I’ve sat down to write this blog post a few times, and never quite known what to say, or how to say it. It’s been a crazy rough few months in my world. Depending on how you count, we’ve now had 3 or 4 different family emergencies since the beginning of December. I had a nasty flu that knocked me out for more than a week flat on my back.
And Penguin told me that they won’t be buying any more Mindspace books.
I knew that was a possibility. My editor had been good to me in letting me know the lay of the land as early as possible. But I had done everything in my power to write better books, to promote more, and to connect with readers. I had hoped with everything in me that I’d be able to make them change their minds. So it was still a bit of a shock, and a disappointment.
Like I said, it’s been a very, very rough holiday for me, and the writing hasn’t really happened. I’m coming back to work now, but for my sanity I may need to work on another (non-Mindspace) mystery to get my feet back under myself. This will delay things for the next book in the series, guys, and I’m sorry. It will happen, I promise, but it may not be immediate.
I am super committed to my readers and I love you guys. As I said more than once already during the tour for Vacant and other books, I have blocked out at least nine books in the series, and I plan to make good on the whole series. So many of you have reached out over the last two years to say you love the world and the characters, and that’s been incredible. You deserve more books, and you’ll have them. I just need to figure out details of when and how and what. And like I said, I need a little time to figure out me after Life Happened this Christmas.
I am feeling sad but resolute, tired and angry and discombobulated. But mostly I feel grateful, to have such amazing readers. I appreciate you guys, and the books will keep coming.
I am so sorry! I am crying because I can’t believe ROC is this stupid. People love your books, the reviewers love your books, but they did not renew??!! I am sad to say yours is not the first beloved series of mine to have this happen. Before indie publishing, readers were doomed to never know what happened in the worlds we love. It probably does not help to know you have some awesome company; Diana Pharaoh Francis’s Horngate Witches and Kelly Keaton’s Gods and Monsters series immediately come to mind. I will continue to buy and recommend your books however they are published. Publishing companies, and networks, are idiots….one word…Firefly.
You are so kind to say so, Susan.
I’m so sorry you got this bad news – I’m sure it had to be a big disappointment for you! I have to admit – I picked up your first book because of the cover, and the blurb sucked me in. I read the first three books one after the other and the felt like I was going through withdrawal when I had to wait for the fourth one.
On one hand, I want to say – yes, yes, yes, write the rest of the series as an indi – but you also have to keep you eye on your future and continue to build and keep those relationships. It would make me sad if you decided to stop and work on other things, but I would certainly understand. You have to make the career decisions that are best for you.
But if you do decide to write more Mindspace, believe I’ll *be* there, waiting on the edge of my seat for the next one. 😉
So sorry to hear that, really enjoying the books, and hope at the very least you can explore self-publishing, maybe be even better for you that working with a publisher. Either way will keep on reading. Good luck
Why comes immediately to mind is that you should check out what Harry Connelly’ s been doing. I think (hope) it might be a great help. Looking forward to the rest of Mindspace! 🙂
Thank you – I will check him out! 🙂
Wow, family emergencies on top of job stress. My sympathies! I’ll echo the comments from folks re Independent publishing via Amazon. I’ll buy your books.
I’ll also suggest that if you can, set a new series in the same universe, but don’t tell the editors. I think you can do it subtlely enough to slide it past them.
I wish you the best! Good luck!
I am pretty late to the party here, in terms of responding. (1) love the mindspace books. if you never write another, they have been great. (2) that said, please continue the series :)!!! (3) and this should have been #1, take care of family first !, and, finally, (4) know that you are appreciated – persevere (and hopefully we can figure out how to turn that into a business model).
Hang in there, keep writing , considering how much better your books are than a lot of the self published stuff out there , you will find a way.
Dear Alex,
I am very sorry to hear about your recent disappointments and challenges. I know, all too well, what it is like to have multiple hardships hit you all at once…and, I feel for you!! But, as the others on here have said–take care of yourself and your family first…and the rest will work itself out!
I am mid-way through Vacant right now, and I am totally enthralled…as I have been with all of the books in the series up to this point. It was a major shock, therefore, when I just read your blog post, and learned of the bad news, stemming from the terrible decision of your moronic publishers!! 🙁
Your works have quickly become some of my most anticipated reading (or listening!) experiences, and I am thoroughly disappointed to hear that further writings may be delayed! But, I feel that, in the end, the quality of your writings will prevail. And, that with persistence, you will be able to work your way through this temporary setback…and hopefully come out in a better position than before!
Thank you guys so much for your incredible support. It truly means the world to me.