Butcher at DragonCon 2021
Spoilers Allspoiler
He’s here, and his hair ain’t blue no more. More to come, his solo panel is starting shortly.

Edit: Monster LLC follow up series reference.

Cinder Spires next book is 40% done. Should be done by his birthday. Dresden is next and should be done by January.

Maggie’s story is growing and not planned out, so we’ll see.

Lloyd Slate’s fate was partly a warning to Harry.

Based on someone’s question, Harry could make a shade of himself, which could be interesting (Jim seems interested).

What happened to Chandler? You won’t know until Mirror Mirror. Hint hint

Starborn is the endgame of the series.

He hasn’t indicated where the White Court came from, but Harry might find out over the dates.

We will find out who told Harry to Piss Off on Demonreach.

He’s writing an independent novella called “The Law” about Harry doing totally mundane PI work until the other side, the mob, breaks the “no powers” rule. He really likes the thug bad guy in it. Bob will be back In The saddle in the office for it.

More edits:

As someone said below, he was asked about Nephilim i.e. the children of angels. They do exist. We will see them. We have met at least one.

His son James Butcher (named for his dad) has his first book contract. It will be called “Dead Man’s Hand” I think. He was sitting two seats to my left.

There was a cosplay shout out. Special props to the Murphy with a costumed dog with fairie wings and a bottle cap helmet which Butcher called Cute Cute. The two Butchers took photos with them when done.

Ummmmm

He misses Harry being as lippy as he used to be. Part of the reason he isn’t as much is because he’s learned there’s such biggest monsters and he needs to show some respect to them. However, Jim wants him to be lippier again and needs to work on it.

Good question about the Merlin. “What was the Merlin’s plan to get rid of the Red Court Root and Branch.” Answer: he let Dresden loose on them. What the Merlin says and what he does are two different things. Harry doesn’t have a good grasp on what the Council actually does due to his biased POV. The Merlin is much more subtle than we’ve realized.

Not much in the repeats for then normal stories. He did reiterate the return to Alera via the next Cursor class. Either that or when the “Protoss” show up. Also Cane, especially warrior caste Cane, will be insanely deadly. And the Marat will be very irresponsible with their Furies. The Romans will get along fine as long as they don’t get genocidal.

Also, he’s sometimes amazed we like Harry so much since he’s actually committed genocide.

Thomas’s actions in Peace Talks were forced by Justine, and we should see some of that in the next book, as he can’t leave him down in Demonreach forever.

Souls grow and change slowly over time like a tree. You never know exactly what they’ll become, but if you knew them young you’ll still recognize them when they’re older.

If Harry survives the series, he’ll likely be frenemies with Goodman in the Monsters LLC series.

Currently he’s thinking the series will be 22+3.

People have circumvented the globe in Cinder Spires, but it’s been a long time and it’s mostly in legends. People generally don’t sail, if only for logistical reasons, where the etheric currents don’t go.

DragonCon 2023 An Hour with Iim Butcher

What is Mac?

he's a bartender! A fair brewer. I mean, stay tuned... sputtering I'm not just going to answer something like that!!

We know you don't mind killing people, is there anyone you regret letting live?

no because as long as they're alive you can always kill them! That's always an option! And it's not that I like killing ones you love, it's that I enjoy torturing you, and you can't do that physically, so...

Anyone you regret killing off?

I try not to look back, I just step over the bodies. I have a few I regret in CA - I kinda regret killing Cirai but I'd have had to do it worse later if I hadn't.

Friend Jim Butcher Author on LoL if you want to play with him

If Harry had a D&D character post BG, what would he be now?

wizard with 18 Con 16 int, I rolled him when I was making the character. 18 Con made me know he would be beaten up a lot when I saw that. New D&D/Baldurs Gate he has the bar fighting technique

Have Wizards ever controlled a nation?

Lots of Egypt, huge control in Rome (fell largely due to wizard duels), Camelot time they tried and OG Merlin formed White Council to try to pull wizards out of it, with middling success. Now they're more like a corporation, almost wizard black rock

How does Mouse cheat? -Constantly. He's a white chess piece, but he's grown up with a guy who swims in gray so as a result he's not quite as pure as he should be. Monks dealing with him nowadays would be horrified. He's more results driven now, he doesn't mind breaking the rules if it makes Maggie happy

What was Mab like before Mab? -I'm not talking about that. I'll tell you this much - she was angry

Have you work shopped a story in D&D? Specifically Sue?

no but Cinder Spires was Warhammer.

Gming RPGs has made him a better writer, unknown if the reverse is true

Is it possible for a mortal to be cured of nfection like Lea was?

Maybe? I have to think about that one. "(Audience) Butters could do it!" Laughter

Hardest plot decision in DF?

which path to take in Changes. If he went Darkhallow it would have been awesome because a bunch of people would have died and he would have kept them on as revenants. Didn't know what was going to happen until he was in it. Decided on Mab because it tortured Molly the most. When in doubt, rely on your inner sadist. You don't have to be a sadist to be a writer, but it really helps!

Any historical people been part of the senior council secretly?

no, they have to stand apart from the world and guide the white council away from that sort of thing. That said, going back in history there's been a lot of different people thru history that have been involved in things - Washington was the Knight of Hope, that's what got people through Valley Forge. Lots of things like that.

(AI tangent that was interesting but I'm not transcribing it all)

Was having a cat as a second in cinder spires accomplishing what Harry wanted when he said he wanted Mister as his second? -Nope, just trying to make cat people on the Internet happy... Then I got a cat and he's a jerk but I love him.

Did you get emotional/cry writing what you did to us last book?

did I get emotional? evil laugh I mean technically... I could hear the screams of the fans echoing from the future when they read it! But I mean yeah, they're quasi-real to me because I'm so involved with them, so yeah... God, yeah. Thank god I've had some bad things happen to me because otherwise how could I do these things to Harry?

Was it Ace that blew up Murphy's car in White Knight?

Lemme think. It's a detail, I'm trying to remember... Damn, sorry. Problem is every version of the book has about eleven different versions for me. (list of slightly different versions) So the events are kinda this cloud of parallel reality and it's hard to keep track. I'm sure I'll get caught up when Harry breaks the laws of traveling time. I really just planned the time travel book so I could fix things I assumed I would mess up. (something about Mirror Mirror I didn't catch)

What topics do Uriel and Odin discuss in their yearly lunch?

Uriel exists across the entire spectrum of possibility in the multiverse. They're all the same everywhere, he's just as exasperated in all of them. Vadderung is also across a large spectrum, but he's a different individual in each. Uriel finds the consistency comforting. Vadderung is one of few beings with the right perspective. Also, they talk about the eternal light/dark war.

Examples of Uriel/Ferrovax exerting their whole power?

Well, last book for a dragon. We're definitely doing a dragon vs wizard fight (cheers) you're not getting out of a fantasy series there. Dragons are on the same scale as titans. If titans were the construction crew, dragons were their bulldozers. If a dragon got really upset, he could tear about the universe he existed in which would admittedly be counter intuitive unless he's really nihilistic. Uriel is constrained by the above, dragons are constrained because they need somewhere to stand.

Valkyrie code name was foreshadowing in BG, is Booster Gold also doing the same for Dresden swimming against time?

Wow, first off props for recognizing Booster Gold. What I can/will say is Murphy's story isn't over. It is and it isn't. Yeah, she'd be a really cute Valkyrie

Has king Arthur made an unannounced appearance in Dresden?

Yes. Dun -dun-dun-duh. In Dresden Files, Arthur will return to Britain in its darkest hour. (Gasps) RIGHT?!?

Have you considered writing/releasing the other versions of Changes?

Maybe, but that sounds great for fan fiction. Not that I know anything about fan fiction existing, so I don't have to defend my copyright.

Have you considered Alternate Universe theory for Dresden?

There's going to be. In mirror mirror. One choice different. evil giggles it's awful. Sorta inspired by next to last episode of Stargate Season 1 if anyone's seen it.

Did the White Council have anything to do with the missing legion in Codex Alera?

Oh! WELL THEY DO NOW!!

Has there been a book/show that's canon to Dresden Files?

Not directly. Supernatural could be kinda sideways on it, through season 5. supernatural tangent on later seasons Dresden and Dean would get along great. Sam would be bitter about being in the back seat. Buffy could be Dresden adjacent. Scooby Doo, easily. Some harried warden in the background figuring out how to get the kids out of trouble. Monster Hunter universe from Correa.

Was it a choice to use a different reader for Ghost Story or was Marsters not available? -Availability, tight deadlines, etc.

Have you ever looked into Dresden fan fiction and if so what is your favorite?

Fan fiction? What's that? My niece did make me water MLP to understand the crossover though.

Is The White God the literal creator of the universe?

Yep. That being isn't super involved because free will is important, but occasionally he finds someone to work through and then they get a cool sword.

What's been the death with the biggest reader outrage?

sarcastic Let me think... Oh my god, some of the looks I got, especially from my blonde readers!

Will we ever learn more about Jade Court?

uhh... Yes and no. They pretty much stick to and run things in the Yangtze River Valley. They occasionally send out agents, there are some in the story, I'm not gonna tell you who... I better look for who they are. Have I mentioned I'm an unreliable narrator? Grain of salt, people.

Are there any plans to introduce more diversity? LGBTQ characters

Several are in there already, but their romantic life is irrelevant to the story. But we'll get into that a little more in the next 2-3 books

Will there be a council for time travelers like time lords?

evil chuckle there's an anti-time travel council! Like any time he goes in to with a white council! I don't want to say time travel is wibbly wobbly but it's more about choices than minutes passed. We'll explain more when we get there.

What happened to Mister? -He's fine. Hanging out in the castle. Murphy took him when Harry was 'gone' and Harry collected him back

Is there a link between Murphy and Persephone? -No

Would you write a Scooby Doo side story with a warden?

oh man... I like to write for money. I might at some point, but yeah I have a house to pay off.

How bad is the Blackstaff for the user? -Ummm... You know... Not much worse than an active radiation core would be. Expose yourself quickly enough at sufficiently spaced intervals of time and it merely makes you miserable. But it's directly connected to void and the end of all things so you know not great for you, but we'll see more of that later.

Are you playing Fuck Marry Kill with the vampire courts?

The evidence speaks for itself.

Can a vampire become a knight of a holy sword? -which court? (White) wow that would be thorny. A narrow path to walk. Probably not Amorrachius but maybe Esperrachius.

Any plans to kill off in Twelve Months? -I'm gonna un-kill someone (gasps) not who you think.

The only relevant WoJ I recall (and it was only cited by someone else, I haven't seen / heard the original) suggests that afterlife!Murphy isn't satisfied with her options and is actively seeking loopholes & rule-bending in order to return.

I've seen the quote today.  Jim basically says Murphy isn't the type to just stand around waiting and that she is trying to find a way back into the fight.

It isn't in Christmas Eve. I believe it is Woj.  I did find this but have yet to find the one explicity about Odin negotiating for Murphy from Uriel.

What topics do Uriel and Odin discuss in their yearly lunch?

Uriel exists across the entire spectrum of possibility in the multiverse. They're all the same everywhere, he's just as exasperated in all of them. Vadderung is also across a large spectrum, but he's a different individual in each. Uriel finds the consistency comforting. Vadderung is one of few beings with the right perspective. Also, they talk about the eternal light/dark war.

I posted on reddit about Vadderung making a deal with Uriel for Murphy but I can't find the WOJ.  Recent WOJ's have seemed hard to find as they aren't in Serack's compilation.  Anyone have that WOJ handy?

*mere* mortals?

As Harry aptly explained, mere mortals can defy absolutely everyone. Most don't, but they can. I wouldn't think infecting, say, Charity Carpenter would be cheaper/easier than infecting Maeve.

I was aware of the "mere mortal" issue when I wrote it.  I still think it is largely true that nemesis infection of a Mother would tie up more of Nemesis than an infection of mortals, even Charity.  I think a 'defy absolutely everyone' if it was in play would outright prevent infection.  Also, it may be that Charity isn't quite all Mortal as she had some wizard heritage.

Two titbits dropped about Next Book.

1. Harry gets a Valkyrie bodyguard,
2. Harry gets a new apprentice

I'm still of the mind that Murphy intersects in Identity with Mab at some point.  I know i've postulated the Murphy/Mab theory before.  I even allowed for it to be in past, future, or parallel reality.  Murphy was one of the few females that were locked down with Mab in Demonreach when Maeve believed it was possible for Mab to die.  I'd think that with near infinite parallel realities some Mab did die there and one of the alternate females absorbed Mab's mantle.  I'm assuming that Maeve died too.  Or, the possibility that Maeve's/Lily's death led to someone other than Maeve's/Lily's Mantle going to someone different than Molly/Sarissa.  Perhaps a Murphy got the Lady Mantle then.

I was one of the first to think of the alternate Mab's existence in the parallel realities as being Out Mab's.  We do now have WOJ that Mab talks at times with her Other Selves in the other Parallel Universes.  We also know that a Parallel Mab can sense minions of another Parallel Mab that finds themselves in Her Reality.  She would then just use them as if they were her own.  I think our Mab would be aware of some change in another Mab with a different mortal being 'the cup' that holds that Mantle.

This is interesting. If Lea hasn't been 'cured' but treated, then it could be that nemesis in some capacity remains with her or with Mab/Winter's Heart.  That split of power is a significantly higher investment than likely those of mere mortals.  It could be that like others said that power in stasis has led to a weakening of Nemesis' power that can be utilized outside of that stasis.