Fantasy Book Club discussion
Books of the Month: 2017
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2017 *Q&A with Janny Wurts* (Curse of the Mistwraith)
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Brenda ╰☆╮
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Feb 01, 2017 01:34AM
Thank you Janny for joining us this month, during our read of The Curse of the Mistwraith.
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Great question because I too would love an audiobook for this
I would cheer my heart out to have an audio release for this book, and for the Wars of Light and Shadows - here's why it's not already available.I don't have charge of the rights.
This history on this series is long and contorted, and tied to the shifts and changes and hard realities of the industry. The 'nutshell' version is that, when HarperCollins USA merged with Avon, there was a bloodbath and a major cutback in the number of books released per month. All of the HarperCollins titles, but a few, were thrown out with the bathwater, and the Wars of Light and Shadow series went with it. I had to wait out the years until all of the series fell out of print in the USA to shop a new deal for North America.
During those years, there was a massive shift, amounting to an earthquake, in the fantasy field. Many authors disappeared from the scene. More - when the world economy dipped and staggered in 2008, the entire market contracted.
I had to make a choice: try to re-shop the entire series in a contracted market as a reprint deal, when it was tough to get a new book sale - or - to shop the N. American rights by expanding my publishing deal (ongoing) with HarperCollins Voyager in London, who had never stopped publishing my works.
Re-shop in a terrible market, with the endgame that IF I could interest an editor in a huge series that had no US presence for years and years, and then wait out a 2 year lag for scheduling and production (after maybe a 2-3 year submission cycle) or - to cut a deal to expand to world English language rights via London, with the benefit: the books could be returned to the US and Canada with nearly no wait at all.
I chose the international option as most viable, and the best way to satisfy my readership, as well as: London prints on Forest Stewardship Council paper, and I definitely care about our natural resources. Another benefit: I got the last 3 volumes of the series under contract, so we had a guarantee that all the books to finish out my original plan for the series would be published without another interrupt to wrench the series off course.
The tip side: I had to sign off on audio rights on the rest of the series - with that deal....so the entire Wars of Light and Shadows series' audio is in the hands of HarperCollins Voyager in London. (same with To Ride Hell’s Chasm)
They have no plans at this moment to exercise that right and produce an audio release.
This saddens me because such a production would be totally splendid - the prose was made to be read aloud; an audio version would totally shine the light on the way the style was constructed to sound as well as illuminate. And given this is a 'long game' book - that so much groundwork opens up in the second half - the pacing of the plot would work so well in audio, since the natural impatience to skim to snatch the quickest grasp of the gist would be forestalled in favor of the 'savor as you go' there are more things of importance packed into the prose than one read will ever allow.
I am always working to get this series positioned for an audio deal, to the utmost of my ability.
Where readers have power that I do not: numbers talk, and also, companies do listen when their customer base speaks up and asks for what they want. If you love a story, any story, make your position known. It can make a huge difference, when readership has an author's back.
I appreciate your questions, and your interest, more than you know. I have successfully negotiated all of my other novels into audio format, with spectacular narrators - so rest assured this is important to me, also.
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Given your answer, I'm wondering if more authors followed same path as most of my books seem to be Harper Collins.
Helen wrote: "Living in England, I assumed all books were printed on forest-safe paper. Is this not case?Given your answer, I'm wondering if more authors followed same path as most of my books seem to be Harpe..."
Thanks for your concern! HarperCollins went to FSC paper several years back - first for their hardbacks, then later, for mass market books, too. When they started the practice, they printed the FSC seal on the back of the book next to the bar code. I don't have the most 'up to date reprint run on hand to know if they continued to place the notice, there, but you could check any new book at purchase, or inquire, the company does have a public comment e mail on their web page.
Helen wrote: "Is Destiny's Conflict the final or penultimate part?"Yes, I have only the final one to go, but - given the arc structure of the series, and the fact I do not do cliff hangers: Destiny's Conflict is the 'arc finale' for Arc IV (which included Initiate's Trial/Destiny's Conflict) - so you can expect that the fourth arc threads will all tie up there, with the series finale proper coming in the last volume.
Wars of Light and Shadows was conceived (and enacted) in Five Arcs.
I - Curse of the Mistwraith (has a finale, and sets the stage)
II -
Ships of Merior/Warhost of Vastmark - deepens characters and conflict.
III. Alliance of Light - raises the story to world view.
Fugitive Prince
Grand Conspiracy
Peril's Gate (this is the series tipping point)
Initiate's Trial (arc and series going into convergency)
Stormed Fortress (arc finale)
IV Sword of the Canon - stages for the mysteries
Initiate's Trial
Destiny's Conflict (arc finale release date Sept 7, 2017)
V Song of the Mysteries - one volume, series closure/All denouement.
No book in the series is a cliffhanger; the arcs are each a complete section, which culminate in a major shift in perspective.
It only remains to be noted that Ships/Warhost and Initiate's Trial/Destiny's Conflict as the second and fourth arcs REALLY do best read together - expect in all cases that the arc finales really deliver the punchline to that section of the story.
Song of the Mysteries is, like Curse of the Mistwraith, only one volume, and as of the close of Arc IV, everything is in line and on track to deliver that. The series will be completed at the projected eleven volumes.
I just noticed on the back of my cover when looking for the FSC logo (it's there btw and I bought mine sometime last year) that you did the cover illustration yourself! It's beautiful
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Helen wrote: "Posted a pic of your books on instagram today and requested Harper make them audio. Crossing my fingers."Thank you so much! My fingers are crossed, too!
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Tnkw01 wrote: "If they do l pray they do it for the U.S. as well as other countries."The rights are not split by territory - if there is an audio edition, it would be worldwide, English language.
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The rights are not split by territory - if there is an audio edition, it would be worldwide, English language."
Yeah!!!!
Hi Janny!!! I want to re-read the series (and hope for the finale), but have not found my copy of book 1. I am still looking—so many boxes. (I've moved house since the last time we discussed these). I have an e-book copy too, but have had too much trouble reading e-books. It's probably 6+ decades of reading physical books that's the problem. If I can't find my hardback, perhaps I try again.
Looking forward to it :-)
Tnkw01 wrote: "Janny, I just started reading this tale and so far I'm loving it. I do have one question. I noticed you don't have a lot of your books in the form of audiobooks. Being rather naïve about the book i..."It would be a major undertaking to do this series as unabridged audiobooks. I suspect cost is a big consideration.
My problem with audio books is the time they take. I can read much faster than listen. The only time it's worked has been while I drive long distances which I don't do anymore.
Bill wrote: "Hi Janny!!! I want to re-read the series (and hope for the finale), but have not found my copy of book 1. I am still looking—so many boxes. (I've moved house since the last time we discussed thes..."
Hi Bill - I am more comfortable reading off of a page than a screen, too - no matter I've tried, I keep going back to paper.
I hope you do find your copy because I recall your insightful comments from the past discussion. One of the things you will notice with a re-read from the perspective of having read the entire series - you will see a whole other contour, even a different set of tensions - a different story will emerge, since this time you will be bringing the world-view vantage to the events in volume One. The series was designed to do this. You'll discover little things, and major facts in the details that suddenly open up even more perspective into what occurs afterwards.
Those intricacies in the layers will take on an entirely new meaning, and even, spring insights into what is to come in the finale.
Thanks for weighing in!
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I'm rereading it now for the first time since I first read the series, and I agree 100% about the intricacies taking on new meaning once you've seen more of the larger picture.
Have any novels/authors or other influences (i.e./ music, film, nature) helped inspire you along the way while writing the War of Light and Shadow? If that's something that you feel like sharing
Margret wrote: "Have any novels/authors or other influences (i.e./ music, film, nature) helped inspire you along the way while writing the War of Light and Shadow? If that's something that you feel like sharing"Hi Margaret, yes, I don't know anyone who creates in this world who does not stand on the shoulders of giants.
This said, I've read thousands of books - literally the fiction library in the small town where I grew up - books of every genre, and nonfiction of all stripes. So the complete list of influences would be a blend of all that, and the cherished time I've spent in the wilderness and at sea - another huge list!
There are some that stand out, in their way, and here goes:
Tolkien, first, for opening the idea that one could create a WHOLE WORLD and its tapestry of history. Tolkien's story was not so much an influence as the concept one could....and in backhanded form, I decided to create Seven for the sorcerers initially so that I'd be forced to characterize them beyond the 'stereotype' old man wizard. This lead to - well - you'll see how that idea snowballed if you read on in the series. You can find a 'tribute' to Tolkien embedded in one teensy detail in Curse of the Mistwraith if your eye is tuned to watch for it.
Roger Zelazny - wow - his amazing imagination and his totally unique way of approaching a story impressed me very deeply. I can't say his writing inspired me storywize (his vision was waaay too unique) but for this series, two things: he opened my eyes to using a more flexible format (the one liners to encapsulate what need not be shown, longform - that was the lightbulb insight I borrowed from Lord of Light) - and his fencing scenes in Nine Princes definitely showed me the value of knowing a subject first hand for wringing out every facet of the suspense.
Dorothy Dunnett - huge - she was the master of the long game, and the pinnacle genius at doing characters that reverse your opinion of them, shoving you often into a complete volte face as the unreliable viewpoints of her supporting cast blindside you to what is really going on. I love this sort of work: where you THINK you know, but you don't, and where an action taken by a heroic character can be so badly misconstrued until you get the one Ah HA! moment that reassembles everything you counted reliable. Look for a whole lot more of this if you continue with the series. Not everything is as you believe, and there are so many more layers to the issue that will surface. The twists and turns are only just begun.
I've saved the biggest for the last: Wars of Light and Shadows was conceived and begun while I was in college - yeah, that long ago, there was decades of planning preceded the publication of the first book. I took the time to lay out the whole thing/and massive amounts of the back history ahead, so the setting of the tale would be solid. One of the preparations was to research warfare from roughly the Romans up until the moment when gunpowder shifted all the markers. (and sailing ships, etc) - partly because, due to the nature of Athera (that you have not encountered as yet, being at Vol I) I'd be mixing time periods - we are not on Earth, and actually NOTHING is as it seems at this stage of the narrative. While I'd just finished reading a major pile of books on warfare and tactics, I stepped into the film - a docudrama of the Battle of Culloden in Scotland. This film is a stark, black and white, re enactment of 'Bonnie Prince Charlie' and the disaster that broke the Scottish clans - all my life I'd read the poetry, the ballads, the romanticised novels. All my life I'd seen 'history' and 'war' and 'causes' glorified by the persave (and wrong!) myth that 'might makes right' and the whole bushel of lies perpetuated by the legacy of history as written by the victor. I came out, head spinning, to the degree I'd been duped. By every TV show, every book, every news cast - EVERYTHING - ever, that glorified war as the solution to anything. And frankly, Fantasy literature was the very worst offender. That woke a rage in me that has never quenched, and forever changed the course of this epic fantasy's track. The false concept that there is any or only one side to a conflict, that fallacy will get shredded again and again in these pages. I looked back at ALL the reading I'd just done and woke up: that every war ever fought was just a bloody massacre - finished out by luck, superior numbers, or better tactics. Nothing more. Nothing less. No point in shying away from the bone hard bloody truth, there is nothing 'heroic' about the insanity of pushing a conflict to the insanity of wreaking death on that scale.
Hope that answers your question, or if it sparks more discussion, have at it.
I finally gave up and bought another copy, as going thru about 100 boxes I could not find my old one. I must have put them in a special place that I've forgotten, a very special place. I'm in the process of re-reading old favorite series, now on The Wheel of Time (not really a fav, but I didn't finish it before). WOLAS is a definite re-read. It is too complex to get at a single reading IMO.
Your influences are telling. Tolkien also spent a lot of his life building his world, though started earlier than you IIRC. New universes are not created overnight. I have not yet read Dunnett, though I've a lovely edition of her Lymond Chronicles—just have not gotten to it yet... Zelazny, definitely! I can see the influence. I've also wondered about Stephen R. Donaldson, Raymond Feist ;-), CJ Cherryh, and Michael Moorcock. I wonder if there are 'literary' fiction authors that influenced you? Or a 'real' mythology that has influenced you?
The need to thoroughly know a subject like sailing or living in a wilderness is fundamental to great writing, I think. Tolkien was good at that, language in his case. There's a caveat though. Some authors use too much jargony detail, and meaning or images is obfuscated unless the reader also knows the subject. The best, I think, inspire the reader to learn more about whatever it is. Another thing very important in Fantasy is what I call the anatomy of a situation. EG, if you're travelling south, the river must be on your left and the woods on the right. Some authors do this very well (like Tolkien, though his readers helped him, pointing out mistakes corrected in later editions). As I recall there were very, very few suh mistakes in your work, if any. I wonder why ;-)
One thing you don't mention is politics (a current theme in the Western Weltanschauung)—in both the broad and governmental senses. I am thinking of The Empire Trilogy in part. Who are your influences in the politics of human interaction - other than life itself?
I'm certainly looking forward to a re-read!
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Great response! Thank you! I'm afraid I haven't gotten far in the book yet but I'm definitely enjoying it.. probably won't finish this month unfortunately as I recently took on a rather large costuming job and naturally both my kids got sick for a month, and I can only get so far by reading at the breakfast table..Another reason why I wish this came in audiobook format! I'd have completed it already!
Bill wrote: "I finally gave up and bought another copy, as going thru about 100 boxes I could not find my old one. I must have put them in a special place that I've forgotten, a very special place. I'm in the..."
Wow, that's enthusiasm, going for a new copy to replace the one buried. I hope you bring your re-read to the discussion, I recall your insightful posts well from the prior ones.
Cherryh and Donaldson came a little late to really influence this word at all, but certainly they are both great authors with profound depth, and I enjoy them both. I didn't read Feist until later, also; the planning roots for this series went way way back, and I've stuck to the original game plan very tightly. Moorcock - I never really warmed up to his stuff, but my husband's illustrated some of his covers, so I'm certainly familiar.
Literary fiction that's influenced me - well the Odyssey for one! The fact Odysseus wandered through, and turned upside down, every single ethic he had, and still, came back to being faithful by redefining those principles - the best epic fantasy does this - it's not about saving the world, but about redefining the ethic that starts as idealism and taking it through the fire and reforging its worth, only stronger. I get riled up by a lot of literary greats for the rip roaring reason that so many of them extol cynicism, and even, glorify the ruin of hope. I have always felt that loss of hope is the true enemy, so sometimes the attitude that a jaded outlook is considered sophisticated sticks in my craw. I could go on about how much I hate the content of Lolita, and spit nails over works like A Fine Balance. On the other hand, Cry, the Beloved Country hit me where it hurts, still.
To keep things consistent, I've taken huge pains/developed my own system of spread sheets and a massive box of historical file cards and more spreadsheets on the world itself. The story only uses the very tip of that iceburg. To prevent silly errors, I've got a crack team of test readers who are hand picked to catch stuff; it's a point of pride that usually I've got my ducks in a row, but certainly I've had my bacon saved by the sharp eye of one brilliant New Zealander.
With regard to politics, I try not to write the same story twice, and Empire certainly covered that ground pretty thoroughly. I am a huge fan of human rights and tolerance, so real world politics drive me nuts. The Wars of Light and Shadows explores multiple angles of values, really - what one values does shape how decisions are made, and what is considered important - which can change in the course of experience, and even become flipped on its head. Above politics, I've tackled some very hot issues with the gloves off, but taken out of familiar context so that (hopefully) knee jerk prejudices won't be triggered - or better, I've deliberately triggered them only to gleefully rip the rug straight out from under the assumption in a later volume. (See what happens to the concept of 'monarchy' in the later volumes, what you're assuming you are seeing here is not the actual case at all). There are so many themes, and even, spiritual angles to this work that will keep lifting the vantage as the series goes along. The tenth volume, coming, will blow the lid off everything prior in ways you haven't yet seen. Where a lot of fantasy is based on black and white/good vs evil, I've tried to build in a multi dimensional aspect to EVERYTHING, so that you keep spiralling back to stuff, seeing it from a wider, and bigger and more illuminated vantage. It's a challenge to pack all that in, particularly since ALL of the levels are in actual play in volume one - but the reader won't see them, yet. The staging for the reveals is intricate and takes time. This was always designed as a long game series, which in these times perhaps flies in the face of the instant fix mentality. Life is complex, and messy, and we're stuck trying to unravel meaning with only our own viewpoints and experience, and that's likely the driving philosopy behind the way every character in the story meets, or fails, at their challenges. A heroic strength, in one circumstance, can be the disastrous flaw that brings a crashing downfall in another. So the focus is on the individual journey, set against the greater tapestry of factions, than the interplay of the factions themselves.
Thanks for the truly thoughtful questions.
Margret wrote: "Great response! Thank you! I'm afraid I haven't gotten far in the book yet but I'm definitely enjoying it.. probably won't finish this month unfortunately as I recently took on a rather large costu..."The great thing about books: they are patient. They'll be there. And ouch, yes, I'd love to have an audio version to satisfy you (and my husband!) it would be glorious.
I'll change my data plan and you can read to me by phone then :)More so that the way it's written would be lovely to listen to on a nice relaxing walk or at night winding down
Once again, thank you all for the privilege of having my title Curse of the Mistwraith voted as book of the month, and for the sweet invitation to interact with participating readers - there is no better fun, and I've enjoyed every minute.I am aware this is a very long game, dense book, and that some of you may not have finished yet. Please note that I am a member of this group, I visit GoodReads often, and I will notice and pick up any late posts - so if you are late to the party for any reason, don't hesitate to re-open the topic.
Happy reading if you choose to go on with the series, and thanks for giving the book a shot, if you don't.
Best always - JW
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Also, I have sent e-mail to both Audible and Harper-Collins about my hope and desire to have audiobooks made with your books. Your depth and richness of your writing definitely needs to be developed into audio versions.
In closing I just want to say it's been an honor and privilege to have you answer our questions.
Great discussion. So lovely to hear these insights. Now would be a good time to start the re-read in preparation for DC in Sept. Looking forward to it.BTW, would you be terribly offended if I said I once read out one of your passages in church? So full of breathtaking imagery and spirituality. It fit the topic of our discussion on worship very nicely, thank you, Janny.
Tnkw01 wrote: "Janny, Just wanted you to know I'll be reading The Master of White Storm as soon as I finish The Black Prism. Also, I have sent e-mail to both Audible and Harper-Coll..."
That's delightful to hear you are going on into Master of Whitestorm. If you are getting the audio version of that title, it's narrated by Simon Prebble and he just nailed it! My favorite narrator, and he blew it away. And also thank you profoundly for taking your time to request the audio for the Wars of Light and Shadows. Fingers crossed!
Carolyn wrote: "Great discussion. So lovely to hear these insights. Now would be a good time to start the re-read in preparation for DC in Sept. Looking forward to it.BTW, would you be terribly offended if I said..."
OMG - in church? That's a first (at least that I've heard of!!!) Awesome. Would you mind letting me know which passage you selected? I am dead curious!
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Also, I have sent e-mail to both Audible ..."
Thanks Janny, I will get the audiobook. I'm really looking forward to it.
Janny wrote: "Carolyn wrote: "Great discussion. So lovely to hear these insights. Now would be a good time to start the re-read in preparation for DC in Sept. Looking forward to it.BTW, would you be terribly of..."
Peril's Gate, when the Ilitharis Paravian materialises in the tunnel. "The beauty, the wild grace, the shining, immortal majesty stunned thought into poignant stillness" I pretty much read out the whole page (obviously skipped over a few parts that would have made no sense to the audience). So many threads in that passage to draw analogies from!
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Tnkw01, that was one of my first Janny books, it's great -as usual.
Thank you so much Janny for answering all our questions with such detailed answers. Plus for writing such wonderful works.
Helen wrote: "Lol, I used the short story collection with the most amazing cover for a literary exam. Tnkw01, that was one of my first Janny books, it's great -as usual.
Thank you so much Janny for answering ..."
My first one too! I couldn't go past that beautiful cover
Carolyn wrote: "Janny wrote: "Carolyn wrote: "Great discussion. So lovely to hear these insights. Now would be a good time to start the re-read in preparation for DC in Sept. Looking forward to it.BTW, would you ..."
Thanks so much for following up and satisfying my curiosity.
Helen wrote: "Lol, I used the short story collection with the most amazing cover for a literary exam. Tnkw01, that was one of my first Janny books, it's great -as usual.
Thank you so much Janny for answering ..."
My pleasure.
Carolyn wrote: "Helen wrote: "Lol, I used the short story collection with the most amazing cover for a literary exam. Tnkw01, that was one of my first Janny books, it's great -as usual.
Thank you so much Janny ..."
Wow - thanks.
I finally got the book and will start it next!!Addendum: And today I found my older copy [groan]
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