newt0nlol |
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LMAO 99 percent of peope asking the questions are brand new fake users lol wierd |
marie-l-yesthatone |
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So, between you, me and the internet, what really took so long to bring tP back? |
Craig_Van_Sickle |
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Mostly legal stuff. Fortunately the rights came back to Steve and I. It just took a lot longer than anticipated. We’re grateful the fans didn’t forget us. |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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The Powers That Be.
Actually through an act of fate – and good lawyers – the rights reverted back to us and we are here to stay. |
ChuckEye |
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It’s been 14 years since I’ve watched the Pretender, so forgive me if I’ve forgotten where the mythology was going when it ended. Will the books pick up after the 2001 movie? |
marie-l-yesthatone |
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The first book is already out. It’s a reboot. |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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Actually it is a reboot in that the story time has slid forward – Jarod and Miss Parker et all are the same ages as they were in the show but with new technology and outlook to the world. This way the old fans are completely back i the mythology and new fans can join from a starting point that allows them to be equally entertained. |
ChuckEye |
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When will the next volume in the series be published? How large an arc are you considering for the novels?
It would be a shame if we didn’t eventually get closure or answers this go around either. |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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The second book will be out in the next few weeks – and we will give the fans ultimate closure. It is one of the things we are committed to doing. As for the arc – we plan o a long one – several novels and spin off novels with some of the main characters. A young Miss Parker novel will come out covering hr time in college training to be a Centre operative. |
noargumenthere |
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No proof? Are you pretending to be part of the team that made The Pretender? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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I have been Pretending that since 1196 – but don’t tell anyone. |
finfyr |
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What is your weirdest sex story? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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See the episode – ‘Cold Dick’ and you will be able to experience it for yourself. |
StudMuffin11235 |
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What do you have to say about TV versus movies as a storytelling medium in the next decade or so? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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The world of entertainment is changing is such a huge way – that I’m not sure what TV really is. House of Cards has broken all of the rules. Is it really a TV show? An enormously long feature? It is amazing and I love where it leads the medium.
It think whatever ‘it’ is is the future. |
vaniaaraujo |
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Hey! Any advice for people starting off on the TV business? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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WRITE! Writing is the gasoline that makes the engine run. WIthout good stories and great scripts all those pretty actors just stand around wondering what to do. |
Hypnoweb |
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Hello^ do you have a date for french translation of Rebirth then Saving Luke ? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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The date is not set – but the translation is 90% completed. We will be launching it and an exclusive French website in the next few months. |
marie-l-yesthatone |
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From narrative standpoint, what can you show in the books that wasn’t possible on TV? What makes the Pretender story different in book format? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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We can get into the minds of the characters and really delve into what makes them tick.
Miss Parker has some interesting thoughts to say the least.
And as for Jarod – well we never we able i the TV format to really explore his childhood and relationship to Sydney and Miss Parker et all.
Its a great way to tell the audience a much more involved story. |
markmdodson |
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I am Mark Dodson, one of the writers and producers of “The Pretender” |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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And Mark is also writing another of our spin off Novels – Patterns – which follows a man who hunts serial killers using a technique taught to him by a very unique Pretender. |
markmdodson |
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Couldn’t have said it better myself. |
JimBeyer |
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A serial serial killer? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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You will see soon enough. |
vaniaaraujo |
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welcome Mark |
MissMallory10 |
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Welcome Mark! |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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Mark – can you tell everyone a little bout about Patterns and the first mystery? |
chickadeejune |
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Hi Steve & Craig, Might you have some Saving Luke news to share with us today by chance? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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Yes – the publisher sent us the final corrections to be checked this morning – so if we weren’t on Redditt right now we could okay them and they could print this thing and get it to you. |
shadowKate |
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Could you give us any details on the release dates of the Pretender graphic novels and Young Miss P novels? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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The Graphic novel is taking longer than we anticipated – but we had no idea they took so long! We will send out a realize date on it as soon as we know.
As for the Young Miss Parker novel and the other spin off they should begin rolling out in the fall. |
Frenchick10 |
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Hi Steve & Craig. Any release date for Saving Luke? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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Sooooooooon. In the next couple weeks at the latest. Maybe soooooner… |
Guadsquad |
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There are so many questions left unanswered, are they answered in the novels? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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Re: Answers – answers will begin to be revealed in Saving Luke – in each book there will be new ones answered – as well as segments within the website.
For example, in SL one of real names of one of the main characters will be revealed.
In a short story coming up on the website the answer to ‘What happened to Baby Parker?’ will be revealed. |
marie-l-yesthatone |
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Any hope of seeing Jarod in his mid-twenties? That was an age difficult to show on the show, given the real-life ages of the actors. I always thought it was tricky age, how did the Centre convince adult J not to run away before he did? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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Great questions – and the answer is yes we will. We will explore Jarod’s entire life at the Centre – we ill reveal things no one ever knew – for example – what makes you think Jarod only ran away once… |
marie-l-yesthatone |
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Book or TV? We did spot the allusion to running away as a kid in the book, heh. |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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You will find out more in Saving Luke… |
MissBougainvillea |
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Broots wasn’t in the first novel “Rebirth”, can you please confirm that he will be back soon? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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I can confirm that one of our favorite characters will be back in the Centre in Saving Luke.
But I can’t confirm that he is one that we loved – or one we loved to hate. |
Frenchick10 |
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Can you be more cryptic? ? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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I can try…
But I don’t want to spoil anything for the readers. But they will smile… |
MissMallory10 |
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What is one of the craziest stories that came out of writing the Pretender novels? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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We have and remain to have no idea what we are doing.
What I mean by that is when we began writing we had no concept of the outpouring of affection from the fandom and are thrilled and humbled and terrified by it all. All of a sudden we have thousands of people wanting more and more and its wonderfully overwhelming. |
vaniaaraujo |
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Do you enjoy all the attention you get from the fans and do you get approached often on the streets? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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I’m humbled by the fact the fans are so involved with the pretender and feel a great responsibility to not let them down –
Networks cancel shows when fans love them and leave those fans hanging. Craig and I want to reinvent that relationship with the fan in a way where they know we won’t let them down and we will answer all of their questions.
And no one recognizes me – my kids wouldn’t put up with it. |
vaniaaraujo |
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True. I’m so glad you’re picking up the Pretender! It’s a great story that should have never been canceled so soon. It’s great that you answer all the fans’ emails and interact with them. Not a lot of Hollywood people do that. |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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We love the interaction with the fans. Send us an email and we will answer.centreinsider@thepretenderlives.com |
Guadsquad |
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I know a fan designed the cover of Rebirth, are you planning to have other fans help with future books. |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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We value the fans more than anything and we want them involved in everything from The Pretender Universe.
We are very inclusive within our website and fandom – to the point that several fans have become characters in the books. That the fans not only chose the cover of the book by vote – but as you mentioned that a fan actually designed it – and the new one for the Revised Rebirth – and for Saving Luke. (she is a school teacher in a tiny village in Australia.)
We have a fan (a 20 yr old college student also from France) who won a fan fic writing contest – who is now writing a short story for us that we will publish and make part of Pretender Cannon.
We love the fans and are doing lots of very unique things that I don’t think anyone else is doing in books etc. to make them part of this larger community. |
dramacraft |
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How close were you to really being able to finish The Pretender in form of movie or short series in the last 13 years?
How has the reaction been from yourself, actors and staff on show, to having a cult following from all over the world since the show ended and still going now? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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Great questions – we are closer today than we were yesterday and we will be closer tomorrow. The industry has taken note of the rise of the pretender and its fandom and nothing makes them salivate like rabid fans who want something.
As for the actors – etc they are as thrilled as we are.
ANd to break a little news here – one of them MTW wrote us a forward for rebirth and it will be published in the revised version of Rebirth (with the brand new bright blue fan designed cover) – which is available now on Amazon. |
shadowKate |
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What can you tell us about the relationship between Jarod and Miss Parker? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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That we have only scratched the surface and there are revelations coming that will blow you mind and make you crazy wanting to know more. |
Hypnoweb |
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Jarod will find his family^ ? … at the end ^ ? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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Jarod has to find his family – doesn’t he? |
Hypnoweb |
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not really… really. OK … When Jarod could celebrate Christmas with all his family ? Together around the table With Emily too ? Where she is ?^ |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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It would be a great Christmas for Jarod to be with his entire family – those we know and those… |
Guyinpa |
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I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVED THE PRETENDER. I was sooooo sad to see it end. ;(((((( I really wanted to see what happened with it but never reasd any of the series. |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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May I recommend that you try Rebirth and see if you don’t get hooked all over again. |
Guyinpa |
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Rebirth
Absolutely will pick it up. I’ve just been swamped with residency. Sometimes these things just go under the radar for great shows and fans don’t know there’s more. Where did the idea of pretender originate from for you? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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It was inspired from the movie and book The Great Imposter as well as our fascination with child geniuses. |
Guyinpa |
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did the story of jarods past evolve as the show continued or did it start off with certain key elements in mind. |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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Both. We knew where he came from and where we wanted to take him – the key elements you mentioned – but along the way we ‘discovered’ other aspects of his character we wanted to explore. |
JimBeyer |
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So, how did you travel to the future to steal The Pretender idea from James Cameron’s “Dark Angel”? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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Funny I always wanted to ask JC the same question in reverse. Not to mention the guys from Kyle- XY and even our friends at Believe.
Actually there are similarities in lots of works and that we had some with other shows that came after us is as it should be. I’m sure we had some that came from shows before us. |
chickadeejune |
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Believe, first ep asked myself if they had come to you for plot, parallels too eerily similar. Do you have other non tP ideas or projects in the works or is your collaborative time limited with the rise of tP back to the forefront? |
Guadsquad |
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I love the Centre Employees newsletter. Do you and Craig come up with the quirky stories? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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Yes – but the Newsletter isn’t just for fun. There are clues in the CEN’s that come to play in the novels. |
vaniaaraujo |
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Besides the Centre Employee Newsletter at thepretenderlives.com, can we expect more easter eggs, content or any funny stories about the Pretender in there? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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As mentioned above – the answer is yes.
In fact to reiterate the Centre Employee Newsletter that is sent out to fans and posted on the website each month with all the going ons inside The Centre is not for silly fun. Things like the new chef from Belgium who Sydney loves. (as well as the new menu) – The Centre is Green environmental groups getting together to clean up Blue Cove etc.
They seem fun and maybe a bit silly – BUT – as the fans who follow this will see in Saving Luke – THEY ARE ALL PART OF THE ENTERTAINMENT. You see in Saving Luke – the chefs new menu comes into play (as a clue/foreshadowing in the plot of SL) – and Sydney is actually reading the same Centre Employee’s newsletter that the fans received. Etc.
As mentioned above, my point is we are doing lots of very unique things that I don’t think anyone else is doing in books etc. Essentially the entertainment/mythology never ends. |
chickadeejune |
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Will you go into depth more about Jarod’s very beginning? Parents at genetics clinic pre Jarod and…Kyle… The why and how of Jarod’s origin and having that secret divulged at some point (besides the scrolls, a genetic predetermination from the start and Centre PTB’s stealing him away?). |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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Yes we will. Much more in-depth. |
Frenchick10 |
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Do you plan on organizing a Pretender Convention? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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I hope we have a huge convention. I know the actors are interested – and Craig and I would be there as well. There have been on again off again discussions that are now in a wait a see mode – so we are waiting to see.
But our hope and goal is to have one in Paris. |
MissBougainvillea |
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Would you mind revealing us which actors exactly? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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The ones form the show… A guy named Michael T Weiss, a lady named Andrea something or other. And a bald guy name Johan Griess (or maybe it was Jon). |
Frenchick10 |
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Yeah Johan… I know this guy! |
shadowKate |
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Now that you’ve become writers, which medium (TV or books) do you like better and why? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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They feel different.
We love TV – but are being seduced into novels more and more mainly because of the depth to which we can explore the characters. Not having time or mont or production constraints frees you to delve much deeper into the characters we love so much. |
shadowKate |
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It was really unexpected to see Jarod worrying about his pretend working out, I mean the Norwood procedure one. And the ideas behind Miss Parker’s behavior, too. So getting into the characters heads is real fun! |
vaniaaraujo |
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What about the scrolls mentioned in Island of the Haunted? Are you planning to approach that subject in any future novels or the graphic novels? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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We have a secret plan for that and think we will explore them in both GN and in another medium TBA. |
angelpretend |
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Are you planning other translations for the books? For example in Italian. |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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We hope to have the books in many languages in the not too distant future. Do you think the Italians would like it? |
MissBougainvillea |
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When will the newly redesigned website be launched? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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It will be up in the next week or two – and there will be a ton of interactive things for the fandom to come and and enjoy and get involved with.
We want to build the site as a place for the fandom to come in an interactive community. We hope you all will join us and together we can all make something great. |
vaniaaraujo |
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Before you go (when are you leaving this AMA, btw?), you mentioned a fanfiction contest earlier, can we expect more of those in the future and were you happy with the contest in December? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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We were thrilled with the contest and there will be many more in the future. |
TheSlurpeeKid |
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Other than Tin Man, what are your favourite re-imaginings of The Wizard of Oz? Why do you think this movie has been adapted into so many different stories? |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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It is a universal story we all know – and I mean everyone.
I loved Wicked. Not as crazy about Oz The Great and Powerful. I thought it was technology over character. |
Steven_Long_Mitchell |
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Thank you all for your questions. Saving Luke awaits our final ‘okay’. We look forward continuing this conversation. You can always reach us atwww.thepretenderlives.com for all the latest news and check out the 2nd edition of Rebirth on Amazon.
Steve |
vaniaaraujo |
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Thank you for the AMA, Steve! |
Frenchick10 |
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Thank you Steve! |
shadowKate |
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thank you so much! |
chickadeejune |
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Had wonderful time, lots of wonderful tidbits revealed, thank you! |
Hypnoweb |
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merci beaucoup !  |