EotV 2021
Hello droogs!
Those of you who have preordered EMPIRE OF THE VAMPIRE (thank youuuu, black-hearted blood-lusties) may have received notification of a shift in publication date for EotV in the last couple of weeks. I’m here to inform you that, yes indeed, the release date for EMPIRE has been pushed to September 2021.
This is a year later than I originally trumpeted, and I’m aware a lot of you were really excited to read EotV in 2020 (again, thanks for the preorders!). So, before you scream GODDAMN YOU KRISTOFF and start booking in time to get your tattoos removed, let me explain.
The reason for my decision is twofold.
Firstly, 2019 was the single most amazing year of my career to date. Buuuuut it was also the most exhausting, and in some ways, the most frustrating.
Those of you who’ve been paying attention may have noticed I published three books in 2019 (AURORA RISING, DEV1AT3 and DARKDAWN). I spent more than three months away from home last year, solo touring and working my shapely(?) buttocks off. And verily, I got to meet amazing readers and go to awesome countries and have brill experiences, but it was still three months I spent away from home and (mostly) away from my wife.
On top of tour/travel, there was also an incredible amount of time spent on book promo. 2019 was the first time I felt I had to caaaaarve out time to do my actual job – fucking writing – from all the time I spent doing all the other jobs that come with being a fucking writer.
The root of all these first world problems is simple to identify, of course: Three books is a LOT to bring out in a single year. And the solution to these problems is also simple:
Publish less books, dickhead.
I already have two books coming out in 2020 – AURORA BURNING and TRUEL1F3. I’m already touring for BURNING (details soon), as well as attending WorldCon in NZ. And I’ll definitely be touring on EMPIRE when it drops. So doing the math and looking at the 2020 calendar, I realized I was looking at another year of months away from home, and another year of struggling carve out time to actually, you know, fucking write. And I refuse to fall into a mode where the whole reason I got into this game – and the thing I love most about it – is the thing I’m struggling to find time to do.
So.
Publish less books, dickhead.
My second reason is rather more simple, being that the book isn’t perfect yet. Not that any book will ever be perfect, especially in the OMGTHISISSHITANDIAMSHIT mind of your average author. But EotV is a new series, and a lot of people are excited about it and my publishers are expecting big things from it after everything DARKDAWN did (thaaaank you droogs) and basically I don’t want to fuck it up.
So, late last year, I was presented with the choice to either spend this year running around like a fucking lunatic and not spending enough time at home and handing in a book that was not yet, in so far as any book is, perfect, orrrrrrr
Publish less books, dickhead.
Three books a year was fun. 2019 was a fun year. But, much like drinking an entire bottle of scotch and banging it out with half a dozen nubiles of your preferred gender, it’s not the kind of fun you want to have all the time or it’s going to fucking kill you.
So, EotV 2021 it is.
I know this will be a disappointment for some of you. I know you’re really looking forward to the book, and waiting sucks. But I want this thing to fucking shine, and the last thing in the world I want to do is burn so hard I just burn out. You Kristoff kultists already have two books to tide you over in 2020, and when it arrives, there’s going to be plenty of EMPIRE OF THE VAMPIRE to atone for the year you had to wait. It’s the biggest book I’ve written, size, complexity, scope, you name it.
Seriously, this book is going to be fucking huge. You will actually be able to beat a man to death with it.
It’ll be worth the wait, I promise.
Cheers droogies. And thanks for understanding. Love you all 🙂
Sad about the extra wait but honestly, I’m glad you are setting this boundary. 3 books a year is a LOT and I don’t ever want authors to consistently run themselves ragged or burn out. Happy to wait!
This book sounds even better than I imagined, and I had high standards to begin with! It sounds like a project that needs more time than normal, and I completely support that. Be proud of your brainchild, or it isn’t worth showing to the world. I totally understand, and I can’t wait for EotV for my birthday in 2021!
I’d wait 10 years just to read another book by youand it would still be worth it! Do what you gotta do, work / home life is so important for meant mental health and relationships. Can’t wait for all your books!
Thank you for explaining Jay, way I look a t it this will give me more time to catch up on your books.
I’m glad you’re taking time to actually do the thing you love—writing— and not falling hard into the business side of it. We’ll gladly wait and not be brats asking for more when you’re already giving us plenty in 2020. Do your thing and stay healthy 🖤
I am sooo hyped for Aurora Burning and Truelife, and you definitely need your time to write and enjoy itt!!! Also can I just say that letter was amazing? I literally love how you don’t filter things and you go straight and to the point! Imma go preorder EotV nowwww!!!
Thanks for being reasonable with yourself. We don’t like the burnout. We don’t want you to get the burnout. We hope the burnout dies in a ditch lonely and unfulfilled.
I love the idea of a book being big enough to beat a man with! Not only worth the wait, but I’ll have to actually get it in print instead of ebook!
Be with your wife, make an awesome book and we will still be here to read it next year! With the Nevernight Chronicle and Lifelik3, u have become the author I’ve been waiting for! Plus, even with suggestions on other authors similar to u, none of the apps/websites have it even close to right. There truly are not any! I’ve searched and researched.
The Lotus War books are next on my list ( and yes I’ve read Aurora too!) … Look forward to the books u have coming to us this year!
Please take as long as you need to make Empire of the Vampire awesome. There are plenty of other great authors to read while we wait.
As much as the news saddens me I will trust your promise and I shall be thirsty for a year longer only to devote all of my soul to EoTV. Thanks for the explanations and stuff!!
K, xx.
Listen up, “Dickhead”.
I am so excited to read all the things that stem from that twisted and beautiful black heart of yours, including this, post? Letter? We hope that in amongst writing a book we can beat a man to death, and traveling the world thrilling all of your adoring fans, you have enough time with your Wife & Sam Wise.
We support and appreciate you,
A
Dude, you did this with DarkDawn and it was all the better for it. I’m glad you’re delaying the book to A)set boundaries, spend more time with your bride and on writing and B) make the book that much fucking better. I haven’t pre-ordered yet but when it’s closer I will. I’m fucking devoted to your books and look forward to everything you release, delayed or otherwise. Cheers you black hearted bastard 🖤
Thank you for your lovely work! I discovered you in 2019 and you quickly topped my list of favorite authors. Just know this girl here will buy whatever you write whenever you write it!
Waiting on any book written by Mr Kristoff ain’t such a bad thing; when you read the quality that comes with said books! Especially when Jay himself explains just how damn crazy 2019 was for him professionally. I’ve heard some really cool shit about this new, upcoming series; & seriously wouldn’t mind waiting 5 years to read more novels from Jay! I loved The Nevernight Chronicles a fcking LOT!; & if Empire of the Vampire is even half as good as that- I think we’re all gonna be frothing at the mouth with pure Kristoff stoke! Releasing the series as Jay intended to do in 2020 after reading his explanations just doesn’t seem feasible to me at least. I’m so fcking looking forward to when it drops; because I know the quality of writing will be exceptionally sublime!!
Could be worse, you could be Patrick Rothfuss.
OMG!!! I know this is all about another series and everything but I just read both of the Aurora cycle books in three days and I am dead. I’m bawling my eyes out because of the ending and i have no idea what to do, I am being left on a cliff hanger and i think almost every character in the book is going to die… anyways the problem is that i have no idea where to find the last book. I am pretty sure that it hasnt been published yet but no one has mentioned it at allllll. I think im gonna die if i dont read this next book because i’ll just die, my life is ending, so goodbye. If anyone is by chance reading this PLEASEEEEE tell me what to do and where to find the next book, it would mean alot to me.
I just finished book #1. It was incredible! I cannot wait for book #2 to come out. Thank you for putting so much into the Empire of the Vampire. It is the first book I have read by you. I am going to start the Nevernight series today! Can’t wait!
Not quite finished the book yet, but already looking for the forward the aftermath, any idea on release date??? 🦇
OMG I need book 2 of EotV… absolutely stunning piece of work… gonna have the worst book hangover from this one. Is there a projected release date for book 2 yet?!?
I just finished Empire of the Vampire. The storytelling is masterful and I LOVE IT! That ending though!? I need book 2!