

So the timeline looks like

1) I finish writing first draft
2) Beta starts and lasts 1 to 3 months (so far)
3a) Beta ends and goes to editor for 1 to 2 months
3b) Cover art commissioned (done while at editor)
4) I get copy back from editor send to Tantor to start recording/editing/formatting
5) I start formatting text and cover for publication which takes 2 to 3 weeks, also some timing concerns (not going to publish on major holiday again, I like begining of months also))

So basically, we are talking 2 months, or maybe 10 weeks after the book is released that the audio comes out.

I don’t have a Discord server, however, that might be a particularly good idea during the betas, among other times.

[Venlin]

Cool! I can’t wait for both the book and the audio book! I’m not sure if I could but I would love to try and help if you wish with a discord server!

Oh also how does the beta for books work? Like what does it entail for the beta Demons?

[The Author Guy]

The beta process is done by beta demons, readers who sign up and magically transformed into beta demons capable of seeing alternate timelines and helping me choose the best path for the books.

There is a public section here in the forum under Beta Demons Only that has one publicly available topic that discusses the trials and tribulations of being a beta demon. It’s not for everyone because you see earlier versions of the story, and the first, second, third iteration of particular events may be different from the final official version. Entire chapters can be wiped out or added, relationships changed, thins said become unsaid, done deeds become undone.

So it’s basically book sausage making. Not for the temporally squeamish.

But anyone that is interested can join. My only request is that if you join, you contribute at least some comments, criticisms, critiques or corrections. Just give some input. Some people get heavily involved, others less so, it’s all a matter of time and interest on people’s parts.

The whole process takes place in the discussion forums in secret Beta Demon enclaves.

T-A-G

[MotoMage]

[quote=The Author Guy;7555]The Audio books take Tantor about 3 months after they get the final manuscript.

So the timeline looks like

1) I finish writing first draft
2) Beta starts and lasts 1 to 3 months (so far)
3a) Beta ends and goes to editor for 1 to 2 months
3b) Cover art commissioned (done while at editor)
4) I get copy back from editor send to Tantor to start recording/editing/formatting
5) I start formatting text and cover for publication which takes 2 to 3 weeks, also some timing concerns (not going to publish on major holiday again, I like begining of months also))

So basically, we are talking 2 months, or maybe 10 weeks after the book is released that the audio comes out.

I don’t have a Discord server, however, that might be a particularly good idea during the betas, among other times.

[/quote]

So from this the first book will be out at the end of February or the beginning of March, is that about right? Than the next book about three months after that? So what order are the books in the shoot?

[The Author Guy]

That was the plan, but my fall fell apart and I haven’t gotten any writing done since early August.

My dad’s health has not been good all this year and very bad this fall, and I’ve spent several weeks out of town with him, and the stress/anxiety of that has made it difficult to write, but more importantly, I’ve had to put my day job in “over time” mode to make up hours that I missed being away, and that I might miss in the near future if he worsens. (I get paid by the hour and so have to make up, or stock up on hours to keep income up)

[Note this is a big difference than the earlier books–there I took 6 to 9 months off to write and built up debt during that time and then have been paying it down with royalty and day job–this time I’m trying to not wrack up debt so I work and write rather than take time off to write]

Then…as if that wasn’t bad enough, my largest client got ransomwared and had a huge number of virtual servers shutdown and encrypted.

I’ve had to help on the systems side recreating those servers, but also lost about half the code I’ve written in the last year and have to rebuild it from the ground up…

So…long story short, I am running seriously behind. Starting to get caught up, hope to start writing again soon.

At the moment Oak Orks is furthest along, then the other two about are equal number of words, but Book 4 is estimated to be 2x as many words, however, I prioritize that over Chronicles of Astlan.

So the order will probably be Oak Orks, Book IV, Chronicles of Astlan. I am hoping all will be out in 2019, but it may just be the first two, with CoA in early 2020.

[MotoMage]

Thanks for the quick reply. I am sorry to hear about all the difficulties you have been facing and I hope things get better for you soon. So we are looking at about a year before we see another book? We’ve been waiting a couple years already so I don’t think anybody will mind waiting another year. Yes life is what happens when you plan for other things. I sincerely hope things get better for you. May the wheel of life not get stuck in the mud pit of mediocrity.

[The Author Guy]

I am hoping it won’t be that long for something…

I think I can get Oak Orks out by mid-year. I am back on the saddle with that (as of today). Admittedly it’s Beta will suck up a lot of time vs book 4, but I am hoping that I can be working on 4 during the editing phase of 4.

Realistically, I think Chronicles will hit 2020, but Book 4 should be between the two. It’s the longest and most complex so…we’ll see.

That is one problem I do have as I go on, the machinations start getting so deep that keeping them all straight gets time consuming, particularly when I have long breaks like I just had…

[The Man from Alamo]

I maybe repeating myself, but when beta goes live I’d like to be a part of it
8-[

[Tizzy]

Sounds good.

As the beta’s draw near (within a week or two of them) T-A-G will harvest all the names oe people who’ve posted in the appropriate forums for each book and email them and let them know.

There will also be an announcement in the forums, and in all cases a magical link, that when clicked will bestow Beta Demon powers on the clicker, allowing them to see certain alternate timelines, realities and possible futures.

[Tisslils]

Not sure if I opted into beta already, but I’m too lazy to check the previous pages. Opting for all 3 betas.

So beta for all 3 books are coming in the next 2 weeks? That’s unexpected.

[Ivan]

I would like to sign up as beta for 3 books as well 🙂

[Author]

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