Study Buddies discussion

If it was in the books I missed it, but what is Valek's full name? Is Valek his first name or surname?
Also what is Commander Ambrose's full name?

You didn't miss it - no one in Ixia has last names, just military designations :) However, before the take over, they all had last names based on where they lived. So Valek would be Valek Icefaren.

And the Commander would not be pleased if I told you his full name - he's a very private person when it comes to his past ;>

Icefaren? Interesting...

Thank you you for writing back so fast.

The commander and I are old friends he won't mind if you tell me... I swear I won't tell anyone else...promise...lol
His name must be from where he lived...wasn't he from MD3?

Yes - he's from MD-3 and used to live in the foothills of the Soul Mountains. His family worked a diamond mine.

Since you're old friends with him Minaz, they I'm sure he'll tell you the next time you see him :)

Truthfully, I haven't decided what his last name is. I'd like to write a prequel to Poison Study about the Commander and Valek before the take over - before they became who they are now. So I don't want to pick a name off the cuff and then be stuck with it later. :)

would love to read that :)

Ooooh, that is definitely something that I would want to read! :)

The Commander is one of my favorite characters there is just so much to him. So intriguing.

I would love to read that too.
But I don't want Valek to have another love interest though.

I asked the Commander and he said, "A, I'm a fictional character in a book, I don't decide such things, and B, I'm a fictional character in a book, so stop talking to yourself!"

Considering how he is when we first meet him in Poison Study... I don't think he had a long meaningful relationship before Yelena.

I always figured his job rather consumed him. Until Yelena, he never bothered to find/make time to be with someone. Noone else interested him enough.

Minaz - loved the Commander's reply to your questions :)

Valek was too busy and too focused to have time for romance and the Commander...well that would be interesting.

If I do a prequel, then there would be other characters - two people alone can't take over an entire regime on their own - or rather, I don't think I can fill a whole book with just the Commander and Valek. So I think some suppporting characters might try and hook up ;>

Yeah that Commander...you ask him a simple question about his name and he has to give you an eccentric answer...lol

Sounds like the prequel is already taking shape, so when can we expect to see it on the shelves?;)

I've no idea. My editor told me she'd like to see something new and different...we'll see what we can agree on :)

a STUDY prequel would make me a very happy woman.

Just to state the obvious.

Developing the trust between the Commander and Valek would make an interesting story. You could also have Maarg's lover die in an important part if the takeover making her the nasty, cold person she has become. I'd also be interested in how Valek began carving and what was the catalyst to becoming an assassin? (unless you've already answered these in some of the other Study books). I had finished the first one and was desperate to move on, but then I started reading it over aloud to my family. I thought we'd discover the rest together, so I am waiting. Sigh! thank you for this world. It is thought provoking.

Kelly wrote: "Developing the trust between the Commander and Valek would make an interesting story. You could also have Maarg's lover die in an important part if the takeover making her the nasty, cold person sh..."

You're a better woman than I if you're able to wait!

I don't know if I can make Margg likable - it might be beyond my talent ;> However, I'm sure there are plenty of others who will pop up. A young Janco could be interesting - his poor mother!

And I did explain a bit about Valek's history in Poison Study - the King's men killed his brothers and he vowed revenge on the King.

Ughghghgh Margg. :p

Young Janco sounds like a YA cautionary tale... :D

<3 anyway

I don't see Marge as likeable in anyway, but that doesn't mean her back story would be interesting.

Janco would be great, as he already said he was into a lot of trouble as child.

Ari I think has potential, especially since he is able to be fairly calm and keep Janco in line(for the most part!)

But don't you always wonder about the bitter old lady who hates children and lollipops. What in life led her down that path to be horrible? I think exploring that kind of person would be a good exercise.

Yeah, actually. I'd like to know what made her the way she is.

As much as i wonder about Margg, i don't know if i could read a book about someone i want to slap...
A book on Janco however, is a different thing all together!

Not a whole book! Bleh! But, I'd like a Janco book too. You've got to have a romance of some kind though too.

Yeah, I couldn't handle a whole book about her either.

Janco, on the other hand, I'd love to read about.

Yes definately a book on Janco is needed and can't be denied from us! And there definately needs to be some romance. I always thought Dilana and Janco would be sweet =]. If it was a book on Janco when he was younger being a mischeif that would be harder to make with the romance tho? I guess it depends on how young we're thinking...

Then again, any more stories in the Ixia + Sitia world are more than welcome in my world particularly if they include Valek *swoon*

I agree with Stephanie more books in the Ixia/Sitia world would be awesome! A prequel to The Study series is an excellent idea also I'd love to see some more of Ari and Janco.

Personally, I'd like to know how Ari and Janco met. If that was ever explained, I don't remember it. But I'd love to know what happened.

Indigo; I think Janco explained it in Sea Glass.

Well, I haven't read Sea Glass yet. I'm partway through Storm Glass.

At least now I know why I didn't know :) And I have something to look forward to.

Indigo - it is explained in Sea Glass where you'll get lots of Janco in that book. And lots of Valek in Spy Glass for those we are missing him :)

Definitely looking forward to it! I now and officially can't wait to read Sea Glass and Spy Glass!

Maria V. wrote: "My editor told me she'd like to see something new and different..."

Your readers will try to be patient, but we have fallen quite deeply for the characters that you have spent so much time creating. New and different is a good thing too because we will fall in love with new characters too. However, once we are in love with these people and their stories, we crave to see them again. Your readers will support you no matter what you write! And that includes ME!

Thanks Misti - so nice to know I've your support :-)

Actually, I would love a story about Valek's past; where he trained and where else he has been besides Ixia & Sitia. He seemed a very well-traveled guy.

Also, I could never seem to resolve the age difference between Valek & Yalena. If he was 20-ish when the revolution happened, that would make him mid-thirties at the beginning of Poison Study? But that doesn't seem to me to give him a lot of time to become such an accomplished assassin by the revolution (seven-ish years)?

How old is yelena???

She is... 19 when Poison Study starts? I'm pretty sure that's right.

dude, that's quite the age difference....

Haha, true. But Yelena doesn't exactly act like your typical 19 year old.

i thought she was 16 and valek like lower 20's. which isn't THAT bad. but that would make valek a pedophile just like numair from tamora pierce's immortals quartet.

Weirdly, I'm not really concerned with the fact that he's so much older than Yalena (that's their business--she is an adult after all ;), so much as I am concerned with apparent inconsistencies with the timeline that I can't really resolve whenever he starts talking about his past.

I mean, is seven-ish years really long enough for him to become the Master Assassin that everyone credits him being *before* the revolution? And if Yalena is kidnapped about age 4, then smuggled into Ixia right about the end of the revolution.... Yet Valek apparently shows no sign of age by the time they meet up. Captain Ambrose is talking about leaving problems for "the younger generation" to fix in Fire Study.... Yet Valek still seems young and active. Maybe being a Null Shield himself stops him from aging? Extremely healthy lifestyle?

Maybe I just dwell on these things too much. :>

She's 19, he is in his early 30's. If I did my math correct...

that's kinda creepy.... again, not as bad as numair, (16 year age difference, the girl's still 16-ish wen they start out), and ya, it's best not to dwell on details in books cuz then you notice issues with the book, and age difference, that you think, dude, that's creepy, and wish you hadn't seen it cuz u like the character a tad less. but valek isn't thirty something for me, cuz i can't process him being that old right now. :D

... 30 isn't that old...

19 to approximately 33 is a big difference... 14 years...

Considering the last few years Yelena has had, she is definitely a mature 19, so I don't have a problem with the age difference. She's got enough scars that she needs someone mature enough to handle them.

As for more books, my favorite in the series is still Poison Study, and while I know there are more avenues to explore with the magic in Sitia, I would really like to revisit Ixia for a full book.

My favourite in the series in Poison Study because Valek is in it the most and only disappears a few times :P Like in Magic Study and Fire Study he was gone for ages!! ***SPOILER*** I hope I am not the only person who ,seriously,Broke down crying when I thought Valek died!! and Then I reread them and I Still broke down crying!! It affected me that much!!!! I<3 VALEK XXX

Hahahaha that quote is really pointless but I just wanted to say it :P HAHAHA

Donna just type <.spoiler.> your spoiler

Without the dots!

Sorry what??

So you get this: (view spoiler)[tralalalalalala (hide spoiler)]

UUUUURRGH :( i'm soooo pathetic when it comes to computers!!!!