Subject: (whorl) Does Gene Wolfe read this?

From: jismulkstis <jismulkstis at att.net>
Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2000 03:22:43 +0000

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.
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From: William Ansley <wansley at warwick.net>
Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2000 23:30:48 +0000

At 3:22 AM +0000 7/31/00, Joseph I. Smulkstis (Muskrat) 

>all of the Urth/Whorl archives.   Mr. Wolfe creates

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

>could have that hasn't already been speculated upon here.

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.

>second guessing my every keystroke.

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

>from the E train (Queens to Manhattan) into strange and

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

-- 
William Ansley

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From: William Ansley <wansley at warwick.net>
Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2000 23:59:42 +0000

At 11:30 PM -0400 7/31/00, William Ansley wrote:
>>difficult for him.  Does he read these archives?  upon here.
>
>message.

At 10:46 PM -0400 7/31/00, Alice Turner wrote:
>>  difficult for him.  Does he read these archives?
>
>No.

alga,

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

-- 
William Ansley

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From: akt <akt at attglobal.net>
Date: Tue, 01 Aug 2000 19:43:44 +0000

>From William:

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

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

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From: Patri10629 <patri10629 at aol.com>
Date: Wed, 02 Aug 2000 20:13:34 +0000

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

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From: Alex David Groce <alex_groce at gs246.sp.cs.cmu.edu>
Date: Wed, 02 Aug 2000 16:51:10 +0000

"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!

--
"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:32
--
Alex David Groce (agroce+ at cs.cmu.edu)
Ph.D. Student, Carnegie Mellon University - Computer Science Department
8112 Wean Hall (412)-268-3066
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~agroce