"The Agave Translation," a novel by Anna LaForge, is the second book in the MAZE series. The book is completed and is being revised right now with input from early readers. It will be published by Newcal Publishing, the same small press that published the first book of MAZE,  “The Marcella Fragment,” earlier this year.

Plot Synopsis of The Agave Translation

Fifty years after Kara/Tyre achieve Transformation in The Marcella Fragment, the Maze undergoes its first crisis. Pilgrims walk the roads to Pelion, but few of them are women. If the whole world is to be transformed, everyone must have equal access to the gift, and so begins The Agave Translation, the second novel of the MAZE series.

Lady Lilas, daughter of Charis, a slave, and The Aeson, the ruler of Agave, faces a difficult choice. She can wed her despised cousin Seth or make her way alone and unaided to a mysterious city where, it is said, a priceless gift awaits.The hot-tempered princess, spoiled and sharp of tongue, takes her fate in her hands and heads for Pelion. Once there, she is accepted into Preparation and put on the Path with Reddin, a non-adept who wants desperately to become an adept healer.

Their relationship is a stormy one, but they persevere until the citizens of Pelion wake one morning to find their city under siege: Seth has come to claim his would-be bride. Making the first selfless decision of her life, Lilas saves Pelion by leaving the Maze (and Reddin) and returns with Seth to Agave.

Furious at her departure, Reddin rages against Lilas only to dream about her each night, haunted by what he believes to be her unhappiness. Once the reason for his nightmares is discovered, Reddin departs for Agave in search of Lilas.

All too soon, Reddin is discovered by Seth's agents, arrested, imprisoned and tortured. Rescued with the help of Lilas's mother, Reddin is secretly transported to the palace where Lilas lives as a prisoner and is restored to health. There, with little hope for success, but with enormous courage, Lilas and Reddin embark on a plan that will forever change Agave and the world.

The Project

This Kickstarter project is intended to fund a professional Science Fiction & Fantasy genre-specific editor for the book. While book 1, “The Marcella Fragment”, was professionally edited, I found after discussing it with a former SF acquisitions editor for a major press that there were missed opportunities to make the book even better, and foreshadow what will happen in book 2, “The Agave Translation,” (the subject of this Kickstarter project), and book 3, “Pelion Preserv’d," due in 2014.  So, I am approaching and interviewing about five Science Fiction & fantasy editors right now, and will choose one to ship the manuscript to by the new year.

We also intend on hiring an illustrator to create maps for this book. We wanted them for the first one, and now Kickstarter can make that dream possible. Specifically, we want to commission an artist to map the cities of Pelion and Agave, the palace at Imarus, and their surrounding territories.

If all goes according to plan, it will be introduced at WisCon 37, the annual science fiction and fantasy convention, to be held May 24-27, 2013 in Madison, Wisconsin.

If the funding goal of $1,500 is exceeded, the additional funds will go towards marketing and promotion, including the WisCon book introduction, as well as other book production costs.

If the Kickstarter is successful the book will be published in two formats:

• A trade paperback edition for Kickstarter supporters and for retail distribution.
• An ebook edition (Kindle, Nook, iPad and other EPUB compatible readers) for the Kickstarter and for retail distribution.

So who is this book for, you might ask? That is an excellent question.

• Fans of Book 1, “The Marcella Fragment”. If you read it, liked it, and want the story to continue, then you can help make it happen!
• Fans of character-driven science fiction and fantasy epics
• Fans of speculative fiction novels that build believable, complex worlds
• Fans of romances between opinionated couples
• Fans of strong female characters
• Fans of feminist literature

Thanks in advance to all of you for taking a look at this project and supporting it. If you think “The Agave Translation” is a worthwhile project please do your best to recommend it to others and get the word out!

-Anna

January 4: New Stretch Goal of $2200

Thanks to the generous people who have pledged to support the publication of The Agave Translation, we have achieved our funding goal of $1500 with seven days left in the Kickstarter campaign.

My publisher and I decided to establish a stretch goal of $2200, or an additional $700 over the initial goal.   With these additional funds, we will support introduction and marketing activities for the book.

Specifically, we will use these funds to pay for marketing expenses which could include:

• Bookmarks or other handouts to give to people who purchase a book at Wiscon, or who attend the book intro party and author reading we hope to have.
• Funding for the book intro party (refreshments, food, etc.)
• A display for the signing table at Wiscon—banner, poster, handouts, etc.
• Helping defer the travel costs for attending Wiscon (airfare, lodging, registration fees, etc.)
• Targeted advertising for the book, with the possibility of ads in Locus Magazine or other SF&F websites

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me!

-Anna