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“Whoa there Neddy,”
I hear you mutter as you put two and two together and aren’t quite sure you’ve come up with the right answer. “Why are you giving away this book?.... Wait… wait… is it actually an entire book?”
A fair question. I am a dodgy as fuk cur, but even I’m not going to try and hand off a short story as a book. If memory serves, it is around 120,000 words. So fairly close to Spark City.
But Better.
Way better.
Eddie Vedder Better.
Did you just say that out loud and get tongue tied? Cos I did, but I am an idiot who gives out free books like a sucker, so what do I know?
“Come on,”
I hear you enquire as you read through the fine print looking for a catch. “You can be honest. It is a bit shit of a read, isn’t it?”
No, it’s not shit, you bollox. Fuk off away with that talk.
“It’s alright, you can tell us,” I hear you say suspiciously, because nothing in life is for free and you have been talking to your friends about this proposal, and they are inclined to agree with you, that it is definitely a shit book that I’m trying to pawn off on you.
“Did early edits proved it was a steaming pile of no no clumps? And… and… and are you just desperately trying to find any way to move some units, like Sony are attempting to do with Concord?”
Nope, nope, fuken nope.
It’s all good.
All cool and the gang, in fact.
In fact, a few lucky souls have gotten their hand on the early, early edition and said it’s possibly my best book.
I’ll be honest, I really want to agree. I loved writing this monster. I really did. I will probably always believe that Actions of Gods is my Magnus opus, however, I just think this book is a little cooler.
Ooh yeah.
That is the perfect description for Raven Rock.
A cool book.
I also believe it will be your book of the year.
(As if Actions of Gods didn’t already get that title.)
“Fine, we give up. Why are you doing this?” I hear you cry as you give in to my kindness, fall in line, like good little sycophants who know their place.
Let’s be honest here.
Because I rarely am.
I love you guys and I want to (for lack of a better term) reward you for being fans. I’m also hoping to offer it to any new fans coming in, so hey, if it gets me more of you amazing lunatics I am thrilled. Without going into specifics, we agonized about making it free completely in the hope of getting attention, but we decided (and rightly so) that ONLY
the fans should get it free. Everyone else can buy it at the usual stores.
Or join my mail list, enjoy the carnage, and get a free book out of it.
It’s also my way of apologising for missing out on deadlines with books, but also with the late emails I get out. I swear to the absent gods, that most of my popularity comes from this dreaded email. I love doing it, I swear I do.
Mostly.
It really is also a little gift to me. Or should I say, someone who thinks like me where books are concerned. There are some book series’ that I’ve read again and again. They’ve become like friends to me over the years, and the only real crime they ever do is finish up (I’m looking at you, Rothfuss). Raven Rock is a little reminder that though the Spark series is over, it doesn’t have to end. Raven Rock is a little tonic after saying goodbye to some amazing characters and epic adventures. It is what I as a reader, would have loved of some books. I would have loved a few of my favourite authors to do as much. Just ease the pain, drop me back in a world I love, even if it’s a little different. I wanted to give a little joy and I wanted to do it without presenting it as a money grab for fans desperate to keep the badger party going. It is also a book that takes some great parts of Spark but can be enjoyed as a final in series, a beginning or anywhere in between. It’s like a Spark snuggle when you are tired and in need of a little r and r.
Speaking of r and r.
I am hungover as fuk having celebrated with too much whiskey the completion of Raven Rock last night. The fact that I’m even emailing right now is a mini miracle.
I just want to go to bed and never drink again.
For a week.
Looking through my notes beyond “Hype up free book” they’ve left me no other suggestions apart from “A question from Dave.”
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