Allyson Longueira of WMG Publishing finally talked me into doing the Author Preferred Edition of FantasyLife that I have been threatening to do for some years now. The edition is an omnibus, which also has three short stories related to the novel and an introduction to the book itself.
I’ve been having a heck of a time getting the English language rights reverted by Simon & Schuster. I’ve gotten every other right that they licensed reverted, and because I’ve been digging deep into our contract, also made note of the rights I did not license to them. One of those rights is for an omnibus.
I have hated their edition from publication forward. They changed the title, adding a space between Fantasy and Life. They put unicorns on the cover, using stock art (for reasons I enumerate in the introduction and in my business blog this past week), and there are no unicorns in the book. In fact, the book isn’t as cheery as that cover. They overcharge for the ebook. They have now created a trade paper edition—which is just a photocopy of the mass market edition—and are overcharging for that.
Still, my readers were picking up those inferior copies, and that just irritated me. So the new edtion, which is prettier, cheaper, and bigger.
Allyson got me to do this by scheduling the (as-yet-unfinished) omnibus for a Storybundle that she was curating this month. And deadlines galvanize me. She knew it, and the project got done in record time. Oh! And she designed a great new (appropriate) cover.
FantasyLife is the longest story in a series of stories that I’ve written about a weird stretch of the Oregon Coast. Lots of related short stories exist and there are more novels to come. I’m excited about this edition, and hope you will give it a chance.
The Storybundle that Allyson curated went live this past week. The bundle will run until mid-October, giving you all time to read the stories in time for Halloween. FantasyLife is in the bundle, along with a brand-new book from Kevin J. Anderson (this is the only place you can buy it right now), and a wonderful edition of Fiction River Presents titled Darker Realms. please designate some of the money for the bundle’s charity, AbleGamers.You’ll also find a nifty novel from Dean, a fun book from Mark Leslie, a darker classic ghost book from Annie Reed, some monster hunting from Stefon Mears, and three other books. So that’s ten books for $15. Plus, if you’re so inclined, head on over to Storybundle and get some perfect fall reading.
Just picked up FantasyLife yesterday, and am at the point where the 1970 John Aluke mentions the Columbus Day Storm eight years previous. I was living outside Corvallis for that storm, and still remember it very well after nearly 60 years. The mention of it me a frisson. Comparing the storm Aluke is dealing with to that one really set the mood.
Oh, I’m glad that worked! Thanks.
Great! I just picked up a copy. (I haven’t read it yet, but what’s the significance of “FantasyLive” (no space)? )
FantasyLife. “f” not “v.” And you’ll see…
FINALLY!!! grabby hands
I’ve picked up the StoryBundle, but I’ve got a problem with the cover on the .mobi edition. It’s as if there was no cover. The very first accessible page is the title with the mention “Author Preferred Edition”, your name and the WMG publishing logo.
So it’s this first page that is used as a thumbnail, which is definitely not as nice as Allyson’s lovely cover! Too bad.
On the other hand, the epub version seems to work just fine.
In any case, I’m glad you found a way around allowing you to republish this novel the way you want it, and I’m looking forward to reading it!
Hmmm. Thanks, Céline. I will let Allyson know. Thanks for picking up the bundle!