Edge Cases

NOT A Chapter: Q&A, Announcements, & a Retrospective

I suppose there's really only one way to start an announcement at this time of the year: Happy holidays! I know this time of year isn't really for everyone, but I hope it's at least been kind to everyone; it's been a hectic couple of years.

So! Let's start with the main announcement. I've mentioned this before in an author's note here or there, I think, but Edge Cases is getting published. It's part of the reason I dropped Patreon prices, though I deeply appreciate everyone who's given me support via Patreon, past or current. It's part of what gave me the confidence to accept a publishing deal at all. I wasn't making much on Patreon, so I'm hoping publication will be the push I need to go full-time into writing. There are a lot of stories I want to tell besides this one, and keeping to this writing schedule while doing my job essentially means I'm working two jobs full-time, which isn't super sustainable long-term.

(This isn't a complaint about my Patreon! I've said this before, but to reiterate: please prioritize your own financial health, and if you're a past patron that needs a couple of bucks back because Things Happened, don't be afraid to ask for a refund. I don't write for money; I'd just like to open up the time to focus on writing.)

Publication does mean it'll eventually go off the site, though I'll try to bring it back eventually - just bear in mind this eventually is in the timescale of years, when I get the rights to the book back. RoyalRoad has all the fancy color formatting, though, which is Important. The first book is currently scheduled to hit Amazon in July next year, so if you'd like to show some support, that's the date to mark. July 25, specifically!

Part of this deal is Edge Cases getting an audiobook, which is the part I'm actually excited about. This audiobook will be narrated by author Travis Baldree, who you might know from his work on Legends & Lattes - and if you don't already know about it, I recommend it. It's an incredibly wholesome story about a retired adventurer introducing the wonders of coffee to a city that's never had it before. It's probably one of my favorite reads of the year, and that's saying a lot.

Assuming Books 3 and 4 are about the same length as Book 1 and Book 2, the series is a whole is set to be complete before the first book goes up on Amazon, so you'll get to read the series as a whole on here. I'm thinking I'll keep posting little post-epilogue scenes when the books release; those will be RR-exclusive. ;)

I am, on a more personal note, truly deeply appreciative of all the support thus far. I wasn't actually expecting Edge Cases to gain the following that it did, and I certainly didn't expect to go all the way to getting a publication deal. It started as a silly response to a Writing Prompts thread on Reddit!

And then became something much more than that, at least to me. A lot of things in the story are a reflection of my personal experiences in some way. To allow myself a moment of vulnerability - since that's one of the themes of this series, anyway - writing this hasn't entirely been smooth sailing for me, but it has become important to me, and I'm immensely grateful to have an audience that's been this supportive so far. I was worried Derivan and Vex would be received poorly, and yet!

Which is to say, even if you're not a fan of those two, thank you for sticking with the story. Having it on-screen and visible was something that was important to me, and I'm glad I had that opportunity.

We've got two more books left in the series, and a lot of big answers are coming in the first couple of chapters of Book 3 (with the exception of the first chapter; full disclosure, that one's a Jerome interlude, and I was tempted to end Book 3 with that chapter instead).

I've had some difficulty with keeping up with the comments of late, but I'll be present and answering comments at least on this chapter - so ask away! Feel free to clarify anything that's come up so far, or ask broader questions about themes and inspirations; I have a lot I'd be happy to talk about. I might even edit the questions into this chapter itself later!