The Gradual Interview

[wayfriend]

Maybe if he stops responding he can tour somewhere within 2,000 miles of me ...

[CovenantJr]

He said yesterday that he doesn't even want to tour. He wants to be in his office, writing.

[Gadget nee Jemcheeta]

I'm with you there wayfriend. Are we on the east just.... not readers? Does fantasy not sell well here? Ah well.

[dlbpharmd]

I think his publishers are idiots, personally. They did a poor job of promoting Runes, and they did a poor job of setting up his tour.

[dlbpharmd]

Andrew Stiles: Mr. Donaldson,

First, the obligatory praise for all of your work. Don't ever stop writing! *grin*

Second, you've mentioned a few times in the interview that you spend a considerable amount of time researching your own books in order to keep yourself consistent. Have you ever considered asking the Watch members about what you've written? I guarantee that between all of us fanatics who study your books as if they were religious texts (my, isn't hyperbole fun?) we'd be able to give you any answer very quickly. *grin*

How can you be sure that I don't already do this? <you're grinning, so I am as well>

(11/12/2004)

Hey! I'm not being consulted! Who's the lucky stiff who's being consulted?

[CovenantJr]

Probably Romeo, since he gets a credit at the front of the book.

[Gadget nee Jemcheeta]

OBVIOUSLY he's posting incognito, as one of you crazies here on the watch!
I wonder which one of you is SRD.... Witch hunt! Witch hunt!

....
sorry.... I just woke up...
....

[danlo]

SRD himself IS a member here, but he has only posted once...

[Gadget nee Jemcheeta]

Oh really? Where was that?

[Gadget nee Jemcheeta]

Nevermind, I found him
Wow, that's cool... Excellent!

[Creator]

SRD himself IS a member here, but he has only posted once...

Actually twice!

[Gadget nee Jemcheeta]

Yes, he even had his picture as an avatar and the title of Servant of the Land. And his website was listed also. All kinds of fun.

I wonder why other authors don't get involved with their readers like this. Another reason why I like him so much... it's funny, I'm reacting less and less like he's a celebrity and more like he's an actual human being when I read the GI. I wish more authors took a cue from him, if not in terms of offering their own gradual interview, but at least in terms of expressing themselves to their readers in a way that makes them more like regular people.... Of course, to each his own.

[Gadget nee Jemcheeta]

Another thought: I had asked him a question about how difficult the GI process was, imagining it to be an emotional taxing, painful cathartic blahdityblah or other. His response was that he hated it when people repeated questions. That definately helped me look at him as another person, and relate to him a bit better. And I'm all about relating to people, it makes them concrete for me.

[dlbpharmd]

Here's a particularly good question and answer:

Tony: Steve,

Thanks so much for the awesome stories.. I've read both series numerous times since the 70's. I found Covenant's view of Glimmermere very touching in the Power that Preserves, as was Coerci in the Wounded Land..

Do you happen to have a favorite chapter or touching scene from the Covenant books.

I'm particularly fond of "The Celebration of Spring" (LFB), perhaps the most ecstatic writing I've ever done. I also loved Covenant's caamora for the Dead in The Grieve (TWL), the soothtell (TWL), the scene in which Covenant acknowledges Lena as his "queen" (TPTP), and the quenching of the Banefire (WGW).

(11/14/2004)

I'm fond of all of those scenes as well!

[matrixman]

It's nice to know "The Celebration of Spring" ranks high on SRD's list. It stands out in my mind, too. I chose it as one of my favorites in the "Favorite chapters of the first Chronicles" thread.

[Gadget nee Jemcheeta]

Me too, especially the quenching of the banefire. That was most excellent.

[Iryssa]

Okay...before I ask him this (well...I might not even...I feel kinda silly asking it), does anyone know what the "R" stands for (is it Reed?)? Has anyone else asked? I got behind on reading the GI and I'm not sure I'll catch up anytime soon...

[dlbpharmd]

Someone did ask him this, just a few days ago. It's "Reeder," his mother's maiden name.

[dlbpharmd]

Alright, everyone - you gotta see this Q&A!

Chris D: Just now finished Runes...nicely done. You've (to this reader) seamlesly picked up where you left off. I have one question and one comment. Q: Lord Foul, why did you limit his essence and his vehemence to the Land how is it that the rest of the "world" was spared? From a literary stand point it makes sense (well that's where all the action is! *smack*)Just always wondered why there werent more far reaching acts of "despite".
C: Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions including the inane ones (see my Q above)Now please to be getting back to the salt mines I'm dying to read the next installment!

CD

Gosh, the details we could discuss.... I'll have to control myself.

I've often referred to the Land as an "arena." And I suggested recently in this interview that Earthpower flows closer to the surface in the Land than elsewhere. Naturally Lord Foul would be drawn there. BUT. A close reading of the first six books reveals that LF came to the Land from elsewhere in the Earth: the Land knew Ravers well before it met the Despiser. During the ages of the One Forest's flourishing, humankind hardly existed in the Land at all--and LF would naturally go where the people are. Furthermore, there is evidence that LF has been at work elsewhere in the Earth (long ago if not presently): the shadow on the heart of the Elohim; the fact that the Elohim appear to have an established tradition of Appointing one among them to stop evils here and there (personally, I find it difficult to believe that Findail, Kastenessen, and the Elohim sent to aid the One Forest were the *only* Elohim who were ever Appointed). And then there's the curious fact that Kevin's Council failed to recognize LF. How, I ask myself, could that have happened if the Old Lords had any previous experience of the Despiser? I may be getting myself in trouble here; but I suspect that LF didn't come to the Land until the Old Lords became powerful enough to be useful to him.

(11/18/2004)

[aliantha]

Isn't that just the coolest thing?? Foul was *elsewhere* in the Land. That explains so much -- including why the Old Lords didn't recognize him: they'd never seen him before!