Isabel
04-20-2009, 08:44 AM
(I am still writing it and will update as I am writing)
Jordan Con 2009
Jordan Con has been really great! A lot of talking to friends, guests and nice people I have never met before. I would like to thank Kathana, the other organizers of Jordan Con and all the guests for the great time!
The wot discussions were also really fun. Next year there might be more book discussions. Some other interesting things might happen next year as well. Apparently Harriet has a very interesting powerpoint about editing the Wheel of Time! However, because of the already busy schedule it wasn’t possible to show it. It might be possible that she brings it next year again, if she can come.
So if below report makes you want to go to Jordan Con next year. Go to ageoflegends.net and look for information on the following Con and pre register!
**I am not sure I can make it next year, I am planning to go to Australia / New Zealand**
I only took notes, so there might be some small errors.
Friday
Jordan Con started with a ‘ recap’ of the wheel of time books. An amazing funny sketch, written by Jason from DM. All the guest had a small part in it. For example: Harriet as narrator, Tom as the Dark One, Brandon as all the male forsaken, Alan (assistant of RJ) as Thom and Jason from DM as Rand, Tam as Perrin. I had a very small part as well. Just as myself
This is something you have to see I do believe it was filmed, so it might be coming online in a few weeks / months.
On Friday was also a panel with Harriet, Wilson, Alan and Maria. They shared a lot of anecdotes about RJ and the wheel of time. It was very special to listen to it all. I find it hard to put it all on paper, because it’s something you have to listen to.
Some Wheel of time info: Apparantly Rand was called Ryse in an earlier version RJ asked Harriet one time if a scene was believable. That a scene in which the relationship between Elayne and Thom and Morgase and Thom was described.
Friday night there was a charity poker tournament. Tam actually won the tournament and went home with a leatherbound signed Knife of Dreams!
Ofcourse I was the first one who lost in the poker tournament.
Saturday
On Saturday there was a Team Jordan panel with Harriet, Wilson, Tom, Brandon, Maria and Alan. Alan is responsible to track all the timelines! He helps Brandon to bring everyone together and he knows where everyone is.
The book was split, because the book will be above 750.000 words and that cannot be put in one hardcover. There is a natural breaking point for the three books. At first the plan was 250.000 words, but Brandon saw a better point around the 300.000 words.
Tom felt it was also important that a book was published this year, because there hadn’t been a book for 4 years. It was also mentioned that most wot books were around 300.000 words, so that was also a reason to keep it that way. I did correct Tom and told some wot books were around 380.000 words.
Afterwards, I also talked to Tom he said that it was also important that the book could be put in one paperback, for the fans who bought it only in paperback. Else they would have to buy 2 books.
There are 2 climaxes in the book. Tom thought the book was true to RJ’s vision and Brandon’s own vision.
At first the book was named: A memory of light, the gathering clouds. But the Salesforce told that the booksellers cannot sell it with the subtitle, because it wouldn’t fit in the computer system. The title was too long for the available title space.
The current second book title is ‘ shifting winds’ , if I understood correctly.
The title for the third is Tarmon Gaidon at this moment. Although Brandon mentioned he would like it to be ‘ a memory of light’ . ** I was really happy when he mentioned that, because I love the title RJ made. It would be sad if that title isn’t used**
Harriet and Tom also thought RJ would have needed more books to finish it.
It won’t be seen any more as one book. It will be seen as book 12, book 13 and book 14.
Maria and Alan mentioned that they are emailing Brandon a lot! Telling him that a character wouldn’t say that or that the haircolour isn’t correct.
Brandon is like RJ not short on words. He also has that curiousity that RJ had and wants to investigate everything.
Brandon isn’t the same writer as RJ. This means that the book won’t feel as it would have been written by Robert Jordan. However it will fit into the series. RJ and Brandon are different in approach. RJ was older and lived through the 60’s, fought in Vietnam and this influenced his writing. Brandon has a different life experience.
Brandon needed to do a reconstruction on this book. He needed to construct the book from the notes RJ left. Some notes were very detailed, but some were less detailed and there are some holes. Sometimes RJ would have been arguing with himself. Sometimes two scenes were contradictory. This was especially the case with the dictations.
So Brandon needed to make decision on these issues. Brandon has adapted his voice and made it more descriptive and adapted the way of using viewpoints. Brandon for example does get feedback if he uses words that RJ wouldn’t use or don’t fit into the series.
It’s not sure yet if the outrigger or prequels will be written. Tom does want them to be written. If I understood correctly the contract was signed and advances were paid.
Harriet mentioned that the Seanchan culture was worked out, but at this moment nothing is decided. Finishing the books comes first. After that she will think about the outrigger novels. Brandon did mention that RJ was uncomfortable about someone else writing in RJ’s world.
There was a question about how RJ decided what to use as animals for the Trollocs. Alan mentioned ‘ looking around the office’.
The prologue of a gathering storm might be published. Harriet prefers the publisher who published it before, but Tom said Tor is also willing to sell it.
After the wheel of time is finished they might be redoing the artwork. But now was not the time to change the art work.
Brandon has written a few extra scenes for book 12. Half the prologue RJ wrote will be put in the second book. Book 12 and 13 will have an epilogue.
Book 12 will focus on certain characters. Most characters will appear in the book, but the book is focused on certain characters.
RJ made a long list about what happens with every character, which plot lines will be closed and which one will stay open and what questions will be answered or not.
I asked if it is possible that the audio files and notes of RJ might be published. Harriet mentioned that most were 1th, 2th and 3th drafts of RJ and that it’s not done to publish that.
**My impression was that RJ would have been uncomfortable with it, so I do think it’s unlikely it will be published. I would have loved to see it, but I totally understand**
Tom was asked if there will be more young adult versions coming. He mentioned that the first few books had a natural breaking point and they had relatively young characters. The later books are not always suitable for younger readers.
Another question was when the cover art will be released. DKS is working on it, but apparently he was ill. That’s the reason there were some problems with the first sketch.
Harriet mentioned that if the cover is ready that it could be released.
Harriet was asked about the movie. She asked Larry from Red Eagle to tell about it.
However Larry had a panel on Sunday about it, so we could ask him questions on Sunday.
It was also asked if anything by RJ was cut. Brandon is of the opinion if RJ wrote it, that it can’t be cut. However there was a small paragraph that had huge inconsistencies with KoD. So Brandon was asked to edit and he ended up editing 2 lines.
Normally RJ had 12 drafts before showing it to anyone else. Most of the drafs here are 1th, 2th and 3th drafts.
Brandon feels the outline and notes are just enough. He gets enough guidance, but can create small things.
The chapter icons weren’t designed by RJ. At first they were designed by a brother in law of Patrick Nielson Hayden, but now they are designed by someone else. (I missed the name)
Brandon is researching more about combat. He is using many books RJ used as well. He only mentions the art of war, because other books might give away spoilers.
Alan mentioned he would be taking Brandon to a paintball course.
The encyclopedia is schedules about a year after the last book is finished.
At a signing Brandon was asked if the female sa angreal was destroyed and yes he thought it was destroyed. However he will check if that is correct.
Reading prologue a memory of light:
Wilson told us that RJ started telling him the ending on a night he was visiting. After realizing what was happening he called in Harriet. RJ talked for about 3 hours and told the story. Another person was also there (I forgot her name), but took a lot of notes.
If I understand correctly RJ didn’t tell it chronology, but jumped around a lot.
In the middle of the night Wilson went to Wallmart and bought a taperecorder and lots of tapes. He asked RJ the following morning to start again to record everything. The part we would be listing to was the first part of the prologue.
**It was really amazing to listen to RJ tell it. He was so ill, but still he was telling the story. I really liked it, it promises a lot for the book. It was really amazing. It’s hard to describe what I felt listing to it.**
Ben T Gaidin made good notes about what was in the prologue:
We're in the viewpoint of a well-to-do farmer. Not rich, but doing well enough to have several farmhands working for him. He looks to the north, and sees clouds on the horizon -- black and silver clouds. Not dark grey and light grey, like people mean when they see black clouds, or silver ones, but pure black and silver. And they move oddly -- he's a farmer, and familiar with weather and those clouds are rolling forward at a good clip, they should be here in an hour or two... but they aren't coming any closer.
And there's thunder, but it doesn't seem to come from the clouds. Sometimes it sounds from the horizon, and sometimes almost right overhead, and it too moves back and forth through the sky. He looks away, and when he looks back up, the clouds are almost on him, and the thunder is still rolling through the sky.
Then he sees a friend from town coming up the road, the local blacksmith, riding on a wagon packed with belongings. There's a milk-cow following behind it, and chickens in cages, and furniture and everything. The smith stops to talk to the farmer, and tells him that there's a storm coming, they're going north. The smith starts telling the farmer where he's buried his anvil behind the forge, and where his best tools are buried, and that the smith's wife polished up the copper pots the farmer's wife liked and that they're waiting in the kitchen for her.
The farmer asks what's going on, and all the smith says is that there's a storm coming. The smith's wife is on the wagon, too, and she hands down a basket of eggs, saying that they're for the farmer's wife. They're getting ready to leave, and the smith starts giving advice -- You have a light forge for repairing stuff around the farm, right? Take your best scythe and turn it into a polearm. Not your second best, or your third best; this is the weapon you'll be using the most often. You fight a man on a horse, and you stab him with the polearm and pull him down off it. Take your second best, and third best scythe, and turn them into swords.
The farmer asks how you do that, and the smith tells him that a sword is basically a scythe-blade. Take a block of wood and put it at the end to keep your hand from slipping onto the blade. Take another block of wood, and stick it on for a handle. Then the smith tells him to kill his cows, and his goats, and turn them into meat -- there'll need the food, and there'll be men willing to pay for the meat. There's a storm coming.
As the smith is leaving, the farmer's wife comes out, and asks who that was. The farmer says that it was the smith, and that the smith's wife had a basket of eggs for her. The farmer's wife says that was nice, and starts putting the eggs from the basket into her apron, thinking that the smith's wife will be back later for the basket, or send someone around. The farmer tells her that they said a storm was coming, and that they were going north for some reason, and that the smith had buried his anvil and tools and told the farmer where they were, and that the copper pots she liked are all shined up and waiting for his wife to pick up. And he hears this crack, crack, crack, and turns to see the eggs dropping from his wife's apron as she stares in shock.
The farmer goes to his light forge, and looks at his second-best scythe. Then he stops, and takes the best scythe down, and starts taking the handle off it. He calls his hands in, and tells them to start getting things together, they're going north. The men ask what's going on, and all he can tell them is a storm coming, we're going north. He takes a hammer and starts pounding on the scythe, to take the handle off, and the strikes echo oddly around the force, ringing louder than they should, and it almost sounds like the thunder as the hammer comes down on the scythe, and in the back of his head, it's almost like he hears a voice saying with each strike, 'the storm is coming,' 'the storm is coming,' 'the storm is coming.'"
The town was mentioned (it was Oak something), but a country wasn’t mentioned.
Kathana said: "Wilson told me that recording was made 20 days before Jim's death."
Jordan Con 2009
Jordan Con has been really great! A lot of talking to friends, guests and nice people I have never met before. I would like to thank Kathana, the other organizers of Jordan Con and all the guests for the great time!
The wot discussions were also really fun. Next year there might be more book discussions. Some other interesting things might happen next year as well. Apparently Harriet has a very interesting powerpoint about editing the Wheel of Time! However, because of the already busy schedule it wasn’t possible to show it. It might be possible that she brings it next year again, if she can come.
So if below report makes you want to go to Jordan Con next year. Go to ageoflegends.net and look for information on the following Con and pre register!
**I am not sure I can make it next year, I am planning to go to Australia / New Zealand**
I only took notes, so there might be some small errors.
Friday
Jordan Con started with a ‘ recap’ of the wheel of time books. An amazing funny sketch, written by Jason from DM. All the guest had a small part in it. For example: Harriet as narrator, Tom as the Dark One, Brandon as all the male forsaken, Alan (assistant of RJ) as Thom and Jason from DM as Rand, Tam as Perrin. I had a very small part as well. Just as myself
This is something you have to see I do believe it was filmed, so it might be coming online in a few weeks / months.
On Friday was also a panel with Harriet, Wilson, Alan and Maria. They shared a lot of anecdotes about RJ and the wheel of time. It was very special to listen to it all. I find it hard to put it all on paper, because it’s something you have to listen to.
Some Wheel of time info: Apparantly Rand was called Ryse in an earlier version RJ asked Harriet one time if a scene was believable. That a scene in which the relationship between Elayne and Thom and Morgase and Thom was described.
Friday night there was a charity poker tournament. Tam actually won the tournament and went home with a leatherbound signed Knife of Dreams!
Ofcourse I was the first one who lost in the poker tournament.
Saturday
On Saturday there was a Team Jordan panel with Harriet, Wilson, Tom, Brandon, Maria and Alan. Alan is responsible to track all the timelines! He helps Brandon to bring everyone together and he knows where everyone is.
The book was split, because the book will be above 750.000 words and that cannot be put in one hardcover. There is a natural breaking point for the three books. At first the plan was 250.000 words, but Brandon saw a better point around the 300.000 words.
Tom felt it was also important that a book was published this year, because there hadn’t been a book for 4 years. It was also mentioned that most wot books were around 300.000 words, so that was also a reason to keep it that way. I did correct Tom and told some wot books were around 380.000 words.
Afterwards, I also talked to Tom he said that it was also important that the book could be put in one paperback, for the fans who bought it only in paperback. Else they would have to buy 2 books.
There are 2 climaxes in the book. Tom thought the book was true to RJ’s vision and Brandon’s own vision.
At first the book was named: A memory of light, the gathering clouds. But the Salesforce told that the booksellers cannot sell it with the subtitle, because it wouldn’t fit in the computer system. The title was too long for the available title space.
The current second book title is ‘ shifting winds’ , if I understood correctly.
The title for the third is Tarmon Gaidon at this moment. Although Brandon mentioned he would like it to be ‘ a memory of light’ . ** I was really happy when he mentioned that, because I love the title RJ made. It would be sad if that title isn’t used**
Harriet and Tom also thought RJ would have needed more books to finish it.
It won’t be seen any more as one book. It will be seen as book 12, book 13 and book 14.
Maria and Alan mentioned that they are emailing Brandon a lot! Telling him that a character wouldn’t say that or that the haircolour isn’t correct.
Brandon is like RJ not short on words. He also has that curiousity that RJ had and wants to investigate everything.
Brandon isn’t the same writer as RJ. This means that the book won’t feel as it would have been written by Robert Jordan. However it will fit into the series. RJ and Brandon are different in approach. RJ was older and lived through the 60’s, fought in Vietnam and this influenced his writing. Brandon has a different life experience.
Brandon needed to do a reconstruction on this book. He needed to construct the book from the notes RJ left. Some notes were very detailed, but some were less detailed and there are some holes. Sometimes RJ would have been arguing with himself. Sometimes two scenes were contradictory. This was especially the case with the dictations.
So Brandon needed to make decision on these issues. Brandon has adapted his voice and made it more descriptive and adapted the way of using viewpoints. Brandon for example does get feedback if he uses words that RJ wouldn’t use or don’t fit into the series.
It’s not sure yet if the outrigger or prequels will be written. Tom does want them to be written. If I understood correctly the contract was signed and advances were paid.
Harriet mentioned that the Seanchan culture was worked out, but at this moment nothing is decided. Finishing the books comes first. After that she will think about the outrigger novels. Brandon did mention that RJ was uncomfortable about someone else writing in RJ’s world.
There was a question about how RJ decided what to use as animals for the Trollocs. Alan mentioned ‘ looking around the office’.
The prologue of a gathering storm might be published. Harriet prefers the publisher who published it before, but Tom said Tor is also willing to sell it.
After the wheel of time is finished they might be redoing the artwork. But now was not the time to change the art work.
Brandon has written a few extra scenes for book 12. Half the prologue RJ wrote will be put in the second book. Book 12 and 13 will have an epilogue.
Book 12 will focus on certain characters. Most characters will appear in the book, but the book is focused on certain characters.
RJ made a long list about what happens with every character, which plot lines will be closed and which one will stay open and what questions will be answered or not.
I asked if it is possible that the audio files and notes of RJ might be published. Harriet mentioned that most were 1th, 2th and 3th drafts of RJ and that it’s not done to publish that.
**My impression was that RJ would have been uncomfortable with it, so I do think it’s unlikely it will be published. I would have loved to see it, but I totally understand**
Tom was asked if there will be more young adult versions coming. He mentioned that the first few books had a natural breaking point and they had relatively young characters. The later books are not always suitable for younger readers.
Another question was when the cover art will be released. DKS is working on it, but apparently he was ill. That’s the reason there were some problems with the first sketch.
Harriet mentioned that if the cover is ready that it could be released.
Harriet was asked about the movie. She asked Larry from Red Eagle to tell about it.
However Larry had a panel on Sunday about it, so we could ask him questions on Sunday.
It was also asked if anything by RJ was cut. Brandon is of the opinion if RJ wrote it, that it can’t be cut. However there was a small paragraph that had huge inconsistencies with KoD. So Brandon was asked to edit and he ended up editing 2 lines.
Normally RJ had 12 drafts before showing it to anyone else. Most of the drafs here are 1th, 2th and 3th drafts.
Brandon feels the outline and notes are just enough. He gets enough guidance, but can create small things.
The chapter icons weren’t designed by RJ. At first they were designed by a brother in law of Patrick Nielson Hayden, but now they are designed by someone else. (I missed the name)
Brandon is researching more about combat. He is using many books RJ used as well. He only mentions the art of war, because other books might give away spoilers.
Alan mentioned he would be taking Brandon to a paintball course.
The encyclopedia is schedules about a year after the last book is finished.
At a signing Brandon was asked if the female sa angreal was destroyed and yes he thought it was destroyed. However he will check if that is correct.
Reading prologue a memory of light:
Wilson told us that RJ started telling him the ending on a night he was visiting. After realizing what was happening he called in Harriet. RJ talked for about 3 hours and told the story. Another person was also there (I forgot her name), but took a lot of notes.
If I understand correctly RJ didn’t tell it chronology, but jumped around a lot.
In the middle of the night Wilson went to Wallmart and bought a taperecorder and lots of tapes. He asked RJ the following morning to start again to record everything. The part we would be listing to was the first part of the prologue.
**It was really amazing to listen to RJ tell it. He was so ill, but still he was telling the story. I really liked it, it promises a lot for the book. It was really amazing. It’s hard to describe what I felt listing to it.**
Ben T Gaidin made good notes about what was in the prologue:
We're in the viewpoint of a well-to-do farmer. Not rich, but doing well enough to have several farmhands working for him. He looks to the north, and sees clouds on the horizon -- black and silver clouds. Not dark grey and light grey, like people mean when they see black clouds, or silver ones, but pure black and silver. And they move oddly -- he's a farmer, and familiar with weather and those clouds are rolling forward at a good clip, they should be here in an hour or two... but they aren't coming any closer.
And there's thunder, but it doesn't seem to come from the clouds. Sometimes it sounds from the horizon, and sometimes almost right overhead, and it too moves back and forth through the sky. He looks away, and when he looks back up, the clouds are almost on him, and the thunder is still rolling through the sky.
Then he sees a friend from town coming up the road, the local blacksmith, riding on a wagon packed with belongings. There's a milk-cow following behind it, and chickens in cages, and furniture and everything. The smith stops to talk to the farmer, and tells him that there's a storm coming, they're going north. The smith starts telling the farmer where he's buried his anvil behind the forge, and where his best tools are buried, and that the smith's wife polished up the copper pots the farmer's wife liked and that they're waiting in the kitchen for her.
The farmer asks what's going on, and all the smith says is that there's a storm coming. The smith's wife is on the wagon, too, and she hands down a basket of eggs, saying that they're for the farmer's wife. They're getting ready to leave, and the smith starts giving advice -- You have a light forge for repairing stuff around the farm, right? Take your best scythe and turn it into a polearm. Not your second best, or your third best; this is the weapon you'll be using the most often. You fight a man on a horse, and you stab him with the polearm and pull him down off it. Take your second best, and third best scythe, and turn them into swords.
The farmer asks how you do that, and the smith tells him that a sword is basically a scythe-blade. Take a block of wood and put it at the end to keep your hand from slipping onto the blade. Take another block of wood, and stick it on for a handle. Then the smith tells him to kill his cows, and his goats, and turn them into meat -- there'll need the food, and there'll be men willing to pay for the meat. There's a storm coming.
As the smith is leaving, the farmer's wife comes out, and asks who that was. The farmer says that it was the smith, and that the smith's wife had a basket of eggs for her. The farmer's wife says that was nice, and starts putting the eggs from the basket into her apron, thinking that the smith's wife will be back later for the basket, or send someone around. The farmer tells her that they said a storm was coming, and that they were going north for some reason, and that the smith had buried his anvil and tools and told the farmer where they were, and that the copper pots she liked are all shined up and waiting for his wife to pick up. And he hears this crack, crack, crack, and turns to see the eggs dropping from his wife's apron as she stares in shock.
The farmer goes to his light forge, and looks at his second-best scythe. Then he stops, and takes the best scythe down, and starts taking the handle off it. He calls his hands in, and tells them to start getting things together, they're going north. The men ask what's going on, and all he can tell them is a storm coming, we're going north. He takes a hammer and starts pounding on the scythe, to take the handle off, and the strikes echo oddly around the force, ringing louder than they should, and it almost sounds like the thunder as the hammer comes down on the scythe, and in the back of his head, it's almost like he hears a voice saying with each strike, 'the storm is coming,' 'the storm is coming,' 'the storm is coming.'"
The town was mentioned (it was Oak something), but a country wasn’t mentioned.
Kathana said: "Wilson told me that recording was made 20 days before Jim's death."