Questions for the author

[Washboard]

A discussion on a different comment thread made me want to ask this here also:

Do the Echos have free choice, or do their lives have to follow that of their Sound? Or is there some other force (Fate?) that guides the actions of both Echos and Sounds to live similar lives? How would the situation where Will's family are ordinary citizens, but the Echo family are royalty?

If there is free choice, how would Echos accommodate new births that were not wanted from the Echo parents (since the birth of an Echo occurs in the Sound realm with the birth of the Sound)?

[Kro92813]

A discussion on a different comment thread made me want to ask this here also:

Do the Echos have free choice, or do their lives have to follow that of their Sound? Or is there some other force (Fate?) that guides the actions of both Echos and Sounds to live similar lives? How would the situation where Will's family are ordinary citizens, but the Echo family are royalty?

If there is free choice, how would Echos accommodate new births that were not wanted from the Echo parents (since the birth of an Echo occurs in the Sound realm with the birth of the Sound)?

This also sort of brings up the issue of mongrels. That's a Sound and an Echo having a child - so what happens to their other halves? Do they get together and have a half-breed child too?

[Ferdinand_Otieno]

My question for the author would be the purpose of the pets in the children's life in the orphanage.

[Leah39]

I'd like to also know if there is another book in the works!

Also, there were a lot of Hebrew words used in the book, which I found to be uncommon, but a welcome surprise. Hebrew references are rare to find in books (but I knew as soon as she wrote "Olàm" which means world. I wonder if she has a background in Hebrew language studies?

I’m interested that you mention these words or references from another language. I am from South Africa and one of our eleven official languages is Afrikaans. When I read The Lord of the Rings, I wondered if Tolkien had any link to South Africa because of the many Afrikaans references. I researched him and learned that he was born here! I think it makes a book really interesting when a bit of another culture or language is brought in. This could be a great discussion to have with the author.

Oh that's so cool! I love learning about languages, and I had no idea that there were eleven official languages in South Africa! I did know that Afrikaans was one of them, and find it fascinating how it has some similarities to Dutch, since I believe that a country that colonized South African (if I'm not mistaken). I always love when languages work their way into books. I was never able to get into The Lord of the Rings but I'll have to give it another go since I was able to get into the movie. It's incredible how much I learn not just from books, but also from discussing books! Thanks for teaching me something new today.

[Ferdinand_Otieno]

I'd like to also know if there is another book in the works!

Also, there were a lot of Hebrew words used in the book, which I found to be uncommon, but a welcome surprise. Hebrew references are rare to find in books (but I knew as soon as she wrote "Olàm" which means world. I wonder if she has a background in Hebrew language studies?

I’m interested that you mention these words or references from another language. I am from South Africa and one of our eleven official languages is Afrikaans. When I read The Lord of the Rings, I wondered if Tolkien had any link to South Africa because of the many Afrikaans references. I researched him and learned that he was born here! I think it makes a book really interesting when a bit of another culture or language is brought in. This could be a great discussion to have with the author.

Oh that's so cool! I love learning about languages, and I had no idea that there were eleven official languages in South Africa! I did know that Afrikaans was one of them, and find it fascinating how it has some similarities to Dutch, since I believe that a country that colonized South African (if I'm not mistaken). I always love when languages work their way into books. I was never able to get into The Lord of the Rings but I'll have to give it another go since I was able to get into the movie. It's incredible how much I learn not just from books, but also from discussing books! Thanks for teaching me something new today.

I did not know this about Tolkien, and thank you for the information-you laways learn something everday.

[Kro92813]

What inspired the Chrystilleries in the story?

[Kro92813]

Who was her favorite character? And why?

[Kro92813]

Which of the two lands she created would she prefer? Olam shone or Echoland?

[Kro92813]

I also would want to know how long and how much planning went into the plot before she started writing. There are so many small nuances that interconnect throughout the book that I feel there must have beenquite a bit of prep before she began to write

[Kro92813]

Who was the invisible man by the ant chamber?

[Kro92813]

How hard was it to keep track of the Echoes and Sounds while writing?

[Kro92813]

How did the real life cyrano de bergerac influence cyrano in the book? What connections do you have to him?

[Ferdinand_Otieno]

When did the Killing Law come into effect and the process of getting it enacted?

[Ferdinand_Otieno]

Is there a portal from Olám Shoné into the Sound Realm and has it ever been used?

[Ferdinand_Otieno]

Can Crystilleries be used to steal memmories ffrom anyone, including a Fate Sealers?