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Interviews: TGS Book Tour, NYC Stormleader Dinner - Ted Herman
Summary:
Entries
27
Date
Nov 9th, 2009
Type
Paraphrased
Location
New York, NY
TourCon
The Gathering Storm Book Tour
Reporter
Ted Herman
Links
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1
Ted Herman
Here are my transcribed notes from our dinner with Brandon, Harriet, Maria and NY Storm Leaders: -
2
Brandon Sanderson
Brandon talked about a non-photoshopped picture of a sword stabbing through a bunch of WOT books in a magazine I don't remember the name of. -
3
Brandon Sanderson
Brandon tweeted about Leigh [Butler] forgetting the signing. -
4
Brandon Sanderson
Defines MAFO—Maria and Find Out.Tags
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5
Brandon Sanderson
States he did not see "Guys and Dolls", responding to a question about something similar in The Gathering Storm that I did not quite catch in one of the chapters with Mat. A blank die?Tags
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6
Brandon Sanderson
Stated that the Ajah Heads in the White Tower conspired to send Sitters to Salidar who would speed up reconciliation, but not draw suspicion due to being supporters of Elaida previously. They chose young Sitters in the Tower as placeholders. However some of the Sitters who left the Tower went of their own accord.
The Ajah Heads for the reunited Ajahs will likely be the ones who led their Ajahs before the split. Will be determined quietly and is Ajah business only.
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7
Brandon Sanderson
I asked if there any Tinker prophecies about the Dragon and he replied that if there were, we would have seen them already.Tags
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8
Brandon Sanderson
The dragon on the gate at Harriet's and Jim's home was there after it appeared in the books, and the books were given to the carver for a template.Tags
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9
Harriet McDougal Rigney
Harriet got her WOT jewelry from Badali Jewelers in Salt Lake City, the same firm that also does Brandon's items for Mistborn (even before he signed up for WOT).Tags
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10
Brandon Sanderson
[Brandon discussed] Harine's supposed mistake, mentioned earlier in the thread.Footnote
The alleged error is discussed in more detail in this report.Tags
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11
Question
Will we see dragons in the books?Brandon Sanderson
Brandon mentions Aludra's cannons.Ted Herman
My speculation is that they are the basis of the legends.Tags
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12
Question
Will we see more of Harine?Brandon Sanderson
Yes, and Rand was not keeping to his side of their bargain very well.Tags
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13
Brandon Sanderson
Brandon's hook for reading WOT as a teenager was the hero's journey, but his tastes evolved since then, from growing up and becoming a parent. He enjoyed The Eye of the World prologue greatly since it was not long and drawn out like many fantasy prologues. What kept him engrossed was the depth of world building and embedded secrets.Tags
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14
Ted Herman
Leigh shows up. -
15
Brandon Sanderson
Brandon said he loves the process of writing and that he would write a book a year for his whole life, even if none were ever published. He has all his unpublished manuscripts and didn't realize how bad he was before. He was in his early 20's and able to learn and practice to better his craft. He wasn't confident enough to submit his first five books, but the sixth was published (Elantris) though it took a few years. He had an advantage over other new writers from all his practice. He compared "getting it right" for Elantris to getting a hole-in-one in golf—part skill, part accident. Mistborn was his 14th novel.
He said he avoids reviews unless they are starred since a bad review can spoil his day and when he is feeling down he looks at bad reviews of works he enjoyed, like Pratchett's works, Watchmen, and Hamlet. He also avoided seeing the Watchmen movie, since it would be ruined if they changed it, or the same as the book if they didn't change it, and he didn't really want to see Dr. Manhattan in full IMAX glory.
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16
Brandon Sanderson
He agrees with fans who criticize that he isn't Robert Jordan, but hopes they will get past their anger at that fact. Also feels that the series belongs to the fans. He is happy with how The Gathering Storm turned out.Tags
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17
Harriet McDougal Rigney
Harriet said they should put Leigh's review on the back of the paperback edition, and Leigh double-dog dared her to have that done.
Harriet talked about a review that bashed The Gathering Storm for too much time emphasizing minor characters.
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18
Brandon Sanderson
Brandon spoke of his creative freedom in writing, and filling in blanks or making choices that Jim left for the story, but wanted to include everything that Jim wrote as completely as possible. Instead of giving a % of how much was Brandon's, he said it was 100% Brandon and 100% Jim since they both put their all into the book, and all that Brandon wrote was inspired by the previous books, and that Jim dictated, even from his deathbed, because of his passion for the story and the fans.Ted Herman
That is just amazing to me, beyond what words can describe.Tags
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19
Harriet McDougal Rigney
Harriet will decide after all the books are out about outriggers and prequels.Tags
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20
Harriet McDougal Rigney
They are already working on the encyclopedia and may or may not have an electronic version (currently no plans for one, but I asked about it and it's not ruled out).Tags
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21
Brandon Sanderson
The timeline is in a spreadsheet but it will likely not be published since it is very rough and Jim did not like his unfinished works published.Tags
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22
Brandon Sanderson
Brandon is concerned about the HCFFs digging and digging for the surprise in books 4-6 and ruining it for Towers of Midnight. Also, he stated he never read anyone discussing it but it is possible someone has. Also, it is some puzzle that should have been looked at when it was first revealed. It's bigger than who killed Asmodean, according to Brandon.Tags
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23
Brandon Sanderson
The beggar prophecy was fulfilled when Rand went to Ebou Dar, as well as the one about the bandages over his eyes.Footnote
Perrin's Wolf Dream with Rand wearing rags and a rough cloak with a bandage over his eyes is from The Shadow Rising 53. Min's viewing, where she saw a beggar's staff for Rand, occurs in The Eye of the World 15.Tags
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24
Brandon Sanderson
Brandon thought the ending of the series was right and satisfying to the promise of all the books.Tags
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25
Brandon Sanderson
The first time he used the internet was to go to rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan. -
26
Harriet McDougal Rigney
Harriet said Jim was surprised by the fandom for the series and that he thought it was egotistical to do readings from the books. He loved using the pseudonym since it helped him keep a low profile, and would talk to some local shopkeeper who asked if he was still writing LOL and he would say, "Yeah, I made the Times list!"Tags
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27
Ted Herman
More to come from the Q&A.