Club Jade

The blogside. Nanci at Tosche Station points out how backstory isn’t an impediment to Expanded Universe characters appearing in the sequel trilogy. (If you really want to make that point, there are plenty of more legitimate reasons!) Meanwhile, on the Star Wars blog, editor Jennifer Heddle talks a bit about editing the roleplaying books.

Upcoming. The Making of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi has a blurb now, and Kevin Hearn’s outline for his Rebels book – the Luke one – has been approved. Making of is due in October, while we’ve got a tentative January 2015 date for the Hearns. And while we’re on the topic, the first Rebels novel, the still-untitled Leia one by Martha Wells, has moved up a week to October 15. (via)

Excerpts. And on that note, the first chapter of Tim Lebbon’s Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void has appeared in the Random House catalog. That one is out in May. (via)

Podcasts. Our own Jawajames guested on the second episode of Star Wars Bookworms.

Conventions. Dark Horse will be selling a limited edition cover variant of the new Legacy at WonderCon.

Translation. Abel Pena will be translating some vintage Droids and Ewoks comics from Spain into English.

Reviews. James gives Dawn of the Jedi: The Prisoner of Bogan #4 a big thumbs-up, while he’s ‘intrigued’ by the new Legacy #1.

There’s been a flurry of interviews with Expanded Universe folks coming out in the last few weeks. Joe Schreiber of Death Troopers fame is the man of the hour, appearing at StarWars.com and LAist. But he’s not the only one: There’s Leland Chee, Aaron Allston, and Abel G Peña, too.

Surprise audiobooks! A couple days ago, Zee Zee spotted audiobook listings on the Random House catalog for the first four Jedi Quest books: Way of the Apprentice, The Trail of the Jedi, The Dangerous Games and The Master of Disguise. All four are listed as $9.99 unabridged digital downloads with spring release dates.

Audiobooks years after the fact? Plus, the original books were published by Scholastic, which isn’t a Random House imprint, though the audio versions are listed under Random House’s Imagination Studios. (Del Rey’s Star Wars audiobooks are Random House Audio.) Lucasbooks is clearly trying something new here, but we’re still awaiting some kind of confirmation…

• Interviews, upcoming: NJOE wants your questions for Abel G. Peña, while Immortal Darkness is taking questions for Matt Stover and Kevin J. Anderson.

• Comics: Preview Legacy #31, aka the Vector conclusion.

Abel G. Peña answers the eternal question of ignorant fankids everywhere. I admire him for being fairly chill about it – every time I see this kind of thing on the boards (Why does no one read FAQs anymore?) I kinda want to break out my GTFO gloves. Although I usually just link them to fanfiction.net instead. Infringe Luke, infringe!

TFN Books is focusing on Abel G. Peña and his Star Wars contributions for the next seven days, starting with the first of a four-part interview.

I know, you’re shocked, right? Abel G. Peña looks at the misleading statements of Obi-Wan and Yoda in the Original Trilogy.

It was a busy week on the VIP blogs… First, a slightly defensive Drew Karpyshyn Rule of Two update (seriously fanboys, lay off the guy already,) then John Jackson Miller pondered keeping things unexplained, and we were favored with an Abel G. Peña double-punch on Darth names and, of all things, The Crystal Star.

• TFN took a seven-part look at Darth Krayt. I’m not really sure there actually is seven days worth of material on the subject, but that’s why I don’t work for TFN, I guess.

• Speaking of comics, a review of Legacy: Broken.
• A neat Darth Nihilus costume spotted at Comic-Con.

Abel G. Peña details how he was able to purchase the not-available-in-the-U.S. Star Wars manga.

The Movie Blog’s John Campea on why we aren’t swimming in fantasy films in the wake of Lord of the Rings.

Apprentice of Wisdom does some digging and finds a possible origin for Palpatine’s name.; RJ Peters considers hope and redemption; Kenobi-fan on the Force; Abel G. Peña continues his Emperor’s Pawns endnotes with a look at the retconning of Lumiya; Leland Chee on continuty, cross-platform storytelling and non-SW terms.

Harry Potter is a fraud! This isn’t a blog, but it’s certainly burning through the fandom in a way I find quite amusing. Please note it was originally published in 2002.

Icarusancalion has excellent advice for fandom security. Hiding your tie-in novels in the underwear drawer is not, surprisingly, one of them.

Oboe-Wan ponders hats and Ewoks. Sadly, not hats of Ewoks. (Yes, it’s old-school CJ reference day!)

On the VIP front, Helen Keier on how she got the gig, Sterling Hershey explains what a freelance game designer does and Abel G. Peña discusses the origins of Darth Millennial. Oh, and Jeremy Bulloch has shown up.