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For those who take maps at the front of fantasy novels far more seriously than I do (and I promise to change my ways), you will be pleased to know that we are designing a new map to go into the small paperback version of Odalisque that will be released from mid year and in all subsequent versions of Emissary and Goddess. F

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Oh, you'll have to ask the map marauders.....particularly Mudcrab!

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Hi,

have just finished reading this book. I absolutely adored it and am struggling with just how long I have to wait until the next one. In regards to the map ... I looked at it once at the beginning and then not again. Your descriptions and explanations were all I needed to see.

Very excited that you live in my city Fiona. I will try to make it to one of your seminars. This is the first book I have read of yours and I am looking forward to reading more.

Take care

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Hello Yasukata - what a terrific name! Well thank you, not just for NOT needing a highly detailed map but for enjoying the book so much. You are very generous to give it a go and I'm really delighted to hear that you might try the other two series. Do hope you enjoy. As for Emissary, well, it's with the publisher and the editor will be coming back to me shortly with the structural edit. Put it down on a loose wishlist for Christmas 2006 and in the meantime there's lots of other great reading out there. Who else do you enjoy? And yes please, come along to one of my presentations, my next is a writing workshop at Seaford over the weekend of March 4/5 but there'll be other occasions this year for me to sign say hello in person and to sign your book if you wish. Again, thanks for enjoying Odalisque. It was a bit of a departure story for me so it means a lot to know that it pleased you. All best, F

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Departure story??? Are you thinking of stopping writing? I hope not. I have always wanted to be a writer, but instead am a primary school teacher - that way I can read many stories and instill the love of reading in children.

I found it hard to put your book down, and even harder to know that it would be a while before reading what happened next. I have never read fantacy before and your book was in fact a birthday present. It has very much been an inspiration for me to continue reading this genre.

It would definately be wonderful to catch up. I do look forward to it.

Also, in The Lord of the Rings books, I was so focused in trying to work out where in the map the characters were, I was unable just to imagine away.

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No, I'm not leaving fantasy, I promise. What I meant was this story took me to such an entirely new setting from my two previous trilogies that I was a bit daunted as to how to handle the exotic location and how well the readers would receive it. But now that I've finished book 2, I feel a lot more competent at juggling the more middle eastern type scapes. Trinity and The Quickening were both set i what is a make believe medieval Europe/UK which is instantly recognisable to most. You're a primary school teacher - that's terrific....you can brainwash a whole new generation of fantasy readers! Only joking. How are you finding teaching? One of my sons is talking about this vocation as a career.

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I adore teaching. In fact, my online name came from the suburb where I lived in Japan - I taught there for 2 years. It was while teaching there that I knew I wanted to be a teacher here, so I came back and did a post grad degree. It is a lot of hard work , be very rewarding.

Let me know if and when he starts his degree as I still have all of my uni resources.

It is a very good setting in your latest book, however, I have been wondering about the baby girls born to the zar. The boys were trampled ... whatever happened to the girls?

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In the harem, the girls just remained - they were of no consequence.

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Hello Yasukata...I have a question. If you've never read Fantasy afore...what do you classify [i]Lord of the Rings[/i] as ? [u]On Maps[/u] Fantasy maps aren't meant to look like satellite photos. They should have rows of jagged little pyramid-looking things for mountains, and some wavy lines for the sea, and fat faced cherubs blowing the wind, and a big section over that way that just says, [i]Here Be Dragons.[/i] They're not supposed to look like street directories. Where's your soul people? Adios imp

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(says nothing.......)

-------

So, I stand in my tank, the great liberator: a human head with a 30 ton body of armoured steel. Nobody can see my feet of clay

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(me neither.......)

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I agree with you DM - in fact, it would be fun to have a map that is totally impossible.... just so the maplovers would have something to ponder over. And welcome Yasukata - my daughter has just begun primary school teaching studies - she did a year of behavorial sciences but transferring to teaching and is looking at special ed teaching.

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Well i like maps in books but there not that inportant the way you describe the people and the settings are good anuff for me. i only started reading last year and i loved it and since then iv read heaps of books including all of yours fiona and in your books the twists and turns are different, they are more unprodictable whitch i like so i hope you write ALOT more books in the future coz i know ill buy them all.

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Princess...have a look at some of those old [i]genuine[/i] maps. EG: Have a look at the maps that Captain Cook would have had to go by. [i]Impossible[/i] is only a relative term. Which is why I think [i]pretty[/i] maps just aren't logical...let alone Fantasy. Adios imp