It's Lit: You're Not Ready For The Living Force
Star Wars author interviews, The Living Force countdown, and more!
I’ve been experiencing an unprecedented burst of creativity this week. All of it has been channeled directly into Now This Is Lit, since it’s my main project at the moment (thank you, capitalism!). I have too many episode ideas to be able to continue a weekly show, but not enough energy to produce episodes more often than that.
Is it a good dilemma to have? Probably? Exciting things are happening! Let me start by telling you about a few upcoming surprises.
Welcoming Tessa Gratton and Kelly Knox to Now This Is Lit
I have a general goal of interviewing 25 separate Star Wars authors about their books and writing in the universe, and hit #17 this past week. It’s also my goal to have every High Republic author on the show before the initiative ends, and I’m so happy to welcome Tessa Gratton to the show for the first (and not the last) time.
We discussed co-writing Defy the Storm (and other books in the initiative), what Tessa loves most about writing in The High republic, and so! Much! More!
If you haven’t listened to that interview already, I’ve embedded the episode below. Tessa was an absolute delight to talk to, and I can’t wait to have them on the show again when the next High Republic book comes out this June!
But Tessa wasn’t the only Star Wars author I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with recently — Kelly Knox also stopped by!
Kelly was all of us in 2020, looking for a small way to feel better about life (as much as possible) and maybe bring joy to some other people too. Long story short, Twitter jokes eventually turned into a book, and that book goes on sale next week (April 2).
Star Wars: Dad Jokes — both the jokes themselves and the illustrations that go along with them — is a book you’re going to want to have handy when you need a good laugh. Because it WILL make you laugh. Sometimes out loud, very loudly, when no one else is home.
That interview releases this Tuesday on the podcast.
As for the interview scheduled for the week after next … you might already be able to guess. But I’ll make you wait a week for the official reveal …
The Living Force Is Almost Here
(I’m not being very subtle, am I?)
I will never forget hearing about The Living Force for the first time. New Star Wars book announcements are the events that get me through the days/weeks/months.
What I wasn’t expecting was a whole promo box from Random House Worlds filled with all kinds of surprises. I was so excited that I opened the box before I could think to grab my camera. But I still filmed a TikTok to show you what’s inside anyway.
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Without spoiling anything, this book is the funniest, most entertaining Star Wars book I’ve read in a while. It is so unique that I’ve been holding off on writing my review because I’m still processing how I want to describe it to someone who hasn’t read it yet.
I genuinely think there is something for everyone in John Jackson Miller’s new book. I highly recommend you pre-order it if you haven’t already. You’re not ready for what you’re about to read, and I mean that in the best way possible.
My review for The Living Force, and the interview to go along with it, will publish on release day. But if enough of you join the NTIL Patreon before then, maybe I’ll release both to you early … it’s only $1/month.
It’s a Great Time for Legends
I’m caught up on Star Wars Canon novels, so I’ve been focusing more of my reading on Legends books the past few weeks. I’m currently rereading Survivor’s Quest (thanks to the new unabridged audiobook!), and am tackling Book 12 of The New Jedi Order series for the first time when I’m finished.
Legends books have deep nostalgic roots for many Star Wars fans, and while I did read plenty of the EU prior to 2014, I don’t hang on to Legends because of fond memories of reading them for the first time. I remember my first Star Wars books, of course (the junior prequel novelizations and one of the Galaxy of Fear books). But to me, Legends is more about appreciating the history of Star Wars publishing.
I’m less attached to the characters and story and more interested in Legends as artifacts that built the foundation upon which Star Wars publishing has grown and evolved.
I am, however, also intrigued by other people’s perspectives on Legends, why certain stories matter to them personally, and what the EU signifies for them now. So I asked Twitter about Heir to the Empire, because I like to be punished, I guess?
I kid. Some of these responses are quite insightful and offer unique perspectives on Timothy Zahn’s books that I’d never heard before.
Mostly what I’ve learned so far is that nostalgia drives way too much of the conversation whenever we, as a fandom, are discussing Legends. I’m glad that these books made so many people feel alive when they first read them. But what about the people who haven’t read them yet, but want to? They need a better reason to give them a try than “It made me feel happy in 1994.” No judgment if that’s you. But that was, believe it or not, a long time ago. It’s been long enough that we can look back on and analyze all of it now. I love that for us.
I’m going to be exploring this topic on the show soon-ish, with the goal of speaking to fans about the importance of the EU books to their fandom and how they’ve dealt with what way too many people are calling the “reboot” of Star Wars publishing.
I hope you’re as excited as I am to focus even more on readers and their relationship to Legends books! It’s going to be a lot of free labor! You’re welcome to support the Patreon if you so desire.
May the Force be with you.
Now This Is Lit is a podcast (and newsletter!) about Star Wars books, the people who make them, and the readers who just can’t get enough of them. You can find the show wherever you get your podcasts, and subscribe to the Substack for more deep dives, guides, interview transcripts, and book love.