originally posted by Blue
What I think might be interesting, should you be willing/able, would be a taste of what MIGHT have been CotM, had you just gone with the first draft, instead of what was published.
Gads, my first drafts of various things over the years actually make me laugh. "Oh, man, I can't BELIEVE I once actually thought THAT would work!"
Is it the same way with you?
Well, the wording was pretty darned rough and amateur!!
The "original" beginning: took place just after Talera's wedding to Demar s'Ilessid, King of Amroth. The opening scene: the execution for piracy of Ivon s'Ffalenn, Avar's brother (and therefore, Arithon's uncle) on a rather nasty, cold and rainy spring day…his challenge to her husband's policies, made on the scaffold, set a scar on that marriage that never truly healed. A story in itself, as you guessed…and too much to overburden the central issue of Mistwraith.
originally posted by HJ
Mmmm… Fascinating. Janny, it would be so good if one day you might put together all of your unfinished bit and bobs and as yet untold threads.
You intend to have the whole series finished well before ten years is up?!?!?
Best news I've heard in ages. Thank you!
originally posted by neil
If the mistwraith is central I wonder whether the series could have been called "the curse of the mistwraith" 
Maybe this would have too clearly implied that the curse won't be resolved until end arc 5 and lost some of the uncertainty.
Rereading COTM… There were 6 lords of centaurs and 6 lords of sunchildren a one point…West Shand was separate once so 1 paravian lord of each race for each area?
Kingship seems to have been shared between the paravian races (or just centaurs and sunchildren?)
The F7 sought "solution" in the distant future so no resolution for the F7 in the next 500 years it seems (assuming 500 years is not "distant" for them).
Unless Arithon changes all this?
originally posted by Trys
quote:AHA!!! So that's his name.Demar s'Ilessid, King of Amroth
originally posted by Blue
Pretty rough and amateur… well, that's why they're called ROUGH drafts, right? As mentioned, my own drafts over the years of things that went so far make me go, "Oh, man, who would want THAT crap?"
Poor Talera, WHAT a wedding present!
It would seem that my thesis that Lysaer would be an insufferable twit, even without the Curse, is something he inherited directly from his dear papa.
originally posted by Walt
Maybe when all this is over, Janny can take all her notes, snipits, master timelines, songs, side stories, et al and create a quasi reference/anthology in the tradition on Tolkien's Simarillion. Just think of all those little tid-bits and hidden jewels just begging for the light of day!
Something to do in your retirement Janny! Well, that is after you write Starhome (Book 4 of Cycle of Fire) and the last chapters of Mara's life (Empire with R. Feist) and more stories from Hell's Chasm…
Just little requests…
Really! ;^)
Walt et al - I AM compiling bits of the backhistory, written out…and yelling on the chat, here, does tell me which ones are the "hot tickets" - it's my hope to produce a little volume of such things - to illuminate the big series, and give background for new readers who may want to "try" the waters in a less invasive way than a boxload of heavy books all at once!
Talera and Demar's early marriage and Ivon's execution is possible…hadn't thought it was much, bleak tale though it is - but- it IS written out - once as a beginning and another time, as a short story. EARLY STUFF. A mess of amateur effort - but - then - not so hard to whip into shape.
originally posted by Auna
I'd love to read that stuff no matter how amateur
I'd also love to read about what happened with the disaster the now fellowship had a hand in, the entire fight with drakes, that entire span of time, and the original arrival of humans and the disagreements that caused!
originally posted by Gary
One story I haven't really seen discussed (unless I missed it?) is the time that a centaur was killed in Daon Ramon during the rebellion.
While it sounded bad on a first reading, I think that now (towards the end of the third arc), it seems a travesty beyond belief that a group of humans would do that!
Any chance in the future of a story of the circumstances surrounding that conflict with the centaur? It might be more of a story for existing fans than new readers, though. And maybe a bit spoiler-iffic for another arc or two
originally posted by Hunter
I'm trying to recall if the Talera's marriage was one of love or an arranged marriage. Given Demar's first wife and children perished to s'Ffalenn it's hard to think he would have been anything other than his self at the start of CotM. Which would then make the choices Mak and Talera s'Ahelas made in sending Talera to Amroth if it was a loveless marriage surely a product of the s'Ahelas foresight in action?
Talera does mean a fork in the path. (CotM glossary) Given the sacrifices of the clans in the series, this act of sacrifice would seem in character for the mages of Rauven.
I wonder if Ivon came from a similar root as the name for Ivel - iavel’scathing?
originally posted by neil
"centaur was killed in Daon Ramon during the rebellion" - I'm not sure where this is in the books?
Could a non-clan human even withstand his presence, never mind give him/her a hard time? Would a necromancer be able to withstand paravian presence…a little bit a "grace" seems to go a long way…so I'd guess not. So who?
So what happened there I wonder?
originally posted by Blue
The scene you mention was way back when in CotM, when Arithon, Lysaer, Dakar and Asandir were on their way to Ithamon.
Good question, WHO would have been able to kill a centaur?
I wonder if it could have been a townsman or a group of them with a large dose of clan blood, they were trying to deny by murdering a Paravian?
Well, you guys are overdue for an update. (Amazed at your patience, mine's Shot!)
Ch 10 is 17 manuscript pages along, and well, if this ISN'T the chapter from Hell - what should fly is ticking by increments.
Sometimes this Happens.
Every bit counts at this stage as I edge toward the final explosive bits…
So in a nitpicky, tweaky way, I am fussing this one out. It's indeed hanging the cusp…grrrrowl! And the weather's so NICE outside, too!
One never Ever knows when the next dinky shift to a sentence is gonna trigger the burst from the barrel that becomes a bona fide roll!
On the drawing side, however, I've completed a pencil sketch of Telmandir…and a few other bits you haven't seen, yet, in the books
originally posted by Auna
Hang in there Janny!
Any way to write outside?
If I did that, I wouldn't write!!!
The precipace yawns: I've got the scene edged right up to THERE. Lo, the next LINE!!! Consider this the pre plunge yell…
originally posted by Gavin Freyberg
Well Janny, you have successfully dragged another long time lurker, kicking and screaming, out of the woodwork. I hope you're proud of yourself 
My wife and I have been huge fans of the Wars of Light and Shadow since around when Ships of Merior came out. We have successfully lurked on the site for years, but these teasers and status reports are just too tempting not to bite
I wanted to say thanks for working so hard and taking the time to craft such fantastic books.
We desperately want to read Stormed Fortress of course, but not until it's ready. Otherwise we might as well just go and randomly pick any book off the store shelf .
My 3 Blue Great Danes (Elaira, Feylind and Arithon) are eagerly looking forward to more "lap time" when it comes out.
Anyway, I figured that if we find it so thrilling to have status reports, then you probably feel the same having people posting back
I hope you are having as much fun writing it as we all will reading it.
Gavin
P.S. I hope you don't mind us "borrowing" your names for our pets.
P.P.S. Do take some time in the sun, just not enough to cook your brain
Hi Gavin - whooop! Another one found a voice!
Of course, yes, I do find it fun to hear from y'all, and absolutely yes, your enthusiasm does help me zip through the frustrating rough spots.
Not all creativity is a lark - a bit is quite hair tearing. Particularly under deadline.
No I don't mind, on the names for your pets. Tell me, though, did any of the characters' personalities stick? Now, that Would make life interesting for a dog… would it not?
I was outside yesterday afternoon to count birds for a local conservation effort…and then, I did go to Barnes and Noble and get a stack of new reading. (Time for a Marillier fest, and two CJ Cherryh books, when I get this next bit done and wrapped.)
Awwwright, this said, back to "the attack came before dawn…" or —
Wheeee - sprinting it now.
originally posted by Gavin Freyberg
Excellent, glad to hear that today is going well
Re the dogs, Arithon is only 5 months old and does quite often act as a little blue shadow. Though I have to admit we have really taken some liberties with the plot line as Elaira is Arithons mum
If you want to see them you can take a look at our home page: (link removed)
hmm, a pre-dawn attack would certainly get the blood pumping