Meet-Up Summary
I waded through 30+ pages of blether about pie, RPs, and anime to ferret out this - the Leviathan-related content of the 3/20/12 Westerforum meet-up!
The questions asked by friggeng and myself:
What were Lilit's real feelings for Deryn?
1) Lilit was pretty hot for Deryn. She got a crush on her when she thought she was a boy, and it didn't end just because she found out otherwise.
Did Alek ever have more than friendly feelings for "Dylan"? If not, did you ever consider that subplot?
2) I think if Alek had realized he had a crush on Dylan, it would have blown his little mind, and made it impossible for them to be friends. So I didn't go in that direction.
Was Deryn binding her chest the entire time? (Or was it just tailoring?)
3) She didn't have much to bind.
Where are Deryn and Alek going to live, after Goliath?
4) London.
Thoughts on the Lilit/Adela Rogers ship?
5) Sounds good. They're about the same age, after all
ASSORTED OTHER QUESTIONS:
"1. Who do you like better, Alek or Deryn? (Personally, I think Alek's a complete idiot. No offense.)"
Deryn's more fun to write, because she has a good time at all the things.
"2. Which book in the Leviathan series is your favorite?"
Hmm. Probably Behemoth. I LOVE Istanbul, and I loved going there to research it.
1: What's Alek's middle name(s)?
His proper name is His Serene Highness Prince Aleksandar of Hohenberg. No first, middle, or last names about it.
2: What's Deryn's middle name?
She doesn't have one.
2) are you aware that Deryn and Alek are sort of parallels to Ed and Winry?
YES! That's pretty true, but didn't realize it.
4) are you a clanker or darwinist?
Darwinist. Walking machines make me carsick.
Does Alek’s crew truly care about him, or were they just doing their duty?
Yes, they do. (But they know he's a bit of a pain.)
"What was your favorite part about writing the leviathan series? What was your favorite moment in the series?"
Trapped on top of the ship during the storm, book 3.
"Was Volger angry that Alek threw away ze letter?"
RATHER.
"Scot are you biased agianst Clankers?"
I like machines too!
"Did you intend for Deryn's last name to be linked to the royal Stewarts? I found that fascinating..."
I just liked the cuttingness and smartness of it.
"Is Jaspert still alive?"
Well, he'd be over 100 . . . (Heh.)
Are any of the pics going to be full-color? (OH PLEASE GOD PLEASE. PLEEEEEEEEASE.)"
Yes, the Manual is full color.
If you had to name the Lady Boffin's Loris what would you name it?"
IT IS WRONG TO NAME THE FABRICATED BEASTIES. (But let's go with Ned.)
"I think it's unofficially been named Larry."
Larry is also good.
"To add to this, was the reason the lorises were created to spy for Barlow?"
No, they were just an excuse to hang out with the Sultan and convince him not to be a Clanker.
what colors are Deryn's and Alek's clothes?! Because WOW it's amazing how many different descriptions are out there, if ya look hard enough."
The Manual of Aero will fix this. Reveals start in a month or two.
What was your inspiration for the characters in leviathan, specifically Volger? I am sort of obsessed with him."
I just wanted Alek to have a mentor, and he became VOLGER in the writing. I think I'm regrettably good at imperious snark.
What would it take for Leviathan to get made into a movie?"
$100 million
How did the count adapt to being a commoner?"
Volger remained a count at the end. They still have them NOW.
"Did Alek and his dad have a close relationship?"
Probably not by our standards. People were pretty distant from the parents back then. But they loved each other.
"Do you think there's anything going on between Bovril and Dr. Barlow's loris (aka Ned)?"
WARM PERSONAL FRIENDSHIP.
If Alek had somehow taken the throne, and was somehow allowed to marry Deryn, would Deryn be happy enough to sacrifice her normalness, or would she turn him down"
Turn him down!
ON A MORE PERSONAL NOTE
"You realize that Quite Peculiar has its own TVTROPES PAGE?"
YES.
....Well. Shoot. Now I feel bad about all those "I'm invisible to Scott!" jokes I was making. :P
The questions asked by friggeng and myself:
What were Lilit's real feelings for Deryn?
1) Lilit was pretty hot for Deryn. She got a crush on her when she thought she was a boy, and it didn't end just because she found out otherwise.
Did Alek ever have more than friendly feelings for "Dylan"? If not, did you ever consider that subplot?
2) I think if Alek had realized he had a crush on Dylan, it would have blown his little mind, and made it impossible for them to be friends. So I didn't go in that direction.
Was Deryn binding her chest the entire time? (Or was it just tailoring?)
3) She didn't have much to bind.
Where are Deryn and Alek going to live, after Goliath?
4) London.
Thoughts on the Lilit/Adela Rogers ship?
5) Sounds good. They're about the same age, after all
ASSORTED OTHER QUESTIONS:
"1. Who do you like better, Alek or Deryn? (Personally, I think Alek's a complete idiot. No offense.)"
Deryn's more fun to write, because she has a good time at all the things.
"2. Which book in the Leviathan series is your favorite?"
Hmm. Probably Behemoth. I LOVE Istanbul, and I loved going there to research it.
1: What's Alek's middle name(s)?
His proper name is His Serene Highness Prince Aleksandar of Hohenberg. No first, middle, or last names about it.
2: What's Deryn's middle name?
She doesn't have one.
2) are you aware that Deryn and Alek are sort of parallels to Ed and Winry?
YES! That's pretty true, but didn't realize it.
4) are you a clanker or darwinist?
Darwinist. Walking machines make me carsick.
Does Alek’s crew truly care about him, or were they just doing their duty?
Yes, they do. (But they know he's a bit of a pain.)
"What was your favorite part about writing the leviathan series? What was your favorite moment in the series?"
Trapped on top of the ship during the storm, book 3.
"Was Volger angry that Alek threw away ze letter?"
RATHER.
"Scot are you biased agianst Clankers?"
I like machines too!
"Did you intend for Deryn's last name to be linked to the royal Stewarts? I found that fascinating..."
I just liked the cuttingness and smartness of it.
"Is Jaspert still alive?"
Well, he'd be over 100 . . . (Heh.)
Are any of the pics going to be full-color? (OH PLEASE GOD PLEASE. PLEEEEEEEEASE.)"
Yes, the Manual is full color.
If you had to name the Lady Boffin's Loris what would you name it?"
IT IS WRONG TO NAME THE FABRICATED BEASTIES. (But let's go with Ned.)
"I think it's unofficially been named Larry."
Larry is also good.
"To add to this, was the reason the lorises were created to spy for Barlow?"
No, they were just an excuse to hang out with the Sultan and convince him not to be a Clanker.
what colors are Deryn's and Alek's clothes?! Because WOW it's amazing how many different descriptions are out there, if ya look hard enough."
The Manual of Aero will fix this. Reveals start in a month or two.
What was your inspiration for the characters in leviathan, specifically Volger? I am sort of obsessed with him."
I just wanted Alek to have a mentor, and he became VOLGER in the writing. I think I'm regrettably good at imperious snark.
What would it take for Leviathan to get made into a movie?"
$100 million
How did the count adapt to being a commoner?"
Volger remained a count at the end. They still have them NOW.
"Did Alek and his dad have a close relationship?"
Probably not by our standards. People were pretty distant from the parents back then. But they loved each other.
"Do you think there's anything going on between Bovril and Dr. Barlow's loris (aka Ned)?"
WARM PERSONAL FRIENDSHIP.
If Alek had somehow taken the throne, and was somehow allowed to marry Deryn, would Deryn be happy enough to sacrifice her normalness, or would she turn him down"
Turn him down!
ON A MORE PERSONAL NOTE
"You realize that Quite Peculiar has its own TVTROPES PAGE?"
YES.
....Well. Shoot. Now I feel bad about all those "I'm invisible to Scott!" jokes I was making. :P