Dear Mr. Stroud,

I read the Bartimaeus Trilogy some time ago, and am currently rereading the books. I especially enjoy your expansive incorporation of concepts and people from our world into the books' world - Seven-League Boots, Hands of Glory, Paracelsus, Loew, Roger Bacon, etc. Another thing that probably seems trivial to most people, but which was a breath of fresh air to me, was just how correct all of your grammar and syntax was. This may sound a bit strange, but you'd be surprised how many books repeatedly make very simple mistakes when it comes to such things. I suppose I shuld be very grateful for your experience as an editor. :D

OK, enough droning on my part. My questions:

1.) Where did you come up with the word "foliot", and why did you decide to use it specifically in your demon hierarchy?
2.) Have you ever read anything by Terry Pratchett? You have a similar delicious sense of humour.
3.) Who are your favourite authors?
4.) Where do you usually get your obscurer character names from (such as N'gorso, Queezle and Faqarl)?

Regards,
Rinion

P.S. I was given a book about fantasy a few months ago, and was very pleasantly surprised to see you had written the foreword. :D

Hi Rinion,

Thanks for your kind words: I've not been complemented on my syntax before!

1. Foliot: well, as far as I can remember I just invented the word as a replacement for 'shaitan' which is one of the original Arabic levels of spirit, and which is obviously too close to the word 'satan'. But much later, when Amulet was already done, I looked in a dictionary and discovered, to my horror, that the word foliot exists, and is something to do with clocks. So that was a slight blow. But hopefully it doesn't matter.

2. When I was in my teens I read quite a few of the Discworld novels and was a big fan for a while. I think I read up to Pyramids. I still remember some of his great jokes. My favourite I think was Mort.

3. Hmm, favourite authors. Tricky one: it tends to vary. If you mean fantasy authors I am v fond of Jack Vance, whose Lyonesse and Dying Earth series are well worth checking out by all. In terms of 'all time greats' I often mention Stevenson (as in T Island) because of the mingling of great adventure plot with profoundly good writing. But I've lots more I love. Recently I've done a foreword for one of Kipling's books. Things like the Jungle Books are phenomenally well written.

4. I just make them up. Sometimes it takes a few versions before they sound ok.

All the best,

Jonathan

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