Martha Wells

45. A Raksura Holiday Story

Moon's first clue was the flowers and braided vines appearing in the doorways and balconies looking out onto the central well, but he didn't realize that until later. The Arbora were always experimenting with, and talking about experimenting with, new planting techniques and changes to the decoration of the colony tree's interior. He thought the new greenery was a new semi-permanent additio...

Possibly Good Patreon News

I didn't get an email about this from Patreon -- did you guys?

https://www.theverge.com/2017/12/13/16772556/patreon-drops-service-fee-plan-apology-update

I heard about it from Judith Tarr's Patreon.

Bad Patreon News

I guess everyone has seen the notice from Patreon about the new fee structure.  I wasn't given any notice of it or choice about it, none of the creators whose patreons I contribute to were given any notice or choice about it, and I'd be kind of shocked if any creators knew in advance.  And as usual with something like this, a company makes the decisions and writers and artists and their ...

44. Chime and First in the Reaches

Note:  If you haven't read The Harbors of the Sun yet, this may be a little spoilery.

Chime said under his breath, "I can't believe I agreed to this."

He had underestimated First's hearing ability. Sitting a few paces away, the half-Raksuran dakti said, "You can't believe you're in danger." He jerked his head toward the center of...

A few links and News

I was toastmaster at the World Fantasy Convention in San Antonio this weekend, and here's a few links about it:

A link to the text of the speech I gave at the World Fantasy Awards banquet: https://www.tor.com/2017/11/07/unbury-the-future-mar...

43. On the Trade Road

Riding atop the first wagon with the stranger, Initarin thought they might make the Windcliffs before nightfall and said so. The stranger said, absently, "That would be best."

"Best?" Initarin thought it might be the beginning of a joke. It was a good day for travel, the sky clear of all but a few white clouds, a cool breeze stirring the tree fronds, the sun bright but not too...

Chime Art

Here's Chime, from the set of four character art pieces that Pentapoda drew for me.

42. Malachite and Delin at Indigo Cloud

Delin found Malachite in a little garden on one of the tree's agricultural platforms, sitting near a pool surrounded by a small copse of fruit-heavy trees. Her dark scales were vivid against the green around the pool, and the angular shapes of folded wings and razor-sharp spines. It was what the poets called a "sea-pearl moment," a darkly beautiful set-piece against the endlessly st...

Jade Art

I'm trying to get together a Raksura story for this week, but in the meantime, here's Jade, from the set of four character art pieces that Pentapoda drew for me.  I've used these to make stickers and I'll have some to give out at the World Fantasy Convention in San Antonio this November. 

Three Worlds Story: Found on the Water

Here's something a bit different.  This is a story about Jai and the crew of the wind-ship Escarpment, who live in a different part of the Three Worlds than the Raksura.

There are two previous stories about them, "The Almost-Last Voyage of the Wind-ship Escarpment" from Stories of the Raksura II and "Birthright" in Mech Age of Steel.  This story takes place a...

Updating

I just wanted to post and let everyone know I am planning to do a Raksura story this month.  I just finished the first draft of the fourth Murderbot novella, Exit Strategy, which was due Friday.  It turned out to be a lot harder to write and really kicked my butt, and I'm kind of struggling to catch up on all the other stuff I need to do.

Also, someone had asked a question about whethe...

41. The Fringe of the Reaches

First a note:  I live very close to Houston, which has been affected terribly by Hurricane Harvey, along with Rockdale, Port Aransas and other towns and cities along the coast.  We're okay where we are, but a lot of people we know aren't.

Here's a link with a list of places to donate: https://www.patreon.com/pos...

The Harbors of the Sun Discussion Post

Hi, everybody.  First, I wanted to thank everybody for all the kind words and encouragement in the comments.  You are all the best, and I'm really glad I started this patreon.  It's been a source of fun and delight to me from the beginning, and I hope you're all enjoying it as much as I am.

Some people had suggested dropping the number of story posts per month to one, and I think ...

40. Blossom and the other Arbora in the Golden Isles

Delin set his trap in the common room that linked the main part of his family's home to the guest quarters. He put down a cushion for himself, took a seat, and spread out the armload of books and papers he had brought.

The Arbora who had helped Stone and Niran return the Valendera and the Indala had never been in a groundling habitation before and were unders...

39. Selis, On the Way to Kish

Note: I didn't think I was going to be able to get a post done this week, but I got an unexpected free day!

Selis hated travel, but she liked the Sericans.   Sitting atop one of their big wooden wagons as it trundled along the raised trade road, rocky cliffs rising on either side, made for unexpectedly comfortable travel. But she had grudgingly ...

FYI

Sorry to be late with the stories this month, everybody.  I've been working on the fourth Murderbot novella, plus a bunch of other stuff.  I'm still going to try to do them, they just might be squished together at the end of the month. 

One More Sleep to Raksura Day

So, tomorrow, July 4 2017, is the release day for The Harbors of the Sun, the last book in the Books of the Raksura series.

The ebooks will be dropping tomorrow, but I think the trade paperbacks and hardcovers have already started shipping. (I haven't heard anything about an audio version yet.) 

If you want a signed...

38. Stone and Moon on the Way to Sky Copper

Stone sat up on the rocks and watched Moon fish in the mountain river. 

He had managed to get over his shock that a young consort would be so wild, not to mention scrawny and dirty. You think you've seen everything, he told himself. And then this happens.

Yesterday he had had to consider the obvious possibility that Moon was a real solitary, exiled...

FYI

Just wanted to update everybody and let you know I'll be posting the second snippet for the month next week.

The Harbors of the Sun should be out in ebook, trade paperback, and hardcover during the first week of July. (I still haven't heard anything about an audiobook, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.)  If you would like a signed copy, I will be doing a signing at:

37. Feather and Umber at Opal Night

Feather took a seat on the mat across from Umber. They were in one of the consort hall's common areas, a wide balcony partially shaded by hanging vines, looking out over Opal Night's central well. It was directly across from the waterfall, and there was a good view of the south side garden terraces below; the space was filled with a cool breeze scented of aerated water and damp turn...

Quick Post

FYI, I'm on this episode of the Once and Future Podcast: http://www.theonceandfuturepodcast.com/the-once-future-podcast/2017/5/30/of-podcast-ep-154-martha-wells

36. Moon, Stone, and Ember, on the eve of a court visit

Note:  since it's Memorial Day in the US, I'm going to leave this story visible to non-Patrons for today.

Moon knew why he was nervous, he just wasn't sure why Ember was. The impending visit from Emerald Twilight had the whole court on edge, but he had thought Ember would be used to events like that. 

Moon was leaving Jade's bower when Ember came out o...

35. Moon, Chime, and Blossom at Indigo Cloud

Moon and Chime were out on the big branch that curved over the biggest garden platform. It was late afternoon on the day after the Arbora had brought in a ground fruit harvest, so by common consent all work had drifted to a halt. Most of the court was outside, either up in the branches or playing down in the gardens and irrigation pools. Moon had done some fast circuits around the c...

34. Moon and Stone: After The Dark Earth Below

After the entire court had come through to see them, the clutch had been moved to the nurseries. To Moon's relief, the move wasn't a ceremonial occasion. With Stone's help, Moon had just gathered up the five babies and walked down the stairs, trailed by Blossom and a few of the other Arbora.

They got the clutch settled in the spot prepared for them in the nurseries, and Stone ...

Con or Bust Auction

Bidding for the  Con or Bust Auction  starts today, April 24, 2017, and runs to May 7, 2017.

Con or Bust, Inc., is a tax-exempt not-for-profit organization (EIN: 81-2141738) that helps people of color/non-white people attend SFF conventions. Con or Bust isn’t a scholarship and isn’t limited to the United States, to par...

33. Moon and Shadow at Indigo Cloud

Jade stepped out of the bathing pool and said, "Remember, he's from Emerald Twilight."

Moon put the kettle on the bowl hearth's heating stones, and said, "I know." They were in Jade's bower, and outside the colony tree it was barely dawn. Moon had given up telling everyone to calm down; last night it had taken forever to get all the anxious Arbora who needed reassurance out of...

A bit late

Hey, everybody.  Sorry I'm late with the Patreon story this month.  I've been trying to finish the third Murderbot novella, plus one of my cats stopped eating last week (she's fine now, but it was kind of nerve-racking for a while there), plus there's just been a lot going on.  I'm still planning on two story-posts this month, they just may be squished together at the end of the mon...

FYI Murderbot

If you want a signed, personalized paperback copy of The Murderbot Diaries: All Systems Red, you can order one through Murder by the Book at this link:

http://www.murderbooks.com/event/martha-wells-preorder

Note: it’s a 150 page novella, part of Tor.com’s SF/F novella line, a...

32. Ember, Thorn, and Bitter Starshell at Indigo Cloud

Ember sat beside the firebowl in his bower, with Thorn and Bitter across from him.  Both fledglings were dressed neatly, wearing the correct amount of copper and polished stone beads for fledgling consorts. Ember wished he could believe the two had selected the jewelry for themselves, but he was fairly certain he was looking at Rill or Blossom's careful work. "I sent for you be...

31. Chime and Heart, Under the Dwei Hive

Chime sat in the warm sand in the groundling ruin and fought down the urge to keen with dismay. A pace away Heart sat beside Moon, trying yet again to put him into a healing sleep. Outside Jade and Pearl skirmished with the Dwei in the shadow of the hive, and the warriors guarded this small group of tumbledown stone buildings. They had gone to ground in a part of the ruin as far fro...