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 October 2019 and Terry’s answers! Enjoy!
Note: This section may contain spoilers!
OCTOBER 2019 ASK TERRY Q&A
Hi Everyone,
Moving on with Ask Terry. I do appreciate your interest and investment in my work. Thanks once more for your loyalty after 40 plus years as a published author:
Nate Weinand writes: Is there any chance of a Word and Void movie or TV series? Those are my favorite of your work.
Terry Brooks replies: Well, there is always a chance, but nothing much happening at the moment. We do have something in the works with another book and will keep you updated when we know we have something solid in place.
Samuel Lewis writes: I have been a fan from The Sword of Shannara till now. I think that I am only missing two Shannara titles from the Shannara history–I am in my 70s, please don’t hold it against me. I have one question. Why have you treated the Ilse Witch so badly? She was good to start with (I think), you turned her bad, turned her back good, turned her bad again, then locked her away inside the Forbidding where I presume she remains. Don’t you agree with redemption? I would really like to see a final story about her, where she comes out of the Forbidding and redeems herself.
Terry Brooks replies: Guess what, Samuel. Your wish is about to come true. I do believe in redemption, but I do not think it always comes easily or even while we are alive. I think you have to work for it and be patient until it arrives. Grianne Ohmsford is the perfect example, as you have indicated above. She has done everything she can for the Druid Order and the good work it does, but she is a victim of circumstance and dark plotting. So now she resides in the Forbidding, locked way. But her story will conclude in the Fall of Shannara books, three of which are published, one of which will appear this June. Check it out and see what happens to her. I think you will be surprised.
Randy Bond writes: Hi Terry, hope you are doing well sir! As an avid reader of your stories, and life long fan of yours I have to admit I was a bit apprehensive of Street Freaks at first. I’m sorry I had any doubts. I’ve read it twice now and loved it even more the second time. I, as other readers have expressed, would also enjoy a sequel if it is ever possible! That said, my question is have you ever started a story and found you were not happy with it and decided to not finish it?
Terry Brooks replies: Happy you enjoyed Street Freaks enough to have read it twice. I have conceived of a sequel, but I have to find time to write it and that might take a few years. Other project in writing are already in the works. I’ve been asked about this before, and I wish I could oblige more quickly, but it would take a movie or TV show to make that happen. As for starting and stopping a book, sure – I did it all the time in my teens and early twenties. But I try to avoid it now, where I work on a tight time schedule and really can’t afford to start over. That said, I’ve had some tough rewrites along the way, but only because my editors wanted me to be the best I can.
Jim Earles writes: I’ve loved your books since I was a kid, and have read just about every book you have written. Here are two questions which I have for you. First, why is it that the epilogue of The Gypsy Morph has Hawk waking out of his long slumber (after having sacrificed himself to allow for the creation of the protective barrier), but he never returns as a character within the further narrative? I’m curious if that was an oversight, or an intentional choice? Personally, the epilogue made me excited to see him return to the story, but then I was sad to see that this never happens.
Terry Brooks replies: Well, this was one of those author choices. I feel his story was finished, and I have nothing more to do with him as a character once he woke and went back to his life. This was purposely ambiguous. You are supposed to imagine what happened. Was he dead or alive at that point? What would he have done if it was given to him to choose? Sometimes I want my readers decide for themselves.
Anonymous writes: I read in your memoir, Sometimes the Magic Works, that you enjoyed the writing process on the Star Wars Episode I novelization. Given that, would you be willing to dip your pen back into George Lucas’ world and write you own original Star Wars novel? I’m sure it would be a great experience for fans who enjoy your original work and the Star Wars franchise as well.
Terry Brooks replies: I don’t think it would be the same, Anonymous. Working for The Mouse as a writer who likes to take the bit in his teeth, it would likely be more trouble than it would be worth. Working on a book with George Lucas was a dream because he gave me my head and said “Go for it.” With my own work, this is always the case. With TV and Movies, almost next – even with adaptations of movies into books.
So the next election nears and most of us are about to lose our minds. When did the world get so crazy? When did everyone go insane? Present company excepted because I find my readers to be pretty level-headed. Please, stay that way. As we always say about things that haunt us “This too shall pass.”
Ask Terry
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