I love your book sooo much. I've having such a hard time waiting for the sequel, but conveniently, June 4th is only four days away from my birthday. I heard that Novyi Zem was based on the American colonies. Is that true? And what are the orange flowers

Happy early birthday! I’m sorry for the wait, but very glad you’re looking forward to Siege and Storm

Okay, questions…

1. Novyi Zem was mostly inspired by the American colonies and Australia, but there are a few other influences in there as well.

2. The orange flowers (alemanth or waysu) are used in the manufacture of the stimulant jurda, one of Novyi Zem’s chief exports.

3. “Do you blame me for every mistake I made? For every girl I tumbled? For every dumb thing I’ve said?”

(No, he isn’t.)