From: William Ansley <wansley@warwick.net>
Subject: Re: (whorl) Does Gene Wolfe read this?
Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2000 23:30:48 

At 3:22 AM +0000 7/31/00, Joseph I. Smulkstis (Muskrat) 
<jismulkstis@att.net> wrote:

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

>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 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.

>I'd hate to write a 12 book series with all of you folks
>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.

>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.

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

-- 
William Ansley

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