FAQ
A List of Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Where do you get your ideas?
Inspiration comes from everywhere and anywhere. I've been inspired by landscapes, by vivid dreams, by other books, by movies, by art history lectures, by passing comments, by a fleeting emotion, by misremembering an entry in a dictionary. Beyond that, I couldn't say. How it all coalesces into fiction is a mystery, even to me.
2. What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
It's hard to give advice on writing, because the best way to learn is through doing. No two writers work the same way, and everyone has to find their own path. So… write. Write a lot. Build a world and explore it. Create characters and break their hearts. Take risks, and don't be afraid to make mistakes. Experiment. All the methodology -- whether to outline in advance or wing it, write in a linear fashion or skip around, follow a rigid schedule or go with the flow of inspiration, edit as you write or worry about it later -- emerges with experience. As you write, you'll discover what works for you.
3. Will you read my work?
No. It's a time commitment I can't afford -- there are a lot of aspiring writers out there. If you're looking for feedback, try to find a good local or online critique group. If you're ready to submit your work, get a copy of the most recent Writer's Market or a similar publication. Do your homework, be professional and courteous. Believe me, I know how difficult it is to break into publishing, but there are no shortcuts. It takes hard work, persistence and luck. I wish you lots of the latter!
4. Can I interview you for a paper I'm writing for school?
Sorry, but no! I'm afraid I get too many requests. It's not possible to grant them all and not fair to pick and choose. There's an archive of online interviews and articles here, and if you can't find what you need, then you'll probably have to choose another, more established author to write about. Unfortunately, up-and-coming fantasy authors aren't the subject of a lot of literary commentary.
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5. May I have permission to reproduce the cover art? Can you send me a copy of the tattoo on the Kushiel's Legacy covers? Permission isn't mine to grant, and I don't have a copy of the tattoo. All those intrepid souls you see in the Tattoo Gallery created their own adaptations! Authors' copyrights only pertain to the written work. Cover art is commissioned by the publisher, with rights retained by the artist. It's generally acceptable to reproduce a copy for non-commercial purposes, eg. to accompany a book review, but any other questions about cover art should be directed to the book's publisher, not the author. 6. Will you be doing a booksigning near my hometown any time soon? Any appearances are posted on the calendar on the home page of my site as soon they're scheduled, so if it's not there, then it's probably not in the works. By and large, I go where my publishers send me! Book tours are scheduled around the release of a new title, and in between major events, I'm usually writing. 7. Will any of your books be made into movies? Anything's possible! But they'd have to be big-budget extravaganzas to do justice to them, and at this point the film rights haven't been optioned. Serious inquiries should be directed to my agent, Jane Dystel at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management. 8. Will Earth Begotten ever be reprinted? I'm afraid not. The text is available here, but the book itself was a limited edition volume, hand-printed on an antique letterpress. It was always intended to be a collector's item, so if you got one of the 50 copies printed, count yourself lucky! 9. Is there a pronunciation guide for the Kushiel's Legacy series? Pronunciation can vary on many of the names and words. Eg. the French pronunciation of Phèdre is 'Fed' with a strangled 'r' sound tacked on at the end, while Joscelin is 'Zhos-lan.' The Anglicized versions are 'Fedra' and 'Jossalin.' So no, there's no guide because I'd rather let each reader decide what sounds right to his or her own individual ear than dictate it to you. 10. I've seen titles by Jacqueline Carey that aren't listed on your Books page. Is there another author with the same name? Strange but true, there appear to be at least two others. It must be a lucky name for writers! If it's a title not listed on this site, it's probably not one of mine. 11. Do you plan to continue The Sundering? I always intended for it to end as it did, an epic tragedy. However, quite a few readers have inquired. At this point, I don't plan to extend it, but at the saying goes, never say never! 12. Are there audio books of your work? No. Audio publishers produce a limited number of books in general, and especially big doorstopper fantasies like mine. Sorry! 13. When will (insert title here) be released in (insert country here)? Unfortunately, I have no idea. Believe it or not, authors are often the last to know! Foreign publishers don't keep us up to date. You're better off asking your local bookseller. 14. Will (insert title here) be released as an e-book? It's my understanding that my current publisher will be making the entire Imriel trilogy available as e-books by June 2008. I don't know about the backlist of earlier titles. I hope so, but no guarantees.
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