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Ray said today that he hoped to have Tear turned in to his publisher by the end of next month. After that, it will be rushed to print without the normal publicity routine.

Yes, I am still alive... even after exams. I'm back home for the summer. In the interim, Ray has had a lot to say about the first Tales of the Riftwar novel, Honoured Enemy. So here we go. The first post deals with the creation of the Tales series:

I met Janny at World Fantasy Convention in '83 in Chicago. My first reaction was very much 'single male,' as in 'hey, this is a very attractive lady. 'I was introduced by her ex-boyfriend (and now current husband), Don Maitz. Short version of a long story: got to know Janny and decided she'd be a great friend even if not a romantic possibility, she and Don got back together, and she and Don have been great friends of mine for the last 17 years. In the process of hanging with her, we'd talk story some times, and at one point I mentioned the idea for the start of (what at the time I thought was one book, Servant of the Empire). She jumped in and said, 'You know, you could do this, that, this other thing,' and the ideas just kept rolling. It took me about five minutes to decided I needed her to collaborate. It too me a year to convince her. I loved the results. Great experience.

As for the three I'm doing now, that was a completely different set of reasons. Midkemia has always been about 'other voices' but you guys never got to hear any of them.The story telling that evolved out of the gaming sessions, the 'history' Steve and Jon and others dreamed up, all of that was of a piece, and I wanted something along those line.

I approached a half-dozen writers who I respect, including Janny, and three of them had the time now to make a commitment.
I'm five chapters through the book with Bill and I'm finding it great; I think you'll enjoy the efforts and find the presence of other voices in the Midkemian narrative refreshing and rewarding.

Next, Ray describes the writing process with Bill Forstchen, the co-author of Honoured Enemy:

It varies with each writer. With Bill we talked about the overall outline, defined some characters, and he jumped in. By chapter 3 I had some sense of where he was going, so my rewrites became more consistent with his mood and tone, and by then he had a better idea of what we needed to do to keep the book consistent with the other Midkemian stories.

Next, we get the names of the other Tales novels:

Honored Enemy, the book I'm doing with Bill Forstchen is all new characters, as is Murder in LaMut, the book I'm doing with Joel Rosenberg. Steve Stirling and I will work on a book called Jimmy the Hand.

Finally, Ray gave this tidbit about the plot of Honoured Enemy:

In the Northlands.A Tsurani/Kingdom skirmish is interrupted by a whole lot of Moredhel, and the two enemies have to unite temporarily to survive.

I will say no more.

In another post, Ray said that the books will be listed as authored by 'Feist and...' ie 'Feist and Forstchen.'

Ray posted this note about the difference between the RPG and the books:

In the game reality, it's a 220 day year of 20 hour days.

In the books, a year is a year.

Ray posted this recently about the schedule for the next few years:

As far as new projects, I should be finishing up two by the summer, Honored Enemy (with Bill Forstchen), and Krondor: Tear of the Gods, third volume in the Riftwar Legacy.Then I start on another collaboration and the 1st volume of the Conclave of Shadows.

Should be two books a year for a while. Honored Enemy is the first book in the Tales of the Riftwar series.

John Bunting posted this list of updates to www.crydee.com

Well the site is back on line! I have taken the down time to add a few updates.

The Hungarians have been printing again. The Kings Buccaneer has been released in two parts, and also the second part of Rage of a Demon King. Thanks to Dani Zoltan, Ray's Editor for providing me with signed copies of the books.
I have just posted the cover art to my site.
It can be found at Select the Hungary Editions Button
Look for
The Kings Buccaneer- A Kiraly Kaloza I resz
Look for
The Kings Buccaneer - A Kiraly Kaloza II resz
Look for
Rage of a Demon King Part 2 - A Demonkiraty Duhe II resz
Click on the thumbnail for a larger image

I have just posted the cover art to my site.
It can be found in the Publication Information

Select the Czech Republic Editions Button
Look for
Rage of a Demon King - Hnev krale demonu - Ustup
Look for
Rage of a Demon King - Hnev krale demonu- Boj
Click on the thumbnail for a larger image

The Return to Krondor CD audio Soundtrack
I have just posted the cover art to my site.
Select the Other Works Button
Look for
Return to Krondor Soundtrack
Click on the thumbnail for a larger image
In the same section you will also find newly uploaded cover art for several other items

I have just posted the cover art for several SFWA Bulletin Magazine in which Ray wrote some articles on contracts
They can be found at I have just posted an image from a Magician Flyer produced in 1982
Select the Magician Flyer Button

I have just posted the cover art from the SOADQ Paperback Proof
Select the US Proofs Button
Its the really fancy proof between SOADQ and ROAMP
Click on the thumbnail for a larger image

The Midkemia Press section of Miscellaneous Artefacts has also been updated with a new cover variant for The City of Carse
Select the Midkemia Press RPG Button
Click on the thumbnails for a larger images

Some additional Paperback cover variation have been uploaded to the US Editions section, including SOADQ and ROAMP
They can be found at Select the US Editions Button
Click on the thumbnail for a larger image

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Chad Keffer emailed me today to let me konw that the address of the RateItAll page for Ray has changed. It is now here.

Ray posted this message on the extent of the ConDoin's rule of the Kingdom:

I don't have the exact scale. They ruled for about two hundred years prior to Magician, then the dynasty was ended about the time of the 5th Riftwar.

They do not rule during the time of the game.

FYI, the game he mentions is the original RPG (set after the 5th Riftwar), not Betrayal at Krondor or Return to Krondor.