Year End Review & What Lies Ahead: Part Two

Having spent some time on TV and Movies (well, not so much on the latter because there really isn’t all that much to say yet), it’s time to turn our attention to books.

So, where to start.

There are at present several The Shannara Chronicles tie-ins being offered by Del Rey in trade and mass-market paperback, along with a retro hardcover edition of Elfstones being offered exclusively through B&N. There is also a high-end hard cover edition of Running with the Demon out from Cemetery Dance, which is quite wonderful. Finally, The Sorcerer’s Daughter, final book in the Defenders of Shannara trilogy, will release May 24th. So all those will be out there for reading in the next few months.

At present, I am just finishing the first of the concluding set of books in the Shannara world. These books, numbering three or four, will end the story chronologically so that I won’t have to worry about someone else deciding how to end it later. There will be other books in the series, but they will take place during the pre-history of the Four Lands or at some other places and times where there are gaps to be filled.

As well, I am working on a couple of unrelated books which are not getting much attention these days but which I hope to get back to soon. One is a contemporary fantasy on the order of the Magic Kingdom stories, although not of that set, and the other is a futuristic novel dealing with the question of who is and isn’t human when genetic manipulation and robotics become more sophisticated.

Finally, there is the question of what will happen if Warner Brothers green lights Magic Kingdom for Sale to be a movie with Steve Carell. I have said if that happened, I would write a new Magic Kingdom book a.s.a.p. I suppose I will have to follow through now that I’ve said it.

Now that’s as far ahead as I’ve thought about new books because there isn’t much point in looking any further. Writing books is a long term project, and you don’t want to get ahead of yourself by deciding on things you might well change your mind on by the time you get there. Better to just be a little patient and keep all your options open.

Will I be working on The Shannara Chronicles for Season Two? Assuming, as I do, that there will be a Season Two? I imagine I will. Al Gough and Miles Millar, our show runners, will work with their staff of writers in preparing outlines and then scripts for each Episode and I will read them over and see if there are any problems from my perspective. Also, I am there as a resource for information about backstory and other books as well as an idea now and then for how something might be handled. But let me stress that mostly my job is to stay out from underfoot except when I spot something that might give rise to reader rage.

So far, so good.

That’s about it, faithful readers. Hope your winter isn’t too awful, wherever you are. Pacific NW is wet and gray, but pretty mild. Lots of snow, but all up in the mountains where we can admire it from afar. Thanks so much for you support of the TV show. The praise has been overwhelming and so far the only dispute is who is hotter – Manu Bennett or John Rhys-Davies. Okay, there have been a few mentions of the ladies, too.

I’ll be in touch.

Always good magic to you, Terry