Star Wars Authors React to Sue Rostoni’s Retirement

Yesterday, StarWars.com announced that LucasBooks’ executive editor Sue Rostoni was retiring.  I asked Star Wars authors to share their experiences working with Sue Rostoni.  Here’s what Abel G. Pena, Karen Miller, Maya Kaathyrn Bohnhoff, Ann C. Crispin, and John Jackson Miller had to say.

John Jackson Miller, author of Knight Errant, said:

All fans of the Star Wars fiction and comics owe a debt of thanks to Sue, who’s made the Galaxy Far, Far, away a better place for all of us.  Her support and wisdom have been invaluable to me over the years, from KOTOR through to Lost Tribe of the Sith and Knight Errant.  She has a great sense of what makes a good story, and I’m honored to have been able to write for her.  She will definitely be missed.

Ann C. Crispin, author of The Han Solo Trilogy, said:

Congratulations on your retirement, Sue! I will always remember working with you and Lucasfilm as one of the best, most professional, and most fun experiences I’ve had in writing tie-in novels! Your knowledge of Star Wars is all-encompassing, and the fact that you have a real sense of humor is a tremendous plus. Writing the Han Solo Trilogy was really a pleasure for me, due mostly to you and my great editors at Bantam.

Be well and happy in your retirement!

Karen Miller, author of Clone Wars: Gambi: Siege, said:

Working with Sue Rostoni was one of the highlights of my professional Star Wars adventure.  What could have been a bewildering and intimidating experience was made delightful because of her warmth, accessibility and wonderfully professional attitude to everything involving this amazing story.  Lucasfilm will be poorer for her absence.   I just hope that whatever she chooses to do next, it involves a great deal of relaxing with a good book because she’s more than earned some wonderful down time.

Abel G. Pena, StarWars.com’s Only Sith Deal in Absolutes! blogger, said:

Sue was a class act with a big heart.  She cared deeply and sincerely about the fans and Star Wars fiction.  She has my heartfelt affection and thanks for steering the franchise true for so many wonderful years.

Maya Kaathyrn Bohnhoff, co-author of the upcoming Shadow Games, said:

While I’ve only with Sue on three projects, I’m really gonna miss her.  She and Leland Chee worked like an editorial team, and have been instrumental in keeping us honest when it comes to things that can or cannot be in the galaxy far, far away.

What was really cool about Sue was that she would get possible problem in a story by asking questions.  For example, if we have a Force sensitive show a new ability that hasn’t been seen before–like Kaj Savoros disintegration ability in Patterns of the Force–she wouldn’t say. “That doesn’t work–change it.”  She’d ask, “This is a new Force ability.  How can he do that? It needs to work in the GFFA.”  Like I said, her job was to keep up honest and true to the GFFA, and she did it well.

I’d like to wish Sue a very happy retirement, free of persnickety, temperamental writers. :) And I hope our next exec editor know he or she has big shoes to fill.

Roqoo Depot Staff would like to thank Maya Kaathyrn Bohnhoff, John Jackson Miller, Abel G. Pena, Ann C. Crispin and Karen Miller for speaking to us.  Roqoo Depot also contacted Sue Rostoni for an additional comment.  She appreciated our gratitude and thanked us for our best wishes.  Sue will be missed by the Star Wars authors and fans alike.

If you haven’t already, head over to the Star Wars Books Facebook page and send Sue Rostoni your best wishes!

Read Alex Irvine, Daniel Wallace and Christie Golden’s responses to Sue Rostoni’s retirement news here.

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