Ishmael Wang Is Coming Home

Posted on by Nathan Lowell

According to US Postal Service records, they delivered a priority mail letter to the offices of Ridan Publishing yesteday morning at 10:59 AM. That letter informed them of my decision to take back the rights to publish the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper series. Effective November 6, 2012, their license to publish my books expires.

That means at least three things.

One, I’m going to be tied up getting the books in shape to re-publish under my own brand. That means new covers, a new layout, and a scrub up on editing.

Two, I’m getting some other works out between now and then. Zypheria’s Call – book two of the Tanyth Fairport adventures – should be released to ebook this weekend–assuming I don’t lose too much more time to the distraction that is swirling around. I’ll have the paper version up as soon as I can get a clean galley proof out of CreateSpace and those will go out to all the normal paperback venues. The podcast version will be later still because Podiobooks only accepts completed works now. I’ll need to finish audio production entirely before I can ask Evo to release it. South Coast is on tap for the first Saturday in November and I should be able to get a more organized release of that.

Three, I’ve got editors and cover artists on tap but this isn’t going to be a slap-dash process. I’m going to work hard to get Captain’s Share out by Christmas, but it’s silly to publish book five when books one through four aren’t available. Honestly, I don’t think publishing seven books between now and the end of the year is even possible. While that sounds self-defeating, I’m trying to be realistic.

It may seem counter intuitive to spend time publishing South Coast. I’m doing that to buy some time. This is a book that is completely unencumbered by contractual agreements and I can proceed in good faith with delivering this story in print. It’s an olive branch to you, the fans, who’ve been so patient for so long. It’s something I can deliver.

Right now, delivering something seems more important than more delays in delivering anything. By the time the 30-day timer has expired, we’ll know more about what can/will happen after that.

Stay tuned. I’ll keep you posted.

22 thoughts on “Ishmael Wang Is Coming Home”

  1. Congratulations on your intellectual property. I can’t wait to hear more stories in the golden age.

  2. How very exciting! My entire house has listened to and read your clipper series many times. We love your writing and can’t wait for more. Congrats on the new changes!

  3. Nathan,

    Sounds like wonderful news to those of us waiting. I’ve wanted to READ South Coast for a long time. Listening only works in the car.

    Hang in there with the rest, I’ll be waiting eagerly for Captain’s and Owner’s share in print.

    John

  4. That’s excellent news! I just devoured the Trader Tales… read the first four books and listened to the last two… twice! In under three weeks! It’s a great way to lose myself while I’m deployed and have down time. We are all counting on you- keep at it. Maybe, if I’m patient, I’ll see Ishmael in some new adventures…

  6. Hi again NLowell !
    You should know that my signed QS book is standing proudly on my shelf 🙂
    anyway i was wondering after all this years since the end of owners share….have you decided if you want to continue writing more about Ish?
    I really loved the serie and i would love to read more about whats happening in his life 🙂
    to see what he is doing now several years after…
    could you please give me an update?
    and by the way congratulations 😀

  8. Good for you Nate. I’d gladly rebuy the series if it means allowing you to continue writing. Your writing and reading are amazing. Keep it up and hang in there! 😀

  9. I am thrilled to hear/read all of this. I stumbled onto your Golden Age series nearly 2 years ago, rapidly consumed the books, and then found the rest on PodioBooks. Ishmael is among my favorite characters. And, more Tanyth Fairport? Christmas has come early.

    I thoroughly enjoy your stories. Even now, knowing there will be more about Ishael, that sweet sense of joyous expectation is bubbling up in my soul. Thank you! These grey Seattle deay were wearing me down.

  10. Nathan,

    Are you planning on changing the overall size/shape of the new books? I ask becuase I have the 1/4 share and 1/2 share books right now and was planning on ordering everything else soon. But if the size/shape will change I’ll just hold off and get everything in one edition.

    Ravsitar

  11. Nice going. Lowell! I really enjoy your stories. They’re like a laid back Firefly. As you know am struggling writer, not even near you masterfulness, but I am trying. Right now just for the fun of it and putting my Novelettes out there for free. What amazes me is no matter how many times I read my own work, it still needs “tweaking”!
    Good luck, but I don’t think you’ll need much luck!

    Sincerely
    Barry B. Begault

  12. Congratulations! I wondered why your books had disappeared from Amazon. As I read the first books, I noticed several typos; are you interested in that sort of proofreading help? I would be delighted to read the books again (since I will anyway) and provide you with anything I might find. I enjoyed all of the books so much that offering up typos seemed nit-picky, however if such input would now be of value, I would be honored to oblige.

    Thank you for your work
    Best Regards
    Eric Schlienger

  13. I don’t enjoy Podiobooks. Carefull enunciation doesn’t rip accross a page and give excitement and flavor. Please expedite “Captains Share” and “Owners Share” ASAP. I seem to have been waiting forever. Please. Please. Please. My mind is hungry, and my friend Ishmael misses me.

  14. I totally agree i prefer to read the book. Please work or books 5 & 6 since the first 4 are available in paper
    but not those. I have been looking forward to getting book 5 for christmas & so far you are totally bumming me out.

    1. I’m working on them as fast as I can.

      The new books (Captain and Owner) are still with the editor so until they come back and I get the corrections made, there’s not a lot I can do to expedite.

      Sorry about that.

  15. I’ve read everything up to Captain’s Share, Owner’s Share, and South Coast in Kindle versions. I was eagerly awaiting Captain’s Share and Owner’s Share for Kindle, but I guess I’ll have to wait a tad longer. I spent four years in the Navy and your insight into shipboard life is spot on. Keep up the good work my friend!

  16. Looking forward to the new books. I especially love the Solar Clipper series though. I do hope they will be offered in an audio format as well. I drive A LOT on my job and enjoy being able to listen to a good book as I cover miles.

    1. I’ll never give up the podcast versions.

      Altho .. they may be a bit slower in coming *cough* Zypherias Call *cough*

      🙂

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