Dear Jim

[AndiSue]

Authors are gonna write when they are gonna write.

But dude IS spot on about this site.  There is not a lot of activity going down here.

I can't speak for anyone else, but it *was* announced that this forum was going away so many members may have gone elsewehere and/or not bothered to come here. I moderate a Jim Butcher fan group on Facebook with over 2000 members and it's pretty active.

[AndiSue]

You are correct. There is a new short story exclusive to Brief Cases and it's called Zoo Day (https://youtu.be/Js2pG5ell5s?t=20m37s) Harry and Maggie and Mouse go to the zoo and the story is told from each of their points of view.

Brief Cases is coming out in June.  That may not do much for the hardcore guys who've read everything already, but it has me excited.

And, I believe he did write a short story just for that anthology.

[Ineptwizard]

As long as Jim's books continue to b as entertaining I'll keep reading.
I'd rather have quality stories.

[KurtinStGeorge]

As long as Jim's books continue to b as entertaining I'll keep reading.
I'd rather have quality stories.

I don't think anyone would disagree with getting quality stories, but it would be nice if Jim would do an update on Twitter when he finishes the big boss battle chapter and only has the denouement chapter left to write, or when he starts the final big boss battle chapter.  At least when he used to make those kind of announcements you had the feeling real progress was being made and that it would only be a few more weeks.  About six weeks ago Jim said he might be finished around the end of April.  Now if it takes until (for example) the end of June, then so be it, but it would be nice not to be so in the dark as we are now.

[wardenferry419]

When was the last time Butcher has posted on Twitter? Months?

[Ananda]

 If you guys are impatient now, I hate to see how you will feel in the 2030s when the series still isn’t quite done at a pace of two years per book. If you’re lucky, wars, civil unrest, climate change, and the AI revolution will keep you occupied till then. 

[KurtinStGeorge]

When was the last time Butcher has posted on Twitter? Months?

Jim hasn't posted in months, but he used to do regular posts giving his audience rough updates when writing past novels.  I understand why Jim got off off twitter, because he took the time to make many other posts, and that can get time consuming.  However once he gets into the home stretch; meaning finishing the next to last chapter, I think it would nice to get an update from Jim.

[wardenferry419]

I think I am at the point where I will take any kinda update. Maybe someone should check his pulse. Just joking!

[Foxed]

We, unfortunately, have little to talk about at this time that hasn’t been previously chewed to death.  If I read the word “mantle” once more my head might explode.

We wrote hundreds of pages debating whether Goodman Grey was a naagloshii Scion!

(Could probably get a couple more out of that, to be honest.)

[pcpoet]

writing a good book is hard. jim started this series over 18 years ago.  I am gusing he has writing fatigue with the character along with other things in his life slowing down his creativity.....jus be patient ….

[Mira]

   Great, but it is part of a collection of short stories by him that most of us have read and bought the books that they are in...  Since it is Harry, Maggie, and Mouse it may give us a glimpse of what Dresden family life will be like... So it should be a little better than the usual crumbs tossed our way to further the story.. 

writing a good book is hard. jim started this series over 18 years ago.  I am gusing he has writing fatigue with the character along with other things in his life slowing down his creativity.....jus be patient ….

I've said this for a while now...  That is why I wish for his sake and his fans as well that he wrap up the series, instead of needing five books to do it, make it two..  Then  get into the BAT..

[Seidmadr]

Huh? Community dead?

I dunno. I keep having lots of great discussions. It's mostly on facebook, and other forums though, rather than here.

This is the first time I checked this forum in months. But I've been discussing a lot of crazy theories on facebook recently.

The community isn't dead, it has just moved.

[groinkick]

Huh? Community dead?

I dunno. I keep having lots of great discussions. It's mostly on facebook, and other forums though, rather than here.

This is the first time I checked this forum in months. But I've been discussing a lot of crazy theories on facebook recently.

The community isn't dead, it has just moved.

Facebook link please?

[KurtinStGeorge]

   Great, but it is part of a collection of short stories by him that most of us have read and bought the books that they are in...  Since it is Harry, Maggie, and Mouse it may give us a glimpse of what Dresden family life will be like... So it should be a little better than the usual crumbs tossed our way to further the story.. 
I've said this for a while now...  That is why I wish for his sake and his fans as well that he wrap up the series, instead of needing five books to do it, make it two..  Then  get into the BAT..

At one time I would have vehemently disagreed with you; however, time and one's expectations change.  Plus, I've read other extended series which would have benefited from "getting to the point" rather than meandering down the road; becoming a travelogue or introducing new and uninteresting plot twists along with pointless characters to kill off, and in general just being a bore.  I'm sure a lot of us could name two or three series that fit the last sentence above.

I can't see inside of Jim's head; none of us can, but I do wonder how clear the path forward is for him with Harry Dresden.  Sure, Jim has an outline; but the description of it sounds to me to like a series of a very basic ideas like, "Harry wakes up without the ability to do magic", rather than a detailed list of how each novel should progress.  Maybe it would be better for Jim to reexamine what he really needs to do to bring Harry's story to a fitting conclusion, rather than committing to a concept he came up with due to his misunderstanding what his writing teacher said to him about thinking about how to develop and finish Storm Front, almost twenty years ago.

Maybe reading Peace Talks will make me change my mind, but I have a feeling that even if it exceeds my expectations I'll feel like the story should start heading for the finish line rather than just turning another corner in the road.       

[groinkick]

That is why I wish for his sake and his fans as well that he wrap up the series, instead of needing five books to do it, make it two..  Then  get into the BAT..

Not for the sake of this fan.  I want him to keep writing books.  Two is too few for my liking.  If he had 10 more before the BAT I'd be fine with it.