Friday, September 5, 2014

Update on The Labyrinth of Flame

Sometimes I think the universe particularly enjoys messing with a writer trying to finish a book.  I'd intended to make a really big push in August so I could finish my revision of The Labyrinth of Flame by summer's end...only to get a nasty flare-up of carpal tunnel syndrome that meant I had to limit my hours at the keyboard.  Thankfully, a week away from the computer for a family vacation to the Tetons & Yellowstone was a huge help for my wrists, plus my company fixed up my office workstation and bought me a spiffy new chair so I can be properly ergonomic at the day job.  I'm still typing with wrist braces but I think (I hope!) I've got the carpal tunnel under control.

So. I'm not done with the revision yet, but I'm pushing ever closer.  My son just started kindergarten, which gives me two new 5-hour chunks of writing time every week (since I told my boss I wasn't increasing my day job hours until I finish the book).  I can't even tell you how wonderful it is to have solid chunks of time like that.  It's so much easier to be productive when I can really dig into writing rather than doing it in stolen snatches of time.  As an extra bonus, I'm not exhausted like I am when I write at night after my son goes to bed!

Best of all, I'm close enough to finishing to firm up my plans for publication.  The Labyrinth of Flame kickstarter will happen in mid-February.  That'll give me time to finish the revision and get feedback on the completed book from beta-readers, so I can have it as close to publication-ready as possible before the kickstarter begins.

In even more exciting news, artist David Palumbo finished the cover art for the book, and I love it!  Think it might be my favorite of the series.  Designer Martha Wade is working on the cover now, adding title and cover copy and all that good stuff.  As soon as she's done, I'll be stampeding to the internet to show off Labyrinth's awesome cover - so stay tuned for that later this month.

The one sad piece of news is that I won't be attending the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers' Colorado Gold conference this weekend.  I need that time for working on revision.  I'm pretty bummed, since I adore this conference (it's where I first met my agent and critique group).  I've gone every year since my first time in 2008, and I always have a wonderful time.  But I tell myself I will have an even more wonderful time next year with the Shattered Sigil trilogy fully complete and in readers' hands.

I will still be attending MileHiCon in Denver on Oct 24-26, and World Fantasy in DC on Nov 6-9.  (If I'm lucky, I'll even have the revision done before WFC.  Fingers crossed!)

Edited to add: I decided to give those of you on my Labyrinth of Flame mailing list a sneak preview of the cover art, as a thanks for your interest and support.  If you haven't signed up for the mailing list and would like to, email me at courtney (at) courtneyschafer (dot) com.
            

12 comments:

  1. Wish I was going to WFC.

    Shaun Duke and Mike Underwood are, though

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    1. I wish you were going too! Would have been fun to see you again.

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  2. Sucks to hear about the carpal tunnel. :/ I suppose that's one of the risks of spending so much time writing. Definitely glad to hear that things are progressing, and those cons sound awesome too! (One of these days, I'll actually get to go to a con. Possibly one you're also going to. Then I can make you sign all the books! :p)

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    1. Yeah, between day job and writing there are days when I'm glued to the keyboard 24/7. This flare-up was thanks to getting moved into a new office where the desk was too high for short little me - I was stupid and didn't ask my company to fix it right off, because I figured I was only working there part time so it wasn't a big deal. But I was bending my wrists all funny, and next thing I knew, OUCH. And once they're inflamed it's hard to recover given the need for constant typing! Thank goodness we had that vacation already planned.

      And oooooh, I sure hope we'll cross paths at a con sometime! It'd be great to meet you.

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  3. I'm sorry to hear about the carpel tunnel. I used to have it so badly that I couldn't feel my finger tips, and my wrists screamed at me all the time. I started taking 600mg/day alpha lipoic acid, and it is gone.

    I'm looking forward to Labyrinth! Can't wait!

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    1. Interesting about the ALA! I'll have to check that out.

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  4. Are you planning to attend worldcon spokane next year?

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  5. I'm sorry to hear about the carpal tunnel syndrome. It can be a nasty and painful syndrome, so it's good that you have it under control now.

    I look forward to reading The Labyrinth of Flame. (It's on my "must read" list.)

    By the way, the cover art looks great!

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  6. I really enjoyed the first two novels and I am eagerly awaiting the third. Will it be available in ebook format? Also, I hope your carpal tunnel gets better!

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    1. Thanks, Eric! Labyrinth of Flame will definitely be available in ebook format (Kindle, Nook, etc). And the carpal tunnel is definitely getting better although I'm looking forward to giving my wrists a nice long rest after finishing this revision.

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