Did you know Robert Jordan personally?
I did not know him. I saw him once at a convention, and he was my favorite author growing up. When he passed away, I wrote a eulogy for him on my website, and by then I’d sold a book and I mentioned just how important he’d been to me, and to my development as a writer. Harriet read that, and she found it touching, so she read my book, and then called me and asked me if I’d be willing to finish the series.
What was your initial reaction to being asked?
It was complete dumbfoundedness. I could barely speak. I remember being on the phone and not even being able to go “Yeah,” because it came so unexpectedly for me.
The closest experience I can imagine is that Mark Wahlberg movie Rock Star , where he gets to take over as lead for his favorite hair metal band.
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it’s—it’s just one of those surreal things that—it just can’t happen, right? This doesn’t really happen to people! And yet, it did.
And yet, in saying yes, you realize, this wonderful thing I’m saying yes to, that I’m going to be part of, wouldn’t have happened if my favorite author hadn’t passed away. That tempers the excitement. I mean, I wish Robert Jordan had been here to write these books, not me.
I had a wonderful time being involved, but I would rather have not been involved, if that makes any sense. It’s a weird mix of emotions.
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