O . . . M . . . G!

[jpskewedthrone]

I just had the most harrowing experience driving home from work tonight. In case you aren't living on the east coast, we're in the middle of a rather nasty snow storm. (They keep proclaiming is the storm of the decade or something, but it's really not that bad.) Also, if you're just tuning in, I own a sports car.

So anyway, I drive in to work this morning with the snow already starting and the roads are pretty nasty. I'm skidding here and there a little, but nothing serious. I teach my two algebra classes, go to the department meeting, tutor a few people for office hours, the usual. All this time, it's snowing.

I finally get a chance to leave . . . and the roads are worse than this morning! I mean, sure, it's been snowing all day, but I figured they'd at least get out and plow, maybe cinder, especially on the one hill I have to climb. They CALL it a pass, but really it goes to the top of the hill (which they call a mountain here, but that's an entirely different rant).

But no. No cinders. I can tell they went through with a plow, but that had to have been hours ago.

So, in my little sports car, I manage to fishtail my way through the twisty back roads, climb the hill at an astounding 10mph, NOT skid down the far side, and get home.

But I've learned a valuable lesson: I will not go to school with snow on the ground and more snow in the forecast. Luckily, the school has closed tomorrow, since we're supposed to get snow all night and most of the morning.

In other, less harrowing news, DAW has decided to buy another book. Yippee! They're currently working on a contract for Well of Sorrows, book 1 in the new trilogy featuring new characters. The title isn't fixed, because I also proposed Wellspring of Sorrows. What title do you guys prefer? The final decision is up to my editor though. I'm waiting to title the other two books, based on your reactions to the other proposed titles. I don't need those titles at the moment anyway.

Also, I have release dates. The Vacant Throne is scheduled to be released in January 2008. And Well of Sorrows is scheduled for January 2009. All dates tentative of course, although I think Vacant's is rather firm.

The only bad news is . . . well, my editor wants a more detailed plot synopsis from me. I don't work from a plot synopsis, so coming up with one is difficult. I don't know what happens, that's why I write the books! In any case, that topic is for a future "writing tip" post. Not this Friday though. That's going to be called "The Idea Machine", with my answer to the "Where do you get your ideas?" question. Tune in Friday for that.

Comments

[jimhines.livejournal.com]

Congrats again on the sale. I'd definitely go Well over Wellspring. Wellspring of Sorrows feels too... too something.

Glad you survived the drive. It's been nasty here, too. Not my favorite time of year.

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Hmm . . . Well seems to be winning. Perhaps the word you were looking for was "clunky"?

[clarkesworld.livejournal.com]

Congrats! Glad they were smart enough to pick it up. As for well vs wellspring, they mean different enough things to me that I'd need to know how it relates to the story.

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Both would work for the story: Man drink from well, becomes immortal, discovers all of the sorrows of that state. So, he drinks from the well, but that well is also the wellspring of all of the subsequent sorrows.

He also discovers all of the joys of immortality as well, in case it's starting to sound like a depressing book.

[clarkesworld.livejournal.com]

Hmm.. ok, then I'd say Well. Wellspring keeps making me think of Wellspring of Chaos and Well of Sorrows just sounds better.

[tyger-raven.livejournal.com]

Eeep, I'm sorry that you had a scary experience, but very glad that you're all right. Congrats on the new book deal. I hope it goes great. I like Wellspring of Sorrows over Well of Sorrows, personally. Hope your editor likes it too. :)

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Yeah, at this point it's the editor's decision. I think she's going to go with Well though. Just a gut feeling.

[stevenagy.livejournal.com]

Congratulations ... and condolences on the drive. Outlines do suck. More condolences for that.

Title ... how about just Wellspring? Short and simple.

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

I tend to favor the short and sweet titles as well. The series after this one all has one-word titles (Sorrow, Eventide, and Dawnsrise).

[jmeadows.livejournal.com]

Woo dude! Yay book selling! That's awesome news. :D

I think Well of Sorrows is stronger. It just... is snappier. *likes it best*

Sorry to hear about the snow thing. Tomorrow, you should definitely stay in and bake some cookies. (To send to meeeeee, of course! ;)

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Instead of baking, I shoveled snow. Would you like me to send you some snow?

[jmeadows.livejournal.com]

As long as it isn't ice, thank you. I live in the Shenandoah Valley, VA. Send it on over!

[eiriene.livejournal.com]

Hey, I want cookies too, in that case. =) If you are baking, that is.

I'm making tropical chocolate cake tomorrow, but it is, alas, not mailable. It will be consumed solely by myself and the fiancee.

And I'm glad you got home safe in the snow... we have tons of sleet and now it seems to be snowing on top of the sleet. Yummy ice!

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

We had sleet this morning, followed by an entire day of snow. So instead of baking, I shovelled. For 2 hours. I'm not fit to bake at the moment.

But cookies will be made and sent at some point. Perhaps I can bring them with me to Lunacon! Alcohol and cookies!

[everyonesakitty.livejournal.com]

Wow congrats on the sale! So happy for you, dude! *cheers* And may this lead to many many more!

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Thanks! And, yes, many, many, many more.

[melissajm.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on the sale, and thanks for the advance warning on the snow!

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Thanks! And they predicted the snow would stop this morning. We finally gave up and started shovelling at 5:30 tonight, while it was still snowing.

You have been warned.

[melissajm.livejournal.com]

I think we have over a foot here, and it's still coming down.
What is this-"All Winter in a Day?"

[coolmajaka.livejournal.com]

Congrats!!!! Now people can't call you a one-trilogy wonder :)

[jimhines.livejournal.com]

Can we call him a two-trilogy wonder?

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

I hope to be called a multi-infinite-trilogy-wonder, thank you very much! *grin*

[jimhines.livejournal.com]

"multi-infinite-trilogy" eh? So we have to call you either Hubbard or Jordan, right? ;-)

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

I prefer "Emporer of the Known and Unknown Universe, Past, Present, and Future" myself, but . . .

[jimhines.livejournal.com]

Like that's ever going to fit on a business card :-P

[ddelill.livejournal.com]

That's Lock Haven for ya... At least there's no school for the kiddies tomorrow and you get a day off. Yippee!

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

No school! Yippee! (See, even the teachers celebrate snow days.)

I'm thinking I'm not going to make tomorrow's classes either. It snowed all day today and it's supposed to be blizzard conditions wind-wise tomorrow.

[ddelill.livejournal.com]

I hope you enjoyed your second day off from school! I remember my first year at LHU. I lived in High Hall and there were many times where I slipped on the ice and essentially rode my ass down the hill. It's a miracle I didn't go over the cliff into the parking lot there.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Phew, glad to hear that you made it home safely. Congrats on the good books news!

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm hoping to make it "home" tomorrow. I'll keep you guys informed.

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

It must have been the same hill. There was a U at the top and two others at the bottom (one on either side). Route 445? Or something like that.

And PSU closed the campus! I'm in shock. That happened once while I was going there.

Well seems to be winning. Wonder what my editor will say.

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

Congrats on the DAW contract!

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Enjoying Texas weather? *I raspberry you*

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

We're watching New York weather in amazememnt.....8, 9 feet and you're driving you're little car to the school.

We got 1-2 inches of ice a couple of weeks ago...and schools shut down for a WEEK here.

Weird, huh?

[snapes-angel.livejournal.com]

I have a few links to sites which talk about writing a synopsis (http://linksaplenty.blogspot.com/2006/12/writers-sites-s.html), if it helps.

[snapes-angel.livejournal.com]

h, btw, congratulations. ;-)

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

It's not so much that I don't know how to write a synopsis (but thanks for the link), it's that I'm supposed to write one when I don't really know the full story yet. Because I haven't started writing it. *sigh*

Oh well. She accepted my half a page vague synopsis for Vacant Throne, so I guess it doesn't have to be all that close really. But I'm still procrastinating on it.

[diamondreads.livejournal.com]

I'm happy to know we'll have more reading material from you. Yay!! Be really really careful out on those roads! I drive one of those little cars (A sweet little red Miata) and I don't do snow. The car doesn't, so I don't, either. I'm glad you made it home okay! I hate weather like that.

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

I have a sweet like Chrysler Crossfire. I love it. But it hates snow apparently.

[mdbenoit.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on the sale! It's always a thrill, isn't it? BTW, I just picked up The Cracked Throne. Can't wait to read it. Planning on reviewing it, too, for Eternal Night (http://www.eternalnight.co.uk/). I'm one of their reviewers.

As for your hectic drive, I'm waiting for same. I live in Ottawa, Canada, and they're forecasting 6 inches of snow today. Get the shovels out!

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Thanks! If you do review it, enter the review contest I'm running (see my website for details http://www.sff.net/people/jpalmatier).

Did you review Skewed Throne for them as well? I know they had a review up for it, if I remember correctly.

And I just spent 2 hours shoveling snow. If I never see a shovel again it will be too soon.

[mdbenoit.livejournal.com]

No I didn't review Skewed Throne, Lesley Page did (she liked it)
http://www.eternalnight.co.uk/books/p/palmatierjoshua/theskewedthrone.html

We've had our share of snow as well. I have a bad back (that's my story and I'm sticking to it), so it's my husband who gets the chore. He wasn't happy either.

[antonstrout.livejournal.com]

They bought another book? Even with all my badmouthing around the office? Dammit, I gotta step up my game... if they keep buying you, how on earth will they ever have room for MEEEEEEE?

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Badmou--! What the . . . !

*grumble grumble*

[janni.livejournal.com]

Hey, congrats on the new book!

I vote for Well of Sorrows, but then, someone who prefers Autumn over Autumnal probably would. :-)

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Well does seem to be winning. And Autumn certainly won that little war. I might end up calling book 2 Tree of Autumn to fit in with the Well of Sorrows pattern, but we'll see.

[pabba.livejournal.com]

Again, late on this, but congrats!!! :)