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Doranna Durgin
Author 		Doranna Durgin


BIO


Doranna Durgin spent her childhood filling notebooks first with stories and art, and then with novels. After obtaining a degree in wildlife illustration and environmental education, she spent a number of years deep in the Appalachian Mountains. When she emerged, it was as a writer who found herself irrevocably tied to the natural world and its creatures.

Dun Lady's Jess, Doranna's first published fantasy novel, received the 1995 Compton Crook/Stephen Tall award for the best first book in the fantasy, science fiction, and horror genres. The novel Touched By Magic followed, and Jess's sequel, Changespell, came out in February '97. BARRENLANDS and WOLF JUSTICE hit the shelves in 1998; WOLVERINE'S DAUGHTER, SEER'S BLOOD and TOOTH & CLAW are due out in 2000.

Doranna lives in upstate New York with an old hound, his irrepressible Cardigan companion, and a young Lipizzan gelding who thinks too much.

The January, 2000
Q&A

JanCyberC Doranna Durgin is our guest tonight. If you have a question for Doranna, please let her answer one before you ask another. Thanks.
Saturn1507 Hello
Doranna Durgin Hi there!
JanCyberC Doranna, just a second...and we'll begin
Doranna Durgin hokay
JanCyberC LOL. Doranna Durgin is joining us tonight to talk about her new book....
JanCyberC WOLVERINE'S DAUGHTER, as well as some of her other current...
JanCyberC and future projects.
JanCyberC Doranna, I'd like the start the evening off by asking you about Wolverine. Is this the continuation...
JanCyberC of any of your previous fantasy worlds?
Doranna Durgin Hi, Bary--
Doranna Durgin Nope, this is a spanking fresh world
baryon Hi Doranna, hope you are well
Doranna Durgin New magic system, new gods, new everything.
JanCyberC Fascinating...how many "worlds" have you created so far in your writing career.
Doranna Durgin As well as ever, thanks!
JanCyberC ?
Doranna Durgin Jan, wait, I have to count on my fingers...
JanCyberC LOL!
Doranna Durgin published worlds or published & unpublished yet?
JanCyberC Why don't we stick with Published right now.
JanCyberC ga
Doranna Durgin Then the Jess books, the Reandn books, and Kelyn's book.
Doranna Durgin Obviously I tend to identify with my main character...
Doranna Durgin There's another coming out in July.
baryon .
JanCyberC So...that's 5 worlds total?
Doranna Durgin That's world number 4, I guess.
JanCyberC 5 worlds including the book in July?
Doranna Durgin Four.
Doranna Durgin Jess, Reandn, Kelyn, and the July book.
JanCyberC Okay...thanks. What all is involved, for you...
Doranna Durgin Unless I'm missing something, which could happen. I have so many proposals in the works, and so many things I'm developing, it's hard to keep track.
JanCyberC in creating a world. Do you sit down with an outline?
Doranna Durgin Hmmm.
JanCyberC Where do you start?
Doranna Durgin Generally I start with the basic story idea that I want to tell.
Doranna Durgin Then I sit down with a list of things I need to develop.
Doranna Durgin Such as religion, geographic details, culture as arising from the first two...
Doranna Durgin At least, that's how I do it NOW. I just made Jess up as I went along.
JanCyberC Understood. Dunn's Lady Jess was your first novel.
Doranna Durgin Anyway, I can't really get into the specific plot until I know the worlds, because what happens is going to depend on the culture, etc.
Doranna Durgin Yeah. Well, same thing for Touched By Magic, which was actually written before I wrote Jess. But I developed the world more fully for the sequels in both cases.
JanCyberC Thanks!
Doranna Durgin I'm about at the point where I'm starting to wiggle when I get another idea, and try to see if it will fit in a world I've already made, even peripherally...
Doranna Durgin
JanCyberC LOL!
baryon MOre comfortable suroundings the second and third time around
JanCyberC It's a lot of work building a world I take it.
Doranna Durgin Both of those things.
Doranna Durgin Once you =really= know the world, you can make the story richer.
Doranna Durgin And worldbuilding is a b!tch.
Doranna Durgin I mean, some people love it.
Doranna Durgin Some people use the writing as an excuse to build worlds.
baryon you do a terrific job with it though
Doranna Durgin Not me. Sigh.
Doranna Durgin Aw shucks.
JanCyberC Okay...what about WOLVERINE'S DAUGHTER's world is the most different from your previous worlds.
Doranna Durgin EVerything!
Doranna Durgin Seriously. It's a very god-based world.
JanCyberC Everything...can you give us a few particulars.
Doranna Durgin The gods take a much more active role in what happens.
JanCyberC Ah...so you had to develop a pantheon?
Doranna Durgin There are a lot of them, and they have an impact on their claimed regions right down to ecology.
Doranna Durgin Yes, a nice crabby pantheon.
JanCyberC LOL!
baryon the background really aids the characters developement in the way they act to certain circumstances
Doranna Durgin Although they don't actually =appear= in the book.
Doranna Durgin And I don't intend to have them do so. But they still weave their personalities into their lands.
JanCyberC Okay...so the gods aren't active characters...but their actions can be seen in the background.
Doranna Durgin Bary, definitely.
baryon thats part of the art of story-telling and you have the knack
Doranna Durgin Like one god really digs magic. So there's lots of magic in his area.
Doranna Durgin And another likes brawling; his people are really good at making war and being mercenary.
Saturn1507 You mentioned that magics were different in each world, what traits do you have allowed in one that aren't allowed in another, and how does it shape the worlds
Doranna Durgin You mean, to what extent do I say, "I won't do this in World B because I've already done it in World A?"
JanCyberC I'd like to know that, even if that's not what Saturn had specifically in mind.
Doranna Durgin That's a struggle, actually. I hate to kick something out of my list of choices just because I used it in some form, earlier.
Doranna Durgin For instance...
Doranna Durgin The magic systems.
JanCyberC Folks! If you're lurking, be sure to send a "." into the chat screen or via Private Message, from time to time to avoid punting. Thanks!
Doranna Durgin In Reandn's world, the magic system is really cool. I put a lot of thought into how individuals perceive and use the magic.
Doranna Durgin Not being able to use that for different worlds is frustrating--but how would you, as a reader, feel if you ran across the same system in an unrelated book?
Doranna Durgin That was more or less a serious question, by the way.
Doranna Durgin It's really only the magic that I truly fuss about when trying not to duplicate things.
Doranna Durgin That and the religious systems.
Doranna Durgin The rest of it pretty much falls in line, and people take environment for granted, anyway.
Doranna Durgin I try for different touches; lots of it comes from the first two.
Doranna Durgin Have I, in my wandering way, answered the question?
JanCyberC Saturn? Do you have a follow-up on that?
Saturn1507 Not really; thank you
Saturn1507 not really a follow up, that is
Doranna Durgin Oh, okay!
Doranna Durgin Thought I'd answered the wrong question entirely there, for a moment!
JanCyberC Nope...hit it on the head it seems.
baryon whats the July book going to be about?
Doranna Durgin My most favorite book!
JanCyberC Okay...Doranna...I'm assuming that there are no shapeshifters in Wolverine's Daughter?
JanCyberC Please answer Bary first.
Doranna Durgin Um, which do you want me to answer first?
Doranna Durgin whoops, one sec too slow. Okay, Bary--
Doranna Durgin It's an alternate sort of Appalachia in the late 1800's.
JanCyberC Ooooh!
Doranna Durgin Very close to my heart, this book...I wrote it while I was in the mountains. It won the honor book in Andre Norton's Gryphon contest, and then was =different= enough that I couldn't do anything with it.
Doranna Durgin Now it's revised, expanded, and grown into itself.
JanCyberC Shades of Manly Wellman?
Doranna Durgin That's how my first agent was marketing me.
baryon gmta, Jan
Doranna Durgin It's got hounds...I love hounds...
JanCyberC 8^)
JanCyberC What's the title of this July book?
baryon no one has captured Wade's style since he died, I'm proud you are doing it
Doranna Durgin The mountains are really my home, deep in my heart, and always will be. This book is, along with being what I hope is a good story, an homage to that.
AtkButterfly .
Doranna Durgin It's Seer's Blood.
Doranna Durgin Oh, I wouldn't say I've captured his STYLE...it's all my style.
Doranna Durgin But I don't think anyone has captured the mountains, either, and that, I think I've done.
Doranna Durgin ACTION is big in the head
baryon possibly landscape would be a better term
Doranna Durgin Yes, I think you're right.
JanCyberC LOL. Cool...you must let me pencil you in for a July chat then.
Doranna Durgin soitenly.
JanCyberC Okaydokay.
JanCyberC Doranna...back to Wolverine for a moment....
Doranna Durgin Oh, yeah...
JanCyberC are there shapeshifters?
Doranna Durgin No, no shapeshifters.
baryon are there any advance copies available for review?
Doranna Durgin At least, not in this book.
JanCyberC Of SEER's BLOOD, Bary?
Doranna Durgin I'm not sure... you'd have to talk to Baen.
baryon yes Seers Blood'
JanCyberC Ah...so it's a Baen book.
Doranna Durgin Everything's Baen so far but the Trek book.
JanCyberC Speaking of which...what is this about a Trek book?
Doranna Durgin Elmore did the cover...it's up on my web site. 8)
JanCyberC Tell us about it, Doranna.
Doranna Durgin Trek book--what a blast!
JanCyberC How so?
Doranna Durgin I hope it's out by the end of the year. Tooth & Claw. Man vs Beast...
JanCyberC You're expecting it to be available around Christmas this year?
Doranna Durgin I made up this really nasty giant snake with little three-toed legs that curl up into a groove on its side. heh heh
Doranna Durgin Yes, I hope so. It's not been scheduled yet.
JanCyberC Hi Tech, have a seat...we've just asked Dor about her new Trek Book TOOTH & CLAW.
Doranna Durgin I handed it in a little over a month ago.
baryon Classic or TNG Trek?
Doranna Durgin And I want it to come before the end of the year so I can have 3 out this year
JanCyberC Okay...so you've not even done the first go round with your editor? Revisions, etc? Or do you foresee any?
Doranna Durgin TNG
Doranna Durgin I don't know of any sticking points. But it also has to get by the studio, and they pick on things other than story details.
Tech Hi Doranna had some serious system issues but I'm back. 3 that's cool!
Doranna Durgin Glad you're back, Tech!
AtkButterfly .
Doranna Durgin If I have to do revisions, that's fine. I really don't mind them. It's just making the book better.
JanCyberC Doranna...how did you get your hands on this job in the first place, were you approached by the publishers or vice versa?
Doranna Durgin I approached the editor with an idea. He liked it, I developed it into a proposal. Etc.
Doranna Durgin I'm developing another one right now. Cross your fingers!
Doranna Durgin I should say, I approached him through my agent...
JanCyberC LOL, can't type with crossed fingers, but I'll cross my toes. Okay...so having an agent is a good thing.
Doranna Durgin When you're a writer with many proposals out, you learn to type with as many appendages crossed as possible...
Doranna Durgin Yes, having an agent is a Good Thing.
JanCyberC LOL!
Doranna Durgin For many reasons, anyway.
Doranna Durgin Some people don't need them...different careers, different personality types.
baryon .
JanCyberC Other than having someone in NY near the publishing houses, what are the other benefits?
Doranna Durgin Me, I worry about =everything=. I need an agent who will not only take care of the details, but who keeps in touch with me.
JanCyberC Legal advice on contracts etc?
Doranna Durgin My agent gives me feed back about my proposals and ideas....
Doranna Durgin She acts as a buffer between me and any editors I might not be a good fit with, personality-wise...
Doranna Durgin Oh, yes, the contract-savvy. Definitely.
Doranna Durgin And we discuss the sorts of things I should work on to build my career.
Doranna Durgin The directions I should go...
JanCyberC So she can advise you when a contract isn't in your best interest, or when you should take something because she knows what the market is like.
Doranna Durgin Plus, if I say, "I need groceries. Who's got a project to fill?" she knows.
JanCyberC Excellent.
Tech Nice working relationship.
Doranna Durgin Well, I send her five ideas. She says, "This is really interesting. But this one doesn't build on your strengths, or enhance the KIND of book image people are used to from you.
Doranna Durgin So she tells me when she thinks a certain idea is a good use of my time.
JanCyberC So you say that TOOTH & CLAW has to be run past the studio people next. Do they give you a book of dos and don'ts before you begin writing?
Doranna Durgin There's a list, yeah. I think it's even on their web page.
Doranna Durgin And the Trek people are excellent about sending ref material--the encyclopedia, etc.
Doranna Durgin They even sent me a "tour the bridge of all the Enterprises and the Defiant" game.
Doranna Durgin And me, I'm finally finding uses for all those TNG tape archives....
JanCyberC Ah...good. I was assuming that you might get character studies on the characters you'd be using in your novel.
Doranna Durgin "Look, Mom, I TOLD you I'd need these some day!"
JanCyberC LOL
Doranna Durgin Yes, I did.
JanCyberC Which characters from TNG *are* you using in TOOTH & CLAW?
Doranna Durgin Nothing more than is available in books about the series, though.
Doranna Durgin Um, most of them.
Doranna Durgin Riker and Picard are the story point men.
Doranna Durgin
Doranna Durgin But everyone's in there. Including Barclay (who was invented by a friend of mine!)
Doranna Durgin And Duffy, who was in one of the eps.
baryon I wonder if anyone will ever do a "What happened to Wesley" book
JanCyberC LOL!
Doranna Durgin I don't think you can pay an author enough....
JanCyberC LOLOL!
Doranna Durgin Poor Wesley... they really made mistakes with that character.
AtkButterfly He underwent a gender change on Xendian and became a bag lady...
Doranna Durgin Though I liked the resolution they gave him.
Doranna Durgin , Atk
baryon it was better than just being writen off
JanCyberC So, hopefully Wolverine's Daughter (which is out now) Seer's Blood (In July) and hopefully Tooth & Claw at the end of the year. Are there any other books in the works at Baen right now? That is submitted but not scheduled.
Tech Oh I thought you said big lady was wondering.
AtkButterfly I thought they might actually try to spin off a series with Wesley, but I was wrong
Doranna Durgin I have another book on contract, The Bounding Dark.
Doranna Durgin I should be writing it, but I'm working up some proposals before I dive in.
JanCyberC Book on Contract...I'm sorry I don't understand that phrase.
Doranna Durgin I propose a book, they buy it, I have to write it.
JanCyberC Ah...so you're in the process of writing it now?
Doranna Durgin Nope. I'm doing some other proposals--for another Trek book, for instance. I =ought= to be writing it, but I'm a Bad Author. Bad. No biscuit.
Doranna Durgin Will probably start it before the end of Feb.
Doranna Durgin It's due in October.
JanCyberC That means you have to have it to your editor at Baen by...?
Doranna Durgin (I have entirely too many irons in the fire--it's hard to keep my head on straight right now. "What world am I in today...?")
Doranna Durgin The end of October.
Doranna Durgin No matter when I start it.
JanCyberC Oh...I thought when you said due in October you meant on the bookshelves.
Doranna Durgin Ah, no. Sorry.
Doranna Durgin It probably won't be on the shelves until late next year.
JanCyberC Will this new Baen book take place in any of the worlds you've already created?
Doranna Durgin Nope!
Doranna Durgin It's mostly a contemporary fantasy.
Doranna Durgin So it takes place in this world...but with my own magical elements.
JanCyberC Okay...interesting...how to you inject magical elements into this real world? Via a character(s)?
Doranna Durgin The research I've done for this one makes my head spin!
Doranna Durgin In this case I'm using a, well, a dog... (big surprise to those who know my work!)
JanCyberC LOL, another Hound?
Doranna Durgin and a very, very obscure Welsh god from about 300ad
Doranna Durgin Nope, I'm using a Cardi this time! Pure indulgence!
Doranna Durgin I'm actually using the Cardi I lost last year, was hit by a car. Very special dog, had far too many concerns on his shoulders. What you see in the book will be very much like him.
JanCyberC Okay...let's get down to research here. Where is it that you find obscure Welsh gods? That is, where do you do most of your research for novels.
Doranna Durgin Um, Cardigan Welsh Corgi = Cardi
Doranna Durgin I always hang onto references to good reference books in ng conversations. Then I go online to the local library system...
Doranna Durgin and put more books on hold than their hold shelf can carry.
baryon do you do much research on the web?
JanCyberC Folks! If you're lurking, be sure to send a "." into the chat screen or via Private Message, from time to time to avoid punting. Thanks!
Doranna Durgin In this case, I started with a set of needs for the god...and hunted until I found one that fit them. It was possibly the toughest research I've done.
Doranna Durgin Bary, I did hunt around the web for this one. I do web research on all my books.
Doranna Durgin But I usually supplement with additional sources.
AtkButterfly Well, have to leave. Good conversation. Good luck with your sales. Bye for now!
Doranna Durgin Thanks! Bye--
JanCyberC Goodnight Atk.. Thanks.
baryon later ATK
Doranna Durgin What's ATK stand for, anyway? I should have asked while ATK was here...
JanCyberC Attack Butterfly.
Doranna Durgin LOL! That's great!
baryon its the title of one of his books
Tech LOL yeah
JanCyberC He runs the Preditors & Editors area connected with the SFWA.
Doranna Durgin Really? That's a great place.
baryon also has written several books available on the web
JanCyberC I was going to ask you next about research areas online. Do you have specific search engines or areas you use on a regular basis?
Doranna Durgin Google!
JanCyberC Google? LOL...what's Google, besides a large number.
Tech It's like gohip Jan.
Doranna Durgin I really do use them most. And I use the SFWA links. (google.com. search engine. way cool)
JanCyberC Oh...okay...and engine that queries other engines.
Tech And it's such a cool name eh, Doranna
Doranna Durgin Well, I dunno if that;s how they do it. But they're really good!
JanCyberC Hmmm...I'll have to spend more time on the SFWA site one of these days...thanks Dor.
Doranna Durgin The links have a lot of good stuff in them. (Not at all biased. AKA SFWA Linksmaster)
JanCyberC Okay....Barry, Tech...did you have any other questions for Dor?
baryon no, shes done her time tonight
Doranna Durgin Wow, look at the clock!
JanCyberC LOL! And then some.
JanCyberC Doranna thank you so much for joining us tonight...I'm going to pencil you in now for July.
Doranna Durgin Yes, that'd be great!
Tech No I'm lagging so hard here even now it's hard to keep up.
JanCyberC So that you can come out and tell us about Seer's Blood.
JanCyberC Thanks Tech...sorry to hear about the system.
Tech Good to see you Doranna thanks for joining us again!

The August, 1999
Q&A

JanCyberC Good evening Doranna. Glad to have you here this evening.
Doranna And glad to be here, always!
JanCyberC I just set up an Amazon link on your page today Doranna and noticed that you had two books come out in 1998, BARRENLANDS and WOLF JUSTICE. Which came out first, Barrenlands or Justice?
Doranna BARRENLANDS. Came out in...February. Then Wolf Justice came out in August, I think. One of those fall months.
Techyo <===Is currently reading BARRENLANDS. It's a bit of a change isn't it?
Doranna It's a little grimmer, is that what you mean?
Techyo Yes I like it a lot BTW. (G)
Doranna That's always good! It does have a harder edge to it. Just the way it turned out. Anyway, this year, I don't have any books out, which is why I'm glad to hang around here and play author anyway. But next year I ought to have 3 of them out, so that'll make up for it.
JanCyberC But you are working on something currently, aren't you?
Doranna Up until just a few minutes ago, actually...the Star Trek book. Next Gen. Talk about a change! (G) It ought to be out next late fall, I believe.
JanCyberC This is a change. Can you give us some background on this book?
Doranna Well, let's just say the editor got all excited when I pitched it and said, "We haven't had a crew against monsters story in a long time!" (G) The deep dark jungle...lots of teeth...no phasers.
JanCyberC LOL...sounds good to me.
Doranna So I guess in a way, it's not a departure. Because it still hinges on ecology and zoology and the nature of animals.
JanCyberC So, you're taking the Next Generation Crew into an environment where technology is no help?
Doranna Not that it's no help...it's just not present. (Yeah, it's a mcguffin, but it makes things more fun.) Actually, it's a shuttle crew. And meanwhile Picard is on the enterprise tearing his hair out..er, sort of...because he's not in a position to run to the rescue. Heh heh heh.
Bookhound LOL
JanCyberC I hear ya. Doranna, I've heard it said that Star Trek is, in a way more fantasy that science fiction...
Doranna They make it clear in the guidelines that magic isn't allowed, but they'll use scientific babble to create any situation they want...
MrNeutron scientific babble...that sounds familiar
JanCyberC For you, what's the basic difference? SF vs Fantasy?
Doranna Aurgh...the classic question ... Fantasy involves forces that we can't extrapolate from science.
JanCyberC Wasn't it Clarke that said any sufficiently advanced science would appear to be magic?
Doranna But then there's always what you just said..I don't know if it was Clarke or not, but it's certainly been said often enough. To me, fantasy also involves a different feel and style of storytelling. Especially high fantasy. The use of language is different.
JanCyberC High Fantasy? Pardon my ignorance...but there are levels?
Doranna Yep. Tolkein. Or involving allegory... Just like there's hard and soft SF. High Fantasy...Tolkein. LeGuin....
JanCyberC Okay...so Low Fantasy would be what? Can you give me some examples?
Doranna Low fantasy...um... well, I don't think there's LOW fantasy. I think it edges toward contemporary fantasy.
JanCyberC LOL, you don't have to name names.
Doranna Or gritty realistic fleas & lice fantasy.
JanCyberC Okay...so high fantasy is usually set in a world that's built from the ground up? While low fantasy may take place right outside the door?
Doranna Well...that's part of it. Erase that term "low fantasy" from your brain!
JanCyberC LOL. ::gets out eraser::
Doranna Fantasy writers have enough trouble getting respect.
Techyo I'm guessing the mythical creatures belong to the high fantasy area?
Doranna Basically. Unless you're talking Piers Anthony.
Bookhound .Um...did someone say low fantasy? (Ooo, I shouldn't be bad!)
Techyo There's a joke there but I'm gonna try to be good.
Doranna High fantasy also often has a second level of storytelling. Well, Alan, I ALMOST said it, but since I'm the one who wanted it erased...
baryon LeGuin and Kurtz for high fantasy
Bookhound (VBG)
Doranna Okay, Robin McKinley. Deerskin. High Fantasy. Nancy Springer, her early works. High Fantasy.
JanCyberC Now that's the second time tonight I've heard LeGuin's name mentioned as a fantasy author.
Doranna As a HIGH fantasy author.
JanCyberC I've always thought of her as SF. What have I missed?
Doranna The Earthsea Trilogy?
Bookhound The entire Earthsea Trilogy (plus one).
Doranna (I read that one too long ago to have intelligent commentary other than that.)
JanCyberC ACTION kicks self
Doranna Not too hard!
baryon LeGuin hides her fantasy in SF trappings and really gets people to like it without realizing they have been taken
Doranna Yeah, I have to agree with that! I haven't read a lot of her recent stuff, because...well, because I have too much to read and I'm behind in it all. But the few short works I've read fit that, perfectly.
Bookhound Yeah, me too. Never really thought of it that way (though I have looked at her work as 'science fantasy'.
JanCyberC Doranna, since you have this Star Trek novel coming out next year...are you entertaining the idea of moving into the SF genre?
Doranna Oh, I could easily move into some SF. I've got an SF novel written (an earlier one, currently in the trunk because it's too hard to market with me so established in Fantasy). I have pages and pages of SF ideas. Mind you, they're not HARD SF. They're based on the soft sciences--social stuff, medical stuff, biology, zoology. Not physics and such. I did as much as I could with THAT with the magic in TOUCHED BY MAGIC. Not that I think anyone...
baryon good zoology SF is rare
JanCyberC This is very interesting. Do you think this new book may be the breakthrough you need then?
Doranna The Trek book?
JanCyberC Yes.
Doranna I'm not sure. People tend to look at Trek books and think "Trek book." As opposed to, "Oh, a Doranna Durgin book."
Bookhound I think it'll be a big stepping stone to SF.
Techyo Hey I consider TOUCHED BY MAGIC an alternate world SF.
JanCyberC Have you considered a pseudonym?
Doranna Yes, I've considered a pen name. (note I'm not trying to spell that other word on the fly) Truth is, I've been so focused on what I've been doing that I haven't made that final step--have enough fantasy ideas to keep me going for a while. But I hope Alan is right, and that it WILL be a step toward wider acceptance. Some people manage to span the genres without much trouble...but I think Baen prefers to keep sharper lines between its authors/genres
Bookhound I think, if the book is well received by Trek fans, they'll be on the lookout for more SF by you.
JanCyberC Okay...so the Star Trek: Next Generation book is due out next year. Are you working on anything else right now?
Doranna Just turned in a book in Feb--it'll be out next January. Talk about running the gamut...that one's basically a barbarian warrior woman story! But it's a load of fun. Buffy and Nikita and Xena all rolled into one.
baryon Baen likes the Chicks in chainmail books
Bookhound LOL! Can't wait for that one!
Doranna And I just turned in another fantasy, which is tentatively scheduled for June.
Techyo Gor the Doranna way? :::ducks:::
Doranna Augh!
AtkButterfly so tell us some of the titles so we can be on the lookout for them!
Doranna WOLVERINE'S DAUGHTER is the first one. Has a great Elmore cover (though I don't want to think about how long it would take her to get out of those tight leather pants when she has to go to the bathroom.)
JanCyberC LOLOLOLOL!
AtkButterfly LOL
Doranna Hey, when you see the cover, you'll know just what I mean....
Bookhound ROTFLMAO!
Techyo ROFL sure stick that image in my mind forever.
AtkButterfly maybe if she has a sharp sword, it won't be so bad when she has to go
Doranna The second is SEER'S BLOOD and is kind of an alternate Appalachia-based tale. The Trek book is TOOTH & CLAW. Somewhere around there I'll have...
JanCyberC Appalachia-based tale? Similar to Manly Wade Wellman's books?
Doranna That's how my first agent billed it, actually. "The next Manly Wade Wellman." As if anyone COULD be...
JanCyberC Ooooooh. If anyone could be Doranna.
Doranna It's a little less contemporary. Pretty much an early 1800's setting, but very pioneer, not the conveniences one might find in the city 1800's.
baryon Wade could spin a yarn, great one to be compared to
Doranna Yes, I'd love it if any of the reviews compare the book to his work. The thing that's similar, I think, is a great love for the region. I think it comes through.
Bookhound I've read some of his short horror but none of the Appalacia based novels.
AtkButterfly Doranna, it's definitely a good feeling when you read a review comparing you favorably with an established well known author
baryon send me a copy and I'll review it
Doranna Email me the snail info, Bary, and I will.
baryon do you have cover approval, or are you just really lucky to have such good ones.
Doranna I don't think ANYone has cover approval. I have expressed an enthusiastic preference for Elmore's work. If it works out, they'll go with him.
JanCyberC Excellent.
Doranna Word is they've just assigned him the SEER'S BLOOD cover...I just sent in some photos of hounds (on the assumption that not many people know what a walker hound is...) I've always tried to be discreet about the other covers...at least, to my editor. As some of you may recall, I'll whine about them loudly enough to anyone else!
Mo Do you have the cover for Wolverine's Daughter yet?
Doranna Yes, and it's a good one. Elmore. He always takes pains to include the details from the book, and he got some good ones for this one!
Mo Oh, good.
Doranna The nice thing about it is that I think it's a good cover marketing-wise, too. That's not always the case (I loved the JESS cover, but it wasn't good for marketing).
AtkButterfly then he got the idea for the tight leather from the book? maybe I better get a copy
JanCyberC LOL Atk.
Doranna LOL! No, that's the one thing he did on his own. She's also wearing a vest that in the book, she took from a Big Nasty Man who Deserved What He Got. Apparently, she had it closely tailored somewhere along the way.
Mo heheh! And the all encompassing cloak?
Doranna The cloak is in a little heap on the ground. It got too warm to wear it along the course of the book.
AtkButterfly does she have a sword? if so, there you go
Doranna No, she has a quarterstaff.
AtkButterfly quarterstaff? you can't tailor with that
Bookhound Not unless you're a VERY good tailor.
Mo well, not the "clothes", but certainly the "Man"
baryon no, but you could tinker with the tailor
Doranna She has two knives... better than a sword for the detail work.
JanCyberC Doranna, when's Wolverine's Daughter due out again? Approximately?
Doranna It's due out in January. That's solid.
JanCyberC Excellent. Doranna, Techyo mentioned earlier that Barrenlands was a bit of a departure for you...darker fantasy...do you see your work moving in that direction or was that a one time thing?
Doranna I've got a sequel to BARRENLANDS all plotted out and ready to go, though I don't think it'll sell. (don't ask me why! I'm only the author!) The truth is, I don't really like to be pinned to any one style.
AtkButterfly think positive... it will sell
Techyo I'll buy it. Er a copy anyway.
JanCyberC LOL. Thanks for clarifying that Techyo.
Doranna I'd love to do some more work like BARRENLANDS. I've also got a contemporary scheduled, and WOLVERINE'S DAUGHTER, despite some of the barbarian grittiness of it, has a dryer tone. More wit.
AtkButterfly then have Elmore leave an extra button undone for the next cover
Doranna I don't think Elmore COULD leave an extra button undone. Or in this case, the laces of the shirt loose any lower. (G) It really is a barbarian babe cover. But in good taste.
Bookhound Ooo, just the kind of cover I like!
Mo Is it up on the Baen site yet? Haven't been over in a while
Doranna You know, I don't know. I've got info on my web page, and I should have the cover flat any day now to scan and put up there.
Mo I'll go look. Brb
Techyo Do you favor any of your work over the rest?
Doranna Techyo, I'm thinking...
Techyo I know it isn't a fair question.
Doranna Problem is, I like them all for different reasons. SEER'S BLOOD is another kind of book entirely from all of them...I adore it. But Wolverine's Daughter was a blast! Who can choose?
AtkButterfly is too, but for some of us, it's a moving target
Techyo Good answer.
Doranna Is too, what?
AtkButterfly the question
Doranna (Whew!) Fudged that one... Oh, got it.
JanCyberC Doranna...how many years ago did we first meet in that AOL writer's workshop?
Doranna Holy cow... Probably '91 Maybe '92 ?? Okay, wait...I was working on Upriver then...right before I left...and that would have been '93-4. So whatever time I was there before that.
JanCyberC Sounds about right...and you got your first novel published in 96....
Bookhound 94
JanCyberC do you think that workshop helped...or was there something else definitive that helped you make your first sale.
Doranna Maybe. (waffle, waffle) Had I sold Jess while I was there? That was in '93 (the sale) and '94 (the pub)
JanCyberC Okay...I remember your mentioning it at the time. What I'm really asking is this... are workshops a waste of time or do you still workshop?
Doranna The workshop helped in that it was good writer support. It didn't help with the book itself, I don't think.
AtkButterfly Workshops do help if only to reinforce good habits.
JanCyberC Then can you pin making that first sale on anything in particular?
Doranna I'm trying to remember that far back..! I was in a local writer's group, too. But I honestly think that JESS sold because of the idea and the way I handled it, and that didn't have as much to do with the craft as...it was finally time. At that point, what was helping the most was that I was just writing non-stop, book after book. And I didn't stop learning, either...I've grown a lot as a writer in the intervening time. I hope to continue growing.
JanCyberC Did you have an agent at that time?
Doranna Nope. Basically, I sold the book myself. Then I grabbed up an agent right before the contract stuff. And learned a really hard lesson, two agents in a row...the wrong agent is worse than no agent.
JanCyberC Ah.
AtkButterfly How many did you write?
Doranna How many what did I write? Agents, or books...?
AtkButterfly how many books non-stop
Doranna Oh. Wait. I must count on my fingers. Jess was the fourth. After it sold, I just kept going; Baen didn't buy the next two. However, I've since sold two of the books I wrote before Jess...er, in vastly revised versions!
AtkButterfly good for you!
Mo (G)
Doranna The first is a trunk novel. I'll unravel the elements and steal the world building and do something with it, someday.
JanCyberC Now you have three books coming out next year...that's quite an accomplishment. Did you think back when you were working on Jess that this day would finally come, and did you think it would be this much hard work?
Doranna Hmmm. I think that I believed that I would someday get published. But I was too naive about the industry to predict the course of my career. I didn't think it would be this much of a struggle to maintain my career. But in truth, I came in right at the collapse of the midlist. It's made a huge difference. I've had big name editors admit to me that my career would have been much different if I'd started 10 year earlier.
JanCyberC You've had to give up a lot to continue writing?
Doranna Jan, that's a really tough question. I mean, who knows "what it would have been like"? And I have other issues, health issues, that dictate my choices. If it weren't for writing, I wouldn't be working at all. I can't go get a day job. Talk about pressure to write a breakout book! In any event, I can't Not Write. So I might as well go for it!
Bookhound Yes, but your fans are dedicated and your fan base is growing (look at how Jess is selling for me!) so...
Doranna Well, anyone who wants a postcard for Wolverine's Daughter can contact me through my web site http://www.doranna.net
JanCyberC I *have* neglected to ask you if you've ever turned your hand to the shorter forms. Short Stories, novellas, etc.
Doranna (I'm actually circulating some short stories, now, as an attempt to make contact with new readers)
Mo Have you found it difficult to (return) turn to the shorter form?
Bookhound I've liked all the short works I've read so far. The Bitch stories are great!
Doranna Not really. It's certainly a different process, but...not harder. I just don't get =ideas= for short stories very often.
Mo I used to love the short story; that was my area of choice but now -- yeah. I don't get ideas for short stories, either.
Doranna Thanks, Alan....here's hoping the second Bitch story makes it into the CHICKS antho! I'm trying to come up with more, so I can write them and try to sell them! (G) Not that I have the time...(gasp!)
JanCyberC Let us know when that happens Doranna (please note I say when).
Doranna Oh, I'll happily inform the world. (G) And the latest news is always on my web page.
JanCyberC Well Doranna..we've kept you in the hotseat for an hour here...and it's been a great chat.
Doranna Ooh, yeah, time flies! Thanks for having me!
JanCyberC Doranna...I'd like to thank you now for coming out and joining us tonight and twist your arm to commit to coming out here again in January...
Mo oh, yes. please do
Doranna Yeah, that'll be really tough. It's always such a miserable experience. not!
Bookhound (marking my calendar)
Techyo Thanks Doranna always a pleasure!
Doranna The same for me!
JanCyberC Why don't we give Doranna a hand, ACTION applauds Doranna.
Doranna Yes, I need another hand, so I can do more things at once.
JanCyberC You *always* say something like that Doranna. LOL! Thanks so much.
Mo (CLAP! CLAP!)
AtkButterfly Glad you came and glad you're doing well.
JanCyberC LOLOL!
Bookhound clap clap clap
Techyo DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA DORANNA
Doranna ACTION takes a bow
Doranna Techyo, LOL!

Doranna Durgin's Books


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