ozarque (![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} ozarque) wrote,@ 2007-07-04 09:14:00 |
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Writing science fiction; interview 2
July 9, 2040
"Interview with Crandyll Vory," conducted by SF-Terra senior correspondent Elderberry Kwinn
Award-winning novelist swears he'll never write again!
Elderberry Kwinn:
First, let me congratulate you on winning both the Nebula and the Hugo awards for your debut novel, Return My Fragments In Tiny Plastic Bags Before Noon. That's quite a coup!
Crandyll Vory
Thank you.
Kwinn:
But you've issued a formal statement saying that your first novel is going to be your last, and that's going to cheat readers out of a lot of good reading. Those who loved Return My Fragments -- which includes me, by the way -- aren't happy about that. Could you explain why you've made that decision?
Vory:
Because the publishers wrecked my book, that's why! I spent nine years writing it.... nine long years ... and they wrecked it. They stole it from me and turned it into something I never intended to write -- and I will not risk having that happen to me again. It's like somebody dear to me had died; that's how much it hurts.
Kwinn:
I've read your statement, and I understand that that's how you feel -- but I have to admit, Crandyll, that I don't understand your reasons. So the publishers put a few holopops in your book; so what? All the books have holopops now, and people are crazy about them. Weren't your publishers were just doing their job?
Vory:
It's not "their job," as you put it, to decide what my characters look like and how they dress and how they move -- that's my job. And my right! All those stupid little threedy figures popping up when you turn the pages and jumping around like a bunch of fleas!
Kwinn:
But doesn't that make your book more real? More exciting?
Vory:
What it does is it makes it not my book any more! The papertechs that did the holopops didn't even bother to read my book! It says -- it says right on page 3 -- that Commander Grologg has gray hair. Thinning gray hair! And every damn time Grologg "pops up," he has a full head of thick red hair! The book says he's an old man, it says he's bent over, it says he's stiff and he's clumsy -- and then in the holopops he's a big straight husky man in his prime and he goes waltzing around like a ballet dancer, and.... Oh, lord.... I can't talk about it any more; it just makes me sick.
Kwinn:
I understand that they've apologized and offered to do a new printing that corrects all the careless mistakes, but you've turned that down. Is that right?
Vory:
For damn sure, it's right! I made it absolutely clear: If anybody wants another book from me, it has to say in the contract that there will be no holopops -- not a single damn one. No little tiny threedys popping up and turning my book into some other book I never wrote.
Kwinn:
Crandyll, you know they can't do that... Nobody today would buy a book that didn't have holopops.
Vory:
Yet another good reason for me to go into some other line of work.
Kwinn:
I think I speak for all your fans when I say that we sincerely hope you'll change your mind.
Vory:
Not a chance. I'm not going to write my heart out -- for years, mind you! -- and then have my work distorted and twisted and turned into some kind of cheap travesty. I'd rather raise chickens, or clean houses, or run a robot lot .... whatever. At least that way I could stand to look at myself in the mirror when I get up in the morning!
Kwinn:
I'm sorry you feel that way. It's a real loss to the science fiction community.
Vory:
Tough. The sf community should have better taste than to want holopops cluttering up its books and its magazines. If they can't see that ... well... I have nothing more to say to them.
July 9, 2040
"Interview with Crandyll Vory," conducted by SF-Terra senior correspondent Elderberry Kwinn
Award-winning novelist swears he'll never write again!
Elderberry Kwinn:
First, let me congratulate you on winning both the Nebula and the Hugo awards for your debut novel, Return My Fragments In Tiny Plastic Bags Before Noon. That's quite a coup!
Crandyll Vory
Thank you.
Kwinn:
But you've issued a formal statement saying that your first novel is going to be your last, and that's going to cheat readers out of a lot of good reading. Those who loved Return My Fragments -- which includes me, by the way -- aren't happy about that. Could you explain why you've made that decision?
Vory:
Because the publishers wrecked my book, that's why! I spent nine years writing it.... nine long years ... and they wrecked it. They stole it from me and turned it into something I never intended to write -- and I will not risk having that happen to me again. It's like somebody dear to me had died; that's how much it hurts.
Kwinn:
I've read your statement, and I understand that that's how you feel -- but I have to admit, Crandyll, that I don't understand your reasons. So the publishers put a few holopops in your book; so what? All the books have holopops now, and people are crazy about them. Weren't your publishers were just doing their job?
Vory:
It's not "their job," as you put it, to decide what my characters look like and how they dress and how they move -- that's my job. And my right! All those stupid little threedy figures popping up when you turn the pages and jumping around like a bunch of fleas!
Kwinn:
But doesn't that make your book more real? More exciting?
Vory:
What it does is it makes it not my book any more! The papertechs that did the holopops didn't even bother to read my book! It says -- it says right on page 3 -- that Commander Grologg has gray hair. Thinning gray hair! And every damn time Grologg "pops up," he has a full head of thick red hair! The book says he's an old man, it says he's bent over, it says he's stiff and he's clumsy -- and then in the holopops he's a big straight husky man in his prime and he goes waltzing around like a ballet dancer, and.... Oh, lord.... I can't talk about it any more; it just makes me sick.
Kwinn:
I understand that they've apologized and offered to do a new printing that corrects all the careless mistakes, but you've turned that down. Is that right?
Vory:
For damn sure, it's right! I made it absolutely clear: If anybody wants another book from me, it has to say in the contract that there will be no holopops -- not a single damn one. No little tiny threedys popping up and turning my book into some other book I never wrote.
Kwinn:
Crandyll, you know they can't do that... Nobody today would buy a book that didn't have holopops.
Vory:
Yet another good reason for me to go into some other line of work.
Kwinn:
I think I speak for all your fans when I say that we sincerely hope you'll change your mind.
Vory:
Not a chance. I'm not going to write my heart out -- for years, mind you! -- and then have my work distorted and twisted and turned into some kind of cheap travesty. I'd rather raise chickens, or clean houses, or run a robot lot .... whatever. At least that way I could stand to look at myself in the mirror when I get up in the morning!
Kwinn:
I'm sorry you feel that way. It's a real loss to the science fiction community.
Vory:
Tough. The sf community should have better taste than to want holopops cluttering up its books and its magazines. If they can't see that ... well... I have nothing more to say to them.
