Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Master of Shadows Release

A year ago I talked about writing a dangerous book. For a long time I'd thought about trying something really different -- writing a story that paralleled another story. I'd done something like that when I wrote Illumination, which is basically most of the story from StarDoc book one, told from Reever's point of view instead of Cherijo's.

Retelling a story from another POV is one thing, but I wondered if I could tell an entirely new story while paralleling another. I thought it would work if the two stories shared certain elements, like characters and plot threads, without either one spoiling the other. Definitely experimental, but the kind of writing challenge I enjoy. Inspiration for the story soon followed, and then I knew exactly what I wanted to write.

I wrote my dangerous book, which technically came out a bit longer than a traditional novella, took it to some folks at Penguin Putnam involved in the eSpecial program, and pitched it. I wasn't really expecting anything to happen, but I wanted to talk about e-books, what I'd been doing with them, what I'd learned over the last seven years, and what I hoped to do with this one. They liked my ideas and offered to work with me on this project as a joint venture.

Today we're releasing the results: Master of Shadows, a novella of the Darkyn and a full-length, original story that parallels the story of my January '09 print release, Stay the Night.



Will Scarlet, right-hand man to Darkyn leader Robin of Locksley, has been charged with an impossible task: He must regain control of his lord’s stronghold, which has been invaded by vicious Darkyn renegades, without harming any captives or attracting the attention of the Brethren, the Kyn’s mortal enemies. Things only get worse when Will learns that Reese Carmichael, the mortal woman he loves, is one of the hostages.

Reese was sent by her father, a former Brethren inquisitor, to infiltrate Rosethorn, retrieve an ancient vial containing the cause of a medieval plague, and prevent Armageddon from being accidentally unleashed upon the mortal world. Seducing and falling in love with Will Scarlet was never part of the plan, but Reese has no choice other than to use him and the siege of Rosethorn to complete her mission. If she does, she knows he will never forgive her — but if she doesn’t, millions of innocent lives will be lost.

As Kyn allies Jayr, Byrne, and Lucan arrive to provide Will with reinforcements, Reese’s true identity and motives are revealed. Torn between love and loyalty, Will and Reese uncover one last secret from the past that may help them win the final battle — if it doesn’t destroy them first.


I know the economy has been very tough on everyone, and one of my priorities was to make this e-book affordable for as many readers as possible. Publishers, on the other hand, have to make money. In the end I had to compromise on price, but I did persuade them to extend a period of reduced pricing for my readers. So until January 6, 2009, Master of Shadows will be available for the special retail price of $2.99 (after that date, the price for the e-book will increase to $4.99.)

I'll have links to a big press release they're sending out later today. So far, these are the links to the places where you can buy it that I've found (to be updated/corrected as the e-book goes live and the blips are worked out):

In Kindle format, priced at $2.39, on Amazon.com

In Secure eReader/Microsoft Reader format, priced as low as $2.69/$2.29 at Fictionwise

Added new links:

In MS Reader format, priced at $2.99 at Penguin.com USA.

In eReader format, priced at $2.99 at Penguin.com USA.

In Adobe Reader format, priced at $2.99 at Penguin.com USA.

In Sony reader format, priced at $2.84 at The eBook store from Sony.

My thanks to Rick, Jodi and all the folks at Penguin for giving me this opportunity to publish an eSpecial, and to my guy for being my reason and my rock these last couple of weeks. I couldn't have done it without any of you.
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Added: My publisher has asked me to post some excerpts from Master of Shadows and Stay the Night on the blog, so with your indulgence, here goes:

An Excerpt from Master of Shadows by Lynn Viehl
First electronic release December 10, 2008

Reese woke to the sound of a mobile phone ringing, and reached blindly until she found it and brought it in front of her burning eyes. The display showed the time—why had Father allowed her to sleep for so long?—and a pet name: Loverboy.

She switched it on and held it to her ear. “Hello.”

“Did I wake you?” Loverboy had Will Scarlet’s voice.

He is Will, you idiot. “No.” She sat up, dragging the sheet to her chin. He couldn’t see her, but she slept naked, and talking to him while she was bare-skinned made her feel exposed. She had to say something, greet him as if nothing had happened. Nothing had happened. Yet. “How are you?”

“Tired. Somewhat annoyed. Very sorry for behaving like such a jackass last night.” Will sounded tentative, as if he were afraid to say more, and then went on. “Reese, I want you to know that I never meant—”

“It’s okay. You can make it up to me when I get to Rosethorn.” She glanced at her watch; she still had enough time to prepare. “I’ll be there in a couple of hours.”

“That is the other reason I called. I can’t meet you there tonight. Rob is attending a gallery show in town, and I must go with him. We will not be returning to the estate until later, likely after midnight.”

He was telling her everything she needed to know, as if he knew what she intended to do. Did he know? “It sounds like a great show.”

“You could meet us there,” Will suggested. “Rob is escorting an old friend, but I will be on my own. We could talk about what happened last night.” When she didn’t reply, he added, “Or perhaps not.”

“I’d love to be there,” she lied. “But it’s the catalog. I have so much work to do on it.”

He muttered something, and then said, “So the fact that I forced myself on you has nothing to do with the manner in which you’re now avoiding me.”

“Yes. No. It wasn’t—” She stopped and rubbed her hand over her face. “It wasn’t like that. I’m not avoiding you.”

“Prove it to me, sweetheart.” The rough tone became soft and persuasive. “Come to the show.”

Trying to think of another excuse that would not further offend him, give away her true intentions, or jeopardize the mission made her head whirl. “You’ll be working, and I doubt Lord Locksley wants me distracting you from your duties.”

“Hang Rob,” he said flatly. “Come anyway.”

“Be patient, Will. We can get together later, when we can have more time for ourselves.” She would never see him again. Last night was all that they would ever have, and she’d run from him. It made this farce she was playing out into a cruel form of self-torture. “Wouldn’t you rather be alone with me?”

“I’ve done nothing but think about that, and you,” he admitted. “All day, I’ve had no peace. I barely slept. Reese, I know we agreed in the beginning to be friends only, and that neither of us wanted a serious affair. Somehow last night we strayed beyond that, I think.”

She didn’t know whether to laugh or scream. She had to know more, though. She couldn’t go through with her mission if she didn’t. “How do you feel about that?”

“How do I feel?” He laughed. “I want more.”

“More of the same?”

“More of you.”

He would have her, in a sense, but he would never know—and that was probably the kindest thing she could ever do for him. “You may change your mind before the next time you see me.”

“I think not.”

“Okay.” She got out of bed. “As much as I’d love to chat with you, I have to go and get ready for work now. My boss wants me to stop by the office before I drive out to Rosethorn.” She closed her eyes and added a flirtatious lilt to her voice. “Maybe I’ll see you later.”

“You will wait for me?”

Had she ever done anything else? “Always.”
---------------------------------------------

An Excerpt from Stay the Night by Lynn Viehl
To be released January 9, 2009


Robin found the Mercedes and unlocked the passenger door for her, as naturally as if the car belonged to him. He treated her the same way; as if her coming along with him meant she’d go along with whatever he did.

“Do you want the top down? It’s a lovely night.” When she didn’t get in, he gave her hand a tug. “We only have two days, Christal. Get in.”

“My name isn’t Christal. This car doesn’t belong to you. Neither do I.” Chris twisted her hand, but he kept hold of her. If he didn’t let go of her, right now, she was going to make a fool out of herself. To remind herself of who he was, she reminded him. “You can’t steal or bully out of people whatever you want, Robin. No matter how good you are with your magic whatever it is, eventually, you’re going to get caught.”

His dark brows rose. “I don’t use magic, and what does this have to do with getting into the car?”

He didn’t care. He genuinely didn’t care that they were, in effect, stealing this woman’s car. “How do you sleep at night?” she demanded.

"I sleep during the day.”

“You know exactly what I mean.” She was sick of this vampire fantasy role he insisted on playing, too. “Doesn’t it bother you, knowing everything you have you stole from someone else?”

“I have not stolen everything,” he told her. “When I bought the Armstrong building, for example, I paid cash for it.”

He’d bought a high rise building in downtown Atlanta for cash. Of course he had, he was the son of the Magician. He could probably buy Atlanta.

“Where did you get the money?” Chris asked. “How many priceless paintings did you have to steal to cover the down payment?”

“None. I invest in the stock exchange. Google did very well for me that year.” He watched a security guard stroll past them. “A gentleman does not discuss his financial empire in public. Now we have to go.”

Chris didn’t budge. “What does happen to the art you steal? Are you warehousing it? Do you sell it to private collectors?” Maybe if she could convince him to turn himself in, and work with the Bureau on recovering and returning the artworks he had stolen, it might reduce the time he would have to serve in prison.

Am I trying to work out a plea agreement? For the Magician?

Chris backed up a step. “I can’t do this. I can’t go through with this.”

“Yes, you can.”

She looked at him, suddenly and inexplicably more angry than she ever had been in her life. “I won’t.”

“Get in the car, love,” he said through his teeth, “or I shall pick you up and stow you in the boot.”

45 comments:

  1. I'm getting this one this weekend! Wow! I'm looking forward to Stay the Night as well. *WEG*

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  2. Lynn, I think if anyone can pull this off, it's you. And I'm glad it's in other formats besides Kindle.

    This is one of the very, very few eBooks I'll be downloading :D

    theo

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  3. Anonymous9:42 AM

    I saw the book on fictionwise thinking it was Stay the night and bought it at $4.24 yesterday not at the rate that is publicized now. Feeling really cheated now.I would have bought it anyway because I love your books but still...

    Yvonne

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  4. Yvonne wrote: I saw the book on fictionwise thinking it was Stay the night and bought it at $4.24 yesterday not at the rate that is publicized now. Feeling really cheated now.I would have bought it anyway because I love your books but still...

    That's just not right. Fictionwise owes you a refund, Yvonne, because the e-book is not supposed to be sold for $4.99 until after January 6th. Also, I agree, the incorrect cover art is misleading.

    My advice is to ask for a full refund. If you can't get your money back from Fictionwise, e-mail me a copy of your receipt of payment (send to LynnViehl@aol.com), and I'll be happy to personally refund the full price.

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  5. Anonymous10:14 AM

    Hi thanks Lynn, have written to Fictionwise and waiting for their explanation. Anywayz I also mentioned to them about the wrong cover and title, hope they correct it!

    Yvonne

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  6. Anonymous11:18 AM

    This is great news, and knowing a publisher was on board with this says something important about the eBook market.

    I have a question, but I want to be clear it's NOT a backward remark about/to Yvonne!

    I am aware that the deals between authors/publishers sometimes differ regarding sales of eBooks/physical copies, so without your revealing more than is appropriate, I am wondering if I were to wait until AFTER the sale to plunk down my money, might an author get more in the end?

    (I am comfortable waiting to spend $4.99 for a good read if the author wins: it's cheap compared to a lot of other new releases out there!)

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  7. Anonymous11:41 AM

    Oh, wow... cool.

    I love ebooks.

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  8. Shawn Hansen wrote: This is great news, and knowing a publisher was on board with this says something important about the eBook market.

    If the e-book does well, I'm hoping it will demonstrate to the industry that reasonably-priced e-books are not something to fear, but to embrace.

    I have a question, but I want to be clear it's NOT a backward remark about/to Yvonne!

    Understood -- and I'm glad Yvonne posted a comment about the problem, because this is really the only way that I can find out when things go wrong (and can then light a fire under the publisher to do something about it.)

    I am aware that the deals between authors/publishers sometimes differ regarding sales of eBooks/physical copies, so without your revealing more than is appropriate, I am wondering if I were to wait until AFTER the sale to plunk down my money, might an author get more in the end?

    Because I receive a percentage of sales, naturally I will receive slightly more for the e-book when it begins selling for $4.99. But for me this is not about the money, Shawn. Honestly, if I'd had my way, we'd have given it away for free so I could show the publisher the marketing value of hoop- and cost-free promotional e-books.

    This is entirely new ground for major publishers, who are not yet ready to embrace the value of marketing with free online content the way I have been for the last seven years, so I had to make some compromises to keep the publisher involved. I do believe if the e-book does well, it will help my cause in the long term, I also hope it helps to bring some e-book pricing on the market to a more reasonable level for the e-readers out there.

    (I am comfortable waiting to spend $4.99 for a good read if the author wins: it's cheap compared to a lot of other new releases out there!)

    I'd rather you buy it at the reduced price, not only to save you some $$$, but to show the publisher that reasonable pricing is a desirable thing. Remember too that if everyone responds to the reduced pricing, I will probably make up the different in the royalties through the volume of sales.

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  9. Anonymous12:41 PM

    Re: parallel storylines -- Similar to Rozencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. Love how that worked in and out of a well-known plot. I look forward to reading this.
    PK the Bookeemonster

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  10. This looks great! Congratulations on the release and I'll be sure to get my copy.

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  11. Anonymous2:28 PM

    Do you know if the Adobe e-reader is the same format as Adobe's PDF?

    I don't have a Kindle, mobi, or other e-reader device (other than, y'know, the *computer*), but want to get the a format that works.

    This is a great idea that I'm thrilled to support. *Especially* in the current climate.

    Best to you and yours.
    Lyn

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  12. Anonymous2:52 PM

    I think I answered my own question - the Adobe ereader format requires Adobe Deluxe Edition (and Microsoft's eReader requires its own download)

    Not the same as the regular Adobe PDF Reader.

    Thanks for your tolerance. (and for the stories!!)
    Lyn

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  13. Dunabit, Are you sure? I've bought three or four short stories in Adobe format and they read just fine on Adobe 8. And it's not the deluxe version, just the free Adobe download.

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  14. Okay, I went and looked on Adobe's site, and I don't even see an Adobe Deluxe thingy.

    As far as I know, this is all you need.

    http://www.adobe.com/products/reader/

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  15. Wow! I can't wait to read it. Congratulations.

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  16. Anonymous7:08 PM

    Firstly, *thank you* Ms. Viehl for another Darkyn story.

    As an international reader, though, I have to say the intended "easy and hassle free" e-book experience has been anything but (no fault of yours; I regularly enjoy the original material you post on your blog and Scribd).

    So far:

    Amazon Kindle - hah! I wish

    Penguin.com USA - doesn't matter what format, as an international reader, they don't accept my credit card (US address allowed only, and it has to match the actual billing address so even a US mail-forwarding service address is no use)

    Sony reader format -I'm Mac, not PC and I don't think Sony reader will work with my system

    So...Fictionwise it is, but I'll have to wait until next week, apparently. What's up with the delay?

    If you're looking for feedback, I'd say that the publishing monoliths have a long way to go before they get the whole enjoyable experience/ good promotional opportunity that you've already nailed.

    Thanks again- I am looking forward to being able to read Master of Shadows very much, eventually.

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  17. Anonymous10:02 PM

    Is Stay the Night the last of the Darklyn books? I just finished Evermore and Twilight Fall, OMG Evermore was the best.

    Lisa

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  18. Dunabit wrote: Do you know if the Adobe e-reader is the same format as Adobe's PDF?

    Lyn, I am almost 100% sure that it is. But let me check with the eSpecial folks to make sure you can use Adobe reader on a computer for this Adobe e-reader format (everyone in NY has gone home, so I'll get an answer for you in the morning.)

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  19. Nicole wrote: As an international reader, though, I have to say the intended "easy and hassle free" e-book experience has been anything but (no fault of yours; I regularly enjoy the original material you post on your blog and Scribd).

    First, thanks for going through all this hassle, Nicole, and I apologize for the frustration of the experience. Things got off to a very rocky start today, and I'm still trying to work out some problems.

    The Fictionwise listing is incorrect, and the only one I believe that still has to be fixed. The eSpecial folks are working on that, although by close of business today it was still up in the air.

    In the meantime: as with Lyn's question earlier, I will talk to NY and find out how my international readers can obtain the e-book without having to send diplomats over here to negotiate its release, and have an answer for you in the morning.

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  20. Lisa wrote: Is Stay the Night the last of the Darklyn books? I just finished Evermore and Twilight Fall, OMG Evermore was the best.

    Thanks for the kind words, Lisa, and for investing in the series. Stay the Night will be the last in this print series of Darkyn novels. I am leaving the door open to do some future Darkyn novels, but I wanted to wrap up this particular series with STN.

    I also plan to write more free e-books featuring the Darkyn. The next one I will be putting on Scribd is Incarnatio a novella featuring Lucan, Samantha and Jamys Durand (if all goes well I should be able to post it within the next week.)

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  21. Yay and hooray and it looks like Penguin's got my preferred format. Books on Board has it listed, too. And woot for Incarnatio, there's something to look forward to!

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  22. Anonymous11:50 AM

    Lynn,

    Thanks for the information!

    I went ahead and purchased my copy and gifted a copy to a friend, so I covered the price issue while adding my wee bit to the numbers!

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  23. I downloaded the free Adobe Digital Editions then purchased in Adobe Reader format. After clearing the way with all my security, the e-book download to ADE went quickly, perfectly.

    Thanks Lynn for battling the powers that be to make this e-book available.

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  24. Ladies, I'm sorry it's taken me all day to get one answer -- the publisher didn't give me anything, so I did a little investigating of my own.

    Lyn, I've got an answer for you, and you're right, you do need another program to download the e-book. Adobe Digital Editions is free for downloading, although you do have to register with Adobe and get an ID and password to activate the program. I've just posted the info up on the blog with the links you need if you want to give it a try.

    Nicole, I'm still checking on what I can do to assist international readers. The publisher is having some problems correcting the erroneous listing on Fictionwise, but I am hoping by tomorrow that will be fixed. I'll keep you updated with whatever I find out or can offer as a possible solution.

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  25. Update for Nicole and my international readers -- my publisher has responded to my inquiry on how to make the e-book available to readers in other countries with this statement:

    "Master of Shadows is being sold by e-book retailers who may only do so in U.S., and in Canada where Penguin Putnam controls those rights. Penguin is currently exploring ways to make ebooks available to more international markets in the new year."

    Not the answer I wanted, but once a publisher has control of the rights they have the final word on where the book is sold.

    Nicole, if you would e-mail me at LynnViehl@aol.com, I'd like to ask you a question privately.

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  26. You wouldn't consider dealing with Baen would you? In future, for ebooks? They have had the right idea for how to handle ebooks for years, in multiple accessible formats, without DRM. And even accessible by out-in-the-limbo, back-of-beyond, international readers.

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  27. Another thought. Should we ever achieve interstellar flight I can picture Baen delivering ebooks to the far reaches of the galaxy while other publishers will still be tied to the US and Canada on planet Earth in tangled knots of DRM.

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  28. Anonymous9:53 PM

    Hi Lynn,

    I was just wondering if there was any way a Canadian fan of the Darkyn series can get Master of Shadows...

    Thanks!!

    Mohua

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  29. Hi Lynne,

    I am a huge fan (addict is probably a better word for it) of your Darkyn stories and am alsoout in the bundus - South Africa.

    Is there any way for me to get my hands on a copy of your Master of Shadows?

    Love your work!

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  30. lxz wrote: You wouldn't consider dealing with Baen would you? In future, for ebooks? They have had the right idea for how to handle ebooks for years, in multiple accessible formats, without DRM. And even accessible by out-in-the-limbo, back-of-beyond, international readers.

    I have worked for Baen in the past on one print anthology, but as far as the Darkyn stories are concerned I am contractually restricted to publishing only with mu current publisher.

    I did this one e-book as an experiment, and I'm not at all happy with how it was handled by the publisher (especially as I wasn't told my international readers would not be permitted to buy the e-book.) This isn't about making a profit for me, not if it means cutting off my non-American readers, so I think I'll just go back to publishing them myself on Scribd.

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  31. Mohua, I believe Canadians can buy the e-book from Fictionwise, but the formats are specific, so if that doesn't work for you please read on.

    To Schnookie and my other international visitors -- if you are interested in a copy of Master of Shadows but can't obtain it, please e-mail me at LynnViehl@aol.com. I think I have an agreeable solution to the problem.

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  32. mu current publisher

    Sorry, that should read my current publisher. The breakfast tea hasn't kicked in yet. Sigh.

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  33. Thanks for the response. I only just saw it.

    Lynn Viehl said:

    I have worked for Baen in the past on one print anthology, but as far as the Darkyn stories are concerned I am contractually restricted to publishing only with my current publisher.

    Yes, I thought there might be problems with the contracts. But I just wondered if you arrived in a situation where you were no longer contractually bound (perhaps with a new world or series or if an old contract expired), and were considering publishing ebooks, if you might also consider doing them with Baen. That might be a good way to be accessible to non-US readers and earn some profit.


    Lynn Viehl said:
    I did this one e-book as an experiment, and I'm not at all happy with how it was handled by the publisher (especially as I wasn't told my international readers would not be permitted to buy the e-book.) This isn't about making a profit for me, not if it means cutting off my non-American readers, so I think I'll just go back to publishing them myself on Scribd.


    On the other hand, if you go back to publishing them yourself on Scribd, that would be brilliant too for us non-American readers, and also if one is on a non-Windows operating system like Linux as I am. None of the DRM formats work with Linux so that's another block.

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  34. Is there no way to use, say, PayPal internationally? Where large monetary amounts are involved I can see restricting CCs, but $2.99?

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  35. Anonymous1:37 PM

    I have some problems to get Master of Shadows cause I'm living in Europe aka Germany and anywhere I'm going to buy the ebook if it were Amazon.com or Penguin Groupe US it is stating that there are copyright problems and cause of them the ebook can't be sold to someone in Germany.
    How can I get Master of Shadows? I'm a huge fan of the Darkyn and Kindred Series and this would be the only book I don't have.

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    Replies
    1. same here, I really really would like to read the book!!!

      Delete
  36. Anonymous10:22 AM

    I have tried to get this book on all your links above. Only one that works is Amazon and I do not have a kindle. I have a Nook and tried to just get it to read on the computer but only Amazon has it for sale anymore. Can you please advise if this was a limited release of it Barnes and Noble will be selling it again? Thank you.

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    1. As it happens my publiser is preparing to re-release Master of Shadows, Anonymous, so while it's not currently available for Nook I'm hopeful that it will be soon.

      Delete
  37. Anonymous1:07 PM

    Should I read Master Of Shadows first or Stay The Night first?

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    Replies
    1. To read the series in chronological order, you should read Master of Shadows first.

      Delete
  38. Anonymous3:22 AM

    Hi Lynn,
    First I would like to thank you for offering so much awesome free fiction on your website. I wish more authors would do this.
    I have some questions about reading order I'm hoping you will help me with. I just find novellas/short stories more enjoyable if I know where in the timeline they reside. Also, I have always loved your Darkyn/Kyndred/Lords Of Darkyn and Disenchanted & Co. series and have just started getting into more science fiction reading and am starting StarDoc since I loved your Lynn Viehl books so much so it would be helpful to me to know which novellas/short stories are StarDoc and where in the reading order they go.
    Where in the Darkyn/Kyndred/Lords Of Darkyn reading order do these go?:
    Incarnatio
    Rain Lashed
    Worthy (Juliana 1)
    Willing (Juliana 2)
    Wanted (Juliana 3)

    Where in the Youngbloods reading order does Dark Of Heart go?

    Where in the StarDoc reading order do these go?:

    Deimos
    Back To Back
    Arcanum

    Where in the StarDoc main series reading order is it best to read the stand alone books?:

    Blade Dancer
    Bio Rescue
    Afterburn
    A Matter Of Consultation

    Which of these novellas/short stories are they related to the Darkyn/Kyndred/Lords Of Darkyn, Disenchanted & Co., Youngbloods, Stardoc, or Ravelin series and which stand alone?:

    Breath Of Ice
    Club Denizen
    Ghost Writer
    A Diversity Of Houses
    Box
    Dark Side
    Defense Mechanism
    Familiar
    Fire And Ice
    HODS
    La Matanza
    Mind's Eye
    Night Of The Chameleon
    Night Trauma
    Quorum
    Reparations
    Revisions
    Roomies
    Skin Deep
    Scratch Fever
    SOFA Con
    The Mandylion
    The Widow
    Touch
    Untouchable
    Warrior Bond

    Is there any relation between the StarDoc and the Ravelin series?

    The link you put up to A Matter Of Consultation leads me to the Baen free library but I can't find either A Matter Of Consultation or Ring Of Fire there. Is there somewhere else I can find and read A Matter Of Consultation?

    You had an excerpt for Castling in the back of your Ravelin e-book but I can't find Castling anywhere. Was it cancelled or is there someplace I can read it?

    Will there be any more Darkyn/Kyndred/Lords Of The Darkyn, Disenchanted & Co., Youngbloods, StarDoc, Ravelin books? Any novellas/short stories coming?

    Thank You,
    Jenn

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    Replies
    1. Hi Jenn,

      To be honest, I've never really put all my free and published stories in chronological order as you're requesting, but tell you what -- I'll put together a master reading-order list for everything and post it here and on the bibliography page so you can follow each timeline once I have it all together (and it will be a while as I have a bunch of work to finish this month; Hurricane Hermine knocked me back a week on my writing schedule.)

      StarDoc and Ravelin are separate universes with no connection.

      I will remove the link to A Matter of Consultation; I'm sorry that I didn't know it doesn't work anymore, and I appreciate the heads-up. Since I was commissioned to write that particular story in another author's universe I have no right to reproduce it anywhere, and have no control over what Baen does with it, so you probably can only find it in print now.

      I never published Castling because I decided to shelve it before I finished it. I may go back one day and finish it.

      At present I'm not trying to publish any of my byline work as ghost writing keeps me pretty busy, but I am still writing for my readers, too. I'm doing this now with stories I post on the blog. For example: while the StarDoc series is definitely finished, I'm currently writing a novel set in the same universe called Twenty-One. Look for my Just Write posts and you'll find links to whatever I'm writing for the blog.

      Thanks,
      Lynn

      Delete
  39. Anonymous12:24 PM

    Hi Lynn,
    I'm a huge fan of your Darkyn and Kyndred series, but as it is mentioned in other comments above there's no way for european readers to get to read 'Master of Shadows' as far as I know now.
    Do you know if there is any possibility for me to buy it? Or do you know if there are any plans for a release in europe?
    Thanks,
    Tanja

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    1. Hi Tanja,

      As far as I know the publisher has not yet made it possible for European readers to purchase Master of Shadows, and since I have left traditional publishing they probably won't pursue it. If you'll e-mail me at LynnViehl@aol.com with "Master of Shadows" as a subject line I might be able to offer you another solution.

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  40. Reading the last of the "Lords of the Darkyn" series now. Haven't seen anything published in a while. Please don't say that's the end of the Darkyn world.. so much left undone.

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