15 Questions With Bestselling Author Margaret Weis

For those of you that are unfamiliar with her, Margaret Weis is a New York Times bestselling author who’s works include legendary fantasy books The Dragonlance Chronicles and The Deathgate Cycle. She also worked on many award-winning role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons (she was also a close personal friend of game creator Gary Gygax) and Marvel Heroic Roleplaying. She has held important positions in many of the companies that help shape our young, geeky minds, from TSR (publishers of the original D&D game) to Wizards of the Coast (publishers of Magic: the Gathering, among others). She was even named one of “the Millennium’s Most Influential Persons” by Pyramid magazine in 1999. These days she runs her own company, Margaret Weis Productions, who publish RPG games for both Firefly and Battlestar Galactica.

2 characters Margaret helped shape, Raistlin the mage and Takhesis, Queen of Dragons.

I recently had a chance to ask Ms. Weis a few questions (because she’s my Facebook friend), and I will share her answers with you all. With her busy schedule, I wasn’t able to ask very much, but it will give us all a look into the life of one of geekdom’s true icons.

Me: Who is your all-time favorite Dragonlance character?

Margaret Weis: Raistlin

Me: Do you think they will ever make a live-action Dragonlance movie?

MW: I hope so

Me: Who is your favorite comic book character?

MW: Thor (Clay Matthews! :))

Me: Will Dragonlance be re-introduced in Dungeons & Dragons NEXT?

MW: I have no idea, Wizards of the Coast owns the rights now.

Me: Would you like to see the Dragonlance and/or Deathgate books turned into graphic novels?

MW: Dragonlance has been done, but Deathgate would be fun.

Me: Do you have any new novels coming out?

MW: Yes, my new book Storm Riders just came out, it’s gotten starred reviews in PW and Kirkus

Me: Do you still regularly attend conventions?

MW: Only GenCon, all I have time for these days.

Me: Do you still get to game regularly?

MW: No, all of my gaming friends moved away.

Me: Aside from writing, do you have any other hobbies?

MW: FLYBALL RACING!!!

Me: Who would win, Gandalf or Raistlin?

MW: Raistlin, of course.

Me: Have you read any good books lately?

MW: I’m currently reading the mystery novels of Louise Penny

Me: How about movies?

MW: Much Ado About Nothing

Me: Do you and longtime co-author Tracy Hickman still work together?

MW: Yes, we will be writing another book in the Dragonships series.

Me: If you could have any super power, what would it be?

MW: I don’t think I’d have one, too much hassle.

Me: If you could work with anyone on any project, who and what would it be?

MW: Joss Whedon on a new Firefly series, or Joss on a Dragonlance novel.

Margaret and longtime collaborator, Tracy Hickman.