Cold Steel (progress report) & Cold Fire (mass market release)

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COLD FIRE has just released in the mass market (less expensive) paperback format in all English language markets. The ebook has also dropped in price.

I have completed major revisions for COLD STEEL and have now embarked on a close line edit to trim, polish, and make sure all the details are consistent. The book will go into production at Orbit Books next week. Production is a bit of a long process, but I plan to write a post next week describing how it works. Thank you for your patience.

Here is the first page, after the cut:


I was serving drinks to the customers at the boardinghouse when a prince came to kill me.
I had my back to the gate and had just set a tray of empty mugs on the bar when the cheerful buzz of conversation abruptly ceased. Behind the counter, Uncle Joe finished drawing a pitcher of ale from a barrel before he turned. His gaze widened as he took in the sight behind me. He reached under the counter and set my sheathed sword next to the tray, in plain sight.
I swung around.
Like most family compounds in the city of Expedition, the boardinghouse’s rooms and living quarters were laid out in a square around a central courtyard. A wall and gate separated the living area from the street. Soldiers stood in the open gate, surrounding the man who intended to be the next ruler of the Taino kingdom.
Prince Caonabo had a broad, brown face, and his black hair was almost as long as mine, although his fell loose while I confined mine in a braid whose tip brushed my hips. He wore white cotton cloth draped around his body in a manner similar to a Roman toga, and simple leather sandals. Had I doubted his rank because of the plainness of his dress, I might have guessed his importance by the gold torc and gold armbands he wore as well as the shell wrist-guards and anklets that ornamented his limbs and the jade-stone piercing the skin just above his chin.
The prince raised a hand, palm up. A flame sparked from the center of his palm, flowering outward as a rose blooms.
“Catherine Bell Barahal, you have been accused in the council hall of Expedition of being responsible for the death of the honorable and most wise cacica, what you call a queen, she with the name Anacaona. As Queen Anacaona’s only surviving son, and as heir to her brother, the cacique, I am required to pursue justice in this matter.”
I met his gaze. “I would like to know who made that accusation.”
“I made the accusation.”
He knew what I had done.

21 thoughts on “Cold Steel (progress report) & Cold Fire (mass market release)”

  3. Hoorah! Hoorah! Hoorah! 🙂

    I’m so, so, so freaking happy to see this!

    I understand that production is a long process – they want to make sure everything is correct before they set the books to print.

  4. (her scream of frustration nestled in her throat like a captured wren as she fought to retain some professionalism and maturity despite the wait to find out what happens next)

  5. Fabulous! So excited to read more! The teasing is going to kill me now as I wait for the book. I will have to deal with how I can ever forgive you for giving me this morsel with out handing me the meal instead, but…. I shall figure it all out.

  8. Whoa, really excited and looking forward to continue! Thank you for the teaser.

    Felt like a drug addict on cold turkey when they told me I had to wait almost a year for Cold Steel in the bookshop at the time I bought Cold Fire….

  9. Thank you guys so much. I really appreciate your patience.

    Next week I’ll write a longer post about some of the reasons why Cold Steel has taken me so long to write.

  12. Like all the other guys can’t wait.Very hard to put the the first two books down. Also very disappoinnted when the book sellers said not until September or even next year.very happy now, thanks.

  15. Thank you, all. I’m looking forward to hearing what all of you think of Cold Steel when it comes out.

    Orbit Books will announce their 2013 schedule soon.
    I do know that Cold Steel will, unfortunately, not be out until 2013.

  18. I just finished Cold Fire and it kept me on the edge so every moment I had, I was reading it. I really love the characters and the world you have created. If only 2013 would come faster and I hope it’s not the 2nd half of 2013!

  19. Jessica, thank you so much. Cold Magic and Cold Fire (and Cold Steel) have really been a labor of love for me to bring to life both the characters, who I enjoy writing about, and the world.

    I’ll announce the publication date as soon as Orbit Books makes it official.

  20. Can’t wait.
    By which I mean obviously I can but teasers like this one certainly heighten the anticipation
    🙂

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