Frequently Asked Questions on the Forum Boards

[Elle]

Welcome to the Hurog Frequently Asked Questions. We encourage you to check back as we'll be updating it periodically.

Book Related:

When is the next Mercy/A&O book coming out?
When will Bran/Sam/Stefan get their own book?
What happens next with this character/storyline?
In what order do I read the Mercy/A&O books?
Who do I tell if I found a typo/mistake in one of the books?
Why silver bullets? When ____ will work so much better?
CROSSOVER? Will we ever see Mercy and Anna in a book together?
Which books are paperback and which are hardcover?
Who is the artist for the book covers and why does Mercy look different on them then she is described in the books?
Is there a canon started for the books?
Are the Mercy books being turned into movies?
When will the most recent book be out in paperback?
How many Mercy Thompson and Alpha/Omega books are contracted?



Book Related:

When is the next Mercy/A&O book coming out?

Mercyverse Anthology | Title TBA | 2014
Mercy Thompson #8: Night Broken | 2014



When will Bran/Sam/Stefan get their own book?

Patty has commented that the chance of Bran getting his own book is very slim. He's a very mysterious character and she likes him like that. Sam, on the other hand, may get a book in the future, there's nothing concrete as yet but it is a possibility. As for Stefan, again, nothing concrete, but there may be a short story with his name on it someday. There is the possibility that Asil will get a short story as well. If any of these do develop you can be sure that it will posted here on the board or on the main site. Stay tuned!

What happens next with this character/storyline?

We'd all love to know what happens next with our favorite characters and storylines but those are spoilers and not something that you'll see Patty give away very often, if at all.

We encourage you to speculate with the other members here on forthcoming books and what the future holds for our favorite characters in the appropriate areas.

In what order do I read the Mercy/A&O books?

Mercy Thompson Book 1 | Moon Called Mercy Thompson Book 2 | Blood Bound Mercy Thompson Book 3 | Iron Kissed Mercy Thompson Book 4 | Bone Crossed Mercy Thompson Book 5 | Silver Borne Mercy Thompson Book 6 | River Marked Mercy Thompson Book 7 | Frost Burned Mercy Thompson Book 8 | Night Broken [Forthcoming 2014]

Alpha and Omega Book 1a | "Alpha and Omega" from On the Prowl Alpha and Omega Book 1b | Cry Wolf Alpha and Omega Book 2 | Hunting Ground Alpha and Omega Book 3 | Fair Game

We also recommend you look at the Mercy's World canon thread: A Novel Timeline. It helps explain how the different series and short stories relate to each other.

Who do I tell if I found a typo/mistake in one of the books?

Check our WeresFAQ here for typos and mistakes found by other members. Don't see the one you found there?

You can contact our WeresFAQ team:

Has
Midangel
ElefiNecol

Or post it directly in the WeresFAQ thread here.

Why silver bullets? When ____ will work so much better to kill werewolves?

A must read is Mike Briggs Silver Bullet Saga. His adventures in casting and firing silver bullets. You want to build a better moustrap werewolf killer? There are some great ideas and discussion to be found here.

CROSSOVER? Will we ever see Mercy and Anna in a book together?

Probably not. They're both protagonist type characters so bringing them in together wouldn't seem natural. In the words of Patricia Briggs:

"I think it would be difficult. I'm not saying no, okay; I'm saying, I'm saying...ow. More likely you'll see them meet or have some interaction in a short story, which is a lot more controllable, or maybe even just like a cafe scene that I put up on my website for fun; something that does not have a plot in it, it's just fun meeting characters."

Which books are paperback and which are hardcover?

Paperback
Moon Called
Blood Bound
Iron Kissed
Bone Crossed
Silver Borne
River Marked
Frost Burned [Forthcoming 2014]

Hardcover
Moon Called
Blood Bound
Iron Kissed
Bone Crossed
Silver Borne
River Marked
Frost Burned
Night Broken [Forthcoming 2014]

Paperback
On the Prowl
Cry Wolf
Hunting Ground

Hardcover
"Alpha and Omega" and Cry Wolf (together)
Fair Game

Who is the artist for the book covers and why does Mercy look different on them than she is described in the books?

Daniel Dos Santos is artist for the Mercy Thompson and Alpha & Omega book covers. In addition, he's done the artwork for the cover Homecoming graphic novel that's in hardcover. You can see more of his work at his website.

From Mike Briggs:

"It's true, the cover-girl Mercy is a semi-slutty little vixen with a serious tattoo fetish, while the one between the covers is much more girl-next-door.   We've gotten letters from people who love the covers, and letters from people who are embarrassed to read the books because of the bodice-ripper covers.  After much agonizing and endless discussion, here's what we've finally come up with.

A cover has to communicate a lot of information.  Urban fantasy usually features tough, tomboy female protagonists, so "tough, sexy, chick" does as much to brand these books as a cowboy hat and revolver does a western.   Ideally, cover art should also tie a series together.  When I see a Harry Dresden cover, I know Jim has a new book out, even before I read the title or the author.  Everything else is secondary to these two functions.

Daniel made Mercy sexy, with lots of tattoos.  Some people object, and that's understandable.  We also get letters from people who were blown away by the covers, who never would have bought the books with more conservative artwork.  Dan ALSO paints an amazing cover, with far more detail and better composition than the "average" cover artist.  They look rich, and lush, and vibrant.  That's worth a lot -- it communicates a sense of quality, of a job well-done to the reader.

In the end, we're happy to allow the cover artist some artistic license.  He's made Mercy sexy, but also beautiful, recognizable, and those covers sell books.  I picture Mercy as a lot less sexy.  But would a tired-looking woman in a dirty, grease-stained pair of coveralls make a good cover?   

BTW: One advantage of e-books is that no one can judge you by your book's cover!"

Is there a canon started for the books?

Yes. We have a world building section on the board that you can add details to and explore: Mercy's World and Hurog 'Verse.

Hurog 'Verse is the canon for the Hurog duology: Dragon Bones and Dragon Blood.

Mercy's World is the canon area for the Mercy Thompson series, the Alpha & Omega series, and the various related short stories.

Sianim is the canon area for the Sianim 'verse books: Masques, Wolfsbane, Steal the Dragon and When Demons Walk.

How did it start? One of our members - ksabers - was working on a 3D rendering of Mercy, and wanted to start sort of an ID card for her, to get some physical details, and it blossomed from there.

Who uses it? Patty has been known to pop into the area to grab some details, and it's just a useful area to have, a one stop shop to find out everything you can about a character or concept that you've read in the books. The official compendium and gazetteer.

Each world building area has two sections: the worksheet area and the canon area.

The Worksheet area is where you can help add facts to the canon area. Anyone can lend a hand if they like. We only take details from the US first publications, so if you have the Bone Crossed paperback, we need the page references from the hardcover.

When you post in the worksheet the mods need certain details. Post your fact, the book, and the page number:

For example. From Silver Borne: Mary Jo is an EMT (SB-174)

The moderators will take that and add it to the second section. The Canon area. This section is a read-only archive, so regular members are unable to post here. It was done this way to keep the facts front and centre, and not have them be lost upthread as more details were added.

You can also contact the Canon moderators directly:

Elle
ElefiNecol

Are the Mercy books being turned into movies?

Nothing new on this but we'll keep you updated if that changes.

When will the most recent book be out in paperback?

US editions of hardcover books are usually out between six and nine months after the hardcover release goes off the best seller list, if it made that status, otherwise, it's six months from original publication date.  UK edition paperbacks are often out approximately the same date as the US hardcovers.

How many Mercy Thompson and Alpha/Omega books are contracted?

Patty is contracted, at present, for seven Mercy Thompson books. Alpha & Omega has a three book contract.

Update 03.09.11: We have this statement from Anne Sowards, Patty's editor:

I can confirm that the new deal is for two Mercy Thompson novels and one book set in Mercy Thompson’s world. The Mercyverse book might be Charles & Anna, might be Sam, might be somebody else. I don’t think Patty has decided yet!

So as it stands right now. The A&O contract is done after Fair Game is released. We'll see 2 more Mercy Thompson novels after the 2013 release for a total of 9 Mercy Thompson novels and we'll see one more Mercyverse novel with undetermined characters at this point.

[Elle]

Board Related:

How do I post a message?
What is a PM?
What are spoiler tags?
If I don't log in why is some of the board hidden?
Why can't I post my poll (in section X)?
Why can't I post on the question/comment for Patty?
How do I find (authors, topics, etc.)?
Can we post fan fiction on the board?
Why is there no role playing on the board?
Why do some people have wrenches by their name and others have wolf paws?
What's the difference between "For Patty" and "Ask Patty"?
Why can't I find my post about ____?
Why has someone else edited my post?
Is there more of the board I can't see, since I couldn't see half of it until I registered?
What do I do if I find spam or bad language on the board?
Can I link my website or blog to Hurog?
I had an account before, but it's gone!  What's that?
Why am I seeing some posts by guests? I couldn't post when I was a guest!
What is BUMP?
I went to post in a thread and got this message: The following error or errors occurred while posting this message: Warning: this topic has not been posted in for at least 120 days. Unless you're sure you want to reply, please consider starting a new topic. Should I start a new topic?
I want to put up a banner too!
But what does it mean when a topic or thread is pinned or locked?
I tried to change my sig file but I got an avatar error message and couldn't make any changes. What's happened?


Board Related:

How do I post a message?

If you're new to using a forum it can sometimes be confusing. Read up on the posting procedures here.

What is a PM?

A PM is a Personal Message/Private Message. The Hurog forum is equipped with a personal messaging system that allows members to correspond privately and directly with other members.

How do you send a PM? You can read up on it here in the forum help section.

What are spoiler tags?

AKA The Black Bars of Doom, the spoiler tags are used here on the board to hide information that would spoil a book or a movie from other members who may not have had the opportunity to read or see it yet.

Code: [Select]

[spoiler]Place the spoilers here.[/spoiler]
To view the spoiler place the cursor on the black bar. All will be revealed.

If I don't log in why is some of the board hidden?

The purpose of this board is to promote Patty Briggs' books and let readers discuss or find out about them. The other sections are less essential to that purpose, a gift from Patty to her more active readers.  Since they include some personal information from time to time, they are kept behind an extra layer of privacy provided by requiring that one be a member and log in as such to read them.

Why can't I post my poll (in section X)?

Certain portions of the board are easier for everyone to deal with if polls aren't possible in them.  The Canon section in particular would not benefit from polls placed there, they (polls) rightly belong in the speculation threads if they are about the books.  "For Patty" and "Ask Patty", with or without answers, does not need polls.

Why can't I post on the question/comment for Patty?

To keep them easy for Patty to see and deal with; rather than drowning the original question or comment in speculation or only distantly related material, the moderators of the area will lock them either if someone brings in an answer (usually with a citation of where Patty said it) or Patty herself answers it.  After that, it is moved to the area for "Responded", and remains locked, having been dealt with.  You may comment in the Series or Book comments for the subject, either in an already existing thread, or by starting your own thread.  If your thread duplicates an existing one, it will be merged with the older thread.

How do I find (authors, topics, etc.)?

Go here for a description of the board layout.

Can we post fan fiction on the board?

No.  Please see the basic rules post by Mike Briggs.  Basically, "No fanfic. Sorry, but no fanfic on this site: no  posts, no emails or PMs of it to Patty or Mike; they will not read it.  There will not be sharing of this universe with other writers, particularly with fan writers. If in doubt, don't post it. This also includes ANY fanfic, of any author, not just Patricia Briggs.

Why is there no role playing on the board?

Because all the moderators will leave if we allow it.
Seriously.  No.  It causes way too many headaches.

Why do some people have wrenches by their name and others have wolf paws?*This feature may be offline due to tweaks to the software.

The board has two main levels: Mercy's garage and werewolf packs. The amount of posts you have determines where you sit and also affects the header name you have.

Wrenches
0      Tool Wrangler                 
20    Grease Monkey           
60    Tinker                       
100   Mechanic                        
500   Auto-Zauberer               

Wolf Paws
1000  Pack Member           
2000  Senior Pack Member    
3000  Big Bad Wolf               
4000  Lobo Loco                   
5000  Alpha Wolf, Grrrr!

Crown              
10000 Hostess of Hurog           

The last header "Hostess of Hurog" is a special level created for Patti L. one of the board administrators, her post number jumps over 10K and is knocked down sporadically when we do board maintenance. It's a special gift to her as she continually strives to keep the vortex fluffy.

Occasionally, you'll see member names with the header of "Guest"; these are accounts that have been deleted.    

What's the difference between "For Patty" and "Ask Patty"?

The "For Patty" section is for comments for Patricia Briggs about any of her books and her writing. The "Ask Patty" sections are in each of the specific book/series sections and are there for specific book related questions. These will be addressed by Patty when she has time (or Mike), but you will also see others in the admin and moderating team answer them if they are a FAQ.

Why can't I find my post about ______?

If it was repetitious; one of the frequently asked questions like "will Mercy and Anna ever meet"? it may have been either deleted or merged into an existing topic on the subject. Try checking your profile for "most recent posts" to determine if it still exists, and if so, what area it has been moved to. If it was determined to not meet board standards, it was most likely deleted by a moderator (in which case you may have a PM about it in your box). If it was in one of the game or social threads, it may have been part of a complete thread removal or a pruning of material deemed to be off topic.  You may notice a drop in your post counts, this is not a result of any board crash, but is related to maintaining a good forum health. The moderators periodically delete old threads to free up some room in the Hurog database.  We know it's kind of shocking to come in and find yourself down a level or even two, and we really appreciate everyone's patience and good humour in the face of it.

It boils down to us all wanting a stable board to come in and enjoy, and although painful, is a step towards reaching that goal. Thanks again to everyone for being so understanding.


Why has someone else edited my post?

If you used language beyond a PG-13 rating, if you revealed "spoiler" information, if you were "hitting" or "flaming", if you posted in more than a very vague way about any of the "forbidden subjects" like politics or religion, a moderator may go in and replace a few key letters with ***, or use the spoiler tags, or delete a picture.
Because of the nature of laws regarding editing versus simple removal, some posts may be copy/pasted into PMs back to the poster, with explanation of what the issue is, and the original deleted from the public board.  The member will then have the option to edit for themselves and re-post.  If the issue remains, the post will be removed again, without a PM.


Is there more of the board I can't see, since I couldn't see half of it until I registered?

Yes, there is.  If you are under a certain minimum post count, or if you have not asked for, and been granted, permission to get into a certain area, you won't be able to see it. 
To make things more fair for real fans, as opposed to those who simply register, enter contests, and then sell the prizes, the contest and giveaway area requires a minimum post number. 
The writing section has levels; the rules are available to all registered members, the discussion area where all (minimum post count) members may enter & vote on our quarterly member writing challenges is next down, and after that, as per those rules, only those with the required number & type of posts - and permission - will have their requests for membership considered.

What do I do if I find spam or bad language on the board?

Report it at once!  Please!!  There is a line of differently colored text, a link, on the lower right of every post saying "Report to moderator"  click on that.*  Alternatively, click on the name of a moderator for the area, and send them a PM.  If you can copy the link to the exact thread, and note the post number, that will make your report much more effective if you can't use the built in "report" function.
*We have just discovered that the "report to moderator" option is currently not working, a casualty of the switch to the newer software.  For now, please if you find spam or other inappropriate posts, PM them to the moderators for the area, and if it's a spammer, to Patti & Elle.  We'll update when Mr. Mike gets a fix up on it, after the remodel is done & they've moved back into their house.

Can I link my website or blog to Hurog?

If it is a facebook page, DeviantArt, or a similar social site, you may have it in your signature line.  Sale sites are forbidden without express permission from the administration.  To attain this, contact Mike Briggs, Elle, or Patti L.  If you attempt to link in sale sites without this, your account will be deleted as belonging to a spammer.

Mike Briggs
Elle
Patti L.

I had an account before, but it's gone!  What's that?

We are periodically purging member accounts over a certain age with no or very few posts.  If you have not logged in for more than half a year, -- well.  It cuts the amount of storage we need and lets Hurog run more efficiently.

Why am I seeing some posts by guests? I couldn't post when I was a guest!

These are people whose memberships have been deleted for one reason or another. A few people have sadly had to be removed for issues in respecting board standards. Others have had trouble tracking their log in information, and chose to open new accounts rather than fight the software. Others have left for reasons of their own. When the accounts are deleted, their membership status shifts to "Guest", although their posts remain visible.


What is BUMP?

We post that sometimes to bring a thread to the top of the list so people can read it and decide if they're interested in posting in it, or if it should be cut for lack of interest.

I went to post in a thread and got this message: The following error or errors occurred while posting this message: "Warning: this topic has not been posted in for at least 120 days. Unless you're sure you want to reply, please consider starting a new topic." Should I start a new topic?

No. There's no need to start a new topic; just go ahead and post in the thread. The board has a few stalled threads that haven't been posted in for a bit but their subjects are still interesting, and reviving these threads when you have a point to add may bring them back to life. Discussion is always a good idea.

I want to put up a banner too!

This is a great idea, we have however set some basic rules on this, to be found here.  Very fast, you may only have one animation in either your signature or your avatar, not both at once, and sig size is a maximum of 200 x 600 pixels.

But what does it mean when a topic or thread is pinned or locked?

Threads get pinned by Moderators, and it simply means that the thread will always stay on top and not - like regular threads - get slowly pushed down every time somebody posts in a thread below it or starts a new one.
This is used to keep important announcements like forum guidelines and how to use spoiler tags visible.

Locking has different purposes such as:
-keeping "Ask Patty" questions clean
-an issue that has run its course
-the "Dreamcast" thread with links to visuals of suggested cast members doesn't get cluttered.
-contests that have finished.
-archives, including "Mercy's world" or "Hurog duology" canon; only the moderators for the areas in question post in them, unlike "Wikipedia" entries
-areas that are being reorganized may be locked as well.
-archives in the "Patti's Place" area, containing information about in jokes, general topics of interest that have been discussed, the archived cooking thread, and some book related images.
and, finally, a thread that has reached a length of 60 pages will be locked by a moderator.  Depending on which area it is in, it will usually be archived for 2 to 4 weeks, and then deleted.  Game threads will usually only be kept up to three days.

So a locked thread is just that; read, no talk on thread.  You may do PM discussions, or if there is some reason the topic needs to be revived, check at the top of the page for who's moderator on it & PM to them with your reason you think that needs to be done; it can be unlocked or a new version opened.

I tried to change my sig file but I got an avatar error message and couldn't make any changes. What's happened?

This is usually an indication of a large original image avatar. The board software will only accept 65X65 pixel size now. If you had your oversized avatar prior to the recent software upgrade the image may have been grandfathered over but until you re-size you won't be able to make changes to your profile. If you need help to change your avatar or have questions about it, just contact one of the board moderators.

[Elle]

Publishing & Patty Related:

I have a great idea/character for your novels can I e-mail my ideas to you?
I wrote a story, will you have a look at it?
Will you ever visit my town/city/country for a book signing?
Why haven't you answered my e-mail?
I have a lot of questions about becoming a writer, can you answer them?
I have a great idea to collaborate with Patty, where do we start?
Does Patty have a Facebook or Twitter account?


Publishing & Patty Related:

I have a great idea/character for your novels can I e-mail my ideas to you?

No.  See the above about fanfic.  Or refer once more to the rules.
Bluntly, Do NOT PM or email any of your story ideas or collaboration suggestions to Patty or Mike.  Original or based on Patty's work.  There are legal tangles involved here.  More simply; if Patty is dealing with this, she can't write the new books we're lusting after.

I wrote a story, will you have a look at it?

Lather, rinse, repeat.  See the rules.
Do NOT PM or email any of your story ideas or collaboration suggestions to Patty or Mike.  Original or based on Patty's work.  There are legal tangles involved here.  More simply; if Patty is dealing with this, she can't write the new books we're lusting after.

Will you ever visit my town/city/country for a book signing?

Please see Book Signings and Appearances to determine the known signing schedule.  It is updated sporadically. 

From Mike Briggs:

"Hmmm.  Just a thought:  if you have any other "local" sf conventions you might suggest they invite Patty over as a writing guest.  Flying across the country for a one-hour signing doesn't make much sense, but coming over for a weekend-long convention works pretty well."

Why haven't you answered my e-mail?

From Patricia Briggs:

"I'm struggling a little with balancing my various time commitments. Quite to my surprise, I've become a very busy woman. I love to hear from people, but over the last year or so I've finally had to quit answering all of my email. I try to answer as many as time permits, but please don't be offended if you write me and don't hear back. This is something I've really struggled with, and I'm very sorry."

I have a lot of questions about becoming a writer, can you answer them?

From Patty Briggs:

"I get a large number of inquiries from people who are interested in becoming writers. Many of them are looking for an insider to show them the secret handshake that will magically open the door to their dreams. I'm not sure, really, how to go about helping. I've both given and attended workshops, talked with a few editors, and participated in quite a number of panel discussions and I've yet to find any technique that guarantees success.

While I have had the good fortune to be able to make a living writing, that does not make me an expert in the field. There are other authors, like Holly Lisle and Dean Wesley Smith who have far more experience and insight into publishing than I do, and who have gone to considerable time and effort to try to help aspiring authors. I would strongly urge anyone with serious aspirations to seek advice there.

What I hope to do here is to present a few short articles, mostly written by Mike or by forum members, in the hopes of either provoking some good thoughts or, at the very least, steering you away from the more dangerous pitfalls. Some of what you'll see here was pulled from a FAQ I never actually found time to maintain, some of it was from earlier posts, and some from other sources (with permission, of course)."

About writing.

I have a great idea to collaborate with Patty, where do we start?

Patty has not done any collaborations save the graphic novels, and doesn't have any known plans for any at this time.  You may, if you have a clear proposal, contact her agent, Linn Prentis.  This board is not the place to start that.
Do NOT PM or email any of your story ideas or collaboration suggestions to Patty or Mike.  Original or based on Patty's work.  There are legal tangles involved here.  More simply; if Patty is dealing with this, she can't write the new books we're lusting after.

Does Patty have a Facebook or Twitter account?

You can find and like Patty's Facebook page here: Official Patricia Briggs This isn't a personal page but like the Twitter account run by the forum moderators to provide information with Patty, Mike and Ann Peters occasionally posting and answering questions.

There is also an official Twitter account. This is a news feed account updated primarily by the forum moderators to give up to the date information via Twitter. Patty and Mike both have access and have posted on the account. The mods try to make sure to post [Mod] after their posts to differentiate from the Briggs' posts. You can find the Twitter account here:

http://twitter.com/Mercys_Garage

and contact us @Mercys_Garage