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6 months ago ::
Jan 09, 2013 - 10:41AM
#21
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Date Joined:
May 21, 2009
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> AMEN! and I assume that "they" in this context referes to all of Candlekeep which is once again very active and all abuzz with talk of the Sundering! Care to drop any hints on how all of the above will tie into that? Thanks, David S.
You know the most humbling experience I've had as an author was going to Candlekeep to see what people were saying about the Sundering and reading two separate comments declaiming how absurd it was that Wizards had not included any women in their author lineup. Not because they thought I was a dude, but because my name and face had not registered to them at all. LOL. Makes it very clear what an honor and a boon to my books the inclusion is, and I'm really flattered that I get to do this.
And any time I start feeling smug, I just remember those comments. :p
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6 months ago ::
Jan 09, 2013 - 11:02AM
#22
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Date Joined:
Aug 27, 2009
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1. Brandon Sanderson is not here to answer your questions! I am!
2. Lesser Evils is a better deal! $7.99 for 400 packed (sorry) pages vs. $20 for 912 pages!
3. Lesser Evils has an ebook right now and it's still on sale for $2.99!
4. At THIS SECOND Lesser Evils has a higher rating and more reviews on Amazon
Umm...
5. Havilar is more adorable than Perrin?
Sold. (Not that I wasn't going to get it anyhow...)
Looks like I can't wait for it on audiobook though. On the upside I have something to pick up for my new Kindle Fire. 
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6 months ago ::
Jan 09, 2013 - 11:58AM
#23
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Thanks for answering my question so quickly, your response drew several things into sharper focus for me. And as I mentioned above, he kind of barged his way into Lesser Evils. Or, I guess it's more accurate to by barging in he rescued Lesser Evils, as he is wont to do. 
Tam was the character who immediately sprang to mind when I thought of asking you the question. He seemed to barge into my thoughts in much the same way as he appeared in Brimstone Angels.
I also wondered about Tam and Brin and their... well, human-ness... especially in the face of that fact that the primary protagonists Farideh, Havilar, Mehen, Lorcan and so on are most certainly not! Species/Race always interests me in books. Especially in Speculative or Fantasy fiction where there is the added possibility of seeing, to (mis)quote Terry Pratchett, "Black and white ganging up on green"! Finishing Rich Baker's first to Last Mythal books underscores this for me. How many of Araevin's or Ilsevele's actions are explained in the narrative by simple phrases such as "as sun elves..." or "...because they were ar Tel'Quessir".
Similarly, when you are writing for Farideh et al. how aware of you of their species? For example, is Farideh a Tiefling character (in that her actions are always informed by her inherent nature)? Or is she a character (that acts as she does) that just happens to be a Tiefling? The same goes for Havi, Mehen, Lorcan and so on...
... too many questions yet?
My approach to the NPCs of previous editions. Spoiler:
Show
I always saw the High Level NPCs as shepherds of the Realms not its defenders. Making sure that not too many sheep were lost as they milled around (as they are wont to do) and bringing on the young'uns into the job. In that way a shepherd never has time to go and hunt down all of the wolves but is pretty dashed effective at keeping them away from the sheep when they rear their heads. "It was a puzzle why things were always dragged kicking and screaming. No one ever seemed to want to, for example, lead them gently by the hand." - Terry Pratchett
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6 months ago ::
Jan 09, 2013 - 1:44PM
#24
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Date Joined:
Feb 19, 2006
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You know the most humbling experience I've had as an author was going to Candlekeep to see what people were saying about the Sundering and reading two separate comments declaiming how absurd it was that Wizards had not included any women in their author lineup. Not because they thought I was a dude, but because my name and face had not registered to them at all. LOL. Makes it very clear what an honor and a boon to my books the inclusion is, and I'm really flattered that I get to do this.
And any time I start feeling smug, I just remember those comments. :p
When they announced the Sundering, before they said the author's names during the big reveal, a friend and I were immediately speculating who the authors would be. Salvatore and Greenwood were obvious inclusions. Kemp and Byers are proven best sellers. (I've been waiting for years for Paul Kemp's next Realms novel. He completely missed 4th edition!) Especially with the inclusion of Troy Denning, it really appeared they were going known quantities + old school, which made sense because a lot of D&D Next is focused on bringing back the flock. I don't want to start a debate about who should/shouldn't have been included, so I'm not going to name names about who I thought would be the sixth author, but I too was surprised to see Erin Evans in the lineup.
I say that not to humble you in any way, but the opposite. It's a huge compliment to you that they chose to let you come to the table with these heavy hitters. Even if someone makes the argument: "They were going to pick a female author for at least one of the books to avoid gender complaints," there were other more well known females connected to the Realms for much longer. You are probably the envy of a large number of newer and older Realms authors. I mean, this series is almost guranteed to be a string of hardcover best sellers (if War of the Spider Queen is any indication). My guess is that Wizards sat down and tried to think of who would write the best six books, and after the obvious inclusions that will sell on name recognition alone, your name rose to the top. You should almost feel even better in a way because Mr. Salvatore & company (and don't get me wrong, I love Bob's books) were picked in some part because their names alone sell copies. There are people I know who read Salvatore, for example, and don't read anything else from Wizards or even care about D&D. They picked you based on the quality of your writing. You're the rising star! (No pressure...)
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6 months ago ::
Jan 09, 2013 - 5:19PM
#25
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There are people I know who read Salvatore, for example, and don't read anything else from Wizards or even care about D&D. They picked you based on the quality of your writing. You're the rising star! (No pressure...)
I had come to a similar conclusion and so I was thinking about what it might be in Erin's writing that stands out, for me at least.
To be honest I think it is the freshness of the characterization. So far only three authors have managed to haul me across the time-jump into the stark realities of the 4E Realms: Ed Greenwood (well...duh), Erin and Erik Scott de Bie (Depths of Madness and Downshadow were both superb).
I read Ed's work because while it is replete with the loss of so many good friends (Queen Fee how we miss you, and mother Laspeera, Mreen, Laeral, Dove, Syluné, Amlaruil... etc) it still holds a spark of the wry whimsy that I used to feel characterised much of the Realms.
Erik and Erin's work is different. It grabs you and keeps you in the moment with new characters and personalities that I was immediately intrigued by (though you might not actually like them at first... Foxy and Farideh I am looking at you) almost in spite of where or when they are.
Today I began to wonder if it is not the need to pepper the lineup with this sense of freshness, the here-and-now, that might have lead to Wizards' rightful recognition of Erin's (obvious and formidable) talent to stop some us being bogged down in the here-and-then during the events of the (second) Sundering (Secundering?).
My approach to the NPCs of previous editions. Spoiler:
Show
I always saw the High Level NPCs as shepherds of the Realms not its defenders. Making sure that not too many sheep were lost as they milled around (as they are wont to do) and bringing on the young'uns into the job. In that way a shepherd never has time to go and hunt down all of the wolves but is pretty dashed effective at keeping them away from the sheep when they rear their heads. "It was a puzzle why things were always dragged kicking and screaming. No one ever seemed to want to, for example, lead them gently by the hand." - Terry Pratchett
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6 months ago ::
Jan 09, 2013 - 5:40PM
#26
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They picked you based on the quality of your writing. You're the rising star! (No pressure...)
I believe I let out an audible "WOOOO!" when I first saw/heard your name as part of the Sundering. If I remember correctly, this wasn't too long after we had finished the first book in the Book Club. I very much agree with Dado's comment about how the first Brimstone Angels would have been a spectacular book to introduce someone into the 4th Edition Realms, and I'm really excited to see Farideh & Co. deal with the latest Realms-shaking event.
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6 months ago ::
Jan 09, 2013 - 8:12PM
#27
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Let the reading begin! 
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6 months ago ::
Jan 09, 2013 - 8:14PM
#28
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Yup, she loves this book!! 
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6 months ago ::
Jan 09, 2013 - 9:30PM
#29
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Date Joined:
May 21, 2009
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So a day of returned, repaired laptop (yay! but ZOMG a million things to transfer and reload and now it's demanding I restart it again. Calm down, little lady!) and broken appliances (gas fireplace then washer. Awesome) mean I have had no time to reply and no time to pack up for the writers retreat I'm heading to this weekend. So I will be back tomorrow evening when I'm settled, to answer ALL your questions (because we're nowhere near too many, Iluvrien  )But my short response looks a little like this:  Thank you all for the kind words.
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6 months ago ::
Jan 09, 2013 - 10:58PM
#30
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Date Joined:
Aug 11, 2012
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Erik and Erin's work is different. It grabs you and keeps you in the moment with new characters and personalities that I was immediately intrigued by (though you might not actually like them at first... Foxy and Farideh I am looking at you) almost in spite of where or when they are.
Not gonna lie (sorry Erin) But while I like Fari as a character much more then I did when I began reading, she is still not my favorite character...I sort-of see her as my unofficial road to more Havi every half a chapter. >.>;;
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