Date: 1994-10-27
Type: Paraphrased
Location: Concord, CA
Reporter: Mike Allen
[In response to this report …] I was the one who asked the question, so I guess I get to put my 2 cents in here. I did indeed ask “Why the pseudonym?”, but I had no answer for his snappy retort.
He kind of assumed that I heard about it from the net, because he went on to say that, although he was not on the Net, someone had sent him a copy of the FAQ, and the 25% of the speculation was right, 25% was near-right, and the rest was just plain wrong.
After my turn in the wheel of signings, I joined a bunch of other Net fiends in the corner, whispering about this or that. I asked their opinions on why the Hundred Companions were all men, when the greatest works were always accomplished by men and women together. Another person (Dana, I believe) suggested that it might be because when one part of a link failed, the whole thing failed, and that in a combat situation it would be impossible to maintain a proper circle. None of us knew if that was true or not, so someone brought it to RJ’s attention.
His response was what you probably predicted: “You want me to give a clue like that away for nothing?” Feeling brash, I then said, “OK, just why were the Hundred Companions all men?” He merely grumbled and shook his head as he signed the next book.
He left the signing in a big white Cadillac, in case anyone cares.
Mike Allen
(who never posts :)
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