Author Topic: Questions Specifically for Jim, Part 3  (Read 166012 times)

Offline TwentyOne

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Re: Questions Specifically for Jim, Part 3
« Reply #420 on: February 14, 2011, 07:56:11 AM »
I hope I'm asking this in the right place! :-[

Browsing Amazon.com I noticed a new short story collection (Naked City: Tales of Urban Fantasy) with a story by Jim due out on July 5. Will this be a Dresden Files story? If so, will there be any problem having come out before Ghost Story, spoiler-wise? I'm fairly sure the dude on the cover is supposed to be Harry, but I could be wrong.

Offline wardenferry419

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Re: Questions Specifically for Jim, Part 3
« Reply #421 on: February 14, 2011, 09:38:26 AM »
I think it's an older story that has been delayed in the publishing.
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Offline sjsharks

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Re: Questions Specifically for Jim, Part 3
« Reply #422 on: February 14, 2011, 02:42:18 PM »
I hope I'm asking this in the right place! :-[

Browsing Amazon.com I noticed a new short story collection (Naked City: Tales of Urban Fantasy) with a story by Jim due out on July 5. Will this be a Dresden Files story? If so, will there be any problem having come out before Ghost Story, spoiler-wise? I'm fairly sure the dude on the cover is supposed to be Harry, but I could be wrong.

The story is called Curses I believe, and it takes place well before Ghost Story on the timeline. It was supposed to come out a while ago but the release was delayed. (and yes, that is Harry on the cover ;D its one of the main reasons I'm actually gonna buy the collection instead of just drinking coffee with it at Barnes and Noble)
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Offline Warden John Marcone

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Re: Questions Specifically for Jim, Part 3
« Reply #423 on: February 14, 2011, 09:12:55 PM »
This might have been asked, so sorry if it has.

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Does Nicodemus have any alternate forms other than his shadow?
No, he just has his shadow do things for him.  You go relying on an alternate form to get things done, that still puts you in personal danger and Nicodemus is more practical than that.  He'd rather stand over here and let something else kill and get the work done.  Unless it's something cool like a Knight of the Cross, in that case he's still got something to prove.

What is the something he has to prove?  Why does he feel the need to test himself against the knights personally?
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Online Dina

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Re: Questions Specifically for Jim, Part 3
« Reply #424 on: February 14, 2011, 10:32:01 PM »
The story is called Curses I believe, and it takes place well before Ghost Story on the timeline. It was supposed to come out a while ago but the release was delayed. (and yes, that is Harry on the cover ;D its one of the main reasons I'm actually gonna buy the collection instead of just drinking coffee with it at Barnes and Noble)

Yes, I even think that is chronologically before Changes. So no spoiler-risk.
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Offline TwentyOne

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Re: Questions Specifically for Jim, Part 3
« Reply #425 on: February 15, 2011, 05:43:55 AM »
Great! ;D

It'll be a nice treat while waiting for the new book.

Offline stu.climber

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Re: Questions Specifically for Jim, Part 3
« Reply #426 on: February 16, 2011, 04:46:45 AM »
Since most books (except changes which clearly is a huge turning point even more so than usual) have a 2 word title i was wondering if there was a cool story, some significance, or just why they happen to be the same length (fool and moon are both 4 letter words, grave peril are both 5, etc.)?

Also dude sweeeeeeeet books man 

Offline sjsharks

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Re: Questions Specifically for Jim, Part 3
« Reply #427 on: February 16, 2011, 05:30:44 AM »
Since most books (except changes which clearly is a huge turning point even more so than usual) have a 2 word title i was wondering if there was a cool story, some significance, or just why they happen to be the same length (fool and moon are both 4 letter words, grave peril are both 5, etc.)?

Also dude sweeeeeeeet books man 

Audience:  I was just wondering about the titles of the books, how they're all two words and both words are always the same number of letters.  Why did you choose to do that?

Jim Butcher:  Okay.  He's asking about the titles of the books, why are the books always two words, same number of letters.  Answer to that was that I had noticed when I was in college and in my writing courses that all of the really successful, or most of the really successful serial P.I. novels had a naming scheme of some kind attached to them.  MacDonald's books, John MacDonald's books all had a color in the name.  A is Alibi, B is for Burglar, etc. with the Kinsey Millhone books.  It was the same way with several different authors that I looked at.  So, I said, 'I need a naming scheme,' and I was going to use puns because I thought that would be fun.  And so I was trying to get pun stuff set up and they didn't, they didn't like that.  The editors didn't like that at all.  So, the first book, I think the original name was Semiautomagic and then I said, 'Can we call it Abracadaver?' and they said, 'No, we can't.'  And I went through several different names and it finally ended up as Storm Front, which was only kind of vaguely a pun.  But they did it in these nice square little boxes with the title all being lined up.  And so I said, 'Well, hey, the next one was already going to be called Fool Moon, so that one will line up too.'  And so at that point, then I said, 'Okay, the only pattern I'm going to have here is where we line up these little boxes.  So, let's at least keep that.'  Until we got to this book, which is called Changes and totally breaks the pattern...presumably because there's going to be some changes. So...yes, ma'am?
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Offline wardenferry419

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Re: Questions Specifically for Jim, Part 3
« Reply #428 on: February 16, 2011, 08:32:39 AM »
Alot of the short stories seem like the opposite of the novels. The novels are the epic adventures of Harry; while the short stories are the misadventures of Harry. Fighting a horny, drunk Grendal doesn't really compare to taking down an insane Summer Lady who wants a global do-over. The short stories are the things he mentions between books that either pay the bills and/or get little recognition.
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Offline HandyGandy

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Re: Questions Specifically for Jim, Part 3
« Reply #429 on: February 22, 2011, 10:46:27 PM »
Since harry does explicit power calculations a few times, there must be some unit of "magical energy". What is it called? How is it defined?

Offline sjsharks

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Re: Questions Specifically for Jim, Part 3
« Reply #430 on: February 22, 2011, 11:17:53 PM »
Since harry does explicit power calculations a few times, there must be some unit of "magical energy". What is it called? How is it defined?

I believe the calculations he does is to see how much of each individual focus he will need to make a spell/potion work. "magical energy" would be life force, the soul, chi, etc. and it depends on how skilled the wizard is. A master could use minimal energy to get something done that it would take a beginner massive amounts of energy to use.
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Offline Snowleopard

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Re: Questions Specifically for Jim, Part 3
« Reply #431 on: February 23, 2011, 02:45:42 AM »
Since harry does explicit power calculations a few times, there must be some unit of "magical energy". What is it called? How is it defined?

Why not call it an - Abbra?  As in Abbra Cadabra. ;D

Offline knnn

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Re: Questions Specifically for Jim, Part 3
« Reply #432 on: February 23, 2011, 04:32:41 PM »
Thaum, as in the "the first law of thaumodynamics".
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Offline Landing

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Re: Questions Specifically for Jim, Part 3
« Reply #433 on: February 23, 2011, 11:44:17 PM »
Thaum, as in the "the first law of thaumodynamics".

Terry Pratchett already uses that one, Jim will have to come up with his own.  ;D
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Offline Ladyeshu

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Re: Questions Specifically for Jim, Part 3
« Reply #434 on: March 09, 2011, 06:11:07 PM »
I don't know if this question has been asked yet but:

What is up with MAC? Don't get me wrong cause I think he's all sorts of hidden bad assery underneath the layers of two word sentences. I just want to know if you have awesome plans for him. I don't need specifics or spoilers, just a yes or no will do!  ;) thanks!