Interview with C.J. Cherryh in Locus

>Date: 30 Mar 93 17:57:00 EST
>From: "SPROLES" <SPROLES@pine.circa.ufl.edu>
>Subject: RE: C. J. Cherryh List

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Did anyone read the interview with Cherryh in the January (I think) _Locus_? I saw a mention of it on a $ online service but will have to order the issue. Any news or thoughts about it?

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Later, Judy
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>From: Lesley Grant <lgrant@maths.tcd.ie>
>Subject: cherryhlist
>Date: Wed, 31 Mar 93 9:47:11 BST

> Did anyone read the interview with Cherryh in the January (I think) _Locus_?
>(...)

I just mailed someone, begging for a copy, and promising large envelopes, postage, etc. His article on the news has confused people -- first it looked like he said she has signed a contract for 2 new Compact books, but apparently he meant Union/Alliance instead.

				Lesley

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>From: nancy ott <ott@ansoft.com>
>Subject: Re: cherryhlist
>Date: Fri, 2 Apr 93 13:11:42 EST

For those who haven't read it, here's a synopsis of the interview with Cherryh in January's Locus. The article was pretty short (a little over a page) and didn't go into a lot of depth on any of this stuff.

1. She's almost finished with a "First Contact with aliens" - type novel for DAW. It seems to be tangentially related to the Union-Alliance books, and does not yet have a title. The story involves a human colony on a planet with somewhat hostile aliens that are culturally incompatible with humans. The humans are gradually turning over their technology to the aliens -- primarily to keep from being massacred! -- and the book focuses on the contacts/tensions between the two groups (including a "whodunit" plot).

2. She has finished a fantasy novel for DelRey, which is currently titled "Faery in Shadow." It's set in Scotland in the mythical past; one of the characters is (as she put it) "a pooka with an attitude."

3. She described how the cover of Chanur's Legacy related to the novel. Because she was running behind on writing, she told Michael Whelan to paint whatever he wanted; she'd write it into the book. Whelan painted the hani in a laser battle, which she had not originally planned to put into the story (weapons where supposed to be banned from the docks). She managed to work the scene in after all. (Yeah, weapons are banned, but ... !!!)

4. "Hellburner" may be the last of the early Company War books. She hasn't decided yet whether to do a Merchanter novel or something set further down the road. She mentioned that she'd like to do a novel set after Cyteen, and is considering starting a completely new universe.

5. Miscellaneous: her health is improving (she's finally overcoming some problems stemming from a bicycling accident about 10 years ago); she likes the current publishing trend for long novels because that's the way she works best; she also describes her views on writing fantasy and SF in terms of language, characters, etc. -- which sums up some of the differences between her SF and fantasy work.

nancy ott

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>From: Lesley Grant <lgrant@maths.tcd.ie>
>Subject: cherryhlist
>Date: Wed, 7 Apr 93 9:41:43 BST

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> >From: nancy ott <ott@ansoft.com>
 
> 2. She has finished a fantasy novel for DelRey, which is currently
> titled "Faery in Shadow."  It's set in Scotland in the mythical past;
> one of the characters is (as she put it) "a pooka with an attitude."

Sounds like it could be a _Dreamstone_ type thing. Perhaps the land at the end of _Tree of Swords and Jewels_? (Not that much more can be said without spoilers for _ToSaJ_).

> 4. "Hellburner" may be the last of the early Company War books. (...)

Noooo! There's so much more she could do with Union/Alliance! Please, nothing like the (execrable) "Sword of Knowledge" trilogy! (A trilogy where her friends obviously got the better of her, and made her co-write this crap).

				Lesley