Questions have piled up underneath various blog entries at Eagles Over the Kennebec. So! Massive question-answering. If I’ve missed yours, ask again and I’ll do my humble best.
1. Why am I going to Archers Beach?
Because I have two books set in Archers Beach due pretty soon now, and, as matters now stand, and with Mr. Bouchard’s kind assistance, it was cheaper, in time and money, to stay in town during September, rather than make multiple day-trips down-coast. The decision to do this was made when I thought this year would look very different than it’s turning out, but made they are, and off I am.
2. What will Madam Agent want you all to write next?
That’s kind of got the cart before the horse. Given that the proposal we submitted are all for books in-series, Madame’s job at this point is to either (1) request from Steve and I more fullness of detail in order to clarify our intent, or (2) to send the proposals on to Madame the Editor. We haven’t gotten a request for a rewrite, nor heard that the proposals have been passed on; Madame the Agent is on vacation, so we hope to hear in re (1) or (2) in September.
3. Any plans for more Tree-and-Dragon symbol tees?
There’s a kind of t-shirt shop under construction here. Also coffee mugs and tote bags. I’m not sure what’s going on with all the shirts with teensy-tiny logos on them. Cafepress being…somewhat opaque to me.
4. I take it there is a naming convention that assigns males a two “word” name, like Val Con and Er Thom, but “Daav” seems to be exceptional in that respect as well.
Many male Liadens are saddled with the two-section personal name. The traditional naming practice is two syllables of three letters each — the balanced syllables are both artistically and philosophically pleasing; the total of six letters is also pleasing, six being a felicitous number for Liadens, along with twelve. So you get Jen Sar, Ren Zel, Sae Zar, Win Ton…
However, some names are very old in the Clan — such as Clonak, Er Thom (which follows the six-letter, two-syllable rule, but the syllables lack symmetry), Daav — some are names that have been imported into the Clan for one reason or another, like Ichliad Brunner. Liaden society is pretty rigid, but it is still a starfaring society, and nasty, foreign, untraditional things will, sadly, creep in among the less principled Clans…
OK, who’d I miss?