19 thoughts on “Bibliography”

1. You really need to put a warning at the beginning of your books with the estimated pub date on the rest of the series. I’m almost done with spiritwalker #2 & I love it. I don’t want it to end. I’m hoping it won’t be too long until we hear more of Andevai!!!

2. I’m so glad you’re enjoying it!

   And I’m sorry about the wait. I’ll be writing more about this later, when I have a complete draft (getting closer!), but I had assumed that I would write a book a year and bring them out in successive Septembers. Unfortunately, last year was very difficult for my extended family for reasons that could not have been predicted or controlled, and that threw everything off.

   That said, once I have a complete draft and can think a bit outside the Cold Steel box, I hope to write one or more short stories to fill in the waiting gap.

3. Me tooooo. I love the spirit walker series. I have read all the rest of your books. Your books are ones that I look for new ones always!

4. Thank you, Cheri!

   A draft of Cold Steel is done and sitting on my editor’s desk. She has to read it, and then she’ll ask me to do revisions; I also already have some further revisions I want to do anyway, as I always try to make it the best possible book I can.

5. Hello,
   I read either the Crown of Stars series or Crossroads first, I forget which. But whichever it was, your worlds and your characters caught me straight off. I had to know what happened to them. As an avid reader I went devoured all the books I could find. And then, I saw Cold Magic and Cold Fire in the bookshop and had to read them! I loved the first two books. As someone else mentioned somewhere, your characters seem so real, and not ‘prescripted’ like in some other series, and there’s always one or two that you love straight off! I’m certainly looking forward to seeing what happens to Andevai in Cold Steel, as I am to seeing what happens to his and Cat’s relationship. Usually romance in books feels cringy to me, but I love the way you’ve handled Cat and Vai. I loved the other series, but I think this one is the best so far! Good luck finishing up with the revisions on Cold Steel, I’m sure it will be extremely worth it. And to add my voice to others, I’d love to see more mini ‘extras’ from other POV’s etc. Good luck!

6. Sophie: Thank you so much!

   I do think writing a love story can be tricky. In romance (which I do enjoy reading) it is the central story. In other genres it is usually a side story. What has made Cold Magic/Fire a challenge is that the love story isn’t the only or main thing in Cat’s life, but it is a crucial element in her life. In other words, it’s neither/either/or; it’s all woven together. Added to that, of course, is that I’m also writing about Andevai’s personal journey, his change and maturation, too, but the reader only sees it through Cat’s eyes so the reader has to do some reading between the lines to see what Cat can’t or doesn’t want to see.

   So: thank you. I’m so pleased to hear that it works for you, as that has been my hope all along for readers.

   Thank you again. I am slowly working on a couple of short stories to be published in the fall/winter to fill in the gap before publication of Cold Steel.

7. Congradulations on ‘Cold Steel’ going to press. I’ve been really captivated by both the characters and the world and can’t wait to read it.

   Is there any chance you will be doing another novel to go with ‘The Golden Key’? It is such a brilliant book – one of my favourite’s from each of the three of you. Melanie Rawn’s ‘Diviner’ is a fantastic prequel!

   I am glad to hear you are planning more novels in Jaran’s world. The series ending with ‘The Law of Becoming’ left me with a lot of questions and brought to mind issues in the real world to do with power / domination / post-colonialism and – for the survival of human kind – our desperate need to embrace diversity within unity.

   I love each of your worlds and the way the plots are character driven. I can’t wait to see what you are going to do next. IMHO, your writing keeps getting better and better.

8. Sasha,

   Thank you so much. I don’t know that I set out to write character driven stories, but that seems to be where my heart lies.

   I’m both excited and relieved to have completed Cold Steel after so many months working on it. It now goes into production, and will be published in 2013.

   I’m working on a couple of other projects and I will certainly announce what comes next as soon as I have official and definite statements to make.

   Thank you again.

9. Hello,
   I just finished reading Cold Magic/Cold Fire, and I wanted to tell you I found those books great. They are some of those rare books that keep me thinking about what is going to happen all the time until I finish them (that’s why it took me only one weekend to finish them I guess. I’m lucky it was a weekend, my productivity at work would have resented elsewise), and it’s a great feeling. And now, the only think I can think of is re-reading them to see the details I missed…
   Of course, I look forward reading Cold Steel. Maybe I will try reading some of your other books to wait (even if I live in France, where English books are not so easy to find. By the way, my apologies if I made english mistakes)

   Hoping that you enjoyed writing those books as much as I enjoyed reading them!

10. Elodie,

    thank you so much for your kind words. I’m so delighted that you enjoyed Cold Magic and Cold Fire. I do try to write my books to be re-read, so that there is something new to be found on a second read.

    Since you are French, I should note that several chapters of Cold Steel take place in the alternate Gaul (because France does not exist): Paris (called by the old Roman name of Lutetia) and Havery, which is located somewhere beween Rouen and Le Havres, and the old road between Paris and Orleans. One of the best bits of research material I found while writing Cold Steel is an online Google Maps style version of a Carte de France, the early Cassini maps done between 1750 and 1815. Just like Google Maps you can narrow in on a specific area. It was not just useful but really amazing.

    I do hope you enjoy Cold Steel, which is finished and at the publisher. It will be published in 2013.

    All best wishes,

    Kate Elliott

11. That sounds really promising ! It will be fun for me to see the action in familiar places (well, quite familiar). I think you don’t have to worry about me enjoying Cold Steel…

    Best wishes too.

12. Hi and Happy New Year!

    I first discovered your Crown of Stars titles as a teenager and became completely engrossed in the wonderful series – it is truly so complex and rich! Now nearly 10 years on your books are still my favourite and I am completely in love with the Spirit Walker trilogy. I truly cannot wait for the third title, I haven’t found a series of books so gripping and engaging as these. I found myself holding my breath through much of the intense bits! Like others, I shall be avidly re-reading the first two titles before the release.

    Kind regards,
    Nikki (England)

13. Nikki, thank you so much for reading! I’m always happy to hear from Crown of Stars fans, even though I have to admit that now a lot of people say they read them first as teens, and that makes me feel old . . . but that’s okay! That’s how it works.

    I’m so glad you’re enjoying Spiritwalker. Writing an entire trilogy in first person has been a bit of a change for me. When i first started Cold Magic I wasn’t sure I could manage to write an entire trilogy in first person point of view, but Cat’s voice turned out to be easy to “take dictation from” — and I’m always so pleased to hear that readers are enjoying her and her adventures. Thank you again, and Happy New Year.

14. Hi Kate, I really, really, REALLY loved the first couple of Jaran books (and I still liked the Law of Becoming). I was wondering if you were ever planning to tidy up that series? Even if it was, say – set in the future from completely different character’s viewpoints and just told us what had happened?
    Please?

    Hopefully,
    NAY

15. I truly appreciate your kind words about the Jaran series, which is my first epic series and one very close to my heart.

    I have not given up on the Jaran series. Here are two posts directly addressing it (which you may have already read):

    http://kateelliott.livejournal.com/139956.html

    http://kateelliott.livejournal.com/111533.html

    At the moment I literally cannot afford to spend months writing a novel (Jaran #5) rather than other projects which I would be paid more for. I truly hate to phrase it like that but that is basically what it comes down to at the moment.

    However, you raise a good point. I had never thought about it in quite that way before but I wonder if a YA set in that universe would sell. Something to consider (although it can be a problem getting a publisher to accept a novel set in a previously published world if it was not a bestseller).

    Thank you again. I realize that it’s got to be frustrating (especially since I know the basic outlines of the rest of the books but readers obviously do not), and I genuinely appreciate your patience.

16. Kate, I’ve read and reread the Crown of Stars series so many times now. Alain and Liath have got to be two of my most favourite fantasy protagonists (right up there with Matrim Cauthorn). One of these days I plan on getting onto reading your new works, just to see what wonderful new worlds you’ve dreamt for us. Please never stop writing.

17. Matthew,

    thank you so much for your kind words about Crown of Stars. I am always really happy to know that my characters have made an impression!

    Now that the Spiritwalker trilogy is complete I’m working on two new projects, so I hope that there will be more for you to enjoy!

18. The Crossroads series is one of my favorite fantasy series ever, and I’m always trying to recommend it to folks. The “traitor” in Traitor’s Gate made me stand up and shake the book and yell. Brilliant world-building (and giant eagles are so cool), and your prose really inspires and challenges me as a writer to create worlds that feel solid and complex. Took me a while, but I’m thrilled to discover your web presence (and that you’re speaking up for varied female characters and challenging gender assumptions in the publishing world)!

19. Megan, thank you! I very much appreciate the kind words about Crossroads.

    I do think it is so important to speak up (if one can, and not everyone is in a space where they can) about representation of female characters and pushing back against default gender stereotypes, especially in a genre where in many ways we can invest and imagine as wildly as we wish.

    Best of luck with your own writing and world building.

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