Dragonsteel Nexus (DSNX), an annual convention based on the works of Brandon Sanderson, was held December 5–7 at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. 

Previously known as Dragonsteel (the name of Sanderson’s rapidly expanding business), the newly rebranded DSNX24 was the fourth annual convention marking a Sanderson book release. This year’s book: Wind and Truth, the much-anticipated fifth and final book in Part I of Stormlight Archive. The first three conventions celebrated Cytonic (2021), The Lost Metal (2022), and Defiant (2023).

In a strange twist of fate for a convention usually held in late November, DSNX24 occurred on the same weekend as Brazil’s CCXP24 and the coinciding release of the Wheel of Time season 3 trailer. So you can imagine how Wheel of Time fans at DSNX24 might have felt trying to absorb two very big sources of excitement. (Tired. The answer is very tired).

I didn’t really know what to expect going into DSNX24. I’d only ever been to Wheel of Time conventions, which are quite humble in comparison to DSNX when it comes to numbers. I kept wondering what 7,000 attendees would actually look like and if I would be able to, as a more casual cosmere reader, understand the language being spoken around me. 

When I finally stepped foot into the Salt Palace, I felt silly for not making the connection before: it’s basically like attending a big sporting event or concert. You can’t actually see the thousands of people until you’re in your seats, so most of the time you only pay attention to the hundred or so that surround you at any given time. But you can feel the buzzing energy of the masses.

And while there were no “nosebleed seats” in the main convention hall (dubbed “Roshar,” after the planet setting of The Stormlight Archive), it had the look, sound, and feel of a professional concert venue. The lights, the sound, the music playing between panels, the giant projector screens—all of it created an ambiance of excitement, anticipation, and “yeah, we’re definitely not in Kansas anymore.” A lot of the credit for creating this atmosphere should go to the behind-the-scenes work of the DSNX staff aka “squires,” in particular the A/V team and crowd control, who kept things running smoothly all weekend.

Entering and exiting Roshar after a big event or trying to navigate the Exhibitor’s Hall during peak times had the same packed, cattle-herded feel as everyone leaving a concert venue at the same time. But there is one very important difference: I don’t really like any of the people pushing and shoving me and spilling drinks on me at a concert. At DSNX, I kind of wanted to be best friends with them all.

Far from stressful, it felt almost warm and fuzzy to be in a huge crowd of fellow nerds, many of them in costume, who are just super happy to be there and in no rush to go anywhere (unless it’s a book signing or limited seating event). Even among the long line of people camped outside in the cold for numbered copies of Wind and Truth, the vibe was friendly and joyful.

The most entertaining part of walking past lines and weaving through crowds was catching snippets of people deep into cosmere analysis. Soundbites like “...Soulcasting…” and “Who is Jaddeth?” and “Hoid wouldn’t…” It was like an inside joke that everyone was in on. And even though, as I had feared, I did not understand the language they were speaking, I recognized the characters they were cosplaying and the enthusiasm they were radiating.

If you’re not a hardcore cosmere nerd, DSNX still offers a lot to aspiring writers and fans of speculative fiction in general: panels run by industry professionals, crafts, tabletop games, photo ops, sword/spear workshops, and a HUGE Exhibitor’s Hall holding almost 150 fantasy-based businesses, authors, artists, vendors, sponsors, and content creators. 

If you’re a fantasy fan and you still don’t like any of those things, you could just spend the whole weekend sampling all the food and drinks from about ten different on-site vendors. My favorite snack was churros from the Mexican place.

You might be able to try all the food, but it would’ve been impossible to attend every event, meet-up, panel, and book-signing offered at DSNX24 over the course of its three-day schedule. So here are some highlights (in no particular order):

Wind and Truth Release Party

With Roshar packed full of thousands of DSNX attendees and members of the public, Brandon Sanderson and his wife Emily took the stage to celebrate the release of the fifth book of the Stormlight Archive and acknowledge all the people who contributed to its publication. 

They also shared what Sanderson had teased earlier that day as “just about the coolest thing you could imagine, short of a movie or TV series”: Dragonsteel will be publishing the Wheel of Time series in leatherbound editions, one per year, starting with The Eye of the World in winter 2025.

Sanderson then slipped into professor-mode to give a charming and heartfelt talk, urging the audience against gatekeeping fans within the fantasy community the same way other genres of literature have done with speculative fiction. He proposed welcoming all new fantasy fans, such as those who are finding fantasy through the sub-genre of “romantasy,” into a community brought together by stories—even if they don’t agree on what makes a “good” one.

The release party concluded with a Q&A session, during which fans stepped up to the mic to ask Sanderson questions about anything from his favorite dinosaur (Stegosaurus) to the mechanics of magic systems in the cosmere, or whether a concept like calculus could manifest as a spren in the Cognitive Realm. (Yes, I needed a translator for that last part). 

Worldhopper Ball (contains spoilers for Wind & Truth)
New to DSNX this year was the Worldhopper Ball, an evening event held exclusively for badgeholders who had previously purchased tickets—and who were willing to dress in extravagant formal attire and/or cosplay for the night.

The theme of this “experiential novella” was the marriage of Shallan and Adolin from The Stormlight Archive, an event that had only occurred off-page until Wind and Truth revealed the details of the scene in a flashback. 

But to call it a “theme” is an understatement. The ballroom was transformed into Roshar, with exquisitely detailed scenery and fantastical lighting. Food and drinks were Stormlight themed, and actors in full costume played the main characters of the series, treating guests to scenes (both from the book and improvised) throughout the evening. The actors stayed in character for the entirety of the two-and-a-half hour event, interacting with the crowd and even taking turns at the DJ table.

As with any first time event, there were a few kinks (long lines for drinks, technical difficulties), but most guests were content just to dress up and be transported into a fantastical world from the pages of a book. One Worldhopper Ball attendee was so impressed by the magical night he had, he said he would have attended DSNX only for the Ball. 

Author & Artist Spotlights
In front of thousands of people in a giant concert hall doesn’t seem like the best place to have an intimate conversation, but somehow the Spotlight sessions made it feel that way. Just the guest and their host in two armchairs at center stage, under a row of colorful lights and Radiant Order banners. The vibe was more like a conversation than an interview. Spotlights of note: authors Fonda Lee (The Green Bone Saga) hosted by Dragonsteel VP of Narrative, Dan Wells; and Robin Hobb (Realm of the Elderlings) hosted by Brandon Sanderson himself.

Exhibitor’s Hall
When I wasn’t attending a panel, my favorite thing to do was roam the Exhibitor’s Hall. Walking up and down the narrow aisles between the vendors and creators in their black-curtained booths was so crowded, lively, and full of costumes, I felt like I was in a bustling village marketplace from a fantasy novel. And with the multitude of exhibitors, there was always something new to look at or something I missed on my first walk-through. 

Story Deck
Among the many new things announced, teased, and launched at DSNX24, Dragonsteel’s Story Deck trading cards stood out because of the experiential way they were introduced. Armed with two starter packs and a “Worldhopper Passport” challenge to earn more, attendees found themselves interacting with people they would not otherwise have approached—which was, Sanderson revealed during the Story Deck panel, what the cards were intended to do.

The cards feature snippets that form coherent stories only after obtaining a full set for each "lost tale." Gold-trimmed, limited edition cards have official Stormlight artwork of the Heralds. Story Deck trading was, by far, the most popular activity outside of the main events and panels. Look in any direction and you’d be guaranteed to see at least one group of people holding cards, spreading them out on a table, or waiting in line at the “Silverlight Mercantile” card trading hub.

Cosplay

Imagine turning a corner and running into Vin from Mistborn in her black ball gown, arm-in-arm with Elend in his brilliant white uniform. You turn another corner, and there’s another pair of them, plus someone in full Shardplate that glows and emits puffs of smoke. 

If nothing else, that was DSNX: seeing fantasy characters come to life all day, every day. The dedication and creativity of the cosmere fandom is out of this world (I’m thinking of the person dressed as Urithuru), and it is such a treat to be immersed in it all for three days.

One of the ways the con supports and encourages cosplay—and socialization—is by scheduling meet-ups for certain categories of cosplay, like Bridge Four, Radiant/Spren, Side Characters, and even Brandon Sanderson.

And if you’re lucky enough to catch them (I wasn’t), Roshar hosted two Cosplay showcases, during which cosplayers can walk the stagelit runway and show off all the incredible detail they put into their costumes.

Wheel of Time Panel 
DSNX’s only Wheel of Time-themed panel was held on Friday evening in one of the smaller conference rooms. The panelists were Matt Hatch of Theoryland and The Dusty Wheel, Dragonmount founder and author Jason Denzel, Innkeeper Anas from The Dusty Wheel and The Light's Work, YouTube content creator and author Daniel Greene, BookTuber Jacky Ragnarova of Me, My Skirt and I, and Krishna Patel, a passionate Wheel of Time fan for the past decade.

The panel had a cozy, intimate feel as panelists shared candidly about their personal experiences reading Wheel of Time and what they believe to be Robert Jordan’s legacy. Naturally, the conversation led to a discussion of the community that has been built around the series, from its early days—when fans, according to Denzel, could only share information from Jordan’s Q&A’s either in person or by mail correspondence—to the community’s current form as a worldwide phenomenon, connected at all times via social media and content creation. 

Even the panel’s newest Wheel of Time fan, Krishna Patel, gets what Wheel of Time fandom is all about, concluding her thoughts by telling other new fans, “This community is waiting for you with open arms.” Another highlight of the panel: someone cosplaying as Rand running through the room, waving the Dragon banner, and bantering in-character with the panelists.

Mistborn Santa
One of the benefits of waiting until after Thanksgiving to hold DSNX24 is that the holiday spirit was in full swing. Not only could attendees shop for gifts among the vendors in the Exhibitor’s Hall, they also had the opportunity to have their photo taken with “Mistborn Santa.” 

I wasn’t really sure who or what Mistborn Santa was, but I became obsessed with finding out. When I did, it somehow made perfect sense: Santa in a festive, red velvet mistcloak, holding a giant Christmas-tree Shardblade. He even had his very own Honorguard who allowed me to snap this photo in the Exhibitor’s Hall.

Now that the real Santa has come and gone, I can look back and say for sure that DSNX24 was the highlight of my holiday season. I had a fantastic time, and I wish I could have spent a few more days basking in the glow of the exceptional community there. For anyone who considers themself a fan of speculative fiction, I strongly recommend adding a future DSNX to your bucket list of conventions.

Grace is a licensed mental health counselor who believes in the healing power of found family in fantasy novels and IRL. Also known as Bain & Chiad, Grace has been reading The Wheel of Time since 1998, when she and her high school sweetheart dressed up as Elayne and Rand for Halloween. She fell in love with present-day WoT fandom and was inducted into Far Dareis Mai in 2019. She is the writer of Maidens’ List and a cohost of The Light’s Work. 

Special thanks to April Pixie and Innkeeper Anas for Worldhopper Ball Coverage.

The Citadel College in Charleston, South Carolina—yes, the very place that helped shape the legendary Robert Jordan (aka James Oliver Rigney Jr.)—is hosting a virtual auction for the Ages. Imagine this: rare, one-of-a-kind editions of The Wheel of Time books straight from Robert Jordan's personal collection are up for grabs. This means fans can bid on items like advanced reader copies, uncorrected, rare, impossible-to-find leather bound editions, and much much more!

It’s like we’ve stumbled upon a treasure trove within a stasis box! If you’ve ever dreamed of owning a piece of the series that shaped so many lives, and even some other authors’ first forays into writing (“some other authors” like Brandon Sanderson or Michael Livingston), this is the moment to channel your inner ta’veren luck, listen to those dice, and dive into the bidding war of a lifetime! 

And, even better, it’s all for a good cause. Much of the proceeds from the sale of the items will go to supporting underprivileged youth in securing tuition assistance to attend the Citadel itself!

The Legacy of Robert Jordan at The Citadel

For those unfamiliar with the connection between The Citadel and The Wheel of Time, it’s important to know that Jordan was an alumnus of the school. His time there helped shape the discipline, precision, and depth of thought that is so evident throughout his sprawling fantasy epic. For years, The Citadel has been an unofficial guardian of his legacy, and the college’s archives are home to an extensive collection of his manuscripts, letters, personal items, and notes. Now, The Citadel is giving us, the fans, a chance to own a part of that legacy.

A Collector’s Dream: The Auction Details

This virtual auction feels like something pulled from the Age of Legends. The collection includes first editions, signed copies, and even some personal, annotated volumes that Jordan himself held in his hands. For any Wheel of Time aficionado, this is more than just an auction—it’s a pilgrimage.

For example, fans can bid on a copy of The Shadow Rising, the book in which The Wheel of Time began to broaden in scope, with the introduction of the Aiel and deeper dives into the history of the Forsaken. To hold Jordan’s own copy of this book is to be in touch with the Creator’s process. It’s not just a physical object—it’s a thread from the Pattern itself.

More Than Just Books

In addition to signed leatherbounds, auction-goers can bid on advance reader copies, uncorrected proofs, New Spring graphic novels, exclusive editions, paperbacks, foreign language editions, and even the personal desk and bookcase from Jordan’s home. These are the kind of treasures that we, as fans of the series, would be honored to display in our homes—items that speak to the depth and care that went into creating one of the greatest fantasy worlds ever written.

Picture this: you bid on and win a signed edition of A Crown of Swords. It arrives on your doorstep in all its hardcover glory. You carefully turn the pages, knowing that the man who brought Rand al’Thor, Egwene al’Vere, and Mat Cauthon to life touched these very pages. There’s magic in that.

How to Participate

The auction will be hosted online and in person by Embassy Auction International in cooperation with the Citadel College on Thursday, September 26. Online bidding starts at 10am ET, but the items are already listed here, along with information about the location of the in-person auction.

If you have a way to make it to the auction in person, you can peruse the items during the two days prior to the auction and maybe connect with some other Wheel of Time fans there (#AuctionCon, anyone?). But since most of us can’t make it to Kinzers, Pennsylvania, the virtual option will make the auction accessible to Wheel of Time fans across the globe.

As you step through your sword forms and the bidding wars unfold, fans from all over the world will be united in their shared love for this series. It’s as if the White Tower, the Seanchan, and the Dragon’s armies are coming together not for battle, but for a celebration of Robert Jordan’s legacy.

So, prepare your wallets, fellow Wheel of Time lovers. The Citadel is offering us a chance to be stewards of these rare and precious artifacts. May the Light shine upon your bids, and may the Creator guide the auctioneers’ hammers as they bring these books to new homes.

And remember, like the weaves of the Pattern, this opportunity may never come again.

WoTCon 2024 kicked off with a bang headed by the Master of Ceremonies, Matt Hatch from The Dusty Wheel, and WoTCon’s Operations Director, Nae’blis. Opening Ceremonies featured the esteemed Guy Roberts as this year’s Guest of Honor.

With a stellar lineup, including Michael Livingston, Maria Simons, and the talented audiobook duo Michael Kramer and Kate Redding, the stage was set for a remarkable gathering.

Throughout the event, the blend of serious discussion, creative exploration, and WoT knowledge created an atmosphere that was inviting and fun.

The convention was structured into panel sessions, which were categorized into tracks like Main, TV Show, Games & Fun, Book, and Creative. The track names are a bit clunky, but I appreciated the clarity. Each session was rated for spoilers, ensuring all participants could enjoy without fear of unexpected reveals, a thoughtful touch that highlighted the organizers' commitment to inclusivity for all fans.

Panels at WoTCon were a core highlight, offering a variety of topics ranging from in-depth character analyses to speculative discussions about the series’ future. The panels offered a chance to delve deeper into the aspects of The Wheel of Time and encouraged active participation from the audience, making discussions a dynamic exchange. The printed program clearly described each panel, ensuring that attendees could easily follow their interests and engage fully with the content most relevant to them. 

One of the most anticipated sessions was the Season 3 Speculation & Adaptation panel, where fans shared their hopes and concerns for the upcoming television adaptation.

Another fan-favorite was the WoT Ones panel- a Wheel of Timey twist on the viral Hot Ones spicy wing-eating game show. Speaking of favorites and spice- the relationSHIP panel explored potential romantic pairings within the series, allowing attendees to flex their looney theories in a spicy new way.

The WoT IRL- Heroes of the Horn panelists speculated which real-life figures might be tied to the Wheel as Heroes, encouraging interesting discussions.


 

The WoT Fantasy Draft turned character analysis into an engaging sport, where participants chose characters as if picking a fantasy sports team, leading to lively debates and strategic thinking. 

Guests imparted their wisdom with Michael Livingston providing his expert analysis of the Last Battle and content creators providing valuable advice in the Content Creation & How to Do It panel. These were just some highlights, there were plenty more- you can find the full schedule on their website.

Panels aren’t the only thing on the program for WoTCon. The con’s nightlife was definitely kicking!  Friday night's featured a special dinner for content creators, guests and those who purchased the all-inclusive event ticket. The giant sing-along and all the games in the atrium set the tone for a weekend of celebration and connection. 

Throughout the weekend, cosplayers showcased their incredible talents, culminating in a vibrant cosplay parade on Saturday.

I saw Bear Elayne and also watched Shael give birth right on stage! Visit our WoTCon 2024 Photo Gallery to see more costumes in action. 














 

The banquet (this time for everyone) on Saturday evening was a highlight, with Matt and Nae'blis providing entertainment by reading anonymous notes from attendees that ranged from heartfelt thanks to delightfully cringy WoT-themed dad jokes and even a donation challenge. We were also treated to Kate Redding & Michael Kramer's reading of "The Grave is No Bar to My Call" from The Great Hunt. It was easy to see the experience was deeply appreciated by all who attended.

Post-dinner, the room transformed into a lively dance party (with a bar!) that lasted all night. We danced so much, we would have made the Tinkers proud. For those less inclined to dance, the atrium hosted a Trivia game and plenty of people to chat with, ensuring there was something for everyone.

It wouldn’t be a Wheel of Time convention without badge ribbons and shenanigans. There were badge ribbons (and stickers!) aplenty. Maria was giving out star stickers, which is so appropriate since she is an absolute star. Creator Salts designed some adorable stickers- a sister of each Ajah, Rand, Matt, Perrin, Valda, some other guys and the cutest Mydraal you've ever seen. Callie handed out amazing Ajah-colored bracelets that everyone rocked all weekend.

Koala Sedai presented a giant-sized Uno card from her Cards of Time game to Guy Roberts, but not before she got all the backers of her Kickstarter to sign it!





 

The Black Tower held a pinning ceremony where they raised members to Dedicated and Asha’man, including Penny "The Cake Lady" Laspina & Guy Roberts! 

Roofmistress Leigh-a presided over a ceremony where two Internet besties meeting in person for the first time became first sisters! 








 

The con closed with an improv session that perfectly displayed the spirit of community and fun among our fandom. 

This was a gathering of friends, both old and new, united by their love for The Wheel of Time.

As the convention wrapped up, the sense of community lingered. Plans were already being made for next year, with many—including myself—planning to arrive a day early to partake in the pre-con fun. WoTCon was a vibrant celebration of The Wheel of Time, its fans, and the bonds that tie us together.

I left Columbus with a heart full of memories and a renewed excitement for the series we all hold dear. WoTCon 2024 was an absolute blast, and I can’t wait to see what next year holds!

I’m going to leave you with my favorite photo of the weekend. Sparkles, bubbles, coffee, Maria, Michael, rubber ducks, cocktails, cameras, and smiles all around. It sums us right up!

Katy is a news contributor for Dragonmount. You can follow her as she shares her thoughts on The Wheel of Time TV Show on Instagram and Twitter @KatySedai

Kate Reading and Michael Kramer are the narrators of the Wheel of Time audiobooks and were special guests at the first WOTCon convention last week. WoTCon is a Wheel of Time convention created for and run by fans of the Wheel of Time. The first convention took place July 8-10, 2022 in Columbus, OH. During one of the panels, they performed a live reading of Moiraine’s Weep for Manetheren speech from The Eye of the World, the first book of the Wheel of Time series.

Weekly Wheel News recorded the live reading and posted it to their YouTube channel.

Check it out here:

Anyone need a tissue? Their voices are so incredible and this scene is such an iconic Wheel of Time moment. Let us know what you think in the comments below or on our forums.

The annual Robert Jordan Memorial Scholarship is open at TarValon.Net.  Each year, TarValon.Net offers $500 scholarships to those pursuing higher education.  Here are this year’s details:

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The Robert Jordan Memorial Scholarship is awarded annually by the community of TarValon.Net to people seeking higher education in the pursuit of being a Servant of All.  We have awarded this scholarship annually since 2006.  This year we will be selecting recipients for two $500 scholarships.

Winning essays will be selected based upon the content and scope of the applicant's response.  Our Hall of the Tower, a body of representatives from all community membership groups, will read and vote on the essays that they feel best answer the essay prompt.

Applications will be accepted from March 15, 2022 until May 15, 2022.  Recipients will be notified by July 1, 2022 if they have been awarded a scholarship.  This information will also be published at TarValon.Net and through our social media outlets after recipients have been notified.

You can apply by following this link.

Let us know how you’d be a Servant of All to your community in the comments below!

Jason Denzel joined a “WOT You Feeling?” panel on mental health focusing on the effects of loss and grief within The Wheel of Time series.  The “WOT You Feeling,” made up of members Ryan, Miki, and Christine, delves into sensitive issues on mental health and how they relate to the world Robert Jordan created.

You can follow them on Twitter, or see all their YouTube videos here.

Identifying grief within the series is pretty easy.  Jason points out that Robert Jordan considered the world dangerous and not an ideal place to live.  Many of the characters experience grief throughout the series—Tam never loving another after the death of his wife, Kari, or even Lanfear holding on to the grief of a breakup over a thousand years ago.  In fact, the Forsaken seem to be knee-deep in unprocessed trauma.  On the other hand, Rand’s “Veins of Gold” moment shows a great moment of expressing and releasing those emotions.

Jason also reflects on his own writing experiences and how mourning, or not mourning, plays a role in a character's story arc.

You can watch the whole video below.

This show was a fascinating look at the mental health issues our beloved characters face.  Like what you see here?  You can support “WOT You Feeling” and The Way of the Leaf on Patreon here!

Yesterday, when Amazon Prime revealed the first teaser trailer for The Wheel of Time TV show, we organized a viewing party and encouraged fans to send in their reaction videos. Here's the resulting video compilation that became up with.

Thanks to everybody who submitted videos and joined us. We hope to do future events like this, so stay tuned on our social media, and be sure to check out our Patreon page where we host other events like this. 

Katy is a news contributor for Dragonmount. You can follow her as she shares her thoughts on The Wheel of Time TV Show on Instagram and Twitter @KatySedai

The Dusty Wheel YouTube channel live streamed an interview with author Brandon Sanderson today. The ninety minute discussion was guided by submitted questions.  Brandon and Matt Hatch, the Innkeeper, covered topics including:

general writing questions,

Brandon’s new Podcast and YouTube success,

a Mistborn/Fornite crossover,

The Wheel of Time television production and adapting the series,

The Wheel of Time book spoilers including regrets with finishing to the series,

and finally many Cosmere questions answered with a RAFO (Read and Find Out).

In the general discussion, Brandon reaffirmed that he will be at JordanCon 2021 in Atlanta this July. He suggested we will see him on a two hour panel, with the exact topic to be determined.

In addition to his prolific and strict writing schedule and starting a new podcast, Brandon has found the time to become a YouTuber, with over 200,000 subscribers. His channel provides weekly updates and live streams where he answers questions while signing books. Brandon multitasked tonight; signing pages for the leather-bound copy of The Way of Kings while drinking bubble tea.

One piece of recent news for Cosmere and video game fans is the announcement that the character Kelsier from Mistborn will be in the popular video game Fornite.

After the spoiler free discussion, the conversation moved on to full spoilers for The Wheel of Time series and the upcoming television show. Brandon reinforced the idea that The Wheel of Time television series from Amazon Prime is in good hands. He is pleased with showrunner Rafe Judkins, who he says

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… is a very good story teller and very dedicated to The Wheel of Time.

— Brandon Sanderson

Brandon also discussed how the changes in the TV show can be canon, and that the narrative of the Wheel of time allows for it, and even encourages the idea of changes.

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… I realized this is a different turning of the wheel. They are not filming the books. This is the next or many many turnings in the future. It’s a slightly different interpretation of the same story.

— Brandon Sanderson

This idea of a different version of events was discussed by Robert Jordan when describing the workings of the Wheel and the Pattern of Ages.

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…Err, in the differences between the same Age in different turnings of the Wheel, are that.. as for an analogy: imagine two tapestries hanging on a wall, and you look at them from the back of the room to the front of the store. And to look at them, they look identical to you. But as you get closer, you begin to see differences. And if you get close enough, they don't look anything at all alike. That is the difference between the Ages. Between the Age in one Turning and the Age in another.

— Robert Jordan, April 4th 2001, Netherlands Tour

There’s much discussion online about the potential changes for the television show. Expectations are high, and maybe it helps to frame the changes this way - that the canon of the books allows for changes to the details. When we pull away and look at the big picture we still see the familiar characters and stories we love.

The Wheel of Time conversation moved to specific questions about the last three books in the Wheel of Time series. Brandon discussed regrets on a scene that was included that he wished wasn’t.  Definitely watch the full video to hear his full thoughts.

The innkeeper and Brandon ended the evening with a multitude of Cosmere questions with a quick succession of RAFO’s (read and find outs), and a few detailed answers Cosmere fans will want to take notes on.

What questions were you excited to hear about? What questions do you wish Brandon had answered? Let us know in the comments below. Be sure to check out the video from The Dusty Wheel on YouTube, and subscribe to their channel.

Each year, TarValon.Net awards one recipient with a $500 grant to an accredited college.  This year, they will pick two finalists to receive this award.  Here is what TarValon.Net has to say about the Robert Jordan Memorial Scholarship:

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What is the Robert Jordan Memorial Scholarship?

As a community, we feel strongly about supporting higher education -- especially for those who are striving to become a Servant of All in their everyday lives. Applicants are asked a question: “How do you plan to use your education in a way that exemplifies being a Servant of All?” Recipients are chosen by the Hall of the Tower, a body of members representing the TarValon.Net community.

 

Since 2006, we have awarded 20 scholarships to deserving students. This year we will increase that number to 22.

 

Applications will be accepted from March 15, 2021 until May 15, 2021. The Hall will begin their determination process on June 1, 2021. We will announce scholarship recipients on July 1, 2021.

If you'd like to apply, you can use this link.  Remember to submit your essay by May 15th!

Our December special guest will be Wheel of Time author and bestseller Brandon Sanderson! This LIVE EVENT will be held on Thursday, December 10, 2020 at 6:30 PM U.S. Eastern Time.

Attendees will be able to chat directly with Brandon and ask questions!

About Brandon

Brandon Sanderson is the bestselling author of twenty-six novels and dozens of novellas and short stories. He is a two-time HUGO award winner, including a win in 2013 for Best Novella (The Emperor's Soul). In 2007 he was chosen to complete the late Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time saga. 

Also, anybody reading this knows who he is. ?

About the Event

This will be a LIVE virtual event, held over Zoom. All of our patreon supporters are the Heron-Marked ($10) level and higher are invited.  

Click here to register.

If you are a not yet a Patreon supporter, or if you are a supporter at a lower tier, you are welcome to sign-up or "upgrade" to the Heron-Marked level for a single month to gain access to this event.

Servant of All ($25) and Chosen ($50) level patrons will get additional "early" time before the rest of the attendees will be allowed into the Zoom. 

The event will begin with a moderated discussion with our guest, followed by an open Q&A where you can freely ask questions and chat.

This event will be recorded, but it will be different than our previous live chats. We're still working out the details but there's a chance this event will be available afterwards on Brandon's YouTube channel. If you attend and participate, you'll be seen via his channel. (If you would prefer not to be seen or heard in this more-public venue, you can provide questions to me in advance and I'll make sure they're asked on your behalf). 

The Zoom link will be emailed to all eligible patrons 24 hours before the event.

Become a Dragonmount patron, support this website, get exclusive info about the franchise, and attend our monthly chat events. 

We're elated to announce that our November special guest will be Wheel of Time editor Harriet McDougal! This LIVE EVENT will be held on Saturday, November 7, 2020 at 1 PM U.S. Eastern Time. 

Attendees will be able to chat directly with Harriet and ask questions.

Learn more and sign up here.  

About Harriet

Harriet McDougal is Robert Jordan's wife as well as the editor for the entire Wheel of Time book series. In addition to playing a key rollin the development of the series, she also guided Brandon Sanderson when he completed the final three novels in the series. She is the co-author (along with Maria Simons and Alan Romanczuk) of The Wheel of Time Companion. In addition to her work on WoT, she is a notable editor in the field of SF/F having edited notable titles such as Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.

About the Event

This will be a LIVE virtual event, held over Zoom.

All Patreon supporters at the Heron-Marked ($10) level and higher are invited.  If you are a not yet a Patreon supporter, or if you are a supporter at a lower tier, you are welcome to sign up or "upgrade" to the Heron-Marked level for a single month to gain access to this event. 

More information about signing up is available on our Patreon page. 

The event will begin with a moderated discussion with our guest, followed by an open Q&A where you can freely ask questions and chat.

This is expected to be a small, intimate event, but if the number of attendees grows, we will moderate accordingly. But no matter what happens, everyone will have a chance to ask questions and be involved.

We hope you'll join us for this exciting event!  If you can't make it this time, that's OK. This event will be recorded and made available to Heron-Marked patrons and above. 

Learn more and sign up here.  

As is the trend this year, most conventions are going online.  For those of us who don’t have the resources to travel to all these amazing cons, this set up isn’t so bad.

Spoilercon—a convention celebrating the podcasts The Wheel of Time Spoilers, Mistborn Spoilers, and Broken Earth Spoilers—is hosting an online even next weekend, October 2nd and 3rd.  Registration for this event is free, though pre-registration is required.  You can sign up here.

Some notable guests for Spoilercon include our own Jason Denzel—Dragonmount’s founder and webmaster—and Thom DeSimone—host of The Wheel of Time Community Show.  Maria Simons from Team Jordan will also be making an appearance.  And a reoccurring event from last year, Michael Kramer and Kate Reading—who perform the audio books for The Wheel of Time and many other sci-fi/fantasy titles—will be doing a reading.

This convention offers a lot across the fandom board!  You can check out the complete schedule here.

EDITED:

In case you missed this event, you can see all the recorded panels, including the reading by Michael Kramer and Kate Reading here!

We're delighted to announce that our October special guest will be WOTonPrime Research Consultant Sarah Nakamura! This LIVE EVENT will be held on Saturday, October 10, 2020 at 1 PM U.S. Eastern Time. 

Attendees will be able to chat directly with Sarah and ask questions!

Learn more and sign up here.  

About Sarah

Sarah Nakamura is the Research Consultant for Amazon Prime's Wheel of Time TV Show. She has an active presence on-set during filming, in the writer's room, and in most other aspects of production. As a lifelong fan of the WoT books, Sarah is proving to be an indispensable representative of our fandom working on the show. 

About the Event

This will be a LIVE virtual event, held over Zoom.

All Patreon supporters at the Heron-Marked ($10) level and higher are invited.  If you are a not yet a Patreon supporter, or if you are a supporter at a lower tier, you are welcome to "upgrade" to the Heron-Marked level for a single month to gain access to this event. 

More information about signing up is available on our Patreon page. 

The event will begin with a moderated discussion with our guest, followed by an open Q&A where you can freely ask questions and chat. This is expected to be a somewhat smaller event, but if the number of attendees grows, we will moderate it but give everyone a chance to ask questions and be involved. The Zoom link will be emailed to all eligible patrons 24 hours before the event.  

We hope you'll join us for this exciting event!  If you can't make it this time, that's OK. This event will be recorded and made available to Heron-Marked patrons and above. 

Learn more and Sign Up!

We're proud to announce the first in our series of exclusive Patreon guest chats, featuring Maria Simons on Saturday, September 5, 2020 at 1 PM U.S. Eastern Time. This event is available to our Patreon supporters. Learn more and sign up here.  

About Maria

Maria is a member of Team Jordan as well as the long-time research assistant to Robert Jordan and Harriet McDougal. She's perhaps the world's foremost expert on Wheel of Time lore, as well as the co-author of The Wheel of Time Companion. You will not find a more enjoyable, humorous, and knowledgable person related to this franchise. 

About the Event

This will be a LIVE virtual event, held over Zoom. All Patreon supporters at the Heron-Marked ($10) level and higher are invited.  If you are a not yet a Patreon supporter, or if you are a supporter at a lower tier, you are welcome to "upgrade" to the Heron-Marked level for a single month to gain access to this event. 

More information about signing up is available on our Patreon page. 

The event will begin with a moderated discussion with our guest, followed by an open Q&A where you can freely ask questions and chat. This is expected to be a somewhat smaller event, but if the number of attendees grows, we will moderate it but give everyone a chance to ask questions and be involved. The Zoom link will be emailed to all eligible patrons 24 hours before the event.  

I hope you'll join us for this exciting event!  If you can't make it this time, that's OK, we'll record it and also host future chats with other special guests tied to The Wheel of Time franchise.

Welcome back to Community Round-Up, a look at all the happenings within the Wheel of Time fandom and the larger sci-fi/fantasy community.

First off TorCon is happening online this week!  Tor Books teamed up with Den of Geeks to bring a virtual convention with amazing panels.  TorCon kicks off Thursday June 11^th with Brandon Sanderson talking about his latest projects!  This is a prerecorded event and only available this weekend.  You can register for this event here, or see what else TorCon has to offer!

Sticking with the Brandon Sanderson theme, you can now take an official quiz to find out which order of Knights Radiant you would be.  The Knights Radiant are a group of fighters in the Stormlight Archive series.  Each order focuses on different missions, skills and bindings, and they also bond different spren.  I tied for Truthwatcher and Windrunner, which sums up my personality perfectly.

The Dusty Wheel interviewed Joshua Stolarz, a cartographer, and Joshua shared an amazing drawing of the Two Rivers.  You can download Joshua’s map here.

I cannot get enough of these sword dances.  When thinking about the Amazon Prime show and how some of the sword forms will be shown, I imagine over-the-top stylized fights.  Here is a video posted by Stance on Facebook, from Taipei, Taiwan.

As always, let’s end with some of the best memes I can find on the internet.

While I love Nynaeve's character and her growth throughout the series (and getting over ingrained prejudices), I'm sure the draw One Power was also a factor in her change of view.

The evolution of the Aiel (as seen through the flashbacks from the ter'angreal in Rhuidean) is one of my favorite in the series.  It's amazing how just a small step each generation can change a whole belief system.

While this might seem true on the surface, the Two Rivers folk do have the necessary courage to fight for the Light when it matters!

That's all for this edition.  Which Order of the Knights Radiant were you?  Let us know in the comments!

In light of the currently ongoing protests that were sparked by the murder of George Floyd, one of many Black Americans whom has been unjustly killed, Dragonmount believes Black Lives Matter, and supports the movement. Here is our statement:

Quote

Dragonmount is a proud supporter of diversity and equality. 

As an international community of fans, we’re brought together by a shared love of the Wheel of Time series that, while far from perfect, has historically pushed boundaries of inclusion and diversity within its pages.  With the upcoming TV show from @WoTonPrime, we celebrate and look forward to an even more diverse interpretation of Robert Jordan’s grand saga. 

We gladly, warmly, and lovingly welcome people from all nationalities, backgrounds, and sexual orientations to our community. All are welcomed here. All are loved here. 

Dragonmount denounces bigotry of all kinds. We do not tolerate racist, sexist, or otherwise discriminatory behavior on our community platforms.

We will always strive to do better, and seek to move forward in solidarity with all those who champion the equal and inclusive rights of others. 

You can read more about our community forum Code of Conduct here.

TarValon.net’s annual Robert Jordan Memorial Scholarship is now accepting applications:

Quote

The Robert Jordan Memorial Scholarship is an annual scholarship awarded to fans of the Wheel of Time. One undergraduate student, and one graduate student, at an accredited college or university will be chosen each year to receive a scholarship. Previously it was called the Servant of All Scholarship, however, it was renamed in 2007 to memorialize the life of our beloved Robert Jordan. In 2010, the scholarship was opened to all Wheel of Time fans, instead of being restricted to TarValon.Net members.

It is with great pleasure that we are now accepting applications for the Robert Jordan Memorial Scholarship. Rank in the Tower is not a factor, nor is major, or how far along you are in your studies. Any student who is a current undergraduate or graduate at an accredited college or university, and can craft an essay in the English language fluently, qualifies to apply for this scholarship. Previous recipients may reapply as long as they still meet the criteria.

The amount of each scholarship is $500 per student.

Applications will be accepted starting May 1, 2020 thru June 5, 2020. Please access the application at the following link:

https://forms.gle/zySLjieAU2XW6ma27

The scholarships are awarded based on an essay. The topic of the essay shall be chosen by the Officers and Director of Community Outreach. Essays are read blind and voted on by the Hall of the Tower of TarValon.net Inc.

If you would like to view previous winning essays please see our library:

https://library.tarvalon.net/index.php?title=Annual_Robert_Jordan_Memorial_Scholarship

 

This year’s topic is: How do you plan to use your education in a way that exemplifies being a Servant of All?

If you're interested in combining your academic studies and your love of The Wheel of Time, make sure you submit your applications before June 5^th!

Hello, all!  Welcome back to another Community Round-Up!  Let’s dive right in.

Some major news on the Amazon Prime Wheel of Time show, Daniel Henney—who plays Lan Mandragoran—did a Q&A on Instagram this week.  It was amazing to listen to the obvious reverence Daniel has for Lan.  As someone who has loved Lan dearly since I first read the series (my Dragonmount name is Mashiara, so my love for this character should be pretty obvious), I am beyond excited to see Daniel in this role.

The happiness of JordanCONline last month can’t be put into words.  I am so thankful for Jenn and Jimmy Liang, as well as all the JordanCon staff and volunteers who helped put the event together.  It was amazing to spend time with friends and listen to Wheel of Time related discussions.  The highlight, of course, being when Rafe Judkins—the show runner for the Amazon Prime show—joined the WoT on Prime panel.  Rafe, obviously under a non-disclosure agreement, was limited in what he could say.  But he did share plenty of great information that already had the panelists, especially Matt Hatch of The Dusty Wheel, theorizing.  You can read a quick synopsis of Rafe’s Q&A here, or check out all the JordanCONline recorded panels on their YouTube channel.

Dragonmount’s The Wheel of Time Community Show recapped all that happened at JordanCONline!  You can watch Ebony and Thom discuss here!

Along those same lines, JordanCon’s March Madness Fantasy Artifacts brackets came to a close. The ultimate winner was: the Chodean Kal!  Not really a surprise there, in my opinion.  This event was a lot of fun and I’d love to see it happen again next year.

Tor.com’s Sylas K Barrett—who is currently doing his first time read through of the series—highlighted the changes we see from Mat Cauthon as the series progresses.  Sylas is currently on The Shadow Rising, which is where Mat visits Rhuidean and goes through the second doorframe Ter’angreal.  That trip certainly does change him!  But Sylas also points out how the other characters are unable, or unwilling, to see these changes.  It’s a very interesting read!  You can check out all of Sylas’s writings on The Wheel of Time here!

Is anyone play Animal Crossing in their downtime?  I know I am.  And here’s great news, there’s a WoT Animal Crossing Group on Facebook!  You can play with Wheel of Time friends—some of which even have WoT themed islands, clothes, and landscapes. (As mentioned above, I love Lan, so my island is named Malkier.)  You can even find random Animal Crossing things in other WoT spaces.  Christopher posted this in the JordanCon group: his creation of the Wheel and Serpent pattern you can use in the game!

Now onto the memes!

This one I really like because I think Galad will help the Children of the Light become less evil.

And of course everyone is so happy for the new reaction of Facebook!

That's all of this edition.  Don't you think Daniel Henney is going to be amazing as Lan?  Please leave your comments below!

The Dusty Wheel YouTube channel hosted an interview with Brandon Sanderson tonight. They talked about the Wheel of Time books and the upcoming Amazon Prime TV show. Some WoT-related highlights of the program included:

• Brandon discussing his excitement (& hesitations) for the upcoming TV show.
• Brandon's on-set discussion with Barney Harris, the actor playing Mat Cauthon. 
• Some behind-the-scenes discussion about writing the final 3 WoT novels. 

The full, 90+ minute interview can be found here:

"Prank Scene"

10 years ago, Brandon asked a select group of fans to read early drafts of Towers of Midnight, the thirteenth and penultimate book in the series. Today, he revealed a special scene from that book that he wrote exclusively for one of those fans, Matt Hatch.  Matt is the founder of Theoryland.com, a WoT website known for its obsessive passionate attention to details. If there's ever been a "looney" theory made about the books, chances are that it's been discussed in extreme details on that forum.  Today, in addition to maintaining Theoryland, Matt is now the Innkeeper of the Dusty Wheel. Because today is April 1st (April Fool's Day), Brandon received permission from Harriet to share the scene he wrote for Matt. The scene is only ~250  words long, and takes place during Chapter 57: A Rabbit for Supper.

Here's the scene, in its complete form. (The italicized text is from the actual book, and is included to provide context for the scene.)

Quote

    He must have made a face at the thought, for Thom chuckled and Moiraine smiled again.  The two of them soon lost interest in sporting with Mat, however, and turned to a soft discussion.  That affection in their eyes was true.  They did love each other.  Light!  How had Mat missed it?  He felt like a man who had brought a hog to a horse race.
    He turned to make himself scarce and leave the two alone, but he froze.  
    That was no dear in the bushes.  It was too tall, too wide.  Moiraine gasped suddenly.  “Channeling,” she said, leaping to her feet as a bar of something white and brilliant cut through the air toward the camp. 
    Mat cursed, rolling out of the way.  It narrowly missed him.  An older woman burst from the bushes.  She had gray hair set with little ornaments, and she had the ageless face of an Aes Sedai.  
    “You!” Moiraine said.  “Cadsuane!"
    Cadsuane cackled, letting loose another bar of Balefire, but an unexpected knife thrown by Thom startled her, and she missed Moiraine narrowly.
    “She must be one of the Forsaken!” Mat cried from beside a log where he’d thrown himself.
    “Forsaken?” Cadsuane exclaimed.  “I’m the Dark One!”
    “Not for long,” Moiraine said, causually waving her hand in the air.  A Gateway split the air right in the middle of Cadsuane, chopping her in half.  Instead of blood, a dark, tar-like substance--stuck with beetles and dead flies--splurted out onto the ground.  
    “That was a tad easier than I thought it would be,” Thom noted.
    “Yes,” Moiraine said, settling herself beside the fire.  “But I’m certain it had Matt going for a moment or two.”
    “Me?” Mat asked.
    “No,” she said.  “The other Matt.  We should continue what we were doing.”
    Mat scratched his head, but shrugged and continued on his way.
    He went to scout the area where their gateway was supposed appear.  It had better.  They had no supplies, and Mat did not fancy flagging down a ship and riding the long way back to Caemlyn.

It's unlikely that any other fan had a scene written exclusively for them, even it was intended as a joke and obviously not included in the final book. 

Michael Kramer, one of the audiobook narrators for the series, made a recording of this scene that you can listen to here. 

Be sure to check out the video from The Dusty Wheel on YouTube, and subscribe to their channel. 

The 2020 Hugo Nomination period is now open. If you are a registered WorldCon member, you may be eligible to nominate notable written and dramatic works, as well as notable editors and other contributors in the field of science-fiction and fantasy. 

About the Hugos Awards

The Hugos are the premier awards for science fiction & fantasy literature. Each year, awards are given in multiple categories such as Best Novel, Best Short Story, Best Series, and more.

Written and dramatic works are awarded at the annual World Science Fiction Convention (“WorldCon”) by its members. Anybody can become a member whether you attend the convention or not. 

There are some notable benefits to becoming a WorldCon member, even if you don’t attend the actual convention.  Not only will you have the chance to nominate your favorite written and dramatic works from the past year, but with your membership, you’ll also receive most of (if not all) of the nominated works.  ie, You’ll get free books. (Good ones, too!)  (NOTE: The Hugo Voters packet is entirely dependent on the generosity of the finalists (and their publishers).  Some provide the entire work, others provide a sample, and some choose not to participate at all.  To give you an idea, here's a breakdown of what was provided in the 2019 packet. Thanks to ElleKayEm for this info.)

The Process

There are several notable milestones for participating in the Hugos:

1. Register by December 31, 2019 in order to nominate works. (Deadline past to nominate)
2. Submit nominations (now through March 31)
3. Nominees announced (early April)
4. Voting begins (register now to become a voting member)
5. Voting Ends
6. Winners announced at the 2020 WorldCon in Wellington, New Zealand. (July 29 - August 2)

It costs money to become a member, but remember that you will not only become of a proud tradition, but you’ll be able to nominate, vote, and participate in the 2020 and 2021’s awards, and you also receive all of the nominated books and stories in ebook format. That value alone pays for your membership. 

For Your Consideration

Here, for your consideration, are eligible works related to The Wheel of Time, Robert Jordan, Dragonmount.com, and some of our associates. You should only nominate works and individuals if you feel they are notable and worthy of a prestigious Hugo Award. if you're not familiar with our recommendations, links are provided to where you can acquire them or learn more. 

Best Series:  The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson

This is probably the last opportunity for The Wheel of Time to win a Hugo Award. The entire Best Series award was created in large part due to the impact of this series. Read more about how WoT is eligible this year.

Best Novel:  Warrior of the Altaii by Robert Jordan

Robert Jordan's "first and last" novel was published this past year and is eligible for awards. Read more about this book here.  It's available as an ebook through our online store, and also available on Amazon, Audible, Barnes & Noble, and your local independent bookseller. 

Best Related Work:  Dragonmount.com (website, online community)

For over 21 years, Dragonmount has provided news and community for WoT fans across the globe. This past year was one of our finest, where we dramatically increased our social media presence, increased our news coverage, crafted full book summaries and chapter recaps, brought on notable bloggers such as Adam Whitehead, launched a YouTube channel, and overall have helped prepared as many fans as possible for Amazon Prime's upcoming Wheel of Time TV show.

Best Fan Writer: Adam Whitehead

Adam Whitehead is a prolific fan writer and WoT TV show blogger.  His bi-weekly column here on Drgonmount, Adam's Wheel of Television, has quickly become a notable blog providing insight into Amazon Prime's Wheel of Time TV show. In addition, Adam has been covering the Science-Fiction & Fantasy genre for years through his websites The Wertzone, and the Atlas of Ice and Fire.

Best Fan Writer: Sylas K. Barrett

Sylas K. Barrett is a Tor.com blogger writing a blog series called "Reading the Wheel of Time" where he recaps each chapter in the series and gives his first-time-reader impressions of the series as it goes. 

Best Editor (Short Form): Shawn Speakman

Shawn is the mastermind behind multiple anthologies including Unfettered III, the collection of short stories that includes "A Fire Within the Ways", the latest (and perhaps last) written WoT content. You can get the anthology on Amazon (print or ebook), on audio as an Audible.com exclusive, Barnes & Noble (print and ebook), or The Book Depository (for international readers).

Best Novelette: "The Stone Golem of Qual'Jom" by Jason Denzel

Dragonmount founder Jason Denzel's story about a lonely stone creature that lives outside of time is available as part of the Unfettered III anthology. (Note: at 8,800 words long, this story is considered a novelette and not a short story). You can get the Unfettered III anthology on Amazon (print or ebook), on audio as an Audible.com exclusive, Barnes & Noble (print and ebook), or The Book Depository (for international readers).

Thank you for your consideration. Just a reminder: only nominate works or people if you think they are top-notch and worthy of a Hugo Award.  

Today, December 31, 2019, is an important deadline for the 2020 Hugo Awards. You can have a unique impact in being part of its tradition, and also potentially help The Wheel of Time and other worthy stories, earn a prestigious award. 

About the Hugos Awards

The Hugos are the premier awards for science fiction & fantasy literature. Each year, awards are given in multiple categories such as Best Novel, Best Short Story, Best Series, and more.

Written and dramatic works are awarded at the annual World Science Fiction Convention (“WorldCon”) by its members. Anybody can become a member whether you attend the convention or not. 

There are some notable benefits to becoming a WorldCon member, even if you don’t attend the actual convention.  Not only will you have the chance to nominate your favorite written and dramatic works from the past year, but with your membership you’ll also receive most of (if not all) of the nominated works.  ie, You’ll get free books. (Good ones, too!)

The Process

There are several notable milestones for participating in the Hugos:

1. Register by December 31, 2019 in order to nominate works. (TODAY)
2. Submit nominations. (Sometime in January 2020)
3. Nominees announced (Spring)
4. Voting begins (Spring)
5. Voting Ends
6. Winners announced at the 2020 WorldCon in Wellington, New Zealand. (Summer)

If you plan on nominating for the 2020 Hugo Awards, today is the last day to register for WorldCon and be eligible to vote.

Wheel of Time’s last chance

Despite its popularity and far-reaching impact on the fantasy genre, Robert Jordan and The Wheel of Time have never won a Hugo Award. 

In 2014 the entire WoT series was nominated for (but did not win) the “Best Novel” award. The "Best Series" category did not exist at the time. WoT’s nomination caused a controversial stir, as some people didn’t feel it was appropriate to consider the entire 15-book Wheel of Time series as one single work. This helped prompt the World Science Fiction Society, which awards the Hugos, to add a new category in 2017, the “Best Series” award. 

At the time, it didn’t mean much for The Wheel of Time, but it did enable several other long-running and popular series (including Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive) to be recognized with nominations and awards. 

And now The Wheel of Time will have one more chance to potentially earn a Hugo Award. 

Earlier this year, in 2019, Brandon Sanderson published “A Fire Within the Ways”, a short story that was included in the Unfettered III anthology from Grim Oaks Press. This written sequence contained a lng set of “deleted scenes” from A Memory of Light. With Harriet’s permission, the scenes were lightly edited and submitted for publication in the Unfettered III anthology, with proceeds going to support health care needs for writers in need.  According to the WSFS bylaws, any new installment to a written series, regardless of length, makes The Wheel of Time eligible for the Best Series award. Therefore, A Fire Within the Ways makes WoT eligible for the first--and likely only--time.

It’s unlikely that Harriet will ever authorize the publication of any further Wheel of Time stories. This could be our last opportunity to ensure that Robert Jordan’s work receives the recognition it’s due with one of the highest honors that can be bestowed upon a fantasy series. 

To nominate WoT, and any other work of eligible fiction from the past year, you need to become a member of the 2020 WorldCon to be held in Wellington, New Zealand this summer. While many of us will not be able to attend due to the distance and expense, but you can purchase a Supporting Membership. This gives you the right to participate in the Hugos, to nominated, vote, and receive convention publications. It also helps support WorldCon, which has a proud tradition of being one of the longest running fan conventions. 

It costs money to become a member, but remember that you will not only become of a proud tradition, but you’ll be able to nominate, vote, and participate in the 2020 and 2021’s awards, ad you also receive all of the nominated books and stories in ebook format. That value alone pays for your membership. 

What To Do Next 

If you want to be a part of this, here’s what you need to do:

1. Register to become a WorldCon Member by the end of today, December 31, 2019. This will allow you to nominate WoT and other eligible works. 
2. Tell a friend! (Send them to this article for info)
3. Submit your nominations when the submission windows open (sometime in January 2020). 
4. Vote!
5. Optional: fly to New Zealand and attend the convention. Meet lots of amazing people and writers.

What if I missed the December 31 deadline?

No problem! You can still register for a membership and vote for the nominated works. You just won’t be able to submit nominations. 

If you’re a fan of The Wheel of Time, you know how big of an impact the series has had on the genre and on people’s lives. By becoming a Hugo Member, you can help WoT receive a special place in history, and also become part of a long-running tradition and receive some great books in return. 

Dragonmount has some amazing members!  We'd like to honor those who have used The Wheel of Time as inspiration, or have contributed to the fandom, or who simply want to share their Wheel of Time story with others who love the series as much as they do. 

Today we are highlighting member @Lian Crescent who has worked tirelessly through the month of October to produce some amazing Wheel of Time artwork.  During the Inktober Challenge (a daily drawing prompt for each day in October) Lian referenced something from The Wheel of Time!

I had the opportunity to chat with Lian about his amazing artwork.

Day 10 - Pattern

1.  Tell us about your Wheel of Time journey.  When did you start reading the series?

My Wheel of Time journey started back in 2002 when the Lord of the Rings movies and fantasy was popular. My sister borrowed a book from her college classmate which was The Eye of The World. The cover of Lan and Moiraine caught my eye and I asked my sis what is it about. I then bought my own copy which was the version that was split into two parts, From the Two Rivers, that was published on that same year.

Day 16 - Wild

2.  Has Wheel of Time inspired other areas of your artwork?

The Japanese art for Wheel of Time has influence my work especially with the character designs. I also took inspiration from Disney and anime and mixed them with my WoT art. I would like to give credit to my dear friend, Mina U.(pettymotives online). Her Forsaken designs greatly inspired my work. Hope WoT fans would check her work as well!

Day 15 - Legend

3. After Inktober is over, do you plan on making more Wheel of Time fanart?

Definitely but I would have take a break since have a long queue of commissions that needs to be finish. haha     

Day 26 - Dark

Day 18 - Misfit

Day 23 - Ancient

Day 21 - Treasure

4. Some of your works have depth, like “Day 21: Treasure” with Elayne’s action pose or the symmetry used in “Day 23: Ancient.” Others are shown with humor; “Day 18: Misfits” fits this, as does “Day 26: Dark (One).” How do you decide on a tone for your current piece?

It's usually a challenge to find ideas for WoT characters to match the official prompts. I often go for a comedic tone as long as it fits which sadly ending up not using my initial sketches like on "Day 18: Misfits." My first drawing was the Two Rivers five staring in the distance in a serious look. I wasn't happy with it so I had to redo it with The Chosen in a wacky pose. So yeah, I have a couple of scrap Inktober sketches and some of them will never be finished or publicly seen.

Day 20 - Tread

5. So far, which piece has been your favorite?

My favorite so far is "Day 20: Tread" the one with Aviendha. I put a lot of effort and detail on it and happy on how it turn out. "Day 15: Legend" is a personal favorite cause I made it for someone.

6. Do you have any social media pages you’d like other Wheel of Time fans to know of?

Yes, I am active on Twitter @LianCrescent. I also have a tumblr of the same name where I post my old Wheel of Time fan art.

Thank you, Lian!  Your artwork is amazing and it was so fun to follow your progress throughout the whole month!

If you want to see Lian's other Inktober artwork, check out the DM Gallery here!

Wheel of Time podcasts have been popping up everywhere and one of my favorites is The White Tower: A Wheel of Time Podcast. The ladies of this podcast, Jenn Cobb and Jess Schutz, combine spoiler-free synopses of each chapter with real fan discussion and a large dose of humor.  This past week I had a chance to interview the ladies to learn more about them and their approach to The Wheel of Time and podcasting.

Quote

Ebony: Please introduce yourselves, how long you have been a fan of Wheel of Time, and your role in the world of the White Tower Podcast?

 Jenn: I’m Jenn Sedai of the Brown Ajah, I’ve been Raised to the Shawl for 10 years now, sniff, and I enjoy the current role of Keeper of the Chronicles for the White Tower Podcast (smoothes skirt).
Jess: I’m Jess Sedai, of All Ajahs and of None (but Green to the core). I was raised to the shawl about 15 years ago, and I’m your Amyrlin Seat on the White Tower Podcast (crosses arms under breasts).

 E: How long have you known each other?

 Jenn: Since the day that I found Jess online last year in 2018, sometime in the summer I believe? 
Jess: I looked it up (because of course I did). It was April 30, 2018, around 12:30 pm Central time. It was another full year before we actually met each other in person!

E: How did you two meet?

Jenn: Online. Jess had just finished A Memory of Light, and vented with the Wheel of Time hashtag on Twitter. I was not being a weirdo at work one day at all, and put in that hashtag in the search bar to see if there were any fellow fans out there that I could start a conversation with. Jess’s tweet about her anger at the series ending was the first thing that came up for me that day, by happenstance. Just saw her angry tweet and decided I’d go for it and respond with a, “Hey, I read Wheel of Time too, let’s talk about the ending!” And we just started a twitter comment chain. 
Jess: Like Jenn said, I had just finished the series and was feeling a lot of feelings and so I screamed into the void of Twitter for a processing partner and like a glorious vision out of the ether she appeared, saying, and I quote, “Girl what part you on let’s dish”. At some point during our first exchange she also said, “Tai Shar MANETHEREN BIIIIIIIIIITCCCCHHHHHH”. Needless to say, I was won over immediately.

E: How many times have you read the series?

Jenn: I’m on my 2nd re-read now, so not many. However, there are several parts I have read LOTS of times. 
Jess: I’ve read up to the middle of Book 9 twice (shut up Perrin). The rest I’ve only read once.

E: What made you decide to do a podcast?

Jenn: It was Jess’s idea, one of the many reasons why she’s Amyrlin. She had done a Philosophy podcast before, and a Lord of the Rings podcast before, so she was familiar with the recording and distribution across the internet. She had the setup and the resources ready to go. I had never even considered podcasting before she said, “Let’s do this,” and I was down. 
Jess: I really like podcasting, and there was a podcast shaped whole in my heart at the time. And I love screaming at Jenn about WoT and whatever other garbage on Twitter and one day I was like, “I bet we’d have a blast if we did a podcast. Hey Jenn, should we do a podcast?” And to my surprise she was immediately like, “F--- yeah, how do we do it, let’s go.” This was before I knew that she’s down for pretty much whatever, whenever. ?

E: Your podcast is unique in the fact that it is spoiler-free though you have already read the series, do you find it difficult to discuss the books during the podcasts without spoilers?

Jenn: IT’S THE MOST DIFFICULT THING. EVER. Every once in a while, like when the casting announcements for the show came out or we do a special monthly Patreon only episode that’s spoilers out, we allow ourselves the beauty of just venting with spoilers out commentary. But Jess has a pre-recorded message at the top of those few shows we do air that have spoilers, that way our listeners that are following along chapter by chapter and don’t know what’s ahead have a clear understanding that the current week’s episode is going to be SPOILERS OUT, and we also have a written warning on the podcast description that week. I have personally spoiled one (1) thing in a recent podcast, but I made a judgement call to reveal a character that we were introduced to. I stand by it.
Jess: It can be REALLY difficult to keep certain things under our hats, especially because we’re essentially sitting down every week with a really good friend to talk about something that we love and we just want to HOLLER. I’ve had to edit stuff out on numerous occasions because we got to wildin’. But ultimately, I feel like it’s worth it because we’ve gotten lots of feedback from first time readers that they appreciate having a show they can listen to without worrying about ruining what’s coming up next. It really demonstrates that we (admittedly inadvertently) filled a need in the WoT content community, and that helps to keep us focused

E: When recording new episodes do you have an idea of what you are going to say or does the conversation flow more organically?

Jenn: This is a yes/no response, very typical for us Aes Sedai. We have one (1) absolutely verbatim script from both of us in each episode, and that’s half of our weekly show. The other half of the show is open floor discussion of the chapters we have summarized with that script, and it’s 100% ad lib. Jess and I don’t even discuss a general outline, or how we feel about the chapters we are going to be discussing before we crack the mic. We just talk until we feel we should delve into our chapter discussion, then just open fire debate afterwards about what we just read out loud.
Jess: Like Jenn said, our process is very free-form. We know what chapters we’re going to discuss, and we write up our synopses ahead of time to read. I’ll occasionally have thoughts I want to go into on the show, but the only real “structure” comes in the form of our two segments: Next Time on the White Tower Podcast, where we do a couple Onion-esque headlines about the next two chapters, and Our Ride or Die Character of the Week, where we talk about the character we thought kicked the most ass. But beyond THAT, we just do whatever. Honestly, there’s where the best Humor Nuggets come from and if we’re known for anything, it should be our Woke Feminism and Humor Nuggets.

E: What sources, if any, do you use?

Jenn: I only use the book. 

Jess: I use the book, and I’ll bust out the WoT Companion or the Big White Book, or hit up Mister Google for reference during conversations while we’re recording. We’ll occasionally bring in points that other creators or readers have brought up that we think are interesting. If we remember to.

E: Do you re-read each chapter prior to the podcast?

Jenn: Yes. 
Jess: I don’t remember what I just wrote, let alone what I read however many years ago. So definitely.

E: How often do you record episodes?

Jenn: Not as often as our weekly Wednesday airing deadline would demand! (Nervous laughter.) Because life? But usually weekly on Sunday nights, the recording is where it’s at. If we are doing a Patreon episode that month we’ll find time sometime in the middle of the week. 
Jess: Sometimes we do really well sticking to our Sunday night record schedule! It’s important to me to make sure we’re reliably dropping at 8 am Central on WoT Wednesdays. That said, life happens so we get off schedule sometimes. And we’re still getting the hang of the Patreon exclusive content. We’ll get it eventually. Probably? (disorganized sweating intensifies)

E: Is there anyone in the fandom you like to interview?

Jenn: It’s funny cause when we started this thing, I stated on air that there are two things I wanted to do more than anything, and my long term goals were to 1. Host Daniel Greene, and 2. Panel at JordanCon. We’ve had the pleasure of hosting Daniel a few times, and we’ve paneled alongside him at JordanCon this past year. Hope to do more JordanCons in the future! Now though? We have a few ideas of who we’d like to nab, but I’m keeping them on the back burner for now. 
Jess: I’m honestly terrible at giving interviews (Jenn is the one who never runs out of questions to ask, she’s brilliant), but if we’re talking pie-in-the-sky stuff, I’d love to talk to Rafe and Kelly Valentine Hendry about casting stuff some day, or talk to the cast members, especially the Emond’s Field Five, about how they feel about being a part of the next Age of this story. I think they’re as excited as we are, and it would just be really fun to talk about it.

E: If you could have one character on your show to interview who would it be and what one question would you ask them?

Jenn: I’d have Graendal on the show and ask why such a powerful, talented, intelligent, and beautiful lady had to use Compulsion on everyone in order to get things done, why that had to be her M.O. for all those years. Like, you already had the tools to get people to do things for you. It couldn’t be that hard. Like, you had to go FULL COMPULSION on EVERYONE, even your SERVANTS? Didn’t that get boring after so long? Wouldn’t you like the thrill of the chase every once in a while? Don’t you like a challenge? Why did you become so lazy? It’s too repetitive. You can always RESORT to Compulsion as a backup plan. It’s like aiming a cannonball at a mosquito when you’re already armed to the teeth with all the killing material you’ll ever need. 
Jess: Ooof. That’s a tough one. Off the top of my head I’d like to ask Egwene why she married that walking trash can mess Gawyn. Girl, you don’t need a man. If you WANT one, you can get a better one. Lizzo wants more for you than this.

E: Are you excited about the Amazon Prime Series?
 

Jenn: THRILLED. And a little scared. But mainly THRILLED. 
Jess: I’m so excited I’m actually peeing my pants, like, right now. I can’t WAIT.

E: Once the series starts do you plan to follow it on your podcast or will you stick to the books?

Jenn: That’s something Jess and I have kicked around but don’t have a concrete answer to as of yet. We’re not sure yet. I know we WILL continue to do our chapter by chapter format, that ain’t changing, show or no show. We just don’t know how to incorporate the show too.
Jess: Yeah, we’ve got a couple ideas but the only thing we know for sure at this point is that the primary format of the show isn’t going to change. I think it’s safe to say that we’ll discuss it, though. Somehow. 

 

You can join Jenn and Jess on Wednesdays at 8 am central at The White Tower: A Wheel of Time Podcast.  You should also follow them on Twitter and if you like what you hear you can support them at Patreon.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the ConQuesT science-fiction and fantasy convention.  As stated earlier, our own Jennifer Liang and Jimmy Liang will be the con's Fan Guests of Honor!  The con is this weekend (May 24th-26th, 2019) in Kansas City, Missouri. 

The schedule for ConQuesT is now live!  If you're going to be attending, check out Jenn's and Jimmy's schedules!

For those who don't know about ConQuesT, here's what they say about themselves:

ConQuesT is an annual science fiction convention held in the Kansas City, Missouri area that is sponsored by the long-running (since 1971) Kansas City Science Fiction and Fantasy Society (KaCSFFS, pronounced kax-fuss). ConQuesT is the oldest such regional convention of its type in Missouri and in the surrounding central states region. It was first established under the name Mid-America Con in June 1972. After that, the next ten KaCSFFS-sponsored conventions were named BYOB-Cons (the final “B” in the name having additional and alternate science fictional meanings beyond the traditional “beer”.) In 1980 KaCSFFS adopted the permanent name ConQuesT for the convention.

 

The convention is held to celebrate science fiction, fantasy, and horror “in all its various forms”, but with a nod toward the literary side of these related genres. Each year the convention’s programming is built around a different theme and is held over the U. S. Memorial Day weekend at the end of May.

If you're in the area, it's a fantastic con to attend!