Publish and Control

A couple of topics today.  First, a quick status on my publishing efforts.  The Fifth Age, the final book in the core nine volume series is back in the hands of Lulu to make final edit corrections.  I expect to have the final design back next week.  Unless something unexpected happens I will approve the final design by the end of next week.  I would then expect the softcover to available at Lulu sometime after June 6th.  The eBook version should follow about a couple of weeks after that.

That will complete the journey I dreamed about almost forty years ago and the publishing effort I started ten years ago.  The story is good.  As I did a final read-through of the 9th book I was amazed at how good it was.  Did I write this?  It really doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, it will always be the ultimate epic story to me.

Now what's this about control?  For anyone new to the series there is a common theme that runs through the books and serves as a source of motivation for many of the characters, it's called "control".  One premise of the series is that what drives people is a need to control their environment...control their lives...control their destiny.  Those who seek power are doing so in order to force others to their will and thus control the lives around them.  This allows them to live in a world they choose...a world they control.  Those who seek wealth do so in order to be able to buy the world they choose.  Again, it's about having the ability to choose and control their life and not have others control it for them.

Again, those who seek immortality do so in order to control how long they live and how much of life they can experience.  They want control over when they live and when or if they die.  Those who seek beauty are doing so in order to give them more choices and more control over who they love and who will desire them in return.  It allows them more control over their relationships.  It all comes back to people being able to choose the way they live and those choices provide them control.  Power, wealth, immortality, beauty are all means to an end and that end is control.  There are many themes in the series, but that is certainly one of the common ones.

As always, if you want the softcover version and be able to gaze at Amy's amazing covers first-hand, then buy the books at Lulu.com.  You will not find a cheaper site.  Watch for their specials.  Often I will tweet the codes, but they are usually only good for a day or two.  Just have patience.  If you want an eBook copy, you can find those reasonably priced at all the usual sites (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, etc).  Give the series a try.  I don't think you'll be disappointed.