I get a lot of emails asking about when Pridelord will be ready, and while the answer is still “soon,” for patrons, the answer is… well, right now =] Patrons at the $3 and up level can grab the ebook edition as of yesterday.
The retail version will go live after the audiobook and print editions are ready. James Scott Spaid is recording the audiobook as we speak, and I just got the final back cover copy and spine dimensions over to Jeff Brown. Soon as Jeff finalizes the cover print files, proofs will be on their way.
Because this book is so long and our printer’s max length is ~930 pages, Glenn and I have been polling fans at conventions who buy the large print editions, and you were all pretty clear: you did not want the font size reduced for any reason on the small print. In fact, for many of you, you’d given up on large print because it wasn’t large enough, and getting to see the GryphIns large print editions is what made you buy them. So we had to make the tough decision to divide the large print edition into parts one and two, around 550 pages each. It was a tough call as we definitely didn’t want people who need (or just enjoy) large print to have to pay more, but I appreciate all the input. And, for what it’s worth, that means that both parts are larger than Crestfall or Eyrie. Pridelord is a bigger than both combined!
I usually devote my time to working on the next book, but in this case, I’m listening to Pridelord’s audiobook as it gets recorded to help cut down on the production time. At the latest, when the audiobook gets finalized, there’ll be a two week preorder window. If things are going smoothly, it might be sooner. As promised, though, the audiobook, print editions, and ebook will release at around the same time. (Audible’s their own beast, so sometimes they release it early and sometimes their strict quality control standards take longer to approve a book.) Patrons in the audiobook tier will get the audiobook as it goes into final proof-listening, then the final version will be available after if you want the retail version.
All-in-all, it’s good to have this book ready to go. 2023 was a wild year without any GryphIns releases, and I’m glad it’s through. Things are still a little rough here (my husband is coming out of all his Long Covid complications, but he’s not at 100% yet). I’m at a point where my entire life isn’t just Covid stuff, though. Not that I ever stopped writing (Saberbeak is almost 40k written), just that I write much faster when my stress level is lower.
And with a book as long as Pridelord, it could have been four romance or cozy mystery novels, which would’ve filled up that 2023 roster nicely =] But I write epic fantasy, and those run long.
That said, while Pridelord needed to be long, the themes and stories that come next lend themselves more into normal length books. I’d considered trying to finish the series with just two more books, both extra long, and it feels forced. So the series may run a little longer, but instead of these 4x-normal-sized novels, they’ll be more like normal Starling-sized novels. It just may take a few more to finish up than expected.
Now, it’s time for me to curl up on the couch and watch the Lou Diamond Phillips episodes of Psych with Glenn, then get some sleep. When I’m not listening through Pridelord’s audiobook, though, I’ll be working hard on Saberbeak. Life’s not quite normal enough that I’d risk putting up a preorder page, but I have dreams of it releasing in December. Who doesn’t want to curl up with a nice warm Hatzel and read gryphon books over the winter? (Sorry, Australians, I know that’s your summer!)
Expect to hear more soon,
Vale
PS – Did you see that Jess Owen has up a Kickstarter for Shadow Sun, Book Two of the Dragon Star Saga, the sequel series to her Summer King books? Go check it out =]