Another Farilane Contest

The winners for the last Farilane giveaway were announced and Robin has come up with a cool little idea for the next contest.  Guess the number of downloads!

You see, each month Audible tells us the total number of audiobooks sold, and if you can guess how many that are you can win.  What will you win?

Well, a fan had a great idea to do some really cool custom puzzles - they have Marc Simonetti's artwork on the front and Sarah's Limited Edition Design on the back (on a blue background with a silver foil).

We purchased some of these puzzles and we'll be using them for giveaways.  So, when we get the numbers for the end of June, whoever comes closest (and yes you can go over) will win:

• One of these exclusive puzzles
• A download code to get the audiobook of Farilane

Now, if you already have the audiobook of Farilane, no worries, you can give it to a friend and introduce them to the amazing narration of Tim Gerard Reynolds. And if you aren't an audiobook member, you can still win the audiobook - in other words, no membership is required.

So, go to this link,  enter your guess, and maybe you'll win.  We will close the poll on July 1st, and announce the winner once the numbers come in from Audible. Oh, and here's some data to help you with your choice:

• At the end of May we had 4,735 downloads
• We got as high as #27 across the entire store upon its release
• We are now at #131
• Robin's guess is 15,000

Good Luck!

Update on Farilane Hardcovers

Well, it's been a little over two weeks since Farilane's ebook and audiobook were released, and we've been getting a lot of emails about when the printed books will start shipping. I guess it's time for an update on that.  Let me start by stealing a bit from my wife's post on the Farilane Kickstarter.

To fully explain this I have to talk a bit about the state of printing in 2022.  Back when we started printing books there were many options for printing (well maybe not "many" but certainly more than there are now.  But over the last decade, a lot has happened. 

• Many publishers either went out of business altogether or at least filed for Chapter 11
• One printing organization has "gobbled up" many of the remaining smaller printers.
• Publishers delayed a number of book releases during the pandemic such that the publishers have long "wait queues" that new titles have to wait in before they can get on the press.
• There is only one binder in the entire United States that can do "hubbed spines" and they do a lot of other "premier binding" work so they are quite busy.

Okay, so in late April the book was pretty much done (we were still gathering names for the Kickstarter Backer area) but we knew how many pages the book would wind up at so we could get printer quotes - let's go!

• Printer #1 - who has printed Age of Legend, Age of Death, Age of Empyre, and Nolyn. Came in with a price about 70% higher than I've had to pay in the past, which is a bummer but the real problem was the earliest press time they had was November 4th.  And that date is heavily dependent on paper availability - which is something they have been struggling with a great deal.
  
  
• Printer #2 - bought up the printer that created the Death of Dulgath and The Disappearance of Winter's Daughter.  Their first quote was astronomical.  So they tried "running" the numbers from a different plant that "might be a better fit" and they got better, but still about 50% more than I usually pay. Their "wait time" was better - 60 days, but the special binding would be harder to predict as the one and only binder who pretty swamped so its almost impossible to know until after the books are printed and shipped to them how long they will be sitting and waiting.
  
  
• Printer #3 - I've never used them for printing and binding a book - but I have had dust jackets printed from them. They wouldn't even quote a "full book" production because their queue is just too long and until they get some of their current jobs in.

Okay, so none of those are good options, but I had been contacted by an offshore printer who looked promising. Not only could they do the hubbed spines "in-house" but being in the country where the paper is manufactured means that paper supply isn't nearly as big of a problem as it is for the US companies.  But I worried about the quality.  The good news, is the company was willing to create samples using the exact stock that the books would ultimately be created in. So I thought, let's give it a try.

Now things like the dust jacket and the foil stamps for the spine of the book can't be made until the printer is selected because the "width of the spine" will depend on the paper used. I also wanted to do some "upgrading" (using higher-end papers) because that would help ensure a higher quality book, and if "low quality" was a concern (which it was for Robin), we might as well use "the good stuff" in the hopes of getting a better product.

So, while the samples were being made and shipped to us Robin and I went off to our long-planned vacation of white-water rafting down the Colorado River at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.  After we hiked our way out and flew back home on June 6th the samples arrived the next day. And here they are!

The quality was excellent! Even better than what I've received from the other printers I've used previously.  And since they could get on and off the press in a fraction of the time as the other printers it made total sense to add this new printer to my list of places I can go to for books. So that's exactly what we did!

Now switching printers did result in a little bit of a delay because we had to layout the book a bit differently. Why? Well, these books are "Smyth sewn" rather than "adhesive bound." A sewn book is always better than a glued book and they have the added benefit of "laying flat" when you read them. When you layout an adhesive-bound book you leave a larger margin on the right side of the left-hand page and the left side of the right-hand page. In other words, you leave "more space" near the spine. And because we had intended to do adhesive-bound books, that is the way our original layout was. But when looking at the sample, that extra space wasn't needed so we had to move everything a bit.  This took us about a week to do and proof, but it was time well spent to get a higher-quality binding.

So, the books are due to come off the press on July 25th.  Once they are done, they have to ship to us, and that will take longer than shipping within the US. But even with that extra step, we will get them earlier than printer #2 would have been able to deliver and MUCH earlier than printer #1.

We'll be back with more updates as they get closer to us.  If you want to get the books as fast as you possibly can, I suggest buying them directly from us. Here's why.

• Right now, our store is the ONLY place you can do a pre-order. The pre-order for the stores won't go live until we can guarantee our distributors when they'll have books in hand and then they usually set the pre-order date about 60 days after they have the books. 
  
  
• Both our warehouse and the distributor's warehouse will get the books at essentially the same time,  but we can ship ours as soon as they are in hand and the "retail books" have to get "checked in" at the main distributor, then he pre-orders have to be made, and THEN the books start traveling to the retailer's warehosues and they have to get checked in there And only after that can they start fulfilling their pre-orders
  
  
• All books bought from me will be signed!
  
  
• All books bought from me will have a matching bookmark (also signed)!
  
  
• When buying retail, approximately 80% of the amount you pay goes to other people: the printer, the distributor, and the retailer.  When you buy direct that goes down to about 10% because all we have to pay for is the printer, the credit card company, and pay the labor to package and ship the books. So if you would rather have 90% come to the writer of the tale rather than 20% - then please buy direct!

And that's where we stand. I can't wait for people to start receiving these beautiful books. But supply chain issues are a big problem right now - and probably will be for some time to come.

Esrahaddon - Most Popular Book of July 2023

Now that Farilane is out of our hands (audiobook and ebook released, hardcover with the printer and waiting for it to come off the press), we turn our attention to Esrahaddon (the last book of the trilogy.  For those that don't know, it's my longest work yet.  Usually, I write 110,000 - 140,000 words per novel but Esrahaddon is 275,000 words long - so it'll be twice the fun, right?

Robin is going through her alpha read of the book now, and so far so good. She's noted a few little "minor tweaks but nothing earth-shattering. The plan is to have the book released next summer - so the clock is ticking.

It looks like a lot of people are excited about this one, we have more than 2,100 people on Goodreads who have shelved it.  That's enough people to make it the #1 most popular book to release in July 2023 month.

And that works out to be the 69th most popular book for the entire year. Not too shabby. Now, as other books posted, we are sure to slide from those enviable spots - but if you happen to have a Goodreads account, please go here and click "want to read" and that will help us help other people find out about the book.

Farilane hits the Top 10 List

I actually saw this news a few days ago from the Associated Press (and picked up by a bunch of other outlets like the San Francisco Chronicle and ABC News), but I didn't have time to post about it.

Anyway, Farilane hit the Top 10 Bestselling Audible Books for the week of June 12th!

Robin and I would like to thank everyone who pre-ordered Farilane or picked it up during its first week on sale. That's how this kind of thing happens.

As someone who has been a bit of a trailblazer when it comes to embracing audiobooks in general, and doing so as an indie author in particular I want to note that there is a good crop of indies in this group, including the #1 book - which is absolutely killing it.  Craig Alanson's latest in the very popular ExForce series has 2,552 ratings (as compared to Farilane's 445, so people are just gobbling that book up!

Anyway, if you like supporting authors who blaze their own path and are going the independent route, here are some in the Top 10 to check out:

• #1 - Match Game by Craig Alanson
• #8 - House of Blades by Will Wight (which is free, you don't even need a credit)
• #10 - Farilane by Michael J. Sullivan

Also, Colleen Hoover is on the list. This particular book is published through Amazon's Romance Imprint, so not a true "indie, (and she is also publishing these days through a Simon and Schuester imprint) but Colleen was also a trailblazer of the indie author movement so it's worth giving her a shout out as well.

Winners of the Farilane Audiobook Giveaway

 Hey all, Robin here.

Our thanks to the 259 people who signed up for the drawing to win a copy of the Farilane Audiobook.  The winners are:

• Suzanne from New York
• Ella from Arizona
• Russell from New Jersey

Each of you has been sent a download code to redeem your copy.  Check your email for the subject: Congratulations, you one an audiobook of Farilane.  And, yes I now realize the typo in that but when I was typing the subject I was thinking "you are one of the winners" - sorry about that.  My mind is not what it used to be.

For those that didn't win.  No worries, we will be doing a few more drawings in the coming weeks, so you are still entered.  

If you didn't enter but want to be eligible for the next drawing, here is the link.  As you can see from the screenshot above, people enjoy the book.  A 4.9 rating with 335 people weighing in!

Here are some of the things that people are saying:

WOW!   •  I have no words. Just read.

An absolute joy   •  SUPERB!

Amazing!  • Heartbreakingly Spectacular

Exceptional  • One of his best works yet

It was emotional, funny, and entertaining  • PERFECT!

Author Interview

As part of Farilane's release, Audible conducted an interview with me.

In it, I answer the following questions:

• Do listeners need to be familiar with Nolyn to enjoy Farilane?
• What was your favorite part of the story to explore and to write?
• Many early listeners have told us that Farilane as a character is especially compelling, and she has exceptionally lively dialogue. How did she come to you during the writing process?
• Tim Gerard Reynolds, who narrated Nolyn, returns to voice Farilane. What made you choose him to perform this series?
• What do you hope listeners take away from Farilane?
• I love the Teshlor, now the Teshlor Knights. Will they be in the final story of the trilogy?

If you want to enter a drawing for a chance to win an audio download of Farilane you can do so here. The drawing will be tomorrow at midnight.

And last but not least...here is the marketing copy for Farilane to whet your appetite:

SOME TRUTHS ARE DANGEROUS, CERTAIN SECRETS BEST CONCEALED,  

AND ONE STORY NEVER SHOULD HAVE BEEN WRITTEN AT ALL.

Being an unwanted twin in the Imperial line of succession, Farilane became a scholar, adventurer, and in a time when reading was once more forbidden - a book hunter. Her singular obsession is finding the mythical Book of Brin, a tome not just lost but intentionally buried. Respected and beloved by the Teshlor Knights, not even their legendary skills can protect her for what she finds is more dangerous than what she sought.

From the three-time New York Times best-selling author Michael J. Sullivan, Farilane is the second novel in the Rise and Fall Trilogy. This latest set of stories sits snugly between Legends of the First Empire and the Riyria books (Revelations and Chronicles). With this tale, Michael continues his tradition of unlikely heroes who must rise to the call when history knocks, demanding to be let in. This series will conclude in the summer of 2023 with the release of Esrahaddon, the final piece in a narrative that began in 2008 and contains 19 full-length novels spread across four series.

And if that's not enough to give it a try, check out some of the comments from recent reviews:

This by far is my favorite of ALL his works   •  Fantastic!

WOW!   •  I have no words. Just read.

An absolute joy   •  SUPERB!

Amazing!  • Heartbreakingly Spectacular

Exceptional  • One of his best works yet

It was emotional, funny, and entertaining  • PERFECT!

Awesome  • Heartbreakingly Spectacular

I have the coolest fans ever - here's why

 

I'm always amazed by the generosity of people who read my books. There are many examples of their big hearts. Here are just a few:

• The fact that so many people "buy direct" means that I keep a higher % of what they pay (since all the middlemen are eliminated).  We are just a few days into Farilane's release but more than 4,000 people have bought the book directly from me (either through the Kickstarter or the pre-order store). The result is an "advance" that is greater than a publisher would pay me -- by a LONG margin. It also means that a large number of people take it on faith that I will provide them with a good read, and this trust in my work is extremely appreciated.
  
  
• The BEST thing people do is recommend the books to others. It's been over 15 years since the release of The Crown Conspiracy (Book #1 of The Riyria Revelations and now published under the omnibus book Theft of Swords). Because of this "word-of-mouth" advertising, my books have had amazingly long legs.  What does that mean?  That even after all that time, the early books are still selling extremely well. Every six months I receive royalty checks from my "backlist," and even if I never wrote a single new word, I could live comfortably on this "residual income." But don't worry - I have no plans to stop writing new stuff. Yeah, I'm getting old and books take longer than they once did, but creating them is what I love to do the most.
  
  
• Speaking of the backlist. It's also apparent that I have extremely "faithful readers" - people who aren't just "one-and-done," but those who discover one of my books and then go on to buy all the others - even though it means jumping into new series with different characters than they first fell in love with. I won't lie, it was a risky pursuit to step away from a proven winning formula rather than writing exclusively Royce and Hadrian stories. But these days I have just as many people starting with Legends and going to Riyria. When I receive letters from people who say they will buy anything I write, it tells me they like me, they really, really like me. And while I'm always focused on "writing a book I want to read" it's good to know that my scribblings have connected with others.
  
  
• People who leave reviews on sites like Goodreads, Amazon, Audible, and Barnes and Noble. My wife has in the past (and is starting to resume again now that things are starting to get back to normal), taught courses to authors on the business of writing. She does these for free - her way of helping others receive the success that I have benefited from. One of the things she emphasizes is how important independent third-party opinions are to a successful writing career. There are many people who are not willing to be the "guinea pig" so they wait to hear what others are saying about the book.  After seeing a number of positive reviews it gives these people the courage to stop sitting on the fence and give the books a try. Any review, yes even the negative ones, is a help. People know that individual tastes are subjective, but a book with no (or few) reviews is even worse.  With each release, we sit on pins and needles as the reviews slowly trickle in. 
  
  
• People who reread the books - more and more I'm hearing from readers who haven't just read the books once, but multiple times.  This is a huge time investment, and I personally think my stories are even better the second (or third) time around. Why?  Well, there are a ton of Easter eggs and secrets woven throughout - and even across the series. A first reading (before you know where the book is heading) will miss many of these little "winks and nods to people in the know" and re-reading (once everything is revealed) will give a much richer experience and shed new light on scenes. Writing in these interconnections is one of the things I enjoy the most, but it's only those who take the time to do a re-read who will notice them. Finding out that so many people are willing to spend the extra time lets me know that "added effort" was not a waste of my time.

• People become invested far beyond anything I would have expected. Recently I received an amazing stained-glass window. It's a one-of-a-kind work of art, and it took hundreds of hours to produce (and not a trivial amount of money in materials).  Tammie and Mike even delivered it (and Tammie has spent uncountable hours as a beta reader for my books).  While this is amazing in its own right - It's not the only instance. Above our pellet stove is a beautiful piece of antique wood that has an engraving with a favorite quote from my books.  I also have received a framed silk screen of my "author logo" that hangs behind my desk, and I hand-blown hourglass made by a master glass-smith.  To list all the amazing gifts would take far too long - this is just a small sampling and it indicates that people love the work so much that it inspires their own creative pursuits - and what's more they are generous enough to send them to us!  And no, this isn't a plea for more gifts - but it's just one of the reasons why I appreciate my readers so very much.
  
  

All of the above is just a preamble to what I really came here for.  Yesterday I ran across a book trailer that was created by a fan. It's...well...amazing! 

 

It's just one of many videos on the channel Riyria Explained.  If you aren't already a subscriber - please join.  The above video is so professional! And what's even better are the other videos that provide a deep dive into the books and pick out many of the little connections that I spoke about earlier. All the work that has gone into these videos is tremendous - and they are well worth your time if you are that avid reader that has picked up all the books - but if you haven read widely - be warned - there are tons of spoilers in the "non book trailer" videos.

Well, those are just some of the reasons I'm so grateful to you all. I'll do my best to keep the books coming and hopefully you'll continue to rea them.