Questions for Tad Williams -- Upcoming interview

[Teresa Edgerton]

I spent some time with Tad Williams at Westercon this weekend and he has graciously agreed to be the subject of a Chronicles interview.

So, Tad fans, here's your chance -- and this thread is the place -- to ask any burning questions you might have for the talented Mr. Williams.

[Brown Rat]

Ask him how many cats he has nowadays. (Seriously, I'd like to know.)

[Teresa Edgerton]

I will demand a full accounting of the family pets.

[GOLLUM]

Great coup getting Tad to agree to an interview. I'm envious of you...

I would like to know who his main literary influences are and which of his books or series is his personal favourite.

[areader]

What is next on his agenda?

[Rahl Windsong]

Aye, well done getting the interview. Does he ever find the time to play any of the Massive Multiplayer Online games? Like for instance just recently an online game for Lord of the Rings has been released, do games like that interest Mr Williams? I ask this because of his Otherland story and how the MMO of today could be the beginning of something like Otherland.

[rebornintheglory]

A real live famous author on these forums... I'm impressed. I don't suppose if you have the time you could ask Tad what kind of music inspires such a man to such greatness? Or just what he listens to most days, anyway. Thanks.

[Teresa Edgerton]

Good questions so far, everyone.

(Although I'm surprised there haven't been more of them ...)

[Connavar]

I have read only one book of him so far and liked it. The War of The Flowers.

I havent checked what he thinks about that book so here goes.

Ask him if he might write another book about Fairy like those in The War of The Flowers.

Not a sequal or anything, i just liked his version of the diffrent kind of fairy and their world.

[HappyHippo]

WOW! Sooo exciting!

I'd like to know (because a certain JKR makes such a fuss about it) does he ever feel 'real grief' at killing off a character? Also, are there any characters he'd like to do a spin-off on?

Which of his books is he proudest of?

If he could live in any of the locations he's dreamt up, which would it be? (I'd like to live in Rimmersgaard, I have a viking thing!)

Also, just because... what's his favourite take out meal? Sorry for sounding like a stalker...

this is very cool! Nice one!

[Culhwch]

It's the old chestnut, but... where do his ideas come from? In the broad sense of sources of inspiration, and in the more practical sense of where a story starts - the plot, the setting, or a character.

Oh, and how intensive is his world-building? Is everything down before a word is written, or does the setting organically evolve as the story unfolds?

[Teresa Edgerton]

I'm going to keep this thread open for questions through Sunday, then I'll be organizing them and sending them off sometime next week.

In the meantime, if anyone has read Otherland (I haven't) and can suggest any other good questions in addition to Rahl's, I'd be grateful for the input.

[GOLLUM]

I've read the Otherland series but don't have any key questions other than to ask if he's ever considered going back there again with at least some of the original cast of characters. W/o providing spoilers the story arc in one sense is complete but what about the possibility of another online adventure or generally even just something else entirely that's more Hard SF than Fantasy in the future??

[Tabasco]

Something I've always wondered about Otherland...

It was a great series, my favorite of his. Where did he get the inspiration for some of the lead characters, i.e. a Bushman, a struggling African woman with a domineering father, a gamer, an Aborigine, etc.?

Some characters in his books just crack me up, like Long Joseph and Isgrimnur. Does he realize the humor they portray as he's writing, or is it just a byproduct of the situations? For instance, Long Joseph was domineering, a drunk, not too bright or nice, but his overal character... the way he thinks, interacts, etc. was hilarious.

[Rahl Windsong]

Is there any update on this interview? I would love it if the interview could be posted here in the forum, anyone know if that will happen?