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Grim indeed, yet eloquent and utterly compelling."
The End: NECESSARY EVIL Is Out! - 5/1/2013, 10:29 AM Because I Haven't Posted About tDCS In A While - 4/8/2013, 04:07 PM Announcing the NECESSARY EVIL Signing Tour - 4/5/2013, 05:15 PM Nuclear Deterrence in a Blood Magic World - 2/22/2013, 09:41 AM Guest Post #2 at Charlie Stross's Blog - 2/17/2013, 04:41 PM Guest Post at Charlie Stross's Blog - 2/15/2013, 09:17 PM A Conversation with Charlie Stross - 2/8/2013, 11:06 AM NOW OUT in the UK: THE COLDEST WAR - 2/7/2013, 12:22 AM Clarion Is Accepting Applications for the Class of 2013 - 1/27/2013, 06:38 PM Holy Smokes! Cover Art for Something More Than Night - 1/23/2013, 09:44 PM
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I finished (finally!) the rough draft of The Coldest War this evening. I spent the entire day at my desk, eager to hit the finish line. It was a good Saturday for writing -- damp, windy, pissing down rain all afternoon.
But just as I got to the last page of the manuscript -- zeroing in on the final sentence of this book, which I've had in mind for two and a half years -- the clouds parted, the sun came out, and a rainbow emerged. Perfectly framed by my office window.
True story.
Sometimes the hard work does pay off. Who knew?
There's still a lot to do before I send Coldest War to my editor. So it's not really finished finished. First, I have to do a quick polishing pass on the final 130 pages before I submit it to the May meeting of Critical Mass. After that I'll put the book aside for most of the month and try to forget about it. And then, in June, I'll print the entire thing out and do a cover-to-cover reread/rewrite/second draft.
But what a thrill, typing the final words of this novel. I've known exactly how this book would end, since before I even started the previous Milkweed novel, Bitter Seeds. Because I'm a compulsive outliner, I've always known in a general sense where all three books would begin and end. But the 2/3 mark of this trilogy was particularly special. So I've been waiting to hit this milestone for a long time, and I feel great to finally be here.
Close PermalinkIt is such an incredible hight when you finish a book. Of course there's rewriting, but I find rewriting easy and rather fun. For me it's completing the first draft that has me high fiving with the cats. (The don't much like doing high fives btw.)
Congratulations on finishing and also for contriving miracle. I need to learn how to better celebrate successes, myself.
So, when will we see it in our Critical Mass inboxes?
Thanks, Vic!
So, when will we see it in our Critical Mass inboxes?
Soon! This weekend, I hope. Just as soon as I polish out the most cringe-worthy parts...
So, God is really setting you up for a righteous smiting, isn't he? All that rainbow stuff is just a little divine misdirection if you're only two-thirds of the way through the story.
Congratulations!
Ian! I'm so darn pleased for you! 2/3 of the way through the trilogy. That's massive. Well, well, well done.
And nice touch with the rainbow. I think I had a spider jump on me while I was finishing the first draft of Lure. That's the difference between writing in the wide open spaces of the American West and writing in a dank basement in the dreary British Isles (chained to my desk with only a crust of brown bread and some organ meat to sustain me).
Seriously, congrats, and you'd better let me see it soon!
Unwalkers interview [English | French ]
Interview with Speculate! Podcast Interview with Adventures in SciFi Publishing
Ian Tregillis on the Sword and Laser Podcast
Ian Tregillis on John Scalzi's The Big Idea
Interview with Pat's Fantasy Hotlist
Interview with SFRevu
Interview with Mad Hatter Book Review
Interview with Apex Books
Interview at Literary Musings Interview with Pat's Fantasy Hotlist
An interview with the authors of Busted Flush at Pat's Fantasy Hotlist
Interview with Travis Heermann at The Write Line
9-way interview with the contributors to the Wild Cards novel Inside Straight at Pat's Fantasy Hotlist
Interview in the February, 2008 newsletter of the Online Writing Workshop for Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror
An extended interview with Ian Tregillis by Ty Franck, on www.wildcardsbooks.com.