Interviews

Interviews: Shelly Shapiro

NJOE's Question

Shelly Shapiro's Answer

NJOE Interviews Shelly Shapiro

As editorial director of LucasBooks at Del Rey Books, I edit all the Star Wars fiction we publish. I work with Lucasfilm to plan the direction of the novels, make author recommendations to Lucasfilm, help the authors craft their stories, and read and edit their manuscripts. For Star Wars accuracy-in fact and in "feel"-I rely heavily upon Sue Rostoni, at Lucas Licensing. Aside from Star Wars, I work with a variety of science-fiction and fantasy authors. My job entails both acquisition (reading submissions and choosing which to publish) and editing (both story development and line work). In my free time, I take ice-skating lessons, play computer games, play guitar, do some writing, and cook for family and friends.

If you're able to tell us, what was your favorite moment of the NJO that never made it to the books?

I can't answer that. Actually, I think we managed to make sure all our favorite moments appeared in the books.

Where can we expect to see the Post-NJO arc growing? Will it expand beyond the upcoming Denning trilogy or are we just going to see this final trilogy to wrap things up? How much control do you have over the Post-NJO?

I see no reason to believe the future of the Star Wars galaxy won't continue to grow post-NJO and post the Denning trilogy. We have no set plans at the moment, but we are just starting the process of exploring possibilities for the future. As for control, I have exactly the same amount of "control" post-NJO as I had during the NJO. But "control" isn't the right word: I work very closely with Lucasfilm on every aspect of the Star Wars fiction.

There were rumors going around at one point that George Lucas provided DelRey with a "no-kill" list of characters that you were not allowed to kill off in the course of the story. Is there any truth to this rumor and if so aside from Luke Skywalker who were some of the other characters on the list?

To be honest, I no longer recall who else we weren't allowed to kill-I'm not even sure there WAS anyone else besides Luke. Mr. Lucas did not provide us with a "no-kill" list. He merely told us there were one or two (I really don't remember!) characters we could not kill.

Another rumor circulating is that there won't be anything Star Wars related released (books, games, toys, etc) after 2007. Is there any fact to this one?

I have not heard this rumor.

Have you had the chance to read any or all of the Episode 3 script? What can you comment on this? Have you been let in on which Expanded Universe character is rumored to appear?

I have read the script. I can't comment.

In the roundtable interview that came out with the Vector Prime eBook it was commented that if something like the NJO were tried again that you would use a smaller number of authors. Some time has passed since that interview and has there been any futher discussion of another NJO-like project in the future?

Yes, we are contemplating another long, multi-author series, but if we do go ahead with it, it will not be as long as the NJO, nor will it involve as many authors.

What are the chances that we'll see a Second Outbound Flight Project anytime soon?

Don't know. There are so many directions we could take the galaxy's future, and we have yet to nail down what our next projects will be.

How much control do you have over the "future" of the Yuuzhan Vong? Would you be involved in any future projects with them be it new books, video games, comics, etc - or have you turned over the reins?

I never "owned" the Yuuzhan Vong. If Lucasfilm chooses to utilize them in non-book projects, that is their prerogative.

What was your experience with Star Wars prior to working on the NJO?

I saw the movies.

If you could change one thing about the NJO story arc, what would it be?

I'm not sure I'd change any one thing. Except maybe I wouldn't make the Yuuzhan Vong quite so "human," or quite so into pain and torture.

If you could change one thing about the NJO development behind the scenes, what would it be?

I think I'd drop the idea of letting the story develop "organically" and nail down more specifics from the start.

Are there any chances that we'll see at least a summary or portions of the manuscript for Knightfall?

No.

If you were given the choice (personal - not in context of the story), who would you have Jacen end up with on the relationship end? Tenel, Danni, Vergere's Ghost, no one, or none of the above? Or simply, who would you personally choose for Jacen?

I don't know. I suppose either Tenel Ka or Danni Quee would be fine for him. Vergere's Ghost-now that is really just too weird!

Which era of Star Wars is your favorite?

All the eras have aspects that I love, but if I had to choose, I'd probably choose the "classic" era.

Do you like Jar Jar Binks?

I'd rather not answer that.

How do you believe the Old Jedi Order might have looked upon Luke's newer version, especially in light of the aftermath of the Vong war?

First of all, we haven't seen the "new" version gel enough to know yet. Plus, I suspect there were different phases of the "old" order. But if we are going by the version of the Jedi we see in the prequel movies, I think those Jedi would disapprove of Luke's Jedi. After all, almost everything he does flies in the face of their ways: His Jedi are trained as older children and even adults, instead of from infancy; they get married and have children; they regularly (or so it seems!) go to the dark side and then come back…etc.

Do you like any other science fiction works other than Star Wars?

Science fiction/fantasy has always been my favorite reading.

Which author(s) are your favorites?

I like all the authors of the NJO, and would be hard pressed to name a favorite. But even if I had a favorite, I don't think it would be fair to the other authors to name him or her!

Was Troy Denning chosen for any particular reason for the upcoming trilogy or did he come up with/pitch the idea himself?

I loved both STAR BY STAR and TATOOINE GHOST, and thought that Troy could do a great job with a post-NJO trilogy.

Which characters are your favorites?

I like the new Jacen, and I've always loved Han! <g> I kind of like the new, more mature Kyp, too.

Which New Jedi Order book was your favorite?

Again, I can't say-and I wouldn't if I could.

Which of the Star Wars movies was your favorite?

Empire Strikes Back, I think.

Which couple would you lean toward: Han and Leia or Luke and Mara?

Han and Leia.

Which characters do you personally find annoying?

Movie characters or EU characters? No answer either way.

What were some of the more major advantages and pitfalls of writing a massive multi-author, continuous book arc like the NJO?

Advantages: Lots of room to explore character development and the unfolding of a large-scale story.
Pitfalls: Difficulty with continuity within the series.

For what reasons, if you're allowed to answer, were both the Sith and Dark Jedi forbidden from being the main antagonists?

We were never given any reasons. Although, unless I'm misremembering, there might have been some mention of the challenge for the Jedi of facing a large, non-Force-using evil.

Was it always planned to have the Yuuzhan Vong ending up on Zonama Sekot at the end of the war? I seem to remember once that you and the authors didn't expect Zonama Sekot to play such a large role.

No, it was not planned. The exact ending of the Yuuzhan Vong was not planned from the beginning, but came to light as the series unfolded.

Either in future books or other projects will we ever find out what happens to at least some of the planets that still harbor hostile Yuuzhan Vong after the surrender?

Maybe.

What were your feelings on the ending of the NJO? As editor you probably had a lot of say so, but would you have preferred a different ending and if so, what?

I loved the ending!

NJOE thanks Ms. Shapiro for her time to provide answers for this interview.

This interview is the property of Ms. Shapiro and NJOE. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Interview conducted January 2004.