E-mail from Stephen R. Donaldson - Questions Answered
Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2003 11:03 pm
Hey all. I'm really quite excited. But today when I opened up my e-mail, I had a letter waiting from Stephen R. Donaldson himself. In it he had some answers to the questions that Mouseglove asked him at the Conference. So, anyway, here for your enjoyment, are some words directly from SRD.
--The E-mail--
At this year's International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts, I
was handed a list of questions from Kevinswatch.com. Since I think well
of the man who handed them to me, I agreed to answer a few of them. I
seldom do this, mostly because I don't enjoy writing letters. But here
goes:
1) eta on "The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant? The story is
underway, but progress is slow, primarily because what I'm trying to do
is so large and difficult. I have roughly 3/4 of the first book (out of
a projected total of four) on paper, and I'm pushing myself to finish
the first draft in the next four months. After which, of course, comes
publisher hunting, editing, etc. I don't see how the book could be
published before late 2004.
Incidentally, things don't look good for Kevin's Watch itself. <grin>
2) how reliable is TC as a narrator? Well, of course, he isn't actually
the narrator at all: he's the primary viewpoint character--a very
different thing. My goal in working this way is to preserve the
integrity of what the viewpoint character thinks, feels, perceives, and
does while allowing--even encouraging--the reader to make up his/her own
mind about the accuracy or "rightness" of those
thoughts/feelings/perceptions/actions.
3) are there any races or characters that I would like to write about
outside the "Chronicles"? In a word, no. My mind doesn't work that
way. I think in stories, not in races or characters (or in themes or
belief-systems).
4) do I keep aspects of my characters secret or hidden to create the
sense that they have added dimensions? Not consciously. That would
violate my primary intention as a story-teller, which is to communicate
as fully and vividly as I can the experience of being a participant in
that story. However, see 2): a natural part of the experience is
confusion/uncertainty about the nature and motivations of the
characters. (Which, as it happens, is more significant in "Mordant's
Need" and the GAP books than in "Covenant.") To some extent, that
entails secrets, hidden dimensions.
5) the relationship between Covenant and Joan pre-leprosy? "The Last
Chronicles" may shed a little light on this. As is so often true in
young relationships, they loved each other without knowing each other
very well. The stories are not about Joan, so I don't spend much time
telling her personal story. But anyone who sneers at her for divorcing
Covenant as she did is probably not the parent of a small child. The
protective instincts of parents are intense and compulsory.
6) the importance of contradiction? the nature of evil? I can't answer
such questions--by which I mean that I can't think of anything to say
that would be more clear than what is already in my books. But on the
subject of contradiction, consider this: every human being is by
his/her very nature a contradiction between material flesh and
unquantifiable consciousness. That's hard to think about.
Understanding ourselves isn't easy. Personally, I don't know any other
way to process the dilemma of being a walking, talking contradiction
except through story-telling. Certainly the fundamental postulate of
traditional Western religions--dualism--doesn't do it for me. As for
evil, all I can say is: consider what Lord Foul, Kasreyn of the Gyre,
Master Eremis, Nick Succorso, and Holt Fasner have in common.
Be well! And good luck with Kevinswatch.com.
--Stephen R. Donaldson
--End of E-mail--
Wow, pretty cool. I'm very impressed. Anyway, thanks again, Mouseglove, for getting SRD to answer some of our questions. I really appreciate it. Very cool.-jay
--The E-mail--
At this year's International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts, I
was handed a list of questions from Kevinswatch.com. Since I think well
of the man who handed them to me, I agreed to answer a few of them. I
seldom do this, mostly because I don't enjoy writing letters. But here
goes:
1) eta on "The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant? The story is
underway, but progress is slow, primarily because what I'm trying to do
is so large and difficult. I have roughly 3/4 of the first book (out of
a projected total of four) on paper, and I'm pushing myself to finish
the first draft in the next four months. After which, of course, comes
publisher hunting, editing, etc. I don't see how the book could be
published before late 2004.
Incidentally, things don't look good for Kevin's Watch itself. <grin>
2) how reliable is TC as a narrator? Well, of course, he isn't actually
the narrator at all: he's the primary viewpoint character--a very
different thing. My goal in working this way is to preserve the
integrity of what the viewpoint character thinks, feels, perceives, and
does while allowing--even encouraging--the reader to make up his/her own
mind about the accuracy or "rightness" of those
thoughts/feelings/perceptions/actions.
3) are there any races or characters that I would like to write about
outside the "Chronicles"? In a word, no. My mind doesn't work that
way. I think in stories, not in races or characters (or in themes or
belief-systems).
4) do I keep aspects of my characters secret or hidden to create the
sense that they have added dimensions? Not consciously. That would
violate my primary intention as a story-teller, which is to communicate
as fully and vividly as I can the experience of being a participant in
that story. However, see 2): a natural part of the experience is
confusion/uncertainty about the nature and motivations of the
characters. (Which, as it happens, is more significant in "Mordant's
Need" and the GAP books than in "Covenant.") To some extent, that
entails secrets, hidden dimensions.
5) the relationship between Covenant and Joan pre-leprosy? "The Last
Chronicles" may shed a little light on this. As is so often true in
young relationships, they loved each other without knowing each other
very well. The stories are not about Joan, so I don't spend much time
telling her personal story. But anyone who sneers at her for divorcing
Covenant as she did is probably not the parent of a small child. The
protective instincts of parents are intense and compulsory.
6) the importance of contradiction? the nature of evil? I can't answer
such questions--by which I mean that I can't think of anything to say
that would be more clear than what is already in my books. But on the
subject of contradiction, consider this: every human being is by
his/her very nature a contradiction between material flesh and
unquantifiable consciousness. That's hard to think about.
Understanding ourselves isn't easy. Personally, I don't know any other
way to process the dilemma of being a walking, talking contradiction
except through story-telling. Certainly the fundamental postulate of
traditional Western religions--dualism--doesn't do it for me. As for
evil, all I can say is: consider what Lord Foul, Kasreyn of the Gyre,
Master Eremis, Nick Succorso, and Holt Fasner have in common.
Be well! And good luck with Kevinswatch.com.
--Stephen R. Donaldson
--End of E-mail--
Wow, pretty cool. I'm very impressed. Anyway, thanks again, Mouseglove, for getting SRD to answer some of our questions. I really appreciate it. Very cool.-jay
Awesome!!! 
Hail, Mouseglove! 
Something to ponder while we wait for the Third Chronicles... 
Besides, my name doesn't really fit with the feel and texture of the Land, I'd stick out like a sore thumb.