Steven Brust

Photo by Allison Curtis, Graffiti courtesy of Paarfi

Steven Brust FAQ

Purpose
So, why am I writing an FAQ, instead of Steven or someone else from the dragaera.info pages? Well, because it needed to be done, and if they like it, they are more than welcome to steal it and make it their own. However, it's always easier to modify than create, so it will be a head start. Here goes.
The FAQ
  1. How many Vlad Taltos books will there be?
  2. Did things in Steven's personal life end up in the books?
  3. Hah! It's winter and I'll bet Steven's freezing his butt off in Minnesota!
  4. So, is Mario really Paarfi (and other theories)?
  5. Athyra is hard to find and expensive via the web. Is it going to be republished in an omnibus?
  6. Is it true that Steve gives free poker lessons?
  7. When is the next Vlad book coming out?
  8. Does Steve really have a parrot?

How many Vlad Taltos books will there be?

Well, Steve wrote in a message from June 5, 2002: 
Here are some of the things that'll happen, in order of probability:
1) I die before finishing them
2) I get tired of them, and have enough integrity to stop writing them.
3) I get tired of them but continue writing them anyway, so they suck.
4) I don't get tired of them, and end up with nineteen Vlad books: 1 for 
each House, a first one called TALTOS, and a last one called THE LAST
CONTRACT.

At the moment, I'm under contract for two more, and I'm still enjoying the 
hell out of the little sonofabitch.
That seems pretty authoritative.

Did things in Steven's personal life end up in the books?

Naahhhh...He writes in a vacuum, so that never happens. However it's very noisy and dark in there so he doesn't write particularly quickly.

Of course things from his life worked their ways into the book. Normally this questions is addressed at the breakup of Vlad and Cawti. To that, Steve wrote, on June 7, 2002: 

Oh, I've answered that one before.  It was directly out of my life, only I 
didn't realize it at the time I was working on the book.  I figured it out 
when I read the page proofs, and felt like a complete idiot.

Hah! It's winter and I'll be Steven's freezing his butt off in Minnesota!

...and you'd be right....if Steve still lived in Minnesota. However, he traded in the land of mosquitos, block heaters and frostbite for the land of neon, gambling and all-you-can-eat buffetts. No, no... not a cruise ship, Las Vegas.

So, is Mario really Paarfi (and other theories)?

A better source for these sorts of questions is probably Cracks and Shards. Although in this case a good answer is at the Steven Brust Fan Page. I say this is a good answer, but not the best. We have new information. Steve says in a message from July 10, 2002: 
It is true that, in Jar-head, there is a scene where Aliera appears looking 
rather happy.  In that scene, we have just missed seeing Mario.
Now, Jar-head is Steve's nickname for Jhereg. So, we know he is alive, and Steve has said that we haven't met any major character who is another character (aside from the events of Orca). I'm too lazy to find the precise quote.

Steve also recently issued the definitive statement when he wrote on July 10, 2002, in response to Matthew Hunter: 

>Have we met Mario face-to-face in the Vlad books (even if
>disguised as someone else)?

No.

Athyra is hard to find and expensive via the web. Is it going to be republished in an omnibus?

Well, if you want to find it cheaper, you'll have to haunt your local used book stores. But, in answer to your question, the answer as of June 10, 2002 was: 
Yes, but I'm not sure when.

Is it true that Steve gives free poker lessons?

Steve doesn't charge for poker lessons. This subtle difference should probably be a warning. :)

That being said, he can occasionally be found at a poker room at a casino in Las Vegas. It is left as a exercise to the reader to determine which casino, and how to ask for him. Yes he has stated it on a public forum, and yes I feel like being obtuse.

When is the next Vlad book coming out?

Right now (8/2002) there is no timeline for the next Vlad book. Steve is working on the 3 volume set of the sequel to Five Hundred Years After. I can't recall the names exactly and am too lazy to look them up right now.

Steve does have a contract for 2 more Vlad books, so they should come out eventually.

Does Steve really have a parrot?

Now, why do you really need to know this?

"Hey, Steven, is that a parrot on your shoulder or are you just happy to see me?"
"If you're 'The Pirate', where is your parrot?"

Anyway, yes, as well as a dog he denies the existence of. June, 2002: 

>>>You have a dog?

Steve>> Nope. No dog here.  No dogs anywhere nearby. That brown thing looking 
Steve>> brainless on my couch is, um, a lump of fabric. Yeah, yeah, that's it.

>My friend in Las Vegas walks her dog behind her house and carries a pistol 
>in case of rattlers.

Steve> I should do the same. That way, if my dog attacks a rattler, I can shoot 
Steve> the dog to protect the snake.

>Oh yeah, I wondered about that - does John Henry Holliday truly tolerate 
>Miska?

Steve> Yes, as long as Miska keeps those long, flappy ears out of beak-range.

Steve> Doc sends his respects to Falco.