I have a little tradition for book release days. Every time a new novel comes out, I get myself a nice new fountain pen to commemorate the event.
For FIELDS OF FIRE, I didn’t have to shell out my own money, because this one was paid for by 47North, my publisher. It’s a gold-trimmed Parker Sonnet in black lacquer. I immediately inked it up to use for notes on Frontlines #6.
I wrote the first two novels in the Frontlines series by hand, with a fountain pen. These days, I write directly into Scrivener because of the delivery schedule for the Frontlines books, but I’ll occasionally break out the pens to write a chapter or two to mix things up. For the next series, I may just go back to longhand first. The process feels less like work when i get to put down ink on actual paper first and then transcribe later. (It also has the advantage of on-the-fly revision when you type up your longhand, and what ends up on the PC is already a word-by-word first revision.)
I can understand if you want to make this book the last in the series, but I hope you do not abandon the ‘universe’ in which this story has unfolded. If I remember correctly, there are three hundred settled planets in this ‘universe’ and a continuing extra-terrestrial menace that seems to be ‘biotech’-based. It’s worthy of lots more exploration, especially from the science & engineering perspective.
I just binge read the first 5 in 6 days and now am pissed that I have to wait! You’re books are much better than the Earth … series, the characters are better, the writing is better etc… can’t wait. Oh yeah, don’t care about the gay Russian
Cool! What’s your favorite pen?
I’m a fan of Pilot fountain pens — IMO the Custom 74 and Custom 823 are the best pens in the world!
My all-time favorite is the Lamy 2000, but I am very fond of my Custom 823 too. I think Pilot/Namiki makes the best fountain pens in the world.
I love your Frontline books and I hate the wait in between! In the age of Netflix and Online Streaming content where people binge watch shows – I absolutely binge read this series of books.
Thank you for putting pen to paper!
Gosh she sure it a pretty one. What is her name?