To be included as one of the chosen Tower Guard was the single greatest Christmas present I received. I truly feel for those that were not chosen and I hope that the anger or hurt subsides to a point where this situation does not prevent you from celebrating the conclusion of a great mans life's work. Robert Jordan has done something great with his life that most of us can only dream of accomplishing. Brandon has helped conclude RJ's work I ask that those that have issues with the process regading the Tower Guard don't lessen the experience for others. Be happy for those that will get to experience this and count your blessings. Remember the wheel weaves as the wheel wills. I hope you will share the experience of a great mans life's work.

@Jhirrad

Sir... please let me digitally shake your hand and clap you on the back. You said it much better than I could have.

@Jhirrad

You stated it best I wish I could take back my post, well done sir well done.

I was not chosen and am not freaking out. Everybody needs to chill out. I was disappointed by the delays and failure to get an email in a timely fashion as well, but the world did not end folks. 

I did get an email today telling me I was not chosen. I am just glad I waited before I booked a room for that night. Now I will just preorder from Amazon and wait for it to come to my door :)

I have yet to receive an email saying I was not selected, though I realize I am not by looking at the list.  I appreciate the fact that the people doing this are volunteers, but that is no excuse for not doing what they say they will do.  If the rules they set down say Tower Guards cannot retreat to be Memory Keepers that should have been the end of it. 

I am a volunteer with several community service organizations, we do what we say when we say.  Hope ya'll have good times at the signings, I will not be attending,  I can't support an event run by people who can't be taken at their word.

Hope ya'll have good times at the signings, I will not be attending,  I can't support an event run by people who can't be taken at their word.

We're going to have a wonderful time, thank you! It's your loss, and no sweat off our backs nor the staff of Dragonmount, I'm sure.

I noticed none were selected for the Calgary AB location.. does this mean it's been cancelled or were there no applications? (Today was the first time I noticed Calgary on the tour..when I looked before Christmas, it wasn't listed..so thinking it's a later "addon"?) :)

(Seriously hoping it's not cancelled.. I was wanting it to be a stop on the tour so badly!) :)

As someone who is new here,(but a unregistered reader for years) and as someone who works in "customer service" for a non-profit, where there is a very limited Supply and an infinite Demand ... I want to say WinterSong is Wrong. Point. Blank. Period.

What did you expect? These are part of a Decades-long series of NYT Best Selling novels. Did you really think there would be a way that didn't leave some people disappointed. And Armchair Quarterbacks always think they would do the organizing and delivery and notifying better. But they seldom do. When dealing with humans and human lives, NOTHING is simple or straight-forward and EVERYTHING. Is complex. There is NO right answer, there is only the best someone can do and Jennifer and Jason and the rest of DM staff did an astounding job of figuring out someway to offer a longed-for award to a handful of people in a handful of cities. AND it was done over the holidays. Patience with others is the key to human interaction.

Finally, if something like this upset you that bad, you aren't really a fan. In fact you don't need to buy the book, instead you need to get a life.

Thank you Jennifer for the time you spent and spend and will spend. Let the haters be your motivator!

And Amen, Captain!

Part of me understands that it's a really, REALLY bad idea to respond to the criticism here being leveled at Jenn, Jason, and Dragonmount in general. That's the left side of my brain talking, and ordinarily, it gets what it wants. But not today. 

I had to quote that, as I'm thinking in much the exact same way right now.. So here goes, and yes, that was your one and only advanced notice.... *steps onto soap box*

Wow.. One childish comment after childish comment.. Other than a very small few, and I mean few, none of you can say you are being the bigger person here... Some revealed how happy they were to being selected, others at their unhappiness to not being selected and then the melee that has ensued since...

For the point.. I applied, and was not chosen for Baltimore.. Am I upset? Hell yeah, after applying for three different years to the Baltimore signing and never getting picked, then the same people from last year (who all stated they had a blast regardless of the lack of time with Brandon & Harriet) were picked again this year.. Oh, plus *3* more... So, in my view, I'm upset.. Who wouldn't be? It entails disappointment, doesn't it? I should think I'm allowed to be that, surely.. Am I going to boycott the book? No.. Am I jealous? Yeah, it's Harriet with all the information, who wouldn't be? Am I going to blast Jenn and Jason for making a gut call, not knowing all the limitations Tor put on them, let alone anything else? Emphatically no, no, no.. It is what it is, so since I have no reason to attend the signing, I will be saving up to be seeing many of you in GA for Jordancon, I hope.. Take lemons and make lemonade. :P Now, back to the focus of my rant...

Geez, people, come on.. You state this is a 20 year run, we love it so much, blah blah blah.. Then we have someone else that feels that way, but feels they got looked over *sarcastic gasp*, you think they are just going to roll over and take it? Not how people in this country work, and has never been how they make the internet work, either... They open mouth and insert foot, plain and simple.. That does not mean, however, that you should then go to bat for your peers/friends/whatever by lowering yourself to the same level of immaturity you are blasting away at.. That makes you look worse then they do, in case you didn't know, and many of you are guilty of doing just that.. End of rant. I'm going to watch Robin Hood from BBC and laugh my derriere off, since after reading some of these comments, I really need a laugh.... -_-

@ Big_Poppa, Jhirrad, and Captain... You three were of the very small few I was talking about that were truly adults about all of this, despite how you felt personally, one way or the other.. Tai'shar to all three of you. ^_^

@ Wintersong & AesSedaiGuy... You two are the upper echelon of immaturity right now.. Congratulations. *shakes head ruefully* Where is Nynaeve when you need her mitigating skills..? *chuckles* :P

I fail to see how my response was immature.

I actually feel I was attempting to make the same point you made about no knowing limitations and them making a gut call.

I didn't apply for a Memory Keeper position or a Tower Guard position last year. Personally, I don't feel like I have a dog in this fight. That being said, I completely agree with Jhirrad's post.

Why would they post this list if they promised to email everyone about the results of the application weeks ago? Also, why couldn't the Baltimore group from last year get to attend a dinner with BS or Harriet as a thank you while selecting all new Memory Keepers? The solution proposed above is just bizarre.

We all appreciate that Jason and Jennifer are volunteers. I think we all appreciate the strains of the holiday season on work productivity. However, take it from the man himself: Duty is heavier than a mountain. Once accepted, you either see that duty through or not. 

**Quick edit to say that I also don't see the value in not purchasing AMoL. Forget the contest: Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time :)

 

Hope ya'll have good times at the signings, I will not be attending,  I can't support an event run by people who can't be taken at their word.

We're going to have a wonderful time, thank you! It's your loss, and no sweat off our backs nor the staff of Dragonmount, I'm sure.

 

Hope ya'll have good times at the signings, I will not be attending,  I can't support an event run by people who can't be taken at their word.

We're going to have a wonderful time, thank you! It's your loss, and no sweat off our backs nor the staff of Dragonmount, I'm sure.

I'm glad you plan to have a wonderful time, standing in a crowd to get an autograph is no great shakes for me so I see no loss.  I'm also glad you can speak for the community, or was that the royal we? :)  I'd prefer to stick with people that have integrity and as I'll have the book on the release date (thank you Amazon) I'll be having a wonderful time as well.  Cheers

Just because the decline emails haven't been sent out yet doesn't mean that they won't be. Can we please keep in mind the technological issues that have been going on in addition to all of the holiday chaos?

Yes, this hasn't run according to plan. Yes, things have been a little strange and communication has been jumpy. In addition to that, yes, these things do happen sometimes. What I need to ask those of you complaining is this: are you really helping anything by your actions?

I'm inclined to think that you are just making yourselves more upset and depressed about it and are making others upset with you. Rather than let that happen, can we all just try to make the most of the way things are? So you aren't a Memory Keeper. You still have the opportunity to read the final book, read the ending that RJ himself wrote, and possibly meet his wife and get the book signed by his successor. One little thing went wrong. Don't let it ruin everything else.

We regret that things haven't gone smoothly, but your complaining is not going to change anything. 

Well said Aiel Heart!

I fail to see how my response was immature.

 

I actually feel I was attempting to make the same point you made about no knowing limitations and them making a gut call.

True, you did and were very honest, sincere and mature.. Until you decided to throw in this low blow, right at the end, that is...

Finally, if something like this upset you that bad, you aren't really a fan. In fact you don't need to buy the book, instead you need to get a life.

Sorry, but that was beyond uncalled for, and is definitely immature for the following reasons..

A) Not a fan, simply because they feel wronged for not being selected, or informed enough as they see it, about a contest that was held with strict rules and guidelines.. Which, plain and simple, was not followed through upon by those same limitations that were set forth in the beginning.. Honestly, Wintersong has very valid points for feeling the way they do... Just went about it in a very wrong fashion, much like yourself at the end of your post.. Two wrongs don't make a right.

B) They don't need to buy the book, they need to get a life... Seems self explanatory to me why this is immature, but I will digress.. Telling anyone they need to get a life, is plain childish.. It lacks of the maturity to actually articulate yourself in a reasonable and respectful way. Period. Nobody likes to be put down, let alone ganged up on.. Were they wrong? Yes, but so was that little retort that you just had to throw in there.. Leave that out, and I wouldn't have had a single problem with your response and you would have joined the other category.

Not attacking you personally, just stating how your comment comes across (to me, anyway) through the wording you chose with those statements. I realize some of my wording may across similarly, but not meant to. Just making a general observation of all the comments, for the most part. That one sentence just irked me enough to use you as an example lol. :P

@Aiel Heart: You're missing the point entirely. Would it make any difference if the emails went out now that the list has already been published? No, it wouldn't because the damage has already been done. Furthermore, I can't stand the reflexive "you don't get anywhere by complaining" bit. Yes, everyone that wasn't selected still gets the book. They can and should buy AMoL. What matters is that they acted in good faith when they signed up for the program. They have every right to complain about a broken process and make their disappointment known.

I've been unable to find a calender of the book signing dates. I saw Dayton will be one of the stops and I would LOVE to be there if my schedule allows it. Is the date known yet and is it posted somewhere?

Here is the info you are looking for Selma AsUsual

http://www.dragonmount.com/index.php/News/amol/book-tour-information-for-a-memory-of-light-r478

@nightmare ... Fair enough. The line about getting a life was a zinger and unnecessary. Perhaps I was taking the impossible expectations of perfection too seriously/personally and I reacted inappropriately. I apologize for that to WinterSong, you and the rest of the thread. I have/had no desire to be a Memory Keeper, etc, so I was insensitive.

However, as for the "fan" part, I do stand by that. If you are not going to support and buy the last book of this decades long series simply because you are disappointed and upset over the way a release event was handled ... You aren't much of a fan. I didn't mean that part as a zinger, I meant it as a statement of fact. However, I can see when coupled with the Get a Life comment, I can see how it lost its relevancy.

Thanks for pointing it out and taking the time to compare and contrast, I am more aware now because of it. :)

@WinterSong I am sorry you are leaving, and hope you reconsider.

I assume You were posting as I was posting my response above, since it wasn't visible to me when I started typing my response.

I have sympathy for the burdens you bear, and again, I was wrong to say "get a life" ... We do not know a man until we walk a mile in his moccasins ...

I think your suggestion of how YOU would have handled the Tower Guard/Memory Keeper mishap is actually a good suggestion.

Everything else you said and feel, I respectfully disagree with the content, rationale and approach.

That being said, I wish you peace, love and joy.

well I'm super excited for all those who got chosen, as I live in Australia I knew there was no chance of being selected therefore did not apply but I am in no way bitter or upset that I didn't get chosen. And as for you haters posting nasty things about the wonderful staff (who DO NOT get paid for their time) seriously I know some of you have suffered great loss that no one should suffer but there is no need to take it out that on inocent people. And to those who DID get chosen may you always find water shade.

Let the last battle commence.

*claps AesSedaiGuy on the back* No worries, mate. If anything, this would have had RJ rolling for a while, knowing his sense of humor lol :P So look at it that way. Also, anytime lol. XD I'm a wordy kind of a guy.

*looks at Wintersongs' post and shakes head* Truly sad, but I'm going to agree with wolfgirl85.. No need to go about it like that. We're all human and no one is perfect, not even Galad, so that's my story and sticking to it... :P

No matter what, I'm reading that book on the 8th.. I don't care if it was penned by a 3 year old, I'd still stand in line and read it, disappointment or no. ^_^ 

The Light shine on you, and the Creator shelter you. The last embrace of the mother welcome you home.

Dragonmount dropped the ball that's for sure. I'm not upset at anyone, I'm just stating the facts. The people of Dragonmount agreed to organize an event, at which expectations were raised, and not met. It really is as simple as that. Lets be honest those expectations were not sky high either. This is the third time they have organized this event, so many of these problems probably have been encountered before. My point is I wouldn't get too down on people like Wintersong for being upset and let down. The good folks at Dragonmount did it to themselves.

Oh, and all this talk about them organizing this event for free, out of the goodness of their hearts, is probably hogwash. Tor is a huge publisher, and AMoL will surely be their largest selling book for months to come, so rest assured they are getting compensated, perhaps not with a paycheck, but compensated in one form or another. Besides, we all agree to do things for free that we are still held accountable for. I also realize that many people here feel that Jen and Jason are their friends, which is why they have rushed to defend them, however, the fact remains that they dropped the ball, and this is the fallout from it...