Host : Welcome to today's Book Club chat with Christie Golden! Christie is the author of "Spirit Walk: Old Wounds"

Christie Golden: Hello everyone! Great to be here!

jsvare: After your "Spirit Walk" series, when will you be writing more Voyager novels?

CG: I'm not sure of the timetable yet, but I certainly am planning on doing more. I have big five book fantasy series I'm working on, so I have to schedule everything very carefully. "Spirit Walk" is a two parter, BTW, so don't miss the second part which should be out right about now! But I do have some definite ideas.

cianc: Hello, Ms. Golden. Do you know when the book will be out in Ireland (an Irish fan)?

CG: I'm not sure of the pub date in Ireland or the U.K., but I know I have lots of fans there. The book I'm working on now is set in a Celtic culture ... hmm, maybe I can justify a trip ...!

Kes: Hi. Do you have any advice for Star Trek fans who would like to break into writing Star Trek books? I would love to write a Star Trek: Voyager book.

CG: I have two suggestions for you. First, you might want to look into writing someting in your own world of fantasy or SF. Publishing credentials will make the editors take notice. Second, you may have heard of the terrific anthologies called STRANGE NEW WORLDS. These are authorized Trek stories published by Pocket and it's only open to unpublished writers. This would be a great place to start, and you can do both approaches at once.

It took me a long time to get published, so don't give up. Good luck to you!

MartiVH: Were you a fan of the Voyager series before you became an author for the series? Any chance of Chakotay and Janeway FINALLY getting together? :-)

CG: I was actually hired to write my first VOYAGER novel before the series aired. I got a few copies of the scripts and the actors' names, but it was a little scary never having seen the show. A nice coda is, I also got to read the script of the final episode before it aired too, as I was contributing to the novlization with the segment from HOMECOMING.

As for J and C ... well, you'll just have to wait and see. Yeah, I'm mean. LOL! :)

potusreyes: Was it really hard to write this book?

CG: It certainly was a challenge, but one I really looked forward to and enjoyed every step of the way. Doing the relaunch is such a gift, I'm very grateful for the chance. And of course grateful to all my readers who make this possible.

Kes: I heard there were plans to bring Kes back. Can you tell me if Kes will return and when this is likely to happen?

CG: Aw, you wouldn't want to peek into all my bags of tricks, would you? I loved the character and if there is an appropriate story I certainly would consider bringing her back. Did you read the "Dark Matters" books? :)

eMailbag: How come there seems to be a six month jump, in "Homecoming" and "The Farther Shore" they were just back home, now Voyager is back in space again. I'm a little confused as to what happened within the missing six months. Or will this be answered somewhere else?

CG: The missing six months were basically idle time for the characters. Nothing really noteworthy happened, so the editors and I skipped ahead. Also, we are trying to do what we can to get all the timelines to coincide--a tough task! :)

Vulcan3324: Thank you so much for coming to chat with us today! I'm a big fan of your work. :) Did any particular episodes inspire you for "Old Wounds"?

CG: "Tattoo" was the biggie. That, and the epside in which Chakotay happened to mention he had an unnamed sister. For an author, that's like a big Christmas present! Also, "Nothing Human," if I have the episode title right.

potusreyes: Was it hard to write Sekaya into this book?

CG: Not at all. I really love the character and she simply blossomed as I wrote. I had mentioned her in the "Homecoming"/"Farther Shore" books and it was great to play more with her in these.

Vulcan3324: Do you ever find it difficult to stay within the confines of Trek canon?

CG: You know, it's not as hard as you might think. I go in with the attitude, they're hiring me to write their book. They're not publishing MY book. The responsibility to stick to canon is mine, and I accept it. Once you have that, then it's surprising how big this "sandbox" is and how much fun it is to play in it.

TamaraM: Hi. Is there a chance for Chakotay and Seven to get together again?

CG: Alas, no. Everyone connected with the relaunch seemed to not like the idea, and personally I didn't think it really worked. I love both characters, they're really fun to write, but just not together. :)

cosmic_llin: If you could be any of the characters in "Spirit Walk" for a day, who would you be and why?

CG: Oh, that's a hard one. So many rotten things happen to them. I think maybe Astall. I love the Huanni and I think being one would be fun almost all the time.

Jadzia Jaxx: Is there a Voyager book that you are most proud of writing, and if so, which one?

CG: I'm really proud of the "Dark Matters" series, because I worked very hard to be correct with my science. I also created one of my favorite characters in Jekri Kaleh.

cianc: Have you ever met the actors who play the characters you write about?

CG: I have indeed and they are really super! I have met Robbie MacNeill and Ethan Phillips on many occasions. Robbie hasn't read the books, but Ethan has, and at one special fan club breakfast, he read a Neeelix scene from an upcoming book. It was very exciting to hear him read my words as Neelix.

Xindi-Jedi: Does Admiral Janeway feature heavily in your plans for the future of Voyager?Or will she be more of a recurring character?

CG: It wouldn't be Voyager without Janeway, would it? I can't tell you exactly how the next books will unfold, but I do have plans to have all the characters at least have cameos.

Fire's Wings: Christie, I noticed that you have had several books released around the same time, how did you manage to keep story lines separate (and sanity!). Does working in different genres at the same time help you to do that?

CG: I write books in order, so I'm not working on mutliple projects at the same time. But it was very interesting to notice how different my "voice" is with Trek versus, say, "On Fire's Wings."

JanderSunstar: Hi Christie! I'm a big fan of your Ravenloft books, especially "Vampire of the Mists." Any chance we'll see Jander again sometime in the future?

CG: I get emails about this character every week. It's amazing how popular he is. RIght now, the rights are kind of tricky to negotiate (different companies own different parts of Ravenloft) but I would love to write about him again. So, keep checking my web site, I promise if there's any news I'll post it.

cosmic_llin: Which scenes do you prefer to write -- the ones with lots of action and drama, or the cute character scenes, for instance Janeway, Chakotay and Kaz playing pool?

CG: Definitely character. I love dialogue and I am blessed with the "ear" to be able to capture how the actors sound, and it's a lot of fun. The characters are like friends, so it's great to just "hang" with them. However, I am surprised at how much I like to write action scenes too. And drama, big heavy stuff ... tons of fun.

Psiqueue: Are you writing a short story for the upcoming "Tales from the Captain's Table"?

CG: Indeed I am, Captain Chakotay, of course. You'll see more of Sekaya and Blue Water Boy too.

Vulcan3324: Do you have a handy Star Trek encyclopedia nearby when you work?

CG: Definitely! It's far too big a world to negotiate on my own. I am also purchasing the DVDs of all the shows as well.

ROYBOOGIE: Will there be a follow-up to these books concerning the Changeling at the end of "Old Wounds" and will you write it?

CG: What I like to do is plant lots of little potential stories in the books and decide which ones I'll follow up on. Again, let's not open Golden's Bag o' Plot Twists just yet. :)

potusreyes: Have you thought of writing a book for Star Trek: Enterprise?

CG: I am a huge fan of Scott Bakula so of course that would be fun. But right now with the fantasy series and handling the relaunch, my hands are pretty full for the moment.

Vulcan3324: Do you enjoy attending conventions? If so, do you have any favorite moments that you would like to share? And do you have any conventions currently scheduled?

CG: I do enjoy the cons and they are terrific. One of the best moments was when I got to meet a reader who told me that her books helped her when she was in the hospital. She told me that when she was reading, she didn't feel the pain. I got tears in my eyes. This is why I write -- to take people away and give them a little bit of pleasure.

As for the next, I am planning to attend several conferences. I'm almost always at StarFest in Denver, I'll be at the Pike's Peak Writer's Conference, at Opus in May and at MileHiCon in October. No plans for cons out of Colorado...say, anyone want to invite me?

jsvare: How do you work around the medical and scientific ideas that come up while writing these stories?

CG: I do a lot of research on the web and I have a friend who is a doctor. I run stuff by him all the time.

Fire's Wings: On the note of the "Star Trek Encyclopedia," do you have access to Star Trek techs if a technical question comes up, or is there a techie editor that looks over your work for world consistency?

CG: Don't I wish! No, I have to do all that hard work on my own. I am friends with KRAD and sometimes I ping him for things too. He's a pal!

cosmic_llin: What is your favorite book by another author?

CG: Gotta say "Lord of the Rings." Unoriginal, I know. The other option might be an obscure out of print book translated from the German called "When Half Gods Go."

Psiqueue: If you were offered a chance to do a separate Trek series of your own (a la Peter David, Michael Friedman, KRAD) would you?

CG: I think that would be a tremendous challenge and at some point I think I might very well be interested. But like I said, for the foreseeable future, my plate is very full. And I get to create lots of new characters for the relaunch.

potusreyes: Do you think that the bond Archer and T'Pol have is anything like the Janeway and Chakotay friendship?

CG: I think that's a very good analogy. There was a time when I thought they might be setting them up for a romance, but that's clearly gone to Trip. I'm really enjoying the recent episodes.

Sian: If you had been in charge of the show is there anything you would done differently?

CG: It's hard to say. Some things I loved, some things, not so much. I will say I wasn't overly fond of how they wrapped up the Kes arc, but on the other hand I loved how the J/C bond developed.

AAmos: Any interest in writing books about the classic Enterprise's first two captains, Robert April and Chirstopher Pike?

CG: I'm not that drawn to the characters particularly, so unless some juicy project comes my way, probably not.

Vulcan3324: Other than writing and attending STARTREK.COM book chats, what are some of your other pastimes?

CG: Too many to list! I am an overachiever. I am married to an artist. We like to make soap and candles for gifts, brew mead, travel, watch movies and TV, hike in the mountains ... I'm tired already.

Kes: If you were to write "Fury" as a book would you have done it diffently? I feel it needs more explaning. Do you think that was really Kes?

CG: I do think it was Kes, and if I wrote the book I would have to do what the TV show did. I agree, a little more explaining would have helped clarify things.

Vulcan3324: About how long did it take you to write "Old Wounds?"

CG: My deadlines are usually three months. This year was wild -- in the space of a year I wrote 1,100 pages (the two "Spirit Walk" books and "On Fire's Wings") and MOVED. I don't think I'll do all that again any time soon. :)

Vulcan3324: Do you enjoy watching Voyager more than the other Trek shows? Or do you have other favorites?

CG: My heart belongs to the original show, since that's what I grew up with. I like to watch Voyager because I really know those characters to the bone. And of course who doesn't like TNG, and DS9 had all that good dark stuff ... guess I like them all.

Xindi-Jedi: What do you think would be a good story for a Voyager feature film?

CG: I'd love to see either "Spirit Walk" or the "Dark Matters" series filmed. I'd always envisioned Winona Ryder as Jekri ... LOL ...

PBrad: I just picked up this book, but I see there are other Voyager books before this one. What should I read before starting this one?

CG: You should probably read "Homecoming" and "Farther Shore," as at least one major character (Kaz) is introduced there. The rest are all set during the TV show years.

JanderSunstar: Any thoughts on writing about your cats, maybe in a children's book or something?

CG: You know, Indigo appeared in a "Forgotten Realms" short story as the fat black bar mascot. :)

Qlotti: Hi Ms. Golden. Sorry about asking about past books but "Spirit Walk" is yet to be released in Australia. I was wondering why you chose the Borg for "Homecoming" and "The Farther Shore"?

CG: The Borg were so very much entwined with Voyager that I felt it was "logical" to include them. But I wanted to do something a little ... different.

cosmic_llin: Is the cover art of Sekaya how you imagined her to be? Is there any chance we would get to see other non-canon characters on later covers, for instance Lyssa Campbell or Dr Kaz?

CG: I loved how Sekaya looks! They captured her beautifully. And I do think we'll see Kaz on another one one day.

cianc: Are you planning any new Voyager books after this? And how does it feel to be keeping a series alive that's finished on TV?

CG: I am having a blast with the relaunch. One of the drawbacks of doing a show that's still on the air is at any given week, they could have a story that completely destroys what you've been working on for months. I remember having to go back and do lots of rewriting from time to time! This way, it's all coming from me, and it's easier to keep track of.

Vulcan332: Seeing that you love pets, who is your favorite Star Trek pet?

CG: I want a Tribble! Indigo is a tribble almost -- fat, purring ... hmmm ....

Cheezy47: Were you a Star Trek fan before you started writing Star Trek books?

CG: Yes, I was. I was in fifth grade when I discovered Trek. I had a little friend that I used to play with after school, and one day she wanted to stay in and watch this TV show called Star Trek. I was miffed, so I watched it too, just to see what was so great. I even remember the episode -- "Operation: Annihilate." WOW. Rocked my world. After that, I was hooked and good. I used to write scripts during math class ... don't tell my teachers ... Don't try this at home, kids ...

Fire's Wings: Christie I know you enjoy writing, but there are obvious pressures when writing, other than deadlines (i.e. fan criticism). Are the pressures you feel when writing a book for Star Trek, that will become part of a Legacy different from say writing for "Luna"?

CG: You do have to approach it differently, and it certainly is interesting to see the various reactions. Some readers love my work, some ... don't. You have to be true to the spirit of the show as well as the characters. But I think writing books for "Luna," like "On Fire's Wings," present their own challenges -- creating the world, your own characters, etc. And I think that will be more "my" legacy that Star Trek, to which I contributed but which I did not create.

Vulcan3324: In your novel "Seven of Nine," you have a reference to one of Poe's poems. Do you enjoy poetry? If so, is Poe one of your favorite poets?

CG: I do like Poe, but my favorites are the Romantic poets, in particular Keats. Great stuff. I think in order to be a good writer, you need to be well read in various fields, not just the field in which you focus.

darrik: Are authors with pets more creative then those without? :)

CG: Never having not had a pet, I don't know. :)

cosmic_llin: Do you have a favourite Star Trek episode ever?

Christie Golden
There are simply too many to list. I loved "The Naked Time," I loved ... oh, what's the one with Picard and the flute? So many great episodes on so many shows.

JanderSunstar
"The Inner Light" is the great Picard episode from TNG.

Vulcan3324: Seeing that you enjoy TOS, did you watch the Animated Series when it aired?

CG: I did, but I didn't like it as much at the time. Now, though, it's apparently stood the test of time and folks think it's pretty good.

darrik: Do you have any rituals that you do while writing?

CG: Actually, yes. I like to trick the brain into working for me, not against me. I have a little setup of things that pertain to each book, and I light a scented candle. I try to write at the same place and time each day. Scent is a really powerful sense and is tied into the brian, particularly memory (I learned that writing "Seven of Nine"!) If you are trying to write, I highly recommend setting up some kind of ritual you do everytime. Your brain says, "Oh. It's writing time now."

darrik: What one thing would you like us to know about yourself?

CG: I would like you to know a few things -- one, that I take every writing project I do very seriously. I never undertake a project that I don't think I can do with my whole heart. Also, I want you to know how much I appreciate every reader. You guys make it possible for me to do what I love for a living. THANK YOU. And trust Jander to know the episode ... Thanks Jander! :)

Fire's Wings: Christie, I know this is something that you do often, but how important is it to you to remain accessable to your fans, and how do you use the feedback that you receive from them (us ... me)?

CG: Unfortunately I cannot answer every e-mail like I used to back in the Good Old Days. But I read every one, and I often read reviews online. Some suggestions and input is useful; some simply isn't, because I have to write the book I have to write and sometimes people want me to do things in a completely different way. But keep the feedback coming!

Xindi-Jedi: Are there any other plot threads from the series that you hope to revisit one day? Like the Kuva'mach prophecy ... Neelix ... Borg resistance -- Seven and Axum?

CG: Um...yes. I'm not going to give things away, you guys!

cosmic_llin: If you had an opportunity to write about Jekri Kaleh again, would you?

CG: In a heartbeat. I loved her.

Vulcan3324: Would you ever be interested in writing a crossover book?

CG: Yes, I would. And "Gateways" was sort of that. Now that Voyager is back in the Alpha Quadrant, it feels like everything I do now is a crossover, LOL!

darrik: Will you be writing any short stories for the tenth anniversary "Voyager" anthology, and if so, will they involve any of the new characters you have created?

CG: No, I won't be contributing to the anthology. The stories are set during the show timeline and Pocket wanted to let some other folks have a crack at it. ;)

Fire's Wings: Christie, What are the next big projects you have on the writer's desk?

CG: As I've mentioned, I have a big fat fantasy contract with "Luna" Books. The first book, "On Fire's Wings," is out already. I've just turned in the second one, "In Stone's Clasp," which should be out next September, and I'm working on the outline for the third, "Under Sea's Shadow." In between all this I do want to do more Trek and I've spoken with Pocket. Nothing scheduled, but don't worry, I haven't forgotten my Trek fans. I do hope you'll give the fantasy series a try, though.

Vulcan3324: Do you have any underlying messages in your work that you want your readers to pick up on?

CG: Not to be preachy, but I always seem to find myself writing about the triumph of the human spirit. Which makes me a good candidate for Trek, which is such an upbeat view of humanity's future.

Xindi-Jedi: Will you be writing any of the Voyager 'what if ...' books. Is there anything you would like Voyager to have done in the Delta Quadrant that didn't happen?

CG: I get my ideas from lots of places. And certainly I haven't ruled out revisiting the DQ (I always think Dairy Queen when I do that...) After all, Neelix is still there!

Host: And our final question ...

Vulcan3324: Who, in your professional opinion, is the best captain?

CG: You know, I have to say Picard. He was just fabulous. I loved all the captains, but Picard really just sat in that chair better than anyone. Except, of course, for Chakotay, but we haven't seen him do too much yet ...

Host: Christie, thank you very much for taking the time to chat with us today! And especially for typing your own answers!!

Christie Golden
Hey, you bet! This was a lot of fun, some very good questions. I really enjoyed myself and hope you did too.

Host: And thanks to all of you for the great questions.

darrik: Live long, and all that jazz!

cianc: Hey thanks for answering my questions and can't wait to read the books :)

Vulcan3324: Thank you so much! We're looking forward to the next books!

Kes: Thanks for a wonderful chat Christie.

Xindi-Jedi: Thanks very much from Ireland

potusreyes: thank you very much

cosmic_llin: Thanks from your biggest Welsh fan!

JanderSunstar: Loved it Christie! Thanks so much!

Psiqueue: Thanks for the enjoyable afternoon of trek.