Carousels and Calendars

Today is Tuesday, which means!

Yesterday was Monday, and!

Tomorrow is Wednesday.  I need to do the hospital thingy tomorrow.  Best not to lose track of that.  Trooper -- remind me tomorrow that it's Wednesday, and I need to be away from the house for five or six hours.

Yeah, that's gonna work.

So, let's see. . .

As of this typing, there are 36! reader reviews on Amazon for Alliance of Equals, which is pretty impressive.  Only 164 more until we crack 200!

Though the micro-mini book tour was in support of Alliance of Equals, we/I were asked several times about the possibility of another (or, as one interlocutor had it, "the next") Carousel book.

At this point, the Carousel books are a trilogy.  Really.  There are a number of reasons for this, including lack of Author Time, and Failure to Become a Bestseller.

I wrote Carousel Tides (against Best Advice) while we were between contracts, 'way the heck back in 2006.  It was rejected By Nearly Everyone (foretold by Best Advice) through 2006 and 2007, purchased by Baen in 2008, saw print in 2010, and! began earning royalties in 2014.

Not only can I not go to Vegas on that, but -- more importantly -- I can't put cat food in the bowls.

Now, I'm fortunate (and grateful) that Baen kept Carousel Tides in print long enough for it to start earning.  Too many of my colleagues see the hard copy editions of their work yanked after two or three accounting periods for "lack of numbers," and never have the opportunity to earn out.

But, the fact remains that the Liaden books earn many, many times more than the Carousel books.  Make no mistake -- Clan Korval keeps the cats fed and the electricity on.

(This is yet another low, unworthy, venal fact that ought to have no place in the House of Art, and I apologize, but -- professional publishing is doomed to disappoint everyone who believes in the Purity of Art.)

Mind you, this has nothing to do with whether I'm "tired of" the Carousel premise/characters, or have run out of ideas.  Just between you and me, I'll probably be writing some more stories in the Carousel/Archers Beach/Six Worlds universe, because that's how I roll.  But the likelihood of another novel anytime soon -- or, really, at all -- isn't high.

I do know that Kate and Company have some very devoted fans -- thank you.  But -- we have as of this writing four* Liaden novels still under contract, and contracted work -- which is to say, the work that pays the bills -- must come first.

For those who never heard of the Carousel Trilogy by Sharon Lee (as there were at least as many people in the audience who hadn't as had), follows some news you can use:

Carousel Trilogy ebooks at Baen.com:
Carousel Tides
Carousel Sun
Carousel Seas

In addition, you may find the Carousel Trilogy in paper and ebook at all of the Usual Suspects.

Stories set in Archers Beach, free to read:
The Gift of Music
The night don't seem so lonely
Will-o'-the-wisp
The Wolf's Bride

_________
*Stares at delivery schedule on the wall.  Right.  Four novels; not five.