For many years the only chance a fan had of speaking to Terry was to meet him at tour events or conventions.
With the establishment of this website in 2000, Terry began accepting two questions from each fan per month. On the last day of the month, five questions are randomly drawn. Terry answers these five questions and they are posted monthly for your enjoyment.
Below are the questions selected from June 2019 and Terry’s answers! Enjoy!
Note: This section may contain spoilers!
JUNE 2019 ASK TERRY Q&A
Hi Everyone,
Hope you all had a great holiday. Here are the latest batch of questions on my To Do Stack, so here goes:
Vickie Morgan writes: Do you realize what joy you bring to your readers? I have read you since I was 20 years old, I am now 67. Now and then, I always looked forward to seeing you had a new book out. Do you feel the love? I look forward to your new series. Keep up the good work. That was two questions.
Terry Brooks replies: I do realize how lucky I am to have the readers I have. Judine reminds me all the time. She says, “You have the best fans of any writer we know.” And it’s true for many reasons. But certainly for the connection all feel to my books and sometimes to us on a personal level. It makes all the difference. It is one reason I still tour each year. The energy it creates cannot be over-stated. I always come home from a book tour determined to make the next book my best yet. For that, I thank everyone. I will never be able to repay you for what you have given me.
Will writes: You’ve said that book 4 of Fall of Shannara will be the last chronological Shannara book, but not necessarily the last book in general. Have you considered hiring another writer to carry on Shannara books, or do you want to be the only one writing them?
Terry Brooks replies: For now, I want to be the only one writing Shannara books. Once I am gone, the publisher might want to consider continuing the series, and I have given the family permission to allow this to happen – if done well. Mostly – without seeming selfish – I don’t want to oversee all that now, and I want to be left free to fill in the gaps whenever the urge strikes me. I have a book or two left in me yet!
Don Forster writes: I know the Landover books are basically Ben as you. I also know that your brand new fantasy series will precede any new books. Are there still Landover plans to do one more or will the new short story in October 2020 wrap it up? Thanks.
Terry Brooks replies: Nothing is wrapped up. What I have been saying is that when they make the movie, I will write the next book. That’s a joke because I might do it sooner. I just haven’t come up with a story I like well enough to want to write. Busy with ending Shannara and with other projects, yes. But I will get back to Magic Kingdom one of these days.
Eric D. Koppert writes: Terry, do you believe that writing is a craft or an art? Is it something that can be taught, or even learned? Or does it require an inherent gift?
Terry Brooks replies: I think writing is both an art and a craft. You can teach writing as a craft if you are teaching the mechanics of word usage, imagery or character development. But it is almost impossible to teach the art. Writers have to come to their art on their own, and no amount of teaching can give you that if it isn’t a part of who you are. I think writers are born to be writers; they just don’t all decide to become writers. It is an innate part of their makeup, so it feels as natural as anything they will ever do if they discover that it is there. The discovery is a function of how they grew, who and what influenced their lives, if they came to books early in life, if the urge to write is strong enough.
Nathaniel Weinand writes: Can you give any details on your new duology? Or is that all under lock and key for now? Thrilled to see Landover 7 back on the schedule! Hope it happens!
Terry Brooks replies: I am not really speaking about the particulars of the new set of books as yet. It is not a good idea to talk about something in the particular until you have written it. Somehow, doing so leeches out all of the magic in the process. So just be patient, and I will reveal things along the way. Right now I am focused on proofing of the Shannara series in the final book, which comes out next June. That’s what I will be talking about between now and then.
Be kind to your family and friends. Be understanding of those who disagree with you. Be respectful of old people like me. We need all the help we can get!
Ask Terry
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