Bookshop.org | Amazon.com | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | Amazon.co.uk | Phinney Books | Target
After I posted on Monday about the ARC of MENEWOOD I started to get many questions on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter about pre-orders, publication dates, review copies, audio editions, word count/page length, and more. This post is designed to address those questions.
When is the book coming out?
In North America October 3 from MCD/FSG, an imprint of Macmillan.
What about the UK/Australia/New Zealand?
Frankly I have no idea. We had a deal all set up, the editor loved the book, and then she found out I wasn’t willing to either split the two into two or cut a big chunk from a single volume and she withdrew. So what’s happening now? No idea. This is the kind of crap that happened with Hild, too. When it comes to my non-sff books (the Aud novels, So Lucky, Hild, Menewood) the UK is a weird market for me. (I’ve never understood why.) But you will be able to buy it—either the export US version or, eventually, the UK edition.
Is there an audiobook?
Yes. The book will be available as a hardcover, ebook, and digital audio—all available on 3 October, 2023—and, a year or so later, a paperback.
Are you narrating the audiobook?
No. Menewood will have the same narrator as Hild, Pearl Hewitt.
Can I get hold of the book early?
If you’re a book professional, yes. The digital galley is up right now on NetGalley and Edelweiss. Or if you contact Molly Grote, my publicist at FSG, she might send you an ARC or e-galley. If you/re not a book professional, don’t despair: FSG will no doubt run some kind of galley promotion or sweepstakes, and it’s entirely possible I might run a competition or two (depending on how many ARCs I get from the publisher). So stay tuned.
Can I pre-order it now?
Yes! You can pre-order from anywhere books are sold (see the list at the top of the page and again at the bottom). Financially it makes no difference to me where you buy it—I get the same royalty—but as we need the entire book ecosystem to remain healthy I’d like to suggest you get it from an independent bookseller. And if you’re not sure which format to buy, I can tell you that I make more from hardcover sales. Plus the hardcover will glitter with gold and it’s easier to look at the maps and family tree etc. But any format is good—buy one of each!
Can I pre-order a signed and personalised copy?
Yes! From Phinney Books. And as I signed thousands of tip-in sheets a couple of months ago, some other outlets will have signed copies on Day 1—though they won’t be personalised. Closer to publication I’ll know what bookstores I’ll be doing events for, and some of those stores will also have signed copies where, with advance notice, I can personalise them. For now, though, your best bet is Phinney Books.
So you’re doing a tour?
Yes! Maybe. Those details are still TBD. I almost always travel at least regionally and depending on my health and energy maybe I’ll do select dates on the West Coast, or East Coast, or Midwest. In other words, if you’re in the Puget Sound region you will, absolutely, get a chance to see me in person. But the rest may be a mix of in-person and virtual. I should have a better idea by the end of summer.
How long is it?
Long! But not too long! It’s 30% longer than Hild: 269,000 words. The first-pass proofs come in at 736 pages, including most of the paratext—y’know, all the fiddly bits: the juicy extras.
Speak to me of the juicy extras!
Oh, there are so many! I think this deserves its own blog post. For now let’s just say there’s a multi-part Author’s Note, maps, glossary, and more. Stay tuned.
Where to pre-order
Bookshop.org | Amazon.com | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | Amazon.co.uk | Phinney Books | Target
And depending where you are in the world you might want to take look at this list of independent bookshops worldwide recommended by readers. It may need updating—if you see anything obviously out of date, please drop a comment.
Nicola Griffith 
It grieves me to report that Laurel Books, in Oakland, CA, closed a few years ago. The owner kept the store going virtually for a year or more after she closed the storefront, but, alas, it is no more. I have been buying at A Great Good Place for Books since then.
Other independent bookstores in Oakland:
Walden Pond: https://www.waldenpondbooks.com/
East Bay Booksellers (formerly Diesel): https://www.ebbooksellers.com/
Mrs. Dalloway’s: https://www.mrsdalloways.com/
@Lisa: Thanks, Lisa!
You’re very welcome, Nicola.
And…Mrs. Dalloway’s is in Berkeley, not Oakland, but regardless, it’s a good independent bookstore.
(I accidentally subscribed to both comments on this post and posts-via-email, then unsubscribed from the latter because I remain an RSS user. No rejection implied by this series of actions.)
Thank you for providing this information! Looking forward to your release!
Interesting that the UK is a difficult market for Hild and its sequel, a story so steeped in geography and history of the UK. Someone once said “The only thing writers and the publishing industry have in common is absentmindedness.”