Announcement

[truepenny]

Happy Friday the Thirteenth!

I have an announcement: my next book (working title, The Goblin Emperor) will be published by a new publisher under a different name.

As You Know, O Internet-Bob, my sales with Ace were disappointing, which resulted in Ace deciding they did not want to publish me any longer. It also resulted in those disappointing sales figures being irretrievably associated with my name in the computers of the big chain book-buyers. And that, in turn, means that those big chain book-buyers--who are the people publishers have to sell to (Remember that. Everything makes more sense if you remember that publishers aren't actually selling books to readers; they're selling books to bookstores, and the bookstores with the clout to determine what publishers can and can't sell are the big chains.)--are not interested in buying any books associated with the name "Sarah Monette."

Ergo, my new publisher Tor, in order to do an end-run around the computers, will be publishing me under a new name: Katherine Addison.

This is not a "rebranding": the book Katherine Addison is writing for Tor is the same book Ace rejected from Sarah Monette. It also, obviously, isn't a secret; neither Tor nor I see any point in hiding from people who liked my first four books where they can find the next one.

I don't know the publication date yet, but my deadline is February 1, 2010. So you know where I'll be if you want me.

Please feel free to ask questions, although I don't promise I'll be able to answer you, and, as the Bartles & Jaymes guys used to say, we thank you for your support.

Comments

[heathwitch.livejournal.com]

Congrats on the deal! *hugs*

[kate_nepveu]

Publication! Woo!

[oracne.livejournal.com]

Yay sale!

Hmm, with a new name maybe you can be a Spy. What kind of Spy, I don't know, but...some kind.

[papersky.livejournal.com]

"How does one become a spy?"

[starlady38.livejournal.com]

Do you know the publication format? And can I ask if there's any particular meaning to your new nom de plume?

Anyway, awesome, can't wait to read the book!

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

Um. The format of a book?

I'm guessing you mean hardback or trade paperback or mass market? I think it's hardback, but I may be remembering wrong.

[bishsticks.livejournal.com]

Looking forward to it no matter which one of your "personalities" writes it. :)

[malinaldarose.livejournal.com]

Please to remind us later, yes? Because I will forget.

Also...do the same bookstores who do not wish to buy Sarah Monette's books (stoopid bookstores. I like Sarah Monette's books.), know that Sarah = Katherine? Or are they standing in the corner with their hands over their ears, saying, "La la la la la la la, can't hear you!"

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

Oh, don't worry. You will get tired of hearing me talk about the book.

And my understanding is that it doesn't matter what the people know or don't know. It's all about what the computers know.

[renatus.livejournal.com]

Stupid bookstores. As much as I love them... stupid bookstores.

I'm so glad you got another book deal, and I'll be looking forward to this one, too.

[pameladean]

Oh, good for Tor! And you. I'm glad I'll get to read another of your books.

It's so weird, it's like some strange magical ritual. Just change the name, even though you don't need to keep the connection a secret, and suddenly the bookstores give you a clean slate. They are doin it rong, but you can't tell them anything.

P.

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

Dude. I can't wait to hold it in my hot little hands.

Mind if I call you Kathy?

*duckage*

[heresluck]

BOOK!

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

The NOM DE PLUME icon you made me has suddenly become the MOST APPROPRIATE THING EVAR.

[stillnotbored.livejournal.com]

I'm thrilled to hear that, Sarah. :) I like your books and new ones are always good.

We do what we have to do.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I am sorry this is necessary and glad you have the opportunity it represents, if that combination makes sense. And glad we have the opportunity it represents.

I wonder how many of us have a list of pen names in our heads for this eventuality. I know! I shall ask lj!

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

Yes, it makes perfect sense. That's how I feel, too.

[coffeeandink.livejournal.com]

Yay! I'm glad the book sold.

[michaeldthomas.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! :-)

[illian.livejournal.com]

More books from you is always good news. :D (Albeit not to me wallet . . .)

Although it may lead my brain to start filing you as Sarah Katherine Monette Addison Truepenny.

[pixel39.livejournal.com]

Great. Now *that* is stuck in my head. :-P

[buymeaclue.livejournal.com]

Best of luck with all of this going forward.

[cow.livejournal.com]

Friday the 13th seems like a good day for a publication announcement. :) Congratulations.

Do let us know when you have an ISBN for it, please? (Google doesn't have it either.) Then I can go pre-order it from the shiny local bookstore.

[kateelliott.livejournal.com]

Excellent news! Congrats!

[stevenagy.livejournal.com]

Good for Tor and good for you on the sale. :-)

[dandelion-diva.livejournal.com]

How very interesting. I hope it works. :)

[kameron-hurley.livejournal.com]

Bummer on the necessity-name change, but huzzah on the new publisher! Congrats.

[mkhobson.livejournal.com]

Me, I'm going to slap a different name on every book I write. That way my publishers can market every book I write as "a stunning debut from Writey McWriterson"

I predict that nom de plumes will become like those disposable cell-phones you buy at 7-11.

[supergee.livejournal.com]

May you be as successful as Robin Hobb.

[stephanieburgis.livejournal.com]

Wooot! I am SO happy to know I'll be able to buy a new book by you in only a few months. I can't wait to read it!

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Yay book! And what's in a name, etc? (Ace and the bookstores between them did the exact same thing to me, whereupon I did the exact same slippery thing and became moshui; there's a lot of us about...)

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

It's practically de rigeur these days.

[renesears.livejournal.com]

I'm glad I'll get to read more of your work, no matter what name's on the spine, but regret the necessity.

Also, just to cheer up your books, I loved the Doctrine of Labyrinths. I stayed up late several nights reading them & didn't regret the missed sleep at all.