While we’re working on  the still untitled first-of-five Liaden novels under contract we’re still watching — and experiencing! — as the rest of the Liaden Universe expands.

If you haven’t bookmarked and checked on Splinter Universe you may want to go there and do that, because — well, see this: “Code of Honor” is up now.

The site itself is at http://splinteruniverse.com

We’ve had a busy few days here in the wilds of Maine. Not only have we arrived at an agreement for Liaden Universe Companion #3 — but Audible is putting Fledgling on a this week only sale…

You only have until Saturday, May 17 http://www.audible.com/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/Fledgling-Audiobook/B008YL6CDG?source_code=SCLGB907YWS102913 to get Fledgling for $3.95!

The end of the last century was a pretty good time for the Lee & Miller writing team. We had Liaden books on the way, we were being courted by anthologies, our story A Matter of Dreams was set for an illustrated guest appearance in Colleen Doran’s A Distant Soil (#27) and we were back in the groove of going to conventions. Our chapbooks were doing well… and then Absolute Magnitude’s editor Warren Lapine asked us for a story — specifically, a Liaden story.

That story happened to be the story of a crew member just coming to his majority on a small-time tradeship, one Jethri Gobelyn. Jethri had been bouncing and waving his hands and around in the character queue for awhile and we figured that once his story was told, he’d let us get back to the main line of things.  But the appearance of Bal...

After a book or two Sharon and I were surprised that we we’re getting noticed even if our books were coming out as original paperbacks rather than starting in the hardcover lists as we do now.It was fun, if not enriching, to see things like this in print:

“Val Con and Miri are the most romantic couple in SF!”
—Susan Krinard, author of Touch of the Wolf

“You may never care about a cast of characters more or await their return with more anticipation.”
—SF Site

“Full of action, exotic characters, plenty of plot, and even a touch of romance. OUTSTANDING.”
—Booklist

As much fun as it was to see nice things written about our books, it was even more fun to write them. There’s a lot of playfulness in Carpe Diem, some in the repartee, some in the naming of places,  some in the challenging of ...

Local Custom and Scout’s Progress came out at the same time, in the same book — a book with yet a third title — Pilots Choice. The year was 2001 and Meisha Merlin’s publisher, Stephe Pagel, had decided that in order to keep Liaden Universe® publishing momentum going putting both novels in the same hardback would be the best way to satisfy the market. Scout’s Progress went on to win the Prism Award for Futuristic fiction, but only by a hair, over … Local Custom, which came in an extremely strong second. There’s more than a hint of romance, and more than a hint of the Georgette Heyer style regency, in both books.

Looking for a science fiction story with danger, wit, and romance? Here you go, have a sample!

Local Custom
by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller

Chapter One

Each person shall provide ...

Welcome to 2019 and some news from the various worlds of Lee & Miller

On the first Liaden Universe® front we’re finishing up a book — Accepting the Lance — to be turned in to Baen by the end of the month, with publication currently set for the end of the year. Watch for more news here or on Facebook.

What’s coming sooner than Accepting the Lance? To begin with, there’s Neogenesis in mass market paper. Last year’s hardback Liaden novel spent 2 months on the Locus Bestseller list and hits stores and sites on March 26, 2019. If you’ve been waiting for the small-size, it is coming your way: https://www.amazon.com/Neogenesis-Liaden-Universe%C2%AE-Sharon-Lee/dp/1481483927

Not long after Neogenesis an in demand collection arrives — Liaden Universe® Constellation #4, due out from Baen in J...