Ask the Authors (Fandemonium)

[ATimson]

Also Stargate Atlantis: The Internal Darkness written by Kevin Hosey who does Star Trek novels...

Short stories, not novels. The Internal Darkness would be his first novel-length work.

...not too sure how I feel about that.

He'd not be the first Stargate author to have a go at Trek first; James Swallow had Trek credits predating his Stargate work, as will Terri Osborne. For that matter, so did at least one writer for the show (Katharyn Powers).

Several authors have also done Doctor Who work before Stargate (Swallow, Osborne, Steven Savile) if that hurts any.

[Jaymach]

Short stories, not novels. The Internal Darkness would be his first novel-length work.

Shows me what I get for just doing a cursory search on the author. Ah well, it'll be interesting to see how he can change from short stories to novel-length stories.

He'd not be the first Stargate author to have a go at Trek first; James Swallow had Trek credits predating his Stargate work, as will Terri Osborne. For that matter, so did at least one writer for the show (Katharyn Powers).

Yeah, I know other authors have tried their hands at Star Trek as well, but it's generally not their main focus. While both series are sci-fi, the general feel of Star Trek is just very different to Stargate for me (though I like them both) and so I hope he'll adjust to the new universe.

Several authors have also done Doctor Who work before Stargate (Swallow, Osborne, Steven Savile) if that hurts any.

Doctor Who doesn't bother me any. I'm Scottish, and so I grew up watching the Doctor every week...at least.

[TerriO]

Shows me what I get for just doing a cursory search on the author. Ah well, it'll be interesting to see how he can change from short stories to novel-length stories.

It's a different skillset, that's for sure. But as someone who started out a natural novelist and learned to write short fiction later on, the reverse is not impossible.

Yeah, I know other authors have tried their hands at Star Trek as well, but it's generally not their main focus. While both series are sci-fi, the general feel of Star Trek is just very different to Stargate for me (though I like them both) and so I hope he'll adjust to the new universe.

FWIW, I was pitching Trek, SG:A, SG-1 and even Serenity novels at the same time. Mine was one of the dozen proposals for a post-Serenity novel that sat on Joss Whedon's desk for over a year.

There's a difference between the universes, yes. That said, though, the Trek fiction of the last few years (at least, the years I was working on the line) was quite a bit removed from the feel of the TV series. I can't speak to how anyone else will adjust to the switch in universe, but I'm a firm believer if you immerse yourself in it long enough, you'll be fine. I find myself (often annoyingly so) fighting the urge to play negotiator when necessary online. I can thank writing Elizabeth Weir for that.

And if we slip up, we've got Sally to kick our butts back into the Ancestral ring, as it were.

Doctor Who doesn't bother me any. I'm Scottish, and so I grew up watching the Doctor every week...at least.

To use a modern term, fantastic! I grew up with Doctor Who as well.

If you've kept up with the Big Finish Short Trips anthologies, mine was the Queen Boudica story in Quality of Leadership.

[JMSwallow]

Yeah, I know other authors have tried their hands at Star Trek as well, but it's generally not their main focus. While both series are sci-fi, the general feel of Star Trek is just very different to Stargate for me (though I like them both) and so I hope he'll adjust to the new universe.

Part of the job of being a writer who works in tie-in fiction is that you understand how to work within the structure of an established fictional universe - that is, you have a sense for the texture and dynamics of that world and its characters - and at the same time, you can bring your own unique authorial voice to it. A writer who can't pick up the style of a given world won't be hired to write for it; it's a simple as that.

I've written in several different universes, some I created myself, some based on existing franchises, and none of them are the same. Each one presents a different challenge, a different palette of storytelling 'colours' for a writer to use. It's one of the reasons I like my job so much, because you never find yourself doing the same thing over and over...

[ATimson]

A writer who can't pick up the style of a given world won't be hired to write for it; it's a simple as that.

Shouldn't be. But there's been times where it's happened before, and there'll be times where it happens again. (Or at least, where I think that's the case. )

[Atlantis1]

That leaves me with four books on pre-order. Are these books in the process of being written?

[StevenSavile]

Updates... hmm... well Shadows is done but I am in the process of rewriting the last 40 or so pages to take away the rather open ended ending as I'm turning it into a stand-alone. That doesn't mean Shapeshifter isn't happening, it just makes it more flexible in the schedule. I'm hoping to turn in the rewrites in the next few weeks then it will be all steam ahead. I see Amazon are optimistically listing March 15, but that's not going to happen because of approval times and turn around on printing, even if I handed the manuscript in today. The delay is totally on my shoulders because of external life stuff no one is interested in, but hopefully the extra time I am getting to mull over those changes means the final published book will be better. I suspect Tim's and mine will switch places in the schedule though, that's what I would do if I were Fandy.

[ATimson]

Updates... hmm... well Shadows is done but I am in the process of rewriting the last 40 or so pages to take away the rather open ended ending as I'm turning it into a stand-alone. That doesn't mean Shapeshifter isn't happening, it just makes it more flexible in the schedule.

Hmm. Would I prefer the book sooner but with a cliffhanger (ish?), or later but standalone? You, sir, offer tough choices. Or would if they hadn't already been made.

[Atlantis1]

Updates... hmm... well Shadows is done but I am in the process of rewriting the last 40 or so pages to take away the rather open ended ending as I'm turning it into a stand-alone. That doesn't mean Shapeshifter isn't happening, it just makes it more flexible in the schedule. I'm hoping to turn in the rewrites in the next few weeks then it will be all steam ahead. I see Amazon are optimistically listing March 15, but that's not going to happen because of approval times and turn around on printing, even if I handed the manuscript in today. The delay is totally on my shoulders because of external life stuff no one is interested in, but hopefully the extra time I am getting to mull over those changes means the final published book will be better. I suspect Tim's and mine will switch places in the schedule though, that's what I would do if I were Fandy.

Thank you for posting this response. It gives me a better idea how this all works.

[TerriO]

I'm in the middle of writing Portals. It's not due until 15 June, and we're not looking at it released until sometime in 2010. No official date beyond that's been set that I'm aware of.

[Xcully]

I would like thanks every authors for these wonderful books! I love reading and reading Stargate's books is simply great! I'm italian and sometimes it's a little difficult for me, but I'm too happy because your works well done! You like really this saga and we see that in your stories!
I'd like to know if, in the next books of Atlantis, there's the last crew of the series :-) and charachters like Jennifer or Woolsey! Thanks

[StevenSavile]

It really was a tough decision on the rewrite, but it's for the best... I suspect if I had left that cliff hanger there someone would murder me at some sf con somewhere just to leave it as a great unsolved mystery. This way I am ensuring my longevity

I hope to be turning the final finished never to be smeared with my word-ink again manuscript in the next few weeks...

[Aaron_0105]

Ok i couldn't find any othe r threads to post this question, so i thought this is as good as any place.
Audiobooks. I have been looking at the current crop of Audiobooks and have been umming and arrghing over whether to buy them or not. I've never bought one before or seen one for that matter (Never really looked to tell you the truth), Just want to know If i buy the audiobook/s will i also get the written work with the cd's?
Or just the cd's...

[Scary Kitty]

Ok i couldn't find any othe r threads to post this question, so i thought this is as good as any place.
Audiobooks. I have been looking at the current crop of Audiobooks and have been umming and arrghing over whether to buy them or not. I've never bought one before or seen one for that matter (Never really looked to tell you the truth), Just want to know If i buy the audiobook/s will i also get the written work with the cd's?
Or just the cd's...

There is a thread on the audiobooks (which are done by a different company, although a couple of Fandy authors have taken part):

http://forum.gateworld.net/showthread.php?t=49643

[JMSwallow]

Ok i couldn't find any othe r threads to post this question, so i thought this is as good as any place.
Audiobooks. I have been looking at the current crop of Audiobooks and have been umming and arrghing over whether to buy them or not. I've never bought one before or seen one for that matter (Never really looked to tell you the truth), Just want to know If i buy the audiobook/s will i also get the written work with the cd's?
Or just the cd's...

You can follow Scary Kitty's link above for the audiobook thread; but to answer your question, no, you will not get the "written work" with the CD, because there isn't one per se - these are not adaptations of existing stories, they're written specifically as two-actor audio dramas/readings. The scripts for these audios have not (as yet) been released - but I hope that won't discourage you from trying them out.