I have received my rights back for my two historicals, Lord Ruin and The Spare. This means, among other things, that the publisher no longer has rights to my characters and that all the pesky legal issues that made the possibility of sequels kind of difficult are now removed. Now the only issues are what to do with the rights. I think reselling them would be difficult and unlikely, but I suppose worth asking about.
In all honesty, the decision for me will be whether I try to resell the books myself say, via the Kindle, or simply give them away as free eBooks. I know EXACTLY who I would want to do any cover art, though. Then I’ll have to think about how, when and if I can do the sequels to Lord Ruin so many people have asked about every year since the book was first published.
Also, today I received Czech language versions for Scandal. In Czech, my last name is Jewelova. In case you were wondering.
Tags: Lord Ruin, Rights, Scandal, The Spare, Translations
Y’know, I see authors republishing their backlists via Smashwords… 🙂
I read library copies of these years ago and loved them both. My library no longer owns them. But I will have a brand new Kindle tomorrow and I would be thrilled to buy them so I could read them again. Just in case you were wondering 🙂
Dear Madam Jewelova, woohooo about the Czech language books! And for getting the rights back. 🙂
Count me among the massive horde of your fans who have long wanted to get sexy sequels to Lord Ruin and the Spare! Until now, I had no idea that it was contractual issues that kept you from pursuing any sequels. So…get to work on them. Right now! (Pretty please?)
For the two cents my opinion is worth, I think you should pursue some avenue of self-publishing. These are tremendous books, and you deserve to profit from them as much as possible.
I love The Spare! It’s on my keeper shelf. Waiting eagerly for any forthcoming historicals.
I’d go the Kindle/Smashwords route. When readers type your name into the Amazon search engine, they’ll see that there are Kindle versions of Lord Ruin and The Spare available for purchase rather than expensive used copies from which you won’t see a penny!
great news.
I’m very pleased to hear that there is a possibility of Lord Ruin and The Spare available as ebooks! I have Lord Ruin in paperback, but I would love to have an ebook copy and I would love to own a copy (any kind!) of The Spare. I only ask that Nook users are also remembered. 🙂 I’m also quite excited to hear about potential sequels. I look forward to your decision. Thank you.
Tressa:
Thanks! I have to do some investigation into the best format(s) to offer so that people can get the books onto whatever reading device they like. The artist I want to do the cover art is booked to the end of the year so I don’t think I’ll have anything available until early 2011. His work is worth the wait.
I no longer either (a) hate you or (b) wonder if you died suddenly and couldn’t complete your stories. Until I read Lord Ruin…Whiney My Love was the greastest historical romance of all time. Then Ruan and Anne…and you tempted me with Devon, Emily and Thrane….Lucy is waiting for Thrane. I found and bought on Amazon two used copies of Lord Ruin for my mother and sister….I was tired of guarding my copy when they came to visit. Our primary complaint was a lack of sequel…..and our concern was that you had passed…and in a sense you did…for a while….thanks to corporate greed…welcome to ressurectiin my dear. Now….I will purchase Lord Ruin again in Kindle version as ive done for all my other must have historical romances. I would also purchase any sequels in both hardcovere and kindle versions….even if they were half assed because something is better than nothing and your half assed could knock McKnaught off here throne. Just tell me you are considering it and there there are four Amazon.com groups who will rejoice and countless facebook pages once it is known. It takes a lot for me to take the time to write on a page like this….but you gave me hope…..don’t take it away….have a nonfat latte and get work on Devon and Emily less they be the pinnacle then you should start with Thrale and Lucy. McKnaught holds the title only because her tie-in books compared….there is a war between Whitney My Love and Almost Heaven that could be eclipsed by Lord Ruin and The Devil & Miss Emily. I’ll buy you a a coffee gift card and therapy sessions to get you through the process…..but get to work lady….there is a fortune to be made but also the hope nd spice you bring to our lives awaiting! Are you feeling, channeling and typing yet? Thanks to your being alive and corporate greed’s death…..HeatherB
Heather:
Thanks so much! Judith McNaught is an amazing writer and I’m very flattered you’d mention me in the same sentence with her. I hope to have both Lord Ruin and The Spare available in the early new year and I definitely hope to write sequels. I confess it might take some time, simply because I have other books to write and I’m still working full time. On the other hand, I know people want those sequels!