101. I am a great fan of your books, especially the songs. I have recently been composing tunes to go with them, which I play on my guitar. This made me wonder; have you ever played a musical instrument?
(Ian Farrell, Bolton, Lancashire, England)
I don't play an instrument, but I have always been a singer and come from a singing family. I compose music, all my Redwall songs have tunes.
102. When you are on tour, how do you know which cities to visit?
(Alisa Akay, Eugene, Oregon)
I visit some favourite places every year and my Publishers also like to include some new places each visit. I am often invited to visit conferences and conventions and sometimes the locations of these form a starting point for my visits in a particular area.
103. What are some of your favorite every-day things? i.e. listening to classical music when it's raining, eating chicken salad out in the park, waking up with your dog licking your face, etc.
(Jelena Popovic, Chandler, Arizona)
I listen to classical music all the time even if it isn't raining! You should join my Readers Club. The readers pack has lots of information about me, including my likes and dislikes.
104. Mr. Jacques, I love your stories and am an avid reader. In almost every one there are large feasts within the abbey. Do all of the dishes described actually exist? If so, have you ever thought of publishing a Redwall cookbook?
(Ryan Soer, Downingtown, Pennsylvania)
I have thought about it and had many many requests like yours. But there are so many calls upon my time that this is not a priority at the moment. I would rather write another Redwall adventure!! ( In fact I am in the throes of doing so !)
105. What does the term, "Boi 'okey mean? It was used in books, but I could never figure it out.
(Meagan Sinkovits, Harwood Heights, Illinios)
An old country expression translated from molespeek it is By hokey! a sort of reference to strange goings on that bear watching!
106. What is greensap milk?
(Peter Skoe, Bemidji, MN)
If you sqeeze a green plant you can extract sap. Thus, greensap milk.
107. I have a map of historical Ireland, and on it there's an area called Monaghan. I have read
Seven Strange and Ghostly Tales
, and I'm wondering if that's where you got Monaghan's name in
Jamie and the Vampires
(Gini Pasley, Alexandria, Virginia)
Monaghan is a very common Irish name. Probably the first Monaghan's took their name from the place.
108. In
The Bellmaker
Gael Squirrelking is imprisoned in his own Castle Floret by the Urgan Nagru. Is the name Gael a pun? "Gael" is an old English spelling of jail.
(Ryan Gustafon, Havre, Montana)
I do many puns and anagrams, in this case I have done it unconciously, well spotted!
109. How many drafts of each book do you make?
(Michael Bahl, Dodgeville, Wisconsin)
I do not write drafts. I start to write and the story comes, I check each page as I have written and make on the spot corrections, then I go on until I am satisfied that the story is concluded.
110. I have noticed that there are distinctive war cries in Mossflower. "Redwall" of course for Redwall, and "Eulalia" for mostly the animals at Salamandastron. Is "Eulalia" just a war cry or is it a place or something else?
(Julia Trist, Eugene, Oregon)
Eulalia is a celtic cry warrior's warcry. Look it up in the dictionary.
111. As a mother of 2 young children, I find it very heartening that you have such strong female characters and give them equal time in your adventures. I especially loved Rose (I sobbed for the last 40 pages of "Martin the Warrior"). Was there a strong female influence in your life that made you write in such a non-sexist way, or are you trying to appeal to all readers?
(Perian Bennett, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
There was (my mother) and there is (my partner) and thank you for your appreciation.
112. How closely are the animated versions of the Redwall books going to follow the original plot?
(Benjamin Christensen, Vienna, Austria)
As closely as possible within the medium. I stipulated that before agreeing to the deal.
113. Did you write any other books before
Redwall
that were never published?
(Tessa Hulls, Point Reyes Station, California)
No.
114. What was your favourite and least favourite job before becoming a writer?
(Sarah Everhart, McKinney, Texas)
Favourite job: Stand up comedian, Least favourite: Car factory worker (I only stood for 3 days)
115. Who is your favourite music composer or group?
(Eric Jorgenson, Bend, Oregon)
I have many much loved composers most of whom are Italian, Verdi is probably the one I love the best. And my favourite singers are many of the great operatic tenors of the past as well as the present. I would have to nominate Mario Lanza for the past and Luciano Pavarotti for the present.
116. A friend of the family said that they think your Redwall Series was inspired by the book, "The Wind In The Willows". Is it true and if not, what did inspire you to write them?
(Crystal Willard, Westhampton, MA)
Wind in the Willows was and still is one of my favourite books, but my inspiration came from a desire to write for my blind friends.
117. I know the U.S. and British books have different covers, but do all the other countries also have their own?
(Allison Kade, Grosse Pointe, Michigan)
Yes they all have an idea of what will appeal to their own readers and choose artwork to suit.I have a shelf full of all the foreign language editions and it is really quite fantastic to see the different interpretations of my words.
118. I read in your biography that you were born right before World War II. Was it hard for you growing up during the worst war of all time?
(Ryan Fox, Omaha, Nebraska)
I was born in 1939 and was a small child during WW2. Liverpool was very heavily bombed and my brother and I along with my mother were evacuated for a time out into a country district. We had shortages of almost every type of food. This meant that apart from Red Cross parcels sent to families who lost a father abroad, I never tasted chocolate or candies until I was almost seven years old!! I also never tasted any fruit but an apple. I had heard of bananas and thought that they were something that someone made up for a story!
119. In the book The Bellmaker, Furpp asked two little moles where Meldrum, Mariel, Dandin, Bowly and the leverets went, and they said that they went "eckertoimerin". I never figured out what that word really was. Could you please tell me?
(Lindsay Merritt, Dublin, Ohio)
Those moles do mangle the language a bit don't they? In this case he meant reconoitering.
120. In "The Long Patrol" Rockjaw Grang would always say sithee. What is sithee?
(Beth Sutey, Burke, Virginia)
This is an old Lancashire expression, it means "Do you see" (see thee) sithee? In Lancashire people often use the archaic thee or thou for you.
121. Do you ever get writer's block or have trouble coming up with ideas for your books? If you do, how do you overcome these problems?
(Alex Reicherter, Waccabuc, New York)
No, never. Thank goodness!!
122. Will the voices of the characters in the animated version of Redwall be the same as those in the Listening Library audiobook production?
(Katie Sullivan, Eau Claire, WI)
No, the producers will choose the actors for the voices, and I am afraid they coudn't get 20 English actors the way we did, but I am sure that the voices will be well done.
123. Have you ever read any of Lloyd Alexander's work? If so, did it have any influence on your books?
(Josh Winkler, Orchard Park, New York)
No, I don't read the work of other childrens writers just in case I might be influenced.
124. It has been said that your characters are always based on people you have known. However, there are, of course, a number of villains in the Redwall books; they wouldn't be particularly interesting otherwise. Are the evil beasts of Mossflower entirely fictitious, exaggerated forms of acquaintances, or have you really known a number of particularly nasty people?
(Eric Schluessel, Stafford Springs, Connecticut)
They are amalgams of characters I have known and creations of my imagination, I always love an interesting baddie.
125. Our entire family enjoys reading aloud one book each summer during our family vacation. I would like to locate some of the Redwall merchandise that is referenced on the website, but all that seems to be available in the US are the books themselves. Is there a complete catalogue available? We often travel to Canada. Is there more Redwall merchandise generally available there? I certainly want to locate the 10th anniversary items.
(Sandra Moroney, Manlius, NY)
Please contact the Redwall Readers club secretary for a full list of items. Many new and exciting things are available this year because of the Tenth anniversary celebrations. You can find the address in U.K. on the website.
126. In the Redwall books, Burdock Cordial is often drunk. What is Burdock?
(Chris Petro, Sydney, N.S.W.)
Burdock is a British wild plant used in medicinal and cordial recipes often teamed with dandelion. Dandelion and burdock was a great favourite of mine when young, sadly it is very seldom available in these high tech days.
127. I am the second of nine children. You seem to have an understanding for small children. Do your children have any influence on what you write about the Dibbuns?
(Matthew Casperson, Vashon, Washington)
My own sons Marc and David are well past the dibbuns stage being 30 and 32 but I have a large extended family, and there are always dibbuns to talk to and play with. I find them fascinating and delightful. They have a way of looking at the world which is refreshing and comical at the same time.
128. Mr. Jacques, when the movie series of "Redwall" comes out, how are the animators going to handle the warfare and killing, like Matthias cleaving Killconey in two?
(Terah Ziv, Anchorage, Alaska)
You will have to wait and see, but knowing the movie business I think that they will tone down the violence somewhat.
129. If Redwallers are mainly vegetarian, eating no animal products other than fish, then how is it possible for them to create cheese or custards without the aid of dairy products which would come from animals other than the latter?
(Gabrielle Joseph, Westerville, Ohio)
Green sap milk is my solution. The sap of many plants can be used to make vegetarian versions of milk, cream, butter and cheese.
130. I have a few questions about the species in the books. The first one is "The Deepcoiler". The second is "The painted ones". The third is "The Wearet". I tried to figure them out but I couldn't. Are they just something you made up?
(Mark Nelson, Boxford, Massachusetts)
You must allow me some mysteries; they are what they are!
131. In "The Bellmaker," there is a character who is simply refered to as "the mousebabe." Since, this is not capitalized, I assume that it in not the proper name of that character, yet this title is the only one used. Does, he have a proper name? If he does not, why not?
(Luke McLaurin, South Bend, Indiana)
Didn't you ever know a family who always referred to the baby as just the baby?
132. I have noticed there to be many hares, mice, moles, etc. living in towns or on their own. But where are all the badgers? There seems to be only one or two badgers living at once, where do they come from?
(Thad Rydell, Shawano, Wisconsin)
They are a long lived and wandering race, and tend to live in small family groups.
133. How do you write the book-to-book storyline? Did you have one huge plan, did it come bit by bit, or did it write itself?
(Greg Barry, Essex, Connecticut)
I know the basic beginning, middle and end, but the journey between those points takes me where it will.
134. Mr. Jacques, why haven't any wedding ceremonies been included in your novels? I realize that Gonff did marry Columbine in Mossflower, but the actual wedding was never displayed. Why is this?
(Gabrielle Joseph, Westerville, Ohio)
I have no wedding ceremonies because to do so would indicate a religious bias which I try always to avoid.
135. I love your books very much, but I have one question, when you came to Potomac as one of your stops on your last tour, where did you get that nifty looking pen you signed my book with? (I was first in line that morning!!!)
(Ajay Panagariya, Bethesda, Maryland)
It was a gift, and was purchased in The Del Coronado Hotel in San Diego California. I love it.
136. I have read the library, and found that you said all your songs have tunes. Could you possibly show us Redwall-loving piano players the bare notes?
(Selena Beckman-Harned, Cary, North Carolina)
You will have to wait for the film, or if you are anywhere near Delaware, The opera Redwall which will premier next March.
137. What does the shrew-song phrase, 'Shrum a too rye hey!' mean? Or is it just nonsense words?
(David Glick, Goshen, Indiana)
Just rhythmic nonsense that seemed to fit the song.
138. Have you considered compling a Redwall Anthology or a Redwall "coffee table book" (those large rectangular books) full of large glossy pictures of book covers and other pictures an also a compilation of names that includes a "family tree" for characters. Because there are still plenty of books to be written it be left pen-ended such as the "First Redwall Anthology" etc..
(Jay Mueller, San Diego, California)
I think most readers would prefer that I write another Novel, but plans are in hand for a Family tree poster, a companion to the wonderful Map poster which is now available.
