Valin, I knew you meant Zahn. No problem there.

Bidlo, just so you know, Zahn doesn't get everything he wants ...

I'm sorry, Sreummy. I was kinda mean, but I was trying to be funny. It wasn't even that much of a stretch. Since there is limited space, I don't use the smiley faces.

I'm not crazy about Zahn. Sorry. He's been mean to people I have talked to that met him, and gets very huffy when someone questions his "fixes". He takes liberty with the backstories of characters he doesn't own (like his infamous Luke and Mara explanation that they "saved themselves" for each other for 38 years, because "the force told them to." Of course it's his opinion only, but he still shouldn't say it at conventions and whatever).
He doesn't have the right, IMO, to be dimissive and arrogant when discussing SW. He should be nice to people.
If it was his original work, that he owns, I could see why it would bother him (and he's written plenty of good books, he's a fine author).

Mainly, the continuity changing gives me a headache. Tatooine Ghost did too, but it was fun.

Sounds good to me. Thanks.

Well, this goes for me too. I have been bombarded by things today and I'm behind deadline on The Cestus Deception page proofs and... and.... I could go on... I see you all as a pleasant break and I got a bit cranky when my "break" was unpleasant.

It's OK. Really. I forgive you.

If I was in your position, and had to put up with people like me, I'd be much more snappish than you are.

*What is the limiting factor on the amount of books published a year? Is it the amount of money us consumers are willing to spend or is it the amount of material the authors can produce? *

It's a combination of both and once decided, set by contract. We don't want to contract for more books than we think we have substantial story ideas for, but not so few that we lose momentum or make you wait too long between books.

So its kind of unfair and hurts

I apologize for confusing you two.

I've also posted (here and elsewhere) things like "Zahn is arrogant towards continuity" or "Zahn has a condescending attitude towards other authors."

These are comments on Zahn's opinions, practices, and stylistic/creative choices. I don't believe they are venom-spewing.

If I had said "Zahn is an arrogant S.O.B." or "Zahn is a condescending dummy", that would be different. That would be venom-spewing, and it would be flaming, and it would be wrong.

But I did not do so.

1) Notice what I posted:

I agree with most of the points that Bidlo made, except I don't feel quite as strongly about it as he does and wouldn't have phrased it quite so harshly.

2) Bidlo said:

Zahn is a total lame. I loathe the guy.

And I replied:

I don't quite "loathe" him, but I "loathe" some of the things he's done in the EU.

Bidlo posted something that bordered on flaming. I posted an opinion (admittedly a rather harsh one) of some of Zahn's creative and stylistic choices.

Nor have I taken the same tone as that Valin person towards you.

I was not attempting to be personally insulting, I was only making the observation that it seems that Zahn is allowed to get away with stuff other authors can't.

I've been posting in this thread since the day it opened (check the first page if you don't believe me). And a review of my posts in this thread shows that I'm always enthusiastic and nearly always polite to the VIPs. I genuinely appreciate their coming here.

Only on very rare occassions do I get cranky towards the VIPs. A review of this thread will show that a lot of people have taken a lot more personally insulting attitudes towards the VIPs than me, and I try to calm them down if they get too offensive.

I don't mind continuity errors-?mistakes are inevitable, and coming up with elaborate fixes gives us something to do in between the releases of the books.

Most of the reason I got kind of steamed over this particular issue is that it's Zahn. I dislike the condescending attitude he takes towards the other material in this shared universe.

He seems to get away with stuff that other authors probably wouldn't. I wouldn't have reacted as strongly if it had been another author. (On the other hand, any other author probably wouldn't have made a stink over changing the name to Davin....)