An Interview with Brandon Sanderson—Plus Giveaway
Introduction:
Brandon Sanderson has been one of the exciting new names in Fantasy fiction over the past eight years—commencing with the successful publication of Elantris in 2005, being asked to complete Robert Jordan’s epic Wheel of Time series in 2007, and most recently winning this year’s Gemmell “Legend” Award for The Way of Kings. So when Ruby Mitchell of Hachette mentioned the possibility of an interview I was delighted to have the opportunity—and am equally delighted to welcome Brandon today.
Hachette have also provided two copies of The Alloy of Law for giveaway—details are provided below the interview.
.The Interview:
Helen: Brandon, to leap right in, you’ve written a considerable body of Fantasy, with standalones such as Elantris and Warbreaker, the Mistborn trilogy, The Way of Kings (Book One of The Stormlight Archive) and most recently The Alloy of Law—as well as being asked to complete Robert Jordan’s long-running Wheel of Time series. Although almost all these works are in the epic/high quadrant of the fantasy compass, there is also considerable diversity in the stories—and all are well regarded. So what, for you, is the “core” to writing compelling fantasy?
Brandon: That is a really hard question to answer. Do you emphasize with the fantasy, or not? A really great story is going to be about awesome characters that you fall in love with. Beyond that, it’s going to need a really great plot. You can’t separate these things from writing a great fantasy, because while I think the worldbuilding needs to be really cool, if you have terrible characters and plot, it doesn’t matter how good your worldbuilding is—you’re not going to have a good story.
That said, the core of writing great fantasy as opposed to other fiction, assuming that you’re already doing the plot and the character right, is to get down to that idea of the sense of wonder. What is wonderful about this place that would make people want to live there, or be fascinated by it? What’s going to draw the imagination?
Fantasy is writing books that could not take place in our universe. For me, that’s the dividing line. In science fiction there’s the speculation: “This could take place here,” or “This may be extrapolating science beyond what we know, but it could work.” In fantasy we say, “No, this couldn’t work in our ruleset, our laws of the universe.” Really focusing on it is what makes the genre tick. So you have to do that well.
Helen: What drew you to write Fantasy as opposed to any other style of fiction? What about the genre “rocks your world?”
Brandon: I became a fantasy writer because of the great fantasy books I read. Other books didn’t do it for me. As a young reader (I didn’t really like to read), the first powerful fantasy book I read—Dragonsbane by Barbara Hambly—drew me in, captivated me, and took me to this place that could not be but that I wished could be. Nothing else excited me on that level, so that’s why I write fantasy.
Helen: Dragonsbane is a longstanding favourite of mine as well. And I recall first reading The Eye of the World, the opening novel in Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series, at about the same time. Being asked to complete such a famous series following Robert Jordan’s death was a great honour and compliment to your own writing. But did it also feel like a tremendous responsibility?
Brandon: It’s been a very humbling experience and a great honor. But it’s certainly a tremendous responsibility. When I was considering taking on the project, I thought, “Wow, if I screw this up, I’m in serious trouble. People will find me and burn my house down. Wheel of Time fans are hardcore.” I struggled with this, and it almost caused me to say no. One writer I know mentioned, or posted somewhere, regarding this: “This is a thankless job. Anything that Sanderson gets right will be attributed to Robert Jordan, and anything he gets wrong will condemn him.”
In the end, I felt I could do a good job on this, and that it could be a sendoff I could give one of my favorite authors, someone who deeply influenced me as a writer. And I felt that if I passed on it, someone else would be found and would get to do it. The question that it came down to for me was, “Knowing that someone who is not Robert Jordan is going to do this, can you really pass and let anyone other than you do it?” And the answer was that I couldn’t let someone else do it. I had to do it. So I said yes.
Helen: As well as the Wheel of Time novels, the first instalment of what you have called your own “grand epic”, The Way of Kings (Book One of The Stormlight Archive) was published in 2010 and this year won the Gemmell “Legend” Award for Best Fantasy Novel of the Year. Was there any particular significance for you in winning the award for The Way of Kings?
Brandon: Sure. First off, The Way of Kings is the book of my heart—the book I’ve been working on for years and years. For example, it has a character in it who originated in the very first novel I tried my hand at as a young teen. Finally having this book come out is extremely fulfilling, and having people enjoy it as much as they have is even more fulfilling.
Specifically with the Gemmell Award, I’d lost the award two years in a row—in fact I’d lost three times in those two years, since I had two books nominated one of the years. Finally winning was extremely gratifying and a really big honor. Plus the actual award itself is a battleaxe. That is the best award ever.
Helen: The Alloy of Law is newly out and returns to Scadrial, the world of your Mistborn trilogy, but rather than the medieval milieu of high fantasy, instead comprises a late 19th century world of steam trains and industry. This sounds like steampunk, but The Alloy of Law is also very much a “western” in feel, with a former gun-toting Roughs (Wild West) lawman, Wax, returning to the urban metropolis—yet still ending up fighting the bad guys with his wise-cracking buddy, Wayne. So was that fun to do, blending the genres? And what led you to explore that path with your Mistborn world?
Brandon: I’ve said that what I love about fantasy is that it can do anything any other genre can do, plus have that added sense of wonder. So I’ve wanted to explore different types of what fantasy can achieve. The steampunk movement is awesome for doing this. I don’t actually consider this book to be steampunk, because the Victorian feel and steam technology aren’t there, but it certainly is a cousin to what is happening in steampunk.
At its core, really what I’ve done is write a detective novel. A buddy detective novel set in an early 1900s industrial age equivalent, in a fantasy world where the epic fantasy that I wrote as a trilogy (Mistborn) has become the mythology for this new world. That concept excited me. What made me do it? The idea that I could, and that I hadn’t really seen it done before. That’s what fantasy is all about.
Helen: The Alloy of Law also deals with the influence of commerce and industry on events, an element I found in Daniel Abraham’s The Path of Dragons as well. Do you see this as a new trend, broadening the traditional fantasy scope—or is it something that has always been part of the mix?
Brandon: I think it’s always been part of the mix. Dune, which is one of those hybrid fantasy/science fiction books, is all about this, and is—I would say—the great example of this. It’s the foundation for a lot of modern science fiction and fantasy. A fantastic book, and it deals with the idea of how commerce affects a fantasy and science fiction world.
So I don’t think it’s a new trend, necessarily, but what is a new trend in fantasy is digging into nonstandard (for the genre) types of plots. Moving away from the quest narrative and focusing more on political intrigue, or focusing on the effects of different fantastical elements on a world and its economy. Basically, George R. R. Martin is going this way too, and he’s been doing this for 15 years so I can’t say that it’s a new trend. But it certainly is an exciting direction for the fantasy genre.
Helen: Magic systems are a strong part of both the Mistborn books, with their allomancy and feruchemy, but also of the Stormlight world, with its fabrials, shardblades and voidbinding. Do you spend a lot of time developing the magic system before you begin writing, or does it tend to evolve with the story?
Brandon: I spend a lot of hours ahead of time on my magic systems. I am a planner when it comes to worldbuilding. Of course, everything’s going to evolve as you work on a book—nothing can be planned out perfectly; there needs to be some freedom, some improvisation to really bring life to it. But I do plan things out a lot, specifically my magic systems. This is a big focus to me, partially because it’s become one of my big calling cards in the genre. It lets me add something different, my own take. Granted I’m not the only one who does interesting magic systems, but it has become one of the hallmarks of my writing, and so that’s fine with me because it’s something that I love to do.
Helen: Elantris and Warbreaker are both standalone novels, but the greater body of your work comprises series. Should this be interpreted as a preference for the series form or do you enjoy both equally?
Brandon: You can indeed interpret that as a bit of a preference. I grew up reading the big classic fantasy series like the Wheel of Time, and I don’t think you can do that as a writer like myself without developing a deep fondness and a desire to write your own. So I would say a slight preference, but some of my favorite books are standalones, like Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay. I do think that the form of the standalone epic fantasy is a really cool one, and one that I want to experiment with more, and one that I like a lot. So while there’s a slight preference, I wouldn’t say that it’s a deep overriding preference. I do what feels right for me for any given story.
Helen: Well, in terms of doing what feels right, your creative output since Elantris was published in 2005 has been very high, including not only seven novels in your own right but also completing Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time, with a two further books published in that series. So I have to ask: how do you do it? (And can I bottle the formula?!)
Brandon: One of the things that you have to remember is that I wrote Elantris back in 2000, so I have a much bigger head start than it looks like. I sold Elantris in 2003, and had all of 2003 up through a big part of 2006 to write the Mistborn trilogy before the first book of that came out. So what you’re seeing is my big head start that I had by having that book already done, then launching right into the trilogy.
I don’t think I write faster than any other fantasy writers, but I do write a lot. I love to do it; I spend a lot of time doing it, and it’s one of my favorite things to do, to tell these stories. So if you want to bottle it, all you really do is spend ten hours a day writing, and boom, you’ve got it.
But it does look more impressive than it really is, because I have those extra years. A lot of the years where I had two books come out, I had written one much earlier and the other I wrote the year before. My popularity has made my publishers start increasing the publication schedule of some of my books, so you get overlap—a book I wrote long before and then a book I’ve recently turned in come out at the same time, because when I turn in the new book they want to publish it as soon as I can. So that’s why this year, for instance, we only have one book—The Alloy of Law—and it’s a very short book. That’s because the publication schedule finally caught up to me.
Helen: Brandon, it’s still a very impressive achievement—and I’m very pleased that you’ve been able to make the time in such a busy writing and touring schedule for this interview. It’s been a great pleasure having you on the blog today and I look forward to reading the next instalments in both your Stormlight Archive and Mistborn series.
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About the Author:
Brandon Sanderson has published seven solo novels with Gollancz—Elantris, the Mistborn books, Warbreaker, and The Way of Kings—as well as four books in the middle-grade Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians series from Scholastic. He was chosen to complete Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series; 2009’s The Gathering Storm and 2010’s Towers of Midnight will be followed by the final book, A Memory of Light, in 2012. His newest Mistborn novel, The Alloy of Law, was released in November 2011. Currently living in Utah with his wife and children, Brandon teaches creative writing at Brigham Young University.
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About the Interviewer:
Helen Lowe is a New Zealand-based novelist, poet, and interviewer. Her latest novel, The Heir of Night, the first of The Wall of Night quartet, is published in the USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and The Netherlands; forthcoming in France and Germany in 2012. Helen has twice won the Sir Julius Vogel Award for Excellence in SciFi-Fantasy, for Thornspell (Knopf) in 2009 and The Heir of Night in 2011. Helen posts every day on her Helen Lowe on Anything, Really blog, on the first of every month on the Supernatural Underground, and occasionally on SF-Signal.
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Brandon Sanderson’s publisher, Gollancz (Hachette), has donated two copies of The Alloy of Law to to be drawn as a giveaway from amongst Australian and New Zealand commenters on this interview. The giveaway will remain open until 12 midnight, Thursday 8 December (NZ time), with the winner announced on the morning of Friday 9. Just leave a comment to go in the draw—and don’t forget to check in Friday to see if you’ve won. The draw will be made by Random Number Integer.
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The giveaway closed at 12 midnight on Thursday 8th and has now been drawn: you can check out the result here. If the winners could please contact me via my website, contact[at]helenlowe[dot]info with your postal addresses, I’ll get the books in the mail to you asap.
If I have not been contacted by this coming Wednesday, December 14 (NZ time) then I will redraw.
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To read other recent interviews, click on the links immediately below:
What a great surprise to get up to this morning! I first heard Brandon’s name when he was brought in to finish the Wheel of Time series. I literally almost cried because I’d been so afraid the books would never be published.
Brandon, my hat goes off to you for giving us ‘hard core’ fans the chance to finish our favorite story. A thankless task, indeed! I hope the fans haven’t been too hard on you – and thank you, thank you, thank you for taking the job on!
Aimee–I agree, it’s great that Brandon has been able to complete the story, working with Robert Jordan’s notes. But notes or no, a major endeavour.
Great interview Helen! I was thinking of treating myself to Alloy of Law, but perhaps I’ll wait a few days, just in case…
With two copies to give away, it’s probably worth waiting, Joff. 🙂
I’m sure Sanderson has some cats that help him type. 🙂
As someone whose writing speed is more GRRM-like (if only the quality were even remotely at the same level), I stand in awe of Mr. Sanderson’s output.
You and me both, Gabriele!
Great interview, thanks so much! I love hearing about fantasy writers and their inspirations, favorite authors and processes of creativity.
Thank you, Joel: I’m glad the interview has delivered on all or some of that for you.
Great interview. Hats off to you both for interesting questions and answers.
I do have to say that there is a truly disturbing degree of similarity between Brandon’s reading list and mine…
Thanks, Andrew. And I agree with you about the reading: Dragonsbane: check; Tigana check … And of course, as you may know from my report back, here, I very much enjoyed The Way of Kings.
Thanks for the great interview, guys! Glad to hear Brandon had a head start on all those books, otherwise I’d seriously suspect the involvement of the Dark One. Heck, I still suspect the involvement of the Dark One. 🙂
Stoked about the draw, ‘Alloy’ sounds like loads of fun.
Glad you enjoyed, Mary … I would hesitate to say the Dark One, but 10 hours a day is surely impressive!
Wow, what a great interview. Brandon is fantastic! I love Writing Excuses too. He is very humble for such a prolific and highly talented writer. 10 hours a day, wow!
Yes, I think we’re all in awe of the 10 hours! 😉 Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed the interview, Jason.
This is a really interesting interview and I feel somewhat inspired to write a novel now… minus the skill and time 🙂
Brandon’s breakdown of a good book is great.
Good job champ
Thank you—mostly on Brandon’s behalf and to a lesser extent my own as interviewer! 😉
Good interview. I saw the The Alloy of Law in the shop today – trade paperback size. At about 325 pages it is short for a fantasy but I am not complaining as I prefer shorter books. Quite an eye-catching book cover, quite atypical of fantasy book covers.
June, I would definitely put The Alloy of Law in the ‘lighter read’ category, but the mixed western and cousin-to-steampunk feel are a combination I think many readers will enjoy. And for me, the cover reflects the different elements of the book; the trade paperback size is what has been provided for the giveaway.
Writing for 10 hours a day – how I envy the man.To do this consistently would take some effort but Brandons finished product testament to his dedication. A great interview Helen and inspiration for more summer reading.
I think with all seven books you wouldn’t have to leave the deck chair–glad you enjoyed the interview, Ann.
Very cool – thanks, Helen!
I love reading author on author interviews, the questions are always good because you both know what it’s like to write.
And ten hours a day, wow – that’s routine and rhythm, like a ‘job’
reinforcing the point that many novelists make; you have to treat writing professionally and dedicate yourself to it. At least, however, it’s ten hours a day doing something you love!
Thanks for commenting, Ashley. I also find it helps to read the books–something I suspect, from my radio experience, that not all media interviewers do … But writing is a job, no question of that.
Great interview – and gorgeous cover for Alloy of Law!
A very attractive cover–& I like the scrollwork/flourishes around the writing! Thanks for commenting, Mary.
Nice interview Helen. Very insightful, particularly the discussion around the influence of industry and commerce in fantasy.
I always like it when I detect a “trend’ creeping into several different new fantasy works. Of course, Daniel Abraham cited Dorothy Dunnett’s “House of Niccolo” series as an influence—although I must admit to always being more of a “Lymond” fan—but as straightout historical fiction you’d expect the influence of commerce to be in the mix, particularly in the Renaissance/Reformation era when Dunnett’s novels are set. It’s more overt in Abraham’s The Dragon’s Path but I was definitely interested to see how Brandon brought commercial motivations into The Alloy of Law—but to say any more would be a spoiler.
I loved the wheel of time and I like the way Brandon writes, I’m hoping to get Alloy Of Law in my xmas stocking this year!
Who knows, Alison: you may win it!
Great interview, after reading his WoT novels I then went and got the way of kings and now look forward to both the last WoT and way of kings books to come out.
Good interview, he his fast becoming my favourite author. I haven’t seen this in my local book shop as yet, kind of makes you wonder why people buy locally when it can be had online cheaper and earlier.
Great interview, I love Brandon’s approach to his magic systems, they feel like part of the world rather than Cover-All Plot-Hole Filler like, say, the Force has become in the Star Wars Universe.
Nice interview. Crosses fingers;)
As to the commerce thing Feist’s “Rise of a Merchant Prince” is another example.
ChrisW: I haven’t read ‘Rise of a Mechant Prince’ yet: thanks for pointing it out! (I’m a great fan of the Empire trilogy tho’:) )
Great interview. I love his work, especially the magic systems he puts into place. I love that they’re well-defined with limitations in place. And his plots are fantastic. I’m trying to get my partner to read Mistborn now; he’s only a couple chapters in and likes it so far but he doesn’t read nearly enough. It’ll take him 2 years at this pace. Can’t move him onto other books until he finishes that!
I love that Brandon’s fan interactions are so down-to-earth too, he seems to be a genuinely nice guy.
Jen, he does seem like a genuinely nice guy and it’s obvious reading the books that a great deal of thought has gone into how the magic works.
Loved this book. The fantasy-mystery elements were awesome. But I kinda miss having a mist born hanging about 🙂
To be able to not only complete the biggest fantasy series ever (WOT) as well as writing his own novels is a testament to Brandon’s skill as a writer. I, like many others are slowly discovering Brandon’s own work via his WOT writings. I hope he continue for many years to come! Cheers Brandon!
Love Brandon Sanderson ever since reading Mistborn. His talent at world building is really topknotch. I was worried that alloy of law would not be a worthy successor to the original Mistborn as most sequels potentially could be but reading the prologue just made me crave more.
Thank you for the great interview. It’s a great insight into his thoughts.
You’re very welcome, Athene! 😉
Thank you for the interview! The points raised about the flexibility of the fantasy genre can’t be stated enough. I often find it frustrating that people have this old-fashioned image about what SFF stories are, when it’s a total illusion. Any kind of story you can tell with characters in the modern (or historical!) world, you can tell in an SFF setting, just with extra awesome.
I was so worried when Brandon Sanderson was announced to complete WOT that it wouldn’t live up to Robert Jordan’s previous books. He sure changed my mind very quickly!
Thanks so much for the interview, the commerce question in particular was really interesting to learn about
🙂
Re the commerce angle, it really ‘struck’ me as an exciting trend, having just read Abraham’s “The Path of Dragons” where renaissiance style banking is a huge story element.
The mistborn series has one of the best magic systems I’ve ever read about. Having read the last two WOT books I honestly can’t see anyone doing as great a job as Sanderson has either. One of the most exciting authors out there!
Great interview. I’m really digging the way Brandon’s writing is heading in.
Great interview Helen. I agree with ashleycapes, it’s much better to see an interview of an author by another author, not somebody who tries to see stuff that isn’t there. I’ve seen some great comments by author’s who’ve been “told” what their story is about….
I think Brandon has done a fantastic job with the continuation of Robert Jordan’s masterpiece. I will even blaspheme and say I prefer his style to Mr. Rigney 😮
I am yet to see Brandon’s other works in my local bookstore, so I may revert to the internet shortly.
Loved the interview – interesting answers from the author, I think you should take some credit there for asking the right questions. Not the standard answer A,B,C etc that you see so often…
I’m currently reading The Way Of Kings for the second time and am amazed again at the skill of the storytelling, any new release from this author will put a smile on my face
Great interview – it’s always interesting to hear more about the influences behind your favorite writers. People who want to know more about Brandons writing style and so on should listen to the Writing Excuses podcast.
And it’s great that there’s finally a Brandon Sanderson giveaway for those of us down here. 🙂
great interview, thankyou for your time helen and.brandon
Great interview. I’m going to bookmark it in my ‘writing inspiration’ folder.
Ten hours!?! Goodness gracious, that explains it . . .
Great interview Helen!
Brandon has always impressed me with his output and its such a huge job to take over someone elses epic series and not look like it was written by a different person. Brandon I think stays true to Jordan’s style (though with less smoothing of skirts and pulling of braids).
I am desperate for the next Stormlight book and loved Vin and the Mistborn series. Brandon does do a masterful job of making you love and care for his characters – I hope he will be as prolific with his work over the coming years as he has been.
Shay, I am very much looking forward to the next “Stormlight” book too!
Brandon is fast becoming my fav author by far
Love love love Brandon Sanderson eversince the Mistborn Trilogy!! (And Elantris…and Way of Kings and…practically everything by now 🙂 )
I had some doubts on Alloy of Law being able to succeed the Mistborn trilogy but the prologue just left me wanting more!
Thank you for the good read!!! Its always nice to know more about Brandon. Ten hours = great concentration, I am impressed!
When I first heard that Brandin would be the one to finish WoT, I was sceptical. “Who is this guy” I thought to myself. Having grown up reading the classic fantasy writers such as David Eddings and Raymond E Feist, new authors always take time to get into. Then when the first book was published it was amazing. True to RJs style, true to the characters, true to the story. Brandon really prooved himself then. Since then I have devoured every one of his books, most in a matter if days, and hunger for more. Brandon is definitely one of the truly amazing fantasy fiction writers of our time and I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next.
2nd time lucky.
Nice Interview.
Re the commerce angle. Feist’s “Rise of a Merchant Prince” is a good example.
There are so many comments now I may not be able to answer you all individually, but firstly—apologies to those who had a long wait in moderation and thought perhaps your comment had gotten lost: I think everyone is up there now. Secondly, thank you to everyone for so much positive feedback on the interview; I really enjoyed doing it, but it’s nice to know that readers are getting something out of it, too. And I am sure that Brandon will appreciate getting so much positive feedback on both the job he has been doing with the “Wheel of Time” series and also his own writing.:)
Great interview! Love the questions with regards to writing and how he manages the volume of it – especially like the fact that Brandon is running through several years of writing. It gives all writers hope that they might be as prolific!
On top of that, my copy of the Alloy of Law just arrived but I need to reread my way through Mistborn first! And hopefully then read a signed copy….
There’s nothing quite like a signed copy … 🙂
Very nice interview that gave some great insight into the work that goes into Brandon Sanderson putting together his books and his thoughts on them. He is definitely one of the best living writers of fantasy and this only confirms it. Great work.
Thank you for the interview positives, Jonathan (and everyone, in fact!)
Nice interview. I love that despite the pressures of writing as he does, he still interacts with his fans in such a great way
Thanks for the fantastic interview Helen. Brandon’s still got some interesting books that haven’t been published yet so I think his ‘head start’ might not be finished yet. I would love to see White Sand (my favourite of Brandon’s novels after the first and third Misborn books) published one day.
Ah-ha … Clearly you have inside knowledge; I shall look forward to White Sand soon! 🙂
I agree with the other Jared above, the way Brandon interacts with fans and invites them to play Magic with him shows a dedication that I haven’t seen with other authors – I often tell my wife how he has once again done something that is completely unexpected but really cool
Would that be, “Magic: The Gathering?”
Thanks for the great interview. I’ve only recently discovered Brandon, and it’s such a great feeling to know that there are so many books out there for me yet to read. He is a rare breed of author, quite accessible – for example he comments prolifically on Facebook, and you get the feeling of getting to know him personally. He stealthily signs his books at airport bookshops which is so cool. Would love it if he did a signing / reading in Auckland!
“all you really do is spend ten hours a day writing, and boom, you’ve got it.” really – it’s as easy as that? 😉 What a fascinating person and thanks Helen for your great interview
Glad you enjoyed, Charlotte. And “I know”, ‘just 10 hours …’ 😉
Great interview, as with some of the others earlier I think the way he produces things to help other writers and the way he interacts with fans is awesome. Can wait for the last wheel of time book.
I first heard of Brandon when he came in to do WoT, but now I’ve read all his published books besides the latest two. I just love how he takes the “normal” in fantasy, and puts an awesome twist on it. He doesn’t just change the furniture, he tears down the house and builds a new one somewhere else.
Good interview.
Geat interview Helen. I liked the distinction between scifi and fantasy – I had not really seen it expressed so clearly before – one of the those things to remember!
Someone else commented on ‘writing excuses’ – great web resource for writers, and a good fun approach to the subject matter.
There have been a few mentions of ‘writing excuses’ today, and although I could argue that I already have plenty of my own, I shall have to check it out.:)
Really good interview. Have read quite a few with BS and you actually asked some thoughtful questions. Thanks !!
Thank you, Adrian. I do try and do a bit of homework, including reading the books!:) (I also posted on my ‘philosophy of interviews’ recently, here.)
I’m yet to read the Mistborn Trilogy (it’s on my to-do list) but I absolutely LOVED what you did, Brandon, with The Wheel of Time. Great interview. I really enjoy the access and insights Brandon provides through social media too.