originally posted by Kitsune
It's funny. I'm the middle child of three, and I'm the only one in my family who actually reads.
My older sister and younger brother take after after my mom, who's much more "grounded in reality", whereas I take after my dad, who basically encouraged my free-spiritedness from an early age-- we were always reading togther, or off to movies together. (One of my fondest memories of childhood is watching "Clash of the Titans" with my dad on a rainy Sunday afternoon!)
And now? I'm blessed to have a circle of friends who appreciate erudite fiction. Honestly, I've found that most people who play RPG's [or at least D+D] tend to gravitate towards epic fiction nnaturally, such as "Songs of Fire and Ice", "Wheel of Time", "Memory, Sorrow and Thorn", and of course WoLaS!
And Janny- Bringing in new readers? It's the least I can do!!
My friend and I have actually has some interesting discourse about the series so far, though I find I have to hold back a bit for fear of spoilering him! 
He immediately intuited, a few chapters into CotM, that the history of the world (the Fellowship, the Paravians, etc.) would play a major role in the series proper. (he has NO idea, though!!)
He also caught some nuances that -I- never even caught. (Now, I have to go re-read the series again!)
Status, as promised: 868 manuscript pages. I am ready to begin the last scene of 13 main…
Kitsune - ah, different views will indeed see a different take…share as you like!
Status: I am doing the tune up to the complete draft of main chapter 13 - and formulating the kick off of 13a. Progress!
originally posted by Murmur
Mrs Wurts…I am in awe! I am overwhelmed! Your work is exquisite, your stories captivating! Thank you, I am looking forward to devouring Stormed Fortress!!!
originally posted by HJ
Along with the rest of us, Murmur!
Keep going Janny. x x x
originally posted by Blue
What HJ said!
originally posted by Derek Coventry
I'm with the three above.
originally posted by motley
Likewise…!
Welcome here, Murmur -
And
originally posted by James George
Dear Mrs Wurt, Can I add a Northern Irish accent to those voices of eager expectation. I can't wait for Stormed Fortress to arrive but the wait adds to the flavour I think. Besides, I am so greedy to read them that I never fully appreciate your books on the first read and have to calm down and read them again and maybe a third time before I really get the full benifit of the tale.
Thanks for years of a rip roaring heart stopping journey Mrs Wurt!
Hi James George, welcome here, in any language…!
Subchapter 13a is now in full draft, and the manuscript is at 904 pages.
The plot rapidly boils to frothing…
originally posted by Ika Nurain
lol janny, referring to:
"The plot rapidly boils to frothing…"
I think our brains and mouths are frothing too…in anticipation, heehee.
cheers,
Ika
originally posted by Steven Redpath
Hi Janny.
Hope the book writing is going well. I have to say that one of the things I do like about your style is that you are not scared of killing major characters and handle the effects of such deaths amongst the other characters very well. From the killing of Ayaki in the Empire series to Earl Jieret's death they have been masterfully used and come as a shock (especially Ayaki's).
originally posted by winter
I agree Steven, in most stories you just know that certain characters will make it until the end. It makes the plot predictable, which is no fun. George RR Martin's Song of Fire and Ice is probably the most unpredictable series I've read so far. I've been floored by who he kills off sometimes.
I don't know if anybody else is a fan, but I listened to Joss Wheadon's commentary on some Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel episodes and he talks about that. How he can't really kill the main character (the show being named after her, and Angel after that show's lead) but everybody else has to be expendable in some sense. In Buffy and Serenity the film, he kills major characters in ways that contribute little to the storyline because you can't have a battle without senseless death.
originally posted by Caroline Andrews
I'm 55 years old and I never remember learning to read - I just seemed to be born able to read. I was an only child for 8 years till my brother was born. Not just with no brothers or sisters, but with NO other children around me until I was 7 years old (apart from a few months in the small school in the village where my maternal grandparents lived (in a farmhouse about a mile and a half outside the village). My father was in the Air Force and we moved constantly. He was abroad most of my early years and I never saw very much of him till I was four,then my mother and I went to join him in Malta and we returned when I was 7 - hence the total lack of other children in my life till that age.
I used to spend all the school holidays with my grandparents but I was never lonely though. I was a voracious reader (as were my parents) and I read everything I could get my hands on - whether suitable or not! I loved fairy tales and fantasy. One of the earliest books I remember reading was "The Ship that Flew" about some children who come across an old back street shop while visiting the seaside and buy an old model ship which turns out to have magical properties, takes them back in time and enables them to bring a child from the past back to their present.
I also read a series of books about Bobby Brewster, who has conversations with everyday objects such as chairs or bath taps. I also read the Dr Doolittle books and most of Dickens.
I went to an excellent school on the Army base in Cyprus between the ages of 11 and 13 and the English teacher there read extracts from Lord of the Rings to us. I was completely hooked, but I had to wait for several years before I could find a copy and read it for myself.
When I was 14 we were based in London and there was a small shop nearby which lent out Marvel comics and their imitators for a small fee which was redeemable when they were returned. I was introduced to Captain America, Superman and all the rest of the Superheroes and heroines.
I even scared myself stupid with Dennis Wheatley, Poe and various other horror writers for a time.
I've read all the "classic" SF output: all of Clarke and Asimov, Vonnegut, Ursula le Guin, Anne McCaffrey, Jules Verne, H G Wells, Edgar Rice Burroughs and countless more. I'm currently reading "The Iron Lance" by Stephen Lawhead, which ties up the Crusades of 1099 with a secret society which has handed their arcane knowledge down through the ages till it reaches the 19th century Scottish lawyer who is writing the book.
I still love fantasy and SF. Although there are supposed to be only seven plots in the entire gamut of literature, fantasy and SF add extra dimensions to these plots which are not found in more conventional literature. A may still fall in love with B, but it's MUCH more complicated if A is a fire-breathing dragon from a high-gravity planet and B is a nebulous cloud-sitter from a planet with just enough gravity to support an atmosphere! Go on - make a story about that !
I expect that Janny will be pleased to know that the WOLAS are the only fiction books (besides classics and poetry) that I have actually BOUGHT (and NEW at that - even if I DID wait for the paperback versions)! I eagerly await the release of the next one.
originally posted by Janny
Please check the System Announcements for information regarding the recent spam problem. It's being aggresively addressed. My apologies to any who have had their e-mail boxes filled with this stuff from an unscrupulous creep.
originally posted by Trys
I recommend that everyone should peridically check the System Announcements topic to see what might be going on and that's the place to look when something, like this spamming, is happening to see what I'm doing about it.
originally posted by Blue
Thanks for the heads up, Trys. Get yourself a snack out of the petty mutton. 
originally posted by Trys
Blue, there's no such thing as 'petty' mutton. There is only good mutton and great mutton. <grin>
originally posted by Jay_Jay
I hope there's a special corner of Hell reserved for spammers!
If not, there should be!
Grrrr!!!