Ask Robin Hobb - Thursday, April 11th! discussion
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Not at this time, Chris, but if I got a wonderful idea for one, I wouldn't hesitate to plunge back into it. Thanks for asking!
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I could ask a million questions about your books, but for the moment, something that continually nags me is the pronunciation of names.
Does:Alise rhyme with /saw-LEASE?/or /uh-LEASE/?
Chalse /gal/ or /gaul/
Sedric /SEA-drik/ or /SAID-rik/
Chade is shade. Yes?
Althea /al-THEA-uh/ or /AL-thea-uh/
Brashen /SLASH-en/ or /SLAW-shen/
Jamailia /juh_MAIL-ee-yuh/ or /juh-MALL-yuh/
Kennit /KEH-nit/, yes?
Burrich /BURR-ik/ or /BURR-ich/
Ketrikan /KEH-tri-can/ or /keh-TRI-ken/
Thymara /thigh-MA-ruh/ or /THI-muh ruh/
Reyn /rain/ or /rehn/
Tintaglia /tin-STAY-glee-uh/ or /tin-STAG-lee-uh/
Al..." Actually, you are allowed to pronounce the names any way wish. But I say
Uh Lise
Sed rick (like Cedric)
Al THEE uh
BRASH en
Juh Mail yuh
KEN it
RAIN
KET trick en
TI mar a
Hope that helps!
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I could gush about you for hours (sure I have done in the past to friends who have all had no choice but to read your books ) I have been reading your books for years and your characte..."
n post 181, Jess asked:
My question is slightly different...how did the officekat get the name Diego? Imagine my laughter when I learnt through social media you have a cat with the same name as my son :)
Oh, don't confuse the Office Kat (my assisstant) with the office Cat, Diego. Diego is a huge marmalade cat who loves to lounge on my desk. He arrived with that name, so we kept it. Thanks for asking.
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Oh, I'm glad I found this tonight as I'm working my wy through all the messages! I will be at the Festival tomorrow, but I don't have any specific panels. If you see me wandering about, definitely say Hi! If all else fails, find me Sunday at the dragon panel at 11 AM.
There will be a signing after the panel. See you at the Festival.
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Not this year, Lynn! Maybe another time. It was a wonderful convention.
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Post 206
spoilers for Rain Wild Chronicles
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Dragons create changes in their Elderlings. In thiscase , her hair is now 'golden'. :)
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Firstly, I want to say thank you for your amazing stories! My favourites a..."what advice/tips do you have for aspiring authors?
Aisling, the only real trick i know is to persevere. Keep writing each and every day. Set a goal of pages or time spent, and be faithful. And when a story is finished, submit it and then write another. And good luck! It takes a bit of that as well!
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Any plans to come back to Louisville for Fandomfest?? Still kicking myself for missing you but I will be there this year.
Someday, I hope! I had such a good time, but unfortunately its not in my plans for 2013.
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Only in a used book store, I fear! John Howe was the original cover artist and I was so pleased with them! All the covers now feature art by Jackie Morris, another very talented artist. Thanks for asking.
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Sue wrote: "Just like everyone else here, I'm a huge fan! So glad the dragon's stories got to be told. Of course I want to know if there are more books from this world to come, and when!
My questions for t..." What was an average number of elderlings for a single dragon to create?In message 215, Sue asked this and lots of other questions, but I'm down to answering only one per post. I think this would vary so much from dragon to dragon and era to era that an 'average' would be meaningless. Many dragons would not create any. The dragons in the Chronicles were unusually dependent on humans, a rare occurrence.
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I love your books and consider you a master of the craft. When you plan a trilogy, how much of the storyline for the books do you have mapped out? Or is it more of a general idea of whe..." post 216 Tania asked:
how much of the storyline for the books do you have mapped out? Or is it more of a general idea of where you are heading with the second and third books?
I don't create a detailed outline. I usually have a good idea of where the story begins, where it ends and the major plot events I need to hit in order to get it there. But every author writes differently. As my friend Vonda McIntyre says, There is no wrong way to write a book.
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Alan asked:. How many people do you have beta-read your work and how did you find them? Zero, Alan. My editor is always my first reader. That has always been how I've done it, but many writers do workshop their books, or have trusted readers. It works for them and it may well work for you to find a workshop group. I like to work alone. It's an idiosyncrasy of mine.
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Perry, do you love your story and characters? I think that is the most important element. If you cut and sand your story to hit market goals, you may very well sell it. But will ou still love it? I think you should submit the story you've written. The worst a publisher can say is No. Then you submit it to someone else. While it is out there, you can write something you think is more tailored to the market. But do givey your dream book a chance to succeed before you set it aside.
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My question to you Robin relates to the sympathetic characters you create. I find when I read about even the most despicable characters, there's a piece of information som..." in post 232 Leanne asked . I find when I read about even the most despicable characters, there's a piece of information somewhere in the story that makes me feel for them. Is this a conscious effort, and was it a skill that took time to develop?
I love all my characters. And when I write from the Point of View of the character I try to see each one as he sees himself. So they are allowed to present themselves in a sympathetic light.
I'm glad it works for you!
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Sina, I have so many. Middle Earth. Lankhmar. Mowgli's jungle. Bradbury's Mars. Cimmeria. It's why we read, isn't it, to get to those places that we so enjoy? I'm glad to hear you like the Six Duchies.
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Sina, I have so many. Middle Earth. Lankhmar. Mowgli's jungle. Bradbury's Mars. Cimmeria. It's why we read, isn't it, to get to those places that we so enjoy? I'm glad to hear you like the Six Duchies.
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:)
Your writing is a joy to read.
(Thank you)
I find that the authors I like best..create worlds that I become immersed in. (If it's raining in the story, it becomes so vivid to me, that ..."
in post237 Brenda asked My question :) for you is..... if you have ever gone through a writer's block...how did you overcome it?
I'm not sure I've ever had writers block. what happens to me is that suddenly I don't know what comes next. That usually means that I should back up and take another run at the story. So I go back ten or twenty pages and start to copy edit. I ix all sorts of littl errors and add things and usually I come to a place where I realize the story has taken a wrong turn, Th characters wouldn't do that! Once I change that, the story current flows again.
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inpost 240. The Rain Wild Chronicles are in that world. It's pretty likely I'll write there again some day.
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You're also the author who creates such detailed and b..." Aidan asked : Do you ever feel guilty about how you treat your characters, knowing how it might upset your readers? Not at all. Truth to tell, when I'm writing,I don't think much about the readers at all. It's about getting the story right, and letting the things that would likely happen, happen.I want the characters to be true to themselves in what they do and how they react. That's my first concern. Good question.
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I'm Ciara, also Irish.
So I was wondering if you were ever going to write more short stories? I know at the start of Inheritance you said somethi..." in post 243 Ciara asked sevral questions but I'm afraid that I can only answer one per post now. So So I was wondering if you were ever going to write more short stories?
Short stories are very hard for me but often that is the proper length of the story I want to tell. So it takes me longer to write a good shoet story than a chapter of a book though they may be the same length. Nonetheless, I have several in proress at all times. Thanks for asking.
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I have a couple of questions, I noticed that you use many english words that have a latin o..."
in post244 Pau asked I have a couple of questions, I noticed that you use many english words that have a latin origin, because i never heard of them before, but the meaning is clear to me (for example, just today I read susurrous in City of Dragons)...is that a conscious choice? Do you speak any latin language (maybe french, where I guess many of this words come from?)
Hi Pau! My only Langauge is English for speaking, but many years ago,I took 4 years of Latin in high school. I loved it and I think it left a mark on me. It's wonderful to use to give a nuance to a place or character name, for example. Thanks for noticing! :)
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I wanted to know..." inpost245 Luke asked
I wanted to know if you do a lot of pre writing before starting to actually write and how much of the story within stories(like the Dragon and Serpent's nature) was written by the time you wrote the Farseer trilogy
Hi Luke! I don't 'pre write' at all. I have used outlines, but I don't really like them and I alway feel free to ignore them if I get a better idea. Sometimes I have appendices envy when I see all the additional information that some other writers manage to compile. The most I do is a glossary and some 'go back and fix it' notes.
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Buck I think. But only if I get to be a member of the nobility! I get to do enough peasant type work in my real life! :)
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One of the greatest things about your books is the deft mix between the realistic and the romantic. Is this an intentional balance?
I think this is what fantasy does often and does well. It takes us to a fairy tale world but then it tells us what it would really be like to live in a world with dragons and magic rings or evil sorcerors. The fairy tales I read as a child were beautiful, but there was little character development or attention paid to what such worlds would really be like. I think Tolkien opened the way for such stories and the field followed.
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Of course! If a writer does not have a reaction to the characters and the story then how will the readers ever care? There are scenes where I get up and pace and really don't want to write what happens next. But the story has to go on and it has to be followed. If the writer turns away from those moments or pushes the story in an easier direction, the reader will know. It will feel false, I think. And the story will be broken.
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So thanks again for all the questions!
Robin Hobb
I have followed your progress as you answer all of these questions. I will always be impressed by your tenacity. Cheers lady. You deserve a break!
What an incredibly generous woman! Ty Ms Robin.
Robin wrote: "Brad wrote: "Paul wrote: "edited
Spoilers!
I haven't read that far please hide the bit about nighteyes and I'll pretend I never read it! lol"
Robin, I'm not Italian, and I've never met you! Luc..."
Hello Robin, Im a huge fan of yours and have been since i first picked up your books. I dont have any questions for you, just wanted to tell you how much i love your work! I get lost in stories and yours take me to places and situations that call to my soul. I bought your new book online and am still waiting patiently (sort of) for it to get delivered. It was worth the wait to know im getting a signed copy! Thank you for what you do and the hours of enjoyment i have gotten from your work
Ask Robin Hobb - Thursday, April 11th!
Books mentioned in this topic
The Dragon Keeper (other topics)Dragon Haven (other topics)
City of Dragons (other topics)
Blood of Dragons (other topics)
In message 172, we have:
I noticed that Malta is blonde/golden haired now, when previously she always had dark/black hair - even when she was shown in the last two Rain Wild Chronicles books after she had completed her Elderling changes. Is there a reason for her sudden change in appearance that I am missing? I know this is just a little nit picky sort of question, but I couldn't help but be curious about it.
SPOILES FOR RAIN WILD CHRONICLES AND SHIPS TRILOGY.
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Ah, the hint is there in that Malta is not blonde. No, her hair is golden. a true gold, such as a dragon might bestow as a change on her Elderling. :)