Friday, May 29, 2015

Spinward Fringe Broadcast 1: Resurrection Re-edited Finally


Before anyone gets the wrong idea, this is not a full re-release like some other books I've seen have done. You won't have to buy Broadcast 1: Resurrection again to get this version, you'll be able to update to it for free. I'm not re-issuing the book for extra money, but to improve the reading experience.

In 2008 I wrote this novella, which was a follow up to a completed trilogy of novellas (the First Light Chronicles, now known as Spinward Fringe Broadcast 0: Origins - available for free everywhere quality ebooks are sold). I didn't have any editors to work with yet (amateur or professional), or test readers. I just had a small but growing group of people who loved Spinward Fringe Origins and wanted more. I also had a desire to write a Space Opera saga that was broader than Origins, and even a little more stylised and mysterious in many ways.

I don't know if I managed to make the Spinward Fringe series as mysterious as I originally wanted to, or led readers to the right questions about the characters in the universe, but I know that, in Broadcast 1, I managed to complete a novella that had the spirit and enthusiasm that I wanted in my Space Opera series. Unfortunately, some of that was lost because of distracting grammatical errors, typos, and some awkward phrasing. Errors have plagued this book since its release seven years ago, and I'm happy to announce that this weekend a fresh edit of the book will be completed.

The final edition will not be "perfect" to the Oxford standard, meaning that the grammar and some other minor issues will never completely adhere to the same rules as a novel that's had five passes in front of a line editor and another three passes by another editor. No, ironing out every little kink in the text would have taken some of the narrative style and dialog flair away from the book, so some of those kinks have been left in. What we focused on was removing distracting errors, typographical issues and unclear passages. Most of those were corrected or replaced.

Also, some matter that I didn't originally include in Broadcast 1, but always regretted not writing or just skipped because I was in a hurry to get the book out, have now been included. I was very careful whenever I made a change to something or added something that it fit in and didn't change important facts that would unbalance the rest of the series. Overall, Broadcast 1 is now a little longer, and a little better.

The update should hit in mid-June, and most retailers will make it optional, not mandatory. If you have a personal version of the book already that you have added digital notes and highlights to, I highly recommend that you back it up as soon as possible. If you don't know how to do this, contact your vendor, and if backups are something they allow, they will walk you through it.

I have already begun working on Broadcast 2: Awakening and having it out sometime this summer, so people who own the combined Spinward Fringe: Broadcasts 1 & 2 will get those updated together then.

Thank you so much for your support over the years,  I hope you enjoy the new version when it comes out in a couple weeks as a free update.

RL

Friday, May 22, 2015

Indie Author Land Looks For The Top 50 Indie Ebooks Worth Reading


ReadFREE.ly sent me an email yesterday to tell me that they are having a contest to determine the 50 Self Published Books Worth Reading.
Brightwill is the only book I have that is eligible for this, but if you enjoyed that enough to nominate it, then please take a moment and fill out the nomination form.
I believe that Brightwill represents the pinnacle of my writing in the fantasy genre so far, and writing a better fantasy novel will be difficult (that doesn't mean I'm not going to try!) I'm as proud of it as I am any Spinward Fringe novel.

If you haven't read Brightwill, it's available for free anywhere quality Ebooks are sold, and available in print here: http://www.amazon.com/Brightwill-Randolph-Lalonde/dp/0993739830/ref=sr_1_1_twi_2_pap?ie=UTF8&qid=1432397018&sr=8-1&keywords=brightwill

You can actually nominate Brightwill by filling out the form below now, there's no need to go to ReadFree.ly to do it anymore. Thank you again for your support!

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

The Real Name Of Spinward Fringe Broadcast 9

After finishing about twenty percent of the book and getting an editor's thumbs' up on the first chunk, writing Broadcast 9 is already a memorable experience for me. It seems like the old gang are all back together again, with Jake, Oz, Minh-Chu and someone I can't mention here, leading the way through the story I have to tell.

The beginning of the book is doing exactly what it's supposed to, and I'm far enough into the story already so it's no longer about a Gathering (the former title of Broadcast 9), our characters are already on the Warpath. There is no turning back for them, whether they like it or not they are absolutely in it, and if you read the Prologue that was previewed here, you know there are big problems coming for them.

'The Gathering' was a suitable title for a book that I thought was about so many things in the Spinward Fringe universe coming together to focus on a point. While it's true that there is an undeniable gathering of characters and events focus on a smaller space in this book, it turns out that the whole novel is not about that. This novel is about war.

A just war is a difficult thing. War is terrible, and some would say a just war is worse, because, in a just war, at least one side is clear on what they're fighting against. In a fictional just war the characters we've grown to love fight against something that absolutely violates their moral code. They observe something terrible and dedicate themselves to putting an end to it. In Warpath you'll see heroes who fight for exactly those reasons, and you'll meet characters who fight for other reasons.

There are also answers to questions that have come up in the series, forgiveness between some characters, and a few unexpected alliances. I can't wait to get this in front of you, I am so excited for this book to come out.

I'm more excited to finish writing it though, so back to work I go on Spinward Fringe Broadcast 9: Warpath.

RL

Friday, May 1, 2015

The State Of Spinward Fringe Broadcast 9


Here's a quick, non-spoiler update on the current state of Spinward Fringe Broadcast 9.

The actual name "The Gathering" of this book will most likely change before release, and I'm still shopping for a cover artist to create a CGI scene, but I'm confident I'll find one.

Whereas Broadcast 8 focused on the female characters in the ongoing story, Broadcast 9 will focus on the male characters. Jake, Minh-Chu, Oz and a couple others take the centre stage, leading us through most of the chapters through their point of view.

I'm about 20% finished and hope to have this draft complete within two months or less. Only one story has been pulled from the book entirely which featured Burke, one of the crew members who left the Samson in Broadcast 1. The story featuring him isn't complete, and it's not good enough to continue working on so it won't be making an appearance outside of the novel. Everything else I've written is staying in the book.

So far, stories that I thought would be external to the novel are being drawn in as important parts of the book, so there are no shorts to release at the moment.

At least two more chapters will be released on the blog, so there's more preview goodness on the way!

RL

[What are you looking forward to seeing in Broadcasts 9 and 10?]