Grumbles about schedule changes

[Kevin]

Grumbles about schedule changes

It appears that a few folks are disappointed that Dyval has been delayed. You can count me among them. I hated having to put Dyval aside for 2-3 weeks, but it’s something I needed to do for a number of reasons.

One reason is I’m just struggling with the rewrite on this book. It’s taking forever. It’s not even so much Carl as it is me. I need to get away from it for a while. Sorry. It’s a creative process and that process is whacky like that sometimes.

Another reason, has been the demands placed on my time these past few months. The holidays, Grab Bags and news about Erick Wujcik made it impossible to do much creative work, especially in November and December. In addition to day to day business, January has been filled with year end taxes stuff, finding a new bookkeeping troubleshooter, contracts, orchestrating projects, dealing with problems, legal matters, and Palladium’s move to a new facility. There are a ton of work and issues to deal with involved in the move. Alex and others are helping a lot, but it’s still a time devourer. Getting sick for a week didn’t help and I'm still not 100% (I'd say about 85-90%).

Then there are a handful of secret projects we are working on. A couple, if they come to fruition, will delight you guys and gals to no end, but I can’t tell what they are just yet. Sorry.

I sure hope it doesn’t seem like we're dawdling. We’re all working hard and putting in long hours. Unfortunately, we can only do so much and we’re doing the best we can. Delaying books hurts our cash flow as well as disappoints people. We need new books to stay in business. New books drives everything.

I’m hoping by putting off Dyval (which is already waaaaay late and off schedule), I can get Robotech® The Shadow Chronicles® out close to on time for its 2008 rescheduled release date.

I plan on jumping right back into Dyval and then immediately into Dimensional Outbreak and The Rifter #42. With a little luck, we’ll get a couple reprints out in between. Once new books start to flow, we hope to keep releases coming out EVERY MONTH.

We’re also working at getting The Rifter® Zero posted for sale and download, therifter.com up and running, and a few new items like T-shirts and prints available online all before our move in March or April.

Then it will be time to MOVE

We now think we are going to do our big move a bit sooner than planned — packing up March 10-21 and make the big move: the warehouse and everything that is skidded and loaded onto a semi, Saturday and Sunday, March 22 & 23.

Hopefully, the move will go fast and efficiently – two weeks total and a week (or less) to get unpacked and set up for business. Before that, we have to get everything in place, pallet racks, fork lift, utilities, etc., lots of work. Volunteers are starting to sign up (thank god), and things for the move “seem” to be coming together on all fronts.

Trouble is, it all takes time and costs money even with help from friends and volunteers.

Why not hire more people?

That's a common question. Well, you can't hire folks without the money. Palladium is still coming out of the Crisis of Treachery and just does not have the resources yet to hire more staff, editors, etc., so we are working hard and doing the best we can. Regrettably, sometimes it is not enough. Just know we are working hard and care very much about our fans.

2008 Palladium's breakout year?

I think so. We are super-excited about the promise 2008 holds for Palladium Books. We have a wonderful array of products in the pipeline. RPGs and sourcebooks that you are going to love. 2008 is very likely the year that Palladium get’s back on its feet. The energy level at the office and among our freelance writers and artists is through the roof. You can read more about some of this in the January 22, 2008 Palladium Press Release.

I hate to disappoint, but we’re doing the best we can. If we could get books out faster, we would. Palladium could sure use the money, but for one reason or another, we can’t. I’m sorry about having to reschedule Dyval. I hope you understand. Also understand that once books start to flow, they should flow out on a pretty regular basis. We’re shooting for at least one a month.

Keep the faith, things will get better. We're pumped up and hope you will be too when you start seeing products coming out on a regular basis.

Sincerely,
Kevin Siembieda
Publisher, Writer, Artist and Eternal Optimist

© Copyright January 24, 2008 Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved.
Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Splicers®, Palladium Books®, Phase World®, The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, Megaverse®, Nightbane®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, Coalition Wars® and After the Bomb® are Registered Trademarks of Palladium Books Inc. Heroes Unlimited, Beyond the Supernatural, and other published book titles, names, slogans and likenesses are trademarks of Palladium Books Inc., and Kevin Siembieda.

Robotech® and Robotech® The Shadow Chronicles® are Registered Trademarks of Harmony Gold USA, Inc.