Benedict Jacka

I’m really sorry that you are having such a long wait for the Book#4 edits to come back. I can understand your frustration with the publisher and a nagging doubt that the suggested Edits may somehow impact on the story-line of Book #5!

I always imagined that there was a close relationship between publisher and author, with the story coming from the author and the publisher (maybe) advising on current popular demand & crosschecking for internal typos plus continuity. Is there no way you can nudge them into saying just what/why the delay is?

[Perhaps a stiff email/letter from Charles Ashford would do the trick?]

In reply to Jonathan.

Sales are fine, yes. And the book’s definitely coming out – the contract’s signed and the publication date is set for this November. They’re just being slow.

How frustrating! So sorry. Hopefully you’ll get the edits soon.

This just seems so strange. I thought sales on the new series were going well. I’m certainly planning on continuing to buy each book as it comes out! Is the publisher putting this on a back burner?

Start charging interest on missed sales due to delays on their part? *wink*

Seariously, it is rediculous but I guess you can use the time on book 5.

In reply to Sean.

My current guess is about 10.

How many books are anticipated for this series?

Maybe it’s an April Fool’s joke?

A wise man once asked a rhetorical question like this: who by worrying can add a single hour to their life?

Excited to read #4 and #5

In reply to Benedict.

Meant to say how not why!

Hopefully I got most of them right, I am a little unsure of what rank Ivy’s are and perhaps Lucella used a different more nastier sigl.

Plus little things like this help the wiki, it really is quite impressive I don’t think Alex Verus has one!

In reply to Kevin.

Pretty good!

Hey along with being a wonderful edition to the series I think we have seen all these sigls before! I think these characters have the following

Scar and Disel B rank Strength sigl/Ajax.

I guess maybe A to S Rank increases your strength to 2 to 3 times what you can lift?

Calhoun B rank Reflex.

Given that it can help with adrenaline I see why Calhoun prefers this over a Motion sigl that could do the same.

Lucella C+ Rank Stun

I think this was the Life Effect she used in Book One?

Ivy C rank Stun and D+ rank Cat’s eye.

The only one who has two Life sigls, I guess she is good at Light and Life? She might have a higher’s Cat’s Eye if her family is wealthy but I get the feeling they might not be too generous. Or Ivy would rather do itself and accept the bare minimum?

How close why I guessing the sigls?

Thanks for another very insightful summary of the major Life Sigl effects. I am very much looking forward to the story continuing in Book#4 but it still seems a long way in the future…

I hope that you restarted penning Book#5 and that it is well on schedule for a November 27 release!

In reply to Celia.

Maybe a Light sigl that allows you to project a blinding field around an enemy’s eyes, similar to the Haywire Stephen uses to mess with strength sigls?

Hi Benedict!
I was so looking for another epic 12 book series. But since you have worked out how the story will tie it all together, I am grateful for it. I will looking forward to it been put together in the next few books coming out before the Olympic Games 2032 in Brisbane, Australia

Thank you for the update and I think that I “sort of” understand although not completely as your post had to, by necessity, avoid spoilers! I pretty pleased that you now have the whole series mapped out, at least in your head and will (probably?) be better prepared for the rest of the series and hence keep to the annual timeline!

Thanks again & good luck when you start writing again, I assuming there was nothing nasty in the Book#4 edits to be worried about…?

Thank you so much for ur work boss u are the best. Silly question, can i be in ur book as character

So, let me understand the types of Life Sigils we have seen.

Continuous Sigils – The Armsmen and Hobbs. They work on free essentia and direct it via the sigil to work on whatever it is supposed to work on. Unless, of course, you have a Haywire Sigil.

Triggered Sigils – The drucraft Doctor. These work when activated on a subject that the wearer channels essentia through to direct to perform something on either themselves or a 3rd party. This is the case the skill of the channeler matters. I assume medical drucrafters have a range of Sigils to work on different parts/systems of the body.

Somebody like Stephen could make a death Sigil, because he is not being paid for his shaping. Right?

Your blogs on Beginners guide to Drucraft speaks volume of the in depth background knowledge behind writing the books of IoM. I realize reading your novels I have barely scratch the surface of what it TAKES TO WRITE A NOVEL
Keep at it

In reply to Bill.

I usually don’t settle on a name until after the edits are done, since to me it’s just “part 4 of the ongoing story”.