Y'all know what tomorrow is, right?

Right!

Tomorrow is Saturday, May 13, the day that Steve and I will be doing a meet 'n greet, and signing books at Barnes and Noble, 9 Marketplace Drive, Augusta Maine, from 1 to 3 pm.  Stop by and say hi.  Here's a link for further information.

Tomorrow is also the day that the next special goody for patrons only goes live on Patreon.  This week's goody is Steve, reading his story "Charioteer."  Here's your link to the Lee and Miller Patreon page.

Ah, we were promoting The Gathering Edge, which came out on Tuesday of last week, the longest week of recent memory.

We had fun at the A(sk) M(e) A(nything) on Reddit, and had some good questions.  For those who couldn't make it, the transcript is available for your perusal.  Here's the link.

Those who have (already!) read The Gathering Edge, please consider leaving a review at Amazon, BN, Goodreads, &c.  The more reviews, the more exposure for the book, the better the chances of the Liaden Universe® pulling in new readers.  Thank you.

Those who want to talk about The Gathering Edge with other readers, there's a spoiler discussion at this link.

As reported yesterday, all of the pre-ordered signed and personalized copies have shipped from Uncle Hugo's.  If you haven't already received your book, it is on its way.

If you didn't pre-order, and now find that you want a signed copy of The Gathering Edge (where "signed" means "the authors wrote their names in the book"), the Uncle does have a few that need homes.  Here's your link.

This coming Saturday, May 13, from 1-3 pm, Steve and I will be hosting a meet 'n greet/book signing at Barnes and Noble in the Marketplace in Augusta, Maine.  Here's your link.

So, there's that.  A couple out-of-state bookstores invited us to come to them for events supporting TGE.  We regretfully turned them down, as we are still ruled by doctor appointments and cardio-gym, and the constraints of having only one driver on the team.  We will find out at the end of May whether Steve is cleared to drive again, and are cautiously optimistic.  Cautiously so as not to be Plunged in The Slough of Despond(tm), if clearance is withheld.

In the meantime, we have some fun things on the schedule -- we intend to see Guardians of the Galaxy 2 on Wednesday, for instance.  And, of course, Fifth of Five has some claim on our attention, so we're not bored, even if we're boring.

Everybody be good.

Here's a publicity shot from earlier in the week.

I may have mentioned once or twice that The Gathering Edge by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, the twentieth novel set in the star-spanning Liaden Universe®, will be published in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook, on May 2 (holy cow, that's Tuesday!)

Just to get the love going, here are some pre-Book Day activities for you.

First, if you haven't read it yet, there's "Cutting Corners" at Baen.com.  It's free to read, until May 14, and it'll get you in the mood for The Gathering Edge.  Here's your link.

On Saturday, April 29, Patreon patrons will have a new goody waiting for them -- Sharon Lee (hey, that's me!) reading "The Gift of Music".  Yes, it's set in Archers Beach, instead of the Liaden Universe®, but it'll get you psyched, I promise!  Not a patron yet?  Here's your link.

On Monday, May 1, Steve and I will be doing an A(sk) M(e) A(nything) at Reddit.  You do need to be registered with Reddit to participate, so get that set up beforehand so you don't miss a thing!  Here's the link to sign up.

Tuesday, May 2, is the Big! Day!  The Gathering Edge will be released to the thousands who have been patiently awaiting its arrival, and!  It will get Very Quiet on the internets, while people settle down to read their book.

Wednesday, and Thursday, the internets will be abuzz as people discuss The Gathering Edge, quietly, so as not to spoil it for those who read slower, or who are waiting for the mass market, and Friday!

Friday, Steve and I will be featured on the Baen Free Radio Hour, talking about?  The Gathering Edge.

Wow, what a line-up, am I right?

But, wait!  There's more.

On Saturday, May 13, from 1-3 pm, Barnes and Noble in the Augusta (Maine) Marketplace will be hosting Steve and I at a meet 'n greet book signing.  We hope to see you -- yes, you! -- there.

I'll tell you a secret, just to kick things off.  Back when, just after Agent of Change came out the first time (as a mass market original, in January 1988), Steve and I, ahem, were really, really excited.  And our elders in publication at that time told us that, if we survived to publish more books, the release of a new one would become. . .mundane. Boring.

You know what, though?

We've published nineteen novels now, with the twentieth, as we may have mentioned, coming right up, and?

It NEVER gets old.

Let the dancing being.

This is your last, your ultimate reminder.

The deadline for ordering personalized copies of The Gathering Edge, the twentieth novel in the Liaden Universe®, the direct sequel to Dragon Ship, the fifth book in the Theo Waitley story arc is!

Tomorrow, April 1, 2017

Everything you need to know about pre-ordering your book may be found at this link

Here ends your ultimate reminder.

Remember!  The Uncle is now taking pre-orders for signed and/or personalized hardcover editions of The Gathering Edge, the twentieth novel in the Liaden Universe® created by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller; the fifth book in the Theo Waitley story arc.  Procrastinators Take Note: Orders for personalized copies must be made no later than April 1.  Here's your link.

Change Management:  Adventures in the Liaden Universe® Number 23, including two novelettes, brand-new "Street Cred," and reprint, "Wise Child," is now on sale at All the Usual Suspects, and will be coming to Baen ebooks realsoonnow.  This ebook has 15 5-star reviews on Amazon!

Those who can't wait until May 2 to find out what happens in The Gathering Edge, may purchase the eArc (with all its flaws and warts) directly from Baen ebooks.  (Yes, the authors receive royalties on eArc sales.)  Here's your link.

In other news, a Humongous Winter Storm is headed for the Cat Farm, with a predicted fall of heavy snow from 14-18 inches.  I will, therefore, be going into town to take on supplies just as soon as I finish this blog entry.

Everybody stay safe.

Page proofs for The Gathering Edge hit the mailbox yesterday.  This means that, today, I will set up station here on the desk, with our submission copy up on the screen, and the proofs in paper, compare one against the other, and mark any errors on the paper copy.

At the very least, this is a tedious process, and I enter into it with a strong sense of trepidation.

Most of you who read here are aware that the arrival of page proofs in our mailbox means that the release of the Baen eArc is not far away.  We, personally, do not know the name of that happy hour, 'k? So it's no use asking us.  Usually, we find out that the eArc has gone live because an alert reader drops us a note, which we do appreciate. So, if you notice that the eARC is up for download, do let us know, and we'll help spread the word.

You will perhaps recall that, last year, Belle and I had a wager about how many Alliance of Equals eArcs we could sell.  At that point, Belle was of the opinion that we wouldn't sell more than 500 (which would have been about 150 more than the total eArc sales of Dragon in Exile).  Sprite, who last year was too young to wager, had it as her Strong Opinion that we would earn out our advance on eArc sales.

Neither was right, though Sprite came closer to the truth.  We exceeded Belle's high figure by a factor of twelve, indicating that a lot of Liadens were into eArcs last year, but we did not earn out the entire advance.

This year, Belle is taking the position that last year was a fluke, and that no one wants to read a Whole Book about a Tiresome Kitten, anyway.  Sprite, who this year can place a formal wager, has modified her position to Edge sales equaling sales of Alliance.

My position is that, with All the Uncertainty in the air, it could go either way.  People could hunker down, and hold their purses tight, hoping that the storm passes them by, or they could figure wotthehell; a short life but a merry one.

And now, it's time for coffee and the first shift of proofing.

Everybody stay safe.

Yesterday was a half-holiday.  Steve made His Own Sort of Gourmet Mac-n-Cheese for our supper, then we -- with the coon cats, who were very interested, indeed -- viewed The Book of Life, and assorted short features.  We also finished reading aloud Feet of Clay, the. . .third? Night Watch novel.  Next up is Peter Pan.

Why Peter Pan, you ask?  Well, when we were down south, sitting vigil for Steve's step-father, I was at one point the only one in the room, aside Pete.  I figured he might miss all the noise and voices, being so very used to living in hubbub.  I'm not much of an extemporaneous chatterer, but I can certainly read out loud.  So I started reading Peter Pan, since I don't seem to have The Prince and the Pauper on my tablet at the moment.  Steve came in at some point, and when I would have stopped, asked me to go on.  Turns out, he doesn't remember reading Peter Pan, so we'll finish it up properly.

After Peter -- or, at least, starting on September 30 -- we will of course begin reading A Night in the Lonesome October one chapter a night 'til Halloween, as has been our custom for some years now.  After that, perhaps it will be time again for the Watch, and Jingo.

In possibly more relevant news, readers are already writing to me in various states from mild curiosity to barely-restrained panic, wondering why it is that they cannot yet! pre-order the electronic edition of The Gathering Edge from Amazon (and I assume the other on-line bookstores).  The fear is that ...Edge will only be available in hardcover, and be released in electronic at some later date, after Demand Has Built.  Or something.

Now, if y'all will cast your minds back, you will recall that Amazon has not, at least for the last four Liaden titles, opened pre-orders for the electronic edition this early.  Yes, I say early.  ...Edge is scheduled to be released in hardcover on May 2, 2017 -- more than eight months from now.  Regardless of what may be done for other titles by other authors, for Liaden titles -- and the Carousel titles, too -- Amazon opens pre-orders for electronic editions somewhere between one month and three days before the hardcover release date.

So, there's no need to panic, honest.

Related to this -- yes, work is going forward on Book the Next, still without a proper title, poor tyke.  Before our unfortunate break, I had said that I would post snippets, but not word count, because of the Very Odd Way in which this book is going together.  That is still in force.

So!  Today's blog post title is brought to you by Foul Ole Ron, from Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett.  Because it amuses me.

# # #

"Don't you get attitudinal with me! Won't hurt you to show a little respect – and a lotta restraint! What if he'd been driving? Or flying? You might've killed him, is what -- and I ain't having it! Acazzi?"

A couple days ago, we were pleased to show you David Mattingly's painting that would become the cover for The Gathering Edge.

Today, we are pleased to share the comp cover, still smokin' hot from the Baen Art Department.

Also!  If viewing the art above has made you a little peckish, Cedar Sanderson has featured Daav yos'Phelium's Extra Special Grilled Cheese Sandwiches in today's Eat This While You Read That column.  Here's your link.

Also, also!  Alliance of Equals has 40 reader reviews on Amazon!  Only 160 to go!  You guys are doing great.

And! (given "also" a rest, you see)  Steve and I will be signing Alliance of Equals at Children's Book Cellar, 52 Main Street, Waterville, Maine (our local indie bookstore) on Saturday, July 16 (that's this Saturday!) at 2 p.m.  If you're in the area, come on by and say, "hi!"

The weatherbeans are calling for A Warm One, as Maine counts these things.  I, of course, will be at the nice, air conditioned, hospital doing the volunteer gig.  Steve and the cats will likely need to put the portable A/C unit in to play.  Ah, summer. . .And, as Mainers say earnestly to each other, under just these sorts of conditions: "At least it ain't snowin'."

Hope you have a good day, wherever you are.