Dragon Prophecy 3: The Art of War. Another confusing update

[merlinscribe]

I am reminded I have been dilatory in sharing the current news about Dragon Prophecy 3. TLDR: this is likely to push the publication date further into the future.

Here we go...

At the beginning of April, I received shocking news. My long-time editor at Tor (and no fan of the Obsidian books) had left the company. The books have been assigned to a new editor, who (potentially; I haven't spoken to her in depth yet), will be a fan of the genre and be a booster for the series.

I don't know much of anything right now. I don't know if New Editor is going to accept the new ending of the book. I don't know how much clout they have in-house. I don't know how the pre-pub process (editorial revisions, copyedit, copyedit check) is going to go with the series under new management. Of course I hope New Editor will adore the books and back my vision for big sprawling epics that do deep-dives into all corners of Jer-a-kaliel.

It's early days yet. We'll see. I'll keep you posted.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Fingers crossed! I love this series and it's been comfort stories for me ever since I picked up a green book with a unicorn and a knight on it in the library for the first time. Keep working at it, and your loyal readers will happily enjoy it :)

[merlinscribe]

I will certainly keep working on it--and I will try not to write too many sentences in Old Elven...

[(Anonymous)]

Thank you for keeping us updated! Here’s hoping that New Editor is a fan of the series like I am, and is excited to see the world you have to show.

[merlinscribe]

At this point I'd just love to know if my new editor is still alive. ::cough::

[chichiri]

I'm glad to hear from you! I hope the new editor is a good fit for Dragon Prophecy 3 once you talk to him or her

[merlinscribe]

I know Old Editor handed the series off to New Editor because she thought it would be a good fit. I'd like to know myself.

Patiently waiting

[(Anonymous)]

I'm a waiter. Have yet to start this series but am very much looking forward to it. I'm one of those who won't start a series until it's been finished. So happy to hear this news.

Re: Patiently waiting

[merlinscribe]

I am very close to finishing the third book. I hope Tor brings it swiftly into print after I give it to them.

[(Anonymous)]

pushed back further? damn...been 5 yrs already...hopefully not pulling a grr martin...ugh

[merlinscribe]

Nope. I've been working steadily on it through fire, flood, and plague. If worst comes to worst, you can come to my house when it's done and read a printout. ;)

Question?

[sanders1800]

I am going to hope that the new editor would be good for the serie. Since he/she may like the genre, maybe we will get longer books.

Mr. Mallory I was wondering if in the Library you deleted your older post? I was going to ask you if you can repost an old post deleted scene you have if not there, then here. Since your Website been down for a couple of years I was wondering if you can post The Unicorn Picnic from To Light A Candle?

Thank you for your time.

Re: Question?

[merlinscribe]

https://merlinscribe-library.dreamwidth.org/1973.html

My deepest apologies for the delay. This took some finding. Enjoy!

Re: Question?

[sanders1800]

Thank you for posting that here, I really appreciate it. I did have all your deleted scenes saved on my laptop and a flashdrive, but I had a house fire a few months ago. Started in my bedroom after midnight. Everything else is on this site, except this one. So ones again thank you.

Have a great day

[(Anonymous)]

Good riddance to bad rubbish. There’s nothing worse putting your fate in the hands of someone who isn’t a fan of your work. Hopefully the new editor gets sucked in as hard as the rest of us have and helps the process along quickly.

[merlinscribe]

We can hope! For all I know she may be still reading...

Thank you!

[(Anonymous)]

For all of the updates, I can't imagine how frustrating it must be for you! Looking forward to the future and what it may hold.

Best!

Re: Thank you!

[merlinscribe]

Well, I hope it holds at least one more trilogy or one stunningly enormous book because there's a story I have wanted to tell for years...

Re: Thank you!

[(Anonymous)]

And what would that story be? Don't drop something like that and NOT expect this question. Or do you think that telling us will cause too much of an outcry over how long it will take? LOL

Tenterhooks!

[(Anonymous)]

I came looking for an update and found this. Awww. Delays! I hope the new editor is more friendly to the series than the old (and seeing future love for it, maybe in the form of the story of the second war, would be awesome too). Here's hoping we get news soon. In the meantime, I'll continue rereading the current lore!

Update?

[(Anonymous)]

I hate to ask but has there been any updates on the Dragon Prophecy book 3?

Re: Update?

[merlinscribe]

Amazingly, there have not. My new editor ALSO refuses to talk to me. Perhaps I shall send the book into the world at large, chapter by chapter, via carrier pigeon.

Re: Update?

[(Anonymous)]

Need someone to read through it before editing?

Re: Update?

[merlinscribe]

IM me

Crazy town

[(Anonymous)]

How can you not be a fan of the obsidian books though? That boggles the mind...
Is it usual practice to have an editor who is not a genre fan?

Re: Crazy town

[merlinscribe]

Yes, actually. With seniority it is more likely you will get to edit the books you like, but assistant editors and the like take what they're given. A die-hard noromo may end up with the romances, someone who's never read a word of SF in their lives could be attached to the SF line. The editor is half there to shepherd the project through production, and half to shape the book--that involves looking for things like tonal inconsistency, internal errors, and general instances of the author forgetting their own canon. (This implies the editor knows what that is, but let's be kind.)

Still, editing any work of fiction is far superior than being exiled to the dreaded Cookbook Continuum.

[(Anonymous)]

Here's hoping they come to a decision quickly. I know I'm not the only one anxiously awaiting this book!

[merlinscribe]

Me too.