Lockwood Live Chat Summary Questions

[2:05pm] DEPRAC:

Can a source for a ghost be another person, or possibly animal? For instance if they cherished another living creature enough that their souls become attached to them instead of their own remains? If so, what would the agencies be forced to do then? [2:08pm] George_Cubbins: What time period is Lockwood set in? [2:11pm] Lucy_n_Carlyle: Is Greek Fire a reference to anything? 2:14pm] ghostjar: Are all the books gonna be from lucy's POV? [2:17pm] Lucy_n_Carlyle: Why does DEPRAC not make the firms have mandatory liability insurance? [2:18pm] George_Cubbins: Can you comment on the prevailing opinion here that George and Lucy are obviously going to become a couple? <_< [2:20pm] AnnabelWard: Have any other countries suffered from The Problem? Or are they all in the UK? [2:22pm] Nala: Could Lockwood be keeping his parents in the secret room as type 3s? [2:23pm] DEPRAC: Hey, what's the state of halloween now that ghosts are real [2:25pm] Marissa_Fittes: Quite a few ghosts in the story would have died back before the Problem started. Were there any smaller, isolated incidents back before about 50 years ago, or were they all 'dormant'? [2:26pm] Rotwell: One more question on insurance, if it exists, would there be an issue with fraud? [2:28pm] Lucy_n_Carlyle: Is there any significance in the fact that Lucy is a seventh daughter? [2:29pm] DEPRAC: Are there animals that have appeared as ghosts? [2:29pm] Nala: Did you purposely describe lucy as a slightly less skinny girl, for the sake of slightly unhappy teenage girls everywhere? [2:30pm] AnnabelWard: What/where is the inspiration behind Combe Carey Hall? [2:32pm] ghostjar: Is it gonna be a trilogy? [2:32pm] Lockwood: So if the Problem is worldwide, do the Americans hunt ghosts with rock salt shotguns? [2:34pm] ghostjar: will there a sequel about rotwell and fittes? [2:34pm] AnnabelWard: Have you ever read the Inkheart trilogy by Cornelia Funke? [2:35pm] ghostjar: Were lw's parents some kind of merchants? [2:37pm] George_Cubbins: How long have they had that ghost jar, and how have they managed not to open its speaking valves until now [2:39pm] Lucy_n_Carlyle: Mr. Stroud, I live in Canada and I have a quibble with our version. It's too American. [2:40pm] Nala: I've been scared of ghosts every time I've been having tea and biscuits lately. How do you feel about ruining this otherwise cozy experience for me by association? [2:40pm] DEPRAC: Will our Dynamic Trio stop tempting fate quite so often in the future? [2:42pm] Lockwood: Technical question about the mechanics of the iron chain circles - at one point, a ghost enters a circle from above, but most don't seem to be able to do this. what's the deal? how far upwards does the circle's protection rise? ghosts are shown getting right up to the boundary, they just can't cross. [2:45pm] Nala: Serious question: in 2 years, bartiforums will be turning 10 years old. Would you be interested in attending a bartimaeus/lockwood meetup, if a) we manage to make one, and b) you are given enough advanced notice? [2:47pm] Marissa_Fittes: Do the characters know why iron and silver etc. work against ghosts, or did people find out from trial and error? [2:49pm] DEPRAC: So does george also have dead parents [2:54pm] DEPRAC: Those beautiful new covers for the bart books in China.It says the artists name is Shel, but I cant seem to find them. [2:56pm] Lockwood: oh, I had a question about the staircase - how come people know about it? it's been

pretty fatal from what we've seen of it. did it used to be survivable pre-Problem? [2:56pm] George_Cubbins: I have a question: who inspired the name Lucy? [including discussion on Georges name, characters personalities and staircase wit] [2:59pm] Nala: We've been comparing Lockwood to Sherlock Holmes. Is any resemblance there intentional? [3:00pm] Nala: Do you think people from the lockwood universe could cross over to where ghosts come from? is it like a gate that has been opened? [3:04pm] Luciene: Jon, do you read the books to your kids as you write it? Or do you wait until its sent to the editor? [3:10pm] Luciene: Jon, are there any intentional parallels to child slavery or child soldiers? [Due to technical difficulties this question will be answered during the next chat]

Answers
[2:05pm] DEPRAC: Can a source for a ghost be another person, or possibly animal? For instance if they cherished another living creature enough that their souls become attached to them instead of their own remains? If so, what would the agencies be forced to do then? [2:07pm] Jonathan____: Hmm. That's interesting. I think that's a brilliant idea. So if a bloke loved his pet labrador, could his ghost become attached to the dog's bones (so to speak)...? Yes, I reckon that IS possible. And highly intriguing. [2:07pm] Jonathan____: That's got 'book three conundrum' written all over it. [[2:08pm] Jonathan____: As for what the agencies would do, or how they'd figure it out, I don't yet know... [2:08pm] George_Cubbins: What time period is Lockwood set in? [2:09pm] Jonathan____: It's set in a roughly contemporary alternative

world where the Problem of ghosts has been running riot for 50 years or so. This means that technology has fallen somewhat behind the standards we enjoy. [2:09pm] Jonathan____: But you can still buy trainers and other modern things. Just not mobiles etc. [2:09pm] Jonathan____: It's the same kind of idea as in Bart - modern, but with a twist. [2:09pm] George_Cubbins: and no internet? [2:10pm] Jonathan____: No internet for sure. But people have psychic connections, which I guess is similarly stimulating. [2:10pm] Lockwood: is the technology lag because industry's focused on dealing with the ghost issue? or (someone suggested this earlier) because all the kids are up all night chasing ghosts rather than studying? [2:11pm] Jonathan____: It's partly because of the basic disruption to industry and society in general - people are less focused on inventing etc, because they're so obsessed with ghosts/the afterlife etc.
[2:11pm] Lucy_n_Carlyle: Is Greek Fire a reference to anything? [[2:12pm] Jonathan____: Greek Fire was an odd and slightly mysterious

historical substance used by the Byzantine empire to fight off their enemies - I just thought I'd use the term for a slightly mysterious fiery substance used for fighting ghosts. [2:13pm] Jonathan____: Mind you, having used it, I now find I call it 'magnesium flares', which is slightly less obscure.
[2:14pm] ghostjar: are all the books gonna be from lucy's POV? [2:14pm] Jonathan____: I've been toying with the options here. At the

moment I'm sticking with Lucy's POV, but I'm going to focus in on George more in Book Two, with Lockwood hoving into focus a bit more too. I admit I was torn on the POV thing. [2:15pm] Jonathan____: You'd have certain advantages seeing things from eg George's POV, but there'd be drawbacks too...

[2:15pm] George_Cubbins: "I snarked at Lucy for a while" [2:15pm] ghostjar: and did yoga [2:15pm] ghostjar: naked [2:15pm] Lucy_n_Carlyle: with the ghostjar [2:16pm] Jonathan____: George's propensity to get naked with [2:17pm] Jonathan____: Lockwood's POV is tempting, and I've

the ghost-jar is one of his more exciting features. experimented with it a bit, but it would radically shift the focus, ie. all his secrets/past mysteries etc would automatically become front of store stuff, and I'd like to drip feed them in. [2:17pm] Lucy_n_Carlyle: It's a different style from Bartimaeus Trilogy, I like it the way it is tbh [2:18pm] Jonathan____: True - I'd wondered if I might bring it in eventually. I was also keen to avoid first person stuff with Lockwood in case it became too Bart-like.
[2:17pm] Lucy_n_Carlyle: Why does DEPRAC not make the firms have mandatory liability insurance? [2:18pm] Jonathan____: Oooh, an insurance question! Hmmm. You mean if your employees get ghost-touched,

you

pay out? [2:19pm] Lucy_n_Carlyle: Like insurance for when your firm kills someone [2:18pm] Lockwood: Or if you burn someone's house down. [2:19pm] Lockwood: Hypothetically. [2:19pm] Jonathan____: Oh, I see... yeah, they probably should do something like that. [2:20pm] Jonathan____: I quite like exploring the social implications of a ghost epidemic. Maybe insurance will come into it at some point...
[2:18pm] George_Cubbins:

Can you comment on the prevailing opinion here that George and Lucy are obviously going to become a couple? <_< [2:20pm] Jonathan____: Now, George and Lucy? Hmm... I couldn't possibly comment.

[2:20pm] AnnabelWard: Have any other countries suffered from The Problem? [2:20pm] DEPRAC: like, how big of a world phenomenon are we talking about here [2:21pm] Jonathan____: I think the Problem is mainly UK focused, but I'm not sure

Or are they all in the UK?

about abroad yet... It may be spreading slowly, like the plague. Northern France may be in trouble. [2:22pm] Jonathan____: It's a bit like with Bart: I only figured out the wider world situation when I was writing Ptolemy's Gate, and that was only because the film guys asked me about ti. [2:21pm] Lockwood: hang on though, if the Problem has delayed the arrival of technology, but it's only really affecting the UK, how does that work? [2:22pm] Jonathan____: Ooh, Lockwood... that's a decent point. Okay, maybe it's going to have to be worldwide. You can see that my conceptualising is a work in progress...
[2:22pm] Nala:

Hi! Happy to be here, sorry I'm late to the party. I love Lockwood&Co =D I have a question: Could Lockwood be keeping his parents in the secret room as type 3s? [2:24pm] Jonathan____: Hello Nala. It's a good question. Another one I officially CANNOT COMMENT ON.
[2:23pm] DEPRAC: Hey, what's the state of halloween now that ghosts are real [2:23pm] DEPRAC: is trick or treating like a death sport now [2:24pm] Jonathan____: Hello DEPRAC: Halloween is something that no one in their

right mind would care to

celebrate. [2:25pm] Jonathan____: Any trick or treating is likely to get you skewered with a rapier.

[2:25pm] Marissa_Fittes:

Quite a few ghosts in the story would have died back before the Problem started. Were there any smaller, isolated incidents back before about 50 years ago, or were they all 'dormant'? [2:26pm] Jonathan____: Hello Marissa: yes, there have always been isolated ghost incidents, thru history: it's just been in the last couple of generations that things have started getting a bit more troublesome and widespread.
[2:26pm] Rotwell: One more question on insurance, if it exists, would there be an issue with fraud [2:26pm] Rotwell: An aging child who commits 'ghost touch fraud' and collects a check [2:26pm] Jonathan____: When you say 'ghost touch fraud' how do you mean? How can this be faked? [2:27pm] Jonathan____: You sort of swell up and turn blue. [2:28pm] Jonathan____: It's a good point and another great idea that you have given me... there must be

lots of fraudulence attached to the whole ghost industry: weird charms and things that just don't work. A bit like all the dodgy magical paraphernalia the magicians used to sell in the Bart stories.
[2:28pm] Lucy_n_Carlyle: Is there any significance in the fact that Lucy is a seventh [2:29pm] Jonathan____: Seventh daughter... hmm, I didn't consciously fix that... must be

daughter? of definite subliminal

significance.
[2:29pm] DEPRAC: Are there animals that have appeared as ghosts? [2:29pm] DEPRAC: Or is it just humans? [2:29pm] Jonathan____: DEPRAC: I think just humans, though they have

appeared as animal ghosts, if you see

what I mean. [2:29pm] Jonathan____: I think sentience is crucial.

[2:29pm] Nala:

Did you purposely describe lucy as a slightly less skinny girl, for the sake of slightly unhappy teenage girls everywhere? [2:31pm] Jonathan____: Nala: well, I'm conscious that there's a tendency for most heroes and heroines to be a certain shape, and I didn't want Lucy to be too petite, just as George isn't an ideal shape either. [2:31pm] Jonathan____: 'ideal' should have had inverted commas there. [2:31pm] Lucy_n_Carlyle: I like that George seems comfortable with who he is [2:33pm] Jonathan____: I like it that George is comfy with himself too. [2:31pm] Rotwell: is that a subtle hint for a budding romance? <.< [2:32pm] Jonathan____: Rotwell: you have sophisticated antennae. AnnabelWard: What/where is the inspiration behind Combe Carey Hall? The name rings a bell but I just can't find it. I could have imagined it... [2:32pm] Jonathan____: Annabel: Combe Carey was made up, but it's got an echo of Evelyn Waugh's pad, which was Combe Florey. [2:31pm] AnnabelWard: Oh and I found The Girl in the Tower the other week! A nice idea but I'd love to have seen where it could have gone with a bit more room... [2:33pm] Jonathan____: Annabel: the girl in the tower is a very ancient piece - I'm amazed you found it! An experiment, really.
[2:30pm] [2:32pm] ghostjar: is it gonna be a trilogy? [2:34pm] Jonathan____: Ghostjar: I think there

may be at least 4 books.

[2:32pm] Lockwood: so if the Problem is worldwide, do the Americans hunt ghosts with rock salt shotguns? [2:34pm] Jonathan____: Lockwood: I think (off the top of my head) each country would have their own approach.

Note all the ethnic ghost-hunting apparatus on LW's walls.

[2:34pm] ghostjar: will there a kinda sequel? [2:34pm] ghostjar: like, about rotwell and fittes? [2:35pm] Jonathan____: A sequel following the characters

in R and Fittes? I don't think so, but they will have larger

parts to play in LW's story as time goes on. AnnabelWard: Someone updated your website so I double-checked the list of "Other Works" :o) Speaking of which, have you ever read the Inkheart trilogy by Cornelia Funke? 2:37pm] Jonathan____: Annabel: No.
[2:34pm] [2:35pm] ghostjar: were lw's parents some kind of merchants? [2:36pm] Jonathan____: Lockwood's parents were researchers, who

went off to parts foreign and brought back all

sorts of interesting bits and pieces, as will be eventually seen.

[2:37pm] George_Cubbins:

How long have they had that ghost jar, and how have they managed not to open its speaking valves until now [2:38pm] Jonathan____: ALL WILL BE REVEALLED. [2:39pm] Jonathan____: George: you stole that ghost-jar, George, I'm surprised you don't remember. There'll be more on this in book 2: The Whispering Skull, which I'm scribbling now. [2:39pm] George_Cubbins: Well, I've been too busy getting naked with the bloody thing.
[2:39pm] Lucy_n_Carlyle:

Mr. Stroud, I live in Canada and I have a quibble with our version. It's very American. The temperature is in Fahrenheit, donut is spelled wrong... [2:40pm] Jonathan____: Lucy: it's the same with the Bart books: you guys have the US version. You also have 'cookie' instead of 'biscuit' in your version. [2:40pm] Lucy_n_Carlyle: But the temperature is a much bigger deal, [2:40pm] Lucy_n_Carlyle: because we use Celsius [2:39pm] Lucy_n_Carlyle: Also, I think the language is slightly sanitized [2:41pm] Jonathan____: Lucy: I'm sad to say that a very very inoffensive word that was in the first para on page 1 was removed from BOTH US and UK editions. [2:41pm] Jonathan____: the phrase in question was 'cocked up'
[2:40pm] Nala:

I've been scared of ghosts every time I've been having tea and biscuits lately. How do you feel about ruining this otherwise cozy experience for me by association? [2:42pm] Jonathan____: Nala: I'm sorry about ruining tea and biccies for you. This will weigh on my conscience. What do you take as an alternative?
[2:40pm] DEPRAC: [2:41pm] DEPRAC: [2:42pm] DEPRAC:

Will our Dynamic Trio stop tempting fate quite so often in the future? okay, stroud, im going to just pull up an example here, hold on ""At least Annabel Wards dealt with," I said. "Thats a little consolation." He grunted. Yeah. You did that bit right, at least." [2:43pm] DEPRAC: "whats the worst that could happen" [2:43pm] DEPRAC: "we'll be FINE" [2:43pm] DEPRAC: "With our combined talents, what can possibly go wrong?" [2:46pm] Jonathan____: DEPRAC: it's a fair cop: they DO tempt fate in a very foolish way. Very regularly. I'll keep an eye on them.

[2:42pm] Lockwood:

technical question about the mechanics of the iron chain circles - at one point, a ghost enters a circle from above, but most don't seem to be able to do this. what's the deal? how far upwards does the circle's protection rise? ghosts are shown getting right up to the boundary, they just can't cross. [2:44pm] Jonathan____: Lockwood: that's a good point and it had worried me a bit too. I think generally the effect of the iron circle extends up (and down) a fair way, so unless you were unlucky enough to have the Source hidden directly under your feet at the centre of the circle, you'd be okay. But the Changer in the Red Room is powerful enough, and the circle they created big enough, for their to be a kind of weak spot in the middle.
[2:45pm] Nala:

Serious question: in 2 years, bartiforums will be turning 10 years old. would you be interested in attending a bartimaeus/lockwood meetup, if a) we manage to make one, and b) you are given enough advanced notice? [2:47pm] Jonathan____: I would LOVE to attend a 10th anniversary celebration. I love Bartiforums and all its members wholeheartedly. [2:47pm] Jonathan____: But aren't you spread to the four winds: Canada, UK... where else? [2:49pm] Jonathan____: Seriously: how would we manage a Bartiforums meet up? [2:50pm] Lockwood: I guess we'd have to announce well in advance, pick a central location, and see how many people can make it
[2:47pm] Marissa_Fittes:

Do the characters know why iron and silver etc. work against ghosts, or did people find out from trial and error? [2:49pm] Jonathan____: Marissa: Iron and silver have been the materials of choice against ghosts since time immemorial. No one is quite sure why, though DEPRAC scientists are on the case trying to figure it out in a bunker somewhere.
[2:49pm] DEPRAC: so does george also have dead parents [2:50pm] Jonathan____: George's parents (at the time of typing)

are alive. This is probably why he is so well

adjusted, beneath his sarcasm.

[2:54pm] DEPRAC:

by the way, those beautiful new covers for the bart books in China.It says the artists name is Shel, but I cant seem to find them. [2:55pm] DEPRAC: http://jonathanstroud.tumblr.com/post/62889315016/the-beautiful-new-mainland-chineseedition-of [2:55pm] Jonathan____: They are cracking covers, aren't they? Yes, I was told she was called Shel, but I couldn't track her down either. I'm going to investigate further.
[2:56pm] Lockwood:

oh, I had a question about the staircase - how come people know about it? it's been pretty fatal from what we've seen of it. did it used to be survivable pre-Problem? [2:58pm] Jonathan____: Lockwood: It's fatal if you're on it, but some people close by must have survived, or heard the sound from afar, or found the bodies on it, and so the story spread.

[2:56pm] George_Cubbins: I have a question: who inspired [2:57pm] Lucy_n_Carlyle: He means the name [2:57pm] Lucy_n_Carlyle: Why did you pick that name

the character Lucy?

[2:57pm] Lucy_n_Carlyle: is now known as Luciene. Why did I pick Lucy? It's a great name in several ways. I've always liked it. And it has echoes of the Lucy in Narnia who went into other worlds. [3:02pm] ghostjar: and george? [3:04pm] Jonathan____: ghostjar: George is somehow just George. I'm very fond of him. [3:05pm] DEPRAC: Everyone is fond of George. He is as graceful as a cumbersome heavy textbook, and carries the poise of a dying porpoise [3:06pm] Jonathan____: DEPRAC: yes, George is rather noble, I think. [3:06pm] Nala: George's sexiest scene is when he comes to Lockwood's rescue in the library, verbally. [3:08pm] Jonathan____: I like to give my characters lots of nice verbal heroics - the kind of thing I'd love to be able to do myself in real life, but can't because I'm a) not quick enough and b) would get beaten up. [3:09pm] Nala: You should team up with lockwood to defend you physically after you verbally crush your opponents << [3:10pm] Jonathan____: Nala: I think that's why I like Lockwood, Lucy and George: they each bring something to the party. Verbals, wit, sensitivity, each contributing all at different times. [3:09pm] DEPRAC: I can totally feel that I always suddenly think up good comebacks long after an argument is over [3:09pm] Jonathan____: Yes, it's annoying that. One becomes so retrospectively witty. [3:09pm] Lockwood: the French call it l'espirit de l'escalier [3:09pm] Lockwood: staircase wit. [3:11pm] Jonathan____: Lockwood: ooh, nice. 'staircase wit' - why staircase, exactly? [3:11pm] Lockwood: Wikipedia suggests it originates from a French philosopher's writing, and at the time and culture, reception rooms would have been on the first floor [3:12pm] Lockwood: so it refers to the things you come up with after leaving the party [2:59pm] Jonathan____:

[2:59pm] Nala: We've been comparing Lockwood to Sherlock Holmes. Is any resemblance there intentional? [3:01pm] Jonathan____: Nala: at one point Lockwood had some Conan Doyle in his bookshelf. I think LW rather

self-consciously models himself on that kind of hero. [3:00pm] DEPRAC: I have noticed that Barnes reminds me a bit of Lestrade [3:02pm] Jonathan____: Barnes does have a certain Lestradish quality, I admit. [3:02pm] Jonathan____: Conan Doyle wrote lots of gothic tales. Ghost stories and detective fiction have always been hand in glove. [3:02pm] Lockwood: I read the opening paragraphs as a definite Holmes reference, stylistically (before Lucy admits to cocking it all up) - was that deliberate, then? [3:04pm] Jonathan____: Lockwood: yes, definite echoes of Watson's trick of telling you about all sorts of yummy cases you're never going to truly find out about.
[3:00pm] Nala:

Do you think people from the lockwood universe could cross over to where ghosts come from? is it like a gate that has been opened? [3:03pm] Jonathan____: Nala: It may be possible.
[3:04pm] Luciene:

Jon, do you read the books to your kids as you write it? Or do you wait until its sent to the

editor?
[3:06pm] Jonathan____:

Luciene: My kids aren't quite old enough yet, but theoretically I might let them look - once I was fairly confident in what I was doing. I tend to keep it quite close to my chest in the early phases.
[3:10pm] Luciene: Jon, are there any intentional parallels to child slavery or child soldiers? The kids do all the heavy lifting while the adults "mind them" [3:11pm] Nala: Related to what Luciene is asking.. would you say that after the Problem arrived, class differences have become more severe, and that people are less kind to each other than before? Like when Lucy's first group

died, but nobody seemed to care about it really, it was just passed over as an accident at work - and they were young teenagers.
[3:15pm] Jonathan____ left the chat room. (Ping timeout: 250 seconds) [3:28pm] Lockwood: alright guys, I think we're having some technical difficulties over here [3:28pm] Lockwood: it's been fun, and thank you all very much for coming [3:29pm] Lockwood: I'll stick the transcript up somewhere on the forum presently [3:29pm] Lockwood: thank you and goodnight!