Theoryland Resources
WoT Interview Search
Search the most comprehensive database of interviews and book signings from Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson and the rest of Team Jordan.
Wheel of Time News
An Hour With Harriet
2012-04-30: I had the great pleasure of speaking with Harriet McDougal Rigney about her life. She's an amazing talent and person and it will take you less than an hour to agree.
The Bell Tolls
2012-04-24: Some thoughts I had during JordanCon4 and the upcoming conclusion of "The Wheel of Time."
Theoryland Community
Members: 7653
Logged In (0):
Newest Members:johnroserking, petermorris, johnadanbvv, AndrewHB, jofwu, Salemcat1, Dhakatimesnews, amazingz, Sasooner, Hasib123,
Theoryland Tweets
WoT Interview Database
Home | Interview Database
Interviews: LOC Signing Report - Erica Sadun
Summary:
Entries
24
Date
Oct 17th, 1994
Type
Paraphrased
Location
Atlanta, GA
TourCon
Lord of Chaos Book Tour
Bookstore
Science Fiction & Mystery
Reporter
Erica Sadun
Links
-
1
Erica Sadun
No spoilers.Robert Jordan
Heights:
Rand—6'6"
Perrin—6'2"
Mat—5'11.5"
Aviendha—5'8-5'9
Elayne—5'6"
Nynaeve—5'4"
Egwene—5'2"
Moiraine—5'0-5'2Tags
, , , , , , , -
2
Robert Jordan
Easing the Badger: An in joke between RJ and wife. "A ceremony."Tags
, , -
3
Robert Jordan
Chicago: "In Chicago, the bookstores were recommending hotels. They doubled their book order." -
4
Robert Jordan
Covers: Rand originally had Darrel K. Sweet's build. Finally he's tall enough. The monkey girl is Egwene. "They're fine." (the covers)Tags
, , -
5
Robert Jordan
World Design: about 10 years before writing commenced. Stopped being a nuclear engineer to write.Tags
, , -
6
Robert Jordan
Tam and Rand: Originally same character—the soldier comes home to a small town. He is not Farstrider. He is a blademaster and Second Captain in Illian.Tags
, , , , -
7
Robert Jordan
Red Ajah: not all lesbians—just manhaters. RJ knows non-manhating lesbians. Not based at all on Agnes Scott girls. Based on some girls he knew as a child.
All women in Randland—based on his wife. "Does she tug her hair?" "No. Mine."
Tags
, , , , , -
8
Robert Jordan
Verin: "I don't know what she'd drink but I drink very strong coffee in the morning and tea in the afternoon and evenings." (A description of exactly how strong the coffee is followed.)Tags
, -
9
Robert Jordan
Girl at Citadel: "She is a liar. She and the guidance counselor deliberately whited out all references to her gender." (Followed by about 10 minutes of impassioned talk about how running in combat boots saved his life in Vietnam—fascinating, touching and irreproducible.)Tags
, , , , , -
10
Robert Jordan
Sniffs and Snorts—you have to decide which sounds sound like what. "Siuan snorts". (Why do women sniff and men snort?)Tags
, -
11
Robert Jordan
How many books?—"I don't know. Two, maybe three, maybe four. I know the last scene. But after I write the last scene that is all there is for these characters." (No Eddings sequels) "Maybe a series in another Age."
What other books?—"More books planned than I have years to write them."
Tags
, , , -
12
Robert Jordan
Language—It is planned. Based on Russian, Chinese and a bit of Spanish with a lot of Gaelic thrown in.
Cultures of influence—he's real big on Chinese history right now.
Why the swords?—As in Japan, gunpowder is suppressed so martial arts are developed and are based on the sword and on agricultural implements.
Tags
, , , -
13
Question
When did you start reading?Robert Jordan
Age four. Started with The Letters of Thomas Jefferson and Forever Amber. After, when he got a library card, he found the children's section extremely limiting.Tags
, -
14
Question
Will we see Jain Farstrider?Robert Jordan
Read the books. If he's not seen by the last page, he's not in there.Tags
-
15
Question
The dagger—could Mat have chosen anything else?Robert Jordan
Yes, but he wouldn't be Mat then, would he? A dagger would attract him more than a chalice or whatever. It's easy to stick it in the belt.Tags
, , -
16
Question
Is Bela ta'veren?Robert Jordan
He quoted John Novak's Darkfriend Social scene. (He called it the "Darkfriend Social". He got the name from Judy.)Tags
, , -
17
Question
Do you get to keep your frequent flier miles on this tour?Robert Jordan
Yes. And he's going to Sweden next year for the Swedish sci-fi convention.Tags
-
18
Question
Are the sword forms based on reality?Robert Jordan
Sort of based on Taekwondo and Karate—but from books, not experience.Tags
, , -
19
Question
Isn't Lord of Chaos half of a book?Robert Jordan
Yes. He wanted to experiment. There's something else which is experimental, but he won't say what.Footnote
I asked Erica about this concept that Lord of Chaos is 'half a book', since it was mentioned a lot in reports of the period. I told her I thought it was odd, since now (2011) Lord of Chaos is by and far one of the fan favorites. It's interesting, because the older fans generally tend to favor books 1-3, and Erica herself was most impressed by The Dragon Reborn. One has to wonder if RJ didn't slow down to show them what 'half a book' was really like (aside from being worn out after completing his six-book contract with book-a-year deadlines).Tags
, -
20
Question
What is the world called?Robert Jordan
Earth.QUESTION
What about Randland?Robert Jordan
Chuckle.Footnote
The fandom calls it 'Randland', but this is not very helpful since it is used to refer to both the planet itself and the continent bordered by the Aryth Ocean, Blight, Dragonwall, and Sea of Storms.Tags
-
21
Question
Why did Mat's battle happen off screen?Robert Jordan
That's the way battles really happen. You don't actually see anything happen from the point of view, it's all a matter of waiting and trying not to die.Tags
, -
22
Question
What's the title of the next book?Robert Jordan
Haven't decided.Tags
-
23
Question
Is the "binding like criminals" meant to be using the Oath Rod?Robert Jordan
No comment.Tags
, -
24
Erica Sadun
Unasked but may be answerable by his rules:
1. When Morgase thought "two beautiful children", was she thinking of Gawyn and Elayne or Gawyn and Galad?
2. Was the Verin "Moiraine sent me"/"I did not send her" incident a mistake or plot device?
3. Why did Ishamael split in two at the end of The Dragon Reborn?
4. Who was Kari al'Thor? And what did it mean to be second captain in Illian?
5. Is Egwene the reincarnation of Eldrene of Manetheren? And is Eldrene's veil significant?
6. Is Lews Therin Beidomon?
7. Is there organized religion in Randland?
8. What did your readers guess that you thought they'd never pick up on because you thought it was too subtle?