The Expendable Few was all about telling a story that simply wouldn't fit in Broadcast 7. To be honest, I didn't have to write it at all. There were a pile of notes that would have served as a fine reference while I wrote Broadcast 7. I wasn't happy with that though, so I used the opportunity to show everyone what the repercussions of the First Light crew exposing Freeground to the galaxy were, and to travel to an issyrian world. There were other things I really wanted to do in Expendable Few - Clark Patterson's journey being a big part of that - but I won't discuss them because I like to avoid spoilers when possible.
After completing the Expendable Few I realized I needed to re-read Broadcasts 5 and 6 to get back into the right frame of mind for Broadcast 7. Instead of simply re-reading Broadcast 5, I thought I would take the opportunity to edit it. This book was released too quickly, and there were errors in the eBook conversion process, so it is in serious need of a revisit. I'm editing it the way I edit everything else; line by line, using UK spelling. It's worth noting that a lot of people have commented that there are a lot of spelling mistakes in my books - most of those complainers are mistaking UK spelling for errors. I'm in Canada, and the UK was the first region that fell in love with my books, so Spinward Fringe will always be edited (and spelled), by the Oxford standard, not by Chicago guide rules (the American way). I edit to my best ability within a reasonable time frame with the assistance of two fantastic editors. A couple errors do squeak through, but I draw the line between perfection and extra months added on to release dates and ultra-quick, sloppy publishing. My stuff comes out somewhere in the middle to higher quality range now, and the majority are happy with it.
The fresh edit of Broadcast 5 also takes care of a lot of over-writing, some awkward sentence work, and those pesky formatting bugs. I'm about sixty percent through it and I expect to be finished my pass next week. Is it worth a re-read? Yes. The story isn't changing, but every paragraph in the book is getting a tweak, so if you do re-read books, then it will be worth updating and re-reading Broadcast 5. My editor is already going through the book behind me, and our formatting partners at the 52 Novels company will be performing the finishing. The update will be available for free to anyone who owns the book already, and will be easiest to obtain by Smashwords customers.
After I've finished my pass on Broadcast 5: Fracture, I only have to read Broadcast 6: Fragments since it just got a refresh late last year. My edit of Broadcast 7: Framework begins next. I have over one hundred ten thousand words written on that project right now, and they haven't been edited yet. After that edit is finished I'll be continuing the draft. My lowball estimate is that the book needs fifty thousand more words, but I suspect I'll be writing another hundred thousand words. That's the size of an average science fiction novel on its own, so it'll take a month or two.
So, if your quest is to find a release date in this bloated status update, there's good news. I can give you a guestimate with a little explanation. Here's how the timeline breaks down:
Finish editing Broadcast 5 - 1 week remaining. (Broadcast 5 updates will be out sometime in the following month).
Read and make extra notes on Broadcast 6 - 1 week.
Edit the existing portion of the Broadcast 7 Draft - 3 weeks. (My editor will start on that right behind me).
Extra writing on Broadcast 7 (can't talk about this yet) - 2 weeks.
Writing the second half of Broadcast 7 - 2 months.
Editing all of Broadcast 7's final draft - 2-3 weeks.
Formatting & testing - 2-3 weeks.
Total time estimated: 5 months, with a possible release date of August 14.
*** It is with only a little regret that I'm announcing that the release date above is not accurate. New material is being written for this project, and it is running long. Broadcast 7 will be released sometime in 2012. It will be out when it's finished, and polished to an appropriate standard. More updates will be available through the podcast: www.crewcastradio.com Complaints that appear in the comments section will be deleted. Suck it up, buttercup. ***
I have left myself a little breathing room, and an extra week to accommodate an upcoming move. I'm looking forward to having this book out in front of people, especially since I've been waiting for so long to tell this part of the story. The five month wait also doesn't mean that I'll be disappearing, or that fiction won't be appearing here and there.
Some extra information about Broadcast 7 and part of the developing press kit:
Spinward Fringe Broadcast 7: Framework is the closing volume to the first section of the best selling Spinward Fringe Space Opera series. Weighing in at over one million words, the Spinward Fringe series has been read in twenty three countries around the world, and is gathering attention by agents and publishers who are interested in translating it into other languages. The Spinward Fringe series follows the tradition of Science Fiction Space Opera Adventure, featuring epic scale stories through the perspectives of characters ranging from charming to villainous.
Spinward Fringe Broadcast 7: Framework takes place fourteen weeks after Spinward Fringe Broadcast 6: Fragments, where Jake, Ayan, and the other characters were stranded and in great peril - again. From their position amidst the wreckage of a galaxy in decline they make every effort to take advantage of every opportunity and fit in with a culture that is trying to rebuild itself. The experiences and instincts of the Spinward Fringe crew members could just as easily pull them apart as draw them together.
Meanwhile, a new seat of power rises. The Order of Eden asserts its position in the galaxy of the conquerer of more civilized worlds than any ruling body in history. All the while, the prophets of the Order declare that a darkness approaches.
Long running plot lines come to a close, there will be losses on all sides, and a new side of the galaxy will be seen in Framework.
---
I'm happy spending more regular time blogging, popping up on Twitter (@randolphlalonde) and into the Facebook Page, so you'll be seeing me!
Now, back to work!
RL
UPDATE:
It's official! Spinward Fringe Broadcast 7: Framework has been released early thanks to the hard work of editors and the EBook formatter working on the project.
Here are the links so far!
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/256369
Amazon (US): amzn.to/SXETIQ
Amazon (UK): amzn.to/TaKorj
Amazon (FR): amzn.to/TaKmzD
There's much more info in the podcast: http://crewcastradio.com/2012/11/18/the-spinward-fringe-podcast-framework-release-special/
39 comments:
Honestly I have never been much of a book reader, IT manual reader only because I have to. Since I first downloaded Origins three months ago and began to read again for the first time in 25 years, I found a love of science fiction again. Thank you, Randolph I have read the whole series and eagerly await the next.
I downloaded a dozen recent novels as part of the Twelve Days of Kindle promotion, including the first Spinward Fringe novel. However, as soon as I read it I found myself downloading each sequel in turn, and it took me a great deal longer to get back to my original Twelve than I had expected!
Love the depth of stories and characters, been very impressed as the plot keeps developing and thickening. Cracking books, I'm going to strongly recommend them as soon as I get around to writing up a review of the Twelve. I'll keep paying as long as you keep writing, keep up the good work!
I am sorry about this but I am a bit angry because broadcast 7 was supposed to come out LAST August
Thank you for the massive compliment Ian, that means a lot.
Anonymous:
You're welcome to feel however you like. Pardon me if I don't take it to heart since I didn't have much control over when Broadcast 7 came out, and I produced 10 Science Fiction Novellas / Novels in under four years. I'm pretty satisfied with that, and I'll just make sure Broadcast 7 is as good as I want it to be when it arrives.
For more elaboration on my point, please review a statement Neil Gaiman made about writers who need time to write series - specifically George R.R. Martin: http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2009/05/entitlement-issues.html
Thank you for your support,
RL
Wow. The nerve it must take to tell an artist to hurry it up. This isn't Burger King, Mr/s Anonymous, and you can't have it your way.
Randolph, the books are all awesome. I think the demand for more occasionally be communicated in anger. Very few people do what you do. And of those very few, very few do it well enough to generate the responses you are receiving. I write technical books. Creativity? There is some, probably about 2% of that required for writing good fiction. Even then, it is difficult to express to others the process of writing a book. It is not the same as email, a blog post, or even an article. Writing chapters is work.
Whether I am creating software or writing, Randolph, I hold this Andy-ism to be true: Deliver quality late, no one remembers; deliver junk on time, no one forgets.
:{>
anonymous must not be Crew yet. Patience, Padawan. Learn the ways of re-broadcasting, you must. On Facebook Spinward Fringe is. Help you, we can, hmmm? ;)
We know who you really are Anonymous!
::pulls off mask::
Lucius Wheeler!!
Dun-dun-dun!!
I love Spinward Fringe. Even bought a paperback copy of Broadcast 0 to loan to people who didn't have an e-reader. My sister-in-law says that sounds like an addiction. I told her it would only be addiction if I was wearing Spinward Fringe clothing, to which she responded with "Don't you have a Triton Skull jacket?"
My only come back was "Whatever Stef! You don't know!
I have been pushing S.F. to many friends. The latest is a friend who was taking time off work to spend with her family before the birth of her second child. I told her Spinward Fringe Broadcast 0 is FREE and super awesome so therefor she MUST read it. She what it was about and I told her "Awesome Space Advertures!"
She agreed to read it. Several days later I asked her how the book was coming along. She told me "I love it! This is totally not something I would have ever picked to read myself, but I am really liking it! Thanks!"
I asked her if she had ever read a science fiction book before and she said that she hadn't and that this was a first for her. Not sure if she should have started with Spinward Fringe because now all the other sci-fi books are gonna suck compared to it. Oops.
Sorry for the wordy post. =X
Your faithful fan
- Marcus
I have just purchased Expendable Few, and will attempt to wait patiently for Broadcast 7.
Patience is a virtue as they say and something I have a lot of. August 14 as a guess-release that's good news.
To the Angry-Anon;
Come on over to the Spinward Fringe Group on facebook where always bantering on and keeping it alive whilst waiting for new things to read. Or even re-read it's amazing what you can find on a second time through.
to RL;
Are all the books updated in terms of format? I've never recieved anything from amazon about it and only managed to get the re-formet of 6 as i got it from smashwords.
I love your books.
That is all...
For now...
Until Broadcast 7 comes out...
I. Cant. Wait.
:)
Ok, Now I'm wanting a Triton skull jacket...
& Great work RL, KCCO!
Dood! You have to get one! I got mine and everyone was jealous. I wish there were little models of the ships, I want my own mini Clever Dream. :)
Aaron said; "Are all the books updated in terms of format? I've never recieved anything from amazon about it and only managed to get the re-formet of 6 as i got it from smash words."
Amazon's solution to providing their users with updated versions of the books are to send an email that gives readers 2 hours to reply. In the reply, users are asked to state whether they want their copy updated or not, and after those two hours expire, the opportunity is gone unless you send a request with the AISN and book title to customer support.
What makes matters worse is that most of the emails Amazon sends out end up in readers' junk mail folders because they use the same kind of mass mailing program that Hotmail and GMail filter out automatically.
This is only one of the many reasons why I request people purchase my books at Smashwords. They provide a list of all the versions of the ebook you purchased. You can choose whichever version you want at any time, the first, the latest, or (if you need a copy of them all), the ones in the middle. They seem to understand that readers appreciate having more freedom with what they've purchased more so than any other vendor.
But enough of my ranting... If you don't think you have an updated version of Spinward Fringe Broadcast 0: Origins from Amazon, I suggest you either contact customer service requesting an update, or download the latest version for free from Smashwords.
The next book on the update list is Spinward Fringe Broadcast 5: Fracture, which should be out sometime in the next two months. There will definitely be an announcement here when it arrives.
Thank you so much for your support, I'm always amazed and well chuffed to hear people enjoy my work.
RL
What was the vote for? It just gave me 4 options and no question. Most people voted "YES!" So I voted "YES!" as well...hope I didn't vote for a vasectomy.
Strange, it must have disappeared after a recent update, an easy fix.
Having simply "Yes" and "No" up there would make an interesting social experiment if it were there long enough though!
RL
Mr Lalonde, I would like to offer both criticism and praise. You have definitely achieved what you set out to do and produced a Space (Soap) Opera in text, addictive, hard to quit and following the same process as what I gather TV Soap Opera's do. I know I have devoted a lot of time over the last 3 months reading all your books, to the detriment of sleep but the benefit of pure enjoyment.
The criticism comes in on the spelling & other errors, your post mentions that you feel most are due to UK / US spelling, yet I find fewer of those than large errors such as a ship being referred to as the Slipstream, Silkworm and Silkspeed 4 and IV in the same book. Admittedly as a scientist geared towards writing & editing scientific articles I am more sensitive to this and it possibly bothers me more than most. You have a huge following of readers, with more added regularly it seems, and many make annotations in the .mobi versions I have. Could these readers not help to improve at least the e-versions so later readers do not see the errors ?
Thank you for stopping in Murakh,
I'm glad you enjoyed the series. As for typos or other errors, I thought that the post your commenting on made it obvious that the books are being re-edited.
I've also mentioned that re-edits are under way several times before, even devoted entire blog posts to how those efforts are going.
In short, we're working on it.
Thank you for your support,
RL
Mr Lalonde, thankyou for responding. I am glad it is something you are working on.
Looking forward to the next novel.
Randolph,
I started reading Broadcast 0 a few weeks ago and I am now about 1/3 of the way into Broadcast 5. I bought all of the books that are out so far including Expendable Few on Kindle, and up to this point everything has been great. I would like to say that the formatting bugs in Broadcast 5 have been rather annoying - but I am glad to hear that you're working on fixing them.
Unfortunately for me, I am not patient enough to wait for the edits to be published! I've really become hooked on this series and I think you've done a great job maintaining a coherent story that is absolutely action packed. I'm guessing that I'll be done with Broadcast 6 and Expendable Few by the time the edits to Broadcast 5 hit the Amazon store.
Anyway, I came here to complain about that today but since you're working on fixing it I'll instead conclude with how great the series and the characters are. Great work, I am looking forward to Broadcast 7! It can't come fast enough for me. Keep up the great work.
Hey, just wanted to say I am super excited about Broadcast 7. The series has been of epic proportions, great story, suspense and characters that you engage with. Who cares how long it takes to get the next novel, just makes it all the more satisfying when it arrives.
Keep up the great work
RL -
You're not missing too much on SWTOR. Legacy patch came out though.
People- the man writes in Oxford English. The stuff is not misspelled.
I've waited on TWOT and Game of Thrones, since I was in high school I'm sure I can wait until August.
Thanks for the laughs and the tears so far RL.
I read through the series on my iphone( maybe in 7 days due to work getting in the way) a few years ago, and just reread them. I actually had a moment where i thought you died and left the series to die with you. August? Im happy that its happening at all. Dont listen tocriticism over timeframe or spleling. Just make it happen and we'll all be happy
Sorry, im the anonymous comment above, and forgot to say, You're AWESOME. Gimme 7 and more. Id pay 20$ no problem. I feel like a junkie. Give me the stuff man
Absolutely fantastic! Love this story line... Keep up the great work, I'll be waiting.
Wait... what?! Are you tell me that Randy is not my bitch? Unconscionable!!
Thanks for posting an update on Broadcast 7. I can't wait to read it.
I've got a bit of a dilemma though - I want you to take your time finishing the book to a high standard, but I also want you to rush so I can read it now! My head hurts!
I am now on my fourth read through of the spinward fringe series. I thouroughly enjoy the characters and the conflicts. Great Job RL :D
RL- this is the fourth time reading through the SF epic. UGH i cannot explain the level of enjoyment these books bring me. If you need another beta reader hit me up anytime! Keep up the good work!
Origins was one of the best science fiction space operas that I have read in a long time. I'm now reading Broadcast 3: Triton and look forward to reading the rest of the series which I have already purchased via Amazon. And I would love to see the Spinward Fringe series made either into a tv series or movies.
I want a Triton jacket now too... RL signed would be great ;)... then we just need to wait for Vacsuits to be made and we're all happy.
oh and team based space sims ... let's not forget how this all started after all.
RL you're creating adventures we would all die for. Keep it up.
Hello, Just read the above and adding my congraduations! I know or suppose you are going to sell ironic clothing and want to place my order now...1- vac suit lol no really a jacket shirt or tie would be great. As a audio engineer and studio owner I am well aware of how much time goes into making a great product. Most who are not in the crative arts do not understand the level of detail needed while not lousing the big picture. My hat is off to you on an outstanding series. Please continue to serve your readers to the rising standard you are producing. And when you do your book tour...someday....please visit Chicago and say hello.
My son is buying me a tablet for my birthday and I wanted to finish the 30 books I have on my Kindle. You sure ruined that idea! I started reading Spinward Fringe and even though it said to read the First Light books first I wasn't going to put any more books on my Kindle. Of course after I read it I was searching Amazon for FL and it turned out I had already bought it, it was just further down my list of books. I then naturally went on to buy and read all of the others and couldn't figure out why I couldn't find 7 as the things I found online in 2011 said it was going to be released soon. I finally had to type in 'release Spinward 7' to find this. OK now I know it's coming I'll try to make the interm 'expendable few' book last a few hours more. Between Robert Stadnik (Author of Exodus of the Phoenix), Ryk Brown (The Frontiers Saga) and you I've now become a true Sci Fi addict. BTW is the jacket leather or kevlar? :) Anonymous TT
I've looked at my collection of hard bound scifi for years and dusted off a few, thinking there are no more great writers. Then my wife bought me a Kindle for Christmas 2011 and I read a few free books and lots of samples. I read the Annihalation series, but I wanted a Space Opera with a stronger red thread in it. After reading the first of Spinward Fringe (Origins) I had to try to find time for work. When I took a multi-day car trip with my wife, I started to read Origins to her while she was driving. We switch driving every two hours and switched readers. Since then we have been reading this series to each other, finding time every few days to read a chapter or two, building a relaxed cadence. She just had surgery and is finishing Broadcast 4: Frontline while I finished Broadcast 6: Fragments, reading in the dark closet with the Kindle cover LED on. We still read to each other and I re-visit the fine cast of intrepid characters anew. It's fun and a challenge to find a voice for everyone and be rampant critics, shouting "What the..." or "couldn't they have just come out of FTL in the ecliptic instead of where the gun was pointing???" Alas and alak, that is the joy of being carried along in the hold of a battered, but not beaten, creaking, but still able to fly, desperate ship. We wait with bated breath. Now how do I honor this series on my shelves next the greats I already have. Znorker
I'm just popping in to say thank you for reading and supporting my work! I appreciate the positivity here more than you could know.
There's a pretty good update on the progress of Spinward Fringe Broadcast 7: Framework here - http://crewcastradio.com/2012/07/28/crewcast-radio-broadcast-10-the-first-one-with-broadcast-7/
...and wonder of wonders, it's a podcast episode! If you haven't heard the podcast already, this episode is as good a place to start as any.
Thanks again, I hope this info helps!
RL
I think avid readers of any sci-fi/fantasy series appreciate and respect delays. In the meantime people I suggest starting a new series to keep you busy. If you like RL you may like any of the following authors whor write multi book sci if and fantasy
Robert Jordan
George RR Martin
Isaac Asimov
Orson Scott Card (Enders Game is a must read)
Terry Goodkind
David Eddings
Jacqueline Carey
Frederik Pohl his vision in 1977 was incredible
So that should keep the haters busy for a while
Love the series. Can't wait till broadcast 7 is released. I am impatiently waiting to find out how jake is doing. Plus i need to know how my favorite ship Triton is. Thank you sir for the great reading. I am a huuuuuge star wars fan and i think this series is just as good as the entire collection of star wars novels i own. Heck it's prolly better because every book is different.
I was hooked from Origins (which I stumbled across as a free e-book) and have since read the entire series back to back - now looking forward to broadcast 7. Like the underlying Britishness...the depth of the characters and the twists...
It's official! Spinward Fringe Broadcast 7: Framework has been released early thanks to the hard work of editors and the EBook formatter working on the project.
Here are the links so far!
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/256369
Amazon (US): amzn.to/SXETIQ
Amazon (UK): amzn.to/TaKorj
Amazon (FR): amzn.to/TaKmzD
There's much more info in the podcast: http://crewcastradio.com/2012/11/18/the-spinward-fringe-podcast-framework-release-special/
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