Six months behind me. Six months ahead. A good place to take stock on how the year’s going.
Status
School Days (Marva Collins Book 1) is out in ebook and paper. I pushed a typo correction out a couple of weeks ago but it’s not clear whether or not it has registered with Amazon. Podium says the Audible edition should be available Sep 15.
Working Class (Marva Collins Book 2) is out on ebook and paper as of today. Podium has the manuscript. No word on availability.
Hard Knocks (Marva Collins Book 3) is back from the editor. I have yet to get through all the edits. This one was a bit rough. I’m expecting cover art mid month.
The Wizard’s Cat is on the word processor. It’s taking a while for me to get it settled down but I think I have a solid story. At least in my mind. Getting it all on the page? Yeah. Still working on it. I’ve got an editor slot reserved but getting the manuscript ready for her? Yeah.
What Am I Reading?
I haven’t picked a classic for the month yet. Might go with H G Wells.
Just finished John Wilker’s Any Job Will Do – a fun read with a serious Firefly vibe, but my recommendation is book 1 in a fantasy series, A J Lancaster’s Lord of Stariel.
The main character Hetta Valstar has a serious problem when her father dies. Over and above the loss of a parent, the estate needs a new lord. Hetta has to return to the family home, leaving her career and lifestyle behind to return to what promises to be just another bucolic ramble.
Yeah. Hijinks, as they say, ensue.
Loved the characters. Loved the setting. I’m reading book 2 right now because I needed to know what happened next.
As always, don’t take my word for it. Maybe grab a sample and see what you think.
Notes in the Margins:
I read a lot over the course of the month. I review many of them on my BookWyrm account at The Unseen City.
Looking Ahead
This year has been one of the most productive I’ve ever had. I owe a lot of it to work that I did in 2021 that got sidelined by 2022. Another big piece is that last year gave me a reset point. It’s a rare opportunity to re-imagine – and then build – the kind of life I want to live.
Thanks to all of you and the support you continue to give my work, I’m in a position where I can do that.
I don’t have any big plans for works beyond The Wizard’s Cat other than to take a couple of weeks off from writing to give my brain a chance to regroup. I need to let the well refill, as they say.
I’ll continue to write my daily haiku. Continue the morning walks. Continue working on my mindfulness.
And I’ll probably play a few games, just to see what stories my brain might tell me when I give it a chance to talk to me.
Until next month, safe voyage.
Really got into the Working Class sample but Amazon is being vexatious again – is there an embargo on regular kindle purchases in favour of unlimited or some such? Asking for a Cdn fan
Some days I wake up a Luddite….
Might be a delay in promulgating from .com to .ca. I’ve made the book available worldwide on my end.
I know Apple and Amazon regularly fight over who gets a bite on in-app purchases. That can also be a factor.
Some countries can’t buy through kindle or Amazon apps at the moment … Try Amazon in your browser
Just picked it up and getting ready to hop in. Riley Sager is going to have to wait.
Love the new book. Thanks so much for continuing this story. I noticed one small error fairly early in the book where you described Alys as the CEO and not the chair.
Two comments from the first read – an awkwardness.
Chapter 4
“The ship only carried only enough power to keep …” — Only one “only” is necessary.
And at one point (I didn’t realize it until later), Mr. Franklin is referred to as Ms. Franklin.
I saw the mention of Ms. Franklin too, and was momentarily confused.
In the context of Captain Case speaking with Ishmael about closing the wardroom during port stays, the reference should have been to Ms. Sharps rather than Mr. Franklin. Sharps is the Steward aboard the Chernyakova, and Franklin is working with Chief Bashar aboard the Collins.
Got it fixed.
The correct name should be “Ms. Sharps”
Just finished. Thanks for this chapter in a fascinating universe. I did note that when the Captains were having dinner together at The Ranch and discussing closing the wardroom while docked Beth says she will revisit the matter with Ms. Franklin, rather than Ms. Sharps.
I look forward to my second reading and, of course, book three.
Really impressed with the new books. Obviously and happily none of the old Nathan was lost in treatment.
Love is in the Air. How will Ish face his traumatic driven fear that loving Zoya will kill her ( I’m a Psychologist that treats PTSD) and finally speak to Zoya. It’s obvious the intricate love dance is afoot. I find myself speaking to the page “Zoya, tell him. Ish tell her”, knowing this will be resolved.
They should buy each other Tractors to sail in, maybe a larger design so their favorite ratings can join them.
I’m hoping for more books.
This can’t end after “Hard Knocks”.
Yes. A brilliant couple of books.
I completely agree! Can’t wait for Hard Knocks.
Thanks for the update and news of the new book. Sending all good wishes your way, Nathan.
I think you’ll really enjoy the rest of the Stariel series — at least, I did! I bought all of them in hard copy because the covers are beautiful. And the characters do some growth throughout the series.
I liked them so much I ordered them autographed from New Zealand!
Really loved the story, as I always have. It does seem like these stories are more “one story” than the previous books, was that a choice or just the way the books fell? I just feel like the previous books had more complete stories.
*spoilers*
Is it just me who wondered if the two central troublemaker cadets might be TIC cadets who were there to throw spanners in the works? Not sure why they would if working for Margaret Newmar. You’d think she’d be onboard.
How long is it going to take Ish to ask for a screen in the cabin?
This was the first time I wrote the whole trilogy at once.
Back in 2021 – before the Troubles – I wrote the entire saga. I wasn’t able to work on it last year, but used it to bootstrap my brain back into story telling mode. Each book has its own story but the three main series threads – Ishmael, Alys, and Marva – are much more in the foreground. I think that makes it much more obvious that there are larger arcs, that something else is going to happen. I think those larger threads mask the individual stories.
Those stories are clear in my mind. Each one completing a segment of a larger journey – just like the original shares.
Whether I’ve been successful in translating all that to the page? That’s up to you.
Thanks for the response. It’s interesting that you say that – I might just be biased in my take because I am anticipating the next installment each time, and need some distance from it.
Either way, it’s been a great tale, and I think by the time folks reach this book, they’re pretty invested.
One other point that hasn’t been raised in these books, that I meant to mention after the last one was that there was a fairly memorable story point about Kris Cross organising a group to paint the ship’s spine – so, given the amount of time since the previous books, I had hoped to see that mentioned.
I was also wondering how long before he has Nats install a “window”.
Terrific installment Nathan and the only challenge is that the first read goes by so fast. I purposefully put it down at 33% and 66% just to force it to last 3 days ;-). A few very minor things people have mentioned to fix but well written and another nuanced “day in the life” as always. Thank you.
Personally, I hope you can take Ishmael beyond the same lessons and fears he seems stuck on and into new learning and experiences created from a special and more complex personal relationship. At some point, Ishmael as the distant but approachable Captain who sacrifices his own joy for his imagined principles feels a bit repetitive – maybe he’s just stuck which is probably your point. There is so much more to say about what a deep, growing relationship between strong characters like Zoya and Ishmael or Pip and Natalya could be like in this amazing world – especially with their talents, means and insights on how to make their world a better place. As an author, I bet it’s fun (and daunting) to see potential story lines branching out for years if you have the desire to explore them. Thank you and we’ll check in with you in a few minutes on your morning walk podcast.
Since you are collecting typos, in chapter 12 the judge states the wrong date for the hearing.
Thanks. Fixed it.
Lovely and much appreciated additions to Israel’s story. I an so pleased you have come so far and really so fast! You are amazing and much appreciated. I am also looking forward to the Wizards Cat since I enjoyed the first book so much. Do take care if yourself and after your writing take a lovely vacation. Maybe on the water? My husband likes to cruise and feels the movement of the ship is very soothing and healing. He sleeps much better on the water as well. He likes to just look at the water as we move by. He especially enjoyed Alaska and seeing the sea life and wildlife in the water as we cruised. Stay well and be happy
Having finished a first reading of Working Class I am doing some selected re-reading and found a line at the end of Chapter 13 that grabbed me:
[Ishmael]: “I wonder if Margaret Stevens had anything to do with it.”
“It” in my understanding being Alys Giggone’s project to send the Marva Collins to the Toe-Holds.
Skipper, do you have any plans for another “Origins” book with Chief Stevens’ backstory? That question asked, know that I quite enjoyed Dark Knight Station: Origins with some of Verkol Kondur’s backstory, and Zachary Vagrant’s as well.
It’s possible. It’s not “Off the Table” like some potential stories are.
You say that, but then you toss out titles such as “Sex and the Single Mechanic”, like chum, and expect us not to come looking for it.
You have laid the groundwork for an interesting part 3. Also I’m intrigued at the story possibilities in the Toe Holds breaking out or challenging the High Line or vice versa. The notion of the Academy leaving Nerris for the Toe Holds. Or the High Line discovering how precarious the hold over trade.
The Audible preorder is up here: https://www.audible.com/pd/School-Days-Audiobook/B0C9FD6PHW
Shows a release date of 21.11.2023.
OK, I was lukewarm on School Days, but with Working Class you really got back into the groove that has kept me with you since the early days. Congrats on a really strong and powerful book. Can’t wait for the final chapter of this trilogy and beyond!
And just so you know, of the hundreds of SF/Fantasy authors in my library you are one of only 5 authors that I have ever made a point to re-read their books. The others are Asimov’s robots, Niven’s Destiny Road and known space books, McCaffrey’s Pern and Killashandra series, and Tolkien. You are in good company sar.
Just finishing my second read of Working Class. Really enjoyed both books and am very happy to have Part the Third coming soon. You joined the Favourite Authors club for me with Quarter Share, right up there with Lois Bujold and Lee/Miller. Keep at it, please!
I know this is waaay
off date, but I just finished bk3 in Shamans Tales… I was so hoping that one would end with Sarah, walking up to Otto… Maybe a bk4? Then I realised the book was published in 2020, so I suppose there is no hope of that, not this long time after. Color me Sad. Leigh
Keep at it! My Mom is asking me every day when The Wizard’s Cat will be on Audible. Sigh. I don’t see why I should suffer alone 🙂
Look for it in the Spring of 2024.
I can’t imagine it will be on Audible before that.
Read Working Class over the weekend, and really enjoyed it, particularly that the pace of getting underway picked up a bit. It also reminded me that I read a while back about a proposed system for actually doing high-power “solar sailing” in rocketry, something called the “Q-drive” by Jeff Greason of the mid-00s Mojave rocket company XCOR. If you search it, there’s a page on NextBigFuture that I’ll stick a link to in a reply to this in case it twigs a spam filter, but the basic idea is using a plasma magnet or other EM field like a “windmill” to generate the power you use to run a high-power electric energy throwing propellant out the back faster than any reactor you can carry onboard. It’s a little counter-intuitive, but it’s like that one car that can run ahead of the wind faster than the wind-speed, and it’s amusing that things like solar wind shear, the lee of planets, and the wind shadow of other ships might actually matter (the sails have to be pretty huge to get a big ship up to 0.05 m/s^2 or more). When I read discussion of it in SF circles, I can’t help to think of Solar Clippers with sail generators and kickers.
A short Q-drive technical description:
https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2019/04/q-drive-to-use-power-of-solar-wind-for-braking-with-reaction-mass.html
Car for going downwind faster than the wind:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCsgoLc_fzI
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackbird_(wind-powered_vehicle)
Exiting! I recently fell back into your books last year. I remember listening to most of Trader’s Tales from Podiobooks years ago and looked you up and saw there were so many more books, so I did a re-listen on audible last year. I made the mistake of listening to Seeker’s Tales before Smuggler’s Tales because I didn’t look it up but since then I’ve been waiting for more. I’m still going to wait for the audio versions of the Marva Collins books but if I find myself not being able to stand it I’ll also grab an ebook too. What to eventually just for archival sake anyway.
Anyway thank you for continuing to write!
Purchased both dead tree and e-books of School Days and Working Class. DH dove in immediately (I am jealous) but I am desperately trying to save them for our upcoming trip. DH is frustrated in a different way, preferring to listen to them in audiobook format, which isn’t out yet. Soon…
Well after School Dayss I had to start back at Quarter Share and read through for the 4th time.
You spin a good yarn Skipper.
Is Ish and company going to boostrap a campus in the deep dark
Can’t wait.
A question for you, maybe spoilerish, maybe not:
When Ismael takes MacBradaigh to dinner at the barbecue restaurant they question their waitress about the rollerskates. She replies that she “used to work at Vagrant’s place.” Edgar Vagrant is long dead, and Malachai would persona non grata on Dark Knight. Generally speaking, the Vagrant name would be in high odor on the station, except perhaps for Zachary, for whom it might offer sanctuary. Should I understand that Zachary returned to the station and opened a restaurant or some other business with rollerskaters?
A question for the ages, perhaps.
Might be a different Vagrant. Perhaps Madeline.
Just finished Working Class will there be a third book in series?
Yes.
“Hard Knocks (Marva Collins Book 3) is back from the editor. I have yet to get through all the edits. This one was a bit rough. I’m expecting cover art mid month.”
Any further (new) info on book 3? Did cover art come in? Rough ETA on release?
I’ve seen the cover art. I think I like it best of the three.
Still don’t have the paperback cover yet, but I’ve sent the required information to the artist.
Rough ETA: Soon-ish.
I don’t do release dates as a rule. Released dates. Yes. I’ll tell you when it has been released. Those nebulous “bite me in the behind dates” that come and go with blinding speed and regularity only to bite me? No. I’ve learned the hard lesson that I can’t be trusted with a loaded calendar.
Love the whole Solar Clipper series and Marva Collins a worthy continuation. If you’re looking for more SF to read maybe try Jerry Boyd’s Bob’s Saucer Repair series — now up to 35 books. I think you’d appreciate what he does.
I’m all caught up with Jerry (I think). Joy to the Squirrels? I think that’s the latest. It could change at any minute 😀
Hi, I have just read/devoured both “School Days” and “Working Class”, and love both of them. Looking forward to the continuation…please. 🙂
One thing struck me though. Dining out is a part of the story that’s repeated a lot (and which I like, being a foodie), as is the theme generally of different cultures, eg high line vs toe hold, different food types. However, the dining out experiences are pretty much bog standard US style everywhere. Host, hands over to server who attends the whole time, salad, entree, dessert, tip. As opposed to different methods for almost identical cuisine in other countries. Eg, no host, multiple servers, entree is actually a small first course, salad is served with a main course, people do not tip at all. This isn’t a criticism btw, but is it really likely that dining culture would be so homogeneous? If so, it’d be an interesting story as to why that might be. 🙂
Remember you’re only seeing a glimpse of the universe through Ishmael’s experience. Even Zoya and Natalya’s adventures come after indoctrination from the academy.
Did the standard “US style” color the early diaspora so completely that others never made it off planet? Maybe.
Are there other models working? Maybe.
I don’t know. 😀
We’ve seen differently, most notably with Jimmy Chin’s in Captain’s Share and Owner’s Share, but I would point out that most of the dinner scenes we have been seeing are either onboard the ship, where that is the standard, at breakfast in the hotel buffet, or US-centric dining places (steak places with Captain Case) and only his dinner with Zoya was really different.
That said, a barbecue place with roller skates is pretty out there.
I think part of it is that the experience with Zoya was supposed to be differentiated by Ishmael breaking out of his box a little. Although, he really wants to be back on a tractor, which is a great thing – him developing wants.