SJ Day update on the 'Marked' series

In my 'Where are they now? - Author updates' post, I said I couldn't find any information on the status of SJ Day's 'Marked' series:

Well I now have an update, and it's bad news. It's all explained in this post by Ms. Day. But basically: SJ Day has successfully pitched a new paranormal romance series to Penguin's 'NAL'. This means Ms. Day won't be working with her previous publisher 'TOR' ... which means no more 'Marked' series in the immediate future. She could renew her contract and write more 'Eve' books (she says she still has ideas for the series) but I got the impression that fans would have to wait a long time.

Our only consolation is that SJ Day's short story in 'The Mammoth book of Paranormal Romance' anthology (released October 5th, 2010) is set in the 'Marked' universe and will wrap up the series (editing permitting).

In the mean time, keep your eyes pealed for new work by 'Sylvia Day'. Not much is known about the new series - except that it is a 'paranormal romance' and it is indeed a 'series', not stand-alone.

I am actually quite saddened by this news. I thought the 'Marked' series hit its stride with book #3 ' Eve of Chaos' - which beautifully set up a complicated and intriguing plot line for future books. I was looking forward to reading about how this universe would grow.

Oh well. All I can hope for now is some sort of resolution with regards to who Eve chose - Cain or Abel?

Where are they now?... Author updates

The other day I got to thinking about all the amazing 2010 book releases we've been graced with. I've been lusting after so many books for so long and I am excited that their releases have already come and gone, or are mere months away... But then I got to thinking about authors who don't have book releases this year, or whose upcoming books are uncertain. So I did some fishing and came up with some answers...

Molly Harper:

She was only contracted for 3 books in her beloved ‘Jane Jameson’ series.

She is releasing a new book called ‘And one last thing’, due for release July 27th 2010. She talks about it on her blog post. The book will be released by Pocket Books and seems to be a contemporary romance. Really looking forward to this one. Molly Harper is an instant-buy for me after the brilliance that is ‘Jane Jameson’. She writes funny like it’s nobodies business – and she knows her way around a smutty scene – what’s not to love?

‘And one last thing’ is available for pre-order.

Karen Chance:

‘Death’s Mistress’ (the 2nd Dorina Basarab) book was released in January this year. But some people are wondering why there’s no news of a 5th ‘Cassandra Palmer’ book….

Well, according to her website, Ms. Chance was experiencing some health problems in 2009 that pushed back her upcoming releases to summer 2011.

Ms. Chance is contracted for a ‘Cassie Palmer’ #5 and Dorina Basarab #3. But in the interim, Chance is kindly writing and posting free stories based in the “Cassie Palmer” universe, but told from different character’s POV’s. Pritkin’s is available March 31st, and Kit Marlowe’s on June 30th. There will be other stories, but those are the only two I really care about :)

SJ Day:

For a little while Ms. Day was releasing books like there was no tomorrow. The first book in her Urban Fantasy ‘Marked’ series was ‘Eve of Darkness’ – released April 2009. ‘Eve of Destruction’ and ‘Eve of Chaos’ were released June 2009. And since then no one’s heard ‘boo’ from Ms. Day. Her website is all very high-tech and shiny, but doesn’t seem to be well moderated (or updated).

Asked about a possible 4th ‘Marked’ book, Ms. Day has said she and her editor have talked about it, but she doesn’t seem sure if there will be more Eve adventures.

Sorry guys, but it looks as though we’ll never know if Eve chooses Cain or Abel (or what was to come of that ‘Eve of Chaos’ cliff hanger when Lillith turned up?)

The only upcoming release on SJ Day’s schedule is a short-story (not sure if it’s set in the “Marked” universe) due for release October 5th 2010. The anthology is ‘The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance 2".

Lisa Kleypas:

San Juan Island. Setting of the 'Friday Harbor' series.

It’s a case of good news / bad news for fans of Lisa Kleypas’s contemporary romance.

Kelypas’s first foray into the world of modern love was highly successful and ranked on the New York Times bestsellers list. Unfortunately, the ‘Travis’ books are a trilogy, and it seems that Kleypas has no plans to write beyond ‘Smooth Talking Stranger’ - which means that youngest Travis sibling, Joe, will never get his story told.

But the good news is that Kleypas will be writing a new contemporary romance series. Once she puts the ‘Hathaway’ series to bed, Ms. Kleypas will start writing the ‘Friday Harbor’ series – set in San Juan Island, off the Wasington coast.

‘Married by Morning’ comes out May 25th 2010, and ‘Love in the Afternoon’ has a June 29th 2010 release. And Amazon and fantasticfiction both list the new ‘Friday Harbour’ series as having a November 2010 release. Amazon actually has the audiobook (‘Christmas Eve in Friday Harbour’) down as a November 1st release and it’s available for pre-order. So we might get lucky and have 3 Kleypas books out this year!

Diana Gabaldon:

The much-anticipated 7th ‘Outlander’ novel, ‘An Echo in the Bone’, came out September last year. Bad news is there will be another LONG wait for the 8th instalment… Ms. Gabaldon writes big. Her novels are normally 800+ pages and all her background research is done simultaneously with her manuscript writing. The ‘Outlander’ series is currently set during America’s War of Independence – so that means there is a whole heap of research being done. Fans had a four-year wait between novels #6 and #7, and it looks as though we will have to wait another four years for #8. Ms. Gabaldon disucsses the long wait in this blog post.

But on the upside, Diana Gabaldon is releasing an Outlander Graphic Novel this year (September 28th)! And by ‘graphic novel’ I mean ‘comic book’, so don’t get your hopes up thinking this is an interim novella. It is called ‘The Exile’ will be set during the timeline of the first Outlander book. A good chunk of the story will be told from the perspective of Murtagh (Jamie’s loyal sidekick) but Jamie and Claire will feature heavily. The graphic novel is being illustaretd by the fantastic Hoang Nguyen and Gabaldon has 4 excerpts up on her website. The novel is available for pre-order from Amazon.

Ms. Gabaldon is also working on more ‘Lord John’ books (a spin-off ‘Outlander’ series) and she is releasing a short-story called ‘A Leaf in the Wind’ to appear in the anthology ‘Star Crossed Lovers’. The short story is all about Roger Wakefield’s parents (there have been hints in the ‘Outlander’ series that Roger’s father was also a time-traveller). Ms. Gabaldon discusses the anthology in this post.

Ms. Gabaldon is also writing a second 'Companion' novel to the 'Outlander' series (a sort of lexicon). She asked fans for suggestions on what to discuss in the Companion: here. Gabaldon is currently working on the Companion novel, but there will be a LOT to fit in there. Presumably it will be released before book #8 - but who knows?

And as to an ‘Outlander’ movie adaptation… nothing seems to be happening. The rights have been sold to ‘Essential Pictures’ and Ms. Gabaldon confirmed that Randall Wallace (the same guy who wrote ‘Braveheart’) was adapting the screenplay… but despite rumours of a Keira Knightley/James McAvoy casting, it looks like things are stagnate. Though there is a (slim) chance it will still hit cinemas in 2011.

Richelle Mead:

2010 is another big year for Ms. Mead. The 5th 'Georgina Kincaid' book is being released March 30th, and the 5th 'Vampire Academy' May 18th.

But 2010 will see no new 'Dark Swan' book. Ms. Mead explained on her blog that because both a 'VA' and 'Georgina' book are being released this year, her publishers thought it would be best to push 'Iron Crowned' (the 3rd 'Dark Swan' book) back to 2011 so that she would have an opportunity to do a book tour. It's very sad and frustrating, especially because fans know that 'Iron Crowned' is finished and ready to go and the only thing holding it back are the PR department.

But it could be a good thing. 'Vampire Academy' is by far Mead's most popular series, but 'Georgina' also has a loyal following. 'Iron Crowned' probably would have turned into Mead's ugly yokel cousin in comparison to those two book releases. At least with a 2011 release date Mead can do proper PR for 'Iron Crowned' and maybe generate some needed publicity for 'Dark Swan'... the series deserves the same status that 'VA' and 'Georgina' have found, because it is just as brilliant.

And on a happier note - Mead was initially only contracted for 3 'Dark Swan' books, but a fourth title has been added to her booklist! Yay!

Patricia Briggs:

I think I can speak for *everyone* when I say the 5th 'Mercy Thompson' book is much anticipated. If you're like me, you just about pee your pants every time you realize how very close we are to 'Silver Borne's' March 30th release date. *squee!*

Unfortunately for Briggs fans, 'Silver Borne' will have to tide us over for quite some time... Originally 2010 was also supposed to see the release of the 3rd 'Alpha and Omega' book - continuing Charles & Anna's story in the 'Mercy' universe. That release has been pushed back to 2011 because Ms. Briggs has been given the opportunity to re-release one of the books in her backlist.

'Masques' was originally published in 1993 and by all accounts it wasn't a success, and has since been out of print. Patricia Briggs didn't really find fame until 2006 with her first Mercy book 'Moon Called'. But now that Briggs has established a name (and fan-following) for herself, she has the luxury of being able to go back and make some edits to her first publication. I imagine 'Masques' is being re-released because the book does have elements that will appeal to 'Mercy' fans. The story has 'Mage' ('Magi'), shapechangers and a companion Wolf. All are plot-points that Mercy fans will no doubt be intrigued by... The re-released 'Masques' will be coming out Winter 2010 and a previously unpublished sequel 'Wolfsbane' will also be released.

The third 'Alpha and Omega' will now be coming out in 2011, the same year as the sixth 'Mercy' book... which also has a name. 'River Marked'. So, enjoy 'Silver Borne' while it lasts.