Posted on January 31st, 2017 by Adam-Troy Castro
I am currently hard at work at one novel in a genre not attempted before, and at a novella. Alternating time between them.Of the novel, I will say only that it’s strong stuff, not yet worth talking about.
The novella, which even at best you won’t see until late 2018 — i.e., it has to be finished, submitted, sold, and scheduled after another in the same sequence — is something I can promise now because, if it does appear as I target, it will be long after most of you forg…et that I ever announced that I was working on it. By then, it will be a surprise again.
So can today announce 1500 Saturday words on a story that will feature the intersection of two series from different parts of the same fictional universe.
The retired spy Draiken, who has thus far appeared in the stories “Sleeping Dogs” and “The Soul Behind the Face,” will at that time be a deadly antagonist to Andrea Cort with the Porrinyards. (Takes place not long after THIRD CLAW OF GOD, in her busy life.)
One interesting thing about still working on Andrea Cort stories, from time to time, is that stories now exist for her that affect an evolving personality throughout a very busy career. They have not been written in order; I’ve bounced back and forth, but I’ve always had an eye on her emotional development, as her years went on.
The earliest chronological story is “With Unclean Hands,” followed by “Tasha’s Fail-Safe,” followed by “The Coward’s Option,” followed by the story that introduced her back in 2002, “Unseen Demons.” These are all stories of her early career, with “Unseen Demons” being the one that gives her a mission in life. All these appeared in ANALOG. I intend to continue producing stories that take place in the window between “The Coward’s Option” and “Unseen Demons,” for as long as ANALOG will have them.These are tales of Andrea the determined misanthrope of growing formidability.
They are followed by the novels EMISSARIES FROM THE DEAD, which introduces her great loves, the Porrinyards, THE THIRD CLAW OF GOD, and the still-unfortunately-available-only-in-German-or-as-audiobook, WAR OF THE MARIONETTES. (An effort to bring them back into print, and provide WAR OF THE MARIONETTES with its first English printing, fell through late last year. We are still trying. And yes, this is why further e-books have been delayed.)
At the end of WAR Andrea makes a decision that changes her life again, leading to the last chronological Andrea story, “Hiding Place.” Unless a new novel deal comes through — don’t hold your breath — this will be the last chronological Andrea Cort story, because her life is at a crossroads that cannot be resolved except at novel length.
As stated, this new as-yet-untitled story takes place during the trilogy, after THE THIRD CLAW OF GOD, mostly because I was aching to write about the Porrinyards again.
So that’s something to look forward to.
Tags: Andrea Cort, Draiken, Emissaries From the Dead, Science Fiction, The Third Claw of God, War of The Marionettes, writing | Category Andrea Cort, Books, Draiken, Science Fiction
Comment By: Bob Finkel
July 28th, 2022 at 1:31 pm
Please keep trying to get War of the Marionettes into e-book format. Also, is Hiding Place yet available?
Bob
Comment By: Adam-Troy Castro
August 2nd, 2022 at 6:55 pm
The Andrea Cort novels are an ongoing project, and THE THIRD CLAW OF GOD is coming next.