very odd fanmail

[deborahjross]

Like many authors, I get mail from readers from time to time; they reach me through a link on my website. And probably like every author who has written in a shared world or as a junior author in someone else's universe, I get complaints. Usually, these involve my departure from the reader's conception of a character, or else that they simply didn't like some aspect of the story. Those are fine; you can't please them all.

This one is new for me, however. The reader refers to The Alton Gift (in which one of the viewpoint characters is Danilo Syrtis, grieving the death of Regis Hastur in the previous book, which I did not write):

"The characters ... have been twisted - for example, into blatent [sic] homosexuality that fits badly with both the Darkovian culture and the characters, and had barely been hinted at before, if that."

I am quite baffled as to how anyone could read The Heritage of Hastur or Sharra's Exile and not have understood that Regis and Danilo are lifelong lovers. Heritage came out in 1975, when it was daring to portray a sympathetic and heroic gay protagonist, but Marion did it quite deliberately -- both Marion and Betsy Wollheim, our editor, told me so. It is so odd to be accused of "twisting" Darkover into what Marion intended in the first place, especially on an issue that was so important to her -- and to so many of her readers.

Of course, my first impulse is to respond, informing the reader how just plain wrong this is. But I think it better to simply let it go, as the omens are not auspicious for a meeting of minds, and so I have vented my befuddlement here.

Comments

[norilana.livejournal.com]

Wow, Deborah, that is a real boggle! Wonder what the reader thought was going on in Heritage, etc.?

[patchwork-prose.livejournal.com]

It's odd that it should have been missed when it (as it seemed to me) to be such an intrinsic part of the Darkover culture.

[imhilien.livejournal.com]

It makes you wonder if this fan has read all of the Darkover books...

(recently re-read 'The Alton Gift' and enjoyed it again)

[deborahjross.livejournal.com]

I have no idea, but as imhilien points out, this reader may actually not have read Heritage... or Thendara House... or Hawkmistress! (Orain) or ...

boggling, indeed. But the response has been wonderful and I'm at the giggling stage. Giggling means breathing, which is Good.

[deborahjross.livejournal.com]

Yes, I absolutely agree with you that a spectrum of sexuality is intrinsic to Darkovan culture. Marion shaded it a bit in Heritage and Sharra's Exile with, on the one hand, the notion that adolescent homosexual experimentation is not only accepted but preferable to visiting prostitutes, and on the other, that Comyn are expected to marry, so there's a flavor of "this is a passing fancy, grow up." Which causes problems not only for Regis (esp in Sharra's Exile) but is tragic for Dyan Ardais.

[deborahjross.livejournal.com]

Upon reflection, I wonder, too. If the only Darkover the fan had read were Adrienne's "Marguerida" books (in which gay people suddenly vanished from Darkover), then a completely misdirected impression would be created.

Ah well, Darkover is once more blessed with rainbows, and Marion is smiling over my shoulder. Together, we're tackling polyamory, as well, in the current novel.

[imhilien.livejournal.com]

You could be right there...

Would those be reddish rainbows? *ducks rotten veges*

After first reading 'Darkover Landfall' I remember thinking how a small, isolated population would have to quickly change some of the ideas about 'traditional marriage' to boost the population...

[deborahjross.livejournal.com]

Yes, in various books, Marion did more than hint at some of these social changes. Certainly, open attitudes towards multiple partners run throughout Spell Sword/Forbidden Tower, as well as other books. At one point, and I can't offhand recall where, one of the early/mid books, Marion says that the taboo of even discussing sexual matters between generations, let alone May-December marriages, harkened back to the time when any two such people could be close blood relations, implying that in a group marriage, no one could be certain of paternity. In later books, I think she toned down this concept.

These issues are very much in my mind as I work with the current manuscript (a partial left by Marion) dealing with how Regis, Danilo and Linnea worked out their relationships.

[cheeseduck03.livejournal.com]

I actually remember the cross-generation taboo being brought up in one of the Marguerida books. I believe Marguerida suggested Jeff (?) marry her over someone else, shocking all the characters because Jeff was old enough to be her father. This was the only hint that relationships may differ from our perceived “norm” throughout that series.

Your guess that maybe the fan had only read Shadow-Matrix books is probably right. It’s been a few years, but I recall a huge emphasis placed on the two forms of heterosexual marriage on Darkover in those books.

[imhilien.livejournal.com]

I look forward to your next book then... :)

[deborahjross.livejournal.com]

I'm flying through it! Having even a sketch from Marion so I can see where she was going with it, plus some usable text, is enough so this feels more like a revision than writing-from-scratch. If all goes well, I can get it approved by the MZB Literary Trust and off to the publisher by the end of the year.

The Next Darkover Book

[(Anonymous)]

So, the next Darkover book will not be the sequel to ALTON GIFT? Anyhow, any book with Regis and Danilo in it will be welcome!

I clearly remember reading somewhere that it was not Adrienne Martine-Barnes' decision to almost completely remove homosexuality, but that this was forced upon her. I might be mistaken though. I still liked the Marguerida trilogy very, very much. Although Regis and Danilo are my favourite Darkovan character (I discovered Darkover with HERITAGE at age 15).

Olaf

[imhilien.livejournal.com]

Hooray! ^_^ I don't usually buy hardbacks these days, but the Darkover ones always seem to say, 'buy me!'.

Re: The Next Darkover Book

[deborahjross.livejournal.com]

Hi Olaf!! Great to see your phosphors.

There will be another "modern" Darkover book, not a direct sequel to THE ALTON GIFT but continuing the general timeline, but not this next book. For one thing, the ms kept whispering to me; for another, when I tried to write "what comes next" I realized that I had to fill in the background for Silvana Hastur, who is indeed the "hidden" daughter of Regis (she's the Keeper of Nevarsin Tower in GIFT) before I could write more about her. Hence, the change in plans.

I've just been discussing with the MZB Literary Trust what to call this current book. Marion had variously called it THE SHADOW KING or THE RELUCTANT KING, but neither of those works for various reasons. We have a tentative agreement on HASTUR LORD. Not engraved in granite. Yet. Stay tuned.

Re: The Next Darkover Book

[(Anonymous)]

Dear Deborah,
it is always good to hear that more Darkover is on its way to us. I so need to do some serious re-reading.

HASTUR LORD sounds like a very good title to me. Way better than SHADOW/RELUCTANT KING which both sound a little to generic to me.

And after that, the other two books in the CHILDREN OF KINGS trilogy!


Sincerely,
Olaf

Re: The Next Darkover Book

[deborahjross.livejournal.com]

That's useful feedback that you like HASTUR LORD. We wanted a title that said, "Darkover!"

THE CHILDREN OF KINGS is actually three stand-alone novels. They continue the modern timeline, but do not have anything like a single story arc. I sooo badly need to update my website.

People also ask about THUNDERLORD. It's a gross overstatement to say Marion began this, because what I have is a page and a half that is essentially a recap of STORMQUEEN! No clue as to where she was going. So if, after the next 2 "modern" Darkover novels, DAW still wants to keep on, I'll basically have to write it whole-cloth. Which is okay, just takes longer than if I have even a wisp of a skeleton to work with.

[deborahjross.livejournal.com]

Someone's doing something right!

[deborahjross.livejournal.com]

My guess, too.

[blodeuwedd84.livejournal.com]

Indeed, this person probably didn't read HERITAGE and SHARRA'S EXILE. I LOVE Danilo Syrtis, he's my favorite character in ALL the books! And I'm really happy to know there's a new book coming out. :-)

[deborahjross.livejournal.com]

I'm having such a wonderful time with HASTUR LORD. Much angst and turmoil, threats from within and without. Weaving in bits of Marion's original prose. The story is just flying along! I'm well over half way there, maybe 2/3-3/4. Depending. (On just how complicated my characters make their own lives.)