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PaulSKemp
Forgotten Realms Author
808 Posts |
 Posted - 05 May 2005 : 15:09:18
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quote:
Originally posted by Octa
Paul- I'm a big Ervis Cale fan and am wading slowly through the Spider Queen books, I spoiled them for myself by reading that Rylld and Phaerun both kick it, and they are my favorite characters other than Kaanyr Vhok.
My question is about the Cale books- Are you going to detail the origin of the Gith in the books. The BBEBG in the books is one of the founders of the race right, some genetic precursor of the latter day githyanki, or maybe (dare I say it) gith himself. Its been a couple of months since I read the series though so am I totally off base or on target, or did you already answer this in the previous six pages I haven't read???? Thanks,
Octa,
I'm delighted you're a Cale fan. Lots more to come on that front, starting with Midnight's Mask this November and a follow up trilogy beginning next year.
I do not intend to detail the origin of the Gith. The Sojourner (Vhostym) is a creature that I've called a githvyrik, another offshoot of the gith split. In my conception, the githvyrik numbered vastly fewer than either the githzerai or the githyanki, and while those races took to a single plane and established their societies and culture, the more powerful individualists among them at the time of the split did their own thing, travelling worlds and planes (like the Sojourner), taking up residence in the underdark, etc. In fact, calling the githvyrik a race is somewhat of a misnomer. I regard each of them as unique -- powerful and very old spellcasters, yes; derived from the same genetic stock as the other gith, yes; but otherwise quite different. For all intents and purposes, Vhostym might as well be solitary and, in fact, almost all githvyrik are.
Anyway, Vhostym has a bunch of scenes in Midnight's Mask, so if you want to more about him as an individual, you'll have plenty to read.  |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 05 May 2005 : 15:22:50
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Do individual githvyrik worship any particular deities, or like the rest of the gith races, are they largely faithless? Perhaps they worship prominent githvyrik individuals from the past...
Since they're not largely a "race" in the classic sense, any particular unified racial worship is probably irrelevant.
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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PaulSKemp
Forgotten Realms Author
808 Posts |
Posted - 05 May 2005 : 15:41:27
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quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
Do individual githvyrik worship any particular deities, or like the rest of the gith races, are they largely faithless? Perhaps they worship prominent githvyrik individuals from the past...
Since they're not largely a "race" in the classic sense, any particular unified racial worship is probably irrelevant.
Sage,
Agreed. Without a shared culture and society, and numbering so few, the githvyrik would worship according to their individual proclivities and no generalization would be possible.
Vhostym, in fact, is as close to an atheist as someone whose visited FR can be. Not an atheist in the sense that he does not believe that Cyric, Bane, Torm, et al exist, but an athiest in the sense that he does not believe them to be divine beings. |
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VEDSICA
Senior Scribe
USA
466 Posts |
Posted - 05 May 2005 : 16:00:40
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| Paul I am interested in your thoughts concerning the ending of Cale's first trilogy,and now a second trilogy about him.I believe that I read in a blog that the second trilogy is going to be an RSE.Correct me if I am wrong please concerning that matter.Do you think that Cale has reached that magnitude?He seems to be very popular among our little world here at Candlekeep.How do you feel about the direction that you are taking him?How do you feel about writing an RSE.Whether the change is good or bad for The Realms?Any thoughts or musing????? |
LIFE,BIRTH,BLOOD,DOOM---THE HOLE IN THE GROUND IS COMING ROUND SOON----BLS |
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PaulSKemp
Forgotten Realms Author
808 Posts |
Posted - 05 May 2005 : 16:20:42
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quote:
Originally posted by VEDSICA
Paul I am interested in your thoughts concerning the ending of Cale's first trilogy,and now a second trilogy about him.I believe that I read in a blog that the second trilogy is going to be an RSE.Correct me if I am wrong please concerning that matter.Do you think that Cale has reached that magnitude?He seems to be very popular among our little world here at Candlekeep.How do you feel about the direction that you are taking him?How do you feel about writing an RSE.Whether the change is good or bad for The Realms?Any thoughts or musing?????
Ved,
The next trilogy will feature an RSE, so you're right on with that. As for magnitude, I don't really know. I don't think of it as an issue of magnitude, so much as an issue of a good fit with the story I'll be telling. And yes, I think the change will be great for the Realms (and I can say absolutely nothing else about it; seriously).
I expect this to be an interesting situation. I'm fairly certain (but not entirely certain) that most previous RSE series have featured new characters, rather than pre-established ones so I'll be curious to see reader response when the RSE features established players as protags.
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khorne
Master of Realmslore
Finland
1073 Posts |
Posted - 05 May 2005 : 21:21:09
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| Did Skullport get destroyed or did the skulls manage to save the city? |
If I were a ranger, I would pick NDA for my favorite enemy |
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DDH_101
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1272 Posts |
Posted - 05 May 2005 : 23:00:52
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quote:
Originally posted by khorne
Did Skullport get destroyed or did the skulls manage to save the city?
Hmm... that question wasn't actually answered. The last thing that happened in Dawn of Night was the enclave collapsing, and Cale and his friends were teleporting out of there while being chased by the Skulls. |
"Trust in the shadows, for the bright way makes you an easy target." -Mask |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 06 May 2005 : 01:09:16
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quote:
Originally posted by PaulSKemp
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
Do individual githvyrik worship any particular deities, or like the rest of the gith races, are they largely faithless? Perhaps they worship prominent githvyrik individuals from the past...
Since they're not largely a "race" in the classic sense, any particular unified racial worship is probably irrelevant.
Sage,
Agreed. Without a shared culture and society, and numbering so few, the githvyrik would worship according to their individual proclivities and no generalization would be possible.
Vhostym, in fact, is as close to an atheist as someone whose visited FR can be. Not an atheist in the sense that he does not believe that Cyric, Bane, Torm, et al exist, but an athiest in the sense that he does not believe them to be divine beings.
Ah, but through reflection, perhaps they pay some homage to Gith. What do you think?
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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PaulSKemp
Forgotten Realms Author
808 Posts |
Posted - 06 May 2005 : 13:56:07
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quote:
Originally posted by DDH_101
quote:
Originally posted by khorne
Did Skullport get destroyed or did the skulls manage to save the city?
Hmm... that question wasn't actually answered. The last thing that happened in Dawn of Night was the enclave collapsing, and Cale and his friends were teleporting out of there while being chased by the Skulls.
DDH and Khorne,
This question will be answered in Midnight's Mask.
Paul |
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Octa
Learned Scribe
USA
138 Posts |
Posted - 09 May 2005 : 15:33:25
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| Paul- Thanks for the Answers, great plotline by the way, and I'm looking forward to the next book. RSE huh, well the first revelation so far is that Mask might have some control over the shadow weave.... |
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Crust
Learned Scribe
USA
273 Posts |
Posted - 16 May 2005 : 17:28:19
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Mr. Kemp,
I just finished Ressurection. I loved it.
Thanks for the info on the githvyrik. Very interesting.
I'm excited to get my hands on Midnight's Mask. |
"That's right, hurl back views that force ye to think by name-calling - 'tis the grand old tradition, let it not down! Anything to keep from having to think, or - Mystra forfend - change thy own views!"
Narnra glowered at her father. "Just how am I to learn how to think? By being taught by you?"
"Some folk in the Realms would give their lives for the chance to learn at my feet," Elminster said mildly. "Several already have."
~from Elminster's Daughter, Ed Greenwood |
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PaulSKemp
Forgotten Realms Author
808 Posts |
Posted - 16 May 2005 : 17:59:55
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quote:
Originally posted by Crust
Mr. Kemp,
I just finished Ressurection. I loved it.
Thanks for the info on the githvyrik. Very interesting.
I'm excited to get my hands on Midnight's Mask.
Crust,
Please always call me "Paul."
I'm very pleased that you enjoyed the novel. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Midnight's Mask will be here soon. I'm eager for it to hit shelves, too.
Paul |
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Ethriel
Learned Scribe
USA
272 Posts |
Posted - 16 May 2005 : 21:00:34
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Paul, how would Vhostym rank among his own race? Would you consider him the mightiest of all of them?
And what one word what he use to classify himself, if Azriim is precise, Dolgan brutal, Cale relentless and Vraggen arrogant? 'Perfect?'  ] |
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PaulSKemp
Forgotten Realms Author
808 Posts |
Posted - 17 May 2005 : 13:42:16
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quote:
Originally posted by Ethriel
Paul, how would Vhostym rank among his own race? Would you consider him the mightiest of all of them?
And what one word what he use to classify himself, if Azriim is precise, Dolgan brutal, Cale relentless and Vraggen arrogant? 'Perfect?' ]
"Ambitious," as Midnight's Mask will demonstrate.
Paul |
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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
Posted - 17 May 2005 : 22:58:55
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Hey Paul
Does Kezef the Chaos hound appear in your latest Cale novel?
CoR says Kezef has been going around eating prominent followers and Clerics of Mask in an atempt to draw the god out. |
“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
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Iliphar1
Learned Scribe
Austria
133 Posts |
Posted - 18 May 2005 : 12:04:04
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Hi Paul,
first of all, thanks for the Cale trilogy. When I started reading the first two books, both times I simply couldn't stop reading, until the night was over, and in university I had serious withdrawl symptoms for not beeing able to continue reading! Great work!
I have on question about Cale's appearance in "Crimson Gold". Since Cale is your character, maybe you could help me:
what was Cale doing in Thay? I doubt, he was talking a walk and ended up in Thay
Was that before the events of twilight falling?
And most important: Can we expect a book of Cale in Thay?
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'You see dead bones? ... I see an army!' Ezechiel 37 |
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PaulSKemp
Forgotten Realms Author
808 Posts |
Posted - 18 May 2005 : 15:01:52
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Dargoth,
Kezef does not appear in Midnight's Mask. I haven't yet looked through Champions of Ruin, but I will now. That would make for an interesting encounter, though. I wonder if Riven's love of dogs would continue after meeting Kezef?
Iliphar,
Thank you. I'm pleased as can be that you've enjoyed the Cale stories. I'm blanking on the "Cale in Thay" thing, though. Cale has never been in Thay. I haven't looked at Crimson Gold in a long time, but are you certain that the scene in which Cale appears wasn't a Tazi-Cale flashback scene? |
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Lord Rad
Great Reader
United Kingdom
2080 Posts |
Posted - 18 May 2005 : 16:56:16
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quote:
Originally posted by PaulSKemp
Dargoth,
Kezef does not appear in Midnight's Mask. I haven't yet looked through Champions of Ruin, but I will now. That would make for an interesting encounter, though. I wonder if Riven's love of dogs would continue after meeting Kezef?
I loved that scene with Riven in Skullport, it was the perfect show of his compassionate side and immediately reminded me of the dogs he kept in his room back in Dawn of Night. I think Cale et al were all surprised of Riven's actions in that scene as much as the reader was
I'm gagging for Midnight's Mask, it can't arrive quick enough. To date, this trilogy is riding alongside Thomas M Reid's Scions of Arabbar trilogy as my all time favorite FR series! Excellent work!
quote:
Originally posted by PaulSKemp
Iliphar,
Thank you. I'm pleased as can be that you've enjoyed the Cale stories. I'm blanking on the "Cale in Thay" thing, though. Cale has never been in Thay. I haven't looked at Crimson Gold in a long time, but are you certain that the scene in which Cale appears wasn't a Tazi-Cale flashback scene?
You're right Paul. I'm pretty sure that Cale didn't end up in Thay in The Crimson Gold. I believe there is a little flashback of Tazi and Cale from what you wrote in Shadows Witness but that's all. |
Lord Rad
"What? No, I wasn't reading your module. I was just looking at the pictures"
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Octa
Learned Scribe
USA
138 Posts |
Posted - 18 May 2005 : 22:04:52
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| Ok one thing that was hinted at and shocking with the new realms cosmology is that when they find the temple on the shadow plane in the first book there are many gods who do not exist on faerun represented there, which makes sense given the nature of the shadow plane, but I think this leaves the door open for some kind of RSE about the faerun's planes and their relationship to the other planes. Could Cale end up in Sigil?? |
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Xysma
Master of Realmslore
USA
1089 Posts |
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Sandhrune
Acolyte
35 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2005 : 05:33:39
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I just wanted to say that I loved Resurrection and thought that it ended perfectly.
Midnight's Mask cannot come out soon enough for me. I am a hugh Mask fan and I really enjoyed the first two novels.
Did I see that there is going to be a follow up trilogy?
Any details? |
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SiriusBlack
Great Reader
USA
5517 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2005 : 12:36:11
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quote:
Originally posted by Sandhrune
Did I see that there is going to be a follow up trilogy?
Any details?
Check out Paul Kemp's blog. I believe the March 7th entry provides some information. |
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PaulSKemp
Forgotten Realms Author
808 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2005 : 14:20:28
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quote:
Originally posted by Sandhrune
I just wanted to say that I loved Resurrection and thought that it ended perfectly.
Midnight's Mask cannot come out soon enough for me. I am a hugh Mask fan and I really enjoyed the first two novels.
Did I see that there is going to be a follow up trilogy?
Any details?
Sandhrune,
I'm pleased you enjoyed Resurrection. As for Cale and crew, there will indeed be a follow up trilogy. Unfortunately, I can say nothing about the it other than that it feature the survivors of Midnight's Mask, some new characters, and a Realms Shaking Event. The first book will release in 2006. Not yet certain of the month.
As soon as I am able to say more (which will not be anytime soon, I fear), I will do so.
Paul |
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Alisttair
Great Reader
Canada
3054 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jun 2005 : 17:00:13
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quote:
Originally posted by PaulSKemp
quote:
Originally posted by Sandhrune
I just wanted to say that I loved Resurrection and thought that it ended perfectly.
Midnight's Mask cannot come out soon enough for me. I am a hugh Mask fan and I really enjoyed the first two novels.
Did I see that there is going to be a follow up trilogy?
Any details?
Sandhrune,
I'm pleased you enjoyed Resurrection. As for Cale and crew, there will indeed be a follow up trilogy. Unfortunately, I can say nothing about the it other than that it feature the survivors of Midnight's Mask, some new characters, and a Realms Shaking Event. The first book will release in 2006. Not yet certain of the month.
As soon as I am able to say more (which will not be anytime soon, I fear), I will do so.
Paul
Paul sir,
Will this follow up trilogy be first released in hardcover? I think you and Cale deserve it after everything you have done together thus far. |
Karsite Arcanar (Most Holy Servant of Karsus)
Anauria - Survivor State of Netheril as penned by me:
http://www.dmsguild.com/m/product/172023 |
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PaulSKemp
Forgotten Realms Author
808 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jun 2005 : 18:29:40
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quote:
Originally posted by Alisttair
Paul sir,
Will this follow up trilogy be first released in hardcover? I think you and Cale deserve it after everything you have done together thus far.
Alisttair,
I appreciate the vote of confidence but at this point I believe the release will be paperback. I wish it were otherwise, but it is what it is. |
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BobROE
Learned Scribe
Canada
106 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jun 2005 : 18:54:56
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| Is there some benefit to having your book in hardcover over soft? |
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Alisttair
Great Reader
Canada
3054 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jun 2005 : 03:34:27
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quote:
Originally posted by BobROE
Is there some benefit to having your book in hardcover over soft?
More money from royalties (whatever percentage of a 30-40$ hardcover is more than the same percentage of a 10-15$ paperback), as well as recognition and prestige. It also stands out more in the book store ("wow look at that nice big book there"). |
Karsite Arcanar (Most Holy Servant of Karsus)
Anauria - Survivor State of Netheril as penned by me:
http://www.dmsguild.com/m/product/172023 |
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Lauzoril
Seeker
Finland
71 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jun 2005 : 14:07:04
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Greetings, Paul
I recently completed the Resurrection and I enjoyed it all the way to the end. You certainly brought out the devious nature of the Drow well. Other thing of note was the demons. From the Cale books and now this I've noted that you seem to have a knack for fleshing out various Abyssal creatures. They have their own devious and repulsive nature (from human POV), but still they're likeable in their own way. Especially when they've been given a personality, just like the lead demon of the story (sorry, can't recall the name right now).
One can only wonder Aliiza's cryptic comment about what to do with Pharaun's fingers.
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"Death to the enemies of Bane."
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PaulSKemp
Forgotten Realms Author
808 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jun 2005 : 16:57:48
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Lauzoril, thank you. I'm pleased that you enjoyed the novel.
BobROE,
As Alisstair mentioned, if all other things are equal, hardcovers do generate more per-unit royalties for the author than paperbacks, but that's not really my reason (and all things are not equal, because paperbacks and hardcovers are not perfect substitutes in the marketplace). I think -- and I base this on no research and only anecdotal evidence -- that there is, for any given book, a potentially untapped market of readers, some of whom would be picked up by a hardcover release. Why do I say that?
Because for any given paperback release, there are some potential readers who don't buy it because they want to buy only those releases that they consider "big" or that are authored by what the reader perceives as one of the line's "top" authors. But "big" and "top" are subjective terms, and (I speculate) are somewhat determined by whether the release or the author previously has been published in hardcover. On that basis (and I acknowledge that I'm speculating far afield here), a hardcover release of a Cale trilogy might pick up some readers who otherwise don't pick up the Cale books because they are in paperback and tell more of a character's story rather than the story of an event -- ergo, they are in the readers' minds neither big nor authored by a top author.
Now I'll take issue with my own position: the authors that WotC publishes in hardcover currently (and I can think of only three: EC, Bob, and Ed) have proven sales records, write quality novels, and have done all of that first with paperback releases, with the hardcover releases following afterward, as their careers and audiences became well established. In other words, they earned the hardcover credits by establishing a big enough audience in paperback that it made sense to WotC to publish future releases (or rereleases) in hardcover. This obviously is somewhat at odds with my argument. So Paul, why don't you sell enough books that WotC will publish you in hardcover?
The short answer: Not sure, but I'm trying! The longer answer may be, in part, that the current marketplace is *very crowded* with fantasy. Lots of choices among a finite pool of readers means a smaller audience for any given author, unless that author is one of the biggies. And becoming a biggie is that much tougher in a very crowded marketplace. So I think (possibly) that in today's marketplace, a publisher willing to take a chance on one or more of their authors by giving him or her a hardcover release might actually expand that author's audience (for the reasons that I set forth above), rather than just reallocating it amongst hardcover and paperback purchasers in the previously established audience.
In sum, I guess I'm saying that given today's marketplace, it might make some sense for a publisher to try to create a new "big author" by pushing some releases into hardcover, thereby helping to distinguish the author, rather than waiting for a new author to become a biggie in an increasingly diffuse marketplace.
Make any sense at all? Anyway, just an opinion, and we know all about those.
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Edited by - PaulSKemp on 10 Jun 2005 19:02:10 |
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Questions for Paul S Kemp
