About Mac
Mac' Chandler is supposedly retired. At the end of 2022 I moved from Rochester MI to the milder climate of North Carolina and a condo without steps much more suited to my age. (75 as I write this)
Writing is still fun and I intend to continue as long as my mind stays fresh. I'm not a expert on English or a skilled grammarian but I love t tell a story. I thank all the people who take a moment to tell me they enjoyed my work.
Live the book and the cover , lots of interesting new characters , how is the pregnancy plot line going to effect the “family law” join up when it happens , your books are getting better and better Mac , thank you
In the Family Law books when Lee meets them April having children is mentioned. Something I can use in new stories in that series. Easy the pilot has a son too.
I certainly hope I improve. I was never trained as a writer and my English teachers would be horrified I an pursuing the craft. I believe they regarded me as hopeless.
Secrets in the Stars – page 177
“I’m not sure I do yet,” Lee admitted. “Then, April is the same April we saw in the video? Not her granddaughter?”
“Indeed, April has granddaughters, but she wouldn’t want them to live here, next to the slumball.”
Thanks for the heads up, but what’s a “dinkus”?
Seperator between sections = * * *
In “Family Law” no children of April/Heather/Jeff are mentioned. Yet the latest version of “April” has Heather pregnant. Does this mean a tragedy happens to the children, or are you planning to “adjust” the future as presentedn in “Family Law”.
Please keep writing; love your stories. The North American politicians you depict remind me of our present administration.
No, kids are mentioned but not named. There’s room there for expansion.
I’ll go find it when I have time.
Secrets in the Stars – page 177
“I’m not sure I do yet,” Lee admitted. “Then, April is the same April we saw in the video? Not her granddaughter?”
“Indeed, April has granddaughters, but she wouldn’t want them to live here, next to the slumball.”
I believe you are in error. Nick. Children and grandchildren are mentioned in passing in the Friends Among the Stars book.
What happened to the release publicity. I found out about Long View by looking at new releases for the day on Amazon. I didn’t see anything from Amazon or Facebook. You need to say unkind things to your publicist
In any case I bought it ans am reading now..
Publicist? I don’t have one. I stopped using Facebook and X/twitter because I no longer wanted to be their product. If you want to mention my book to folks there that would be nice. I’ve tried Amazon ads but my sales didn’t go up enough to cover the cost of the ads. Sales have been about the same as in the past. Not bad at all. Much better than any advance a traditional publishing house would give me.
Edited to add…. If you click on my name beside my review stars it will take you to a page where if you scroll down there is a place to sign up to follow me. They should tell you of any new books if you are signed up.
Just finished The Long View – I really enjoyed the progression towards the Family Law series with the Foys finally getting into space, the politicking of the nascent Claims Commission and the brief introduction to Jack Anderson and his goal of acquiring his own ship.
When I read the conversation between Mike and Jack I immediately flashed to Gordon toasting the memory of his friend, “My man Jack.”
I look forward to whatever you come up with next – a continuation of either series or an entirely new endeavor.
Unless I got something seriously wrong here, doesn’t that mean they both get life Extension and Just did not talk to Lee or Gordon about it?
It should also mean that it takes them a long time to get their Explorer since the High Hopes is their first and it is at least 15 years old when Family Law takes place. So around 60 to 80 in the future of the latest April book. Probably wrong on the specifics and would need to check timelines. Wanted to do that anyway since the Elves seemed to be discovered a bit early If you compare the 2 series. I remember something about 20 years after ftl from either Gordon or Lee but might be the actual first contact mixed up with the discovery by the characters.
Not sure when to time meeting the Derf. It will have to be towards the end of the next book – #15 – because that’s all I plan to write as a link between the two series. I might then do more Family Law books or not. I am 76. I’ve looked all over but can’t find a use by date on my hide.
Wish you could get some of that life extension therapy.
We would have many more books then.
Thank you for writing. I am committed to buying all your new books!
Can’t wait for any more books you write and still hoping for Audiobooks for the April Series. You mentioned something about it together with FL6 but you never even announced that audio book on this website.
I tried to check for timeline via the search function of kindle reader but the only date i found in the entire family law series is the “eleventh day of june 2197” / “6-11-2197” court date/agreement at central and with Gordon mentioning being 70 at the meeting with the banker in book 1 as well as the first contact being soon after he was born, first contact must have happened somewhere between 2117 and 2122. Since i can’t seem to find the infos on the elves it might be time to listen to the entire series for the 7th time.
With the Foys Story being only a few years until space after April was 18 with the bombardment of Vandenberg, the April series should still be early 2090s. You might need a timeskip to be accurate within your own timeline.
Also:
Have you considered addressing how “2 Ball” in FL3 was hit? I can see several ways of that happening and considered trying myself at a bit of fanfiction if you don’t plan on writing it yourself. Since i am neither native english speaker nor a writer I considered testing AI tools for it. They have been very useful to fix typos, find better ways to write emails and some smaller coding projects.
Thanks for responding to so many of these comments and questions.
If the Jack Anderson in this book is indeed Lee’s father in the Family Law series, I’m afraid the timelines between the two series may have an irreconcilable glitch.
In Family Law Gordon said he was 70 years old and first contact happened when he was an infant, approximately 60 years before Lee was born.
If Family Law takes place at least 75+ years after the end of this book, it’d make Jack 100+/- when Lee would be born and around 110 when he was killed on Providence.
The only way I could see it working is if this Jack Anderson isn’t that Jack Anderson (could he be Lee’s grandfather and her father was Jack Jr.?) or he gets life extension at some point, presumably with his wife Myrtle – and that opens up a whole new continuity issue, that they wouldn’t have told Lee or Gordon that such a thing existed.
Anyway, such minor conundrums certainly don’t detract from your delightful writings. I’m re-rereading the Family Law series ‘cause … why not?
Your logic is good. I just never wrote Family Law with merging with April in mind. I’m lazy. I never tried to create a detailed accurate timeline. Indeed I’ve always avoided adding hard dates unless the context just demanded them. I think even Heinlein cobbled together his future history time-line after the fact – not as a grand scheme from the beginning. I suspect many of you are better at keeping details in memory than me.
Thank you for the information about April #15 being the last before Family Law begins. I like managing my expectations! I do hope you feel like doing more in Family Law after but I sure understand not being certain. Best of good fortune for good health and thank you for all the stories already written.
I’m 67 and I can commiserate with the use by date comment. I’ve enjoyed your books very much and will eagerly anticipate any more you can write.
My library got too large to actually house in 2012 and I’ve relied on ebooks since then. You, Laurence Dahmer, and Nathan Lowell have become my favorite authors and I buy every novel the 3 of you put out. I hope to have as many more from you as your health allows. Thank You
Thanks – I have to go look at Nathan Lowell.
Nathan Lowell, top notch writing.
Just finished the book and enjoyed it.
Are you going to fix the cover too? Not sure who that ist supposed to be but she wont survive the leaky space suit situation (Hair outside the backside of the helmet)
Can’t wait for the next book
You’ve got a good eye. I’ll erase that.
Sarah fixed it. Says she needs to take time to have new glasses made.
Wow, a great read Mac (as usual). I found a funny connection to you! My partner (3 months married!) was in a “libertarian” or “libertine” not sure which FB group with Sarah Hoyt about a billion years ago. She just looked at the cover artist and said “Hey, I know her!”. 😀
I tried making my own covers and when Sarah saw them she shreiked – Oh my God NO! That just shouts lit*er*a*ture not Science fiction. Sarah does get around.
I’ve enjoyed the H out of all of your stories, Mac. If you’re tired of writing one series, stop or take a hiatus and write whatever inspires you to keep on doing so. I will continue buying and enjoying whatever you write for however long you enjoy doing so.
I like the first cover, standing in the field of grass, better than the 2nd.
I spotted ” my man Jack” and assumed that must be Lee’s grandfather. As I recall Lee says in FL that her family left Earth, and we have her older cousin looking after her in Michigan. that would allow another generation in there somewhere.
“I never tried to create a detailed accurate timeline. Indeed I’ve always avoided adding hard dates unless the context just demanded them. I think even Heinlein cobbled together his future history time-line after the fact – not as a grand scheme from the beginning.”
I was going to ask if you planned to publish a timeline after the 2 series had met chronologically. I’m not the type of fan who wants to start a wiki however I’ve been known to enjoy maps and timelines. In fact you would be screwed trying to read some authors books without them. Anything that Michael Anderle puts his name to is a prime example except that seems more like a commercial enterprise than Indie publishing. The long view was another enjoyable additional. Thanks
I finished 14 and immediately began Family Law again for the 3rd time and lost track of time, again. It was 6am when I looked and I’d read all night! Thank you for some wonderful stories.
I am finding the arithmetic confusing. Alice won 613 million Later she says she will give half, 150 million, to Vic and Eileen. The numbers they put in Irwin’s bank become even more confusing. Maybe you need to have an accountant audit the book?
I’ll go look at it but the bank numbers reflect the currency exchange.
Yes… Changed it to 300 but left the spacer bank the same as it was ‘some’ of their money.
I’m 75 myself so I understand your “use by date” reference. However, I’m still working on my own software projects and don’t expect to stop while I can still do it.
I definitely want as many more books as you can write.
I’m a big Heinlein fan but I think your books are at least as good as his, especially the “juveniles” like “Have Space Suit, Will Travel”, which is probably my favorite.
I’m just finishing “Family Law” again and hope there will be more books in that series as well.
Reading both your series and the variety of short stories has been a delight.
I enjoy your reference to Heinlein having read his books since my Boy’s Life days in the 60s. His books might be the first author’s library I read in it’s entirety. Amazon Prime suggested I read your books after I finished Lawrence Dahner ‘s books. Like you the suggestion of Nathan Lowell is one I will pursue. The universes Eric Flint created particularly the Asanti Shards/1632 ones are intriguing and compelling. That so many (250+) authors became pro writing in this universe is amazing. Your book series offers so many wonderful possibilities for side stories if you somehow could open it up as Eric did.