A&A The Official Jason Fry Discussion Thread

Yeah, now that you mention it, Anaxes does have a certain Greek look and sound to it. Ditto for Axum.

--Adm. Nick

 

Looking over the map, I'd say it was a success. Haven't had a chance to examine it before now, but there's more of a sense of diversity and history to them than I'm accustomed to seeing: particularly those that are more than just a one-word name. Immerian Outback, Great Agash, Harron Marches, Montitian Grant, etc.

 

Though thankfully for the people of the Core, and to the detriment of Europe, monarchs and nobles seem to be a lot more involved in their governments than being only symbolic in nature.

Plus having prime ministers and a parliament does not necessarily imply a democratic government where the majority of the populace can participate in government. In Europe nobles held on to some form of power even after their monarchs had diminished in power during the 19th and early 20th centuries.

 

Great short story in the current Insider Jason especially love the local militia and how they don’t actually trust the idea of the Grand Army all that much.

 

Quite appropriate Greek, too, it seems.

 

What is the story about?

--Adm. Nick

 

Captain Rex and a few Clone Troopers work together with 2 militia officers of Lorrdian (the humans with kinetic communication who’s ancestors were enslaved during the Kanz Disorder) descent to free captured clone and militia troops from the Seps.
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Speaking_Silently

 

Though I have to admit I am getting kind of annoyed at the number of unrelated vaguely Greek cultures out there.

How about a vaguely Vedic Indian or vaguely Hawaiian culture some time?

 

Because they're usually poorly done and vaguely offensive due to a lack of familiarity? Better a well-rounded Greek reference than another Epicanthix incident.

 

True. But better to put some research in and make good portrayals than ignore them entirely.

Hair enough. Thinking again, I suppose it is fairly likely that Coursicant, or at least part of it, was Greek and that all human Greek worlds, even the Tionese, are descended from that culture. And the Muuns could have been influenced by them I suppose.


....Though I would argue there are Asian influences in mainstream Galactic culture as well - most notably in the Jedi Order, but elsewhere as well - Vader's outfit is as much samurai as it is German stormtrooper, and he was based (loosely) on a character from a samurai movie.

 

At the risk of being off-topic, I know there are aspiring writers on these boards, and thought some ruminations on when -- if ever -- to write for free might be useful.

 

Hey now. It certainly doesn't have to be that way. Ignoring them because the Classics just happen to be more popular in our uber-Westernized society isn't going to help a darned thing.

 

Genealogy, eh? I'd be interested in reading that.

Doesn't have to be that way, but we find ourselves in a situation where we have very few (if any) writers who I'd consider suitable for the task. Until we have writers who are, or are able to reallocate our best accordingly, I'd much rather they wait and focus on what they do know.

 

Then those writers need to read more books, darnit!

(Jason that doesn't apply to you -- I know from your blog alone you're definitely not a writer with parochial interests...)

 

Jason, I'd love to see a post like that about freelancers deal with taxes. I remember reading a long time ago that Brian Michael Bendis had incorporated himself, but I have no clue when that's applicable, or even allowable, in other situations. I made a little freelance money last year--only $1000 or so--and it doubled my tax work because I had to declare myself, apparently, as a small business. In exchange for such a post I will gladly pay you in free Lit publicity.

 

Thanks for doing that. Good idea!

Coop, I'm not an accountant, so tax advice from me is dangerous -- please pick up that boulder of salt over there. Got it? Good. OK, now that we're caveat'ed I don't see a reason to declare yourself as a small business. (I'm not one.) It sounds like you're freelancing on the side, in which case your situation shouldn't be too complicated tax-wise. You should be OK if you just fill out a Schedule C to account for the various 1099s you got freelancing and a Schedule SE in addition to your regular paperwork. I never bothered paying quarterly estimated tax until I became a full-time writer -- if you're freelancing on the side, the penalties are small enough that IMHO it's not worth the headache.

Hope that's some help. Feel free to hit me with a message if you have other questions.

 

/blows cobwebs off old thread

Hey folks, the paperwork's done so I can now announce that I'll be signing books at Star Wars Weekends May 24-26, including the new Clone Wars Episode Guide, which DK arranged to get ahead of its official street date. Details here on my Tumblr, which you of course want to follow, even though right now it's mostly Mets stuff. (Ahem.) Hope some of you can make it out -- would love to talk Star Wars, and SWW is really fun.

 

Hmm, I'm going to be at Disney around that time. Forget if I'll be at MGM that weekend, though. Better bring my copies of the Atlas and Warfare, just in case

 

If you could try and a mention of the future Imperial General Otto, that goofy character from Star Wars: Demolition, that would be marvelous. After all, that guy was already 41 when the Clone Wars started, so he must have been a veteran of that conflict. You also wonder how such a delusional, spice-addicted, incompetent maniac was ever allowed to become a general in the first place.