Subject: Dennis McKiernan Delphi Conference (20k)

From: Gordie Meyer - SIG staff grunt and part- <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 25 Apr 95 04:17:27 -0500

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         Official Transcript of a Delphi real-time conference
        with Dennis McKiernan, author of the Mithgarian tales,
    held in the Science Fiction & Fantasy SIG on April 20th, 1995
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.Gordie
  Good evening, everyone!  Welcome to our third monthly Author's 
  Conference here in the SF&F SIG on DELPHI.  Tonight, I'm pleased to 
  have Dennis McKiernan as our special guest.  Dennis writes what might 
  be considered 'high fantasy,' with valiant quests, heroic characters 
  and of course, the necessary great evil.  His latest paperbacks are 
  THE EYE OF THE HUNTER and VOYAGE OF THE FOX RIDER, which takes place in 
  the same universe as the IRON TOWER trilogy and the SILVER CALL duology. 

  Now, because this is a formal Conference, we have some basic rules:

  1. Signal the moderator if you have a question, by typing 
     in a ?.
  2. Wait for the moderator to call on you before you ask 
     your question.
  3. Don't 'speak' unless you've been recognized by the 
     moderator.

  There will be a transcript of this Conference posted in the 
  next few days, and it may be distributed in an unaltered state 
  wherever anyone would like.  I'll post it to the rec.arts.sf 
  newsgroups.

  That out of the way, I'll turn the floor over to our guest 
  for tonight, Dennis McKiernan...

.Dennis> 
  Hello, all.  Well, let me see... I got started writing by being run 
  over by an automobile.  I do not recommend that as a way to start 
  any career.  Any questions?

ALGERHISS> 
  When will you Dawn Sword book be coming out and what is title??

.Katie> 
  Did you really get run over by a car ?

.Dennis> 
  Okay... first the Dawn Sword question.  I may write that one in 
  1996.  Of course, it won't be out until a year after I've written 
  it.  But that's the publishing business...  And as to really 
  getting run over by a car... indeed I was...  The title of the 
  Dawn Sword book, I haven't decided on yet.

.howard> 
  How long does it take to get a book into print?

.Dennis> 
  It takes me about a year to write it and about a year later it comes 
  out.  For example, the book that will be published in November, 1995, 
  was written in 1994, turned in to the publisher in August.  It is 
  called CAVERNS OF SOCRATES and is set some 50 or so years in the 
  future.  It concerns an AI running a VR and there are two tales 
  interwoven.

.Gordie> 
  Is that your first sf book?

.Dennis> 
  It is a combination SF/fantasy ...

.Gordie> 
  Ah, the VR part...  I get it.  Nice.

.Dennis> 
  In the reality chapters, it's SF, and in the VR chapters it's fantasy. 
  I alternate between reality and VR.

.howard> 
  But if it takes a year between write and pub, what if you want to 
  change something?  I know I always find something to change.

.Dennis> 
  Well, howard, there are many steps between finishing the ms and the 
  publication of the book.  First, there's the copy-edited ms, and 
  there I get to make changes.  And then there's the galleys, and 
  there I get to make changes as well.  Finally, after the book is 
  in print, if someone finds a typo in subsequent printings, changes 
  can be made (small ones).

.Sue> 
  Have you had good experiences with the copy-editors and the publisher?

.Dennis> 
  Sue, I have had good and bad experiences with copy editors.  Once I 
  had the c-e from hell and I've had the c-e from heaven, too.

ALGERHISS> 
  Do you have a book coming to resolve the Aravan/Ydral conflict?

.Dennis> 
  That's probably when I'll tell the tale of the Silver Sword...

ALGERHISS> 
  Can't wait

.Dennis> 
  Y'see, when Bair and Aravan go after Ydral, they will no doubt 
  get him.

.Katie> 
  I have 2 questions - what's a galley and are there proof readers 
  to whom you send your books before pub?

.Dennis> 
  Okay, Katie.  Galley's are also known as "page proofs."  They are 
  like xeroxes of the final pages before they go to printing.  Here 
  is the last chance to get (minor) changes in the books.  And as for 
  proof readers...  I proof the manuscript.  As does my wife.  As do 
  copy-editors at the publishers.

.howard> 
  Did you get to work with the artist on the I.T. covers?

.Dennis> 
  Howard, the artist for the trilogy was Alan Lee, an English artist.
  He read the manuscript, chose some scenes and then painted his 
  interpretation of them.  I couldn't have asked for a better artist. 
  As to working with the artists, sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. 
  It depends on my specific contract.  Recently, I have been working 
  with them all.  Keith Parkinson, who did Eye of the Hunter, Voyage 
  of the Fox Rider, and Tales of Mithgar.  And Donato, who just 
  finished Caverns of Socrates.

WERNERGSYS> 
  What's an AI?

.Dennis> 
  Artificial intelligence.

WERNERGSYS> 
  Okay, I was right, just wasn't sure.

.Steve> 
  First off thanks alot Dennis for all the enjoyable hours reading 
  your books...

.Dennis> 
  Steve, you're welcome, and thanks for reading them.

.Steve> 
  Second, do you have a general plan for when your next Mithgar 
  books will be written and what sort of order they will be in?

.Dennis> 
  I am in the end chapters of the next Mithgar book at this very time, 
  Steve.  The title is THE DRAGONSTONE.

.Steve> 
  How about all the future books?  Or do ya know yet?

.Dennis> 
  Oops, there was a second part to your question ...

.Steve> 
  :)

.Dennis> 
  The Dragonstone is set in the time before Voyage of the Fox Rider. 
  As to other Mithgarian books, the saga of the Silver Sword will be 
  set waaaay after the Ban War.  As to how many more Mithgarian books 
  I'll write ???

.Gordie> 
  Dennis, do you write from an outline, or do you just tell the story 
  as it goes?  You've got so much depth in your stories, I'm curious 
  about the process.

.Dennis> 
  I do write from a "living" outline.  In other words, I have a 
  sketchy outline which I KNOW will change as I go through the tale. 
  For Caverns of Socrates, I had a very detailed outline, but that 
  was because I had to synchronize the reality tale with the VR tale 
  and keep two very exciting (I hope) adventures running such that 
  one did not get ahead of the other.

ALGERHISS> 
  Dennis, thanks for all the good reading and rereading, have really 
  enjoyed it -- When will you write the war of the Ban?

.Dennis> 
  Okay, Alger, as to the War of the Ban, that's a story that has been 
  most frequently requested.  I am of two minds about writing that 
  tale.  One, to never do it, even though I know the climax (and it's 
  a doozy) and, Two, to write it before I tell the saga of the Silver 
  Sword.  And I am not certain which way I'll go.

ALGERHISS> 
  But there are 2 bans, the first with Gyphon, and then a final war??

.Dennis> 
  Well, the main thing called "the Ban" was when the Foul Folk were 
  banned from Adon's sunlight.  But you are right in that Gyphon was 
  indeed banned from creation.  Cast into the Abyss.  And he's been 
  trying to get out ever since.  For after all, didn't he say, "Even 
  now there are events in motion..."  I shall return.  Rather like Gen.
  McArthur, eh?  :>

ALGERHISS> 
  That's IT, can he come back again??

.Dennis> 
  Indeed, he will come back in the final apocalyptic war.  Y'see, 
  Durlok's staff is...  oops, almost let a secret slip out, eh?

ALGERHISS> 
  Great, thanks for all the entertainment and enjoyment.  We all love 
  your books.

.Dennis> 
  Thanks, Algerhiss.

.Josh> 
  Dennis, I really love your books.  Will we ever learn what happened 
  to all the wizards?

.Dennis> 
  Indeed, the Wizards are there in Black Mountain (mostly) preparing 
  for the final confrontation with Gyphon.  Of course, there's a whole 
  bunch "trapped" on their own Plane, and they seem to have no way back 
  to Mithgar... or do they?

.Josh> 
  Just one more question.  Is the child born in Eye of the Hunter the 
  one who will bring back the Dawn Sword?

.Dennis> 
  That child is Bair, and he is indeed the Rider of the Planes.  He 
  and Aravan will go after the Dawn Sword (aka, the Silver Sword). 
  Bair has some great talents, and will prove an interesting character.

.Josh>
  Thanks, Dennis!

.Katie> 
  I have 2 questions again...  Besides yourself, who's your favorite 
  author? <:  And, besides getting hit by a car - what made you decide 
  to write?

.Dennis> 
  Tough questions, Katie.  My favorite STORY is LOTR.  But JRRT did 
  not write other stuff that I really love.  And so, although he wrote 
  my favorite tale, he is not my favorite author.  I like a bunch of 
  writers:  Robert E. Howard, Judy Tarr, Terry Pratchett...  Shoot, 
  and a whole lots more.  And I cannot say that there is a "favorite" 
  among them all, for they each bring something unique to their tales.

  As far as what made me decide to write:  Really, I was bedridden 
  for almost a year, and that's when I wrote my first serious work. 
  Although before, I had written for fun with my dad, and had been a 
  writer for Dirt Bike Magazine, and for Popular Cycle, and other dirt 
  bike magazines.

.Katie> 
  From the first ms to the pub date  - how long did it take?

.Dennis> 
  There's an interesting tale, Katie.  In actuality, the first thing 
  I wrote was a sequel to LOTR.  Doubleday went into a two-year 
  negotiation with JRRT's estate, but that fell through.  So, 
  Doubleday asked me to write my own fantasy.  It took about a year 
  to do so, and then another year before the book came out. 
  Overall, that's the sequence for me...  I write about a novel per 
  year, and it takes about a year after I finish the MS before the 
  book hits the stands.

.Katie> 
  Thanks for the information and excellent stories.  I have to go - 
  work starts early tomorrow - see you in the bookstores!  <:

.Dennis> 
  Great, Katie.  And thanks.

.howard> 
  How old were you when you started (I'm 53 and just getting into it), 
  and is there special significance to the name Adon?

.Dennis> 
  Howard, I began seriously writing in 1977 when I was 45.  And as 
  to the name Adon, there is a deity called Adonai (probably from 
  Adonis) which I liked  the sound of, and so I shortened it and 
  used Adon.

.Gordie> 
  When was the Iron Tower trilogy published?

.Dennis> 
  Let me look.  The Doubleday version was published in 1984.

.Gordie> 
  That's about when I think I read it from the library.  Thanks.

.Dennis> 
  The Paperback version in 1985.

.Josh> 
  Have you ever thought of turning some of your books into movies?

.Dennis> 
  That'd be hard to do, Josh.  They are soooo loooong and movies are 
  usually from shorter tales.  But given today's technology and a good 
  screen writer, I think that some of the stories could be made into 
  fairly good movies.

.Josh> 
  Will you do anymore stories like Tales From the One Eyed Crow?

.Dennis> 
  Perhaps someday, Josh.  They were fun to write, especially The 
  Ruffian and the Giant.

ALGERHISS> 
  Three quick questions: Will you bring back the silver wolves; Will 
  you bring back the Rage Hammer; Will Bair be a shapechanger?

.Dennis> 
  Silver Wolves will be in the Bair and Aravan story; the Rage Hammer 
  has a destiny to fulfill, and it will show up again; Bair will be 
  a shape changer taught by Dalavar, The Wolfmage.

ALGERHISS> 
  Thank you, and keep those wonderful stories coming.

STEPHENDCOLE> 
  Two questions: When can we expect next book? Title? And how does 
  Vulgmaster figure in?

.Dennis> 
  Stephen, the next book is November '95 and is entitled Caverns of 
  Socrates, a combination SF and fantasy tale.  The next Mithgarian 
  book will be out sometime in '96 and is entitled The Dragonstone. 
  The Vulgmaster (Baron Stoke) was pursued and brought to his just 
  reward in The Eye of the Hunter.

STEPHENDCOLE> 
  Is there some book or collection called "Vulgmaster"?

.Dennis> 
  Oh, Steven, now I understand.  There was a graphic novel (paperback 
  sized) entitled Tales from the One-Eyed Crow:  The Vulgmaster.  It 
  was published in, let me look 1991.  It is a graphic version of the 
  first tale in Tales of Mithgar.  Also titled The Vulgmaster.  I liked 
  the written story better than the graphic novel story.

STEPHENDCOLE> 
  Thanks from three fans in our house.

.Dennis> 
  Three?  Wow!

.paul> 
  I have a question.  Just a sec.  I am a blind computer user. 
  I have scanned a number of your books.  I think I have read them out 
  of sequence.  I have just started the Iron Tower trilogy, but prior 
  to that I read a single one called the Eye of the Hunter.  And then 
  another prior to the Iron Tower.  What is the exact order?

.Dennis> 
  Okay, Paul, let me tell you the order I wrote them and then I'll tell
  you the order in which they occured in the "history" of Mithgar...

  The Iron Tower was published first, then the Silver Call duology was
  published second.  Strangely enough, I actually wrote them in the 
  reverse order, but that's neither here nor there.  Then came 
  Dragondoom.  Followed by The Eye of the Hunter.  Then Voyage of the 
  Fox Rider.  Then Tales of Mithgar.  The one I am currently working 
  on is called The Dragonstone.

  Now the so-called historical order would be Dragonstone, Foxrider, 
  Dragondoom, Iron Tower, Silver Call, Hunter.  That's it.

.paul> 
  Thanks Dennis.  I read Eye of the Hunter first followed by Dragondoom
  and now the Iron Tower.  I have not heard of the others.  I will look 
  for them.

.Dennis> 
  Hey, Paul, they'll stand in any order.

.paul> 
  Great.  I appreciate it.  I like your use of language.  Thanks.

.Josh> 
  Will there ever be a reference book to the world of Mithgar?

.Dennis> 
  Josh, there may be some day, but for the moment I'd rather be working 
  on new tales rather than referencing old tales.  What say, eh?

STEPHENDCOLE> 
  If Dragonstone is prequel, when will Bair return?  Written yet?  Pub 
  date?

.Dennis> 
  Bair is not written yet.  But it may be the next one I do.  If so, 
  then 1996 pub date.  And by the way, the Silver Wolves also appear 
  in the Dragonstone (I forget who asked that question, but I thought 
  I'd throw the info in here).

STEPHENDCOLE> 
  Want to tell us if Bair will open mage gate?

.Dennis> 
  Stephen, I will tell you this...  Bair can ride ALL the Planes.

.Gordie> 
  Do you have any plans for short stories snuck in somewhere along 
  the line?

.Dennis> 
  I have written a number of short stories, most of which appear in 
  various anthologies.  I will probably continue to do so.

.Gordie> 
  Apparently, you don't mind short story writing, then.  Some writers 
  don't feel comfortable with being that brief.

.Dennis> 
  Gordie, most of my short stories are really short (less than 1000 
  words), though some are novelettes (appx 10,000 words).

.Gordie> 
  When you're in the midst of a longer piece, do you ever get ideas 
  for little side stories that could be told, but that wouldn't really 
  fit into the larger work?  Do those go into anthologies, or do they 
  become kernels for future works?

.Dennis> 
  I always get ideas for short stories.  Let me tell you about the Red 
  Slippers.

.Gordie> 
  Please do.

.Dennis> 
  You see, in Sherlock Holmes tales, Watson would often start a story 
  out something like "It was right after Holmes and I had resolved the 
  case of the red slipper, that a knock came on our door, and we were 
  confronted by a harried man ..."   Then Watson would go on to tell 
  the tale of something other than the Red Slipper.  That meant to us 
  readers that Watson and Holmes were always working on some case, 
  even though we didn't get to read about them.  Now in my stories, 
  I drop a lot of those Red Slippers.  And sometimes I go back and 
  tell one of those Red Slipper tales.  For example, in The Iron Tower 
  I spoke of Elgo and Sleeth, and Elyn and Thork, and I also spoke of 
  them in The Silver Call duology.  I then wrote Dragondoom, which 
  told that Red Slipper story of Elgo and Sleeth and Elyn and Thork. 
  And so, while writing stories, I often include ideas within the tale 
  which I will fill in later.

.Gordie> 
  I like that.  Looks like you're going to sell a few more books. <g>

.Matthew> 
  I was wondering if you found it hard to get short works under 1000 
  words published...

.Dennis> 
  Matthew, I haven't had any problems so far, but usually I have been 
  invited to contribute to an anthology before I write the short tale.

.Gordie> 
  Will your sequel to LOTR ever see the light of day, somewhere?

.Dennis> 
  I think not, Gordie.  The JRRT estate is not yet ready for ANYONE to 
  write a sequel.

.Gordie> 
  <sigh>  Oh, well.  I'll bet it's good.

.paul> 
  My wife and I are sitting here.  She is reading the screen to me.
  We were wondering if you are lucky enough to just write books or 
  do you have the leisure to just write books or do you have to do 
  other work.

.Dennis> 
  Good question, Paul.  I write books for a living.  Full time.  But 
  I do have an independent income.  I retired from AT&T in 1989 and 
  get a monthly retirement check.  However, my writing income is 
  quite substantial and I could easily live (in some luxury) from it.
  But I do not advise anyone to give up their day job until they get
  established as a writer for several books.  And then to consider it 
  carefully before doing so.

.paul> 
  I am Vonnie, Paul's wife.  I was the one with the question because 
  I was curious.  I had heard that writing was not too full an income. 
  Thank you.

.Dennis> 
  Right, Vonnie.

.Gordie> 
  Not all authors do as well as Dennis.  Probably a talent thing.  <g>

.Matthew> 
  This may have been asked before and I missed it, but do you do any 
  cons Dennis?

.Dennis> 
  Matthew, I attend several cons.  Most recently I was at Coastcon in
  Biloxi, Miss.  I also do World Fantasy, Marcon, Context, and the
  occasional Worldcon.

.Matthew> 
  Ever been to Arisia?

.Dennis> 
  I will be at Kaleidoscope in September, and probably Bubonicon.  I've 
  never done an Arisia.

.Gordie> 
  Well, I'd like to thank Dennis for joining us here tonight, and thank
  all of you for attending!

.Dennis> 
  It was fun, gang.  You were very engaging.

.Gordie> 
  I seem to find new books to buy every time we have one of these things.

.Dennis> 
  Hey, buy my books .... Hoom Ha!

.Gordie> 
  Not that I'm complaining.  I've got to spend it on something...

.Dennis> 
  And never give your right name.

.Gordie> 
  <g>

.Dennis> 
  Okay, gang, I'm bailing out.  It's my beddiebye time.

.Gordie> 
  In that case, I'll declare this CO officially closed!

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     This transcript was edited to enhance clarity and correct typos.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
       For more information on upcoming guests for DELPHI's monthly
             Author's Conference series, please send email to:
                   Gordie Meyer <[email-masked]>
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