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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@Carolyn
If thats the same one that moved from Wivenhoe in the UK its unlikely its the Lorna Freeman that was writing about Rabbit as the Lorna Freeman we are looking for information on is from California.
How long until publication rights revert back to Lorna Freeman?
Yes perhaps we will hear something once that occurs…
I have tracked a Lorna Freeman, writer on LinkedIn; I have issued an invitation and am awaiting a response.
I only recently discovered her writing and read all three books in quick succession (often reading until 3am – something I haven’t done since 2009 when I discovered the Dresden Files). The story cannot be left unfinished!
I recall when Harry Connolly was blocked, and how long it took for his work to reappear.
I managed to make contact with Tod Goldberg via e-mail yesterday (he was instrumental in assisting Lorna Freeman publish ‘Covenants’) and was utterly delighted to received this response from him:
Tod Goldberg
22:01 (13 hours ago)
I’m afraid I don’t know Lorna’s creative plans, but she’s alive and well!
Tod
I guess all we have to do is wait!!
Oh, that is good news! I can wait much more patiently now that I know this. When I enjoy an author’s work this much, I worry about them as much as I do my family. Because they are family, family of the mind, as close (sometimes closer than)as by blood. I’ll be interested to know if that is “our” Lorna on LinkedIn as well.
Lynn, you’ve made my day, thank you so much!
I agree with Peg, and may have to go and re-read Covenants to celebrate.
The fact that Lorna Freeman is alive and well is wonderful news. I hope that this means that perhaps there are some legalities involved with the publication of the fourth book. If the original publisher wasn’t interested in publishing the last book, she may be waiting to get the rights back before finding another publisher or going the self-publishing route. I truly hope that is the case and that she hasn’t given up writing all together.
It’s been 6 years, yet it feels closer to 20. I’m very glad to hear she is purportedly still alive! Thank you for letting us know
How wonderful to read these news. I keep checking Amazon…. I would love to have the first two books on kindle (to keep my paperbacks from wearing out), and am hopeful The Reckoning Flame (and its sequels) will eventually make its was to bookshelves everywhere!
Hi Anne.
You won’t find them on Amazon; I believe that the books are now out of print and all but unobtainable. I have all three copies of her books in epub format, which I have now converted to mobi format, using Calibre, for those who read on Kindle. However, I don’t know how to make these copies available without invoking the wrath of law-abiding bibliophiles!
I don’t feel guilty, though, as sometimes a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do to keep the story alive!!!!
wow – ePub!
Where were they?
I have calibre, just haven’t used it much for several years now.
e-mail me on domino9955@yahoo.com
I am very glad to receive recent news of Lorna Freeman. Where there’s life there’s hope. I keep track of a few “lapsed” authors, some of whom have made it back in to print – Sharon Lee/Steve Miller (Baen), P.C. Hodgell (various, now Baen), Beth Hilgartner (self-publishing). Besides Lorna Freeman, another author is Heather Gladney, who (stale news by now) was working on a manuscript to complete her story. In the case of the ones who made it back, support from fans/readers who made it clear that they wanted more was important to the author and, in some cases, to the publisher, so let’s not forget about Lorna.
Is there any news?
Maybe we can contact her with Tod’s help.
At least she should update her blog.
there is no price i wouldnt pay to find out how this series ends, it was the first book series i read that drew me in so completely and i honestly can’t even recall how many times I’ve read the three books we do have.
Author
heh heh, yes, but Steve and Sharon never went away, they’ve been writing steadily for many years, and Pat Hodgell seems to simply write v…e…r…y slowly. (But her newest book, Gates of Tagmeth, is out, got it from Book Depository UK on pre-order, read it last week, and it’s great as usual.) And as an example, there’s Star Trek, fan screams brought that back. Maybe one day it will get through to the publisher that they should publish more Lorna Freeman, or get through to her that WE WANT MORE.
And for both, that there are options. One of my favourite mystery series (Miss Seeton) began in the 1960s. Then, after a handful of books the author – Heron Carvic – died. Years later, the heirs/publishers picked up a new writer who produced a stack more and did them so well that in my opinion, her last books out where actually slightly better than the originals. Cue another long gap, but the other year they came back to her – she writes them as Hamilton Crane – and now she’s doing more. MISS SEETON QUILTS THE VILLAGE is available now from the BD UK, and I have three copies on the way. (2 as gifts to friends that also love them) and there’s to be more. So if it can happen for them, it may happen for Rabbit.
Author
in some ways, the original question which which I started all this remains, IS she dead? If not, then why wouldn’t she either update the blog, or even take it down? If she is dead, then why isn’t it taken down, or that fact noted? If she is blocked, that’s no disgrace, not the first or the last writer to suffer terminal block. She could say – but doesn’t, why not?
Maybe Tod Goldberg could be contacted again to pass on information (how many of us love the books and really would love to know what happens next…) and maybe ask for information?
Have just re-read my Lorna’s series, and was very glad to read that she is still in the land of the living! It gives me hope that more books in the series might eventually appear – and they can’t come soon enough for me. I really love these books, and I’m obviously not the only one.
Thanks so much for tracking down one of my favorite authors! I HOPE HOPE HOPE that Lorna is able to finish this series; it has been such a delight! Please keep us posted if any new information comes in. :)
For added mystery I note that Kobo is perfectly willing to sell an ePub edition of the third novel, Shadows Past, but doesn’t admit to the existence of the two earlier novels (though it does describe Shadows Past as Borderlands #3.
I keep looking for any new information on Lorna and the Borderlands series. One of my all time favorites. Such a refreshing take on a fantasy world and those who inhabit it. I keep checking and re-checking for news. How much longer until the publishing rights revert? Hope it’s soon, that Lorna is well, and we can look forward to many more books in this wonderful series.
Are publishing rights even the confirmed cause of the delay for book 4?
or is it some other issue?
Author
no one seems to know unfortunately. There is a wide range of possibilities, but probably only the author herself could tell you – and she isn’t talking, if she can.
It’s been some time since I’ve read these books, and I’ve been thinking of doing a re-read. Anyone want to join? We could do a re-read while posting our comments as we read or a full review later; either on this blog here, or I have a (pretty unused) blog which we could do it at as well. Anyone interested?
There is a Lorna Freeman that I follow on Twitter. I think it’s her because I think the profession is the same on the author bio. She’s never tweeted about Covenants, though.
Author
that is deeply interesting, is it possible to provide more details or would you feel that intrusive?
I still check this website once in a while in hope of some news about Lorna Freeman and her books. ^^ If another book of her series ever gets to be published it would be like Xmas and my birthday together! I won’t lose hope. We might get lucky.;)
It’s been seven years since her last recorded public contact with anyone, and I still check too
I am another devoted fan. I love this series and have read it many times. I just had to get strict with my toddler for taking these off the shelf to use as building blocks. Fortunately, neither child nor books were harmed, and it did remind me to check for a sequel and read them again!
Author
I know. It’s so sad when a series/author you love vanishes for no apparent reason. If she’d died, well, you understand. If something happened and she just can’t write any more, again, you’d understand. But to vanish, no word, no explanation, it leaves readers distressed. And for anyone following my own books, I promise, that if I stop writing I’ll see that people know why. In my case it’s likely to simply be energy, I’m closing in on 73, and while currently writing several books a year that won’t continue for ever. But if I have forewarning, I’ll let everyone know.
Thank you. I was hoping that she is alive and well. I have read and re-read her 3 Borderlands books. They are well-written, fun and have great characters. I’ve been waiting and waiting for her next book. Thank you for letting us know that she is alive. I really hope she keeps writing….
Author
we all hope that. I can say that back many years ago I knew about a female author that wrote and had published the first two books in an excellent trilogy. Then she blocked. TEN YEARS later we finally got the third. So – anything is possible. (Who was that? Joyce Ballou Gregorian’s Tredana trilogy.)
… and that trilogy is another of my go-to-reads.
I keep hoping it will make its way into an electronic format.
Author
hmmm, that’s odd, I thought it had.
If you find it/them – let me know!
Another good series (also not in ebook) that seemed to be heading for more books is the Ivory trilogy by Doris Egan
I have all 3 of Lorna Freeman’s books in ePub format. I have also tracked a source for the Ivory trilogy. Mail me on domino9955@yahoo.com should you want details of the link (ask no questions, get no lies!!)
i was VERY lucky to get both the e books and the physical books. i do hope she starts writing again.
Author
I read them originally, realised that I’d want to read them forever, and purchased a second set – thank heavens.
Another fan waiting in limbo…
Really hope that she’ll come back & publish more books soon… *Prays hard*
Okay, she was published by ROC an imprint of Penguin, and Shadow lands is listed on the Penguin website. Would searching for her on Penguin indicate an interest to Penguin?
I really want more books in the series.
I’m still checking this website in hope for some news but I guess we can only wait and hope. I wish everyone a Happy New Year and maybe we will get lucky this year and receive good news about Lorna Freeman and her Borderlands series, who knows? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I too have been looking for her work…I just bought my second copy of Shadow’s Past and am dying for the next…please come back to us!
I have been waiting years for the conclusion to the Borderlands series. I’ve worn through my books from reading and re-reading and have luckily bought replacements. I really hope she will finish the series. We need to know where Javes is!
Perhaps we need to start an online setup similar to Rondak’s Portal, where each member of the group contributes a piece of the story, keeping strictly to the characterisations that have already been developed by Lorna Freeman. A nominated editor can authenticate the submissions before they are posted so that the continuity of the story can be ensured.
It may be the only way to satisfy our needs and may, just maybe, it’ll entice Lorna Freeman back into the land of literary excellence.
I was thinking the same sort of thing – agree on keeping things ‘sane’, some of the fanfic I’ve come across for other books have gotten a bit ridiculous. As you indicate, respect for Lorna’s creation is where it has to start and end.
I first read these back in 2009 and every couple years I keep checking to see if the 4th book has made it out or if Lorna Freeman has published anything new. I’m glad I’m not the only one who has felt the pain of not knowing what has happened to Rabbit. I wouldn’t mind fanfic at this point. 10 years waiting but still hoping.
Just popping in to say; 2020 and still missing Lorna Freeman and her work.
It has been 9 years since she disappeared…and I’l see you guys in another 9 if need be.
Lyn, I’m glad I found your website and these informative comments. I’ll keep hoping Lorna will continue the series. It’s one of my favorites.