Spinward Fringe Frontline: Readers Are Reporting

Spinward Fringe Frontline has sold 200 copies so far. That's a disastrous number if you talk to any publisher but where I'm concerned it means that I can pay rent, bills and buy groceries for a month.

It also means that there are 200 readers who wanted to follow me at least that far on this journey. They're talking about the books too. The First Light Chronicles Omnibus is still selling, meaning that more people are joining the crew every day.

How does this effect the future of Spinward Fringe?

Well, Spinward Fringe Rogue Element has undergone some creative alterations that aren't the result of good or bad sales numbers. The whole series has become a creative exercise again whereas Frontline felt more like marathon brain surgery. Frontline was built as a fully outlined, balanced novel and even though I enjoyed writing it, I didn't like having such a strict plan in place from the first to the last word.


I had a storyboard for Spinward Fringe Frontline that flowed past the edges of a three by three meter square. The planning involved in that book, with its multiple parallel storylines and deeper character development, was nothing short of meticulous. Every chapter had a full outline, notebooks were filled, trees were killed. I wanted to see if I could write a book that was so well planned from the beginning and I did.

As it so happens, I've read the final product since and was surprised. I made an effort to keep it fast paced but the story moves faster than I could have anticipated. Some of the characters do take serious strides and many of the points brought up by readers (thanks guys!), are proven to be valid and helpful. I enjoyed writing Frontline despite the careful planning and design. I have to admit I enjoyed reading it and I hope everyone who bought it did too.

I found room for improvement like any writer who reviews his own work would. That's not to say that Frontline isn't the best book in the series, to many readers it is. I learned a lot by reading Frontline again and I'm carrying those lessons with me as I write Spinward Fringe Rogue Element.

Rogue Element is a very different project. I'm taking an entirely different approach with only a basic outline. I'm focusing on character goals and bringing a sense of wonder back into the scenery. There are other things going on with Rogue Element, including a couple of experiments you'll see evidence of before the novel comes out.

I'll talk about Spinward Fringe Rogue Element more later. I'm so excited about it that it's difficult not to.

The point of this blog post is to say thank you and to tell everyone that people seem quite happy with Spinward Fringe Frontline, so the future of the Spinward Fringe series is quite secure. The work and the journey goes on and I couldn't be happier.

RL

[What did you think of Spinward Fringe Frontline? Leave a comment!]

Spinward Fringe Rogue Element: Answering Questions

I've been getting questions from a few readers like: how long until we see Spinward Fringe Rogue Element? I've heard you say this book will be different, how? What kind of book is this going to be?

They're all legitimate questions and I'm glad you're asking. I'll answer them as best I can, promise.

How long until we see Spinward Fringe Rogue Element?

Writing is going very well. I'm a third of the way through it and the plot points have been nailed down. I've been working on this book for three weeks and I've noticed a trend, it's getting easier to write as I go. The work is going faster and faster. I'm hoping to have a draft completed in three to four weeks. If all is well and I've done my job to my editor's satisfaction it'll take another one to two weeks to edit. It'll be launched on Mobipocket and Lulu the day it's ready. Remember that the creative process requires latitude and there's no guarantee that this book will be available in the time frame I've quoted. I'm also not going to dismiss the possibility that I'll finish my draft early.

It's true, this book will be different from everything that's come before. I approach each book differently and this one is certainly no exception. Spinward Fringe Rogue Element is being written like a high budget Space Opera film. It's really that simple. I have the setting, the characters, and the plot foundation.

There's also a preamble at the beginning that fills new readers in on all the essentials with regard to the story so far. Don't get me wrong, someone who starts with Spinward Fringe Rogue Element will miss all the details and more interesting bits of the series before it, the preamble doesn't go into a lot of detail. It just ensures that anyone can just pick up a copy and start there while reminding long time readers of a few pertinent details. There are other not-so-subtle differences and plot risks in this book but I won't go into it just now. Spoilers are generally wrong.

Now on to the question; 'what kind of book is this going to be?'

Rogue Element brings the Spinward Fringe series back to its science fiction adventure roots. The First Light Chronicles (the precursor to the Spinward Fringe series), was very enthusiastic overall and I admit the pacing and development could have been a little better in some places. I'm bringing that enthusiasm back into the series in Rogue Element along with the sense of wonder and discovery that was so prevalent inThe First Light Chronicles. What I'm keeping from the Spinward Fringe series is the character and story development that people enjoyed so much in Triton and Frontline.

I'm really enjoying crafting this book. I wake up every morning, and I mean every morning looking forward to writing another chapter. I could go on about how excited this project makes me but I'd rather get back to work on Spinward Fringe Rogue Element.

Thank you very much for staying on this journey with me and spreading the word about the series. Right now the precursor to the Spinward Fringe Series, The First Light Chronicles is still on sale for $1.00 at Mobipocket and Lulu, so keep telling your friends about it. If they're not into eBooks this is a good opportunity to get them interested.

Cheers!

RL

If you absolutely must kill trees, you can order your copy of the First Light Chronicles Omnibus or any of the Spinward Fringe books from Amazon.com. I won't judge you.

Paul asks: "When is the last Spinward Fringe book coming out?"

In an EMail I received the other day from a fellow named Paul, his last name will be withheld for his protection, he asked; "When is the last Spinward Fringe book coming out? Most series has a set number in them. How many did u plan for this?"

I understand your concern Paul. There are a few series out there that were never properly finished. The Wheel of Time comes to mind. I have a fantasy series that I've been meaning to finish myself, actually and I promise, I will. Especially since about one person a week buys one. At that rate I might have an angry mob by 2011. Fire bad!

All humor and obscure references to Young Frankenstein aside, there's something different about the Spinward Fringe series. Okay, there are several things that make it different from other series. Let me start at the beginning.

In early 2008 I finished the First Light Chronicles. It had a real ending because there was a specific plot cycle for the main character and the story was told in the first person. The plot outgrew the series and I wanted to take things in a new direction. I also wanted to write science fiction that read like a high budget television series, a bona fide space opera. I planned the Spinward Fringe series just like a television series is traditionally planned; to be open ended.

Spinward Fringe is an unlimited series in which I work to provide a soft ending in every second book so the series can satisfy readers who don't wish to read on while giving everyone else something to look forward to. I love the Spinward Fringe universe, it's very flexible and open. I also enjoy writing the characters immensely so I don't plan on stopping any time soon. So who decides when it all comes to an end? Well, considering the fact that I'm writing the Spinward Fringe series full time thanks to the support of a few hundred readers (about 350 people have purchased everything up to Triton at this point), it's really up to them.

I just released Spinward Fringe Frontline and sold about 100 copies in three weeks through Mobipocket.com. That in itself tells me that people are still interested. I'm also selling a few copies of the First Light Chronicles Omnibus per week and that tells me that people are spreading the word, more readers are coming aboard. As long as Omnibus is spreading I know Spinward Fringe's following is going to grow, making the future look a little better every time someone enjoys the experience of reading it. It's almost like selling DVD's of previous seasons. Whenever someone starts enjoying the story from the beginning it helps assure the future of the series.

Let's consider the worst case scenario. If the series died I'd have to focus my attention elsewhere. Would I keep revisiting the Fringe? Sure! but instead of 2-4 books a year I might only have time for 1 every 2 years. Eventually I might find new characters in a new universe to love and then you'd probably see a book every 5 years, if that.

Sorry Paul and everyone else who was looking for an final book and hard, conclusive ending. The readers have spoken and they don't want to see Spinward Fringe canceled any time soon.

RL

I know I might lose readers over this, but what can I say? I'd rather tell the truth and say I hope it never ends.

Now Back To Our Regularly Scheduled Program...

Special thanks to everyone who showed their support for the Wikipedia page yesterday. I'm talking about Iamz, Janet, Elross, the anonymous fan and of course, Somacow.

Some fair edits were made and Pete Tillman, the archivist who replied to the anonymous watchdog who brought the article to his attention, approved it after review material and an Amazon.com link was removed. Thanks for listening to the people who support me most and for giving them time to make the appropriate changes.

Regardless of the online drama yesterday I did manage to get some writing done, but now I'm all pent up and I'm sure I'll get a good chunk of work finished today. It's like this story is a hundred raging bulls bashing at the gate trying to get out and, since I can't write a hundred thousand words in a day, I can only let them out a couple at a time.

Spinward Fringe Rogue Element is looking great already, with a focus on characters that I enjoy, a complexity that I don't think I've managed to build into any book thus far, excitement that comes out of character development, interesting situations and a return to the basics as far as the main players are concerned.

Spinward Fringe Frontline was a very serious novel and a different animal from the rest of the books in many ways. I enjoyed the experience even though the dark journey the characters took was at times difficult to write. There are sections of that book I look back on regularly that make me grin. Two readers have contacted me comparing the book to William Gibson's early work and one went as far as to say that I've added something new to cyberpunk. Great compliments, thank you, and very interesting since I don't see this series as a cyberpunk saga at all. I suppose that's one of the reasons why I feel so free to add whatever I feel I need to keep the stories interesting and moving in the right direction.

I realize that Spinward Fringe Frontline is still a new book for most people and people who read print haven't had a chance to get their hands on it at all. To me it's ancient, I started work on it in November, '08 and it's sold 111 copies. Spinward Fringe Rogue Element is the future I look forward to and it returns us to the roots of the series, with the humour and excitement of the First Light Chronicles and the scale and building complexity that the Spinward Fringe series is just now starting to become known for. This book makes me excited, the idea of pushing forward with all the pieces right where I want them is absolutely thrilling.

I certainly hope everyone is enjoying Spinward Fringe Frontline and I look forward to hearing more of your opinions about the book as more of you finish it. At the same time The First Light Chronicles Omnibus has been moved to the General Fiction category (taking the number 1 spot due to a good sales history in Mobipocket science fiction), so we can invite more people onto this journey.

Spinward Fringe Frontline is going to be available on Amazon.com in print sometime next week. The Kindle version is already available.

I'm also working with another large Canadian EBook E-Tailer (Online Retailer), to broaden the availability of the First Light Chronicles and Spinward Fringe series. From the looks of it the books will be sold at a very reasonable price and I like the tools they provide for their readers.

Now, back to writing Spinward Fringe Rogue Element. I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!

RL

Don't save the galaxy unless you really, really, have to.

Or the world, the universe or even mankind as we know it. That's right. Why save them at all? I'm speaking a fictional context of course. If I had a way of saving us all from ourselves on this great green and blue planet I'd wave my hand and sit back with a Guinness (plus scotch sidecar) and watch it happen.

No, I'm talking about all those shows, books and films that depict individuals and groups who dare to be the hero, are bold enough to step forward and make enough of a difference to save billions of lives. Yaaaay, someone spanked the big bad and saved all us humans so we can go on texting, eating (often too much), and opening gang, holy and resource wars like they're 711's and it's 1980. (In case you missed that refference, there were a lot of 711 convenience stores opening in the early 80's).

I mean, it's been done to death. I'm not saying that it can't still be fun. The new Star Trek was fun, and they pretty much saved Earth (again). Stargate SG-1 was fun, and they saved the planet every couple of months. They even went as far as to save the galaxy a few times before the upped the scale and saved more than one galaxy at a time on Stargate Atlantis. That was fun. The writers, performers, directors, producers and everyone else worked very hard to make it enjoyable and believable. There was a trend forming, however. I think the show runners of Stargate Atlantis (who were the same as those for Stargate SG-1 for the most part), realized something. Watching someone barely save their own ass is fun too. The new show coming up from the same makersm, Stargate Universe, looks like it's going to be about the characters saving their own butts on a weekly basis, actually.

Just consider for a moment the value of a story about one character you can relate to getting into serious trouble and then having to go to extrordinary measures just to keep on living. They aren't nessisarily a hero, they're just one person, maybe more than one person but the important thing is that they took you along for the journey. You have the opportunity to cheer them on, yell at the screen (or paperback or ebook), if you know they're going the wrong way or to feel their pain if they have to sacrifice something in order to avoid a worse fate.

Sometimes the struggle to survive is so much more interesting when compared to brash heroes stepping up and saving the world. That's all I'm sayin'.

If you're tired of seeing people simply saving thier own butts consider a twist: two characters striving to save their own butts. One is likeable, the other isn't and furthermore the survival of one could mean the death of the other. For a good example of this, go watch a film called Vertical Limit. Pretty fun film I'd passed on for a long time until I had a bout of insomnea and caught it on cable. If you're afraid of heights (like I am), and have a great big screen (like I did at the time), this is a great movie (if you're a masochist).

Anyway, breaktime is over and it's time for me to get back to work on Spinward Fringe Rogue Element, where more than one character is faced with the challenge of saving their own butts, but what else is new?

RL

One of the most enjoyable examples of constant butt saving is Joss Whedon's Firefly. Go watch it if you haven't already!

Progress Update: What I'm working on right now and the future.

Spinward Fringe Rogue Element is well on its way. It's important to note, however, that there are other projects in the works as well, even though the bulk of my energy goes towards the Spinward Fringe Series.

The last few weeks have been very interesting. Writing a pair of novellas that have nothing to do with the Spinward Fringe setting was a good idea. They were experimental and won't be published. Those ninety thousand words weren't a waste of time, however. In doing the work I developed a few new ideas, cleared a few character questions up (concerning Spinward Fringe characters), and gave myself the opportunity to make a few decisions about what I'll be working on for the rest of 2009. It also gave me a chance to clear my head after working on Spinward Fringe Frontline for over five months.

Since that 90,000 word writing spree a lot has been happening, here's an update:

Spinward Fringe Rogue Element
I've written the beginning to Spinward Fringe Rogue Element, determined the course that the characters will be taking through that book and gotten a couple of extra chapters down. Aside from that I also managed to mangle the Spinward Fringe Triton cover to my satisfaction, turning it into a fair representation of the attitude behind Spinward Fringe Rogue Element. I'll be glad to get back to it this weekend.

Dark Arts
It's been years since I've written horror or anything supernatural. While exercising my brain on those novellas an idea took root centered around a few characters and it just wouldn't go away. That's where Dark Arts begins. I'm taking a pseudonym on for this project: L.S. Randolph. Do I care if anyone knows about it? Nope, spread the word. I just need to do this work under a different name. This work is intended for adults, the imagery and subject matter will eventually go further than I've ever gone in unpublished or published works. Think Exorcist meets Saw. There will be more on this and a free short story to kick things off shortly. I'm giving myself this week to work on it before getting back to Spinward Fringe.

The Secret Horror Novel or RAGE³
This was the horror novel I had originally planned to start working on after Frontline. Sadly the twenty one page outline (sort of a write by numbers assignment I had penned), went missing and no Canadian police agency got back to me about doing an interview or ride along for research. Fate's telling me to go back to the drawing board and it looks like I'm doing just that. I'll be doing research for this one while I work on another outline from scratch. If anyone happens to see a blue notebook with Spiwnard Fringe, First Light Chronicles and RAGE³ notes inside, drop me an EMail, willya? (Oh, and it's prounounced: Rage Cubed). What's the idea behind this book? All I can say at this point is that it's about a serial killer.

Spinward Fringe Broadcast 6-7
The First Light Chronicles and the Spinward Fringe series are still drawing interest thanks to some very faithful readers who seem to be spreading the word and things are still going pretty strong on Mobipocket. Keeping that in mind I'm making plans for the sixth and seventh books in the Spinward Fringe series as I write Rogue Element (the fifth book). I still write each one as though it's the last, giving readers somewhat of an ending (like in Frontline) while leaving things open enough for another book. There are a lot of stories left to tell in this setting, with these characters and I'm hoping I can keep on going. It's largely up to the readers though, so keep spreading the word and remember that the books are available through Amazon.com for everyone who doesn't like reading EBooks.

Fate Cycle Book II: Exodus
This long awaited finale (that's right, there won't be a book III), is still sitting in a manuscript case waiting for the last 9 or so chapters. I'd apologize but frankly the science fiction I'm working on is much better. Going back to the Fate Cycle series means doing a full edit of Fate Cycle Book I: Sins of the Past without changing the story THEN I'll get to finish Book II: Exodus. If you really want to take a look at the fantasy novel I wrote ages ago and its more playful, simpler prequel (Sins of the Past: Dead of Winter), you can pick them up on Mobipocket. I will eventually finish Exodus, there's no question, but right now I have to look at things more realistically and write what people enjoy (and demand), the most.

Other Projects and Whats Ready
I'm still focusing most of my efforts on writing Spinward Fringe, finding new ways to get it to people and getting it noticed. That series is not only my best work to date but it has nearly three hundred readers. The fact that I enjoy writing that series the most at the moment is a massive bonus. When I take a few days to work on something else I'm just taking a break from Spiwnard Fringe, and always plan on going back. I'm always thinking about the characters and plot lines based in that universe.
What's ready? Cover art for RAGE³ has been purchased and the central image for Dark Arts has been found, now I have to beg to borrow or buy it. Considering how very broke I am, I might have to take extraordinary measures... *gulp*

To sum up: Watch for Dark Arts while you wait for the next Spinward Fringe Installment (Rogue Element). For the rest, well, I'm hoping to get around to everything in 2009 but nothing is certain, so keep checking back for news!

RL

Thanks for sticking with me thus far. Things can only get more interesting from here!