Does Gene Wolfe read this?

Hello. I've not posted before, but I've read all of the New/Long/Short Sun books written to date. I've also read all of the Urth/Whorl archives. Mr. Wolfe creates wonderful worlds. I have to wonder whether you all are making life more difficult for him. Does he read these archives? Does anyone know whether any of his writing has ever been influenced by fan speculation? Specifically, has he ever revised a story due to someone having guessed a plot or plot twist? I wonder what kind of secret the inhumi could have that hasn't already been speculated upon here. I'd hate to write a 12 book series with all of you folks second guessing my every keystroke. Thank you all for the stimulation and speculation. And thank you, Gene Wolfe. More than once, you've taken me from the E train (Queens to Manhattan) into strange and true worlds. Joseph I. Smulkstis (Muskrat) PS: Nutria, I'm not ripping you off. I was a muskrat fan before I knew you existed. I'm pleased to share your habitat. *This is WHORL, for discussion of Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun.

I think you may have hit upon one of the few statements that everyone who reads this list can agree on. <g>

I seem to recall that someone who seemed to know said that Wolfe did read this mailing list, at least occasionally, but I can't find the message. If we are making life tough for Wolfe, it's his own fault; we're not holding a gun to his head forcing him to create all these tricky little puzzles and put them in his books, after all. <g> I very much doubt Wolfe has ever been influenced by fan speculation in the way you suggest. I doubt any of his readers (whether in this list or not) have ever guessed any but the most obvious plot twists. And even if one of us has and posts it to this mailing list, how many of Wolfe's potential readers are we affecting? Not a very high percentage, I would guess.

Actually, this list has only been around long enough to second guess the last Long Sun book and the Short Sun books, I think.

For the minuscule part I may have played in the "stimulation and speculation," you're welcome.

alga, I bow to your superior knowledge in these matter and stand corrected.

From William:

Well, my knowledge is pretty limited, but from what mantis and Patrick (both of whom seem to be in hibernation) have told us, Wolfe doesn't even use email. Many people his age do sometimes use email but get flustered by the Web (i.e. checking archives, etc.). It's true that his background would seem to make him more comfortable with technology, but in my own experience with older writers they can get crankily technophobic no matter what their background. There is also the strange m/f thing that someday I will write a little piece on. -alga *This is WHORL, for discussion of Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun.

I'm on vacation in colorado, Alice, and Mantis's don't hibernate, they enter states of prolonged torpidity like hummingbirds. But, Roger, Wolfe knows about us, and does not have email. The late Joe Mayhew used to copy and print out various Wolfe discussions--Genie, i think. Just reread OBW and IGJ--they just get better and better. best, Patrick O'Leary *This is WHORL, for discussion of Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun.

"Technophobia" or whatever, evidence does not seem to indicate that Wolfe would be better off spending his time surfing the net or reading email. I say, if his net-free state produces stuff like this, keep the man offline!