Archefire Newsletter - October 2024
Strap in, lads and lasses. This month is going to be a wild ride. No point beating around the bush – let's jump right in!
Grave of the Waiting... complete!
Your eyes do not deceive you. The homepage progress bars tell not a lie. Grave of the Waiting is almost ready to go out the door! I got the manuscript back from Sarah Chorn a few weeks back and, after marveling at the waterfall of praise in her edit letter, got to work fixing it up.
There was shockingly little to do apart from line edits to sharpen up the prose and tightening a few sections that needed clarity. In Sarah's words, "this edit pass just added a little shine to what’s already diamond bright."
Sarah also gave me the best feedback I've ever received:
It's the perfect compliment and also the perfect insult, absolutely glorious. Spot on, too. Things are not easy for Ada and the Dauntless crew, to put it mildly!
Now Sarah's work is complete, and I need your help! It's time to prime the engines, clear the launch zone, and let this story fly.
FROM DARKNESS THEY CALLED. FROM RUIN WE ANSWERED.
Humanity's extinction is just around the corner, Ada Bryce is sure of it. When the Chain's virtual reality is indistinguishable from real life, why not choose to remain shackled? It's easy to put Earth's slow decay out of mind when distracting simulations are available with no more than a thought. Struggling to find purpose in this collapsing world, all Ada can do is make sure her own family's energy needs are taken care of until death inevitably claims everyone she loves.
Only, she's failing as a mathematician, she's already failed as a mother, and she's given up trying to escape the tragic memories that haunt her. So, when she's offered the chance to leave Earth while ensuring her family has the energy they need to survive, Ada seizes it and embarks on a dangerous mission. She travels to a rogue planet with four other volunteers: an Energy War veteran, a zealous psychonaut, a no-nonsense scientist, and the world-renowned founder of the Unity, the organization sponsoring the mission.
However, the Unity's founder is far from trustworthy. The rest of Ada's crew are unaware of the true purpose of their mission. And on this journey, they will learn that Earth is far from the worst place in the solar system. As firmly as Ada believes her home planet is beyond saving, it may be worth fighting for after all, for when she and her fellow crewmates step foot on a new planet, their presence awakens old life.
Life that calls out and seeks to reconfigure the Earth for itself.
Sign up to be an early reader for the new edition of Grave of the Waiting! Anybody who leaves a review by launch day will receive a paperback signed by me, available worldwide. When is launch day, you ask? 👁️👄👁️
What an excellent question. I completely automated the distribution of review copies for To Burn All Belief — if you signed up, you got a copy! All you had to do was click a link. This time is going to be a bit different. You see, early readers for Grave of the Waiting are going to have to keep a secret (two, actually!), so I've got to be sure I can trust you. That means limited space, so if you wait to sign up, you'll be digging your own grave!
Remember, this ain't a story for the faint of heart. Perfect for the season!
To Burn All Belief... audiobook!
More exciting news this month—To Burn All Belief is coming to audiobook! Mark your calendars for October 22, 2024. Preorder the book on Audible by going to joshse.com/tbab.
I've also prepared an audio sample page so you can listen while reading along, to get a taste of Danny Gavigan's excellent voice acting for the Second Dance of the Sibling Suns.
Danny and everyone at Podium knocked it out of the park again! Just as with the first book, hearing it performed on audio is absolutely the best way to experience the Sibling Suns series. Even better if you read along with a paperback or a Kindle using WhisperSync!
Back in stock!
I've got copies of An Ocean of Others and To Burn All Belief ready to be signed and go out from the Archefire Store! Signed copies are the same price as paperbacks on Amazon, and shipping is free in the US!
I thought it might be interesting to share some behind-the-scenes info on how that works. Some people think buying directly from the author means the author gets more money in their pocket, and it's a way to avoid supporting Amazon. As it turns out, both of those depend on the situation. Here's how the costs break down for me:
Comparison of costs between Archefire Store and Amazon (US)
Selling on Amazon, they first take 40% of the paid price ($6.00 for AOOO, $7.20 for TBAB) as their distribution fee. Printing costs are subtracted from the remaining 60%. Whatever is left over is my royalty ($1.86 for AOOO, $2.59 for TBAB).
Selling on my own store, I buy the books from Amazon and they charge me for printing, shipping, and tax. When the book is sold, I pay to ship it to you.
If I sell An Ocean of Others through my store, I make a little bit less than on Amazon. For To Burn All Belief, I make a little more than on Amazon. Both are profitable with slim margins, so I don't really worry about which nets slightly more. I wouldn't want you to worry about that either, as a customer.
Selling on Amazon is much simpler to manage. I don't have to reinvest profits to maintain stock or package and ship each book. But then I don't get to personalize the book, connect with you, give you a better experience as a reader. It's more work, but it's also more rewarding!
Monthly Giveaway
Last month's question was about your favorite novellas! Lots of great recommendations in there, some of which I've read. The Fall by Ryan Cahill, The Deep by Rivers Solomon, and one I'd love to get to soon: A Necromancer Called Gam Gam by Adam Holcombe. Solid picks all around!
The prize last month was an indie novella – let's see who's won it!
Congratulations Alice! I'll send you a message so you can pick out a new novella! 🥳
This month, there can only be one question. The obvious one.
What is the best audiobook you've ever listened to?
Audiobook performances are such an art form. The best of them can be like listening to a one-man or one-woman stage play. Some incorporate special effects, like Rocky's speech in Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary. I'm so grateful Podium found such an incredible narrator as Danny Gavigan for the Sibling Suns series. Naturally, this month's prize will be a copy of To Burn All Belief from Audible.
/* Side note: I recently learned that there's no possible way to gift an audiobook across Audible marketplaces. From the US to Australia, for instance. What gives, Amazon!? That's insanely horrible. I would understand if the marketplace didn't have the book, but this is true even for books confirmed to be available in both regions. This seems like something they need to add immediately. What's getting in the way here? Region-specific publisher deals? I'm baffled. */
Nazgul, Lord of Minas Morgul
Our lovable little Schnauzer is feeling much better after recovering from his stomach aches.
Lately he's been burning the candle at both ends at daycare, going three times a week and running around like a crazy ghoul. Five minutes after he gets home, he's down for the count.
Unfortunately, he's begun to think the human beds are his. And once he's down, he's hard to get back up.
He has no idea he's about to become a big brother.
Just two months to go until the baby is here! Two more newsletters until everything changes. They're bound to be good ones – the next goes out the day before Election Day here in the US. See you in November (if the world's not on fire)!
Until then, thanks for reading!
— Josh