AMA 05/12/2019

05/12/2019 - Ask Me Anything by Terry Mancour - Original complete discussion can be found on Discord at The Ghost Rock, link on main page of this wiki.

this is just the distilled question and answer portion of the AMA and not the complete text.

>**Terry, how long do you think it will take for Book 12 to be ready for release?**

* I’m guessing that I’ll have it done probably early next year, hopefully in January or February. No promises, but that’s how my schedule is planned for now.

>**How much research do you put in some elements of your books, any things you spent way more time on than you'd expect?**

* As much as I possibly can, honestly. I pride myself on writing in a way where you can really smell the peasants, and part of that is have as complete enough understanding of what I’m writing about as possible. My research extends beyond reading to experimenting and taking workshops. Currently, I’m on a cheese binge, but before the series is over I will have

**>How far have you thought out the plot of the novels with some certainty?**

* I would say that I’ve thought out the plot of the series with certainty, but each individual novel, while designed to do a particular thing in service of the series, is its own book. While Arcanist (Book 12) is essentially a continuation of Thaumaturge, it will be its own novel. I know generally how it will go, but I wait until composition to see how the plot lays out.

**>How large of a donation would be required to have a character named after a friend ?**

* Email me privately. We can talk.

>**Can you give a rough estimation on how long till Alya is completely healed, and what this will means for the rest of the over arching story**?

* A couple more books. Sort of. Kind of. In a way. Let’s just say that her healing process will be overtaken by events.

>**Will we be seeing other human's and how do they live differently as compared to the humans living in the five duchies (or to be more precise 2 Duchies, and one Kingdom**)

* Yes, starting about Book 14 or 15. I think you’ll find it very interesting.

>**While I know magic and wizards are the focus of the books, why do all non magical characters seem incompetent and unable to see the bigger picture?**

* It’s not that they’re incompetent, its that their competence is limited by their experience, education, and perspective. Imperially-trained wizards are educated people, and even wild magic imparts a certain knowledge of the universe that mundane folk lack. Minalan surrounds himself with competent people, and wizards are often competent people. They are also often screw-ups in other ways.

>**Are you open to suggestions for cool ideas your readers have had, such as new enchantments for weapons?**

* Always. Just don’t be insistent or rude about it. I love hearing ideas, but the last thing I want to hear is “He stole that from me!” If you have something cool, send me an email.

>**When a book is finished how much of a process is there to get it ready for audio book format?** How did you choose your excellent narrator and how long does it usually take between the release of a book and the release of the audio book?

* Excellent question. It takes me at least a month to go through, re-edit, correct and develop a pronunciation guide for all of the weird fantasy names. Sometimes longer – I’m planning two months for Necromancer. Podium Publishing chooses the narrator, and they have been sterling at that. After that, usually a month for production, a month for post-production, and then it goes up on the site. But at any stage of the process any number of things can delay that and push back the date. As it is, I’m pretty impressed with how quickly and well Podium has managed the series. Serious props.

>**When are we going to see Alya’s creamery?** **What cheese(s) would be closest equivalent?**

* Book 12, Arcanist. And I’m still working on that.  Right now I’m experimenting with a Welsh Caerphilly, but I think I’m getting a good idea for what it will be like. With perhaps a few variations.

**>Whose voice told Min he must get back up after he nearly died in the battle of Cambrian Castle?**

* That was Briga. She was annoyed.

**>1- Will we ever find out what happened to Earth?**

* > Yes. But not for a long time, yet.

**>2- Are Huin, Duin, and Luin anthropomorphic ducks?**

* > No. But it's amusing to think about.

**>What character do you identify with most? Who is your favorite character besides Min?**

* > Probably Pentandra, although Dara, Olmeg, and Sire Cei are also good. Sometimes Rondal. Occasionally Tyndal.

**>If you could cast one spell in real life, what would it be? How about a sport talent?**

* >The one that made me a famous fantasy author. Oh, wait . . . And my sport talent? Omnipotence. I think you see a pattern, here . . .

**>2) Will there be technological development as well as magical?**

* > Yes, but don't expect it to flow nicely like regular Medieval>Rennisance>Industrial Revolution. Shit's weird on Callidore.

**>Did you know that the maps go out of focus when you enlarge them? Can you get that fixed soon?**

* >Yes, and I'm working on fixing them. Starting with cleaning them up in general. That's a lot of what the Atlas of the Five Duchies is about.

**>Is ruderal going to finishing school like rondal/Tyndall did? Will he pick up on warmagic?**

* More like it will evolve around him. And he's going to learn some warmagic, but his specialties will lead him elsewhere.

**>Are you ever going to write us the short story of Randal, Tyndal, runderal, and the Idol? You have referenced it many times.**

* Great question. Yes, I will. It's a character issue, which is why I'll probably finish it and release it around the time of the next Cadet novel, which will focus on the Kasari. Title will be Windmaster.

**>How do you keep track of so may plot threads and details?**

* Good question. I obsess about it. And I keep a lot of maps and excel spreadsheets. And I still get a lot of things wrong.

**>Why didn’t Dara get any military training like the boys did? Will she ever? In Necromancer & Thaumaturge she seems handicapped as a leader.**

* Dara's training was commiserate with her ability and position. Being a Sky Rider is military training. Her leadership was, indeed, hampered by the split between the Wings, but she will overcome it. Her personal life may not be pretty, but she'll go on to be a solid military leader. Remember, she's a teenage girl. She doesn't automatically snap into leadership equipped with a full set of skills. Neither does anyone else.

**>Can a heatstone boil water?**

* >Only if it is enchanted with that property. That's pretty hot, and it costs extra. But yes, it can.

>**I recall the mention of a tree seen in the magosphere. Was it a Metsakinsa? Will they be characters in the next couple of books**?

* Maaaayyyyybe. You'll see the first of the Met Sakinsa in Book 13.

**>Where is Cormeer is it a sovereign nation ? And do you think you will start a separate Kickstarter for Atlas, have you considered tyromancy aka Cheese prophecy**

* Cormeer is a region under Merwyni rule on the southeast coast of Merwyn. They're not particularly happy about it. We might do a separate KS for the Atlas, stay tuned. And yes, yes I have considered Tyromancy. How did you know?

**>Thaumaturge was written in different style to all previous book. In addition to Min we now have added Tyndal/Rondal, Pentandra and Dara as significant 1st person viewpoints. Do you intend to write from more than Min's perspective in future books (ala GoT) to tell the parallel stories? and/or Are you exploring different perspective writing styles?**

* Great question. Min will always be the primary character, but it seems a shame to build such a cool world for only one man. The other perspectives give the reader a chance to enjoy Callidore with different eyes, from different ages, and such. Otherwise, it's like learning about the Civil War only from Rhett Butler's perspective. A LOT is going on, and I want you to get a taste of it all. And of course I am constantly experimenting with writing styles. I might fail occasionally, but I won't be boring.

**>Will we be seeing more of the gurkl (or however you spell the goblin who first saw the molpar s name) in relation to the prophesy? Why has that not been addressed by min and the gang**

* See: Book 11. It will be addressed. But they're a bit busy right now.

**>With the Journeymage peeling back linguistic roots on hig perwynese, I notice some references to other cultures and languages (e. g. Asterix & Popeye, Linta and Leska being Finnish nanes), but the placement of Russian derived names seems very deliberate - a Sea Mage (Moudrost - Wisdom), a Nemovort (Nadziratel - Overseer), a Rat boss (Uzhas - Terror), as well as Ukranian (likely) with Perwyn - First. Is that supposed to hint at the multicultural part of the expedition, or is that more of a byproduct of your literary process of selecting names?**

* Outstanding observation! Yes, those names were chosen for a couple of different reasons, and some of them do hint toward the composition of the original colony. Others were borrowed, sometimes altered, from a particular language for a particular reason. I do a fair bit of research into some of my names. Others I choose because they sound cool. Many of the Nemovorti names come from Eastern European languages because (to the English-speaking world) they have delightfully sinister consonants. But some of the names are descended from the original colony. There's a story, there . . .

**>Just finished a reread of the whole cycle, and was wondering if you're planning on writing up some of tge stories that are hinted at - such as Ugliest Maid in Castal, Penny's Wedding, awakening of Korbal/Tyndal&Rondal in the Land is Scars? Will you have an Alurra story, or continue Dara's?**

* Yes, Ideally, I'll be doing all of them. And even more. When you take the trouble to clear a field this big, you like to plant more than one kind of vegetable. Or some metaphor like that.

**>Is Narasi based on earth language(s)? If it is which language is it based on?**

* Narasi is the polyglot result of a few different Western European language strains which were forced together over an extended period of time along with a "common" tongue. So are most of the languages on Callidore. Some are Catalan, Welsh, Irish, Finnish, etc. mixed with one or more of the others, within a greater linguistic context. Over time, drift brings them into a single language.

**>1) What became of Horka’s broken glass?**

* Min has it. It will become important-ish in a few books.

**>2) Min’s three other bastards, that Ishi’s mentioned, who are they and when is Iugy going to find them?**

* We'll find out. At least one or two of them. But it won't be Iyugi who finds them. The gods are involved. And you know how THEY are.

**>What cheese is closest to Bovali cheese?**

* Working on that. Right now, it's leaning toward a Caerphilly, but the Vanador the result might be a bit different.

**>Around how far into this duology might we have a clearer understanding of the valley people, not looking for a definite answer?**

* The Valley people won't be explored until at least book 16. But the revelations they hold will shake Min's understanding of humanity on Callidore. Again.

**>In your writing I notice some characters are mentioned and later insert themselves into the situation as a problem arises, but I have seen clues to the problems before the characters get mentioned too. So I am wondering which comes first in your writing character or problem they solve?**

* It can go either way. Usually, I have a good idea about the problem and the character who will solve it, and will try to introduce both in ways that aren't too obvious. Other times, I write myself into a corner and call on one of my faithful torchbearers to develop enough character to get me out.

**> What was the inspiration to include a character like Caswallon?**

* He's a bit of a parody of the Heroic Warrior meme, but there is a backstory and deeper character insights. He's someone who's really good at what he does, knows it, and then annoys other people talking about how he's really good at what he does. Without realizing he's done so. Kinda like the Tick.

**>Will there be a moment when guns enter the series?**

* Yes. But don't expect them to change the situation as much as you think they will. Nor will they be prominent.

**>Was Earth always in the 'light', and if so where did the myths of dragons, the various alkon-like races we know of, and gods come from? if they were not always in the light, as I suspect, does this mean that we had previous interactions with the alkon races on Earth before we drifted from the darkness?**

* Great question. Yes, Earth is in the Light . . . but it has had brief periods of being in the Realm of Darkness. Believe it or not the answer lies within quantum physics. The other races in our memory are traces from this time, and from times when other races have intruded on our world. More of this will be revealed toward the end of the series. You know, a dozen or so books from now.

**>So is the aronins daughter going to be bear one of the meteor locations where the magosphere is torn or is that just going to be the location of the arsenal? Did min really find a APC sitting inside of castabriels castle vault?**

* More than likely. I mean, that's what all the foreshadowing shows. Wait for Book 13! And yes, he did. But it's severely stripped and lacking a power core.

**>Will we ever find out what happened to Sir Surbural?**

* Yes. But not just yet.

**>Have you considered implementing a beta reader program, like Michael J Sullivan and some other self publishing authors have, to help with editing? Do you feel that the errata we compile on here post release is a more effective method of accomplishing that?**

* Good question. I do have a professional editor (NOT a proofreader) and I do employ a few volunteer beta readers. But no matter how hard I try to eliminate errors, there are always some that get through. But here's the thing: writing like this is an iterative process. Almost everything gets fixed by the time it goes to audiobook, and by that time I've had a few dozen people give me corrections. And not all the same corrections. So it's a trade-off between getting the book to you perfectly (which is impossible) or getting it to you expediently. I suppose I could make y'all wait longer . . .

**>Can you do another Spellmonger Anthology? I loved the first one, you must have loads lurking on your hard drive?**

* Funny you should mention that. I'll be releasing one this summer, sometime. It won't be huge, but it will be called The Wizards of Sevendor, and feature stories on Sire Cei, Olmeg the Green, Zagor, Bannamor, and perhaps a few others. Light, refreshing fare, nothing terribly heavy. I mean, I'd never put a major plot point in a simple short story, would I?

**>Will Sir Whiskers from the Iris be important?**

* In a minor but important way. He's technically some other author's creation, I'm just filing off the serial numbers and giving him a new coat of paint. I don't want to overuse him.

**>How important of at all is Zagor? I cant help it but I really enjoy the characters major and minor. What happen to Reylman?**

* Zagor is important, again, in a minor way. Consider that he's one of the only High Magi who did not give his oath to Min. His witchstone pre-dates Min's. That's important. Reylan is still around in Wenshar. It's coming . . .

**>when will printed copies of court wizard be available?**

* Working on it, promise! So far the first 5 books and the 3 Cadet novels are available in print. I'm hoping to have all of them up to Court Wizard done and available by the end of the summer.

**>Interplanetary?**

* This is EPIC FANTASY. We'll probably just go orbital. MAYYYYBE lunar, but THAT'S IT.

**>Dragons: when is that dragon egg that they captured going to come up again**

* Soon. Because the Alka Alon forgot how to hatch one. Hilarity ensues.

**>Will we have a 'Meanwhile in Sevendor' section in Arcaner?**

* A little. But other books may show what's been happening. Like the The Wizards of Sevendor anthology I'm writing.

>**Was the narasi a camp for equine enthusiast?**

* No, but almost as interesting. It was the Northern Area Research and Survey Institute. They had a few horses. Things got complicated.

**>Can magically inert materials like the Smokey the Bear statue go into Hoxter pockets?**

* Why, no. No they do not.

**>Which book will the kingdom take back Farise?**

* Probably 15 or 16.

**>How did the alon discover other planets and travel between them?**

* The simple answer is "magic". The more complex answer is a major plot point. Probably for the 3rd 10 books.