Marti Dolata
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
I just read in Jo Walton's review of Falling Free that it was originally going to be the first volume of a trilogy. If this is true, would you care to comment on why that didn't happen, and what you had planned for the rest of the trilogy? This is not a plea for "more of the same", just a curiousity about what might have been. I've been a fan since the 80s and have been pretty happy about reading whatever write
Lois McMaster Bujold
Mostly, I think, Miles happened. I had some vague plans for more, but the next thing I tackled was Brothers in Arms, and after that one thing led to another. By the time I reached a point where I might circle back and pick it up again, the material had gone pretty cold, and I wanted to do something new. (Which I eventually did, with The Curse of Chalion.) Sending Miles and Ekaterin to Quaddiespace in Diplomatic Immunity was my substitute, and gave me as much closure as I wanted.
Properly, following the Escape from Pharaoh should have come the 40 Years in the Wilderness followed by the Conquest of Caanan, i.e., the passage to the future Quaddiespace, and the initial building of the asteroid colony. But that spaceship has sailed.
Looking back, I think I picked my projects not by plot or even character, but by themes I found psychologically interesting or resonant in any given year. Or whatever book I write wraps around that resonance as it goes, and allows it to embody itself. (It's far from a linear process.)
Ta, L.
Properly, following the Escape from Pharaoh should have come the 40 Years in the Wilderness followed by the Conquest of Caanan, i.e., the passage to the future Quaddiespace, and the initial building of the asteroid colony. But that spaceship has sailed.
Looking back, I think I picked my projects not by plot or even character, but by themes I found psychologically interesting or resonant in any given year. Or whatever book I write wraps around that resonance as it goes, and allows it to embody itself. (It's far from a linear process.)
Ta, L.
More Answered Questions
Natalia Panina
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
Hello, Lois! First of all I want to thank you very much for the Vorkosigan Saga. I read it first more than 20 years ago, in Russian. I just swallowed it overnight and hunted down all published books written by you. Right now I am reading Miles's story for the fourth time and can't sleep if not finish it overnight ))) My question: do you ever feel scared or stumbled when starting a new story? How do you manage?
Richard
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
I’ve seen you refer to the gods in the World of 5 Gods as ineffable. I mislike the concept of ineffability. I believe that given enough time, resources and creative curious minds, nothing is ineffable. Do you have any beliefs on the matter outside of your created worlds?
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