Any news on Peace Talks

[KurtinStGeorge]

Maybe that's just a rough-guesstimate placeholder, pending some imponderables; and rando-customer-service-worker just reported it, not realizing it as only a guess.

Or maybe it's brand-brand-new info, that hasn't wended its way through the Normal Channels, and we'll get it in a few days...
 
Maybe someone who knows someone who knows Jim (add layers of knowledge as needed) can kick this back up the ladder, and Jim can WTF his editor?

I agree with this statement.  My guess is Penguin; for whatever reason, hasn't decided when it will get the most bang for its buck.  However, I seriously doubt that the middle of Summer will be the best release time for them. Generally speaking, when you have a product with a high demand level, you want to make it available to the public ASAP.  It's the whole time value of money thing.  Making money sooner is better than making the same amount of money later.   

What I don't know is what kind of scheduling issues Penguin might have to deal with.  For example, what if James Marsters schedule is full up right now, and even though Penguin would like to release Peace Talks in early February, Marsters won't be available until mid-May.  Would the three to four month mismatch between the release dates for the written version and the audio version of Peace Talks be a problem for Penguin; meaning would that cut into their expected revenue and profits?  I also have no ideas about other kinds of scheduling issues Penguin might have to wrestle with.

The odd thing, what is really puzzling me, is why hasn't Penguin figured this out yet?  OK, let's say after all is said and done, that for whatever reason Peace Talks can't be released until sometime in May or even July 14, 2020.  What problem is making this date difficult to determine?  I assume the people at Penguin would want to get this nailed down and then have that information released to the buying public ASAP.  I don't believe I've ever seen Penguin take over four months after Jim has announced that he finished a Dresden Files novel to announce a release date for that novel.  I remember they once had a release date that was about a year away, but even then they made that statement within a few weeks after Jim announced on Twitter and his website he'd written "The End" to that novel.   

[spiritofair]

Yes, Sir KSG, it is totally baffling. And it is made even worse due to there being a ginormous wait between books three times as long as between book 14 and 15 and six times as long as between all 14 of the prior books. They already have a fan base that is "triggered"... maybe they think that if the announced date is 8 months away, that will make the fan base even more triggered?

The Marsters being busy issue seems plausible. It would suck for the audiobook to be delayed in relation to the hard cover book. I don't even read the hard copies any more (although I buy them to support my favorite author) and only listen to the audiobooks.

What would be amazing is if they actually went to a "full cast" audiobook. That could cause a significant delay, but would be freaking awesome. Highly unlikely, though, and a lot of people would probably hate it.

[KurtinStGeorge]

What would be amazing is if they actually went to a "full cast" audiobook. That could cause a significant delay, but would be freaking awesome. Highly unlikely, though, and a lot of people would probably hate it.

Not a bad marketing idea.  That would be a special version; make that special versions of all the novels, released after the original versions come out.  You would have to cast various actors to play specific characters; like Susan and Murphy, and then (probably) edit them into the original versions Marsters did.  No point in reinventing the wheel and have Marsters re-record everything he already did.  Of course, you could still use other distinct character voices he has done like Bob and Butters.  Not every character would need a different actor.

[spiritofair]

Yeah, that sounds pretty neat. I like the actress that voiced Molly in Bombshells and the other Molly perspective story.

The American Gods audiobook was amazing. I bought it just before the show came out on Stars, and I had no idea that when they said "Full Cast" they meant the cast of the show. That was a really neat listening experience.

[Bad Alias]

I haven't listened to an audiobook in decades. I find I have to be focused on something else (like driving/running) to pay attention to an audio only presentation. Otherwise, my mind wanders. I don't exercise as much as I should and seldom take drives long enough (alone) to necessitate obtaining books to listen to, even if I do it for free from my local library.

I'd probably check out (literally) a "full cast" Dresden Files audio book. If I liked it and could listen to it without my mind wandering to far, I'd probably end up buying the whole set.

[Fcrate]

What would be amazing is if they actually went to a "full cast" audiobook. That could cause a significant delay, but would be freaking awesome. Highly unlikely, though, and a lot of people would probably hate it.

Yes! I remember listening to Arabian Nights as a radio show with a full cast when I was a kid, a full set of actors, was awesome

[Regenbogen]

http://www.jim-butcher.com/

Call for Extras for the Peace Talks trailer!
Nov
23
2019
 
Attention, Los Angeles: Want to be a part of the fan-made book trailer to promote the next Dresden Files novel?  We’d love to have you!  All shapes, sizes, genders, ages, and ethnicities welcome to submit.

and so on...

Apparently the trailer isn't finished. So no announcement of release dates yet. I have the growing suspicion, they might be going to show the trailer including the date in January or even February. I don't believe it will be done this year, when they want people for early December.
This is starting to frustrate me. 

[Dina]

Try to relax. The book will be released when is released, meanwhile is not as if there are no other books in the world.

[Regenbogen]

Try to relax. The book will be released when is released, meanwhile is not as if there are no other books in the world.

Hi, Dina.
That's not what I mean. I'm reading a whole bunch of other books. It is simply the date, whenever that may be. And if it is 2021, I would be happy, too. It bugs me, that we are waiting for this one announcement. Then I take a look at the website, see there is a change, get excited, read it, and it is only this. Made me dissapointed.

[Dina]

Hi! I understand (and share) your disappointment, just like every time the JB is down and I got illusions, but I was trying to help you with frustration. Frustration is not good for anyone. As a friend would say, it makes your telomeres shorter (telomeres are the ending but of chromosomes and apparently a lot of stress helps increasing the telomeres shortening. And that, in turn, makes your life shorter) so I wanted to cheer you up! Relax.

[Regenbogen]

Ah, thank you. 
I feel already cheered. Don't want to shorten my telomeres.
Currently I'm reading the forth book of "The Trials of Apollo" by Rick Riordan. I have not planed after that, but I think I'm going to re-read the last Alex Verus and after that something not fantasy.

[Dina]

That sounds good! I am just watching a Supernatural episode right now. It's fun, there is an adult witch in it who appeared many years ago in aother episode, when she was a girl (as you like horror movies, perhaps you remember her, she is the one from Silent Hill (and others)

[KurtinStGeorge]

I don't think the trailer casting call tells us anything about when the release date of Peace Talks will be announced online.   We have no indication the book publisher will coordinate the announcement of the release date of the book with the release of the trailer.  However, I think it would be very smart for Penguin to do exactly that.  In case you are wondering, Industriosa Pictures; the company making the trailer, was set up by Priscilla Spencer.

I just looked at the trailer for Skin Game.  It was posted to YouTube on May 9, 2014 and the release date for Skin Game was May 27, 2014.  I'm pretty sure that the announcement of the release date for Skin Game was made months in advance of the trailer being posted.  If we are lucky, maybe when the trailer is released the book release date will only be a very short time away, like within 30 days, as was the case with Skin Game.  If that turns out to be the case, I hope filming, editing and it's release happen by the end of January.

[g33k]

... We have no indication the book publisher will coordinate the announcement of the release date of the book with the release of the trailer...

Say rather, we have no proof.  But "indication"?  Well... maybe...

... the trailer for Skin Game.... was posted to YouTube on May 9, 2014 and the release date for Skin Game was May 27, 2014 ...

These seem to me remarkably close-set, sufficient for me to doubt that it was accidental.  Rather than the publisher coordinating THEIR timing, I might suspect that Industriosa will set their release to match up with the publisher; or maybe the nearest 'Con event before the release.  It may even be part of the contract that gives them access to PT content, that the timing be set for maximum promo value to the line as a whole, i.e. under Penguin's control.

[Kindler]

It's almost certainly a result Penguin picking a time that will be best for their balance sheet. There are industrial concerns (still gotta print, produce and execute a marketing plan, book speaking engagements and promotions, etc.) Penguin's got the juice it needs to rush all of that, but wouldn't if they didn't think it was worthwhile. They're likely thinking that Peace Talks is going to be a bestseller regardless of its street date, and they're probably right.

But they also don't want to cannibalize their own sales on other books; most readers don't buy more than one book at a time. So they want to find a good release window to prevent Dresden from negatively impacting the opening week (or weeks) of other books. Also have to look at competing books in the urban fantasy or adjacent genres; they want to make sure Peace Talks will win the week it's released.

The final reason they may be delaying is they may want to prop up an otherwise lackluster quarter. Releasing in January or February can be a good way to kickstart their Q1 (and 2020) revenue sheet. January usually has pretty good book sales, but it's mostly in nonfiction stuff (which dominates the sales charts as it is). So stuff like Jordan Peterson's Rules for Life or other self-help books will probably dominate book sales since everyone is still convinced that they're going to keep their New Year's Resolutions. But it's not a great month for fiction, after everyone's blown through their gift cards (and people are still recovering from Holiday shopping spending). February is usually a pretty weak month for books (and for all of retail except florists, Hallmark, and jewelers), and it's a couple shopping days shorter (only one or two since it's a Leap Year), so a major blockbuster release like Peace Talks will make them look good.

The good news for me is that my friend and I are going to reschedule our bet. There was a stipulation that if there is no announcement by Black Friday, we're going to have the opportunity to alter our chosen dates. So I might not be out five hundred bucks after all (my bet was on last Tuesday).