Hi Guys

This is only partly a business/writing blog today. Kind of want to write some personal stuff too. And, since nobody seems to be logging in to look, I don't figure it's a problem. I'm thinking that we may get more traffic on this after the book comes out -- but maybe not. You just never know.

Writing first. 19 Days until Hunter comes out. Today Cathy sent me something fun. A site, in Germany (in German) that has our cover, a description of the book, and (I think, since I can't read German I'm not sure) reviews of the book. It's just wild. I guess one of the copies from Frankfurt got out and about.

The edited synopsis went out on Kate. We've come up with a new proposed title "Touch of Evil." The changes to up the amps on the romance angle are actually fairly small at this point, which is good.

We've gotten the cover for Moon's Web. VERY nice. Makes me happy to see it. I'm going to TRY to put it up. If I can't, I'll have Cathy do it. (HA). The draft we have has the original Hunter quote from Laurell on the front. That bugs me, so we're trying to see if she'll give us a quote for the second book (she and Darla have read it). We'll see.

We found out that they're planning a print run of 95,000-100,000 books. THIS IS HUGE. Mid list is generally 40,000. That they're printing this many means they really believe in the book and the pre-orders have been hefty. Actually, judging by the numbers we've been able to scrounge up, we're already at the earn-out point -- and the book isn't even on the shelves yet!!!!

I was hoping to get the first draft of the book I've been working on (The Raveners) done by the end of the month, but the body has been acting up. I'm so tired a lot of the time that I can't think clearly -- let alone creatively. I'm going to make an appointment with my new doctor (I moved to Texas, switched insurance, and am starting over. UGH). I think a big part of the problem is that it's time to up the thyroid medicine again. I'm feeling stupid, slow, and frustrated. I'm trying not to let it make me grumpy, but that's part and parcel of the problem.

I've been thinking (always dangerous) about the fact that the Sazi world is so much more in line with what's popular now. And I've been thinking "How would I feel if we just end up doing Sazi books for the next 20 years, just working within that world?" I think that the Sazi may be our major breadwinners, with the other books being supplemental. But we have a large enough world with enough people in there to make it stay interesting. People like Mercedes Lackey have made wonderful careers out of one world. I do worry that the stories STAY interesting. the first series of Dune was great -- the follow up returns, (in my opinion) not so much. A lot of the Pern books were good, but one or two were kind of tired (again in my opinion). So we'll need to work really hard to keep them all interesting.

I do hope that we can put out one non-Sazi book a year too (at least). But if the Sazi make us a good living they'll be a joy and be gravy.

I was also thinking about Denver. I was very happy there for a very long time, and there are things I miss. But my present and future are (at least for the foreseeable future) here. I'm not up to the heavy traffic. I can't afford the high cost of living (comparatively). I really need the slower pace. I've found a great job with an incredibly good boss. I do hope to stay in touch with people back there. But frankly, it doesn't necessarily seem that a lot of them are that interested in keeping in touch with me. So maybe its time to move on. But I don't want it to seem to people that I'm letting success go to my head, either. Does that make sense? On the other hand, mostly I'm keeping in touch by e-mail because I'm spending my time at home either (a) asleep; (b) writing (not as much as I'd like because of a); and (c) doing things with James. A lot of people really don't like e-mail as much as the phone, so that may be part of the problem.

Anyway, I don't want to be a bummer, and don't want to be bummed. Things are turning around. It's taking time, but things are going to be very, very, good. I just have to pray hard and hang on. I can do that.