Letter from Lanzecki
I have enjoyed your mothers books since I was 8, when I recived my first copies of the Dragonriders of pern series which included Dragonflight, Dragoquest, the White Dragon and the harper hall series. Since then I have collected almost all of her books. I was wondering if there was any chance of another Crystal Singer novel.. Or even another in the Tower and Hive series..
If you think I am kidding about collecting her works here are a couple less known titles of your mother`s work. The Caradine Touch, The Year of the Lucy, The Mark of Merlin.
I have also started to enjoy your novels after recently finding that you were writing with your mom on Pern and then set your own novels for the same realm.
Lanzecki (hmm, that name sounds familiar),
Thank you for your kind words and I’m glad to learn that you enjoyed Mum’s books from an early age.
As I recall, Mum felt she’d written all she wanted to write in the Crystal Singer and the Tower and the Hive universes. Perhaps in time a new idea will come.
Cheers,
Todd
[Edit: Changing “Perhaps it time” to “Perhaps in time” – silly fingers!]
9 Replies to “Letter from Lanzecki”
I too have read a lot of your Mum’s books and it came as a shock to hear of her passing last Nov. 2011 as I was looking for more of her work.
So it is confusing when you ended your reply with ” As I recall, Mum felt she’d written all she wanted to write in the Crystal Singer and the Tower and the Hive universes. Perhaps it time a new idea will come.”
I guess the most puzzling was . “Perhaps it time a new idea will come.” I can only guess that you meant new ideas from yourself?
I have read your work of PERN and enjoyed it, I understand you may be working on finishing your mother’s last story. It has been over a year, has a date been set for it?
Allan
I too am a lifelong Pern fan. In fact, I am a reading specialist and delight in introducing my school’s readers to Pern. It is 1:13 am and I am crying, tears rolling down my face, because I just finished “Dragon’s Time.” In my fifties now, I thought I was finished with Pern. Once you read a book and experience the joy of a first timer reading, you are jealous of everyone who will be reading it after you. But Todd, you, with your Mom’s kind help, opened the doors to Pern again. Allowing me to carry on the adventure….Thank you:) and like Lanzecki, please consider a family tradition and carry on the other universes as well. I am off to bed and saving “Sky Dragons” for the morrow.
Sorry, slippery fingers! I meant to say: “Perhaps in time a new ideas will come.” (I’ve edited the original to correct the typo.)
Your guess is incorrect: I hadn’t specifically meant me. With regards to Mum’s works, her Will is very definite only in respect to Pern. In other areas, it is up to the Executors to make decisions. So if, say, Stephen King came up with a brilliant idea for continuing The Tower and the Hive I would not be at all surprised if the Executors were willing to consider the notion.
I hope that clears it up!
Thank you for your reply. That was more or less what I was thinking, but having heard of your mothers will I hadn’t thought it be so restrictive. (only what you yourself have mentioned)
Still I’m sure you have ideas of your own as to what to write and I will look forward to them.
As to ideas of my own of PERN what with what 2000 years having past might another survey ship such as one like the ship that sang might reestablish contact? Just a thought that I sometimes dream about liking both stories.
Allan,
There’s a whole world of hurt in taking on a fan’s idea and developing it. Lawsuits have dragged on for years. So we don’t do that.
Also, a story is a journey. It’s a journey first for the writer, then for the readers. So your idea might work as a journey for you; it doesn’t for me. But thanks for the thought!
Sighs… I wish I was a writer, Seems a shame that that sort of thing has to be worried about, but I see your point.
What are the restrictions on fan writing? Is there a FAQ area I can check over?
Do you ever put together fan fiction in a book? Would you?
Allan
Mum’s rules for fan fiction can be found here.
As you can see, she allowed fan fiction “on a non-commercial basis” which precludes ever publishing it.
Mum never wanted to link her various universes together, so she would never have considered having a brainship in the Pern universe.
Thank you
Ok I believe I understand, if I do write something it cannot be sold, understandable as a fan I shouldn’t expect to profit from a world created by another.
So if I read it correctly in Guidelines: #2 While I would prefer that my well known rules be followed, I will not insist that you conform to such implicit rules so long as my explicit rules are observed.
I take it to mean I can’t sell anything connected to her worlds, and while she would prefer not to mix them she not insisting that it can’t be done. Do I have that right?
Allan
I would check with people who have actually written Pern fan fiction to see how they’ve done it; it’s not something I do.