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Interview #1170: Shadows of Self - Lansing, MI

Summary

Entry #1

Blaze1616

You’ve revealed that the Shard Endowment is female, and in the book the Idrians refer to Austre as a male. Are they the same being?

Brandon Sanderson

*sly smile* No, they are not.

Question

*eyes widen*

Brandon Sanderson

Who do you think Austre is?

Question

Well, my best guess would then be some ancient Returned.

Brandon Sanderson

*smiles again* That’s a good guess.

Entry #2

Blaze1616

Now that Wax’s old earring is gone, could you reveal what it was allomantically charged with?

Brandon Sanderson

*smile* I’m not going to reveal which allomantic metal it was charged with right now.

Footnote

He seemed to hesitate before answering, and I immediately mentally hit myself for using the word allomantic, in case it’s feruchemically charged, but then he repeated the word allomantic in his reply. Again, the above is paraphrased, but his response pretty much solidifies that the charge is allomantic in my mind.

Entry #3

Question

Okay. During the chase scene in Shadows of Self, it seems that allomancy follows conservation of momentum.

Brandon Sanderson

Allomancy does indeed follow the conservation of momentum.

Footnote

I thought this was obvious because Brandon’s magic systems almost always follow physics unless noted otherwise, but I couldn’t remember if it was ever confirmed for sure, so I figured I’d include it here.

Entry #4

Question

Did you write all the pieces in the broadsheet?

Brandon Sanderson

No, actually I let a lot of my friends write the different pieces. *lists names both from Dragonsteel Ent. and others* It’s really cool. Actually, Isaac, one of my artists, wrote the Allomancer Jak piece for Bands of Mourning, and it’ll be the first time something he’s written has been published. It’s really good. You’ll like it.

Entry #5

Question

Will Spook ever return?

Brandon Sanderson

*long pause* Spook…Spook left a lot of little things around. His influence is in a lot of things. If you read a bit more carefully, you’ll be able to pick out things he left behind.

Entry #6

Blaze1616

Can you tell me anything about the downfall of Oregon?

Brandon Sanderson

Well, I’ve revealed before that Night’s Sorrow was in Oregon during the destruction. Well, Night’s Sorrow…Night’s Sorrow is the one who destroyed Oregon.

Footnote

As someone who partakes in the What Happened In Oregon RP, this was an exciting answer.

Entry #7

Blaze1616

This is about fabrials. In Elantris, you mention that the Elantrians have these Aon Tia plates. Using the same technique to make those plates, is it possible for Elantrians to make portable fabrials?

Brandon Sanderson

That…yes, that would be possible. But remember, the plates would get weaker the further from Elantris you get.

Entry #8

Question

Are you thinking about making the Soonies and selling them in your store?

Brandon Sanderson

Hah, actually yeah. What I hope to do is make a dog shaped doll, that you can flip inside out. And when you flip it inside out it turns into a Mistwraith. *people all around who heard flip out (this was late into the signing, not much other background noise anymore)*

Footnote

For the record, this was asked by one of the lurkers mentioned, and I told him to join and participate, so if you were planning on posting this yourself, sorry to steal your thunder!

Entry #9

Question

If a feruchemist charges a metalmind full of identity, and then someone awakens that metalmind, would its personality be that of the identity stored in it?

Brandon Sanderson

*laughs aloud for a few seconds* Wow. I haven’t even revealed what storing identity does yet! Okay. When you awaken it, how are you doing it? A simple awakening? Or Nightblood awakening? Like, are you giving sentience as well?

Question

Sure.

Brandon Sanderson

Well, see, the stored identity would definitely mess with it, but it wouldn’t ultimately be the same identity. It would definitely have an affect.

Blaze1616

*to questioner* I wonder if the Command would have a greater affect, or if it’s simply because the metalmind is charged with investiture-

Brandon Sanderson

I haven’t revealed what charging investiture does either.

Footnote

I think Brandon misunderstood me. I meant that because the metalmind was charged, the investiture would obfuscate the awakening, which we already know. I think he thought I meant the metalmind was charged with investiture, as in it’s a nicrosilmind, which it can’t be if it’s charged with identity (or at least that shouldn’t be possible). And for the record, this was asked by one of the lurkers mentioned, and I told him to join and participate, so if you were planning on posting this yourself, sorry to steal your thunder!

Entry #10

Blaze1616

Who would win a game of Tarachin, Hoid or Lightsong?

Brandon Sanderson

Hoid. Even if he had to cheat.

Question

I thought so.

Brandon Sanderson

Plus, Lightsong wouldn’t really care.

Entry #11

Blaze1616

The Dor. Is it gaseous investiture? *Brandon pauses for a long moment* If not, then is it plasma instead?

Brandon Sanderson

You got it. It’s not exactly plasma, but *proceeds half explanation that pretty much describes plasma* You get it?

Question

Yeah. *Brandon looks satisfied*

Entry #12

Blaze1616

Does being an Elantrian make one feel like how Szeth describes holding Stormlight, or like how Vin describes holding the Mists?

Brandon Sanderson

*grins* No, no it’s a completely different feeling.

Blaze1616

I…see…

Brandon Sanderson

*still smiling* You know, no one asks about the Dor or Elantris. More people should be asking about the Dor. It’s very important, and there’s a reason why it’s so different from the other systems.

Blaze1616

*shocked face*

Brandon Sanderson

It’s not…It’s not some huge thing. It’s not mind blowing. But there’s a simple reason, and it reveals things about the Cosmere.

Footnote

He seemed very happy that three of my questions that night revolved around Elantris. I wanted to ask a couple more, such as if Hoid felt he should have been made an Elantrian because of the Moon Sceptre, but Brandon seemed to want to leave since the signing finished just a little after 11 rather than sometime after 12, so I said goodbye and left.

Entry #13

Question

Are you ever going to show us nicrosil and chromium?

Brandon Sanderson

Yes I will.

Footnote

The kid who asked this question was, at most, 11 years old. Brandon employed him to run prizes around during the General Q&A to those who asked questions, which got the kid super excited

Entry #14

Question

Does Steris sit somewhere on the Autistic scale?

Brandon Sanderson

Yes she does. Good catch.

Entry #15

Question

Why does Glys hide? Does it have to do with his bond or magic, or is it just his personality.

Brandon Sanderson

It’s a little of both. His personality plays a big part, but there’s something else too.

Footnote

When I do bother listening to the recording, I’ll be looking for this one. I’m not confident I’m remembering the answer correctly, so take it with a grain of salt for now.

Entry #16

Question

When will Stormlight 3 come out?

Brandon Sanderson

I’m hoping next Christmas. My original plan was to turn in the book by Spring so that Tor has 9 months to finalize it, but then the other day I got a call from Tom Doherty, the founder of Tor, and he told me that I could take till June if I wanted and it would still get a Christmas release. So I’ve got until June if I need it.

Footnote

This surprised me, as Peter has said on here that the process of taking a book’s first draft and turning it into the product that sits on shelves takes about a year. So hearing that Tom Doherty said it could be done in 6 months for a book that’s easily 2 or 3 times as large as normal, everyday books, was a bit surprising. (note by Ted: it is now November 2016 and the first draft is 99% done)


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