The tour for A Memory of Light begins in earnest in February, so we’re starting up an open thread for fans to post tour reports! (Here’s the full A Memory of Light tour date list.)
If you can’t be there in person, a tour report is next best thing, especially if someone manages to get Brandon, Harriet, or Team WoT to answer a long-lingering question! Post your report in the comment thread below. As the tour continues, we’ll be updating this post with direct links to reports on specific days, that way you won’t have to scan through hundreds of comments to see the information you’re looking for.
Have fun! Check out a list of questions Brandon has already answered. Beware of spoilers and RAFOs!
January 6, San Diego, CA (via Freelancer)
An additional San Diego report (via Insectoid)
January 7, Huntington Beach, CA (via davidgiven)
January 11, Lexington, KY (via Ways)
February 9, San Francisco, CA (via KiManiak)
February 12, Seattle, WA (via billiam)
A transcription of the Seattle Q&A, and Part 2 (via WetlanderNW)
February 19, Philadelphia, PA (via AndrewB)
ask for a definitive answer to the question if channelers are bound to the horn (not the wheel, but the Horn)… the Dragon being an odd instance as the horn seems to be bound to him, not the other way around. But maybe some clarification about that would be good as well.
(edit) woot (/edit)
Ask if the deist position expressed by Pedron Niall is mainstream or heretical for the Children of the Light.
I’d like an answer to who Nakomi is, and why they keep dodging the question. The book is over, I really hope it isn’t just a ploy to get people to buy the encyclopedia.
Finishing the final book was supposed to be final, with some lingering questions openly answered at signings and such, not RAFO’d to a damn encyclopedia that only hff’s want, the WOT has been a huge part of my life for over half of my life, but reading an encyclopedia on a fictional world (even one I love) months after I’ve read the ending isn’t cool to me just to get a huge burr of a mystery solved.
Greyfalconway @3: Unfortunately, you’re probably going to continue to be frustrated. From the quotes at the Theoryland Interview database, it’s pretty clear that BWS is not going to give answers about Nakomi.
My personal theory is one that Terez mentions in those questions: that Nakomi : The Creator :: Shaidar Haran : The Dark One.
@@.-@ Bad_Platypus
addendum (as I see it)
Nakomi : The Creator :: Shaidar Haran : The Dark One::Rand : The People
I think Nakomi showed up a a Unicorn in Book 4 or Book 5 (whenever 2 of the supergirls were in TAR at the same time, I think it was Nyneve and Elaine)
@2
I believe Jordan has stated that one religion is universally adopted and acknowledged across all lands, just not everyone is an active follower. Not much time is spent preaching to the choir. Basically everyone, even the Dark Friends are deists. They all know the Creator exists and that creation is his, but not all of them offer to thank him for it, so to say.
I was disappointment with the last novel. I knew it had to end but I just didn’t expect it to end this way. Oh we’ll. I am going to finish my Kim Harrison and Terry Goodkind novels (The Omen Machine & The First Confessor).
Alright, folks, thank you for your patience. Here goes nothing.
The official San Diego event report can be found on Dragomount.com right here.
There are a number of photos embedded in the report. I will try to avoid unnecessary repetition here. Please read that report for the details of the structure and Q&A of the event. Beyond that, insectoid’s post is quite thorough, and with the inclusion of those by s’rEDIT and Asha’Gerard, the best thing for me to do is focus on my personal perceptions, the background stuff, and the more private Q&A (That last being all you guys really want anyway, amirite?).
For starters, we in San Diego are spoiled to have a store like Mysterious Galaxy. It is staffed with nothing but HCFFs, from Store Manager Patrick on down. Ensuring a clockwork-like evening were Christine, Rob, Ben, Tim, and a gentleman and a young lady whose names I do not know. They were pros like you read about, and didn’t flinch at whatever came their way, including me setting up a video camera on the corner of the sales counter. This store hosts authors every single week, even though they are somewhat narrowly focused on SF/F, mystery/suspense, and horror. Max props to them for a job well done.
About Brandon, there’s little to write that I haven’t before, and nothing has changed. He’s a fan who just happens to also be a terrific author. He enjoys the company of readers as much as they enjoy him.
Then there’s Harriet. I don’t know where to begin. She is 100% pure awesome. If I didn’t know better (I don’t), I’d say that she was the model for Moiraine, in terms of the self-assured, demure, and proper carriage. With the exception that I don’t think Moiraine smiled unless she couldn’t help it, and Harriet obviously loves to smile. In fact, I think the only times I noticed her not smiling was when she was delivering a setup straight line, such as this answer to the question of who killed Asmodean:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QruUDVzmFKg
Simply put, she was an incredible joy, and I am grateful beyond words that she decided to join Brandon for the second half of the tour. In fact, Brandon told us that she was surprised to learn how much the fandom respects and admires her and wished that she would have been joining the tour. And so she did. The icing on the cake was when she read the iconic opening paragraph of Chapter 1, and invited the crowd to recite the final words along with her:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsRRR23bQQc
For myself, the opportunity to express to her face-to-face, my thanks for her efforts and her endurance in seeing the series completed, and what the Wheel of Time story has meant to me, was pure gold.
During the Q&A session, Brandon had made
mention of the fact that he was a ground-floor Wheel of Time hipster, picking up The Eye of the World upon release in 1990. Harriet asked some folks during the signing line how long they had been with the series, including myself. When I told her that I first read TEotW during a Navy aircraft carrier deployment in 1990, when a shipmate left it for me on a table next to my bunk, I didn’t think another thing about it. It wasn’t until later that night that I discovered she had done more than simply sign my copy of AMoL.
A question was asked about the River of Souls “deleted scenes” business, and the non-spoiler portion of that is included in the Dragonmount report. Along with that, Harriet spoke briefly about how impressed she was with Bao the Wyld, aka Demandred, that he was this stunning juggernaut of hatred and destruction, but also that he spent the time creating a life and position for himself among the Sharans. It seems that he went there almost immediately after “waking” from the Bore, and that much of the activities he went through are in parallel with Rand’s actions on the main segment of the continent, and that journey of Demandred’s is what will be published in the Unfettered volume. Brandon specified that although it is Wheel of Time material, it cannot be considered 100% canon, because it was cut early enough that it did not get subjected to Maria’s detailed continuity validation.
The trivia games went over very well, featuring the crossword puzzle by Wetlandernw.
(I see you, s’rEDIT! And insectoid)
I was really amazed at how many people were willing to beat their brains against this stuff, but I guess it’s better than boredom while waiting. I also had prepared some trivia questions for those who rolled their eyes at the “easy” ones. I didn’t really think they were all that obscure, but only one person the entire night knew that Suroth’s pet lopar was named Almandaragal. Nobody was able to guess my bonus question for the last bit of Tor swag up for grabs. The question: Who was the prince, murdered by a Black Sister in the city of Chachin?
If I’m not mistaken, based on comments farther below in this thread, Simka can be found in this photo, as well as insectoid and BaboKathy:
The San Diego Memory Keepers were all solid WoT fans, each possessing a strong sense of responsibility for helping to ensure all went well on the evening. A good team, and they deserve to be proud of themselves.
After this, Harriet said her goodbyes, thanked everybody for coming, the Memory Keepers for volunteering, and then bought a book!
Ok, no more stalling. Time to get down to it. Here are the potential spoiler questions I was able to get Brandon to respond to (all non-spoiler questions are included in the Dragonmount report) (FL = Freelancer, BWS = Brandon W. Sanderson):
FL: When Rand is exiting the tunnel into the Pit, if he had gotten a good look at the woman who spoke to him there, would he have recognized her?
BWS: He didn’t get a good look at her.
FL: Understood, but if he had, would he have known her face.
BWS: I should RAFO that, but no. She wasn’t Verin.
FL: Oh, I never believed it could be Verin.
BWS: Then who do you think he would recognize?
FL: A face from his visions in Rhuidean.
BWS: Aha, very subtle, I didn’t see that coming. Still no.
So Nakomi (and we’re sure it was Nakomi based on previous answers from Brandon who said Nakomi could be found near the end of AMoL) is not one of the Jenn seen by Rand at the founding of Rhuidean. She could still be another of the Jenn. For others attending an upcoming signing, consider how to follow up on this question and try to get something useful.
FL: Who summoned Slayer to the Town and met him there?
BWS: Ok, I’m not sure I should give an answer to this one. Who do you think it is, what are you basing it on?
FL: I’m pretty sure it’s Lanfear. Several things. She’s wearing red and black, and she doesn’t have a Cour’souvra around her neck. Her appearance is unknown to Slayer, and she’s pretty, though she isn’t comfortable with her own reflection. She expresses disgust at having to use him. This eliminates Moghedien and Graendal.
BWS: But she’s ordering Slayer to kill Rand.
FL: This will lead into the next question, but I don’t think she believes that Slayer can succeed, she’s using him as a distraction, and to give her options, because she’s playing a deep game.
BWS: Ok, here’s your answer. Your case is very, very, very solid, and you can stand by it.
FL: Also about Lanfear. When she pops up next to Perrin several times in Tel’aran’rhiod at the Black Tower, she would speak to him briefly, then glance at the sky and vanish. Was that part of her act, trying to convince Perrin that she was no longer serving the Shadow, or was she genuinely afraid of being caught by “him”?
BWS: Here’s the thing about Lanfear. Just about everything she does has an element, a veneer of truth to it, and that greatly exaggerated, but no more than that. And as you said, she’s playing a different game than everyone else, and I mean everyone else. They’re all playing chess, and she’s playing backgammon. You cannot take her actions at face value.
FL: Among the items from the cache of ter’angreal from Ebou Dar which were identified by Aviendha, where there more intended to be used according to Jordan’s notes, but which you had to drop due to space or continuity reasons? Several were mentioned as facilitating long-distance communication.
BWS: What was used in the story were all of the items referenced in the notes. This is not to say that Robert Jordan would not have decided to use more, but we decided to stick with what was outlined by him.
FL: The gateway which sent Faile’s party into the Blight; Malice, or mistake?
BWS: RAFO. Here’s your card!
Some of the things in the encyclopedia Harriet is doing will be glossary-style descriptions of many characters, and tying up of some curious loose ends. Not sure if this will be among them, so you get to wait awhile longer.
FL: Was Lan’s Sheathing the Sword scene planned from early on, was its inclusion dictated by the flow of the action up to that point?
BWS: RAFO, that’s too much like asking whether it was Robert Jordan’s scene or mine.
I also asked Brandon a couple of questions outside of the WoT-verse, related to The Emperor’s Soul. If you haven’t read, this is your spoiler warning. (That said, I did not get into any detail, so the spoiling is very mild)
FL: In the opening of The Emperor’s Soul, I see a scene familiar to Warbreaker; the first character we meet is in jail.Was this “connection” intentional?
BWS: Yes and no. Originally there was a prologue which featured Hoid speaking with the main character and setting some of the plot in motion, but it was cut before final revision. Also, it’s convenient to begin with a character who is already in trouble.
FL: Near the ending of The Emperor’s Soul, I loved how the old man ends up repeating an act for which he had earlier chastised his young charge. A little O Henry touch?
BWS: It’s good that you caught that. I didn’t want it to be “beat you over the head” obvious, or too subtle.
FL: Robert Jordan has said that in the Wheel of Time, even material objects have a thread in the Pattern. In The Emperor’s Soul, you have a world where objects have souls. Was Jordan your source for this?
BWS: Both stories draw from the same Asian belief system.
There were a few other questions asked by the Memory Keepers which I was unable to record, and don’t recall. I sent an email asking for any of them they could remember, and got no response. So this is what there is.
I cannot end this without thanking Brandon one more time. He took on a gargantuan task, a potentially thankless task, and suffered the slings and arrows which it brought. He set aside for a time projects which had been burning in his creative mind to assume another’s vision. Every step of the way he remained aware that the Wheel of Time was not his, and was unwilling to inadvertently make it his. But this very mindset has resulted in him properly being able to stake a claim to ownership in the saga. He did it right, and he did it so very well.
He remained in the store Wednesday night, continuing to sign books which had been ordered by phone or online, and chatting with the staff and the few Memory Keepers who remained, until just after 11:30PM. The driver had been waiting more than an hour!
And that’s it. I am sorry for keeping this waiting, but rules are rules, and I agreed to abide by them.
7. Freelancer Sure we know patience. But we’re not fond of him. He usually overstays his welcome. :P
Yeah, I try to keep him in the same room with Brevity, as I’m not terrible fond of either, but then they’re like cats in a sack.
The one thing at the signing that surprised me at the time, but after consideration later did not surprise me at all, was that someone asked the question, “Who killed Asmodean?”
Really, after all this time?
But “The Bug” and his mom and I agreed later that the person who asked it was just being intentionally facetious.
We’ll see what Free’s take on it is soon. Harriet’s immediate response was it is a lesson on how one should always read the Glossary.
Overall, it was a great experience. Brandon and Harriet were obviously quite comfortable with the fans and each other. And both were enthusiastic, articulate, and . . . funny!
btw, I love the little pre-printed R.A.F.O. cards, although only one person’s question earned a card last night.
Maybe insectoid or Freelancer’s reports will remind me of something else.
Harriet confirmed that YES there would definitely be a new Encyclopedia of WOT. And also that it would be illustrated! She didn’t say whether an illustrator had been chosen (I don’t think so, anyway . . . Free? insectoid?).
I was extremely happy with the last book. I have been reading the series at least once a year since first got into the series, when shadow rising was new. Each time a new book comes out i reread the series again so everything is fresh when i pick up the new hard cover and go without sleep until the book is finished (usually one all-nighter does the trick) and i must say there are very few loose ends and tarmon gaiden was just as epic as i had hoped it would be. i was especially impressed with how many surprises there were. overall i must say that the series as a whole deserves a story of the millenium award! kudos to sanderson for doing an outstanding job in filling the shoes of a giant. imo brandon was def the correct choice to finish the story
All right, let’s see…
San Diego signing, Mysterious Galaxy bookstore, Feb. 6.
Both Brandon and Harriet attended.
My mom and I got there fairly early (just after 5:30 PM), and there were already a large number of people there—I’ll say around 50—and chairs were quickly disappearing, but we snagged a couple. Freelancer was already there, of course (being a Memory Keeper), and after I waved him over and we started chatting, s’rEDIT, who was sitting right behind us, introduced herself, and we talked for a long while.
Around 6 PM or so, Free announced that he had some wonderful crossword puzzles for us (courtesy of Wetlandernw) to pass the time, and they certainly did. (Of the 79 clues, I was able to answer 64 of them correctly, though I did misspell several (i.e., wrong vowel). The other 15 I was unable to answer, and researched them when we got home. Thanks, Wetlander!)
I first noticed Brandon and Harriet in the store at around 6:30 (though they must have arrived earlier, because Free claims to have had a private Q&A session, which I will leave to him to disclose). At 7 PM Brandon and Harriet were introduced, and Brandon went over how the night was going to proceed. The MKs then got set up for the Q&A (Free had a video camera, and many had voice recorders).
Sometime during the shuffle (or possibly before 7PM? I can’t recall), Harriet noted the photo of RJ that is on the wall behind the counter. She remembered that it was taken at Mysterious Galaxy during RJ’s last tour (for Knife of Dreams, in 2005), and asked us if anyone knew who took the photo—at which point Mom and I both put our hands up, and told her. Our good friend Jeanne (who lived near us until she moved to the Bay Area) took this photo at the bookstore during the 2005 signing; it now adorns RJ’s Wikipedia page, and she made the letter-size print for the MG store. In gratitude (for Harriet is very appreciative of the photo), she gave us a DVD of photos from that signing, including the one linked above, to send to Jeanne. It was a touching moment for us.
The Q&A went splendidly; as there were to be no spoilers for the book, most of the questions were the usual kind, like asking Brandon and Harriet how Brandon was selected, and how he thought about it; what the most difficult character was for him to write; what his favorite of Rand’s three girls was; that sort of thing. And most of those were fairly long-winded answers, with plenty of good humor mixed in from both of them. One daring fellow asked Brandon (tongue-in- cheek, undoubtedly) who killed Asmodean; Harriet insisted on answering, and him (loosly paraphrased) that it was an exercise in being able to read the Glossary, and we all laughed. One question was asked about the “River of Souls” story in the Unfettered anthology; this was the first I’d heard of it being a deleted scene from AMoL, so that was kind of neat. A question was asked about one of Brandon’s other books (one which I haven’t read, so it didn’t make any sense to me).
It wasn’t until about 7:45 or so that he finally called an end to the Q&A, and had Harriet do a very short reading from the book, which I will probably never forget, because the paragraph she read was the one used in each of the 14 volumes of TWoT: the wind scene. When she got to “There are neither beginnings nor endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time”, she paused, and let us recite with her, “But it was a beginning.”
Mom and I were second in the signing line, so we had plenty of time to get a group photo:
Sorry for the poor image quality; it was taken with my iPod touch, as I had neglected to bring a better camera. (And, indeed, I forgot to take any more pictures of anyone that night, which I regret a little.)
After we got our books signed, we went to get some fresh air, stretch our legs (imagine standing up after sitting on a hard folding chair for 2 hours, and you’ll know what it felt like getting up), and get some dinner at the McDonald’s. s’rEDIT was also there (her number was far enough in the line that she could wait a while), and we talked with her for almost an hour, and with another group from the signing (several of whom were sporting very nice outfits, including a Blue Aes Sedai and an Asha’man).
After dinner, we walked back to the bookstore and had another chat with Free out front. Mom and I elected not to stay for personalizations or additional questions; it was late and she was tired, so we said good-bye and left.
So… that turned out rather wordy, didn’t it! Shame on me. Looking forward to Free’s report.
Bzzz™.
Great reports, s’rEDIT, insectoid! I especially liked the picture…yes, you should have taken more. :) Now I’m just even more jealous over not being able to get to a signing!! Thanks for that..
I was there at the San Diego event & because about a third of the people raised their hands when BS asked “Who hasn’t read the book yet?” (the other 2/3 expressed a very vocal “aww”), the “on record” questions were extremely brief (I think no more than 10 were asked). We had to ask our own questions in private when it was our turn to get our books signed.
I asked if Harriet would explain how Rand lit his pipe. She was (as you would guess) evasive on the matter. I did my best to try to pin her down on it & the main points I got was:
“That was exactly as Jim wrote it”
“He wanted to leave you feeling that the next age will be even stranger than the last”
I asked if Rand now had some powers of the Creator & she again reiterated (maybe clarified?) that the next age will be profoundly different.
So I then asked if that ability is going to be exclusively Rand’s & she spread her hands to give me a look that said “maybe, maybe not”.
The vibe I got from her is that she didn’t really know what her husband meant for that to mean & she didn’t want to say one way or another, but that is just my opinion so take it for what it’s worth.
I did overhear some other people’s questions but since they weren’t mine I don’t feel compfortable repeating them.
Anyway I had a great time at the signing & I’m glad to have contributed here in my own small way. :)
Gerard
OK insectoid, you put my report to shame. I guess that’ll teach me to try this sort of thing as a newbie, lol.
But I got a picture too, & now I’m feeling an overwhelming need to post it along with yours! :D
Asha’Gerard @16:
That’s what this thread is for. ;)
Bzzz™.
It’s pretty standard practice, unless it’s personal stuff of course. I’ve actually recorded other people’s answers. :) Sometimes we get 2-3 different reports of the same question.
PS—Thanks for the reports, guys. Mostly old news but Harriet’s reaction to the pipe question is interesting.
Thanks for the reports guys! I’m looking forward to more.
Great job, Bug and Asha’ Gerard and S’redit! Thanks so much for posting and the pix.
Interesting “get” on the Pipe. Stranger than this age, eh? Ummmmmm.
Wetlander: Care to share those crosswords??? Are they WoT related? That sounds so interesting…….
Harriet looks wonderful in these photos. I’m sure she’s proud, and relieved that she’s seen the series to it’s completion. She is a very wry and funny lady.
Thanks again you guys!
Note to other signing attendees…..Bring a camera!!! Take lots of pix!!!
Free…..your turn.
huh… don’t know why, but i always assumed Freelancer was a girl…
Asha’Gerard
Two things. One, I remember you in the store, and in the signing line. Two, share away. Questions asked in public may be shared by anyone who was there, and far fewer than half of the people there are likely to even visit here, much less comment. I was unable to record questions asked from the signing line, so you may be the only chance for them to be read on this site.
CorDarei,
Dude. Seriously?
Wetlandern: Any way we can all get the crossword?
These reports make me wish there were more tour stops in Canada :(
Ah well, will check this site often…
OK it took me over an hour to paint over & prepare that last post. I’m falling asleep & need to go to bed now. Will post again when I wake up.
Asha’Gerard – (and others) I’m happy to email you the crossword file if you aren’t going to a signing, and when the signings are over I’d be happy to make it available here. However, since the puzzle is going to be used at many more signings, and as a contest at some of them, I’d hoped NOT to have it posted online until the tour is over. Please, please edit the above post and remove the crossword for now. Thanks.
(I do, truly, apologize for asking this after the amount of time you spent on cleaning it up, but as I said… this was developed for the Memory Keepers to use all through the tour, and I’d hate to have people win contests because they were able to look things up ahead of time – or get there and be “cheated” out of the fun of doing it at the time.)
(Moderators – I flagged this and the above so you see it and can remove the puzzle asap if Asha’Gerard really did go to bed right away.)
If anyone who is NOT attending a signing wants a copy of the puzzle, I can give it to you in a private message on facebook, or you can put your email address in a (private) message in my shoutbox and I’ll send it to you. Just please, please don’t post it publicly until after the AMoL tour is over.
(If we’re not already friends on facebook, search for “Wetlander” and there’s a good chance you’ll find me.)
Tektonica – I’ll message you the documents. :) Check facebook shortly.
Wetlandernw-
Um, I now feel both horrible for doing that & an idiot as I can’t figure out how to edit it. I wasn’t a member & when trying to register I don’t think it likes the apostrophe I chose in my user name. I will edit it asap if u can tell me how.
OK I’m sure of it now, when trying to register I get this error message:
Error Please enter a valid Username. No spaces, at least 2 characters and must contain only letters and numbers.
Because I used an apostrphe in my free user name I can’t register under that same user name, which AFIK, means I can’t edit any of my posts. If there is a way to edit them as an unregistered user please tell me & I will edit it immediately.
I am very sorry that I posted the puzzle but I can’t figure out how to remove it.
Sorry Free :p
Asha, can’t edit when you’re in the red. Mods will need to i think.
ok, well now i’ve called out of work today because i feel so bad. The mods have my email address & i will check it regularly to see if they can get me registered or if there’s anything i can do to help remove the puzzle. Again I’m really very, very sorry i did that it’s just that people were asking & I guess I just wasn’t thinking. I would remove it now if could. I feel like a criminal & wish there was something i could do to fix it.
Alice—since it’s been up for a while, I can try to make you another one later.
@Asha’Gerard:
I had exactly the same problem. So usually I just post in the red with my precious apostrophe in place, but I have set up a profile with the same name (as above here) without the apostrophe so that I *can* post in the black and can edit, but mostly so I can PM other members of the Rereads.
@@@@@ all those attending other signings:
Do not despair if your number is high.
If there are a lot of tickets (our signing had at least 200, I believe, and I was # 152) then Brandon may say “No personalizations.” But in our line, when things had begun to clear out and slow down (after I’d gone to “dinner” at McD’s and chatted with insectoid and BaboKathy for at least an hour) he did offer to do them without us having to wait until the very end and go through the line again. So then I was glad to be near the end (since I was there to get a personalized copy, but couldn’t stay longer).
Asha’Gerard – NOT a problem! The mods have removed it, and the only people who would have seen it are those who are checking this thread. Silly of me to not think about the fact that you can’t edit when you’re “in red.” I’m sorry about that, and I really don’t want you to feel awful. You had no way of knowing that I didn’t want it posted until I checked (later than usual) and told you. Don’t feel bad; if I really feel it’s necessary, I can make a new one or change some of the answers/clues before the future signings. :)
I’d been wondering why Demandred didn’t just use the True Power to dispatch the various swordsmen that challenged him, and I got to ask it last night at the Huntington Beach signing. I thought I’d post it here in case anyone else was wondering the same thing.
Brandon’s response was that Demandred was the most wary and cautious of the Forsaken and he wasn’t going to “mess with that medallion”, not knowing fully what it was or what it could do, especially since he suspected that the swordsman was Lews Therin in disguise.
I also asked if we would ever get to hear the conversation between Hawkwing and Tuon, and he said that it did happen and would have had a great impact on future novels were they to be written. Not really the answer I was looking for but an intersting revelation.
Rats – I meant to say this earlier.
Asha’Gerard – By all means, post whatever questions & answers you overheard unless they were clearly personal in nature. :) As long as they relate to the WoT and Brandon didn’t request that it not be made public (which almost never happens – especially in a signing line!*) they’re fair to publish. If you have to paraphrase, say so; if you can give exact quotes, so much the better. But yes, absolutely, if you overheard questions, it’s okay tell us all what you heard!
* I can recall one time where Brandon asked that a particular answer be “off the record.” Someone had asked him a question about one of his books, and his honest answer wasn’t going to reflect glory on someone; he asked me to turn off the recorder (implying to all that this probably shouldn’t be repeated) before he answered. He probably wouldn’t have said even that much, but the “crowd” was a total of about 7 die-hards hanging around while he signed stock for the bookstore. In a signing line, he’d give an Aes Sedai answer if needed. :)
I was also at the San Diego signing, in line right behind Insectoid and Babokathy. Insectoid did a splendid job of describing the evening. I have never seen Brandon or Harriet in person, so I was surprised at how tall Brandon is. Harriet was just adorable during the Q&A.
I asked Brandon why Alanna hung onto Rand’s bond right up until the moment of her death, especially when it caused her so much grief. I haven’t seen any discussion on this issue, and I don’t know whether anyone else besides me was curious about it, but there it is. Brandon paused for a long time, and I actually thought he was going to RAFO me, but I guess he was just considering his answer. Unless I write things down as they happen, I have no short term memory for people’s exact words, so I can only paraphrase him. He said that Aes Sedai have trouble letting go of anything [as we are all well aware]; they feel that you never know when something will come in handy. So until Alanna became aware that her death while holding Rand’s bond would adversely affect the outcome of his battle with the Dark One, she wouldn’t release it. Almost as an afterthought he added that just having a way to locate Rand had had some value [for the Lightside, I gathered].
When I moved on to Harriet I could only thank her profusely for allowing the series to be finished, and I got a little misty. I’ve been a WOT fan for a long long time, but I didn’t realize I felt so emotional about it.
@Wetlandernw — I got one of your crossword puzzles and am looking forward to working it.
We also received a logic puzzle while we were waiting for the Q&A. Did anyone figure it out? I am no good at all at word problems and logic puzzles. You can PM me if giving the answer is a spoiler for the rest of the signing tour…
Insectoid @13
Is that your *mother*?! Tell her she looks good! She could dress up as an Aes Sedai.
Just curious, was anybody at that signing a few years ago for Way of Kings in Orlando FL where the guy fell down the escalator? I have no idea what happened with that. I got Brandon to sign my iPad and he said it was the first time anyone had ever asked him to sign one, lol, it was back when they were new and cool.
@38: Simka, wish you’d introduced yourself earlier!
::waves, belatedly::
Simka @38:
Sigh, for the stubborness of Aes Sedai!
I didn’t get a chance to look at the logic puzzle; was too busy filling in the crossword.
JanDSedai @39:
Yup! I’ve always told her that she’s ageless like an Aes Sedai. I’d have her dress as one, but a) she’s not big on dresses; and b) we would need a green shawl, either bought or made. She has the talent to make one, but doesn’t have the time (conversely, I have the time, but zero sewing talent).
Still wishing I’d taken more pictures (or better yet, brought an actual camera). I will not be flying to Atlanta without a decent camera, I promise!
Bzzz™.
Question for Team Jordan: Is there a distance limit for double-bond telepathy? If not it could be useful for long-distance communication or battlefield coordination.
simka @@@@@ 38
The answer Brandon gave to your question on Alanna is very interesting and telling. There was a discussion about her in the general AMOL spoiler thread. There is a lot of mistery surrounding her, especially how she got to SG at the end. Her motivation, whether or not she is Black Ajah- a long-running debate.
Brandon’s answer implies that Alanna is 99% not BA. This affects significantly how her actions throughout the books are to be viewed. As far as her role at SG, or how/why she got there in particular, I think the theory of Moridin kidnapping her from the Stone has become practically a certainty. It makes too much sense.
99%?
Let’s see. Rand is engaged with pure, concentrated evil. Alanna is dying. Her death felt through his bond would most likely destroy him, given the strain he is already under. Were she Black, it would be the ultimate victory. And she releases the bond willingly. Not Black, Q.E.D.
Check back on my first comment in this thread (#7) as that is the space I will use for the report.
ValMar@44 and simka@38 That’s an interesting answer and certainly does indicate that Alanna was not a Darkfriend, just a Lightside Aes Sedai with an overly privileged view of her importance in the world. I would really love to know what happened her between disappearing from the Stone and appearing in SG, and feel that it’s one of the story strands that should have been clarified, in order to get resolution. Anyway, I agree that it does point to the theory that she was kidnapped from the Stone by the Dark, as a way to track Rand, particularly once he had the dull dagger. The only problems with this theory is that it doesn’t explain the role that Verin’s letter played in her disappearance. For years, the assumption has been that something in Verin’s letter caused her voluntary flight, but that wouldn’t track with a kidnapping. Unless Verin’s was trying to warn her about the kidnapping and the letter only arrived too late?
Freelancer @@@@@ 45
Yes, 100% sounds more acurate, I just thought to hedge it cowardly with the 1%… I agree with your point, plus I never thought she was BA. But she could’ve been like Verin (this was suggested by someone) or had a last minute epiphany like Ingtar. It was argued that the lateness of her bond release implied something extra fishy about her. Brandon with his answer removed any doubt, IMO. I thought it more than noteworthy.
sushisushi @@@@@ 46
Well, I think it’s best not to go down the road of “the role of Verin’s letters”. There are a few of the said letters knocking about and we haven’t seen anything come out of them, that we know of. Your guess that it was another failed warning is as good as any, better than most.
Simka (and anyone else!) – have fun with the puzzle. :) If you want to check answers or want the key, let me know. Most of it, you should be able to confirm your answers via encyclopaedia-wot.
sushisushi @46 – “…a Lightside Aes Sedai with an overly privileged view of her importance in the world.” What? Such an idea!! (It only describes maybe, oh, 99.5 % of the Aes Sedai we met, after all…)
02/07/13 @@@@@ Barnes & Noble Huntington Beach.
Chase & I arrived around 6:45 for a 7:00 signing. Standing room only–seats had been full since 5:00 according to some. Chatted with the crew, had some laughs, drank coffee.
Employee announcement–Rules Change! First time through the line sign three books w/Brandon & Harriet, second time through the line Brandon will personalize books–Harriett is going to leave.
Memory Keepers in red shirts [HA!] roll in & tell us not to ask spoiler questions.
Brandon & Harriett arrive all smiles & waves. Brandon reviews the rules @@@@@ Spoilers and describes the photo bombing strategy. Show of hands for how many have not finished–about half [?]
Questions–lots of fairly good ones about the writing process–several Brandon asks the person to follow up with him in line because of spoilers. Retells the story of getting the Call from Harriett. Questions about Zany Magic Systems [!]. Nice plugs for what he is working on. Harriett does a Jordan imitation, talks about where she saw herself in the book, and editting in general. Brandon says WoT and Ender’s Game are the two most important books of our Generation. Question period lasted about 30 minutes & ended with an Amazing Harriett read of what Brandon called the Wind Paragraph:
“The Wheel of Time turns, and ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legends fade to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again. In one Age, called the third age by some, an Age yet to come, an age long pass, a wind rose in the Mountains of Mist. The wind was not the beginning. There are neither beginnings or endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was a beginning.”.
which was great.
Lines were very long–store was packed. Signing was non eventful.
Overall a very fun Thursday night.
The only picture I took was of some Legos that I played with while waiting in line.
ValMar@47 Yeah, for a while there it seemed that they might have been an important plot point, but apart from informing Rand of Mattin Stepaneos’ approximate whereabouts and Mat’s unopened letter about Camelyn, they seem to have been rather more red herringy than expected. Pity, because I loved the idea of Sneaky Verin leaving lots of Lightside logic bombs for characters, based on her years of observation and powers of deduction.
Wetlandernw@48 I *know*, such a preposterous notion! (Everyone bar Shemerin and possibly Daigian, I suspect.)
I will be going to the Philly book signing on Feb 19. I have several questions. I do not expect to be able to ask all of these questions, but plan to ask what I can. If anybody knows the answers to the questions below, I would appreciate an answer. This way I will not waste my question.
Non-spoiler questions:
1) Once a person pledges themsleves to the Shadow (either voluntarily or involuntarily), are they always reborn as agents of the Dark?
2) Does a hero bound to the Horn of Valere continue to be bound during the next turning of the Wheel? So when the next Third Age occurs will Hawking and those who are presently bound be still bound to the Horn?
3) We know from the text that a stilled channeler can be Healed. Did Robert Jordan leave anything in his notes that would determine whether or not a person who was Turned can be Healed?
Spoiler Questions:
a) How do Egwene, Nynaeve and Moiraine know Moridin’s name? (Egwene mentions Moridin by name when talking to Rand at the meeting of the Field of Merrilor; Nynaeve and Moiraine each mention Moridin by name inrespective POV while in Shayol Ghul.)
b) After the Last Battle what happens to the Band of the Red Hand?
Thanks for reading my musings,
AndrewB
Danger WoT (wall of text).
Alrighty then. I’m going to backtrack a bit since we now have a forum to post tour reports (provided my aging short-term memory will cooperate). Some of you have seen bits and pieces of this material already in the WoT rereaders FB page and Leigh’s ToM part 29 reread thread, so bear with me.
Date: January 11, 2013. Brandon and Harriet both attended the 7 pm event.
Venue: Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Lexington, KY. This is an awesome (!), huge bookstore – 2 floors with an escalator between them, open floor plan (not ground to ceiling shelves), comfy seating scattered around, gas fireplace, skylights and plenty of windows, well lit, and with a small restaurant on the premises – certainly the nicest bookstore I’ve ever been in and a very cozy setting. No, they didn’t pay me to plug the shop.
What happened: My wife (not a WoT fan(atic)) and I arrived back at Jos.-Beth at about 5:30 pm after picking up my copy of AMoL & the line ticket, perusing a bit, getting bearings and checking into our hotel earlier in the afternoon (it’s a 3-hour drive from our home). There were about 6 people sitting in the first row of chairs around the podium and table where Brandon and Harriet would speak/sign later. Most were reading their copies of AMoL. One young lady related that she had been holding her chair down since the store opened that morning (ouch, those were not very comfy chairs). We decided to eat in the cafe along with several others folks waiting for the big event. Brandon walked through the cafe during dinner, presumably looking for the room where he was to meet and dine with the MKs.
The chairs around the podium were starting to fill up by the time we finished eating, so I grabbed a second-row seat and began reading AMoL (but couldn’t concentrate) while wifey found a comfy arm chair in the “stacks” nearby.
I estimated the number of line tickets at 375, based on the size (25) and number of groups. There was an additional 100 or more in attendance at the peak of the event, given family members and others who just stopped by (randomly?) to listen to the proceedings. I had a “C” line ticket based on book purchase date (late in the game) – behind preferred, “A” and “B”. So, not too bad, all things considered. While waiting for the show to start, some really cool, very redneck WoT fanatics I was chatting with gave me a spare “A” ticket they had. My “C” then went to someone with a “J”.
Keep in mind that this signing occurred only 3 days after the book was released. Only a few of the most intrepid (sleep-deprived) had read past mid-book. Spoilers were expressly prohibited by executive order.
The MKs I noticed and interacted with were all young adults (i.e., under 30) and many seemed to be UK students. Their pre-signing meeting(s) were by Skype. What a great idea, considering travel distances and the unpredictable winter weather in this part of the country (my concerns when debating the issue of applying, which I didn’t).
The Q & A session and signing proceeded almost exactly as described in davidgiven @49‘s report above, so I won’t reiterate. Many questions centered on the writing and editing processes. Not what I expected, but very, very enjoyable to hear described. Our Q & A lasted 55-60 minutes. No one asked “Who killed Asmo?” – thankfully. Brandon and Harriet are both fascinating and captivating speakers. My wife (the not-a-WoT-fan one) said afterward that she was glad she came along on the trip and enjoyed listening to them. One downside to the Q & A was the slightly crazed gentlemen who tried to answer a few of the questions addressed to Brandon and mumbled to himself in the corner behind wifey after the management asked him to sit down and stop pacing around the lecture area. He reminded me of a taint-touched Asha’man. He either left in frustration or was asked to leave later. Creepy. On the in-world topic, there were several women with shawls and appropriately colored dresses in attendance, but that was the only role-playing I noticed. No bugs dressed as Asha’men.
I struggled with what question to ask Brandon during my 30 seconds with him while he signed. The best I came up with was: “Will you be putting in an appearance at Jordan-Con this year?” – (Didn’t think this question had been answered) – to which he answered “Yes”, then asked me if Freelancer would be coming when he learned I followed Leigh’s reread. Free is already aware of this and, I gather, feels quite honored. Perhaps Brandon convinced our compatriot to attend the Con during the SD signing, but I’m not holding my breath (just hopeful).
Wifey and I elected not to stay for the customization period after the routine signing since we were tired and the crowd was huge. Hope to catch up with him at the Con for this. Instead we grabbed some snacks at the Whole Foods next door and headed back to the room to rest up for the journey to Maker’s Mark and home the next day.
Photos snapped during my minute at the signing table follow (well-executed by Mrs. Ways, signing line not held up).
Edited for content.
I just want to thank Tor management and Jason and his team at Dragonmount for first letting people volunteer as “memory keepers” than organizing all the memory keepers for the signings. I had a fantastic time meeting Brandon and Harriet and wearing my Birgette costume and meeting fellow Wot lovers like me.
Ways @53:
Great report!
LOL!! XD
I doubt it; he probably would have mentioned it already if he had. And now I’m kicking myself, because I forgot to tell Brandon and Harriet that I would be attending. D’oh!
Freelancer’s report was just posted on Dragonmount, so keep an eye on @7 for his report here.
Bzzz™.
s’rEDIT@41 — I was the lady two seats over from BaboKathy. It’s very difficult for me to introduce myself to people, especially when I’ve only posted on the reread maybe two times before this thread. I was lost in admiration of the way you did it! *waves back*
ValMar@44 — Your remark reminded me that Brandon did specifically say in his answer to me that Alanna was definitely not Black Ajah.
@56: Simka – Oh, drat! I noticed you respond the first time I tried to get their attention, but since I’m awfully uncomfortable trying to introduce myself to people, myself . . . it didn’t quite resgister. Wish you’d spoken up then!
@53: Ways – Your report made me realize that I did not identify myself to Brandon and Harriet as one of Leigh’s re-reader following. What a disappointing omission on my part.
Since then, I’ve also wished I’d thought to ask Harriet if the name of the Seanchan elephant was intended as a callout to Harriet, an editor (an elephant never forgets).
sushisushi @@@@@ 51
Who knows, maybe Verin’s letters were too much too late to fit in the story (as originally planned) in the context of the finishing of the series post 2007. I suspect there are few more things like that. Sadly, it was inevitable.
As it is, we know of Alsalam’s finding as the only positive outcome from them.
Simka @@@@@ 56
Thanks for the clarification.
A general point: I notice people talking about numbered tickets for the lines. This looks like great (and common sense!) approach to organizing these events. They haven’t done it in London’s signings. If Brandon comes to do more signings in the UK I hope his manager, or whoever deals with this, asks for numbers to be issued here as well. I might go ask for this in the bookstore myself otherwise.
insectoid @@@@@ 55
I just read Freelancer’s report, thanks for pointing it out. It’s an excellent one.
In light of it I would like to suggest that any readers in this forum who find themselves in London to visit the Forbidden Planet store- you will not regret it! That’s where Brandon, and many other genre authors, did his signings. It’s a si-fi heaven! It’s brilliantly located between the British Museum and Leicester Sq/Trafalgar Sq, near Oxford Str, rock/metal pubs, Foyles bookstore, The Opera House, West End theatres and sex dens, etc.
Please refer to Comment #7, finally.
Great report Free! Thank you! Good info.
And Ways! Thank you too….I look forward to meeting you, and Mrs. Ways, if she’s coming, at JordanCon!
It looks like we’re going to have a pretty good turn out of Rereaders at JCon this year, to support Leigh in her Toastmistress role.
Simka@56 Thanks for the clarification on Alanna’s allegiance.
Freelancer@7 Thanks for asking the clever questions and allowing us to experience the evening vicariously…
Tektonica @60
Well, thank you for the thank you. Freelancer @7 just set a very high standard for future reports, though.
I don’t think Mrs. Ways will be coming along in April. Hard to say at this point. Little Ways (19-year old daughter) has expressed interest in going, likely because she thinks we’ll be staying in “downtown” Atlanta where she can enjoy the nightlife, shopping, etc. Her tune will probably change when she finds out were lodged in the burbs.
Freelancer @7
Totally awesome (dude)! I really appreciate the transcript from your semi-private, spoilerific Q & A. That alone is sufficient reason to be a “docent” at these events, provided you have a list of good, relevant questions. I’m learning how to prepare for and approach signings – stuff you old pros already have in your bag of tricks. I can only hope Harriet and Maria make some appearences when the WoT Encyclopedia is published so I can implement some of what I picked up this round. A recording device or 2 (video and audio) seems like a requirement. I wish Mrs. Ways had taken a few more photos to share, I especially like the stills and videos you posted.
General
A couple more photos from the Lexington event follow. Only 1 RAFO card was given out there and I don’t recall the question that earned it (sufficient reason to take along a notebook or audio recorder). We were limited to 3 books for the non-personalized first pass, which seems standard. Did I mention Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Lexington is fantastic, spacious, comfy? Yes, I think so.
Edit – delete non-essential paragraph.
Free @7:
Great report!
Interesting that BwS thought you were talking about Verin, instead of just beating around the bush re: Nakomi.
Some intriguing thoughts about Lanfear. I especially like the chess/backgammon analogy.
Yay, RAFO card! XD
Tek @60:
I’ve been thinking about that, and have something in the works that the members of our group might like: buttons! What’s the latest count you have on your list of Re-readers attending JCon? (I’ve been using your list from @404 on ToM part 29.)
Bzzz™.
My comment @63 vanished… but then it showed up when I previewed this one. Ghosts in the machine.
ETA: Accidental 0x40 :P
Bzzz™.
insectoid,
Well, other answers he has given make it deducible that Nakomi is the woman at Shayol Ghul. But there had been significant speculation that Nakomi was Verin in disguise, so that’s why he was going there. My aim was to find out if she was a Jenn, and the limited answer he gave still leaves an opening there because there may have been more Jenn from then than Rand saw in the WABAC ter’angreal, but I get the impression that this will be one of the items in the encyclopedia. Harriet is assuming full ownership of that, and seemed excited to get busy on it, so Brandon isn’t as clear on what items will or will not find their way into it.
By the way, I kind of glossed over it in my comments at the beginning of #7, but you’re own report is outstanding, and gave me freedom to focus on smaller things. Very well done.
Ways,
You did an awesome job with your reporting, don’t feel otherwise. I had several advantages, starting with knowing I’d be trying for this sort of thing about two months ago. Also, having a recording of the audio beats the trash out of taking notes, or simply working from memory. And the bit of extra access afforded me as a Memory Keeper made a substantial difference as well. So anything good about the results is simply due to preparation. And I still think it could be better.
Insectoid@@@@@63:
At current count I have @@@@@ 22 people that have said they’d be at JCon. Man-O may be keeping a list too. Maybe he’ll post his count.
Thanks for the button idea! Sounds good!
Heading to the Portland, OR signing tonight, if anyone has any questions let me know
Insectoid@63, Tektonica@66:
I’m listed as a possible on that link, and should be coming to JordanCon.
Can’t wait to play MK at the Atlanta signing.
Sam,
I suggest rechecking the comments on this thread, the open spoiler thread, and the new re-read, as there are some good questions found among them. I slated out my questions in order of personal interest, and didn’t get to some which others had suggested. I sent Wetlandernw some to add to her stack. I was also hoping for a Maria response to one MAFO.
This is my current list of JordanCon attendees from our Rereaders.
If you’re not on here, and you’re coming, please let me know!
If you are on here and your not coming, please let me know.
Attendees for JordanCon 2013
JDauro
AhoyMatey
Man-O-Manatheren
Sweetlilflower
Lannis
Tektonica
Scissorrunner
Misfortuona
BillinHi
Insectoid
Zexxes
Ways
JeffS
RSSNewberry
BraidTug
Darth.Agilus
JanDSedai
Travyl
There are some not included in this list, like Terez, RFife and Linda Taglieri, who are primarily Dragonmount and Theorylanders, but will also be there.
Please help me make this as complete as possible, so we can all find each other in Atlanta. Thanks!!
Another MK!! Hey, rossnewberry – have a blast!! FWIW, I’ll post not only my signing report, but also any suggestions for other MKs down the line. I’ve already gotten some good ideas from Freelancer elsewhere, and the list they give you is pretty good, but there are always little things, right? (Like, the MK guidelines don’t include a having sign-up sheet for Brandon’s email list, but it’s needed.)
Nervous, and hoping I get everything done before tomorrow afternoon… I’ll post some pictures here, if I can figure out how. And for anyone going to a signing, be sure to identify yourself as a rereader! :) (Yes, I’m shamelessly promoting this bunch – we’re much more fun than any of the other groups. I’m sure of it.)
Tek @70:
Oh, good, I’m not missing any.
Here’s a sample (mine) of the buttons I’m making:
They’re basically Badge-a-Minit templates made up in Inkscape, using your profile picture (if you have one) and screen name. The border color (which is basically the edges of the button) can be used to represent Ajah color, or whatever. (If you have any preference, or other ideas, you can let me know.)
ETA: (That is, drop me a PM in my shoutbox, or an email.)
I’ve also made one for Leigh; hers will have a unique decoration. I did make one for R.Fife, but now I’m not sure if I should use his avatar or a photo of Rick Astley. XD
Bzzz™.
Is anyone from the re-read going to the Milford NH signing this coming Saturday?
Love the button insectoid – what a great idea!
Insectoid@63 & Tektonica@66:
I have 26 on my list for Leeh’s Bunker at JordonCon. I am also bringing buttons that look surprisingly like my avatar. Insectoid, yours look great! And Ways and Braid_Tug are working on a t-shirt.
Wetlandernw, are you going to be a MK at the Seattle signing tomorrow night? I will be there, probably with my daughter. I s anyone else in the Seattle area going to the event?
Man-O: Will you check your list against mine, and let me know who you have that I don’t. thank you!
Love the button, Bug! Great idea. I’ll wear two buttons, no problem! btw, make my ajah Green…thanks!
Have a great time all you sigining MKs, and other attendees!
billiam @75
I expect you will find plenty of company from Leigh’s re-reads at the Seattle signing, MKs included. Don’t forget to identify yourself as one of Leigh’s faithful re-readers.
Sam @67
You always come up with great, relevant questions. I expect you will this time too. Even so, I’m interested in some basic stuff that I don’t think has been addressed, and may end up in the Encyclopedia anyway…
– What are the Nine Rods of Dominion and what is their purpose?
– What is the Ring of Tamyrlin and it’s pupose?
– Why did the 2 above topics die?
– Does Tuon ever learn to channel?
FWIW
Hope you get this in time (and a RAFO card).
MoM @74
I haven’t heard anything from Braid_Tug about the t-shirts. I’ll try to get an answer, if nothing is forthcoming then I’ll get a wiggle on.
@ALL:
Boy! Am I getting jealous of those who can make it to JordanCon! insectoid, I love your button design!
I keep trying to think of what I might do, up to and including actually asking my former husband’s sister if I could stay with her in Atlanta, but with what’s going on at home, I’d better stick around here (SoCal).
Oh, well. ::pouts::
wow, thanks for the reports everyone. I am too far away to attend any of the signings but love reading about your experiences/questions etc.
Ways,
Robert Jordan’s answer about the nine Rods of Dominion can be seen on Theoryland’s awesome interview database here.
The Ring of Tamyrlin can also be found on a lovely compiled Glossary as a Google doc, go here and then select R and find Ring of Tamyrlin.
billiam – YES! JeffS and I are both MK’s for the Seattle event. Please be sure and introduce yourself! I don’t know of other rereaders who will be there, but you never know. You can spot the MK’s by the red t-shirts; I’ll be the taller of the two women.
thanks for the reports and Q&A you all.
insectoid (72.), nice button design
Tektonica (76.): green – it’s the multiple-bonding that decided you, right?
By the way my color probably needed to be yellow (despite my preference of the green color).
Tektonica and other JordonCon attendees:
I addition to your list at post 70, I have:
JonathanLevy
wcarter
Susurrin Davyd
moondivatx
UnoNomesta
I also included:
terez
rfife
Linda
A couple of these might be unconfirmed, so if there are any corrections, additions or deletions, please post us!
insectoid: I probably identify more with the Brown Ajah, but mostly I identify as a gleeman, so have at it!
Freelancer@7
Ace job! I have to tell you that I was tempted to make the 6 hour drive over to SD just to crash that signing – until reality set in (i.e. I would have to drive home and work the next day.)
Samadai – I was thinking about you last night, since the Beaverton signing is one I can visualize! Looking forward to your report.
Wetlandernw – A little over a week ago, it looked like my employer was going to have me up in Seattle over the 12th. I was so hoping to surprise you and show up! Sadly it didn’t pan out – darn it.
Ashabug@72
What a great idea!! Rick Astley of course – RFife has that coming.
FWIW – I will have a brand new song ready for JordanCon.
Freelancer @80
Thanks for the references!!
Edit: And after reading them…the description of the Ring is identical to what the Big Book says, IIRC. :-(
Just got back from the Seattle signing. First off, I want to say that Brandon is really super cool; just a nice, personable guy. First and foremost the guy is just a fan. He even said that the best part of being done with writing WoT is that he can go back to being a fan; discussing and theorizing with others, something he felt he couldn’t do while still writing the books. He said that he can finally start talking to other people about the end of the series.
The best part of the night? My nine year old daughter got to fist bump Brandon when we got to the signing table. How cool is that?
The event went pretty much the same as the others described earlier, with pretty much the same questions being asked. Harriet was also there and read the “Wind” paragragh after the Q & A period.
I got to meet and talk with both Wetlandernw (who was dressed like Cadsuane, natch) and JeffS (who gave my daughter a “Bela is a darkfriend” bumpersticker for being there) who were both MKs.
While getting my books signed I asked Brandon how many books he had written before Elantris and he said seven, not all of which were epic fantasy. He also said that that number had risen to thirteen books by the time Elantris was published, making Mistborn the fourteenth
book he had written.
All in all, a very enjoyable evening. I’m so glad I took the night off from work to go.
I’ll probably post more on the Seattle signing later but it’s after midnight and I’m starting to fuzz out around the edges.
Nice to meet you and your daughter Billiam. And on a school night even.
Harriet was as gracious as you would expect and Brandon was really fun when we got him chatting in “Fan” mode.
We had a large crowd, close to 400 I would guess, but it went smoothly.
My favorite signing was a young lady that asked Brandon to inscribe a copy of AMOL with “Good luck on your Midterm tomorrow” for her friend who was in the middle of cramming for an upper level math test. I really hope it helps.
Last impression for the night. Every face had a smile when leaving, including mine.
Wow. That was fun. And now that I’ve got the gray spray paint out of my hair… I just realized that one latte does not make a good substitute for dinner. Guinness, maybe, but not a latte.
So, so much to tell! Having been a Memory Keeper, most of my comments have to wait until the Seattle report goes up on Dragonmount, but for now I can at least say that it was incredibly fun; Brandon and Harriet were superb; I was indeed dressed as Cadsuane (with a red t-shirt!!); the MK team and the store team all but developed a mutual admiration society; it was great to work with JeffS; and it was so much fun to meet billiam and his adorable daughter – who just so happens to be two days older than my daughter. How fun is that?? Oh – and I got my very own RAFO card tonight. :)
Pictures and transcriptions will be forthcoming, though I suspect I’d better wait until I’ve had some sleep to do anything with the pictures – if I tried tonight, I’d probably lose them or something. Also, my deepest apologies to all: I forgot (!!) to print out my list of questions to take along!! At least Brandon was relieved… :) As soon as I post this, I’m going to go look at the list and see what I remembered to ask, and write down what answers I got.
So the next question is…
Why are we still up?
ETA: Whoops, forgot to respond to a few…
@many:
Thanks for the praise, guys! It’s not exactly original, after all—the snake/wheel is just a faded-out copy of the new logo by Sam Weber; the screen name font comes with Win 7 (I think), and the calligraphic font is one that came with a 20-year-old copy of Print Shop. The only tricky part of the whole process is making sure the dimensions of the button are correct when it’s printed.
I may still spiff the design up a little, and that will be original. :) (I’m not printing them right away, of course. Maybe late March/early April, just in case there are any last-minute attendees.)
Tek @76:
Green: done! (Weren’t you leaning toward Blue/Brown before?)
travyl @82:
Yellow: done!
Man-0 @83:
I’ll make Terez a button just in case.
Brown: done! (Plaid wouldn’t show on the edge, I don’t think.)
Fork @84:
I’ll let it be a surprise… R.Fife might be reading this!
billiam @86:
Fist-bump: VERY cool! :D
Wet @88:
Cadsuane in a T-shirt? That must’ve been interesting. :P
JeffS @89:
You’re both wired? :P Even I didn’t stay up that long to post a comment after our signing. (I just stayed up the following night. XD)
Looking forward to your reports!
Bzzz™.
Tektonika @70, Man-O @83: I will also be at Jordan Con!
Bug @90 Mine would have to be green, and I uploaded an avatar icon yesterday.
Yay for Chaplainchris1 coming to JCon!! You’re now on the list.
Bug: I was leaning to Blue, because it’s my favorite color, but I”m not very political, so I’ll have to be a warrior!
BillianHi, Wetlander, JeffS. So very cool that you all hooked up! Can’t wait for pix and a write up!
wetlandernw @@@@@ 88:
“I forgot (!!) to print out my list of questions to take along!!” OMG, people. Wetlander can forget something. I would never have believed it if it had not come from her own lips. :-)
chaplainchris1: Yeah! Glad you will be there.
Powell’s Bookstore, Beaverton Oregon.
The crowd shot only shows the first 50%. Many more rows of seats continued back and it was standing room only.
I hope these photos show up and persist. I had a good time and was glad to have the opportunity to go.
Aegon@95: So where’s your report? Nothing to tell us about? No questions answered there?
Man-o-M, 94 (wetlander 88):
I bet she forgot / missed washing the dishes too, because of the signing ;)
KJacobs@73:
I’ll be at the Milford, NH signing on Saturday. I’ve never posted here before but I’ve read a good chunk of the re-reads. Looking forward to the event!
@s’rEDIT: I don’t have a report. I brought my 3 year old and was focused on keeping her happy, so I didn’t take notes. Off the top of my head, two days later, I remember some things:
The publisher for the Alcatraz series wasn’t taking the books in the direction BS wanted, so he recently bought-back the rights to the series and plans to continue writing according to his own plan.
*vague spoiler warning*
An audience member had, years ago, asked RJ what would happen if an AS balefired herself through a gateway, and was told by RJ that she should find a man, a woman, or a dog to love and she should get a life. (heavily paraphrased). The same audience member was present at the signing and asked if the scenario played out in AMoL was done in response to her question. BS said that he has avoided gateways and balefire in his series because that type of magic belonged to TWoT, but he himself has had many thoughts on the use of balefire and gateways. So no, the scenes from AMoL were not a response to her, but BS’s own story. The audience member also added that she did find a guy to love, had a daughter, named her Aviendha, and the crowd clapped.
I don’t remember the other questions, maybe if I had something to jog my memory.
Insectoid
Like M-o-M, I probably identify more with the Brown Ajah than others. But it just seems wrong for a guy to use an ajah color. That doesn’t leave many choices – purple and orange. I’d prefer purple and it’s probably easier to get right on printers. Or just surprise me, it’s not a big deal.
Aegon@99: Wait . . . a daughter named Avienda? Isn’t this someone who has posted on the threads?
I remember a discussion in which people acknowledged naming their children after WOT characters, and someone definitely said that his/her daughter was named Avienda. Sadly, my memory does not provide a screen name.
rossnewberry @92:
Avatar + Green: done!
Man-0 @94/travyl @97:
LOL!!
Ways @100:
Brown: done!
I think my response for those guys who feel it’s silly to choose an Ajah color would be: pretend you’re a Warder, and just pick your Aes Sedai’s Ajah color.
(And remember… one of us proudly wears a yellow shawl. Hint: it’s not me.)
Bzzz™.
JeffS @89 – Good question. My excuse was that I HAD to wash the gunk out of my hair, and I don’t like to go to bed with wet hair, so I had to let it dry part way before I could braid it and go to bed. Truth is, though, even though I was completely exhausted, I was still a bit too wired to go to bed. :) By 1:30, though, I managed to go to sleep quite easily. Now to go write my report… (BTW, was that James’s sister who filled in? Do you remember her name?)
FWIW, I had 18 questions on my list; I remembered to ask 10 of them, one was made irrelevant by other discussion, and I completely forgot about the other 7. The ones I did NOT ask concerned:
*Verin’s letters (specifically, what was in Alanna’s and Galad’s, and were there others)
*Alanna’s move north (voluntary or not?)
*Number of surviving Aes Sedai and Asha’man
*Moridin in the Town (as in – why was he walking down the street? Also, is the Town the place seen from his black-rock fortress in one of the Forsaken pow-wows?)
*Distance limit for double-bond telepathy (is there one?)
*Amayar
*Ring of Tamyrlin
Sorry about the ones I missed; I was SO bummed that I forgot my list! If anyone going to a signing needs a few questions, feel free to take those! There were also a few passed on by others that never even got around to being added to my list; I’ll try to find and add those to this list sometime.
Man-o-Manetheran @94 – The way my day went yesterday (prior to the signing), I’m surprised the list was the only thing I forgot to take along. :)
Hey folks,
I went to the San Francisco signing on Saturday and do have a report coming; I’m sorry that I’ve been delayed. I’ve been juggling a few more things than normal, and its impacted my ability to post here or on Leigh’s most recent reread.
As Brandon provided an answer (well, kinda anyway) to birgit@43 and my question about Moghedien, I definitely will put up something soon. Hopefully later tonight, if I can get an hour or so to myself later tonight to review the notes.
Free@7 – Excellent update to your post. Thanks for the info.
Everyone else, thanks for the posts. I’m not caught up all of the way but hope to be soon.
Hello everyone,
I made it to bed by 1:00 AM but had to be up at 5:00 to head to work. I’m still tired but I can add a bit to Wetlander’s post above.
James sister Melody was our honorary and then fully vested last minute Memory Keeper. She was a big help and really enjoyed being there. Heck, we all had a ton of fun. Emelie and I ran the combination raffle and trivia contest. Some questions I thought were easy had only 3 right answers the whole night.
Out of 3 pet theories of mine:
One shot down in flames
One, could be but I ain’t sayin’
One, confirmed but by an Aes Sedai answer WHICH ROCKED, once I got my head out and actually thought it through.
I can’t expand at this time as I swore“Under the Light and by my hope of salvation and rebirth” that I would not divulge the information. Don’t ask Wetlander either as she also swore and as she was dressed as Cadsuane, I’m sure she would feel even more bound by propriety…
During the personalization signings, someone asked what the deal was with Alanna’s move north and Brandon said unequivically that she was kidnapped. He didn’t say by whom, but I figure since the report to Cadsuane said there were not any residues of channeling to read, it must have been Moridin himself using the True power.
So that’s one more down of the 7 left unasked.
Aegon @99
The Robert Jordan answer to which you refer is this:
http://www.theoryland.com/intvmain.php?i=180#6
And for the record, what Androl did with creating a gateway in front of enemies that exited behind them, didn’t involve balefire, but a massive fire attack.
@40 I was at that Orlando TWoK signing, but I don’t know anything more about the person falling down the stairs than you do. I bought the ebook while in line and was very very distracted.
I wish more authors would do signings in Orlando. Florida’s a great place to live, but unfortunately off the beaten path for authors.
JeffS@105 On Alanna, fantastic, an answer! Moridin kidnapping her using the TP would make sense and be totally undetectable, regardless of channellers of either gender nearby. Doesn’t explain how she was all packed up and ready to go, but maybe we can chalk that up to Verin’s letter and move on.
I second sushisushi. It all pointed to Moridin kidnap but it’s nice to have it confirmed. Alanna being ready to go beforehand was a red herring to throw the readers off the scent before we saw her in SG, maybe.
There’s always the possibility that Verin’s letter warned her to hide because of how she could be used against Rand now that he was “in the open”, and she didn’t flee in time.
Alright folks, this is a pretty long one:
Saturday’s Signing at Borderlands Books in San Francisco.
I was pretty excited. This was my first book signing event and the first time I would get to meet Brandon and Harriet. After reading a number of Leigh’s Jordancon posts, Terez’s interview transcripts and some of the fellow tor.com rereader’s reports, I admit that my expectations were high.
Let me first say that Borderlands is an incredible SFF bookstore. The selection was impressive and the staff were incredibly friendly. If this store were in the East Bay, I’d probably go there often. The bookstore has an attached café right “next door” and it was there that the book signing with Brandon and Harriet was scheduled to occur.
However, Borderland’s café was not the largest of places and there were at least 150 people who were there for the signing, so they set up an “overflow room” in the actual bookstore itself. The overflow room section was not within line of sight of where Harriet and Brandon were set up; and although the individuals who were gathered there could hear Harriet and Brandon, they could not see them and vice versa. Brandon and Harriet would therefore be only able to answer questions from the folks in the café (which had about 50-75 folks, I’d estimate). However, there was a sound system that would pipe in all of Brandon and Harriet’s comments.
The Memory Keepers were spread between both rooms, and the MKs in the overflow room were providing Wetlander’s excellent crossword puzzle to help pass the time. They would occasionally engage in trivia as well. I respected the dedication of the Memory Keepers, but after reading about the MKs at some of the other signings, I’d say that maybe half of the group were on par with those examples. I did win a WoT swag bag answering some trivia. But the audience had to provide possible trivia questions on occasion, or verify whether certain trivia questions were accurate (no, the Third Age did not end after Book 10), or even keep some kind of interaction between the MKs and the audience going through some of the dead periods.
My plan to get there incredibly early was thwarted by Real Life, and so I was only able to get there an hour early. Unfortunately, that meant all of the spaces were taken in the main room and I found myself in the overflow room. Which was cool, but I was therefore unable to ask Harriet and Brandon questions. I had my audio recorder, but the side conversations of my neighbors tended to blend in with the piped in words of Brandon and Harriet, so I had to take notes.
I didn’t write down specifics on anything that I hadn’t heard discussed before in the reread or on Theoryland or that I didn’t feel was new information. Here’s a quick summary:
There were approximately 4 “process-type” questions;
There were 2 Mistborn questions and 1 Mistborn game question;
Harriet was asked a generic question about RJ;
There was one question that was RAFO’d (The tua’than and the finding of the song);
There was a question about Hoid and when he started appearing in Brandon’s books (Brandon’s 6th book, Elantris was listed as Hoid’s first appearance; his next was in BWS’s 7th book, Dragonsteel, then in his 8th book, White Sands);
Brandon recommended the works from authors Brian McClellan and Brent Weeks, and the novels A Fire Upon the Deep and the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms;
Harriet told the story of how she heard about and ultimately selected Brandon to continue RJ’s work;
Finally, Harriet read the “Wind” passage from AMoL
I was a little surprised that there were basically no story-related questions about AMoL (or even the WoTverse in general) except for the one RAFO’d one. I had 4 questions that were spoiler free and 3 spoilerific ones that I had brought myself and would have tried to ask all of them if I was in the other room (dangit for not getting there sooner!); I was surprised that no one else really came up with any.
I did finally get to the book signing line, and had to pick which questions I would ask; I figured I’d have time for 2. That didn’t go as smooth as I wanted. First, let me say that although at times I can be reserved, I can be a rather social person and usually I am fairly good at asking someone questions (and keeping my head in the process) when I want to know something. Somehow, that kind of went out the window when I got up there. I didn’t mention I was in the reread, I don’t recall if I thanked Brandon (serious self-recrimination going on internally for a while on that one), but I did save it at the end by shaking Harriet’s hand and telling her thank you. Anyway, the 2 questions:
1. (from Birgit@43) Will the type of telepathy that Pevara and Androl share through their bond be affected/impacted by distance. Brandon answered (paraphrasing) That distance would affect the strength of their communication.
2. While collared, would Moghedien be able to use her dreamwalking abilities to compel a sul’dam or someone else to release her from the collar. Brandon answered (paraphrasing again) That that is not outside the realm of possibility.
I joked initially that I might get each of my questions RAFO’d;and Harriet and Brandon joked afterward that, see, I didn’t get either of my questions RAFO’d, I did get some type of answer.
All in all, it was a good Saturday. I met some interesting folks and got turned on to a couple of other SFF series and bought 4 new books.
I strongly recommend that if you have the opportunity to attend a signing, that you go. And get there as early as possible, so you can get a good seat!
KiManiak,
Nicely done. Those are two solid questions, and please, don’t beat yourself up for losing track at the “moment of truth”. Most of us go blank in a situation like that unless we’ve been to several such events.
I received a reply from Maria Simons regarding one of my previous questions:
For the record, I can only imagine how her schedule has gone since the AMoL release, and with Harriet joining in on the tour, so I don’t consider a couple of days as long to respond at all. Like everyone else associated with The Wheel of Time, she rocks. And a long-standing question finally confirmed!
Freelancer@112
I wonder when Moiraine was told Min’s viewing. Was it perhaps when she stopped at Baerlon on the way to the Two Rivers to pick up the ‘boys’. That would explain why she was willing to take the gleeman with her when she was fleeing the trollocs.
Free @@@@@ 110
I like your addition to my base theory. It answers a problem I had with my theory that you’ll all notice that I didn’t mention in my earlier post.
So, thanks for that. 8^D
Jeff S.
I am only an egg
trotBelatrot @113
Moiraine had visited Baerlon at least once well prior to this, and had made use of Min’s gift, so it could have just as easily been prior to that.
However, had she known a description of Thom’s face as her future betrothed prior to Winternight in Emond’s Field, she surely did her best Annie Duke impression. The only reaction we’re given to her awareness of Thom is a mild displeasure, which always seemed likely to be because he is more likely to recognize who and what she is than the usual fownfolk, which could interfere with her purpose there.
So, there are the usual multiple possibilities:
1. Jordan hadn’t settled on exactly how the Moiraine/Thom dynamic would play out as of the release of TEotW, so didn’t include a foreshadowing tidbit.
2. The knowledge Min provided to Moiraine occurred, as you suggest, while in Baerlon with the Emond’s Fielders and Thom, and by then she would have been well into the domineering mode she had begun taking with the younger folk, showing no reactions to personal news.
3. She knew before Winternight, and Jordan felt no need to offer a hint of a more substantial future between the two.
4. Min’s viewing occurs at a later time, but before the attack on the Stone of Tear. Min spent considerable time with the group including Rand, Perrin, Moiraine, Lan, Loial, and the Shienarans, before Rand bolts and heads for Tear.
I think there are Moiraine/Thom hints in TEOTW, like Moiraine’s reaction to Thom at Taren Ferry. The mythological basis for the characters is another hint he planned them to be a couple; Thom’s nephew Owyn is a parallel to Owain/Ywain, the son of Morgan le Fay. The attraction becomes more apparent in books 2-3, and even after the ‘face of my husband’ quote and the flirtation in TSR 17, Moiraine takes a rather cold and practical approach to Thom’s presence in Tear in POV.
RJ said the third prequel was to be about how Moiraine arrived in Emond’s Field in the nick of time. I’ve always wondered if it had anything to do with Thom, and this comment from Brandon made me wonder even more:
Brandon Sanderson (3 January 2011)
Ha. Thom showing up at night, and people grumbling, makes me smile now knowing about the unwritten prequel involving his arrival.
Does anyone have outstanding plot or Randland questions? I’m trying to come up with at least one for the signing tomorrow and nothing has struck me yet.
Also, has anyone asked Wetlander’s question about Verin’s letters (what was in Alanna and Galad’s, and whether there were others)? I’m wondering whether that’s just a RAFO.
I remembered some more stuff in the shower this morning.
Someone asked who killed Asmodean. Groan. The answer was, of course, in the appendix of ToM.
In the interim since showering, I forgot the other thing I remembered. But it was of similar consequence as the Asmodean question. If I knew that I’d be sharing answers then I surely would have taken notes.
I feel like somebody asked who summoned Slayer to the blight. I could be mixing memories with Freelancer’s great post @7, but I have a strange feeling that someone asked, and presented a case that it was Lanfear for similar reasons as provided above, and was told by BS that they make a good case and can defend their reasoning with confidence. I honestly don’t know if I’m conflating memories, so please take this with a grain of salt.
Furthermore, the above question doesn’t make sense given that the audience was instructed not to spoil book AMoL, and to save questions related to AMoL for the personal signings, which I wasn’t able to attend or eavesdrop.
Mageen @117 – You could ask how many of the Aes Sedai and Asha’man survived the Last Battle. I haven’t seen an answer to that one yet, other than the “best guess” some very clever soul did on the spoiler thread, and I’d love to know – if they know, of course. (If anyone has the answer, by all means say so!)
I keep trying to find time to write up an elegant report, and it’s not happening. (Might be lack of brain power, too…) Anyway, I’m going to give you a raw list of what I asked and the (paraphrased) answers I got. I’ll still try to do a good report, but for those going to signings in the meantime, it might be nice to see what was answered already.
Q: What was in Grady’s letter from his wife? Does she have a new ugly baby?
A: RAFO
(I got a real RAFO card for it!)
Q: Can you tell me more about the Jenn now, or do I have to wait for the encyclopedia?Will the encyclopedia tell what happened to them?
A: General refusal to answer: shrugging, changing the subject, etc. :) (Yes, it was nearly a joke, because I’ve been pestering Brandon about the Jenn for over a year now, either in person or by proxy…)
Q: Was Bao the Wyld part of Sharran prophecy? If so, was Demandred co-opting their Dragon prophecies?
A: “The Wyld” was part of Sharran prophecy; Demandred thinks he co-opted the Sharran version of the “dragon prophecies” but it was actually about him all along.
(I was surprised to get an answer to this; I expect some of it will show up in “River of Souls” anyway. An interesting follow-on question might be whether this means the Sharrans were destined by the Pattern to fight for Team Dark.)
Q: Will you confirm now that Rand’s sword (received in TGS, given to Tam in AMoL) is Hawkwing’s sword Justice?
A: “Yes, I can now confirm that. It’s also my sword.” (But in-world, it’s Justice.)
(Possible follow-on question, if anyone is interested: Is there a backstory on it, e.g. the theory that Hawkwing took it from Guaire Amalasan? What about the idea that it came from the War of Power and was Lews Therin’s own sword then?)
Q: Since balefire strengthens cuendillar, what effect would Egwene’s opposing “Flame of Tar Valon” weave have?
A: Good question!
(But then we got interrupted and didn’t come back to it, so if someone is curious, they could try again and get the rest of the answer. Related questions might be… Would Egwene’s weave strengthen cuendillar simply because it is the One Power? If for every weave there is an opposite weave, could there be a weave that would turn the Tar Valon harbor chains back to iron?)
Q: Can you give any further detail on Min’s viewing of Aviendha having Rand’s babies? (Per the quotation: “Aviendha would have Rand’s babies, too. Four of them at once! Something was odd about that, though. The babies would be healthy, but still something odd.”)
A: They are natural
quintupletsquadruplets (no, Aviendha does not adopt Min’s or Elayne’s children in order to get four), and the “odd” thing is specifically their ability to channel from birth.Q: Some would like a definitive answer: Are channelers ever bound to the Horn? (Rand? Egwene?)
A: “They certainly could be.” Brandon and Harriet agreed that, although the notes never specified any channelers who were so bound, there was nothing in the notes to indicate it couldn’t/didn’t happen either, and they both believe it’s entirely possible.
(A follow-on question might be asked about whether Egwene might be a Hero, but they didn’t give me the impression that they were hedging – which they probably would have, if that were in the notes.)
Q: Vora’s sa’angreal – was it always in the notes that it didn’t have the buffer against over-drawing?
A: Yes, that was always it’s setup according to the notes, though Brandon gets credit for naming the thing.
Q: (for Harriet) Have you started the embroidery yet?
A: No (with a laugh)
Q: (for Harriet) Did the name “s’redit” have anything to do with “editor”?
A: No, she didn’t think so; however, she told the story… The Ringling Brothers (I think) circus came to town and she & Jim went to watch the elephants being unloaded. It was quite an impressive sight, and she indicated that was when he decided to put them in the books. Also, watching the (incredible!) acrobats, she’s pretty sure that’s when the ideas for Luca’s menagerie etc. came into being.
Freelancer @@@@@ 112, 115; Terez @@@@@ 116
Facsinating stuff (and thanks for getting the answer Free, and to Maria for taking the time)! Maybe some of Moiraine’s displeasure at first seeing Thom is due to recognizing him as her future husband and not wanting such a distraction in her quest. It would fit her character. This if Min had told her the “husband face vision” early on. I am really sad that we’ll never…
Wait, I thought of a question for someone to ask in a signing:
-Now that no prequels will be written, are some of the events that were going to be shown in them be outlined in the Encyclopedia? I am particularly interested in how Moiraine, Lan, and maybe Thom found themselves in Emond’s Field.
– a follow up or an alternative: due to his twitter post, does Brandon know something about the events just before TEOTW in the TR- e.g. Thom showing up in the middle of the night, from notes left by RJ? Are any such notes going to be used for the Enyclopedia?
Wet @120:
Wow, you got quite a few answers! Interesting thought re: cuendillar.
I’m kind of surprised that Brandon answered the question about Avi’s babes. I imagine that babes channeling from birth would make for an interesting parenting experience…
re: sa’angreal: Question: are all sa’angreal like that? It seems like if Callandor and Vora’s are both flawed, the others may be as well—especially Sakarnen, since little is known about it.
What embroidery? *puzzled look*
Bzzz™.
insectoid @122 – Kind of a joke. IIRC, someone had asked Harriet at one of the earlier signings what she was going to do now that AMoL was finished. She said she wasn’t sure, but she’d just bought an embroidery kit. So I asked if she’d started it yet. :)
Wetlandernw @120
Quite an excellent crop of good answers, you definitely have me beat on that score. But how sad to think that Aviendha loses one of her children from Rand…
Freelancer @124 – Sad, isn’t it? She was obviously very grieved and never told anyone.
(Oops. Corrected now…)
Thanks for the report Wetlander. Good stuff. I’ll have to remember to check on Harriet’s progress with the embroidery at JordonCon.
Interesting info on the Ringling Bros. elephants. I’ve had a lot of contact with them, and they are indeed wonderful (and wonderfully well taken care of). It’s true that an elephant never forgets. Once you have exchanged breath with one, they will always remember you.
Man-O-Manetheran @126. Please tell the story of how you know that “once you have exchanged breath one [elephant], they will always remember you.”
Thanks for reading my musings.
AndrewB
Long has it been since I posted on a WoT board, since the days of rasfwrj when the Net was barely cool and gophers roamed the Earth.
Q: Latra Posae Decune, Cutter of the Shadow == Atropos, the third Fate?
A: Very clever — hadn’t thought of that! MAFO.
Q: Taveren Telepathy in Technicolor (TM): what was the point?
A: Not totally sure; RJ’s notes just said “This keeps happening up to the very end.” Narratively, to keep attention focused on the Superboys, and to connect timelines.
Q: Fifth, Sixth, Seventh Age: Anything on them? Deliberately blank?
A: Deliberately blank. as far as BwS knows.
Andrew – I have a few elephant stories and all of them long-winded, but in a nutshell: The elephants’ olfactory system is highly developed, and in the wild allows them to navigate, remember dangers, find each other if separated, etc. My interaction was with one of the Ringling elephants, Asia. She is the lead elephant in one of the two RBBB circuses. Many years ago I had the good fortune to meet her backstage. She “examined” my exhalation only once, but recognized me every other year that she returned to town. Not an Androcles & the Lion story, but significant to me.
Had a great time yesterday at the signing in Milford NH!
@@@@@Wetlandernw – Fantastic job on the crossword – not easy by any stretch, and some really interesting clues. It was obvious that you put a lot of work into it, so thank you for all of your efforts! I even managed to win one of the awesome WOT backpacks with my single raffle ticket that I earned by answering one of the trivia questions taken from the puzzle. :)
Catfish @@@@@ 128 – thanks for posting – we weren’t able to hear all three of your questions, so I had been wondering what we missed!
I managed to get in one question of my own: Do we know how many total letters Verin wrote, and did they all reach their intended destinations? Brandon smiled, and of course said “Well, I know, but you don’t” :) I immediately rephrased to ‘Will we know?’, to which he responded that yes, all of the letters were delivered, and he believed that further details were forthcoming in the Encyclopedia.
The evening ran very late – the event was scheduled from 2:00-5:00 and the signing portion started at 3:00; we made it through the line around 6:15, and there must have been at least 50-60 people still waiting behind us. The theater could seat 460, and I estimate that the crowd reached somewhere in the neighborhood of 375-400. Poor Brandon was definitely feeling under the weather, and his voice was pretty rough, but he was incredibly warm & gracious with his time regardless. My husband got some nice pictures, but I can’t quite figure out how to post them into the thread :(
All in all, a very memorable day!
KJacobs: Thanks for asking about Verin’s letters! That’s been bugging me. I’m glad we may find out eventually what they were and what they said, maybe.
Wetlander: good questions. I think I’ll make some follow up notes,
in case they don’t get asked at signings.
-Very interesting that you got a RAFO card about Grady’s letter and a possible new baby!!! Could it be????
-I’d love to know if Justice is LTTs sword, as well.
– Were the Sharans always destined to play for Team Dark?
-Avi’s babies: Why can they channel from birth? Because they were made with Moridan’s body, with “evolved” Rand in it? A Rand totally in tune with the Pattern?
I’d like to know: Is Mat not destined to be a Hero of the Horn? Did that statement in the book mean that he hadn’t been one in the past, ie: his doppleganger wasn’t riding around when the horn was blown? Or did it mean he would not be a “new” Hero of the Horn?
Thanks so much! Good stuff!!
Wetlander @@@@@120 – thanks for the great Q&A report! Other details of the signings would be nice, but it’s the Q (and esp. A) that I really wanted to hear!
Lots of other interesting posts from folks, but I have a meeting in a few minutes, so two quick questions and then some Bao the Wyld follow-up.
First, Free @@@@@124, Wetlander @@@@@125 – what’s this about Aviendha losing one of her children? I missed something.
Second, re: the idea that Justice was LTT’s sword in the Age of Legends – if that were so, why would Rand make the distinction that he recognized the sword from his own memories of this life, and not from his memories as Lews Therin? Is the theory that the sword belonged to him before Hawkwing, but that he didn’t recognize it from owning it, but did recognize it from seeing Hawkwing with it at Falme?
Because that seems…unlikely to me.
Re: Bao the Wyld/Sharan prophecies question @@@@@ 120 – fascinating. First, in just how briefly and clearly you were able to express the question about Demandred co-opting Dragon prophecies, as opposed to my massively long-winded wall of text! Second, in that you asked it two days before I posted my wall of text. (Had that already been discussed in some thread or other that I missed? Or were we just thinking in parallel tracks?) Third, in the questions it still leaves unanswered (some, hopefully, for River of Souls/Unfettered).
For one thing, it means Shara *was* an anomaly – the only region (that we know of) to have Demandred prophecies instead of Rand prophecies. Does that, as you ask, mean Shara was destined to fight for Team Dark? And what is Prophecy, anyway? Min’s ability is described as reading the Pattern; are Dreams, Foretellings, etc., also that? Are the various Prophecies (Karaethon, Essanik, Jendai, Rhuidean, Bao) just long, detailed, Foretellings, or something else? Do they originate from the Pattern? What’s the difference between Dark Prophecies and not-Dark ones? Do some come from the DO and some from the Creator? etc.
I mean, it’s one thing if Ishamael, for instance, seeded Shara with false prophecies 2-3000 years ago to set them up for takeover by one of the Forsaken. That would be clever and impressive (and would also make me wonder how Demandred landed the assignment to actually exploit said prophecies). In an odd fashion, if it was pre-destined, I find it less impressive. More deus ex machina (diabolus ex machina?), less Machiavelli.
chaplainchris1 @132 – Re: Aviendha’s children, I just now went back and fixed the post the way I should have fixed it before. For some unknown reason, I typed “quintuplets” the first time instead of “quadruplets” – that was Freelancer’s way of elbowing me in the ribs*. I went back and changed it, but I should have done (what I just did) and left the quints in with a strikethrough.
FWIW, I agree with you on the unlikeliness of Justice being LTT’s sword – partly because it’s unnecessary, and partly because Rand specifically said he recognized it from his own memories. “LTT’s sword” not a theory I buy, and that may be partly why I didn’t pursue it further. As far as I’m concerned, any further history of the sword can wait for the Encyclopedia – if RJ even gave the sword any more history than that. For example, I like the theory that it was Hawkwing’s “trophy” from defeating Guaire Amalasan, but I don’t think there’s any real evidence for it. (Most of the “evidence” is based on the dragons-on-the-scabbard description, but knowing that Brandon was describing his own sword makes that less than compelling as evidence, IMO. I personally doubt RJ had any more back story to the sword than simply “Hawkwing’s Sword Justice” – but the Encyclopedia may give us more.)
Re: Bao the Wyld – That was actually the very first question I had about AMoL. I didn’t bring it up on the discussion – partly because I was so late joining in, and partly because I was being selfish and wanted to ask my question myself. ;p So, no, to the best of my knowledge it was not discussed elsewhere (or at least, anywhere I frequent!) – we just have great minds. :)
My first thought was to wonder (because of a couple mentions of Sharan prophecies) if the name was part of prophecy, or if it was his own invention (like Brend, Gaebril, etc.). Not long after that, I began wondering just what those prophecies were, to make the Sharans follow him so devotedly – which, of course, made me think that maybe they were Dragon prophecies… and it went from there. I LOVED getting such a great answer from Brandon, though – I did not expect that.
It would certainly be interesting to get into a detailed discussion of the origin of prophecy in WoT; I have a vague notion that we were told somewhere that most of the prophecies were indeed Foretellings, but I can’t find it at the moment. I know, though, that at one of the other signings, someone was asking Brandon about the Sharans, and he said that they didn’t all follow Baomandred. IIRC, D got the Ayyad and some portion of their fighters, but there are other factions within Shara that refused him. It may be that there are also Dragon prophecies there, and some followed those… That last is sheer guesswork, though.
*Speaking of being elbowed in the ribs… That was probably the funnest little highlight of the signing. During the MK time with Brandon and Harriet, I had asked – as described above – about the Jenn and about Nakomi, and there was some joking about how persistent I’d been on the subject, for well over a year… Well, my first task during the actual signing was to sit between Brandon and Harriet at the table: Brandon would sign a book and slide it to me; I would flip the pages to the place Harriet would sign and slide it on to her; she would sign it and give it back to the owner. It freed them both to talk with fans instead of turning pages, right? So we’re cruising along through the signing, and some fan hands Brandon his books and eagerly asks, “So is Nakomi a Jenn???” I couldn’t help a bit of a grin, and suddenly felt a gentle nudge in my left ribcage. I was a bit startled, and glanced around – to see Harriet hiding an absolute smirk as she bent industriously over the book she was signing.
KJacobs: Yes, thanks for asking about Verin’s letters! I was going to ask that directly to Brandon but you saved me some time. :)
I wound up asking two questions directly to Brandon, about Birgitte and Gaidal and about the Rand/Moridin body swap, which a friend requested I ask. I’ll write them out as close to verbatim as I recall.
Q. I have a question about who Gaidal and Birgitte might be reborn as. I was wondering if Gaidal could be the son of an Asha’man and if Birgitte might be reborn as an Aiel?
A. Gaidal definitely could be, and there’s a pretty big hint in ToM that many folks online have found. As for Birgitte, it’s possible.
Q. Do you know who Birgitte is reborn as?
A. No.
Q. I think a case could be made for Melaine, as the Wise Ones talk about her time being near.
A. In the WoT, a soul becomes tied to the body at viability.
(As noted in the group Q&A per Robert Jordan.)
I think that’s pretty much confirmation that Gaidal is Grady’s son. I can’t decide whether the comment on viability is to direct attention towards Elayne, as she is at that stage of pregnancy, confirmed by that crazy sce. I know in the torchat Brandon said the notes don’t say who Melaine’s children are, so maybe he’s just stating everything he knows. I prefer to think that Elayne’s children might be Calian and Shivan and would usher in the end of the current age. I look forward to the encyclopedia, that’s for sure!
Q. Can you shed any light on how the Rand/Elan body swap happened? I’m wondering whether it was like the DO’s transmigration of souls, if it’s tied to Rand’s apparent new abilities, or something else.
A. It’s not outlined in the notes, but I think of it as the soul that wanted to live found a body, and the one that wanted to die, did.
I knew going in that Brandon has said RJ didn’t explain how it happened, but a friend wanted me to ask and I’m glad I did! It was a much better answer than the shoulder shrug I expected based on the torchat.
Speaking of torchat, I noticed Brandon told someone that if they ask him on a tour stop, he might tell them who it was that helped Rand out of the cave. I’d be interested in knowing that and I would have asked that too if I’d remembered.
Wetlander:
“glanced around – to see Harriet hiding an absolute smirk as she bent industriously over the book she was signing.”
How cool is that? What fun.
I had a few questions about the epilogue. I havn’t seen any mention of them on the discussion threads, and it would be good to have the perspective of others.
As Rand leaves he can no longer channel. Also the way it is written it specifically say Rand Al’Thor and gave me the impression that this was important.
Questions: I think it strongly implies that he is no longer Tavere’en. Is that the feeling others have?
Does it mean he no longer has the memories of Lews Therin?
I had one more question, but I can’t remember it at the moment.
I would assume these questions would get RAFO, or never to be answered if ever asked to Brandon, but in any case I won’t have the chance to ask him.
Thanks for all your imputs.
I think there is a good chance he is no longer ta’veren. Someone asked Brandon if the Super Boys are still are ta’veren on the torchat and got a RAFO.
My feeling is that they are no longer ta’veren – now that the last battle is over, I don’t see the Wheel requiring it anymore. I would expect Rand to still have LTT’s memories though, since he tried to channel and cannot – I don’t think he’s back to being plain old Rand.
My gut reaction is the same as Mageen – they are probably no longer ta’veren, and Rand probably still has his LTT memories. That’s not based on any evidence or interview questions, just my feeling. However, I’m pretty sure Brandon would not answer them – probably for the same reason he won’t answer questions about the nature of the body swap: he doesn’t know.
One of the things he mentioned several times at our signing was how much fun it is for him to step back, now, and just be a fan again. Not that he’ll ever stop being “the guy who finished the WoT” – but he’s no longer “the guy who’s writing the WoT” and that frees him to speculate along with the rest of us in some areas. The nature of the body swap is one – he has a theory, but he’ll tell you it’s just his theory, and not necessarily any better than yours. I’m betting, from what he’s said so far, that he doesn’t know the answers to the questions @136 any more than we do. There is very, very little in the epilogue that he’s willing to elaborate on, mostly because RJ didn’t leave instructions on that part – he just wrote it without further explanation.
Egad! My signing report was picked up from here and deposited in the Theoryland database. Surprise.
Ways @139 – Yup. Terez is keeping a close eye on this thread; if there are new questions and answers, they will be available in her database in pretty short order. Isn’t it nice to have such ready access to so much good info – without having to do all the work? :)
Wetlandernw @@@@@ 133
I love that anecdote! Harriet’s impressive in numerous ways, paying attention when it looks as if she isn’t is just one of them. She was definitely listening to all of the questions while signing books when they were here, and regularly added insights to some of the answers.
Mageen @@@@@134
In a similar way to how he spoke around a direct answer to you regarding Gaidal Cain, Brandon mostly, without directly saying so, has answered that Nakomi was the Aiel-dressed woman Rand first met exiting the Pit. What else she is, remains a mystery so far.
Kaboom @@@@@136
I think it is fairly solid to presume that none of the Superguys is any longer ta’veren. It was established early on, by Loial, that it was “for a time” as needed by the Pattern. I think we can trust ogier reference on such a thing.
As for Rand, there is no way that he could calmly and confidently ride away from everything which had happened if much of the understanding which helped him get there simply and suddenly vanished. It seems quite plain from the text that he isn’t amnesiac, but completely understands what has happened and why. That would be horribly confused if the LTT memories had vanished. Vastly different thing for ta’veren “influence” to expire, than to have much of the personality with which you have experienced the last two-plus years evaporate. The Dragon nature may be gone, the the Dragon’s memories remain.
So tonight is the Philly signing, which I will be attending, and I know AndrewB will be there as well (anyone else?). I’m planning on asking about the creation of Callandor, based on the conversation in the AMoL Part 2 reread (and the theory I posed there); does anyone have any other questions that they would like asked? Of course, since I’m not a Memory Keeper, I’m not sure how many questions I’ll get to ask, but it’d be nice to have a stock of some in case I get the opportunity to ask.
Is there a minimum strength for bonding? Androl seemed to have no problem with bonding Pevara. Could Morgase bond someone (if she managed to channel)?
rhandric@142
I’m curious to know if Jain Charin was already a Hero of the Horn (of course he wouldn’t know it during his life as Jain/Noal) or if he was newly promoted this Age.
I would be just as interested in knowing who was able to place Callandor in the Heart of the Stone with a warding attuned to Lews Therin’s soul, long after his death, as in who created it.
I know that more questions about Nakomi will unlikely get any answers. Instead, one might ask if there are any humans who have found a way, or been given a way, to inhabit tel’aran’rhiod beyond a normal lifetime, without being a Hero of the Horn.
I second Freelancer’s question about living in Tel’aran’rhiod!! Just don’t tell him I had anything to do with it until after you get an answer (if at all), or he probably won’t answer. :)
Okay. Here’s the (mostly) verbatim transcription of the Seattle Memory Keepers conversation with Harriet & Brandon. It’s not every last bit; I left out the worst of the chatter except where it actually led to the next good question. JeffS is JeffS, WL is me, and the rest of the initials are the various non-rereader MKs except where I couldn’t tell for sure who was talking, in which case I just used MK. Much of this I already posted, but this is directly from the recording.
Seattle Memory Keepers time with Harriet McDougal and Brandon Sanderson
12 February 2013 (Verbatim except where noted, with the repetitions and voiceovers removed.)
—
This first bit is not verbatim, because I didn’t have the recorder on yet, but it’s the essence…:
WL: Do you know what was in Jur Grady’s letter from his wife? Was there perhaps word of a new ugly baby?
BWS: Yes, I know what was in the letter.
WL: And you’re not going to tell us.
BWS: And I’m not going to tell you. But you can have a RAFO for it!
(I’m pretty sure I missed some other good stuff, before we got settled at the table and I turned the recorder on. Bummer.)
—
WL: Was Vora’s sa’angreal always intended to be unbuffered, and we just didn’t find out about it until now?
BWS: Yes. I did name it though, I believe, because I was tired of white fluted wands, and sad bracelets and all these things that I’d read about all the time, and I said “I’m going to name some of this stuff.” (Jim even called them the sad bracelets in his notes.)
—
JeffS: My question is almost more of an observation. At the very end there, as soon as Moridin grabbed Callandor, and Nynaeve and Moiraine trapped him, opened him up, he had no control, it’s my contention that at that point, boom, since he’s not buffered, he’s not protected in any way, Moridin is gone, his whole spirit and soul is gone, I’m hoping it gave him the oblivion he wanted. So the point is, at that point, Rand could have switched bodies, because wherever you think you are, that’s where you are. Because there was nobody there, and since they were already bonded in a way, it didn’t matter who carried who out, Rand thought it was him.
BWS: Yeah, Rand was not seeing very well, and I think that’s a valid theory. As I’ve told before, he (RJ) did not leave very many notes at all about the last scene and the epilogue, and so at this point your guesses are actually as good as, and in some cases maybe better than, mine.
JS: What is your theory regarding all that?
BWS: My theory is that because of the balefire cross (the notes are very explicit on what I was to do with the progression of the two of them) Moridin and him – the whole hand thing was just one example of stuff that Jim said specifically in the notes for me to do, and my belief is that at the end Rand wanted to live and Moridin did not, and because they were bonded so tightly, one soul found the body that was living and one soul found the body that was dying.
(Interlude – general chitchat and chaos about the body swap and future children, leading to…)
MK: The oddness about the quadruplets is obviously the fact that a couple of them had black hair…
BWS: No, the oddity for them is that they can channel from the womb.
WL: There’s a big theory/debate going out there that the no, the odd thing is that two of them are actually Min’s children and Aviendha adopted them.
BWS: Okay… (laughter) I don’t want to kill theories, that’s not my intent, but I can tell you, that is news to me!
WL: So they really are natural quadruplets. That’s the way it was written.
BWS: As far as I know, that’s what I was instructed.
JeffS: Early on, there was a theory that Elayne was actually going to die, and Aviendha was going to get the babies transferred to her, and have two of her own, too.
MK: We saw the weave in the last book, where you can keep the babies alive outside the womb… (Followed by general chaotic agreement that the scene with Mellar and Elayne was totally creepy – including a side conversation in which Harriet made clear that she found that scene both terrifying and brilliant at the same time. I wish I could transcribe that verbatim, but it was an under-voice side conversation, and the recorder didn’t pick it up. She was very pleased with Brandon’s skill in creating such tension and real conflict for Elayne and the reader.)
WL: Did you have fun writing that?
BWS: I did not have fun writing that.
(HMcD: But he did it, because Brandon is a good author. There’s a sidelight into the editorial challenge.)
BWS: The goal with that is that I did not want the threat to Elayne to be a rape, because that’s number one overdone, and it’s just not appropriate for her. But fear for her children, is a legitimate crisis for Elayne, and we had to find a way that Min’s prophecy could be fulfilled technically AND there could be serious danger to Elayne’s children, so that’s where that plot structure came from. I pitched it to them, and everyone was really excited about it, because I think it came together well. It was not a happy one to write, though.
I had to be really careful on that one, though, because Elayne has always been a strong protagonist, and I wanted to be careful that – there’s some feminism theories and things in there. She had to be saved by Birgitte, not saved by someone else. She had to be saved by herself, or by Birgitte, and that scene I had to be really careful with, not to undermine Elayne as a character, in my opinion. But I’m sorry, I’m getting into theory things now – writing theory, not theoryland theories. I talk about the writing theory stuff. Someone’s conflict should be appropriate to them and their role, and their conflict should not undermine who they are.
—
EP: Why would Gawyn and Galad and Lan all go after Bao?
BWS: He had to go down!
MK: Was it just a convenient way to kill those characters?
BWS: No, someone had to take down the Forsaken. They were going to lose that battle, and each of them realized that it needed to happen. Some of them approached it more wisely than others, (general laughter!) but –
MK: Once Gawyn put on the rings on, I knew he was toast.
JeffS: As soon as Egwene bonded him, I knew she was toast, because he would do something stupid, and then she’d get wound up.
BWS: If you’re following the literary scope of theory of plots, that was a good guess. Because Gawyn is a tragedy, right? If you read from the beginning, Gawyn’s plot arc from book one has been a tragedy.
JeffS: It was also a good way for everybody to find out finally who the best swordsman was of those three. Because Lan was the only one who stood back up later.
JS: Well, I’d like to see him and Tam cross blades, but Tam’s a little rustier.
BWS: Tam’s a little rusty; Lan would win. But Tam is good. Tam in his heyday, and Lan, maybe that would be fun.
—
WL: Can you confirm that the sword that Rand passed on to Tam was Justice?
BWS: I will confirm that for you; it is also my sword that hangs on my wall. But yes, it is Justice.
—
JeffS: Since Tenobia went down in the last battle, Faile is queen of Saldaea, and Perrin is consort, who’s got the Two Rivers?
BWS: Tam is Steward of the Two Rivers. But it is Steward in the name of the Dragon Reborn. But yes, he is made the Steward, and it’s actually Perrin’s line – that one of them will become the Steward of the Two Rivers.
JeffS: And there’s still the tie to Andor, one of their children with one of Elayne’s children…
BWS: Yes, exactly, being Steward of the Two Rivers. It would actually be their children that go into that line, it won’t be Tam’s children, if he were to have more, or Tam’s family; it would be Perrin’s family.
MK: Who would he have a family with, then?
BWS: I’m just saying, if it were to happen.
—
MK: Egwene’s weave, the Flame of Tar Valon, is that an allusion to an actual weave that the title “Flame of Tar Valon” comes from? Or did she just name it after the title?
BWS: I don’t know if I want to answer this one, ’cause I think it’s a fun theory. It’s obvious to me, but I wrote it, so, you know… I’ll go ahead and give you a RAFO card. (Cheers) There you are.
—
WL: Did Demandred coopt some of the Sharan prophecy to become who he was?
BWS: He thinks he did, but they were actually about him. So in his mind, he coopted prophecies, but the prophecies were actually about him.
WL: Was the name Bao the Wyld, was that something that was in their prophecies?
BWS: Yes.
WL: Okay, so he coopted an existing name and everything. It wasn’t like “Lord Brend” or something, where they just came up with some name to call themselves.
BWS: No, it was like “the Wyld would come” was the prophecy.
JS: Just so you know, Bao, the person you named him after, has been insufferable. Insufferable!
BWS: Well, he should not have a name with such good mythological import.
JS: And he should not have killed you in the game of (?? I didn’t catch this, but fans who know Bao Pham might know…)
BWS: No, he shouldn’t.
—
EN: I’m dying to know what happens to people in the future, like Min and Tuon, does Tuon change her perspective based on (something I didn’t catch, to do with Min’s viewings, I think)?
BWS: I can’t answer these, but I can say that Min is involved in what would happen in the outriggers, if it were to be written, but it’s not going to be.
—
WL: Will there be anything about the Jenn, what happened to the Jenn, in the Encyclopedia?
HMcD: I don’t know yet.
WL: Because that’s one of the questions… once somebody asked the question, we ended up in this big debate about did they just die out because the rest of the Aiel way of life was so much more attractive, and they just all left, or did they die out for some other reason, or did they go somewhere? My theory is that they went somewhere, but… (meanwhile, Harriet looks very interested – and totally NOT like she’s going to answer anything!!)
BWS: The who?
WL: The Jenn.
BWS: Oh, yes, very interesting, yes…
WL: Of course, I’m asking about the Jenn, and I’m not going to get an answer, am I?
BWS: Yes, you’re asking about the Jenn, because you want to figure something out. You’re just attacking from the side – you’re very smart, you’re going to Harriet, because you know I would spot what you’re trying to do.
WL: Actually, I am very curious about the Jenn, aside from the potential Nakomi clue. (Harriet laughed at me.) Hey, I need to get my RAFO signed! Will you sign my RAFO? That one is going to do duty for like six questions, because I know there are several things… Because you’re not going to answer anything about Nakomi…
BWS: Yeah, but I gave you a couple answers already tonight! Aren’t you pleased?
WL: Yes, I am! Very much.
BWS: I didn’t RAFO everything! I can RAFO far fewer things.
WL: (to Harriet) I’ve been pestering him about Nakomi and the Jenn, long distance and via other people, for a year or more. (From there the conversation degenerated into general teasing and chaos for a bit. Also – this is what led to the little story @133.)
—
JeffS: What’s in Jur Grady’s letter? ‘Cause I have to go read… (laughter – Jeff had been handing out raffle tickets when I asked this before.)
WL: I already asked, and he wouldn’t answer!
JeffS: I wasn’t here! Here’s the thing. We’ve been having this discussion about this, and I thought it was in Towers of Midnight, where – and it ties into who is Gaidal Cain – I thought he had a second son, and I thought it was mentioned in ToM, and so (?)
BWS: A lot of people think that his first son is Gaidal Cain, but his first son is quite old.
(General interjections on the age of Gadren Grady, that Rand thought he was four years old only a month or so after Cain disappeared from Tel’aran’rhiod.)
BWS: Yeah, a lot of people think that he’s too old, but yeah, he has very ugly children, doesn’t he?
(A bunch of general discussion I can’t parse…)
BWS: I didn’t say “not!”
JS: He’s saying that they’re very ugly children, and that’s as much of a “yes” as you’re going to get.
JeffS: Hey, he said “children” like three times. I’m okay now.
—
At this point, we were already past the advertised time for the event to begin, so it was off to the Q&A.
Oh look, I do have an account in black! ;) (Luckily my browser has my password, because I don’t :P)
I like those questions, and I’ve made note of them. I’ll see how many of them I can get an answer to. I’ll keep checking back throughout the day until the signing, so keep them coming :D
Wet: Thanks for the transcription, that was quite fun to read!
Thank you very much for the last several comments and postings about their signing experience. Very fun and interessting to read.
Another good question. Moghedian thinks that Demandred has become obsessed with killing Rand but he hasn’t always been like that. so, is someone messing with his head, or is it all part of the Bao the Wyld story?
@wetlander – thanks so much for the transcription! Great questions, and it sounds like it was a really fun time. I for one would love it if one of Grady’s sons turned out to be Gaidal — I hadn’t thought the ages through enough at first, and had asked the ‘ugly child’ question at the ToM signing in Boston. Brandon told me I was the first on the tour to ask that question, but I certainly wasn’t the last to be on that track. :)
KJacobs – I’ve been convinced that Jur Grady’s second son would be Gaidal Cain, ever since the scene where he described his first son as “pretty as a stump.” I looked up the timing, and it would work perfectly if Sora had conceived shortly before Jur left the Black Tower; it’s logical that he wouldn’t know, if she wasn’t sure before his departure. Since he’s been completely out of touch with the BT since then, he’d have no way of knowing until this letter arrived. I’m absolutely sure that’s what’s in it. :)
Oh, and – you’re welcome. It was a lot of work to transcribe, but also a lot of fun to listen again (and again, and again) to the conversations. I’m still working on the Q&A and the signing table; not sure I’m going to have anything from the signing table part, because there are generally 3 or 4 conversations going at once, and it’s very hard to pick out a particular – and unfamiliar – voice asking a question. And fans really seem to mumble. More likely, I’ll pick up a few of Brandon’s answers, because he speaks clearly and I’m used to his voice. I’ll have to listen and see if he says anything we didn’t already hear…
I see that the mods have sub-linked Q&A segments in this thread at the top. Very nice of them. And also glad I snagged that early comment spot ahead of time.
Quick note before I pass out, just wanted to let you guys know that I only ended up having time for a single question; I asked “if there are any humans who have found a way, or been given a way, to inhabit tel’aran’rhiod[/i] beyond a normal lifetime, without being a Hero of the Horn.” for Freelancer and Wet @145/146 :P (I figured my Callandor questions could be asked later…). The answer was (Paraphrased):
I’ll do a more extensive writeup in the next few days, but in general the intro/Brandon and Harriet talk/general Q&A went similar to the other signings.
rhandric @154 – Very, very interesting. Not at all the answer I would have expected. Thank you for asking!! That… doesn’t actually shed the light a RAFO would have, come to think of it. Creates new shadows, maybe. Hmmm.
Hope you had a great time!!
I was at the Philly book signing last night. At some point I will post a summary of what Brandon & Harriet said prior to the Q&A, as well as the Q&A’s themselves. I took notes. I will try to do this later this week (probably either Friday evening or Saturday). RL will not allow me to do it any sooner. (BTW, I was not a Memory Keeper so I do not have that restriction.)
I was able to ask 2 questions: one during the Q&A, the other when I got my book signed. As a teaser here are those questions and answers
Q: Once a person pledges themselves to the Shadow (either voluntarily or involuntarily), are they always reborn as agents of the Dark?
A: BWS first qualified that any answer he will give is as always subject to the caveat that it is subject to a subsequent unearthing of RJ’s notes on the subject or an answer that RJ previously gave on the subject. BWS then stated that assuming that a soul was not transmutigated (for example the ‘gars [I probably bothched the spelling of this word]), then no. That person’s soul is a blank slate.
Q: How do Egwene, Nynaeve and Moiraine know Moridin’s name? (Egwene mentions Moridin by name when talking to Rand at the meeting of the Field of Merrilor; Nynaeve and Moiraine each mention Moridin by name in respective POV while in Shayol Ghul.)
A: BWS paused for at least 10 seconds before answering. He said that he thought he remembered answering this question before and did not want to give me a misleading answer. BWS said Rand told each of the 3 women Moridin’s name in an off-screen conversation.
I will leave the commenting of these answers to others (although I have some opinions about them — especially the answer to the second question).
Thanks for reading my musings,
AndrewB
There’s been an interesting discussion on these boards about how Robert and Brandon made up the names of the characters. I would also be very interested to know how Robert Jordan made up the old tongue words.
Was that question ever addressed?
rhandric,
Very kind of you to ask someone else’s question in place of your own. And I believe that the answer is much more significant than a RAFO. It sharpens the list of possibilities. From Aviendha’s meeting with her we know a few things, and suspect a few more. Aviendha cannot sense the ability to channel, which is inconclusive knowing that one can mask the ability, but why would an ally of the Light do that? There are also strong implications that the meeting occurred in tel’aran’rhiod (Aviendha is no dreamwalker, but she was carrying a Dreaming ter’angreal), and Brandon did confirm that Nakomi was adept at walking tel’aran’rhiod. The meeting with Rand at the mouth of the cavern is very suggestive of tel’aran’rhiod, since there is no sign of Thom, Moiraine or Nynaeve. We could suppose that Nakomi is only found in t’a’r, but that is as yet unknown. Since the dark one has just been defeated when she meets and guides Rand, it becomes well nigh impossible that Nakomi is an ally of the Shadow. What options does this leave us?
~ Nakomi is not human, but a projection from the Creator (Kiserai Haran?)
~ Nakomi is a living human, a previously unidentified Aiel dreamwalker, and not as “ancient” as we were led to suppose (based on Bair’s comment about the name)
~ Nakomi is living human, a previously unidentified channeler who feels the need to hide her ability, and can either dreamwalk or possesses a dreaming ter’angreal
~ Nakomi is a dead human, a Hero of the Horn who is tasked with remaining in tel’aran’rhiod upon the Horn’s call to assist allies of the Light who walk the Dream (doesn’t explain her visit with Aviendha, unless she violated the “precepts” as Birgitte did with Elayne & Nynaeve)
She isn’t Verin, or anybody else that Rand would recognize (including from his viewing of history in the Rhuidean glass columns). She isn’t a known Aiel Wise One (unless she used a pseudonym with Aviendha, and is one she hadn’t ever met). I can’t come up with much of anything else.
Kaboom @157
The following is the text of a letter written by Robert Jordan in answer to a very similar question.
So, to the consternation of those who have created Old Tongue lexicons, he built corruptions and imperfect conjugations into the structure intentionally, to give the form a feel of having developed over a long time.
Thanks Freelancer,
I had not seen that before.
@158 Freelancer,
Now I just need to convince someone else to ask my Callandor question(s) ;)
Re: Nakomi
We know that time in tel’aran’rhiod passes differently from time in the real world; do we know who that rule applies to? ie, is that just for the Heroes and wolves (who previously were the only ones we knew of with a permanent residence in t’a’r)? Or does it apply to Dreamers? Those in the Dream in the Flesh? Also, does time in a dreamshard (or possibly even a vacuole) act as it does in t’a’r? Perhaps the answer I was given was due to her not living in precisely t’a’r, but a dreamshard instead (or something similar).
Heh, while hunting for the Old Tongue answer, I came across this as well…
In answer to whether “The word still hung in the air as death took him” could refer to Moriding kidnapping Asmodean rather than someone killing him, Robert Jordan said this:
I had just speculated that Graendal could have opened a Skimming gateway without a platform and pushed Asmodean through it, similar to Mat’s trap for the Gholam. This makes it more likely to be correct.
Wouldn’t Asmodean have at least rudimentary control over SkimSpace, which would allow him to make his own platform? Not sure if control of your Skimming platform is tied to willpower/imagination of a channeler or channeling ability, so perhaps his greatly-reduced channeling ability wouldn’t allow him to stop himself, but I don’t recall any flows ever being used in the text to maintain the platform.
Then again, maybe he got pushed through and could form a Skimming platform, but didn’t have enough ability to open an exit gate.
Great transcription, Wetlander! Thanks so much.
Given what you guys, Andrew, Wet, Free, etc . have uncovered at signings, I think the arrow points to Nakomi as some sort of avatar for the Creator, or possibly Jenn in TAR….most probably the first. I think Rand earned a little help and encouragement, and a shot at a “normal-ish” life!
Re: Nakomi –
My brother suggested to me that she could be Rand’s mother. This would bring some circular closure to TEotW, where at the end she appears pleading and warns Rand of the Lord of the Grave. Not sure if there is any textual support, but BOY that idea makes me warm and happy. Maybe someone can ask if we ever see Rand’s mother in AMoL?
Thanks y’all!
I’m not terribly interested in the whole Asmodean mystery, but since people are still talking about it I’m curious. BWS has said that RJ revealed the killer via a note on a fan’s theory saying “This is right.” Has anyone asked what the full text of the fan’s theory is? I’m assuming it suggested a “why” or a “how” or something more than just a “who”.
rossnewberry @163
You would be right, a person’s will and imagination sets the Skimming platform. But in this scenario, it isn’t his gateway, so he wouldn’t be able to anchor a platform to anything. The “where he died” aspect must mean a place other than the normal waking world, since he was in the Palace at Caemlyn. Not too terribly many options from there.
HandEyeProtege @166
I’m sure that if you went back through the Theoryland and Dragonmount theory forums, you’d find all of the various arguments used for each of the possible suspects. Focus on those belonging to the revealed culprit, and you’ll surely read the one that was sent to Jordan. Much more likely to have been one of those HCFFs than an otherwise random fan who decided to send him a letter.
The whole Who killed Asmodean was never a mystery ( Ididnt know there was any doubts about until I found the online). I knew it was Graendal from Lord of Chaos. She tells Sammael that he is dead, but tells him that she only thinks Lanfear and Moghedian are dead. no questions necesary.
Ok, Atlanta signing tonight. Do we have any questions that desperately need answers, or do I fall back on my trove of stuff I want to ask?
ross @169 – I know J. Dauro is collecting questions for the Birmingham signing, where he’s a Memory Keeper. If you have a lot of stuff you want to ask, I’d suggest you do that rather than demoting your own interests for the rest of us. Unless you’re willing to stick around until 11:00 or so, you’ll only have the chance to ask a couple of questions, and I’d hate to see you miss the chance to ask something that’s really on your mind. OTOH, if you plan to stay late… take a list! :)
But Wetlander, we all know you appreciate me sacrificing my question(s) (which AhoyMatey got answered later anyway!) for Free/your question re:Nakomi ;)
rhandric – Yes, I do. You know I appreciate you! :) I just would have felt bad if you hadn’t gotten your question answered somehow as well. I guess my take has become something on the order of “If you think the questions of the group are actually more interesting than your own, by all means ask those; but if you really have something you want to know, ask it whether anyone else cares about the answer or not.” I’m lucky – Brandon comes to Seattle’s University Bookstore on nearly every signing tour, so I know I’ll have a chance sooner or later. Not everyone is so fortunate, and I’d hate to have anyone miss the chance to get their curiosity satisfied because they felt obligated to ask someone else’s question.
At the same time, if someone is going to a signing and doesn’t have any burning questions, I think it’s great to get questions from the group. It’s not nearly as much fun to get to the signing table with nothing to say but “please sign here…” :) And Brandon loves to get good questions.
Well, my questions re: Callandor would’ve taken several to properly ask/answer, and since I only had the opportunity to ask one, I decided to ask him your question, knowing that another breadcrumb in the Nakomi mystery would be a good thing to have. :)
Here are some questions of you are looking for some.
a) Does a hero bound to the Horn of Valere continue to be bound during the next turning of the Wheel? So when the next Third Age occurs will Hawking and those who are presently bound be still bound to the Horn? [AndrewB: If I had to guess, I would say yes]
b) After the Last Battle what happens to the Band of the Red Hand?
c) At the end of ToM, we know that Mesaana is for all intensive purposes a human vegtable. Off screen, after ToM, did the White Tower try and/or execute Mesaana.
Thanks for reading my musings.
AndrewB
Question: Is there a difference in the steps required to make an angreal or a sa’angreal?
Brandon: There’s nothing in the notes that points to a difference.
Here is my summary of what Brandon (BWS) and Harriet (HM) talked about at the Philadelphia book signing and the Q&A session. I will only briefly touch upon the areas that BWS and HM talked about. (I believe it was stated that the session was recorded on would eventually be posted on the web site for the Public Library of the City of Philadelphia (Pennsylvania). However, do not take this as an affirmative assurance). When BWS walked on stage (this portion of the book signing was in the auditorium of the Philadelphia Public Library) he was wearing a black T-shirt with the blacksmith puzzle icon.
He explained how he first got interested in the fantasy genre (his first fantasy book was Dragonsbane). He then preceded to tell how he discovered TEotW and how he became a fan of the series. BWS then described how he wanted to become a professional writer.
BWS then went into the story of his response to RJ’s passing, describing what he wrote about RJ on his blog and what RJ meant to BWS (despite not knowing the man personally).
HM continued from her perspective. She informed the audience about how she came to read BWS’ eulogy of RJ. It was the way he wrote and what he wrote that led her to initially believe that BWS would be the ideal type of person and writer to finish WoT. She also told the story about how she attempted to first contact BWS and wound up calling the other Brandon Sanderson in Provo, Utah.
BWS next told the audience about the time he first read RJ’s notes. BWS informed us that there were about 200 pages of notes on the last book. Roughly 100 pages of these notes comprised dictations of scenes/paragraphs. The other 100 pages were from Q&As among RJ, Allen and Maria.
Afterwards the Q&A began. Below is a summary of most of the questions asked and the answers from BWS and/or HM.
Q: How has BWS’ answer evolved since he started finishing the WoT
A: [I believe a summary of this answer would not properly capture BWS’ response]
Q: Which WoT character did BWS take the most liberties with?
A: Androl. BWS told the story of how he asked HM if there was a character for which the notes did not have a role for and if BWS could make his. HM was receptive to the idea. One of them (I cannot remember who) mentioned that RJ had in his notes material on leatherworking. HM had asked BWS if he could incorporate this into the books. BWS felt it would be perfect for Androl.
Q: Once a person pledges themselves to the Shadow (either voluntarily or involuntarily), are they always reborn as agents of the Dark? A: BWS first qualified that any answer he will give is as always subject to the caveat that it is subject to a subsequent unearthing of RJ’s notes on the subject or an answer that RJ previously gave on the subject. BWS then stated that assuming that a soul was not transmutigated [I probably bothched the spelling of this word] (for example the ‘gars), then no. That person’s soul is a blank slate.
Q: Why did we not see cuendillar made into chain mail or shields?
A: BWS does not know if something like this was ever done at some point in the history of WoT.
Q: What was BWS’ favorite miserable situation in AMoL?
A: It was a tie. The scene at the end of the Last Battle Chapter (the 200 page chapter) and the scene in the garden at night concerning the character BWS likes to put in miserable situations. (BWS phrased the answer in this manner due to a no spoiler rule.)
Q: How does BWS manage to distinguish his own style and writings from WoT?
A: BWS jumps between different materials/works as a means of taking a break. In other words he could not write the WoT novels (or his own for that matter) from beginning to end without working on unrelated writings. That said, BWS did mention the horror (his word) of writing both Ways of Kings and ToM simultaneously. This is why he could not work on the second book of the Stormlight Archive series until he completed AMoL.
Q: HM was asked how, as an editor, it was to work with BWS? Also how was working with BWS different from other authors and RJ?
A: She stated that by the middle of the series, she would give RJ “curb-side edits” (her phrase) or if there was a “big problem.” With BWS, it was a new author, but these were old characters. One of them told the story that she made the same edit for both RJ and BWS (
he noticedthat she is wearing …). Also, either BWS or HM told the story of the Aviendha/Elayne edit comment (that the Aviendha that BWS wrote was a great Elayne)Q: Regarding planned future WoT outriggers.
A: an emphatic no. However, HM did say there will be an encyclopedia (the original contract was signed with a due date in 2008). HM expects that it will take most of 2013 to put together and then some additional time to have illustrated. At this point, HM thinks it will not be out until late 2014 at the earliest.
Thanks for reading my musings,
AndrewB
For some reason, one of my questions and answers in AndrewB @176 got cut off.
Q: How has BWS’ answer evolved since he started finishing the WoT
A: [I believe a summary of this answer would not properly capture BWS’ response]
-AndrewB
Hi all,
Real life has been beating me up lately and I havent been able to be around.
Wetlandernw. Fantastic job with the transcription, I’m glad you were able to do this. The only problem is, I either talk alot, which is entirely possible, or my voice comes through clearly on tape.
The interactive discussions with Brandon, Harriet and all of us MK’s were wonderful for a dedicated WOT fan. So many great ideas and impressions from everyone and how we all finished each others thoughts and sentences without a gap in the conversation. Damn that was fun. I wish I could have another couple of hours sitting around and chatting like that again.
JeffS – Umm…. You know, I noticed that the vast majority of the questions in that were from either you or me… I think we both talk a lot, but I think we also had more questions – probably from the discussion here. I should email you the recording so you can listen and laugh again! I really, really cleaned it up for the transcription.
Also… check your shoutbox. I have to tell you a funny, but it has to be off-thread.
Wetlander@133
I’m making my way through these comments, so I might double-post. Just wanted to address this:
There is actually good evidence in the BWB, where there are hints of a duel between Hawkwing and Amalasan. The fictional scholars’ arguments against it were: 1) Hawkwing himself denied it, and 2) Amalasan could channel. But those are weak arguments, and it may be that the reader was intended to recognize that. Obviously Amalasan was shielded when he was captured; that would have been a perfect time for a duel, and it might explain (at least in part) why the Aes Sedai with Hawkwing were punished upon their return to the Tower. And Hawkwing denying it means nothing. Yes, the fact that Brandon squeezed in his cameo to this effect makes it less likely RJ intended that, but it may well be that the notes indicate there really was a duel. In fact, I’d like to think that Brandon wouldn’t squeeze in a sword with a dragon scabbard as the legendary Justice if there wasn’t a good explanation for why Hawkwing would have such a thing in the notes.
Kaboom@136
Several times in Brandon’s books, he introduces Rand’s POV like so: “Rand al’Thor, the Dragon Reborn…” So “just Rand al’Thor” is a deliberate contrast to that repeating line. He is no longer the Dragon Reborn; those responsibilities are fulfilled.
Hoping my case of “breakbone fever” doesn’t keep me from the signing in Bham
Re-read JCon button update!
I tweaked the design a bit, adding the “rough paper” filter, and made the text easier to read by adding “shadows”. The buttons without a colored ring around the outside will look like this:
I’m planning on using pin-backs for these buttons; if any of you are going to the Con in costume, you could pin the button onto the lanyard of your badge, or something. Alternatively, I can make some with a magnet and metal disc so that the pin won’t be a problem.
I’ve got plenty of time to make changes before I actually print and assemble them (still haven’t gotten a new cartridge for the printer), so don’t hesitate to ask.
Bzzz™.
Sorry about doing this so piecemeal, but I’ve still got a long ways to go on the full transcriptions. Still, here are a couple of sections from the end of the Seattle signing that I thought would be particularly interesting to this group. I didn’t even try to distinguish the various people talking – BWS is Brandon, MK is anyone else. :)
MK: Was Rand carrying the dull dagger, and did that keep the Dark One from seeing him?
BWS: Yes. The Dark One knew he was there once he got close enough, but it kept him from knowing Rand was approaching. It did its job.
MK: They never did anything else with the stash of angreal that were in Cairhien.
BWS: Didn’t I use…? No, that was the Ebou Dar stash. I thought I used the fat man, and honestly they are using the communication ones, but I just forgot to show it. That’s a mistake on my part. He even mentioned that that needed to happen, but I forgot – we all forgot that. They were using those.
MK: We were speculating that, come on, there’s like three wagonloads of stuff in Cairhien that need to be used.
BWS: Yeah, the only ones he told me to use are the dagger and the communication ones. I actually put the fat man in myself.
MK: Why is Rand so attached to that, because it doesn’t have as much as another one would…
BWS: Attached to what?
MK: Rand is really attached to the fat man…
BWS: I didn’t mean the fat man, I meant the storyteller. Didn’t I mention Robert Jordan again? I may have forgotten to. I was going to. You know his cameo is the storyteller angreal.
MK: Yes, they talk about it in the early chapters..
BWS: Yes, that’s the one I’m talking about , but yes, the fat man is there too.
MK: Are there not more powerful male angreal out there for Rand to use?
BWS: Yeah, there’s the cup, …
(unintelligible interruption)
The thing is, he wanted one no one knew he had. Because he’s Sneaky Rand and in Towers of Midnight, he’s doing sneaky stuff with all of his memories and things like this. It’s not all sneakiness, but one of the big things that made Team Jordan uncomfortable was Jesus Rand. I told them “It’s gonna work, because when you get to…” Harriet was like, “We can’t make him a deity. He can’t be a deity: he’s a person.” I’m like, “Don’t worry. When you read the last book, it will all come together, that he’s human.” But I really wanted people to be uncomfortable, because I remember reading book 3, and being very uncomfortable, because that’s the one after Rand became a murderer, where he leaves and kind of goes a little crazy for a while, on his way to Tear. And I’m like “Oh, no, I’ve lost Rand forever. My Rand is gone.” Right?
MK: Well, and then you lose him for like seven more books!
BWS: Right, but no, he comes back. By book four he’s back, main viewpoint character. And yeah, he’s grown and changed, but he’s still my Rand. I wanted to do that to you again. I wanted you to read book eleven and say, “Oh, no, I’ve lost Rand. He’s become Gandalf or something now. He’s Jesus Rand. And then I wanted to have you read the last book and be like “Oh, no, he is my Rand. He’s different, he’s grown, but he’s still Rand.” I was trying to parallel that; I hope that I achieved it. But that was the goal with Jesus Rand: you were supposed to be uncomfortable by that, and then you were supposed to learn that half of it was just tricks he was pulling, from knowing stuff in the Age of Legends.
MK: Did Rand have other memories, or just Lews Therin’s?
BWS: No, just Lews Therins. He did not gain any other memories of past lives. But I tell you, having several hundred years of Lews Therin, is a whole lot of stuff!
————-(interlude of stuff that I’ll transcribe later)
BWS: One thing that did get cut that you may find interesting is that we had about 20,000 words of Perrin going into the Ways, to close the Waygate from behind that’s in Caemlyn. He goes in there with a whole force, and the Black Wind arrives – and the Ogier arrive singing and drive it off.
MKs: (chorus of oohs and aahs.)
BWS: And it was way cool, but it didn’t fit.
MK: Is it going to make it somewhere?
BWS: Probably not.
MKs: (sighs of disappointment) It’s nice to know about, though.
BWS: There were a couple issues with it. One, we had a major issue that I was just doing too much Perrin stuff, because I’d just come off a Perrin book and I love Perrin, and Harriet’s like, “We’re just doing too much Perrin. Let’s scale back the Perrin.” And then the other thing was, she’s like, “You don’t quite have the Ways right, so they don’t have the feel Robert Jordan had.” Rather than spend the time getting it right, she just felt the whole section needed to go anyway, for pacing reasons. Too much Perrin, too much distraction, and Maria made the argument that closing the Waygate wasn’t necessary, because we already had in the plot to have the Trollocs being destroyed another way, so she was like “Why are we closing this Waygate, and spending 20,000 words doing it?” The only reason to keep it was the Ogier arrival, which was awesome, and driving off Mashadar. {He meant Machin Shin, and corrected it later.} The Ogier arrival now is much weaker; they show up at the Field of Merrilor, and that was kind of packed into place after we cut out this whole section.
MK: So what happened in the Ways?
BWS: They drove off the Black Wind with Song.
MK: Drove off, like, permanently?
BWS: No, no, no, they drove it away. And so it leaves you to believe they could perhaps do something about it. And they can.
MK: And that eventually, they will?
BWS: They have that power.
MK: So they could clean up the Ways?
BWS: They could. But it did not happen.
MK: Could they maybe do something like what happened with cleansing the Source, something like that, where they basically use…?
BWS: Yeah, something like that is possible; the Ogier would have to do it.
MK: Was the line about Loial having a book to finish an homage to Robert Jordan?
BWS: Not intentionally. But that is very sweet, and I wish I’d done that intentionally.
MK: There’s no way they could make this into one novel again, can they? (Apparently based on some earlier comment…)
BWS: No… But see, here’s the thing. We could do it as an ebook. The only thing we’d really gain, we’d gain two things by doing a reweaving: I can put the Tam sequence back in order, so it doesn’t look like Tam’s in two places at once; and we can have Perrin watching Rand on Dragonmount as it happens, which is how it was originally plotted. We’re cutting out of Rand, and then someone is witnessing Rand doing that, which I felt was very powerful emotionally, to have someone there with him, supporting him, and having one of his friends there. So those are the two things we’d gain. Basically everything else, because it would be the first two books weaving together, Perrin’s sequence in along, but everything after that is basically the same. The Black Tower stuff from this book would move backward overlapping Towers of Midnight, because most of that’s chronologically off a bit.
————--(interlude of stuff that I’ll transcribe later)
(Re: Cadsuane)
BWS: I’m fond of her now, having written through her eyes a little bit, but I do think she totally deserves what happens to her in the last book.
MKs: general laughter
BWS: And that was not me. Just so you know. I was perfectly happy to see that, but it was not my choice for her.
MK: I felt it was very perfect. She’s being forced to be Amyrlin, which is the one thing she doesn’t want to do.
BWS: The one thing she doesn’t want, and it’s going to make her die, if she doesn’t figure a way out of it, which is even better! Because she’s got maybe like ten years left in her.
MK: (something unintelligible)
BWS: No, it will, because she was going to release the Oaths and survive, and now she’s…
MK: Oh, she was going to?!
BWS: Yeah! She was totally going to, and go join the Kin, and like become…
MK: With the Kin, will Egwene’s vows (something unintelligible) still hold?
BWS: Yeah! She was going to go join the Kin and stuff, and now she’s Amyrlin, and the time is ticking! And she’s like “I want to be immortal, darn it!” And so she’s… I don’t know what she’ll do, but I imagine her finding a way to be Amyrlin without the Oaths. Somehow.
———-(interlude of stuff that I’ll transcribe later)
MK: Did you come up with M’Hael for the Chosen name, or was that in the notes?
BWS: No, that’s in the notes.
MK: It seems such a weird name, compared to the other Chosen names.
BWS: Yeah, but I got the implication that if you would have seen them all as they were Chosen, that they all weren’t these Big Chosen Things – they were things that developed. If that makes any sense.
————-(interlude of stuff that I’ll transcribe later)
BWS: I did name the dreamshard, because I was annoyed that it didn’t have a name all through the books, because it’s happening all through book three, I think…
MK: Is the testing – the Accepted and Aes Sedai testing – is that kind of dreamshard-ish?
BWS: Yes.
Wet @183:
Interesting tidbits, especially about Cadsuane and the Ways. Looking forward to the rest!
Bzzz™.
Great stuff, Wetlander!! BWS is being so forthcoming! I can’t wait to ask stuff at JCon.
Bug…..I LOVE your button!!! Very nice! I will wear one proudly!
Wetlandernw@183
Very interesting how BWS set up “Jesus Rand” and then lets us peek behind the curtain in AMoL to find out he’s the Rand we knew all along (plus a bag of tricks 400 years in the gathering.)
What doesn’t quite line up for me is: We find out that Rand’s “Darkfriend detection” powers (as displayed on Weiramon) were just a trick. Yet in Maradon, we see the Darkfriend Lord (Torkumen) rip out his eyes and his wife commit suicide as a pure side effect from when Rand does his spectacular “slaughter 50,000 trollocs at once” gig (also ‘cheating’ with the fat man angreal as it turns out.) There was no trickery by Rand towards the Lord and Lady, so there has to be some substance to the “demi-god” Rand shtick.
P.S. Bug, I plan to wear a button just as proudly as Tek. Guess I better get going on a personal avatar after all these years.
forkroot – are you going to JCon???
Also – it would be a very good question for someone to ask there: If Rand is really just Rand-with-a-bag-of-tricks, why did the Maradon Darkfriend Lord & Lady go crazy/suicidal when Rand did the big save? I hadn’t been thinking along those lines – this was something that came into the conversation and Brandon just thought we’d like to know – so I didn’t think about other ramifications at the time.
Also – while there are certain things he still can’t or won’t tell, Brandon is really enjoying his new freedom to talk about things that were/weren’t in the notes, and lots of behind-the-scenes stuff. He seems to be having fun being mostly just a fan again – but a fan with lots of inside info. :)
Thanks for posting all this Wetlander. Interesting stuff in there- Cads, the Ways, Jesus Rand, etc.
A few other items from the Atlanta signing on Thursday. Sorry it’s taken so long to get to them, but after the signing, I immediately got into a car and drove 10 hours to a ski resort. First world problems all up in this. I volunteered to handle fans’ cameras for pictures up at the signing table, so I didn’t get quite close enough to overhear much up there, but I did take some notes during the general Q&A.
Two of the major character deaths in the final book were not in Jim’s notes. One (Bela’s) was mandated by Harriet. Brandon did not (and has not, to my knowledge) divulge which one was his choice.
There might be a mention of the mechanics behind Heroes of the Horn (how you become bound in the first place, etc.) in the Encyclopedia.
One fan asked about what kind of legacy the Wheel of Time books left. Brandon pointed out the tremendous fan following, which has brought people of many different interests together. Harriet said (paraphrased), “The depth and strength of the worldbuilding and characters. John Grisham sells a lot of novels, but people don’t make charitable organizations named after John Grisham characters.” She also shared that Jim’s strong moral vision has helped a lot of people get through some very tough times.
The funniest bit of the Q&A was when a fan asked Harriet how she and Jim got along, since it seemed like she might be kind of a heavy-handed editor. Harriet acted quite taken aback, to the audience’s amusement. At this point, Brandon jumped in and said, “You don’t have to press very hard with a scalpel to make someone bleed.”
Brandon was very gracious and upbeat the whole night, despite a raw throat. Harriet must get up early in the morning to practice that smile of hers. I don’t understand how you can give someone a smile that is warm and welcoming while simultaneously having an infuriating I-know-something-you-don’t-know quality. Maybe I need to work on my eye-twinkle skills. Thanks to both of them for taking time out of their busy lives to visit with the fans.
And, on a personal note, I was able to give Brandon, Harriet, and Jennifer Liang each a draft copy of the novel I’ve been working on. If anyone on this thread has a few hours to kill, I’d be happy to share it with you, too. Just drop me a message.
Wetlander! Wow. Great stuff. You really got him to open up and share things we haven’t even thought about.
“Communication angreal” –After all the books of mis- and non-communication, that would have been good symbolically to have them used. “Now that we have this Unlimited Long Distance, let’s be sure to let each other know what’s going on.” “Well I’m awfully busy getting ready for the Last Battle. Is there a Tweet Angreal?” “That Facebook Angreal, though, has a really messy interface — but I like the pictures.”
“Storyteller angreal” – RJ’s cameo. Would have liked to have seen that. Or is this the same thing as the “Library angreal”? There was a great reference to all the aes sedai mobbing the thing trying to get answers. Heh. That would be US people!
It’s very satisfying to see that even Brandon gets Mashadar and Machin Shin confused! LOL
M’Hael: I like that it was RJ’s choice, and wcarter said it best on another thread:
Seems very appropriate to me, and a very deliberate 20th Century reference from a history buff like RJ.
Love the buttons, bug!
So many questions, so many answers…. I must be weird, because for the most part I’m perfectly contented with knowing what I know from the books.
Of course I Mis tons of stuff that other people catch, which is what makes reading all of this so darn interesting.
Insectoid – so glad that I’ll get to meet you at JCon this year. Looking forward to it. As for the button… I’m not much of an Aes Sedai… can you make the circle sort of camo color? I think that’ll be more maidenish- yes?
Mis-would be twitching over April, if only there weren’t so darn much other stuff going on
Ross @189 – I suspect that Egwene was Brandon’s though I don’t know for sure. I may be able to confirm that, depending on the exact wording of a conversation I hope I have recorded (somewhere in that 4 hours of recording I haven’t listened to yet…) IIRC, we were talking about the Emond’s Field crew dying or not dying, along with a lot of other arm-waving, and Brandon said something to the effect of “two of them died; Harriet killed one and I killed one.” If my memory is correct, that would mean that Harriet killed Bela and Brandon killed Egwene. I find it a little hard to believe that he would have killed someone that major without it being in the notes, but… we do know that RJ planned to have Cadsuane become the new Amyrlin. And now I’ve talked myself around to not really knowing what I think about it! It may be that RJ had a note that Egwene was to die in the LB, but nothing specific as to how she would die. That might leave Brandon feeling like he killed her without messing up the fact that they were following instructions on who lived and who died…
Man-o-Manetheran @190 – What Brandon referred to as the “storyteller angreal” is what we’ve called the library or Kindle ter‘angreal. FWIW, I rather suspect that he may have actually written in a scene or so with the communication ter’angreal, and those scenes got cut without anyone realizing that they were the only ones to use that particular item. I know a LOT got cut – IIRC, there were somewhere around 50,000 words that got cut, one way or another. (That might be high, but that’s the number I think I remember hearing. No idea where, when, or why, though. Someone else may have better intel on that.)
RE: “a LOT got cut”
Noooooooooo………………I want a “special features” with deleted scenes!
Can’t they dole them out one by one, or something?
s’rEDIT @193 – I know! I want to read it all!!! I suspect most of what got cut involved either Perrin or Demandred, but clearly there were also a lot of other characters involved in some of them. Brandon talked a couple of times about how he’d written a lot of Perrin stuff, because he likes Perrin and finds him easy to write, and there was so much to work with. However, Harriet felt the book needed to focus more on Rand, so she made him cut a lot of the Perrin bits and add in more Rand bits. And of course, as we’ve already heard, there was a whole bunch on Demandred that was great stuff, but just didn’t fit into the book well. At least we get to read that part, in the “River of Souls” story when it comes out…
I’d love to have seen the Ways scene Brandon described; I really, really would. However, Harriet is a professional editor with an additional vested interest in making AMoL the very best they could, so all I can do is hold to my confidence that she made the right call for the book as a whole.
::But I’d still love to have read about the Ogier coming through the Ways, singing…::
thanks Wetlander… love reading about all of these tidbits that got cut etc.
I’d like to note that, from what I understand happened, to say that Harriet killed Bela is a bit of an overstatement. Brandon had written her into a situation form which it would’ve been very implausable to survive and Harriet refused to allow Brandon to “save her”. FWIW, I belive it was the right decision given Lan’s and Faile’s survivals. I’m pleased for them but to add Bela would’ve been almost a meta-joke for the fans, given her already cult status.
Fork @186:
Eh?? Have you decided to go, then? Do tell!
Mis-camouflage @191:
I didn’t know there was a Camouflage Ajah. ;)
I suppose I could fix up something to that effect… but I’m not sure I understand how that would be ‘maidenish’?
Wet @192:
I could’ve sworn it was stated or implied somewhere that Eg’s death WAS in the notes. I could be wrong.
So close to 2 hunny…
Bzzz™.
Bela had to die in order to return as a Hero of the Horn.
I appreciate the efforts to glean the tidbits from the Q&A sessions. I can’t help but wonder what AMOL would’ve been like without all of the editorial constraints. An extras special edition would be pretty cool.
Man-0 @198:
Your image isn’t coming through. Maybe you could save it, upload to your profile and link to that?
2 hunny FTW!
Bzzz™.
Bug –
Better?
M-o-M
Scott @199 – Longer. Much, much longer. :)
Man-0 @201:
Much. ;) You make that yourself?
Bzzz™.
Wetlandernw, thank you so much for that jaw-dropping report. I just found it now, thanks to s’rEDIT referencing it in Leigh’s latest AMoL reread post. So much fascinating information there.
I do hope they release the cut scene of Perrin in the Ways at some point. Perhaps we can convince them that releasing it would be a good way to get people excited and talking about WoT again in a year or so, you know, as a primer for the release of the Encyclopedia.
I’m also very interested in finding out who the other character (besides Bela) is who’s death was not in RJ’s notes. I’m convinced it is not Egwene, especially with Cadsuane as next Amyrlin being in RJ’s notes. Rhuarc, maybe?
Cross-posted from AMoL Re-read part 4.
@anyone who has or is planning to cosplay an Asha’man:My mom and I are having a great deal of trouble finding something suitable for me to wear as far as an Asha’man coat goes. (We’ve already searched for things like a Nehru jacket, without much success.) If y’all could give us some suggestions as what to look for (pre-made), where to find a suitable pattern (to make one), etc., we would really appreciate the help.
Bzzz™.
I was at the Toronto signing, dressed as an Aes Sedai of the Purple Ajah (if anyone reconizes the old Verin theory about the Light counterpart to the Black Ajah (I think Sanderson reconized it when I explained it)).
There was also a Mat cosplayer, If he is reading this I have one of your dagger and would like to return it.
The opening questions were explaining how he got chosen and the standard questions that are in the interview database.
There was no Harriet and no RAFO cards. :( But I did get a Memory of Light bag (got lots of tickets from answering trivia)
The answers to my questions, the WOT one asked circumspectly to avoid spoilers:
Q:(about his Mistborn series) So the cloaks have ribbons attached at the shoulders, do they have more ribbons attached to those ribbons lower down?
A: The Mistcloaks are customized by the wearers (-I’m glad none of the character went fot hotpink-)
Q: (concerning the crystals collapsing into the hill after the battle) Have you heard of a myth about Merlin in a crystal cave and the Holy Grail- we all know what its other name is.
A: Yes but there are many layers there. The sa’angreal was shaped like a cup (-which I did notice earlier-). And Bao the Wyld, think about the name, it sounds like Beowulf (-looks like I should read that for more theorizing-).
I somehow ended up mentioning that I answered the trick trivia question on Nakomi, I told him I said my personal theory and that Brandon wasn’t allowed to answer any questions about her. He then asked what my theory was (-with an obvious poker face on-), I said that I found it obvious that Nakomi is the Creator (he goes mmmhmm). Then one of the Memory Keepers remarks “But Bela is the Creator!” to which I came up with the new theory that Nakomi is the Creator because Rand wouldn’t be able to handle a talking horse.
I have a question for my fellow fans too; when Sanderson signed my copy of Towers of Midnight he wrote what I thought was an old tongue quote but I didn’t find any thing on enclopaedia wot (the fansite) and now its bothering me. I think it says “Irur Tu bind” but the last 3 letters of the first word could be wrong. I’m not sure how adding an image works, more specifically how to host it as it asks for a url.
I just thought of a theory for why the communication ter’angreal didn’t work; there is no longer a magical cell phone network (standing flows?).
GardenGnome @207 – Possibly, “Iron to bind” – from the trip into the Tower of Ghenjei and the rhyme: “Courage to strengthen, Fire to blind, Music to dazzle, Iron to bind.” Brandon’s handwriting sometimes is a bit… challenging.
That sounds good! THANK YOU! He was signing with a marker. Should I … correct it?
Also as the signings are done can we have the crossword answers? Specifically ____ of the Dead and sword form “____ Among the Lily Pads.” I scoured enclopaedia wot for the other answers and correct spellings.
Isles and Eel, respectively, IIRC. :)
Isles seemed to be the only choice but WHERE are they? I don’t remember them at all.
GardenGnome @207/Wet @208:
Agree about Brandon’s handwriting. He wrote (at the TGS signing) “May you always find water and shade!” in my copy of TGS. I guess I can read it because it’s similar to my own handwriting: sort of a hurried scrawl, where ‘n’s and ‘o’s can be mistaken for ‘u’s, etc.
GardenGnome @211:
Probably because it was only mentioning in passing, in TGH ch. 7. It was said that the Sea Folk refused to cross the Aryth Ocean, saying that the Isles of the Dead were on the other side. (Yes, I looked it up.)
Bzzz™.
You wouldn’t believe the number of different WoT resources I used to create that beast…
Rossnewberry@189 & Wetlandernw@192: Brandon’s death pick was a question that someone ahead of me in line at the signing asked. My husband offered to take photos for him while he was having his books signed, and he was kind enough to reciprocate by finding me in line afterwards to share the answer. He said it was Hurin.
KJacobs @214 – Thanks! Good to get a real answer on that.
I’ll be at JordanCon as well, of course, but since I haven’t got to comment on many of the WoTRR posts in months and months, I’m not sure if I still count as a re-reader. lol But I’ve been busy planning lots of cool stuff for JordanCon, so I do hope those of you who I haven’t met will come up and introduce yourselves. You’ll usually find me around the Art Show (someone has to keep an eye on that al’Thor boy), or masquerading as Cadsuane, Lanfear, Siuan Sanche…and one other character I’m not discussing much just yet. :-)
Hey April
Glad you will be at JCon. I’ll make sure to add you to the re-readers Bunker Guest List! I left you a note in your Shoutbox regarding some special T-Shirts we have designed just for Leigh’s Re-Read community. insectoid is making up some great name badges just for us. And of course you still count! Cadsuane. Yeah! Wetlandernw can’t come, and we were counting on her for Cadsuane.
@250, Insectoid, sent you a Shoutbox post about an Asha’man coat. Hope it helps!
April @216/218:
You can certainly be an Honorary Re-reader. Got your shout; I left you a reply in your shoutbox with a question re: your button.
Bzzz™.
GardenGnome @211
If you’re still checking this thread, there is a site for searching the text of all WoT books (I don’t think they’ve finished including all of ToM or AMoL yet), called Ideal Seek. If you know part of a phrase, it will return all Book and Chapter references for where the phrase may be found, plus the text itself, which may or may not be more complete than what you enter. But with the reference, it isn’t too hard to find the complete phrase. However, it isn’t the most advanced search tool you’ll ever see, and can have mildly frustrating results at times.
So, for your two crossword items, “of the Dead” returns many results, since Ideal Seek doesn’t presume the order of the words, simply the existence, and both “of” and “the” are too common to be of great help. It would then be up to you to check each of the referent chapters to find the phrase or plot point you seek.
On the other hand, “among the lily pads” only gives two returns. Both returns are from Knife of Dreams, the first from the Prologue:
The second from chapter 24:
When you know a word or phrase with certainty, you can find where to read a passage of concern quite consistently with this tool.
GardenGnome @211:
Adding to Freelancer’s comment, one of the unusual things about Idealseek is that rather than being stored as the unbroken text, it is broken into phrases and sorted alphabetically by phrase within each chapter. One thing that has happened to me before is that something I knew existed in the books was broken apart into two separate phrases for storage, so my query returned no results even though the actual phrase I entered existed in the books.
That being said, unless I know for sure which book what I’m looking for is in (so I can use Kindle search), I start with Idealseek and usually am able to narrow it down pretty quickly before going to the original for the full excerpt.
Folks, I finally got the transcripts of all of the Birmingham Signing Q&A posted on Dragonmount. They can be found at
http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/topic/79858-birmingham-amol-signing-feb-22-2013/
We had a great time, and I did manage to get an answer about one Nakomi Issue in the Memory Keeper Q&A.
Nice, Jay! You got a lot of good questions asked and answered! Good reading for tonight. :)
So, Jay, you can be an Ogier if you wish. That’s nice.
I can see that the Re-readers are going to mob poor Maria in Atlanta.
And this, this is simply priceless:
She is so fun, it was wonderful of her to join Brandon on the tour, to give us more insight into Jordan’s creation, her own inputs and influences of the story, and just her irrepressible spirit.
My only question now… why didn’t y’all get more out of her on what the name is supposed to mean? If anything? :)
I agree with Freelancer – it was so gracious of her to do so much of the tour, and she’s wonderful fun.
My favorite reply was to what Moridin was doing in the Little Town of Thakandar:
“I think he was building a new Westin Hotel.” Heh. That Harriet…
My follow up at JordanCon: “Other than building a new Westin Hotel, was he just out for an evening stroll, or was he there to meet someone?”