Song of the Mysteries Status Updates

Congratulations on your achievement Ms Wurts, in spite of seemingly myriad obstacles you’ve overcome through the years.

What an auspicious start to the New Year!

Congratulations!!! A tangible reason to celebrate.

Julie

Here is a photo that Janny wanted to share of her writing space on the morning after. It appears that her cat is about to attempt an unsanctioned lane transfer from a focus circle.

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Happy dancing is happening in my house!!!

Wonderful news to start the year with! You’ve done an admirable job to tie up a series after many decades & I can’t wait to be able to read it, though I know the timeline depends on editing & on your publisher’s schedule.

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Janny,
I have been a long time lurker here. I love this series of books that , I can tell, you have put your heart and soul into. Now that you have completed this epic journey, I think this is the perfect time to chime in and just say thank you so much for this story. I have read and re-read this series, because this story is so complex. I love complex stories, especially complex fantasy. Congratulations on completing this series, what an accomplishment.!

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WHOOOOOOOHOOO!
What a great way to start a new year. Thanks Janny!
Can you confirm - which edition earns best for the author? Print or e-book?
I’m probably going to end up buying both but it would be good to know, to better support authors.
With appreciation,
Viva

Congratulations!

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Overwhelming to see the responses here! Thank you, it means the world.

To the question asked what does better for the author: just buy the book in whatever format you prefer! Publishers count numbers…and numbers determine what they do next, always.

If you read a book from a library, that is excellent too. Legitimate second hand books are fine also. If that is what your budget can handle, OK, because at one point, somebody bought that book new.

The only thing hurts an author is illegal downloads - yes, it matters - or ‘sales’ of advance reading copies that were meant for reviewers/promotion.

Now, you want to know what is going on? I’ve been working with the completed draft to clean up areas that required sharpened focus, and fixing little things that were hand marked on printout or else sticky notes to ‘fix this’ bit, tagged as I went along. this is for the editor’s read of the completed draft for story edit, which is scheduled to begin on Monday.

I will have a photo of the ‘cleaned up’ pile of pages - the entire thing! - very soon. The studio is a lot more picked up, no more heaped up papers and sticky piles of notes. It’s all in good shape - for the Long Grind - end to end trim and polish, with editor letter for story in hand.

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Here’s another image from Janny’s (now tidy) studio, showing the current height of the printed manuscript draft.

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That’s an exciting view! I’m reading Grand Conspiracy at the moment. Every book so far has been a winner. WoLaS is a great series and I’m stepping in at a very fortuitous moment.

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Dear Ms. Wurts (Janny),

I wanted to post and express my heartfelt thanks for all your time and commitment to this series. I lurked on the forums over the years, even posted once or twice on the old forum, but as tWoLaS raps up, I wanted to do more than just lurk.

You have crafted an enthralling saga that has all the action one could ask for, but a depth that is rare.

I started reading the series in February 1994, and eagerly awaited the publishing of each new book. I have everything in hardcover (with SF, I have the trade paperback and a small format hardcover that I found at a WHSmith bookstore in the UK). I sometimes still get confused on the number of books, as Ships/Warhost for me are a single hardcover book.

Starting last fall, I began purchasing the series in e-book format - didn’t want to abuse my precious hardcovers - and rereading it. I just finished today. Wow!!! What an amazing journey!!! Some of the earlier books were difficult, knowing what was coming. There were many times the words on the page blurred as tears rolled down my cheeks.

I have everything you’ve published (at least to my knowledge), and thoroughly enjoyed it all, but as you have said, this story is something special.

I can’t thank you enough for your gift to me and your other readers, for the quality of the writing, the creativity and depth to the story, and your commitment and integrity to see it all brought to light. Thank you for staying the course and sticking to your guns!!!

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Wow, what a lovely, uplifting post!

I am more than ever excited for you to see the finale volume, and trust that you have found the satellite shorts that will expose the facets coming up with deeper clarity.

I wish I had news of a pub date for you, but - not yet. Waiting on the editor to read the manuscript in house and have ‘that discussion’ on the timing.

While waiting I have been working up the glossary - with extreme care given, lots of historical detail and little gems. Makes me want to write some epic poetry from the First and Second Ages…a lot of compiled notes with tick marks that could become short stories later.

Meanwhile, thank you so much for warming my heart, I deeply appreciate your taking your time to write and post here!

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Yes, have followed your series since 1997 when I found the first few books on a shelf of a friend’s house.
I hope the renovations go as easily as possible - and savour the implication that more writing will follow, but hopefully after a rest from finishing this behemoth of a series… what a feat.

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Congratulations :partying_face:. I can’t wait to read it. Planning on starting to read the whole series from the beginning (once again) and this time getting to finish off with the finale. Hurrah :smiley:.

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Hi janny, I can’t believe it. Congratulations and many huge thank you’s for continuing and reaching this stage. I am jumping up and down for joy, and am so excited that the publishing time is closer (sad as well though, as the story will be over but still can’t wait). I have been reading your story about arithon and lysaer for so long. I’m like a little child on Christmas Eve waiting for Santa.
With much admiration to you. Thank you!!!

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An update from Twitter:
https://twitter.com/JannyWurts/status/1525235320207310849

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Hi Janny:

Thanks for the update. It has been very quiet on this site. Perhaps a new sneak peek to get the conversation flowing again??

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Janny how soon after Song of the Mysteries is released will we be able to buy that print of Arithon on that stormy beach? And if you can say, what book would that art have been used as a cover if the character cover art was still being used? Will we be able to purchase it as a dust jacket for our hardback?

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For those wondering about the Arithon painting I am referring to, it is this one seen in 2012, of a scene we have not seen yet in the books. I have a space reserved for it on my wall. :slight_smile:

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