First, I got the rights back to the Matador novels, and sooner than expected. What this means is that Dan Moran and I will discuss this, to the end of listing the titles in his ebook store in the not-too-distant future. I don't have a precise date because we have things to do first, contracts, cover designs, editing for assorted e-platforms, and a consideration of the possibilities of print-on-demand. I've discussed this latter business a time or five, and I don't see that it is a winner–even if we get the price down to that of a mass-market paperback, there is still the cost of shipping to be tacked onto that. But if a line forms and runs around the block, maybe.
Once Dan and I hammer out the details–mostly this means Dan does all the work and I nod and smile a lot–I'll post here and on Facebook and like that to let people know what's what.
Dan's books are available in all popular formats, so whatever reader you have, you should be able to upload and use his files just fine.
It is still my intent to add new titles to the series, two of which are in-progress, Churl, and The Siblings of the Shroud.
Churl is a direct sequel, twenty years or so after Black Steel. Siblings is a follow-up to The Musashi Flex.
Second thing, to which I've referred in passing: It seems as if I'll be doing a new military space opera series for Ace, to number at least three books.
A couple months back, I floated a potential opening for a few readers and got their feedback. I dialed this down and punched that up, sanded and polished it, then pitched it to Ace, and they went for it. The series will be called Cutter's Wars. It won't be the Matadors, but I confess I wouldn't be completely surprised if fans of that series found something to like in the new one.
Once I've signed the contracts I'll be more forthcoming about delivery and publication and the like, but in theory we have a deal.
What else?
Oh, the artwork contest, to design an alien? I got a few entries, a couple of them not bad, but so far, nobody has hit the mark. I figured I'd get more submissions, but apparently there aren't as many starving artists out there as I thought.
14 comments:
When you post all of the books, how about an option to buy the entire series in bulk (at a discount?) I have all of them in print, but I would bite again for them on my ereader...
I suspect that option will be on the table.
re: art contest...
I referred it to a starving artist I know; hope she took a shot.
Too bad you haven't had more takers. It seemed a good opportunity to me.
To be able to read your new books may be the only reason I'd purchase an e-reader. Would it be more cost-effective to buy the e-reader and an e-copy or to self-print dead-tree versions..? Hmm..
-Anonymouse
When people say alien I see a tetrahedal bush robot: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bush_robot
Don't know if that helps.
e-readers are kind of like buying a new furnace or passive solar for your house -- they'll earn out, but how long it depends on how much you use them.
If you are a big hardback book reader, say two a month, and the going rate for a bestseller averages $25 each in treeware, your cost is $600 a year. Same ebook is $13, so you are saving $12 a book, works out for the same number of titles to $312 a year.
A few months pays for any of the major e-readers, some of the tablets, and part of an iPad, which offers email and web browsing and other computer stuff.
Numbers on paperbacks aren't as high. My e-fiction books run about $6 each, and current pb prices about $8, so that's save you only $2 per book.
POD, if you can get the same price, you have to add in shipping, which adds a few more bucks to each book.
The top-of-the-line Kindle is $189, and Nooks and such the same or less. Ninety books to pay for the reader at that rate.
What you are buying is instant access and the ability to carry all those books around in your reader. And in some cases, that might be the only way to get certain books.
Great news; thanks for the update!
Congratulations on both pieces of news, Steve! Always positive to hear good news from good people.
In terms of physical publishing, have you thought about an omnibus? The novels are short enough, you could fit several of them in a single book.
I tried for years to get Ace to clump the novels together for omnibus sales, to no avail.
The problem with paper books is that the cost goes up dramatically with the page count.
Still be cheaper for one five-hundred-page book than for three hundred-and-sixty-page novels, but traditional publishers crunch the numbers and seldom do it that way.
Dan and I could examine this, but I don't think the demand for paper is going to be all that high if ebooks are available. We'll have to sort through the options and see what's what.
GREAT news to wake up to. I look forward to sending you more of my meagre income, in exchange for hours and hours of my life....
BTW, one reason I really appreciate electronic versions is I work security patrols at night. No lights except for my laptop screen between patrols!
Awesome! Can't wait for the electronic Matadors to go live. Looking forward to the new series, as well. Yay!
Mark me down as one vote for including the paper book option as well as the ebooks.
Good news about the matador series. And better that the next two are forthcoming! I agree with the idea that an omnibus in POD should work as it's simply an additional option that is truly needed. I work in the library world and, though we are embracing ebooks, print is still King.
Congrats on your new series!
Post a Comment