Questions for Kate Elliott

[Teresa Edgerton]

In honor of this new sub-forum, I've contacted Kate Elliott, told her about the Chronicles Network and her eager fans here, and invited her to come by some time to answer our questions. She has agreed!

At this point, it hasn't been settled when, but I thought we might prepare for the occasion in advance by posting any burning questions we have, here in this thread. Obviously, we don't want the questions to be too spoilerific, or she probably won't answer them (at least not to anyone's satisfaction).

So, everyone, what would you like to ask?

 

[GOLLUM]

WOW nice coup...

It's great having authors like Kate who are so accessible to their fans I think.

HMMM..I'll start the ball rolling by asking a question on a lot of people's mnids..

Q). Who the Hell IS Alain anway?? OH and the related query "where do those dogs of his originate from???"

Sorry, I'm sure I can think of some more but that's the one that's been bugging me the most...

 

[Alia]

Q). Who the Hell IS Alain anway?? OH and the related query "where do those dogs of his originate from???"

You party pooper Gollum... I took a day to think of what to ask Kate, but those two questions were the only two I could think of. I decided not to ask because:

we don't want the questions to be too spoilerific

Then I decided that finding out who Alain is and the story of the dogs are like a christmas gift that would probably would have to wait until the last two books are release. But it's worth a shot asking!

My questions are what's next? Another series or a short story? Fantasy or Scifi? And will you keep us posted on your progress?

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I'd like to know when she plans to return to the Jaran series, and if there will be any signings or other personal appearances in Northern California in the foreseeable future.

 

[AryaUnderfoot]

My question for Kate is: who is your favorite Fantasy writer/ what is your favorite book?


PS- Kelpie, where are you from in Northern California?

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I live between Oakland and San Jose, Arya. In a town so small and obscure as to be almost mythical, even to Bay Area residents.

 

[AryaUnderfoot]

I'm from a very small town in the Bay Area too, Kelpie. Ever heard of Point Reyes? In West Marin?

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I've heard of Point Reyes, but never been there. My trips to Marin County have mainly involved participation in the Renaissance Pleasure Faire, back in my giddy youth.

(obligatory on-topic remark) Which reminds me to ask Kate Elliott: How much has your own past involvement in historical recreation influenced your writing?

 

[Alia]

I'm have also been wondering Kate, if you drew your inspiration for the races and civilazations in the Crown of Stars Series from our own world's history? If so, would you mind elaborating on each country, or race, and person?

There is a thread, Correlations, on your website, that a young lady (Aoimog) has tried to correlate people and places to our world's history. She has done a lot of research and it is quite involved. I would be very interested, as I'm sure she would too, of how close she came to guessing who was who and what was what.

Thanks!

 

[Rahl Windsong]

Welcome Kate Elliott, my question for you would be, "what are you reading now?"

Rahl

 

[GOLLUM]

You party pooper Gollum... I took a day to think of what to ask Kate, but those two questions were the only two I could think of. I decided not to ask because:
Then I decided that finding out who Alain is and the story of the dogs are like a christmas gift that would probably would have to wait until the last two books are release. But it's worth a shot asking!

My questions are what's next? Another series or a short story? Fantasy or Scifi? And will you keep us posted on your progress?

Hi there stranger!

UM.. Kate actually posted something about her new projects a few months ago on her main fan site.

Hope I'm not bypassing protocol by posting this Kelpie but here goes and NO it doesn't contain any spoilers for people reading COS. OH and she may well have posted something more recently, haven't been back there for a while DOH!!

From Kate Elliott coutesy of http://p199.ezboard.com/bkateelliott end of Jan 05.

"Volume Seven - while needing the usual boat-load of rewriting, revisions, polishing, cutting and trimming, and line editing - will pretty much stay as is.

I'm still in shock in some ways - after working for so many years on this series, I can't believe I wrote the whole thing (even if there are revisions to complete).

Meanwhile I am about three quarters of the way through the first volume of my new project, with a working title of “Crossroads”. I'm really enjoying writing this one - it's always fun to jump into a new world. No publication date set yet. The earliest it could possibly appear would be Autumn 2006, but I will have no idea until I finish and turn in the manuscript.

And, just to tantalize you, there is a chance that I will write a short 'young adult' fantasy series set in the same world of Crown of Stars but taking place about 500 years later. I can't work on that until revisions for the final two CoS books are turned in and the first draft of book one of Crossroads is finished. Although I admit I already have two short chapters written, just to test the waters..."

Kate Elliott

 

[Kate.Elliott]

Thanks for letting me in on this wonderful network. What a lively group!

 

[Kate.Elliott]

Q). Who the Hell IS Alain anway?? OH and the related query "where do those dogs of his originate from???"

First question:

I can't answer that here!

Second question:

It's all there in the text of the earlier volumes, but I never come right out and say it. However, I do explain it straight out in the final volume (#7).

 

[Kate.Elliott]

Alia asked: "What's next?"

It is a new series with working title of Crossroads. It's actually a fantasy novel set on Rhui, the same world on which Jaran is set. I imagine this as a fantasy story written by Sonia Orzhekov's grand-daughter, channeled through me. I wanted to go back to Rhui and this was a roundabout way of doing so. It is not set on the plains, however, but in the uttermost east. It is not science fiction, but definitely fantasy. Beyond that, it's hard to explain, although the tone is different from anything else I've written, as it should be. I'm really enjoying writing it.

After CoS #6 is out, CoS #7 revised and turned in, and the first volume of Crossroads turned in, and I've caught my breath after summer vacation, I will post the opening section in installments.

 

[Kate.Elliott]

I'd like to know when she plans to return to the Jaran series, and if there will be any signings or other personal appearances in Northern California in the foreseeable future.

I'm working my way back to the Jaran series by a roundabout method, by writing a fantasy series set in the same universe.

No appearances in NoCal in the foreseeable future.

However, I may be doing some publicity or signings in England this coming July. No dates or venues yet - it still has to be arranged with my publisher there, Orbit Books.

Also, I am appearing as Guest of Honor at AutumnCon, Oct 28 - 30, 2005, in Salt Lake City, UT. They have a web site at autumncon.org

In addition I plan to attend World Fantasy Convention in Madison Wisconson the following weekend, Nov 3 - 6.

 

[Kate.Elliott]

My question for Kate is: who is your favorite Fantasy writer/ what is your favorite book?

I'd probably have to say Tolkien and Lord of the Rings, but then I would also have to say Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, although that's not a fantasy novel. And then if I thought for another five minutes, I'd list another 5 or 12.

Beyond Tolkien, who was a major influence, I can't say I have a favorite fantasy author. There are so many great writers and books out there.

 

[Kate.Elliott]

(obligatory on-topic remark) Which reminds me to ask Kate Elliott: How much has your own past involvement in historical recreation influenced your writing?

The battle scenes, definitely. Not the blood and gore elements, but the sense of pacing and movement and banter and details and dust. One of my favorite battle scenes is the battle on the hill (knob) toward the end of Child of Flame where the Lions are trying to hold against superior numbers while protecting the very young Blessing.

 

[Kate.Elliott]

I'm have also been wondering Kate, if you drew your inspiration for the races and civilazations in the Crown of Stars Series from our own world's history? If so, would you mind elaborating on each country, or race, and person?

There is a thread, Correlations, on your website, that a young lady (Aoimog) has tried to correlate people and places to our world's history. She has done a lot of research and it is quite involved. I would be very interested, as I'm sure she would too, of how close she came to guessing who was who and what was what.

Thanks!

Wow. I haven't checked out that thread. I'm cautious about reading on the board because I have to keep my writing process separate from the discussion process, if that makes sense. I think I might have lurked in the movie casting thread, though!

Alba = Britain
Salia = France
Wendar & Varre = more or less Germany & the Low Countries
Heart's Rest = combo Denmark and Netherlands
Eikaland = Norse countries (Norway & Sweden)
Polenie = Poland
Salavii = Slavs
Ungria = Hungary
Karrone = combo Switzerland and Burgundia
Darre = Rome
ancient Dariyan Empire = Roman Empire
Aosta = Italy
Arethousa = Byzantine Empire
Quman = any one of various steppe tribes, but the wings on the winged riders come from the Polish Hussars of the 17th century (so cool!)
Kerayit & Horse people = again, steppe cultures
Hessi merchants = kind of Jewish analog, not explored in depth in CoS but if I do write the young adult series they will become more important
Ashioi = immigrants from Central America, more or less, with a distinct Tarascan/Aztec flavor
Kartiako = Carthage of old
Jinna = Persian empire, kind of


That's what pops up off the top of my head. I'll go check out Aoimog's post.

 

[Kate.Elliott]

Welcome Kate Elliott, my question for you would be, "what are you reading now?"

Rahl

In a moment of complete and utter idiocy, I agreed back in February to be a judge for the World Fantasy Awards, not realizing that I would have to read unbelievable tons of reading material by June 1. During this same time period, I have had two books to revise and one to complete (one down, two to go).

So that's mostly what I've been reading - novels, short fiction, non fiction, fantasy, horror, or fantasy/horror related - published for the first time anywhere in the world in 2004.

You cannot believe how much there is out there.

Off the top of my head, I remember these novels as particularly good:
Nancy Farmer: The Sea of Trolls
Paul Kearney: The Mark of Ran
Madeline Howard: The Hidden Stars
Eileen Kernaghan: Winter on the Plain of Ghosts
Juliet Marillier: Foxmask

There are a couple of standout collections, too, one by Ian MacLeod (Breathmoss and other stories), and by John Crowley and Suzy McKee Charnas, and L. Timmel Duchamp, and others I'm forgetting (it's a really good year for single-author collections).

Anthologies have not been as much to my taste, and I've read too much short fiction to sort it out without my long list.

The last thing I read unrelated to the WFC Awards was THROWIM WAY LEG, by (I think) Tim Flannery, an Australian biologist who writes about his field work in Papua New Guina and Irian Jaya. Excellent. Highly recommended. Should be required reading for fantasy writers, just to get a glimpse of 1) how people live in a non sanitized world and 2) how different, and the same, human culture can really be.

 

[Kate.Elliott]

But enough about me.

What are you guys reading?

And of books/stories published for the first time in 2004 (not just US, anywhere), is there anything that you particularly liked?