Ribbon Dance is part of something extraordinary.

That “something”, of course, is the Liaden universe, creation of Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. I, myself, didn’t encounter the Liaden books until long after the publication of the first book, Agent of Change, in 1988. This was unfortunate in one sense – that I was so long unaware of such a wonderful series – but fortunate in another, because then I was able to step into that universe in its full, living complexity and dive deep and long, meeting not one or two but many of the members of Clan Korval and those touched by their magnificent and sometimes damnable Luck.

What makes the Liaden series extraordinary is that it has maintained an unwavering and amazing level of quality for the last twenty-five years, despite now encompassing nearly ...

So!  Yesterday was quite a banner day for Liaden Universe® appreciations.

There was Ryk Spoor’s guest column, here.

And there was also a column on Giant Freaking Robot, by Joshua Tyler, here.

Both are largely positive takes on the universe, and I encourage you to read them and share them, perhaps, with your friends who have yet to discover All Things Liaden.

Despite being largely positive, Mr. Tyler’s piece contains a sentence which has . . . horrified, concerned, and angered some Liaden readers and fans, and thus I find letters in my mailbox.  This blog post is a blanket reply to those letters, and statements of concern.

Mr. Tyler states:  “Sadly, Liaden co-author Steve Miller died suddenly on February 20, 2024. He was 73...

As you may or may not know, Bob, June is quite the month for Lee and Miller.

On June 1, Double Vision — 29 short works by Steve Miller, Sharon Lee, and Sharon Lee and Steve Miller — will publish.  This is an electronic edition (with some added editorial material) of SRM Publisher, Ltd’s 2009 trade paperback.

Double Vision is available for preorder now from All of the Usual Suspects.  On June 1, it will be available for download from those Same Vendors and also from Baen.com

Here’s a Universal Link, to preorder Double Vision, provided as a courtesy.

As if that weren’t enough good news for the beginning of any month, Ribbon Dance, by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, the 26th novel in the Liaden Universe® (never mind what Amazon says; Amazon is Incredibly Confused about . . ...

Tomorrow, June 4, Ribbon Dance, the 26th novel set in the Liaden Universe® created by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, officially drops in hardcover and in ebook*.

For your optimum reading experience, you’ll want to lay in plenty of cake, not to mention pretty little cookies with pastel icing, tea, wine, nuts, and maybe a nice tray of cheese and crackers.

After all, nobody wants an incident.

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*As previously reported, Audible has passed on the opportunity to produce a audio edition of Ribbon Dance. Those rights are being shopped elsewhere and as soon as I know more than that, be sure that I’ll share it.

Bookscan SF Bestsellers, New Books released June 2-8, 2024

#1 Apostles of Mercy, Lindsey Ellis
#2 Mirrored Heavens, Rebecca Roanhorse
#3 The Dark Forest, Cixin Liu
#4 Ribbon Dance, Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
#5 501st Star Wars Legend (Imperial Commando), Karen Traviss

Thanks to everyone who made this possible — give yourselves a hand!

Diviner’s Bow, the 27th novel set in the Liaden Universe® created and maintained by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, will be published on April 1 2025.  David Mattingly created the cover, featuring Counsel to Chaos Blays essWorthi and Majel ziaGorn, the Deaf Councilor.

So, I just finished reviewing the page proofs for “The Last Train to Clarkesville,” a Liaden Universe® Western that will be appearing in this anthology of all-new stories, edited by David Boop, coming from Baen on November 5.

Man we did a good job on that story!

Here’s a teaser:

He was big, and strong, and peaceable.  Nobody was expecting a fight.

Nobody expected him to knock down one deputy, much less two, or take off running, and if they’d ever even thought about his pony, they sure hadn’t expected the bolt of hoofed lightning that answered his whistle, nor the ease with which a big man could swing into the saddle from a dead run.

Meld and Questa were gone before the second deputy lumbered to his feet.

Out of town.

And on the wrong side of the law.

Here’s the full Table of Contents:

In...

Albacon 2024 is being held at the Marriott Courtyard, Clifton Park, NY, September 13, 14, 15.  GOHs are Elizabeth Bear, Scott Lynch, Geri Sullivan, Cory Doctorow.

NOTE: Sharon will be attending remotely. She will NOT be physically at the con.

Sharon Lee Reading Readings (room 101) Sat 4:00 PM Duration: 00:45
Description Sharon Lee Reading from Ribbon Dance

Plotter or Pantser Meeting A Sat 5:30 PM Duration: 01:15
Description They say there are two ways to write: plotting everything out carefully, and just writing and seeing what happens to your story as you go along. Is writing really this binary? Is there a way between? What is the advantages — and disadvantages — of each method? Which are you and why?
Vikki Ciaffone (mod), Daniel M...