Number 2 is rolling along pretty good now. I’m about 3/4 of the way through the actual writing, and should have that wrapped up in the next month or so. Then it is onto editing, tweaking, and proofing. I’m the kind of guy that cranks stuff out quick, but that requires a mighty lot of clean-up to make it pretty.
But just because 2 is done doesn’t mean you get to read it yet. The Baen version of #1 will be available again in 2009. If it does well, then I get to sell part 2. If #1 doesn’t do well… So in 2009, for all of you fans of MHI, force your friends to buy copies. Yes, I’m holding #2 hostage until you give into my nefarious demands. BWA HA HA HA!
In the meantime once 2 is done, I’ll be working on another project in conjunction with a really good author. Some of you are familiar with the Mr. Nightcrawler experiment that took place on THR. Two of the finest online fiction stories ever written (in my not so humble opinion), and a 3rd one that was going to be posted online, but then we decided that since I’m an actual published type author person now, we’re going to go whole-hog, clean up the entire Mr. Nightcrawler saga and try to get it published.
No, there are no monsters in this. Rather it is what I think would get lumped in with the “thrillers”. It is a story told from two perspectives. One narrator is a good young man who has led a really tough life, and ended up working as a mercenary in a very shady organization. The 2nd narrator (written by me) is a professional thief who specializes in robbing drug-lords, arms dealers, and various other seedy types in the 3rd world. The two characters end up on opposite sides of a middle-eastern coup, and it is a knock-down, drag out, fight to the finish, and that’s before the real bad guys even show.
At one point somebody refers to my character as a “Amoral godless Narcissist”. I’d say that’s pretty close, but that also makes it damn fun to write.
Actually, she said he was a “self-absorbed, Godless narcissist”. 😀
If you’re familliar with the stories posted online, or even if you’re a die-hard fanboy (for the record, fans should refrain from e-mailing us naked pictures of themselves UNLESS THEY’RE FEMALE), there’ll be enough brand-new material in the for-reals published novelization that it’ll be worth reading.
The original online stories will serve as out basic plot outline. The rest will pretty much be new, though the characters will be more or less the same.
Oh, man, this ought to be GOOD! I want NOW!
You guys are cruel beyond words (pun intended since you are now authors). The THR endeavor was the best, and now you tell me I HAVE TO WAIT FOR MORE? Yes, sir, cruel, cruel, cruel.
Put my name at the top of the list and if you haven’t started a list…well, start one!
No lists required. Just buy the book when it comes out, even if we self-publish and it costs $19.95. If we can get this in print, not only is there a good chance there’ll be a sequel, but it could launch my own writing career as well. I’ve got a ton of great ideas for novels…
It’s Baen. It’ll sell. Especially among the Ringo groupies with a good overlap from the Flint and Weber ones. That’s my prediction anyway.
It will also sell well among the Kratman and Williamson groupies.
so mhi 1 (baen version) is out in the public now? or not yet?
yes, its been published. i just got it.
With regards to MHI, don’t worry…
I plan on buying the electronic version, as well as the paperback. 🙂
Look at Ringo’s Ghost series. He wrote the first on on a lark, to cool off some inner demons, and that first book spawned three sequels with more to come.
Larry, NC:
Your stuff on THR was twice as good as John Ringo’s! I’ll gladly pay $19.95 for an improved, complete version version of the NC trilogy, but I’ll be expecting a book the size of MHI1. After waiting for this long to read more of your stuff, the wait had better be worth it!
Well, yes, but I’m old school Baen. Not to mention the majority of K/W groupies were probably already Flint/Ringo/Weber groupies.
It’ll almost certainly be long. We have to introduce and establish all the main characters in the story, then get on with a long and complex plot.
The trick’ll be not making it TOO long. If we self-publish, we can do whatever we want. We’ve already agreed to self-publish in lieu of chopping or heavily editing the story to please some picky publisher.
On the other hand, Larry is a published author (and if MHI is any indicator, a successful one at that). We’re hoping that after he has two books already in print a publisher will pick up our joint venture without wanting us to edit it to pieces.
Given how crowded with crap the thriller market is, I’m optimistic. (Don’t believe me? Pick up a copy of the novelization of “Splinter Cell”. It’s written in the first person, PRESENT TENSE. It reads like it was written by an eigth grader.)
Hey Larry, I have a fvor. Is it going to be possible to get MHI and MHI2 as books on tape? Have somene interested in them, but he’s dyslexic…
“The trick’ll be not making it TOO long.”
Make it as long as you want. A publisher could split it into two volumes if they wanted to, so it’s all good.
Unintended Consequences is 863 pages of small print text. I loved it.
Tom Clancy’s Executive Orders is 1376 pages. I loved every single word in that book.
And don’t forget the average David Weber HH novel is pushing a thousand pages, and as a fan I demand more of the same. Every word he writes is perfect, and I must read it all.
MHI was one of the best books i ever read. i told my freind about it, and now he wants to read it. i hope the baen version does really well, because i want to read the second book. also, just my openion, i think abominations bayonet needs to be spring loaded.