Because of the volume of e-mail I receive--thank you, readers!--I'm unable to answer every letter, especially when many of the questions replicate one another. So here is a list of the questions most often asked, and my replies.
Q: Are your books on audio tape, or in e-book format? A: To my great regret, no. Books acquired for audio format is entirely up to the company, and in general they prefer big bestsellers. The explanation for why my work is not yet in e-book format can be found On The Shelves. Q: Have you ever thought about having your books made into movies? A: Frequently. The problem is, this is not up to the author, the author's agent, or the author's publisher. It's strictly up to the screenwriters, producers, directors, and actors in Hollywood. Authors are completely powerless when it comes to filming our books. A few of mine have been optioned, but nothing has come of it. Q: Do you plan to write any more Cheysuli novels? A: Yes, three of them! They will fit into the existing timeline of the orginal series. There are no publication dates for them yet; first I must finish the last novel in the Karavans series, and the two new Sword-Dancer books. Q: I'm missing a couple of the Cheysuli books. How do I find them? A: Some of the original Cheysuli titles are OP and won't be reprinted as individual volumes, but you can get all eight of them in the four 2-book omnibus editions. Since I will be writing three new Cheysuli novels (they'll debut in hardcover), I'm sure DAW Books will keep the omnibus editions available. Q: Do you plan to write any more Sword-Dancer books? A: Yes, two more! Tiger and Del just won't leave me behind! 8-) Q: Will you write more historical novels? A: Yes. Currently I'm under contract for a slew of fantasy novels, but I definitely will return to the historical genre at some point. Q: I've read all your books! What's next? A: Are you really, truly sure you've read all of them? Even the historicals, the western, the romantic suspense, and the historical romance? You may want to check out my OTHER NOVELS page. Q: Is it true you wrote a novel based on the Highlander television series? A: Yes. I was a huge fan of the series when it was on TV, and when I heard Warner was going to publish original novels set in the Highlander universe, I asked if I could write one. Hence, HIGHLANDER: Scotland the Brave, called a "media tie-in book," came into being. For additional information, check out the OTHER NOVELS page. Q: Will you write any more media tie-in books? A: If I like a TV series well enough, I am certainly willing to write a book in the media universe. It depends on how my schedule looks, and right now I have bunches o' books to write in my own universes. Q: Is it all right for me to write about your characters and/or worlds, design a game using your characters and universes, or use any of your fantasy language in my works? A: This is a very complex issue. Here's some information regarding this question. Q: I want to get published, too. Could you read my ideas, outlines, and/or manuscript and tell me what you think? A: This also is such a tough question. Here's a detailed response. Q: I don't have time to write a novel, but I have wonderful ideas. How about if I give you my idea, you write the book, and we split the royalties? A: I'm sorry, but authors have so many wonderful ideas of their own--and never enough time to write them all--that this kind of partnership just wouldn't be feasible. Q: How do I get published? A: This is a subject about which entire books are written and classes are taught. I can't truly anwer it in e-mail. But I'm happy to provide titles to several excellent How-To books that will answer most if not all of your questions. You may purchase them, or check them out of the library. Keep in mind there are others available, too. Also, there are many sites in the internet that offer advice. Just do not be scammed by ‟vanity” publishers who charge you to publish your book. Not one penny! HOW TO GET HAPPILY PUBLISHED, Judith Appelbaum and Nancy Evans Q: Will you do an online interview for my school assignment? A: This is another tough one. Here's a detailed response. Q: How can I find hardcover copies of all your books? A: Unfortunately, you can't. My early novels were only available in paperback, and publishers do not publish them in hardcover after paperback debuts because it's not cost-effective. Q: The bookstore says this book is out of print. How do I find it? A: Publishers often decide a book or series has had its chance in the marketplace and won't really earn much more, which means it's too expensive to keep reprinting it. So the book or series is labeled OP, or OOP. This means once bookstores are sold out, they cannot reorder the book. The best way of tracking down copies of OP books is to try online, through used bookstores (especially those specializing in f/sf), and libraries. Q: What's this I hear about you having lots of dogs? A: Boy, do I! My "other life" is dedicated to breeding, training, and showing dogs in conformation. I specialize in Cardigan Welsh Corgis (the Corgi with the tail!), and am very active in the national breed club. Here are some photos of the gang. Thanks again for all the letters! ~~Jennifer  |