Atlanta Signing 12/5 - not much new info
Br00se
questions, but I mostly wimped out.
I borrowed a tape recorder from a friend of mine who is a reporter. I
figured he would have a good one. However, I think I now understand
why people get misquoted so often. Based on a sample playback, I
don't expect to get much out of it.
Due to some poor instructions from Map Quest, and my own inability to
drive and navigate, I arrived at the signing 30 minutes late (at 7:30)
even though I left it time to get there about 45 minutes early. I
hate Atlanta traffic. If he made any opening remarks, I missed them.
I stood around and listened to other peoples questions and comments
with my tape recorder in hand while I made my buddy go wait in line
for the signing.
While I heard very little that was new, there were a few tid bits.
Someone asked if a hero of the Wheel that had already been spun out
could still be seen in T'A'R. He said point blank "No". I'm hoping
the person who posed that question will also post about it, in case I
got something wrong.
Someone asked about the populations of the major cities. After a
little clarifications, he basically said that Tar Valon has a
population of about 700,000 and the several of the other cities have
around 500,000. He gave a number for the total population of Andor,
but I'm not sure of the number, and hope that made it to the tape I'm
going to analyze tomorrow.
Someone came through and said "I think Isam killed Asmodean." He just
replied, "You do." With a very slight grin on his face.
Someone asked if Mordin is Ba'alzamon. Jordan laughed and almost fell
out of his chair. The then told her to RAFO, and not what was
forthcoming, but what was already written. He seemed to really enjoy
answering that question. I wonder if there are two types of RAFO
answers.
When asked about the total number of books, he gave the stock answer
of at least 3 more books. When I suggested that 13 was a nice
symmetrical number, he looked up at the ceiling and made a comment
that he hope it didn't take that long. I hope I can find that on the
tape.
I asked him if there was going to be any more short fiction, and he
seemed to really think about it and said he didn't know.
We asked who he voted for in the election, he said that it was his
business. He went on to say that he obtained his absentee ballot and
that he did vote.
For some reason Tor's website doesn't have the complete signing
schedule listed. He told me he was going to be in Columbia, SC next
and then Charleston SC at the Books-a-million. He seemed concerned
when I told him that the Tor website didn't list anything past today.
He said that they had the complete schedule and that it should be
posted. IIRC Columbia is on the 7th and Charleston is on the 9th, I
don't know any more about that. I'll try to find out because I may go
to another one and see if I can remember to ask the questions I missed
last time.
The crowd finally subsided around 8:30 and he started signing store
copies. I went out to my car to get the questions that I carelessly
left out there and to step next door to use the restroom. When I came
back, he was gone. I was so bummed out. I had just gotten
comfortable asking him questions. When I was ready to ask the BIG
ones, he was gone.
Like I said, I was counting on my tape recorder to do my note taking
for me, but based on a sample playback, I don't think I'm going to
much from it.
--
Br00se Br00se (at) br00se .com
http:\\br00se.com
Oh, what a goofy work is man! -- The Tick
Fairfax Sheild McCandlish IV
news:ivhr2tg8c64mbqels...@4ax.com...
> The crowd finally subsided around 8:30 and he started signing store
> copies. I went out to my car to get the questions that I carelessly
> left out there and to step next door to use the restroom. When I came
> back, he was gone. I was so bummed out. I had just gotten
> comfortable asking him questions. When I was ready to ask the BIG
> ones, he was gone.
That's understandable, I was very nervous too. Weird eh, maybe it has
something to do with having a huge line of people waiting on you, but I have
a feeling that Rand'd be pretty nervous meeting the creator too (in a clear
state of mind, mind you).
I shot low (at the Richmond signing) and got him to clarify the business
with the Asha'man channelling in Far Madding. Wish I had had time to stick
around for the Sammael busniess though.
Daniel Rouk
Robert Jordan told a story about how he was in England for a signing and one
lady asked him to autograph it to her son. When asked what the boy's name
was, she replied "Robert Jordan Smith". He asked how old the boy was, and
he was 4 months old. Jordan paused, and then said he turned to his wife and
verified that she probably knew where he was a year ago.
I asked him about how he organizes his information. He says he does keep a
database consisting of many files, but actually seems to go to it mostly to
add information rather than use it as a reference while writing. I asked if
he had a listing of all the various threads of the novel so he doesn't
forget one (such as bubbles of evil, etc), and he said no, that he keeps all
of that in his head.
He also repeated again for another person that he knew the last scene of the
last book since the series beginning, and has a good outline of all the
significant events in his head as he writes.
One person wished to take a picture with him, but was having a hard time
squeezing in, which prompted Jordan to quickly turn around. He said he
wanted to make certain no one was making bunny ears behind his back. He
said the reason he likes to carry his cane (the trolloc horn one you can see
on the books) is to allow him an extra 3 feet of whacking space to smack
down pranksters who make bunny ears.
James Huckaby
> Someone asked if a hero of the Wheel that had already been spun out
> could still be seen in T'A'R. He said point blank "No". I'm hoping
> the person who posed that question will also post about it, in case I
> got something wrong.
So what this means is that the "backward-time in TAR" argument
for Olver=Gaidal is mostly dead (another witness would help kill
it completely).
That leaves us with Birgitte's statement of "a infant or even
a young boy" to be proved delusional or not, to end the
speculation over whether Olver can be Gaidal. If we get an
answer of non-delusional this would lead to the conclusion
that a Hero's soul can either co-habitate with, merge, or
replace a child's original soul in some circumstances.
Logically speaking that is.
--
James Huckaby
ja...@raveller.com
http://www.raveller.com
"Share our perfect opinion, it's the ideal ideal."
Built to Spill - Sick & Wrong
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
John S. Novak, III
>I asked him about how he organizes his information. He says he does keep a
>database consisting of many files, but actually seems to go to it mostly to
>add information rather than use it as a reference while writing. I asked if
>he had a listing of all the various threads of the novel so he doesn't
>forget one (such as bubbles of evil, etc), and he said no, that he keeps all
>of that in his head.
Has anyone suggested that he might want to start keeping one?
That maybe his books wouldn't spin out of control if he used something
akin to a flowcharting tool?
--
John S. Novak, III j...@concentric.net
The Humblest Man on the Net
Br00se
<dr...@cellbio.emory.edu> wrote:
>I asked him about how he organizes his information. He says he does keep a
>database consisting of many files, but actually seems to go to it mostly to
>add information rather than use it as a reference while writing. I asked if
>he had a listing of all the various threads of the novel so he doesn't
>forget one (such as bubbles of evil, etc), and he said no, that he keeps all
>of that in his head.
If I remember correctly, you used the word "database", and he used the
word "files". I got the impression that he uses paper files.
>He also repeated again for another person that he knew the last scene of the
>last book since the series beginning, and has a good outline of all the
>significant events in his head as he writes.
I think I heard him repeat that about 3 times while I was there.
>
>One person wished to take a picture with him, but was having a hard time
>squeezing in, which prompted Jordan to quickly turn around. He said he
>wanted to make certain no one was making bunny ears behind his back. He
>said the reason he likes to carry his cane (the trolloc horn one you can see
>on the books) is to allow him an extra 3 feet of whacking space to smack
>down pranksters who make bunny ears.
He gave me an evil glace when I suggested that photoshop could solve
that problem.
Carl Wynn
> I just got home from the Atlanta signing. I had planed to ask several
> questions, but I mostly wimped out.
>
>
> Due to some poor instructions from Map Quest, and my own inability to
> drive and navigate, I arrived at the signing 30 minutes late (at 7:30)
> even though I left it time to get there about 45 minutes early. I
> hate Atlanta traffic.
> I can emphasise. I had never been to that bookstore before and
although I arrived on time, I had to get in the back of the line.
After living near Atlanta for 6 years on three different occasions, I
can say that the traffic never gets any better. You didn't miss much.
He basically said he would not tell who killed Asmo, that "it should be
apparent from the most slipshod analysis of the books." He went on to
say the next book would be published as soon as he got done writing it,
and proceeded to pronounce a few names (egwene, seanchan, aes sedai).
I think if people can't pronounce those after 10 years they should just
give up, that or look at a fucking glossary.
> While I heard very little that was new, there were a few tid bits.
>
> Someone asked if a hero of the Wheel that had already been spun out
> could still be seen in T'A'R. He said point blank "No". I'm hoping
> the person who posed that question will also post about it, in case I
> got something wrong.
I believe I was standing in line next to that person in line. We spoke
briefly, and I don't believe he is a part of any Jordan forum on the
net. I thought his question should be self-explainatory since Birgitte
had been missing Gaidal for some time prior to being ripped out.
>
> Someone asked about the populations of the major cities. After a
> little clarifications, he basically said that Tar Valon has a
> population of about 700,000 and the several of the other cities have
> around 500,000. He gave a number for the total population of Andor,
> but I'm not sure of the number, and hope that made it to the tape I'm
> going to analyze tomorrow.
I'm the guy who asked this question. He said 350,00-650,000 for the
major cities, 500,000 being a good ballpark. The Andor population is
10 million, which, I suspect is the biggest population base in
Randland.
>
> >
> When asked about the total number of books, he gave the stock answer
> of at least 3 more books. When I suggested that 13 was a nice
> symmetrical number, he looked up at the ceiling and made a comment
> that he hope it didn't take that long. I hope I can find that on the
> tape.
>
I remember that. I thought it was pretty funny at the time. I believe
when looking at the ceiling, he also said, "don't listen to this man!"
-Carl Wynn
Bill McCarthy
>
>
> > I just got home from the Atlanta signing. I had planed to ask several
> > questions, but I mostly wimped out.
> >
> >
> > Due to some poor instructions from Map Quest, and my own inability to
> > drive and navigate, I arrived at the signing 30 minutes late (at 7:30)
> > even though I left it time to get there about 45 minutes early. I
> > hate Atlanta traffic.
>
> > I can emphasise.
_~*SO CAN I!*~_
--
Bill McCarthy
Think. Again.
Zeynep Dilli / 'Morwen'
It was 6 Dec 2000... John S. Novak, III spoke words of wisdom:
> On Wed, 6 Dec 2000 09:55:40 -0500, Daniel Rouk <dr...@cellbio.emory.edu> wrote:
>
> >I asked him about how he organizes his information. He says he does keep a
> >database consisting of many files, but actually seems to go to it mostly to
> >add information rather than use it as a reference while writing. I asked if
> >he had a listing of all the various threads of the novel so he doesn't
> >forget one (such as bubbles of evil, etc), and he said no, that he keeps all
> >of that in his head.
>
> Has anyone suggested that he might want to start keeping one?
> That maybe his books wouldn't spin out of control if he used something
> akin to a flowcharting tool?
ObRiseToTheBait: I think it would take a very, very humble man to
stand up and say that to a writer of thousands of published pages.
(That said, it's not that I don't agree...)
--
:-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)
Zeynep Dilli
"All You Need Is Love"
-----BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK-----
GE/MU/S/L d--(+) s: a22 C++ US+ P L+>++ E---- W++>$ N++ K? w>-- !O M- V?
PS+ PE(-) Y+ !PGP t- !5 !X R+ tv-- b+++ DI++ D-- G e++$>+++ h* x?
-----END GEEK CODE BLOCK-----
Br00se
<dr...@cellbio.emory.edu> wrote:
>
>> If I remember correctly, you used the word "database", and he used the
>> word "files". I got the impression that he uses paper files.
>
>Well, he did also say he doesn't write anything out by hand (as opposed to
>typing it), because it would take 6 years to put out each book that way, so
>all the information is on computer form at some point.
>
I think this was your question. I finally found a tape deck with an
EQ so I could filter out most of the noise.
Q: "How do you keep track of all the information, do you have, like,
a database?"
A: "I have a database. Yes. I have a database, in a way a rather
rudimentary one. It's is simply a huge collection of files organized
on characters, on cultures, um (pause) organizations, anything that I
think I might need to know about the world. But to tell you the
truth, I usually go into those files to add in new things that I've
come up with. It's not that often that I go in there to check on
things."
Q: "Do you keep a list of all your different threads so you don't
have a whole bunch of hanging....."
A: No, no, no, no, no, no that's all in my head. It doesn't exist
anywhere except in my head."
Q: Thanks.
The other question, a little before yours was this:
Q: "Do you type it?"
A: "If I wrote it long hand it would take 8 years between books."
There will be more quote coming as I transcribe them.