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Friday, April 28, 2006On Katherine Kurtz and the Fantasy Writer's FantasyI always knew my mom was right when she'd say, "You live in a world of your own!" I did, and I do. And that's probably why I've always been a fan of fantasy books. When Terry Brooks was a pup, when Tolkien was not a box office name, when Dungeons and Dragons was barely off the drawing board -- those were the "early days" during which I discovered the lure of other worlds. Admittedly, there were large holes in my repertoire. For one thing, I had never heard of The Chronicles of Narnia. To be specific, I only knew of a story called The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe because of the cheaply animated version they used to show every so often on Saturday morning television. (Please tell me I'm not the only one who remembers this.) No one ever told me that the story came from a wonderful collection by C. S. Lewis. Same goes for The Hobbit. There was a cheaply animated version of the story that I caught several times on TV. Other than the fact that I was obviously raised in a cultural cesspool, I have no explanation for this lack of basic book knowledge. Fortunately, I befriended a wonderful librarian who picked up on my penchant for fantasy. As soon as the latest Young Adult fantasy book arrived on her desk, she'd set it aside for me. I quickly moved beyond Little House on the Prairie once I realized what else was out there. Let's face it. Traveling across the open prairie in a covered wagon is cool. But raising a winged colt inside a barn while a dark force of evil seeks to destroy it? No comparison. I moved quickly from Young Adult books to an author who soon became my beloved favorite -- Katherine Kurtz. I absorbed her Deryni trilogy into my very blood. These were stories that kept me awake until two in the morning on school nights, turning "just one more" page. Amazing stuff. Well, amazing stuff if you're a fantasy geek. This was the only time of my life when I actually would wait for an author to finish the next book in a series. There was no Internet to surf for information on Ms. Kurtz's progress; no Amazon.com to check for the release date of an upcoming title. No, indeed. There were simply countless trips to the local bookstore, searching the fiction shelves under "K" in hope of finding the next treasure. It wasn't until recently that I discovered something even more amazing about Katherine Kurtz, though -- something that, perhaps, only a writer can fully appreciate. Ms. Kurtz sold the manuscript for her first trilogy -- all three stories -- to Del Rey...by herself. On the first try. Without an agent. Imagine that. Imagine waltzing into an up-and-coming fantasy publisher's office with your freshly polished tome, and coming out with a contract. Imagine the several-decades career that follows. If I mailed something directly to Del Rey today, they would chuck it right into the compost heap. What a fantasy, though (and perhaps I should write it). I have long associated the Del Rey name and insignia with The World Of Fantasy. It's simply the association from years spent curled up with engrossing novels bearing that name on the upper corner of the front cover. In my mind, Del Rey is fantasy. So Ms. Kurtz's success story is nothing short of amazing to me. I spent many years away from the fantasy genre, engrossing myself in the likes of Jane Austen and Charles Dickens (somehow, reading two thirds of A Tale of Two Cities under compulsion in tenth grade didn't do it for me). From what I've recently read of Katherine Kurtz's latest novels, she's become darker. I don't "do" dark. So I suppose the time was right for Ms. Kurtz and me to part ways. Her earlier books are still on my "beloved" list, though. There's something about falling in love with books when you're young. The stories help to shape you, somehow; particularly if you then go on to write stories of your own. No, my writing is nothing like Katherine Kurtz. Knowing what my own passion was as a young adult is what spurs me to write today. I want to pour my stories into the hearts and minds of eleven- and twelve- and thirteen- and fourteen-year-olds in such a way that they will be inspired and exhilarated and, perhaps, touched for eternity. I want them to love my characters with as much abandon as I do, and to strive to be somehow like the strong ones. I do not want to be "famous" and "world renowned" so much as I want to be, simply, "beloved." What better thing is there, after all, than to be "beloved" to a child? Labels: writing |
About Me
I am: Mother to five stunningly individualistic children... Writer of young adult fantasy... Passionate advocate for Women At Home... Madly in love with my husband... In need of Organic Gourmet Chocolate on a regular basis. I've got a Paypal account if you'd like to contribute to the cause....
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8of my readers are feeling chatty:
When I was a teenager; I discover reading was for more than required class work when my mother let me read her David Eddings series "The Belgarad".
I became like you... "This was the only time of my life when I actually would wait for an author to finish the next book in a series."
It wasn't long before Terry Brooks & Anne McCaffrey were added to the mix.
It lead me to the SCA & becoming an art major (those book covers of Micheal Whelan's dragons were my motivation to design book covers; which I now do freelance).
But my most respected author to date I think is Robert Jordan...
Through him I developed an intrigue in the diversity of different culture & religion & customs that cause me to re-reade the 11 books I have so far of the series in hardback every couple of years.
I enjoyed reading your post & being reminded of how I felt when I discoved fantasy literature back in the eighties.
My first was The Hobbit and the LOTR. I was around 12-13. I discovered Terry Brooks long after that. I never read The Deryni books. I'd love some reccommendations for my 11 year old isn't quite at his reading level. You seem like the right person to ask. Think you could drop me a line? :-)
Ken
I have read the Hobbit so many times, I cant remember. I am familiar with the animated version you mentioned. My now 12-year old would watch it several times a day.
I am not sure how it happened, but I never read the LOTR trilogy. I never had a clue about the story at all until I watched the Peter Jackson movie series.
I liked it.
You are gonna laugh, but when I was younger, I got into Pipp Longstocking. LOL
There was also a series about a boy genious named Alvin Fernauld. I really got into that.
Do you remember "The Great Brain"??? Those were great.
Did I ever tell you that THe Scarlet Letter sucked? LOL
I knew the Lion the With and the Wardrobe much the way you described. My 3rd grade teacher read it to us. I had completely forgotten the story, so the movie was for all intents and purposes a surpise.
I didn't realize it was part of the chronicles until this movie. I was in the same hole in the world you were apparently.
My 5th grade teacher read the Chronicles of Narnia to us. I remember at first thinking we were too old to have stories read to us, but then getting caught up in them and not being able to wait for the next day's installment!
I will have to look for Katherine Kurtz's books for my kids, it sounds like something they'd really like.
Wendy directed me to come here today. :-)
Hi, Wendywings directed me here!
I was fortunate that my father, an academic, was quite into fantasy and read all the Tokien and all the C.S. Lewis books to me when I was a child. Have you read any Ursula K. LeGuin? I still enjoy her. "The Wizard of Earthsea"....
I wish I could remember the author, but I read an interview with a young adult novelist who was saying how all her writer friends would presure her to write something "real" or "serious" but how she really loved writing for young adults because they are the best readers. She spoke of how they believed in the stories and the characters, and how they read with their full attention - unlike adult readers who are too caught up in "real life." It was an interesting interview. I think she would understand your sentiment.
I just posted a comment to the post about your son's drumming in a dress experience when the title of this post caught my eye. I haven't actually had the pleasure of reading Kurtz's books although I've heard good things. I am working on a fantasy novel right now, the sequel to my first one, Attack of the Queen.
What do you write?
Aidana -- Thanks for sharing that! I have not read any Robert Jordan.
Ken -- Yep, I will.
Dave -- You read...PIPPI????? I mean, I liked her, too, but...but...I was a GIRL! :)
So, you have strong feelings about The Scarlet Letter? LOL
Jen -- Katherine Kurtz is definitely not for younger kids. She tends to have some kind of...racy...scenes at times. She's a master at spinning a tale, though.
Jessica -- Interesting viewpoint, and I understand exactly what that author was saying. I would take it further to say that a truly WONDERFUL audience consists of ADULTS who love to read YA Fantasy! To never lose the sense of wonder that getting caught up in a story brings -- that is true delight for both reader and author.
Mom Nancy -- I began my writing career doing nonfiction, but I am now working on YA Fantasy. It is my number one "passion place."
Yeah Jill... I was one of those kids that did things my own weird, sideways kind of way.
I dont fit into many common male stereotypes. Not to say I have a lot of female ones, I'm sort of a mutant goofball with a vivid imagination.
For instance... how many dad's could get their kid to pull Pooh Bear's finger?
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