Ask the Author: Mark Lawrence
Answered Questions (457)
Mark Lawrence
I have six trilogies out :D
Very glad you enjoyed The Book of the Ancestor (try Tales of Abeth if you want more).
I enjoyed writing those sections, yes. And I almost always write only once.
Very glad you enjoyed The Book of the Ancestor (try Tales of Abeth if you want more).
I enjoyed writing those sections, yes. And I almost always write only once.
Mark Lawrence
No plans - but there's The Red Queen's WarD, which has a Jalan and Snorri novella and a number of Jalan &/or Snorri short stories.
Mark Lawrence
There's The Bookshop Book which has a vague association with The Library Trilogy, and in 2026/7/8 there's a new darker, more brutal trilogy called The Academy of Kindness which starts with Daughter of Crows.
Mark Lawrence
interesting stuff, Mark!
Mark Lawrence
It seems highly unlikely.
If a German publisher makes an offer then I have a say in whether I accept that offer and allow them to proceed. But I can't make them publish it if they don't want to.
I could self-publish it, but translation is expensive and I don't believe I have the means to let German readers know it's there or encourage them to read it. So I would lose money.
If a German publisher makes an offer then I have a say in whether I accept that offer and allow them to proceed. But I can't make them publish it if they don't want to.
I could self-publish it, but translation is expensive and I don't believe I have the means to let German readers know it's there or encourage them to read it. So I would lose money.
Mark Lawrence
It would have to be one that I had a real love for.
These franchises often pay writers very poorly.
These franchises often pay writers very poorly.
Mark Lawrence
You'll notice (hopefully) that all of my trilogies have quite different flavours to each other. This is commercial suicide as an author, but I get bored after about 3 books.
So, nope, sorry. As long as publishers keep publishing me, I'll be exploring new ideas and new ways to tell stories.
There's a guide to my stuff linked in my profile, so you can get a sense for what each trilogy offers.
But don't forget Tales of Abeth - there's more Nona & co there.
And the Book of the Ice trilogy gives you more of that world with a very different character.
So, nope, sorry. As long as publishers keep publishing me, I'll be exploring new ideas and new ways to tell stories.
There's a guide to my stuff linked in my profile, so you can get a sense for what each trilogy offers.
But don't forget Tales of Abeth - there's more Nona & co there.
And the Book of the Ice trilogy gives you more of that world with a very different character.
Mark Lawrence
Hi Robert - very glad you had fun with the books no plans to return, no. I like to do new things: hence the trail of trilogies in my wake! There are 3 short stories in "Tales of Abeth" if you want another taste. And, of course, The Book of the Ice trilogy, starting with THE GIRL AND THE STARS is set on Abeth ... who knows, there might be some overlap in there.
The fates of those unaccounted for will have to remain lost in the fog of war. If I ever do write more about them then I'll enjoy the freedom of being able to choose whatever most serves the story.
The fates of those unaccounted for will have to remain lost in the fog of war. If I ever do write more about them then I'll enjoy the freedom of being able to choose whatever most serves the story.
Mark Lawrence
Hi Phil - I don't have any plans, no. I react to requests. VJ Books reached out to me many years ago and every year since, and I have on occasion been asked to sign bookplates for The Signed Page (along with many signed special editions - both singles and omnibuses for the allied Grim Oak Press).
I will continue to do similar signings for any enterprises that asks me to, but I can't set up such a company and I'm not aware of any waiting to fill the VJ Books void. Hopefully someone will come along.
I will continue to do similar signings for any enterprises that asks me to, but I can't set up such a company and I'm not aware of any waiting to fill the VJ Books void. Hopefully someone will come along.
Mark Lawrence
Everyone is distant cousins :)
On 23&me (which catalogues a very small fraction of my relatives) I have 1st cousin, 4 2nd cousins, 26 3rd cousins and 1469 4th cousins - the list of 4th cousins only stops because it reaches the limit of 1500 relatives.
By 6th cousins you will be connected to many millions.
But yes, they are!
On 23&me (which catalogues a very small fraction of my relatives) I have 1st cousin, 4 2nd cousins, 26 3rd cousins and 1469 4th cousins - the list of 4th cousins only stops because it reaches the limit of 1500 relatives.
By 6th cousins you will be connected to many millions.
But yes, they are!
Mark Lawrence
Hard to say, but The Red Queen's War trilogy, starting with Prince of Fools, was definitely the most fun to write :)
Mark Lawrence
The SPFBO contest that I run is a great way to find good self-published fantasy.
Mark Lawrence
I don't think taking the world seriously and writing humour are mutually exclusive. I'm probably more relaxed and light-hearted now than I was 10 or 20 years ago :)
And The Broken Empire was by a significant margin my most successful trilogy - so if I wanted to chase success, I would do more of that.
The true answer is that I like to try different things and write different characters.
And The Broken Empire was by a significant margin my most successful trilogy - so if I wanted to chase success, I would do more of that.
The true answer is that I like to try different things and write different characters.
Mark Lawrence
There's "The New World" novella if you'd like more Red Queen's War.
But no, I've no plans to go back to anything I've written.
I youtubed on what I've written recently. But the scheduled publications are: book 3 of the Library Trilogy (April '25) and a new darker trilogy featuring an older female protagonist for '26/'27/'28.
But no, I've no plans to go back to anything I've written.
I youtubed on what I've written recently. But the scheduled publications are: book 3 of the Library Trilogy (April '25) and a new darker trilogy featuring an older female protagonist for '26/'27/'28.
Mark Lawrence
People come in all shapes and sizes, and I try to write about interesting ones. I'm not bothered about diagnoses, but readers are more than welcome to project away.
Lables like 'autistic' are applied externally by medical sorts. They come and go and don't have fundamental reality, so I tend to avoid them.
Lables like 'autistic' are applied externally by medical sorts. They come and go and don't have fundamental reality, so I tend to avoid them.
Mark Lawrence
next April - don't forget the short stories Overdue & Returns if you want more before then
Mark Lawrence
That's very hard to say. At what stage is something you're writing "a book" - 5 pages, 50? And "scrapping" is also a nebulous term. When is a book "on hold" when is it "scrapped"?
The New World novella is the start of a Jalan & Snorri book I might go back to one day.
Blood of the Red is a whole book I wrote (it's on Wattpad and my Patreon) that was never published.
I'm currently writing The Chinese Room, a book I put on hold about a year ago about 20% of the way in. To do so I put another book (also about 20% complete) on hold...
The New World novella is the start of a Jalan & Snorri book I might go back to one day.
Blood of the Red is a whole book I wrote (it's on Wattpad and my Patreon) that was never published.
I'm currently writing The Chinese Room, a book I put on hold about a year ago about 20% of the way in. To do so I put another book (also about 20% complete) on hold...
Mark Lawrence
I think there's only one book that got me into writing, and I won't name it because the reason it got me writing was that it was so very bad.
When I used to read good (or even average) books, I used to think: "There's no way I could do this."
But then I read a terribly written book and thought: "How did this get published? Even I could write better than this."
So I had a go.
When I used to read good (or even average) books, I used to think: "There's no way I could do this."
But then I read a terribly written book and thought: "How did this get published? Even I could write better than this."
So I had a go.
Mark Lawrence
There will be in April!
If you click on the series title you can see book 2 and the accompanying short stories listed:
https://www.goodreads.com/series/3436...
Pre-order for the win :)
If you click on the series title you can see book 2 and the accompanying short stories listed:
https://www.goodreads.com/series/3436...
Pre-order for the win :)
Mark Lawrence
Hi Issam. Grim Oak Press has had special editions of my work on sale continuously for the last 6 years or so. There was the Broken Empire omnibus (sold out), the The Red Queen's War omibus (sold out), then the 10th anniversary Prince of Thorns (sold out), and then the 10th anniversary editions of King of Thorns and, recently, Emperor of Thorns, both of which can still be purchased.
The Book of the Ancestor omnibus is on the way, and 10th anniversary editions of Prince of Fools, The Liar's Key, and The Wheel of Osheim are planned.
The Book of the Ancestor omnibus is on the way, and 10th anniversary editions of Prince of Fools, The Liar's Key, and The Wheel of Osheim are planned.
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