Spinward Fringe Broadcast 13: Warriors Is Out Now

I'm proud of the new pace of writing I've managed to hit. This is the third novel I've published in 365 days (Broadcast 12: Invasion, Savage Stars, now Broadcast 13: Warriors). Before publication these books were available through Patreon at a pace of two chapters a week for subscribers with few breaks. I think it's been a great year, and I hope to keep it up for years to come.

Today I'm happy to present all of Broadcast 13: Warriors in one ebook through all major platforms. This series is a dream project to me, even now, eleven years later. Without any further delay, here are some of the links that will take you to the book.

Smashwords | Amazon | Apple Books | Google Play | Barnes & Noble Nook | Kobo

This novel is less action oriented than Broadcast 12: Invasion, with more intrigue and a deeper dive into some of the character's personalities as they face challenging situations with potentially dire consequences. I hope you enjoy it!

RL

The Road To Broadcast 7

After an extended detour through the Expendable Few, I'm getting back to doing what I have to do in order to finish writing Spinward Fringe Broadcast 7: Framework.

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.

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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/

The Demise Of The Spinward Fringe Series Is Grossly Exaggerated

Thanks to a previous blog post, many people were left with the impression that Spinward Fringe would be coming to a close after Broadcast 7.

That's a miscommunication, it's not over! In fact, I'm sure I'll still be writing Spinward Fringe stories for a very long time to come.

What I was saying was that the current plot lines would be ending in Broadcast 7. Many of the characters would live on in the setting I've carved out over the last three years. Just like a well written television series (imagine one, if you will), many stories come to a close in the last episode of the season. Before the end of that episode you're given a reason to come back for the next season.

In the case of Spinward Fringe, that season begins with Broadcast 8. What do I have plans for? Right now, I have specific plans, preliminary writing and outlining for Broadcasts 8-11.

The release of those books (not the writing), depends on the demand for them. After the last few days I don't think there's a lack of demand, so you can expect to see those books as soon as they're ready.

I may work on something else while working on Spinward Fringe Broadcast 8, however, just to clear my head.

To summarize:
The Spinward Fringe series will not terminate after 7, it will go on.
I'll work on other books between Spinward Fringe novels.
Creative people can be confusing.
There's plenty of demand for the books, so they'll be released.
I'll still be writing Spinward Fringe books long after they've ceased to be popular.
Other books are coming AS WELL, I'm not quitting to write something else (as a few people seemed to think).

I'm honestly a huge fan of Spinward Fringe, and of the readership. The books are getting a slow overhaul so they are more presentable to future readers. With a table top role playing game in the early development stages, and a future laid out that includes the series at every step, I believe it has a future. There's also the anthology, which I'm hoping to begin development on late this year or early next.

Now, back to the Expendable Few and Broadcast 7, which I'm eager to complete so I can get them out to you and start on Broadcast 8.

Thank you for reading, and for joining me on this trip!

RL

The Future Of Spinward Fringe Part I

There are some stories, some characters that writers spend time with and they find their lives changed. It's true to some extent that every character is a side of the writer who pens them, but it's also true that we borrow traits from people around us.

The characters of the Spinward Fringe series are a combination of both - ideas and borrowed traits. After a conversation with a writer who is much better than I who said simply, "I hope you never try to outrun Spinward Fringe. It'll be with you forever."

I ended up thinking about that all day. I went to that author with advice, and, like many great thinkers, he not only answered my questions but left me with a bone to gnaw on (thought-wise). After a full day of working on the Expendable Few, setting up a schedule for updating Broadcasts 1-6, and doing research reading, I'm comfortable with the notion that I'll never outrun Spinward Fringe. I love the characters, and I think they've grown from those patched together figures in my head into personalities that I carry around constantly.

At the same time, it's not like it's a huge entity or something I consider a burden. Spinward Fringe Broadcast 6: Fragments has only sold about 10,000 copies in the US and Canada. While I find that a staggering number, I'm still no more than a pebble on the vast beach that is science fiction. I love where I am right now. Many readers have become long range acquaintances and friends. I make a decent living, and I know that when I release the next two or three books there will be people interested in reading them. As a reader recently told me; "I'm living the dream."

It's a lot of work, don't get me wrong, but I'm doing what I want to be doing - no complaints, only thanks. That leads me back to my point. I don't want to outrun Spinward Fringe, I'm glad it's here, and writing Broadcast 7 is hard because I don't want to end this part of the series. I'm writing Broadcast 7 as if there will never be another Spinward Fringe book. That's difficult.

I know I'll begin new challenges in Broadcast 8, so it's not at all impossible. Endings are important in fiction - they give us an opportunity for closure that real life doesn't always provide. At the same time, I can't wait to write Broadcast 8. Why, then, am I taking a break to write a horror novel?* Dark Arts is a concept I've been developing for a while, and I need to clear my head before seriously starting a new book in the Spinward Fringe series. I have a few things written for Broadcast 8 already, but the smart thing to do is to put it down for a little while so I can get back to it fresh, eager to return to that universe.

So, what can I promise for the future of Spinward Fringe? More Polish! Two more books in the next couple months (if my editors and beta-readers sign off on them)! More books after that! I'm also doing work in the background so side projects like the store go more smoothly. Balancing what I have on my plate right now has become challenging, so I'm doing something about that. More about that coming this week.

Looking to the very near future, the first chapters of Spinward Fringe: Expendable Few,  go to test readers Monday. Things are moving right along.

As for reader mail and other correspondences, I'll eventually answer everyone, just give me time.

In short, the future of Spinward Fringe looks pretty good. I'd much rather ride along than try to outrun it.

RL

*More info on that other book here.