Brandon Sanderson
Stormlight Five has been very, very demanding. And every time that people asked if I had a new secret project, and I said "no," it was true; because I wasn't finished with this [Secret Project Five] yet. And I'm always noodling on lots of things. But I did find time; when I needed to take a break, I could have played a video game, and instead I finished Secret Project Five. It's a story I've wanted to tell for quite a long time.
How did I find the time? When my brain was dead on Stormlight and I just needed a break (otherwise I felt the quality would go down), I took a break, and I worked on something else.
The fact that there's only one this time is an indication of how busy I've been.
Brandon Sanderson
Horneater update. The main reason I didn't write Horneater during the time I had is the one that I've told you all before. I really think I'm gonna need to be back with the Stormlight Archive before I can get back to Stormlight Six, because I'm working on some other things in between. And I'm saving in reserve the Horneater novella, so I can write that when I need to get back in.
Wax and Wayne came out of me needing to be on Scadrial when I knew I wasn't going to be able to get to the next Era for a long time. I'm gonna have that same sense, I'm sure, with Roshar. So I'm saving the Horneater novella for that. The Secret Project [Five] is not a direct Stormlight book.
Heather
Stormlight Five cover?
Brandon Sanderson
Michael [Whelan] is working away on that. I have sketches, but only sketches right now. And Michael prefers that us not show his work before he has settled on a final; then he shows all of the things he did before, after he has a final. So, we let Michael (the greatest artist of science fiction and fantasy of our era), we let him do what he wants to do, and we let him take the lead. So we'll let him show them off once he has settled on a final.
Questioner
Is there an absolute limit to how big Syl can be?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes. Stormlight Five, that question is asked. So that's a Read and Find Out, because I actually have that in there.
Questioner
Narrator for [Secret Project Five]?
Brandon Sanderson
We haven't picked a narrator yet. I need to do some revisions on the book.
Questioner
How big is [Secret Project Five]?
Brandon Sanderson
It is the biggest of the secret projects. I'd have to pull it open, but it is longer than any of the others, but not by a significant amount. I think my final draft was 120,000, something like that.
Questioner
Is Hoid in the new Secret Project?
Brandon Sanderson
That's definitely a Read and Find Out!
I will tell you this: this is not a Hoid-narrated book. It is future era, in that it's probably (in fact, I think it is) the furthest to the future we've seen canonically. But not by much.
Questioner
Timeline for Dragonsteel Prime ebook and audiobook?
Adam Horne
Pretty soon. I'm not sure if it'll be during the campaign, but it will be as soon as we can. The audiobook will be a few months away, the ebook will be as soon as we can.
Brandon Sanderson
The Secret Projects went kind of bonkers in that a lot of people who had never read my books bought the Secret Projects, because I pointed out to them that they were good starting points. I don't think this Secret Project [Five] is a good starting point into the Cosmere, not like Tress or Yumi would be.
Argent
White Sand revision?
Brandon Sanderson
That is on my plate once I finish Stormlight Five. The plan is: finish Stormlight Five. Play some video games and take some time off. Then, start on the White Sand novelization. With an eye toward starting Era Three of Mistborn January of next year.
Questioner
Are we getting more Stonewards?
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah. You'll get at least one cool Stoneward has a bit part in Stormlight Five, and the back five will talk more about the Stonewards.
