wotwiki

Interview #1121: Brandon Sanderson Book Signing at JordanCon 8

Summary

Entry #1

Melissa

Do Scadrians have a piece of Harmony?

Brandon Sanderson

Yup.

Entry #2

Melissa

Could a Rosharan be hemalurgically spiked with a gem or fabrial?

Brandon Sanderson

RAFO.

Entry #3

Ted

Does Khrissala know about the red haze and was she trying to clue Wax in on what was going on?

Brandon Sanderson

Khriss knows too much for me to share. (text written as personalization)

Entry #4

Ted

What happened to the ministries?

Brandon Sanderson

The Ministries, being a legacy at the time of the Lord Ruler’s rule, there are trappings of them left but they don’t use any of the same names or anything like that. There are cities you can go to where there are more echoes of that. In Elendel you can barely even find the trappings anymore, but you can find some of them. You can’t go in there and find the Ministry of this-and-that, because it was run by Kelsier’s crew, most of that did not make the transition. Though there were notable Obligators who made it through and so they have left their mark. You have to search for it though.

Entry #5

Ted

Does Lift’s metabolic waste include crem?

Brandon Sanderson

[Laughs] That’s an excellent question. I’m not going to answer that, but it’s an excellent question.

Ted

Wow, you’re RAFOing that?

Brandon Sanderson

You got a laugh. I didn’t say RAFO, I said I’m not going to answer that, which could be considered two different answers.

Entry #6

Ted

What happened in the Cognitive realm during the Catacendre?

Brandon Sanderson

Um… so, um, the Cognitive realm for the Catacendre in Secret History, that’s some things that happened. Its like saying ‘what happened on Earth in 1960-yeah […] what you see is what you get.

Entry #7

Question

Will Dalinar have Shardplate in Stormlight Archive book #3? (asking for cosplay)

Brandon Sanderson

RAFO.

Entry #8

Question

Can spren be put back together through the Bondsmith? Like Shards can be combined?

Brandon Sanderson

They can be combined, but I won’t say if the Bondsmith is the method.

Entry #9

Question

I wanted to know your stance on gods were? If you have a message about god.

Brandon Sanderson

Not really. What I’m fascinated by ends up in the books. I am fascinated by religions. But even in something like the SA, I still don’t necessarily want there to be a definitive answer. There are god (lower case) gods. Weather there is a GOD (capital case), is still, in my opinion left to the interpretation of the reader. I’m not trying to say anything specific. I’m trying to say what the different characters say. Does that make since? Jashnah doesn’t speak my belief, but neither does Dalinar. They speak their belief, and I respect their belief the best I can. It’s more trying to be true to the characters.

Entry #10

Question

Does Hoid learn the languages magically? Or is he just a gifted linguist?

Brandon Sanderson

He is learning them magically. He’s decent with languages, but he has to speak as if he were a local in order to pass as he does. And no matter how gifted you are, doing that across multiple tongues, that’s really hard.

Entry #11

Question

When will we find out what the Nightwatcher looks like?

Brandon Sanderson

Dalinar in the past visited the Nightwather. The next book , Oathbringer, will be visiting important parts of his [past]. You can postulate that one of those important events might be his visit to the Nightwatcher. I would really like to see a NW costume.

Entry #12

Question

Is Dalinar forgetting his wife the curse or…?

Brandon Sanderson

That’s a RAFO. You know that was coming.

Entry #13

Question

So because the MB: Era 3 is going to be Coinshots doing ear piercings?

Brandon Sanderson

You’ll have to see.

Entry #14

Question

Am I going to see any Dark Oculators in book 5?

Brandon Sanderson

You will see at least one DO in the 5th book.

Entry #15

Question

When did you start writing?

Brandon Sanderson

First book was around 15. It was terrible.

Entry #16

Question

What is your favorite book?

Brandon Sanderson

My favorite is Dragons’ Bane by Barbara Hambly. It may not be the best, but it’s my favorite since it made me want to be a fantasy writer.

Entry #17

Deana

Vivenna’s breaths – If she were to put all but 5 breaths into her shawl, could she then give the remaining 5 to someone else? Then she retrieves her shawl breaths.

Brandon Sanderson

Summary – it’s talked about in book. The hack can work.

Entry #18

Question

In Secret history, it’s stated that uhm, Kelsier expanded his soul.

Brandon Sanderson

Expansion of the soul. What do you mean by that?

Question

It’s stated that … Kelsier, that expanding the soul … world hopping?

Brandon Sanderson

What do you mean does world hopping involve expanding the soul? I’m trying to get you to be a little more specific. …. I’m going to say sometimes. And you get a RAFO.

Entry #19

Question

Has Wax seen the influence of Shard other than Preservation, Ruin and Harmony?

Brandon Sanderson

Yes. He has seen the influence of another Shard.

Question

Might that Shard be Autonomy?

Brandon Sanderson

It might.

Entry #20

Question

Did Odium originally have a planet he was Invested in?

Brandon Sanderson

Uhm…So Odium’s plan always involved not getting stuck on one.

Entry #21

Question

Can you clarify the structure you are planning for Dragonsteel? For some reason I have stuck in my head seven.

Brandon Sanderson

Yes. It was originally going to be seven. Right now I have cut out so much of the books, it will probably be at three.

Entry #22

Question

As of Era 2 is Bavadin still alive?

Brandon Sanderson

silence… Uhm… I’m pretty sure I’ve answered this, but just in case I haven’t, I’m going to RAFO this.

Entry #23

Question

Written down question

Brandon Sanderson

Kind of a little, but not completely. More along the little than the completely.

Question

A pet theory is that whatever the 4th Shard that Odium shattered, people who founded Serenity.

Brandon Sanderson

So you should read Khriss’ introduction to the Cosmere collection.

Question

Oh! I cannot wait for that.

Entry #24

Question

Have Hoid and Sazed (as Harmony) interacted?

Brandon Sanderson

Uhm… yes, that has happened.

Question

Was it meaningful?

Brandon Sanderson

Hoid considers everything meaningful. [laughter]

Question

Would Sazed consider it meaningful?

Brandon Sanderson

Sazed considers every individual meaningful. [more laughter from fans]

Question

Are we ever going to get an official Cosmere timeline.

Brandon Sanderson

Yes. Were getting really close to releasing it. I’m not sure when we will. The real trick is now that we are locking down White Sand it is close. The novel wasn’t canon, but once it’s out we will be real close to locking everything down. The trick is where is it? Like Sixth of the Dusk, we’re not sure exactly where it is.

Question

So is it actually canon that MB:Era 2 takes place between SA first & second half?

Brandon Sanderson

Well I haven’t written second half so it depend on when I take a break. Maybe it takes place after 5, maybe after 7. We’ll just see how it goes when I get there. The timing there is a little more tight.

Question

So they are much closer in the timeline.

Brandon Sanderson

Exactly. So that’s why I have to be a little more doggy on those. Mostly because they are a similar timeline.

Entry #25

Question

How bad was the famine after Stormwind dies?

Brandon Sanderson

Breath intake. Yeah… well.

Question

Depressing, but you set it up. And is salt Atlanta still growing?

Brandon Sanderson

So.., it’s a whole bunch of good and not so good events took place, as a result of events in the last book. Let’s just leave it at that. And let’s just leave it at that.

Entry #26

Question

What is Syl’s favorite form?

Brandon Sanderson

Syl is kind of ephemeral. So her favorite changes quite often. I would say, she probably likes being in human form the most because she gets the best reaction from the people around her that she is interacting with. But that has not always been the case. But she is responding to those around her.

Question

I hope to see more of her and Kaladin in the future.

Brandon Sanderson

They have some fun times.

Entry #27

Question

I’m a huge Dalinar fan. But are you going to have more of Lift and [Ash?] and some of the interlude characters?

Brandon Sanderson

Lift you are going to see the most of in the later books. She’s set up to be one of the main characters in the second 5. I have already written two scenes with her in them, but I haven’t written one with her view point yet. But the Cosmere collection which is on my short list will have a new Lift novella in it and that will have an audio edition.

Entry #28

Question

So I know that basically Wax and Wayne are basically 1.5, has it turned into 2?

Brandon Sanderson

I wish I had called it 1.5. We just have to call it Era 2 now for consistently and clarity sake. If I’d called it 1.5 from the beginning I would have liked that to prevent slips of the tongue myself. If I called the other one Era 2 (meaning 3), I’ve thought of it like that so long it happens. Now we just have to live with it.

Entry #29

Question

Does the size of a piece of metal determine the amount of Feruchemical charge that can be stored in it? So how does it scale, in terms of volume?

Brandon Sanderson

It does. So I’ve talked about this before. It does not scale as logically as people would think. There are certain thresholds.

Entry #30

Question

There won’t be a weird love triangle between Kaladin / Shallan / Adolin?

Brandon Sanderson

I will do my best not to be weird.

Entry #31

Question

Are there more places I should look for Felt? [The hidden world hopper she asked about in the Q&A session]

Brandon Sanderson

Felt has been around, let’s just say. There are more places you should look for him. Whether you find him or not is another matter. There are things he said in Mistborn that are relevant in minor ways.

Entry #32

Question

What character is the most fun for you to write?

Brandon Sanderson

Most fun is usually Wayne.

Entry #33

Question

There is a scope (scale) of unreliability: some because of … or intent. of intent in unreliable narrator.

Brandon Sanderson

Hoid can be very intentionally unreliable. There are not many 3rd person viewpoint Cosmere stories. So when we are in the character’s POV, like Kelsier is unreliable in that he doesn’t go into his plan, which is technically by intent, but more because he’s like “I can’t think about this” than design. It also is him lying to the reader a bit.

Entry #34

Question

Are there any characters that you see yourself more in?

Brandon Sanderson

There is a bit of me in every character. There is something very different than me in every character. The something that is and something that is not me, helps make each character. Nobody is me. The closest we get is my mom claims that Alcatraz speaks in my voice. So she laughs and likes those books the best. He’s way… a super caricature of me.

Entry #35

Question

The man speaking with Nale in WoR when talking about Ash getting worse. Which is he? A Herald or a Squire?

Brandon Sanderson

He is not a squire.

Entry #36

Question

Did Kelsier fill copperminds for any reason other than sharing knowledge? Would he want to forget certain memories?

Brandon Sanderson

Yes and Yes. Those may not be causally related. You asked two separate questions and got two separate answers.

Entry #37

Question

Is Austre, Endowment by a different name?

Brandon Sanderson

RAFO.

Entry #38

Question

Has TenSoon ever left Scadrial?

Brandon Sanderson

More RAFO. I believe I have said there are Kandra on other worlds, but I have not said if one was TenSoon.

Entry #39

Question

[A very technical Rhythmatist question about the ellipses. She had drawings to go with the questions, I’m not translating.]

Brandon Sanderson

There is a lot they don’t know. And it has been reinforced over time. They have made assumptions they should not have made. Size of circle is not a relevant as perfection of circle and thickness of line.

Entry #40

Question

What is your favorite class to play? [had 5th Edition handbook]

Brandon Sanderson

I like to play hyper wizard. An Illusionist. I love Illusionist if you can’t tell from my books.

Entry #41

Question

Whose part are you working on right this moment?

Brandon Sanderson

I am writing Lift for the novella. Before that I was writing about Dalinar.

Entry #42

Question

Can you give me any writing advice?

Ben McSweeney

Writing advice? No. I strictly do illustrations. The best advice I can give for drawing or writing is to keep practicing.

Entry #43

Jimmy Liang

Are we going to see Thaidakar in the next Stormlight book?[Oathbringer]

Brandon Sanderson

You might, but it’s not guaranteed. Next book does not have major … stuff.

Jimmy

Okay, so more Ghostblood stuff. I’ll wait.

Entry #44

Deana

Elkonar’s queen, is she being influenced by Odium? Because for her to be that stupid and for Navani to go off away and say “Eh, the queen got it” seems weird.

Brandon Sanderson

You are, um, thinking along proper lines.

Entry #45

Question

Have you read the Deathgate Cycle?

Brandon Sanderson

I have read it. Rose of the Prophet is my favorite of theirs, but I did enjoy the Deathgate Cycle. It’s definitely among the Weis & Hickman classics.

Entry #46

Question

What color are Kelsier’s eyes?

Brandon Sanderson

Blue.

Question

Really?

Ben

Gold or Blue?

Question

It’s never been specify described.

Brandon Sanderson

Peter knows.

Question

He said to ask you.

Brandon Sanderson

He said to ask me?

Ben

“laughing”

Brandon Sanderson

This may be the first time you ever hear it. Is it in the books? It’s not in the book. Let’s say Hazel. Sound good to you Peter? “sure” Sounds good.

Ben

The only way it will matter is if he travels to Roshar and something happens.

Entry #47

Question

How effective would Pewter Allomancy and Iron Feruchemy be as a Twinborn?

Brandon Sanderson

That would do some really cool stuff. Some really cool stuff.

Entry #48

Question

[I wrote “Has Kelsier ever physically been on Sel?” in my book, to which he wrote:

Brandon Sanderson

RAFO!


Contributing

If you are viewing this on github.io, you can see that this site is open source. Please do not try to improve this page. It is auto-generated by a python script. If you have suggestions for improvements, please start a discussion on the github repo or the Discord.