This is an edited transcript of the chat with Jack Dann and Janeen Webb that took place on Friday 21 April 2000, at SwanCon 2000.

<Erika> Welcome everyone to this chat, allow me to introduce you to Jack Dann.

<jdann> Hi Erika.

<jdann> Don't you guys want to know the answers to the meaning of life or something?

<jdann> Or where the best sex is in the universe...?

<jdann> Or is there a god?

<ChUcKiE> god ?

<ChUcKiE> When did u begin Writing Jack ?

<jdann> Uh oh...now I've got to tell. Okay, there were dinosaurs walking...first story published: 1972. Ouch!

<ChUcKiE> hehe

<jdann> Chuckie--sure, easy for you to laugh. <Grin>

<ChUcKiE> What is yr theory on Life Jack, eg: where did we come from ?

<Erika> Welcome Janeen, the channel is moderated so that you and Jack can talk freely

<jdann> Okay, you asked for it. Live fast, don't get old, and do what you want! Where did we come from? That's easy. Eggs. Scrambled.

<Erika> Jack, could you tell us about your future projects?

<jdann> You see, moderater, you look aside for a second, and the sex maniacs come into the room....

<jdann> Okay, getting serious now. I'm working on a new novel, sold to HarperCollins USA

<Erika> <rubygene> Jack DDUnder is a fine collection. Was there ever any doubt as to whether George Turner's novella would be included?

<jdann> called--tentatively--SECOND CHANCE. It's a novel about the life of James Dean...after the accident. Major characters are Elvis Presley, James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, John and Bobby Kennedy, and...more....

<Erika> It's a historical novel, I would assume?

<jdann> Of course, I've got at least a dozen other projects in train. Just sold a novella to The Magazine of Fantasy & SF, a hommage to F. Scott Fitzgerald.

<Erika> Would you know what issue of F&SF your story will appear in?

<jdann> Yeah, Erika, I guess it is. Although it's one of those slipstream projects: it's a Hollywood novel, an alternate history novel, a magical realism novel. As usual, I'll confuse the hell out of my publishers.

<jdann> Don't know what issue the Fitzgerald story will be in. It's called "The Diamond Pit."

<Erika> <Haley> jdann how hard is it to gather information on these people?

<jdann> I have a story that should be out in the next few issues of F&SF called "Marilyn". I should mention that Janeen Webb is now here, and we're going to try to work on one computer, as the seconds is dying the death as we sit. And Erika, thanks for doing moderater stuff. Great job!

<ChUcKiE> Guests feel free to ask your Questions by Messaging Myself or Erika bye typing /msg Erika (question 4 jack)

<Erika> Thanks :) No problems, I do try.

<Erika> <mikey> Have you read The Great Gatsby?

<jdann> Interesing question. I'm finding it less difficult, actually, to find information on Dean, Monroe, etc., than I had when I was researching my Civil War novel THE SILENT or my Da Vinci novel THE MEMORY CATHEDRAL. Again, probably because it's Hollywood stuff.

<jdann> Yeah, Mikey, I did read THE GREAT GATSBY, and it's a favorite. My hommage story was Fitzgerald's short story "The Diamond As Big As the Ritz." <jdann> I took the perspective of one of the characters kept in a prison by the richest man in the world.

<Erika> A question that was asked a little earlier: <rubygene> Jack DDUnder is a fine collection. Was there ever any doubt as to whether George Turner's novella would be included?

<jdann> Good question about DREAMING. I'm going to turn this over to Janeen Webb, who co-edited the anthology...(and is much smarter than me.) <Grin* GA

<jdann> Hi, Janeen Here. Goerge was working on his story for Dreaming when he died. We'd been discussin his progress with him, and he was saying that he felt great about it all - we were shocked by his sudden death, but we never considered not running his story GA

<Erika> <ChUcKiE> Jack How did it feel when your wife and yourself Won the World Fantasy Award last November??

<jdann> Thrilled to bits - he was speechless, for once. GA

<Erika> <mikey> What do you think about recording your dreams to aid in the writting process?

<jdann> Jack...back. Regarding recording dreams, I don't really write them down, but I use what's called "lucid dreaming" in my writing. I go to sleep with the story in mind, and when I wake up...I often have the answers. GA

<Erika> <BRONNIE> Jack I want to know if we will ever find the truth on Marily Monroes death ?

<jdann> Bronnie, that's a difficult problem, as I believe records have been destroyed, and that records are still being hidden. I think we will find out some _more_ answers as time goes on, but I think it's still considered to be too politically dangerous by government agencies. I believe that because I do think there was _some_ Kennedy involvment.

<Erika> <mikey> jdann, Did you know FBI had records on JFK Before he was president, when he was in the navy, he was dating a danish/nazi spy?

<jdann> I didn't know that detail, but I'm sure that Hoover's FBI were keeping tabs on most everyone of political importance. GA

<Erika> <rubygene> Jack or Janeen The dust-jacket of George Turner's last novel declares him to be one of the most significant SF writers of the late 20th Century. Do you agree? And what do you think will be his most enduring work?

<jdann> Janeen is going on for this one. (Jack) ga

<jdann> Hi again. My vote goes to Sea & Summer for his most significant work - it made a difference in the world. And yes, I do think he will be remembered as an important writer of the late C20th. GA

<Erika> <ChUcKiE> As a team effort do u find yourselves getting into useless arguements sometimes ??

<jdann> Oh. The easy questions now <g>. Yes, it can go around and around. Our basic rule is that we both have to like a piece before we'll take it <g>. Collaborative fiction is much harder - like you can share a bathrooom, but don't touch my syntax <G> GA

<Erika> Jack -- In an interview with Abaddon, you say that both you and Janeen had a political agenda to broaden the scope of Australian writing, with regards to payment, contracts and other things to do with professional writing. How do you feel that you have succeeded in doing this in your years in Australia so far?

<jdann> Hey, we've only just begun! Well, that ain't much of an answer. All we can do is to try to show by example. We tried to do that with DREAMIN DOWN-UNDER. We had a good contract for authors. We're paying them pro rata, so they will share in all royalties. We paid well. HarperCollins has been terrific, and have been behind us all the way-- which really made our lives easier. Another object of this anthology was to give Australian writers an international audience, and I think, in our small way, we've done that. Winnin the World Fantasy Award helped too...and showed us that the world _is_looking at what we're doing. GA

<Erika> <rubygene> Will be a DDunder 3 and 4 and so on? How succesfull have the volumes been? And how did you manage to get a quote from the amazing Neil Gaiman?

<jdann> But, I must say that DREAMING should only be considered a beginning. ga

<jdann> No plans to another DDU, at least not for quite a while, until a new crop of bright new talent comes up. We're not going to do DDU to death. Neil was very kind to give us that great quote. He loves Australia, incidentally. ga

<Erika> <mikey> With Hi-tech so big , do you see the end of novels and books on paper?

<jdann> Mikey, that's a good question, an important one, and a difficult one to answer now. _I_don't think we're going to see the end of paper books for a whie. I think print on demand will get bigger and bigger, and I think with new technology, viewers will become much better. But a book is a pretty durable item. And it don't see it dying quite yet. The internet is bringing new publishing and copywright problems. I've just had a problem with an unauthorised site that uploaded my work...and Harlan Ellison's, Tolkein's, Martin's, Haldeman's, King's, etc., and was giving it away to whoever wanted it. That's been stopped. So it's gonna get real interesting... GA

<ChUcKiE> As a young chap did u ever dream of comeing this far with writing Jack?

<jdann> Chuckie, interesting, but it doesn't _feel_ like I've come that far. I just keep extending the possibilities. However, Gardner Dozois used to say to me in moments of doubt, "If you you could see what you'd be doing now ten years ago, you wouldn't believe it." And that's really true. So I guess, in a way, I'm doing stuff now I never thought I'd be doing. That I've done over 50 books gives me...pause. ga

<Erika> <mikey> Don;t you think it would be better for the environment, it would cut down on paper usage and tree chopping and use recycle materials for other things

<jdann> Yeah, it would be good for the environment to cut down on the use of paper, but I think that paper books _are_ important and we should see more good one. "Good" is the operating word. <grin> ga

<jdann> Hey, everybody, my time is just about up. If you have one more question, I'd love to answer it. Otherwise, I'll bid thee adeau. ga

<Erika> <mikey> what do you think of Orwells theories, he is genuis hey...most of what he said has come true!

<jdann> The quick version answer is...I don't think 1984 has become the future. Although we do have large power blocks, I think we have much more diversity than Orwell envisioned. If nobody pulls the trigger, it's goin' to be a real interesting, culturally layered world, although...ah, there's always the 'although'... The world is becoming more and more like a fast food mall. If we don't lose our old cultures, it will be interesting. If we do, George O., here we come...

<jdann> On that note, I'll sign off and try to grab a bite of lunch. Janeen is waving goodbye, Great to be online with you guys. See you in the aether! Cheers. ga

<ChUcKiE> Thankyou very Much Jack and Janeen Webb for your time to chat with us today. *smiles* Its been Great...

<Erika> Thankyou Jack and Janeen, for having come in to talk and answered the questions. You have both been gracious guests and we thank you for your time.

<Erika> <rubygene> Thanks guys!