People have been hopefully asking me about future Hive Mind books, and stories about Fortuna. I have so many ideas for books I want to write that I had a backlog of projects building up anyway, and side-effects from the current world situation have slowed down my writing. Jarra confused things even further by making the New Year story so long that the Earth Prime collection queue-jumped everything else.
So this is a quick status report on my current projects. Please note that I can’t guarantee to publish even two books a year in the current world situation, and any of my projects can go off totally off the rails at the best of times.
The Earth Prime collection has to be finished and published next.
Hive Mind 5 will then be my top priority and hopefully out in time for Christmas, but there’s the usual danger of it slipping into January.
Fortuna. If there’s enough interest in Earth Prime then I’ll be aiming to write more about Fortuna, ideally next year. A project that is slightly complicated by it being the second half of the chimera wars, and interlinking with my partially written book about Tellon Blaze.
Also on my list to progress whenever I have time. Scavenger Exodus 3 and Earth and Water.
(Just to clarify Scavenger Exodus 3 is definitely on its way, but progress has been affected by the world situation, so I daren’t commit to a publication date at the moment.)
Right at the bottom of the list is the mystery book. Pity this book. The poor thing has been sitting in first draft since I first wrote it eight years ago. It’s set in yet another different future, and needs some revisions, but I may eventually sort it out and publish it as a standalone just to stop it whining at me.
Please feel free to comment with your own wish list. The creative side of my brain seems to pay more attention to comments from my readers than it does to anything I tell it myself!
Janet Edwards Author Site 
Portal Future is definitely my top wish! I absolutely love Jarra and her world, from the humor to the angst to the drama. I really want to see more of Fortuna (I’m looking forward to the Earth Prime collection), and more of her having to deal with emotional stuff (like General Torrek and his relationship to her grandmother), and meeting her sister at some point, and learning more about the Military stuff she never got to before because she was too busy trying to stay alive and deal with aliens, lol. And I want to read about Tellon Blaze, of course, and… yeah. Anything in that world. 😀 (I’d also love to see more of other people’s perspectives, such as Drago or General Torrek. I keep wondering what it was like for them during some of these events – Jarra is very much a limited POV, especially when it comes to what other people are feeling!)
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Earth Prime, Hive, Fortuna, whatever else you’re working on and I can buy
Ian
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Well. a few of your wishes should be covered in the Earth Prime Collection. Jarra is definitely a limited POV. She has tunnel vision when she’s focused on a goal, and totally misses some hilarious things that go on under her nose.
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So much to look forward to… many things I knew about and a couple I didn’t…
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And my head is always trying to invent new stories as well. Definite idea overload. 🙂
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I am deeply in love with portal future and have adored everything you have written for it. I love how it is a non dystopian future and archeology and is just so fun. I would adore anything about beta and beta culture. I am also super excited for Earth Prime and had so much fun reading this short story!
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I’m glad you’re enjoying the portal futures so much. 🙂
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I am deeply in love with portal future and have adored everything you have written for it. I love how it is a non dystopian future and archeology and is just so fun. I would adore anything about beta and beta culture. I am also super excited for Earth Prime and had so much fun reading this short story!
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I’m glad you’re enjoying the Portal Future so much. There should be a few more oddments about Betan culture in the other Earth Prime stories that interest you.
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I was wondering, if you can explain, what about the name Lolia made it so obvious it was a gutter clan name? Because Jarra just mentioned Lolia and Lolmack and Drago knew immediately and I was wondering why.
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They are a gutter clan, not allowed to have a proper clan prefix in the middle of their name, so they use similar first names to show the clan link instead. Once they get their proper clan name, they’ll be changing all their first names, so Lolmack will be going back to being Mack.
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I am looking forward to the Fortuna series but I would prefer to see Blaze’s story finished and how the Blaze and Kar Clans came about before starting a new series. Overall, I think completing the Scavenger series will be a better foundation for Tellon Blaze’s story anyway.
I also feel that starting a new series without a clear plan to finish the old one can leave your readers frustrate and unhappy, well maybe only a few readers. Many people I know or have chatted with wont start a series anymore until they know it is finished as there are too many self-published authors that never complete a series and bounce around starting new series without finishing the previous ones. I realize some authors do that to see what will catch people’s interest, but it is exactly what is causing readers to skip over those authors. I could write a whole essay on that subject but will spare you.
The third Novella, Earth and Water, I didn’t think it not being completed was a big deal since it is a prequel and until this newest Novella “The End and a New Beginning” it didn’t seem to have anything important to add to the overall arc. But now I see that it had a major impact on the Earth Girl trilogy so am a little put out that it wasn’t finished earlier, even if it stopped with the discover of the skeleton and a Next of Kin explanation.
Anyway, just my two cents worth … Star
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Don’t worry, I totally appreciate your point about finishing series. Writing has been slow with the world in chaos, so I had two lengthy sequences to write to complete Scavenger Exodus and only have only managed one so far, but the book is progressing.
I am also eager to plug the remaining holes in the Earth Girl story arc before starting the Fortuna series. The plan was going to be writing Earth and Water to complete the trilogy of prequel novellas featuring Jarra, and then to do an aftermath Jarra novella and an aftermath short story collection that mirrored Earth 2788 to tidy things up ready for a Fortuna series.
However, I made the mistake of handing Jarra the microphone to do a New Year story that I expected would be a short story for the aftermath collection, and we all know what happened. So now I have the serial which effectively covers the aftermath novella, and the short stories are so closely linked to it that they have to be published as one collection
That means once Earth Prime is published, I’ll just need to catch up with Earth and Water. Weirdly, I’ve only got the first bit of that written, but it’s enough to make me wonder if Jarra was right to insist on me writing it out of the planned sequence. We’ll have to see how it turns out in the end.
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Please, please, PLEASE write Fortuna! I’m desperate to know what happens next for Jared and Fian, as well as their supporting cast. Do Dalmora and Raven get together, as hinted at previously. What was the real situation with Cadee, and can Playdon move on, as well as a host of other questions. Having said that, I’ve only just finished re-reading Scavenger and Hive series- again! I had the virus, and when I could do slightly more than breathe, your books helped keep me going.
Seriously love your work, so stay safe, and look after yourself.
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I’m glad my books helped you get through the virus. I know some people who are having serious aftermath problems, so I hope you’re fully recovered now.
And I’ll be interested to learn what happens with Dalmora and Raven as well. Raven was one of the more uncooperative characters in Earth Flight, and didn’t do any of the things I expected. 🙂
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Having just re-read earth 2788 today I am uncharitably yet gleefully hoping that Dalmora is able to invite Raven (whether as friends or more) to a family or social event at which her grandmother will be present, and watch her grandmother’s face at the realisation that the grand-daughter she disapproves of is keeping company with an Adonis Knight. Although Dalmora’s sisters may never hear the end of it, much like Fian with his sister…
(Also am very excited for all future plans, although I agree and would prefer to see Aftermath/Scavenger wrapped up before Fortuna starts.)
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Thank you so much. I love all of your books but particularly the hive series so I am thrilled it is first on deck. I am an avid reader but had a lot of trouble focusing at the beginning of the pandemic and it really helped me and my mood to re-read all your books again. Thank you for lightning all our spirits!
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I meant lightening!
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I really liked that typo because it gave me this amazing image of ghosts letting off electric sparks.
A global pandemic is a strain on everyone, so I’m really pleased that rereading my books helped your mood.
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I promise you, there is plenty of interest in Fortuna! My Mom keeps asking me if you’ve got a schedule out there or anything (now I can show her your *tentative* one.) I’d definitely say, for me, that Portal Future is first, but Hive Mind is a close second. I think I’ve reread the Hive Mind series at least 6 times at this point (and the Earth girl books just as much.)
Whatever you write, I’m definitely looking forward to it! (Also, my mind went “December? But that’s so far away!” And then I realized it’s only six months away, and man, this year has somehow slipped half away already.)
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I’m glad you’re enjoying rereading the books so much, and yes December is terrifyingly close. One of the weird things about writing books is that I’m often worrying about deadlines eighteen months away.
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Earth Prime is amazing as it took me back to when Jarra started on her journey in the very first Earth Girl novel and gave me totally different feels about the whole Earth Girl trilogy. Now I understand that there is more to the start of Earth Girl, the emotional roller coaster Jarra must have been on and why she threw her future in jeopardy! Thanks Janet for this amazing New Year story!
I’m really looking forward to stories about Fortuna as I’ve always loved how you’ve tied in archaeology, Greek mythology.. basically history and science together but I’ve always been looking forward to Amber’s new story every year end too so I hope it’s possible to still have both Jarra and Amber despite the current world situation! Escaping into Jarra and Amber’s worlds is a very welcome respite.
P.S. I’m curious to see how Tad and Blaze started this whole thing too… apologies for the many demands and thank you for sharing your stories with us!
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I’m so glad you enjoyed the New Year story so much. Jarra definitely got out of hand but it didn’t seem worth trying too hard to stop her when the serial was helping people through difficult times. I’d have lost anyway. I never stand a chance against Jarra.
And the plan is that the Hive Mind series keeps going, through I hover on the brink of the Christmas release deadline every year, so a book is bound to slip into January eventually. The Hive Mind series has each book focusing on a different case, so is totally open ended.
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Ooh, Telepath 5!
And more Jarra!
And…. huh. Mystery book …
I’m looking forward to it. Earth Prime followed by Telepath 5 sounds good to me!
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Excellent. 🙂
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I’m looking forward to Earth Prime & Hive Mind 5, especially the new developments with Gregas & interHive relations. Beyond that, I definitely want to read Fortuna. I just finished Scavenger #2, so that would be great post Fortuna. Thanks to all the hints in the Dragos short stories I’ve become rather curious about Tellon Blaze as well.
There are other Portal Future bits I’m interested in as well: the Betan romance story at Jarra’s wedding and whatever the Persephone Incident is.
And since I’m being greedy, a non-spoilery timeline would be wonderful.
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There is a Timeline posted on the Portal Future wiki, see Fun Extra’s (here) for the link
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Then the future books should certainly please you. It’s especially interesting that you mentioned Persephone. 😛
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Oh and I don’t have a timeline on my website, because it’s impossible to have a completely non-spoiler version, but see Star’s comment below.
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Thanks! I just checked out the wiki timeline, which is helpful.
As to Persephone, ever since you mentioned it (whichever Earth Girl book that was) it’s been nagging at me because there were no specifics given, unlike the other historical events you mentioned.
I’m also curious about the fall out between the August & Blaze/Tell clans, but that has a chance of being resolved in Tellon Blaze’s books, whereas Persephone is too vague to know anything about (though I keep associating it with Cioni’s Apprentices, but I don’t recall any basis for that beyond not knowing much about Fian’s grandfather’s incident either).
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I expect there to be the briefest possible reference to Persephone in the Earth Prime collection. The collection is supposed to resolve some things from the past, but other things are mentioned which will probably open up new questions. Persephone is one of the latter.
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I haven’t been as excited as I am for Earth Prime and more Fortuna since I stumbled across Earth Star a few years ago and realised that my all-time favourite book had an unread sequel… Especially after reading the New Year story, I would absolutely love more Portal Future in Jarra’s era. However, I also understand that Fortuna books may be better after we know more about the original chimera wars. And as always, I’m looking forward to another Hive Mind. I tend to go through phases of comfort-reading the Portal Future, and comfort-reading the Hive Future – I’m currently in a Jarra phase, so I’m very biased towards wanting some Fortuna at the moment, but I’m sure in a couple of months that’ll change to Amber!! That said, Fortuna books will probably still be my top wish.
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I love the way so many people reread my books. I always think it’s the highest possible compliment. 🙂
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I posted yesterday but my post seem to have gone awry? I’ve posted a few other times recently with a link to the Janet Edwards wiki in the signature or in the post and they just disappeared so that must be the reason. I understand that with all of the spam that is around.
Of course I am looking forward to the End of the Year Hive Mind book, so many exciting things happening in that world.
But in the Portal Future series, I would like to see you complete the Scavenger Exodus series before you move on to another series. I realize there is a potential for so many stories in this world and I’m looking forward to all of them.
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Hi An,
Sorry about your posts disappearing. I occasionally have to remove something that I can’t have on my website for legal reasons, but I haven’t seen your posts at all so that’s definitely the wordpress spam filter diverting them into spam because of the links.
I’m afraid that I only take an occasional look at a sample few spam comments to make sure that the filter seems to be working correctly. I can’t go through it in detail because there are hundreds of spam comments each day and a lot of them are really long. I’ve just seen a comment from Star referring someone to the Portal Future wiki and saying the link is on the Fun Extras page. If you do the same you should be fine.
And yes, I’d like to get series completed as well. Writing has been slower than usual because of external distractions – there have been points where it was incredibly hard to focus – but Scavenger Exodus 3 has been progressing forwards.
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I understand about not going through spam posts, I wouldn’t either. Not a big deal. Star and I had chatted about the posts disappearing with links so figured out what the issue is.
I’m surprised that there aren’t more comments about Blaze’s story being potentially delayed indefinitely? Blaze, Donnel, Tad and some of the others are such interesting characters, especially Blaze. Personally I like Blaze’s character a tiny bit better then Jarra’s. I also have a couple of “pet theories” that some of the questions left from The Earth Girl Trilogy will be answered in the Scavenger series and now we have the Kar clan’s origins which is probably (spoiler) …. so am interested in how they got to that point … 😉
Reminder to everyone reading these posts, if you want to chat about anything that happened in any of the stories, both wiki’s have discussion area’s that you can chat with other fans. Go to Fun Extra’s for links!
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Ah, I think I’ve managed to confuse you with the status report on Scavenger Exodus 3 and Earth and Water. Scavenger Exodus 3 isn’t delayed indefinitely. There was a much longer version but I thought the post was getting too rambling and cut it to just be also on my list to progress whenever I have time.
This phrase has a very specific meaning to me about swapping between my main active project and an alternate one to optimise progress around things like a book needing a major decision, being away for editing, or needing special focus time. Chaos, I’m starting to sound like Colonel Leveque. Progress on Scavenger Exodus 3 was slowed by me losing two months of writing time this year to family bereavement and pandemic related issues. At the moment, I need to focus on Earth Prime to write the short stories and get it published. After that, I’ll be working on Hive Mind 5 with Scavenger Exodus 3 as my priority alternate task. I have a target publication date in mind for Scavenger Exodus 3, but I daren’t say what it is because it depends on everything going smoothly, and so many things have been going wrong this year already.
Anyway, I’ll stick an extra clarification note on the post about Scavenger Exodus 3.
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That helps a lot, thank you for the clarification. Yes this year has been traumatic for a lot of people and others have reevaluated their priorities in life so everyone has had consequences of varying degrees.
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I will take whatever you want to give us poor readers. I have now re-read the Earth Girl Trilogy for the 100th time, I kid you not, and am really looking forward to more Jarra. I would love more short stories from other POVs, I really need to know how Rono and Keren met and fell in love, seriously Rono kept a scar for like 7 years I need to know! Also anything with Riak, his Jarra and their husband, or Jarra Earth Girl’s parents and siblings and how they reacted to Jarra doing the honour ceremony or how they feel about stuff. I’m so excited =)
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You will get some of your wishes in Earth Prime, but sadly not Rono and Keren meeting since the Earth Prime stories will all be set after the trilogy.
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Your schedule looks awesome and I’m so excited for Christmas! I know we shouldn’t get greedy, but one question: I just reread Reaper, and its good, but it feels like it might be a stand-alone. Will we ever hear more from Jex and Hawk? Thanks so much for writing through the chaos.
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Realistically, I’ve had to accept I can’t progress series in three future universes at once, particularly since the books keep getting longer. If I ever run out of ideas for books in either the Portal Future or the Hive Future, then I will write more about Jex and Hawk, but there are no signs of that happening at the moment.
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Any writing by you is a joy to read. I love all your books. Your intriguing view of new societies give me great pleasure. Any new writing by you is appreciated. Portal, Game, Hive, Scavenger, Fortuna, Earth, Shorts, Semi Shorts, all greatly enjoyed. I read them aloud to my husband and kids every Shabbat. I have also read some of them aloud to a few of my students. Thank you for all your wonderful stories. Can’t wait for whatever comes next.
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I love to hear about families enjoying my stories together. I hope you enjoy the coming stories just as much.
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Janet, I’m just so excited and thankful that you continue to write these stories! I have never found another author whose works have kept me completely engrossed in multiple universes, so I’ll happily read any book you write! That being said, I was so excited to finally read some post Earth Flight content! I would love it if you would continue Jarra’s story, but I am aware that starting the Fortuna trilogy is a tremendous amount of work that will take time. So, I think it’s better to finish the Scavenger series first so we can get closure on Blaze and Tad and understand any missing links for Jarra’s story! I’m eagerly waiting for December now!
Real-world related – I have been in a Hive Mind and Scavenger phase recently, so when you started posting Earth Prime I had to go back and reread the trilogy as well! I work in a hospital, so things are definitely wild right now, but Jarra and your updates definitely kept me entertained these past few weeks. Thank you!
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I’m glad you are enjoying the multiple universes so much, and agree there’d be benefits in sorting out the missing links. Especially for me. My head is like an overstuffed filing system, so I’d like to get the missing puzzle pieces out of there and published.
Things must indeed be wild working in a hospital at the moment. I’m delighted that my writing has been helping you, and thank you for the work you’re doing.
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I wish you all the best in this crazy time. Take your time with writing, we’ll be here waiting patiently.
My wishlist:
* Hive Mind 5: my fav series of yours. amazing characters and world-building. Keeps getting better. High Up!
* Fortuna: Finally a full continuation of Earth Girl and exoarcheology!
* Mystery Book: Because another different future. Amaz!
* Earth and Water: not sure what’ll be in it, so dunno
* Scavenger Exodus: last because I still haven’t finished the second scavenger book. It got boring, what can I say.
I’m noticing the lack of a Reaper sequel. I see that as a plus because I never finished that one. Got too inplausible by the end.
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Hive Mind 5 is most definitely a priority. I write in a weird way, where I know vast skeletal structures about my future universes, and discover the details of each area as I write it. I’m looking forward to the Joint Hive Treaty inspectors.
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That is so exciting! I am scared of the inspectors and their insanely strict standards. It’s a bit like IAEA inspectors combing through a nuclear plant trying to find ever tiny treaty violation.
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Precisely!
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Finally got some `me` time to polish off 2 stories
your move Drago and the End and the New Beginning
Was expecting the `End` to be somewhere else but thoroughly enjoyed it never the less 🙂
Looking forward to the Earth Prime book
Would be nice to have a `reaper` sequel story sometime too 😀
Looking forward to Earth and Water as well
All the Best
ANDARIAL
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I’m glad you enjoyed The End and the New Beginning. It’s important to have fun during your precious ‘me’ time. 🙂
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Nice I love hive mind and Jarra books this will be amazing!!!! although I feel bad for poor hawk and the reaper series. I love that book and its getting no loving. lol
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I know. Poor Hawk. In one sense, it was foolish to rush out Telepath, Reaper, and Scavenger Alliance in a twelve-month period, because I obviously wasn’t going to be able to keep publishing in three different future worlds at once. On the other hand, all three worked pretty well as standalone books, and I’d been having a brush with cancer back then so wanted to get the books published in case.
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Thank you so much for keeping readers in the loop! The fact that I know your timetable does not stop me from checking Amazon at least weekly hoping that something is ready earlier then expected.
I adore your Hive Mind series (my favorite) and really think Amber should have a pet of her own! Maybe a dog that she finds outside? Also love Buzz and would love her backstory and reading about her first starting out as a Level 1 Therapist.
I’m rereading Earth Girl again and looking forward to the new book coming out. Jarra and Fian are of course awesome, but I think Keon and Issette are so interesting and would love to read more about them. Also really wish that Lecturer Playdon could get a happy relationship with someone great, as I really like him. Lol-I do know he is fictional but you write characters so well that I really care what happens to them!
Also if your finish your mystery I would totally read that too.
Thanks for your books they are amaz and high up!
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I wholeheartedly agree on wanting Playdon to find love again. He deserves it. He’s been through a lot. I’d love to read more short stories from his POV as well.
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Given Amber is getting an entire area of animals and birds, I’m not sure she needs a pet as well. Also, is it really fair to inflict the mess that Amber creates on any pet? 🙂
As for Lecturer Playdon, I would agree with you that the poor man deserves a happy relationship, but when I plan nice things for my characters they don’t always cooperate. Raven being the extreme example of that. It was impossible to stop him leaping to sacrifice his life, or even stop him sleeping on corridor floors.
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Thanks for your reply. Yes Amber just might not be ready for the responsibility of a pet if she can’t keep her home tidy. Your characters sound like children. You create them but then they do what they want with life😉. Well I will just keep hoping for good things for Playdon then. He seems like a nice guy maybe he will cooperate.
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“Right at the bottom of the list is the mystery book. Pity this book. The poor thing has been sitting in first draft since I first wrote it eight years ago. It’s set in yet another different future, and needs some revisions, but I may eventually sort it out and publish it as a standalone just to stop it whining at me.”
Why not put the whining story on the web or feed it a cookie that is what I do with my dogs when they whine. lol
My top pick would be the Hive Mind Series, if we get to vote. But anything will be appreciated and purchased in book format and kindle. Thank you for all the work you do.
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Thank you for sharing my future worlds and supporting my books. 🙂
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Love your books! I’ve reread the earth girl series about a dozen times already and cant wait for more! Also really love the scavenger exodus books, and will probably reread them after I reread the young Jarra books as I continue to (try to) wait patiently!
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I’m glad you love both the Earth Girl series and the Scavenger Exodus books. The Coronavirus situation has made the first half of this year difficult for writing but I’m hoping to get the Earth Prime collection out in the next month or two. 🙂
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I understand and appreciate how great you’ve been with communicating with your fans. I spent the last week reading all four hive mind books and love them too (though chuckle whenever I read about the character I share a name with… pity he has such… bad manners… :P)
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I have occasionally wondered how sharing the name of one of my characters, good or bad, affects the experience of reading my books. I’m glad to hear that it amuses you. Obviously, there are some extremely well-behaved members of the Hive with that name as well. 🙂
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I love love love the hive mind series and looking forward to Christmas when it comes out.
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I seriously cannot get enough of these. Keep writing!! Please. I kid you not I’ve re read these twice now. And I’m seriously obsessed. I relate to Jarra so much I just wish I could reach and ask her personal questions (though I know she’d hate it) these books and you deserve the world so please keep writing.
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I always love it when people enjoy my books so much that they read them multiple times, and you are so right about Jarra hating personal questions. 😀
There’s been a bit of hiccup in my release schedule due to Covid, but I’m definitely still writing. Currently, Sol 2781 is progressing towards completion.
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