Michelle West DAW books update

[msagara]

I have good news and bad news.

The good news first: DAW is buying three more Michelle West novels!

The bad news: the 1st of those three is actually the second plot arc of the book I've been working on for the last fifteen months.


Yes. The Michelle who cannot for love or money figure out how long it takes to tell a story has once again written herself out of the range of a single book. In June of last year, I wrote that I was tying up two plot arcs in House Name on the way to Terafin.

It took a little bit longer to tie them up than I thought it would, but not a lot. And I had said it was going to be 'one more book', so I kept on writing because surely I could fit the second plot arc in a few hundred pages.

Well. As long as we define a few hundred pages to be eight hundred or more (because I am not yet finished), the answer is, yes. But if we define a few hundred pages in a more consensual-reality way, the answer is: No.

This is, as usual, entirely my fault. This is not DAW, or DAW's fault, or something DAW insisted on. If I wanted to finish in one book, I would have had to cut several hundred pages, and my editor felt that this was not an entirely rational approach, given the pages I was suggesting I would have to cut.

And, of course, because it's me, the "shorter" of the two halves, which will be coming in March 2010 as City of Night (I have a scan of the artwork :D. I can't post it because it's not mine V.V. As soon as I have covers, or if Jody Lee does put it up on her web-site, I will send link), will be about 185-190k words.

The longer half, which is still called House Name, will be about the same length as Hidden City (which was mumble words), because in my panic about length I may have left out a couple of things that are probably necessary (which is what I do when I start to panic about length).

But the good news there is that I'm probably about two months from finishing House Name now that I can, you know, breathe again.

And if I say anything about how many books any particular arc or series will take me to write ever again, please feel free to kick me. Or mock me.

ETA: articles. Because articles are good.

Comments

Yay! More Books!

[manga-crow.livejournal.com]

Ah well, if there's one thing fantasy fans have shown over the years, it's that we would prefer a complete story to a rushed, unfinished one =)

(of course, this is the same fan base that practically cheered when Brandon Sanderson announced that he was turning Memory of Light into three books, and some of us have been waiting twenty years for the conclusion to that series, so the evidence of our insanity is strong^^)

[nightsinger.livejournal.com]

Hooray, more books!

Seriously, I don't think a lot of people care how many books or pages or words it takes to tell the story; tell the story how YOU think it's best told, and we'll love it.

[mizkit.livejournal.com]

And if I say anything about how many books any particular arc or series will take me write ever again, please feel free to kick me. Or mock me.

Or simply quadruple the number you propose. :)

[twiegand.livejournal.com]

You're writing long? Again? And the world is still round. Just keep writing, please. I do have one request, though. That you finish the story before we retire to watch grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Thank you.

[suibhne.livejournal.com]

The more, the merrier! I truly think your fans know you tend to run longer than you think you will and from our perspective we just get more books out of it. I love that you tell the story the way you need to tell it, rather than trying to hack it up into whatever is expected. Yay for more wonderful books on the way!

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

And you scoffed at me on the DAW blog when I suggested that I doubted you'd be able to finish the House series in a single novel. HA! I say. HA!

Would you like to post this announcement over at the DAW blog, or would you like me to post it there for you?

[evil_plotbunny]

And if I say anything about how many books any particular arc or series will take me write ever again, please feel free to kick me. Or mock me.

I always take your estimates with a grain of salt (or a whole box), so don't worry. More books is not a bad thing and I am very patient. :)

Yay!

[estara.livejournal.com]

First of all, yay for more of your books in this particular series (although Kaylin is also close to my heart)!

Second, I buy you for the way you write so why would I think it was bad news that you're now able to tell the story in the way you want to tell it (otherwise you wouldn't have the words there, I believe). I do love me a Jody Lee cover, but while I will check any book with her cover for the blurb, I don't buy all of them, because some of the writers just aren't to my taste.

Third, the only thing I would like to have clarification for now, is if any of the new books thematically come after the Sun Sword series or if you are filling the Hunter gap up to Sun Sword with all of them (so I know where to put them on the shelf ^^).

[falcongirl.livejournal.com]

Wait.. MORE Jewel books?! YAY!!
-T

[morgie.livejournal.com]

*ahem* To follow the crowd...

Yay! More books!

also....

Yay! More /Jewel/ books!

[bondo-ba.livejournal.com]

Congrats on selling the books. Seems like you had quite a story to tell!

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

It took a little bit longer to tie them up than I thought it would, but not a lot. And I had said it was going to be 'one more book', so I kept on writing because surely I could fit the second plot arc in a few hundred pages.

LOL! No, I'm laughing with you. Really.

Honestly, I don't know how Grownup Writers figure out how long the story's going to take. I wish I had this superpower; it would be really useful for when I become a Grownup Writer.

In the meantime, Fledgling was supposed to be one book and morphed into two. The book I'm working on now has already been upgraded from 100,000 to 120,000 and I'm looking at another upgrade to 150,000, and crossing my fingers...

[starlady38.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry, that sounds like all good news to me. Except for March 2010, but I know there's no way it could be in print earlier. ^_^

So, because I'm slightly confused: The House War is now going to be (at least) five books instead of four, now that House Name is two books? And new post-Sun Sword material starts in the book after House Name?

OMG, I'm so psyched.

[andpuff.livejournal.com]

1. Yay for three more books.

2. This is me not being surprised. *g*

All we can do is tell the stories we have to tell; we're just VERY lucky that our editor agrees with that.

[burger-eater.livejournal.com]

Congrats on the three book contract.

[janni.livejournal.com]

Yay! More books!

I'm somewhat jealous of your and kateelliott's ability to generate more and more extra plot with even trying--that things always seem to spin outwards rather than twining inwards every chance they get ...

[kateelliott.livejournal.com]

I'm just impressed you've got a book coming out in the fall, one in the spring, and another a mere 2 months from completion. I think I'm feeling ENVIOUS.

[morgan-dhu.livejournal.com]

Considering that part of what I love about your books is the depth and the complexity of your characters, worldbuilding and plots, knwoing that I'm going to get more of that in the House books is a very happy-making thing to know.

[ovirginsaint.livejournal.com]

I'm of the opinion that more from you is definitely a good thing--though I can see how it could be a problem if the publisher has said that they're only buying X amount of books. I also rather like long books (which is one of the reasons I picked yours up in the first place <3) so this makes me an extra happy camper. I'm looking forward to House Name and the next Cast book as well. :)

On twitter, you'd said that you're watching a bit of Last Exile with your kids, and I have to say, it was a really good anime. I want to go watch it again now. :)

[beautiflntmr.livejournal.com]

Write the way your brilliant self always writes.
I'll be patient.
Hey! More books for me!
The whole Sword universe is one that I don't ever want to let go of.
Speaking of . . . Any chances of another Aidan appearance? Ya know . . . all grown up(tear)?