2018 Releases

Yeah, taken in context I think it's safe to assume he's talking about Star Trek (but not necessarily Titan). Now I agree with others, soon is such a relative term. But maybe not that much longer. However, even still, I don't think you'll see any books before 2019. Just gathering from what I've read from various authors here, even if they got approval tomorrow and had some ideas what they wanted to do next, it'd still be a long lag time before the first novel was ready for release.

That is a concern I have. I mean, a lot of us here are itching for new novels. But we're just a small sampling. How many fans are out there who think, 'hmm, I guess they stopped making new Star Trek novels' and drifted away. Did CBS/S&S lose some customers over this lag (assuming of course Pocketbooks retains the contract--I expect they will, but there are no guarantees). Some will undoubtedly return, but I figure some are gone forever. And at the very least it may take some time for Star Trek novels to catch on again. It may take a few books to get back on track again.

 

Fandom has never been a fixed population. Old fans drift away, new fans come aboard. That's why we try to write every book as if it were someone's first. It's not just about catering to the existing fanbase, because that's always going to be subject to attrition. All that matters is doing books that are good enough to draw in an audience, whether old or new.

 

That's very true too. It's just in this case it seems an unnecessary reason to lose readers. Esp. since all the parties are basically part of the same family and ultimately want the same thing.

It's one thing when readers' interests waxes and wanes. It's another to lose readers because they simply weren't putting the product on the shelves.

And I know Star Trek isn't their only franchise. But it's one that has a pretty steady fan base that is a reliable consumer, even passionate. It just seems so unnecessary.

But in any event, I'll be thrilled when the impasse is eventually over and we start seeing announced novels again. Even though it'll be possibly up to a year or more before the next ones come out. I still have several unread novels to keep me busy (and there are always re-reads I could do). And as a fan of the novels and relaunches ever the last decade or so I hope that all continues to grow.

 

You're sort of contradicting yourself here. If you recognize that the Trek audience is reliable and passionate, why would you assume they'd be so fickle as to abandon the line just because it's dormant for a year or so? Surely that argues just the opposite, that most of them would come back.

If anything, the books coming back after a time away seems like the sort of thing that would create renewed interest and publicity. It might have the opposite of the effect you're assuming. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, after all.

 

I was told by Ed Schlesinger the editor of the Pocket line at STLV last year that the only place they were allowed to break news is on StarTrek.com. So that's where we should see any new announcements, from what I have been told.

 

I don't mean they'd abandon Star Trek. My concern is there may be a lot of fans out there that don't frequent this board. I found out about this board myself when I did a search for future Pocketbook releases...and it took a little doing just to find this site. There was literally nothing else out there. It took me a few aborted tries just to find it here.

My initial thought before I came here was what others may be thinking. Hmm, maybe they're not going to do Star Trek novels anymore. I was actually very concerned about the lack of new books announced. I usually went to Memory Alpha to see what future books were announced because they were usually pretty good about keeping it updated and organized.

There may be a lot of Star Trek fans out there that think maybe they're not doing books anymore, that maybe they're just going to do a couple Discovery novels to tie into the series but that is all. And some of them may not come back after such a long lag. And even when they do, I think they'll be a bit of a lag before they start buying books again. Some fans may give up on any future releases and not realize new books are being released right away.

I personally just think it's poor business practice to not have any news for such a long period of time. Like I said, this is the only site where I've seen any information about future book releases (99% of which is speculation anyway). I wouldn't blame any fan out there that thought Star Trek novels are over, that's how much of a lack of info is out there. And I know there is little they could say, but a simple it's being worked on would have been nice. But nothing, nada. And I couldn't blame fans if they thought CBS/S&S just doesn't feel Star Trek is all that important to them. In a way I feel that way myself, hmm, I guess the Star Trek line really isn't all that big a deal in the grand scheme of things at Pocketbooks. Fair or not, that's how I feel. Do other fans feel the same way? Reading some comments here, I gather I'm not alone.

But I don't blame you guys, the authors, or even the editors. I realize you're in the same boat basically, worse really.

 

If it's handled right, and the books hit the shelves, the word is put about, it could be as reinvigouring as 2009. Some epic crossover to kick it off perhaps.

 

Star Trek novels are more a niche market anyway, and I'm sure most of the readership has the means of knowing when a new novel is coming, either through official sites, online stores like Amazon, or even through social media or internet forums. When there's news, it'll get out.

And besides, even with things dramatically cutback this year, there's still six new Trek novels out (with four already available) which is roughly what most franchises put out on an annual basis anyway.

 

Or they just go in a book store and see new Trek novels lying around.

 

What's that got to do with anything? This board is hardly the only way people get news about Star Trek. When new books come along, they'll get publicized in various ways like any new books.

But you yourself just said that Trek fans are "a pretty steady fan base that is a reliable consumer, even passionate." So you're directly contradicting your own words.

And like I already said, the old fans are not the only audience. Yes, old fans sometimes drift away or die off or whatever, but new fans continue to come on board. Pocket's Trek line is 37 years old. Do you really imagine that it's had the exact same readership that whole time?

Advertising exists. StarTrek.com exists. New books get promoted. New books appear on store shelves. Amazon alerts people to books they may like based on their established shopping habits. Why wouldn't people realize it?

They couldn't have any news until there was news. Nobody wanted this delay, but it happened, and there's nothing they can responsibly say until they're ready. Jumping the gun is what would actually be poor business practice.

 

Not too many bookstores around anymore.

 

You're a bit more positive then I. And personally I find Memory Alpha to be a better source for upcoming news. I find the official website to be hit or miss, and there was no good way to see upcoming released in an organized way. Memory Alpha has everything organized by month so it's pretty easy to see what's coming.

My point about this site is that it was the only place I found anything about future releases at all. I found nothing else, official or otherwise. Which in itself is a bit concerning. Perhaps I think books are a bigger deal then they really are. What if a lot of Trekkies just don't care enough to even discuss it outside of us here? I sometimes look at other Star Trek sites and can't say I've seen any discussion, speculation or anything about the lack of novels.

I know I'm being a Negative Nellie. Announce a couple new books and all will be right with the world

 

You could build a little Trek model and read a little Trek book, if you want.

IncrediBuilds: USS Enterprise NCC-1701
IncrediBuilds: USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D

[/shameless]

 

When it comes to re-reads, I decided to go back to DS9 Avatar duology, and move forward from there by using that reading flow chart.

 

I went from Resistance onwards.

 

That was, what, almost a decade ago now? Things change.

 

I'm hoping that when things do get back up and running that maybe some fresh blood and a new direction would help re-invigorate the Trek line and get new readers onboard. It's time for something fresh and exciting.