Lois McMaster Bujold
The notion of Jole's character and relationships existed ever since he popped onstage in The Vor Game, which I wrote back in 1989. But that wasn't what the books I was writing then were about. So the ideas rode along through time in a potential reservoir of story that I dub "Schrodinger's Cat Carrier". No telling whether a story-cat is alive or dead till I open the box to actually write it.
Then there followed those several years when I was writing the seven fantasies for HarperCollins, and didn't think I'd ever get back to the Vorkosiverse at all. But then I wrote Cryoburn at a special request from Toni Weisskopf following Jim Baen's death, and then Ivan's book because it seemed like it would be fun. And by that time, 2011 or so, I realized the cat was definitely alive, and yowling to get out. So, to continue the physics metaphor, it was both preexisting and slotted in; both a wave and a particle.
Ta, L.
Then there followed those several years when I was writing the seven fantasies for HarperCollins, and didn't think I'd ever get back to the Vorkosiverse at all. But then I wrote Cryoburn at a special request from Toni Weisskopf following Jim Baen's death, and then Ivan's book because it seemed like it would be fun. And by that time, 2011 or so, I realized the cat was definitely alive, and yowling to get out. So, to continue the physics metaphor, it was both preexisting and slotted in; both a wave and a particle.
Ta, L.
More Answered Questions
Russell Hobart
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
Hello Lois, You've brought me endless hours of joy. Thank you. How are you able to bring so many dark aspects (I'm thinking specifically Mirror Dance with Mark and Ryoval, etc.) but the story feels uplifting? I compare this to The Road which I still feel scarred by. Character trajectory is part of the answer but I feel I am missing something.
Mai-Anh
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
This is tiny, but: In your head, do you pronounce Tej as "Tedge" or "Tey"? South Asian languages vary a lot, so Tejaswini _could_ be either "Tedge-a-swee-nee" or "Tey-as-vee-nee." It's silly, but it kept tugging at the edge of my brain as I read _Alliance_. Ended up switching between the two randomly, whichever "sounded" appropriate at the time. I know your answer may not change this for me, but I wondered. Thank you!
Liz
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
Hi! I've been rereading all your books this year since August because they are one of my comfort rereads and, since I just had another kid, they're a wonderful meditation on families and what it means to be a parent. And thank you for that! And leaving that aside, I was wondering - while rereading Paladin of Souls - whether Desdemona is still around somewhere and whether Foix dy Gura ever gets to meet her?
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