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Cassandra Cookson

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Mar 2, 2001, 5:41:55 PM3/2/01
to
Some interesting tidbits popped up in the March Locus: _Scholar of Magics_
by Caroline Stevermer and _The Prize in the Game_, _The Giant Will Rise
With the Moon_ by Jo Walton are both listed under books recently sold.

I'm thrilled about a sequel to ACOM, but does anyone know more? Is Faris
back? Publication date?

Jo Walton's sales are noted as being set in the world of _The King's
Peace_, but perhaps Jo could tell us if they are sequels, or prequels.
Any dates for publication yet?

_The King's Name_ is listed for November 2001.

Cassandra

Kate Nepveu

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Mar 2, 2001, 5:45:18 PM3/2/01
to
ccoo...@ix.netcom.com (Cassandra Cookson) wrote:

> Some interesting tidbits popped up in the March Locus: _Scholar of Magics_
> by Caroline Stevermer and _The Prize in the Game_, _The Giant Will Rise
> With the Moon_ by Jo Walton are both listed under books recently sold.

> I'm thrilled about a sequel to ACOM, but does anyone know more? Is Faris
> back? Publication date?

Oooh. It's definitely a sequel, or are you guessing from the title?
And direct, or in the same world?

I won't get my hopes up that this will be out anytime soon, since I know
she's a slow writer, but great.

[...]


> _The King's Name_ is listed for November 2001.

Urrk! So long away!

Kate
--
http://www.steelypips.org/elsewhere.html -- Paired Reading Page; Reviews
"I wouldn't be satisfied with a life lived solely on the barricades. I
reserve my right to be frivolous." --Betty Friedan

Cassandra Cookson

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Mar 2, 2001, 6:34:25 PM3/2/01
to
In article <4f80atg9a2mv9hga9...@4ax.com>,
kate....@yale.edu wrote:

> ccoo...@ix.netcom.com (Cassandra Cookson) wrote:
>
> > Some interesting tidbits popped up in the March Locus: _Scholar of Magics_
> > by Caroline Stevermer and _The Prize in the Game_, _The Giant Will Rise
> > With the Moon_ by Jo Walton are both listed under books recently sold.
>
> > I'm thrilled about a sequel to ACOM, but does anyone know more? Is Faris
> > back? Publication date?
>
> Oooh. It's definitely a sequel, or are you guessing from the title?
> And direct, or in the same world?
>

The news item said sequel to A College of Magics. But that was it. Not
much to go on, I know. I'm hoping some of the authors in rasfw might know
more.

> I won't get my hopes up that this will be out anytime soon, since I know
> she's a slow writer, but great.

Absolutely great! I haven't read _When the King Comes Home_ yet, but it
is on my to be read pile. Did you read it?

>
> [...]
> > _The King's Name_ is listed for November 2001.
>
> Urrk! So long away!

Yes, but in the meantime the first chapter of Bujold's new book is up at
the Eos website. Different atmosphere than the Miles books, but I'll keep
reading.

> Kate

Cassandra

Kevin J. Maroney

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Mar 2, 2001, 7:07:42 PM3/2/01
to
ccoo...@ix.netcom.com (Cassandra Cookson) wrote:
>Jo Walton's sales are noted as being set in the world of _The King's
>Peace_, but perhaps Jo could tell us if they are sequels, or prequels.
>Any dates for publication yet?

I know that Jo is working on a novel set in the Ireland-analog within
her world. It is set hundreds of years before _The King's Peace_ pair,
and IIRC the outcome of the later novel is mentioned as a legend in
+The King's Peace_.

--
Kevin Maroney | kmar...@ungames.com
Kitchen Staff Supervisor, New York Review of Science Fiction
<http://www.nyrsf.com>

Vlatko Juric-Kokic

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Mar 2, 2001, 7:09:21 PM3/2/01
to
On Fri, 02 Mar 2001 16:41:55 -0600, ccoo...@ix.netcom.com (Cassandra
Cookson) wrote:

>Jo Walton's sales are noted as being set in the world of _The King's
>Peace_, but perhaps Jo could tell us if they are sequels, or prequels.
>Any dates for publication yet?

If that's the novel Jo talked about in the interview (see sig), it's
set quite a lot of time after Peace/Name in the same world.

vlatko
--
_Neither Fish Nor Fowl_
http://www.webart.hr/nrnm/eng/index.htm
Interviews: Jo Walton, David Langford, Ken Macleod
vlatko.ju...@zg.hinet.hr

Jo Walton

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Mar 3, 2001, 3:49:35 AM3/3/01
to
In article <ccookson-020...@user-33qs08g.dialup.mindspring.com>
ccoo...@ix.netcom.com "Cassandra Cookson" writes:

> Jo Walton's sales are noted as being set in the world of _The King's
> Peace_, but perhaps Jo could tell us if they are sequels, or prequels.
> Any dates for publication yet?

No dates yet. They're not finished yet.

I'm presently writing two novels, both set in that world.

One of them is a sort of prequel, about the Isarnagan characters in
_The King's Peace_, before they come into that story, though it happens
at the same time as some of it. (I could get very boring about exactly
when, but I'll spare you. When the book comes out, I may but the detailed
chronology on my web page.) It's an entirely independent story anyway, about
some of the same people, sort of like _Deepness_ in the way it stands alone
but differently if you've read the rest. And it's definitely only going
to be one book. It's actually Kate Nepveu's fault that I'm writing this
one.

The other one is set in that world's C.18, in Demedia. It shares no
characters, and there's been a lot of history in between. It's kind
of about the Highland Clearances and the French Revolution and the
War of 1812, except all of them very different.



> _The King's Name_ is listed for November 2001.

I'm hoping Tor will put the first three chapters on their website
soon. When they do, I'll put a link in from my web page.

--
Jo J...@bluejo.demon.co.uk
I kissed a kif at Kefk
Locus Recommended First Novel: *THE KING'S PEACE* out now from Tor.
Sample Chapters, Map, Poems, & stuff at http://www.bluejo.demon.co.uk

Cassandra Cookson

unread,
Mar 3, 2001, 9:46:59 AM3/3/01
to

> In article <ccookson-020...@user-33qs08g.dialup.mindspring.com>
> ccoo...@ix.netcom.com "Cassandra Cookson" writes:
>
> > Jo Walton's sales are noted as being set in the world of _The King's
> > Peace_, but perhaps Jo could tell us if they are sequels, or prequels.
> > Any dates for publication yet?
>
> No dates yet. They're not finished yet.
>
> I'm presently writing two novels, both set in that world.
>
> One of them is a sort of prequel, about the Isarnagan characters in
> _The King's Peace_, before they come into that story, though it happens
> at the same time as some of it. (I could get very boring about exactly
> when, but I'll spare you. When the book comes out, I may but the detailed
> chronology on my web page.) It's an entirely independent story anyway, about
> some of the same people, sort of like _Deepness_ in the way it stands alone
> but differently if you've read the rest. And it's definitely only going
> to be one book. It's actually Kate Nepveu's fault that I'm writing this
> one.

Kate's fault? Did she ask too many questions? Nice outcome for the rest
of us, if so.

> The other one is set in that world's C.18, in Demedia. It shares no
> characters, and there's been a lot of history in between. It's kind
> of about the Highland Clearances and the French Revolution and the
> War of 1812, except all of them very different.

This sounds intriguing.

> > _The King's Name_ is listed for November 2001.
>
> I'm hoping Tor will put the first three chapters on their website
> soon. When they do, I'll put a link in from my web page.

Fantastic. The sample chapters are what convinced me to pick up _The
King's Peace_. Thanks for the information--it'll be a long wait though.

Cassandra

Jo Walton

unread,
Mar 3, 2001, 11:17:38 AM3/3/01
to
In article <ccookson-030...@user-33qs0lp.dialup.mindspring.com>
ccoo...@ix.netcom.com "Cassandra Cookson" writes:

> In article <983609...@bluejo.demon.co.uk>, J...@bluejo.demon.co.uk wrote:
>
> > One of them is a sort of prequel, about the Isarnagan characters in
> > _The King's Peace_, before they come into that story, though it happens
> > at the same time as some of it. (I could get very boring about exactly
> > when, but I'll spare you. When the book comes out, I may but the detailed
> > chronology on my web page.) It's an entirely independent story anyway, about
> > some of the same people, sort of like _Deepness_ in the way it stands alone
> > but differently if you've read the rest. And it's definitely only going
> > to be one book. It's actually Kate Nepveu's fault that I'm writing this
> > one.
>
> Kate's fault? Did she ask too many questions? Nice outcome for the rest
> of us, if so.

She asked the right question.

In attempting to answer the question, I could see I'd have to actually
write the story.



> > > _The King's Name_ is listed for November 2001.
> >
> > I'm hoping Tor will put the first three chapters on their website
> > soon. When they do, I'll put a link in from my web page.
>
> Fantastic. The sample chapters are what convinced me to pick up _The
> King's Peace_. Thanks for the information--it'll be a long wait though.

Even longer for me. As far as I'm concerned, _The King's Name_ is not
another book, it's the rest of _The King's Peace_, it's part III. So
the rest of you only have 2\3 of a story, and I can't really say anything
to anyone.

Kate Nepveu

unread,
Mar 3, 2001, 1:39:24 PM3/3/01
to
ccoo...@ix.netcom.com (Cassandra Cookson) wrote:
> In article <4f80atg9a2mv9hga9...@4ax.com>,
> kate....@yale.edu wrote:

[new Stevermer novel sold]


> > I won't get my hopes up that this will be out anytime soon, since I know
> > she's a slow writer, but great.

> Absolutely great! I haven't read _When the King Comes Home_ yet, but it
> is on my to be read pile. Did you read it?

I loved it. It's short, go read it now. I have a review on my web page
<http://www.steelypips.org/reviews/whenking.html>.

> Yes, but in the meantime the first chapter of Bujold's new book is up at
> the Eos website. Different atmosphere than the Miles books, but I'll keep
> reading.

Oooh, thanks for the information. I'm going to find it now.

*googles*

The first eight chapters in 3 week installments? The bastards. Jim
Baen has a *lot* to answer for....

<http://www.harpercollins.com/hc/features/eos/curse.asp>

Kate Nepveu

unread,
Mar 3, 2001, 1:58:50 PM3/3/01
to
J...@bluejo.demon.co.uk (Jo Walton) wrote:
> In article <ccookson-020...@user-33qs08g.dialup.mindspring.com>
> ccoo...@ix.netcom.com "Cassandra Cookson" writes:

> > Jo Walton's sales are noted as being set in the world of _The King's
> > Peace_, but perhaps Jo could tell us if they are sequels, or prequels.
> > Any dates for publication yet?

> No dates yet. They're not finished yet.

> I'm presently writing two novels, both set in that world.

> One of them is a sort of prequel, about the Isarnagan characters in
> _The King's Peace_, before they come into that story, though it happens
> at the same time as some of it. (I could get very boring about exactly
> when, but I'll spare you. When the book comes out, I may but the detailed
> chronology on my web page.) It's an entirely independent story anyway, about
> some of the same people, sort of like _Deepness_ in the way it stands alone
> but differently if you've read the rest. And it's definitely only going
> to be one book. It's actually Kate Nepveu's fault that I'm writing this
> one.

Oh! Really? Just because of that one little question?

Wow. Cool.

I look forward to it.

(Now I have something in common with ppint.)



> The other one is set in that world's C.18, in Demedia. It shares no
> characters, and there's been a lot of history in between. It's kind
> of about the Highland Clearances and the French Revolution and the
> War of 1812, except all of them very different.

Interesting, I don't know if I knew the precise time frame under
consideration before. The major way I fill in gaps in my history is by
fiction, I realized, and so that'll be helpful in another sense. Diana
Gabaldon--I don't think you'd approve of her history, but--did the '45
Rising and is now in the process of doing the American Revolution, and I
got the politics of the 1840s in _Freedom and Necessity_, so something
that sorta kinda fits the gap in-between will be good.

> > _The King's Name_ is listed for November 2001.

> I'm hoping Tor will put the first three chapters on their website
> soon. When they do, I'll put a link in from my web page.

Heck, I'm hoping they'll put up chapters for _Issola_ soon so I can
*really* wear myself out fretting for April, but it's probably better
for me if it doesn't happen...

Phil Fraering

unread,
Mar 3, 2001, 8:06:14 PM3/3/01
to
ccoo...@ix.netcom.com (Cassandra Cookson) writes:

> Jo Walton's sales are noted as being set in the world of _The King's
> Peace_, but perhaps Jo could tell us if they are sequels, or prequels.
> Any dates for publication yet?

I had trouble parsing that paragraph. Not only is she writing about
parallel universes, but now she's selling books in them as well?

I wonder what the currency exchange rates are.

Phil

Ethan A Merritt

unread,
Mar 3, 2001, 11:57:14 PM3/3/01
to
In article <ccookson-020...@user-33qs08g.dialup.mindspring.com>,

Cassandra Cookson <ccoo...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>In article <4f80atg9a2mv9hga9...@4ax.com>,
>kate....@yale.edu wrote:
>
>> ccoo...@ix.netcom.com (Cassandra Cookson) wrote:
>>
>> > Some interesting tidbits popped up in the March Locus: _Scholar of Magics_
>> > by Caroline Stevermer and _The Prize in the Game_, _The Giant Will Rise
>> > With the Moon_ by Jo Walton are both listed under books recently sold.

So, does this mean that Jo is a fan of Stan Rogers? Or maybe there's another
source for that title...

Ethan A Merritt

Courtenay Footman

unread,
Mar 4, 2001, 1:19:59 AM3/4/01
to
In article <p9e2at0jeuqke1h15...@4ax.com>, Kate Nepveu wrote:
>ccoo...@ix.netcom.com (Cassandra Cookson) wrote:
>> In article <4f80atg9a2mv9hga9...@4ax.com>,
>> Yes, but in the meantime the first chapter of Bujold's new book is up at
>> the Eos website. Different atmosphere than the Miles books, but I'll keep
>> reading.
>
>Oooh, thanks for the information. I'm going to find it now.
>
>*googles*
>
>The first eight chapters in 3 week installments? The bastards. Jim
>Baen has a *lot* to answer for....
>
><http://www.harpercollins.com/hc/features/eos/curse.asp>
>
Somehow the last word of the URL seems singularly appropriate.

--
Courtenay Footman I have again gotten back on the net, and
c...@lightlink.com again I will never get anything done.
(All mail from non-valid addresses is automatically deleted by my system.)

Kate Nepveu

unread,
Mar 4, 2001, 2:33:58 PM3/4/01
to
J...@bluejo.demon.co.uk (Jo Walton) wrote:
> In article <sie2atcf8qmtp9tev...@4ax.com>
> kate....@yale.edu "Kate Nepveu" writes:
> > J...@bluejo.demon.co.uk (Jo Walton) wrote:

> > > One of them is a sort of prequel, about the Isarnagan characters in
> > > _The King's Peace_, before they come into that story, though it happens
> > > at the same time as some of it.

[...]


> > > It's actually Kate Nepveu's fault that I'm writing this
> > > one.

> > Oh! Really? Just because of that one little question?

> Yup.

You did say you'd been thinking about that, though, didn't you? Was
that just the proverbial straw?

[...]


> > (Now I have something in common with ppint.)

> Weirdly, I was actually there when ppint asked Terry that question.

The Annotated Pratchett Files says the question is "where do they take
the teeth?", which surprised me because I thought it would be "what do
they _do_ with them?" _Hogfather_ is one of my favorite Discworld
books, though, so whatever it was I'm glad of the result.

It's really interesting to see, kind of, one of the ways in which
creativity can get sparked.


> > > The other one is set in that world's C.18, in Demedia. It shares no
> > > characters, and there's been a lot of history in between. It's kind
> > > of about the Highland Clearances and the French Revolution and the
> > > War of 1812, except all of them very different.

> > Interesting, I don't know if I knew the precise time frame under
> > consideration before. The major way I fill in gaps in my history is by
> > fiction, I realized, and so that'll be helpful in another sense. Diana
> > Gabaldon--I don't think you'd approve of her history, but--did the '45
> > Rising and is now in the process of doing the American Revolution, and I
> > got the politics of the 1840s in _Freedom and Necessity_, so something
> > that sorta kinda fits the gap in-between will be good.

> While using historical novels to fill in feel for historical periods can
> be a good place to start, I wouldn't rely on fantasy novels doing it if
> I were you, especially not that one which is going to be _very much_ an
> alternate world fantasy.

Fair enough. I sometimes take the fantasy novels & go to the
encyclopedia or something to find out where things are different--I did
this for the Sarantium books because they felt so _concrete_ that it
wasn't a surprise to find that I really could have put dates to things
if I wanted to.

> I hope you're not relying on _The King's Peace_
> for C.6 history either. It makes me want to write a list of what I made
> up and changed, with footnotes, because it's very close but not reliably.

No, I'm not, though I might still go do a little reading later, after
things are all done, out of exactly the "what's different" curiosity.

> For the end of the C.18 in fiction where you want to start is _Master and
> Commander_ and _Persuasion_.

I'm three books into the Aubrey/Maturin books and show no signs of
picking them back up. I haven't the faintest idea why.

I think I've read _Persuasion_ but I can't be sure of it.

ppint.

unread,
Mar 4, 2001, 4:12:53 PM3/4/01
to
- hi; in rasfwr article, <1p55atomkn3a33334...@4ax.com>,
kate....@yale.edu "Kate Nepveu" wrote:

> J...@bluejo.demon.co.uk (Jo Walton) wrote:
>> kate....@yale.edu "Kate Nepveu" writes:
>>> J...@bluejo.demon.co.uk (Jo Walton) wrote:
>
>>>>One of them is a sort of prequel, about the Isarnagan characters in
>>>>_The King's Peace_, before they come into that story, though it happens
>>>> at the same time as some of it.
>[...]
>>>>It's actually Kate Nepveu's fault that I'm writing this one.
>
>>> Oh! Really? Just because of that one little question?
>
>> Yup.
>
>You did say you'd been thinking about that, though, didn't you? Was
>that just the proverbial straw?

- one question, one small comment, can be enough - and
not always, one carefully phrased or chosen "with malice
aforethought" *g*. though, a couple of decades ago, i was
quite upset that i wasn't even offered the chance to buy
another novel i'd "inspired" (maybe "provoked" would be
a more appropriate word): but i was (effectively) an sf/f
editor then, and had spent some time at seacon convincing
the author that there was a crunch point he'd ducked (or
not spotted), that he *needed* to face up to - and that
it was one that demanded a novel, to deal with it...


>
>[...]
>>> (Now I have something in common with ppint.)
>
>> Weirdly, I was actually there when ppint asked Terry that question.
>
>The Annotated Pratchett Files says the question is "where do they take
>the teeth?", which surprised me because I thought it would be "what do
>they _do_ with them?"

- yes, well; leo has never asked me what susan's question
was: and nor have any of the many afpers, who've answered
queries about it: all have been happy to assert what they
know beyond any possibility of doubt to be the one, true
answer...

(in leo's defence, the apf represents the distilled coll-
ective wisdom of afp: so it's arguably "only reasonable"
that it should reflect its errors and delusions, too...)

>_Hogfather_ is one of my favorite Discworld books, though, so what-


>ever it was I'm glad of the result.

- so'm i; there's only one thread in it, though, that i
can see could've resulted from the feetnotes piece that
stuck in terry's subconscious & niggled...


>
>It's really interesting to see, kind of, one of the ways in which
>creativity can get sparked.

- brainstorming's *fun* - and analysis of weaknesses,
or points where a story could (& should) be strengthened
comes naturally (though that's possibly so, only through
education) & even automatically - almost sub-consciously;
it is developing the skills of story-telling, and making
use of the crafts of composition, that's scary, and work.
[..]


>
>>While using historical novels to fill in feel for historical periods can
>>be a good place to start, I wouldn't rely on fantasy novels doing it if
>>I were you, especially not that one which is going to be _very much_ an
>>alternate world fantasy.
>
>Fair enough. I sometimes take the fantasy novels & go to the
>encyclopedia or something to find out where things are different--I did
>this for the Sarantium books because they felt so _concrete_ that it
>wasn't a surprise to find that I really could have put dates to things
>if I wanted to.

- yes; i think that there's a definite risk of damaging
the fantasy, by sticking too closely to the course of
events in the real world, rather than following the in-
clination of things in the creation to take their own
natural shape. real life history is a good guide, but
alternate histories need their own random events. (and
unlikely coincidences, too ? - er, possibly not...)


>
>>I hope you're not relying on _The King's Peace_ for C.6 history either.
>>It makes me want to write a list of what I made up and changed, with
>>footnotes, because it's very close but not reliably.
>
>No, I'm not, though I might still go do a little reading later, after
>things are all done, out of exactly the "what's different" curiosity.

[..]
- after children's history books, it's been historical
novels (and thor heyerdahl) that impelled me towards
nf history books, and historical atlases: alfred dug-
gan & rosemary sutcliff, mary renault & robert graves;
them - and l. sprague de camp's _Lest Darkness Fall_...

- love, ppint.
[v$af$ppint@ bounces e-mail; drop the "v", to reply or cc.]
--
"decadence, n: the finest flowering of civilisation"
- yr hmbl srppnt., 8/72

Kate Nepveu

unread,
Mar 4, 2001, 10:20:26 PM3/4/01
to
v$af$pp...@i-m-t.demon.co.uk ("ppint.") wrote:
> - hi; in rasfwr article, <1p55atomkn3a33334...@4ax.com>,
> kate....@yale.edu "Kate Nepveu" wrote:
> > J...@bluejo.demon.co.uk (Jo Walton) wrote:
> >> kate....@yale.edu "Kate Nepveu" writes:

> >>> Oh! Really? Just because of that one little question?
> >> Yup.

> >You did say you'd been thinking about that, though, didn't you? Was
> >that just the proverbial straw?

> - one question, one small comment, can be enough - and
> not always, one carefully phrased or chosen "with malice
> aforethought" *g*. though, a couple of decades ago, i was
> quite upset that i wasn't even offered the chance to buy
> another novel i'd "inspired" (maybe "provoked" would be
> a more appropriate word): but i was (effectively) an sf/f
> editor then, and had spent some time at seacon convincing
> the author that there was a crunch point he'd ducked (or
> not spotted), that he *needed* to face up to - and that
> it was one that demanded a novel, to deal with it...

Yeah, gratitude might possibly be a little difficult to dredge up in
that case. I personally have to force myself to be gracious when I've
been pestered into something for my own good.

> >>> (Now I have something in common with ppint.)
> >> Weirdly, I was actually there when ppint asked Terry that question.

> >The Annotated Pratchett Files says the question is "where do they take
> >the teeth?", which surprised me because I thought it would be "what do
> >they _do_ with them?"

> - yes, well; leo has never asked me what susan's question
> was: and nor have any of the many afpers, who've answered
> queries about it: all have been happy to assert what they
> know beyond any possibility of doubt to be the one, true
> answer...

Oh. Will you tell? May you?

[...]


> >_Hogfather_ is one of my favorite Discworld books, though, so what-
> >ever it was I'm glad of the result.

> - so'm i; there's only one thread in it, though, that i
> can see could've resulted from the feetnotes piece that
> stuck in terry's subconscious & niggled...

Err, "feetnotes piece"? What?

[...]


> >>While using historical novels to fill in feel for historical periods can
> >>be a good place to start, I wouldn't rely on fantasy novels doing it if
> >>I were you, especially not that one which is going to be _very much_ an
> >>alternate world fantasy.

> >Fair enough. I sometimes take the fantasy novels & go to the
> >encyclopedia or something to find out where things are different--I did
> >this for the Sarantium books because they felt so _concrete_ that it
> >wasn't a surprise to find that I really could have put dates to things
> >if I wanted to.

> - yes; i think that there's a definite risk of damaging
> the fantasy, by sticking too closely to the course of
> events in the real world, rather than following the in-
> clination of things in the creation to take their own
> natural shape. real life history is a good guide, but
> alternate histories need their own random events. (and
> unlikely coincidences, too ? - er, possibly not...)

That's one of the things that made _Sarantium_--which I am *extremely*
fond of--interesting to me, going back and seeing all the little things
that were different and how those contributed to the story in the books.

Jo Walton

unread,
Mar 5, 2001, 2:49:53 AM3/5/01
to
In article <1p55atomkn3a33334...@4ax.com>
kate....@yale.edu "Kate Nepveu" writes:

> J...@bluejo.demon.co.uk (Jo Walton) wrote:
> > In article <sie2atcf8qmtp9tev...@4ax.com>
> > kate....@yale.edu "Kate Nepveu" writes:
> > > J...@bluejo.demon.co.uk (Jo Walton) wrote:
>
> > > > One of them is a sort of prequel, about the Isarnagan characters in
> > > > _The King's Peace_, before they come into that story, though it happens
> > > > at the same time as some of it.
> [...]
> > > > It's actually Kate Nepveu's fault that I'm writing this
> > > > one.
>
> > > Oh! Really? Just because of that one little question?
>
> > Yup.
>
> You did say you'd been thinking about that, though, didn't you? Was
> that just the proverbial straw?

I'd been thinking about it from the wrong angle. Your question picked it
up from the other end, which is the end it's possible to approach the
story from. Not to mention that I has assumed that everyone sort of
knew the story of the Tain Bo Cuailnge, which turns out not to be the
case.



> [...]
> > > (Now I have something in common with ppint.)
>
> > Weirdly, I was actually there when ppint asked Terry that question.
>
> The Annotated Pratchett Files says the question is "where do they take
> the teeth?", which surprised me because I thought it would be "what do
> they _do_ with them?" _Hogfather_ is one of my favorite Discworld
> books, though, so whatever it was I'm glad of the result.

The question I remember being asked, though I know ppint had written a
fanzine article on the idea as well, was "Why do they want them?" This
was in Albacon in Glasgow in August 1988.



> It's really interesting to see, kind of, one of the ways in which
> creativity can get sparked.

Ideas are the easy bit.


> > While using historical novels to fill in feel for historical periods can
> > be a good place to start, I wouldn't rely on fantasy novels doing it if
> > I were you, especially not that one which is going to be _very much_ an
> > alternate world fantasy.
>
> Fair enough. I sometimes take the fantasy novels & go to the
> encyclopedia or something to find out where things are different--I did
> this for the Sarantium books because they felt so _concrete_ that it
> wasn't a surprise to find that I really could have put dates to things
> if I wanted to.

I think when writing this sort of thing there's an obligation to make it
work for people who know the history you're dancing a variation with and
for people who don't know any of it at all. This is challenging but possible.
The people it's most difficult to make it work for are the people who vaguely
remember some things which are wrong -- often things that used to be the
accepted history but which have been out of date for a century -- and who
will then accuse the writer of being wrong.

With the Sarantium books, I knew the history very well, and they worked
really beautifully for me especially when I could see where the changes
were going. I love the end.



> > I hope you're not relying on _The King's Peace_
> > for C.6 history either. It makes me want to write a list of what I made
> > up and changed, with footnotes, because it's very close but not reliably.
>
> No, I'm not, though I might still go do a little reading later, after
> things are all done, out of exactly the "what's different" curiosity.

It's a tangled field. Or maybe not so much a field as a small thorny thicket.

Christopher K Davis

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Mar 5, 2001, 11:09:04 AM3/5/01
to
Jo Walton <J...@bluejo.demon.co.uk> writes:

> Not to mention that I has assumed that everyone sort of knew the story
> of the Tain Bo Cuailnge, which turns out not to be the case.

I'm sorry, but this just sounds too much like some sort of Celtic
martial art/exercise routine.

--
Christopher Davis * <ckd...@ckdhr.com> * <URL:http://www.ckdhr.com/ckd/>
Put location information in your DNS! <URL:http://www.ckdhr.com/dns-loc/>

Kate Nepveu

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Mar 5, 2001, 11:37:54 AM3/5/01
to
J...@bluejo.demon.co.uk (Jo Walton) wrote:
> In article <1p55atomkn3a33334...@4ax.com>
> kate....@yale.edu "Kate Nepveu" writes:

[new book in world of _King's Peace_]

> > You did say you'd been thinking about that, though, didn't you? Was
> > that just the proverbial straw?

> I'd been thinking about it from the wrong angle. Your question picked it
> up from the other end, which is the end it's possible to approach the
> story from. Not to mention that I has assumed that everyone sort of
> knew the story of the Tain Bo Cuailnge, which turns out not to be the
> case.

I think all of my Irish myth comes from _A Wizard Abroad_. And if it
did include that story, I didn't recognize it in _The King's Peace_.

(Now I want to go and re-read all of those. I think I'll wait until
closer to the new one's release.)

(I've got a YA novel called _The Hounds of the Morrigan_ on my to-read
pile, but that probably won't help.)

At any rate, glad to be of help however inadvertently.

> > [...]


> > > Weirdly, I was actually there when ppint asked Terry that question.

> > The Annotated Pratchett Files says the question is "where do they take
> > the teeth?", which surprised me because I thought it would be "what do
> > they _do_ with them?" _Hogfather_ is one of my favorite Discworld
> > books, though, so whatever it was I'm glad of the result.

> The question I remember being asked, though I know ppint had written a
> fanzine article on the idea as well, was "Why do they want them?" This
> was in Albacon in Glasgow in August 1988.

> > It's really interesting to see, kind of, one of the ways in which
> > creativity can get sparked.

> Ideas are the easy bit.

Oh, no question, but it's fascinating for me, who has very little
creative skill indeed, to see the process of how you can suddenly see a
very simple thing--like the answer to ppint's question--and how that can
jump-start the process.

Andrew Plotkin

unread,
Mar 5, 2001, 12:03:58 PM3/5/01
to
Kate Nepveu <kate....@yale.edu> wrote:

> I think all of my Irish myth comes from _A Wizard Abroad_. And if it
> did include that story, I didn't recognize it in _The King's Peace_.

> (Now I want to go and re-read all of those. I think I'll wait until
> closer to the new one's release.)

> (I've got a YA novel called _The Hounds of the Morrigan_ on my to-read
> pile, but that probably won't help.)

BTW, I recently found a collection of Irish myth/lore/tales retold by
Alan Garner. It is, predictably, terrific.

_The Lad of the Gad_ is the collection title.

--Z

"And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these were the borogoves..."
*
* International election observers in '04...

ppint.

unread,
Mar 5, 2001, 12:56:03 PM3/5/01
to
- hi; in rasfwr article, <g816ato5k3lkit4fq...@4ax.com>,
kate....@yale.edu "Kate Nepveu" wrote:

> $af$pp...@i-m-t.demon.co.uk ("ppint.") wrote:
>> kate....@yale.edu "Kate Nepveu" wrote:
>>> J...@bluejo.demon.co.uk (Jo Walton) wrote:
>>>> kate....@yale.edu "Kate Nepveu" writes:
>
>> [...] though, a couple of decades ago, i was quite upset

>> that i wasn't even offered the chance to buy another novel
>> i'd "inspired" (maybe "provoked" would be a more appropri-

>> ate word): but i was (effectively) an sf/f editor then,
>> and had spent some time at seacon convincing the author
>> that there was a crunch point he'd ducked (or not spotted),
>> that he *needed* to face up to - and that it was one that
>> demanded a novel, to deal with it...
>
>Yeah, gratitude might possibly be a little difficult to dredge up in
>that case. I personally have to force myself to be gracious when I've
>been pestered into something for my own good.

- oh, it wasn't for _his_own_ good - *g* - i was trying to
build a list as an outside contractor (and one unaware that
there was no-one in hamlyn paperbacks with the remotest idea
of shaping my recommendations & suggestions: as i later dis-
covered, the only internal check placed upon them by then was
a ceiling to the advance that would be paid for sf/f... which
ceilling did not apply in practice to erratic invasions of
the sf/f list by walter clare, the m-d, as he was the one who
had imposed it, and the one meant to apply it...)
(i wish i'd _known_ i was the effective editor of the list...)


>
>>>>> (Now I have something in common with ppint.)
>>>> Weirdly, I was actually there when ppint asked Terry that question.
>>>The Annotated Pratchett Files says the question is "where do they take
>>>the teeth?", which surprised me because I thought it would be "what do
>>>they _do_ with them?"
>> - yes, well; leo has never asked me what susan's question
>> was: and nor have any of the many afpers, who've answered
>> queries about it: all have been happy to assert what they
>> know beyond any possibility of doubt to be the one, true
>> answer...
>
>Oh. Will you tell? May you?

- well, yes; but see below;


>
>[...]
>>>_Hogfather_ is one of my favorite Discworld books, though, so what-
>>>ever it was I'm glad of the result.
>> - so'm i; there's only one thread in it, though, that i
>> can see could've resulted from the feetnotes piece that
>> stuck in terry's subconscious & niggled...
>
>Err, "feetnotes piece"? What?

- "feetnotes" = the fanzine i (?used to) publish - and it
occasionally needs some lighter pieces, to break mood be-
tween serious (& sometimes even constructive ?) essays etc.
which were on occasion quite lengthy - "Sauron, the Great
Prince of Middle-Earth" for example, or "The Lore and Lang-
uage of Conflict". "Say "aaaaaAAARGH!" was one such mood-
breaker, comparable with my write-up & development from one
of jo & ken's sfik nights, "Boingy Things"... ...and (of
course ?) it was the mood-breaker, rather than any of the
major ideas in the essays, as made the lasting impression...

...so; one e-mail is on its way, but don't expect a major
work.


>
>[...]
>>>>While using historical novels to fill in feel for historical periods can
>>>>be a good place to start, I wouldn't rely on fantasy novels doing it if
>>>>I were you, especially not that one which is going to be _very much_ an
>>>>alternate world fantasy.
>>>Fair enough. I sometimes take the fantasy novels & go to the
>>>encyclopedia or something to find out where things are different--I did
>>>this for the Sarantium books because they felt so _concrete_ that it
>>>wasn't a surprise to find that I really could have put dates to things
>>>if I wanted to.
>> - yes; i think that there's a definite risk of damaging
>> the fantasy, by sticking too closely to the course of
>> events in the real world, rather than following the in-
>> clination of things in the creation to take their own
>> natural shape. real life history is a good guide, but
>> alternate histories need their own random events. (and
>> unlikely coincidences, too ? - er, possibly not...)
>
>That's one of the things that made _Sarantium_--which I am *extremely*
>fond of--interesting to me, going back and seeing all the little things
>that were different and how those contributed to the story in the books.
>

- yes, indeed; but in the end - 'ware possible spoiler if
you've not yet read _Lord of Emperors_ - i rather felt his
story failed to deal with a major theme that it raised: how
the flames of religious intolerance might be assuaged, once
raised, without either being allowed to run riot and burn
themselves out, or being themselves met with a fiery sword.
screwing down the lid upon a pressure-pot as lacks a safety
valve has only one outcome of which i'm aware, save the heat
beneath it be removed...

- love, ppint.
["v$af$ppint@" bounces e-mail; drop the "v", to reply or cc.]
--

"...And even if it is autocombustion, at least it's keeping me warm...!"
- gsteemso 971020 (20/10/97) (10/20/97 for merkins)

Del Cotter

unread,
Mar 5, 2001, 4:14:22 PM3/5/01
to
On Mon, 5 Mar 2001, in rec.arts.sf.written,
Christopher K Davis <ckd-...@ckdhr.com> said:

>Jo Walton <J...@bluejo.demon.co.uk> writes:
>> Not to mention that I has assumed that everyone sort of knew the story
>> of the Tain Bo Cuailnge, which turns out not to be the case.
>
>I'm sorry, but this just sounds too much like some sort of Celtic
>martial art/exercise routine.

No, it's Gaelic rap, haven't you ever heard of Tain Bo Coolio?

--
. . . . Del Cotter d...@branta.demon.co.uk . . . .
JustRead:KChestertonTheNapoleonofNottingHill:RudyardKiplingCaptainsCour
ageous:NealStephensonCryptonomicon:CSLewisTheLionTheWitchAndTheWardrobe
ToRead:IanMcDonaldDesolationRoad:DorothyDunnettTheDisorderlyKnights:Jac

Kate Nepveu

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Mar 5, 2001, 8:47:32 PM3/5/01
to
v$af$pp...@i-m-t.demon.co.uk ("ppint.") wrote:
> - hi; in rasfwr article, <g816ato5k3lkit4fq...@4ax.com>,
> kate....@yale.edu "Kate Nepveu" wrote:
> > $af$pp...@i-m-t.demon.co.uk ("ppint.") wrote:

[huge snip]

> >That's one of the things that made _Sarantium_--which I am *extremely*
> >fond of--interesting to me, going back and seeing all the little things
> >that were different and how those contributed to the story in the books.

> - yes, indeed; but in the end - 'ware possible spoiler if
> you've not yet read _Lord of Emperors_ - i rather felt his
> story failed to deal with a major theme that it raised: how
> the flames of religious intolerance might be assuaged, once
> raised, without either being allowed to run riot and burn
> themselves out, or being themselves met with a fiery sword.
> screwing down the lid upon a pressure-pot as lacks a safety
> valve has only one outcome of which i'm aware, save the heat
> beneath it be removed...

Mmm-mmm. Doesn't that get us into a different story altogether, though?
(And if we proceed further, I think we need spoiler warnings...)

ppint.

unread,
Mar 7, 2001, 11:24:28 AM3/7/01
to
- hi; in rasfwr article, <uag8atso9vjmjsjag...@4ax.com>,
kate....@yale.edu "Kate Nepveu" enquired:

> $af$pp...@i-m-t.demon.co.uk ("ppint.") wrote:
>> "Kate Nepveu" wrote:

>>> ppint. wrote:
>
>[huge snip]
>
>>>That's one of the things that made _Sarantium_--which I am *extremely*
>>>fond of--interesting to me, going back and seeing all the little things
>>>that were different and how those contributed to the story in the books.
>> - yes, indeed; but in the end - 'ware possible spoiler if
>> you've not yet read _Lord of Emperors_ - i rather felt his
>> story failed to deal with a major theme that it raised: how
>> the flames of religious intolerance might be assuaged, once
>> raised, without either being allowed to run riot and burn
>> themselves out, or being themselves met with a fiery sword.
>> screwing down the lid upon a pressure-pot as lacks a safety
>> valve has only one outcome of which i'm aware, save the heat
>> beneath it be removed...
>
>Mmm-mmm. Doesn't that get us into a different story altogether, though?
>(And if we proceed further, I think we need spoiler warnings...)
>
- hence "'ware possible spoiler [for] _Lord of Emperors_";
but i think this is more likely to prove a discussion of
the general point, that an author shouldn't (or should feel
free to) introduce or imply a major question, and one that's
fundamental to the story they proceed to tell - and then not
deal with it in a satisfactory (germane and believable; and
preferably also "entertaining") manner, or at all.

- some authors might claim exception from the general rule,
by virtue of dealing with the topic over a larger spread of
canvas; but guy gavriel kay very commendably does not make a
habit of returning to a world to make up for shortcomings in
the original concept, or its execution - instead, he makes a
point of taking the time needed, to get it right first time.
which is perhaps why i was left with the annoying niggle - i
have come to expect something closer to perfection from him,
rather than merely "extremely good", or "good enough to sell".

- criticizing a work for failing to achieve what its author
did not set out to, is only occasionally worthwhile; when it
is, it is ime generally an indication that the author is felt
capable of something even greater than they have achieved.

- love, ppint.
["v$af$ppint@" bounces e-mail; remove the "v", to reply or cc.]
--
"They're not corrupt; they're just pragmatic."
- gareth husk in i.m.t. 11:20 bst 16/5/98 (5/16/98 for merkins)

Michael Caldwell

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Mar 12, 2001, 7:23:31 AM3/12/01
to
Kate Nepveu wrote

>(I've got a YA novel called _The Hounds of the Morrigan_ on my to-read
>pile, but that probably won't help.)

No, it won't, but <aims mind control laser> YOU MUST READ IT NOW.
One of my all-time favourite portrayals of the nature of evil, and a good
story to boot. Please tell us what you thought of it when you've finished.

--

Eimear Ni Mhealoid

unread,
Mar 13, 2001, 5:15:43 AM3/13/01
to

Michael Caldwell <absu...@es.co.nz> wrote in message
news:98if21$vmd$1...@lust.ihug.co.nz...

I was trying to remember what I'd read recently that sort of reminded of
that book. I think it was Jan Siegel's _Prospero's Children_.


--
Eimear Ni Mhealoid


Beth Friedman

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Mar 29, 2001, 6:09:33 PM3/29/01
to
On Fri, 02 Mar 2001 16:41:55 -0600, ccoo...@ix.netcom.com (Cassandra
Cookson),
<ccookson-020...@user-33qs08g.dialup.mindspring.com>, wrote:

>Some interesting tidbits popped up in the March Locus: _Scholar of Magics_
>by Caroline Stevermer and _The Prize in the Game_, _The Giant Will Rise
>With the Moon_ by Jo Walton are both listed under books recently sold.
>

>I'm thrilled about a sequel to ACOM, but does anyone know more? Is Faris
>back? Publication date?

I think Faris shows up, but the main character is Jane.

--
Beth Friedman
b...@wavefront.com

Kate Nepveu

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Mar 29, 2001, 11:59:28 PM3/29/01
to

Oh, wonderful. Except now I wish you hadn't said that because it will
make the wait harder...

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