I’m conscious that my progress reports have been few and far between lately. I’ve got a lot going on but not that much that I can actually announce or discuss, which makes progress reports every two months a bit of a pointless exercise…
The first draft of my next book The Devils is grinding on, albeit slowly and in between other things. The book now has a US publisher in Tor US, and a US editor in Lindsey Hall, neither of whom I’ve worked with before and both of whom I am excited to work with on this. I’m getting towards three quarters of the way through a first draft, though the plan is really to just vomit the thing out and then spend some time sitting in that vomit, editing, rewriting and rearranging it, until I have a book I like. Hard to know exactly what the timescale might be on that, very much depends on what happens with all this other stuff and how much time I have to commit to it. I will of course rush to announce it when a roughly reliable publication date comes into view.
Then there are quite a few special or limited editions of one kind or another in the pipeline. I believe John Anthony di Giovanni has now delivered all the art for Subterranean Press’s limited edition of The Trouble With Peace, so that one should be appearing within the next few months. He’ll be doing art for The Wisdom of Crowds as well in due course, but for now he’s at work on a little companion volume which Sub Press are doing – a novella length collection of four short stories that sit alongside the Age of Madness which will be called The Great Change – and other Lies. I’m hoping that’ll be available this year too – more information on the ordering of that as I have it. Then I’ve been working with UK specialist publisher Curious King on some really high-end letterpress limited editions of the First Law with art by Tommy Arnold. The whole run sold out within about half an hour of going on sale. Pretty crazy how the market for what I would consider astonishingly expensive collector’s editions has developed over the past few years. Anyway, that one’s going to contain a lot of art so it’ll no doubt be a while coming together, but if it all works out the aim is to continue with the other books in the series, and perhaps beyond to the stand-alones, who can say…
As Covid regulations relax I’m starting to commit to a couple of events again. Delighted to say I’ll finally be heading back to my regular haunt at the Celsius festival in Aviles in Spain in a couple of weeks, then having had to cancel Portugal comic con last year I’m aiming to show up to this year’s edition in December.
So there you go, a progress report that reports very little progress. Somewhat frustrating, but so it goes. Hopefully things will pick up and there’ll be enough for bi-monthly reports as the year continues.
But, as always, I promise nothing…
13 comments so far
Omg! An Age of Madness novella! I’m super excited about this but also my stomach dropped a little bit as my poor broken heart is still not over the end of The Wisdom of Crowds </3
Probably a bit too early to be asking these questions, but do you know if the novella will be available only from Sub Press? Do we have to have bought The Age of Madness Sub Press to be eligible to buy them? I'm very sad to have missed the boat on these and don't want to miss out!
So excited to hear all the things you're working on, they will be worth the wait! x
Dear Joe,
thanks for the update!
Two questions regarding your writing approach to the new Devils-trilogy:
Are you taking the same approach as for the Age of Madness-trilogy, as in writing all 3 books and only then starting to publish them, or are you going for the approach of writing and publishing it book by book?
Do you think your writing approach for the Age of Madness-trilogy significantly improved its quality? (I think it was absolutely incredible, thank you for it!)
All the best for your projects,
Christoph
“…the plan is really to just vomit the thing out and then spend some time sitting in that vomit…”
Is it any wonder that people fantasize about being a writer?
My favourite author. Now I’m discovering the secret. Sitting in nasties. Keep at it, Joe, and try not to clog up the keyboard.
Thanks, Joe! I appreciate any updates on The Great Change. Can’t wait to get my hands on it.
Your vomit rocks!
Favorite author of all time. I hope you keep the first law/ AOM universe going after The Devils
Can you say whether or not there’s been any momentum on a television adaptation of First Law? It’s been my favorite series for so long and seeing the success of fantasy shows right now makes me really want to see your world on screen.
There’ll all bangers, Joe! I’m in the process of rereading all of your work for the second time and it’s still pedal to the metal.
Looking forward The Devils.
I’m a bit ruined for other fantasy novelists now, you bastard. Any recommendations in the interim? Mahalo!
Get off your arse, you lazy swine.
What am I going to read until “whenever”?
And is there going to be a First Law series? And if not, who to I have to kill/blow to make it happen?
Love your work and have bought all
Of your books. Looking forward to the future. I’m an avid reader and I’ve recently looked into older novels. Did you take inspiration from the Sword of Shadows books by J.V. Jones? So much of her works seems similar to your world building with the clans and old magic. Bayaz is my favorite character and he seems to fit the old blood narrative in J.V. Jones novels.
Joe,
Thank you for the update, the simple ability to paint pictures in my mind is really enhanced by the sitting in vomit! Awesome to know your methods
I have been rekindled with books since I picked up The Blade Itself whilst I was working away from home. Done in a little over three days whilst working, it really has led me to buy everything you’ve written and I am on third readings of each one.
If you’re going to be a while, who’d you recommend for a major rush in a fantasy world?
Keep going, all the best in the US