The Gradual Interview

For discussion about Stephen R. Donaldson's other works, Reed Stephens, group meetings, elohimfests, SRD sightings, and more.

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Dragonlily
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Post by Dragonlily »

So ask him Saturday, you two.

I'm thinking: a couple of times SRD has referred to someone who reads his manuscripts and looks for errors. Sounds like an employee. I've been critiquing several writers for over a year, for free. Wonder how one would get into it professionally.
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Post by Fist and Faith »

Hey! Waddaya want from me! SRD wrote it in GI! danlo, I'm gonna kick your ass when I get there! (You know, after you pick me up from the airport. Um, please? *nyuk nyuk*)
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Post by danlo »

:rant: :x :mrgreen:
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caamora
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Post by caamora »

Did anyone else see the anonymous question that ended signed "J. Depp"?
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Dragonlily
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Post by Dragonlily »

Yes. It sounded to me like it might really be J. Depp. :)

It gave SRD a chance to clarify his comments on education -- all of which I agreed with, btw.

Caam, why aren't you on the way to New Mexico?

*Wondering who I should get on the phone with, to give me a moment by moment account of events* :cry:
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Furls Fire
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Post by Furls Fire »

Briney the Pirate??? Where was that???? :? :?
And I believe in you
altho you never asked me too
I will remember you
and what life put you thru.


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~this world was never meant for one as beautiful as you~

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kaseryn
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Post by kaseryn »

hoo hah! answered my.. well not really question so much as eulogy, but .. i .. spoke to SRD ... sorta!! :D:D:D:D:D
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Post by Baradakas »

OMG!!!!! 8O 8O 8O

Check this out!
I said:
Brad: The Killing Stroke is easily my favorite short story ever. I was wondering what philosophy, if any, inspired the concept 'there is no killing stroke', and what disciplines you modeled the clan types after....


Also, thank you for writing the Last Chronicles, I've been hoping you would follow up on them for ten years.

-B



SRD replies!!!:




Actually, I tried not to "model" my clan types on particular disciplines. Nevertheless there is quite a bit of "bleed-through." You don't have to look very far to see elements of Ninjitsu, or of "hard" (linear) styles like Shotokan and Shorin-Ryu vs "soft" (circular) styles like Tumpai and Wing Chun.

I developed the philosophy behind the "there is no killing stroke" concept through my own study of Shotokan; but the concept is not one that I've ever been taught (either as part of Shotokan or as an element in any of the many other styles I've been exposed to). But as my training progressed I gradually came to believe that there is no such thing as a "victim" (except to the extent that many people are self-victimized). There is, of course, such as thing as "prey"; and when a predator comes after you, you are commonly referred to as a "victim." But there's a useful distinction to be made here. In my lexicon, "prey" has no say in the matter: "victim" does (hence the emphasis on self-victimization). To pick a crude example: a woman is attacked by a rapist. She is "prey" (i.e. she has no responsibility whatsoever for the fact that she was chosen for attack). And if she fights back with all of her resources (as "prey" always does in nature), she remains "prey." But if she gives up on herself and submits, she becomes a "victim"--and she is self-victimized by her decision to give up on herself. The important point (in "The Killing Stroke" as in life) is: how do you *choose* to respond to the behavior of a predator? And if your attacker is *not* a predator (i.e. you've chosen to engage in combat when you could have avoided the fight, as in running like hell away from the rapist, or staying out of vulnerable situations), then you have--in effect--chosen your own fate. Your attacker becomes merely the instrument of your own will. Therefore "there is no killing stroke": there is only the decision to be killed, or to not be killed. And if you choose not to be killed, you don't get to call yourself a "victim," since your will determined what happened.

I'm afraid this isn't very clear. Sorry about that. Maybe I'll try again when somebody flames me for criticizing rape victims (which is definitely NOT what I'm trying to do here).

(06/25/2004)

Wow!!! I never expected such a lengthy discourse. Awesome!!!!


-B
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Post by Ninquelote »

He answered mine two questions for some weeks ago. Didn't think he would answer, but what do ya know :D

My second answer (I send it a minute after I send the first) was and is very stupid, actually:

Elisabet Liljeblad: How come Thomas Covenant never is called Thomas, and how come Linden Avery always being called the opposite, Linden?

The answer was a bit better :D :

It's sexist, I know. But I was programmed that way many decades ago, and breaking free has been, well, difficult. Of course, in my own defense, Covenant hates his first name; so he encourages people to call him Covenant. But that's really just a rationalization. *I* call him Covenant to emphasize the issues which lie beneath his Unbelief. But my Mommy would wash my mouth out with soap if I called "Linden Avery" Avery. <grin>

The GAP books, I'm glad to say, don't have the same problem. Nor for that matter does "Mordant's Need." But after six books poor Covenant and Linden are kind of stuck the way they are.
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Post by dlbpharmd »

I was re-reading some of the previous monthly editions of the GI and found this gem of a tease:
Alis Mirak

Are you going to explain how Linden got Covenant's ring? I never quite caught how she ended up with it.
-Alis ;)

Alas, I can only tell you: wait and see.

(03/25/2004)
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Post by CovenantJr »

Ooh, so we will actually find out? Hmmm...that'll settle one ongoing mystery... 8)

And I love SRD's answer to the "killing stroke" question. A man after my own heart :D
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Post by kaseryn »

SRD, Dr Who fan and friend of Colin Baker.. how cool is that? Go SRD! :)
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Post by dlbpharmd »

I'm not sure what Dr. Who is.....
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Post by kaseryn »

It's an old British sci fi series with a cult following. Lots of us grew up with it and loved it never noticing the dire limitations of its budget... Orbital remixed the theme music not too long ago
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Post by A Gunslinger »

HAs anyone ever asked SRD to define the rate of speed at which time passes in the land relative to ours?

It seems to me that the ratio may be slowing somewhat, given that I have read here at the watch that SRD says that about as much time has passed in the land betwee nthe 2nd and 3rd chronicles as had passed betweeen the 1st and 2nd. HOWEVER, in TCs world, a decade has passed since the death of TC at the end of the 2nd, whereas just a couple of years had passed between the 1st and 2nd chronicles.

This has wide and terrible implications on the arch of time and the ability of the despiser to be imprisoned. Also, if the arch of time os weakening, in conjunction with the LAw of Death being broken.... could TC come back to life in a real sense?
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Gart
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Post by Gart »

SRD has said that the time ratio is about a year in The Land to about a day in the real world.

Looking through the preview chapter, the time ratio seems to have been maintained:
Spoiler
"Ten years ago, Joan had been snatched from Thomas Covenant’s care by a group of people who were--in the county’s eyes--demonstrably insane."
I think you're bang on about a TC resurrection, although I doubt it'll be in the real world. Firstly, Foul needs to get him out of the way of his next Arch-busting assault. And secondly, it'd be a bit ripe calling the series "The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant" if he's dead in the books - it'd be like the last ten years of Taggart!
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Post by Baradakas »

I love Dr. Who, and I'm not even british!!!!!!


:twisted:
"Fortunate circumstances do not equate to high ideals."

"Mostly muffins sir."- My answer in response to the question posed by the officer, "Son, do you have anything on you I should know about?"

His response: "Holy $&!^. He's not kidding! Look at all these muffins!"
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Post by dlbpharmd »

A Gunslinger wrote:HAs anyone ever asked SRD to define the rate of speed at which time passes in the land relative to ours?

It seems to me that the ratio may be slowing somewhat, given that I have read here at the watch that SRD says that about as much time has passed in the land betwee nthe 2nd and 3rd chronicles as had passed betweeen the 1st and 2nd. HOWEVER, in TCs world, a decade has passed since the death of TC at the end of the 2nd, whereas just a couple of years had passed between the 1st and 2nd chronicles.

This has wide and terrible implications on the arch of time and the ability of the despiser to be imprisoned. Also, if the arch of time os weakening, in conjunction with the LAw of Death being broken.... could TC come back to life in a real sense?
One day is approximately equal to one year, according to SRD's response to my question in the GI. However, you are incorrect when you say that only a couple of years passed between the 1st and 2nd Chronicles. Ten years passed during that period, and another ten years have passed for LA between the 2nd and Last Chronicles.
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Post by Loredoctor »

kaseryn wrote:SRD, Dr Who fan and friend of Colin Baker.. how cool is that? Go SRD! :)
AHAHAHAA! Yes!
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Post by Romeo »

Who was on First. I guess he moved into a medical profession? I Don't Know. (he's on Third)

:-)
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