Good Morning, Readers!
At least, it's morning here. Early enough that I might be able to get through another five Ask Terry questions before lethargy and brain cramp set in. Let's see what sort of mischief you've been up to this month:
Mark Lebow writes: Is there a point in the Genesis of Shannara when the belief in God disappears? Helen Rice and Angel Perez believe in God, so it seems, but is there some point when that belief utterly disappears from the world, never to return?
Terry Brooks replies: Well, if there is one, Mark, I don't know where it is. I would guess it is an individual thing with each character, pretty much the way things work in real life. Some probably never believed to begin with. Some just don't talk about it. Some think that all that matters is how they act. Anyway, the street kids, in particular, wouldn't know much about religion of any sort, having not been exposed to it. Logan Tom knows about religion; we see that from his encounter with the small community on the east side of the Rockies. But the large question of religion disappearing isn't something I've given much thought to. My concern is more with when any sort of moral code disappears. When do people stop behaving in a reasonable, compassionate way towards one another. That's more of what's happened in the current books.
Corey Barnhart writes: I just finished reading Dark Wraith and i was wondering if the graphic novel does as well as all your fans are hoping it does, and you do decide to do another, do you think you are going to continue the story line that you had set up with Jair, or are you thinking about starting a whole new one based around another character? If the case is the latter of the two, would it be a character that has already been previously used and developed, like with Jair?
Terry Brooks replies: Good question, Corey, but I don't have a good answer to give you. I've thought about in a general sort of way, but I haven't settled on anything. Once the publisher decides it is ready to go ahead with another graphic novel, I'll start thinking about it seriously. What do you think? Maybe we should take an online pole of the readers and see how they feel. Do we stick with Jair, change to something else, use established characters or what?
Deborah Nolan writes: In Sometimes the Magic Works: Lessons from a Writing Life, you write about your editor and his importance in your work. My manuscript has been picked up by a New York agent. He loves the characters, the writing, says he loves the book but wants such major changes in plot that I am unable to write, I am so disheartened and stuck. Help!
Terry Brooks replies: Well, my own personal feeling is that making major changes for someone who isn't going to buy your novel is a crapshoot. Some agents are good at helping writers, but some don't know more than the writers do about what will sell. After all, it's an editor's call when it comes to picking up a book, not an agent's. If you feel strongly enough about your book as it is written, you might have to tell your agent you can't do it. It's a hard, hard call. You don't want to give up a chance, but you have to be true to your art as well. Has anyone else told you they think you need major plot changes? Have you gone to any writing conferences and had an editor look at your work? Maybe that would help you make up your mind.
Anonymous writes: Why would Allanon bother recruiting Jair to stop the Mwellrets and Croton Witch from trying to gain access to Paranor as if it were the potential end of the world? From the way it ended it looks like Paranor would have taken care of the situation without his intervention.
Terry Brooks replies: Maybe it looked that way, but it wasn't. So maybe I need to do a better job of making it clear what's going on with the next effort. Allanon's shade recruited Jair to stop Cogline from being used to open the locks on Paranor set in place by Druid magic. While the creature in the well wards the keep, this doesn't mean there isn't a way to get inside, particularly if you are a Druid. The idea was that Cogline might have the ability to break down the locks and open the Keep. Jair's appearance and distraction of both Cogline and the Croton witch disrupted things enough that the magic warding the keep was able to recover and respond the unauthorized invasion. Hope that helps.
Mike Gayle writes: I used to get this creepy feeling whenever "Grey's Anatomy" came on, but that was just because of the show. Now, the creepy feeling is because of the night shots of Seattle. Since reading the Word/Void books, Seattle is now a haunted place. Was it difficult to turn Seattle into a post-apocolyptic horror since you live there? It is more vivid for me than anything else you have written.
Terry Brooks replies: Thanks for the compliment, Mike. I always like to tell people that after the scenes in Knight of the Word, no one will ever go down into the underground city of Old Seattle or visit Lincoln Park alone at night. But I don't see Seattle as a scary place. That's one of the things I've always liked about it. I've always felt it is pretty much safe everywhere. I know this isn't entirely true, but it is my impression. So thinking of the city as abandoned and filled with things that can kill you did take some thinking over. But I guess it worked!
Okay, back to Magic Kingdom for the moment. Got another nine or ten chapters to write before it's completed. The title has already changed several times, so I can't give it out just yet. I hope to have it in place when I got on the road with The Gypsy Morph in September. Take care, all. Be kind to others. Be good to the less fortunate. Remember your place in the larger scheme of things.
Best to you,
