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Sunday, April 07, 2019

THE SAVIOR Q&A WITH JR WARD

I TOTALLY CHEATED AND GRABBED THE TRANSCRIPT FOR WARD'S PAGE ON FACEBOOK. I WAS THERE THIS YEAR, BUT MISSED POSTING SOME OF THE Q&A ON TWITTER WHILE CHATTING WITH PEOPLE. SPOILERS AHEAD IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE SAVIOR!!!

FINALLY! The long awaited transcript of the 2019 event for The Savior in Cincinnati, Ohio. 
First, a disclaimer from the transcribers: We do our best to keep the questions true to what was asked. Please be aware that we often have to extract the question from prefaces that include scene or character references. Also, the event is very lively and there is a lot of background noise, which can make it difficult to hear both questions and answers. Where an approximation of the question was necessary, we noted what we thought was the questioner’s intent. 
Some abbreviations that may be used:
HEA: Happily Ever After
SV: Scribe Virgin
And without further ado, here is the transcript!!!!
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Please be aware, there are numerous SPOILERS ahead, so if you’re not interested in SPOILERS, do not read the following transcript!!!
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SPOILERS!!!! SPOILERS!!!! SPOILERS!!! SPOILERS!!! SPOILERS!!!!
Q: What is the next BDB hardcover book?
A: The 2020 hardcover BDB book is………The Sinner, featuring Sin and Jo Early.
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Q: What was the hardest book for you to write?
A: The hardest story was Zsadist. Emotionally, it was tough. I’ve always said that I’d never re-read Zsadist’s book. The other one was Blay and Qhuinn, but because it was a clusterf*ck of what could go wrong, did. Computers broke, files were lost. I had to spend a lot of money on getting an expert to recover the lost files…it just went on, and on.
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Q: What inspired you to write this series?
A: I got fired from my first publisher. I started by thinking, I’d write like Nora Roberts, but the problem is, Nora Roberts writes like Nora Roberts already. So, after I was fired, I had to reinvent myself. Then after two weeks of thinking, I was out of the job I love and would maybe never get to do again, I tried writing some romantic suspense. All of a sudden, there was this huge presence in my head, and he was like, “My name is Wroth….” Which made no sense. Then, there were all these people in my head, and I have no explanation for why they chose me, but, here we are.
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Q: When are we getting Adrian and Eddie (from the Fallen Angels series) back?
A: So, in the last book (of the Fallen Angels series) they were sent off, by Lassiter, and I keep thinking, they’re going to show up. I’ve been waiting for them. But I think it’s going to be in The Sinner.
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Q: Is the Fallen Angels series complete? Is there any chance they’ll be in the BDB series?
A: Yes, they’ll definitely be in the BDB world once Adrian and Eddie come.
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Q: At the end of The Savior, we saw JM and Zsadist eating the apple…is it important that they shared the apple with Nalla?
A: Yes, that is definitely significant, and also a Keep Reading.
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Q: There is a balance in the BDB world. What does Lassiter have to give up to save Sarah?
A: The true answer to that is, Lassiter ain’t giving up sh*t. You know how the SV was all, “There must be balance….” And all that sh*t, but Lassiter doesn’t give a sh*t. He wears leopard print tights, FFS. (general nods and agreement from everyone present.)
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Q: On the back of Phury’s neck, there’s a symbol. What does it look like?
A: I don’t think I can describe, and I don’t have the talent necessary to draw it. Maybe I’ll have to get someone artistic to draw it.
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Q: Does Devina show up in the next book?
(Devina was originally in the Fallen Angels series.)
A: Yes, Devina definitely shows up in The Sinner. We know that the Omega has to end. We know that Butch is the Dhestroyer. Soooooo…..you are not ready for this…she falls in love with Butch. Yes, that’s a big reveal, but I want to make it worth your time to come to this sh*t.
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Q: There’s images of the Old Language, but what does it sound like?
A: Hmmmm. That would be interesting. I’d like to do that for people who are interested in hearing it, but that’s going to take some time….
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Q: I read Prisoner of Night, and I don’t understand. Do the BDB not know the others (at the penal colony) exist?
A: The reason I want to write books like Dearest Ivy and Prisoner of Night is so I can focus the world. I can’t fit it all in the BDB books, so I’m happy to write those e-books so I can write more details outside of the larger BDB books. But, that means that sometimes, the timeline seems disjointed, or like things don’t fit the bigger world.
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Q: Who is talking to Jane and Hannah on the other side of the Ouija board?
A: It was the Scribe Virgin.
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Q: Is Jose de la Cruz (Butch’s police partner) a wolfen?
A: No, he’s just a regular guy, a good Catholic boy. But I’d like to see him back in the BDB world. Wouldn’t you love to see what he thinks of it?
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Q: Have you been approached for a movie or TV? Would you have control over casting?
A: I get approached for movies and specials. But, the writing is it for me. So, as long as I could keep doing the books and the characters, I would do it.
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Q: Will we ever get more of Butch and Manny’s dad?
A: In The Sinner, we will see more of Butch, Manny, and Jo Early’s father, Robert Brook, the douche.
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Q: Will JM ever find out that he was Darius?
A: The Scribe Virgin had an agreement with Darius, that he gave a token of conscience. Even though Lassiter is now in charge, the magic that rules the agreements is still in force. And, that knowledge would destabilize the entire BDB world. So, no, I don’t think so.
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Q: When the Omega was speaking to Butch, and he says, “Find your family” was he talking about Manny and Jo?
A: I don’t think he was talking about Jo, Manny, and Robert Brook. He was trying to get Butch to come over to the dark side, like Darth Vader to Luke in Star Wars.
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Q: Would you ever consider writing Darius’ backstory?
A: I would, but you have to realize, that would only be for fans that are really invested in the world. It wouldn’t appeal to new readers. So, yes, I’d like to but I’m not sure if I’ll get to.
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Q: Will we see more of Assail’s cousins?
A: Yes, I love those ghost-pepper eating *&#$.
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Q: I’m confused because Phury was asking if someone could imagine Cormia abandoning her child, if she had one. But, didn’t we see them have Ahgony, and Zsadist showed up and sang for the baby?
A: Yeah, but that was a flash-forward about five years. That question would be asked before they had Aghony. The time line just hasn’t caught up yet.
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Q: I cheered out loud when Sarah knew sign language. When Butch was inducted, his name was Dehstroyer on the wall in the BDB cavern. But when JM was inducted, his name, Tehrror, was not on the wall.
A: I think the thing to remember is that the BDB is evolving. When Butch was inducted, that was a million years ago. And, even though Dehstroyer isn’t Butch’s name, that he uses, that was what they did at the time. They used the warrior name. But now, they’ve changed, and JM is also on the wall as Darius. So, it seems like they used JM because that’s who he is.
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Q: Was the raid on the Sanctuary 35 years ago or 75 years ago? (It appears in different books as 35 or 75 years)
A: That was a copy-editing error. There are different places we could go after The Sinner, so, maybe there needs to be a past-cannon, like the Insider’s Guide, so we could clarify this stuff. Things like, the relationship between Darius and Beth’s mom. But, it would be for hardcore readers, and they’d have to understand that that doesn’t end well. But, yes, it was 75 years ago, not 35.
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Q: With Sarah’s background in immunology, could she solve the disease killing the Chosen?
A: Yeah, I think that’s a distinct possibility. And maybe she could solve the blood issue, the one that Havers was never able to solve.
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Q: What’s the hierarchy of the deities?
A: Devina, Lassiter, SV, and the Omega. Two good, two bad. The question for me, since I think the Creator prefers balance, is what role is the Creator playing in the demise of the Omega? With the SV out of it, will he have a hand in the exit of the Omega? What’s interesting to me, is that, at the end of the FA series, Devina was down and out. She’s smart. And, she’s had time to plan. Because remember, time isn’t the same for the deities. It’s going to be interesting to watch.
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Q: Do you know how the penal colony is going to be introduced?
A: There’s going to be another BDB Legacy book, called The Jackal. It will feature Rhage’s half-brother and the penal colony, and will be out in August 2020.
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Q: (This question was hard to hear, but it sounded like they were asking why JR listens to rap vs. other types of music.)
A: The music helps me see the books and the scenes. I’m a runner, and I love rap, and it really helps me focus.
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Q: Do we see Nate or any of the others in future books?
A: Nate, Markcus, and Luchas all get books.
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Q: Why couldn’t Nate tell that Lassiter’s not a vampire? Is there another connection we don’t know about?
A: Yes, and Keep Reading.
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Q: We get references to a lot of the fathers (of the Brothers.) Why don’t we hear about the warriors’ moms?
A: One of the hard things is that the world is so large, it’s challenging to tailor the stories and keep the books tight and focused. I want to keep the focus back on the couple, so it’s not so sprawling. But that also means that other details get sacrificed.
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Q: Why did Devina leave those glowing footprints?
A: The reason why she leaves the footprints, because as Throe gets sucked down into the hole, he gets stripped of all of his energy. Devina needs to follow a trail up. So what was glowing, and then faded, was the residue of the trail she followed up the hole.
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Q: With the scene with the apple, did you plan that it for it all to come full circle? (this references the original scene when Zsadist shares an apple with JM when he’s new to the Brotherhood compound and then the newest scene in The Savior, where they offer the apple to Nalla.)
A: There have been several scenes and details that I didn’t understand the importance of. The damn coffins in the garage. I mean, there’s three John Deeres and some fertilizer and a stack of *&%$ coffins. Vishous kept talking about the chained dogs. That moment when Zsadist was on the bus, and pared that apple. What I know to be true, is that if something keeps showing up, it must be important. As I was getting ready to outline The Savior, I saw JM with a black dagger, peal that apple. And it was crystal clear. I don’t like profound moments, I get tetchy at tender moments. So, I’m watching him pealing this apple, and I’m like, what’s he doing. And then I realized, no, what’s important is who is he giving it to.
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Q: When Vishous got scratched, and realized that the water helps that? Why? Is that important for later?
A: I don’t know.
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Q: I don’t like the ebooks. I prefer a book in my hand. Is there any chance of a collection of those e-books?
A: The thing I’m very cognizant of is the pricing of the books. But, once I write the book, the rest is up to the publisher. I’d like to get things into the hands of the readers, but more hard cover books gets expensive. So, the e-books lets me get the stories into the hands of the reader at a lower cost. But, Simon & Schuster is aware that people would love to have a compendium of those e-books and they’re working with me to make that happen.
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Q: Will there be more firefighters?
A: We’re trying to fit it into the schedule, and we’re hoping to announce something soon, perhaps for 2020.
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Q: Xhex said that JM’s grid is similar to Darius. What does she think about that?
A: There was a part where I felt like she was coaching JM, and I thought he was going to get it, but no, she didn’t get him there.
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Q: I’m confused by the names like Xhex, and s’Ex. I never know how to pronounce them, unless I hear you say them.
A: Yeah, I think we need a pronunciation guide.
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Q: I love that the Brothers aren’t perfect. Are you ever going to stop writing them?
A: Have you ever known a man that was perfect? And, one of the things I was worried about was, what if they stop talking to me. So, as long as they keep talking, I’ll keep writing.
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Q: Who will be the first trainee to be inducted in the Brotherhood?
A: That’s a Keep Reading, because I don’t know yet. We’re going to find out together.
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Q: Are the diamonds Lassiter gave to Mary and Sarah significant?
A: Remember when Lassiter gave the diamonds to Mary, and he said a mother’s tears are precious? He has the ability to turn tears into diamonds. Diamonds are forever, so the diamonds he gave to Sarah were a promise that she would live forever.
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Q: When will we get the hardcovers for the first books re-released?
A: I get a lot of people who ask that. The thing is, there’s a certain threshold that a book has to pass, in sales, for the publisher to consider re-releasing a hardcover book. All folks can do is keep asking. And, I’ll keep telling them folks are asking.
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Q: Pre-trans are able to go out in the light. Do the kids go to school?
A: Not a traditional school. You have to think about how kids were educated in the 1800s. There’s some things about the BDB world that haven’t evolved. So, they don’t attend schools.
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Q: Is Fritz getting a book?
A: No, that just wouldn’t be interesting.
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Q: I want Lassiter to have his own, whole book. (Not just pieces of his story in other books.)
A: He does get a book, but it’s going to be awhile.
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Q: Does your mom read your books? And if so, which is her favorite book?
A: I want you to know, my mom has never had biblical knowledge of a man. I showed up in her mailbox…but she loves the first one, she liked Dark Lover.
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Q: Have you ever considered posters, with models? (So we can really see what the Brothers look like)
A: I have an idea. I’m thinking of commissioning a series of illustrations, of what the Brothers look like.
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Q: (This is another question that was difficult to discern, but it seemed that the questioner was asking why the book covers don’t always match the description of the character.)
A: The publisher has control of the covers, and they can get close, but they can’t get the exact match. Like, hair styles, or tattoos. So they do their best.
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Q: Throughout the books, there’s a theme of the humans being ‘rats without tails’. But, they’re getting together with humans, and the Queen was human. Why are they still being disrespectful of the humans?
A: You know, a lot of people have asked that question. And I just don’t have a good answer.

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