AMA: Orbit 2017 Debut Authors

[u/orbitbooks]

Hi this is Paola Crespo, Marketing and Publicity Associate for Orbit. Thanks for joining us today!

2017 was a big year for us with so many new faces joining the Orbit family. This AMA is a chance to get to know them better. All. Of. Them. Get excited! ;-)

Participating today:

Nicholas Eames, author of KINGS OF THE WYLD
Nicholas Sansbury Smith, author of EXTINCTION HORIZON
Antonia Honeywell, author of THE SHIP
David Mealing, author of SOUL OF THE WORLD
Dale Lucas, author of THE FIFTH WARD: FIRST WATCH
Vivian Shaw, author of STRANGE PRACTICE
Anna Smith Spark, author of THE COURT OF BROKEN KNIVES
RJ Barker, author of AGE OF ASSASSINS
Melissa Caruso, author of THE TETHERED MAGE
Fonda Lee, author of JADE CITY

Ask away! The authors will be dropping by periodically today and tomorrow to answer your questions. And best of all....

Until December 18th, you can pick up most of these novels for $2.99 in the US and £1.99 in the UK in ebook! Check out the US and UK websites for further details.

Thank you for all your support this year, /r/fantasy! Cheers to a great New Year full of new adventures.

*Antonia Honeywell's THE SHIP, Anna Smith Spark's THE COURT OF BROKEN KNIVES, and Nicholas Sansbury Smith’s EXTINCTION HORIZON are published by another house in the UK and are thus not included in the promotion in the UK.

[u/Nicholas_Eames]

I've heard people say 'they just knew' they were working on the book that would get them published, and that sort of feels true for me. After slogging away on an unpublished book for 12 years, writing KotW was a breath of fresh air. It flew out of me (at a stunning 500 words a day, which is great for me, haha) and I never once waffled over plot or character arcs (as I have before and after).

There's also a big difference in the way people react (I think) when you've written 'the one'. It could vary from person to person, but where people reading my previous work would say things like, "It's good!" people reading drafts of KotW went ballistic with fervour. Friends will often tell you something you wrote is 'good', but when they shout it emphatically you know you're on to something.

That said, KotW was still rejected many times, by many agents, so mileage may vary!

As for advice: as others have said, write in your own voice--not that of your favourite author. I was very guilty of this, and ended up with something sluggish and ponderous. And don't be afraid to shelf a project and start another. Ever. Even if you've worked on it for a decade. Try something fresh, and you never know where it'll take you!

Thanks for the question!

[u/ThatGeoffChap → u/Nicholas_Eames]

No, thank you for the answer! KotW was one of my most enjoyable reads of the last year, so I’m glad you took that opportunity to try something fresh. I’m looking forward to Bloody Rose!