A&A The Official Walter Jon Williams Discussion Thread

I'm told that Destiny's Way is coming into the New York Times Bestseller List at #7, for which I thank you all.

This is the list that will be published on October 20, though the list itself was apparently made up about 10 days ahead of time. I don't know how the NYT knows who's going to sell in the next 10 days. Perhaps they're psychic.

In answer to questions:

I have no idea what happened to Ta'a Chume. Whatever the next author to deal with that subplot =needs= to have happen, I guess.

So far as I know Vergere is dead. Ditto Anakin. But I should continue to repeat my mantra here: I don't know everything.

I had no look in mind for the Republic-class cruiser. It should be considerably less elegant than the Mon Cal cruisers, though, since it's being mass-produced in a hurry.

People shouldn't necessarily jump to the conclusion that Shimrra's powers are Force-based. (Mind you, I'm not saying they're not.) We've already established telepathy as a separate power, viz. Jacen and Jaina's twin bond, which isn't Force-based but can be Force-enhanced. And Vong critters like the war coordinators have telepathy that seems independent of the Force.

RiaJade, that's an interesting question. I found it easier to write DW than one of my independent books, because a lot of the work in creating characters and background had been done for me. Speaking generally, I usually write from the point of view of one of my characters, so when I include sensory detail it's clear that this is the particular sensory detail that this character is observing. That makes the characters come to life--- if one character is particularly sensitive to bad smells, that tells you something about the character.

None of the info I had on Farlander indicated that he was a Jedi.

Publishers have entire art departments that decide on cover art. The author has nothing to do with it.

I was writing for three years before I made my first sale. Fortunately the sale was a three-book deal. During that three-year period I wrote two novels that have never been published, so it's clear that I can't publish just anything.

I don't know the name of the Super Star Destroyer. I just threw it in for background. You can probably assume that it was a new one, built specifically to impress visitors.

 

"None of the info I had on Farlander indicated that he was a Jedi."

Hmm, that's too bad, you missed out on alot of stuff about keyan's past, that was previously published.

Keyan of around the time of SBS, chronologically:

[image=http://www.kennyville.com/jedi/keyan-farlander.jpg]

"Introduced in 1993 as the main character of LucasArts' classic space-combat simulator X-Wing, Keyan Farlander has long been pegged by trivia buffs as the pilot of the Y-wing fighter flying away from the exploding Death Star at the end of Episode IV A New Hope. Farlander's Force-sensitivity helped him survive the battles of Hoth and Endor, and he now works with Luke Skywalker as a Jedi piloting instructor." -from the who's who in the njo order article in insider, under the jedi knights section.

More about keyan's early life and force sensitivity can be found in the novella farlander papers, and the novelized portions of the strategy guide for x-wing.

"I don't know the name of the Super Star Destroyer. I just threw it in for background. You can probably assume that it was a new one, built specifically to impress visitors."

Is it possible that it could be one of the 2 unaccounted for SSDs that were being built, and nearly complete as was mentioned in Black Fleet Crisis?

 

So, now there's a Republic- Class Star Destroyer (from Black Fleet Crisis) and a Republic- Class Cruiser? lol ah well.

 

here

here is a spot that has some information, for this specific thing it looks right but be careful cause other things are flat out made up

 

There's an entry for the Republic class Star Destroyer in Cracken's Threat Dossier published WEG before it went bankrupt.

 

I'll try to get scan of the republic-class star destroyer later, but all I can say now is it's bulbous and looks very mon-cal like. It's not designed by the mon-cals though, walex blissex of rendili probably designed it as homage to their designs though, while crossing it with his usual star destroyer designs basic shape.

 

People shouldn't necessarily jump to the conclusion that Shimrra's powers are Force-based. (Mind you, I'm not saying they're not.) We've already established telepathy as a separate power, viz. Jacen and Jaina's twin bond, which isn't Force-based but can be Force-enhanced. And Vong critters like the war coordinators have telepathy that seems independent of the Force.

Very true -- people should remember Hoojibs. Entirely telepathic IIRC, yet non-Force users (per se)...

They would actually be using THREE Force powers (Telepathy, Empathy and Drain Energy) without being Force users in the normal sense...

 

Thanks Walter, for the publishing info.

How books are created has always been my interest. It's dismaying to know the author has no control over their cover art, be it someone's universe like Star Wars or even their own work!

I wonder, do they even allow suggestions?

 

Ok what's IIRC mean?

 

IIRC == if I recall correctly

 

Yeah, I was under the impression that the Republic-class ships were built quickly and utilitarian, since they seem new yet there are alot of 'em. Kind of like the American ships made during WWII; an Essex-class Carrier could be completed in a little over a month.

 

Basically a powerful ship that could be mass produced quickly at low cost of material and have minimal crew. it is actually an excellent ship that does its intended purpose very well.

Remember the stories of the liberty ships? they where turning those things out in under a week

 

WJW -

Question for ya... I was curious WHY it took Luke so long to come to his realization that fighting the Yuuzhan Vong was okay. The reason I ask this is the following:

"Luke knew now that seeing evil -- and declining to challenge it -- broke his code as surely as calling on evil did."

This was from 1996, from The Truce at Bakura Sourcebook (you see what an apartment cleaning will get you?!?). And it was a first-person account -- so it was Luke's thoughts and not a narrator or in-universe historian.

Was Del Rey specific about Luke's characterization during the NJO -- or was it some other reason that he seemed to have forgotten his early lessons as a Jedi later in life?

 

Obviously it was.. amnesia dust in the face!

 

Obviously it was.. amnesia dust in the face!

Seriously though. He wasn't declining to challenge the Vong. He didn't know the best way to do it.

Or, perhaps he just began to doubt the conclusion he came to so long ago. Time and experience will do that.

But my name isn't WJW. Just my thoughts.

 

Thanks for the feedback, Walter.

Out of curiosity, provided you're not held to secrecy, was there any plot points you were directed to put in for Destiny's Way?

On another matter, how many months does it usually take you to complete a novel? And based on your experience, how long do you try to get one published before (growling) and then moving on to another work? Sometimes you have to try other stuff before you can sell of past material.

Thank you

 

I got a question for anyone who can answer,
Why do the books keep getting published later in countries other than USA?
It takes atleast a month for us here, even two or more at times.Is there any particular reason for that? and when is the Destiny's Way paperback coming out?

 

Dunno, but my experience as a Brit is, we get 'em early sometimes! I've had a hell of a lot of fun with DW and BP due to getting them a week ahead of the US! Quite legally too! Walk into shop, see book, check cash, not enough, use plastic, walk out; y'know, the usual way!

Jedi Ben

 

Oops, I forgot to ask this above . . .

I still find it odd that an author wouldn't contribute opinions to what their book's cover art can be.

Say, based on your experiences do you find it easier to publish more titles as an author with already publishable material? How hard is it, generally speaking, for a first-timer to get published?

They say it's really networking, who you know, or is it just a lucky break first time? Some associates I know who have sold at least one book quietly claim they "cheated" or "sneaked" their way into the industry.

And I've heard conflicting opinions, but who owns the novel, you as an author, or does it get sold to the publisher and the writer has no control over it's direction anymore?

Thank you

 

Hey, sorry for jumping in on your guys' conversation, but I just wanted to thank WJW for writing such a great book! I'm doing my school report on it. I have to have two visual aids, so I'm building a lightsaber and a model of a Republic-class Cruiser. Thanks again!

 

Building a model of a Republic Cruiser?

Okay, that grinned my mouth a bit! The best I've ever done was a super-dooper paper "jetfighter" plane . . . which had the flight areodynamics of an elephant with wings.

With everyone raving about Destiny's Way, I'm ticking off the year I'll have to wait for paperback. But from the reader reviews I've peeked at, it does seem to be what fans have been waiting for.

 

Yea, the cruiser is pretty much going to be abstract. It's going to look funny, since I have no artistic ability at ALL.

Waiting for paperback? How horrible!

 

Permit me to present the Rubix puzzle.

$45-60 hardback . . . or $19 paperback.

Calculating answer . . . choose paperback!

 

Where do you live? Papareback here is $6.99, and hardcover is $24.99 That's odd.

 

Greetings, again. Destiny's Way is going into its second week on the NYT Bestseller List, so thanks again for your support.

Kathy and I celebrated the other night. I cooked bistecche al funghi, which is a pan-seared steak finished in a red wine sauce with several kinds of mushrooms and herbs, and served it with a 1993 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino, which is the sort of wine I don't normally buy unless I end up on a bestseller list somewhere.

To answer your questions:

Ah well, sorry about Farlander. As I said, none of the references I could access mentioned Farlander's being a Jedi. Perhaps he was so busy being a pilot instructor that he never advanced very far with his training (he said hopefully).

I don't actually know what any of the previous NJO authors may have been told to do with the character of Luke. I found his reasons for avoiding action unconvincing, and so developed my own. Del Rey and Lucasfilm both approved the outline, so I assume my ideas were okay with them.

There were several plot points I was required to put into Destiny's Way. (Alpha Red, Vergere's fate, Shimrra's big onstage appearance, a few other things.) The rest of it was up to me.

How long it takes me to finish a novel depends on its length. The Rift, by far my longest work, was two years. I imagine I average about nine months.

Since I've become established, I never write a book without a contract from a publisher and a check in my hand. I sell the book on an outline, and if necessary a pitch session with an editor. When I was just starting out I wrote two novels that will never see the light of day, and I don't want to repeat that experience ever again.

It's hard for a first-time author to get published, particularly if he doesn't know the editor involved. That's why conventions for wannabe writers, like the Southwest Writers' Conference here in New Mexico, are useful--- you get to meet and talk to editors and agents on a face-to-face basis.

It's becoming harder, however, to sell your third or fourth book than your first. By the time you're trying to sell your third book the sales figures from the first and maybe the second will have crossed your publisher's desk, and if they're not trending in an upward direction, you'll probably get dumped no matter how well you write.

I don't know how you "cheat" or "sneak" your way into the industry. Maybe your editor lets you =think= that, but editors are pretty smart people and I doubt there's much you can put over on them.

For the most part, authors own the copyright to their own works, and publishers only license them. A media tie-in novel, however, is considered "work-made-for-hire," and the author does not own it. If you'll check the copyright to Destiny's Way, you'll see that it's held by LucasFilm or a division thereof. They own everything in it, including the parts of the book dearest to my heart.

In the meantime, thanks for your continued interest!