Unlike some SOL authors, I don’t mind anonymous email. I even dash them off myself sometimes – usually attaboys when I don’t want the author to feel like he needs to write back.
I do, however, scratch my head a little when I get an anonymous message that asks a question. Some of them I interpret more as a rhetorical rather than a real question. Still, the sad fact is that I often answer anonymous email anyway. But I do dislike that icky moment of cognitive dissonance when I start typing in the “to:” line and realize there is no to there.
But every once in a while, I get anonymous mail that seems to call for a reply. I guess thats why Lazeez implemented blogs.
Consider the following anonymous message reproduced verbatim:
I seem to be lost or you mised a page from the end
of book II to the start of book III. The last part
i read was Jan was pregers and Jake sed he could
not sleep with her. Book III starts with Jake back
from a two weak trip to France and a referance to
someone in bed with him after having a meal ???
Huh.
I’m not sure I follow the thrust of the question, but let me give it a try.
SPOILER ALERT FOR BOOK II
Book II ends with Jake telling Jan that he has made her pregnant and (mock) grousing that he no longer has an excuse to come by everyday to keep trying. Early in Book III, Jake teases Jan that he doesn’t feel right about having sex with her in her delicate condition. He also admits (after dinner has ended) that Carol snuck into bed with him while he was sleeping off his jet lag on his arrival from France, not that he admits that anything happened. (Of course, knowing Carol – and Jake, too, for that matter – it’s a good guess that something did, not that Jan cares.)
If the anonymous reader is wondering why Jake is shunning Jan but consorting with Carol, then I would say don’t worry about it. Jake is still smitten with Jan. I mean, who wouldn’t be? Jake may feel a little ambivalence about Jan’s pregnancy and he may be a bit concerned about intruding on her marriage, but I suspect they will work it out.
So, big guy, did that answer your question?
Thanks for writing.
Regards,
hermit
Thanks to the tireless work of my editors, the third book of They That Have Power is complete enough to begin posting. If barikman, msclrhd, and Pontifex aren’t deserving of our thanks than I don’t know who is. As soon as I finish this blog entry I’m going to nominate them for the Nobel Peace Prize.
The story is composed of 35 chapters. I will, the Lord willing and the sun don’t go nova, post one chapter each day, probably during the evening.
As always, a bounty* will be paid for readers who report typos, errors, etc.
For those of you who ask the reasonable question of why I don’t just post the whole thing, the answer is that the editing of the latter chapters continues. Besides, I can’t resist the urge to do one more pass. This timetable gives me one last chance to rework my criminally ponderous dialog.
*You realize, I hope, that I won't actually be giving anyone money.
The story is not back yet from the editors. Blame me, not them. If I were a better writer it wouldn't be taking them as long. In fact, this just shows how much we owe them for their devotion.
At this point, I hope to start posting around March 15th. Sorry if it seems like I'm stringing everyone along, but you'll see. It's worth the wait to let my editors to work their magic.
Book III went to the editors today. I'll start posting as soon as enough chapters have made the rounds. I'm still projecting a March 10th date for posting. If it's later than that, though, blame me, not them. It will mean that the density of errors was too high for a quick turnaround.
For those of you who are inclined that way, now would be a good time to reread Books I and II. I put a synopsis of Book I at the beginning of Book II, but I was never pleased with it. I don't plan to do that with Book III.
By the way, my three editors are the best. What you'll see in a couple of days will be a whole lot better than what I sent off today.
The third draft of Book III is done. I think the story is shaping up. The editors are in place. I will start sending the story to them in a day or two. If there are no show-stoppers, I expect to start posting the story around March 10th. I'll post a chapter a day until finished. There are around thirty chapters.