Interview with KJA

[Dunenewt]

>>You recently announced the release date of Paul of Dune, which is due out in September 2008, which is earlier than we first expected. Will the second book in the Heroes of Dune film come out in September 2009, to continue the one book a year rate, or will your involvement with the film and other projects of your own delay the release of Jessica of Dune?

We are just finishing the final text of PAUL OF DUNE for production (at the end of March) and the publisher has decided to move it more quickly through production to meet a September release date, as most of the other Dune books have been released. We haven

[Andrew]

I presume you asked those questions Dunenewt?

[Dunenewt]

Yes, I did.  I asked a few more, but he didn't answer them.

[Andrew]

Ok.

There was the ghola spoiler for HoT/SoD in the interview :P

[Dunenewt]

It is a shame he didn't respond to my questions about the movie, or my suggestion that I should have a role in the film haha.

[Andrew]

Yes. Maybe they need a British actor/accent for one of the roles? I think they used quite a few in CoD miniseries.

[TMA_1]

great job dune, glad you asked about the controversy over the vernius/ixian confederacy, too bad he did not answer it directly.

[Colonel_Worf]

I wonder if he recorded his answers into a voice recorder and had his assistant type it up for him? ;)

I'm excited about Paul of Dune. Especially since I can order it from the library and not have to pay a dime.

[Dante]

Has anyone asked whether they will publish the actual notes? Or release the notebooks, or something...? Seriously. Because that would clear up a whole load of questions without the need for any more tiresome, poorly written and conceived volumes.

More pertinantly, if the question has been asked then have they answered it?

[MrFlibble]

Has anyone asked whether they will publish the actual notes? Or release the notebooks, or something...? Seriously. Because that would clear up a whole load of questions without the need for any more tiresome, poorly written and conceived volumes.

Totally agree with that. BTW, the main antagonists in their new books (teh robotz) are, AFAIK, by the authors' confession, their own creation. So what kind of "closely following the detailed outline" is that, then?

[Dunenewt]

I spoke to Byron Merritt about KJA not answering the movie questions, and he said it is because Paramount haven't given them the OK to answer questions about it yet, and they're working on that, so when they can, I'll ask some more questions.

[Egeides]

BTW, the main antagonists in their new books (teh robotz) are, AFAIK, by the authors' confession, their own creation.

I didn't know that. It sure does put on their shoulders any "dutifully followed the outline" claim.

Dante:

It has been asked quite a while ago with a petition. I just noticed that Dunenewt mentioned FED2k there too, so we are introduced :) (here). It didn't get many signatures considering FED2k/else populations though, whatever I'm to think of that.

It did receive some comment from the Herbert family forum admin. But I never heard about Brian/Anderson talking about it. (Sad, considering their situation and all, and as you said)

(I'm signed as Sokal, so don't fall on me if you don't find my name ;D)

[Dunenewt]

I was thinking about starting a thread about this site on the official message boards too.  I've got about 50 posts over there, not many.

[SandChigger]

I presume you asked those questions Dunenewt?

Yes, I did.  I asked a few more, but he didn't answer them.

Dunenewt...how did you get in touch with him?

Did you get his email and contact him directly, or go through Byron over on Dune Novels? Or contact him through his MySpace account, as I did initially?

Just wondering.

Also, could you post all of the questions you asked? The ones he DOESN'T answer are usually revealing as well...if you follow my meaning.

[Dunenewt]

Through Byron, although he didn't tell me who he was passing the message onto (BH or KJA) until I got the response.  I'll post the questions he didn't answer when I get back on my laptop, I think they were mainly about the movie.

[SandChigger]

OK.

It's unfortunate that Kevin has become the de facto spokesman for the two of them. I'd much rather read more from Brian. He is the Herbert, after all.

And his "philosophical reservations" concerning email and the Internet certainly don't help keep down speculation that he's actually pretty close to brain dead and the only writing he does connected with the new books is his name on the checks.

I can understand KJA not being able to answer questions about the movie, of course. The ones in that regard I most want answered are: What exactly will you and Brian be doing in connection with the new movie (as co-producers), and How much influence will you have on the content of the screenplay/script?

(The hoped-for answers of course being "Very little, the producer labels will just look good on our resum

[Dunenewt]

That was one of the questions I asked that didn't get answered.

[Mahdi]

KJA has and uses (or used to use) e-mail.  I used to e-mail him questions once in awhile, although I haven't for years.  He's always been the one dealing with the fans (and "talifans") instead of Brian, although I don't know why.

[SandChigger]

Yeah, Kevin still uses email. I have the AOL address he uses, but I don't use it anymore because I really have no interest in any answers he might provide. (Well, his response to "Where do you get off criticizing Frank Herbert's storytelling decisions?" might be amusing.)

Kevin's attitude towards fans who don't kiss his backside is perfectly represented by his indiscriminate use of the term "talifan".

He offends me.

[Mahdi]

It's been two years, time to unsticky I believe.

Click here for an explanation on why threads are being unstickied.