Okay, I know you guys aren’t going to like this, but I’ve got a publication date for the fourth Magic Thief book, and I’m very happy about it, and I’ll tell you why.
Chimney Swifts (as it’s currently known) will be out in Fall 2014. Two and a half years from now. I know–it’s a long time to wait! But I’m happy with this date, and here’s why: I have two other books that have to come out before that. Winterling was out in January 2012. Its sequel, The Summerkin, will be out in around May 2013. And then the third book in that trilogy (it doesn’t have a title yet), is out in January 2014. Chimney Swifts just can’t come out until all three books in the Winterling trilogy have been published.
Really, it’s awesome that my publisher is willing to put out two books by me in the same year, one in January 2014 and one in Fall 2014. Usually it’s just one book per year. Just be glad you don’t have to wait until 2015!
So, what do you think: Amethyst for the Chimney Swifts cover?
Or slowsilver? 
Or maybe bricks? 
Or sooty black? 
(The sootball picture is called “Lone Soot” by evilmuffins on Deviantart)
04/10/2012 at 5:22 am
Well I like the amethyst best for the cover, but that sooty black picture is so cute! I love to browse around deviantart looking for stuff like that, and especially love all Totoro cuteness~
Sad though how Harper Collins usually only lets you have one book a year …. someday, when I have my own publishing company, I’ll have better (but consistent) limitations~
04/10/2012 at 12:17 pm
Oh, the sootball is adorable!!! I love eeeet!!!! If you are a Magic Thief reader, you should try “Connwaer” on deviantart–there’s some great fan art there. I should do a blog post about it sometime, really.
As far as my publisher letting me have only one book a year, well, it’s not their fault, it’s just how publishing works. The process of turning a word file of a novel into an actual book takes an enormous amount of work and specialized skill, from editing to copy editing, to design, to production. That’s why it takes so long.