Thursday, January 07, 2010

Video Clip Questions

Okay, let's have some more questions for me to answer in another video clip. Same format as before. If you ask questions I've answered ad nauseum I'll reply in the comments, otherwise I'll answer them on the video clip. Might be a little delay on this -- got to shake off a cold first.

13 comments:

vaudeviewgalor raandisisraisins said...

as far as i know there are 2 stories that include the hive mind hornets. they don't do much in these stories except bargain and hang around. you have any swarm plans for these little guys in the polity future? do they collect extraordinary tiny furniture made from young bee corpses?
--------
is planet Spatterjay is a reference to Jack Vance Cugel story?

video blogging with a cold might have some interesting video qualities. sneezing on the camera might make it 'viral'. (counldn't help myself.)

Jan Harald said...

Hi Neal.

As mentioned above, more stories involving the Hive minds would be cool.

But, are you planning any more Cormac stories? I feel that it still is a bit unclear "what" he is. Is he human, dragon, jain or AI... Or a combination...

Cold regards from up north i Norway, where it has been -30°C these last days... :-O

Bob Lock said...

Hi Neal,

A question about your characters.

Have you ever started writing a passage of prose where your character or protagonist has begun to do things which you hadn't originally planned on him/her doing?

I.E. has the character begun to develop outside of the original boundaries you'd previously set down?

Cheers,
Bob

Mark T Croucher said...

Neal. Are you taking Beechams powders or Lemsip cold and flu?

Doe's a runny nose drip onto your laptop whilst writing?

Do you think this country really won 2 world wars? There obviously was not any snow involved in those years.

Taylor said...

How do you come up with names for places, characters, aliens, etc.? Do you just make it up as you write or does some thought go in to the history/background of the thing that needs to be named?

VERITAS said...

Are you currently busy with writing or on a break?

If you are busy then how are you busy? what are your habits and how often do you write?

Unknown said...

Hi Neal

Are there any plans on turning any of your books into movies? Has anybody bought the rights to any of your books?

Sure would be nice to see your creativity on the big screen. Neill Blomkamp (District 9) would make a great choice as a director IMHO.

Best regards from Stockholm, Sweden.

bascule said...

You said before that you missed an Email from Ubisoft in the summer.

Any chance of telling us what it was about and whether your non/late reply has killed whatever the project was?

Alexander Kruel said...

Do you write as you please?

The creative business often demands to appeal to a mass audience. Be it for economic reasons or because your publisher demands it. I've read about creative artists, including authors, who'd like to be more free in their creative manifestation. For example, some hard-SF and science authors are eager to introduce more technical concepts and even math. Though eventually this would drastically curb the readership. Consequently it is economically unfeasible to turn into cash.

Hence my question, to what extent do you write for the larger audience opposed to your personal delight? Do you often account for the mainstream appeal as it differs too much from your personal but rather unpopular savor?

CAPGuy said...

Hi Neal.

Do your stories indicate that you yourself would trust AI over a human being with running the political branches of society? I wouldn't blame you, considering the direction most countries are heading recently (world-order, anyone?). However, would you really trust a human-programmed AI with guiding the expansion of the human race?

Thanks!

Unknown said...

I have just moved over to using an e-reader and am finding that I am reading probably twice as many books as I ever did when I read the paper versions. Are you planning on having your books released as e-books for purchase? (I live in the US now so Barnes and Noble Nook format would be ideal)

Alexander Kruel said...

Good question from Matt. I'll get an e-reader as soon as they become more common here and you're able to purchase German books as well.

Michael Stone said...

A few authors have intimated that they may use Print on Demand services to re-release titles from their back catalogue. Your books, of course, and nearly all in print, inexpensive and relatively easy to find. However, would you consider using POD to put out Mason's Rats, for example, or stories from early in your career that have not been collected, or your non-fiction articles and essays?