Q&A 2

[truepenny]

1.
Q: How did you come up with Mildmay?

A: I was browsing in the university bookstore one day, back when I was an undergraduate, and came across a fantasy novel with a pink-and-purply sort of cover, the back copy of which told me that the protagonist was an assassin. (I have forgotten all the other details, so there is no use in asking me for author or title or anything else.) And I thought, rather crossly, that assassins should not be pink-and-purply fantasy sorts of people, and then my brain gave me, very clearly, a line of prose: Assassination is a filthy business. (That sentence never quite got into the books, but you can see the traces of it in the conversation on page 188 of Corambis.) Mildmay's character comes from that, and from thinking about all the things about assassins and the business of assassination (and theft and crime in general) that fantasy novels mostly try to ignore.

He became Felix's brother because I needed a way to tie him to the other half of the plot, and then, of course, it led to a great many other things. But his character was established before then.

If you're interested in the evolution of his voice, this post is where I talk about that in detail, with examples.

2.
Q: When did Stephen marry Emily and when did she die?

A: Emily Teveria died in 2272 (or 20.1.4), the year that Mildmay's face was disfigured, about seven years before the start of Mélusine. I didn't make a note of when Stephen and Emily got married, but since it was after Stephen became Lord Protector (in 2270), it was in 2270 or 2271. Probably 2270.

3.
This hasn't actually been asked, but I know a lot of people are wondering what Franco Donatello's new name is going to be.

Last night, my dreams told me that his name is Milo. I tested it today, and yes, it fits.

So my horse is named Milo. You may, if you wish, imagine that he is named for Milo in The Phantom Tollbooth. Or you may imagine that he is named for Milo Bloom in Bloom County. Or both.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

How do we submit questions? I have a feeling there was a form for previous q&a sessions.

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

Here (http://truepenny.livejournal.com/753875.html?mode=reply). It's not a form, exactly, but it's reply-to for the post with the screened comments.

[zanai.livejournal.com]

I bet the cover is from Take a Thief by Mercedes Lackey. No book about assassins has ever been as pink o_o

[jazzfish]

I was thinking Robin Hobb's Royal Assassin, myself. Less garishly pink, but more pinkandpurple.

ETA: I lie. I had forgotten exactly /how/ pinkandpurple Take A Thief's cover was. Blocked it from my memory, I expect.

[g33kgrrl]

Upon reading the first answer I immediately went to my shelf to find Royal Assassin because I remembered the pinkandpurple, myself. So I could second that idea.


Also, truepenny, love Milo. :)

[finnyb.livejournal.com]

Definitely the Phantom Tollbooth!

[redbird]

May I think about Mike Ford as well?

(I'm assuming Catch-22 is out.)

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

Yes! Absolutely think of Mike.

I had forgotten there was a Milo in Catch-22, so, no. Also not named for Milo Teagarden in Peter Straub's If You Could See Me Now.

[oursin.livejournal.com]

The gay police detective sidekick of the ever-increasingly annoying Alex Delaware in Jonathan Kellerman's mysteries is called Milo Sturgis. Probably my immediate association with the name.

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

I feel that you need better associations. Such as, perhaps, my horse! :)

[oursin.livejournal.com]

Milo is infinitely preferable to Alex D, even if there is the whole rather annoying 'and in stable monogamous relationship with a doctor' thing, which strikes me as Kellerman copping (as it were) out.

But I shall now think of your horse at the mention of the name!