Martha Wells

Updating

I just wanted to post and let everyone know I am planning to do a Raksura story this month.  I just finished the first draft of the fourth Murderbot novella, Exit Strategy, which was due Friday.  It turned out to be a lot harder to write and really kicked my butt, and I'm kind of struggling to catch up on all the other stuff I need to do.

Also, someone had asked a question about whether there will be an audiobook of The Harbors of the Sun, and I'm sad to say it doesn't look like it. ...

41. The Fringe of the Reaches

First a note:  I live very close to Houston, which has been affected terribly by Hurricane Harvey, along with Rockdale, Port Aransas and other towns and cities along the coast.  We're okay where we are, but a lot of people we know aren't.

Here's a link with a list of places to donate: https://www.patreon.com/posts/14076152 

Personally I've donated to the Houston Food Bank 2017-08-29 16:44:14 +0000 UTC View Post

The Harbors of the Sun Discussion Post

Hi, everybody.  First, I wanted to thank everybody for all the kind words and encouragement in the comments.  You are all the best, and I'm really glad I started this patreon.  It's been a source of fun and delight to me from the beginning, and I hope you're all enjoying it as much as I am.

Some people had suggested dropping the number of story posts per month to one, and I think at least for this month that's what I'm going to do.  It will probably be toward the end of the...

40. Blossom and the other Arbora in the Golden Isles

Delin set his trap in the common room that linked the main part of his family's home to the guest quarters. He put down a cushion for himself, took a seat, and spread out the armload of books and papers he had brought.

The Arbora who had helped Stone and Niran return the Valendera and the Indala had never been in a groundling habitation before and were understandably nervous. Stone only meant for them to stay the night and to leave early in the morning, the...

39. Selis, On the Way to Kish

Note: I didn't think I was going to be able to get a post done this week, but I got an unexpected free day!

Selis hated travel, but she liked the Sericans.   Sitting atop one of their big wooden wagons as it trundled along the raised trade road, rocky cliffs rising on either side, made for unexpectedly comfortable travel. But she had grudgingly admitted to herself that that wasn't the main reason.

It was that they were so different from ...

FYI

Sorry to be late with the stories this month, everybody.  I've been working on the fourth Murderbot novella, plus a bunch of other stuff.  I'm still going to try to do them, they just might be squished together at the end of the month. 

One More Sleep to Raksura Day

So, tomorrow, July 4 2017, is the release day for The Harbors of the Sun, the last book in the Books of the Raksura series.

The ebooks will be dropping tomorrow, but I think the trade paperbacks and hardcovers have already started shipping. (I haven't heard anything about an audio version yet.) 

If you want a signed edition, you can order one shipped to you from Murder by the Book (2017-07-03 12:55:10 +0000 UTC View Post

38. Stone and Moon on the Way to Sky Copper

Stone sat up on the rocks and watched Moon fish in the mountain river. 

He had managed to get over his shock that a young consort would be so wild, not to mention scrawny and dirty. You think you've seen everything, he told himself. And then this happens.

Yesterday he had had to consider the obvious possibility that Moon was a real solitary, exiled from a court for some terrible crime. Or maybe just exiled because a court had collapsed or been to...

FYI

Just wanted to update everybody and let you know I'll be posting the second snippet for the month next week.

The Harbors of the Sun should be out in ebook, trade paperback, and hardcover during the first week of July. (I still haven't heard anything about an audiobook, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.)  If you would like a signed copy, I will be doing a signing at:

Murder By The Book in Houston, Texas, on July 15, at 4:30 pm.

I'll be signing with Rachel Cai...

37. Feather and Umber at Opal Night

Feather took a seat on the mat across from Umber. They were in one of the consort hall's common areas, a wide balcony partially shaded by hanging vines, looking out over Opal Night's central well. It was directly across from the waterfall, and there was a good view of the south side garden terraces below; the space was filled with a cool breeze scented of aerated water and damp turned earth. 

Umber was in his groundling form, his heavy build and lighter skin always a re...

Quick Post

FYI, I'm on this episode of the Once and Future Podcast: http://www.theonceandfuturepodcast.com/the-once-future-podcast/2017/5/30/of-podcast-ep-154-martha-wells

36. Moon, Stone, and Ember, on the eve of a court visit

Note:  since it's Memorial Day in the US, I'm going to leave this story visible to non-Patrons for today.

Moon knew why he was nervous, he just wasn't sure why Ember was. The impending visit from Emerald Twilight had the whole court on edge, but he had thought Ember would be used to events like that. 

Moon was leaving Jade's bower when Ember came out of the consorts' passage into the queens' hall. "I've rearranged the pillows in the first consort's b...

35. Moon, Chime, and Blossom at Indigo Cloud

Moon and Chime were out on the big branch that curved over the biggest garden platform. It was late afternoon on the day after the Arbora had brought in a ground fruit harvest, so by common consent all work had drifted to a halt. Most of the court was outside, either up in the branches or playing down in the gardens and irrigation pools. Moon had done some fast circuits around the clearing with a few of the warriors and was contemplating a swim. 

Chime had just yawned a...

34. Moon and Stone: After The Dark Earth Below

After the entire court had come through to see them, the clutch had been moved to the nurseries. To Moon's relief, the move wasn't a ceremonial occasion. With Stone's help, Moon had just gathered up the five babies and walked down the stairs, trailed by Blossom and a few of the other Arbora.

They got the clutch settled in the spot prepared for them in the nurseries, and Stone had stayed to help Moon and the teachers handle the crowd of fledglings and toddlers who all wanted ...

Con or Bust Auction

Bidding for the  Con or Bust Auction  starts today, April 24, 2017, and runs to May 7, 2017.

Con or Bust, Inc., is a tax-exempt not-for-profit organization (EIN: 81-2141738) that helps people of color/non-white people attend SFF conventions. Con or Bust isn’t a scholarship and isn’t limited to the United States, to particular types of con-goers, or to specific cons; its goal is simply to help fans of color go to SFF ...

33. Moon and Shadow at Indigo Cloud

Jade stepped out of the bathing pool and said, "Remember, he's from Emerald Twilight."

Moon put the kettle on the bowl hearth's heating stones, and said, "I know." They were in Jade's bower, and outside the colony tree it was barely dawn. Moon had given up telling everyone to calm down; last night it had taken forever to get all the anxious Arbora who needed reassurance out of the bower.

Jade, correctly assuming that Moon hadn't been listening, shook water out of her f...

A bit late

Hey, everybody.  Sorry I'm late with the Patreon story this month.  I've been trying to finish the third Murderbot novella, plus one of my cats stopped eating last week (she's fine now, but it was kind of nerve-racking for a while there), plus there's just been a lot going on.  I'm still planning on two story-posts this month, they just may be squished together at the end of the month.  Thanks for being patient and otherwise awesome.

And also, I just want you all to know th...

FYI Murderbot

If you want a signed, personalized paperback copy of The Murderbot Diaries: All Systems Red, you can order one through Murder by the Book at this link:

http://www.murderbooks.com/event/martha-wells-preorder

Note: it’s a 150 page novella, part of Tor.com’s SF/F novella line, and is also available worldwide in DRM-Free ebook.

I'm also doing a signing at Murde...

32. Ember, Thorn, and Bitter Starshell at Indigo Cloud

Ember sat beside the firebowl in his bower, with Thorn and Bitter across from him.  Both fledglings were dressed neatly, wearing the correct amount of copper and polished stone beads for fledgling consorts. Ember wished he could believe the two had selected the jewelry for themselves, but he was fairly certain he was looking at Rill or Blossom's careful work. "I sent for you because the first consort has decided that you need to start your formal lessons," Ember told them.&nb...

31. Chime and Heart, Under the Dwei Hive

Chime sat in the warm sand in the groundling ruin and fought down the urge to keen with dismay. A pace away Heart sat beside Moon, trying yet again to put him into a healing sleep. Outside Jade and Pearl skirmished with the Dwei in the shadow of the hive, and the warriors guarded this small group of tumbledown stone buildings. They had gone to ground in a part of the ruin as far from the hive as possible, but the Dwei had made it clear it wasn't far enough. Telling the Dwei they w...