I've been gone for so long, I don't even know who's still here any longer! WOW.
It seems we all need breaks from the blogging/tweeting/posting once in a while.
And it's not a surprise that I'm now so out of touch. New books. New authors. It seems so much time has passed.
Hey, Gary...it has indeed been nearly a decade since we first graced Dag's shores. Like most of us, life tends to prevent me from being a regular here like I was, but I still try to drop by a few times a month.
So much has changed since 2001...
Any plans, out of curiosity, to return to the forum, Gary?
I've been so busy with so many things. It's been difficult to carve out the time to post here, though I miss everyone dearly.
I'm currently working with the illustrator of a new picture book I wrote, and the artist is awestome! It's turing out better than I imagined. I also just had a children's mystery of mine made available on the Kindle, along with the first four GemQuest books.
In addition, my business had been demanding more and more of my time, as I became an advisory board member of the CFDA, and a mentor for the Fashion Incubator in NYC. Tonight I'm teaching a class as a guest lecturer at Fordham Law School in their newly opened Fashion Law Institute. I'm also on Senator Gillibrand's Fashion Industry Working Group, pursuing means and ideas of saving the garment center in NYC.
So, as I said, I've been really busy. BUT.....
I'm writing every day and I should be finished with book V of GemQuest soon. It's the last one in this series!!
I miss you all.
So, not busy at all these days, eh?
You better get that fifth book done, sir.
I remember these forums. I lurk here now and again and recognize almost no one, but times change and places we post have changed as well I'm sure. I tweet more (@JRMurdock) and I'm on facebook more (J. R. Murdock) and I have a new website http://jrmurdock.com (and I'm still at http://ofgnomesandwarves.com). I found a couple people from here on twitter, but not many.
I miss you guys. We need to start a new thread for the old gang and round everyone up and get caught up
And yes, Gary, you NEED to do book 5!
I've pretty much finished it. But you know, I've gotten kind of depressed about the whole process. We all tend to gravitate to those areas where we attain the most success, and to tell the truth, I was never really able to gain a large enough audience for my books for them to really make any kind of difference. Writing a series, or any novel for that matter, is a long and painstaking process. It takes a lot out of the author. I wrote quite a few books over all these years, both for adults and for children, and they were always well reviewed, but in the end, my fantasy series was like a tree falling in an empty forest. There was no one there to hear it, so I started to wonder if it ever really made a sound at all.
My fantasy publisher was never very good. Never promoted the books, couldn't afford to deliver enough to the chain stores, couldn't create any marketing plan, couldn't really bring my books to the public. I defended them for years, but the fact remains, they weren't very good. They still publish the first four, and I have no choice but to give them the fifth when it's fully complete. So that too will cry out to be heard in a room of deaf people.
My writing's gotten better with each book. I'm very proud of that. My story evolved. My characters were real to me and to those loyal readers who did get to know them. I wrote about ideas that impassioned me, that meant so much to me. I wrote about issues I struggled with and still struggle with. I created a world I love, and every time I enter it I'm deeply moved. I loved every minute of writing this series, and I'm sad that it just about over.
To be honest, my editor's been out of commission for 16 months too, for very personal reasons. I'm waiting for her to tell me she can begin again on the last book. So it's still a ways away from being published, but it's very close to being complete.
The publishing world is in disarray. Bookstores are fading fast and though all my books are available on the Kindle and other digital platforms, they get lost amid the millions of books published now, along with the books of so many far more brilliant authors than I.
I also must admit that I was just a bit shattered when a close friend and colleague of mine told me that my books 'just weren't his cup of tea'. Well, ****, not everything can be appealing to everyone, and honesty is the best way to deal with friends. Nonetheless, I was deeply hurt, and his comments took the wind out of me for quite some time.
I'm confessing....
I'm letting it all out after so many years....sorry.
You see, I don't really care any longer. I've always had multiple careers, so in a sense, writing was more of a choice for me than for most. And my other careers have taken over my time. I write for them more frequently than I write for a fantasy readership now. Though the passion has not left me, my time is much more in demand in other areas, and frankly, the gratification in those areas if far greater than it ever was in the fantasy book world. I was never able to write something because and editor or agent asked me to. I was not interested. I had something to say and I wanted to say it my way. Consequently I did and not that many people had the opportunity to read it, to even know it existed at all, for me to ever feel satisfied. After all, authors write to be read. Our validation comes from our readers.
Everyone here has been great. This was always a fabulous forum and I loved all the time I spent here, and all the great friends I made. No regrets.
And when I do finally publish When Monsters Call Out The Names of Men, I'll let everyone here know, and I'll come back for your opinions and your encouragement and your criticism.
Thanks.
Gemquest Love
Mr. Wassner:
I registered today for the sole purpose of posting what I could in the way of encouragement.
"The Twins" grabbed me like no other book has done in a long time, and I steamrolled through the next three, as well. I bought them all, and re-bought the Kindle editions when they became available on Amazon (I sadly note they are no longer there, which I hope bodes well for your search for an alternate publisher, as opposed to being an ill-omen of things to come - or not to come).
I believe your Gemquest series will stand the test of time, and surely be judged one day as being amongst the greatest epic fantasy works ever. I only hope that this happens in your lifetime (too many artists are recognized for their greatness only after they are lost to us).
The lushness of your arboreal world, the characters (and their development), the plotting and pacing all exhibit the marks of genius, and draw the reader readily and easily into your story. Your contribution to the canon of fantasy literature deserves more recognition, and I hope it is forthcoming.
I understand how pointless it might all seem at times, but know this: for every vocal naysayer, there are probably one hundred silent admirers. I'm posting here to let you know I am firmly in the latter camp.
I compulsively check back here, week after week, hoping for some glimmer of hope for the arrival of book five. It's a kind of trepidatious hope, for the end of the story will mean the end of the story. I hope that you can rediscover the joy that I know this series must have brought to you, at least initially.
I assure you: your books are quite a large number of peoples' cup of tea. And this isn't Lipton we’re talking: it's a fine Lung Ching (Dragon Well): rich, green, restorative, and beautiful. Don't give up. Know that your books, your characters, your world are loved. Whether the final (?) book is released or not, you've enriched the lives of countless readers, and we will always love YOU for that.
Thanks for the kind words of encouragement! I can't tell you how good it is to receive them. I take my work very seriously and it's really wonderful to know that some of my readers do as well.
As far as the fifth book, I am working on it. I have not put it to the side or forsaken it. It's on my mind all the time.
I am publishing this season two children's mysteries which will be coming out soon. I know it's not what you want to hear, but first things first.
I have signed with a new publisher. The books are currently being edited and will be available in all formats in the spring! That's really good news for me!!
As soon as they're available again I promise I will complete the few remaining chapters of book V. They, naturally, are the hardest of all to complete, but i'm determined to finish this in the best way possible.
Don't lose hope. And thanks again.
It's been some time, Mr. Wassner. How've you been? Where's book 5? How's tricks? What else have you been up to? Don't be a stranger. Where's book 5? How's things with the publisher. Have you had rights reverted back to you? Where's book 5?
I mean... I was there at the beginning when you explained that your first draft of book 1 was one LONG paragraph. How you worked hard to fine tune it. The time you spent with Scott Bakker to hone your craft.
And now we continue to wait. I understand that it fell. That really sucks. I wish there was more that I could do.
I also looked on Amazon and the print books appear to be used only and there are no kindle editions. It seems the publisher has lost interest. My person opinion, send them a letter. Give them 30 days to respond or you take all rights back to your books. Then re-release them on your own. That's my opinion. Your publisher doesn't seem to have a desire to continue with them and they are truly a rare gem among so much fodder.
Here's hoping something happens in 2013
Hey JR!! Book 5 is definitely coming. But not that soon. Sorry. As far as the first four in the series, your timing is very good. I just received all four manuscripts back from my new publisher. They edited them twice and now it's my final chance to proof them all before they go up on the new site and before they're available again in print. I just started working on them last week. The hard part is NOT giving in to rewriting too much. Book 1, The Twins, was written so long ago. I'm tempted to re-write the entire book, but of course I can't. Anyway, the final corrections should take until the New Year. I hope no longer. Then my publisher will make them available soon thereafter.
Book 5 has to wait until these are back up and avaiable. But Book 5 is just about done anyway.
I have two children's mysteries about to be released. They should be out by the New Year as well. The illustrator is finishing up the drawings on the second one now.
And how are you????
Gary,Originally Posted by Gary Wassner
You're missed here. I'm glad things are looking better for you on the writing front.
Radone
Well, the Candle Rock Mystery and The Mystery of the Presidential Papers have both been released! Check them out on Kindle, Nook and iTunes (should be available there too by now). I know they aren't Fantasy but they're good! I promise. If you have kids who are of reading age, let them take a stab at my series.
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