Questions for Mary Hoffman

[Violet_Frangipani]

Would you describe Arianna in the City of Stars and the City of Flowers boring? She had a fantastic personality in the City of Masks, but that kind of dissolved once she wasn't a main character. Will she be a main character in the City of Secrets? And if so will her personality be the same or slitghly weary and different because of her status of society?

Violet

 

[Mary Hoffman]

Would you describe Arianna in the City of Stars and the City of Flowers boring? She had a fantastic personality in the City of Masks, but that kind of dissolved once she wasn't a main character. Will she be a main character in the City of Secrets? And if so will her personality be the same or slitghly weary and different because of her status of society?

Violet

No, I would not describe Arianna as boring in books 2 and 3. Because she was in a minor role and had also undergone a huge change of fortune, she was perhaps rather subdued.

She will not ever be THE main character in the remaining books because she and Lucien were the main 2 in the first book, but she is very much there. Her personality can never be exactly the same as it was now that she is no longer an island girl, but I think you will like her.

Mary

 

[Violet_Frangipani]

Sorry for so many questions but I have to take advantage of the website. I was wondering if you are feminist or you just decided to give Arianna that feel. And also will the next stravangante be a girl, just to even out the gender balance? And following this train of thought, since the 4th book is going to be a new trilogy but include characters from the other books will the stravaganti still be from our world, or will they be from Talia?

Violet

 

[Mary Hoffman]

Sorry for so many questions but I have to take advantage of the website. I was wondering if you are feminist or you just decided to give Arianna that feel. And also will the next stravangante be a girl, just to even out the gender balance? And following this train of thought, since the 4th book is going to be a new trilogy but include characters from the other books will the stravaganti still be from our world, or will they be from Talia?

Violet

Yes, I'm a feminist and proud to be! The stravagante in book 4 is a boy, Matt, but the one in City of Ships is a girl, Emily, and if City of Swords get contracted for, that one will be a girl, too - Laura.

They are all stravaganti from our world to Talia.

Mary

 

[Sternchen]

Hello

I have just a small question. I read City of Masks now for the fifth time (I have to read them all again before the next book comes out ) and I am still wondering. What colours does the notebook have? I only have the German translation of the book and sometimes it says it is red and green. And than it says it is red and purple. Maybe it is just a mistake by the german translator. But I would really like to know what colours it has.
I hope this question is not too stupid and I apologise for my bad English.

Sternchen

 

[Mary Hoffman]

Hello

I have just a small question. I read City of Masks now for the fifth time (I have to read them all again before the next book comes out ) and I am still wondering. What colours does the notebook have? I only have the German translation of the book and sometimes it says it is red and green. And than it says it is red and purple. Maybe it is just a mistake by the german translator. But I would really like to know what colours it has.
I hope this question is not too stupid and I apologise for my bad English.

Sternchen

Your English is great and much better than my non-existent German, in spite of my surname!

The notebook is definitely red and purple - no green involved, so that is a mistake.

Mary

 

[Arianna932]

Dear Mary,
I read the prologue of city of Secrets on Stravaganza site. I think it is really beautiful and I am eager to read the book(although in English)
When City of Secrets will be available in England?

Sorry for my bad English

 

[*marian*]

Mary Hoffman

I've made a dutch site (very amateurish).
It isn't finest yet.
www.stravaganza.startje.com
(I think there's something wrong whit this site. I've tried to send this mail many times, I hope you get this one.)

marian

 

[LyannaWolfBlood]

I read the prologue too when I saw Arianna's post - it looks great! Looking at the list of characters, I was really excited to see Cesare listed as a pupil in Padavia. I always liked him as a character but I'd more or less assumed he wouldn't be back, so it'll be fantastic to read about him again. Also, your comments on how this was a book about words were very intriguing...

 

[Mary Hoffman]

Dear Arianna, Marian and Lyanna,
I am on holiday in Italy at the moment but taking a quick look at the network!

Publication day is 7th July and I won't be in England for it unfortunately. I'm glad you think it sounds interesting.

And your website looks amazing Marian, even though I can't understand it! I shall ask for a link to it when I get back.

Mary

 

[Arianna932]

Dear Mary Hoffman,
thank you for your reply and I hope that your Italian holiday will be good.
I expect your new book "City of Secrets".

 

[Mark Robson]

I've got a stravagation question for you that arose in City of Secrets.

*Spoiler Alert* Will type in white to avoid giving things away for those who don't wish to ruin the story.

When Phillippo di Chimici momentarily stravagates to the party I don't understand why the talisman took him there at all. The talisman is from Talia, as is he. Why would his momentary unconsciousness in Talia with a Talian object cause him to make the leap to our world?

Spoiler complete.

 

[Mary Hoffman]

I've got a stravagation question for you that arose in City of Secrets.

*Spoiler Alert* Will type in white to avoid giving things away for those who don't wish to ruin the story.

When Phillippo di Chimici momentarily stravagates to the party I don't understand why the talisman took him there at all. The talisman is from Talia, as is he. Why would his momentary unconsciousness in Talia with a Talian object cause him to make the leap to our world?

Spoiler complete.

Spoiler alert answer! (I don't know how to type in white.)

All will be revealed in City of Ships. Matt had put a paper bookmark, very thin, in the page with the counterspell for the Evil Eye and forgotten to take it out. It's that that took Filippo to our world, rather than the spell book itself.

Mary

 

[Mark Robson]

I knew there would be a reason!

To type in white, look to the right of the font size box in the task bar above, which is similar to that in 'Word'. There is a captial A underlined in black, signifying the colour of the typeface you are using. Click on the expand triangle to the right of the A and you will be given a colour palette to choose from. Select white and 'Hey presto'! Your writing becomes almost invisible.

 

[Mary Hoffman]

I knew there would be a reason!

To type in white, look to the right of the font size box in the task bar above, which is similar to that in 'Word'. There is a captial A underlined in black, signifying the colour of the typeface you are using. Click on the expand triangle to the right of the A and you will be given a colour palette to choose from. Select white and 'Hey presto'! Your writing becomes almost invisible.

Can you read this, mark? because I can't!

Mary

 

[luciano]

Cool! I was wondering about that....

 

[Mark Robson]

Can you read this, mark? because I can't!

Mary

Yes I can read it, Mary. The trick is to just select the block of text in the normal way - it then highlights as blue. But those who don't want to see the spoilers won't see them inadvertantly - they have to deliberately select the text if they want to read it.

You can write it in black first if you like and then when you've written what you want, just select the bits you want to hide and change them to white - that is somewhat easier than writing in white.

 

[ArmidaRossi]

Hello
I have one Question about the books.
The name of book six of Stravaganza is posted on the forum.
But what's the name of book 5?
I can't find it.
And I realy want to know it.
And when come's book 5 out?
(On english)
Goodjes and kissed from Do&Daphne

 

[Niki.]

Hi Mary,

I just finished reading your 4th book, city of secrets, and I was wondering about 2 things. One is already answered (about Filippo stravagating with Matt's talisman) so I was wondering if you could help me out with the other one too:

When Matt was stuck in Talia, Luciano and Dethridge went to Londen to find an other Talisman for when the worst would happen. Luciano points at the book that sleeping Matt is holding. Dethridge answered that there is some problem with two objects of the same kind being at the same time in the same world.
(I hope you're still following this in my crappy English)
But.. When Filippo transfer to the halloween party with Matt's Talisman, Matt is still sleeping with the same object in his hands, in the same world.
So, how is that possible?

Hopefully this forum isn't dead and you'll still read this and answer ^^


Niki

 

[Mary Hoffman]

Hi Mary,

I just finished reading your 4th book, city of secrets, and I was wondering about 2 things. One is already answered (about Filippo stravagating with Matt's talisman) so I was wondering if you could help me out with the other one too:

When Matt was stuck in Talia, Luciano and Dethridge went to Londen to find an other Talisman for when the worst would happen. Luciano points at the book that sleeping Matt is holding. Dethridge answered that there is some problem with two objects of the same kind being at the same time in the same world.
(I hope you're still following this in my crappy English)
But.. When Filippo transfer to the halloween party with Matt's Talisman, Matt is still sleeping with the same object in his hands, in the same world.
So, how is that possible?

Hopefully this forum isn't dead and you'll still read this and answer ^^ Niki quote]

Wow! How nice to have such a close reader!

It really is an instantaneous flip back and forth between the two worlds that Filippo does; he isn't in ours long enough for anything seriously bad to happen to the equilibrium between them.

But the stravaganti from our world do talk about this in the book I am trying to write now (I have been greatly interrupted) and try to work it all out. It would have been really bad if Filippo had stayed for any longer.

I hope the resrt was all satisfactory to you?

Mary