Seven Years Before The Mast

On January 12, 2007, I sat down and wrote “Call me Ishmael. Yeah, I know, but in this case it’s really my name…”

My goal was to have some fun and explore podcast fiction by playing in that world. If anybody had suggested that I’d be sitting here now formatting my tenth novel for sale, I’d have laughed. Actually I think Evo Terra was the first one to suggest that I should publish in text. At that time Lulu was the best choice and I really wasn’t interested.

My how things have changed.

Ten books.
Over 7.5 million audio down loads of the eight books available as free podcasts.
80,000 people have downloaded episode one of Quarter Share.
50,000 people have downloaded the final episode of Owner’s Share.
Seven books in text with tens of thousands of books sold since 2010.

I’m humbled.

Thanks to all of you for making this voyage possible.

17 thoughts on “Seven Years Before The Mast

  1. Nate, you did the work, we all got the fun and rewards of following the lives of Ishmael and Tanith, among others. Keep on going!

    Dee

  2. What a great journey this has been (so far)! Thank you Nate, for all you’ve done to put your stories into forms that the rest of us can enjoy. You have a gift, and since you’ve shared, we’re the better for it. Happy anniversary, Sar!

  3. Thank you. Not just for the wonderful stories (as if they aren’t enough); but also for showing us that you lose nothing by trying something new and have everything to gain. Congratulations on everything you’ve accomplished. Can’t wait to read the next ten books.

  4. It has been a wonderful jouney. And the stories you have spun have been awesome. I have been listening to Traders Tales again and still love every minute. Keep up the great work sar and I look forward to the future of your work.

  5. 80,000 downloaded Quarter Share and only 50,000 have Owners Share!!! What in Heaven’s Name are those 30,000 people thinking?

    I’ve listened to the entire saga at least 5 times. (90 minutes on the road each day lets me stretch the listening out to nearly two months if I include South Coast.) I’ll be ready to start on the sixth time in a month or two.

    Looking forward to finishing out the text versions and seeing what comes next. Thanks for the hard work that you do.

    1. Well, John, it takes some people longer to get thru all the books. 🙂

      ETA: Also, those 80,000 people are all the people who grabbed episode 1 and decided they didn’t want to listen to anything else. That’s fair. Over 60% of the people who started it have already finished it.

  6. Thanks, Nathan, for your efforts! I’ve listened and read all your works more than once. Please know that even through the tough times you’ve experienced lately, you brought others great enjoyment, entertainment and food-for-thought. My coffee tastes better too 🙂

  7. I of my favorite interviews is the one with you on New year’s day 2008. Thank you for taking us on this journey with you.

  8. Congrats on the anniversary and success! It is one thing to do what we love but another, I imagine, to have so many people along for the ride. I vividly remember first hearing episode one while walking the basement of a big corporation as their new security guard. Your story helped make me really enjoy that job.

  9. Wow. Has it really been that long? I guess time flies…

    Congratulations on making it this far but we’re not even out of the gravity well yet! It’s been a wonderful journey and I can’t wait to see where we go next 🙂

  10. Was Quarter Share the first book you wrote? If you’ve come this far in only seven years, you really ARE an overnight success! Way to go, Captain! Looking forward to what the next seven years will bring.

    Doc

    1. My doctoral dissertation was the first book I finished. Quarter Share was the first novel I finished. Think there are several early attempts moldering in my past, but QS was the first one I felt good enough about to show people.

  11. Congratulations, Nathan! Quarter Share is the first opus of “Workingman’s SF” I recall seeing, and it’s still what I refer people to. As much as I look forward to more of Tanyth Fairport, a part of me will remain out there in the Golden Age’s deep dark.

    Cheers and grand voyages!

  12. Congratulations, and THANK YOU! Please keep it up (especially the Solar Clipper work), but even if you were to stop today you have established yourself as one of the greatest and most multifaceted of the new SF authors. And along the way you have served as an inspiration to many of us who have books inside that we are beginning to work on getting out. And I like your attitude too. Best Wishes, B. H. Giza

  13. I have read or listened to all of the books you have released. You truly are a gifted writer. I just finished the third book of the Tanyth Fairport trilogy and all I can say is thank you! Also, thank you for the email informing me of the latest release. You are the only author that I have enjoyed every work I have tried. I hope you keep them coming and wish you and you’re family the very best!

  14. hmm have it been so long already? i remember the time when i was just waiting for the next episode to come out…was a great day for me the day the next episode was released (unless it was right when i was working).Think i have all of the solar clipper…well from quarter share up to owner anyway.Would really like to hear more about Ish and his coffee….and omelets.Not sure whats on your plans though so i will just have to see….until then i will lurk in the dark

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