It is September 7, 2021. And today is the official release for The Tempered Steel of Antiquity Grey, my new SF&F novel!
It is a strange day though. Due to the printing and binding delays occurring throughout the publishing industry (click HERE to read all about that), the hardcover of Antiquity Grey is not out today. I’ve had to push the book’s hardcover release to November 9th — right before my birthday. In this way, I’m giving the bindery enough time to get the job done, deliver the Kickstarter trade hardcover books to me as well as to Ingram Distribution, and from there into your hands or into the various bookstores who are carrying it.
What publishes today then? Well, the ebook and audiobook are out today!
Here is a timeline for what I know to be true:
- Today: Ebook (Kindle, Nook, Kobo) and Audiobook (Audible)
- September 30: The binding of the trade hardcovers for The Tempered Steel of Antiquity Grey and The Undone Life of Jak Dreadth
- October 10: The warehouse arrival of the trade hardcovers for Antiquity Grey and Jak Dreadth
- October 14: Shipment begins for Kickstarter orders that do not have limited/lettered/rare editions
- October 21: Signed trade hardcover copies of Antiquity Grey and Jak Dreadth placed on The Signed Page for order
- November 9: Official release of unsigned trade hardcover of Antiquity Grey in bookstores
- December 10: The binding of limited/lettered/rare editions of Antiquity Grey and Jak Dreadth
- December 20: The warehouse arrival of the limited/lettered/rare editions of Antiquity Grey and Jak Dreadth
- December 26: Shipment begins for Kickstarter orders that have limited/lettered/rare editions
That timeline isn’t set in stone. These are estimates based on what the printer/bindery has been telling me. I can control when I ship and how fast I do that; I can’t control when I get books into the warehouse. All I can tell you is I’ll work as fast as I can to get these out to you.
On another note, many of you have already read the Kickstarter ebook for The Tempered Steel of Antiquity Grey. I really appreciate that. And some of you have even asked when you can review the book. Well, today is the day! Since today is the release day, Amazon, B&N, and other retailers now allow you to review the book. That’s a cool thing and the best way you can support me and the book.
But like me, your time is valuable. That’s why if you review the book on one of those platforms, I’m going to give you the first section of The Last Arrow of the Autumn Huntsman, my father’s commemoration short story set in my urban fantasy series The Annwn Cycle and publishing next year in Unbound II alongside short stories by Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson, Kristen Britain, Tamora Pierce, Django Wexler, Kevin Hearne, Adrian Tchaikovsky, and many others. Review Antiquity Grey and then email me (shawn@shawnspeakman.com) a screenshot or link as proof to your review. I’ll send you the PDF. It’s that easy!
Happy Birthday, Antiquity Grey! This is just the beginning! Thank you all for your support over the years and for this book. It means a lot to me.
With Mech Magic,
Shawn