In which the authors are giving you a present

[rolanni]

We here at the Cat Farm and Confusion Factory celebrate Yule as our Winter Holiday, but, in order to keep peace in the family, most of whom celebrate the Commercial Christmas*, we traditionally raise a glass, and give and open presents, if any, on Christmas Eve.

We are this year, including you -- yes, you! -- in our hybrid holiday, and giving you a Yule present, which you may open on Christmas Eve.

Sometime between 10:30 pm and 11:59 pm on Christmas Eve, Maine time, if you click on the link below, you will be able to read the first few pages of The Gathering Edge, which is, it says here, the twentieth novel-length adventure in the Liaden Universe®, scheduled to be published by Baen in May 2017.  It is the direct sequel to Dragon Ship, and the action happens concurrently with the action in Alliance of Equals.

Everybody confused now?

Good.

Here's your link

Enjoy.

EDITED TO ADD: Once the excerpt goes live, it will remain live, until routine housekeeping takes it down, which means you have months to read it.

____________

*Which is to say, they do not attend services or mass.  The last time anyone in my family went to midnight mass on Christmas Eve was 'way back in 1978, when I drove my grandmother and aunt, as had become my habit, and attended mass, too, since I was there, and midnight mass is kinda pretty, really.

Comments

[melita66.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Thank you!

Let's see. Between 1030pm and midnight east coast means between 730pm and 9pm...so by the time the kids are asleep, it should be available. Yay! Now, if I just not fall asleep with them...! They're at day care today, but I have the day off, so it's a massive wrapping session. We haven't put anything under the tree, because last year they were carefully trying to tear the paper to get a glimpse of the contents. I don't trust 'em yet.

[kyahgirl.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the awesome gift. I look forward to it.

May you have a quiet, peaceful and joyous holiday season filled with purring cats and overflowing wine glasses.

Laura Balanko

[joycependle.livejournal.com]

Thank you exceedingly!

[gerald heaton (from livejournal.com)]

WAAAAAY back when, (1960 - 1969) when I was living in St. Joseph, MO, I would go to Midnight Mass with my neighbors (I'm not a Catholic BTW)
While most of the time the services were in Latin, in the later years ('67 - '69) they were in Latin and English.
It is a series of memories that I hope to never forget.

I some times miss the simpler times (in my mind, anyway)

May you have a better year in 2017, and thanks in advance for the present.

[attilathepbnun.livejournal.com]

What all of them said!!!

[thewol.livejournal.com]

I go through the motions of a Commercial Christmas with my 92-year-old mother, as I have done for a number of years, but I have been a closet Solstice/Yule Celebrator for a long time. My celebrations are quiet and personal, and I welcomed back the light Wednesday evening with a quiet glass, and a single candle.

Wishing you and Steve, and the kitties all good things in the coming year,

[margotinez.livejournal.com]

Belonging to the heathen branch of the family, I still will enjoy escorting my 93 rear old aunt-the-nun to 4pm Mass today. Meanwhile, my husband and I celebrated 53 years of marriage on the 21st, thus nicely combining celebrations on that date.
I had vascular surgery yesterday, tucked in between events, so am hobbling a bit and will be driven around by others, and will be excused from heavy lifting and doing the dishes.
Thank you for the Christmas present - my aunt and I will both enjoy the delicious entree.

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Whoops?

I found it over here

http://korval.com/2016/12/24/yule-present-2016/ (http://korval.com/2016/12/24/yule-present-2016/)

But that link to http://korval.com/2016/12/22/yule-present-2016 says page not found... oh, 22 versus 24! That makes sense...

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the page was created on the 22nd, but didn't post 'til the 24th. I didn't realize it would change the permalink when it did. I mean, it's called "permalink," right?