A&A The Official Troy Denning Discussion Thread

Hello again--answers below!

"But how does the destruction of Barab One make you feel?? (Or is this also a silly question?)"

Well, it is kind of a silly question. . Need I say more?

"I heard that you made mention of the "Mon Mothma" Star Destroyer debate in an interview.

Since I was one of those that brought the question up to you,I had quite a good chuckle about it."

Yep--I 'fessed up!

"BTW, is there any chance you could tell me if your post NJO books will have any space battles in them. You write them well, so I hope to see at least a couple."

Tain't Star Wars without space battles--at least to me!

"I just wish for some clarification on if the post NJO books would still have lightsaber on lightsaber fights. That isn't revealing too much, I just am hungry for a lightsaber on lightsaber battle, whether it be a turned Jedi or some new Sith against a Jedi."

Yes to lightsaber battles (see answer above, but substitute "lightsaber battles" for "space battles"); can't comment on the other (sorry).

"BTW, I can't believe how terrible the Broncos played." "And what was wrong with Favre? What kind of pass was that?"

Two bad weekends in a row! What can I say? Let's hope Luke plays better in the post NJO! .

Troy

 

Yeah, the Chiefs/Indianapolis game proved that Offense is the best defense. Both were terrible (ours being the most embaressing). It's a testament to our offense that we were able to stay in the game. Hats off to Manning, though.

To Star Wars: Do/will you make references to people on these forums in your books? You'd make a lot of friends with an Excellence-class Star Destroyer captained by an Admiral Nick!

 

Anyways, can you answer any of these Mr. Denning? I'm betting some of these have already been answered, but if they haven't...

Will Luke have a lightsaber on lightsaber duel?

More generally, can you name any of the characters that will have a lightsaber on lightsaber duel?

Will there be a specific character that you focus on?

If so, could you at least hint at who it is?

I heard that the new villains would be from the saga. If so, what era are the villains from?(PT,OT, specific episodes)

Thanks. Like I said, I'm sure some of these have already been answered; just tell me if they have.

Anyways, I agree about Luke in hoping that he performs better than Favre. If he does something like that he might find himself none too welcome within the New Republic, regardless of his reputation.

 

Please -- DO NOT ASK ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FUTURE BOOKS.

It's not permitted.

Thanks!

 

Mr Denning, two more questions:

Since you write Han and Leia so well, with their personas, dialogue and so forth spot on, I was wondering exactly what it is about their characters that endears them to you so much. What/why do you love about them?? I'm really curious, as you obviously seem to love writing them.

Additionally, I was also wondering about Leia's very inspirational speech to Coruscant in Star By Star. How long did it take you to cook that up? Did you look for inspiration anywhere to come with that as well?

 

KansasNavy:

To Star Wars: Do/will you make references to people on these forums in your books? You'd make a lot of friends with an Excellence-class Star Destroyer captained by an Admiral Nick!

Hell, I like it!!

I would let you write a book any day.

I think that Mr. Denning should take that idea into account for future use.

 

Mister Denning did an outstanding job with Tattooine Ghost. That was an excellent book with many plot threads interwoven around Leia finding out more about her real father.....I just could not put it down until I was finsihed with it three days later.

 

Ah maybe we can sell him my Hypo Stats Nick! Maybe I can convince him that the Vortex Winds it ist's own kind of cruiser!

 

loved the interview troy, good stuff....

do you think your books are going to take into account any new revelations that zahn's new books and episode 3 will reveal? Maybe have the galactic federation of free alliances discover an accurate record of the clone wars and what-not.....not really expecting an answer to the second question.....

your interview said the books will revolve around leia, han, and luke, but will njo jedi be featured in large roles at all? i hope so. i think jacen has become to interesting a character to be a small time player in the post-njo

well, thanks for your time and always for a good reading experience

 

Hey, now there?s an idea? Incorporating characters derived from people on the fan forums into SW? IIRC, Stackpole incorporated a Rogue Squadron fan into I, Jedi, so why not a Jacen Solo fan, or a Mara fan or detractor? Oh I am definitely going to try doing that in the next fanfic I write.

I keep trying to come up with good questions, but their answers would always be too revealing, or the question itself just sounds sort of silly? So I?ve given up, and decided to just ask a question that I find moderately serious, but sounds rather silly:

Will Jacen be cracking any bad jokes in the foreseeable future? I don?t mean humorous one-liners, but hardcore a-TIE-fighter-screams-because-it-misses-its-mother-ship bad joke.

This question doesn?t necessarily need to be limited to your books, of course? If there is some talk about more material involving Jacen that takes place in or around the time of the YJK stuff, I?d love to hear about it. I know Survivor's Quest takes place near that time, but I?m under the impression that Jacen doesn?t play a role in that book at all?

 

Hi again. Answers below!

"Do/will you make references to people on these forums in your books? You'd make a lot of friends with an Excellence-class Star Destroyer captained by an Admiral Nick!"

I'll have to check into this. It sounds like a fun idea, but I'm fairly certain there would be some legal headaches involved . . .

"Since you write Han and Leia so well, with their personas, dialogue and so forth spot on, I was wondering exactly what it is about their characters that endears them to you so much. What/why do you love about them??"

It's the chemistry. They're so different, and yet it's easy to see why they're attracted to each other. Also, while they're both very heroic, they have an edge to them. Han is the rogue--he has to be dragged kicking and screaming into doing the right thing, but he always does it. And I have fun playing with Leia's love of bad boys . . . makes her, uh, well you know . . .

"Additionally, I was also wondering about Leia's very inspirational speech to Coruscant in Star By Star. How long did it take you to cook that up? Did you look for inspiration anywhere to come with that as well?"

To tell the truth, I had been dreading that speech for a month, because it was so important that it had to be dead on. I kept trying to make notes about what should be in it, but I didn't like anything I put down. Then the morning came to write it. I had nothing. I just sat myself down and started writing off the cuff, fully expecting this was going to take a week of trying. So imagine my surprise when the speech spilled out more or less finished. It took about two hours, and it's one of the sections I'm most proud of in SbS. Writing isn't that easy very often!

"Do you think your books are going to take into account any new revelations that zahn's new books and episode 3 will reveal? Maybe have the galactic federation of free alliances discover an accurate record of the clone wars and what-not.....not really expecting an answer to the second question....."

Sorry, but I don't think I can answer!

"Your interview said the books will revolve around leia, han, and luke, but will njo jedi be featured in large roles at all? i hope so. i think jacen has become to interesting a character to be a small time player in the post-njo."

Again, I really shouldn't say more than I already have.

"Will Jacen be cracking any bad jokes in the foreseeable future? I don?t mean humorous one-liners, but hardcore a-TIE-fighter-screams-because-it-misses-its-mother-ship bad joke."

Maybe. He's become such a somber character that he could use a few jokes . . . even bad ones!


Take care,

Troy

 

I'll have to check into this. It sounds like a fun idea, but I'm fairly certain there would be some legal headaches involved . . .

As long as you have the person's permission (probably in an e-mail just to be safe), it's not a problem--and is enough of a tradition to get its own name (Tuckerization).

 

Troy:

Well, you have my permission!!

I have been saying for years that there should be an Admiral Nick in Star Wars.

I do have a serious question though. In an interview of yours, you said that you planned to name a ship Admiral Ackbar in SbS, until you had to change it because he was still alive.

Is there any chance that we may see a Mon Cal cruiser in the post NJO trilogy named Admiral Ackbar?

It would be pretty cool, in my opnion.

Then again, I am biased.

(points at avatar of Ackbar)

 

Thanks for your answers, Mr Denning. I was particularly interested in your view on Han and Leia, considering how cool they are and all.

Now, if you wish to answer, who is your favourite Solo kid and why?? (Let the controversy begin)

Personally, I like Jacen the best, and Jaina and Anakin are equal in my eyes.

And finally, I was wondering if, when you did your work on the Galaxy Guides (I only know you worked on the Barabels, which shows in Star By Star, if you had anything to do with creating the background for the Ortolans. If so, (or even if you didn't), what do you think of the cuddly little elephant guys? Oh yeah, and the Bothans and Mon Cals. Just to really pick your brain.

And I do have one question on your upcoming trilogy, but it isn't on plot or characters or anything, so I think you can answer it, as it doesn't constitute as spoilers) In writing the trilogy (or even you are still writing it), would you say that you had as much fun as Star By Star, or moreso. No need to give a reason why, I'm just curious.

Thanks again.

 

Troy Denning has been the most consistently good author when it comes to portraying Han and Leia, individually and as a couple.

I look forward to his post-NJO books.

 

Hey Troy got a couple of questions for you if you have time.

1. What interested you in becoming a writer? and how did you become involved with Star Wars?

2.Who do you think will win the Super Bowl?



My bets on Carolina

Go Panthers

 

Excellence-class Star Destroyer captained by an Admiral Nick!

Shucks, I must have simple-class intelligence, it actually took me a while to work that out, KansasNavy. Thought I was misreading things at first. But it had me all the same.

But there are too many Star Destroyers types already to have another, heh heh!

 

Excellence:

I sure think its a good idea!!

 

Hmmm...

I just have one question.

In these post-NJO books - are the folks over at Lucas Books controlling the plot [like in NJO] or are you given a free reign? I might not know much how the books are written [outside of NJO] but I thought that they would come to you, offer you a sceanario [like say a Sith uprising] and tell you what characters you could kill and others you couldn't and let you write? Or are they telling you the key components of the trilogy and doing the same thang as NJO?

So basiclly how are you writing these books, in terms of controll over the events within the trilogy?

If you can't answer that then tell me ... which character do you hate the most? (coughjagcough)

Anyways you Americans with your silly pigskin game ... everyone knows soccer is the best game in the world.

 

which character do you hate the most?

I can answer that one for you...

"Let's just say that Kyp Durron is a very lucky man..."

 

Anyways you Americans with your silly pigskin game ... everyone knows soccer is the best game in the world.

And the metric system is the best measurement system in the world, but that doesn't mean Americans want to use it or understand it. (I like watching girls soccer, if that makes a difference).

Anyways, they're both football. One's American, the other's Association.

Although I've never been referenced in a novel before. My names have appeared in Star Wars games (coincidence, of course). My first name was the name of Darth Vafer's Star Destroyer in "TIE Fighter", and my last name was the first name of the moff in "Rogue Squadron".

 

Well I don't even understand your Gridon(???) game.

For me, I love playing Cricket, Soccer and every other non-US game ...

 

So, Mr. Denning. Is there any question you feel we haven't asked and that you need to answer? It'll save both of us (mostly us) a lot of time.

 

LOL, if I were him I would never had answered all these questions.

He is truly the public's writer.

 

Seriously. No more questions about upcoming books, character developments or who lives/dies. It's getting disrespectful.