Lois McMaster Bujold

I wanted to share with you a searchable version of your Ask the Author questions I've made. URLs are forbidden in these comments, but navigate to allison-strandberg.github.ioFORWARDSLASHask-bujold

Thanks for your generosity with these answers, and for answering my question about Napoleon and Miles a bit ago. I'm not the first person with the idea for an Ask the Author archive, but this is the only version I'm aware of which is up to date: it's set to pick up new content every week.

I friended you to try to run this by you privately before sharing, but it seems that Goodreads has eliminated direct messages. Happy to take the site down if you object or to incorporate feedback. Reach me at bujoldasktheauthorarchive@gmail.com.

Hello! I just wanted to say thank you so much for your work. I have been a big fan since first reading The Curse of Chalion ~15 years ago. However, I also wanted to share that your work has actually played a large role in how I have processed and emotionally carried my own disability.

Miles was the first disabled main character I'd ever encountered in Science Fiction, and I've always appreciated him so much for it. But it was actually Penric and Desdemona who have had the biggest impact for me! I've loved them since you first began publishing their stories, but they have become especially dear to me in the last few years.

I have a movement disorder (called Dystonia) which causes my body to have a mind of its own sometimes. About 2-3 years ago when it was becoming more involved, I happen to be reading one of the novellas that had just been released, and I began joking about how I must have taken on a demon. (She has since been named "Dystomona.") Any time my limbs would move on their own or didn't move when I asked them to, I started thinking of it as the actions of an imaginary-yet-mischievous chaos demon instead of a progressive neurological condition. It sounds silly (if not a bit unhinged), but practicing this perspective shift in moments where I might have otherwise jumped straight to frustration or stress has actually made it much easier for me to navigate the progression of my condition.

I don't imagine that was something you intended with this series, haha, so I just wanted to share this likely unexpected but still very meaningful impact your work has had. Thank you again for sharing your creations! :)

Brian wrote: "It's intimidating writing a comment for such a talented writer, but here goes. Thank you for writing such beautiful books. I've read every one. I love your measured approach to world building. It m..."

Glad you are enjoying my work!

Ta, L.

It's intimidating writing a comment for such a talented writer, but here goes. Thank you for writing such beautiful books. I've read every one. I love your measured approach to world building. It makes new details feel earned rather than forced. Between that; your perfect pacing; and your complex, hilarious characters; it's safe to say you're my favorite author of all time. Keep up the (Mc)masterful work (sorry)!

Stephanie wrote: "I just reread Paladin of Souls as an adult (I read it in high school the first time!) and just wanted to thank you for the amazing story. Ista's character was so strong, and it was refreshing to re..."

Glad you enjoyed Ista!

If this is the first of the five gods tales you've read, The Curse of Chalion will read like a prequel, but also a stand-alone. Also standing alone is The Hallowed Hunt, which takes place some centuries earlier in another country with a very different cast of characters -- though still the same 5 gods.

Ta, L.

I just reread Paladin of Souls as an adult (I read it in high school the first time!) and just wanted to thank you for the amazing story. Ista's character was so strong, and it was refreshing to read about a woman who's given up much of her young life finally getting a chance to go on her own adventure. I so admire the richness of your worldbuilding and the terrifying gods in this series. Easily one of the best fantasy books I've read. <3 Can't wait to continue the series!

Laura wrote: "I might be in the wrong place for this, but in stumbling across an interview from several years ago, Lois said the following of The Hallowed Hunt: "Now, The Hallowed Hunt had started out, in its or..."

I don't remember to check the profile very often (I mostly interact over on the blog or the Q&A column), but fortunately GR pings a new message. Thanks so much for the kind words on Horseriver! HH tends to be the red-headed stepchild (now there's an antique turn of phrase) of its book-siblings, so it's always nice to hear someone liked it.

Ta, L.

I might be in the wrong place for this, but in stumbling across an interview from several years ago, Lois said the following of The Hallowed Hunt: "Now, The Hallowed Hunt had started out, in its original conception, to be mainly a romance. But the book was hijacked from the heroine by the antagonist and carted off in another direction altogether."

I can't help but picture Horseriver lifting a pen away, then crooking a finger and saying "follow me."

...still, unabashedly, my favorite 'villain' in just about anything I've read.

Thank you for Penric, who I consumed all too quickly. This swallow's sip from the World of the 5 Gods will keep me satisfied for...oh...another week. At most.
:-)

One of your early and I believe rather unappreciated books is the first one I read. It was "Ethan of Athos". I bought it with every intention of hating it. I knew for sure it was either gay literature with a space ship or it was a book to show how impaired gay relationships were. Within 15 pages I no longer cared what he was or why. He was an interesting well developed and complex character with the same issues as everyone else. At the time I worked in social services in a neighborhood with a strong gay community. Your characters showed the same vast normality that I saw in our neighborhood. Is was soothing to have a nice tale about complex characters without the sexual orientation becoming the lynch pin of the story. It was also told at a time when gay friendly literature was not popular. My best comment that I could make is this was a good story well told and I would read another book by this lady. I have and have not regretted a single page.

Thank you for accepting my friend request ... I am honoured.

Erik wrote: "WoW, I’m book friend’s with Ms. Bujold. How cool is that?

I don’t want to abuse it, but if you’ll indulge me I’d like to say a little something about your author history with my family.

A few de..."

I'm so glad my books have served you all so well! (Analgesic fiction is unfairly underrated, in my opinion.)

A striking number of people seem to read my books in family pods -- I suppose it's because reading generally runs in some families, but in any case, it's cool.

bests, Lois.

WoW, I’m book friend’s with Ms. Bujold. How cool is that?

I don’t want to abuse it, but if you’ll indulge me I’d like to say a little something about your author history with my family.

A few decades ago my mom, Jeanne, started reading your books avidly. As in multiple times. We have the whole catalog, many of them water damaged from reading in the tub. I picked them up to read because I wanted to be able to relate conversationally to my mom (even though we were already very close) and i got hooked.

My sister also picked them up and also my now ex-wife. In the early 90’s i read “Shards of Honor” to my two kids who were about 7 & 9 at the time. My mom used the same strategy with me when i was very young by reading the first John Carter book to me and then leaving me to devour the rest of the Burroughs catalog on my own. My son went on to read all of your books multiple times.

My daughter is still working her way through, but sweetly enough, after reading “Shards” to her, I would find her crying. She wouldn’t tell me why she was crying and only stated that, “You wouldn’t understand.” Later she finally confessed that it was because she knew she’d “never meet a man like Aral…”

The past decade has been difficult for my mom: Hip replacements, cancer, stroke, concussion, dialysis… it’s been difficult. She used to read about 2-3 books a week, and it’s not exaggeration to say that she’s read all of your books a dozen times each. After the last concussion and brain surgery she pretty much gave up reading. She just couldn’t concentrate. She picked up a somewhat slender autobiography by Eleanor Roosevelt and it took her 6 months to slog through it. That was depressing to watch. I knew she needed a page-turner and i figured your books to be the obvious-best medicine so I made sure “Cordelia’s Honor” was next to her chair while she finished up Eleanor. How sweet it is to now see her reading your books at the amazing pace of 1-2 a week. She’s midway through “Mirror Dance” after finishing up “Ethan of Athos.” And now I’m hooked in again, too. It’s very much like visiting old friends.

So yeah, if you didn’t already know it, to us you’re a true gift from the Goddess. From the whole of my heart, thank you! It feels so good to say that to you so I want to say it again: ThankYouThankYouThankYou, Lois. Please know that you are totally appreciated and loved.

With awe and gratitude,

Erik

I think you might like this:

"Humans will be kept between life and death in the first suspended animation trials"

http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/17...

Miles V. likes this.

Thank you so much for accepting my friendship request! It's amazing when you're in touch with your favourite writer!

Maybe I sound like a fanboy here, but hey: I knew for a long time that I want to be a writer, but when I read your Vorkosigan Saga, I knew I wanted to write science-fiction.

Thanks for your literature, Mrs. Bujold! And for your signature (I managed to get my hands in one of those 'Captain Vorpatril's Alliance' limited editions).

Would love it if you could write some more "Little Admiral"/Admiral Naismith stories - thanks for creating such a great character and fascinating universe!

Soo wrote: "Oops! Spelling error. It's called Kabuki, Vol. 1: Circle of Blood by David Mack. It's one of the few US comics that I had the pleasure to be introduced to by a friend who collects them. The art is ..."

Ghost Hound I hadn't heard of -- will follow up.

I've liked Otogi Zoshi, Mushi-shi, Paprika (my favorite ever), all the others by Satoshi Kon, all of Miyazaki of course, the Gokusen, Mirage of Blaze, and Junjo Romantica and its hilarious sequel that takes place at a manga publishing company that I can't remember the name of offhand, but enjoyed vastly for the genre-crossing publishing jokes. In general I prefer to skip all giant fighting robots, most sword or gun bloodfests, and horror. Nonetheless I greatly liked Goblin Cat and its sequels, but I have been unable to obtain them on US DVD so far.

Ta, L.

Oops! Spelling error. It's called Kabuki, Vol. 1: Circle of Blood by David Mack. It's one of the few US comics that I had the pleasure to be introduced to by a friend who collects them. The art is beautiful and the story has layers. You may enjoy the series.

I haven't read all of the Sandman series but my favorite standalone from that is The Sandman: The Dream Hunters. A nice mix of beautiful art and old folk tale.

What's your favorite Anime? I haven't watched any in a while but I really liked Full Metal Alchemist, Bleach, Trinity Blood, Saiyuki, Ghost Hound & Fruit Basket.

I don't read many US comics -- except xkcd -- or only occasionally. I've read Gaiman's _Sandman_, sampled _Girl Genius_, and caught glimpses of other things along the way, enough to be aware of the flowering of the medium that has escaped the superhero straightjacket. I have dipped more into manga, most frequently in conjunction with some anime that had caught my attention. (Since I read all day for work, resting my eyes with a DVD makes a nice evening break, when I'm in the mood and have time.)

Some years back, the Minneapolis College of Art and Design hosted a wonderful exhibit of original manga art going from the 50s forward to the present, showing the development of the form in the last half century. Seeing the original pieces was a real eye-opener.

I don't know Kubuki -- what is it, him, or her?

Ta, L.

What kind of comics do you read? I admit that I haven't been exposed to as many American comics as I've explored Asian Manga. Drawing style is a key point for me. If I don't like the art, I usually can't make myself read the story. Have you read Kubuki?

Yay! =) I'm doing the happy dance. hehehe~

Lois wrote: "Sweetie wrote: "Lois, Thank you for accepting my friendship, I am huge fan. I listen to the audio books, Grover Gardner is just perfect. He brings Miles and Company to life."

Amusingly, I just r..."

I look forward to the interview. I'd like to say that although I am totally in love with Miles (I am in my 60's), I also like "The Sharing Knife" and "Curse of Chalion".

Sweetie wrote: "Lois, Thank you for accepting my friendship, I am huge fan. I listen to the audio books, Grover Gardner is just perfect. He brings Miles and Company to life."

Amusingly, I just recorded a short interview with Grover for Blackstone/Downpour this afternoon -- I'll put the link on my blog when it goes live.

I generally prefer written interviews, as I alas talk in first draft, but with luck it will sound more coherent to others than it did to me.

Glad you are enjoying the books!

Ta, L.

Lois, Thank you for accepting my friendship, I am huge fan. I listen to the audio books, Grover Gardner is just perfect. He brings Miles and Company to life.

Timothy wrote: "I have a questione on your vorkosigan series what kind of sci fi series is it? Military, space opera

The reason I am asking is that it now aviable on the nook color/tablet and plan to start readin..."

Hi Timothy --

The series includes more than one genre. Almost a different one for every book in it, if not quite.

I suspect you will have the best luck starting with _The Warrior's Apprentice_. After that, you can decide whether to keep on or circle back to _Shards of Honor_. Somewhere around here on my intro page is a short article titled "The Chef Recommends" on suggested reading orders, of which there are a number of no-fault possibilities.

Good luck!

bests, Lois

I have a questione on your vorkosigan series what kind of sci fi series is it? Military, space opera

The reason I am asking is that it now aviable on the nook color/tablet and plan to start reading it soon. Either I am exited on finding a new sci fi series.

woo-hoo! I am officially a friend of Herself :) Thank you, Lois (if you actually login and read these things LOL)

-Friday
@phoenicianbooks
Author of Conditioned Response, on sale now!