Q&A 2

[truepenny]

More Corambis-specific questions:

1. Is Corambis the last book in the Doctrine of Labyrinths series?

Yes.

I'll throw in another question for lagniappe, so nobody has to ask: Does this mean you won't write about these characters/this world any longer?

Maybe.

The Doctrine of Labyrinths is definitely over with Corambis. Four-book arc. Done. It's not impossible that I might come back to Felix and Mildmay a few, or several, years down the road, but I've been living with these people in my head for fifteen years. Right now I need to do something different.

2. What's the basic premise of Corambis?

Boy meets battle robot, boy loses battle robot, boy. . . Wait. Wrong story.

Corambis is the sequel to The Mirador (and thus of course a follower of Mélusine and The Virtu) and is essentially the story of Felix's exile. Also, because I can never leave well enough alone, the story of the aftermath of a civil war in the titular country. Also, there's another Titan Clock. And bog bodies. And trains.

3. Why did you change the title?

That was my publisher's decision and thus ineffable. I still slip sometimes and call the book Summerdown.

4. Will Mehitabel appear in Corambis?

No. We are leaving Mélusine and her denizens behind.

5. What was the hardest part about writing this draft?

Um. Aside from cutting 10,000 words--which wasn't necessarily hard, per se, but did cause me to make this face a lot--the hardest part was really finding ways to make clear on the page what was crystal clear in my head, particularly the intellectual underpinnings of the Action-Packed Climax. I realize this is my own fault for insisting that my APCs have intellectual underpinnings, but there you go. I claim my geek status with pride.

6. Are there plans to auction off a corrected ARC?

Currently, no, because I am Fried To The Bone, and doing the auction thing is complicated and kind of a pain. But I will think about it.

Comments

[gwendolynflight.livejournal.com]

Boy, am I thick! I came over here for your due South reviews, and come to find you're one of my favorite authors! I adored every single book in that series! I also very much enjoyed A Companion to Wolves, which was an interesting take on the bonded animals scenario, I thought. Very, well, I'm going to say realistic, if one could bond to animals. Yes.

... It's Felix's exile, but Mildmay still gets POV time, right? ::Mildmay fan::

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

Yes, Mildmay gets PoV. *g*

[ginny-t.livejournal.com]

I'll be sad to lose Tabby's POV. I quite enjoyed the addition of her voice. I see the logic of the decision, though.

April is too far away. *fidget*

[cow.livejournal.com]

I was about to say the same thing. I look forward to whoever (if anyone) might fill that slot. . .

April is like 8 whole months away! Which means it's still seven months or so before I should start re-reading the first three books, because my brain has forgotten so much.

fancy seeing you here! :D

[maki-to13.livejournal.com]

3. I actually think Summerdown rolls of the tongue easier than Corambis....hm. Do you know why they wanted to change it?

4. *sigh* A pity, but I knew it would happen. I just hope there another female that we can shove Mildmay at, poor guy.

[clhollandwriter]

*I actually think Summerdown rolls of the tongue easier than Corambis....hm. Do you know why they wanted to change it?*

I think it sounds like a whole different kind of book to the others, and that Corambis fits better. Of course Summerdown might fit better once I've read it. :-D

I'll also be re-reading the other three beforehand. I might have to time my holiday with when it comes out and read it all in one sitting on the train, like I did with The Virtu. I was lucky not to miss my changes!

[pocketroxy.livejournal.com]

Cannot wait for the teaser chapters :)))

[nymeria87.livejournal.com]

I've been living with these people in my head for fifteen years. Right now I need to do something different.

I can relate to that and how it drives you to various states of insanity ;) Can't wait to read how the series gets finished, but yes, April is way too far out there.

Anyway, good luck with the revisions :)

[jonquil.livejournal.com]

I love bog bodies; in fact I was just reading about them last night.

My major disappointment on visiting the British Museum was that Lindow Man was not at home to visitors.