I just wanted to drop a note and say thanks for keeping Pern alive.

It is nice to know now that I have found a series I really like that’s not going to fade away. I was wondering if you have ever toyed with the idea of connecting earth fables with Pern dragons — maybe a jump between ends up in early earth?

There are probably too many variables for that to be possible but it is a cool idea.

Keep up the good work! I am looking forward to your next book. You have picked up where your Mom left off with out missing a beat and that’s no easy task.

Thanks again,
Wayne

Hi Wayne,

I’m glad you like what I’ve been doing on Pern.

As for your question — no, never. Pern dragons are so clearly different from either Eastern or Western dragons of our culture that I couldn’t imagine them being mis-represented so poorly in art and fiction if they were to have ever returned to Earth.

However… I believe it was once suggested tongue-in-cheek by my mother’s late agent, the redoubtable Virginia Kidd, that perhaps the Pernese discovered a really, really, really old drawing and jumped back in time and — it wasn’t Uther Pendragon, it was Uther Perndragon! (Uther, you might recall, figuring prominently in the Arthurian legends.) But even Mum couldn’t stomach the idea of ending the series in one giant pun!

So, no, we’ll keep Pern separate from Earth. There is enough time there already and so many interesting stories to tell that I don’t think we’ll have to worry about traveling back in time and space to this distant planet of ours.

Cheers,
Todd

Just finished re-reading Dragonharper for the third time, and once again I’m both impressed and frightened by the description of the plague. It’s a timely message, as well as being just plain riveting reading. Keep those books coming!

The only wedding of note I can remember in the Pern books was that of Robinton and Kasia. Could we sometime have a Pern wedding that isn’t shortly followed by the death of one of the participants? Lorana and Kindan come to mind…

Hi Karen,

Are you forgetting the wedding of Silstra and Terregar at the start of Dragon’s Kin?

As for Kindan and Lorana… we’ll have to see what happens!

Cheers,
Todd

HI Todd,

I heard a rumor that your MOTHER was going to grace Dragon*Con this year with a visit. Is this true or not??

I thoroughly enjoyed meeting you for 2 years at Aggie Con.

If I sent you a cover would you sign it & return in a self paid envelope or it this just too many problems involved??

Do you ever think Anne will ever come to Aggie CON since you seem to have become a ‘regular guest’???

Yes, I know this is a lot of questions but if I send them all at once at least one or two have a better chance of being answered. Thank you for your time & effort in this response.

A Committed reader,

Kris

Hi Kris,

I’m tempted to answer: Yes, no, no.

That is: the rumor is true, health permitting.

No, I will not sign a cover and return it. I’ve learned from my mother’s experience that too many valuable keepsakes have gone missing in the post to trust that method. I’ll sign something gladly in person.

No, I don’t think Mum’ll do Aggiecon again — but she might surprise me. I hadn’t expected her to want to do Dragon*con this year.

Cheers,
Todd