The book you have just finished reading is not our fault.
We freely admit that Conflict of Honors, Agent of Change, and Carpe Diem—the first stories in the Liaden Universe—were our fault. Yes, we committed those stories—and others. We're not ashamed.
But having committed those stories—and seen them published, back in the late 80's—we were told by our publisher that the numbers weren't there. No one had read our books, that means in Publish-Speak. And, since no one had read the first three, the outlined fourth—and the proposed fifth—would not be needed.
We don't pretend that this news wasn't a blow—even a severe blow. But life goes on. We had moved to Maine just before Carpe Diem came out; we busied ourselves exploring our new state, landing—and losing—gainful employment, buying a house, and adding cats to the household as appropriate. Amid it all, we wrote.
Steve wrote computer columns, features, book reviews, brochures, web pages, and advertising. Sharon did some of that, some of the other, some more of something else. That was for other people.
For ourselves, we wrote Liaden stories. Over dinner, during drives in the country, one or the other of us would break out of conversation, or reverie, with, "Story stuff. What if. . .?" We fine-tuned the Liaden Code of Proper Conduct, argued esoteric points of melant'i, painted in scenes, and met some wonderful characters.
Let's be clear here. The Liaden Universe is where our hearts are. Home. Yxtrang, DoI, Aunt Kareen, and all.
Sometime during all this life-going-on time, the rights to our novels reverted to us. Sometime a little later, the internet arrived in Maine and we—electronic communications addicts from the old days of neighborhood bulletin boards—drove on up to join the party.
Within days, we were deluged—a phenomenon that continues to this day, though it has slowed to a gentle shower—with e-mail. "Are you the Steve Miller? The Sharon Lee? When's the next Liaden book? When is Plan B coming out?"
One of our early correspondents put together an electronic list for discussion of things Liaden, and so the Friends of Liad were born. From them, we began to understand that people had read our books—and wanted more.
Without the encouragement and support of the Friends of Liad, Plan B would likely have never been written down.
But the blame for Plan B doesn't rest solely on the heads of the Friends of Liad; there's another party equally culpable.
Stephe Pagel.
A book isn't done until it's published, and Stephe is the man who decides what—or if—Meisha Merlin will publish. He not only decided to make Plan B a reality, but he contracted to reissue the first three books as the omnibus Partners in Necessity, two prequels in the omnibus Pilots Choice, and the single-book I Dare. He's also been heard to say that a book about Clutch turtles would be really cool.
Clearly, this man merits watching.
Oh, and one more thing: True enough that a book isn't done until it's published, but a story—a story's not done until it's been read.
That's where you come in.
For reading our book, for completing the arc of wonder—thank you.
Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
October 1998