You Asked...We're Still Answering.

Okay, here is another installment of our "Ask Us Anything" series where Zyra solicited questions from all of our wonderful followers. Please feel free to visit that post and continue to ask questions of us. Questions can be about anything at all. Our stories, general writing questions, previous posts...anything!


This second post will answer a few questions. First, submitted by Elivagar: "Favorite H/L scene from the movies?...and why." Second, submitted by Emma: "What is your favorite color? Favorite animal? Favorite holiday? How about favorite dessert? What is your favorite EU book? Which ones would you recommend to a fellow Han/Leia fan?"

And here are our answers:

We'll start with me (Push): Starting with my favorite scene, I guess my name and avatar should make this no surprise and that my favorite scene is from The Empire Strikes back should be no surprise either.

It starts off with the Millennium Falcon trying to start in the icy hangar of Hoth. That all-too-familiar sound (for those of us who have ever had an old car or boat engine not start on you) of an engine refusing to cooperate at the worst possible time. Just that scene alone makes me smile every time! I just think it's the funniest thing, go figure.

And then of course my favorite line: "Would it help if I got out and pushed?" and Han's reply: "It might!". All the way through to Han's "Fonzie" move when he hits the Falcon to get her going. Leia's "bucket of bolts" comment and then her "Someday you're going to be wrong and I just want to be there to see it" (that's nearly a term of endearment for those two!) Until Han finally gets his beloved ship moving and outta there.

I even like Luke waving goodbye to them as they fly out of the hangar. I just love that entire scene. The lines, the facial expressions between the characters, IDK, it's just my favorite. Threepio trying to tell Han that the hyperdrive motivator is broken, Chewie growling passed Leia as the smoke billows everywhere. Just everything.

Okay. Favorite Color: This is actually tough for me, in fact, picking favorites is tough for me because my choices may change with my mood or just over time. But right now, a deep dark blue or purple.

Favorite animal? I've always like giraffes. Even used to collect giraffe stuff. As far as dogs and cats go. I'm a dog person, but I don't hate cats.

Favorite holiday? Mardi Gras. I bet you can guess where I'm from. After that, Halloween and then New Year's.

Favorite Dessert? Bananas Foster, it's an entire experience.

Favorite EU book? Tatooine Ghost. It is the closest to Han and Leia goodness that the EU offers.

EU recommendations for an Han/Leia fan? This is tough and I'm definitely not as well-versed as Zyra on this, so you may want to defer to her recommendations. But, for sure, Tatooine Ghost. I liked Recovery, which is a small e-book by Denning, it's all Han and Leia and it's when they are making up after Han kinda went awol following Chewie's death.

I think after all that horrible stuff happens, all the authors (when they write about them) started to treat Han and Leia better. The thing is, you might not understand everything if you didn't suffer through all the bad stuff. But if you're game, start with the Swarm War trilogy and go from there.

I actually read the Swarm Wars early on before I even knew Han and Leia's kids' names and I wasn't too lost. From there the next series is The Legacy of the Force. Some books are hit and miss on whether or not they even mention Han and Leia. But when they are in them, they are usually together and happily married. If you want the Han and Leia factor on a particular book, let me know - I actually mark mine so I can go directly back to Han/Leia parts or look at a book at one glance and know if it has alot of Han/Leia. See, I'm not even embarrassed to admit that!

I'll be the first to admit that I do not like what they did to Han and Leia in the EU, but I've read nearly every book and I don't necessarily regret it. It's just another person's take on their lives and it's Han and Leia so....well, I feel like I'm missing something if I don't read it!


And here is Zyra's answers: Favorite scene? That’s a tough one. Of course the first kiss is amazing and is such a huge turning point. But Leia is obviously still reluctant there. I really do love when she gets him out of carbonite, the look on Han’s face when he finds out it’s her and the way she just grabs his face and kisses him. Him going into carbonite of course is amazing, too. So much with just the way they are looking at each other as he descends.

But let's go with something less obvious. I really love when they are hiding out attached to the Star Destroyer and trying to decide where to go from there. It is a scene I often point to in the did they/didn't they debate when people talk about how different they are with each other by the time they get to Bespin, so something had to have happened. Well, in this scene, they're already acting completely comfortable with one another. They are already communicating wordlessly, with Han's gesture and Leia's deactivation of Threepio. It's probably the first time they ever just sit and talk like normal people instead of arguing. Han is finally able to tease her without her getting mad. She kisses him on the cheek like it's something she does all the time and even voluntarily complements him. See, there's no way they could've had sex already by then, since all they've done since the kiss is lots of escaping, and they're already acting completely comfortable with each other.

Favorite color: Green

Favorite animal: On rare occasions I've been to the zoo, I always like tigers. Of course dogs are better than cats. I like some cats if they are actually nice and friendly, but so many people seem to have psycho cats that you have to be careful around. What's the deal with that? Nobody would put up with that behavior from a dog.

Favorite holiday: I'll go with Fourth of July because Christmas and Thanksgiving seem to involve a lot of stress for a lot of people, and 4th of July is just fun and awesome summer weather.

Favorite dessert: Brownie sundae. With a really good, fudgy, warm brownie, lots of french vanilla ice cream hot fudge, whipped cream and a cherry. And now I'm hungry.

Favorite EU book: Tatooine Ghost is where it's at for a Han and Leia fan.

EU recommendations: If you’re looking for an EU book literally just as a Han and Leia fan, Tatooine Ghost is definitely what you want to go with. It is entirely focused on Han and Leia and takes place almost right after they get married. While they are dealing with some other stuff, too, it is Han and Leia as a newlywed couple and I personally have always enjoyed the way Troy Denning writes them. Aside from their usual issues, they also deal with issues that normal married couples deal with. They actually act like a committed, loving couple, which is more than can be said for a lot of other books. Also, if you aren't sure you want to get into the EU, another plus of this book is that it works as a stand-alone, no other reading required.

Another one I love is Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor. Don’t be fooled by the title, because there is still a lot of Han and Leia here, and good Han and Leia at that. And overall, this is probably the most fun Star Wars book I’ve ever read. The mission is dark, but the characters and such just all really feel like the characters from the movies. And Han and Leia have some really great moments in it, pre-marriage, that just really solidify their relationship. Like Tatooine Ghost, it also works as a stand-alone without having to read anything else.

As far as just a really intense book, Star by Star was amazing and heartbreaking and intense. It involves some very, very sad elements and I think might be the longest single Star Wars novel, but the entire book was just really, really good. I’m going to have to read it again to give further detail, but it’s just a really good book in general in spite of the fact that Han and Leia, among others, suffer greatly in it. You do kind of have to read the rest of the New Jedi Order series though to fully grasp it, so that is a big commitment.

Alright, so there went another installment of our "Ask Us Anything" series. If you would like a question answered, please visit that post and Ask Us Anything. (We do reserve the right to not answer, if necessary! So, don't get crazy...)

Once again, don't worry if your question didn't get answered (yet), we will continue to post answers as long as you guys continue to ask questions.