There is nothing that infuriates us readers so much as a great author who quits and we don’t know why! Back in 2004 Roc published Lorna Freeeman’s first book in the Borderlands series, Covenants. It was great fantay, I loved it and waited eagerly for the next book, which arrived in 2006, The King’s Own. There was a long gap after that, a miserable four years, before we saw Shadows Past. But almost as soon as that was being read we were seeing that The Reckoning Flame was the next – except that while it may have been intended, mentioned, listed as that, it’s never appeared. The Lorna Freeman blogsite was last updated right at the start of 2011 and no more posts. Inquiries by a number of readers both to ROC and elsewhere have received no informative response.
We are left hanging, we don’t know if Lorna Freeman has died (under another name) has been struck for the past four years by terminal writer’s block, or if for some incomprehensible reason, ROC decided not to publish her next book, and don’t want to bring down the wrath of her devoted readers by admitting it. All we know is that book four has not been forthcoming and WE DON’T APPRECIATE IT! If anyone has any information on this, I’d love to know, because I bought her first book when it appeared, bought the next two, want to buy the fourth… fifth, sixth, seventh, ad infinitum. I love the books, the characters and the background. And I’m deprived. Anyone out there know anything?
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Author
TELL us about it! I don’t feel the same when I re-read them, but I DO wish we could hear something. It’s so frustrating wondering what happened, and hoping that if she really did have the next book more than half done, someone, (her or another) sometime, may finish it so that it can be published.
Oddly enough, she doesn’t mention her editor in her acknowledgements in any of her books. Or is it just me that finds that odd?
I too love Rabbit and all his folk. And I want book 4 (greedily also 5, 6, 7, and so on). And I want them all on Kindle! These are all reasonable requests, are they not? My mind is contemplating the dark side and I can visualise a “Misery” Scenario , in which she is kidnapped by a rich impatient fan and forced to write only for him/her. Okay, a little farfetched, and yet……..
Author
I do hope not. But yes, we ALL want book four, and would stand up and sheer loudly for books 5, 6 7… I don’t feel I have sufficent books from a good author until I have a minimum of 15-18. After which I’ll reluctantly allow them to retire/die. But three? And I’m becoming more and more unhappy with her publishers who have left us swinging in the breeze. I don’t expect them to breach privacy, but they could say something like Ms Freeman died, found herself blocked but may come back one day, has suffered brain injury. Something!
Author
Not that odd, fervently thanking your editor is a fairly recent phenomenon. Twenty years ago it was quite uncommon unless you really did find they’d been wonderful. There’s a lot more around in the last 5 years, and some of that is along the lines of ‘touch wood.’ I know of at least one author that had it indicated to her that she’d better thank her editor – or else.
Wow! I didn’t realize it had gotten that realpolitik!? Bit scary, in my view. Of course, having just re-read the lonely 3 (and I agree completely about the 15-18 acceptable minimum before retirement is allowed!), I noticed that many of the quibbles about them on various web-sites are not due to the author’s work, but the editing… there are several glaring typeset/edit gaffes, at least in my copy, so hmmmm, puts a bit of a new slant on it for me.
I really enjoyed her books. The borderlands series is probably in my top 5 favorite series. Not sure if this will help clarify for anyone, but I tried to do some research on her back in 2006 around when the second book came out and checked periodicly after that. I am pretty sure lorna freeman is actual name. Their has never been any pictures I have ever seen of her or much info to be had. Her ROC profile never carried one and it seemed like she never had much presence in the industry but back then she was listed as participating and teaching in a few author workshops and some associate bloggings you could find if you googled her. Never had much internet presence either but posted very infrequently thru late 2000’s. Pretty sure she was/is from California probably around Los Angeles. My understanding was of a big stink around the
3rd book and that is a big reason it was so long between 2 and 3. It was kept quiet and ROC again was making no comment when the 3rd book was late and wouldn’t give any reason. My understanding after a few comments leaked from ROC when they were coming under fire about the 3rd book was that Ms. Freeman was continually late on her deadlines and turned the book in really late to the point where ROC was not going to publish but after they received enough interest decided to go ahead and publish it. At that time, Ms. Freeman was apparently contracted for the 4th book and all the discord seemed to disappear about the 3rd. She seemed to be busy writing on the 4th and was updating more than I had ever seen from her. There was a hard release date for the reckoning flame on amazon. Then suddenly, she stopped posting, the release date was moved back once on Amazon and again no info could be had from anyone. The release date for Reckoning stayed on Amazon until 2013ish I believe, but her writer profile disappeared from the ROC website not long after she went silent. This was around the time alot of midtier authors were dropped from houses with the flux between print and epublishing. Keep in my mind, this is my opionion from various comments and such I read from herself and other sources a very long time ago and is just an impression. It just seemed to me while she was a really good writer and had a great story with this series that she wasn’t a dedicated writer who could just sit down at the keyboard and plug away. Not sure if other personal factors contributed to that but it seemed a big part of it. The one truly weird thing is how little info is to be found on the web. There was never much info but even info and comments I read years ago just disappeared and it seems a number of people with fairly good tech skills have done deep checks on the web. I would have though some of the info would have at least been found archived somewhere. It almost reminds me of Tara K. Harper who just up and disappeared with upcoming books pending and no info could be found. It at least finally came out several years later that she was okay but no real reason for no longer writing. Anyway, I also find it odd that ROC wont make any comment at all about her. A general comment about circumstance surrounding the 4th book would in no way invade her privacy and should without a doubt be in their perview since they had the rights to the book unless there is some letigation involved. Certainly other publishers have done so about authors that were dropped for one reason or another. Not sure if any of this helps, but thought I would put it out their since the mystery has always bothered me not mention I had been looking forward to more books.
Author
thanks for that, Todd. That adds a few more possibilities and further information. The thing that continues to puzzle me – and a lot of you out there too – is WHY Roc don’t seem to feel able to give a brief explanation. We aren’t asking for details. Just enough basics that we’ll know if there’s any hope of seeing a new Freeman book. But from what you say there could be more to it. As if on-line information on the author is actually disappearing. Things that make you go hmmm. I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but if I was…
In regards to the editor: I believe Ms. Freeman mentioned her editor was Anne Sowards from her blogpost on August 22, 2010 (post title is The Creative Process, for anyone who wants to double check), where she mentioned that the reason why Shadows Past took so long to get published was because of her mother’s death. I’m not sure if this helps much, especially since there could be other factors with ROC and if people already know, but it’s worth a shot to try contacting her and see what happened to Ms. Freeman. I always love rereading these novels for any new tidbits that I might have missed from earlier rereadings and it pains me that not many people recognize this series’ amazing capabilities.
Author
ah ha. That’s information that may be useful. I don’t have time to email Anne today, but with luck I can manage tomorrow. No guarantees of a response however.
Author
and an update on that. Instead of trying that I’ve emailed LOCUS instead. I sent the query to them on the 20th of August, saying that we weren’t asking them to breach privacy but if they could tell us anything at all we’d be grateful. When/if I get a reply to that I’ll post it.
Thank you Lyn for keeping up the look out for Lorna Freeman. A beloved author like her holds a special place in her readers hearts. I am grateful for the many hours of pleasure that Rabbit and company have given me, and hope for more to come. Please add me to the list of fans who miss her writing and are concerned for her well-being.
I am wondering though if we are dealing with a real person now who did the writing or if it was a collaboration with two or more people who were were just using the Lorna Freeman name? It could explain the lack of communication if they were using the name to hide behind for whatever reason.
Did you try contacting the members of her writing group though to ask?
I did some sleuthing myself and found that Trai Cartwright, Julia Elrick and Eileen Austen are all friends together on facebook so maybe they could shed some light on this?
Author
Hi,
I will try to get to that next week. I emailed LOCUS three weeks ago asking them if they knew anything they could tell us and as yet, no reply. But then I know how busy they usually are. The advantage of us all thinking together, is that sooner or later one of us may discover something, or some avenue by which we do get an answer. I just wish it would be now!
Penguin Group lists something for Lorna Freeman coming soon. ???
I have 3 complete copies of Lorna Freeman books,just in case I lose or ever misplace one.I must have reread the series at least 20 times. All of the comments have given me hope that one day this mystery will be solved.Since I will not do Facebook or any social media sites,I am grateful for all new investigation & follow up news on the author & possible new books,
Author
and to OOOEEERRR out there, yes, I’m receiving your comments, however none are intelligible, all I get is lines of code, and I’m sorry, but until I get something I can read it’s not going up. It mnakes no sense to post half a page of something like that.
I’ve reread these books so much they are now falling apaart, in the hope of the fourth and more coming through.
I really hope nothing has happened to Ms Freeman to loose such a talent would be borderline criminal.
Hopefully the author exists and is feverishly making up for lost time. Take heart if you are still around we all wish to continue the journey with you !!
Has anyone looked into the dedication at the front of the books? Whole bunch of names.
But is there an etiquete in using this information?
I’m like everyone else in that I have pretty much given up on seeing the fourth book.
Sad really, such a promising writer with a completely unique style of writing. After reading for over 45 years
her books are so !!!!!!!!!!!!!! ‘sigh’ at a loss for words, she is that different.
Just a thought.
Do you think it would be worth trying to contact the German publisher? I could imagine that they also asked when of if that book will ever be on their table…
Please keep looking and searching. Just speculation, but Captain Suiden has a fleet of windriders, Captain Javes is missing and perhaps bound to Tural, so after the “wedding of the Forest Lord” will someone head to Tural (where Slevoic was last seen?) A whole new culture to expound and troubles to step into. Plus the Qarant need fleshing out since Captain Javes is such a unique representative of that culture. Rabbit mentioned that King Jusson had a hundred years before he needed to worry about a wife, and as Rabbit seems to become more and more Elven, perhaps he has just as long. But what about his siblings? Perhaps one of them has gone to Tural as a rug merchant and recoverer of Border slaves?
It’s coming up on having been 5 years since the last blog post, and I begin to wonder if we are doing ourselves a disservice by re-opening this particular wound.
I have this site and the main blog on my list of bookmarks I check once every other week, and it is starting to feel more and more akin to visiting a grave.
Are we setting ourselves up for perpetual disappointment? Would we be better served by letting go? Is anyone still actively pursuing leads?
Hmm. Perhaps I’m just at a low point in life atm, but I feel the analogies are still pertinent.
Thoughts?
Hang in there, everyone! The fact that fans care enough to know what’s happened to Lorna means that it’s worth keeping an “author cold case” like this one alive until more information becomes available. There are many possibilities explaining why she dropped off the radar, and many of those may be grim. Yet, I would like to know someday, and I’m willing to wait tenaciously until something comes to light. :-)
Author
well, I am and I plan to continue. I have certain bulldog tendencies. I’m usually writing the next book, but when I have time I check in here, and also make forays out into the net to see if I can find anything about ‘our’ author. I’d love to see another Lorna Freeman book, but if I have to, I’ll settle for just knowing what happened. (And there are times I wonder. Is she out there looking up this blog every so often and readying what we say…)
Like everyone else I want to know what happened to our author. I applaud Lyn and everyone else who have been sleuthing for the answer. While I also want to finish the saga of Rabbit, I would be satisfied knowing what happened to Lorna. After all that answer could allow other authors to explore/expand Rabbit’s story too. Unfortunately being tech challenged as well as social media averse, I have no way to help in the search. I did wonder however if the idea to contact her facebook friends/poss relatives was ever attempted and what the result was? Lyn keep up the good work, you are a star.
I’ve contacted the German publisher – only to find another dead end. They advised me to get in contact with ROC/ Penguin Group…
Thanks everyone for your investigations, keep up on it, please! :-)
Ditto to everyone else’s lamentations about the disappearance of Lorna and the consequental lack of books. I’ve tried to look into this but both her and most of her family have private facebook, the publisher doesn’t respons, and I’m not sure about contacting family personally. One thing I noticed is that there is a comment on one of her sister’s facebook page that implies that something bad has happened to their mutual sister. This was mid-July 2011 so may have impacted Lorna?
2011 *was* the year she suddenly went quiet…
Just looked up Lorna Freeman (I am rereading the series for the umpteenth time, and once again wishing for the next book!!) and happened on this website. A couple of my other series authors disappeared and I have been unable to find any info as to what happened to them either. A third favourite, Deborah Geary, has also stopped writing – at least for the time being – but she actually added an explanation at the end of her last published book. I was really sorry to read that she was stopping, but she has a really good reason (marriage breakup and children to help through it) and at least her readers aren’t just left hanging. The other two are Tamora Pierce, who, like Lorna, has future books listed but nothing published for ages except reissues. I did hear from someone that she had been involved in a bad accident, but can’t find anything to confirm that. The other author is Lisanne Norman, and again there is no accurate info available. So please keep trying to find out about Lorna, as it is so frustrating to just not know if there is any chance at all for more from her. Thanks, Elinor.
R.I.P. Lorna Freeman. Let’s face it. The unfortunate truth is that she’s probably dead…and regardless, as far as her story goes, she is. If there ever is a glorious come back, I’ll be amongst the first to celebrate. Until then, R.I.P.
Tamora Pierce at least seems to be still writing — she is active on Twitter and said in a reddit AMA back in November that she was writing quickly and discussed some of the things she was working on. (I liked her early Alanna books but haven’t read much more.)
Author
sigh, all true. However one of the reasons behind Cold Case squads, is that time often produces more information. If the author is dead, sooner or later, someone finds out about it. Or someonme who’s always known but said nothing feels that so much time has passed, talking about it now won’t matter – and talks.
And on Tamora Pierce. On her site (http://www.tamora-pierce.com) she notes ‘recent hand surgery’. That could explain a recent shortage of new books. And I don’t know where you live, but in case it’s at my end of the World, (I’m a kiwi) Tamora will be in OZ from June 17th to 26th this year – Sydney first, then Perth.
I too am one of the folks who regularly re-reads the series and hopes for news on the next book.
Consider the information on the site listed below. The dates of their family tragedy match the cessation of contact from our Borderlands author. The strong and caring qualities of the family clearly mirror the traits we love in Rabbit and his cohort. Could this be where Lorna is concentrating her efforts?
http://www.therobincancertrust.org/trustees.html
The fact that no one has heard anything means that Lorna Freeman is still alive and hopefully writing. I presume the reason she has not released any other books is that she is in dispute with the publisher and has been gagged. If a new author signs on the dotted line without negotiating they usually are signed up for 3 books and it can take another 7-13 years for an author to get their rights back regarding their own creations in the story and this is also dependent on if there is any books which have been printed but are still to be sold, ie warehouse stock. Before the rights can revert all of the books in the series need to be out of print. I know the first book is out of print but not sure about the other 2.
The good news is that it’s been about 6 years since the last book so hopefully she will get the rights back and self publish next year
Kaelshau
The fact that no one has heard anything means that Lorna Freeman is still alive and hopefully writing. I presume the reason she has not released any other books is that she is in dispute with the publisher and has been gagged. If a new author signs on the dotted line without negotiating they usually are signed up for 3 books and it can take another 7-13 years for an author to get their rights back regarding their own creations in the story and this is also dependent on if there is any books which have been printed but are still to be sold, ie warehouse stock. Before the rights can revert all of the books in the series need to be out of print. I know the first book is out of print but not sure about the other 2.
The good news is that it’s been about 6 years since the last book so hopefully she will get the rights back and self publish next year
Kaelshay
@Niles I think that might be a different Lorna Freeman as it says she moved from Wivenhoe in the UK while Freeman said she lived California and had a writing group there.
Kaelshay might be right though about the series, it would be nice but then again Freeman might just have decided to stop writing as well like Marcia J Bennett for whatever reason.
I got in touch with Ace and Roc books concerning her fate. They got back to me saying that they had no more ebooks contracted wither her. It’s not much but it is an update.
It is that indeed, Stan. I’m lucking today is the first time I’ve seen this thread, so I didn’t have to wait in agony like all you wonderful troopers have, to see that you have some sort of answer.
* that should say lucky not lucking.
Anyway beside that. I’m seeing 38 comment, but at the top the information I see tells me there is 88??? I’m confused. Where are the rest of them? I want to read them.
Author
try the ‘show more comments’ button at the bottom of the last comment you can see?
What about those in her writing group? Have you had any luck contacting them?
Has anyone heard anymore about this author? I love her books and I keep hoping that we’ll eventually get the next book in this series.
Anybody heard anything? I keep hoping she’ll magically reappear online somewhere… I’m with everyone about the kindle/ebooks…it sucks to only have the 3rd in digital. My paperback of 1 and2 are falling apart cause I’ve read them so much.
I cannot see any comments beyond #43. I would love to keep checking this blog but cant see any new information! There is no “show more comments” button for me…in any web browsed I use. If anyone who can actually read what Im typing email me with the solution I would greatly appreciate it.
d1gitalh3retic@hotmail.com
There are now about as many comments invisible to me as there are ones I can read!
Yes there is no ‘show me more comments’ that I can see. I still don’t have an answer on this. Any solutions anyone? I’m still keen to read the rest.
Skyline Wood
I can’t see any comments beyond #44 (your comment). There is no “show more comments” button for me either. I thought maybe I couldn’t see it because I was on my kindle fire tablet using its silk browser, but I gather from your comment that it wouldn’t matter what browser I was using; I still wouldn’t see any more comments. I’m just hoping that I’m not missing any comments that might have some more recent news about what’s going on with Lorna Freeman and this series. I’m really hoping that’s she’s going to resume writing these books, and we’ll see them published somewhere.
Please let me know all News about the author Lorna Freeman!
It looks like it’s the newest 50 or so comments that are visible, at least for me. So not missing any news, but unable to see the older info. Not as much of a problem than missing new developments though.
I don’t know if this helps but according to a linkedin profile she is living in the UK and is linked to Anne Sowards.
Wow! That’s definitely more information than anyone else has come up with in quite some time. Isn’t Anne Soward an editor for one of the big publishing companies?